Ben's Brain - College Basketball

Butler is no Cinderella Story

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:32:00 -0400

For some, be it a casual college hoops fans or those snobbish blue blood program types that look at those other conferences from an altitude of 30,000 feet, I can understand why Butler making the Final Four might seem like a true Cinderella story. Tiny school with an enrollment of around 4,000 students. Member of the not-so-sexy Horizon League. Play their home games in Hinkle Field House where the movie Hoosiers was filmed. In fact, the star of the real life team that was portrayed in the movie, Bobby Plump, actually attended Butler. However in this case, even though that resumé might walk like a duck and sound like a duck, there is no quacking going on once one takes a true look at the Bulldogs. First of all, what constitutes a college basketball Cinderella? We can argue about specific teams, but in general they cannot be from a power conference school: this one is a lock. NC State, Villanova and Kansas had shocking championship runs in the 80's, but none was nor should have been considered a Cinderella because of their conference ties. They got their act together when it counted, but had issues much of the season or would have been considered a threat earlier on. Beyond the conference check mark, Cinderellas are ranked outside the Top 25. They remained under the radar most if not all of the regular season. The program lacks any kind of sustained success. They have had little to no recent success in the NCAA tournament even if they have made the field in prior years. They are seeded ninth or lower in the field. They do not have arguably the best potential pro player on the floor...Fair enough? OK, so where does Butler fit within that criteria. Time for the closer look: They are ranked outside the top-25...When the college basketball world was not as close to being a level playing field as it is today, it was rare for a non-power school to be ranked, especially in the early portions of the season. Heading into the 2009-10 season Butler was preseason ranked 11th in the AP poll, 10th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and have remained ranked in the coaches poll all season. Oh, and this follows up three straight years of landing in the final Top 25 poll, finishing as high as 14th in the USA Today poll after the 2008 season. They remained under the radar most if not all of the regular season...Even before the NCAA Tournament began, Butler had notched wins over fellow Sweet 16 schools Ohio State and Xavier plus tourney participant Siena, who many a pundit had predicted would win a game or two in March. On the other hand, a true Cinderella like Cornell, who gained notoriety during the regular season for losing a close contest at Kansas, scored their biggest RPI regular season win against Big East non-factor St. John's The program lacks any kind of sustained success...Butler has now made the NCAA Tournament four straight seasons. On the flip side, power conference schools like NC State (2006) and Cincinnati (2005) have not made the field for several years running. In-state rival Indiana has been left out of the fun the past two seasons and were joined on the sideline this season by fellow big boy programs North Carolina, UCLA and Connecticut. Just to be clear, the Bulldogs uber-youthful looking 33-year-old coach Brad Stevens did not create the Butler hoops program. The recent wave of success started way back in 1989 when Stevens was likely dreaming of a life in hoops in between his paper route and class trip to the Amish country. Under Barry Collier, now the Butler Athletic Director, Butler had five 20-win campaigns and reached the NCAA Tourney three times in four years. After getting the Bulldogs to the NCAA's in the 1999-2000 season, he took off for Nebraska and the team was turned over to then-assistant Thad Matta, who took over and turned a first round upset over Wake Forest in the NCAA's into a gig at Xavier before moving on to his current job at Ohio State. The assistant pipeline then delivered Todd Lickliter, who posted a 131-61 record in six seasons, including a school-first run to the Sweet 16 during the 02-03 campaign and a 29-7 record in his final year before taking off for Iowa. Even if one wants to call the Bulldogs pre-Final Four run nothing more than them being a big fish in a small pond, note that in his three years since replacing Lickliter, Stevens has a staggering 88-14 record. They have had little to no recent success in the NCAA tournament even if they have made the field...Prior to their run to the Sweet 16 this season, Cornell had never won an NCAA Tourney game. Brigham Young was o-fer before knocking of Florida. During this run of four consecutive NCAA appearances, Butler has made it to at least the Sweet 16 twice, including this season. They reached the Sweet 16 in 2007 when in the second round they defeated Maryland, the 2002 NCAA Champion. In comparison, the Terps have not reached the second weekend since the 2003 season. They are seeded ninth or lower in the field...Texas, who at one point this season was ranked number one in the country, was seeded eighth in the NCAA field this year. Northern Iowa, which pulled off the shocker of the tournament with a win over No. 1 Kansas, was seeded ninth. Cornell clocked in as a 12th seed. Butler was a five seed in the West, which put them one slot ahead of power conference schools Marquette, Tennessee and Notre Dame. They do not have arguably best potential pro player on the floor...According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, the top ranked NBA prospect remaining in the field is not Duke's Kyle Singler or West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler, but rather Butler sophomore forward Gordon Hayward, who comes in at #18 overall. In addition, Hayward and teammate Shelvin Mack were members of the US Under-19 basketball team that competed in the World Championships last season with Mack acting as captain. Last but not least, the baseline of a true Cinderella story speaks of an underdog. Um, hello, Butler is actually a 1.5 point favorite over Michigan State this weekend. With all that said, do I think Butler wins on Saturday? Yes, yes I do. I mean, did you see how they handled Syracuse and Kansas State last weekend? While the Bulldogs want to play a style that keeps the score in the 50's and 60's - they rank ninth in the country in scoring defense - they have multiple players that can light it up on offense when called upon. They score primarily on the perimeter, but also hold their opponents to 31.7 percent from the beyond the arc. If they have a late lead, the Bulldogs will be hard to catch as they rank 26th in free throw percentage. Now, Butler may very well find the bright lights of the big stage too much to handle; time will tell. While they have height in the form of Hayward and Matt Howard, the Bulldogs are not a bulky squad and lack a shot blocking presence. And only a fool would be willing to ignore the Tom Izzo factor on the Michigan State sideline, not to mention the Duke-West Virginia winner looming on the other side of the bracket. If they lose, surely the pundit class will churn out clichés about carriages finally turning into pumpkins or glass slippers not fitting after all. If so, they will be short-sighted, not to mention wrong. Only one team gets to be crowned champion, but Butler's success and resumé dictate they had as good a chance as many when the tournament began whether the masses realized it or not. Those that still do not see the light are just modern day ugly stepsister types who are simply too bitter that their own wart-laden team is sitting at home to notice what a beautiful and legitimate ride this has been.

NCAA Championship - Bracket Time!

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:56:00 -0400

Sunday, 4:10 - OK, after much deliberation, here my final bracket. Come back here later tonight and throughout the week for thoughts on the actual bracket. Can't wait!!! Big East (8) - WVY, Cuse, Pitt, Georgetown, Villanova, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame ACC (7) - Duke, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Wake, Clemson, Florida State, Va Tech Big 12 (7) - Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;M, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas Big 10 (6) - Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan State, Wiscy, Minnesota, Illinois Mountain West (4) - New Mexico, BYU, San Diego State, UNLV SEC (3) - Kentucky, Vandy, Tennessee Atlantic 10 (3) - Temple, Richmond, Xavier Conf. USA (2) - UTEP, Houston WCC (2) - Gonzaga, St. Mary's WAC (2) - New Mexico State, Utah State For me, Illinois, Va Tech and Utah State are the last three in, while Cal, Miss. St., Florida, Seton Hall are on the outside looking in. Hard to believe the regular season Pac 10 champ doesn't make it, but Cal has only one top-50 win. That just doesn't cut it for me...Mississippi State had three of their four best wins this week, not consistent enough over the course of the year...As for Utah State, I can live with someone saying they didn't play enough games against the top-50 (3) and they don't have the wins of some of the at-large contenders, but I have them in for now... 5:55 - Let's go already! While we wait, here are my projected top lines, set by region... 1) Kansas (MW), Kentucky (East), Syracuse (South), West Virginia (West) 2) Georgetown, Kansas State, Ohio State, Duke 3) Baylor, Villanova, New Mexico, Pittsburgh 4) Temple, Purdue, Butler, Tennessee 5) Vanderbilt, Texas A&amp;amp;amp;M, Michigan State, Wisconsin 6:04 - Shocker, Duke gets hooked and gets to stay closer to home. I live in Big East/ACC Territory and I can tell you unequivocally that the Big East was the MUCH better conference. Fine with the Blue Devils as a No. 1, flip of a coin with WVU and maybe even Ohio State...As for the Cuse, much harder road having to potentially play Kansas in the Final Four then the youthful Kentucky Wildcats...In terms of best chance to win it all, I rank the top seeds Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Duke... 6:13 - Midwest...Wow, a potential Sweet 16 matchup between Ohio State's Evan Turner and Georgetown's Greg Monroe highlights this region. Kansas should be fine getting past the Maryland/Michigan State winner and neither the Buckeyes or Hoyas have the size to challenge the Jayhawks...Not sure why the Buckeyes are considered the last of the two seeds 6:21 - Good draw for Syracuse; Kansas State primarily scores from the perimeter and could have issues with the Orange's vaunted 2-3 zone. Still, both squads have a great chance to make the Elite Eight...Pittsburgh is a fradulent three and will fall to 6th seeded Xavier...Florida, wow. The getting in, a little bit, but more shocked at how high they were seeded...looking forward to Butler-UTEP 6:29 - After seeing the East, what jumps out at me is that Duke is going to get the worst No. 2 seed in the bracket. Unreal...Temple and Cornell were two teams I was likely going to have win at least one game and they play each other in round one...Don't sleep on Wofford, who at wins against South Carolina and Georgia, but Wiscy is a tough high seed to catch sleeping...wait, only five Big East teams are in. Unless three go in the next region, somebody (Notre Dame?) is on the outside. Hmmm 6:48 - Even though I don't agree, I can see Duke over Cuse on the one line. However, if WVU was also inconsideration for the top seed _ as the committee chair said they were _ then how could they a higher seeded Kentucky? By this logic, the committee is saying Nova is ahead of WVU? Baffling...The 10-13 seeds _ St. Mary's, ODU, Utah State and Siena _ are no jokes...time to study, be back soon...

NCAA Championship Week - Saturday's running diary

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:18:00 -0400

11:19 AM - Not sure if its the pep from my morning coffee, the growing excitement of my trip to Vegas next week or the anticipation of some stellar matchups today, but I've decided to turn the little extra spring in my step into a running commentary throughout the day on all the Championship Week action.

***for those of you also gorging on college hoops today or have questions before the brackets ar released, shoot me an e-mail at ben.standig@fftoolbox.com

As we get ready for the Conference USA Championship game to top in a few minutes, here are the key games on today's agenda:

C-USA: UTEP vs. Houston (11:30): Get my first look at the 25th ranked Miners, who are sporting a 16-game winning streak By the way, an 11:30 EST tip for a game being played in Tulsa? Really? Hope the UTEP and Houston had their coffee, yeesh.

America East: Boston U vs Vermont (12:00) - This is for the automatic bid, but since my UMBC Retrievers just missed out on being in position for this opportunity (um, not really), not sure how much I'll focus on this one. My college buddy Dave is the #1 AE guru in the land, so I'll get him to fill us in.

Atlantic 10 semis (starts at 1pm) - Very underrated conference. Temple has won eight straight and will be a very sneaky pick come bracket time, but Rhode Island has more motivation in this one as a win secures their tourney bid, but a loss and, well, you know...Richmond-Xavier played an overtime just two weeks ago with the Musketeers coming out ahead... I'll say the Owls and Spiders clash in Sunday's finals.

SEC semis (starts at 1pm) - Kentucky got a scare in their first round and it will be interesting to see how the baby Wildcats come out in another pressure packed game, this time against a Tennessee squad that handed them one of their two losses this season...Vanderbilt and Mississippi State are the other semi and the Bulldogs are one of those bubble teams in search of one more win. The survey says...sorry, but the Commodores gets the Wildcats in the final.

ACC semis (starts at 1:30pm) - Only Duke survived among the top seeds, as Miami, Georgia Tech and NC State all pulled off shockers on Tobacco Road. The Blue Devils should have little trouble closing the deal and securing a No. 1 seed, though the inside presence of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal could expose their Achilles heel if the Yellow Jackets reach the final...The Hurricanes and Wolfpack need to win out to keep on keeping on.

Big 10 semis (starts at 1:40)- Ohio State's stud Evan Turner got an early start on the March Madness, sinking a 40-footer at the buzzer to get the Buckeyes past the hated Michigan Wolverines. Not sure if a Player of the Year candidate has ever flown under the national radar as much as Turner, Mr. Do-everything for the Buckeyes, but he will let his playing do his talking the rest of March, starting the Illinois Fighting Illini today... Purdue-Minnesota clash in the other semi with the Golden Gophers needing a win to get into the tourney.

Big 12: Kansas vs. Kansas State (6pm) - Can the Jayhawks sweep the season series or will the Wildcats claw their way to the tourney title and perhaps, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA's???

Big East: West Virginia vs. Georgetown (9pm) - Syracuse and Villanova deserved and receive much of the attention this season, but they were knocked in the quarterfinals. Easily the two best players in this tournament have been the Hoyas forward Greg Monroe, the best passer in the country, and Da'Sean Butler, who has made one game-winning shot after another for the Mountaineers. For me, this is the game I am most looking forward to watching. Hoyas baby...

...OK, we know there are more games to come, with finals in the Pac 10, Mountain West and others, but if I don't wrap this up, I'll never get my game face on. It's tip-off time, let's get it on...

12:03 pm - I have to admit that my growling stomach is distracting me somewhat from the Miners-Cougars. Plus, I just want the clock to hurry up _ partially so I can get some grub at halftime _ and the game to remain close so we can get another high energy, buzzer beater call from Gus Johnson, who is in the mic today with the solid Dan Bonner...Whoa, what is with the vertigo-inducing overhead camera. That works for football, but not only does it miss half the court in hoops, but is starting to remind me what I had for dinner last night and not in a good way ..UTEP's Randy Culpepper is making Houston sick as the point guard has 13 points with 4-plus minutes left in the first half, his last basket on a nifty baseline, reverse layup. On the other hand, Aubrey Coleman, the leading scorer in country, is a John Starks-like 1 for 8 from the floor, but the Cougars are staying right with the top seed, needing the auto bid to get in the tourney...

12:23 - UTEP 43-38. Cougars are still in it despite Coleman shooting 2 for 12 from the field. More importantly, its go time...breakfast bagel sandwich or grilled chicken sandwich. Decisions, decisions...brb

12:59 - Whew, that sucked. After the DC area got pounded with snow all winter, Mother Nature wants to make doubly sure those April flowers get their water because we are getting doused. Since I couldn't find a space within a three-puddle vicinity of the bagel store, I went straight deli and got corned beef on rye. Always a money call...ok, still got the last 11-plus minutes of this game and this is where it gets good anyway...

1:05 - With the Miners up nine and Bonner almost going Apollo 13 on us by saying "Houston is in trouble now", lets focus on the Miners resume...they have the long winning streak, but if Memphis does not get an at-large bid, the Miners will not have beaten one tourney team. Their best wins are over UAB (2), Memphis and New Mexico State and they lost to BYU by six at home...Very good defensive numbers, ranking high nationwide in FG percentage defense (14th, 38.7), steals (19, 8.7 per game) and 3-pt FG defense (20, 30.1). UTEP also scores enough (75.9 ppg) to rank 13th in scoring margin, but they are not much of a threat from the perimeter and have issues at the foul line where they shoot 66.9 percent, 233rd in the country.

1:17 - Those Cougars are not done yet, down two with 5-plus to go, and we are get a look at their overly tanned coach Tom Penders. I actually forgot the former Rhode Island, Texas and George Washington coach had resurfaced. When it came to running a program,never quite trusted that guy, so I can't say I am pulling for the underdog in this case...Hmm, that gets me thinking, I guess a ranked UTEP squad is still in the field even if they lose and without any signature wins, right?

1:24 - We now have four games going, including Kentucky and Temple, with Duke on deck. The remote workout begins, with battery backup at the ready...by the way, for those that care about such things, my friend Johnny Onion says the lock of the day is Vandy playing in Nashville and giving 1.5 points. I'd have to agree, with K St (+6), Illinois (+7.5) and Minnesota (+3) right behind them. Of course, these thoughts are just for (clearing throat) informational purposes only...

1:29 - Whoa nelly, Houston takes the lead! One game in and we already have a nail biter...one of my goals today, in terms of tourney prep, was to see how teams that I am not as familiar with handle pressure in the final five minutes. The Miners just tossed up an airball and a bad pass turnover, leading to back-to-back 3's on the end, Cougars now up four...then after scoring a basket, the Miners commit two more turnovers which led to two fast break layups. Houston is now 41.9 seconds away from getting Joe Lunardi's computer to start smoking...

1:40 - So the Houston Cougars are in, some yet to be determined bubble team is out. Despite looking like the Bad News Bears down the stretch, I won't dismiss the Miners just yet as their last two losses were to the same team and sometimes certain squads, especially in conference, just have your number. On the other hand, I don't see me rushing to put them in the Sweet 16 either.

2:23 - My boy Dave just informed that Vermont punched their ticket with the America East crown and added his thoughts on their NCAA chances in the comments section. We also spent 10 minutes arguing the merits of a 14-loss Illinois squad vs. generic mid-majors in terms of an at-large bid. He is of the opinion that any team losing that many games doesn't deserve a bid, even if they have wins over Wiscy (2), Michigan State, Vandy, Clemson, among others. He also has a certain excitable political activist take on the subject which makes it all more fun for me, especially when I counter with the standard arguments against the little guys (who did they beat, wouldn't they have as many losses if they played in a BCS conference). Good times...

2:31 - Turned on Duke-Miami and the Blue Devils were up 30-18. Five minutes later, the Canes have a 35-32 lead heading into halftime. Even if they beat Duke and sport a then 21-12 record, the Canes probably still need to win the ACC Tourney to makes the NCAA's. That's what happens when you go 4-12 in conference and have 11 wins against schools with an RPI of 200 or greater. Still, they have wins over Wake (2), Va Tech (2), Ga Tech and Minnesota. Not bad for a 12th seed! If they do shock the Dukies, no doubt they could take down the GT-NC State winner and take away another at-large bid. With all that said, Singler, Scheyer and company probably win by eight or more...

2:42 - First look at Temple-Rhode Island. Would have checked it out sooner, but I always forget to check CBS College Sports. For years and years I have had an excellent grasp on where to find games, but now with channels ranging into the 700 range on my cable, I need a Sherpa to help me find some games...So the Owls are up 17 with seven min left. That means the Rams are seven minutes away from likely seeing their bubble burst, even after knocking off the fourth seed St. Louis. This is a good time to look at my last in/out scenarios...

Heading into today, I had the conference breakdown as follows:

Big East (8), ACC (7), Big 10 (5), Mountain West (4), SEC (4), A-10 (4), Pac-10 (2), West Coast (2)

That list includes bubble teams Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Illinois, San Diego State, Florida, Rhode Island and Washington. From that group, I think Virginia Tech, Florida, Rhode Island and Washington have the most to lose today if the available at-large bid pool shrinks and the Rams can probably assume they are not on the outside looking in once their game with the Owls goes final. While I personally think the overall strength of the A-10 means they should get a fourth bid, not sure how you identify a clear winner from the group of Rhode Island, Dayton and St. Louis and thus all are likely on the outside looking in.

On the other hand, Minnesota has a fantastic opportunity to impress the committee today and the same goes for Mississippi State. Ole Miss, Seton Hall and Arizona State have no option other to cross their fingers and wait it out. The road looks even bumpier for Memphis, UAB and Wichita State after early conference tournament losses.

2:58 - Kentucky is routing the fraudulent Tennessee Vols, Illinois is up eight on Ohio State and Duke back on top by one. Speaking of the Dukies...

Even though they have been rather ordinary in the NCAA's recent years, lost to Maryland last week and have not looked like world beaters over the last day and a half, I have a pretty good feeling about them this year. Ultimately their lack of post scoring will catch up to them, but they have three big time scorers in Singler, Scheyer and Nolan Smith, and big men Lance Thomas and Greg Zoubek are not shrinking violets on the glass. They have spurt-ability, make their free throws and play good defense. As much as it pains me, Duke looks good for the Elite Eight and maybe more with a good draw...as if they knew I was talking about them, Duke scores 10 straight points and now Miami will need yet another comeback to survive...

3:13 - 15 straight points put the Buckeyes up four with 8:29 to go. That's more like it. I've been warming to the Buckeyes as a Final Four team, and not just because of Evan Turner. William Buford and David Lighty are solid wing scorers and Jon Diebler is an unreal threat from beyond the arc. The 6-6 sharp-shooter makes 42 percent of his 3-point attempts and he has hit at least five 3's in 10 games this season. The Buckeyes do not have a lot of size, but Turner plays bigger than his slender size would indicate...uh oh, Turner just picked up his fourth foul with 5:13 to go and Ohio State up 59-52. By the way, for all you degenerates out there, the line was OSU by 7.5...

3:26 - The basketball action remains hot and heavy, but my snacks choices are becoming scarse and pitiful. I like me some fruit and veggies, but that is not exactly college hoops marathon kind of a food. Sadly, I forgot about this scenario when I was out earlier, which is as bad as John Calipari not getting his Memphis Tigers to foul before Mario Chalmers had a chance to launch his tying three-ball. With no break in the hoops action from here on out, might have to rely on the kindness of strangers _ or the Domino's delivery guy _ to help me out. Seriously, if I put up a bigger tip up front, can;t the guy stop at the CVS next door to his store and pick up some Doritos and Peanut M&M's? Just saying...

3:33 - and back come the Illini, with a 9-1 run of their own to get within one, over two minutes to go. Even if they pull this one out, still not buying them as a NCAA threat, though Demetri McCamey is trying to make me a believer as he drains a three for the lead...splash!..Turner sets up Lighty for the hoop and the harm, but the '08 Final Four vet misses the free throw...McCamey make his two freebies on the other end for a two-point Illinois lead, 26 seconds left...Illinois might be in the field already, but maybe not. Of course, none of this would matter if the NCAA goes ahead with the insane plan to expand the field to 96. Seriously, are you kidding me with that? Worst idea since the Redskins signed Larry Johnson yesterday. The one thing they had was an aging running back, why add another??? Ok, OK, football talk another day.

3:38 - Turner has the ball in his hands, dribbling into the left corner, appears to have no room and yet...he goes baseline and throws in the reverse with 12 seconds left, tie game, wow...Illinois a little confused, now calls timeout with 3.1 to go...McCamey in the lane, throws it down low and...he missed the layup! But wait, refs said it wouldn't have counted anyway. That guy would have been a goat for sure, but now we have ooooooovertime. Win or lose, hard to see Illinois not making the Tournament no matter what now...

3:46 - Illinois up four, Duke closes out Miami...Temple ends Rhode Island and wow, Kentucky CRUSHED Tennesee by 29 with DeMarcus Cousins going for 19 and 15 while John Wall finishes with 14 points and nine assists. With all the youngsters in their rotation, Kentucky needs the SEC tourney experience before they get on the big stage. Still, of the likely No.1 seeds, I think the Wildcats are the mostly likely squad to get bounced early because of their inexperience, especially when compared to Kansas, Syracuse and Duke...

3:51 - Down two, Turner does it again, tying the game with a drive to the bucket. And again, Illinois can't get a shot off before the final buzzer, unreal. Is Colt McCoy calling their last second plays? Double-OT/..and remember, the real fun starts next week...

3:56 - Diebler hits his fourth from beyond the arc and Turner uses a silly spin move for a bucket to put the Buckeyes up five, but the Illini answer with a three. Down two with 2:43 to go...Turner has 31 points, 11 in the overtimes, beastly...quick peek at Richmond-Xavier, three-point lead for the Musketeers early. This will be the underrated great game of the day, count on it...

4:02 - One minute to go and Turner fouls out with the Buckeyes up four. He does post a Greivis Vasquez-like triple-double before he departs; 31 points, 10 boards, 10 turnovers...Lighty steps up, scores on a tough drive and then turns a steal into a layup, Buckeyes up seven. ..88-81, final. Like I said earlier, I have the Illini in even with the loss and the Buckeyes continue to look like a Final Four-caliber squad...taking a quick break before carpal tunnel starts to kick in

4:52 - To ensure I qualify for the nerd Hall of Fame, I am working on my bracket as we speak. Up through the nine seeds right now. Speaking of bracket projections, nothing against Joe Lunardi (who I met briefly the other day and seems like a very nice guy), but it drives me CRAZY when ESPN touts his record when it comes to picking the field. I think the number mentioned is like 97% accurate and then is based on his final bracket which is finalized just before the brackets are released. Ok, let's break it down...

- There are 31 automatic bids; that is almost half the field...then you have all the obvious at-large teams (examples this year include Syracuse and about seven other Big East squads, Maryland, Michigan State, Gonzaga etc)...That gets you to around 60...so really, we are talking about maybe five or so spots where you can have some argument. Seriously, any donkey who follows college hoops and has access to the sports section could get 90% or so. I'll give Lunardi or others credit if they mention a certain off-the-radar team weeks in advance as likely to make the tourney and created the RPI. I'll pat myself on the back if I get at least 64 teams correct, but not terribly hard...

5:08 - Oh my, the Golden Gophers are pounding the Boilermakers 23-4! I guess Tubby got his boys seriously motivated this week...Vandy was down 15 when I turned it on, but they cut it to three after the Bulldogs go six minutes without a bucket. I've like the Commodores and their offensive flow whenever I've seen them play, but statistically speaking they are not ideal; 180th in turnovers per game, 182nd in rebounding margin and 250th in steals per game. They get by on their shot-making, though Mississippi State's shot blocker supreme Julius Varnado is having none of it the final few minutes, swatting shot after shot. If the Bulldogs hold on, I think the Florida Gators should be very, very nervous...by the way, Purdue cracked the 10-point plateau in the final seconds of the first half and now trail 37-11 at the break. Ouch...

5:34 - catching up with Richmond-Xavier on Tivo, which is easily the best invention since the TV itself...watched the Musketeers live earlier this season and came away very impressed. Guard Jordan Crawford averages almost 20 a game and Jason Love uses his lunch bucket style for 12 and 8 nightly. They have size inside (25th in rebounding margin) , shooters on the perimeter (7.1 3's per game) and defend the perimeter (10th in the country). Turnovers are a problem and their defense can be a lot spotty. I wouldn't say this is the best Xavier team in recent years, but do not sleep on them..,Same goes for the disciplined Spiders, who have now cut the lead down to two in th final minute. Not a big time scoring offense, the Spiders beat you by being efficient (7th in turnover margin) and playing great defense (15th in FG percent defense, 12th against the 3). However they rank 306th in the country in rebounding margin...

Another fantastic close to a game as the Spiders knot the score at 73-all with 3.1 seconds when the Musketeers defense parted like the Red Sea for Atlantic-10 Player of the Year Kevin Anderson...overtime, here we come.

5:46 - The Johnny Onion lock goes down in flames; Vandy falls 62-52. Mississppi State has a tourney bid on their racket if they beat Kentucky tomorrow, but might be in anyway with this win...

5:55 - Kevin Anderson goes with the baseline stutter-step for a layup and the Spiders are up five!...now up four, Richmond throws a horrid inbounds pass and Xavier picked it off, but only made one of two at the line, then missed the putback...These A-10 teams are just rock steady. I expect to have at least two, probably Temple and Richmond, in my Sweet 16...Xavier cut it to two and their pressure caused a loose ball in the backcourt for a split second, but the Spiders recovered and head to the foul line with 17.4 left...Good...Good, up four...another Xavier miss, Anderson hits two more at the line, ball game.

6:20 - When the day started, the bubble scenario was looking pretty clear, but now Houston wins C-USA, Mississippi State and Minnesota get huge resume victories (or will as as the Big 10 contest goes final). Rhode Island is out for sure, as are the other A-10 bubble teams...Florida, and Va Tech should be getting very nervous while Illinois and San Diego State are not out of the woods yet, but the Aztecs have a shot for the auto bid tonight...Georgia Tech holds off NC State and likely have done enough to earn a bid, but that losing regular season record in conference stands out like a sore thumb...the Big 12 and Pac 10 finals have begun and the Big East clash I have been waiting for is still to come. If I don't pace myself I'll never make it...

7:21 - Here is the latest and greatest with regards to is in or out...the way I see there seven teams playing for four spots; San Diego State, Illinois, Washington, Minnesota, Mississppi State, Virginia Tech, Florida, SD St and Washington can stamp their ticket with wins todays in their respective tourney finals and the Huskies lead at halftime.

That would mean two Big 10, two SEC and one ACC school face off for the final two slots. With their win over Florida yesterday, Mississippi State should be ahead of theiir SEC rival. Based on how the Golden Gophers dominated the Boilermakers in the semis, that likely gives them the momentum edge of the Ilini. As for the Hokies, they have some good wins, but their brutal strength of schedule and the loss in the ACC quarters could doom them. Also, even though the committee claims that the number of teams per conference doesn't matter, will they take a 7th ACC team over a 4th SEC squad? Right now, I say Minnesota and Va Tech get the final two spots, but...also, Utah State better take care of business tonight or they are NIT bound...

8:07 - Washington leads Cal by three with 50 seconds left. The Huskies have been one of the most disappointing teams this season, but they have turned it on at the right with what will likely be their seventh straight win. Also, they did knock off Texas A&M earlier in the year and now _ they just closed out the Bears _ have defeated Cal twice. Another bubble team is officially in trouble...as for the Bears, their regular season title should get them in the tourney, but their only significant win was against Washington. Not sure they

9:08 - Georgetown-WVU...its go time! Just listening to the crowd, how can LeBron not want to play in the Big Apple?...As long as they stay out of foul trouble _ especially Greg Monore and Chris Wright _ the Hoyas win, 65-61.

9:32 - There are times where a suppossed superstar player just rubs you the wrong way. Not so much in terms of attitude (i.e. J.J. Reddick), but in terms of style. Some shoot too much, some defer to often. Some make the smart pass and some cant shoot beyond 10 feet. But I dare anyone to not like Monroe's game. What can't he do? Yes, earlier in his career he was not aggressive enough, too often letting others get theirs at his expense. About halfway through this season, that all changed. Now the super soph demands the ball in the post, but not just to shoot. When they are at their best, the offense runs through him...

9:42 - I have watched several games this year called by Raftery and Bilas. I still can't tell if they like each other. ..WVU 21-20, over 5 min left...

9:55 - Was it me or did Sean McDonough sounds surprised as he was reading off Bob Huggins college education stats? maybe he was really emphasizing the words so we would believe it...Chris Wright with the slam! I've stood next to him and he can't be more than an inch taller than me and I am 5-9. Big run their for the Hoyas, but the Mountaineers get the final bucket of the half, up 32-28. Not real surprises so far...

10:27 - UC Santa Barbara _ my fav Big West team even though have zero alligience _ wins the Big West. I always think that conference is better than it cause I am always shocked when they end up a 15th seed...And how about the Ohio Bobcats! The ninth seed, albiet won with 20+ wins, earns the bid.. Guessing a 13 for them...Hoyas look like a team that has played four games in four days. WVU is a strong bunch...

10:38 - What a play by Wright! Going full out for a loose ball and with a WVU defender knocking him to the ground, he scoops it up and finds an open Freemna for a layup. Down two...and then freekin Butler nails a three. Not sure if he will be a pro, but he is a baller on this level.

11:00 - Freeman, beast. Hoyas down three...If they had just ONE more solid bench front court player, they would be a No. 1 seed. WVU is pounding them on the boards and Monroe can't stop them all...

11:14 - Freeman does it again, strokes the tying-3, but then Wright inexplicably commits an "intentional" foul to put WVU at the line with the score tied. Did he really lose track of the score and think the Hoyas were down? WVU up two, 32 seconds...but does Wright lose focus, hell no. The spin, the bank, the tie...

11:16 - Nine seconds left. You know it is going to Butler. He can't dop it againm, can he...He gets it, he bulls his way to the hoop...bounce...bounce...in. Oh my...four seconds...Wright is moving like Usain Bolt down the court and...just shy. Out of control, couldn't quite get the ball up to the rim. Ball game...another great, tight Big East game. Kudos to WVU, they are just tough.

11:21 - OK, we are nine minutes away frorm 12 hours of this. While I have enjoyed most of it _well, other the end of that last game _ its time to call it a night. Utah State is up four with 13 min to go. The way I see it, they need to win to get in. Too many at-large spots were swallowed up today, even for a 27-6 team...Good days for Washington, San Diego State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Houston, among others, but the news was not as good for Rhode island, Florida and a handful of other teams that were still hoping they had a shot...Mississippi State, Minnesota and Georgia Tech all get their chance for an auto bid tomorrow. If all three win, the window will close on those already on the outside and Illinois/ Va Tech should get very, very nervous...Until tomorrow, may all your shots go through the net...Swish

NCAA early round recap and Sweet 16 preview

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:10:00 -0400

I am back in the saddle after a spending the first two rounds of the tournament in Las Vegas, watching most of the action from the Bellagio sports book, though at times the flat screen in my room at the Palazzo was the only viable option based on my "condition" at the time. Now that the cobwebs in my head are clearing (though the memories are still and likely will continue to be hazy), I see that my bracket has held up nicely (how about Cleveland State and Arizona!) through two rounds, though Louisville and Pittsburgh did their best to scare me. I heard from many of you over the past week and want to hear your thoughts on the tournament below in the comments field, but first, here is a recap of the early action with a look ahead to Sweet 16/Elite Eight...

East Region

Best Game, actual and Vegas style: Oklahoma State's thrilling 77-75 win over three-point favorite Tennessee in round one, with Cowboys point guard Byron Eaton scoring the decisive three-point play on a drive with 7.2 seconds remaining after the two sides traded the lead throughout the second half...As an aside, anyone who says the first two rounds were less than thrilling obviously did not enter an office pool or wager. Trust me, it helps a lot.

Best Player: Sam Young, Pittsburgh. The Panthers had their struggles in winning their initial two games, but whenever they seemed to be up against it, there was Young hitting big shot after big shot and often from long range. Young hit half of his 3-pointers (8-of-16) and averaged 23 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two rounds, including a double-double in the first round followed by drilling Oklahoma State for 32 points, hitting on 12-of-20 shots.

Best Team: Villanova looked anything but a potential Final Four team for much of the game against American and trailed by double digits in the second half. However, with essentially a home crowd cheering them on, the Wildcats came back to roll the Eagles and they dominated UCLA over the weekend, crushing the Bruins on both ends of the court. If they can keep up their defensive intensity for two more rounds to go along with their high-octane offense, the Wildcats will be headed to Detroit.

Final Four bound: Say what you want about the Pitt Panthers, but they just win. Sure it can be scary at times and I suspect members of the Oakland Zoo, the Panthers fan base, have scant amount of fingernails left to chew on. The Panthers have yet to make past the Sweet 16 in the Jamie Dixon era and that my friends is the big hurdle; if they get past Xavier, the weight of the world will feel much lighter for Pittsburgh with that monkey off its back. Even with the winner of Duke-Villanova (should be one of the more entertaining games of the entire tournament) looming, Pittsburgh will survive and advance to the Final Four in Detroit.

South Region

Best moment: Freshman Demetri Goodson's Tyus Edney-like full court dash for the game-winning bank shot in Gonzaga's 83-81 win over 12th seed Western Kentucky in round two.

Best moment, Vegas style: My friend Mike excitedly hugging all those around him in the closing seconds of Akron's stirring 77-64 backdoor cover against Gonzaga in the first round like he just witnessed his beloved Washington Redskins winning the Super Bowl or received an invite to join Hef and the bunnies at the Grotto. The Zips, getting 13.5 points, battled the Zags in the final moments like a Final Four berth was on the line and the crowd at the Bellagio's sports book reacted in kind with the back and forth action. Nothing like a point spread win in Vegas, the best place to watch the tourney.

Worst time for a shooting slump: Arizona State guard James Harden is viewed as a top-10, maybe top-5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, but he did not help his cause with his NCAA Tournament play. In two games, the 6-5 Harden connected on only 3-of-18 shots, missing all but one of eight attempts from beyond the arc.

Final Four bound: Despite the return of Ty Lawson boosting UNCs chances and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin dominating the first two rounds like no other player in the field, this chalk region remains the most competitive. Gonzaga has all the tools to take down North Carolina and while I called for the upset on one of my office pool entries, I am not going against Tyler Hansbrough and friends just yet. Oklahoma-Syracuse is must see TV with Jonny Flynn and the Orange squeezing out a win. Jim Boeheim has his team playing their best ball right now and they will…just come up short against a Tar Heels squad that is poised for one more Final Four run.

Midwest Region

Best Game: The braggart in me wants to claim it was Cleveland State throttling Wake Forest, but since that game was never in doubt, I will go with Siena's double-OT win over Ohio State. Paraphrasing Bill Raftery's comments during the broadcast, how about the double order of onions served up by Saints guard Ronald Moore, who nailed the game-winning three pointer after sending the contest into the second extra session with a long bomb from almost the same exact spot.

Best Trio: Arizona's Nic Wise (50 points), Chase Budinger (35) and Jordan Hill (33) scored a combined 118 points in the first two rounds, or 76.1 percent of the Wildcats entire output in wins over Utah and Cleveland State. They will need to keep up that pace and perhaps improve on it against a deep and swarming Louisville Cardinals squad in the Sweet 16.

Best Coaching Job year to date: Seriously, how does Kansas coach Bill Self have the Jayhawks back into the Sweet 16 after losing nearly all of their production following the championship run from a year ago. Sure, he can still roll out talented players like Sherron Collins, the one holdover from the 2008 run, and Cole Aldrich, who dominated Dayton in the second round to the tune of 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks, but these Jayhawks are ahead of schedule.

Final Four bound: I have been on the Louisville bandwagon for some time and the Rick Pitino version for years and I will not be hoping off either of them now despite the Cardinals uneven play in the early rounds. Their depth should get them by Arizona and their offensive versatility will prove to be too much for Michigan State after the Spartans eke out a win over Kansas.

West Region

Best Team, by far: Connecticut entered the tournament seemingly a little off kilter, as they failed to match their early season level of play following the injury to forward Jerome Dyson. Two uber-dominant wins put any immediate concerns to rest as A.J. Price and crew were clearly the most impressive squad of the early rounds.

Best Sweet 16 matchup: If you love non-stop, back and forth, explosive action, Memphis-Missouri is the game for you. The battle of the Tigers features two squads that want to pressure you all over the court and have the athletes to do just that. If the winner has enough gas left in the tank, they are heading to Detroit.

Best Celeb sightings: For this NFL-based site, I won't go into detail over our group seeing former NBA star Antoine Walker or partying with Paddleball National Semi-finalist and magazine cover boy Jon Lubow. Former Ravens head coach Brian Billick was poolside at the Bellagio, reading from a notebook with a big NFL logo on it. Yes, I know that is hard to top, but I think seeing Mike Ditka maning the first base seat at the blackjack table next to mine will do the trick. While I could not see the table action from my third base perch, I was able to hear him talk to the cards, fist bump his fellow players after a winning hand and get all worked up as if he was still pacing the sidelines. Sweet.

Final Four bound: Yes, UConn has looked unbeatable early on, but I previously predicted Purdue would get by them and following their impressive win over a game Washington crew, I am not about to jump ship. Therefore, the Boilermakers will take care of Huskies in back-to-back games, but then the run ends against the Tigers of Memphis. Memphis was another slow starter in the tournament, but they righted the ship against Cal-State Northridge and then dominated Maryland in round two. Now that they have their sea legs under them, the Tigers should ride the wave into the Final Four.

NCAA Tourney First Glance

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:25:00 -0400

Quick thoughts on the bracket and a lively Sunday night in Bristol...

- No arguments out of me over the top seeds. As I stated earlier, I like UConn's overall resume better than Memphis. Also agree with Louisville as the top team overall.

- For the most part, I am down with the 2-4 seeds, though I might have put Florida State over Xavier. Minor quibble.

- Looks like Arizona and Wisconsin were the last two teams in. I can't say I have a huge problem with the Wildcats being in, though the argument against is equally as strong. On the other hand, I was thrilled to the Badgers seeded lower than most had projected. Yes, the Big 10 still have seven teams in, but the low seeds, combined with Penn State not receiving a bid, puts the over zealous conference in place.

- As I stated previously, I had St. Mary's as the last team in (only one I had wrong, with Arizona as #66), and considering the non-power conferences received only four at-large bids, I think the Gaels were the team that got hosed. Truth is, an argument can be made for several teams to be in or out, but the Patty Mills injury was the biggest variable among the bubble teams. Guess it wasn't enough.

- Speaking of the Gaels...I switched over to ESPN after Greg, Seth and Greg wrapped up to watch Dick Vitale and Doug Gottlieb smack down Jay Bilas' silly notion that the mid-to-small majors can schedule whomever they want at home or on a neutral court. I have heard many a silly sports argument in my day, but this is right at the top of the list. It is one thing to argue for a specific power school, like Arizona over a smaller school like St. Mary's, but to say with a straight face that the non-power conferences are on the same playing field with the big boys when it comes to scheduling is preposterous. The bracketolgists can argue all they want about who played the most top-50 teams or who did better over the last 10 games, but until the Goliath's willingly play the David's on the road or at least at a true neutral site, then it is an apples-to-oranges types comparison...Ok Ben, put the bracket argument down and slowly move away from it for another 360 days. Serenity now...

- Splitting hairs here, but let's say the West is the toughest region, with the South just a shade behind.

- I would have to say the Midwest is the weakest of the four regions. I see more first round upsets coming out this region than the others.

- Louisville, playing their early rounds in Dayton, could face Ohio State in the second round.

- UNC and Duke get to play in their home state in the first two rounds. This happens most years so why should this time be any different. Seriously, how does this not get more national attention? According to ESPN, the Tar Heels are 25-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played in the state of North Carolina. Yes, Villanova is playing in Philadelphia, but the tournament only sporadically comes to Rocky's hometown.

- Tyler Hansbrough and Blake Griffin, two of the top big men in the country, are poised to meet in the Elite Eight if both teams advance .

- Overall, I would say the top-heavy bracket shakes out well for the Big East schools. Detailed analysis to come tomorrow...

Projecting the NCAA Field - Sunday PM edition

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:49:00 -0400

Who are the four top seeds? Who will be dancing and who will crying? FFToolbox tackles those questions in our NCAA Tournament Bracket preview...

My favorite non-game event every year, the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field, is almost here. Whether your team's bid is already assured or they are on that nasty bubble, the reveal of the field is an exhilarating moment that comes with the excitement and drama normally associated with an actual big game and that is before we all get to fill out our own office pool bracket.

Like a kid at Christmas, I cannot wait to tear into the wrapped gifts, so I present my own bracket projections; including naming the top seeds and the squads that will pick up those final at-large bids. Once the official field of 65 is announced tonight, I will post a fast break like analysis tonight with a complete bracket breakdown Monday morning with all the sleepers, keys and predictions you need before filling out your office pool bracket. Of course we all have our take on who should be in and who will win it all so feel free to add your thoughts and predicitions in the comments field below...

Top five seeds per region

East: Pittsburgh, Duke, Kansas, Purdue, Arizona State

South: UNC, Oklahoma, Villanova, Syracuse, UCLA

Midwest: Louisville, Michigan St. Missouri, Florida St., Xavier

West: UConn, Memphis, Wake Forest, Washington, Gonzaga

- The fourth #1 seed comes down to UConn and Memphis and while I suspect the selection committee does not have the stomach to put three Big East schools on the top line, I think the Huskies should be the pick. Each team has solid non-conference wins (both won at Gonzaga; Memphis beat Tennessee while UConn defeated Michigan), but Jim Calhoun's crew has more quality victories. That is before dissecting the conference resumes, where the Huskies fearsome schedule was clearly superior to the Tigers annual beat down of their paper lion opponents. This is not a knock against Memphis, which took care of business in Conference USA from start to finish, though do not confuse this group with the Derrick Rose-led team from a year ago. Even with a loss in the first round of the Big East Tournament, though in epic six-OT fashion, Connecticut had the superior regular season, especially factoring in the highly ranked target they had on their back much of the season.

- Villanova's two regular season wins over Syracuse keeps them ahead of the Orange despite their touted and exhausting Big East tournament run. If the committee rewards the Orange, the Demon Deacons or Jayhawks could drop a line, the latter setting up a potential Roy Williams vs. Kansas reunion.

- The potential Huskies-Zags second round matchup would have the Emerald City buzzing more than a venti coffee with a triple shot of caffeine ever would.

- Purdue and Florida State clinched a top-4 seed with a run to their respective tournament finals, but a win today probably does not bump them up farther.

Bids by Conference

ACC (7) – UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, FSU, Clemson, Boston College, Maryland
Big East (7) – Louisville, Pittsburgh, UConn, Villanova, Syracuse, WVU, Marquette
Big 10 (7) – Mich. St., Purdue, Illinois, Ohio St., Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Big 12 (6) – Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M
Pac 10 (5) – Washington, Arizona State, UCLA, California, USC
Atlantic 10 (3) – Xavier, Dayton, Temple
SEC (3) – LSU, Tennessee, Mississippi State
Mountain West (2) – BYU, Utah
Horizon (2) – Butler, Cleveland State
WCC (2) – Gonzaga, St. Mary's

Final Cuts

Last four in: Dayton, Maryland, Wisconsin, St. Mary's
Last four out: Arizona, San Diego State, Creighton, Penn St.
Others out: Auburn, UNLV, Virginia Tech, New Mexico

- If your team is on the outside looking in, feel free to give the stink eye to Cleveland State, Southern Cal, Temple and Mississippi State, as none of those teams would have qualified without winning their conference's automatic bid (Shortly after this post went up, the Bulldogs earned the SEC's automatic bid today. That knocked Arizona, who I originally had as the last team in, out of my field of 65 projection).

- The negatives for Maryland (home loss to Morgan State, 7-9 conference record, four defeats of 20+ points) and Arizona (no significant road wins, lost five of final six games) are significant, but they have the most impressive wins (Terps beat UNC, Michigan State, Wake Forest; Wildcats defeated Kansas, Washington, Gonzaga, UCLA) of all the bubble teams. The Terps were better down the stretch and get the big boy school nod over the Wildcats

- The injury to Patty Mills, along with St. Mary's attempt to schedule a strong non-conference schedule (wins over Oregon, Southern Illinois and Kent State not as impressive as they would be in most years), should give the selection committee folk enough room to warrant putting the Gaels in the field. Yes, they lost three times to Gonzaga (though the Gaels led the Zags on the road at halftime when Mills went down), but they have quality wins over Utah State, San Diego State and Providence to fall back on. Coming off a horrid WCC Tourney, Mills looked solid in the Friday night non-conference win over 12-18 Eastern Washington and that could sway members on the committee, as the Gaels were ranked this season when their point guard was healthy. The eye taste for the Gaels remains blurry, but I see them as in the field and if so, they will receive the most scrutiny of any at-large team.

- On the flip side, San Diego State posted enough good wins in the strong Mountain West - combined with a potent non-conference schedule - to get in, but the loss to St. Mary's on a neutral court is the tiebreaker.

- Sorry Big 10 fans, but despite what the flawed RPI says, your conference is not strong enough to warrant eight bids and one could argue that seven is too many as both Wisconsin and Penn State have flawed non-conference results. They both have significant conference wins, but the Badgers sweep of the Nittany Lions gives them the nod.

- The Missouri Valley is a solid conference that deserves multiple bids most years and Creighton had an 11-game winning streak before being thumped in the conference tournament. That let down, combined with only two wins (Dayton, Northern Iowa) over teams projected in the big dance, is probably enough of an excuse to keep them on the sideline.

- Despite a strong close to the season, the perceived down year for the SEC, along a weak non-conference schedule, has Auburn, along with conference rivals South Carolina and Florida, heading to the NIT.

'Starting Five' - NCAA Tourney Talk with Contra Costa Times Sports Editor Tom Barnidge

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:33:00 -0400

Talking Gonzaga, St. Mary's and west coast basketball with Tom Barnidge, Sports Editor for the Contra Costa Times.

FFToolbox.com, one of the leaders in fantasy football coverage, continues to expand our sports coverage beyond the pigskin perspective with a foray into college hoops heaven, better known as the NCAA Tournament. Led by our point guard Ben Standig, we will pose our "Starting Five" questions to a series of sports writers, contributors and fans across the country, assisting our readers as they gear up for the madness of March. The segment will provide an overview of the upcoming NCAA Tournament, from the power conference and mid-major perspective, including teams in both camps hoping that their major post-season bubble will not burst.
Postseason Roster:

3/12 – Tom Barnidge, Contra Costa Times – St. Mary's, Gonzaga, Pac-10
3/11 - Paul Kenyon, Providence Journal - Rhode Island/Providence
3/11 - Greg Schimmel, The Diamondback - Maryland/ACC

Tom, thank you for your time and effort in helping FFToolbox.com with our college basketball post-season coverage. Ok, time for tip off...

1) This time of year, we always hear the chattering class arguing over which type of team should get those precious final at-large berths; a power conference team like a Maryland or Michigan or a mid-major school like St. Mary's. What is your take on this bar room type argument and if, as some on the worldwide leader have suggested, the NCAA should do away with automatic bids?

Tom Barnidge - I'm in favor of automatic bids to regular-season conference champions, who have shown their merit over the length of the schedule. My issue is with automatic bids to the winners of postseason tournaments, which many coaches regard as jokes. A good example from a year ago was the Georgia team that won only four SEC games all season but sneaked into the NCAAs with a 17-16 overall record on the strength of a postseason tournament title. In general, power conference teams deserve the nod over mid-majors because they play better schedules.

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'Starting Five' - NCAA Tourney talk with Providence Journal Sports Writer Paul Kenyon

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:08:00 -0400

Talking Big East, bubble positioning for Providence and Rhode Island's late season clunker with Sports Writer Paul Kenyon of the Providence Journal.

Postseason Roster:

3/11 - Paul Kenyon, Providence Journal - Rhode Island/Providence

3/11 - Greg Schimmel, The Diamondback - Maryland/ACC

Paul, thank you for your time and effort in helping FFToolbox.com with our college basketball post-season coverage. Ok, time for tip off...

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'Starting Five' - NCAA Tourney talk with Sports Columnist Greg Schimmel

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:41:00 -0400

Talking Maryland basketball, ACC and the national scene with Greg Schimmel, sports columnist for The Diamondback, the University of Maryland student newspaper

First off Greg, let me thank you for your time and effort in helping FFToolbox.com with our college basketball post-season coverage. Ok, time for tip off...

1) This time of year, we always hear the chattering class arguing over which type of team should get those precious final at-large berths; a power conference team like Maryland or a mid-major school like Creighton or St. Mary's. What is your take on this bar room type argument and if, as some on the worldwide leader have suggested, the NCAA should do away with automatic bids?

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Sports hope springs eternal with Tiger back on the prowl

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:24:00 -0400

Before breaking down Andre Smith's missteps, Jarron Gilbert's amazing jump and the Maryland Terrapins potential leap into the NCAA Tournament...

My apology to Brendan Jones, but somebody has to be the martyr. Frankly, I had never heard of the Australian golfer prior to scanning the bracket for this week’s Accenture Match Play Championship, but then again I don’t claim to follow the weekly results over in Japan, where the 64th ranked player in the world has won eight times. Frankly, my interest in Jones now is purely tangential to a much greater cause and he is almost assuredly to slip out of my sports conscience by this time tomorrow. So why bring him up at all? Because Jones is set to become the first golfer sacrificed at the altar of one Tiger Woods, the most important presence in all of sports.

Does anyone dispute that claim? Don’t call it a comeback, but the timing could not be more perfect for the debut of the most competitive and compelling athlete around. Upon conclusion of the NFL season, the sports nation lets out a collective, almost instinctive whine because its members do not know what to do with themselves after months of being in a three-point stance. The football diehards will focus on non-events like the draft and more recently, the combine, while the rest of the herd will impatiently wait for the calendar to hurry up so we can get to the next gripping moment.

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Could Beanie Wells slide out of first round?

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:34:00 -0400

Before breaking down the can't miss events of the weekend, including the NFL Combine and a massive ACC hoops battle...

At the end of the college football season, Ohio State RB Chris Wells was projected to be a top-10 pick by many a pundit following his back-to-back 1000+ yards campaigns and 30 career touchdowns with the Buckeyes. Yet, with the NFL combine upon us - and the draft just two months away – Wells is now being projected into the bottom half of the round and based on team needs and other projected moves, could the bruising back slip completely out of the first round?

Calm down Buckeye Nation, hear me out before hyperventilating (besides, he is not the only Buckeye dropping on draft boards. In addition and for the record, I did not attend Michigan, though I did stay at an Ann Arbor Holiday Inn once). “Beanie” is still rated as no less than the second running back on most boards, behind Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and ahead of Pittsburgh’s LeSean McCoy and Iowa’s Shonn Greene, among others and there a many factors that could keep Wells among the top-32 selected.

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Wishing I had Nate Robinson's hops

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:25:00 -0400

Before discussing Matthew Stafford, Maurice Jones-Drew and the Pitt Panthers...

There is no way to better illustrate that we are in a dead spot on the sports calendar than to say the weekend highlight was the NBA dunk contest and that I am looking forward to this week's NFL Combine. The latter is true, though that is primarily due to the insane amount of time I spent this weekend debating where to slot Percy Harvin, the merits of the Eagles taking a tight end over a running back in the first round or the potential of having FOUR centers go in the first two rounds of my latest mock draft. Yes, I have need help.

In between watching You Tube clips of Josh Freeman, I filled up my sports plate primarily with college hoops, a side of the rain-shortened Daytona 500 (I tried getting into it as I mentioned in Friday’s post, but somewhere around Kyle Busch’s wreck and finding Godfather 2 on cable, I lost track. Don’t give up on me NASCAR nation, I just need to ditch the remote) and a dash of the rain-delayed PGA tour stop in Pebble Beach.
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Still stuck in first gear when it comes to all things NASCAR..

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:44:00 -0400

Before discussing Michael Crabtree, the upcoming weekend in College Basketball and which NFL quarterback I compare to the current cast of Saturday Night Live...

NASCAR Nation – A smart blogger would probably try to pander to you folks with a shiny new post about his or her detailed thoughts on the first race in the Sprint Cup Series, otherwise known as “The Great American Race”, the Daytona 500, regardless of whether he is a gear head or not. That’s just not my style.

I fall into the category of sports fans that simply do not grasp, understand or are not engaged in the world or auto racing, though I have given it more than a college try. I even have a NASCAR Fantasy League championship on my hypothetical gaming resume (though I have to say it would be on the second page, somewhere below my Fantasy PGA Golf title, but ahead of my 2008 American Idol Pool co-championship. Yes, I have a problem).

Truth is, I can enjoy and even at times, understand the actual racing (though for a detailed analysis of the big race, you will want to check out our Daytona preview). I mean, who does not find a tight race, with cars going three and four wide coming around the final turns, to be rather electrifying. We can all relate to being two lanes over on the highway with our exit fast approaching and trying to pass that car that just…won’t...get…out of our way.

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