Whenever there is a debate about the strongest conference in college basketball, it always comes down to the Big East and the ACC. Unless you like games with an over/under set at 70, in which case, head to the Big 10. Yes, the consensus pre-season number one is Kansas (of the Big 12), and rightfully so. That team is stacked with talent that could've went pro last year and has a sick recruiting class. This may be because half of the teams in the national discussion are playing in the Big East. Exaggeration, but still. Onto the picks.
ACC
Love 'em: North Carolina.
What's not to love about a team that makes it cool to wear baby blue? And a team that has almost successfully changed the name of that colour to Carolina Blue? Nothing. That's what. How can you cheer against the school that Michael Jordan played for and won a national championship with? You can't. North Carolina was so stacked last season that alot of media pundits thought they could run the table on the whole season. They didn't, but that just speaks for the strength of schedule in the ACC. But really, that starting five could have been the starting five for the Charlotte Bobcats. Now they're forced to re-load, but it really shouldn't be that hard. Roy Williams probably has the easiest job in recruiting of any coach in basketball. "Want to play for Carolina?" "Umm.. Yes?"
Hate 'em: Duke
Sorry, but when you're a Carolina fan, you can't like Duke. For a long time, I was a fan of the two, for the sole reason that I was young, stupid and didn't pay enough attention to the fact that there isn't a more heated rivalry in sports than Duke/Carolina. They absolutely hate each other. Want a reason to hate Duke? The family that the school is named after got rich because of their massive cigarette chain. Duke causes cancer. It's a private school with a bunch of rich punks that everyone hates. Duke kills babies.
Big East later, unexpected errands.
31.10.09
Obvious Answer of the Day
Halftime.
Georgia Bulldogs at #1 Florida Gators.
CBS Reporter Lady: "AJ Green, how do you get him more involved in the game?"
Georgia head coach Mark Richt: "Well, we've got to throw it to him more."
Thanks for that.
Georgia Bulldogs at #1 Florida Gators.
CBS Reporter Lady: "AJ Green, how do you get him more involved in the game?"
Georgia head coach Mark Richt: "Well, we've got to throw it to him more."
Thanks for that.
28.10.09
College Hoops: More love 'em or hate 'em
I was planning on finishing all of these in one post but had to head out to Fright Night at the PNE. Scroll down to check the teams in my last post. Onto the other conferences.
SEC
Love 'em: Kentucky.
I've always hated John Calipari. Only on the grounds that he coached in the C-USA and I could never give a guy any respect that puts together an all-world recruiting class every year to play against nobodies. "Hey, come play for me. You won't lose a conference game." Seems pretty easy to me. But now he's in a relatively big-time conference with Kentucky. And once again he put together a sick class with Demarcus Cousins and John Wall. What I like here is that he took on a challenge. In his first press conference he pointed out that the only banners they hang at Kentucky are for national championships. Just making the NCAA tournament every year won't be good enough. I'm all about tradition and I'd like to see a big time program like this get back into the national discussion.
Hate 'em: Florida
This isn't just basketball. I hate Florida in every sport. So it's nice to see them falter, especially after those two national championships that they won in a row. Now they're just fighting to to win some games in the NIT. Here's hoping that the drop down the CBI this season. You can see how elated I was when ESPN had a big story on their fall. Really, basketball in the States is supposed to be about the middle states. The Kansas's, the Indianas, the Kentuckys. The deep south is about football. I just hate Florida. And you should too.
Big-10
Love 'em: Indiana
If there is anyone reading this that didn't fall in love with the movie Hoosiers, leave this blog right now. Now that they're gone, refer to my Kentucky entrance about tradition. I love it. Indiana has tons of it. If only there was a rule in place to keep Eric Gordon playing for Indiana. I really love everything about the tradition of that program from the candy-striped pants to their big stadium that feels like a little gym. Yes they had a bunch of troubles with idiot players messing with the law, but they do have some home grown talent coming in that will get them back to where they need to be in the Big Ten.
Hate 'em: Purdue
With a close second to Ohio State. But Purdue is the team that knocked Washington out of the tournament last season. Purdue is the team that stole a chance from UW to have a re-match in the Sweet 16 against Connecticut, which was one of the best basketball games I had ever seen. Also, some friends of mine went down to the states to play a tournament in California and Robbie Hummel stayed in the entire game and embarassed these poor kids from Maple Ridge. What a jerk. Purdue sucks.
More Later.
SEC
Love 'em: Kentucky.
I've always hated John Calipari. Only on the grounds that he coached in the C-USA and I could never give a guy any respect that puts together an all-world recruiting class every year to play against nobodies. "Hey, come play for me. You won't lose a conference game." Seems pretty easy to me. But now he's in a relatively big-time conference with Kentucky. And once again he put together a sick class with Demarcus Cousins and John Wall. What I like here is that he took on a challenge. In his first press conference he pointed out that the only banners they hang at Kentucky are for national championships. Just making the NCAA tournament every year won't be good enough. I'm all about tradition and I'd like to see a big time program like this get back into the national discussion.
Hate 'em: Florida
This isn't just basketball. I hate Florida in every sport. So it's nice to see them falter, especially after those two national championships that they won in a row. Now they're just fighting to to win some games in the NIT. Here's hoping that the drop down the CBI this season. You can see how elated I was when ESPN had a big story on their fall. Really, basketball in the States is supposed to be about the middle states. The Kansas's, the Indianas, the Kentuckys. The deep south is about football. I just hate Florida. And you should too.
Big-10
Love 'em: Indiana
If there is anyone reading this that didn't fall in love with the movie Hoosiers, leave this blog right now. Now that they're gone, refer to my Kentucky entrance about tradition. I love it. Indiana has tons of it. If only there was a rule in place to keep Eric Gordon playing for Indiana. I really love everything about the tradition of that program from the candy-striped pants to their big stadium that feels like a little gym. Yes they had a bunch of troubles with idiot players messing with the law, but they do have some home grown talent coming in that will get them back to where they need to be in the Big Ten.
Hate 'em: Purdue
With a close second to Ohio State. But Purdue is the team that knocked Washington out of the tournament last season. Purdue is the team that stole a chance from UW to have a re-match in the Sweet 16 against Connecticut, which was one of the best basketball games I had ever seen. Also, some friends of mine went down to the states to play a tournament in California and Robbie Hummel stayed in the entire game and embarassed these poor kids from Maple Ridge. What a jerk. Purdue sucks.
More Later.
27.10.09
College Hoops can't come soon enough
I think the NBA starts today. I could be wrong. Whatever. The days of me as a young boy watching the Bulls in my black MJ jersey with matching shorts with my dad are over. The cool thing about Jordanis how no one remembers how great of a defender he was. That probably just had to do with how competitive he felt he needed to be in his drive to become the greatest basketball player ever. I'd say he did enough to do that.
And that's what the NBA is missing nowadays. Really, the most competitive guys in the NBA are the officials. They're competitive in gambling, see Tim Donaghy. They're apparently pretty competitive as a union, too. Hey, maybe the scab refs will be competitive enough to land themselves a job when the strike is over.
My point is, the players don't care. And nor should they. They're rich. I probably wouldn't either. But since I'm a fan, I do care. Watching Kobe Bryant spot up, then hesitate, then spot up, then fake a pass, then take a stupid shot, is really just pissing me off. Even better, how about guys taking six steps without being called for traveling?
The point I'm trying to make is that I'm sick of the NBA. It's lack of effort is now 100% apparent and its even shown throughout the crowd. The best shot they can get at games is of whatever celebrity got free courtside tickets for the night. Come on. Give me a die hard fan for God's sake. Someone who spent his rent money on nosebleeds just to see his team lose.
This is why I'm completely converted to college basketball.
I went down to my first University of Washington basketball game in February to watch them beat the living hell out of Oregon. It was a complete blowout but the crowd was still nuts. Most of the student section had brought with them rolls of toilet paper to recognize Oregon's best player, Tajuan Porter's initials. They turn around when the opposing team's starting lineup is being introduced, yelling out WHO CARES after each name.
And above all else, the kids work their tales off. Aside from some of the one-and-doners, see O.J Mayo, their unselfish and are playing for a future job.
And now that I know enough about the national landscape of college hoops, I'm set to give anybody who might read this, a team to cheer for and a team to hate from each major conference. Let's kick it off with the hometown Pac-10.
Pac-10
Like 'em: Washington
This is an obvious one. Their the closest to Vancouver, and it's about a three hour drive to get there. The campus is beautiful and so are the women that sleep there. From a basketball point of view, they have a relatively long standing head coach in Lorenzo Romar, who is also insanely respected. The ovation he got at the Huskies football game against LSU was crazy. The Huskies also hold claim to a top five backcourt with Isaiah Thomas, freshman Abdul Gaddy, and defensive specialist Venoy Overton. This team will be one of the most exciting teams in the country to watch. I feel bad for easterners who won't get to see them play until they hit the Sweet 16.
Hate 'em: Arizona
We all know this history of the Arizona basketball program. Twenty five straight NCAA Tournament appearances is a record. I think. But everyone knows the only reason they got in last year was because of that history. They didn't deserve to be in there, even though they had about four future NBAers on their roster. UW fans, at least, can be a fan of Arizona's last coach, Lute Olsen. Had it not been for him quitting, the Huskies wouldn't have the freshman phenom Gaddy quarterbacking the offense for them.
More to come.
And that's what the NBA is missing nowadays. Really, the most competitive guys in the NBA are the officials. They're competitive in gambling, see Tim Donaghy. They're apparently pretty competitive as a union, too. Hey, maybe the scab refs will be competitive enough to land themselves a job when the strike is over.
My point is, the players don't care. And nor should they. They're rich. I probably wouldn't either. But since I'm a fan, I do care. Watching Kobe Bryant spot up, then hesitate, then spot up, then fake a pass, then take a stupid shot, is really just pissing me off. Even better, how about guys taking six steps without being called for traveling?
The point I'm trying to make is that I'm sick of the NBA. It's lack of effort is now 100% apparent and its even shown throughout the crowd. The best shot they can get at games is of whatever celebrity got free courtside tickets for the night. Come on. Give me a die hard fan for God's sake. Someone who spent his rent money on nosebleeds just to see his team lose.
This is why I'm completely converted to college basketball.
I went down to my first University of Washington basketball game in February to watch them beat the living hell out of Oregon. It was a complete blowout but the crowd was still nuts. Most of the student section had brought with them rolls of toilet paper to recognize Oregon's best player, Tajuan Porter's initials. They turn around when the opposing team's starting lineup is being introduced, yelling out WHO CARES after each name.
And above all else, the kids work their tales off. Aside from some of the one-and-doners, see O.J Mayo, their unselfish and are playing for a future job.
And now that I know enough about the national landscape of college hoops, I'm set to give anybody who might read this, a team to cheer for and a team to hate from each major conference. Let's kick it off with the hometown Pac-10.
Pac-10
Like 'em: Washington
This is an obvious one. Their the closest to Vancouver, and it's about a three hour drive to get there. The campus is beautiful and so are the women that sleep there. From a basketball point of view, they have a relatively long standing head coach in Lorenzo Romar, who is also insanely respected. The ovation he got at the Huskies football game against LSU was crazy. The Huskies also hold claim to a top five backcourt with Isaiah Thomas, freshman Abdul Gaddy, and defensive specialist Venoy Overton. This team will be one of the most exciting teams in the country to watch. I feel bad for easterners who won't get to see them play until they hit the Sweet 16.
Hate 'em: Arizona
We all know this history of the Arizona basketball program. Twenty five straight NCAA Tournament appearances is a record. I think. But everyone knows the only reason they got in last year was because of that history. They didn't deserve to be in there, even though they had about four future NBAers on their roster. UW fans, at least, can be a fan of Arizona's last coach, Lute Olsen. Had it not been for him quitting, the Huskies wouldn't have the freshman phenom Gaddy quarterbacking the offense for them.
More to come.
13.10.09
Full Retard of the Day---Phil Steele
Or to be politically correct, Full ritard of the day.
Just because I'm sick of seeing retarded things in the news, I want to make this more of a regular post.
And the winner of my first Full Retard if the day? College football preview guru Phil Steele.
To be fair, this guy has probably watched more football than any non-coach, or non-player in the world, and has most likely forgotten more about football than I've ever learned. And I respect the guy.
That is, until his preview of the second half of the season had my Washington Huskies going 1-5, with their only win against the worst BCS school in football, Washington State.
Steele's gotta realize that the Pac-10 is doing its best to imitate the 2008 version of the ACC, where nobody can figure out why teams like Boston College are losing to teams like Duke.
Here's ESPN's Ted Miller's take on the situation right now.
Scrambling around doesn't mean going 1-5 to end the season. It means balls coming off the feet of Arizona recievers, only to be intercepted and taken back for game winning touchdowns.
And apparently that also means nerdy asian kids trying to keep quiet while their parents sleep.
But, if Steele is right, then UW fans will probably look something like Rob Schneider in The Waterboy, which I don't think will happen.
Just know that in all of UW's games this season, apart from (hopefully) a bowl game, there won't be a better player on the field than Jake Locker.
Just because I'm sick of seeing retarded things in the news, I want to make this more of a regular post.
And the winner of my first Full Retard if the day? College football preview guru Phil Steele.
To be fair, this guy has probably watched more football than any non-coach, or non-player in the world, and has most likely forgotten more about football than I've ever learned. And I respect the guy.
That is, until his preview of the second half of the season had my Washington Huskies going 1-5, with their only win against the worst BCS school in football, Washington State.
Steele's gotta realize that the Pac-10 is doing its best to imitate the 2008 version of the ACC, where nobody can figure out why teams like Boston College are losing to teams like Duke.
Here's ESPN's Ted Miller's take on the situation right now.
Follow along. Stanford dumped Washington. Arizona beat Oregon State. Oregon State whipped Stanford. Washington beat Arizona. No, football is not logical or suitable for mathematical equations. It appears the Pac-10 is nine teams deep in quality, which means every game may be an adventure. Oregon and USC are clearly in the top tier. The other seven are sort of scrambling around.
Scrambling around doesn't mean going 1-5 to end the season. It means balls coming off the feet of Arizona recievers, only to be intercepted and taken back for game winning touchdowns.
And apparently that also means nerdy asian kids trying to keep quiet while their parents sleep.
But, if Steele is right, then UW fans will probably look something like Rob Schneider in The Waterboy, which I don't think will happen.
Just know that in all of UW's games this season, apart from (hopefully) a bowl game, there won't be a better player on the field than Jake Locker.
6.10.09
Oh and three
Thoughts and Notes on the Canucks disaster of a season. I'll try to look at the positives, but it's going to be digging deep.
--- "This team is so good that last year's CHL player of the year couldn't even grab a roster spot" was the collective knowledge of a Vancouver sports fan before the Flames took a 3-0 lead on the Canucks. Now, it's straight up "this team sucks, and our top rookie sucks." But what I'm going to do is compare Cody Hodgson to Philly's James van Riemsdyk. You know, the kid who got drafted behind Patrick Kane and in front of Kyle Turris? That's the problem living in a NHL-crazy town. Nobody in hockey media every talks about van Riemsdyk, and the only reason we hear about Turris is because he's Canadian. Why is it that Philly's number two pick gets less pressure than Vancouver's number ten pick?
--- Somebody might have to remind Roberto Luongo how much money he's making to stop the puck. And another reminder that the season starts in October, not November. We can live with him not making the spectacular saves that we've grown accustomed to in his last three years, but the goals he let in against Columbus? Unacceptable. It reminds me of the episode of Friday Night Lights when Smash Williams needs to have a big game with a scout in town, but for some reason can't get it together. One problem: this is an impatient town, and unlike Dillon, Texas in FNL, it's real. What's Sportsnet's slogan? Hockey that matters? Luongo better realize that to these fans, it does matter.
--- To Mikael Samuelsson: Shooting from everywhere, at any time, whenever you get the chance, isn't going to fly when you're sporting a minus-4 rating. That sick save Steve Mason made on Samuelsson? Great save. Yeah. But Kesler's drop-pass that set it up actually brought Mason forward out of the net. If Samuelsson fakes that shot, he has a clear lane to a wide open cage, and what I think would have tied that game up. He's listed as having ten shots. That does not count the amount of missed nets and blocked shots he's unleashed. And above all else, those two categories of shots only lead to one thing: loss of possesson. News flash, watch the Sedins. This is a possession team.
--- While Willie Mitchell obviously has the ugliest slapper I've ever seen in all my year's of watching hockey, his goal against the BJ's was actually an impressive shot. Whether or not he was aiming to put it off the post and in is anyone's guess. But that's not the point. Mitchell is leading the Canucks in scoring. Probably something that should be changed.
--- Gotta admit, this is quite the town we live in. Maybe it's just me, but people, including myself, are really PO'd at this team. Who's gonna score our goals? Is Luongo going to be buried in the goalie graveyard? Did he not get over game 6 against Chicago? Is our Russian not as good as we thought he was? Will Hodgson ever be good enough? Relax. It's three games. I need to tell myself that every once in a while. But, if this gets to 0-5, 0-6, 0-7, we've got problems.
--- "This team is so good that last year's CHL player of the year couldn't even grab a roster spot" was the collective knowledge of a Vancouver sports fan before the Flames took a 3-0 lead on the Canucks. Now, it's straight up "this team sucks, and our top rookie sucks." But what I'm going to do is compare Cody Hodgson to Philly's James van Riemsdyk. You know, the kid who got drafted behind Patrick Kane and in front of Kyle Turris? That's the problem living in a NHL-crazy town. Nobody in hockey media every talks about van Riemsdyk, and the only reason we hear about Turris is because he's Canadian. Why is it that Philly's number two pick gets less pressure than Vancouver's number ten pick?
--- Somebody might have to remind Roberto Luongo how much money he's making to stop the puck. And another reminder that the season starts in October, not November. We can live with him not making the spectacular saves that we've grown accustomed to in his last three years, but the goals he let in against Columbus? Unacceptable. It reminds me of the episode of Friday Night Lights when Smash Williams needs to have a big game with a scout in town, but for some reason can't get it together. One problem: this is an impatient town, and unlike Dillon, Texas in FNL, it's real. What's Sportsnet's slogan? Hockey that matters? Luongo better realize that to these fans, it does matter.
--- To Mikael Samuelsson: Shooting from everywhere, at any time, whenever you get the chance, isn't going to fly when you're sporting a minus-4 rating. That sick save Steve Mason made on Samuelsson? Great save. Yeah. But Kesler's drop-pass that set it up actually brought Mason forward out of the net. If Samuelsson fakes that shot, he has a clear lane to a wide open cage, and what I think would have tied that game up. He's listed as having ten shots. That does not count the amount of missed nets and blocked shots he's unleashed. And above all else, those two categories of shots only lead to one thing: loss of possesson. News flash, watch the Sedins. This is a possession team.
--- While Willie Mitchell obviously has the ugliest slapper I've ever seen in all my year's of watching hockey, his goal against the BJ's was actually an impressive shot. Whether or not he was aiming to put it off the post and in is anyone's guess. But that's not the point. Mitchell is leading the Canucks in scoring. Probably something that should be changed.
--- Gotta admit, this is quite the town we live in. Maybe it's just me, but people, including myself, are really PO'd at this team. Who's gonna score our goals? Is Luongo going to be buried in the goalie graveyard? Did he not get over game 6 against Chicago? Is our Russian not as good as we thought he was? Will Hodgson ever be good enough? Relax. It's three games. I need to tell myself that every once in a while. But, if this gets to 0-5, 0-6, 0-7, we've got problems.
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