Coaching and Anger Management

More random thoughts on stuff in the sports world:

1. I’m watching Andy Roddick on ESPN2 right now.  I wish I had a 140 mph serve.


2. Congrats to UCLA & LSU for advancing to the Final Four.  I can’t believe how poorly Memphis shot (no 3 pointers until the final minute of the game).  LSU just outworked the Longhorns.


3. Because of LSU’s win, I officially have no one left in the tourney.  I’m not holding out much hope, but I’m pulling for George Mason now.


4. It’s still another month before the NHL playoffs start.  The Carolina Hurricanes (my personal favorite) have the third best record.  I should care, but I’ll probably bypass the playoffs in favor of Yankees games.  Sorry.


5. The thing I like about college basketball is that it wraps up (generally) on MLB’s opening day.  It’s a nice, seamless transition from one to the other.


6. Everyone who yelled at the Astros for filing an insurance claim on Jeff Bagwell can apologize now.  Even he’s now admitting that he may have to retire.  I can’t say I’m a huge Bagwell fan, but I’m certainly more willing to appreciate him since he played for Houston instead of the Red Sux (who drafted him back in ’89.  I’m going to wait before I decide whether he should go into the HOF.


7. Tyrus Thomas from LSU has to be one of the best leapers I’ve seen in the last 15 years.  He reminds me of why coaches started measuring kids vertical jumps.


8. While I’m on LSU, give Garrett Temple credit for shutting down J.J. Redick.


9. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see Duke go down.  Had to love Coach K’s quote after the game:  “We never really adjusted to the physicality of the game.”  For those of you who don’t follow basketball as closely, that was coach-speak for “The refs must have been from the Big 10, because we didn’t get the calls we usually get in the ACC.”


10. So Louis Orr got fired from Seton Hall?  Well, apparently the administration there finally saw what most of us have seen for the last few years:  Seton Hall sucks.


11. I saw a headline on Yahoo stating, “Aldridge won't discuss NBA after loss”.  I was really hoping that David Aldridge lost something and was giving up on the NBA.  I’m always in favor of people who won’t discuss the NBA.  Unfortunately, it was talking about LaMarcus Aldridge of Texas.


12. Kenny Rogers agreed to anger management stemming from his assault on a camera guy last summer.  OK, who didn’t see this one coming?  Has anyone actually measured the success of anger management classes?

Take it easy until next time.

Tourney Thoughts

Thoughts on the tournament so far:

1. With Bradley’s win, that means half of the MVC teams will have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.  Take that, Billy Packer!!  This is why the “power conferences” won’t play the mid-majors.


2. Could Seton Hall suck any more??  I could see an argument for Cincinnati, but I would have put Missouri State in over Seton Hall.


3. Another comparison:  Big 10:  6 teams in, only 1 is still alive, and they (Ohio State) play later today.


4. The Big (L)East needs UConn, Villanova, West Virginia, and Georgetown to all advance to match the MVC ratio.


5. CBS has done a TERRIBLE job on handling games this year.  My main problem is that they’ll switch off of a game for one that is closer.  The problem is they’ve been doing it too early, and already 3 times, I’ve missed comebacks (or near comebacks).  After the run, CBS will switch back to the game.  Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but when they switch off my local game, they haven’t been lifting the blackout on the March Madness stations, so I can’t even switch over to keep up with what’s going on.


6. Speaking of terrible jobs, the committee did a terrible job of seeding teams.  IU a 6?  Syracuse a 5?  Oklahoma a 6?  I wonder if the committee was drug tested after announcing the seedings.  If not, that’s something that should be considered.

In the meantime, go Gonzaga!

Mapping the Madness

Once again, I’m heading into one of my favorite annual sporting events:  the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament.  I’ve been hooked on this for a while now, but many of you may be surprised to know that while I would watch games in high school (and probably had an entry or two in a couple of office pools where Dad worked), it didn’t really become BIG for me until I got to college.  I think I have Xavier to thank for that.

You see, as I prepared my bracket for the 1990 tournament, one of the second round matchups was between Xavier and Georgetown.  This was during the “twin tower” days of Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutumbo.  Just about everyone had Georgetown picked.

I, being a student at a rival MCC school of Xavier (UE), had gotten to see a fair amount of the Musketeers that season, and had a feeling that the combination of Tyrone Hill and Derek Strong would be able to negate Georgetown’s big men.  I was so convinced of this, I tried to convince Dad he needed to pick Xavier.  Dad, of course, thought I was crazy (a feeling that probably continues to this day for a variety of reasons).  However, that didn’t stop me.  I picked X.

I was actually flying back to E-ville on Saturday and missed a number of games, including UNC beating Oklahoma, which surprised the heck out of me that season, but was during a streak of about 16 straight Sweet Sixteen appearances for Dean Smith and the boys from Chapel Hill.  Anyway, I was back in the dorm during the Xavier game and was COMPLETELY pumped up when X pulled off the upset.  In what has become an annual tradition since, I called Dad to brag about how I was right and he would have been if he’d listened to me (it also goes the other way on occasion).

As for my picks this year, I can’t say I have much in the way of upsets.  I’m not real impressed with the seedings done by the committee this year.  Probably my biggest upset is BC beating Villanova in the 3rd round.  And I’m predicting a Gonzaga national championship.  That’s one person’s opinion, anyway.

It's Official: Digger's an Idiot

Digger was on PTI yesterday claiming the MVC would only get three teams in. He still probably thinks Notre Dame deserves a bid.

OK, I want your opinions: Who's dumber: Seth Davis or Digger Phelps??

It's Official: Crews Sucks

Found this juicy nugget on the Army fan board (http://mb4.scout.com/farmyfrm5.showMessage?topicID=261.topic)

Actually, it’s not exact. I’ve updated it and added info regarding wins vs. teams not in Division I.

Jim Crews' record at West Point
5-22 (0-15) 2 wins vs. non D-I teams
6-21 (3-11) 2 wins vs. non D-I teams
3-24 (1-13) 2 wins vs. non D-I teams
5-22 (1-13) 2 wins vs. non D-I teams
====
19-89 in 4 years (winning pct .176)

Pull out the non-Division I games, and he’s a whopping 11-89, a flat 11% winning percentage.

I dare anyone to find a coach with a worse record over the past 4 years.

Thank you, Army, for taking Jimbo away from UE. Of course, we’ll probably drop back to D-II before Army will.

Looks like 5

Even though it will be another week before we know for sure, I’m now convinced the MVC will get 5 teams.  I still think 6 is just too far of a reach.  My guess is that if one team gets squeezed, it will be Creighton that gets left out.  They lost in the first round of the tourney and have the lowest RPI.  SIU saved themselves by winning the whole thing.  Bradley’s run to the final, including a win over regular season winner Wichita State put them over the hump.  NIU’s first round win looks like enough to save them when combined with their early wins over Iowa & LSU.  Wichita State locked up their bid by winning the regular season.

Other personal opinions:  Florida State is in.  Maryland needs to get to the ACC finals to get in.  Seton Hall may have a shot thanks to beating Pitt (the hosers).  UC will probably slip in.  However, my personal opinion is that only 1 of those 2 should get a shot.  Syracuse is done barring a big run in the Big East tourney.  Indiana probably gets in if they can win at least on in the Big 11 tourney thanks to recent wins over MSU & U of M.  Michigan also needs a tourney win.  UAB & Memphis go from C-USA, though UAB could get bounced if they lose first round and someone other than Memphis wins.  Arkansas probably needs one more win.  Colorado should be eliminated just for being Colorado and being unable to run a clean football program (Barnett, Neuheisel, McCartney), though Texas A&M I think is in.  Arizona probably gets in just for being Arizona, though only going 11-7 in a sad Pac-10 is just wrong.

That’ll do it for this one.  If anyone hears of a curling club forming in Charlotte, let me know.