It is just another Manic Monday

Apparently, prognostication is not one of the core competencies at the Yard. We did make some brash predictions about the state of ACC Basketball that have been borne out this weekend. But when you are in 43rd place in your own pool, bragging about your knowledge and understanding of NCAA Basketball is just not that appropriate.

At the same time, some of my hopes and aspirations for the tournament did materialize this past weekend. The Yard boldly predicted that the ACC would only have North Carolina left after Easter and that the Pac-10 would have at least three teams...done. Duke and Clemson did not even make it to Easter Sunday. Miami hung around for a bit with Texas until they folded. Duke is not a Yard Favorite and missing fifteen consecutive three point shots is not easy to do even against West Virginia. But the Dukies did it and as perimeter teams find out in March, the hoop gets smaller. UCLA has not looked pretty but they won their 12th consecutive game. Washington State completely dismantled fan favorite Notre Dame and their Big East player of the year Luke Harangody wining by 20. Stanford survived their head coach, Trent Johnson, melting down and getting himself ejected 3:38 minutes into the biggest game of their season. The Cardinal is still alive and in the Sweet 16. So ACC, your history is on your resume but March Madness is all about “What have you done lately?”

I heard from the Appalachians about how dominant Tyler Hansbrough is playing and how North Carolina is steam rolling everyone in the tournament. UNC did score 100+ in each game this weekend. The Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineer’s beat Sacred Heart to win the Northeast Tournament and then beat Coppin State to earn the right to get bushwhacked by the #1 Team in the tournament on Friday in Raleigh, NC. It was nice that UNC could run up 113 points on a small catholic college from Emmittsburg, MD. It is more surprising that a 19-15 team, seeded 64th in the tournament scored 74 points on the top seeded Tar Heels.

Washington State is playing very well but I do not think they have the athletes to keep up with UNC for 40 minutes. The Cougars play one of the best brands of team basketball in the tournament. Louisville is looming ahead, playing extremely well, and Coach Pitino knows his way around the dance. The Cardinals finally have a healthy David Padgett. He missed some games and the Cardinals missed all 6’11’ 250 lbs of him while he was out. Tyler Hansbumpkin will finally play against a quality player in the paint. Mr. Hansbrough is a low post guy only; he has not hit a three pointer all season. Playing Duke and Clemson is not like the Pac-10 or the Big East. T-Buck, you remember, Roy Hibbert of Georgetown from last year, right? He went to Atlanta while you were on your mother’s davenport last April.

John Calipari, the Yard called you and your Memphis Tigers out on your free throw shooting. With all due respect, USA today may have scooped me on that. Regardless, you were incredulous that people would get so granular as to look at your Memphis Tigers anemic free throw shooting. Ricardo, you got some “splaining to do!”

Coach C did assert that the Tigers make more free throws than their opponents and they did on Sunday afternoon. Mississippi State made 14 out of 20 and you made 15 out of 32. But when you miss 17 free throws in a tournament game and barely eek out a three point win over an eight seed, you get that it is not going to get easier to make free throws and win games next weekend?! Rickie, I do not think there is a lot that you can do about that basketball fundamental this week, but it will cost you game when you do not have a game to spare. Michigan State has one of the best coaches in the field in Tom Izzo. Stanford has one of the worst coaches but they have 7’ twins which always help if your coach is a dunce. And no one wants to play Texas right now. Johnny, you know what forget the free throws, work on the alley oops play, the behind the back dribble and possibly that somber post game interview like the one Coach Krezewski had to give on Saturday.

UCLA has grinded out twelve straight wins. Their perimeter shooting has left the building but they find a way to win each night when all of the games are huge. They marched through adversity and spotty offense to win the Pac-10 title, the Pac-10 Tournament and make it back to the Sweet 16. UCLA has had double digit deficits to overcome in several games including Saturday against the Aggies. I am not happy with those deficits because I do more grinding on my sofa than Ben does on the sidelines. I had to change my shirt at half time during the A&M game. The Bruins are one of the most experienced teams in the tournament. They are the only team left in the tournament that has played in a Final Four in either of the last two years. The Bruins are 11-2 during the Madness of March since 2006. They have a 7-1 record this year against teams still in the tournament. UNC has only played one team still in the dance, Davidson. I guess that speaks to the strength of UCLA’s schedule and the Pac-10 this year. And it speaks to the, "Who has Carolina really played this year?"

And the Bruins play defense every night. UCLA does not give up 74 points to the 64 seed. They gave up 29 points to the 62 seed. They held a nine seed to 49 points. They do not need to score 100+ per game because they always seem to score enough points with whatever type of game it ends up being. They can run and gun or slug it out in the paint. If Darren Collison is not the best point guard in the dance, please tell me who is? There have been some fortuitous calls for the Bruins of late. This time of year, I will take lucky over good. Connecticut was a good team; a lucky team was still playing on Sunday.

Kansas is firing on all cylinders. Their offense is clicking and the defense is always solid. They are probably the most complete team. I have never been a huge Bill Self fan but this may be his team and his year. He had the best team in the nation at Illinois in 2002 and petered out in the Elite Eight. He has been at Kansas for five years and made the Elite Eight twice but the Jayhawks also lost in the first round the other two years. Villanova is playing Philly style ball and Kansas had best be ready. Then comes the Wisconsin Badgers who I still like making it to the Final Four. Kansas probably gets to hang another “Elite Eight Banner” up at Allen Fieldhouse this year.

The opening rounds of March Madness are the greatest moments in sports each year. There were 48 games played in about 80 hours with enough Sports Center highlights for years to come. We enjoyed buzzer beaters, upsets, and melt downs. And now, the fortunate sixteen teams who remain who will play one more weekend before there are but Four still dancing.

Tournament Picks and Musings

As I eagerly anticipate the opening tip-off in March Madness, I was suprised and somewhat impressed with the sexual Hijinks of the governors of New York and New Jersey. Hookers, adultery, threesomes and those were just the stories in the New York Post last week. Wow! I am committed to the greater good but those revelations did divert my attention.

It was the outgoing NY Governor getting whistled for and kicked out for hiring hookers. The newly sworn in replacement NY Governor disclosing that he and his spouse cheated on each other. And not to be out done from across the river, the former NJ Governor declared that he and his wife had threesomes. It was shameless one upmanship. Basketball does not seem as much fun and interesting as Northeastern Politics! I am not sure if I would vote for any of them but I think I want to party with all of them on Elliot Spitzer’s expense account!

Sporting greatness is upon us. On March 20, the journey will begin and on April 7, a true champion will rise above the herd and cut down the nets in San Antonio. I hope it is a Bruin but I am most pleased it will not be a Gator. I have grown to despise Florida these past two years not because they absolutely throttled UCLA the last two Final Fours. No it was really about their band wagon, red neck fans who obsessively perform that irritating Gator Chop nonsense.

In Indy 2006, the Gator faithful were like deer in the head lights and they were humble. It could be that the big city lights of Indianapolis were intimidating for the Gainesville contingent. It could be that U of FLA had never won anything significant since Steve Spurrier was head football coach in the 90’s. It could be that that the Keystone Light ran out on Interstate 65 25 miles outside of town. Regardless, by the time the Final Four rolled into Atlanta in 2007, the Gator fan base had doubled, the arrogance had quadrupled and their unique DNA strains had been halved. They were arrogant, ugly, and ugly. Maybe when your school has never won anything and then you win everything, you just do not know how to behave. Behave as you will, you still return to your Gainesville double wide to enjoy your moment. It is nice to see the Gators in the NIT this year and hopefully next year. Billy D, you should have taken the Orlando Magic job.

The Yard constitution requires full disclosure unless I am running and gunning with Elliot Spitzer. Those nights, I follow his rules. With 64 teams playing all over America, running and jumping, miraculous shots are made, free throws are missed, and ankles can be as twisted as the hopes and dreams of many. It is complex and maddening to foretell the fortunes of 18-21 year old athletes. It is also refreshing, amazing and sometimes brilliant.

My Final Four picks are UCLA, UNC, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin. UCLA is the most experienced team in the tournament going 9-2 in the dance the past two years. If Pittsburgh does not, Texas will beat Memphis in Texas in the regional final. Kansas and Bill Self will come up short like they always do and UNC will win a regional in North Carolina like they always do. Pittsburgh is the hottest team in the tournament at the right time. Georgetown was there last year and when you have a 7’2” 270 four year starter named Roy Hibbert, they have a chance. I hope UCLA and UNC meet in the Final because it will be compelling, exciting and the trash talk will be epic.

My ACC Brethren, I like the trash talk that you posted on my blog. The English language does not always require all of the words to make sense and you prove that daily. I beg of you, learn Windows 3.1 and we can all grow from there. Also remember, you can not access the internet through your Betamax.

My early round upsets hopefuls are Davidson, St. Joe’s and St. Mary’s. It is not a thing about Saints although I might need an exorcism to save my chances if they all go down. I am a Pac-10 Homer at this time especially. Stanford should go deep along with the Trojans. USC has OJ Mayo and their first round game against Michael Beasley and K-State is the most compelling match up in the first round.

I do not like Memphis making the Finals and I do not get Coach John Calipari. He argued in an article in USA Today that his team’s poor free throw shooting means nothing and will have no impact in the tournament. Really, John? The Tigers shot 61% from the stripe for the season. In the last ten years, there has never been an NCAA Champion that shot less than 71% from the free throw line. Yes John, as you stated, you did make more free throws than your opponents and you score more points and that is what the goal is. That is clear from your seasonal stats. But you get that you played in freaking Conference USA?! Of course, you took more free throws, you outclassed all of the teams in that conference. It was all they could do to foul you to in games to either keep up or slow you down. Not a bad strategy when you are such a poor free throw shooting team. Johnny C, you will not be playing Tulsa, East Carolina, and Rice in the NCAA. A game will come down to free throws to win it. Your lads will clutch up while half the nation and their entire extended family are watching. Hitting a free throw to beat Pittsburgh in March is difficult when you do it at a 70% clip. Your 60.1% Tigres will be replaying the 20 missed free throws in the February UTEP game while a trip to the Final Four hangs in the balance.

Good luck, John and stop practicing free throws, you are right, that is nonsense! Enjoy your visit in Texas and I might have an extra seat in San Antonio if you want to see real basketball fundamentals. The Alamo is nice this time of year.

ACC Basketball

Pac-10 Basketball is the best in the nation this year. The season was absolutely amazing. There are great coaches and outstanding teams who are set for a deep run in the NCAA tournament. I have heard scoffs and guffaws from my vocal ACC Basketball Myopians. I have been similarly accused but these East Coasters are biased and unrelenting. I am left little choice but to unleash The Hounds of the Yard.

I could go hard to hole with easy targets like Durham dental work, 2nd Cousins and banjos on the front porch but this is a more sophisticated site. Regardless, listen you eight tooth hillbillies, the west is the best! This is the year and the tide is changing. The Pac-10 plays a better brand of basketball, the great players are staying in the west and we always had better cheer leaders. We also have fall sports. ACC Football is a short discussion and the Duke People want to change the subject to Lacrosse.

Yes my ACC loyalists, football is not in your value proposition. I am not sure SAT scores are either, outside of Duke. It is all about basketball on tobacco road, the Academy school kids are ok and graduation rates are what they are. It is about Michael Jordan, Ralph Sampson, and Juan Dixon. The Duke and North Carolina game was on prime time on Saturday night. North Carolina is ranked #1 and the Atlantic Coast Conference is as substantive as it has been since John Wooden retired in 1975.

The ACC has a solid history and his MJ-ness to call all their own. ACC basketball history may be rich but it is all about the last 29 years when the ESPN history continuum blossomed with the ACC Basketball. It was a seminal moment for both organizations. Since the inception of ESPN in 1979, all sports have more visibility but college basketball has possibly benefited the most. While basketball came of age on television, it was the triumph for the east and gradual glacial slip into mediocrity in the west. This is the factual part as best we do at the Yard with our limited research grants.

And it was great tool for recruiting for the ACC. It was not just great talent leaving the west to play in the east. These kids looked at the Midwest and the south on their way to Charlotte. And the talent in the east never looked west and still does not. The ACC won 8 of their 11 NCAA basketball championships since 1982. UNC won their first real championship in 1982. Jim Valvano's NC State's victory in 1983 over heavily favored Houston is still one of the biggest upsets in tournament history and the most beloved.

Quietly, John Wooden won ten NCAA basketball championships before 1976. None of these games were televised live to the nation on prime time. Doug Gottlieb did not analyze his every move seven times a day. His teams never had to win more than five tournament games and never played outside the west until the Final Four.

He did have to win the Pac-8 for 19 consecutive years to qualify for the tournament. His teams never played Belmont or Iowa Southern in the first round. Every game was a quality team and UCLA won 38 consecutive tournament games. It is amazing to think that for over seven years UCLA never lost a game in a “lose and go home” format. Did you see the Minnesota-Indiana game last night. Shitake happens to the best teams at the wrong time. The Wooden coached Bruins beat them all for seven years. JR, God Speed on your recovery!

UCLA’s greatness probably hurt the rest of the Pac-10 for a generation. The 1971-72 USC team had a 24-2 team that included NBA All-stars Gus Williams and Paul Westphal among others. The only games that they lost were to UCLA and were ranked as high as #2. They did not get into the dance that year. Quality athletes left for the east gradually and then monumentally. Dean Smith, Roy Williams and Mike Krezewski recruited in Los Angeles because they could. The kids did not always come but they did not stay in LA and the ACC did very well.

ACC nut, you can not argue the greatness of Wooden and I can not argue the ACC greatness of the last 25 years. But we are not living with Nehru Jackets or cars on cinder blocks either. So, let me break it down the best I can with my two interns, my lap top and the limited objectivity I can muster.

The Pacific Ten has probably six teams in the dance: UCLA, Stanford, USC, WSU, Oregon, and ASU or Washington. In the Pac-10, every team plays every other team both at home and on the road. No team can hide and even woeful Oregon State plays hard every night. The teams play every Thursday and Saturday. Teams travel to Spokane and then need to be in Seattle 48 hours later; The teams fly to Tucson and then bus to Phoenix a day later.

The ACC teams play on Wednesday and Saturday. All of the teams do not play the same schedule. Most of the real games are played within a short commute and their fans travel. Jack Daniels, chaw, and the Family Cruiser, can you spell road trip? Well, maybe not but grab the 12 pack and the bologna. These are rugged, road tested fans who support their teams rabidly and there is maybe a 10% chance that some ACC fans actually are rabid. Another cheap shot but if you ever get bit by a Tar Heel, are you telling me that you are not getting the shots?! I think not.

Last Saturday night, Duke vs. UNC got national attention and it was a great game. Those teams are quality but the bottom half of the ACC is not even going to make the NIT tournament. The Pac-10 is tough every week. The 9th place team in the Pac-10 is Cal. They have beaten Nevada, Southern Miss and USC. Ryan Anderson and Pat Christopher will play in the NBA. That is the 9th place team! They could win a tournament game given the chance.

After Easter Weekend, UCLA, Stanford and USC will still be playing and possibly WSU. The ACC will have Duke and North Carolina slugging it out in Charlotte. One of them will be the first ACC representative in the Final Four in two years. Neither will win.

The Tar Heels are limited offensively. If Tyler Hansbrough can not find his game and Ty Law is shut down, it is double over time and hand wringing. Hansbrough is a nice player but he has as much upside as Cherokee Parks or Eric Montross. He was on the 3/10/08 SI cover, done! I like Roy Williams and he is a good coach. He whines too much. Ty Law would be Conference Honorable mention in the Pac-10.

Duke is a perimeter team whom I detest but not because they are a perimeter team. No it is because they are Duke. UNC knuckleheads, you get that, right? They have few low post options and there will be major Blue Devil basketball tears by March 30. The white kids always seem to be the crybaby’s and Duke has more than some. And I would challenge you to find a mouth smaller than Coach K-eye exam’s? Next time you see him on ESPN, zero in on that pie hole, you will never look away and try to find his lips. That is so very shallow but basketball is not that deep. The three’s will not be falling and the Blue Devils will not be in Texas.

Clemson is the sleeper and they could be the only ACC team still playing after Easter. They played Duke and UNC tough all season and they have nothing to lose. They are not going to be playing in the east so it could be a tough road for the Tigers. I like the Orange Paw.

Kevin Love, Brook Lopez, O.J. Mayo, James Harden, and Ryan Anderson are First Team All Pac-10. Every one of them would be First Team All-ACC except Ryan Anderson. Tyler Hansbrough would eek him out and would also be first team all nose bleed. Jerryd Bayless of U of A would be second team with UCLA’s Darren Collison. UNC’s Ty Law would be the first ACC guard coming off the bench in this reality league.

I think the Big East may be better than either conference. I like Georgetown and Louisville. But the Pac-10 is locked and loaded. ACC fan, while mining the change in the sofa to pay the cable bill, avoid the wet spot and make sure the batteries in the remote are fresh. Then park your butt, you have games in April to watch that your teams will not be playing.

The Onset of Madness

The Greatest Sports phenomenon in America will commence in fifteen days. The NCAA Basketball tournament is arguably the most compelling sporting event each year in this nation. From Tucson, AZ to East Lansing, MI to Spokane, WA and Syracuse, NY and Lexington, KY and Lawrence, KS and all over the country. These cities and towns each rally behind their basketball teams without pretense or expectation. The NCAA Basketball Tournament is their Championship Tournament. There are no salary caps, free agents or demands for a new facility. It is un-jaded passion and hope everlasting from the heartland. It is an Arlo Guthrie song in tennis shoes!

During ten days in March and an amazing weekend in April, 64 games will be played by 65 College Basketball teams. Each game will be televised on radio and television into every hamlet of America. There will be over 700,000 people who will attend these games rooting for the Wild Cats, The Cardinal, the Great Danes or the Salukis. CBS owns the rights but they subcontract out coverage to TNT, TBS, and ESPN1-8. There will be millions of others who will root from their living rooms, local bars, or both.

Heroes will emerge and potential champions will be vanquished. There will be a 3.8 second moment of basketball brilliance that will decide a game, define a moment and be immorialized on ESPN three times a year for the next 23 years. Christian Laettner snagging a 68 foot pass from Grant Hill and draining a 15 foot jumper with 2.1 seconds in 1992 has played twice today, somewhere. Tyus Edney going end line to winning basket in 4.8 seconds in 1995 to save UCLA as the Bruins go on to win their 11^th National Title, is an immortal moment.

With the scope and grandeur of this epic event, some of you may be wondering, “How do I catch this fever?” For the most devout, you know the drill. For the more casual fan, who wants to take it to the next level for 2.5 weeks and then back it down gradually in the aftermath, let me share some easy steps to immerse yourself manageably:

Conduct an inventory on your work and your personal life. You will need to cut back in both areas with discretion. It is only 19 days, your work should be forgiving and your children will need to familiarize themselves with public transportation. You need a stout broadband connection and a 3/17/08 copy of USA Today. This is important stuff but don’t get fired, divorced or have Family Services visit your home unannounced during your quest.

Once you have cleared all of those nagging responsibilities, enroll yourself in a basketball pool. Do not despair if you do not know that much about College Basketball. The participants in most pools do not either. The upside is that you can pick whoever you want and root for them with unbridled passion. You will watch channels on your HD package that you did not know that you even had. You can post internet trash talk until someone figures out that your Final Four teams already got lanced. Then you can disappear until 2009. It is no different than being on Oprah’s book list without the money. Go to Yahoo, go to ESPN, e-mail me but get involved. I only ask, would you rather watch ESPN IV to see who won the Wisconsin-Detroit Mercy game, or CNN to find out who won the Ohio Primary?

Http:// Madness in March//Menu/Help

Do not pick a #16 Seed to win unless…no there is no “unless”, do not do it. No #16 Pick has never won a game. If you put $5 on the Dolphins to win the 2008 Super Bowl, go for it.

Historically, #15 Seeds are 4-80 in the tournament and #14 Seeds are 14-70. Even if one of those teams wins Game One, they never, ever win Game Dos. Pick your upsets with the #10-12 Seeds.

The Pac-10 has two of the best teams in the country in UCLA and Stanford. The Cardinal will play the Bruins on Thursday night and maybe again in the Pac-10 tournament. UCLA has played well but Stanford is playing some of the best basketball in the conference at..NOW!

The Big East looks very solid with Georgetown, Louisville and Connecticut all playing very well and West Virginia is a sleeper. The Big East Tournament will be outstanding, watch it. The ACC has the highest RPI rating of any conference. Duke and North Carolina are as advertised but beyond them, no other ACC teams will be playing after Easter. Kansas and Texas will battle for a #1 seed from the Big 12. Michigan State is playing very well and the Big 10 always does well in the tournament. The rest you need to figure out on your own.

You do not need to review game film unless you can. If you do the deep dive, defense and low post play are more important in the tournament. Teams that play the perimeter struggle in April. The rims get smaller with each successive weekend. If the shots are not falling, good defense will always keep you close until one does. It is a “been there, done that” time of the year with more anxiety and less Gatorade. Coaching will be most important every weekend in March. Talent will win the championship on the first Monday of April.

A Champion will be decided not by a vote by the USA Today Coaches or the AP Sportswriters. The Champion will win six games in front of the nation, their families and our neighborhoods. Their exploits will be immortalized in our hearts and on sweat shirts at the campus book store.