Dear Coach Pearl,
I'm writing you this letter as a University of Tennessee alum, a lifelong Volunteer and on behalf of the entire Scenic City Sportsblog community. That is right - all six of us.
First, I want to congratulate you on the terrific season. It was, without a doubt, the greatest season in Tennessee basketball history. It started with the much needed renovation of Thompson-Boling Arena. It climaxed with a win at Memphis and subsequent #1 ranking in the country. It ended in disappointment, but we won't dwell on that. I imagine you are hurting worse about it than me.
Now, the question is whether you are leaving Knoxville for greener pastures. Indiana might come calling. California could do the same. I imagine Providence might even give your phone a ring.
If I were you, I might be tempted, except about the Providence thing. Actually, Cal too. We're just talking about Indiana, aren't we?
Tennessee is not exactly a basketball powerhouse. In the past, it has ranked somewhere between spring football practice and women's softball as far as fan priorities. Indiana is all about basketball, all the time.
You are also losing the nucleus of the program this year as Chris Lofton, JuJuan Smith and maybe even Tyler Smith leave campus. There is talk that the assistant coaches are gone too. Perhaps the timing is right to leave.
Coach, I hope you decide not to do it. I'm writing this letter asking you not to do it. If I were a bigger man, I might even threaten you not to do it, but I have seen you shirtless and am convinced my threat would not scare you into staying. Whatever it takes, don't leave us.
Tennessee offers you more than any other program in the country. What haven't the university and fans done for you so far? New practice facility? - done. Upgrades to the arena? - done. Fill the seats? - done. Just as you have been good to Tennessee, it has been good to you.
It also offers you the chance to be the John Wooden, Bobby Knight, Dean Smith or Mike Kry...Coach K of the university. Why go to IU where you will always live in The General's shadow? At Tennessee, the shadow is yours for the making. In 30 years from now, do you think Vol fans will be comparing our coach to Buzz Peterson? No - it will you, Coach Pearl. You will be the face of Tennessee Basketball.
I know what you are thinking - what about Coach Summitt? Look, we all love her and what she has done for the university and women's program. But it is not the same. You know it and I know it. We need a face, an icon for our men's team. It is yours for the taking.
I am sure another university can pay you more than Tennessee. As a school teacher, I lack the financial resources to make the job any more lucrative. If I could, I would. I think. After I upgraded to an HDTV and put some money aside for my daughters' college and weddings. Then I would pad your pocket. For sure.
Here is the point: you are filthy rich already. You pay no income taxes here. You have a career in television whenever you want it. Books too. You have money and there is more on the way if you want it. The money in Bloomington won't make you happy. Plenty of good coaches have chased the end of the rainbow to find out the view from afar was much prettier.
And do you really want to live in Bloomington? I have never been there, granted, but last I checked there is no Sunsphere in Bloomington. No Calhoun's. No West Town Mall. No Dollywood.
No, you really ought to just stay in Knoxville and keep coaching the Vols. Why mess with success?
(That was not a jab about your point guard decision, by the way).
Why live in another's shadow? Why not just stay in Knoxville and build your very own juggernaut? Think of the peace of mind you would have if you said to yourself, "I am never leaving Knoxville for another coaching job."
Wow. Do you feel it? Do you feel the calm coming over you? Feels good, doesn't it?
I'm glad we've settled it then. We are so happy to have you here. You bring wins, fun, attention, even Jewish diversity to a basketball program that had none just a few years ago. We don't want to lose you to the Hoosiers or anyone else.
Sincerely,
Chris Carpenter
Monday, March 31, 2008
Braves on Pace to Go 0-162
The Atlanta Braves opened up their 2008 campaign in Washington's brand new stadium last night and lost on a walk-off homerun by Ryan Zimmerman in the bottom of the 9th.
Peter Moylan gave up the blast after the Braves rallied to tie things up in the top of the 9th after a pass ball plated pinch-runner Martin Prado. The Braves were lucky to avoid Nationals' closer Chad Cordero who was unable to pitch. They finally generated some offense to plate the second run of the game, but could not get through the heart of the Nationals' line-up in the 9th to send the game into extra frames.
Tim Hudson was brilliant after hurting himself in the 1st inning with an errant pick-off throw to first. He settled down to retire 17 straight batters, but the Braves could not get their bats going against Odalis Perez and the Nationals' bullpen.
Chipper Jones was the lone offensive bright spot for Atlanta with a solo homerun, called by President Bush (more on him in a moment) in the ESPN booth. Chipper crushed a lined drive in the 9th as well, but it went right back to the pitcher. Other than the Braves HofFamer, the offense was pitiful and the base-running (McCann thrown out trying to lengthen a single; Kelly Johnson picked off first) was worse.
The Braves did sport a different look for the night, going with a darker blue jersey, blue numbers and an all-blue cap. I liked the look, but have no idea if it was a one-shot thing to make the night in Washington even more special or something we will see more often this season.
President Bush spent a painful inning and a half in the ESPN booth with Jon Miller and the always humble Joe Morgan. Where was the speechwriter? Bush couldn't come up with anything to say for the first inning, then slowly opened up before it was time for him to go. The ESPN guys were cackling with phony laughter to make the visit appear to be fun, but it was obvious that they were struggling to get anything out of the president and the president was frozen on live TV without Dick Cheney, Karen Hughes or Karl Rove giving him advice. Maybe he was flustered from the audible booing he received when he tossed out the first pitch.
The Braves head home for a series with the Pirates starting tonight with Tom Glavine on the mound (seems like old times) against Ian Snell.
Peter Moylan gave up the blast after the Braves rallied to tie things up in the top of the 9th after a pass ball plated pinch-runner Martin Prado. The Braves were lucky to avoid Nationals' closer Chad Cordero who was unable to pitch. They finally generated some offense to plate the second run of the game, but could not get through the heart of the Nationals' line-up in the 9th to send the game into extra frames.
Tim Hudson was brilliant after hurting himself in the 1st inning with an errant pick-off throw to first. He settled down to retire 17 straight batters, but the Braves could not get their bats going against Odalis Perez and the Nationals' bullpen.
Chipper Jones was the lone offensive bright spot for Atlanta with a solo homerun, called by President Bush (more on him in a moment) in the ESPN booth. Chipper crushed a lined drive in the 9th as well, but it went right back to the pitcher. Other than the Braves HofFamer, the offense was pitiful and the base-running (McCann thrown out trying to lengthen a single; Kelly Johnson picked off first) was worse.
The Braves did sport a different look for the night, going with a darker blue jersey, blue numbers and an all-blue cap. I liked the look, but have no idea if it was a one-shot thing to make the night in Washington even more special or something we will see more often this season.
President Bush spent a painful inning and a half in the ESPN booth with Jon Miller and the always humble Joe Morgan. Where was the speechwriter? Bush couldn't come up with anything to say for the first inning, then slowly opened up before it was time for him to go. The ESPN guys were cackling with phony laughter to make the visit appear to be fun, but it was obvious that they were struggling to get anything out of the president and the president was frozen on live TV without Dick Cheney, Karen Hughes or Karl Rove giving him advice. Maybe he was flustered from the audible booing he received when he tossed out the first pitch.
The Braves head home for a series with the Pirates starting tonight with Tom Glavine on the mound (seems like old times) against Ian Snell.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Time to Get Nervous, Volunteers...
The timing of this article terrifies me. If Indiana is going to name its new coach by the Final Four, it has to be a coach already out (Bruce Pearl). It has to be a coach already interested (Bruce Pearl). It has to be someone worth hiring before waiting to talk to guys like Sean Miller or John Calipari (Bruce Pearl).
The other thing that worries me about this article is the whole Tony Bennett distraction. You don't think an Indiana representative threw out the Tony Bennett rumor to keep people off the Bruce Pearl trail, do you? If Tennessee fans got a whiff of Pearl-to-Bloomington talk, it might be much tougher to whoo him away from an adoring fan base that would do everything short of lying down in front of his moving trucks to keep him in Knoxville.
This whole article smells fishy to me. Be nervous, Vols...
The other thing that worries me about this article is the whole Tony Bennett distraction. You don't think an Indiana representative threw out the Tony Bennett rumor to keep people off the Bruce Pearl trail, do you? If Tennessee fans got a whiff of Pearl-to-Bloomington talk, it might be much tougher to whoo him away from an adoring fan base that would do everything short of lying down in front of his moving trucks to keep him in Knoxville.
This whole article smells fishy to me. Be nervous, Vols...
Forget the Undergraduate Degree - I'm a Tiger Now!
After Thursday night's disappointment (which I will cover later in separate blog entries, including my open letter to Coach Pearl and thoughts about next year), I decided to take Friday night off from basketball and have a lovely date with my beautiful wife Martha.
Who am I kidding? I was watching the Davidson game on the bar TV behind her head the whole time. I remember something she said about neglecting her needs and spending too much time on basketball, but I was too engrossed with Stephen Curry to pay much attention.
I recorded the Memphis/Michigan State game for breakfast viewing this morning and quickly got over my Louisville hangover.
(Now, before you accuse me of band-wagoning or Brutus-esque behavior, I have degrees from both The University of Tennessee and The University of Memphis. On February 23rd, I was 100% Volunteer. The other 364 days of the year, I pull for the Tigers too.)
If you missed the 1st half of last night's Sweet Sixteen game, you missed the most impressive half of basketball I (and Dick Vitale, who said what I was already thinking) have witnessed all year. Memphis was flat-out unstoppable. They were efficient on offense, dynamic in the open floor and everywhere on defense.
Derrick Rose flew by defenders like he was on roller skates. Chris Douglas-Roberts kept going to his 7-iron (my name for a shot you always know is going to be good) floater in the lane. Sean Taggert looked like an NBA post player with his array of moves. Joey Dorsey was a beast who stayed out of foul trouble.
Long story short - Memphis 50 Michigan State 20 at the half.
I was all settled in with my large cup of coffee and bowl of cereal for a morning of Memphis Madness, but barely got a Corn Pop in my mouth before the Tigers were up double digits. Michigan State, known for dominating the boards, got whipped by the Memphis bigs. Drew Neitzal was shut down and taunted by Joey Dorsey the entire half.
Suddenly, I'm excited about the tournament again. The Vols definitely got short-changed with a #2 seed, Butler in the 2nd Round, and generally no national respect (which they justified with their performance against Louisville). The only team getting any less respect has been Memphis:
"They play in a weak conference."
"They cannot make free throws."
"They are not efficient enough on offense."
It has been all UNC, UCLA and Kansas talk, but Memphis IS the most talented, deep team in the country. Derrick Rose might be the best player left in the tournament - that includes Kevin Love, Tyler Hansbrough, Stephen Curry, and D.J. Augustine. John Calipari has his team clicking at the right time.
The state of Tennessee has been the home of the best college basketball all year and still has a chance of capturing a National Championship if Memphis plays anywhere close to the way it did last night.
Who am I kidding? I was watching the Davidson game on the bar TV behind her head the whole time. I remember something she said about neglecting her needs and spending too much time on basketball, but I was too engrossed with Stephen Curry to pay much attention.
I recorded the Memphis/Michigan State game for breakfast viewing this morning and quickly got over my Louisville hangover.
(Now, before you accuse me of band-wagoning or Brutus-esque behavior, I have degrees from both The University of Tennessee and The University of Memphis. On February 23rd, I was 100% Volunteer. The other 364 days of the year, I pull for the Tigers too.)
If you missed the 1st half of last night's Sweet Sixteen game, you missed the most impressive half of basketball I (and Dick Vitale, who said what I was already thinking) have witnessed all year. Memphis was flat-out unstoppable. They were efficient on offense, dynamic in the open floor and everywhere on defense.
Derrick Rose flew by defenders like he was on roller skates. Chris Douglas-Roberts kept going to his 7-iron (my name for a shot you always know is going to be good) floater in the lane. Sean Taggert looked like an NBA post player with his array of moves. Joey Dorsey was a beast who stayed out of foul trouble.
Long story short - Memphis 50 Michigan State 20 at the half.
I was all settled in with my large cup of coffee and bowl of cereal for a morning of Memphis Madness, but barely got a Corn Pop in my mouth before the Tigers were up double digits. Michigan State, known for dominating the boards, got whipped by the Memphis bigs. Drew Neitzal was shut down and taunted by Joey Dorsey the entire half.
Suddenly, I'm excited about the tournament again. The Vols definitely got short-changed with a #2 seed, Butler in the 2nd Round, and generally no national respect (which they justified with their performance against Louisville). The only team getting any less respect has been Memphis:
"They play in a weak conference."
"They cannot make free throws."
"They are not efficient enough on offense."
It has been all UNC, UCLA and Kansas talk, but Memphis IS the most talented, deep team in the country. Derrick Rose might be the best player left in the tournament - that includes Kevin Love, Tyler Hansbrough, Stephen Curry, and D.J. Augustine. John Calipari has his team clicking at the right time.
The state of Tennessee has been the home of the best college basketball all year and still has a chance of capturing a National Championship if Memphis plays anywhere close to the way it did last night.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Louisville Defeats Tennessee
What do you say about this game? Louisville dominated the Vols throughout, looked to be the deeper and more talented team and sent the Vols packing after the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight year.
In what was the most fun basketball season I've experienced as a Vol, the boys fizzled out with a thud against an excellent Cardinal squad. Nobody could make a shot until Lofton popped a couple in the second half. The Vols showed little/no patience on offense, settling for off-balance or contested shots instead of working for something good. They got into early foul trouble (Chism) and late foul trouble (Tyler and JuJuan) that clearly hurt. It was a thorough and, frankly, embarrassing defeat.
I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about the game in the morning, but for now I'm frustrated with much of the night's happenings. For whatever reason, last year's team was playing better basketball in March than this year's clearly more-talented crew. The Vols bench became a non-factor late in the year after being a strength for three months. The point guard situation...I don't want to get started about how I feel about Pearl's decisions here.
Instead of venting about things that probably won't seem so tragic tomorrow, I'm heading to bed to dream about what seemed so possible a month ago. Where was the team that beat Memphis? What happened to the Vols?
In what was the most fun basketball season I've experienced as a Vol, the boys fizzled out with a thud against an excellent Cardinal squad. Nobody could make a shot until Lofton popped a couple in the second half. The Vols showed little/no patience on offense, settling for off-balance or contested shots instead of working for something good. They got into early foul trouble (Chism) and late foul trouble (Tyler and JuJuan) that clearly hurt. It was a thorough and, frankly, embarrassing defeat.
I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about the game in the morning, but for now I'm frustrated with much of the night's happenings. For whatever reason, last year's team was playing better basketball in March than this year's clearly more-talented crew. The Vols bench became a non-factor late in the year after being a strength for three months. The point guard situation...I don't want to get started about how I feel about Pearl's decisions here.
Instead of venting about things that probably won't seem so tragic tomorrow, I'm heading to bed to dream about what seemed so possible a month ago. Where was the team that beat Memphis? What happened to the Vols?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Louisville 37 Tennessee 30
Quick thoughts on the 1st half:
1) I love Tyler Smith. Seriously, I want to give the guy a hug and tell him thanks for making my life more enjoyable with the way he plays the game. He is all heart and hustle all the time. We are down 20 without him.
2) I do not love J.P. Prince at the point. I am so frustrated watching this unnecessary, weird experiment. Prince has to dribble the ball up the right side or pass it - that is a championship point guard?
3) The Vols survived an 18-1 run because of its defense. Let's see if the offense shows up for the 2nd half.
1) I love Tyler Smith. Seriously, I want to give the guy a hug and tell him thanks for making my life more enjoyable with the way he plays the game. He is all heart and hustle all the time. We are down 20 without him.
2) I do not love J.P. Prince at the point. I am so frustrated watching this unnecessary, weird experiment. Prince has to dribble the ball up the right side or pass it - that is a championship point guard?
3) The Vols survived an 18-1 run because of its defense. Let's see if the offense shows up for the 2nd half.
Louisville Preview
I'm almost finished with my student comments, but I'm putting them aside for a moment to preview Tennessee's opponent tonight - The Louisville Cardinals.
The Cardinals are the main topic of this week's college basketball podcast here if you want to hear about Pitino's team. There is no doubt that Louisville is flying below the radar right now, probably for the same reason as the Vols. They are both stuck playing each other just for a chance at UNC.
The other reason Louisville has not been as hyped as other teams is because they got off to a rotten start to their season, losing games to BYU, Dayton and Purdue before an opening Big East loss to Cincinnati. It turns out that none of those losses were that bad, but for a team that was in many expert's Top 10, they were surprising.
Louisville also several injuries during this time that took a greater toll than was previously thought. The healthy version of the Cardinals have been fantastic. They went 14-4 in the brutal Big East with a nine game winning streak at one point. They lost their last two games before the NCAAs to Georgetown and Pittsburgh, neither of which were bad losses (Pitt went on to win the Big East tournament).
Bottom line - this is a good Louisville team. There is a reason they are a slight favorite over the higher seed Vols.
We all know about the Rick Pitino press. They will trap, harass, and pester the Vols in the backcourt as well as any team Tennessee has played all year. What might surprise you is what happens next: the Cardinals will drop into a 2-3 zone. Pitino has played a bunch of zone this year because a) his team is long and quick (like the Syracuse team that won the championship) b)it was easier to use during the injuries and c) it is working. Louisville is forcing bad shots, keeping team at low shooting percentage and even getting about eight steals/game out of their zone.
Tennessee is a different animal, however, than most college basketball teams. It can shoot the lights out with Lofton, JuJuan Smith and Wayne Chism hitting three-pointers. It can also use Tyler Smith in the high post as one of the best passing bigs in the game. I don't know what Pitino will try tonight - most teams have been afraid of zoning the Vols because of the shooters, but the zone is what has Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen this year. It will interesting to see.
David Padgett will be your least favorite players within minutes of the opening tip. He is the key for Louisville (yes, he is related to Scott Padgett of Kentucky fame). He is their leading scorer, but he is more important as a passing big man. The 6'11 senior can pass, score inside and step back to hit the outside jumper. He also whines and cries about every injustice not whistled by the officials, so he will get on your nerves quickly. I imagine Chism will spend the majority of his time on the floor guarding Padgett, a match-up that favors the Volunteers.
Terrence Williams is a nice, but inconsistent player. He is a stat-sheet stuff like Tyler Smith, but has games of little/no production from time to time.
Derrick Caracter was a highly-recruited player who now comes off the bench for Louisville. He is instant offense and an impressive specimen on the inside. The battle down low will be important for both teams as Louisville counts on scoring and production from its post players, but Tennessee is deep and aggressive down there as well.
Louisville's guards are not as strong as usual. Earl Clark logged major minutes early in the year, but has settled into a 28-30 minutes guy who is prone to turnovers. Edgar Sosa has yet to emerge as the player I think he can be and seems to get into Pitino's doghouse from time to time. Jerry Smith looks like an old man and plays a little like one too. He can make the three (shooting 50% in the tournament from outside), but is not a creative player like Sosa or Williams.
If Tennessee wins, it will:
a) handle Louisville's pressure
b) turn over the sometimes shaky Louisville guards
c) contain/frustrate Padgett
d) knock down some outside shots - don't expect as much pounding it into the post as the American or Butler games.
If Louisville wins, it will:
a) handle Tennessee's pressure
b) turn over the inconsistent Tennessee guards
c) contain Lofton (who always seems to burn Kentucky teams)
d) pound Tennessee inside with Padgett, Caracter and Williams
Prediction - Vols in a tight one. I don't expect a high-scoring affair because of the stakes and the Louisville zone. This could be the most entertaining game of the entire tournament.
The Cardinals are the main topic of this week's college basketball podcast here if you want to hear about Pitino's team. There is no doubt that Louisville is flying below the radar right now, probably for the same reason as the Vols. They are both stuck playing each other just for a chance at UNC.
The other reason Louisville has not been as hyped as other teams is because they got off to a rotten start to their season, losing games to BYU, Dayton and Purdue before an opening Big East loss to Cincinnati. It turns out that none of those losses were that bad, but for a team that was in many expert's Top 10, they were surprising.
Louisville also several injuries during this time that took a greater toll than was previously thought. The healthy version of the Cardinals have been fantastic. They went 14-4 in the brutal Big East with a nine game winning streak at one point. They lost their last two games before the NCAAs to Georgetown and Pittsburgh, neither of which were bad losses (Pitt went on to win the Big East tournament).
Bottom line - this is a good Louisville team. There is a reason they are a slight favorite over the higher seed Vols.
We all know about the Rick Pitino press. They will trap, harass, and pester the Vols in the backcourt as well as any team Tennessee has played all year. What might surprise you is what happens next: the Cardinals will drop into a 2-3 zone. Pitino has played a bunch of zone this year because a) his team is long and quick (like the Syracuse team that won the championship) b)it was easier to use during the injuries and c) it is working. Louisville is forcing bad shots, keeping team at low shooting percentage and even getting about eight steals/game out of their zone.
Tennessee is a different animal, however, than most college basketball teams. It can shoot the lights out with Lofton, JuJuan Smith and Wayne Chism hitting three-pointers. It can also use Tyler Smith in the high post as one of the best passing bigs in the game. I don't know what Pitino will try tonight - most teams have been afraid of zoning the Vols because of the shooters, but the zone is what has Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen this year. It will interesting to see.
David Padgett will be your least favorite players within minutes of the opening tip. He is the key for Louisville (yes, he is related to Scott Padgett of Kentucky fame). He is their leading scorer, but he is more important as a passing big man. The 6'11 senior can pass, score inside and step back to hit the outside jumper. He also whines and cries about every injustice not whistled by the officials, so he will get on your nerves quickly. I imagine Chism will spend the majority of his time on the floor guarding Padgett, a match-up that favors the Volunteers.
Terrence Williams is a nice, but inconsistent player. He is a stat-sheet stuff like Tyler Smith, but has games of little/no production from time to time.
Derrick Caracter was a highly-recruited player who now comes off the bench for Louisville. He is instant offense and an impressive specimen on the inside. The battle down low will be important for both teams as Louisville counts on scoring and production from its post players, but Tennessee is deep and aggressive down there as well.
Louisville's guards are not as strong as usual. Earl Clark logged major minutes early in the year, but has settled into a 28-30 minutes guy who is prone to turnovers. Edgar Sosa has yet to emerge as the player I think he can be and seems to get into Pitino's doghouse from time to time. Jerry Smith looks like an old man and plays a little like one too. He can make the three (shooting 50% in the tournament from outside), but is not a creative player like Sosa or Williams.
If Tennessee wins, it will:
a) handle Louisville's pressure
b) turn over the sometimes shaky Louisville guards
c) contain/frustrate Padgett
d) knock down some outside shots - don't expect as much pounding it into the post as the American or Butler games.
If Louisville wins, it will:
a) handle Tennessee's pressure
b) turn over the inconsistent Tennessee guards
c) contain Lofton (who always seems to burn Kentucky teams)
d) pound Tennessee inside with Padgett, Caracter and Williams
Prediction - Vols in a tight one. I don't expect a high-scoring affair because of the stakes and the Louisville zone. This could be the most entertaining game of the entire tournament.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Uniform Changes for 2008 MLB Season
I've got 89 personalized comments to write about my wonderful GPS students tonight, so all I'm going to blog today is a link from ESPN.com about uniform changes this year. If you have never been to the Uni Watch blog, it is a really fun site of nostalgia and uniform obsession.
The good news this year is the return of powder blue uniforms to the Blue Jays and Royals. Bad news - no reports of a return to the all-yellow look in Pittsburgh or the awesomely-awful brown and yellow Padre uniforms of the 1980s. Also, the new Devil...I mean Rays design looks just like the Padres.
Back tomorrow morning with my Louisville preview.
The good news this year is the return of powder blue uniforms to the Blue Jays and Royals. Bad news - no reports of a return to the all-yellow look in Pittsburgh or the awesomely-awful brown and yellow Padre uniforms of the 1980s. Also, the new Devil...I mean Rays design looks just like the Padres.
Back tomorrow morning with my Louisville preview.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
24 Thoughts on 48 Games
There are few weekends I enjoy more than the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament. Brackets are busted. Coaches are angry. Kids are crying. March is Madness.
Most people are probably lamenting how much time they spent in front of the television this weekend, but not me. I wish I had watched more basketball. Easter afternoon dinner cost me the end of the Davidson/Georgetown game. A kid's birthday party meant I missed West Virginia/Duke.
Heck, I'm a little annoyed I missed all the NIT action.
I did, however, watch lots and lots of basketball. Here are 24 thoughts about the 48 games throughout the weekend:
1) I was not sold on North Carolina being the best team in the country, but I am now. They destroyed Arkansas yesterday, the same Arkansas team that beat Tennessee. I thought Arkansas would give the Tar Heels a game, but UNC is playing at a different level than the rest of the tournament right now. I think they would probably be a better #8 seed in the NBA East than the Hawks or Nets right now.
2) What is going on with UCLA? They get the bail out call of all bail out calls against Stanford, then hit an illegal shot to beat Cal, then get away with an easy foul call against Texas A&M on Saturday night in what was a terrific game. Don't think it was a foul? Look at this and this. Yeesh. Sloan's mugging falls somewhere between water-boarding and a double-arm chicken wing, but nothing was called.
3) Staying in the Pac-10 a little longer, what happened to USC? Like everyone else, I thought they were peaking in March, but the Trojans laid an egg against Kansas State. O.J. Mayo had a few moments, but never could take over the game. I think college basketball can kiss him goodbye, along with Eric Gordon, Michael Beasley and DeAndre Jordan. We still get Derrick Rose for at least one more game. I realize these guys are not true student-athletes, but I love the impact they are having on the game.
4) Stanford's Trent Johnson deserves the criticism he is getting here. The call that had him so steamed was not even a bad one, though I was not watching to see if that was more of a culmination of frustration or an isolated incident. Either way, he has to know better than to keep after the officials after the first technical. He could have cost his team the game by getting tossed so early. I know some people think it was unwarranted, but the referees have a job to do as well. If the coach won't take the first warning or the first technical as hints to back off, what choice do they have but to eject him?
5) I'm glad the five foul discussion is back. Dick Vitale seems to be championing the idea of giving more fouls to college players than the five allowed before disqualification. It is one of the worst rules in sports that players are thrown out of the game for committing five fouls. The idea is that otherwise players would foul, foul, foul because there is no penalty. That is pure silliness. Players and coaches do not want to foul because foul shots lead to easy points. If college went to six fouls before disqualification or some different sort of penalty (foul shots and the ball after the 5th foul?), the game could be officiated better (no reason to worry about fouling out stars) and would be more entertaining (stars get to play instead of watch). Games have been affected by fouls - Michael Beasley was saddled with cheap fouls against USC. San Diego went into overtime against UConn without its best player. Roy Hibbert played just 16 minutes in the loss to Davidson. Let the players decide the games.
6) Favorite game so far? I didn't get to see much of the Western Kentucky/Drake game, so it has to be Belmont/Duke. The Bruins were brilliant for 39 minutes against the Blue Devils, backdooring and launching 3's against the Duke defense. The last minute, however, was a disaster. Instead of getting a 2 for 1 in the final minute, they ran down the clock with a one point lead and got a horrible look. Then, they failed to get back in transition and gave up a lay-up (!). Finally, with the ball under their own basket, they ran a lob player for a guy who could not be over six feet tall. Even Vince Gill knew that play was not going to work.
7) What about Duke? The Blue Devils over-achieved all year, so this was a terrific season for Coach K. On the flip side, however, is that Duke is not bringing in the Chrisitan Laettners, Elton Brands and Shane Battiers anymore to win championships. This Duke squad was not a serious contender. Is Coach K content with coaching great kids who cannot win it all, ala his mentor Bobby Knight?
8) I picked Arizona to get to the Elite Eight in my bracket and still don't understand why that was a bad pick. The Wildcats are loaded with talent and a good coach, but never clicked all year.
9) There is no control over the draw, but UCLA is benefitting from upsets to UConn and Drake while the East & South Brackets are loaded with the top seeds advancing. With referee help and a kind draw, the Bruins' Road to the Final Four has been the least bumpy of any team thus far.
10) Best CBS basketball commentator continues to be Bill Raftery. He called both Tennessee games and was on the money throughout each. I am also thoroughly enjoying Bobby Knight's insights in the ESPN studio.
11) Memphis made 15 out of 32 free throws to survive against Mississippi State. How can you play basketball and make less than half your free throws? Granny shots, anyone?
12) Breakout star of the tournament? Stephen Curry. The guy's shot is a Monet. There are no flaws in that thing whatsoever. His dad was a great NBA shooter (Dell Curry) and his mom is beautiful even as she is ripping chunks of hair from her head everytime Davidson gives up a basket. He has a great looking smile, a confident swagger...if he was a Tar Heel instead of a Wildcat, he'd be a household name. He might become one before the tournament is done.
13) Davidson beat Gonzaga and Georgetown. That is the most impressive resume of the tournament so far, followed by West Virginia's impressive wins over Arizona and Duke. Least impressive resume belongs to Louisville (Boise State and an over-rated Oklahoma).
14) Tennessee is the lone SEC team standing after Arkansas and Mississippi State went down yesterday. The ACC is down to one as well after being touted as the best conference according to the RPI. Meanwhile, there are three Big East and Pac-10 teams still alive in the Dance. It is all cyclical, but the best ball is not being played in the South right now.
15) Is the Xavier/Purdue game over yet?
16) Nobody gives Wisconsin any love, but they win, win, win. They run a fairly boring offensive system (an inverted flex offense called the "Swing" offense) and play a fairly boring defensive style (contest, rebound - few live ball turnovers or pressing) with a group of fairly boring players (no McDonald's All-Americans). They are like the Foreigner of college basketball. It is dull, mediocre and bland, but it keeps making the classic rock rotation year after year. I guess Bo Ryan is the Lou Gramm of the band.
17) Joke that got old very quickly: Love the Drake. I love Seinfeld, but the joke was too obvious and too often repeated throughout the opening round. Every Bulldog highlight included either the "love" or "hate" version of the phrase.
18) Roy Williams complained about the slippery NCAA logo at the center of the court. I wondered about that thing too - what is the point of it? Are they advertising the NCAA? Don't they get enough advertising throughout the tournament without needing center court? Furthermore, why advertise the NCAA in the first place? It does not need customers. Sell that spot to the highest bidder, I say. I'd rather see the Sonic couple at mid-court than that big blue ice patch.
19) Is it time to shorten the shot clock again? It was once 45 seconds, but now it sits at 35. There are far too many games right now that feature teams dribbling around aimlessly for 28 seconds before setting a ball screen to get a contested three at the end of the shot clock. The women have 30 seconds to shoot. Women!?!
20) Villanova was the last team to get an at-large bid, but they are still in the tournament after wins over Clemson and Siena. The teams that got at-large bids and then showed they did not belong were South Alabama and Baylor. Jay Wright is an under-rated coach for one reason - he is too good-looking. Basketball coaches ought to look like Phil Martelli, not GQ models. Wright is too pretty for his own good.
21) Which coach will ride March success into a bigger job, ala Bruce Pearl or Stan Heath? My money is on Tony Bennett to leave Washington State for greener pastures (Indiana?). His team has made a nice run to the Sweet Sixteen, but he'll never be able to recruit a championship team in Pullman. If he becomes a Hoosier, he will replace another former Cougar coach in Kelvin Sampson.
22) There is a reason teams will play out seemingly over games to the very last second like Miami did yesterday. The Longhorns kept missing free throws and the Hurricanes made a few shots to get the game down to one possession before the final buzzer. It might seem like coaches are delaying the inevitable, but it really does not take much to turn a double-digit lead into a nail-biter if a team cannot make free throws.
23) Speaking of Texas, the Longhorns travel to Houston this weekend for a chance to play in the Final Four...in San Antonio. That is quite an advantage for the #2 seed of the South Bracket. The Women's Tournament is even worse - Tennessee, the #1 seed, is playing against #9 seed Purdue tonight...at Purdue!?! I understand the desire to fill the seats, but why are lower seeds getting a home court advantage?
24) Best tournament moments thus far?
5 - Tennessee's Tyler Smith's block of A.J. Graves lay-up in win over Butler
4 - Duke's Gerald Henderson's lay-up to beat Belmont
3 - Stanford's Brook Lopez beats Marquette
2 - San Diego's De'Jon Jackson knocks UConn out of the tourney
1 - Western Kentucky's Ty Rogers beats Drake with a buzzer-beating three-pointer
Two more days until more Madness...
Most people are probably lamenting how much time they spent in front of the television this weekend, but not me. I wish I had watched more basketball. Easter afternoon dinner cost me the end of the Davidson/Georgetown game. A kid's birthday party meant I missed West Virginia/Duke.
Heck, I'm a little annoyed I missed all the NIT action.
I did, however, watch lots and lots of basketball. Here are 24 thoughts about the 48 games throughout the weekend:
1) I was not sold on North Carolina being the best team in the country, but I am now. They destroyed Arkansas yesterday, the same Arkansas team that beat Tennessee. I thought Arkansas would give the Tar Heels a game, but UNC is playing at a different level than the rest of the tournament right now. I think they would probably be a better #8 seed in the NBA East than the Hawks or Nets right now.
2) What is going on with UCLA? They get the bail out call of all bail out calls against Stanford, then hit an illegal shot to beat Cal, then get away with an easy foul call against Texas A&M on Saturday night in what was a terrific game. Don't think it was a foul? Look at this and this. Yeesh. Sloan's mugging falls somewhere between water-boarding and a double-arm chicken wing, but nothing was called.
3) Staying in the Pac-10 a little longer, what happened to USC? Like everyone else, I thought they were peaking in March, but the Trojans laid an egg against Kansas State. O.J. Mayo had a few moments, but never could take over the game. I think college basketball can kiss him goodbye, along with Eric Gordon, Michael Beasley and DeAndre Jordan. We still get Derrick Rose for at least one more game. I realize these guys are not true student-athletes, but I love the impact they are having on the game.
4) Stanford's Trent Johnson deserves the criticism he is getting here. The call that had him so steamed was not even a bad one, though I was not watching to see if that was more of a culmination of frustration or an isolated incident. Either way, he has to know better than to keep after the officials after the first technical. He could have cost his team the game by getting tossed so early. I know some people think it was unwarranted, but the referees have a job to do as well. If the coach won't take the first warning or the first technical as hints to back off, what choice do they have but to eject him?
5) I'm glad the five foul discussion is back. Dick Vitale seems to be championing the idea of giving more fouls to college players than the five allowed before disqualification. It is one of the worst rules in sports that players are thrown out of the game for committing five fouls. The idea is that otherwise players would foul, foul, foul because there is no penalty. That is pure silliness. Players and coaches do not want to foul because foul shots lead to easy points. If college went to six fouls before disqualification or some different sort of penalty (foul shots and the ball after the 5th foul?), the game could be officiated better (no reason to worry about fouling out stars) and would be more entertaining (stars get to play instead of watch). Games have been affected by fouls - Michael Beasley was saddled with cheap fouls against USC. San Diego went into overtime against UConn without its best player. Roy Hibbert played just 16 minutes in the loss to Davidson. Let the players decide the games.
6) Favorite game so far? I didn't get to see much of the Western Kentucky/Drake game, so it has to be Belmont/Duke. The Bruins were brilliant for 39 minutes against the Blue Devils, backdooring and launching 3's against the Duke defense. The last minute, however, was a disaster. Instead of getting a 2 for 1 in the final minute, they ran down the clock with a one point lead and got a horrible look. Then, they failed to get back in transition and gave up a lay-up (!). Finally, with the ball under their own basket, they ran a lob player for a guy who could not be over six feet tall. Even Vince Gill knew that play was not going to work.
7) What about Duke? The Blue Devils over-achieved all year, so this was a terrific season for Coach K. On the flip side, however, is that Duke is not bringing in the Chrisitan Laettners, Elton Brands and Shane Battiers anymore to win championships. This Duke squad was not a serious contender. Is Coach K content with coaching great kids who cannot win it all, ala his mentor Bobby Knight?
8) I picked Arizona to get to the Elite Eight in my bracket and still don't understand why that was a bad pick. The Wildcats are loaded with talent and a good coach, but never clicked all year.
9) There is no control over the draw, but UCLA is benefitting from upsets to UConn and Drake while the East & South Brackets are loaded with the top seeds advancing. With referee help and a kind draw, the Bruins' Road to the Final Four has been the least bumpy of any team thus far.
10) Best CBS basketball commentator continues to be Bill Raftery. He called both Tennessee games and was on the money throughout each. I am also thoroughly enjoying Bobby Knight's insights in the ESPN studio.
11) Memphis made 15 out of 32 free throws to survive against Mississippi State. How can you play basketball and make less than half your free throws? Granny shots, anyone?
12) Breakout star of the tournament? Stephen Curry. The guy's shot is a Monet. There are no flaws in that thing whatsoever. His dad was a great NBA shooter (Dell Curry) and his mom is beautiful even as she is ripping chunks of hair from her head everytime Davidson gives up a basket. He has a great looking smile, a confident swagger...if he was a Tar Heel instead of a Wildcat, he'd be a household name. He might become one before the tournament is done.
13) Davidson beat Gonzaga and Georgetown. That is the most impressive resume of the tournament so far, followed by West Virginia's impressive wins over Arizona and Duke. Least impressive resume belongs to Louisville (Boise State and an over-rated Oklahoma).
14) Tennessee is the lone SEC team standing after Arkansas and Mississippi State went down yesterday. The ACC is down to one as well after being touted as the best conference according to the RPI. Meanwhile, there are three Big East and Pac-10 teams still alive in the Dance. It is all cyclical, but the best ball is not being played in the South right now.
15) Is the Xavier/Purdue game over yet?
16) Nobody gives Wisconsin any love, but they win, win, win. They run a fairly boring offensive system (an inverted flex offense called the "Swing" offense) and play a fairly boring defensive style (contest, rebound - few live ball turnovers or pressing) with a group of fairly boring players (no McDonald's All-Americans). They are like the Foreigner of college basketball. It is dull, mediocre and bland, but it keeps making the classic rock rotation year after year. I guess Bo Ryan is the Lou Gramm of the band.
17) Joke that got old very quickly: Love the Drake. I love Seinfeld, but the joke was too obvious and too often repeated throughout the opening round. Every Bulldog highlight included either the "love" or "hate" version of the phrase.
18) Roy Williams complained about the slippery NCAA logo at the center of the court. I wondered about that thing too - what is the point of it? Are they advertising the NCAA? Don't they get enough advertising throughout the tournament without needing center court? Furthermore, why advertise the NCAA in the first place? It does not need customers. Sell that spot to the highest bidder, I say. I'd rather see the Sonic couple at mid-court than that big blue ice patch.
19) Is it time to shorten the shot clock again? It was once 45 seconds, but now it sits at 35. There are far too many games right now that feature teams dribbling around aimlessly for 28 seconds before setting a ball screen to get a contested three at the end of the shot clock. The women have 30 seconds to shoot. Women!?!
20) Villanova was the last team to get an at-large bid, but they are still in the tournament after wins over Clemson and Siena. The teams that got at-large bids and then showed they did not belong were South Alabama and Baylor. Jay Wright is an under-rated coach for one reason - he is too good-looking. Basketball coaches ought to look like Phil Martelli, not GQ models. Wright is too pretty for his own good.
21) Which coach will ride March success into a bigger job, ala Bruce Pearl or Stan Heath? My money is on Tony Bennett to leave Washington State for greener pastures (Indiana?). His team has made a nice run to the Sweet Sixteen, but he'll never be able to recruit a championship team in Pullman. If he becomes a Hoosier, he will replace another former Cougar coach in Kelvin Sampson.
22) There is a reason teams will play out seemingly over games to the very last second like Miami did yesterday. The Longhorns kept missing free throws and the Hurricanes made a few shots to get the game down to one possession before the final buzzer. It might seem like coaches are delaying the inevitable, but it really does not take much to turn a double-digit lead into a nail-biter if a team cannot make free throws.
23) Speaking of Texas, the Longhorns travel to Houston this weekend for a chance to play in the Final Four...in San Antonio. That is quite an advantage for the #2 seed of the South Bracket. The Women's Tournament is even worse - Tennessee, the #1 seed, is playing against #9 seed Purdue tonight...at Purdue!?! I understand the desire to fill the seats, but why are lower seeds getting a home court advantage?
24) Best tournament moments thus far?
5 - Tennessee's Tyler Smith's block of A.J. Graves lay-up in win over Butler
4 - Duke's Gerald Henderson's lay-up to beat Belmont
3 - Stanford's Brook Lopez beats Marquette
2 - San Diego's De'Jon Jackson knocks UConn out of the tourney
1 - Western Kentucky's Ty Rogers beats Drake with a buzzer-beating three-pointer
Two more days until more Madness...
Butler Couldn't Do It - Vols Advance to Sweet Sixteen
The Vols return to the Sweet Sixteen with an impressive, thrilling overtime 76-71victory over the Butler Bulldogs on Easter afternoon.
Are the Vols back? Not only did they control much of the game against an excellent Butler squad, but they created turnovers with their pressure and finished the overtime period with a series of terrific plays to seal the victory. It was the best the Vols have looked since Memphis and a promising sign going into the Sweet Sixteen game against Louisville.
The pre-game and post-game topic of conversation is the point guard rotation. Bruce Pearl looked like a fool at the end of regulation when J.P. Prince made a silly turnover with a pass from the baseline, then traveled with the basketball on the Vols' last possession. It was clear that Prince was over his head as the floor general in that situation, which is not his fault. He has now been playing point guard for a grand total of three games.
Pearl looked like a genius again in the overtime period. Ramar Smith returned to right the ship and made a huge play with Tennessee up two when he finished a lay-up inside while being fouled by Butler. All three Smiths were huge in overtime - Tyler's block, JuJuan's free throws and rebounds, and Ramar's conversion inside.
From the opening tip, this was a different Volunteer squad than the one that slept-walked through the American win. The Vols hit Butler early and looked to be on the verge of pulling away from the Bulldogs who came out cold and confused by the Vols' switching defense.
Butler, however, was too good and too experienced to go away. You knew Graves and Green would get going and they did. The Vols had answers, however, and put away the best #7 seed of the tournament (any doubt Butler deserved a better seed than Oklahoma, Clemson or Drake?).
An unsung hero yesterday was Brian Williams. He is a rebounding machine inside. There is a reason Ryan Childress has become a spectator for the Vols (besides failing to cover the best shooter on the floor when he finally got into the game); Williams is an immovable force in the paint when he wants to be. He played exceptionally well yesterday against the Butler bigs.
Louisville awaits. The Vols must get through Louisville and UNC/Washington State - three teams that all won by at least 20 points over the weekend. After yesterday, I'm more confident they have a chance to do it.
Are the Vols back? Not only did they control much of the game against an excellent Butler squad, but they created turnovers with their pressure and finished the overtime period with a series of terrific plays to seal the victory. It was the best the Vols have looked since Memphis and a promising sign going into the Sweet Sixteen game against Louisville.
The pre-game and post-game topic of conversation is the point guard rotation. Bruce Pearl looked like a fool at the end of regulation when J.P. Prince made a silly turnover with a pass from the baseline, then traveled with the basketball on the Vols' last possession. It was clear that Prince was over his head as the floor general in that situation, which is not his fault. He has now been playing point guard for a grand total of three games.
Pearl looked like a genius again in the overtime period. Ramar Smith returned to right the ship and made a huge play with Tennessee up two when he finished a lay-up inside while being fouled by Butler. All three Smiths were huge in overtime - Tyler's block, JuJuan's free throws and rebounds, and Ramar's conversion inside.
From the opening tip, this was a different Volunteer squad than the one that slept-walked through the American win. The Vols hit Butler early and looked to be on the verge of pulling away from the Bulldogs who came out cold and confused by the Vols' switching defense.
Butler, however, was too good and too experienced to go away. You knew Graves and Green would get going and they did. The Vols had answers, however, and put away the best #7 seed of the tournament (any doubt Butler deserved a better seed than Oklahoma, Clemson or Drake?).
An unsung hero yesterday was Brian Williams. He is a rebounding machine inside. There is a reason Ryan Childress has become a spectator for the Vols (besides failing to cover the best shooter on the floor when he finally got into the game); Williams is an immovable force in the paint when he wants to be. He played exceptionally well yesterday against the Butler bigs.
Louisville awaits. The Vols must get through Louisville and UNC/Washington State - three teams that all won by at least 20 points over the weekend. After yesterday, I'm more confident they have a chance to do it.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Tennessee Conquers America(n)
Loyal readers - by now, you know my admiration for Coach Pearl. I love the press, love the offense, love the rotation, love the showmanship, etc.
But I don't know what he is doing right now.
The Vols played an uninspired game in the opening round of the NCAA tournament yesterday to knock off a game, but not very good, American team. The Vols threw awful passes, played lazy defense and generally looked like they were bored.
Was it disappointment about being a #2 seed? Are the Vols too fat and happy after their #1 ranking? Are they just not that good?
They certainly did not look like potential National Champions.
National Champions are not experimenting with line-up changes during the tournament. Yesterday, Ramar Smith sat the entire 1st half while Jordan Howell sat the entire 2nd half. According to Coach Pearl's post-game comments, Howell's days on the floor for the Vols are over as J.P. Prince will become the back-up point guard.
Huh?
Shouldn't this decision have been made a month ago? Is Prince really a point guard at all? I don't understand making such drastic line-up changes at this point in the season.
The results, I'm afraid, were evident during yesterday's game. The Vols looked lost. There is no doubt that the players were thrown off by the changes. Teammates look out for each other and they may very well have sent their coach a message yesterday about their feelings.
Coach Pearl has made all the right moves for three years, but I'm baffled by the ones he made yesterday.
But I don't know what he is doing right now.
The Vols played an uninspired game in the opening round of the NCAA tournament yesterday to knock off a game, but not very good, American team. The Vols threw awful passes, played lazy defense and generally looked like they were bored.
Was it disappointment about being a #2 seed? Are the Vols too fat and happy after their #1 ranking? Are they just not that good?
They certainly did not look like potential National Champions.
National Champions are not experimenting with line-up changes during the tournament. Yesterday, Ramar Smith sat the entire 1st half while Jordan Howell sat the entire 2nd half. According to Coach Pearl's post-game comments, Howell's days on the floor for the Vols are over as J.P. Prince will become the back-up point guard.
Huh?
Shouldn't this decision have been made a month ago? Is Prince really a point guard at all? I don't understand making such drastic line-up changes at this point in the season.
The results, I'm afraid, were evident during yesterday's game. The Vols looked lost. There is no doubt that the players were thrown off by the changes. Teammates look out for each other and they may very well have sent their coach a message yesterday about their feelings.
Coach Pearl has made all the right moves for three years, but I'm baffled by the ones he made yesterday.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Tennessee 1st half thoughts
No all-day blogging today. I'm not vegging out in front of the tube for back-to-back days, no matter how much I'm tempted to do it.
The Vols are up seven at the end of a weird half. No Ramar? No Brian Williams? We need Erin Andrews to tell us what is going on. J.P. is not a point guard and Howell's two shots hit the side of the rim, so Ramar is either deep in Pearl's doghouse or he did something stupid this week.
I don't understand why Tennessee is getting dominated on the boards, but things settled down after the first 10 minutes. American cannot score consistently against the Vols' defense unless they are getting offensive boards.
Let's hope Coach Pearl injects some life into the troops at the half, though I don't see any chance for the Eagles to pull off the upset. I just don't like the way the guys are carrying themselves or playing together.
We certainly don't look like a team that deserved a #1 seed, do we?
The Vols are up seven at the end of a weird half. No Ramar? No Brian Williams? We need Erin Andrews to tell us what is going on. J.P. is not a point guard and Howell's two shots hit the side of the rim, so Ramar is either deep in Pearl's doghouse or he did something stupid this week.
I don't understand why Tennessee is getting dominated on the boards, but things settled down after the first 10 minutes. American cannot score consistently against the Vols' defense unless they are getting offensive boards.
Let's hope Coach Pearl injects some life into the troops at the half, though I don't see any chance for the Eagles to pull off the upset. I just don't like the way the guys are carrying themselves or playing together.
We certainly don't look like a team that deserved a #1 seed, do we?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
First Round Thoughts - All Day Long
11:14 - Last entry of the night unless something comes down to the wire. Fullerton is hanging around with Wisconsin. I thought the Badgers had their swagger going at the end of the half, but they can't shake the #14 seed. I sitll like Arizona to upset West Virginia, but I don't understand how so much talent (Bundiger, Wise, Bayless, Hill) can play so listlessly for stretches.
I'll admit it - I flipped channels for a stretch after my bowl of ice cream and watched Hanson play last week's South By Southwest. Weird. They...sucked. I had high hopes that they might have matured into something special, but they sound the same way they sounded when they were all in puberty.
Pending any late game drama, I'll see you tomorrow for the Vols at noon.
10:24 - Beer or ice cream? Which empty calories are going to cap off my night?
Ice cream.
Mason was not impressed with Larranga's talk; they are getting spanked by the Irish. We've been switched to Wisconsin/Fullerton here which looks like it is heading for a Badger blowout.
While the basketball is slow, I have been fairly entertained by the commercials thus far today. "Let's put on our lawyer pants" makes me laugh each time. I count down the seconds to that punchline. I'm also smitten with the DirecTV red-head. She is like the new Mellancamp with her every-10-minutes appearances, but unlike Mellancamp in that I look forward to her visit and she has long, smooth legs instead of cheesy, nauseating lyrics.
I do not understand or enjoy these Coke commercials with the freak in the backseat. Any excuse to see Tate George make that shot against Clemson is welcomed, but it isn't in the same marketing league as "lawyer pants."
9:45 - Did George Mason's entire team just roll its eyes at Coach Larranga's cheesy "Make them disappear" pep talk?
9:38 - A&M advances with my boy DeAndre watching the whole thing from the bench, pouting the whole time. Sad. Gotta give it to Turgeon for having the guts to bench his star recruit whose attitude and effort have sucked all year.
9:16 - Belmont down one with four seconds left...what?1? A lob to nobody?
Boy, the only thing worse than that play was the announcer calling it a "screen the screener play" (it was not) that Duke switched to defend (it did not).
This game is not over...2.7 seconds is a loooong time.
K-State has taken care of USC.
Back to Duke...front rim. DON'T MISS SHORT! Belmont saved its timeouts and it is paying off right now. I love coaches who value timeouts instead of taking them after an opponent hits two shots in a row.
I also love that Duke attacked in transition with Henderson earlier. Don't let the defense get set - there were four guys in the paint, but nobody stopped the drive for the lead.
Here we go...wow. That shot had a chance. Great job by Henderson to avoid the contact. Fantastic game.
8:50 - My friend Linc emailed that DeAndre dogged it down floor after a missed shot and has been on the pine since. I wish it surprised me, but it doesn't.
K-State is up seven with the ball. They look poised to upset the Trojans right now. They are calm and in charge right now, totally unphased by the moment.
Here is your Coach K quandry right now - your defense is built on pressuring passing lanes, but that allows Belmont to backdoor you to death. Do you switch up your philosophy for a #15 seed?
8:42 - USC TAKES THE LEAD!!! OJ MAYO!!!
8:38 - As much as Vol fans have complained about being a #2 in UNC's bracket, at least we didn't draw Belmont. These Bruins are good. They are giving Duke a real game and it isn't like Duke is playing all that badly. We could have our first upset of the day.
USC is battling back. Down 2 with 14 minutes left.
So much for DeAndre having a big tournament; he barely saw the floor during the first half of the A&M/BYU game. The Aggies are playing better without him.
BELMONT TAKES THE LEAD!!!
8:14 - Belmont Bruins, not Bulldogs. I actually knew that.
7:51 - I was not happy with getting stuck with Duke/Belmont, but it has been a brilliant first half. Belmont (I've got the volume down, so I still don't know their mascot) is running a gorgeous offense of backdoor cuts and three-point shooting. Duke looks ripe for the picking.
Meanwhile, K-State is whipping USC right now. I liked how Frank Walker went back to Beasley even after his second foul, but he barely needs him with the way his team is playing defense. They are getting after it.
The other game I want to watch right now is A&M vs. BYU. I used to coach DeAndre Jordan and am interested to see how he'll respond to the Big Dance. He has had a disappointing freshmen year, but I have seen him dominate when he is motivated. Only a couple of times, but I have seen it. I'd love to see him have a great tournament.
Whoa! 3rd foul on Taj Gibson in the first half. USC might bust up some brackets tonight. They look terrible so far. OJ Mayo cannot get a good look. They haven't been able to capitalize on Bealsey's absence at all.
7:17 - Back from the walk - ready for more basketball. The local game is Duke vs. Belmont which is a big disappointment. USC/K-State? I know Belmont is in Nashville, but nobody cares about them here.
Whoa - Beasley just picked up his second foul. I've got it on the laptop right now. USC (everyone's sleeper team, though I have a Pac-10 team seeded lower going deeper...) is off to a slow start, but K-State won't last long without Beasley on the floor.
Vince Gill is cheering on the Belmont...what are they? Bulldogs? I might be making that up. That guy has the life. A great voice, Amy Grant at night and he is always at sporting events. I wish he made better music, but I would trade in my artistic credibility for Grant and free tickets.
Terrible call on Beasley - the first awful call I've seen in the tourney so far. That is a huge foul for the Wildcats.
5:29 - Kids came home, Abby did not want to nap, repair man showed up...talk about killing the mood. I didn't get to see the end of the Kentucky game, but both my upset picks (Baylor being the other) came up empty. Joe Crawford was having a whale of a game when I was taken away.
As for Baylor, they looked like they were just happy to be there.
We're off for a family walk before the night session. See you then.
3:28 - Big shot before the half for Marquette. Kentucky forced them to go to the fourth option on that set...that is what it is like to play in March.
Tom Crean = Clark Kent?
Is the play-by-play guy for this game Mike Adamle from American Gladiators? He sounds like it to me. I had a thing for Lace back in the day. I was just hitting puberty and really wanted to break through and conquer her.
Baylor is falling behind and so is Oral Roberts. Not good for the God guys. I'm a few minutes away from making some sacrilegious jokes.
3:21 - Baylor's uniforms are brutal. Green and yellow is just a bad color combo unless you are the Green Bay Packers. Oregon and Baylor both look ridiculous.
Speaking of crazy Christian universities, Oral Roberts is up early against Pitt. Could be trouble for secular institutions this afternoon.
Kentucky has a little more bounce in its step as we head to the end of the 1st half. Would anyone have guessed Marquette vs. Kentucky is the most-played tournament game? I would have guessed UCLA as one of the teams.
3:10 - I've got Baylor/Purdue ready to go on the laptop with UK/Marquette on the TV. Not a bad day. I'm not feeling great about my Kentucky pick right now. The Golden Eagles look sharp in the opening part of the half. The scoring will be in the 50s/60s, which helps Kentucky.
Marquette has already gone to a similar look offensively several times where the ball is driven from the wing towards the baseline for a pass to the opposite corner or wing. They are going to try to exploit Kentucky's help defense by sucking them in to kick it out.
2:38 - I was right about the Dawgs - they ran out of gas in the final minutes. I'm 3-3 on my bracket so far with Michigan State's win. Kentucky and Baylor are two of my upset picks coming up right now. Can't believe I'm pulling for the Kats and Baptists. That truly is Madness.
2:23 - What about spiritual fatigue? Could the Dawgs be suffering from an internal exhaustion of the soul?
The SEC tournament was four days ago...the fatigue storyline is just silly. Gaines is tired because he has played a ton of minutes against aggressive defense. And "packed them in" at Georgia Tech? Did you watch any of the games? The arena was 2/3 empty. I'm getting annoyed with the announcers and we are in the first game of the tournament.
On a different note, the referees are doing a fine job in this one. There was a good article on ESPN yesterday about how what a rough year the refs have had, but they are off to a good start here. Just about every close call has been right (Bliss's block looked pretty clean) and they are letting the guys determine the winner.
Dawgs down 3 at the timeout. I don't think they have enough gas or offensive firepower to overcome Xavier's excellent defense, but I also don't want to count them out after what they did last weekend.
2:07 - Xavier up 3; UGA timeout. The Dawgs lack discipline - Sundiata Gaines jumped at a half-hearted shot fake to give up an easy look for three. I noticed the lack of discipline in the SEC tourney as well, but they overcame it then. They waste too many possessions with silly turnovers - no discipline. Several guys are on the verge of getting technical fouls - no discipline. We'll see if it costs them today.
Does anyone know if Bliss is related to Coach Bliss who was disgraced at Baylor? I love his competitiveness, but he freaks out at every call.
1:51 - Here comes Xavier! The game is getting pretty physical at this point, which I think helps Georgia. If I'm Sean Miller, I keep the ball in Lavender's hands as much as possible. If I'm Dennis Felton, I feed Billy Humphrey. I love that guy's jumper.
1:42 - Still all Dawgs right now. How did these guys only win 4 SEC games?
I thought Temple would give Michigan State a tougher time than they have thus far.
I spent too much of the first half trying to make an antenna out of a coat hanger so I could watch games from my deck in the beautiful Tennessee sun. No luck. If anyone has a clue about creating your own antenna, let me know.
1:00 - Georgia looks every bit as good as Xavier in the first 10 minutes, if not better. They are really playing with some confidence right now. I'm wishing I'd picked this as an upset, but it is still early (19-15 Dawgs right now).
I'll admit it - I flipped channels for a stretch after my bowl of ice cream and watched Hanson play last week's South By Southwest. Weird. They...sucked. I had high hopes that they might have matured into something special, but they sound the same way they sounded when they were all in puberty.
Pending any late game drama, I'll see you tomorrow for the Vols at noon.
10:24 - Beer or ice cream? Which empty calories are going to cap off my night?
Ice cream.
Mason was not impressed with Larranga's talk; they are getting spanked by the Irish. We've been switched to Wisconsin/Fullerton here which looks like it is heading for a Badger blowout.
While the basketball is slow, I have been fairly entertained by the commercials thus far today. "Let's put on our lawyer pants" makes me laugh each time. I count down the seconds to that punchline. I'm also smitten with the DirecTV red-head. She is like the new Mellancamp with her every-10-minutes appearances, but unlike Mellancamp in that I look forward to her visit and she has long, smooth legs instead of cheesy, nauseating lyrics.
I do not understand or enjoy these Coke commercials with the freak in the backseat. Any excuse to see Tate George make that shot against Clemson is welcomed, but it isn't in the same marketing league as "lawyer pants."
9:45 - Did George Mason's entire team just roll its eyes at Coach Larranga's cheesy "Make them disappear" pep talk?
9:38 - A&M advances with my boy DeAndre watching the whole thing from the bench, pouting the whole time. Sad. Gotta give it to Turgeon for having the guts to bench his star recruit whose attitude and effort have sucked all year.
9:16 - Belmont down one with four seconds left...what?1? A lob to nobody?
Boy, the only thing worse than that play was the announcer calling it a "screen the screener play" (it was not) that Duke switched to defend (it did not).
This game is not over...2.7 seconds is a loooong time.
K-State has taken care of USC.
Back to Duke...front rim. DON'T MISS SHORT! Belmont saved its timeouts and it is paying off right now. I love coaches who value timeouts instead of taking them after an opponent hits two shots in a row.
I also love that Duke attacked in transition with Henderson earlier. Don't let the defense get set - there were four guys in the paint, but nobody stopped the drive for the lead.
Here we go...wow. That shot had a chance. Great job by Henderson to avoid the contact. Fantastic game.
8:50 - My friend Linc emailed that DeAndre dogged it down floor after a missed shot and has been on the pine since. I wish it surprised me, but it doesn't.
K-State is up seven with the ball. They look poised to upset the Trojans right now. They are calm and in charge right now, totally unphased by the moment.
Here is your Coach K quandry right now - your defense is built on pressuring passing lanes, but that allows Belmont to backdoor you to death. Do you switch up your philosophy for a #15 seed?
8:42 - USC TAKES THE LEAD!!! OJ MAYO!!!
8:38 - As much as Vol fans have complained about being a #2 in UNC's bracket, at least we didn't draw Belmont. These Bruins are good. They are giving Duke a real game and it isn't like Duke is playing all that badly. We could have our first upset of the day.
USC is battling back. Down 2 with 14 minutes left.
So much for DeAndre having a big tournament; he barely saw the floor during the first half of the A&M/BYU game. The Aggies are playing better without him.
BELMONT TAKES THE LEAD!!!
8:14 - Belmont Bruins, not Bulldogs. I actually knew that.
7:51 - I was not happy with getting stuck with Duke/Belmont, but it has been a brilliant first half. Belmont (I've got the volume down, so I still don't know their mascot) is running a gorgeous offense of backdoor cuts and three-point shooting. Duke looks ripe for the picking.
Meanwhile, K-State is whipping USC right now. I liked how Frank Walker went back to Beasley even after his second foul, but he barely needs him with the way his team is playing defense. They are getting after it.
The other game I want to watch right now is A&M vs. BYU. I used to coach DeAndre Jordan and am interested to see how he'll respond to the Big Dance. He has had a disappointing freshmen year, but I have seen him dominate when he is motivated. Only a couple of times, but I have seen it. I'd love to see him have a great tournament.
Whoa! 3rd foul on Taj Gibson in the first half. USC might bust up some brackets tonight. They look terrible so far. OJ Mayo cannot get a good look. They haven't been able to capitalize on Bealsey's absence at all.
7:17 - Back from the walk - ready for more basketball. The local game is Duke vs. Belmont which is a big disappointment. USC/K-State? I know Belmont is in Nashville, but nobody cares about them here.
Whoa - Beasley just picked up his second foul. I've got it on the laptop right now. USC (everyone's sleeper team, though I have a Pac-10 team seeded lower going deeper...) is off to a slow start, but K-State won't last long without Beasley on the floor.
Vince Gill is cheering on the Belmont...what are they? Bulldogs? I might be making that up. That guy has the life. A great voice, Amy Grant at night and he is always at sporting events. I wish he made better music, but I would trade in my artistic credibility for Grant and free tickets.
Terrible call on Beasley - the first awful call I've seen in the tourney so far. That is a huge foul for the Wildcats.
5:29 - Kids came home, Abby did not want to nap, repair man showed up...talk about killing the mood. I didn't get to see the end of the Kentucky game, but both my upset picks (Baylor being the other) came up empty. Joe Crawford was having a whale of a game when I was taken away.
As for Baylor, they looked like they were just happy to be there.
We're off for a family walk before the night session. See you then.
3:28 - Big shot before the half for Marquette. Kentucky forced them to go to the fourth option on that set...that is what it is like to play in March.
Tom Crean = Clark Kent?
Is the play-by-play guy for this game Mike Adamle from American Gladiators? He sounds like it to me. I had a thing for Lace back in the day. I was just hitting puberty and really wanted to break through and conquer her.
Baylor is falling behind and so is Oral Roberts. Not good for the God guys. I'm a few minutes away from making some sacrilegious jokes.
3:21 - Baylor's uniforms are brutal. Green and yellow is just a bad color combo unless you are the Green Bay Packers. Oregon and Baylor both look ridiculous.
Speaking of crazy Christian universities, Oral Roberts is up early against Pitt. Could be trouble for secular institutions this afternoon.
Kentucky has a little more bounce in its step as we head to the end of the 1st half. Would anyone have guessed Marquette vs. Kentucky is the most-played tournament game? I would have guessed UCLA as one of the teams.
3:10 - I've got Baylor/Purdue ready to go on the laptop with UK/Marquette on the TV. Not a bad day. I'm not feeling great about my Kentucky pick right now. The Golden Eagles look sharp in the opening part of the half. The scoring will be in the 50s/60s, which helps Kentucky.
Marquette has already gone to a similar look offensively several times where the ball is driven from the wing towards the baseline for a pass to the opposite corner or wing. They are going to try to exploit Kentucky's help defense by sucking them in to kick it out.
2:38 - I was right about the Dawgs - they ran out of gas in the final minutes. I'm 3-3 on my bracket so far with Michigan State's win. Kentucky and Baylor are two of my upset picks coming up right now. Can't believe I'm pulling for the Kats and Baptists. That truly is Madness.
2:23 - What about spiritual fatigue? Could the Dawgs be suffering from an internal exhaustion of the soul?
The SEC tournament was four days ago...the fatigue storyline is just silly. Gaines is tired because he has played a ton of minutes against aggressive defense. And "packed them in" at Georgia Tech? Did you watch any of the games? The arena was 2/3 empty. I'm getting annoyed with the announcers and we are in the first game of the tournament.
On a different note, the referees are doing a fine job in this one. There was a good article on ESPN yesterday about how what a rough year the refs have had, but they are off to a good start here. Just about every close call has been right (Bliss's block looked pretty clean) and they are letting the guys determine the winner.
Dawgs down 3 at the timeout. I don't think they have enough gas or offensive firepower to overcome Xavier's excellent defense, but I also don't want to count them out after what they did last weekend.
2:07 - Xavier up 3; UGA timeout. The Dawgs lack discipline - Sundiata Gaines jumped at a half-hearted shot fake to give up an easy look for three. I noticed the lack of discipline in the SEC tourney as well, but they overcame it then. They waste too many possessions with silly turnovers - no discipline. Several guys are on the verge of getting technical fouls - no discipline. We'll see if it costs them today.
Does anyone know if Bliss is related to Coach Bliss who was disgraced at Baylor? I love his competitiveness, but he freaks out at every call.
1:51 - Here comes Xavier! The game is getting pretty physical at this point, which I think helps Georgia. If I'm Sean Miller, I keep the ball in Lavender's hands as much as possible. If I'm Dennis Felton, I feed Billy Humphrey. I love that guy's jumper.
1:42 - Still all Dawgs right now. How did these guys only win 4 SEC games?
I thought Temple would give Michigan State a tougher time than they have thus far.
I spent too much of the first half trying to make an antenna out of a coat hanger so I could watch games from my deck in the beautiful Tennessee sun. No luck. If anyone has a clue about creating your own antenna, let me know.
1:00 - Georgia looks every bit as good as Xavier in the first 10 minutes, if not better. They are really playing with some confidence right now. I'm wishing I'd picked this as an upset, but it is still early (19-15 Dawgs right now).
No Preview, But Thoughts Throughout the Day
I had grand intentions of compiling a great tournament preview, mostly for my own enjoyment, but Daddy duties have kept me busy this week. It is funny how Spring Break feels busier than a normal school week these days with two kids at home. My free moments are now mostly spent asleep or picking up.
For the record - my upset specials today are Baylor, Kentucky and Arizona (who I have going all the way to the Elite Eight). I have a bunch more for tomorrow. My Final Four is Tennessee, Georgetown, Memphis and UCLA with the Vols winning the whole thing.
Unbiased, huh?
Let the Madness begin!!!
For the record - my upset specials today are Baylor, Kentucky and Arizona (who I have going all the way to the Elite Eight). I have a bunch more for tomorrow. My Final Four is Tennessee, Georgetown, Memphis and UCLA with the Vols winning the whole thing.
Unbiased, huh?
Let the Madness begin!!!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
American Eagles Scouting Report
Before the Vols take the court on Friday afternoon, what do you need to know about the American University Eagles? Before we quickly dismiss the Patriot League champs as a meager #15 seed, let's not forget about Hampton and Santa Clara (#15 seeds that won their opening games) or Bucknell (Patriot League champs a few years ago that shocked Kansas). The Vols shouldn't have any trouble with American, but here is what might give them some trouble:
1) Coach Jeff Jones - The former Virginia head coach is a good one. Frankly, the Cavaliers have never recovered from letting him go amid sagging attendance and dissatisfaction in Charlottesville. He took UVA to the Elite Eight and annually competed in the ACC.
Now he leads American University. He is a solid coach who runs efficient offense and teaches sound defensive principles. The team only scores 65 ppg, but also only allows 61 ppg. Expect the Eagles to drain the shot clock with each possession to shorten the game and keep the scoring in the 50s/60s.
2) Garrison Carr - From what I can tell, the Eagles will go as far as Carr takes them. He averages 18.1 ppg and shoots a high percentage from behind the arc (while taking twice as many as any other teammate). The All-Patriot League 1st teamer will need a big game against the Vols for American to have a chance for the upset.
3) Derrick Mercer - Mercer was 2nd team All-Patriot League, averaging 12.5 points and 4 assists per game. He rarely comes out of the game (averaging 37.8 minutes/game) while leading the team in assists and steals.
4) Brian Gilmore - Off the bench, Gilmore gives the Eagles instant offense as their 3rd leading scorer. The Eagles will need some bench production against the deep Vols, so look for Gilmore to be the key off the pine.
The best victory of the year for American was at Maryland (a team that later won at UNC, but also earned only an NIT bid this year). The keys to that win were Mercer, who led the team in scoring and played all 40 minutes, and Bryce Simon who put in 17 points. The Eagles shot a high percentage for the game from 3-point land and the charity stripe. They out-rebounded Maryland while only turning the ball over 12 times. If the Vols cannot turn the Eagles over, the game will likely be played in the 60s - an advantage for the underdogs.
There is little chance the Vols will lay an egg large enough to allow American to stay in the game, but after narrowly escaping Winthrop two years ago there is no reason for over-confidence. Coach Jones will have American ready to compete; whether they have enough depth and firepower for 40 minutes is the question.
1) Coach Jeff Jones - The former Virginia head coach is a good one. Frankly, the Cavaliers have never recovered from letting him go amid sagging attendance and dissatisfaction in Charlottesville. He took UVA to the Elite Eight and annually competed in the ACC.
Now he leads American University. He is a solid coach who runs efficient offense and teaches sound defensive principles. The team only scores 65 ppg, but also only allows 61 ppg. Expect the Eagles to drain the shot clock with each possession to shorten the game and keep the scoring in the 50s/60s.
2) Garrison Carr - From what I can tell, the Eagles will go as far as Carr takes them. He averages 18.1 ppg and shoots a high percentage from behind the arc (while taking twice as many as any other teammate). The All-Patriot League 1st teamer will need a big game against the Vols for American to have a chance for the upset.
3) Derrick Mercer - Mercer was 2nd team All-Patriot League, averaging 12.5 points and 4 assists per game. He rarely comes out of the game (averaging 37.8 minutes/game) while leading the team in assists and steals.
4) Brian Gilmore - Off the bench, Gilmore gives the Eagles instant offense as their 3rd leading scorer. The Eagles will need some bench production against the deep Vols, so look for Gilmore to be the key off the pine.
The best victory of the year for American was at Maryland (a team that later won at UNC, but also earned only an NIT bid this year). The keys to that win were Mercer, who led the team in scoring and played all 40 minutes, and Bryce Simon who put in 17 points. The Eagles shot a high percentage for the game from 3-point land and the charity stripe. They out-rebounded Maryland while only turning the ball over 12 times. If the Vols cannot turn the Eagles over, the game will likely be played in the 60s - an advantage for the underdogs.
There is little chance the Vols will lay an egg large enough to allow American to stay in the game, but after narrowly escaping Winthrop two years ago there is no reason for over-confidence. Coach Jones will have American ready to compete; whether they have enough depth and firepower for 40 minutes is the question.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
2008 New York Yankees Preview
It isn't all basketball right now. My main man Mark Cherry previews the 2008 Evil Empire...no, not the Red Sox. The New York Yankees - new manager, new Steinbrenner running things, new stadium on the way - same old dominance?Be sure to check out Dave's Diamondbacks preview and Lerch's Dodgers preview as well.
The New York Yankees
Honestly, what can I say about the New York Yankees
that everyone else hasn’t said? Every year this
century, the story is about the same - All-Star
offense, pitching that looks okay on paper and
adequate defense, highlighted by a weak-armed
centerfielder. How long can Posada and/or Rivera keep
it up considering their grueling positions? How will
Steinbrenner(s) interfere? Pencil them in to win the
division with 95-103 wins, and they’re one of the five
favorite teams to win the AL Pennant. And then some
idiot says that A-Rod can’t produce in the off-season
and Jeter’s a pretty-boy and isn’t every one bored
with all this? The Yankees are this decade’s Atlanta
Braves, and I don’t want to be that pathetic fan
groveling, “John Smoltz is actually a funny guy, and
Andruw Jones counts as a black guy, right?”
I’m only an ostensible Yankees fan because Nashville,
my hometown, was the AA farm club for them in the
early 80’s, and in the concourse of rotting Greer
Stadium a giant photo of Don Mattingly was posted
under the home plate seats. So what - I only went to
Nashville Sounds games because the tickets were free
and we could huff model airplane glue under the left
field bleachers.
I mean, look at the starting rotation - Wang,
Pettitte, Mussina, I’m so sleepy. First two,
dependable enough, but Mussina, he’s just too smart
for the game. He had a stretch of like seven starts
last season where he was pretty good again, but he’s
too bright to concentrate on baseball the whole time.
This’ll be his last season, so he’ll perform better,
right? The first time me, Dave and Carpenter went to
spring training back in 1999, we determined that
Mussina was the cornerstone of the best looking
baseball team you ever seen. Mussina, Ripken, Brady
Anderson. Was Dave Justice on that team? Should’ve
been. I guess I should talk about the 2008 Yankees.
Watch out for youngsters Joba Chamberlain, Phillip
Hughes and Ian Kennedy - they could have a real impact
in the rotation! There’s a scoop you haven’t heard
anywhere else. Oh, and there’s a new skipper in town,
and he won’t coddle the boys like “player’s coach”
Torre! They have to do running drills now! No more
pre-game M&Ms (that’s martinis and manicures, FYI).
Is this what a blog does? What’s the key to success
for the Yankees? Chemistry! What could lead to
failure? If the Red Sox, Rays or Blue Jays also get a
hold of chemistry! Things to watch for? When Girardi
says something to get him fired by the Steinbrenners.
Basically, I don’t know. PECOTA at Baseball Prospectus
has the Yankees winning 97 games and the division and
the World Series. Replacement Level Yankees blog has
the offense winning 95 games. That sounds about right
expect the World Series part. That’s not a rotation
built for the postseason.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Vols #2 Seed in East
The Road to the Final Four won't be an easy one for the Tennessee Volunteers as they dropped to a #2 seed in the East Bracket alongside Louisville, Indiana, Butler, Oklahoma and #1 overall seed North Carolina.
It is not a kind draw for Coach Pearl and the Vols.
Many people are clamoring that the tournament committee basically ranked the Vols #8 since it is the #2 seed alongside the overall #1. I have no idea if the #2 seeds are ranked or not. I never thought they were. Do they rank the rest of the seeds too? Does that mean Louisville is the ninth best team?
Frankly, I'm happier about playing in Birmingham than I would be if we were sent to the West like Duke.
Beyond that, is Carolina such a clear #1? Memphis could easily have been the top overall seed with just one loss on the season. UCLA might be a better overall team than UNC as well. This is a Tar Heel team that lost at home to Maryland. Tennessee does not have a blemish on its record even close to as embarrassing as that. All in all, I am not as horrified about being in Carolina's region as many Volunteers.
I have read a few complaints about South Alabama basically getting a home game. Are you serious? First, Mobile (where USA is located) is about four hours from Birmingham, roughly the same distance as Knoxville. Next, does South Alabama really have enough of a fan base to create any sort of advantage? If the Vols meet South Alabama in the second round, does anyone expect the place to be nuts for the Jaguars?
Before you call me a Pollyanna about this draw, I do have some complaints. Well, one complaint.
Butler.
The Bulldogs are a three-loss, #17 RPI, #10 ranked team that year-in, year-out wreaks havoc in the tournament, and they are a #7 seed? I don't understand it. Seriously - they are ranked ahead of Louisville. They will be a tough 2nd round game for the Vols with their experienced backcourt of A.J. Graves and Mike Green.
As for the rest of the draw (not even considering a potential problem with American despite their fluke win over Maryland...the Eagles lost to Morgan State, Fairfield and Brown this season), the potential game against Louisville is one that has everyone salivating. Pitino vs. Pearl. Pressing team vs. pressing team. That one could be an all-time great Sweet Sixteen game if both teams advance.
It is hard to imagine Carolina not advancing out of the East unless Indiana gets re-motivated or Notre Dame plays lights out (Brey is a Dukie...). Vols fans remember the last time UNC and UT met in the Dance when Jerry Green's bunch looked poised to head to the Elite Eight before a 2nd half rally stunned the Big Orange.
I don't look at this year's UNC team and think they are unbeatable. They are not as talented overall as Memphis, UCLA or even Kansas. They will run with the Vols which is great. After some initial shock about the draw, I'm feeling more and more confident by the minute about the Volunteers' chances (so long as the defense improves this week, the bench players return to form and the press is resurrected from its sudden and unexpected demise).
Other Madness thoughts:
* How about Georgia? I was pulling like heck for the Dawgs today. What a story. The tornado, two games in a day, two overtime wins...unbelievable.
* An interesting thing in the paper today - if Alabama had not made the miracle three-pointer to force overtime on Friday night, that game would have ended around the same time the storm was moving towards the Dome. There would have been hundreds, maybe even thousands, of fans heading for home into potential harm if not for that shot.
* O.J. Mayo vs. Michael Beasley!!!
* Tennessee owns wins over eleven different teams in the Dance. UNC - seven. Memphis - eight. UCLA - eight. Kansas - seven. I'm just saying...
* "We didn't front the post," Bruce Pearl after the Arkansas loss. It sounds like the bigs refused to do it all night and it cost the Vols a chance for a championship.
* Snubs - I don't see any terrible snubbing this season. Arizona State has the best case, especially after the awful call against them in the tournament, but their resume is not overly impressive. I thought Ohio State would get into the field after beating Michigan State and Purdue, but the Georgia win might have stolen their spot.
* My sleepers (without looking too hard at match-ups) - Clemson, USC, Cornell and Arizona.
I'm going to break down each bracket and each match-up before we get to Thursday. Stay tuned.
It is not a kind draw for Coach Pearl and the Vols.
Many people are clamoring that the tournament committee basically ranked the Vols #8 since it is the #2 seed alongside the overall #1. I have no idea if the #2 seeds are ranked or not. I never thought they were. Do they rank the rest of the seeds too? Does that mean Louisville is the ninth best team?
Frankly, I'm happier about playing in Birmingham than I would be if we were sent to the West like Duke.
Beyond that, is Carolina such a clear #1? Memphis could easily have been the top overall seed with just one loss on the season. UCLA might be a better overall team than UNC as well. This is a Tar Heel team that lost at home to Maryland. Tennessee does not have a blemish on its record even close to as embarrassing as that. All in all, I am not as horrified about being in Carolina's region as many Volunteers.
I have read a few complaints about South Alabama basically getting a home game. Are you serious? First, Mobile (where USA is located) is about four hours from Birmingham, roughly the same distance as Knoxville. Next, does South Alabama really have enough of a fan base to create any sort of advantage? If the Vols meet South Alabama in the second round, does anyone expect the place to be nuts for the Jaguars?
Before you call me a Pollyanna about this draw, I do have some complaints. Well, one complaint.
Butler.
The Bulldogs are a three-loss, #17 RPI, #10 ranked team that year-in, year-out wreaks havoc in the tournament, and they are a #7 seed? I don't understand it. Seriously - they are ranked ahead of Louisville. They will be a tough 2nd round game for the Vols with their experienced backcourt of A.J. Graves and Mike Green.
As for the rest of the draw (not even considering a potential problem with American despite their fluke win over Maryland...the Eagles lost to Morgan State, Fairfield and Brown this season), the potential game against Louisville is one that has everyone salivating. Pitino vs. Pearl. Pressing team vs. pressing team. That one could be an all-time great Sweet Sixteen game if both teams advance.
It is hard to imagine Carolina not advancing out of the East unless Indiana gets re-motivated or Notre Dame plays lights out (Brey is a Dukie...). Vols fans remember the last time UNC and UT met in the Dance when Jerry Green's bunch looked poised to head to the Elite Eight before a 2nd half rally stunned the Big Orange.
I don't look at this year's UNC team and think they are unbeatable. They are not as talented overall as Memphis, UCLA or even Kansas. They will run with the Vols which is great. After some initial shock about the draw, I'm feeling more and more confident by the minute about the Volunteers' chances (so long as the defense improves this week, the bench players return to form and the press is resurrected from its sudden and unexpected demise).
Other Madness thoughts:
* How about Georgia? I was pulling like heck for the Dawgs today. What a story. The tornado, two games in a day, two overtime wins...unbelievable.
* An interesting thing in the paper today - if Alabama had not made the miracle three-pointer to force overtime on Friday night, that game would have ended around the same time the storm was moving towards the Dome. There would have been hundreds, maybe even thousands, of fans heading for home into potential harm if not for that shot.
* O.J. Mayo vs. Michael Beasley!!!
* Tennessee owns wins over eleven different teams in the Dance. UNC - seven. Memphis - eight. UCLA - eight. Kansas - seven. I'm just saying...
* "We didn't front the post," Bruce Pearl after the Arkansas loss. It sounds like the bigs refused to do it all night and it cost the Vols a chance for a championship.
* Snubs - I don't see any terrible snubbing this season. Arizona State has the best case, especially after the awful call against them in the tournament, but their resume is not overly impressive. I thought Ohio State would get into the field after beating Michigan State and Purdue, but the Georgia win might have stolen their spot.
* My sleepers (without looking too hard at match-ups) - Clemson, USC, Cornell and Arizona.
I'm going to break down each bracket and each match-up before we get to Thursday. Stay tuned.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Damn
Tennessee always seems to find a way to win in the final moments, but tonight Steven Hill and the Hogs stunned the Vols 92-91.
It has been a bad weekend for the Tennessee Volunteers. UNC came from behind to defeat Virginia Tech, UCLA won the Pac-10 tournament, Memphis won the C-USA tournament and Kansas advanced to the finals of the Big 12 tournament. That probably means no #1 seed for the Vols unless the committee is especially impressed with the Volunteers' regular season.
I'm going to be completely honest with you right now - regardless of whether the Vols won or lost this game, I was prepared to ask the following question:
Did we peak three weeks ago?
The Vols have not looked impressive, especially on the defensive side of the floor, in the last few weeks. Frankly, the defense has been terrible. The press is non-existent and the live ball turnovers are a thing of the past. Beyond that, they cannot get a stop and a rebound. Arkansas scored at will after falling behind by nine, just like South Carolina scored at will yesterday.
The Vols don't look like the same team that was so hungry a few weeks ago, especially off the bench. The only thing the subs contributed tonight was fouls.
Finally, the point guard position continues to be the Achilles' heel of the squad. Ramar cannot pass the basketball, especially on the fast break. He can get to the rim and draw fouls, but his inability to pass is a real problem in transition. Jordan Howell's shooting slump appears to be back after a brief reprise. There is no production from the point at all right now.
Would I have written this if Steven Hill's jumper rimmed out? Yes. This team does not look like a Final Four contender right now. Bruce Pearl knows it too. I don't envy him because the answers are going to be tough to come by. Does he re-commit to the press? Does he toy with a zone defense? Does he shorten the bench even more than he already has? Does he give Josh Tabb and, gulp, Ryan Childress more looks?
There needs to be a solution quick because the Volunteer ship is taking on water right now.
Thoughts:
* Tennessee ran the exact same play it used to beat USC against tonight to get the lay-up for JaJuan. Personnel were in different spots, but the play was the same. The first option is the back pick that was wide open tonight.
* Wayne Chism screwed up on Hill's jumper. I watched the replay several times hoping for a different result (never changed) and Chism messed up. With the ball dead on the wing, why was he playing behind the post instead of denying the pass? I know Hill is not much of an offensive threat and being behind gave him better rebounding position, but in that situation he needed to front Hill or at least not get pinned so deep. On the replay, it is clear that Chism was not expecting a post-entry in that scramble as he was looking out at the perimeter when the pass was made. A quick lapse in concentration and Tennessee is heading home.
* Did the change of venue have any impact? No. Did the lack of a crowd? Yes. I was there yesterday - it would have been 70/30 Tennessee at the least. The Vols' fans traveled to Atlanta to see a championship and would have been in full force in the Dome.
* Tyler Smith is the heart and soul of the team. Someone told me yesterday that Tyler promised Pearl two years. Let's hope so. He had a great game tonight - the Dunk, the 3's...huge.
* What was up with JaJuan and Pelfrey? I don't know what started it, but Pelfrey ought to be above engaging in trash-talking with a player. The cameras clearly caught him mouthing, "Shut the f*ck up" at JaJuan in one exchange. Classy, Coach.
* Just looked at the box score. Here are the stats for the Vols' bench:
60 minutes
6 points
4 assists
13 fouls
Meanwhile, Arkansas got a double-double from Charles Thomas off its bench (24 points).
Hello, #2 seed! Hopefully we'll get to stay on this side of the country as a #2; I figured we were heading to the Midwest as a #1. Would the committee set up a rematch with Memphis?
It has been a bad weekend for the Tennessee Volunteers. UNC came from behind to defeat Virginia Tech, UCLA won the Pac-10 tournament, Memphis won the C-USA tournament and Kansas advanced to the finals of the Big 12 tournament. That probably means no #1 seed for the Vols unless the committee is especially impressed with the Volunteers' regular season.
I'm going to be completely honest with you right now - regardless of whether the Vols won or lost this game, I was prepared to ask the following question:
Did we peak three weeks ago?
The Vols have not looked impressive, especially on the defensive side of the floor, in the last few weeks. Frankly, the defense has been terrible. The press is non-existent and the live ball turnovers are a thing of the past. Beyond that, they cannot get a stop and a rebound. Arkansas scored at will after falling behind by nine, just like South Carolina scored at will yesterday.
The Vols don't look like the same team that was so hungry a few weeks ago, especially off the bench. The only thing the subs contributed tonight was fouls.
Finally, the point guard position continues to be the Achilles' heel of the squad. Ramar cannot pass the basketball, especially on the fast break. He can get to the rim and draw fouls, but his inability to pass is a real problem in transition. Jordan Howell's shooting slump appears to be back after a brief reprise. There is no production from the point at all right now.
Would I have written this if Steven Hill's jumper rimmed out? Yes. This team does not look like a Final Four contender right now. Bruce Pearl knows it too. I don't envy him because the answers are going to be tough to come by. Does he re-commit to the press? Does he toy with a zone defense? Does he shorten the bench even more than he already has? Does he give Josh Tabb and, gulp, Ryan Childress more looks?
There needs to be a solution quick because the Volunteer ship is taking on water right now.
Thoughts:
* Tennessee ran the exact same play it used to beat USC against tonight to get the lay-up for JaJuan. Personnel were in different spots, but the play was the same. The first option is the back pick that was wide open tonight.
* Wayne Chism screwed up on Hill's jumper. I watched the replay several times hoping for a different result (never changed) and Chism messed up. With the ball dead on the wing, why was he playing behind the post instead of denying the pass? I know Hill is not much of an offensive threat and being behind gave him better rebounding position, but in that situation he needed to front Hill or at least not get pinned so deep. On the replay, it is clear that Chism was not expecting a post-entry in that scramble as he was looking out at the perimeter when the pass was made. A quick lapse in concentration and Tennessee is heading home.
* Did the change of venue have any impact? No. Did the lack of a crowd? Yes. I was there yesterday - it would have been 70/30 Tennessee at the least. The Vols' fans traveled to Atlanta to see a championship and would have been in full force in the Dome.
* Tyler Smith is the heart and soul of the team. Someone told me yesterday that Tyler promised Pearl two years. Let's hope so. He had a great game tonight - the Dunk, the 3's...huge.
* What was up with JaJuan and Pelfrey? I don't know what started it, but Pelfrey ought to be above engaging in trash-talking with a player. The cameras clearly caught him mouthing, "Shut the f*ck up" at JaJuan in one exchange. Classy, Coach.
* Just looked at the box score. Here are the stats for the Vols' bench:
60 minutes
6 points
4 assists
13 fouls
Meanwhile, Arkansas got a double-double from Charles Thomas off its bench (24 points).
Hello, #2 seed! Hopefully we'll get to stay on this side of the country as a #2; I figured we were heading to the Midwest as a #1. Would the committee set up a rematch with Memphis?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Vols Finally Win In SEC Tournament and I Eat Free Food
In a season of firsts, Bruce Pearl won an SEC tournament game for the first time in his coaching career with a thrilling victory over the tough South Carolina Gamecocks.
Before we get the actual game, let me talk about my personal SEC tournament fun. Since I'm on Spring Break this week, I thought I'd head down to Atlanta and watch the Vols live for the first time this year. I walked around for about 15 minutes with my index finger up looking for a decently priced ticket. My friend Michael and I got a free ticket to the Big 10 tournament in Chicago a few years back, so I had high hopes for something good.
Who knew it would be this good? A pack of Vols approach me with a ticket extended. "Come up and join us," the orange-clad gentleman invites. My first thought, after excitement about the free ticket, is "Up?". I pictured a crappy seat in the nose-bleed section, but instead "up" meant an executive suite with free food, beer and televisions for watching whatever games we wanted. I'm not sure I can ever sit down with the commoners again.
The game - the Vols once again failed to put a team away and once again won the game at the end. South Carolina's Devan Downey dominated the Volunteer guards who could not contain the Gamecock backcourt players all game long. In the end, however, it was Chris Lofton stepping up big with a clutch three-pointer and a final Volunteer defensive stop sealed the game for Tennessee, who plays Arkansas tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
* Before I get to my Tennessee thoughts, Dave Odom deserves a quick word of praise before he heads into a semi-forced retirement. I don't understand why Odom's had such a difficult time in Columbia, but the guy is a coach's coach. His teams always played solid, textbook basketball at both Wake Forest and South Carolina. Enjoy the rocker, Coach.
* The referees were miserable at the beginning of the 2nd half as they whistled Tennessee for seven fouls before the first television timeout, but they deserve some credit for not calling an illegal screen on Lofton's three. I have watched it several times and still am not sure what happened, but there were three bodies on the floor when Lofton let the ball go. That usually means a whistle and probably could have been.
* Josh Tabb was huge. You just never know when your chance will come with this team, but Tabb was ready today. Lofton got into some foul trouble and no Volunteer guard could defend Downey, so Tabb got an extended run that turned into three assists and some huge defense for the Big Orange. Both Tabb and Williams were big off the bench.
* Pearl had a short leash with Ramar in the 2nd half, even going so far as starting Jordan Howell coming out of the locker room. Besides his mediocre defense, Ramar forced impossible passes and turned the ball over with the dribble. I don't know why, but he has taken a major step backwards this season.
* Tyler sleep-walked through the first half, but came up big in the second. The Vols shot poorly in the Dome, but Chism and Tyler were key inside to score the basketball.
* If I told you the Vols would score 89 points, would you have expected a close game? The defense was miserable today.
*To break down the final play to Lofton, it was a classic screen the screener play. Lofton started it with a back screen for the in-bounder, then came off a screen from Ramar to receive a dribble hand-off from Tyler. Tyler spun to make contact with the defense after the hand-off, so it ended up being a double screen. The screen the screener action is fantastic because Lofton's man must help to prevent a lay-up, then must recover as Ramar comes to set the screen. Screen the screener is a principle of the flex offense that Pearl likes to run.
* Arkansas is a great match-up for Tennessee. They like to run and press, but don't do it as well as the Vols. Pearl can out-coach Pelphrey too.
Other March Madness Thoughts
* Did Arizona State get hosed or what? The officiating in basketball is just miserable these days. It seems to be especially bad in the Pac-10. If UCLA gets a #1 seed instead of Tennessee, it can thank the piss-poor referees who punished Stanford for a beautiful block and then ignored the out-of-bounds rules against California.
* Speaking of the Pac-10, I'm watching UCLA-USC right now. As much as I want to dislike OJ Mayo, he is tremendous to watch. He is working over the Bruins right now.
* I hope Dennis Felton saved his job last night against Ole Miss. Felton deserves better than a pink slip after taking over the Georgia job after the Jim Harrick mess. I'm afraid Bruce Pearl might be the reason Felton is let go - if Tennessee can find someone to rebuild so quickly, why not UGA?
* Doesn't it seem like nobody wants to dance this year? So many bubble teams popped yesterday - Florida, Ole Miss, UAB, Houston, Maryland, Miami (FLA), Virginia, Baylor...wow.
The Madness continues tomorrow...and for the next three weeks. Forget Christmas - this is the most wonderful time of the year.
Before we get the actual game, let me talk about my personal SEC tournament fun. Since I'm on Spring Break this week, I thought I'd head down to Atlanta and watch the Vols live for the first time this year. I walked around for about 15 minutes with my index finger up looking for a decently priced ticket. My friend Michael and I got a free ticket to the Big 10 tournament in Chicago a few years back, so I had high hopes for something good.
Who knew it would be this good? A pack of Vols approach me with a ticket extended. "Come up and join us," the orange-clad gentleman invites. My first thought, after excitement about the free ticket, is "Up?". I pictured a crappy seat in the nose-bleed section, but instead "up" meant an executive suite with free food, beer and televisions for watching whatever games we wanted. I'm not sure I can ever sit down with the commoners again.
The game - the Vols once again failed to put a team away and once again won the game at the end. South Carolina's Devan Downey dominated the Volunteer guards who could not contain the Gamecock backcourt players all game long. In the end, however, it was Chris Lofton stepping up big with a clutch three-pointer and a final Volunteer defensive stop sealed the game for Tennessee, who plays Arkansas tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
* Before I get to my Tennessee thoughts, Dave Odom deserves a quick word of praise before he heads into a semi-forced retirement. I don't understand why Odom's had such a difficult time in Columbia, but the guy is a coach's coach. His teams always played solid, textbook basketball at both Wake Forest and South Carolina. Enjoy the rocker, Coach.
* The referees were miserable at the beginning of the 2nd half as they whistled Tennessee for seven fouls before the first television timeout, but they deserve some credit for not calling an illegal screen on Lofton's three. I have watched it several times and still am not sure what happened, but there were three bodies on the floor when Lofton let the ball go. That usually means a whistle and probably could have been.
* Josh Tabb was huge. You just never know when your chance will come with this team, but Tabb was ready today. Lofton got into some foul trouble and no Volunteer guard could defend Downey, so Tabb got an extended run that turned into three assists and some huge defense for the Big Orange. Both Tabb and Williams were big off the bench.
* Pearl had a short leash with Ramar in the 2nd half, even going so far as starting Jordan Howell coming out of the locker room. Besides his mediocre defense, Ramar forced impossible passes and turned the ball over with the dribble. I don't know why, but he has taken a major step backwards this season.
* Tyler sleep-walked through the first half, but came up big in the second. The Vols shot poorly in the Dome, but Chism and Tyler were key inside to score the basketball.
* If I told you the Vols would score 89 points, would you have expected a close game? The defense was miserable today.
*To break down the final play to Lofton, it was a classic screen the screener play. Lofton started it with a back screen for the in-bounder, then came off a screen from Ramar to receive a dribble hand-off from Tyler. Tyler spun to make contact with the defense after the hand-off, so it ended up being a double screen. The screen the screener action is fantastic because Lofton's man must help to prevent a lay-up, then must recover as Ramar comes to set the screen. Screen the screener is a principle of the flex offense that Pearl likes to run.
* Arkansas is a great match-up for Tennessee. They like to run and press, but don't do it as well as the Vols. Pearl can out-coach Pelphrey too.
Other March Madness Thoughts
* Did Arizona State get hosed or what? The officiating in basketball is just miserable these days. It seems to be especially bad in the Pac-10. If UCLA gets a #1 seed instead of Tennessee, it can thank the piss-poor referees who punished Stanford for a beautiful block and then ignored the out-of-bounds rules against California.
* Speaking of the Pac-10, I'm watching UCLA-USC right now. As much as I want to dislike OJ Mayo, he is tremendous to watch. He is working over the Bruins right now.
* I hope Dennis Felton saved his job last night against Ole Miss. Felton deserves better than a pink slip after taking over the Georgia job after the Jim Harrick mess. I'm afraid Bruce Pearl might be the reason Felton is let go - if Tennessee can find someone to rebuild so quickly, why not UGA?
* Doesn't it seem like nobody wants to dance this year? So many bubble teams popped yesterday - Florida, Ole Miss, UAB, Houston, Maryland, Miami (FLA), Virginia, Baylor...wow.
The Madness continues tomorrow...and for the next three weeks. Forget Christmas - this is the most wonderful time of the year.
Off To Atlanta
There is tons to discuss after yesterday's bubble-busting day (Ole Miss? Florida? What happened???), but I'm heading to Atlanta to root on the Vols. Details to come.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
2008 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview
My main man Dave "Cash" Latimer previews the Arizona Diamondback and offers some predictions for the 2008 MLB season.2008 D-Backs
Starting 5
Most people will point to the Mets signing of Johan Santana as the biggest splash of the off-season, but you could certainly argue that the D-Backs signing of Dan Haren will have a stronger impact. The innings eating righty brings his career sub 4.00 ERA to Phoenix and will comfortably slide into the two spot behind 2006 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb. This gives the D-Backs arguably the best 1-2 punch in the league and 2008 is already drawing comparisons to the “glory years” of Johnson and Schilling. As for The Unit, he has recovered from yet another back surgery and is hoping to give Arizona at least 25 starts as he continues to inch his way to 300 victories (16 shy). Add lefty Doug Davis and Silver Slugger winner Micah Owings to the pitching mix and the D-Backs are primed to defend their NL West crown.
Bullpen
The exit of Jose Valverde, last year’s saves leader, didn’t exactly bring tears to D-Backs fans. He was notorious for walking the bases loaded and then somehow getting out of the inning, all while wearing his cap to the side and performing some sort of wide eyed Samoan dance on the mound after every out. No lead seemed safe with this guy even though he was an All Star. Not to mention that he single handedly handed the Rockies Game 2 in last year’s NLCS. Enjoy Houston! In the trade for Valverde the Astros sent pitchers Chad Qualls, Juan Guiterrez, and next year’s MVP Chris Burke (Go Vols!) to Phoenix. Qualls, Brandon Lyon, Tony Pena, and Juan Cruz will take the brunt of the bullpen work with Lyon acting as closer—at least to start the season. With 3 starters that consistently log 200+ innings the D-Backs should be able to keep their pen healthy and rested for a very competitive division race.
Starting Lineup
The D-Backs won 90 games last year despite being outscored by 20 runs or so. That formula usually doesn’t work, and since there is nowhere to go but up you can expect offensive improvements across the board from this team. The starting lineup will look something like this:
1. Chris Young (CF)—24 year old who in 2007 became the first rookie EVER to hit 30 home runs and steal 25 bases. 3rd in ROY voting.
2. Orlando Hudson (2B)—Team leader and two time Gold Glove winner whose presence was sorely missed during last year’s post season (thumb).
3. Eric Byrnes (LF)—3 years, $30 million? Really? I like the guy, but falling down on every throw and constantly sliding head first into first base (I hate that) doesn’t win ball games. He didn’t show up in the post season and for that kind of money he needs to.
4. Conor Jackson (1B)—25 year old that showed some pop toward the end of the year finishing with 15 home runs. And according to my wife he’s dreamy.
5. Mark “The Sheriff” Reynolds (3B)—While Chad Tracy recovered from injury (knee) the 24 year old Reynolds filled in admirably. He played the hot corner well and is really the only D-Back that can absolutely kill the ball—light tower power as Steve Phillips would say.
6. Stephen Drew (SS)—25 year old brother of J.D. Has as much potential as anyone on the team. He played gold glove caliber defense and had more hustle plays than anyone.
7. Justin Upton (RF)—The D-Backs #1 pick in the 2006 draft and also the younger brother of Tampa Ray’s BJ. He can absolutely fly around the bases, has a canon for an arm, and has the best compact hitting stroke I have ever seen on a righty. Plus he’s 20 years old!
8. Miguel Montero/Chris Snyder (C)—Montero (24) is the catcher of the future, but Snyder had more action last year. Miggy is a better hitter.
9. Micah Owings (P)—This guy may actually bat 6th or 7th when he’s pitching. Melvin used him as a pinch hitter twice last year. 25 years old.
As you can see the bulk of this team is 25 years old or younger. In ten years of existence the D-Backs have made the playoffs 4 times with a Series win in 2001, and with the young pool of talent they have there is no reason to think this trend won’t continue for many years to come.
2008 Predictions
AL East: Boston, New York, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Baltimore
AL Central: Detroit, Cleveland, Minnesota, Kansas City, Chicago
AL West: Anaheim, Seattle, Oakland, Texas
ROY: JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
MVP: VLADIMIR GUERRERO
CY: JOSH BECKETT
BEST RECORD: ANAHEIM
WORST RECORD: BALTIMORE
WILD CARD: NEW YORK
PENNANT WINNER: DETROIT
NL East: Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Atlanta, Florida
NL Central: Chicago, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
NL West: Arizona, San Diego, Colorado, Los Angeles, San Francisco
ROY: JAY BRUCE
MVP: DERREK LEE (CHRIS BURKE CLOSE 2ND)
CY: DAN HAREN
BEST RECORD: PHILADELPHIA
WORST RECORD: SAN FRANCISCO
WILD CARD: SAN DIEGO
PENNANT WINNER: PHILADELPHIA
2008 WORLD SERIES
DETROIT OVER PHILLY IN 6
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tennessee Talk - Basketball Awards
The Big Orange basketball team took home several awards yesterday, including Co-Coach of the Year for Bruce Pearl. He split the title with Billy Gillispie. Chris Lofton and Tyler Smith were named first team All-SEC while JaJuan Smith was named to the second team. Finally, J.P. Prince won the Sixth Man Award for the SEC.
Some people are upset that Pearl was not the sole winner of CotY. I have heard a few conspiracy theories about coaches not liking him personally or even holding a grudge about the Deon Thomas scandal from 1989.
Come on.
Gillispie, as much as I personally dislike him and his brand of basketball, did an amazing job this year to resurrect the Kats after their awful start and string of injuries. Pearl deserves credit for UT's tremendous season, but I don't mind him sharing the award.
I wish Tyler was the Player of the Year, but Shan Foster won it with his memorable performance against Mississippi State in the overtime. The guy is freakishly good in Memorial Gym, but only pretty good outside of it. How does that happen? To channel Coach Norman Dale, the free throw line is always 15 feet, the rim is always 10 feet off the ground...how is a player so much better at home than on the road?
The overwhelming sentiment seems to be for JaJuan's recognition. I guess he is often the forgotten man on the team. Look at what this kid has done - from walk-on to All-SEC. The story is true for so many of these Vols. Chris Lofton cannot get a scholarship from Kentucky, but he is two-time first team All-SEC. J.P. Prince and Tyler Smith come over as transfers. Brian Williams is emerging as a real player despite playing no high school ball. Duke Crews's ticker sidelined him for weeks, but he is right back to being a force inside. There is not one McDonald's All-American on the roster of a team that will be a #1 seed and favorite to make the Final Four, and they are led by a coach who was blackballed for years because he did Dr. Tom's dirty work with the NCAA.
Good Ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Some people are upset that Pearl was not the sole winner of CotY. I have heard a few conspiracy theories about coaches not liking him personally or even holding a grudge about the Deon Thomas scandal from 1989.
Come on.
Gillispie, as much as I personally dislike him and his brand of basketball, did an amazing job this year to resurrect the Kats after their awful start and string of injuries. Pearl deserves credit for UT's tremendous season, but I don't mind him sharing the award.
I wish Tyler was the Player of the Year, but Shan Foster won it with his memorable performance against Mississippi State in the overtime. The guy is freakishly good in Memorial Gym, but only pretty good outside of it. How does that happen? To channel Coach Norman Dale, the free throw line is always 15 feet, the rim is always 10 feet off the ground...how is a player so much better at home than on the road?
The overwhelming sentiment seems to be for JaJuan's recognition. I guess he is often the forgotten man on the team. Look at what this kid has done - from walk-on to All-SEC. The story is true for so many of these Vols. Chris Lofton cannot get a scholarship from Kentucky, but he is two-time first team All-SEC. J.P. Prince and Tyler Smith come over as transfers. Brian Williams is emerging as a real player despite playing no high school ball. Duke Crews's ticker sidelined him for weeks, but he is right back to being a force inside. There is not one McDonald's All-American on the roster of a team that will be a #1 seed and favorite to make the Final Four, and they are led by a coach who was blackballed for years because he did Dr. Tom's dirty work with the NCAA.
Good Ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
2008 Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
The Los Angeles Dodgers (of Los Angeles)The Boys in Blue enter this year with more questions than answers. After staking out the N.L. West division lead during 2007, a second half collapse saw the clubhouse torn apart into warring factions of youth vs. experience (see Democratic Party, 2008 Primary) and championship hopes evaporate into a fourth place finish. With the division even tougher this year, questions abound as to whether the team has adequately addressed their weaknesses in order to make a run this year. Consequently, expectations range anywhere from the World Series to the cellar.
Pitching Staff
The Dodgers’ starting rotation has the potential to be among the best in the National League, but red flags abound among the starters. Brad Penny has proven to be a true number one starter, but has shown a tendency to wear down late in the season. The Dodgers need him to start pitching well in August and September to not only make the playoffs, but to do something when they get there. Derek Lowe and Jason Schmidt would be great if this was 2003, but it’s 2008 and the pitches keep piling up on those arms. To be honest, I think Dodgertown would be happy if one of these two guys were still healthy in September. Chad Billingsley is an exciting young power pitcher with legitimate all-star potential. However, he has shown a tendency to walk far too many hitters, and then give up the big home run. Will he improve on these issues this year, or will he experience a bit of a sophomore slump? Esteban Loaiza could make big contributions if he finds his 2003 form, but he’s more likely to find his way to the trading block. The real buzz is surrounding the Japanese import Hiroki Kuroda. If he is the real deal, he could be the boost needed to compete with the top-heavy rotations of Arizona and San Diego.
The Dodgers feel pretty confident about at least one thing this season. If they take a lead on you to the seventh inning, they are going to get the win. The Killer B’s (sorry Astros’ fans, it’s ours now) of Beimel, Brazoban, and Broxton make up the strongest setup crew in baseball. Throw in old man Scott Proctor for comic relief, and Dodgers super fan Alyssa Milano for token frontal nudity, and you have the makings of a successful Hollywood summer release. Mopping up is All-Star Takashi Saito, who proved last year he is the Dodgers’ answer at closer to the post-Gagne steroids free era. With bullpen problems plaguing many other National League teams, the Dodgers are hoping to steal more than a few games on the strength of relief pitching alone.
Dodger Offense
The offense has been a struggle since, well, the early 1980s. Despite the appearance of Dodgers’ stationary in the Mitchell Report, they never bought into the power game, and, for the last few years, the “scoring any runs” game. There is some reason for hope this year. Russell Martin is a proven bat, and should produce provided the Dodgers find someone to spell him at catcher. Jeff Kent still has some pop, as a mammoth shot in Houston I witnessed last year proved, but needs protection from the other guys. James Loney, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier make up an exciting trio of great young hitters. They may not have the power most fans like to see, but they can smack the ball around inside the park. As these guys go, so the offense of the 2008 Dodgers will go. The recent struggles of Andruw Jones have been well documented, but the Dodgers hope the fresh start and reunification with good friend Rafael Furcal will help him find his All-Star form. Speaking of Furcal, word is that the ankle has healed nicely, and he should be vastly improved from 2007. Juan Pierre’s contract is still on the team, but be afraid should you see the poor man’s Ichiro in the starting lineup. The Dodgers have high hopes that prospect Andy La Roche will finally be ready for the show after tearing up the minors the last three years. An injury will prevent him from being the opening day starter, leaving the spot open for Mr. Mia Hamm (Nomaah!!!). Garciaparra’s bat isn’t what it used to be (thank you Captain Obvious), but he can still put the ball in play. The question is whether he can get it past the pitcher’s mound. In summary, there’s no question that the Dodgers can get hits, but we will see if they can get any of those runs across the plate.
Dodger Defense
In 2007, the Dodgers insisted on killing themselves with costly errors and base running gaffs. On the personnel side, the Dodgers did not do anything to address the fielding problems that plagued them last year. Jeff Kent has an underrated glove, but his range at 2nd gets worse every year. Hopefully, Furcal’s range at short will improve with his health, but there are no guarantees there. In theory, the outfield will be strong with some combination of Ethier and three centerfielders – Jones, Kemp, and Pierre. Of course, Kemp can’t catch, so hopefully he’s worked on that. Loney is serviceable at 1st, and Martin is good enough at catcher. In summary, the hope is that with some hard work during spring training, the Dodgers will have improved just enough to keep from losing games on defense, though no one expects them to win anything in the field.
2008 Additions:
Joe Torre – The word from camp is that Torre is loving every minute as the Dodgers skipper. He gets the tradition and history of a great franchise, but very little of the New York media pressure. He is also pumped about coming back to the National League, which I believe is the key to this team. Grady Little was an American League guy, and he simply refused to bunt and move runners, expecting runs to just create themselves. My guess is that Torre understands that he will have to manufacture runs, much like his early Yankee teams, and I believe this will be the pivotal difference in the success of the 2008 squad.
Jason Schmidt – Since he didn’t do much last year, let’s call this a fresh start in 2008. When he was signed, the Dodgers envisioned a 1A-1B situation with Penny. If he can just be a somewhat reliable starter this year, it will be a huge boost to the rotation.
Andruw Jones – The Dodgers took a two-year flyer on Jones, and, unlike most people, I like this signing. It’s only two years, so it won’t hurt us in the long run when we need to lock up some of these young players. Even better, he has the motivation of two contract years to market himself to other teams, so I expect him to play well. In the end, since we have the revenue, I appreciate the ownership spending the money for a quick stopgap without sacrificing the long-term interests of the team.
Hiroki Kuroda – With these Japanese pitchers, you never know whether you are getting Dice-K or Hideki Irabu. The Dodgers are hoping he can be consistent starter and add some stability to a rotation that was hurting at the end of last year
Mark Sweeney – I love this signing. Instead of wasting money on a big name free agent, you bring in a great clubhouse guy with veteran leadership and one of the most clutch pinch-hitters in the league. Sweeney will be the key to many late inning victories this year, and could be the guy who puts this team over the top.
2008 Subtractions
N/A, except NBA veteran Mark Hendrickson – Addition by subtraction in this case. Hey Mark, I hear the Suns need some help…
In the end, the key to 2008 for the Dodgers, like every other team, is chemistry. Twenty years ago, an over-matched Dodgers team played with heart and spunk against the mascots of the Steroid Era from Oakland, scoring a dramatic World Series victory. Since then, no Dodgers team has won a playoff series. Despite the treacherous competition of the NL West, Torre needs to lead this team to the NLCS in order to call it a successful season. If “dem Bums” can play together as a team, I think they can.
Bubble Trouble
I realize it is March and people are starting to catch the Madness, but I have listened to some of the most non-sensical basketball discussions over the past two days from people who clearly have not watched a game of college basketball all season long.
Frankly, this has not been a great college basketball season outside of Tennessee. I understand that people are not as fascinated with Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo as they were with Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. I know it is tough to keep up with so many teams, players and games (which, by the way, is part of my theory of why people like football so much - it takes a weekend of commitment instead of seven days).
BUT, if you have just now decided to get interested in the college basketball season, please do not pretend like you have been watching all along (by "you" I mean professional sports commentators, not you my loyal reader, unless you are such a commentator). I listened to a national hack spend a solid minute touting Memphis' win AT Georgetown. The game was at Memphis, not Georgetown. It is a pretty simple mistake except for the fact that this game was the biggest non-conference game of the year until the Tennessee-Memphis game a couple of weeks ago. The most casual basketball fan should have remembered the game.
Let me give you some "tells" for when someone is talking out of their backside right now about college basketball:
1) Mention the coach, but no players - it is easy to talk about Rick Pitino's Louisville team, but tougher to mention names like Padgett or Caracter.
2) Mention the style of play, but no players - UCLA is the one this year. "They play tough defense and value each possession." How about the fact that they have Darren Collison leading the team and Kevin Love down low dominating the block?
3) Mention the tradition, but no players - Kansas always stumbles in the tournament. Michigan State is always a tough out. Duke is, well, Duke.
See the connection - if you watch a few games, you know about the players. If you don't, you fall back on coaches, style of play and history to make empty comments.
I actually don't care if these guys have been keeping up with college basketball all season. I mean, with the combine and NFL free agency and the draft just two short months away, it is an awful lot to remember even if your entire career is talking about sports besides just football. What bugs me, however, is how so many are trying to pass themselves off as knowledgable now that the Madness is here.
Just admit it - you don't care about college basketball until March. You don't. That is fine. I can forgive it. I don't care about horse-racing until the Kentucky Derby. I don't care about tennis until Wimbledon. But let's call a spade a spade. You have no clue about 98% of the teams and players right now. You don't recognize a single player on Duke's roster. You have no idea how Florida, Kentucky and Maryland landed on the bubble. You hope nobody is noticing, but we are. I am.
Rant over.
Frankly, this has not been a great college basketball season outside of Tennessee. I understand that people are not as fascinated with Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo as they were with Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. I know it is tough to keep up with so many teams, players and games (which, by the way, is part of my theory of why people like football so much - it takes a weekend of commitment instead of seven days).
BUT, if you have just now decided to get interested in the college basketball season, please do not pretend like you have been watching all along (by "you" I mean professional sports commentators, not you my loyal reader, unless you are such a commentator). I listened to a national hack spend a solid minute touting Memphis' win AT Georgetown. The game was at Memphis, not Georgetown. It is a pretty simple mistake except for the fact that this game was the biggest non-conference game of the year until the Tennessee-Memphis game a couple of weeks ago. The most casual basketball fan should have remembered the game.
Let me give you some "tells" for when someone is talking out of their backside right now about college basketball:
1) Mention the coach, but no players - it is easy to talk about Rick Pitino's Louisville team, but tougher to mention names like Padgett or Caracter.
2) Mention the style of play, but no players - UCLA is the one this year. "They play tough defense and value each possession." How about the fact that they have Darren Collison leading the team and Kevin Love down low dominating the block?
3) Mention the tradition, but no players - Kansas always stumbles in the tournament. Michigan State is always a tough out. Duke is, well, Duke.
See the connection - if you watch a few games, you know about the players. If you don't, you fall back on coaches, style of play and history to make empty comments.
I actually don't care if these guys have been keeping up with college basketball all season. I mean, with the combine and NFL free agency and the draft just two short months away, it is an awful lot to remember even if your entire career is talking about sports besides just football. What bugs me, however, is how so many are trying to pass themselves off as knowledgable now that the Madness is here.
Just admit it - you don't care about college basketball until March. You don't. That is fine. I can forgive it. I don't care about horse-racing until the Kentucky Derby. I don't care about tennis until Wimbledon. But let's call a spade a spade. You have no clue about 98% of the teams and players right now. You don't recognize a single player on Duke's roster. You have no idea how Florida, Kentucky and Maryland landed on the bubble. You hope nobody is noticing, but we are. I am.
Rant over.
Scroll Down to Braves Preview
I started the Atlanta Braves preview before I wrote the Kentucky article, so it is posted below it. Scroll down to enjoy my thoughts on the 2008 Bravos.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Kentucky Question
First, I spent the afternoon visiting my grandparents and missed the South Carolina game. I checked on the score a few times, but have no commentary to offer other than that it looked like the Vols took care of business in a meaningless game. The game I did see today while I walked off some pounds on the treadmill was the "Bubble Battle" between Florida and Kentucky. The Gators seem to have played themselves out of the tournament over the last few weeks, but Kentucky just keeps winning.
The Wildcats might be the most interesting case in NCAA Tournament history. They started the season with embarrassing home losses to Gardner-Webb, UAB and San Diego. After most people already had their NIT cards punched, Kentucky notched SEC wins over Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Arkansas.
So come next Sunday, is Kentucky in or out?
The case for Kentucky making the tournament field gets stronger by the day. The Kats are 12-4 in the SEC with wins over the aforementioned tournament-ready teams. The disappointing November/December can be chalked up to growing pains under new coach Billy Gillispie. The Wildcats have overcome a plethora of injuries this season, including the season-ending foot injury to freshmen stud Patrick Patterson. If the selection committee wants to put the best 65 teams into the tournament, Kentucky belongs in the field. They are playing as well as any team in the country right now.
The case against Kentucky is a strong one as well. There is a pre-season exhibition season before the games actually count, so there is no reason not to count the early Kentucky slip-ups against them. The Gardner-Webb game counted. So did San Diego. Furthermore, the Wildcats SEC run is hampered by the reality that the conference is down this year. Traditional powers like Florida and LSU have struggled with youth and injuries. Ole Miss started strong, but fizzled in the conference season. South Carolina and Georgia were occasionally competitive, but little more. Before Kentucky goes dancing on its 12-4 SEC record, the selection committee will take a tough look at the quality (or lack there of) of the conference this year.
So..in or out? If this was any other school than Kentucky, would there be a discussion right now? I doubt it, but I also doubt the committee will leave out one of the top programs in the nation as it rides a winning streak into March.
Cats have nine lives, and these cats are not dead yet. Expect to see Kentucky in the tournament.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
2008 Atlanta Braves Preview
Losing has become the norm again for the Atlanta Braves. After 14 straight years of winning baseball, including a World Series championship in 1995, the Braves have struggled over the last two seasons. They have lost games to superior teams, key players to free agency and injuries, and their status as the "team to beat" in the N.L. East. This past off-season was full of losses as well. Andruw Jones left behind an Atlanta career of sporadic greatness for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria was lost in a trade to the Detroit Tigers. Most significantly, the Braves lost the architect of the 1990s/2000s dynasty when John Schuerholz gave up his general manager role to Frank Wren. For a team that lost too much over the past two years to make the playoffs, the off-season was the last place Braves fans wanted to see more losing.
Did I mention that the Mets signed Johan Santana over the off-season? Or that the Washington Nationals move into their new stadium this year? Or that the N.L. East Champion Philadelphia Phillies are still loaded with the same young talent that played so well last year? Or that the Florida Marlins...okay, the Braves are guaranteed to finish no worse than 4th in the division. The 2007 off-season had a similar theme to the regular season - too much losing.
The forecast for the 2008 Atlanta Braves is a cloudy one. What is it going to take for sunshine to emerge from the clouds? What could turn this cloudy season into a torrential downpour? Who could be the metaphorical umbrella in the storm of suicide squeezes and cans of corn?
Hello, Goodbye
Gone - Andruw Jones, Edgar Renteria, Willie Harris, Octavio Dotel
Arrived - Tom Glavine, Mark Kotsay
Pitching Staff
The best hope for October baseball in Atlanta rests on the aging arms of John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton. The Braves can rely on Tim Hudson for 200+ innings and 15-18 wins, but the rest of the rotation is, well, old. Smoltz has been defying nature for the past few years, partly due to his stint as the Braves closer. The addition of Tom Glavine is fun in a nostalgic sense, but the future Hall of Famer's best days are behind him. Mike Hampton has not been healthy in two years and there is no reason to expect him to stay healthy this year (shocker: he is already nursing a sore hamstring).
The X Factor for the Braves' staff this year is newcomer Jair Jurrjens. Acquired from the Tigers in the Renteria deal, the 22-year old has been impressive this spring. He could compete with lefty Chuck James or Hampton for the final spot in the Braves rotation.
If Jurrjens emerges as a legitimate, inning-eating starter, the Braves could have a strong staff. Tom Glavine might be the 4th starter on the staff. Mike Hampton might be an after-thought (which is the third most common adjective for him behind "over-paid" and "fragile"). Chuck James, Jo-Jo Reyes and Buddy Carlyle could continue to mature as spot-starters instead of counted-upon cogs. There is some real depth on the Braves staff, but not the level of quality of the league's elite teams.
The Braves bullpen, like its starting staff, has the potential to be really good and the potential to be really bad. Rafael Soriano is the closer. He has closer stuff, but gives up the long ball like Jose Canseco gives up names of users. Pete Moylan had a terrific 2007 and will be the set-up man unless Mike Gonzalez reemerges as the pitcher the Braves thought they were getting when they dealt Adam Larouche to the Pirates. It remains to be seen whether Gonzalez can recover from Tommy John surgery.
Batting Line-up & Defensive Positions
Bobby Cox is known to switch up his batting line-up with regularity, so there is some doubt about how he will order this year's squad and for how long he will stick with it. Expect the Braves to start the year like this:
1) Yunel Escobar (SS)
2) Mark Kotsay (CF)
3) Chipper Jones (3B)
4) Mark Teixeira (1B)
5) Jeff Francoeur (RF)
6) Brian McCann (C)
7) Matt Diaz (LF)
8) Kelly Johnson (2B)
9) pitcher
The Braves might move Kelly Johnson into the 2nd spot of the order for a more traditional hit & run option, send Kotsay down to the 5th or 6th spot and have Diaz getting on base before the pitcher's spot. When speedster Josh Anderson plays for Diaz or Kotsay, he will bat either lead-off or 8th. Omar Infante, acquired with Jurrjens in the Renteria deal, will be the Braves' utility infielder who will usually bat 8th before the pitcher.
No doubt - this line-up can score runs. It consistently put up 5-6 runs a game last season. The loss of Renteria is off-set by the excitement of Yunel Escobar who gets on base and makes thing happen when he does. Andruw Jones was awful at the plate last year, so Mark Kotsay can only help. He is a better contact hitter than Jones even though he is clearly a defensive downgrade. Beyond that, the line-up is the same as the one that pounded pitchers in 2007.
Forecast
As a lifelong Braves fan, I want to believe in this team. I believe in Bobby Cox (who, by the way, was ejected during the fifth paragraph of this article), Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, John Smoltz and the young talent on this team. If guys like Hudson, Jerrjens, Soriano, Escobar, Francoeur and McCann step up, the Braves could contend in the paltry National League.
On the other hand, I don't believe in Mike Hampton or Tom Glavine at this point in their careers. I was hoping for Torii Hunter or Mike Cameron instead of Mark Kotsay. I wonder how much longer Chipper can keep hitting .300 and how Rafael Soriano will handle being the full-time closer over the course of an entire season.
The likely scenario for the Braves is a .500 season. There is too much talent for the Braves to dip much below 80 wins, but too many weaknesses to expect much more. The Braves will finish 3rd in the N.L. East and miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
Tomorrow - My main man Eric Lerch previews the 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Vols Win East - Complete Comeback Victory Over Gators
At this point, it is fair to say that Bruce Pearl owns Billy Donovan. The Vols' coach is now 5-1 against arguably the best coach in college ball today after last night's thrilling 89-86 win over the Florida Gators. The win gave Tennessee an outright SEC championship and might have burst the Florida tournament bubble.
The Gators came out on fire, just like in Knoxville, but, just like in Knoxville, could not sustain it. The Vols never seemed to rattle even though they did look rather lifeless in the first half.
The second half of this game might be my favorite performance of the year from the Vols. First, it was Tyler Smith refusing to let the Vols go down as he demanded the ball and made tough shot after tough shot. Then it was JaJuan Smith stroking deep 3's over Gator defenders. Then it was Chris Lofton being Chris Lofton, rubbing off in-his-face defenders to find an inch of space for yet another three-pointer. Then it was Wayne Chism, who looks more and more like an NBA prospect every game, stepping up with a couple of big time post moves and two clutch free throws. Heck, without J.P. Prince and Jordan Howell stepping up off the bench during the 1st half, the Vols might have been blown out early. This was an all-around marvelous performance on the road in the SEC against a team fighting for its season.
Random thoughts and observations:
* I guess Jordan Howell's shooting slump is over? He looked confident with the ball last night. Ramar Smith was back to his sloppy self. I couldn't help but notice him laughing outside the huddle in the final moments of the game. There is no reason to read too much into that (people always do), but it sure seems like he should be seething about watching Howell play the critical final moments instead of him.
* Can we get a new scorekeeper in Gainesville? That was ridiculous. JaJuan had to go to the bench for no reason. Prince had to go to the bench for no reason. Get the fouls right, guys. It isn't that hard.
* The Vols continue to let people off the mat. Up 79-69, it looked like Tennessee was ready to finish the Gators. It does worry me that the Vols are not able to close the deal, but they always seem to finish the game the right way.
* What a huge rebound by Tyler Smith on JaJuan's missed free throw! After the awful, awful, awful over-the-back call on Ramar (that is a high school call if I have ever seen one - Lucas never even jumped for the rebound), Tyler's ability to slip/push his way to the rebound in that spot was a big play in the game. I read a national article this week touting Tyler for PofY in the SEC. He deserves it.
* Glad to hear Larry Conley point out the obvious that many others are missing about Lofton this year - his numbers are down in part because he does not need to shoulder so much of the load anymore. There are too many offensive weapons this year for him to launch the deep, off-balance 3's he did last season.
* No matter how the referees call the game, the Vols do not adjust. Last night, the guys in stripes called it tight (the Gators were in the double bonus with 8 minutes left in the game), but Tennessee just keeps pressuring and playing aggressively. I like it. The Vols can afford the fouls and, eventually, that kind of pressure takes its toll.
The Gators came out on fire, just like in Knoxville, but, just like in Knoxville, could not sustain it. The Vols never seemed to rattle even though they did look rather lifeless in the first half.
The second half of this game might be my favorite performance of the year from the Vols. First, it was Tyler Smith refusing to let the Vols go down as he demanded the ball and made tough shot after tough shot. Then it was JaJuan Smith stroking deep 3's over Gator defenders. Then it was Chris Lofton being Chris Lofton, rubbing off in-his-face defenders to find an inch of space for yet another three-pointer. Then it was Wayne Chism, who looks more and more like an NBA prospect every game, stepping up with a couple of big time post moves and two clutch free throws. Heck, without J.P. Prince and Jordan Howell stepping up off the bench during the 1st half, the Vols might have been blown out early. This was an all-around marvelous performance on the road in the SEC against a team fighting for its season.
Random thoughts and observations:
* I guess Jordan Howell's shooting slump is over? He looked confident with the ball last night. Ramar Smith was back to his sloppy self. I couldn't help but notice him laughing outside the huddle in the final moments of the game. There is no reason to read too much into that (people always do), but it sure seems like he should be seething about watching Howell play the critical final moments instead of him.
* Can we get a new scorekeeper in Gainesville? That was ridiculous. JaJuan had to go to the bench for no reason. Prince had to go to the bench for no reason. Get the fouls right, guys. It isn't that hard.
* The Vols continue to let people off the mat. Up 79-69, it looked like Tennessee was ready to finish the Gators. It does worry me that the Vols are not able to close the deal, but they always seem to finish the game the right way.
* What a huge rebound by Tyler Smith on JaJuan's missed free throw! After the awful, awful, awful over-the-back call on Ramar (that is a high school call if I have ever seen one - Lucas never even jumped for the rebound), Tyler's ability to slip/push his way to the rebound in that spot was a big play in the game. I read a national article this week touting Tyler for PofY in the SEC. He deserves it.
* Glad to hear Larry Conley point out the obvious that many others are missing about Lofton this year - his numbers are down in part because he does not need to shoulder so much of the load anymore. There are too many offensive weapons this year for him to launch the deep, off-balance 3's he did last season.
* No matter how the referees call the game, the Vols do not adjust. Last night, the guys in stripes called it tight (the Gators were in the double bonus with 8 minutes left in the game), but Tennessee just keeps pressuring and playing aggressively. I like it. The Vols can afford the fouls and, eventually, that kind of pressure takes its toll.
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