I can't get enough of this one... enjoy Knight fans!!
The Man in the Black Hat
It is often hard to classify a regular season game in any sport as absolute MUST SEE TV, but tonight lured me in. Interestingly, I knew exactly what was pulling me, despite my first instinct being to chastise anyone seduced for the exact same reason. I was a little kid watching a slasher film through the cracks of his fingers, like that unfortunate accident at the side of the road you just can't help sneaking a curious, furtive glance at; I couldn't quite resist.
I wanted to see the carnage.
I was fascinated by the potential of a frothing, foamy-mouthed, bloodlusting mob.
I wanted to see them welcome home Lebron.
Instead I got exactly what the aforementioned usually provide; a quick flutter of emotion, a little bit of a tummy-ache and a quickly forgotten glance at a fender bender. The NBA's version of "made ya' look."
The booing, vociferous as it was, seemed to fade in unison with the game's competitiveness. A decline from fever-pitch to sour note, from mouthfuls of venom to simply the bitter aftertaste of sour grapes; electricity to a dull flicker of boredom.
I originally wondered why on Earth so many grown humans would feel compelled to attend a sporting event solely to yell derision to a near-billionaire they once adored. It seemed a little silly, a little petty, heck even a little insignificant to me; and I spend my time writing about this sport!
But it wasn't insignificant to the fans. They taunted and jeered. They screamed with passion. It was honest and real and deep. You could see the pain on so many Cleveland faces.
And then it hit me; I understood what was missing.
The fans might have been tormented. But they were alone in their agony.
There wasn't a single ounce of malice or torment on the faces of the players. No anger visible from the actors in the "will he/won't he throw chalk" vaudeville act. It was just another game. Just another bunch of guys passing through town whom they've known and interacted with most of their lives: AAU, Summer Leagues, College, International Teams, All-Star Games and commercial shoots. Game #20 of 82. Barely at the quarter-post mark in the seemingly infinite horse race.
The fans had their target, but in truth, there hasn't been a true villain in a long time. In this politically correct, TMZ'd 2010 sports climate we have eliminated any willing villains through pressure of social mores. We have efficiently ostracized the bad guy by hounding our athletes for the last ten years. We parse their every word and dissect every facial tic and inflection in voice. We kill someone over a quick, innocuous laugh on the sideline of a football game. We beat our athlete's into public relations perfection though the powerful motivator of public approval and in so doing we eliminated a vital part of what makes sports so great. We vanquish our villains long before our heros ever get a chance to.
Reggie Miller said it best before the game, "Lebron should embrace wearing the black hat."
If only that were so. If only that were possible. Lebron the Villian? Loads of fun. Lebron the brand? A multimillion dollar corporation better served with a polite quote and a beaming smile. Muhammad Ali? Not today's athlete. They've been practicing far more than their jumpshots every day since junior high. They've been practicing to be stars. Like Mike. If I could be like Mike...It's a catchy ditty to sing to while the Gatorade cash machine makes our athletes rich beyond any mere mortal's expectations.
Reggie Miller is a sure-fire NBA Hall of Famer. Five years after his retirement, you can bring a smile to nearly any Hoosier's face with the mere whisper of a good Reg-gie! Reg-gie! chant. Reggie Miller is synonymous with 1990's playoff basketball and larger-than-life clutch shots so big they could only be matched by his equally villainous persona. The man in the black hat.
Here are some numbers that might startle you. And I do this with a heavy heart and trepidation of besmirching my boyhood idol. My wife and I have two dogs, Pacer (obvious) and Larkin (Reds SS, plus a "girlie enough" name to appease my wife). If we ever bring a third into the fold, no doubt it's "Miller" time. Okay... enough stalling...
Five. Three. Thirteen.
The significance? Five; as in the number of All-Star games in Reggie's eighteen year career. Three? Yes, obviously three pointers, Reggie has buried more of them than any player in NBA history. However in this case, the three means the best All-NBA voting Reggie achieved. Third Team All-NBA. He did it, you guessed it, only three times.
Thirteen. The jeopardy answer to the question, "what is the highest Reggie Miller ever finished in MVP voting?" Thirteenth. He earned that distinction once and another time finished sixteenth. In his other 16 seasons he received nary a single vote share. Not one.
Transcendentally great player? The numbers don't support it. Memorable, dramatic, fascinating and polarizing? Absolutely. Perhaps no one in NBA history played the hero and the villain so well simultaneously. You didn't have to love him. You didn't have to hate him. But if you loved basketball in the 1990's you had to choose one or the other.
The man in the black hat with a Superman cape.
In today's professional sports, twenty camera cell phones would have videotaped the quick change before Superman could tear out of the phone booth. And it's a shame, because there can't ever be a real hero without an equally real villain.
Without an antagonist, Ishmail just went fishing. With no Voldemort, Harry Potter is just flying circles on his broom. In a world with no Darth Vader, there can be no Luke Skywalker. In a hyper-driven bat of an eye thousands of college-aged virgins are left to idle pimple-faced and bored in their parents' basements.
It wasn't always this way. Julius Erving once connected on an overhand hay-maker squarely to Larry Bird's mug. Charles Barkley decked Shaquille O'Neal. The 1997 NBA Playoffs are known as much for PJ Brown hip-tossing Charlie Ward into the third row and the subsequent brawl that eventually resulted in Jeff Van Gundy clutching Alonzo Mourning's leg like a puppy embarrassingly humping dinner company.
"Unseemly" violence. Heated competition not only to beat, but to destroy the opponent. Unbridled, true, raw loathing.
And we loved every minute of it.
Several years ago Carmello Anthony threw a punch, a weak one at that, and received a 15-game suspension. Twenty five years ago Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis in a play that would have sportstalk hosts honestly discussing whether criminal litigation should result. McHale wasn't even thrown out of the GAME. (watch here).
I'm not promoting violence and thuggery, but when emotions run strong and pure the occasional brawl results. The fervor of all great competition and rivalry climaxes with the epic battle between good and evil. It's a formula that has worked for filmmakers for nearly a century. It's a formula that has worked for authors since the days of Homer's Odyssey. And it's the formula that helped make the NBA great in the 80's and 90's.
Tonight's Cavs v. Heat game, for all the hype and crowd hostility had none of the true elements of good versus evil drama. Mainly because the antagonist and protagonist were the same person, a simple illusion harbored only in 15,000 fans minds. For better or worse, the days of true rivalry require a completely different mindset. They need a willing villain.
Sadly, I doubt we will see any athlete intentionally don the black hat anytime soon... unless of course Nike can find a way to put a Swoosh on it.
I wanted to see the carnage.
I was fascinated by the potential of a frothing, foamy-mouthed, bloodlusting mob.
I wanted to see them welcome home Lebron.
Instead I got exactly what the aforementioned usually provide; a quick flutter of emotion, a little bit of a tummy-ache and a quickly forgotten glance at a fender bender. The NBA's version of "made ya' look."
The booing, vociferous as it was, seemed to fade in unison with the game's competitiveness. A decline from fever-pitch to sour note, from mouthfuls of venom to simply the bitter aftertaste of sour grapes; electricity to a dull flicker of boredom.
I originally wondered why on Earth so many grown humans would feel compelled to attend a sporting event solely to yell derision to a near-billionaire they once adored. It seemed a little silly, a little petty, heck even a little insignificant to me; and I spend my time writing about this sport!
But it wasn't insignificant to the fans. They taunted and jeered. They screamed with passion. It was honest and real and deep. You could see the pain on so many Cleveland faces.
And then it hit me; I understood what was missing.
The fans might have been tormented. But they were alone in their agony.
There wasn't a single ounce of malice or torment on the faces of the players. No anger visible from the actors in the "will he/won't he throw chalk" vaudeville act. It was just another game. Just another bunch of guys passing through town whom they've known and interacted with most of their lives: AAU, Summer Leagues, College, International Teams, All-Star Games and commercial shoots. Game #20 of 82. Barely at the quarter-post mark in the seemingly infinite horse race.
The fans had their target, but in truth, there hasn't been a true villain in a long time. In this politically correct, TMZ'd 2010 sports climate we have eliminated any willing villains through pressure of social mores. We have efficiently ostracized the bad guy by hounding our athletes for the last ten years. We parse their every word and dissect every facial tic and inflection in voice. We kill someone over a quick, innocuous laugh on the sideline of a football game. We beat our athlete's into public relations perfection though the powerful motivator of public approval and in so doing we eliminated a vital part of what makes sports so great. We vanquish our villains long before our heros ever get a chance to.
Reggie Miller said it best before the game, "Lebron should embrace wearing the black hat."
If only that were so. If only that were possible. Lebron the Villian? Loads of fun. Lebron the brand? A multimillion dollar corporation better served with a polite quote and a beaming smile. Muhammad Ali? Not today's athlete. They've been practicing far more than their jumpshots every day since junior high. They've been practicing to be stars. Like Mike. If I could be like Mike...It's a catchy ditty to sing to while the Gatorade cash machine makes our athletes rich beyond any mere mortal's expectations.
 |
| Nothing like choking the life out of the opposing fans! |
Here are some numbers that might startle you. And I do this with a heavy heart and trepidation of besmirching my boyhood idol. My wife and I have two dogs, Pacer (obvious) and Larkin (Reds SS, plus a "girlie enough" name to appease my wife). If we ever bring a third into the fold, no doubt it's "Miller" time. Okay... enough stalling...
Five. Three. Thirteen.
The significance? Five; as in the number of All-Star games in Reggie's eighteen year career. Three? Yes, obviously three pointers, Reggie has buried more of them than any player in NBA history. However in this case, the three means the best All-NBA voting Reggie achieved. Third Team All-NBA. He did it, you guessed it, only three times.
Thirteen. The jeopardy answer to the question, "what is the highest Reggie Miller ever finished in MVP voting?" Thirteenth. He earned that distinction once and another time finished sixteenth. In his other 16 seasons he received nary a single vote share. Not one.
Transcendentally great player? The numbers don't support it. Memorable, dramatic, fascinating and polarizing? Absolutely. Perhaps no one in NBA history played the hero and the villain so well simultaneously. You didn't have to love him. You didn't have to hate him. But if you loved basketball in the 1990's you had to choose one or the other.
The man in the black hat with a Superman cape.
In today's professional sports, twenty camera cell phones would have videotaped the quick change before Superman could tear out of the phone booth. And it's a shame, because there can't ever be a real hero without an equally real villain.
Without an antagonist, Ishmail just went fishing. With no Voldemort, Harry Potter is just flying circles on his broom. In a world with no Darth Vader, there can be no Luke Skywalker. In a hyper-driven bat of an eye thousands of college-aged virgins are left to idle pimple-faced and bored in their parents' basements.
It wasn't always this way. Julius Erving once connected on an overhand hay-maker squarely to Larry Bird's mug. Charles Barkley decked Shaquille O'Neal. The 1997 NBA Playoffs are known as much for PJ Brown hip-tossing Charlie Ward into the third row and the subsequent brawl that eventually resulted in Jeff Van Gundy clutching Alonzo Mourning's leg like a puppy embarrassingly humping dinner company.
"Unseemly" violence. Heated competition not only to beat, but to destroy the opponent. Unbridled, true, raw loathing.
And we loved every minute of it.
Several years ago Carmello Anthony threw a punch, a weak one at that, and received a 15-game suspension. Twenty five years ago Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis in a play that would have sportstalk hosts honestly discussing whether criminal litigation should result. McHale wasn't even thrown out of the GAME. (watch here).
I'm not promoting violence and thuggery, but when emotions run strong and pure the occasional brawl results. The fervor of all great competition and rivalry climaxes with the epic battle between good and evil. It's a formula that has worked for filmmakers for nearly a century. It's a formula that has worked for authors since the days of Homer's Odyssey. And it's the formula that helped make the NBA great in the 80's and 90's.
Tonight's Cavs v. Heat game, for all the hype and crowd hostility had none of the true elements of good versus evil drama. Mainly because the antagonist and protagonist were the same person, a simple illusion harbored only in 15,000 fans minds. For better or worse, the days of true rivalry require a completely different mindset. They need a willing villain.
Sadly, I doubt we will see any athlete intentionally don the black hat anytime soon... unless of course Nike can find a way to put a Swoosh on it.
McHale Clothesline Video
Ah... the glory days of the NBA!
Think that one might buy you a suspension today?!?
Think that one might buy you a suspension today?!?
Kyrie Irving has NEXT
Cameron Indoor Arena - Dec 1st
Ever since Coach K arrived in 1980, Duke has been a model of consistency, success and possibly a source of arousal for Dick Vitale. Come to think of it, Vitale is at every Duke game and is partially blind... perhaps Gramma was on to something... hmmm. Let's take a quick TO Baby....
But I digress. The focal point of much of the Blue Devils success has usually been the point, as in point guard. From Tommy Amakaer and Johnny Dawkins, to Bobby Hurley, Jeff Capel, Wojo, Jay Williams, Duhon, Reddick (I know, more of a "2"), and even late-blossoming All American John Scheyer, Duke has been consistently excellent in the backcourt.
Impressive as that list is, it might be wise to start clearing some room at the top of that list for Kyrie Irving. The freshman point guard simply dazzled last night, completely controlling the game against Michigan State and handily outplaying Sparty's Big Ten POY favorite, Kalin Lucas.
If you like stats, Kyrie can give you those in abundance; scoring, assists, steals and even snagging boards. But if you want to get the full handle on the jaw-dropping potential you have to watch his ability to accelerate with the ball, his uncanny knack to absorb contact and get the ball up to the rim, his precocious sense of time and situation, managing the game like an NBA vet.
Because of his quickness and youth, John Wall comparisons are inevitable, but unfair. Wall and Irving are completely different players. Watching the Wildcats last year it was hard to shake the feeling that Wall was fighting against his innate tendency to play scoring guard, as if it required conscious effort to balance the tempo and create for teammates in the half court. In transition and out on the break, Wall was effortless. Grind the Cats to a slower pace and you exposed their vulnerability.
Those criticisms can't be levied on Kyrie Irving. His game is much more reminiscent of Chris Paul at Wake Forest, only Irving seems a little more ruggedly built to absorb to battering his fearless drives to the bucket induce.
Much criticism was levied when an ACC frosh was named a preseason All-American. The problem wasn't selecting a freshman. The problem was selecting the wrong one. While Irving has shone, Harrison Barnes and North Carolina have struggled mightily.
I'm not going to heap on the Barnes bonfire, his struggles are well chronicled. I imagine it will only take several more lackluster performances before Roy has to escalate the post game comments from mere media scolding to outright tears. The thing I find fascinating about Barnes is that after four Carolina games I have watched in entirety, late in the second half against Illinois it dawned on me I didn't even know what number Barnes wore. I had no idea who he was. He wasn't "bad", he was invisible.
Even a blind man could see Kyrie Irving's brilliance last night. Under the brightest spotlights this season, Kansas State and Michigan State, not only did Irving play well but he was clearly the best player on the floor. It is that level of brilliance that has Devils fans comfortably mentioning Kyrie in the same breath as Dawkins, Bobby, Jay-Will and JJ. The frosh might be incredibly precocious, but the comparisons are not.
 |
| pic from truthaboutduke.com |
But I digress. The focal point of much of the Blue Devils success has usually been the point, as in point guard. From Tommy Amakaer and Johnny Dawkins, to Bobby Hurley, Jeff Capel, Wojo, Jay Williams, Duhon, Reddick (I know, more of a "2"), and even late-blossoming All American John Scheyer, Duke has been consistently excellent in the backcourt.
Impressive as that list is, it might be wise to start clearing some room at the top of that list for Kyrie Irving. The freshman point guard simply dazzled last night, completely controlling the game against Michigan State and handily outplaying Sparty's Big Ten POY favorite, Kalin Lucas.
If you like stats, Kyrie can give you those in abundance; scoring, assists, steals and even snagging boards. But if you want to get the full handle on the jaw-dropping potential you have to watch his ability to accelerate with the ball, his uncanny knack to absorb contact and get the ball up to the rim, his precocious sense of time and situation, managing the game like an NBA vet.
 |
| Kyrie has carved up some of the nation's best in Pullen & Lucas. |
Those criticisms can't be levied on Kyrie Irving. His game is much more reminiscent of Chris Paul at Wake Forest, only Irving seems a little more ruggedly built to absorb to battering his fearless drives to the bucket induce.
Much criticism was levied when an ACC frosh was named a preseason All-American. The problem wasn't selecting a freshman. The problem was selecting the wrong one. While Irving has shone, Harrison Barnes and North Carolina have struggled mightily.
I'm not going to heap on the Barnes bonfire, his struggles are well chronicled. I imagine it will only take several more lackluster performances before Roy has to escalate the post game comments from mere media scolding to outright tears. The thing I find fascinating about Barnes is that after four Carolina games I have watched in entirety, late in the second half against Illinois it dawned on me I didn't even know what number Barnes wore. I had no idea who he was. He wasn't "bad", he was invisible.
Even a blind man could see Kyrie Irving's brilliance last night. Under the brightest spotlights this season, Kansas State and Michigan State, not only did Irving play well but he was clearly the best player on the floor. It is that level of brilliance that has Devils fans comfortably mentioning Kyrie in the same breath as Dawkins, Bobby, Jay-Will and JJ. The frosh might be incredibly precocious, but the comparisons are not.
Atlantic 10 Misses 2009... Badly
Ten months ago reasonable people were speculating the Atlantic-10 would receive as many as six bids to the NCAA Tournament. With seven teams playing in the postseason (3 NCAA, 3 NIT, 1 NCIT) 2009-2010 was widely considered a fantastic one for the conference.
This year? Yikes...
Conference standard bearer Xavier is seriously in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years, and only the second in the past eight seasons. Tonight's loss to Miami-Ohio was only the Muskies second (Old Dominion), but needing overtime, at home, to beat both Wofford and IPFW portend some tough days ahead.
Their saving grace might be that the rest of the league stinks as well. Charlotte fell to 3-5 after losing to East Carolina. Dayton lost at home to East Tennessee State. This weekend they got doubled up 68-34 by a less-than-stellar Cincinnati team. Richmond, the conference's lone bright spot lost tonight to fellow mid-major darling Old Dominion (they'd be in first in the A-10 if you're scoring at home...).
George Washington got trounced by George Mason. St Joe's dropped by Drexel. UMass squeaked a 2-point win over Quinnipeac College, Rhode Island lost to Illinois-Chicago. While the A-10 was hoping to fatten up on some preconference wins, they have instead turned into the buffet.
There is still time to right the ship, but as of today, I only have Richmond and Temple in, with Xavier hovering and no one else in clear sight. Unless some clear top-heaviness emerges inside conference play, it is looking less and less likely the A-10 can repeat the magic of last season.
This year? Yikes...
Conference standard bearer Xavier is seriously in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years, and only the second in the past eight seasons. Tonight's loss to Miami-Ohio was only the Muskies second (Old Dominion), but needing overtime, at home, to beat both Wofford and IPFW portend some tough days ahead.
Their saving grace might be that the rest of the league stinks as well. Charlotte fell to 3-5 after losing to East Carolina. Dayton lost at home to East Tennessee State. This weekend they got doubled up 68-34 by a less-than-stellar Cincinnati team. Richmond, the conference's lone bright spot lost tonight to fellow mid-major darling Old Dominion (they'd be in first in the A-10 if you're scoring at home...).
George Washington got trounced by George Mason. St Joe's dropped by Drexel. UMass squeaked a 2-point win over Quinnipeac College, Rhode Island lost to Illinois-Chicago. While the A-10 was hoping to fatten up on some preconference wins, they have instead turned into the buffet.
 |
| It's been a rocky start, both for Xavier and the A-10 |
Magical Knight for UCF
Dec 1st, 2010 -- Amway Arena, Orlando
Playing the first college game in the Orlando Magic's new Amway center, it was the UCF Knights who conjured up a little magic of their own. What started as "can we hang with em?" turned into "do you think we'll be ranked? Can we make the Big Dance?" by the end of the evening.
Not that anything so grandiose is necessary to validate the importance of what transpired tonight. Donnie Jones's club didn't "upset" the vaunted Gators. Don't be fooled by the lazy reporting you'll find in many places across the sports landscape where writers toss out the word "upset" with the flippancy of a Tiger Woods "sext". The better team won tonight's game. It just wasn't the team most thought prior to tipoff.
Florida's preseason #8 ranking was clearly more than a little ambitious. To be honest, the #18 they perched on this week is likely a little too high as well; but let's not get it twisted. Florida is a NCAA Tournament-caliber team not too far removed from the shine of back-to-back national titles, playing on a neutral floor who got out-hustled, out-defended and out-poised by the little brother down the street. While Florida tossed up errant shots and airballed free throws it was the young Knights and the oft-chided "you're not your father" Marcus Jordan who stepped up to line, stepped up to the moment; and knocked it down cold. His Airness? Of course not. Royalty? You better believe it.
Marcus Jordan will wake up tomorrow the King of the campus. The King of a UCF Basketball Kingdom so long an afterthought that the less-than-subtle arrival tonight's game served might take a few days or weeks...perhaps even a few seasons to fully resonate. But make no mistake about it. Tonight, both individually and collectively, the Knights arrived.For Marcus Jordan, he is one step closer to being seen as what he really is; a darn good basketball on a pretty good team. For Coach Donnie Jones, a darn good coach laying the foundation to a program that scares the living daylights out of Florida's "Big 4" programs. And for UCF fans? I think this sums it up best. After the game, I received several texts from Knights fans saying "watch out Memphis here we come!"
Perhaps tonight was even better. Perhaps tonight was saying something even louder. As 15,000 fans packed the arena (aided by Gator fans, but listen to the audio of the game - lots and lots of UCF'ers there) to watch UCF not just beat but comfortably outplay SEC-favorite Florida, I can't help but imagine some day soon Knights fans might instead be comfortable saying "watch out Pitt, watch out Georgetown, watch out Villanova, Syracuse and Louisville..."
For relevance-craving Knights fans, that would be magical indeed.
Big Ten Looks to Start a New Trend in ACC Challenge
Last season the Big Ten laid to rest the seemingly eternal streak of ACC dominance. Winning last year's challenge was the first time the Big Ten had done so since the series inception more than a decade ago.
Last year's triumph may have been a minor upset, but in order for the ACC to get back on top it is going to take an upset of their own. For perhaps the first time in the Challenge era, the Big Ten is clearly superior.
Here's a quick breakdown of the matchups, along with some fearless prognostications:
Virginia @ Minnesota: Tubby's Gophers have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early season, winning their preseason tourney by downing North Carolina and West Virginia. They also handled solid mid-majors Wofford, Western Kentucky and Siena, all with relative ease. They should cruise at home against the Cavaliers.
Georgia Tech @ Northwestern: The Wildcats their first real test of the season. I like them over the Jackets in a close game.
Ohio State @ Florida State: The Buckeye's were #2 in our preseason poll, and remain the most legitimate challenger (along with Kansas) to the Blue Devils hopes to repeat. Florida State lacks the offensive punch to score with a very balanced Buckeye attack.
Michigan @ Clemson: This is a game the Tigers need to win if the ACC has any chance of pulling out the challenge. I think they will, but this one could be really ugly. Both teams are sloppy with the ball an inefficient offensively.
North Carolina @ Illinois: Illinois is one of the quietest good teams in the country. They dropped to #20 after losing an intense game to Texas. Look for the Illini to exploit Carolina's ballhandling and passing woes into easy buckets and an easy win.
WEDNESDAY:
Indiana @ Boston College: This is a huge opportunity for the Hoosiers to take the next step in their rebuilding journey and validate their early unbeaten creampuff-aided record. BC has played in more competitive games early, and that is an advantage, but I still like the Hoosiers to get an upset win on the road.
North Carolina State @ Wisconsin: The Badgers just do not lose in the Kohl Center. They won't tonight either. Give me Bucky in a win over better-than-advertised NC State.
Purdue @ Virginia Tech: VA Tech might be the second best team in the ACC (hence my 'Can Duke Run the Table' columns). Purdue is taking some flack for losing to Richmond the other day, but Richmond is a legit Top 20 team. To me, not as concerning a loss as it seemed on the surface. Despite the loss of Hummel, Purdue remains Top 10-Top 15 talented with JuJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. I like the Boilermakers in the road, stiffling Malcoln Delaney and the Hokies. This is probably the second best game of the series, I wouldn't miss this one.
Maryland @ Penn State: This is why God created ESPN-U. So you and I could watch games like this while 99.9% of the nation could care less. Maryland is my sleeper pick in the ACC. I watched them frustrate Pitt for 40 minutes. Once they figure out who their primary ballhandler is going to be, the Terps could surprise some folks and make the tourney. Penn State is awful, but enjoy Talor Battle for one more season. The do-everything guard for the Nittany Lions is one of the most exciting players in the country. That said, I'll take the Terps on the road.
Michigan State @ Duke: This is the marquee matchup, and we'll devote a column to it on Wednesday. I won't give away my pick, but I'm sure you can guess....
Last year's triumph may have been a minor upset, but in order for the ACC to get back on top it is going to take an upset of their own. For perhaps the first time in the Challenge era, the Big Ten is clearly superior.
Here's a quick breakdown of the matchups, along with some fearless prognostications:
MONDAY:
Virginia @ Minnesota: Tubby's Gophers have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early season, winning their preseason tourney by downing North Carolina and West Virginia. They also handled solid mid-majors Wofford, Western Kentucky and Siena, all with relative ease. They should cruise at home against the Cavaliers.
TUESDAY:
Iowa @ Wake Forest: Both teams have been dreadful in the early going and look like cellar dwellars in their respective leagues. I'll take Wake, who I think is a little better than they have played, at home over the Hawkeyes.Georgia Tech @ Northwestern: The Wildcats their first real test of the season. I like them over the Jackets in a close game.
Ohio State @ Florida State: The Buckeye's were #2 in our preseason poll, and remain the most legitimate challenger (along with Kansas) to the Blue Devils hopes to repeat. Florida State lacks the offensive punch to score with a very balanced Buckeye attack.
Michigan @ Clemson: This is a game the Tigers need to win if the ACC has any chance of pulling out the challenge. I think they will, but this one could be really ugly. Both teams are sloppy with the ball an inefficient offensively.
North Carolina @ Illinois: Illinois is one of the quietest good teams in the country. They dropped to #20 after losing an intense game to Texas. Look for the Illini to exploit Carolina's ballhandling and passing woes into easy buckets and an easy win.
Indiana @ Boston College: This is a huge opportunity for the Hoosiers to take the next step in their rebuilding journey and validate their early unbeaten creampuff-aided record. BC has played in more competitive games early, and that is an advantage, but I still like the Hoosiers to get an upset win on the road.
North Carolina State @ Wisconsin: The Badgers just do not lose in the Kohl Center. They won't tonight either. Give me Bucky in a win over better-than-advertised NC State.
Purdue @ Virginia Tech: VA Tech might be the second best team in the ACC (hence my 'Can Duke Run the Table' columns). Purdue is taking some flack for losing to Richmond the other day, but Richmond is a legit Top 20 team. To me, not as concerning a loss as it seemed on the surface. Despite the loss of Hummel, Purdue remains Top 10-Top 15 talented with JuJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. I like the Boilermakers in the road, stiffling Malcoln Delaney and the Hokies. This is probably the second best game of the series, I wouldn't miss this one.
Maryland @ Penn State: This is why God created ESPN-U. So you and I could watch games like this while 99.9% of the nation could care less. Maryland is my sleeper pick in the ACC. I watched them frustrate Pitt for 40 minutes. Once they figure out who their primary ballhandler is going to be, the Terps could surprise some folks and make the tourney. Penn State is awful, but enjoy Talor Battle for one more season. The do-everything guard for the Nittany Lions is one of the most exciting players in the country. That said, I'll take the Terps on the road.
Michigan State @ Duke: This is the marquee matchup, and we'll devote a column to it on Wednesday. I won't give away my pick, but I'm sure you can guess....
OVERALL: I have the Big Ten winning 7-4 on my fight card.
.
Too Much "Old" Not Enough "Spice"
"Old" was an apt description, but "Spice" seems slightly ambitious. Perhaps the tournament would have more been more appropriately monikered "Old Must" or even "Old Diaper." Yes, Notre Dame gets enormous credit for triumphing over a balanced field and stacking three very valuable preconference chips in their tourney-bid pile, but more than taking away 'Notre Dame is good' I think most of us college hoop die-hards took away a more sobering realization.
It's a down year in college hoops.
This doesn't mean it won't be fun season. It doesn't mean college basketball isn't still the purest sport available for mass consumption. It simply means that in the ebbs and flows of history 2010-2011's collective flow might be more of a retention pond than Great Lake. But it's not just the "Old Spice Classic." While he well of competitive balance and parity remains full, the national overall quality of teams is reaching a low water mark.
If Duke beats Michigan State on Wednesday, and I think they will, it isn't unreasonable to start the "can they run the table" conversation. They dismantled #3 Kansas State in Kansas City. Assuming they do similarly to Izzo's famously slow-starting Spartans, it is fair to assume Duke will be the prohibitive favorite in every game remaining on their schedule. Let's take a quick test....Close your eyes....
Is this Duke team in the same ballpark with 2009 North Carolina? How about the Heels in 05? Duke's 2001 team? Therein lies the bigger story. Its not that Duke is transcendentally great. It's that so few other teams are even good. Who is even close in the ACC? North Carolina? The Heels look closer to last year's NIT-status than they do Final Four contender. Wake Forest and Georgia Tech have looked awful, both losing to teams well outside of the Top 100. Clemson? Their overtime turnover/bad shot-apalooza against Seton Hall could have set back basketball twenty years if only Cal hadn't beaten them to the punch. Florida State? In their first game against a reasonable opponent they lost to Florida (who was emasculated in their opener by Ohio State), scoring only 51 points in the process.
Boston College could make the claim as the only non-Duke bright spot thus far in the ACC, claiming third place in the "Old Diaper." In truth, Boston College might actually be the best example of the glaring parity of mediocrity that plagues the ACC. This is an Eagle team that has already lost games to Wisconsin (good loss) and YALE! (um...not a good loss). Glancing over that field, is it unreasonable to think Duke could run the table? It's really not...
It's not just the ACC. All around college basketball supposed power teams from power leagues are losing to the little guys. It happens a few times every season and at least once or twice in March; the difference this year is that the little guys aren't very good! Look, dropping a ball game to the Wichita State's and Murray State's of the world is no shame; those are good ballclubs. Losing to Yale, Stetson (Wake Forest), Rutgers (Miami) or Kennesaw State (GA Tech) is.
Things aren't much better in the SEC. Tennessee has been an early bright spot, winning the NIT by triumphing over a very good VCU team and a good Villanova squad (they also have quieter solid wins over Chattanooga, Belmont and Missouri State - kudos to Pearl for scheduling three "no-names" with good teams). Vandy looks solid as well, with a good win over UNC and a very solid three-point loss to West Virginia.
OK, enough with the good. Georgia, the trendy darling of the SEC coming into the season has disappointed, losing ugly games to Notre Dame and Temple. Neither loss is shameful, it is their wins that raise a curious eyebrow after beating terrible Mississippi Valley State and Manhattan teams by only two and three points respectively. Alabama and Auburn have contributed losses to Iowa, St. Peters, NC Ashville, Samford and Jacksonville. Not to be outdone, LSU laid a nine-point loss stinkbomb to traditional powerhouse Nicholls State.
These are some pretty mediocre returns, and we haven't even dipped our toe into the murky pond of Pac-10 basketball or the abominable bottom half of the Big East.
The point is this; trying to handicap this season will be a near impossibility. Teams #5 through #75 are as close as they have been in my recent memory. Even good teams in 2010 are very flawed. This season is going to be an absolute free-for-all. We need to eliminate the terms "shock" and "upset" from the vocabulary for a while (I actually saw "Temple stunned by Cal" on a national sports website I will leave nameless...) and just enjoy the season for what it is. Call it "parity" or call it "mediocrity" by March it will all sort itself out in three glorious weeks. Until then, if I was a wagering man, I'd bet the under...
It's a down year in college hoops.
 |
| Pearl has lots of reasons for a "thumbs-down" but surprisingly his teams' play isn't one of them |
If Duke beats Michigan State on Wednesday, and I think they will, it isn't unreasonable to start the "can they run the table" conversation. They dismantled #3 Kansas State in Kansas City. Assuming they do similarly to Izzo's famously slow-starting Spartans, it is fair to assume Duke will be the prohibitive favorite in every game remaining on their schedule. Let's take a quick test....Close your eyes....
Is this Duke team in the same ballpark with 2009 North Carolina? How about the Heels in 05? Duke's 2001 team? Therein lies the bigger story. Its not that Duke is transcendentally great. It's that so few other teams are even good. Who is even close in the ACC? North Carolina? The Heels look closer to last year's NIT-status than they do Final Four contender. Wake Forest and Georgia Tech have looked awful, both losing to teams well outside of the Top 100. Clemson? Their overtime turnover/bad shot-apalooza against Seton Hall could have set back basketball twenty years if only Cal hadn't beaten them to the punch. Florida State? In their first game against a reasonable opponent they lost to Florida (who was emasculated in their opener by Ohio State), scoring only 51 points in the process.
Boston College could make the claim as the only non-Duke bright spot thus far in the ACC, claiming third place in the "Old Diaper." In truth, Boston College might actually be the best example of the glaring parity of mediocrity that plagues the ACC. This is an Eagle team that has already lost games to Wisconsin (good loss) and YALE! (um...not a good loss). Glancing over that field, is it unreasonable to think Duke could run the table? It's really not...
It's not just the ACC. All around college basketball supposed power teams from power leagues are losing to the little guys. It happens a few times every season and at least once or twice in March; the difference this year is that the little guys aren't very good! Look, dropping a ball game to the Wichita State's and Murray State's of the world is no shame; those are good ballclubs. Losing to Yale, Stetson (Wake Forest), Rutgers (Miami) or Kennesaw State (GA Tech) is.
Things aren't much better in the SEC. Tennessee has been an early bright spot, winning the NIT by triumphing over a very good VCU team and a good Villanova squad (they also have quieter solid wins over Chattanooga, Belmont and Missouri State - kudos to Pearl for scheduling three "no-names" with good teams). Vandy looks solid as well, with a good win over UNC and a very solid three-point loss to West Virginia.
OK, enough with the good. Georgia, the trendy darling of the SEC coming into the season has disappointed, losing ugly games to Notre Dame and Temple. Neither loss is shameful, it is their wins that raise a curious eyebrow after beating terrible Mississippi Valley State and Manhattan teams by only two and three points respectively. Alabama and Auburn have contributed losses to Iowa, St. Peters, NC Ashville, Samford and Jacksonville. Not to be outdone, LSU laid a nine-point loss stinkbomb to traditional powerhouse Nicholls State.
These are some pretty mediocre returns, and we haven't even dipped our toe into the murky pond of Pac-10 basketball or the abominable bottom half of the Big East.
The point is this; trying to handicap this season will be a near impossibility. Teams #5 through #75 are as close as they have been in my recent memory. Even good teams in 2010 are very flawed. This season is going to be an absolute free-for-all. We need to eliminate the terms "shock" and "upset" from the vocabulary for a while (I actually saw "Temple stunned by Cal" on a national sports website I will leave nameless...) and just enjoy the season for what it is. Call it "parity" or call it "mediocrity" by March it will all sort itself out in three glorious weeks. Until then, if I was a wagering man, I'd bet the under...
Old Spice Classic - Day Two Recap
A big thanks to Jim, our guest columnist for some on-site reporting from the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. He got to see some pretty good hoops live. And he also got to watch Cal... Enjoy!
Fellow Maniacs,
I had to write in briefly after attending Day 2 of the Old Spice Classic on Black Friday. The Old Spice Classic is a hidden gem for Orlando area college basketball fans. The tournament in its 5th year is played down at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports on Disney property, and although advertised a decent amount locally it is only attended by a small amount of fans. It makes for the perfect setup for die hards like myself to get great access so some of the game’s best programs. Years past have brought us teams like Michigan St, Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Xavier. In fact nine teams that have played here in the last two years have gone on to the Big Dance later that same year.
So you can imagine my excitement as my Dad and I head into the HP Field house for the third straight day after Thanksgiving to watch 4 games in one day. The day started off well enough with Wisconsin using a 32-4 run in the 2nd half to beat a stunned looking Boston College team. That game was followed by a Texas A&M victory over tourney hosts Manhattan College. So we’re two games in enjoying a few adult beverages and then California comes onto the court and takes a giant dump on our visions of watching quality basketball. In case you missed it California (a tournament team from last year) scored 5 first half points! That’s not a typo, 5 points in one half of division 1 NCAA basketball. Right when the half ended everyone immediately started to wonder out loud if that was some sort of record, and indeed it was. The least amount of points scored in one half in the shot clock era (1986). It was incredible to watch how many different ways the Bears could figure out how to screw up. They had 11 turnovers in the half, missed numerous lay-ups, missed all 8 of their 3 point shots, and had just looked totally lost the entire half. To make matters worse for us spectators Notre Dame was not much better. The Irish managed to score just 21 points in the half. Coach Mike Brey said it best in the post game interview "I was trying to do the math. I've never had 21 points at halftime and been up 16.” The second half was at least competitive but the end of game numbers will make any basketball fan shake their head:
- California shot 26% from the field Notre Dame shot 27%
- Notre Dame was 1-20 from 3 point range
- California shot just 9 free throws the entire game
- Both teams combined to hit just 31 field goals for the game
This Cal team has 6 freshmen on it so one would be foolish not to think they would have some struggles but nobody could have seen this coming. Especially coming off an upset of #21 Temple the day before. Coach Mike Montgomery will have to pull some magic out of his hat if he expects to go back to the tournament for the 3rd straight year, but funny enough this may be just the right year to pull it off. The Pac 10 is down once again with only Washington being a sure thing to start the season.
Some other quick notes and observations from the day’s games:
-Wisconsin will play Notre Dame in the final on Sunday….take the Under! I don’t care what the o/u is I promise you it will be low scoring.
-Boston College is a tough team to figure out. They have a great player in junior guard Reggie Jackson and a ton of experience with 8 seniors on their roster, but then they fall asleep and let Wisconsin go on a 32-4 run in the second half. This is also the same team that lost to Yale to start the season. I say give new coach Steve Donahue a couple more games before he figures these guys out. Once he does that amount of experience could be tough to beat in conference play.
-Manhattan is a team to watch in a year or two. The MAAC is a league that historically has rotated their tournament representative every couple of years. It seems teams get a good recruiting class ride them for a few years and then fall back in the pack once that class graduates. Siena has been that team the last few years and Niagara was the couple years before that. Manhattan has been there in the past as well but they have fallen on some hard times as of late. That could change though as they have two very nice looking freshman in Rhamel Brown and Michael Alvarado. Head coach Barry Rohrssen has also stacked his coaching staff with former NBA assistant Scott Adubato and former Kentucky star Scott Padgett. Look for them to build around those two freshmen and make some noise in the coming years.
-California has a sophomore forward named Bak Bak. Throw that one on the all name team.
-The team I liked best even though they lost was Georgia. You can tell that Trey Thompkins is a stud even though he was playing on a bum ankle. Once that ankle heals Georgia will be good to go. Look for them to make the dance out of the SEC.
-Did you know that Texas A&M is one of only 2 teams to win at least one NCAA tournament game each of the last 5 years (Pitt is the other)? I didn’t either…Most people have that steak coming to an end this year though. I say Not so Fast (permission granted from Orlando resident Lee Corso)! Mark Turgeon is a hell of a coach and this team can shoot the rock. In a year that seems to be wide open I would not write off the Aggies.
-Temple is a solid team…nothing to write home to mom about, but certainly a team that will do some damage in the A-10. Seems to me that they have 5 or 6 seed written all over them. Also Lavoy Allen is over rated. It’s the 2nd time I’ve seen him in person and he seems to play very timid for a big guy. 4 points on 2-5 shooting in the Georgia game.
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