Over the past year there have been a few out-of-the-blue sports stories that have left me baffled…and I’ll gladly share them.
To begin, I’ll start with Tucker’s favorite (or so it seems) with the M.I.A Bartolo. In June of 2009, Bartolo Colon of the Chicago White Sox was temporarily assigned to their AAA team in Charlotte, when mysteriously the 5’11” 245lb pitcher went missing. No, this isn’t normal. But yet his teammate’s explanation is priceless, “he was just a depressed Michael Jackson fan.” Believe it or not, his theory was confirmed true. Over a week later Bartolo was “found”, but unfortunately the White Sox later released him in the year.
Tonight it was brought to my attention that NHL team Minnesota Wild has recently had their equipment burned to ash in the back of their transportation vans. After traveling from the Senator’s practice facility to Scotia Bank Place, firefighters were called to put out the fire started in the Wild’s equipment vans last Friday. That’s another way to say Niklas Backstrom and the boys are on fire!... or… A “Wild” fire!
I crack myself up.
**P.S. … suck it TSN.ca, I caught your mistake! (it’s Niklas Backstrom of the Wild, not NiCklas Backstrom of the Capitals). Pffft… ESPN is so much better!
ESPN covered in a quick story an interesting annual competition…Wife Carrying. Wow, and I thought curling was stupid. Basically the women locks their legs around her husband’s head and throw themselves over his back like a sack-of-potatoes. Cute? Not after you’re holding on for dear life running through rivers. What people will do for love…
Or how about the other ESPN story of the Glouchestershire Cheese Roll of 2009? This old tradition consists of many borderline insane people from around the world chasing a cheese wheel down a particularly steep hill. Only minor injuries occur such as broken arms and legs, concussions, and dislocated shoulders. So much fun! :P
Out with the old year, in with the new. It only gets better.
--meg
PS...ill be sure to add more… this is just a start of 2009 haha.
for any of your favorites, be sure to email them in!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Mailbag #1
From Tiger’s overclubbing to the Notre Dame coaching circus, this week in sports has been pretty wild, and our readers sent in some questions. If you want your questions answered (and featured), email us at firstteemulligan@yahoo.com. As always, these are actual questions from actual fans.
Has not playing Adrian Peterson enough somewhat ruined him? Was Brett Favre's performance Monday night an indicator that he'll have a repeat of last year with the Jets?
Tucker- No and no. Peterson has already scored two more touchdowns this year than he did last year, and his yards per carry has only decreased from 4.8 to 4.5. The only major change in his production is total rushing yards, but the drop-off in workload may have actually helped the Vikings. As for Favre, this season, he has the best passer rating, completion percentage, and yards per attempt of his CAREER. Unless he throws two interceptions in each of his last four games, Favre will also have a new personal record for fewest interceptions. Both are fine.
Meg- For Adrian Peterson, I would have to agree with Tucker and say no, he has not been “ruined” by his decrease in playing time. [Because Mr. Warner stole my stats, I will elaborate haha]. But you can look at it in two ways, he can use his “off time” wisely and train, or you can sit around and pout…The Vikings use 2 running backs, Peterson and Taylor, which both have high success. With this you can create more plays which lead to more offensive creativity. Apparently that’s working. Call it a “handicap” if you will, for Bret Favre and his ageing arm.
And as for Mr. Favre, if you couldn’t tell already, I absolutely can’t stand the man. But with that aside, it’s a different year and a different team. The Vikings success seems to carry him better now than before. Plus his team likes him now…which is always a plus…
Who’s THE SEXIEST sports person alive?
Tucker- Can’t wait for Meg’s answer for this one. My choice is Gina Carano, the UFC fighter. Luckily, there are UFC fights for women too!
Meg- Oh Lord! That’s a tough one! There are just so many wonderful looking men out there! Well, hockey holds a few of the handsome men, that is the ones with their teeth, like Jordan Staal (I know, the Pens :P)… but I am Portuguese so Cristiano Ronaldo is almost a definite… Yet I can’t seem to leave out Tim Tebow, seeing that I have his posters all over my walls…and I’m a
Why does the Ecuadorian soccer team suck so bad when Liga, a team within
Tucker- Ok, this one took a little research, and I think the reason the Ecuadorian national team is so awful is because they have no real talent. Only ten members of their 25 player roster play for clubs in a different country, and only five of those play on clubs in the few premier leagues. And only one of those five plays on a top team in their league- Antonio Valencia, who is a good midfielder for Manchester United. Without talent, you can’t get very far in international competition.
Meg- I do on occasion watch soccer, but not as frequent as other sports (and because of this question I feel as though that’s what I should be doing now in my spare time do to this blog). So to answer your question to the best of my ability as this time, I did some research myself. Going with Tucker’s statistic, it seems as though they wanted to build more of a team not based around superstars but unknown and “teamwork” talent I suppose you could call it. Sometimes it busts and sometimes it works out perfectly fine. Use the 1980
Do you think it's a valid argument that the ACC's conference championship seemingly is equivalent to 5th place in the SEC east?
Tucker- No. I could see a case for fourth place in the overall SEC standings, but Georgia Tech would easily be the second best team in the SEC East. After
Meg- I love the ACC, but their football doesn’t seem to match up to the SEC. Now Georgia Tech is an exception I agree (with Virginia Tech and
Who’s better: the Steelers or the Ravens...???
Tucker- The Ravens. As I type, The Steelers are losing to the Browns, and it doesn’t look good.
Meg- As of now, the Ravens. Without Polamalu and a chunky Big Ben (of course this is my opinion, but he is looking a little sluggish, concussion and whatnot might have been the case) the Steelers have been struggling. The Ravens have however found a new shining light, or maybe that’s just because of the uplifting story of Michael Oher. In the end, the Steelers haven’t lived up to their expectations, and the Ravens didn’t have any to begin with.
Who do you think is going to win the Super Bowl?
Tucker- Right now, and this might change, I have the Saints winning. Obviously, they and the Colts are the only undefeated teams in the NFL. They’ve already proven they can win even when playing an awful, terrible game. But the real difference makers for me are point differential and total scoring. The Saints lead the NFL with a +189 scoring differential, 59 more than any other team. Then comes the total scoring.
Meg- I believe the Saints will win (ugh). I say this with disgust only begin my beloved Patriots were smacked by them. Anyways! The Colts almost always have a decent/solid year, but down the homestretch something always happens and they end up division champions and seem to mingle out before the big bowl (with the exception of 2007). Personally, the Saints need a ring, for the good of the city and to add a few fans. Hello?! They have Reggie Bush…he’s not to bad looking either Tucker ;) hahaha
Does the Tiger Woods scandal give a whole new meaning to the term “playing 18 holes”? Ahahahahah
Meg- :] good way to sign off
Yep, these are our readers.
Meg-- just for the record... i reread this and we both agree on everything... interesting... haha
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Taking out the B(C)S
Alabama-Georgia Tech. Texas-Boise State. Cincinnati-Florida. TCU-Oregon. Those would be the playoff college football games this year, in a perfect world without the BCS. Who would not watch every single game of this playoff?
And yet, despite the constant defenses of the BCS and their supporters, I haven't heard a good argument explaining why this shouldn't happen. I'll leave out the possible illegality for now. Here are the most common B(C)S defenses.
"The bowl tradition should continue!" Don't worry purists, I completely agree. The great classic bowls are what make college football one of the greatest things in America. So in this system, the Pac-10 and Big Ten champions will play each other in the round-of-eight Rose Bowl matchup, which will take place in Pasadena, unless one of those teams doesn't qualify, like Ohio State this year. In that case, the team is replaced with an at-large.
"But those at-large teams play such weak schedules!" Well, I can't argue against that without getting into a deep theological conversation, but that doesn't matter. On a related topic, how strong do you consider the recent "Let's not play any strong conference opponents or even semi-decent non-conference teams" schedules of a few conference powers? On another related topic, only two of the above teams (who are the actual BCS top eight) have beaten another top eight team. One is Alabama. The other is Boise State.
And if that isn't enough to consider, there's another statistic to look at. Only four non-BCS teams have ever made it to a BCS bowl. They were all undefeated. Three of them won. Utah beat Alabama last year and Pittsburgh in 2004. Boise State beat Oklahoma in 2007. Only Hawaii, in 2008, lost to Georgia. Wanna know what conference has the best winning percentage in BCS Bowls? SEC? Pac-10? Big 12? Answer: The Mountain West.
"But if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I completely disagree, but that's another story. Even if that were true, the BCS is broken. Does anyone still believe that the BCS [ahem] "National Champion" is absolutely, undisputably, the best team in the nation? Just look at last year, where Florida beat Texas. How could anyone possibly say that Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Penn State, and especially Utah did not deserve a shot at the title? I think there's two reasons the BCS does just that, assumptions, and conference prestige.
The BCS hasn't had a team in their national championship that wasn't ranked in the preseason top 10 since 2003. They just assume these top teams are always going to be good. It's why USC was still ranked during the late stages of this year despite having more losses than any other ranked team. There are plenty of other elite undefeated or one-loss teams. Those championship teams haven't proven themselves just because they were ranked high at the beginning of the year.
And the conference issue is just ridiculous. The BCS still believes the Big Ten is the nation's best conference, the Pac-10 only has one good team, the Mountain West is useless, and the Big East is awful. Newsflash, BCS: the Big East was better than the Big 12 this year! Even though I'm a Big East guy, this is not a biased statement. It's true. The Big East has three top 25 teams, compared to the Big 12's two. The Big East also have three other teams close to cracking that top 25. After Nebraska, who is good in the Big 12? Missouri? Texas Tech? 7-5 Oklahoma? I don't think so. But since the Big 12 has always been much better than the Big East, Texas is in the national championship.
The good part is, my words won't matter soon. After the public university of his home state got screwed out of a national championship game and a few million dollars, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch passed along a measure to Congress, basically saying the BCS violates antitrust laws and is illegal. A few days ago, that bill was passed by the House subcommittee and will now appear on the floor of Congress, to be debated and voted on.
And unless a BCS conference school can vote against it, it looks like the BCS will most likely be declared illegal. So goodbye, BCS, but I can't say I'm sorry to see you go.
-Tucker Warner
And yet, despite the constant defenses of the BCS and their supporters, I haven't heard a good argument explaining why this shouldn't happen. I'll leave out the possible illegality for now. Here are the most common B(C)S defenses.
"The bowl tradition should continue!" Don't worry purists, I completely agree. The great classic bowls are what make college football one of the greatest things in America. So in this system, the Pac-10 and Big Ten champions will play each other in the round-of-eight Rose Bowl matchup, which will take place in Pasadena, unless one of those teams doesn't qualify, like Ohio State this year. In that case, the team is replaced with an at-large.
"But those at-large teams play such weak schedules!" Well, I can't argue against that without getting into a deep theological conversation, but that doesn't matter. On a related topic, how strong do you consider the recent "Let's not play any strong conference opponents or even semi-decent non-conference teams" schedules of a few conference powers? On another related topic, only two of the above teams (who are the actual BCS top eight) have beaten another top eight team. One is Alabama. The other is Boise State.
And if that isn't enough to consider, there's another statistic to look at. Only four non-BCS teams have ever made it to a BCS bowl. They were all undefeated. Three of them won. Utah beat Alabama last year and Pittsburgh in 2004. Boise State beat Oklahoma in 2007. Only Hawaii, in 2008, lost to Georgia. Wanna know what conference has the best winning percentage in BCS Bowls? SEC? Pac-10? Big 12? Answer: The Mountain West.
"But if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I completely disagree, but that's another story. Even if that were true, the BCS is broken. Does anyone still believe that the BCS [ahem] "National Champion" is absolutely, undisputably, the best team in the nation? Just look at last year, where Florida beat Texas. How could anyone possibly say that Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Penn State, and especially Utah did not deserve a shot at the title? I think there's two reasons the BCS does just that, assumptions, and conference prestige.
The BCS hasn't had a team in their national championship that wasn't ranked in the preseason top 10 since 2003. They just assume these top teams are always going to be good. It's why USC was still ranked during the late stages of this year despite having more losses than any other ranked team. There are plenty of other elite undefeated or one-loss teams. Those championship teams haven't proven themselves just because they were ranked high at the beginning of the year.
And the conference issue is just ridiculous. The BCS still believes the Big Ten is the nation's best conference, the Pac-10 only has one good team, the Mountain West is useless, and the Big East is awful. Newsflash, BCS: the Big East was better than the Big 12 this year! Even though I'm a Big East guy, this is not a biased statement. It's true. The Big East has three top 25 teams, compared to the Big 12's two. The Big East also have three other teams close to cracking that top 25. After Nebraska, who is good in the Big 12? Missouri? Texas Tech? 7-5 Oklahoma? I don't think so. But since the Big 12 has always been much better than the Big East, Texas is in the national championship.
The good part is, my words won't matter soon. After the public university of his home state got screwed out of a national championship game and a few million dollars, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch passed along a measure to Congress, basically saying the BCS violates antitrust laws and is illegal. A few days ago, that bill was passed by the House subcommittee and will now appear on the floor of Congress, to be debated and voted on.
And unless a BCS conference school can vote against it, it looks like the BCS will most likely be declared illegal. So goodbye, BCS, but I can't say I'm sorry to see you go.
-Tucker Warner
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain...
It all started in the great state of
Sure I was, and still am, a Blake Griffin fan. I’ve loved him since his one-handed slam back in ’07 at the McDonald’s Jam Fest. He single-handedly led his high school to 4 state titles (ok, so maybe he went to a private school, but it’s still pretty impressive). Let’s face it, the kids good.
But the point im trying to make is how good. After leaving high school and maturing as an athlete entering in college, young Blake turned the heads of most coaches and fans. Putting up solid numbers every game led the Sooners (including his brother, Talyor) to the NCAA Elite Eight. With this, he became the number one draft pick of the NBA2009 entry draft.
Now here we are, nearly 6 months later, not surprised that the awful karma of his selected team to rubbed off on the rookie. It’s been about 6 weeks since the date of his injury (the expected time of return) and fans are anxiously waiting to see his success (or failure) in the NBA (
So as I’m biting my fingernails and refreshing my twitter page to hear from the Great Blake, I suppose I’ll keep an eye on the return of Allen Iverson to my beloved 76ers, but they’re a whole ‘nother train wreck compared to the Clips.
I’ll keep you posted.
In the words of BGriff…” ‘night [blogger] fam.”
--meg
NCAA Basketball Top 25 (Week 4, Dec. 7)
1. Kansas (7-0)
Though the Jayhawks have not been tested yet, their number one ranking comes because of a natural ability to do everything right. They lead the Big 12 in both points and rebounds per game, and assist-to-turnover ratio. Freshman stud Xavier Henry leads the team with 16.9 points per game, while junior center Cole Aldrich is averaging a double-double (points and rebounds).
This week: 12/9 vs. Radford, 12/12 vs. La Salle.
2. Texas (6-0)
As hard as it is to believe, the Longhorns have not missed departed guard AJ Abrams, who played more games for the school than any other Texas basketball player in history. Turkish import Dogus Balbay has done a great job stepping into his role as starting point guard, distributing the ball to a team with six players averaging eight points or more, including the star trio of freshmen- Avery Bradley (9.4), Jordan Hamilton (9.1), and surprise superstar J'Covan Brown (12.6). When Brown and senior guard-forward Damion James patrol the backcourt, the Longhorns are nearly unstoppable on offense.
This week: 12/12 vs Texas State.
3. Villanova (8-0)
Antonio Pena might be a candidate for Most Surprising Player of the Decade. The redshirt junior was considered by many (including me) to be a weak link in the starting lineup, replacing Wildcat standout Dante Cunningham, now with the Portland Trail Blazers. Nuh uh. Pena averages 12.8 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game and is shooting a mind-boggling .576 from the field. The star of last year's Elite Eight game against Pittsburgh, senior Scottie Reynolds, started off slow but bounced back with 25 points and 8 assists in a win against Maryland.
This week: 12/9 at Saint Joseph's, 12/13 at Temple.
4. Purdue (7-0)
The trio of dominating juniors, E'Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel, and JaJuan Johnson, are the top three Boilermakers in both points and rebounds. The telling statistic, however? 44.6% field goal shooting in a win over Tennessee.
This week: 12/9 vs Valparaiso, 12/12 at Alabama.
5. Kentucky (8-0)
The Wildcats have four players averaging over ten points per game, three of them freshmen. Point guard John Wall leads the team with 18.1 ppg and 7.7 assists per game. Yowch. Did I mention that they score at will?
This week: 12/9 vs. Connecticut, 12/12 at Indiana.
6. Syracuse (8-0)
In their game against Maine, the Orange led 60 to 12 at halftime. That's five times more than the other team. FIVE. The Orange are averaging 90.4 points a game as a team, including two Chamberlains. (Those are 100-point games, in case you were wondering.) Coach Jim Boeheim's seven-man system seems to be working, as seven players score over eight points per game, and four of those seven grab 4 or more rebounds a game.
This week: 12/10 vs Florida, 12/13 vs St. Francis (NY).
7. Tennessee (6-1)
The Volunteers' only loss this year came in a 73-72 thriller against Purdue, when versatile forward-center Wayne Chism's shot took a bad bounce at the buzzer. The experienced Volunteers, who lost only two non-vital players in the off-season, have been riding strong except for that setback.
This week: 12/11 at Middle Tennessee State.
8. West Virginia (5-0)
The Mountaineers are led by a group of forwards: senior Da'Sean Butler (18.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg), sophomore Devin Ebanks (14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), and sophomore Kevin Jones (12.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg). Schizophrenic (in a good way, so far) sophomore point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant has played well.
This week: 12/9 vs Duquesne, 12/12 vs Coppin State.
9. Duke (7-1)
Since a blowout-win-that-should-have-happened-but-didn't-so-it-was-just-a-win to Connecticut, in which the Blue Devils still looked strong, they have been slipping. This skid included an unnecessary close game against St. John's and a loss to Wisconsin.
This week: Off.
10. North Carolina (7-2)
The Tar Heels will almost certainly win the Gonzaga Award for Most Ridiculously Difficult and Physically Deteriorating Non-Conference Schedule this year. UNC already lost to Syracuse and Kentucky and beat Ohio State and Michigan State. Next up is Texas on December 19.
This week: 12/12 vs Presbyterian.
11. Florida (8-0)
Except for a November win against Michigan State, the Gators have not looked terribly impressive this year, but their mettle will be tested by a ready Syracuse team on Thursday. Shoot-first guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker lead the team in points.
This week: 12/10 vs Syracuse
12. Ohio State (7-1)
Preseason All-American Evan Turner was lost for 2 months with a back injury. Can Jon Diebler and David Lighty step up for the Buckeyes?
This week: 12/12 at Butler.
13. Georgetown (6-0)
The Hoyas are still undefeated, but haven't impressed anyone with their gameplay so far, the worst example being a one-point victory over the mediocre Temple Owls. Sophomore center Greg Monroe leads Georgetown in both points and rebounds and is averaging a double-double.
This week: 12/8 vs Butler, 12/12 at Washington.
14. Michigan State (7-2)
The Spartans have rebounded from a pair of close losses, but have a weak and empty schedule leading up to a game at Texas on December 22. Senior guard Raymar Morgan leads the team in points and assists.
This week: 12/10 vs Oakland.
15. Connecticut (6-1)
Forward-center Gavin Edwards is third in the country in field goal percentage and eleventh in blocks. Jerome "Slicin'" Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Kemba Walker each average over 15 points per game. However, the Huskies' problem lies in their depth- only six players average over 4 points per game.
This week: 12/9 vs Kentucky.
16. Texas A&M (7-1)
The Aggies have suffered only one loss, to West Virginia, and have earned a pair of good wins, over Clemson and Minnesota. Guard tandem Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland lead the charge on offense, where the Aggies leave something to be desired. However, they make up for it on the defensive end, where they give up only 63.3 points a game.
This week: 12/12 at New Mexico
17. Washington (6-1)
Despite an overtime loss to Texas Tech, the Huskies remain one of the strongest teams in the country. The team is fueled by the scoring escapades of sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas (no relation to the former NBA star) and senior forward Quincy Pondexter, both of whom average 20 ppg.
This week: 12/12 vs Georgetown.
18. Gonzaga (6-2)
The Bullzags (that's my new nickname for them) may have lost to Michigan State and Wake Forest, but those losses will both be turned into learning processes. Gonzaga picked up good wins against Wisconsin and Cincinnati (in overtime) and looked forceful during them both. Matt Bouldin may become the next Adam Morrison, in terms of his leadership and scoring abilities, and his ugly 1970s-style haircut.
This week: 12/9 vs Augustana-Illinois, 12/12 vs Davidson.
19. Cincinnati (5-1)
Vanderbilt. Maryland. Almost Gonzaga. Those are only some of the teams the Bearcats have already beaten. (So they lost to Gonzaga; it was in overtime! Gimme a break...) Freshman forward Lance Stephenson, the all-time leading scorer in New York high school history, has proved himself a valuable addition to a frontcourt that includes talented sophomore Yancy Gates.
This week: 12/10 vs Miami (OH), 12/13 at Xavier.
20. UNLV (7-0)
The Rebels are runnin! (Sorry, bad joke.) UNLV looked strong in back-to-back wins over Louisville and Arizona, and junior guard Tre'Von Wills is shooting .532% from the field, good enough to lead the team in points.
This week: 12/12 vs Kansas State.
21. Texas Tech (8-0)
The undefeated statistic may be a bit misleading, as the Red Raiders have only defeated one solid team. It just so happens that team is Washington. Texas Tech is centered behind their backcourt of Mike Singletary (son of the San Francisco 49ers head coach), John Roberson (12.6 ppg, 5.1 apg), and David Tairu (10.8 ppg).
This week: 12/8 vs TCU.
22. Wisconsin (6-1)
It seems that beating Maryland and Arizona is a popular pick among this week's top 25 teams. The Badgers have also beaten both the Terrapins and the Wildcats. Wisconsin can also include a huge home victory against Duke in their resume. The Badgers have good all-around rebounding skills, and Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon once again are the offensive go-to-guys.
This week: 12/9 at Green Bay, 12/12 vs Marquette.
23. Georgia Tech (6-1)
The Yellow Jackets bounced back from an early loss to Dayton to defeat Siena and USC in consecutive games. Gani Lawal is unstoppable in the post and freshman Derrick Favors is not far off Lawal's production numbers.
This week: Off.
24. Butler (6-2)
Butler has lost twice, to Minnesota and Clemson, but those were not bad losses. Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard, the leaders of the team in all areas, including off-court, will kickstart the team to a higher ranking in a few weeks' time.
This week: 12/8 vs Georgetown, 12/12 vs Ohio State
25. Vanderbilt (6-1)
The Commodores sneak onto the Top 25 this week because of powerful wins against Missouri and, you guessed it, Arizona. The dominating frontcourt is sparked by Jeffery Taylor and A.J. "It-Seems-Like-He's-Been-There-Much-Longer-Than-He-Really-Has" Ogilvy, both averaging over 14 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Just missed the cut: Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Kansas State
-Tucker Warner
Though the Jayhawks have not been tested yet, their number one ranking comes because of a natural ability to do everything right. They lead the Big 12 in both points and rebounds per game, and assist-to-turnover ratio. Freshman stud Xavier Henry leads the team with 16.9 points per game, while junior center Cole Aldrich is averaging a double-double (points and rebounds).
This week: 12/9 vs. Radford, 12/12 vs. La Salle.
2. Texas (6-0)
As hard as it is to believe, the Longhorns have not missed departed guard AJ Abrams, who played more games for the school than any other Texas basketball player in history. Turkish import Dogus Balbay has done a great job stepping into his role as starting point guard, distributing the ball to a team with six players averaging eight points or more, including the star trio of freshmen- Avery Bradley (9.4), Jordan Hamilton (9.1), and surprise superstar J'Covan Brown (12.6). When Brown and senior guard-forward Damion James patrol the backcourt, the Longhorns are nearly unstoppable on offense.
This week: 12/12 vs Texas State.
3. Villanova (8-0)
Antonio Pena might be a candidate for Most Surprising Player of the Decade. The redshirt junior was considered by many (including me) to be a weak link in the starting lineup, replacing Wildcat standout Dante Cunningham, now with the Portland Trail Blazers. Nuh uh. Pena averages 12.8 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game and is shooting a mind-boggling .576 from the field. The star of last year's Elite Eight game against Pittsburgh, senior Scottie Reynolds, started off slow but bounced back with 25 points and 8 assists in a win against Maryland.
This week: 12/9 at Saint Joseph's, 12/13 at Temple.
4. Purdue (7-0)
The trio of dominating juniors, E'Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel, and JaJuan Johnson, are the top three Boilermakers in both points and rebounds. The telling statistic, however? 44.6% field goal shooting in a win over Tennessee.
This week: 12/9 vs Valparaiso, 12/12 at Alabama.
5. Kentucky (8-0)
The Wildcats have four players averaging over ten points per game, three of them freshmen. Point guard John Wall leads the team with 18.1 ppg and 7.7 assists per game. Yowch. Did I mention that they score at will?
This week: 12/9 vs. Connecticut, 12/12 at Indiana.
6. Syracuse (8-0)
In their game against Maine, the Orange led 60 to 12 at halftime. That's five times more than the other team. FIVE. The Orange are averaging 90.4 points a game as a team, including two Chamberlains. (Those are 100-point games, in case you were wondering.) Coach Jim Boeheim's seven-man system seems to be working, as seven players score over eight points per game, and four of those seven grab 4 or more rebounds a game.
This week: 12/10 vs Florida, 12/13 vs St. Francis (NY).
7. Tennessee (6-1)
The Volunteers' only loss this year came in a 73-72 thriller against Purdue, when versatile forward-center Wayne Chism's shot took a bad bounce at the buzzer. The experienced Volunteers, who lost only two non-vital players in the off-season, have been riding strong except for that setback.
This week: 12/11 at Middle Tennessee State.
8. West Virginia (5-0)
The Mountaineers are led by a group of forwards: senior Da'Sean Butler (18.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg), sophomore Devin Ebanks (14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), and sophomore Kevin Jones (12.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg). Schizophrenic (in a good way, so far) sophomore point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant has played well.
This week: 12/9 vs Duquesne, 12/12 vs Coppin State.
9. Duke (7-1)
Since a blowout-win-that-should-have-happened-but-didn't-so-it-was-just-a-win to Connecticut, in which the Blue Devils still looked strong, they have been slipping. This skid included an unnecessary close game against St. John's and a loss to Wisconsin.
This week: Off.
10. North Carolina (7-2)
The Tar Heels will almost certainly win the Gonzaga Award for Most Ridiculously Difficult and Physically Deteriorating Non-Conference Schedule this year. UNC already lost to Syracuse and Kentucky and beat Ohio State and Michigan State. Next up is Texas on December 19.
This week: 12/12 vs Presbyterian.
11. Florida (8-0)
Except for a November win against Michigan State, the Gators have not looked terribly impressive this year, but their mettle will be tested by a ready Syracuse team on Thursday. Shoot-first guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker lead the team in points.
This week: 12/10 vs Syracuse
12. Ohio State (7-1)
Preseason All-American Evan Turner was lost for 2 months with a back injury. Can Jon Diebler and David Lighty step up for the Buckeyes?
This week: 12/12 at Butler.
13. Georgetown (6-0)
The Hoyas are still undefeated, but haven't impressed anyone with their gameplay so far, the worst example being a one-point victory over the mediocre Temple Owls. Sophomore center Greg Monroe leads Georgetown in both points and rebounds and is averaging a double-double.
This week: 12/8 vs Butler, 12/12 at Washington.
14. Michigan State (7-2)
The Spartans have rebounded from a pair of close losses, but have a weak and empty schedule leading up to a game at Texas on December 22. Senior guard Raymar Morgan leads the team in points and assists.
This week: 12/10 vs Oakland.
15. Connecticut (6-1)
Forward-center Gavin Edwards is third in the country in field goal percentage and eleventh in blocks. Jerome "Slicin'" Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Kemba Walker each average over 15 points per game. However, the Huskies' problem lies in their depth- only six players average over 4 points per game.
This week: 12/9 vs Kentucky.
16. Texas A&M (7-1)
The Aggies have suffered only one loss, to West Virginia, and have earned a pair of good wins, over Clemson and Minnesota. Guard tandem Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland lead the charge on offense, where the Aggies leave something to be desired. However, they make up for it on the defensive end, where they give up only 63.3 points a game.
This week: 12/12 at New Mexico
17. Washington (6-1)
Despite an overtime loss to Texas Tech, the Huskies remain one of the strongest teams in the country. The team is fueled by the scoring escapades of sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas (no relation to the former NBA star) and senior forward Quincy Pondexter, both of whom average 20 ppg.
This week: 12/12 vs Georgetown.
18. Gonzaga (6-2)
The Bullzags (that's my new nickname for them) may have lost to Michigan State and Wake Forest, but those losses will both be turned into learning processes. Gonzaga picked up good wins against Wisconsin and Cincinnati (in overtime) and looked forceful during them both. Matt Bouldin may become the next Adam Morrison, in terms of his leadership and scoring abilities, and his ugly 1970s-style haircut.
This week: 12/9 vs Augustana-Illinois, 12/12 vs Davidson.
19. Cincinnati (5-1)
Vanderbilt. Maryland. Almost Gonzaga. Those are only some of the teams the Bearcats have already beaten. (So they lost to Gonzaga; it was in overtime! Gimme a break...) Freshman forward Lance Stephenson, the all-time leading scorer in New York high school history, has proved himself a valuable addition to a frontcourt that includes talented sophomore Yancy Gates.
This week: 12/10 vs Miami (OH), 12/13 at Xavier.
20. UNLV (7-0)
The Rebels are runnin! (Sorry, bad joke.) UNLV looked strong in back-to-back wins over Louisville and Arizona, and junior guard Tre'Von Wills is shooting .532% from the field, good enough to lead the team in points.
This week: 12/12 vs Kansas State.
21. Texas Tech (8-0)
The undefeated statistic may be a bit misleading, as the Red Raiders have only defeated one solid team. It just so happens that team is Washington. Texas Tech is centered behind their backcourt of Mike Singletary (son of the San Francisco 49ers head coach), John Roberson (12.6 ppg, 5.1 apg), and David Tairu (10.8 ppg).
This week: 12/8 vs TCU.
22. Wisconsin (6-1)
It seems that beating Maryland and Arizona is a popular pick among this week's top 25 teams. The Badgers have also beaten both the Terrapins and the Wildcats. Wisconsin can also include a huge home victory against Duke in their resume. The Badgers have good all-around rebounding skills, and Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon once again are the offensive go-to-guys.
This week: 12/9 at Green Bay, 12/12 vs Marquette.
23. Georgia Tech (6-1)
The Yellow Jackets bounced back from an early loss to Dayton to defeat Siena and USC in consecutive games. Gani Lawal is unstoppable in the post and freshman Derrick Favors is not far off Lawal's production numbers.
This week: Off.
24. Butler (6-2)
Butler has lost twice, to Minnesota and Clemson, but those were not bad losses. Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard, the leaders of the team in all areas, including off-court, will kickstart the team to a higher ranking in a few weeks' time.
This week: 12/8 vs Georgetown, 12/12 vs Ohio State
25. Vanderbilt (6-1)
The Commodores sneak onto the Top 25 this week because of powerful wins against Missouri and, you guessed it, Arizona. The dominating frontcourt is sparked by Jeffery Taylor and A.J. "It-Seems-Like-He's-Been-There-Much-Longer-Than-He-Really-Has" Ogilvy, both averaging over 14 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Just missed the cut: Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Kansas State
-Tucker Warner
Friday, December 4, 2009
Tiger Woods Update
So a little/lot has changed since I last wrote about Tiger Woods, and I thought an update was necessary.
Evidence now all but screams that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. And even though that is one of the most morally repulsive, scummy, slimy, awful, dirty things you could ever do, Tiger Woods has shown us why he is so loved and respected by all Americans.
Let me start off by saying that no family should ever have their exploited by the media, ever, and it would take a real scumbag to exploit his own family's problems to the media. (How often do you hear details about two players on the same team fighting with each other? It happens way more often than you think.) And just because Tiger is a public figure does not mean that his infidelity should be judged more harshly than any other guy's.
And that's where Tiger's true character shows. Not once has he spoken a word to the media about any details discerning his affair. Not once has he apologized to anyone outside his family, the only people affected by this.
A really smart person once told me that character is defined not by our good decisions, but how we react to our bad ones. And Tiger has handled this exactly the way anyone would want him to- morally, ethically, and professionally.
No one's perfect. Role models are not chosen for their overall body of work. Tiger Woods has always been a role model to me in terms of work ethic and professionalism. And now there's a new category he fits into: Mistake-correcting.
The next time I really (REALLY.) screw up, I'll look at Tiger and try to emulate his moral standards.
-Tucker Warner
Evidence now all but screams that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. And even though that is one of the most morally repulsive, scummy, slimy, awful, dirty things you could ever do, Tiger Woods has shown us why he is so loved and respected by all Americans.
Let me start off by saying that no family should ever have their exploited by the media, ever, and it would take a real scumbag to exploit his own family's problems to the media. (How often do you hear details about two players on the same team fighting with each other? It happens way more often than you think.) And just because Tiger is a public figure does not mean that his infidelity should be judged more harshly than any other guy's.
And that's where Tiger's true character shows. Not once has he spoken a word to the media about any details discerning his affair. Not once has he apologized to anyone outside his family, the only people affected by this.
A really smart person once told me that character is defined not by our good decisions, but how we react to our bad ones. And Tiger has handled this exactly the way anyone would want him to- morally, ethically, and professionally.
No one's perfect. Role models are not chosen for their overall body of work. Tiger Woods has always been a role model to me in terms of work ethic and professionalism. And now there's a new category he fits into: Mistake-correcting.
The next time I really (REALLY.) screw up, I'll look at Tiger and try to emulate his moral standards.
-Tucker Warner
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Meg Mello-- About the Writer
So here it goes... (just to give you a fair warning, i write in a "word salad" organization, so it bounces around...)
My name is Meg Mello, and I LOVE SPORTS!
Specifically I love the Red Sox, NE Patriots, Washington Capitals, Philly 76ers, and Boston College Eagles. I try to keep my opinion out of my writing. TRY.
Alot like Tucker, I don't particularly like my writing. I love comments though, good bad or ugly.
Even though I'm a girl, sports are really what I love. If you asked me what my favorite players are, the list would never end. Even the 3rd-liners are just as important than the leading scorers. Yes, that was a hockey analogy.
But the two people that come to mind first when I think of influential people in sports would be Joe Benaniti and Jimmy Valvano. If you have ten minutes, I strongly suggest you watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePXlkqkFH6s
Other than sports I enjoy the movies Fever Pitch (obviously), Miracle, and The Ugly Truth.
I watch Friday Night Lights the Series religiously. Nothing makes a better show than drama and football!
Many of you may know me, but for those who don't, I'm a screamer...at the television that is. I'm very good at coaching...form the couch :]
Im a junior and high school and hope to be a color-commentator or Sports journalist.
Questions/Comments/Other
twitter: sportschick828
email: (tucker and I) firstteemulligan@yahoo.com
...im thinking about making a twitter for the blog...thoughts?
My name is Meg Mello, and I LOVE SPORTS!
Specifically I love the Red Sox, NE Patriots, Washington Capitals, Philly 76ers, and Boston College Eagles. I try to keep my opinion out of my writing. TRY.
Alot like Tucker, I don't particularly like my writing. I love comments though, good bad or ugly.
Even though I'm a girl, sports are really what I love. If you asked me what my favorite players are, the list would never end. Even the 3rd-liners are just as important than the leading scorers. Yes, that was a hockey analogy.
But the two people that come to mind first when I think of influential people in sports would be Joe Benaniti and Jimmy Valvano. If you have ten minutes, I strongly suggest you watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePXlkqkFH6s
Other than sports I enjoy the movies Fever Pitch (obviously), Miracle, and The Ugly Truth.
I watch Friday Night Lights the Series religiously. Nothing makes a better show than drama and football!
Many of you may know me, but for those who don't, I'm a screamer...at the television that is. I'm very good at coaching...form the couch :]
Im a junior and high school and hope to be a color-commentator or Sports journalist.
Questions/Comments/Other
twitter: sportschick828
email: (tucker and I) firstteemulligan@yahoo.com
...im thinking about making a twitter for the blog...thoughts?
Bettman, You're Fired.
In the past 5 years, hockey has tried restore its reputation after the lockout. No one more than I thinks they’ve done a lousier job.
First, I can’t tell you how much I hate, I mean HATE, the shootout. It’s hard as hell to skate wind-sprints for 60 minutes up and down the rink, but to end it in a cheap and pointless way ruins the game. The shootout was designed to draw in new fans, but it what it did was disappoint the die-hard fans out there. Even Ovechkin, a former leading scorer for the NHL, was less than 30% in the 08-09 season (12 out of 42) for the shootout. If it was made to let the Allstars shine, it clearly isn’t working. It’s a bogus way to end a hard played game on luck. It’s like kissing your sister…just wrong.
Next, hockey isn’t a tough sport like it was. Hockey was rough; guys, even goalies, didn’t play with helmets. When a frozen puck hits you in the face going 90, you’re either a lunatic or love the game to go back out there and do it again. Elbows were thrown, clothes-lining a guy wouldn’t even get you a minor, and missing teeth were like warrior stripes. Today, it’s all about “safety” and portraying the“role-model image” for up and coming kids. Its fine to be classy, but don’t take away that masculinity I love to watch on Saturday nights. Now the NHL is considering keeping your helmets on while you fight. WHAT IS THIS?! It’s not like they don’t suspend and fine the guys enough! Soon they won’t have a salary because they finished a check! Let’s all quit calling like little girls and let me see some blood!
On top of it all, we haven’t chosen exactly the best guys for the job. No, I’m not referring to Bettman who we already know is a screw-up, but I’m talking about the guys who don’t present a good image for the league. It’s the mere basics. Don’t hire an idiot if you don’t want to look like one yourself. What I’m really beating around the bush to say is, if your guy uses his stick to whack his own goalie over the head to be carted off the ice, you are almost OBLIGATED to sit him (Ballard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETOshVnLO8). Give me a break; he was throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the game, as a 27 year old. Ridiculous? I want that sent up to
--Meg
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Crashing and Burning (December 1, 2009)
Well, we should have known it wouldn't last forever.
I'm talking about Tiger Woods's status as a do-no-wrong. It's gone now, never to come back.
Unless it turns out that the real reason Tiger left his house at 2 AM on Friday morning was to volunteer at a children's hospital, it will take a while for fans to root for him the same way again.
The problem with athletes like Tiger is that when they make a mistake, their career becomes defined by it. Roberto Alomar, despite his 2724 career hits and .300 batting average, will always be remembered for spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck. Kermit Washington lost a sure long-time NBA career because of one punch to the face of Rudy Tomjanovich.
Though not as bad, how will we now watch Tiger on CBS at Augusta? Can we root for him in the same way again? The next time he blows a lead on Sunday (which might take a while; after all, it is Tiger Woods), will we blame it on the stress caused by this accident? Next time Tiger battles a despised enemy on the 72nd hole, will we lean on the edge of our seats like we did during those great fights in the past? (Luckily, our memories of those won't be stained.)
Again, this isn't just any athlete we're talking about. This is Tiger Woods, the greatest competitor since Michael Jordan. The untarnished Tiger will be back, but it will be a matter of time before he reaches that redemption.
-Tucker Warner
I'm talking about Tiger Woods's status as a do-no-wrong. It's gone now, never to come back.
Unless it turns out that the real reason Tiger left his house at 2 AM on Friday morning was to volunteer at a children's hospital, it will take a while for fans to root for him the same way again.
The problem with athletes like Tiger is that when they make a mistake, their career becomes defined by it. Roberto Alomar, despite his 2724 career hits and .300 batting average, will always be remembered for spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck. Kermit Washington lost a sure long-time NBA career because of one punch to the face of Rudy Tomjanovich.
Though not as bad, how will we now watch Tiger on CBS at Augusta? Can we root for him in the same way again? The next time he blows a lead on Sunday (which might take a while; after all, it is Tiger Woods), will we blame it on the stress caused by this accident? Next time Tiger battles a despised enemy on the 72nd hole, will we lean on the edge of our seats like we did during those great fights in the past? (Luckily, our memories of those won't be stained.)
Again, this isn't just any athlete we're talking about. This is Tiger Woods, the greatest competitor since Michael Jordan. The untarnished Tiger will be back, but it will be a matter of time before he reaches that redemption.
-Tucker Warner
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