(1) Florida -10.5 vs. (5) Butler (O/U: 125)
Joakim Noah and the Gators roll into the Sweet 16, coming off a tougher-than-expected victory over Purdue. Butler got here a little more easily than expected, steam-rolling Old Dominion and then shutting down Maryland.
Butler's offense is highly predicated on its star guard, A.J. Graves. The small town boy from Switz City, Indiana is enjoying his 15 minutes right now, and will have to come up huge for the Bulldogs to have any chance against Florida. Even though the Gators have been showing a propensity lately to play down to their opponents, Butler is still going to need big games from Graves and his back-court mate Mike Green on the offensive end. They can't expect to keep the pressure on Florida on the defensive end the way SIU did against Kansas. There will be stretches where the Bulldogs have to just match Florida basket-for-basket to keep themselves afloat in this one.
As for Florida, it's no secret these guys are probably the best collection of talent and experience in the field this year. Billy Donovan probably remembers the last time the Gators met with the Bulldogs, it was the 1st Round of the 2000 tournament, and Florida needed a Mike Miller runner at the buzzer in overtime to bail them out of the 12-vs.-5 upset. The Gators went all the way to the Final 4 that year, only the second trip in school history. Butler, meanwhile, propelled themselves to become one of the leading mid-major programs in the country. And so they meet again, this time Butler is the 5 seed, Florida a 1 seed, likely on their way back to the Final 4 with the victory here and another historic quest for the school's program.
Battle of the Mascots: Come on, now.
Battle of the Famous Alumni: Butler has a legendary author (Kurt Vonnegut), a legendary porn star (Hyapatia Lee) and a legendary cult leader (Jim Jones). Florida has Faye Dunaway, Emmitt Smith and Bob Vila. And, oh yeah, Jesse "The Bachelor" Palmer and Rex "Sex Cannon" Grossman. Also, Erin Andrews was a member of the dance team... but Jesse Palmer probably soiled her in college, so f that. Edge: Butler
The play to make: This is a tough one, because Butler doesn't have the defensive prowess that allowed SIU to hang with Kansas. The Bulldogs do typically play in low scoring games, but that's more of a credit to their ability to set a slow tempo with their offense, though their pressure defense is nothing to sneeze at. Florida had a tough time with a Purdue team that plays a similar style, but you get the feeling the Gators can pick their final score in this one. Still, 10.5 is a lot of points to ask for in what could be a very low scoring game. Play: Butler +10.5 (low confidence); Over 125 (low confidence)
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Sweet 16 Preview Bonanza: Ohio State vs. Tennessee
(1) Ohio State -4.5 vs. (5) Tennessee (O/U: 144.5)
After escaping against Xavier in Round 2, things don't get easier for TOBTTR (The only Big-10 team remaining). The Buckeyes face Tennessee in the 2nd Round and the Vols are hot. Tennessee has won 9 of its last 11 games, including big wins over Florida, Arkansas and Kentucky; and a tough 2nd-round victory over Virginia. Of course, Ohio State is hotter, winners of 19 straight, a winning streak that started on January 13th with a victory over, who else, the Tennessee Volunteers.
TOSU needed a big game from their guards to bail them out against Xavier and they got it, as Mike Conley took over down the stretch and in overtime to lead them to victory. But the game might have exposed Ohio State's greatest weakness, that Greg Oden can be somewhat neutralized if you open up the offense, spread the floor and run up-and-down the court.
This could play right into Tennessee's hands. The Vols love to play in transition, getting open 3 pointers and cuts to the basket. Look for them to utilize a lot of dribble penetration when they're forced into a half-court set to try and lure Greg Oden into foul trouble. Wayne Chism had a great game against Virginia, but won't be able to hold his own against Oden. However, Tennessee can attempt to draw Oden away from the rim by getting the ball to Chism early for a couple of his patented short jumpers.
Ohio State usually can adapt to their opponents and beat them at any pace. They might pull out a match-up zone in this one to try to cut off Tennessee's penetration lanes and keep Oden out of foul trouble. This is a very young Buckeyes team, and now that we've reached the big stage, they'll need solid coaching to keep them going. Can Thad Matta provide that? It's debatable.
Battle of the Mascots: This has to be the wussiest mascot battle of the 3rd Round. A droopy-eared hound vs. a giant fuckin' buckeye. I guess the dog would eat the buckeye and that would be that, huh? Edge: Tennessee
Battle of the Famous Alumni: Tennessee has its fair share of famous athletes (Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Justin Gatlin, Todd Helton). Also famous country singer Deanna Carter. Ohio State also has a laundry list of great athletes (Jerry Lucas, Jesse Owens, Cris Carter and Jack Nicklaus). And famous country singer Dwight Yoakam. So who would win in a fight, Deanna Carter or Dwight Yoakam? Your answer to that probably says a lot about you as a person. Edge: Ohio State
The play to make: It's hard to imagine Ohio State going down this early in the tournament, but they have had the closest call of any 1 seed thus far. The truth is, Tennessee is a dangerous match-up for the Buckeyes, this Vols team outgun Ohio State and Chris Lofton is playing like a man on a mission right now. If you're going to play Tennessee, definitely consider their money line as well. Play: Tennessee +4.5 (high confidence); Under 144.5 (low confidence)
After escaping against Xavier in Round 2, things don't get easier for TOBTTR (The only Big-10 team remaining). The Buckeyes face Tennessee in the 2nd Round and the Vols are hot. Tennessee has won 9 of its last 11 games, including big wins over Florida, Arkansas and Kentucky; and a tough 2nd-round victory over Virginia. Of course, Ohio State is hotter, winners of 19 straight, a winning streak that started on January 13th with a victory over, who else, the Tennessee Volunteers.
TOSU needed a big game from their guards to bail them out against Xavier and they got it, as Mike Conley took over down the stretch and in overtime to lead them to victory. But the game might have exposed Ohio State's greatest weakness, that Greg Oden can be somewhat neutralized if you open up the offense, spread the floor and run up-and-down the court.
This could play right into Tennessee's hands. The Vols love to play in transition, getting open 3 pointers and cuts to the basket. Look for them to utilize a lot of dribble penetration when they're forced into a half-court set to try and lure Greg Oden into foul trouble. Wayne Chism had a great game against Virginia, but won't be able to hold his own against Oden. However, Tennessee can attempt to draw Oden away from the rim by getting the ball to Chism early for a couple of his patented short jumpers.
Ohio State usually can adapt to their opponents and beat them at any pace. They might pull out a match-up zone in this one to try to cut off Tennessee's penetration lanes and keep Oden out of foul trouble. This is a very young Buckeyes team, and now that we've reached the big stage, they'll need solid coaching to keep them going. Can Thad Matta provide that? It's debatable.
Battle of the Mascots: This has to be the wussiest mascot battle of the 3rd Round. A droopy-eared hound vs. a giant fuckin' buckeye. I guess the dog would eat the buckeye and that would be that, huh? Edge: Tennessee
Battle of the Famous Alumni: Tennessee has its fair share of famous athletes (Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Justin Gatlin, Todd Helton). Also famous country singer Deanna Carter. Ohio State also has a laundry list of great athletes (Jerry Lucas, Jesse Owens, Cris Carter and Jack Nicklaus). And famous country singer Dwight Yoakam. So who would win in a fight, Deanna Carter or Dwight Yoakam? Your answer to that probably says a lot about you as a person. Edge: Ohio State
The play to make: It's hard to imagine Ohio State going down this early in the tournament, but they have had the closest call of any 1 seed thus far. The truth is, Tennessee is a dangerous match-up for the Buckeyes, this Vols team outgun Ohio State and Chris Lofton is playing like a man on a mission right now. If you're going to play Tennessee, definitely consider their money line as well. Play: Tennessee +4.5 (high confidence); Under 144.5 (low confidence)
Sweet 16 Preview Bonanza: UCLA vs. Pittsburgh
(2) UCLA -3 vs. (3) Pittsburgh (O/U: 123)
Rarely do you get to see a college basketball game where one team is so much stronger than the other on the perimeter, while one is so much stronger than the other on the interior. Such is UCLA vs. Pitt, a game which could end up as a serious battle of attrition.
Pittsburgh is not the hard-nosed defensive team we typically think of when we think of the Panthers. This team can play tough on defense, but they can also score in bunches. They wore down an undersized VCU team early with some terrific post play from Levon Kirkland and Aaron Gray. But late in the game, the Pittsburgh guards wore down and VCU took advantage before Ronald Ramon surprisingly took the game over in overtime.
UCLA has struggled at times this year against teams with tough interior presences. This was on display in the regular season during losses to Stanford, Washington and West Virginia. But Pittsburgh also struggled mightily against teams with quick and deep back-courts, such as Louisville, Georgetown and Marquette.
So which side gives? Aaron Afflalo struggled for most of the game against Indiana, but came up huge in the clutch when the Bruins needed him. He and Darren Collison are arguably the best guard duo left in the tournament.
Battle of the Mascots: UCLA's Joe Bruin can sometimes look pretty tame, and can sometimes look pretty ferocious. Pitt's Panther looks like the sneaky type, but we can't forgive for having this perfect opportunity to viciously maul Mike Greenberg and not taking advantage of it. Plus, looking back at that first picture, you'd imagine Joe Bruin just shows his tame side to roll in the bitches. Edge: UCLA
Battle of Famous Alumni: UCLA has a pretty substantial list here, including Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, Jack Black, Tim Robbins, the chick who played Winnie on the Wonder Years, a Hall-of-Famer in almost any sport you can imagine (Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Troy Aikman, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Rafer Johnson to name a few) and of course everyone's favorite drop-out, Jim Morrison. Pittsburgh has a pretty extensive list of football players and coaches (Dan Marino, Jimmy Johnson, Curtis Martin, Mike Ditka). But they also have Orrin Hatch. Fuck him. Edge: UCLA
The play to make: UCLA is the better team here, they play better defense, they're the better coached team, they're the more explosive offensive team, they're the better perimeter team, they're the more experienced team, they have the location advantage playing in California and most people expect them to win. And they're laying only 3 points. In other words, buyer beware all around. Play: UCLA -3 (low confidence); Over 123 (low confidence)
Rarely do you get to see a college basketball game where one team is so much stronger than the other on the perimeter, while one is so much stronger than the other on the interior. Such is UCLA vs. Pitt, a game which could end up as a serious battle of attrition.
Pittsburgh is not the hard-nosed defensive team we typically think of when we think of the Panthers. This team can play tough on defense, but they can also score in bunches. They wore down an undersized VCU team early with some terrific post play from Levon Kirkland and Aaron Gray. But late in the game, the Pittsburgh guards wore down and VCU took advantage before Ronald Ramon surprisingly took the game over in overtime.
UCLA has struggled at times this year against teams with tough interior presences. This was on display in the regular season during losses to Stanford, Washington and West Virginia. But Pittsburgh also struggled mightily against teams with quick and deep back-courts, such as Louisville, Georgetown and Marquette.
So which side gives? Aaron Afflalo struggled for most of the game against Indiana, but came up huge in the clutch when the Bruins needed him. He and Darren Collison are arguably the best guard duo left in the tournament.
Battle of the Mascots: UCLA's Joe Bruin can sometimes look pretty tame, and can sometimes look pretty ferocious. Pitt's Panther looks like the sneaky type, but we can't forgive for having this perfect opportunity to viciously maul Mike Greenberg and not taking advantage of it. Plus, looking back at that first picture, you'd imagine Joe Bruin just shows his tame side to roll in the bitches. Edge: UCLA
Battle of Famous Alumni: UCLA has a pretty substantial list here, including Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, Jack Black, Tim Robbins, the chick who played Winnie on the Wonder Years, a Hall-of-Famer in almost any sport you can imagine (Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Troy Aikman, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Rafer Johnson to name a few) and of course everyone's favorite drop-out, Jim Morrison. Pittsburgh has a pretty extensive list of football players and coaches (Dan Marino, Jimmy Johnson, Curtis Martin, Mike Ditka). But they also have Orrin Hatch. Fuck him. Edge: UCLA
The play to make: UCLA is the better team here, they play better defense, they're the better coached team, they're the more explosive offensive team, they're the better perimeter team, they're the more experienced team, they have the location advantage playing in California and most people expect them to win. And they're laying only 3 points. In other words, buyer beware all around. Play: UCLA -3 (low confidence); Over 123 (low confidence)
Sweet 16 Preview Bonanza: Memphis vs. Texas A&M
(2) Memphis +3 vs. (3) Texas A&M (O/U: 134.5)
The Memphis Tigers had quite a season under the radar in '06/'07. They went undefeated and untied through the weak Conference USA. They haven't lost since 2006, taking home a victory in their last 24 games in a row by an average of 19 points per game victory margin. The problem is, only 5 of their 33 regular season battles were waged against an honest-to-god tournament team (wins against Kentucky and Gonzaga, losses to Georgia Tech, Arizona and Tennessee).
A lot of pundits (yours truly included) expected the Tigers to flame out early in this tournament, but they're still standing in the 3rd Round, which is a testament to their tough defense and their unmatched athleticism. One the downside, this is a young team prone to inexperienced mistakes down the stretch and absolutely abysmal free throw shooting (62% in regular season).
The intrigue of this game might be Memphis' PG situation. They start freshman Willie Kemp because they like his speed and his outside shooting. But he typically steps out of the game late anyway, because he's maybe the worst FT shooting PG in NCAA history. Andre Allen is only 5-11, but he's an incredible man-to-man defender and may be getting more playing time in this game to try and neutralize Acie Law. Unfortunately, Allen is less of an offensive threat and almost just as god-awful as a FT shooter.
Memphis has some strength inside, but a lack of size, but the Aggies probably won't take advantage of that. This Memphis is very similar to the Louisville team that A&M defeated in Round 2. They did it by getting the Cardinals' big men in foul trouble early and then letting their guards wear down the help defense with dribble penetration. Expect more of the same here from Law and Dominique Kirk. It'll be interesting to see if A&M gets their center, Antanas Kavaliaskus more involved, he was a virtual no-show vs. Louisville.
Battle of the Mascots: So, what is an aggie? It's a type of marble, you know those little things kids played with like 50 years ago? We could see some type of scenario where the marbles are spread out across the ground and the tiger comically stumbles over them. But in the end, he's still a tiger. Edge: Memphis
Battle of Famous Alumni: A&M's list includes Lyle Lovett, Rip Torn, Chuck Knoblauch and a whole bunch of Miss USA, Miss Texas USA and Miss Teen USA winners. Memphis doesn't have much, but they do have Isaac Bruce, Penny Hardaway and the legendary Wink Martindale. Edge: A&M
What's the play to make: It's no surprise the public is willing to lay some points with the lower seed in this situation. Memphis has long been considered the most overrated of all the top seeds (even though they made it longer than Wisconsin), and A&M was a sleeper Final 4 pick for a lot of people. The fact is, Memphis matches up pretty well with Texas A&M, so this should be a close game. Rule of thumb is take the points in that situation, but it's also hard to pick against the Aggies. They seem like a team on a mission right now and they know if they can get past the Tigers, they match up incredibly well against Ohio State (or Tennessee if needed). I'm not expecting a lot of points in this game at all, look for something in the 65-62 final score range. Play: Texas A&M -3 (low confidence); Under 134.5 (medium confidence)
The Memphis Tigers had quite a season under the radar in '06/'07. They went undefeated and untied through the weak Conference USA. They haven't lost since 2006, taking home a victory in their last 24 games in a row by an average of 19 points per game victory margin. The problem is, only 5 of their 33 regular season battles were waged against an honest-to-god tournament team (wins against Kentucky and Gonzaga, losses to Georgia Tech, Arizona and Tennessee).
A lot of pundits (yours truly included) expected the Tigers to flame out early in this tournament, but they're still standing in the 3rd Round, which is a testament to their tough defense and their unmatched athleticism. One the downside, this is a young team prone to inexperienced mistakes down the stretch and absolutely abysmal free throw shooting (62% in regular season).
The intrigue of this game might be Memphis' PG situation. They start freshman Willie Kemp because they like his speed and his outside shooting. But he typically steps out of the game late anyway, because he's maybe the worst FT shooting PG in NCAA history. Andre Allen is only 5-11, but he's an incredible man-to-man defender and may be getting more playing time in this game to try and neutralize Acie Law. Unfortunately, Allen is less of an offensive threat and almost just as god-awful as a FT shooter.
Memphis has some strength inside, but a lack of size, but the Aggies probably won't take advantage of that. This Memphis is very similar to the Louisville team that A&M defeated in Round 2. They did it by getting the Cardinals' big men in foul trouble early and then letting their guards wear down the help defense with dribble penetration. Expect more of the same here from Law and Dominique Kirk. It'll be interesting to see if A&M gets their center, Antanas Kavaliaskus more involved, he was a virtual no-show vs. Louisville.
Battle of the Mascots: So, what is an aggie? It's a type of marble, you know those little things kids played with like 50 years ago? We could see some type of scenario where the marbles are spread out across the ground and the tiger comically stumbles over them. But in the end, he's still a tiger. Edge: Memphis
Battle of Famous Alumni: A&M's list includes Lyle Lovett, Rip Torn, Chuck Knoblauch and a whole bunch of Miss USA, Miss Texas USA and Miss Teen USA winners. Memphis doesn't have much, but they do have Isaac Bruce, Penny Hardaway and the legendary Wink Martindale. Edge: A&M
What's the play to make: It's no surprise the public is willing to lay some points with the lower seed in this situation. Memphis has long been considered the most overrated of all the top seeds (even though they made it longer than Wisconsin), and A&M was a sleeper Final 4 pick for a lot of people. The fact is, Memphis matches up pretty well with Texas A&M, so this should be a close game. Rule of thumb is take the points in that situation, but it's also hard to pick against the Aggies. They seem like a team on a mission right now and they know if they can get past the Tigers, they match up incredibly well against Ohio State (or Tennessee if needed). I'm not expecting a lot of points in this game at all, look for something in the 65-62 final score range. Play: Texas A&M -3 (low confidence); Under 134.5 (medium confidence)
Greg Oden's "Unintentional Foul"
The only coverage I've heard of Ohio State's comeback win over Xavier in round 2 of the NCAA tournament was that Greg Oden's foul near the end of regulation should have been called intentional and sealed the game for Xavier. This idea is absurd.First of all no one seems to mention how Oden was fouled while trying to make that rebound. Apparently holding a player's arms back while the ball is up for grabs is ok now. However, the referees did their jobs and swallowed their whistles at the end of the game in order to let the plaers decide the outcome. Exactly what they should have done.
However, the most disturbing thing about the media's reaction to the play is their hypocrisy. Typically, the general consensus is that the players should decide the end of games, not the officials. Well isn't that exactly what happened? Oden had to foul Cage in order for the clock to stop and to bank their entire season on a missed free throw and a clutch three pointer to tie. He bumps into the guy to ensure a foul, Cage leaps out of bounds and that should be the deciding play of the game? If the ref calls and intentional foul and claims Xavier the winner after that play we never would have seen Cage miss the 2nd free throw and never would have seen Ron Lewis' incredible 3 pointer to tie the game and send it overtime where it was decided exactly where it should have been, by the players on the court. Whether or not a foul should be deemed intentional is a judgement call. In this particular instance, that's like eliminating the score of a game and having a judge decide at the end who won.
Why are sports analysts calling for this? Is it because they need something to fill all of the time they've alloted for Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption and Sportscenter; 2 straight hours of people taking about the exact same stories? I understand it must be hard to pick sports stories to talk about in order to fill a day, but it seems like stories are being created rather than reported. Ohio State-Xavier was a phenomenal game. Xavier played an incredible game and almost had the Buckeyes dead and buried. Ohio State's ensuing comeback and clutch shooting made for one of, if not the best game of the 1st 2 rounds. Why not talk about the game rather than an appropriate "non-call"? If refs are deciding the outcomes of games, fans will lose interest quick. Then what will all these talking-heads do for a living? Be careful what you wish for.
Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus Embrace Gambling
The European Union is demanding that Finland, Hungary and Denmark lift laws against sports gambling in their country.What is the European Union? It's a bunch of European countries who feel like their power in the world is slipping, what with all the colonies growing up on their own now and all, so they've consolidated into one union that makes Europe as a whole feel like it matters at all in a world now dominated by the United States, China and crazy people with oil.
There's 27 nations in the European Union. Those countries include France, Great Britain and Germany, but they also include such mainstays and world power players as Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus.
This was their reasoning behind putting the screws to Finland, Hungary and Denmark:
"The countries could not claim they were trying to protect consumers from gambling if, at the same time, they incite and encourage people to use state lotteries and other gambling operators that pay the proceeds to the government."
So, great. The United States is now officially dumber than Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus.
For anyone who doesn't know, our illustrious U.S. Congress last year passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which set in place a set of laws intended to curb online sports gambling in this country (as well as poker playing). Essentially, in an effort to increase "family values" and further protect us from ourselves, it's no longer o.k. for consenting adults to place wagers on sporting events, but it's still perfectly o.k. in participate in government-sponsored gambling such as the lottery.
The only politician who has had any balls at all is Barney Frank, who is trying to put together a bill that will appeal the decision. So if Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus and the gay, Jewish congressmen get it, why doesn't everybody else?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sweet 16 Preview Bonanza: Kansas vs. Southern Illinois
(1) Kansas -8.5 vs. (4) Southern Illinois (O/U: 125.5)
It's put up or shut up time for the young Jayhawks. After rolling past Niagara and Kentucky, Kansas faces their toughest test of the tournament in Southern Illinois (arguably their toughest test since losing to Texas A&M on February 3rd). The Jayhawks now own a 13-game winning streak, the 3rd longest in the country behind Ohio State (19) and Memphis (24).
These are two surprisingly similar teams. Both like to dictate pace with tight man-to-man defense and quality rebounding. Both have solid dribble penetration and outside shooting, but their offense can go cold if the jumpers aren't falling.
A few things have to go right for the Salukis to win this thing. They have to neutralize Kansas' transition offense and force them into jump shots in the half-court offense. Randal Falker has to play above his size (as he usually does) and match up with Julian Wright. Matt Shaw has to stretch the defense and keep Sasha Kaun away from the boards. And Jamal Tatum has to shoot lights-out while expending energy on the defensive end.
Battle of the Mascots: Jayhawks have the ability to fly but otherwise they seem like pacifists. Salukis are dopey looking dogs, but they are hunting dogs and they hunt by sight, so the unsightly blue bird shouldn't be difficult to track down. Edge: SIU
Battle of Famous Alumni: Bob Dole, Kirstie Alley, Paul Rudd and Wilt Chamberlain for Kansas. For Southern Illinois, it's Jim Belushi, Walt Frazier, Jenny McCarthy and the guy who played Shaft. But remember... Jim is the lame Belushi. Edge: Kansas
What's the play to make: This is a tough one to call. Normally, you shouldn't be backing an underdog unless you think they have a chance to win the game. It's been a rough tournament for underdogs... after covering in a remarkably low 7 out of 32 1st Round games, underdogs had a good run on Saturday, going 6-2 ATS, only to falter again on Sunday, going 3-5 ATS. So overall, underdogs are only 16-32 ATS so far this tournament (8-40 straight up). This is far-and-away the toughest team Southern Illinois has played this year, even though SIU is arguably the toughest defensive team Kansas has faced all year. The natural inclination in this game is to take the points, expecting a tough defensive battle. Even though I don't expect SIU to win, it's hard to argue against that play. The total seems like it's set low, and the public is biting, so the Under is a decent play. Play: Southern Illinois +8.5 (low confidence); Under 125.5 (medium confidence)
It's put up or shut up time for the young Jayhawks. After rolling past Niagara and Kentucky, Kansas faces their toughest test of the tournament in Southern Illinois (arguably their toughest test since losing to Texas A&M on February 3rd). The Jayhawks now own a 13-game winning streak, the 3rd longest in the country behind Ohio State (19) and Memphis (24).
These are two surprisingly similar teams. Both like to dictate pace with tight man-to-man defense and quality rebounding. Both have solid dribble penetration and outside shooting, but their offense can go cold if the jumpers aren't falling.
A few things have to go right for the Salukis to win this thing. They have to neutralize Kansas' transition offense and force them into jump shots in the half-court offense. Randal Falker has to play above his size (as he usually does) and match up with Julian Wright. Matt Shaw has to stretch the defense and keep Sasha Kaun away from the boards. And Jamal Tatum has to shoot lights-out while expending energy on the defensive end.
Battle of the Mascots: Jayhawks have the ability to fly but otherwise they seem like pacifists. Salukis are dopey looking dogs, but they are hunting dogs and they hunt by sight, so the unsightly blue bird shouldn't be difficult to track down. Edge: SIU
Battle of Famous Alumni: Bob Dole, Kirstie Alley, Paul Rudd and Wilt Chamberlain for Kansas. For Southern Illinois, it's Jim Belushi, Walt Frazier, Jenny McCarthy and the guy who played Shaft. But remember... Jim is the lame Belushi. Edge: Kansas
What's the play to make: This is a tough one to call. Normally, you shouldn't be backing an underdog unless you think they have a chance to win the game. It's been a rough tournament for underdogs... after covering in a remarkably low 7 out of 32 1st Round games, underdogs had a good run on Saturday, going 6-2 ATS, only to falter again on Sunday, going 3-5 ATS. So overall, underdogs are only 16-32 ATS so far this tournament (8-40 straight up). This is far-and-away the toughest team Southern Illinois has played this year, even though SIU is arguably the toughest defensive team Kansas has faced all year. The natural inclination in this game is to take the points, expecting a tough defensive battle. Even though I don't expect SIU to win, it's hard to argue against that play. The total seems like it's set low, and the public is biting, so the Under is a decent play. Play: Southern Illinois +8.5 (low confidence); Under 125.5 (medium confidence)
Gus Johnson and James Brown
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CBS is replacing Gus Johnson with James Brown as an announcer for the remainder of the NCAA tournament. This is troubling.First of all, Gus Johnson's "full time" job is radio announcer for the Knicks, so the guy's life is difficult enough as is, why do we have to send him back to it so soon?
But more importantly, Gus Johnson is tits. Gus Johnson makes any NCAA tournament game about 325% more exciting than it already was. Allow me to be the 3,000th person in the last week to joke about how sweet it would be if Gus Johnson announced your daily life at work:
"He takes a sip of coffee.... from his thermossssss... and the dream is alive! The data has been analyzed! The mouse pad still fits! Woooowwwwwww!"
I don't necessarily hate James Brown. I don't like him either. That's the problem with James Brown. He's like the color gray or Snapple lemon iced tea or the third Lethal Weapon movie. It's hard to really have an opinion on him, he's just sort of there.
Even his name is dull. James Brown the late funk legend? Oh, sorry, you mean James Brown the guy who pretends to laugh at Boomer Esiason's jokes and once hosted America's Funniest Home Videos.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Joey Porter Fight Club
So, Joey Porter beat the crap out of Levi Jones at a blackjack table at the Palms.Two lingering questions:
1) Levi Jones plays for the Bengals. You're telling me when the cops showed up, they didn't just arrest Jones out of habit? I mean, when you have two black men in the room, you make it hard enough for the cops to instantly decide who's guilty, but you had to involve a Cincinnati Bengal as well? I'm surprised Jones didn't get tasered within the first 30 seconds of his statement to Vegas police.
2) What were they arguing about? Maybe Levi Jones hit on a 14 when the dealer was showing a 6? Is Jones the type of guy who splits 10's? Did Jones make a joke about the painting of dogs playing poker with a miniature horse as the dealer? These all seem realistic, but I tend to believe they were arguing over their favorite Air Supply album. Porter strikes me as the kind of guy who will defend the studioized glamor of the Lost in Love album, while Jones is more interested in the thoughtful later work of News From Nowhere.
These are the types of disagreements amongst adults that tend to come to blows.
Broken Tackle's 2007 NFL Mock Draft
1. Oakland Raiders - QB Jamarcus Russell - LSURussell seems to be the consensus number 1 overall pick and with good reason. He's enormous, has a cannon for a right arm, can evade the rush, and has great accuracy. However, with Al Davis still making the decisions in Oakland he very well may draft a toaster. This is the same guy that passed up Matt Leinart for a safety just last year.
2. Detroit Lions - QB Brady Quinn - Notre Dame
Speaking of clueless GMs. The reports are that the Lions want to stay with Jon Kitna as their starting QB. That makes sense, blow 3 consecutive drafts on WRs and then stick with Kitna to get them the ball. However, they did pass up Leinart last year for an undersized OLB. Quinn was thought to be the #1 QB coming into the '06 season and really didn't do anything to change that except play on an overrated team.
3. Cleveland Browns - RB Adrian Peterson - Oklahoma
After finishing 2nd in the Heisman race as a freshman, Peterson's stock has dropped in some people's minds because of a few injuries. If the doctors clear him medically, Peterson should be a top pick. The Browns signed Jamal Lewis to a one year contract (probably so he won't run all over them for a change), so bringing in Peterson still makes perfect sense.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Calvin Johnson - Georgia Tech
I don't even think the sky is the limit for this guy. He's got incredible hands, he's 6'5 240lbs., runs a 4.4 40, blocks in the run game, and constantly beat double and triple teams in college. John Gruden has always been an offensive minded coach and this is the perfect opportunity to get him a real threat in the passing game.
5. Arizona Cardinals - LT Joe Thomas - Wisconsin
As good as this looks on paper for the Cardinals, it is the Cardinals we're talking about. They got a top notch QB in Matt Leinart last year and now can get him some protection. Something just has to give though, I mean this is the Cardinals. Either Thomas' knee will explode or someone will trade up and get him just before their pick. I mean, come on, it's the Cardinals.
6. Washington Redskins - DE Gaines Adams - Clemson
Considering their lack of a pass rush last year, this is a perfect "need pick" for them. Adams may be a little smaller than the ideal, but he's still quick and able to get to the QB. Once again though, Dan Snyder, the Ghost of Joe Gibbs, and Tom Cruise are making this selection, so who knows who will be drafted.
7. Minnesota Vikings - WR Ted Ginn - Ohio State
They tried to get a raw receiver with blazing speed once before and that hasn't quite worked out yet. Ginn is another story though. This guy was extremely productive, versatile, and dangerous at OSU and would be a great downfield threat for whichever QB the Vikings suit up in '07.
8. Houston Texans - LT Levi Brown - Penn State
I've been trying and trying to figure out how the Texans will surprise everyone and completely blow yet another draft, but I don't think they could possibly pass up a potential franchise LT in Brown. However, a team that can pass up both Vince Young and Reggie Bush in the same draft can certainly blow this one as well.
9. Miami Dolphins - DT Alan Branch - Michigan
If this guy actually tried to play hard in college, he could have been a top 5 pick. He's huge and very athletic for his size, but just like the saying, size isn't everything (I swear). On potential alone this guy is a top 10 pick, but I'd consider this guy a gamble for sure.
10. Atlanta - DT Amobi Okoye - Louisville
He's a top 10 pick and he's only 19 years old. That's incredible. If he turns out to be a player in this league, and I think he will, he'll be able to sign several big time contracts. An interior line of Rod Coleman and Okoye will certainly help their lack of a pass rush. Too bad the nickname "Nigerian Nightmare" was already taken.
11. San Francisco - WR - Dwayne Jarrett - USC
This offense may actually be formidable next year. Jarrett moves just up the state and the Niners gain a big time play maker to add to their offense. The defense was helped quite a bit in free agency, but I bet they continue to address it in later rounds of this draft.
12. Buffalo - RB Marshawn Lynch - Cal
The Bills have had a stellar offseason so far losing several starting LBs and their #1 tailback. Now Marshawn Lynch gets to move from sunny California to not-so-sunny Buffalo. Sorry Marshawn, I wouldn't want to live their either.
13. St. Louis - DE Jamaal Anderson - Arkansas
Combine Anderson with Leonard "I'm fine to drive" Little and QBs in the NFC West may actually sweat a bit playing the Rams. The offense will continue to be a force with Bulger, Holt, Jackson, and of course the much needed white slot receiver in Drew Bennett; but I really can't remember the last time this defense was any good.
14. Carolina Panthers - S Laron Landry - LSU
If he does drop this far the Panthers are extremely lucky. If I'm the NFL genius I think I am, the Panthers have quite a player here at #14. With Landry patrolling the deep middle, this defensive backfield is loaded which will give Julius Peppers even more time to get to the QB.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - DE/OLB Jarvis Moss - Florida
I'm really sick of seeing the Gators. Call me bitter (I'm an OSU fan), but I hate that Gator Chop thing. Now this Gator will play for the Steelers so I can continue booing him, perfect, I needed someone to replace Joey Porter.
16. Green Bay - WR Robert Meachem - Tennessee
Since they're not going to get Randy Moss, they get to settle for Robert Meachem. If Favre remembers which jersey to throw to Meachem should be able to produce right away. He's got the size, the speed, and the hands to help this team make it to 2nd place in the worst division in football again.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Adam Carriker - Nebraska
Adam should fit in nicely next to John Henderson and Marcus Stroud on the Jaguars' D-Line. I wouldn't want to be a running back facing that line. The Jaguars have built themselves a nice defense, now, about that QB...
18. Cincinnati Bengals - CB Leon Hall - Michigan
They tried drafting Mother Theresa to help with their recent image problem, but she wasn't available. So instead they turn to the other DB tumbling down the draft. He may not have Deion Sanders' speed, but he'll help out with their awful run game and be a consistent player in the secondary; until he gets arrested.
19. Tennessee Titans - TE Greg Olsen - Miami
Nothing helps a young QB develop like a good safety valve to throw to. Olsen ran past all the other TEs during the combine and made himself several million dollars.
20. New York Giants - S Reggie Nelson - Florida
Reggie Nelson will make plenty of big play interceptions playing for the Giants. I mean, he'll make them in practice, Eli isn't Peyton.
21. Denver Broncos - WR Dwayne Bowe - LSU
Once Dre Bly settles down and quits whining, he'll stay in Denver and make the best CB combo in the league. Then the Broncos can turn their attention to their aging offense. Rod Smith was once catching passese from Moses, so his time in the league is just about done. If Bowe can catch the ball consistently, I hear that's important for WRs to do, he'll be a good player.
22. Dallas Cowboys - DB Aaron Ross - Texas
Ross is capable of playing corner or safety for the Cowboys. They definitely could use someone to cover the deep middle of the field and Ross should be perfect for that.
23. Kansas City - WR Sidney Rice - South Carolina
Whoever the Chiefs decide to make their starting QB needs someone to throw the ball downfield to. They've been using Tony Gonzalez as their only pass catching option for years and still haven't figured out that it's not enough. If they don't stretch the defense Larry Johnson is going to continue to get pounded every game and my fantasy team will suffer. We can't have that.
24. New England Patriots - CB Chris Houston - Arkansas
Hard working, tough as nails corner looks perfect for the Patriots. However, if they add depth to the secondary Bill Belichick's praise for winning despite an injury riddled team may slow down some. I'm sure ESPN will find something else to obsess over with him.
25. New York Jets - DE/OLB Charles Johnson - Georgia
Mangini follows Belichick's scheme and attempts to turn a DE into a pass rushing OLB in the 3-4. Maybe he can talk Chad Pennington into mimicking Tom Brady's every move and the cloning will be complete.
26. Philadelphia - C Ryan Kalil - USC
After trying unsuccessfully to sign LeCharles Bentley a year ago, the Eagles do what they do every year and draft a lineman. Unlike Bentley, Kalil may actually play in a game. If the Eagles are lucky enough for that to happen Kalil looks like a pretty sure-fire center.
27. New Orleans Saints - LB Patrick Willis - Ole Miss
The Saints get Reggie Bush last year and Pat Willis this year. Two cornerstones for this team for years to come. Willis is a play maker. Throughout his career at the great football factory of Ole Miss, Willis has made tackles all over the field and will be a great addition to the Saints.
28. New England Patriots - LB Paul Posluszny - Penn State
He just has to be drafted by the Patriots. He looks like a Patriot linebacker (he's white) and plays like one (he's good). And that's that.
29. Baltimore Ravens - OG Ben Grubbs - Auburn
The Ravens need O-Line help immediately. Jamal Lewis took a lot of blame for his run production slipping, but it's hard to run when there isn't anywhere to go. Grubbs looks like the best guard in the draft and should start immediately for them.
30. San Diego Chargers - WR Steve Smith - USC
A lot of teams need pass catching help and this is the year to draft them. The Chargers offense is great, but adding a receiver like Smith would really help Rivers attack defenses from multiple angles.
31. Chicago Bears - LB Lawrence Timmons - FSU
Whether Lance Briggs plays for the Bears ever again is pretty much up in the air. If he plays this year or not, he'll be gone at the end of the season and Timmons will be there to take over. Now, about that QB...
32. Indianapolis Colts - LB Jon Beason - Miami
They did win the Super Bowl, but I don't think anyone is arguing that the Colts need to improve their run defense. Adding to the need, Cato June signed with Tampa Bay this offseason. At the least they're hoping Beason can make up for that loss.
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