General Tso, you are a worth adversary

I went to possibly the best Chinese buffet I’ve ever been to last night. It had 8 buffet tables that were at least 10 feet long. Just a plethora of deliciousness. I of course got my share of the great general’s tasty chicken.

A big congratulations to singer Tom Jones. He’s going to be knighted. How far has the honor of being knighted fallen? Back in medieval times you had to save the queen or lay waste to an opposing army to be knighted. Now you just need a couple chart topping singles and you’re into the club. And while I like Tom Jones, is he really in the same class as Paul McCartney and Elton John?

I shaved my beard last weekend and two things became obvious. One, I look like a totally different (and younger) person without it (I got carded buying lotto tickets yesterday). And two, I hate shaving. That beard had me spoiled. About twice a week I’d touch up my neck but that was it. I did keep some sweet chops though.

I hope that Amare’s knee injury isn’t serious. But I’m pretty sure that everyone associated with and who enjoys the NBA is holding their collective breath right now. Micro fracture surgery is pretty much what ACL surgery was 25 years ago. While modern medicine has reduced ACL injuries to minor bumps in the road, Micro surgery is career threatening. While he played well in the 3 games he was back for, he wasn’t explosive from what I saw. I really hope that this isn’t another Chris Webber-type incident.

I know that it’s been a few days now, but how business like did UConn look on Sunday? While Mason seemed to be enjoying every minute of that game (even when they were down), the only UConn emotion I saw was when Brown tied the game at the end of regulation. It was like watching a bunch of robots. And nice job by Boone and Armstrong. Getting schooled by 6’7” big men really helps your draft stock.

And one more thing about that game. How quick is Tony Skinn? I know that Marcus Williams had a good game, but Skinn was in his grill all game. And not only that but he constantly had his hand in the passing lane and had to be far and away the leader in deflections for that game. Even though he missed the front end of the 1 and 1 at the end of regulation, I really thought that he controlled the tempo on the defensive end of the court.

I was also really impressed with Mason’s offensive discipline. They took the shot clock inside 10 seconds almost every position. I really think that fact helped them keep it together down the stretch because they weren’t tempted by quick shots.

That’s enough talk about Mason. I kind of rambled a little there.

I wanted to touch quickly on the other 3 final four teams.

I love LSU’s inside game, but I don’t know if Darrell Mitchell is going to be able to carry their perimeter scoring for two more games. The game with UCLA could be another knock down drag out, 54-52 type game. Look for Magnum Rolle to make the key defensive play (I can only hope).

How is it that this UCLA team gets to the Final Four but the Knight-Page Pitt teams couldn’t do it? Easier draw, maybe. Better offense, yes. I’m a big Afflalo fan, it will be interesting to see how he does with Temple on him Saturday.

Right now, Florida is my favorite to win it all. Everyone knows how great their inside game is, but I really think that Green and Humphrey both picked up a lot of confidence against Nova. And with Corey Brewer wreaking havoc and hitting 3s on the wing, they are very dangerous. I think UF’s athletic bigs will handle Mason much better then the UConn stiffs.
Lastly, I went to the Dan Valley Food Show today. If you ever get the chance to go to a food show, do it. It’s a schmorgusboard of deliciousness. And when someone would ask me if we’d be interested in having their product at the park I’d just tell them that I’m not the decision maker. Awesome.

For each sprinkle I find I'll kill you

Some brief thoughts on what was one of the most exciting first weekends of the NCAA Tournament in years. I don’t remember that many down to the wire games in a long time. And this comes down to the fact that all of the big programs are losing young guys to the NBA and these senior laden mid major teams are better equipped to compete with them now.

Georgetown beating Ohio State surprised me, but didn’t shock me. Georgetown runs the “Princeton” offense better than any team in the nation (maybe better than the NBA teams that run it). They’re very long and athletic and I love Jeff Green. He doesn’t get nearly enough attention on the national stage. When Ohio State struggled from 3-point land against Davidson I was worried for the G-town game. Rightfully so it appears.

I picked Bradley to beat Kansas. As hot as the Jayhawks were coming in, Bradley was equally hot. And as I stated above, Bradley is a veteran team and KU is very young. Experience, even if it’s not in the NCAA Tournament, is very important this time of year.

I hate the way that people say that when you get into the tournament things slow down and you have to be a good half court team. Well, that never seems to work so well for Pitt who is pretty much the ultimate half court team. I had them in the Sweet 16 again. Maybe I’ll learn some day.

I’d like to apologize to George Mason. I thought that they were dead in the water against MSU without Tony Skinn. But they controlled that game from the get go and then knocked off a young UNC team. I bet that Billy Packer already put his request in for the GMU-Wichita State game. Hurry up and eat Billy while the shit’s still warm. Same for
Digger Phelps.

The LSU-A&M game was one of the best of the tournament so far. A&M had them right where they wanted them. They played that slow down pace, but give credit to LSU for making the plays down the stretch. They lose that game last year with their shaky guard play. But that backcourt is a lot better this season and I have them beating Duke.

Memphis has yet to play a major conference team, and if Gonzaga beats UCLA they could get to the Final Four without playing one. Don’t sleep on the Braves though. Bradley could knock them off just like they did to Kansas. Bradley has played two games against two totally different styles and handled both of them very well.

Washington is very underrated. I don’t know if they have the size to play with UConn. But I don’t see Marcus Williams having the same kind of game he had in the first two rounds. So much for Rajon Rondo being a lock down defender. And Brandon Roy is the real deal.

Finally, I’m really looking forward to the BC-Nova game. That could be the best game of the tournament. Craig Smith is playing like he’s on a mission. I like BC in that game, but that four-guard attack is tough. Kyle Lowery is still one of my favorite players in the country. He can be quiet for the first 35 minutes of a game and then get a couple of steals, a couple of rebounds and the next thing you know he’s torched you for 10 points in two minutes and you’re out of the game. Just a spark plug.

Good night sweet prince

A couple of things that I want to touch on.

One, I couldn’t be happier about the Browns’s signings so far. They’ve addressed their needs and have gotten veteran guys that know how to win. While Washington and McGinest are old, they know the defensive scheme and will be key in the development of some of the younger players.

Getting LeCharles Bentley was a huge coup. He was by far the #1 free agent offensive lineman. Now the decision comes of where to play him. They have Jeff Faine (2003’s 1st round pick) at center and they just signed Cosey Coleman and Joe Andruzzi last offseason. Now Faine is an injury risk. He has yet to play an entire season. Any where they decide to stick Bentley will be an upgrade.

My only concern in all of the signings was Kevin Shaffer from the Falcons. He has been the starting LT for the Falcons the last 2 seasons, but Michael Vick is left handed which means that Shaffer wasn’t the blind side protector. This is the only concern I have with him is that he wasn’t taking on the best DE each week the way he will now.

Jurevicius is a great insurance signing. He can be the #1 receiver until Edwards is healthy and after that he slides nicely into the #2 spot. He’s got great hands and finally gives the Browns a reliable receiver.

My next thoughts have to do with what I watched on ESPN Classic last night. I watched the Top 20 NCCAA Buzzer beaters of all time. Just a few thoughts on the show.

They rated Princeton’s upset of UCLA in 1996 at like #16. How is that? UCLA was the defending National Champs and they lost to Princeton. Princeton! That would have been in my top 10.

How is Lorenzo Charles’s dunk against Houston in the 1983 title game not #1? That won NC State the National Title. That buzzer beater won it all. Now I think that Laettner’s shot against UK is a solid #3 only for the fact that it didn’t win the title.

Meaning that my #2 is the put back for Loyola against Cincy in 1963. Once again, it won the Championship.

They had one women’s shot on there and it was like #11. It was Charlotte Smith’s 3 to win the title for UNC over La. Tech in 1994. I’m not a big fan of the women’s game, but I would have put this in the top 5. A three to win the title, that’s never happened in the men’s game.

This show also reminded me of something. I think at #8 was John Wallace’s 3 to beat UGA in the Elite 8 in 1996. No one ever talks about how Wallace basically carried a pretty average Syracuse team to the final game that season (where they lost to UK). Wallace was an absolute beast in that tournament. And believe it or not, I picked ‘Cuse to make the Final Four that season. I would have won my dad’s work pool had I picked them to go to the final game. But I had them losing in the semis to Cincy. And of course Cincy choked against Mississippi State that season. I would put Wallace’s performance in that tournament 2nd only to Randolph Childress’s 1995 ACC tournament performance. Those were both clutch, get on my back kind of performances. Kentucky just out gunned Wallace that season in the final.

Someone please take me on a magic carpet ride!

I’m going to cover my picks for the upcoming tournament. Unlike some of my friends I will be working the next two days. But I fully plan on taking advantage of CBS having the games on a live feed online. My luck our internet will go down.

I’m not going to go through every pick because that will take too long and I don’t have that kind of patience. So here are my first round upsets (including 9s over 8s).

UNC Wilmington over GW
I love the way that GW runs and if they get Pops back they’ll be tough. But I think that UNCW is a tough, veteran team that has the type of disciplined play to handle GW. On another note I think that they will give Duke a tougher than expected game in the 2nd round.

A&M over ‘Cuse
This is my mandatory 12 over 5 pick. A&M is a very physical team and I honestly think that Syracuse peaked in the Big East tournament. I was also very upset to hear Vermont’s old coach (I can’t remember his name) compare McNamara’s performance in the Big East Tournament to Randolph Childress’s ACC tourney run in 1995. Flabbergasted isn’t even a strong enough term. Yes McNamara hit some clutch shots, but did he carry his teams to those wins? No. He didn’t score over 20 in any of the four games. Childress went for something ridiculous like 35, 30, and 45 in his 1995 run and single handedly carried Wake to that championship.

Bradley over Kansas
I love the way that both of these teams have played the last month or so. But Kansas is very young and there’s always that one veteran mid major team that knocks off the young bucks.

Xavier over Gonzaga
In the battle of Jesuits there is some bad blood. Xavier and Gonzaga used to play each other almost every season up until Gonzaga hit the big time in 1999. All of a sudden they were too big time to play the Musketeers. XU also has 6’9” Justin Doellman who is probably the best defender Morrison will have faced in the last 3 months. Not having Brian Thornton will hurt in containing Bautista, but I think they can pull it off.

Bama over Marquette
Live by the 3, die by the 3. That’s what I’m basing this on. Marquette won’t be able to hit from deep and Bama will prevail. Novak is a tournament vet, but he won’t be enough.

UAB over Kentucky
I love the rematch from two years ago. I actually picked UAB on one of my brackets that year, unfortunately it wasn’t one of my money brackets. Now I have one bracket that I use. I always hated the what ifs I ran into. This Kentucky team doesn’t run like their teams of the past. UAB will turn them over a lot. And I’m predicting that Rajon Rondo gets exposed for the fraud that he is. Squeeky Johnson will push him all over the court.

Wisconsin over Arizona
I really hate Arizona’s team this year. They seem like they should really be able to lock people down, but instead they try to run with them. The only reason they’re in is because they play in a shit conference. They wouldn’t have finished over .500 in any other power conference. I think that this will be one of the most horrible games to watch of the tournament.

UNI over Georgetown
This is a very veteran and tournament tested UNI team. Don’t sleep on them. I love the way the Hoyas make the Princeton offense look so fluid because they have great athletes running it, but I think the Panthers get the upset here.

My other big picks lay out like this.

LSU over Duke
LSU learned a lot from last year’s debacle against UAB. Basically that they needed better guard play, and they got it. Glenn Davis will destroy Sheldon Williams and LSU’s athletic guards will keep JJ covered up all day.

Washington over Illinois
I think that UW has flown under the radar all season. Brandon Roy is a great player and this team just has too many weapons for Illinois to stop. It’ll be close, but UW wins.

Michigan St. over UNC
MSU is beat up and a little down. But is there a coach who gets more out of his players in the tournament than Izzo? They always make a run. And you know that vet team will be licking their lips when they take on a very young UNC team.

Michigan St. over Tennessee
MSU will frustrate UT by keeping this a half court game. UT really faded down the stretch and showed their true colors. They aren’t all that athletic and that will hurt them here.

BC over Nova
Smith and Dudley are experienced and hungry. They’re also familiar with Nova. This could be the game of the tournament. BC just has too much inside and their bigs can handle, unlike UConn’s.

My Final Four lays out like this: Texas over LSU in the South, Memphis over UCLA in the West (only because of a soft region), UConn over Michigan St. in the East, and Ohio State over BC in the Midwest.

Then…

Texas over Memphis
As much as I like Memphis I think that their lack of experience and quality opponents will catch up with them right here. Texas is solid all the way around. And they have that intangible guy in Buckman who you know will do something to turn this game down the stretch.

UConn over OSU
It was a good run for the Bucks but UConn’s size finishes off the job that BC’s size started. OSU ran into the same kind of buzz saw UConn team in 1999 in the semis.

Final
Texas over UConn, 78-72
UConn’s bigs lack of mobility and versatility will kill them in this game. That’s really the only thing I have to say about this game. I just think that Texas is a better team.

When I fill out my bracket I never have a team that I pencil in as the winner. I go round by round and judge each match up. If I think a team will lose, then they lose. Simple as that. Alas, the highest I’ve ever finished in any pool is 3rd and that was last season. But that was also the first time I’ve used just one sheet (the sheet of integrity, if you will). Perhaps this will be my year. But probably not.

What is this shirts versus blouses?

I haven’t posted anything in over a week and that’s because I’ve actually been busy. But with the back alley, rusty hanger abortion that was last nights NCAA selection show, I had to say something.

I’ve always been a proponent of giving the little guys a chance in the tournament. But I think that the committee was smoking some herbal supplements over the last week.

Here are my teams that have no business being in the field

George Mason: for one they lost to Hofstra twice in the last 2 weeks of their season. And two, they will be without their second leading scorer for the opening round. How do you put this team in? Everyone talked all year how they were a shoo-in and then they choke down the stretch of the regular season and lose in their conference semis. I just don’t get it.

Utah State: they played a hell of a game against a much more talented Nevada team Saturday night in the WAC Final. Yes they have 23 wins, but the general consensus was that their RPI and SOS were not nearly strong enough to get in. When they got a 12 seed I almost fell out of my chair.

Seton Hall: yes they put up good numbers in one of the best conferences in the NCAA. They got big road wins down the stretch. But they choked and got beat badly by Quincy Douby (and Rutgers to a lesser extent) and they’ve only got 18 wins. If they would have beaten Rutgers I wouldn’t have a problem with this. I could even look past the plastering that Duke put on them early. But the fact is that they didn’t step up when everything was on the line and that always bothers me.

Air Force: yes they have 24 wins. But they looked horrible in the MWC tourney and their RPI and SOS were bad. How you take a team like this over Florida State who has an equally bad RPI and SOS but at least plays in the ACC is beyond me. Maybe the committee was just trying to send a message to the bigger schools to schedule better in the preconference.

Now here’s the teams that should have been in instead of these dead beats.

Florida State: as much as that pains me to say its true. Now grant it they too choked in the ACC tourney against Wake, but they are also the first ACC school to finish the regular season over .500 in conference and not make the tournament. They interviewed Leonard Hamilton before the show and he was so confident. I have to think he cried himself to sleep last night.

Hofstra: as stated above they beat George Mason twice in the last 2 weeks of the season, finish second in one of the best mid major conferences in America, and made it to the CAA tournament finals. I don’t know how you ignore a team that did so well head-to-head against a team that is in the field.

Cincinnati: I still hate that they ran Huggins out of town and that they’re doing the same things to Andy Kennedy. The guy took a team that had no business winning 5 games in the Big East and ended up finishing in the top half of the conference. Yes they lost the heart breaker to Syracuse, but after they went on to win the Big East tournament I think that has to be discounted. How SHU gets in over them is beyond me.

Missouri State: flat out this team finished with an RPI of 20. That means they are the highest RPI team not to make the field in the 20+ years they’ve been using the method. They finished 2nd in one of the strongest, most competitive conferences in the nation. Yes they lost in the first round of the MVC tourney, but to a tournament bound UNI team. I just think it sets a bad precedent that they change the way the RPI is figured to help the mid majors and the selection committee turns their back on a team that finishes in the top 20.

On a side note it was 80 here yesterday so I went golfing with my buddy. Needless to say it was good times had by all. We polished off our 12 pack of silver bullets and finished up with some $.94 PBRs from the clubhouse. I shot a 55 and 52, so I was happy. Especially since every pin was on the front of the green and I swear they hadn’t watered the greens all year. Pretty awesome for it being March when everyone is getting out for the first time. Really considerate.

And if you missed it or haven’t gotten the email, I set up a Yahoo pick’em for the tournament. The ID# is 66506 and the password is nobrevard. Its $10 per entry. 2nd place doubles their money and the winner takes the rest.

Nice accent you got there. What is that, New Jersey?

This is going to be quick because I’ve only really got three things I want to talk about.

It felt like the Cavs really exorcised a lot of demons last night in Chicago. They blew a big lead in the 2nd half and looked like they were heading down the same road they did last season (and for the last 5 games). But they hung in there and kept it close. Now grant it LeBron didn’t step up down the stretch, but maybe that was good for the team. It showed that they could win without him carrying all the bags. I like the Flip Murray deal more and more each time I see them play. Without Hughes he is really their only other perimeter scoring threat.

The Memphis-UAB game last night was fantastic. One of the top 5 college basketball games I’ve seen this season. I just love the way UAB plays. With solid defense and a lot of guts. Memphis is clearly a much more talented team, but UAB’s pressure defense finally got to them in the final 5 minutes. And I was impressed as hell with Squeeky Johnson (and not just because of his name). He controlled every aspect of the game. And while stat line doesn’t blow you away (10 pts, 6 boards, 5 assists, and 2 steals) he definitely filled up the box score. You can tell that he is the unquestioned leader of that team.

This should be a great college basketball weekend. There are some fantastic match ups highlighted by UNC-Duke. What I’m not looking forward to is ESPN’s Vitale times 3 coverage. Ridiculous. Put another game on ESPN2. How many people are actually going to be watching the “above the rim cam” (I know they have the “Cameron Crazy” cam on ESPNU, but I don’t get that channel so I really don’t care about it). And on a side note Ohio State has a chance to wrap up its first outright Big Ten basketball title since Jim Jackson was there in the early 90s. I thought that OSU would be good this year, but not win the conference good. Like I’ve said before, they lost two players off a team that won 20 games last year. It’s just that no one remembers that because they weren’t eligible for the tourney (thanks Jim O’Brien). If this team can make a tourney run into the Sweet 16 and then bring back all of the underclassmen, (this means you Jamar Butler) look out next season.

I’m going bowling Saturday night. I’m going to be really drunk. Good times in Danville, VA.

Doesn't anyone fucking knock anymore?

I was going to post this yesterday, but my boss rudely interrupted me. I can only work so much.

Even though Bill Simmons has already stolen my thunder and written a post about the Team USA NBA list, I’m going to put down my thoughts as well. I was impressed by some of the names on the list (Battier, Bowen, J. Howard) meaning that it looks like Colangelo and his boys are finally getting the message that you need to build a team.

This list is a precursor to the 2008 Olympics and basically this year’s World Championships are the tryouts. With that in mind I didn’t include some guys on this list because I felt their skills may be too diminished by the time Beijing rolls around.

Point Guard: Chauncey Billups, Chris Paul

Billups has shown that he is an all-round great point guard. He can knock down any shot, get into the lane, distribute as well as anyone this side of Steve Nash, and most importantly play defense. Billups’s size will give him a great advantage over Euro points on both sides of the ball. Hell, it gives NBA points a lot of problems now.

Paul is showing signs of being ready to take the torch from Kidd and Nash when the time comes. He’s a classic point guard in every sense of the word. In two years I can only imagine how much he will have progressed. He is a better open court guard than Billups which will make him a great compliment/change of pace point for the team.

Two-Guards: Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd

Wade is the ultimate slasher, but his shot is getting better. He can handle and even run the point if needed. He’s an underrated defender who does so many things well.

Redd is a remade player. When he came out of college he couldn’t hit a 15 footer. Now he might be the best shooter in the league. He still has the slasher in him, which allows him to put the ball on the floor and create his own shot. While I think that he is a good team defender, he’s not a lock down guy.

Small Forwards: LeBron James, Josh Howard, Rashard Lewis

There’s not a whole lot to say about LeBron that hasn’t been said. He gives the lineup a lot of flexibility because he can play three, maybe even four, positions. Playing with a team like this should also get his passing game back on track after playing with this rusty hanger, back alley abortion for a team this season.

I was very impressed when I saw Josh Howard’s name on the list. Howard is a good to great defender that brings a solid scoring option at the offensive end. He rebounds well and can get to the hoop.

Believe it or not Lewis was my last addition to this list. His game is very smooth and he has developed a very dependable outside shot. At 6’10” he will be a match up nightmare on the international level. I know that there are a lot of big Euros that are perimeter oriented, but none of them play defense.

Power Forwards: Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Dwight Howard

Brand has been a consistent double-double machine since his first NBA game. He does everything on the offensive end, including a solid 15 foot jumper. His low post defense leaves a little to be desired at times, but he makes up for it with shot blocking and grabbing every rebound.

Marion is just a beast. His wing span makes him almost unstoppable on offense (whether in the post or on the perimeter) and makes him a stopper on defense. As long as Coach K lets him play the “4” (unlike Brown who had him at the “3” most of the Athens games) he’ll be great. Did I mention that he has played the last two seasons with Steve Nash? Yeah, that will only make him better.

Dwight Howard is arguably the best young big man in the NBA. He’s just a beast, and he’s 20. By the time the 2008 Games roll around he should be averaging about 25 and 15 a night. His low post game is developing and once his mid range jumper gets consistent there won’t be any stopping him. And his defense is great. He plays good post defense, blocks shots, and is going to be the best rebounder on the team.

Centers: Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh

I’m not worried about Stoudemire’s knee because unlike C-Webb and K-Mart he’s taken his time coming back and listened to his doctors. He’s just a freak on both sides of the ball. When he’s on the floor the offense should run through him, no matter what team he is on.

Bosh, Stoudemire, and Howard could be the second coming of Hakeem, Ewing, and Robinson. Bosh has packed on the pounds since he was drafted and is a machine now. He scores at will in the post and has added a mid range jumper to his repertoire. His length makes him dangerous on defense and a beast on the boards. Oh, and he can handle a little bit too.

So those are my picks. A few thoughts on those I left off.

Kobe: I agree with Simmons here in that him being the show with the Lakers has hurt his all around game. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

Areans: We saw how well shoot-first point guards worked in Athens. Arenas is a great scorer, but he just doesn’t fit on this team.

Carmelo: It was a toss up for me between him and Lewis. I feel that Lewis is a better shooter, and let’s face it you can’t have too many shooters in International play.

Bowen: Great defender, but I was looking for more than a set three point shot from the corner in my stopper. That’s why I went with Howard.

Battier: Pretty much the same thought as Bowen. I was just looking for a little more versatility from the defensive stopper.

Jamison: Ahh, he just doesn’t do it for me. He has developed his game since coming into the league, but there are just too many more talented small forwards in the league.

Joe Johnson: After the way he has shown he can carry a team this year he may have a shot at the Olympics. He can play both guard positions and can bomb from the outside. He was a tough one to leave off.

Brad Miller: I love Miller’s high post game. He passes well and rebounds well. And maybe on a team with another solid big man he would put up great numbers again. He may wow coaches in the tryouts when on the floor with any of the guys on my list. That’s about his only shot.

Pierce: I put Pierce in the same category as Kobe, but to a lesser extent. He’s carrying a very young team right now by doing everything. I still have the door open for him with a solid showing in the tryouts. I could see him beating out Howard or Lewis for a small forward spot.

Luke Ridnour: He has no shot. He struggles with his outside shot (on a perimeter based team no less) and he couldn’t guard Mark Hughes.

A couple of thoughts:

I think the committee really shot themselves in the foot in 2004 when they waited until the last minute to invite Rip Hamilton. His game is made for international play. Now he’s holding that against them and shot them down this year. Its really too bad.

What about Rasheed Wallace? He’s one of the most talented big men in the league and he does everything on the court. He’s shown that he is an unselfish player and that he is more than willing to take the back seat role for the better of the team. I think that the committee still has some character issues with him. That’s a load of crap.

How about Ron-Ron? He’s probably the most complete player in the league. He can play any position on offense and can lock up any player on defense. Yes he is crazy. He may undermine the team and bring everything crashing down. He may set off an international incident. These are all major concerns. But I think with some Prozac and guys that he respects on the team he would behave.