Let the Madness Begin
Hellooooo Sports fans - it's been a while. Things have been crazy in the life of your local sports ranter so I apologize for the longer-than-expected hiatus. So much has happened since we last got together - where-oh-where do I begin...
College Basketball:
Some pretty good games down the stretch including a big Volunteer win followed by a big Volunteer loss; the annual tobacco road showdown; the Horns pissing away a "lone" conference title (much more on this below); UCLA loving home court and Kansas kicking it in high gear at just the right time.
You know me, I have to start with the Horns. Following that huge Kansas win with a road win at Baylor, 2 blowout wins at home over the Aggies and Sooners, and a gigantic road win over a very tough Kansas State team - to say the least they were playing some great ball against some tournament or bubble teams. They had the conference and a number 1 seed locked up and then they ran into Tech...a very lowly Tech team. They've pulled it together and closed out with 2 home wins to "share" the Big 12 title. Those wins were big, but against lower tier Big 12 teams and they certainly looked shaky on Sunday knowing they had to win that game. And to boot, they get the winner of Okie State and Tech on Friday - great. I think if they get Tech, they blow them out by 20+ points - Tech is really bad this year (getting doubled up and then some against Kansas) and the Horns will want payback. But, if they get Okie State it's no guarantee. It's tough to beat a team twice in one year much less 3 times...Texas is 2-0 against the Cowboys this year and a third one would be tough. I'm pulling for Pat Knight.
Now about this "shared title". You know, I'm pretty sure this is the only sport that does this. You don't share a title when the team who you are "sharing with" beat you straight up. Texas won the conference by virtue of head-to-head victory. Period. Not only that (and no, this doesn't matter), but Texas beat that same Okie State team that beat Kansas....twice. Weird rule. And for those of you calling me a homer - if the roles were switched and Kansas had beaten Texas (like I thought they would), I'd be saying the same thing for Kansas.
Is there team that loves home court more than the Bruins? Tough-fought games are great at the end of the season, especially ones that you win. But, you ain't going to get those calls in the big dance. Unquestionably bad call in the Stanford game that essentially sent the game to OT - that was a no brainer. The last-second shot against Cal is another story. I don't think the rule was intended to deter shots like that, but if the rule says you can't shoot it over the backboard than that's the rule....and the shot shouldn't have counted. Not defending the rule - should probably be removed or changed, but the rule is as it's stated. Not to mention, no one is talking about how those Bruin players mugged that Cal guy at the end of the game - that was a bad no call.
Either way, UCLA is good and will probably get a #1 seed unless they just crumble in their tournament. I'll sleep better knowing Texas beat them in their own house...but that was a long time ago.
Honestly, I'm happier about the Tennessee victory for the Horns than any of them. The Vols are very good - #1 RPI and #1 strength of schedule. I'm one who believes that the polls don't mean a whole heck of a lot in college basketball - especially the top 12 teams, it just doesn't matter if you're 7 or 11 so I don't think that Vanderbilt loss is that big of a deal. And besides, was it me or did everyone in the world call that "upset"? Vandy is a good team too.
I think Memphis and Tennessee are the only #1 locks right now. Memphis will blow through their tournament and end the season with 1 loss. Can't ignore that. They beat Georgetown and Arizona this year. UNC is probably a lock, but a loss early in their tournament could knock them off, especially if Kansas or Texas win theirs. UCLA is also a probably, but an early loss could hurt those chances.
NBA:
Gotta say it, I'm still giddy about the Lakers. They lost last night to Sacramento (that's a bad loss), but that's only their second loss in 15 games and they still hold a half game lead over the Spurs in the West. I do have to wonder though, why aren't they more forthcoming about Bynum? He's obviously not progressing as fast/well as they had hoped. At the time of his injury, the timetables they were giving had him coming back...about now. And he hasn't even started running yet. If he's hurt, he's hurt and that's fine, but what's the story? I worry more about his weight gain if he's been immobile for 2+ months. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy, but would like to hear an update on this one. I still they have a real shot to compete for a championship, but they've got to go through the Spurs to get there.
I'm not too worried about the Mavs or Suns to be honest, and the Hornets have little to no playoff experience. Which brings us to the dreaded......Rockets. You believe these guys? 19 in a row up to this point and counting. You think Yao is thinking, "well hell..."? In all honesty I cannot see them keeping this up for another 4-5 weeks through the playoffs, but as close as the West is they could conceivably play themselves into a 3 or 4 seed. This could be the year T-Mac gets over the hump and gets out of the first round. Maybe.
Random Thoughts Around the Sports World:
So I had to change my flight home last Thursday at the last minute due to DFW shutting down for ice/snow - I flew Delta for the first time in...forever. So you know how Southwest has A, B and C; American has Groups 1-5; etc.? Well Delta has zones.....9 ZONES! Easily the dumbest boarding system out there. 9 Zones? Really? 9? The guy next to me, a fellow zone niner, had a seat near the back of the plane too. Reminds me why I don't fly Delta.
They do give you peanuts though.
And with that I'm getting cut off. I'll try and get a quick post in following my in-person viewing of the Lakers continuing their dominance over the Mavs.
College Basketball:
Some pretty good games down the stretch including a big Volunteer win followed by a big Volunteer loss; the annual tobacco road showdown; the Horns pissing away a "lone" conference title (much more on this below); UCLA loving home court and Kansas kicking it in high gear at just the right time.
You know me, I have to start with the Horns. Following that huge Kansas win with a road win at Baylor, 2 blowout wins at home over the Aggies and Sooners, and a gigantic road win over a very tough Kansas State team - to say the least they were playing some great ball against some tournament or bubble teams. They had the conference and a number 1 seed locked up and then they ran into Tech...a very lowly Tech team. They've pulled it together and closed out with 2 home wins to "share" the Big 12 title. Those wins were big, but against lower tier Big 12 teams and they certainly looked shaky on Sunday knowing they had to win that game. And to boot, they get the winner of Okie State and Tech on Friday - great. I think if they get Tech, they blow them out by 20+ points - Tech is really bad this year (getting doubled up and then some against Kansas) and the Horns will want payback. But, if they get Okie State it's no guarantee. It's tough to beat a team twice in one year much less 3 times...Texas is 2-0 against the Cowboys this year and a third one would be tough. I'm pulling for Pat Knight.
Now about this "shared title". You know, I'm pretty sure this is the only sport that does this. You don't share a title when the team who you are "sharing with" beat you straight up. Texas won the conference by virtue of head-to-head victory. Period. Not only that (and no, this doesn't matter), but Texas beat that same Okie State team that beat Kansas....twice. Weird rule. And for those of you calling me a homer - if the roles were switched and Kansas had beaten Texas (like I thought they would), I'd be saying the same thing for Kansas.
Is there team that loves home court more than the Bruins? Tough-fought games are great at the end of the season, especially ones that you win. But, you ain't going to get those calls in the big dance. Unquestionably bad call in the Stanford game that essentially sent the game to OT - that was a no brainer. The last-second shot against Cal is another story. I don't think the rule was intended to deter shots like that, but if the rule says you can't shoot it over the backboard than that's the rule....and the shot shouldn't have counted. Not defending the rule - should probably be removed or changed, but the rule is as it's stated. Not to mention, no one is talking about how those Bruin players mugged that Cal guy at the end of the game - that was a bad no call.
Either way, UCLA is good and will probably get a #1 seed unless they just crumble in their tournament. I'll sleep better knowing Texas beat them in their own house...but that was a long time ago.
Honestly, I'm happier about the Tennessee victory for the Horns than any of them. The Vols are very good - #1 RPI and #1 strength of schedule. I'm one who believes that the polls don't mean a whole heck of a lot in college basketball - especially the top 12 teams, it just doesn't matter if you're 7 or 11 so I don't think that Vanderbilt loss is that big of a deal. And besides, was it me or did everyone in the world call that "upset"? Vandy is a good team too.
I think Memphis and Tennessee are the only #1 locks right now. Memphis will blow through their tournament and end the season with 1 loss. Can't ignore that. They beat Georgetown and Arizona this year. UNC is probably a lock, but a loss early in their tournament could knock them off, especially if Kansas or Texas win theirs. UCLA is also a probably, but an early loss could hurt those chances.
NBA:
Gotta say it, I'm still giddy about the Lakers. They lost last night to Sacramento (that's a bad loss), but that's only their second loss in 15 games and they still hold a half game lead over the Spurs in the West. I do have to wonder though, why aren't they more forthcoming about Bynum? He's obviously not progressing as fast/well as they had hoped. At the time of his injury, the timetables they were giving had him coming back...about now. And he hasn't even started running yet. If he's hurt, he's hurt and that's fine, but what's the story? I worry more about his weight gain if he's been immobile for 2+ months. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy, but would like to hear an update on this one. I still they have a real shot to compete for a championship, but they've got to go through the Spurs to get there.
I'm not too worried about the Mavs or Suns to be honest, and the Hornets have little to no playoff experience. Which brings us to the dreaded......Rockets. You believe these guys? 19 in a row up to this point and counting. You think Yao is thinking, "well hell..."? In all honesty I cannot see them keeping this up for another 4-5 weeks through the playoffs, but as close as the West is they could conceivably play themselves into a 3 or 4 seed. This could be the year T-Mac gets over the hump and gets out of the first round. Maybe.
Random Thoughts Around the Sports World:
- Got to attend a minor league ball game in Florida last week - Mets at Marlins. If I ever retire in Florida (will never happen) I'm going to a minor league game every single day of spring training. Lot of fun and you're, literally, right there. Not a bad seat in the place. No, I didn't see Beltran, Johan, Pedro....but I did see Wright.
- Do yourself a favor and go read Peter King's Monday Morning QB column from Monday, 3/10 - he took an USO trip to Afghanistan with a few players. Great read. Some powerful stuff.
- Do we really need a daily update on John Wooden's recovery from a broken wrist? I think not. The man is 97, nothing is going to shock us at this point..unless he starts coaching again.
- How in the world does Isiah Thomas still have a job?
- I can't remember what the guy's name is who (allegedly) has information on the Patriots' taping of games, but why in the world has this guy not been interviewed yet? This is crazy.
- I'd love to be able to see Emanuel Moody and Tim Tebow together in spring practices - that could be a ridiculous tandem next year.
- Great Bill Simmons "mail bag" installment from last week...funny stuff: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080305
- Smart move by the Heat to sit Wade for the year - he's clearly not himself.
- Speaking of Simmons, I saw this in one of his columns (maybe the above one), how are the Heat on television all the time? I never thought of it until I read that, but have to be one of the most televised teams in the league - they're horrible! They're in good shape to pick number one in the draft.
- Lakers are about to start a big road trip - at the Hornets, Rockets, Mavs and Jazz. I'll be at the Mavs game in Big D that night thanks to Time, Inc. CFO, Stump (Chief Funk Officer).
So I had to change my flight home last Thursday at the last minute due to DFW shutting down for ice/snow - I flew Delta for the first time in...forever. So you know how Southwest has A, B and C; American has Groups 1-5; etc.? Well Delta has zones.....9 ZONES! Easily the dumbest boarding system out there. 9 Zones? Really? 9? The guy next to me, a fellow zone niner, had a seat near the back of the plane too. Reminds me why I don't fly Delta.
They do give you peanuts though.
And with that I'm getting cut off. I'll try and get a quick post in following my in-person viewing of the Lakers continuing their dominance over the Mavs.
posted by The Bearden Wonder at 10:03 PM
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