Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
March Madness (3/5/2010)
That's what this college basketball season has led to. Me, and I'm sure many others (right?), are staying up, on a Friday night, to watch two teams starring players we will never see again, play a do-or-die game in their conference semifinal. The crowd is crazy, the players are running like their life is on the line...and the game isn't even close. So, to recap, the fans are crazy, the players are crazy, and I thought I just saw Kenneth Faried sprout a third arm. So now I'm crazy too. But it does explain his rebounding abilities.
I don't even know where Morehead State is.
But isn't this the real point of March Madness? Does it really matter that most of the games aren't that close or exciting?
For me, the greatness of March Madness starts in the first few weeks of March. Already we've had one great chills moment. Love him or hate him, Greivis Vazquez is the best player in Maryland Terrapins history not named Len Bias. In his final game at home, against the best team in the ACC, Vazquez sealed the win. In the upcoming ACC Tournament, Vazquez will likely become the Terrapins' all-time leading scorer. He could have chosen to break that record at his stadium, with his fans. He decided to win instead. It's too bad that type of thing doesn't happen in the NBA anymore. Kind of ironic that Vazquez will likely be a journeyman for his professional career, isn't it?
And that's just the start of the best three-week stretch in American sports. Next is the conference tournaments. These, more than the NCAA Tournament itself, are where the magic resides. Think about all the great games, or moments, that have happened in the conference tournamens over the past 5 years. Don't forget all the small conferences- you can't leave out Duquesne's energizing run to the Atlantic 10 or North Dakota State winning the Summit Championship in their first year of Division 1 eligibility. And those only happened last year.
But here's what I'm getting at: think of the great conference tournament games of the 1980s. Heck, even think of the great ones of the 1990s. Now think of the great NCAA Tournament games in both those decades. Don't you think of way more from the NCAA Tournament? Disregarding the Final Four, between the NCAA Tournament and conference tournaments, the product is just as good, mostly as dramatic, and usually evenly matched. But in the conference tournaments, the teams have natural rivalries and chips on their shoulders from previous games with their conference foes.
Now, I'm not going to argue that conference tournaments are better than the NCAA Tournament. It's not. But aren't they relatively equal? Shouldn't we remember some legendary games from the conference tournament?
In the 1981 Big East Final, Syracuse beat Villanova in three overtimes. The winning shot came from a Leo Rautins tip-in with three seconds left. Doesn't this sound like one of the greatest games of all time? Why is this not remembered?
And as a UConn fan and a Big East afecionado, I'm scared that the to-describe-it-as-epic-doesn't-do-it-enough-justice Six Overtime Classic in last year's Big East Tournament will suffer from the same fate. Eventually, critics will pick it apart. They will say things such as "The game wasn't very exciting at the end" or "Neither team played great". Maybe I can't disagree with those statements. All I know is that my favorite team played against their most heated rival through six overtimes on a Thursday night in Madison Square Garden. And I was there.
To say that I'm "worried" that this game falls through the annals of basketball history is an understatement. Easily the best game of the past ten years, the game will mean nothing in 2030, for no other reason than it did not occur in the NCAA Tournament.
More than anything, I support upholding the history and great moments of my favorite sport. That's why I want to meet Greivis Vazquez someday and hug him. That's why I sometimes smile just thinking about the Six Overtime Classic. And that's why I stay up on a Friday night watching Morehead State play Tennessee Tech. I'm not just waiting for another one of "Those Games" to happen. I'm fervently hunting for the next installment of college basketball's greatest games. They're buried deep in the passion. I know they are.
And that, I think, is the main reason I don't want these conference tournaments to be forgotten. Somewhere, there are the teams who cared about winning more than anything else. And that can't disappear. We can't let it.
Meanwhile, the Big South Final will be played tomorrow between Coastal Carolina and Winthrop. I'll be watching it.
As always, email us with comments, insults, and questions (whether on or off topic) at firstteemulligan@yahoo.com
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Steroids and baseball, does it ever end?
Mark McGwire. Adjectives that used to come to mind were “role model,” “legend,” or even perhaps “future Hall of Famer.” Now all I can think of are “juicer” or “cheater.”
There are many arguments when it comes to the fate of McGwire, but I will state my opinion first and clear; I do not care if steroids were legal at the time of his career, performance-enhancing drugs are just that, performance enhancing. If you didn’t set those records with your own strength and no help, you cheated. No exceptions.
The Steroid Era only needed one guy to start it. When one man uses it, others follow, because it’s the only way you can keep up with that level of play. So like I say about other things in life, it was “understandable yet inexcusable.” Sure it may be hard to hit a 100 mile per hour fastball, but wouldn’t you say that you have even more talent if you didn’t have aide? How fair is it to the players that didn’t use juice yet had remarkable seasons of their own and were overshadowed? Sports have rules to be fair, not to be broken.
The other day when McGwire released his statement about having used steroids, it was no surprise to me. It’s a shame to have America’s Past-time go down the tubes because of a drug. But I feel as though that this drug should be treated just like any others, with a huge fine and some jail time. But what’s Roger doing now? Probably sitting on some beach. And with no doubts in my mind McGwire will be joining him shortly.
And is it ironic that McGwire wants the new hitting coach position? Well his idea of apologizing and “starting with a clean slate” is a whole bunch of BS to me. I was reading in Sports Illustrated when I came across a quote from a reader regarding Tiger and his scandal. The quote read, “This is a very forgiving country. If Tiger is truly sorry for what he has done […] the cheers will be there for him again.” But is that true? Are we that forgiving to just let players go with these mistakes? Will we just forget about McGwire and his steroids in a few months, just as though it seems we did with Alex Rodriguez or Roger Clemens? How about big ole Barry? I think we choose to forget, and that’s not the right solution. We shouldn’t keep pushing the issue off to the side. We have the test results for crying out loud! It’s called the Mitchell Report! Steroids were a loophole, and loopholes aren’t allowed anywhere else. So why should it be different in baseball?
--Meg
NFL Playoffs Round 2 Preview, Part II
X-factor: Tony Romo. I have no statistical proof or any evidence that led me to this decision. All I know is that this is my decision. If Tony Romo has a good game, the Cowboys' chances of winning increases. They still have to stop the Vikings' offense, but the overall success of the team lies with Romo.
Why the Cowboys can win: The Cowboys give up only 15.6 points per game, second in the NFL only to the New York Jets. Dallas gives up only 90.5 rushing yards a game, and their linebackers should hold Adrian Peterson to less than his usual 4.4 yards per carry. Dallas also has two wide receivers in the top ten in yards per catch, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton.
Why the Cowboys can choke: Dallas has a guy named Romo who tends to choke in big games. Their defense only had 19 takeaways this season, second to last in the NFC. Momentum means nothing against top teams.
Why the Vikings can win: The Vikings are undefeated at home. Minnesota went 4-1 against teams that made the playoffs, with the lone loss coming against the Arizona Cardinals, in which Percy Harvin led the team in rushing with 22 yards...this won't happen again. Their defense is second in the NFC in yards per game. And they were considered a Super Bowl favorite for most of the season.
Why the Vikings can choke: Brett Favre and head coach Brad Childress tended to clash this year. The results? 2-3 in the last 5 regular season games, including losses to the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. Adrian Peterson has become an increasingly inconsistent running back. His yards per carry each game since Week 10 are as follows: 7.4, 3.4, 3.4, 1.5, 3.7, 2.9, 3.9, 6.0. The two games that stand out in a good way came against the Lions and in the Giant Tank Game. So maybe I should switch "inconsistent" to "ineffective".
Semi-Relevant Opinion: The Cowboys need to replace Tony Romo. They will not be a great team with him. He is not very good.
1. Tony Romo wasn't wanted by an FBS college football team. He wasn't originally wanted by an NFL team. He played behind quarterbacks so old and washed-up they made Junior Seau look like Junior Seau, Junior. When did he become good?
2. Name the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. My list, in a rough order, goes like this: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub, Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb. Does Romo even enter the debate until after McNabb is named? No. That's twelve quarterbacks before you even think about naming Romo. Which leads me to point number three.
3. If your player, coach, GM, doctor, teacher, accountant, salesman, or whatever else you can think of, is not in the top 25% at his position, then you need to get a better one as soon as possible. With 32 starting quarterbacks in the league, and Tony Romo about 14th in the league, and that's probably being generous, that does not put him in the highest 25%. It's time to get a good quarterback. It is definitely within Dallas's reach- they have the biggest market and the most money- so why not? The Tony Romo era is not working. Maybe they had a couple of solid regular seasons, but this has not translated into any actual success. It's time for Romo to go.
Prediction: Vikings 27, Cowboys 17. The deciding factor was that the Vikings were undefeated at home, including three wins against playoff teams. Could this game go either way? Absolutely. This one could definitely go either way. I see the Vikings winning this game, but would not be the least bit surprised if the Cowboys won.
New York Jets (10-7) at San Diego Chargers (13-3)
X-factor: Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones. One of them, or both, need to have a good game to prevent the Jets offense from becoming one-dimensional. Against a team as good as the Chargers, you need to establish the run and exploit the defensive gap that allowed 4.5 rushing yards per attempt.
Why the Jets can win: They have the best defense in the NFL. No, I didn't expect it either. I never would have predicted it at the beginning of the year. But they lead the league in every important defensive statistic except takeaways. The Jets can shut down any offense, especially a passing-is-the-only-means-of-production offense such as the Chargers.
Why the Jets can choke: I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but the Jets offense is more than a little shaky. Mark Sanchez can be a typical halfway-competent rookie quarterback. And most importantly, the offense can flat out stink from time to time.
Why the Chargers can win: After the Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Chargers went into "screw you, we're not gonna lose" mode. They proceded to win the next ten games and hold the longest current winning streak. The Chargers are so good that they tanked the last two games and still won! Philip Rivers might just be so angry that he explodes.
Why the Chargers can choke: Their running game flat out sucks. Former MVP LaDanian Tomlinson averages 3.3 yards per carry. Backup Darren Sproles averages 3.7 a carry. That's not good. The Chargers are known to choke in the playoffs. Philip Rivers might just be so angry that he implodes.
Semi-Relevant Opinion: I don't like Philip Rivers because of his jawing. Jawing in football is different from trash talking in basketball. In basketball, trash talking is part of the game, and when someone stops getting trashed, that implies respect. In football, a team could be losing by thirty in the fourth quarter, but their linebacker will still be jawing if he makes a tackle. This is just dumb, there's no purpose to it. Larry Bird was the best trash talker of all time. Quick trivia question for you- who was the best football jawer of all time? Answer: No one. Not only does it mean nothing (so no one pays attention to it), but they all say the same thing!
Read the lips of football players who jaw. Here's what I got from a select few players- Shawne Merriman: "All day baby! All day!" Michael Strahan: "All day baby! All day!" Sebastian Janokowski: "Całe dziecko dnia! Cały dzień!" Ok, bad example, but you get my point.
Prediction: Jets 17, Chargers 10. No, seriously. The Chargers rushing offense will go nowhere, as it usually does, and the Jets secondary will demolish the pass. I think.
-Tucker Warner
Friday, January 15, 2010
Clippers Curse Continues
Hello First Tee fans!
It’s been a while (for both Tucker and I) writing and updating, but we’re back!
I know I promised you a Blake Griffin update before my absence, so it’s only fitting that it’s the first article that I return with.
There isn’t much to say when it comes to the curse of the Clippers. It’s pretty much been around for their entire existence. Seeing that Blake Griffin won’t be returning until next season is icing on the cake for this condemned team.
Blake Griffin announced his biggest fear on Thursday (Jan 14, 2009) that he would have season ending surgery to repair his knee (B. Griffin fractured his left knee cap after jumping down from a dunk).
Originally the healing process was estimated to be about 6 weeks with the proper rest and therapy, but what wasn’t released to the public was that this was the fastest option that Big Blake had. The other option was surgery from the start. Unfortunately the first-draft pick of the 2009 draft will be sidelined, but that could possibly be beneficial to him in the end.
Weighing out the pros and cons of sitting an injured, yet phenomenal, athlete can be a difficult when your team isn’t that great to begin with. But in Blake’s case, you can’t rush it back. Seeing that the Clips don’t have much of a chance getting into the playoffs this year (shocker!), why wouldn’t you take the time off and prep for next year? He needs to take the time to study film and plays, and grow stronger. Besides, it’s not like it’s a big deal for the team in a sense because it’s his first season, the guys haven’t played with him enough to say it’s going to cost them in the long run. As long as he uses his time wisely, he can develop more so now than ever. The only con I can possibly think of is that ticket sales probably aren’t as high as they were expected to be; yet I’m sure that’s not the first time in Clipper’s history. Come on, your competing with Kobe, even Blake said the entire city of L.A. isn’t big enough for the Laker’s star.
So it’s another disappointing season for Clipper’s fans, though I’m sure it’s not a surprise. Hang in there guys; you’ve got Manny to spare you over the summer.
--Meg
NFL Playoffs Round 2 Preview, Part I
X-factor: Kurt Warner. He has the best completion percentage in NFL playoff history, he is second on the career playoff list for completion percentage, and he is throwing to the best wide receiver in the league. Need I say more?
Why the Cardinals can win: The Cardinals can score at will. They make big plays in clutch situations. Kurt Warner is one of the best playoff quarterbacks of all time, and he might have a little extra heart because this might be his last year. They scored 51 points last week, against the same team that held them to only 7 in Week 17. According to SCOUTS, Inc, the Cardinals have the advantage at every position except for offensive line and defensive backs. They retain pretty much the same team that won the NFC Championship last year.
Why the Cardinals can choke: Their quarterback is 38 years old and is about as mobile as a mountain. (Really. During Round 1 against the Packers, Warner was facing a 3rd and 6 late in the fourth quarter. The blitz came from the sides and there was a big gap in the line where Warner could have handily [In order to not make the first down by running, he would've had to pull a Mary Decker...or a hamstring] ran for the first. He stepped back and threw instead. Still got the first, but that's beside the point.) Their running game is average at best. They gave up 45 points to the Packers and allowed them to come back from a 20-plus deficit.
Why the Saints can win: That's virtually all they did this season, until they unintentionally intentionally lost, but that's another story. They became so good at scoring, at one point they were able to score six points by downing the ball. Drew Brees got so many yards through the air that Southwest Airlines awarded him frequent flier points. Their running game is multi-dimensional- the Saints have three guys who can run the ball efficiently.
Why the Saints can choke: Did you see the past few games? They lost a close game to the Cowboys (didn't tank or choke), lost in overtime to the Buccaneers (didn't tank, just choked), and lost to the Panthers (tanked and choked- on a related note, backup quarterback Mark Brunell's line from that game looked like this: 15/29, 102 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 45.5 passer rating. 45.5??? Isn't that Brunell's age?). The Saints haven't soundly beaten an opponent since Week 12.
Semi-Relevant Opinion: The Over/Under for this game is 57. Last week, the Cardinals scored 51 points themselves. I'm taking the under, or I would if I was of legal gambling age.
Completely Irrelevant Opinion: How is it possible that an 18 year old American citizen can serve in the Armed Forces, but can't bet two hundred bucks on a Patriots game? This is ridiculous.
Prediction: Cardinals 31, Saints 24. No, really. The Cardinals have Kurt Warner, in the playoffs, against a defense that gave up 30 points to the Redskins.
Baltimore Ravens (10-7) at Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
X-factor: Peyton Manning. He won the MVP award, and by all accounts is the best quarterback in the NFL, and one of the five best of all time. (Don't argue against me. It's true.)
Why the Ravens can win: To be honest, I'm not so sure they can win. If anything works, it will be their running game- Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are perhaps the best running back tandem in the league. This won't happen though.
Outlandish Statement: If the Ravens beat the Colts this weekend, I will bury myself alive!
Why the Ravens can choke: The Ravens haven't beaten the Colts since December 2001. In the regular season, the Ravens were 1-6 against teams who made the playoffs. Joe Flacco is non-existant in clutch situations, especially in the playoffs (last week he only completed 4 passes of his 10 attempts, for 34 yards).
Why the Colts can win: The Colts have not lost a game they were actually trying to win. Peyton Manning is the best quarterback in the NFL. Not only have the Colts beaten the Ravens in their past four meetings, but they have also covered the point spread. The Colts are the best team in the NFL.
Why the Colts can lose: This is the only hope the Ravens have. The Colts will need to choke, and choke big, for the Ravens to win this game. Peyton Manning threw five interceptions in a loss to the Chargers a few years ago. The Ravens have a secondary that is good enough to make this happen, but the odds of Peyton Manning choking like a chain smoker on a playoff game in Saturday are about one in a million, if that. Good luck Baltimore.
Semi-Relevant Opinion: The Ravens can win with Joe Flacco only if they improve their receiving corps. The Ravens top three receiving leaders are a productive-but-old wideout (Derrick Mason), a running back (Ray Rice), and a tight end (Todd Heap). None of the other receivers have ever caught more than seven passes in a game, and never more than 100 yars in a game. Of the top three, one will retire within two years (he already retired once! It will happen again!) and one is not a downfield option by definition. I'll admit that Heap will continue to be a productive option for the next few years, but is a tight end what you really want as the future of your receiving team?
Prediction: Colts 34, Ravens 13. Would I be flabbergasted by an upset by the Ravens? It's professional sports, of course not. However, I would be willing to wager an non-vital organ on the Colts if the payoff was over $10,000. Again, this is only if I was of legal gambling age.
Stay tuned for Part II!
-Tucker
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Say What?! of '09
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!
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
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)
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
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
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)
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