Butler fans gathered at Hinkle Fieldhouse, their home court, to watch the game on 3 huge screens last night. Luckily someone filmed it to capture all the excitement in the crowd. The video starts to get really awesome at the 1 minute mark. I'd like to thank Danese Kenon for putting together this video because we all love basking in other peoples misery.
This game is the reason I root for 1 seeds to meet in the finals. If I wanted to watch the women's championship game I would do that tonight. But no, I definitely don't want to do that. Women's sports are like men's sports played underwater.
Showing posts with label ncaa march madness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ncaa march madness. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
VCU Keeps on Going
Virginia Commonwealth University shouldn’t have made the NCAA tournament. An ugly 23-11 record, along with a 49 RPI rank and 85th ranked strength of schedule isn’t impressive enough to warrant an at-large bid to the biggest tournament in college basketball. Hell it hardly warrants a one seed in the NIT. But it didn’t matter, everybody knew the Rams would lose to USC in the First Four and it would be over.
But they didn’t.
But then everybody knew they’d lose to Georgetown and it would be over.
But they didn’t.
And then everybody and their grandmas knew they’d lose to Purdue.
But they didn’t.
Certainly they’ll lose to Florida State.
And they didn’t.
But then it really didn’t matter because EVERYBODY knew they’d lose to Kansas. They’d finish their magical run in the Elite 8 and live as a wonderful story in the history of college basketball. The Morris twins were simply too big for the Rams who had to be too physically, mentally and emotionally spent to win another game.
Instead? The Rams cut down the nets in San Antonio and start booking their flights to Houston after a 71-61 victory of the Jayhawks.
Yes, you read that right. The Virginia Commonwealth Rams will be in the Final 4.
In what has to be the most Cinderella of all runs to the Final 4 (narrowly beating George Mason in 2006 and Butler last year), the Rams have shocked powerhouse after powerhouse to clinch an opportunity to play for a National Championship.
The Rams were given the best possible bulletin board material every game. NOBODY thought they could win. Analysts continued to pick them to lose, thinking the slipper had to fall off sooner or later. But the slipper is the difference between the analysts and the Rams. To the Rams, there is no Cinderella story or glass slipper. They believe they should be winning these games. It doesn’t matter that they’re considered a mid-major. It doesn’t matter that they have made only one Sweet 16 appearance or gotten respect nationally.
It doesn’t matter because the Rams know they can play.
A team that lives and dies with the three-point shot, VCU is able to shoot from all five positions and spread the floor every possession. If the Rams lived by the shot, the Jayhawks certainly died by it. Shooting only 2-21 from behind the arc, the Jayhawks simply didn’t make the shots to win an exhibition game, let alone an Elite 8 game.
The Rams have won each of their games by an average of 12 points. 12! That’s incredible! It would be amazing for the Rams to have a lead of 12 at any time, let alone winning by that much. But led by 33-year-old Shaka Smart, who certainly will be leaving for a much bigger paycheck after the tournament, the Rams have instilled a belief in their locker room that they can beat anybody, any day.
On Selection Sunday, between the countless “experts” telling the Rams how much they didn’t deserve to be in the tournament, senior guard Joey Rodriguez tweeted “Ready to shock the world”. And right now, that’s exactly what the Rams are doing, shocking the world.
But they didn’t.
But then everybody knew they’d lose to Georgetown and it would be over.
But they didn’t.
And then everybody and their grandmas knew they’d lose to Purdue.
But they didn’t.
Certainly they’ll lose to Florida State.
And they didn’t.
But then it really didn’t matter because EVERYBODY knew they’d lose to Kansas. They’d finish their magical run in the Elite 8 and live as a wonderful story in the history of college basketball. The Morris twins were simply too big for the Rams who had to be too physically, mentally and emotionally spent to win another game.
Instead? The Rams cut down the nets in San Antonio and start booking their flights to Houston after a 71-61 victory of the Jayhawks.
Yes, you read that right. The Virginia Commonwealth Rams will be in the Final 4.
In what has to be the most Cinderella of all runs to the Final 4 (narrowly beating George Mason in 2006 and Butler last year), the Rams have shocked powerhouse after powerhouse to clinch an opportunity to play for a National Championship.
The Rams were given the best possible bulletin board material every game. NOBODY thought they could win. Analysts continued to pick them to lose, thinking the slipper had to fall off sooner or later. But the slipper is the difference between the analysts and the Rams. To the Rams, there is no Cinderella story or glass slipper. They believe they should be winning these games. It doesn’t matter that they’re considered a mid-major. It doesn’t matter that they have made only one Sweet 16 appearance or gotten respect nationally.
It doesn’t matter because the Rams know they can play.
A team that lives and dies with the three-point shot, VCU is able to shoot from all five positions and spread the floor every possession. If the Rams lived by the shot, the Jayhawks certainly died by it. Shooting only 2-21 from behind the arc, the Jayhawks simply didn’t make the shots to win an exhibition game, let alone an Elite 8 game.
The Rams have won each of their games by an average of 12 points. 12! That’s incredible! It would be amazing for the Rams to have a lead of 12 at any time, let alone winning by that much. But led by 33-year-old Shaka Smart, who certainly will be leaving for a much bigger paycheck after the tournament, the Rams have instilled a belief in their locker room that they can beat anybody, any day.
On Selection Sunday, between the countless “experts” telling the Rams how much they didn’t deserve to be in the tournament, senior guard Joey Rodriguez tweeted “Ready to shock the world”. And right now, that’s exactly what the Rams are doing, shocking the world.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sweet 16 Starts Tonight - Schedule & My Updated Bracket
The Sweet 16 starts in 2 and a half hours so now's the perfect time to leave work and start drinking. Right now I'm in the 68th percentile in Yahoo brackets with 33 of 48 correct picks for 41 points and my bracket looks like a Christmas tree. Not terrible but I could have done better. One of my biggest regrets was picking Belmont over Wisconsin. I should have gone with the safe pick and took Wisconsin into the Sweet 16. I still have 3 of my Final 4 teams alive and both Finals teams. Ohio State has looked dominant and Kansas has looked like the 2nd best team so I still think that will be the championship match-up.
There are only 4 games tonight but they should all be really good. Here's the TV schedule:
3 Connecticut vs. 2 San Diego St., 7:15 p.m., CBS
3 BYU vs. 2 Florida, 7:27 p.m., TBS
5 Arizona vs. 1 Duke, 9:45 p.m., CBS
8 Butler vs. 4 Wisconsin, 9:57 p.m., TBS
I'm doing the Yahoo Second Chance Tournament and tonight I picked San Diego St., BYU, Duke and Wisconsin. If I was betting on the spread I'd pick San Diego St. (-1), BYU (+3), Arizona (+9) and Butler (+4.5).
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Ohio State Looking Pretty Good
Coming into the NCAA Tournament there were two recurring themes: 1) the Big East was clearly the best conference in the country and 2) there were no GREAT teams in the field of 68. Well now I’m gonna have to let you know neither one of those are true.
The Big East, who came into the Tournament with a record-breaking 11 teams, now has two left: Marquette (an 11 seed) and Connecticut (3 seed). The conference has lost a 1 seed, a 2 seed, and a 3 seed as well as a normal powerhouse Georgetown and sleeper-favorite St. Johns. In an apparent “down season” for the ACC, the conference comes into the Sweet Sixteen with one more team than the Big East.
The second statement was thrown around for a majority of the season when it seemed nobody wanted to be ranked number one in the nation. Ohio State lost and then Duke would lose and then Kansas would lose and the number one overall seed came down to the conference championships. Ohio State was given it and they are certainly showing they deserve it.
The Buckeyes rolled in a 98-66 victory over the George Mason Patriots and to be honest, it wasn’t even as close as THAT score. The Patriots started on a hot-start, leading early 11-2. The Buckeyes then decided they wanted to start playing and finished the half on a 50-15 run.
We’re trying to make a statement,” guard William Buford said to ESPN. “We wanted to let everybody know we mean business.”
Well William, you did.
The Buckeyes shot 16-26 from three-point range and an impressive 61 percent from the field. The numbers can only slightly do justice to the Buckeye’s dominance. Play after play after play the Buckeyes manhandled the Patriots inside and outside of the paint and proved to the nation just how good they can be.
In a round where Duke struggled to beat Michigan and Pittsburgh lost to Butler, nobody would have been surprised if Ohio State had limped through and squeaked out a victory against Mason. Instead, the Buckeyes erupted for 98 points in a game where Jared Sullinger, arguably their best player, played only 22 minutes.
“Just so many weapons on our team,” Lighty said to ESPN. “And everyone was clicking on high cylinders tonight. When that’s happening, it’s pretty hard to beat us.”
It’s the many weapons the Buckeyes possess make them such a contender for the title. When the Buckeyes need a bucket they have the country’s best big man in Sullinger. Having a low-post threat is a huge advantage in the usual close games of March. Maybe not the game-winning shot, but in game up one with two minutes left, going down low for an easy bucket is the way to close out games.
Down three? Jon Diebler, William Buford, David Lighty and even freshman Aaron Craft are all capable of knocking down big shots. The Buckeyes’ guards are also all fantastic perimeter defenders who can single-handedly lock down an opposing team’s star player.
The Buckeyes simply looked so much better than George Mason. The swagger the team possesses allows them to walk onto the court knowing they can beat anybody in the nation. And they’re big. Sullinger comes in at 6’9, 280 and lines up next to Dallas Lauderdale, rolling up at a subtle 6’8, 225. That’s a heck of a front line that could overwhelm any team.
The Buckeyes come into the Sweet 16 after dominant performances, striking fear into the hearts of their upcoming opponents. If the Kentucky Wildcats can’t attempt to at least slow down the powerhouse Sullinger and big-time shooter Diebler expect another thorough victory.
Even after a game where the Buckeyes won by 32 and almost hit the centurion, Sullinger let out a worrying message to all the other teams left in the country.
“We can play better.”
The Big East, who came into the Tournament with a record-breaking 11 teams, now has two left: Marquette (an 11 seed) and Connecticut (3 seed). The conference has lost a 1 seed, a 2 seed, and a 3 seed as well as a normal powerhouse Georgetown and sleeper-favorite St. Johns. In an apparent “down season” for the ACC, the conference comes into the Sweet Sixteen with one more team than the Big East.
The second statement was thrown around for a majority of the season when it seemed nobody wanted to be ranked number one in the nation. Ohio State lost and then Duke would lose and then Kansas would lose and the number one overall seed came down to the conference championships. Ohio State was given it and they are certainly showing they deserve it.
The Buckeyes rolled in a 98-66 victory over the George Mason Patriots and to be honest, it wasn’t even as close as THAT score. The Patriots started on a hot-start, leading early 11-2. The Buckeyes then decided they wanted to start playing and finished the half on a 50-15 run.
We’re trying to make a statement,” guard William Buford said to ESPN. “We wanted to let everybody know we mean business.”
Well William, you did.
The Buckeyes shot 16-26 from three-point range and an impressive 61 percent from the field. The numbers can only slightly do justice to the Buckeye’s dominance. Play after play after play the Buckeyes manhandled the Patriots inside and outside of the paint and proved to the nation just how good they can be.
In a round where Duke struggled to beat Michigan and Pittsburgh lost to Butler, nobody would have been surprised if Ohio State had limped through and squeaked out a victory against Mason. Instead, the Buckeyes erupted for 98 points in a game where Jared Sullinger, arguably their best player, played only 22 minutes.
“Just so many weapons on our team,” Lighty said to ESPN. “And everyone was clicking on high cylinders tonight. When that’s happening, it’s pretty hard to beat us.”
It’s the many weapons the Buckeyes possess make them such a contender for the title. When the Buckeyes need a bucket they have the country’s best big man in Sullinger. Having a low-post threat is a huge advantage in the usual close games of March. Maybe not the game-winning shot, but in game up one with two minutes left, going down low for an easy bucket is the way to close out games.
Down three? Jon Diebler, William Buford, David Lighty and even freshman Aaron Craft are all capable of knocking down big shots. The Buckeyes’ guards are also all fantastic perimeter defenders who can single-handedly lock down an opposing team’s star player.
The Buckeyes simply looked so much better than George Mason. The swagger the team possesses allows them to walk onto the court knowing they can beat anybody in the nation. And they’re big. Sullinger comes in at 6’9, 280 and lines up next to Dallas Lauderdale, rolling up at a subtle 6’8, 225. That’s a heck of a front line that could overwhelm any team.
The Buckeyes come into the Sweet 16 after dominant performances, striking fear into the hearts of their upcoming opponents. If the Kentucky Wildcats can’t attempt to at least slow down the powerhouse Sullinger and big-time shooter Diebler expect another thorough victory.
Even after a game where the Buckeyes won by 32 and almost hit the centurion, Sullinger let out a worrying message to all the other teams left in the country.
“We can play better.”
Texas Girl Cries After Loss To Arizona
My bracket may have taken a small hit when Texas lost but when the camera panned to this after the game it more than made up for it.
BAHAHAHAHA! This is simply perfect. Hook 'em horns! How do I make a GIF of this?
BAHAHAHAHA! This is simply perfect. Hook 'em horns! How do I make a GIF of this?
Sunday's March Madness TV Schedule & My Updated Bracket
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*Yesterday I picked 5 of the 6 games where I had teams and so far today I'm 2 for 3 (picked Washington for the upset and they should have won - yes, I'm bitter). My only loss of teams I had left in the sweet 16 yesterday was Pittsburgh and they deserved to lose after that idiotic foul. I should have known not to pick them because they choke EVERY SINGLE YEAR. I thought this year would be different because their region was by far the easiest of the 4 but they set out to prove me wrong. They still have never made a Final Four. Penn State on the other hand? They have made 1. PSU > Pitt.
7 Washington vs. 2 North Carolina, 12:15 p.m., CBS
8 Michigan vs. 1 Duke, 2:40 p.m., CBS
8 George Mason vs. 1 Ohio State, 5:15 p.m., CBS
5 Arizona vs. 4 Texas, 6:15 p.m., TNT
11 VCU vs. 3 Purdue, 7:10 p.m., TBS
11 Marquette vs. 3 Syracuse, 7:45 p.m., trutv
9 Illinois vs. 1 Kansas, 8:40 p.m., TNT
10 Florida State vs. 2 Notre Dame, 9:40 p.m., TBS
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday's March Madness TV Schedule & My Updated Bracket
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*
After a slow start on Thursday (10 for 16), I was nearly perfect yesterday going 15 for 16 and only missed the VCU/Georgetown upset. And let's be honest, VCU sucks. If I could go back in time and I knew VCU was going to win I would still pick Georgetown. I'm no math major but I think 10/16 and 15/16 makes me 25/32 which is good for 93rd percentile in Yahoo. The last time I saw 93% on something was on a Sporcle test about The O.C. Saturday of the tournament is when I start to get depressed because we go from 16 games each of the past two days to 8 today, 8 tomorrow and then only 15 left total after that.
There were only 7 upsets in the first round and 5 of them were in the Southwest region. I told you chalk wins and we you wanted to win which means you used my bracket so you're welcome. Here's the TV schedule to all of today's games.
5 West Virginia vs. 5 Kentucky, 12:15 p.m., CBS
7 UCLA vs. 2 Florida, 2:45, CBS
13 Morehead State vs. 12 Richmond, 5:15 p.m., CBS
7 Temple vs. 2 San Diego State, 6:10 p.m., TNT
8 Butler vs. 1 Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m., TBS
11 Gonzaga vs. 3 BYU, 7:45 p.m., CBS
5 Kansas State vs. 4 Wisconsin, 8:40 p.m., TNT
6 Cincinnati vs. 3 UConn, 9:40 p.m., TBS
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday's March Madness TV Schedule
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*
Well my bracket was pretty average yesterday. Sort of like Jennifer Anniston's acting abilities. I got 10/16 but I still have 182 possible points. Here is today's TV schedule.
Well, first here's the link to the naked Sammi pic again just because. [NSFW unless you work at Apple, then load this bitch on every computer/iPad/iPhone in the store]
13 Oakland vs. 4 Texas, 12:15 p.m., CBS
9 Tennessee vs. 8 Michigan, 12:40 p.m., trutv
15 Akron vs. 2 Notre Dame, 1:40 p.m., TBS
9 Villanova vs. 8 George Mason, 2:10 p.m., TNT
12 Memphis vs. 5 Arizona, 2:45 p.m., CBS
16 Hampton vs. 1 Duke, 3:10 p.m., trutv
10 Florida State vs. 7 Texas A&M, 4:10 p.m., TBS
16 UTSA vs. 1 Ohio State, 4:40 p.m., TNT
16 Boston U vs. 1 Kansas, 6:50 p.m., TBS
15 Long Island vs. 2 North Carolina, 7:15 p.m., CBS
14 St. Peter's vs. 3 Purdue, 7:20 p.m., TNT
11 Marquette vs. 6 Xavier, 7:27 p.m., trutv
9 Illinois vs. 8 UNLV, 9:20 p.m., TBS
10 Georgia vs. 7 Washington, 9:45 p.m., CBS
11 VCU vs. 6 Georgetown, 9:50 p.m., TNT
14 Indiana State vs. 3 Syracuse, 9:57 p.m., trutv
13 Oakland vs. 4 Texas, 12:15 p.m., CBS
9 Tennessee vs. 8 Michigan, 12:40 p.m., trutv
15 Akron vs. 2 Notre Dame, 1:40 p.m., TBS
9 Villanova vs. 8 George Mason, 2:10 p.m., TNT
12 Memphis vs. 5 Arizona, 2:45 p.m., CBS
16 Hampton vs. 1 Duke, 3:10 p.m., trutv
10 Florida State vs. 7 Texas A&M, 4:10 p.m., TBS
16 UTSA vs. 1 Ohio State, 4:40 p.m., TNT
16 Boston U vs. 1 Kansas, 6:50 p.m., TBS
15 Long Island vs. 2 North Carolina, 7:15 p.m., CBS
14 St. Peter's vs. 3 Purdue, 7:20 p.m., TNT
11 Marquette vs. 6 Xavier, 7:27 p.m., trutv
9 Illinois vs. 8 UNLV, 9:20 p.m., TBS
10 Georgia vs. 7 Washington, 9:45 p.m., CBS
11 VCU vs. 6 Georgetown, 9:50 p.m., TNT
14 Indiana State vs. 3 Syracuse, 9:57 p.m., trutv
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Bye Bye ODU :(
I think we can all agree it wasn’t the send-off we were hoping for. With a favorable bracket and maybe a bit too high of expectations, ODU fans saw a Sweet 16, Elite 8 or, dare I even say it now, a Final 4 berth not TOO far away. We knew we were good, probably better than Butler, and with a lucky bounce here and there we were hoping to send our four fabulous seniors out in style. Unfortunately we got a couple of unlucky bounces and sent them out in a disappointing first-round loss.
I don’t want to dwell on the game. Mainly because I don’t think I’ve recovered enough to talk about it. I found myself sunk deeper into my couch than the loose change you dropped three months ago. I couldn’t feel, breathe or eat. I felt nothingness. It forced me to miss class only to continue to dwell on the inevitable: we lost and I wasn’t going to be able to change it. You know that feeling you got when you watched the last episode of Dexter season 4 and you found out Rita died (Spoiler alert!)? Or how about when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real? Yeah it was like that, but worse.
But I said I wasn’t going to dwell and damnit I’m not going to! I want to write this column on the admiration and respect I, and hopefully all ODU fans have for our incredible four seniors who played their last game in a Monarchs’ jersey. Those four, Darius James, Keyon Carter, Frank Hassell and Ben Finney, racked up 93 wins for an up and coming Old Dominion basketball team. 93 wins, two conference titles, two NCAA Tournament berths and one victory isn’t so bad of a resume for a “mid-major” school.
The numbers will go down in the books but it’s the memories that will live on.
How many times have we needed a big basket and seen Finney step back and drain a three. Yes, the same Finney who is shooting 28 percent and probably missed his last 7 shots. But we need a basket? Number 35 is fine with taking and making it.
How many times have we needed somebody to calm us down and run the offense and seen James take over a game. The other team may have made a big three and made the game a bit closer. Instead of trying to throw up a superstar shot, James understands to slow the pace down and find the best pass. Which he usually does.
How many times have we seen a ball hit the back rim and shoot in the air only to see Frank the Tank reach up, with his ungodly long wingspan, and rip the ball down. No hesitation though, Hassell is straight back up with it, creating contact and finishing it for an and 1.
How many times have we needed a spark off the bench only to see Keyon Carter hop up, toss his warm-up jacket on the floor and come into the game. Always welcomed with an applause, it isn’t a rarity to see Carter hit his first shot of the game and then answer with a ferocious block on the defensive end.
More than anything else, the excitement the team provided will be my fondest memory. They always seemed to be having so much fun together. I’ll never forget the ESPN Bracketbuster game this year when Carter had a stellar game. After a timeout, Carter was out on the court early, rocking his head to the music on the Ted speakers and smiling at all the student section. It seemed they loved the fans as much as the fans loved them.
The team won’t be remembered for an unfortunate loss to Butler, but instead for the four incredible years they gave to this university. They started the steep climb of getting the Monarchs national respect and now it is up to the rest of the team to continue the ascent.
I have high expectations for this team because I think we are cabable of greatness. I’m excited about next year, seeing Josh Hicks get serious playing time, seeing what Marquel can do as a starter and watching Bazemore make the team completely his. The future is bright.
But I’m not gonna lie, I’m really gonna miss this team.
I don’t want to dwell on the game. Mainly because I don’t think I’ve recovered enough to talk about it. I found myself sunk deeper into my couch than the loose change you dropped three months ago. I couldn’t feel, breathe or eat. I felt nothingness. It forced me to miss class only to continue to dwell on the inevitable: we lost and I wasn’t going to be able to change it. You know that feeling you got when you watched the last episode of Dexter season 4 and you found out Rita died (Spoiler alert!)? Or how about when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real? Yeah it was like that, but worse.
But I said I wasn’t going to dwell and damnit I’m not going to! I want to write this column on the admiration and respect I, and hopefully all ODU fans have for our incredible four seniors who played their last game in a Monarchs’ jersey. Those four, Darius James, Keyon Carter, Frank Hassell and Ben Finney, racked up 93 wins for an up and coming Old Dominion basketball team. 93 wins, two conference titles, two NCAA Tournament berths and one victory isn’t so bad of a resume for a “mid-major” school.
The numbers will go down in the books but it’s the memories that will live on.
How many times have we needed a big basket and seen Finney step back and drain a three. Yes, the same Finney who is shooting 28 percent and probably missed his last 7 shots. But we need a basket? Number 35 is fine with taking and making it.
How many times have we needed somebody to calm us down and run the offense and seen James take over a game. The other team may have made a big three and made the game a bit closer. Instead of trying to throw up a superstar shot, James understands to slow the pace down and find the best pass. Which he usually does.
How many times have we seen a ball hit the back rim and shoot in the air only to see Frank the Tank reach up, with his ungodly long wingspan, and rip the ball down. No hesitation though, Hassell is straight back up with it, creating contact and finishing it for an and 1.
How many times have we needed a spark off the bench only to see Keyon Carter hop up, toss his warm-up jacket on the floor and come into the game. Always welcomed with an applause, it isn’t a rarity to see Carter hit his first shot of the game and then answer with a ferocious block on the defensive end.
More than anything else, the excitement the team provided will be my fondest memory. They always seemed to be having so much fun together. I’ll never forget the ESPN Bracketbuster game this year when Carter had a stellar game. After a timeout, Carter was out on the court early, rocking his head to the music on the Ted speakers and smiling at all the student section. It seemed they loved the fans as much as the fans loved them.
The team won’t be remembered for an unfortunate loss to Butler, but instead for the four incredible years they gave to this university. They started the steep climb of getting the Monarchs national respect and now it is up to the rest of the team to continue the ascent.
I have high expectations for this team because I think we are cabable of greatness. I’m excited about next year, seeing Josh Hicks get serious playing time, seeing what Marquel can do as a starter and watching Bazemore make the team completely his. The future is bright.
But I’m not gonna lie, I’m really gonna miss this team.
March Madness Live Tweeting Extravaganza
As I said earlier, I will be live blogging/tweeting during all the games. Below is a feed of the tweets.
Everything March Madness & My Winning Bracket
I promised you that I would post my final bracket and here it is. I changed a few things from the last version but not too much. I told you my plan was to get drunk last night and make some bold changes but I went to take a nap at 6pm and didn't wake up until 6am. Yeah, I'm awesome. You'll notice that I have all four 1 seeds in the Final 4 and you can call that pussy but I'll take it to the bank. It's likely at least two will get there and instead of try to pick which two and guess wrong I'd rather give myself better odds. I will be live blogging and tweeting all of the action today so be sure to follow us on twitter (twitter.com/uggbootsformen) because it is St. Patrick's Day so I will be getting Anne Tanked and won't be at my computer all day while I'm watching the games. I'm going to post today's schedule of games along with the TV lineup below my bracket.
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*
12 Clemson vs. 5 West Virginia, 12:15 p.m., CBS
9 Old Dominion vs. 8 Butler, 12:40 p.m., trutv
13 Morehead St. vs. 4 Louisville, 1:40 p.m, TBS
10 Penn State vs. 7 Temple, 2:10 p.m., TNT
13 Princeton vs. 4 Kentucky, 2:45 p.m., CBS
16 UNC Asheville vs. 1 Pittsburgh, 3:10 p.m., trutv
12 Richmond vs. 5 Vanderbilt, 4:10 p.m., TBS
15 Northern Colorado vs. 2 San Diego State, 4:40 p.m. TNT
15 UC Santa Barbara vs. 2 Florida, 6:50 p.m., TBS
14 Wofford vs. 3 BYU, 7:15 p.m., CBS
14 Bucknell vs. 3 UConn, 7:20 p.m., TNT
13 Belmont vs. 4 Wisconsin, 7:27 p.m., trutv
10 Michigan State vs. 7 UCLA, 9:20 p.m., TBS
11 Gonzaga vs. 6 St. John's, 9:45 p.m., CBS
11 Missouri vs. 6 Cincinnati, 9:50 p.m., TNT
12 Utah State vs. 5 Kansas State, 9:57 p.m., trutv
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*12 Clemson vs. 5 West Virginia, 12:15 p.m., CBS
9 Old Dominion vs. 8 Butler, 12:40 p.m., trutv
13 Morehead St. vs. 4 Louisville, 1:40 p.m, TBS
10 Penn State vs. 7 Temple, 2:10 p.m., TNT
13 Princeton vs. 4 Kentucky, 2:45 p.m., CBS
16 UNC Asheville vs. 1 Pittsburgh, 3:10 p.m., trutv
12 Richmond vs. 5 Vanderbilt, 4:10 p.m., TBS
15 Northern Colorado vs. 2 San Diego State, 4:40 p.m. TNT
15 UC Santa Barbara vs. 2 Florida, 6:50 p.m., TBS
14 Wofford vs. 3 BYU, 7:15 p.m., CBS
14 Bucknell vs. 3 UConn, 7:20 p.m., TNT
13 Belmont vs. 4 Wisconsin, 7:27 p.m., trutv
10 Michigan State vs. 7 UCLA, 9:20 p.m., TBS
11 Gonzaga vs. 6 St. John's, 9:45 p.m., CBS
11 Missouri vs. 6 Cincinnati, 9:50 p.m., TNT
12 Utah State vs. 5 Kansas State, 9:57 p.m., trutv
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Four Great March Madness Moments Legoized
In today's "some people have way too much time on their hands" feature I bring you Four Great March Madness Moments: Legoized".
Who's ready for 12+ hours of basketball tomorrow? I double dog dare someone to try this at work tomorrow while streaming the games. I posted my first bracket yesterday but my plan is to get really drunk tonight and make some bold changes so stay tuned to see what kind of crazy things I get into later.
(Via Yahoo)
Who's ready for 12+ hours of basketball tomorrow? I double dog dare someone to try this at work tomorrow while streaming the games. I posted my first bracket yesterday but my plan is to get really drunk tonight and make some bold changes so stay tuned to see what kind of crazy things I get into later.
(Via Yahoo)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
NCAA Tournament Opening Night - UNC Asheville, Clemson Advance
It really didn't feel like opening night but technically it was. Two 16 seeds battled for the right to take on Pittsburgh while two 12 seeds squared off to see who would face West Virginia.
In the first game of the night, UNC-Asheville beat Arkansas-Little Rock in OT 81-77. UNCA won despite leading for only 51 seconds in regulation. The game was exciting for their players but the celebrations will be short lived as they now have to take on top seeded Pittsburgh on Thursday. A 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed. I sense they will have the lead for exactly 0 seconds in that one.
The second game of the tournament featured 12 seeds Clemson and UAB in a game that was never really close. After trailing 4-5 2:18 in, Clemson went on a 13-0 run and didn't lead by less than 8 after that en route to a 70-52 win. It was Clemson's first win in the tourney since 1997. Clemson now faces 5 seed West Virginia in the first game on Thursday. 12v5 is always a tricky match-up. In 19 of the past 21 years at least one 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed. Add to that the fact that Ken Pomeroy's rankings, a notoriously good tournament predictor, has WVU ranked 21 and Clemson 24 and we might be in for an early upset.
Tomorrow night 16 seeds University of Texas-San Antonio and Alabama St. play at 6:30pm with the winner to face overall 1 seed Ohio State on Friday and then at 9pm 11 seeds VCU and USC play to see who will face 6th seed Georgetown. Since we all love to gamble, Pomeroy has UTSA ranked 219 and Alabama St. ranked 295 while he has USC at 44 and VCU 84.
There were also 7 NIT games but no one really cares about the NIT. Watching the NIT is like rooting for your team in the Consolation bracket during fantasy football playoffs. That being said, I will be rooting for Bethune-Cookman to beat Virginia Tech tomorrow night because Tech sucks and it's hilarious that the selection committee keeps leaving them out of the big dance.
In the first game of the night, UNC-Asheville beat Arkansas-Little Rock in OT 81-77. UNCA won despite leading for only 51 seconds in regulation. The game was exciting for their players but the celebrations will be short lived as they now have to take on top seeded Pittsburgh on Thursday. A 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed. I sense they will have the lead for exactly 0 seconds in that one.
The second game of the tournament featured 12 seeds Clemson and UAB in a game that was never really close. After trailing 4-5 2:18 in, Clemson went on a 13-0 run and didn't lead by less than 8 after that en route to a 70-52 win. It was Clemson's first win in the tourney since 1997. Clemson now faces 5 seed West Virginia in the first game on Thursday. 12v5 is always a tricky match-up. In 19 of the past 21 years at least one 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed. Add to that the fact that Ken Pomeroy's rankings, a notoriously good tournament predictor, has WVU ranked 21 and Clemson 24 and we might be in for an early upset.
Tomorrow night 16 seeds University of Texas-San Antonio and Alabama St. play at 6:30pm with the winner to face overall 1 seed Ohio State on Friday and then at 9pm 11 seeds VCU and USC play to see who will face 6th seed Georgetown. Since we all love to gamble, Pomeroy has UTSA ranked 219 and Alabama St. ranked 295 while he has USC at 44 and VCU 84.
There were also 7 NIT games but no one really cares about the NIT. Watching the NIT is like rooting for your team in the Consolation bracket during fantasy football playoffs. That being said, I will be rooting for Bethune-Cookman to beat Virginia Tech tomorrow night because Tech sucks and it's hilarious that the selection committee keeps leaving them out of the big dance.
March Madness Bracket 2011 Edition
I'm going to ignore the fact that there hasn't been a post since December 20th and just get into the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Actually, no I'm not. Blog Dylan decided to stop posting in October even though he had nothing else to do. He even deleted his facebook so he literally had nothing else to do but still was too lazy to post. And it gets really lame updating a blog by yourself. I'm actually hoping this makes Blog Dylan feel bad and he starts posting again. Anywho, the blog is officially
It's everyones favorite time of year. The time of year when office productivity goes to the shitter and people call in sick pretending to have pink eye because they would rather their boss think they have pink eye than skip watching the tourney. Last night the 2011 March Madness bracket was revealed and I am here today to bring you my very early preliminary picks. This bracket is mostly chalk in the late rounds with some upsets in the first few. You can read all the articles you want that tell you things like "the total of all the final 4 teams is always around 10" or "only once (2008) have all four #1 seeds advanced to the final 4" or "Mike Krzyzewski dyes his hair". Well no one says that last thing in bracketology articles but there's no way a 64-year-old man's hair is that black. Maybe he goes to Cartoon Cuts with Barry. Back to bracketology. You can read a million articles that tell you stats like that and you can even use them to fill out your bracket but you still have to decide which of those teams it will be that follow that rule. That's where things get risky.
Right now I have three #1 seeds advancing to the final 4 even though I know the total seed is around 10. I could have picked say Texas (4), Duke (1), Purdue (3) and Pitt (1) to get to around "10" but that's way riskier. What if Ohio St. and Kansas are the only two 1 seeds to get there and the higher seeds come out of the West/Southeast? Then I'm screwed. If I went with all four 1 seeds in that scenario then I would still picked two of them. It's tough to predict what will be the higher seeded teams to advance to the elite 8/final 4 so I like going with chalk to increase my odds.
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*
I'm probably going to change the bracket between now and Thursday so check back to see if maybe I got drunk one night and decided to get a little risqué.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
March Madness Bracket 2010
As promised, here is our bracket:
1st round wins:
1st round wins:
- MIDWEST - Kansas, Northern Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Ohio State
- WEST - Syracuse, Gonzaga, Butler, Murray State, Xavier, Pittsburgh, BYU, Kansas State
- EAST - Kentucky, Texas, Temple, Wisconsin, Washington, New Mexico, Missouri, West Virginia
- SOUTH - Duke, California, Utah State, Purdue, Old Dominion, Baylor, St. Mary's, Villanova
- Kansas, Maryland, Georgetown, Ohio State
- Syracuse, Butler, Xavier, BYU
- Kentucky, Wisconsin, Washington, West Virginia
- Duke, Utah State, Baylor, St. Mary's
- Kansas, Ohio State
- Syracuse, BYU
- Kentucky, West Virginia
- Duke, Baylor
- Kansas
- Syracuse
- West Virginia
- Duke
- Kansas over Duke (84-77)
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