The Blue Team

The Day Carolina Lost Its Way

2011-07-28T00:01:00.005-04:00

The Carolina Way. That's what we stand for. Everyone who has matriculated through the hallowed grounds of dear ol' Chapel Hill. Play Hard. Play Smart. Play Together. It's The Carolina Way. Per Coach Dean E. Smith, who knows a thing or two about leadership, these are the foundations to a successful program. The concepts apply to a basketball team, a business organization, and, one might assume, an entire university. The characteristics of being a Tar Heel, of this revered level of operation in life, are embodied in each student-turned-alumni at UNC. We talk about it, subscribe to it, carry it out in an almost cult-like fashion. And yes, it is obnoxious. If you didn't go to Carolina, you don't get it, and that's ok. Sometimes, our own don't get it either.

"Coach Butch Davis" is now known as "former Coach, Butch Davis". As of right now, we do not have a head football coach in Chapel Hill. No longer is BMFD the caretaker of The Carolina Way for our football program. And it's July 27th. And practice starts in, oh, eight days.

You know the story, the gory details: agents, not-so-studious athletes, benefits, works cited pages, tutors, suspensions, Black Santa, etc. Hell, this blog has been practically MIA because of it. It sucks, it's been really tough to sit through and watch. Few weeks went by without something else leaking out, another violation being reveled or at least speculated about. I recall being really upset when the initial story broke, thinking I was a bit embarrassed to be a Tar Heel. And then Thursday happened.

I am not here to argue whether or not Butch Davis deserved to be fired. What's done is done. It's really tough when your program is in disarray to distance yourself from it and make an unbiased evaluation as to what the proper reaction should be. Apparently it took our Chancellor over a year to successful distance himself from things to make an evaluation, and subsequently a decision, about how to handle things. In the process, he apparently forgot what The Carolina Way is really all about.

Playing Hard. We've done that. The program took this opportunity (if you can call Marvin Austin's initial mess an "opportunity") to delve into the entire athletic program (so we are lead to believe) and leave no stone unturned. That's how the entire academic scandal came about anyway, from the self-evaluation. And we've tried to fix things. Staff has been re-educated on how to monitor, how to hire tutors, how to ensure that assistance is provided in the appropriate fashion. We're trying really hard to clean things up. I have a hard time believing that our program is any "dirtier" than most others, but hey, we got caught and are trying to fix it. Not so much to avoid punishment, but to reiterate our commitment to The Carolina Way. And that's a good thing, something all major programs should do on a regular basis. The complacency within UNC, the idea that "we're Carolina and we don't screw up like that" was a big factor in allowing things to spiral out of control with few checks and balances in place and properly enforced to prevent an issue. The problem is this "fixing of issues" is at the long-term expense of the football program.

Play Smart. We have not. For an institution lead by so many intelligent people, playing smart could not be further from the truth. There was the overreaction of sitting every player who may or may not have had anything to do with a tutor. There was the misrepresentation of Michael McAdoo and what his role was in the scandal, basically telling the NCAA that he was permanently ineligible when the punishment did not fit the crime, then trying to backtrack almost a year later. And of course, there was firing a coach on July 27th. No mater how you cut it, that's not smart. The lack of common sense by people in power is baffling. Yet, while I say on one hand that I can't believe this has happened, I say on the other that this was an almost-predictable mismanagement by UNC.

Play Together. Again, we have not. And never have. What a lot of folks do not realize is that there has long been a power struggle within UNC. On one side, there are the supporters of our athletics program (that would be me, duh). They want to see the Tar Heels succeed in every sport, winning championships along the way. They want to grow revenue, outsource marketing rights, build new facilities, and compete at the highest level. And, they want to do this The Carolina Way. On the other side, you have the detractors of our athletics program. OK, "detractors" is an understatement, but I can't think of a bigger word without going to Dictionary.com (I placed out of English 11, they assumed I already knew those synonyms - oops), and I'm on a roll here and can't stop to look it up. Let's just say they freakin' hate sports and think college should only involve a classroom, not an athletics field. This faction of academia is present at a lot of higher education institutions, but is particularly prominent in Chapel Hill. They protect the value and emphasis placed on academics, many times in good faith. Usually within an institution, this group is a minority that just talks a lot, but really can't win. Athletics is the snowball rolling downhill that can't be stopped; haters gone hate, but they ultimately have to deal with it. Until now.

A bit more detail on this battle at UNC reveals that the football program has been a target for a long, long time. The men's basketball program has been so good and so clean (knock on all the wood you can find) for so long that the academia couldn't say much. To attack the basketball team, especially under Coach Smith or Coach Williams, is blasphemous. Other sports have been successful: men's lacrosse, women's soccer, baseball to name a few. But none of these sports garner the attention or revenue of football, nor carry the negative stereotypes that are frequently placed on the football program - don't worry, I'm not going there. But, the fact remains that there is a large contingency of power players at Carolina who don't want to Play Together. They would rather football remain obsolete as it has for thirty years or so and protect its emphasis on academics at the expense of the program. The supporters of Carolina football finally garnered enough support and power in recent years to hire a big-name coach and staff, raise funds for growth, and expand Kenan Stadium. This momentum has now been halted. The scandal, in the minds of the academia, only validates what they feared would happen with a big-time football program. But that's where they get a bit off-kilter.

The division within UNC has driven the leadership of the institution to overreact at an inopportune time. Firing Coach Davis early in the investigation would have been without proper cause (not enough information at the time). Firing him after last season was tough after the bowl win and probably would not have been quite justified given that the NCAA had not released any findings at the time. Once the allegations were communicated, if Chancellor Thorp felt Davis was ultimately responsible (which Coach Davis said at the ACC Kick-off event this week) and deserved to be fired, the prudent decision would have been to allow him to coach out the season and then make a move. At least that was the right thing to do in the best long-term interest of the football program. It is clearly to the detriment of the program as a whole (current players, staff, fans, etc) to make this move right now. As I stated after the firing was announced, it shows a complete lack of the big picture effect on the program. The allegations-turned-violations-turned-sanctions are in and of themselves enough to really put the program in a bad spot. Add in firing the coach and you've got a worse spot. But essentially ruining another season while undermining the supposed emphasis and support the football program receives is enough to set this program back for years and years to come - and that's the worst spot of all: hopeless.

An already-bad situation has been made worse. This is not a mole hill; the issues are bigger than that. But a situation that should have been just a rolling hill has now been made into a mountain. It's almost like we're trying to give ourselves the Death Penalty (SMU-style, not electric chair). The self-flagellation by the institution's leadership is set to ruin the program long-term. No prominent coach will look at UNC as the "sleeping giant" it is; instead, they will see a coach fired after trying to fix his errors. They see an institution that does not truly support, and nearly attempts to screw over, its football program.

To me, the Play Together trait should have led to the entire university coming, you know, together, to build towards a solution. A program that wins the right way, year after year. When a child makes a mistake, yelling at him or her and putting them in the corner is only half the battle. The NCAA and/or self-imposed sanctions are punishment enough, the equivalent of putting UNC in the corner. But, teaching that child the error of his or her ways and allowing the issue to be fixed moving forward - i.e. "learning their lesson" - seems to be the other half. A unified institution would have done this. And it would have done this at the proper time, not at a time where it screws over the current football student-athletes and remaining staff. How are we supposed to play with our own university leadership against us? How are fans expected to fill the new Blue Zone and support the school, along with these players? How are we supposed to recruit the next generation of student-athletes when they don't know who might be around to coach them? Until the University of North Carolina decides to Play Together, these types of problems will continue.

For now, academia has won. The right people are ultimately in power to make these decisions and have done so....at completely the wrong time, at the expense of the student-athletes and the program as a whole. It's a really tough time, a time when it's a little bit embarrassing to be a Tar Heel. Tough to encourage and implement The Carolina Way when our leadership is not embodying the traits themselves.

A few other thoughts, in a less-poetic form:

I don't see how Carolina is going to be able to attract a coach with any decent resume following the season. So here's hoping that the interim coach (Pittman, Withers, whomever) is a good one and ready to stick around. Hopefully that will help ease the recruiting impact to some extent.
That said, if they go outside the current staff after the season, they're going to have to grab a young head coach from a smaller school or an assistant looking for his first "big" gig. Mike London, Derek Dooley types. Or, one might say, a Mack Brown type. IMO, there's a high-level recruiter who's worked really hard for a number of successful programs and whose father has won the right way for a lot of years at an ACC rival in Blacksburg that might be that type of fit. I know he hasn't been a head guy before, but I'm just saying. Biased, yes, but I'm just saying.
I fully expect the current edition of the Tar Heel football team to unify and be very, very motivated for this season. I hope the coaching staff and leaders on the team can bottle this feeling of betrayal up (cause let's be honest, that's what they feel right now) and turn it into something positive on the gridiron.
I doubt Dick Baddour is sleeping well these days. This happened on his watch too.
I'm betting State fans are sad to see Butch go given his lack of success in the rivalry. Now you know how we felt after you fired Sidney. And ran Herb off. And Les Robinson.
Could you imagine if this had happened to the basketball program? Riots in the streets. Football is a big, big deal to me, probably more so than most others. But still...I'd jump off something really high if it were hoops. For now, I'm just turning to Goldschlagger.
Just kidding.
Again, for now. I'm just kidding for now.
In his relatively brief term as Chancellor, I have found Holden Thorp to be engaging and fun. He seemed to "get it". I'm not sure his ability to relate to people has changed through this decision, but I can promise you that folks' ability to like him has. It's a bit tough anytime you're in a high-level leadership position to please even a majority of people, much less all of them. But I think anyone with a remotely-high level of common sense would say that the timing of his decision, which he is claiming is his and his alone, is horrendous. Ridiculous. Lunacy. Sabotage. It, um, blows.
The last time I stayed up late to write about Carolina athletics was this here. Boy, what a different feeling that night.
A writer friend and I were discussing earlier about Carolina football as a sleeping giant. We've heard it for years: the recruits are close by (NC, SC, VA, and select others), the facilities are built, the school is excellent, yada yada yada. It would seem that folks would be excited, dare I say hopeful, about becoming a program who is at the top of both revenue sports. Texas, Florida, Ohio State...and North Carolina. But it is almost like the school has a collective fear of being that good in two sports, for being known as an elite athletics institution as opposed to an elite basketball school. Of any school in the ACC, Carolina is probably the best bet to ever become that. At least until now.

I'll end on this: things really suck right now. It is embarrassing. It makes me want to not read the paper, avoid recruiting websites, and turn off the television; it has for over a year now. More than anything, I don't want to be reminded of our troubles from the recent past, the present, or what is coming in the future for Carolina football. But come September, imma be there. Imma be in the stands hollering for these guys giving their all: the players and the coaches. And imma be an alumnus forever. I'm pissed, I'm hurt and I'm embarrassed. But yet I subscribe to The Carolina Way, because my name is Kyle Winchester and I'm damn proud to be a Tar Heel.

State of the Union: Charlotte Bobcats

2010-04-26T22:44:00.003-04:00

The 2009-2010 season ended for the Charlotte Bobcats tonight, a 4-0 series sweep at the hands of the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic. The series was never in doubt, as all but one game was won easily by Orlando. While I think most people who really follow them (all six of us) knew this was an awful matchup for the Cats, a number of national media types and analysts thought Charlotte had a chance to spring an upset or at least test Orlando. So much for that. Dwight Howard was a virtual non-factor in all four games, yet Orlando dominated most of the series. Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, etc...each had a hand in the series win. Now, with the season officially over following the Bobcats' first ever playoff appearance, we must address what's next. Who stays, who goes, who coaches: a Bobcats State of the Union.

First, we need to acknowledge where this current team is. As constructed, the Bobcats just about maximized their potential this season. A better first-round matchup might have allowed for a playoff win or two, perhaps even stealing one series, but that is it. Charlotte wins games when they out-hustle & out-focus opponents. However, that is not an effective formula for playoff wins when everyone is engaged and ready to go. So, this exact team is not going to do much better than this.

Second, all decisions are going to be made in relation to the salary cap. Hoopshype has an organized, easy-to-follow NBA Salaries section, which any fan of the league should reference when considering his or her team's moves. Seriously, take two minutes to click the link and see how things break down for the Bobcats and others, it is much easier than you think. Now, we can assume Tyson Chandler will exercise his Player Option for a sparkling $12.75 million (yay!). Obviously that sucks, but this was known when the Bobcats traded for him in exchange for Emeka Okafor's ridiculously terrible contract that has four more years on it. The $59.536 million total the Bobcats are on the hook for is about $9 million below the estimated luxury tax threshold for 2010-2011, but that does not include Raymond Felton being re-signed or getting someone to take his place, nor does it account for any drafted players. It does, however, take into account a potential qualifying offer for Tyrus Thomas.

Speaking of, that brings us to the third item for the upcoming off-season: who to re-sign. I don't so much want to speculate much about who potential free agents might be to target, but maybe we can at least establish who might be back. I actually think Felton could return in spite of a ridiculously poor effort against Jameer Nelson in the playoff series. The reason is two-fold: 1) Felton's cost just went down a bit, as other teams are not going to be anxious to sign him and sell their fan base on it being a good move; and 2) Felton wants to stay in Charlotte and continue growing under Larry Brown (assuming he is back as coach...more on that later). An issue for the Cats is that by my count, Ray is one of only three current starting PG's who are on the open market this summer: Felton, Derek Fisher, & Chris Duhon. Add in guys like Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour, potentially Jordan Farmar & TJ Ford among others, and what you get is a terrible class of free agent point guards. Felton looks like Isaiah Thomas in comparison to those guys, so we'll see if the dearth of quality lead guards drives up his price and force Charlotte to move in a different direction.

The team's other major free agent decision is what to do about Ty Thomas. Acquired from Chicago to provide depth up front, Thomas has been his typical erratic self: invisible for two games, then great off the bench for two games...rinse, repeat. The kid has a ton of athletic ability and a good jumper from eighteen feet, but he has the label of being difficult to keep dialed in and lacks a great deal of basketball IQ. Taking a one-year deal from Charlotte at $6.25 million and trying to play his value up for the following summer might be in Thomas' best interest. But, can Charlotte afford that price? The answer lies in the next point.

And that point, #4 if you're keeping count, is who gets traded? MJ already alluded to the high likelihood that some trades will be made this summer. Between His Airness and His Suitcaseness, you know they will be trying to move some guys out. This team has no first-round draft pick and no really promising young players, unless there is a midget league looking to sign Augustin. We just established that the team is perilously close to the luxury tax line if they re-sign Felton & Thomas, not to mention Larry Hughes or his replacement. Therefore, some moves to clear some space and/or acquire some better players will have to be made.

At this point, Charlotte is probably willing to discuss anyone except Gerald Wallace or Stephen Jackson (unless a great offer was made). Boris Diaw or Thomas will end up playing power forward, but I don't think both stay on the team. Diaw has two years and $18 million left on his contract, but he is really a poor fit playing alongside Jackson (who has the ball in his hands a lot, making it hard for Diaw to facilitate) and the invisible man who plays center (Diaw needs a tough, defensive-minded big man next to him to cover up his PLAP tendencies). The Frenchman can be had for cheap and someone like Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks might be willing to make a deal after the July 1st free agent shakedown. Otherwise, again, everyone but Crash & Captain Jack had better be renting.

Fifth, and perhaps most important, the Bobcats must figure out who is going to be their coach. Will Suitcase Larry return to continue building this organization? A month ago, it sounded like a no. Two weeks ago, it sounded more likely. Now, it is back to no. This is unfortunately what you get with Larry Brown: rebuilding, trading, making progress, limited success...then the rumors and ultimately, a peace sign as he walks out the door. While I hope Coach Brown returns, I just don't see it happening. Too many rumors and reports for there to not be fire behind this smoke. Changing coaches means changing philosophies, changing players, changing needs, changing underwear...I feel like Tupac. Continuity means so much to a professional sports organization, especially in the NBA (see Spurs, San Antonio) and another complete turnover is not what the Bobcats need.

As you can tell, I am not particularly high on the NBA Championship potential of the Bobcats, next year or anytime soon. This team lacks the stud player needed to win a title and can't draft one (oddly, they've never sucked bad enough unless you count the time we drafted third and took Adam Morri-...%#&@*#) and won't be able to sign one (not enough $ or ability to lure someone to play for a non-descript franchise in a college market). They have too many dollars committed to guys who are average players or worse and probably will have their fourth coach in five seasons. The current team has hit its ceiling and the flexibility needed to take the next step is missing.

This summer will be very important for the Bobcats. A 45-37 record, a playoff appearance, a new owner who happens to have grown up in the state and the greatest player in the history of professional basketball...the momentum is there, but it has to be sustained. Somehow, the front office has to convince Larry Brown to commit to staying and must make the personnel moves that will maximize the roster. The wild card in Rod Higgins' pocket is $19.5 million in expiring contracts that another team might be willing to take on in exchange for an expensive piece or two with long-term deals (Chandler & Nazi). I'll be interested to see how the organization comes out of the summer and if they continue going in the right direction. Hopefully this time next year, the Bobcats will still be playing basketball and might can double its devoted fan base from 6 to 12. Time will tell.

2010 NFL Draft Live Rundown: Do they serve alcohol in Radio City Music Hall?

2010-04-22T19:26:00.013-04:00

I figure that since the NFL decided to move the draft to a Thursday night in direct conflict with three NBA Playoff matchups and four NHL Playoff games, they are daring me to keep up The Blue Team Live Rundown tradition. My counter-move? Transporting additional televisions downstairs and cueing up a second computer in the kitchen for optimal viewing/information/writing. Like Lebron going to the basket, I will not be denied:

It is 7:30pm. The Bulls lead Cleveland 27-20 in game 3 and the Senators lead Pittsburgh 2-0 in game 5. The NFL Network is on the big screen in HD with NHL on the PIP. ESPN Draft coverage gets the sound until I can't take anymore Berman on TV #2, & the NBA is to the far left on TV #3. Let's get it.

7:32: Welcome from the Commish, Roger Goodell. I still like this guy. Nice tie tonight, Rog.

7:34: The St. Louis Rams are on the clock.

7:35: Made the mistake of un-muting TV #1 while Michael Irvin was talking. Scrambling for the remote to alleviate the situation. I can't believe this guy is still employed given his off-field issues and on-air ineptitude.

7:36: Sam Bradford is either ordering pizza or getting congratulations from the Rams. "Yeah, I want pepperoni & pineapple on that pie...thin-and-crispy would be good".

7:37: With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Sam Bradford, quarterback, Oklahoma.

7:39: Hunger has set in already. I botched my pregame tonight and neglected to pick up dinner. I am now facing leftovers for the fourth night in a row (got on a cooking spree last weekend) or having to run out to grab something real fast. Decisions, decisions...

7:43: Ndamukong Suh goes #2 to Detroit. He apparently killed a tablecloth and made a shirt out of it for draft night.

7:44: An aside about Suh. I had the pleasure of seeing him play in person twice the past two years: once at Nebraska & once here in Blacksburg. Watching him walk into the tunnel at halftime last year, I realized how ginormous this dude is, his calves are the size of my waist. But he walked so lightly for a big guy. Having seen him dominate the Hokies last year, I think he is the best player I have ever seen in person while working at Tech. Better than Matty Ice even.

7:47: Pens cut the lead to 2-1. What a great place to watch a hockey game, the Igloo in Pittsburgh. Had an awesome time there three years ago. Many thanks to Jean-Claude Van Dam for saving it and the world in "Sudden Death".

7:48: Prime Time interviewing Suh on NFL Network. I think Suh just referenced the Lions' "organation". A clear slip-of-the-tongue, but humorous nonetheless. Meanwhile, Pens go on the power play.

7:52: Gerald McCoy to Tampa Bay. Nice story about his emotion tonight honoring his mama.

7:58: Trent Williams from OU goes #4 to the Deadskins. Mel Kiper Jr makes the guy sound like a workout wonder with questionable motivation. Perfect pick for the 'Skins, an underachiever. "Silverback" will fit right in.

8:02: Derrick Rose is doing work against the Cavs.

8:03: Btw, take note that OU just had three guys go in the first four picks. They might have been the best team last year, but Bradford's injury put them out of it. I'd feel bad for them if I liked the Sooners, but...I don't.

8:05: Eric Berry time, going #5 to Kansas City. Funny, most mock drafts had him falling a bit further down, even though he is the second-best player in the draft. Saw him in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl last year and he was great. His team sucked though - thanks Lane Kiffin. I like this guy, he was very highly-rated coming out of high school and has backed it up, starting for three years and going high in the draft. Definitely think KC is moving in the right direction.

8:07: Why the hell is the Tomahawk Chop playing in the background? Because the Chiefs use it too. So no, you weren't dreaming when you heard it just then, and no, FSU doesn't have anyone getting drafted this high. They sucked last year too, remember?

8:13: Long discussion regarding Seattle needing CJ Spiller here instead of a left tackle. He won't last until they pick again at #14, so I wonder if the Seahawks might not look at trading up a bit to snag him. Jacksonville at #10 perhaps? Either way, love Spiller. More on him later.

8:15: Seattle takes Russell Okung #6. Many folks just had the "OMG, he's not Asian?!?" epiphany, as Bill Simmons referenced in his mock draft on Wednesday. Too bad, he'd have really fit in perfect in Seattle had that been the case. He also would be 5-6 and 140 lbs.

8:18: Interesting spot by Coors Light. Typical "Silver Bullet" train arriving with frost-brewed refreshment, but all the actors are African-American. I don't recall Coors Light targeting the African-American demographic much in the past, at least not exclusively in a TV spot. You see this from some major brands (McDonald's comes to mind), but I find it a bit odd coming from a brand typically associated with Caucasian consumers.

8:20: Michael Smith reports Joe Haden being taken by Cleveland over Kyle Wilson, citing Haden's alma mater of Florida boasting better competition than Wright's Boise St. Terrible reason to make that pick, in my opinion. Not saying Haden is not good, just saying that logic is unreasonable.

8:23: Commish confirms the report, Haden goes #7 to the Browns. Enjoy the city with no nightlife Joe, at least according to fellow Gator alum Joakim Noah. I once wrote that the Bobcats should draft Noah. They instead took Brandan Wright, traded him to Golden St for Jason Richardson, then eventually shipped J-Rich to Phoenix for Raja Bell & Boris Diaw. So basically we traded the chance to draft Noah for Boris Diaw's $9 million/year, PLAP ass. FML.

8:26: Bobcats tangent rant over. Uncover the kids' ears.

8:27: Raiders are on the clock. Geez. I feel like it is Derrick Morgan for some reason, even though they don't really have DE high on their need list. Annnnd, nevermind, Rolando McClain is on the phone.

8:28: McClain it is to Oakland at #8. Rolando is surrounded by 2,396 of his closest friends. Mel Kiper is not impressed. I personally think he can't be terrible, a safer pick if you will, than some of the other guys available at this point.

8:31: Who the heck are all these people with McClain?

8:31b: Buffalo Bills go with my boy CJ Spiller at #9. CJ, my brother...it is cold in Buffalo. He is going to a team with Fred Jackson & Marshawn Lynch already on board. Interesting. Something tells me one of those guys, most likely Lynch, is on his way out the door. Bills really needed an o-lineman here, but I guess Spiller's ability is just too good to pass up.

8:33: When I was working at Clemson, we watched Spiller's commitment to the Tigers live online. It was a big deal for Clemson to steal a kid out of the Gators' backyard, so people really loved him from the get-go. I hope he does well and will really be pulling for him on a team I used to claim as my #1 pre-Panthers.

8:34: Flyers score to go up 3-0 on New Jersey. What a disappointing end to the Devils' season, from 2-seed to home for the summer in five games. Wow.

8:35: FYI, tonight's attire is my DeAngelo Williams Panthers jersey. Peppers' jersey has been retired for the time being. Makes me really glad my Dad dropped $30 on this one for me when we weren't sure Williams would be any good.

8:36: Cleveland is getting trounced by Chicago right now, down 21 midway through the third quarter. Yikes.

8:38: Jacksonville reaches for Tyson Alualu from Cal at #10. Wow. Never saw him this high in any mocks. Mel does not kill the pick, nor does Mike Maycock on NFL Network. But I do. If he was a possibility for the Panthers at #48, then he has no business getting drafted here.

8:39: First trade of the night, as the 49ers move up to #11, gaining the pick from Denver for their #13 & fourth-round pick. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has tied the game vs Ottawa after a lengthy review. This series is on the brink for the Sens.

8:43: Anthony Davis goes #11 to San Francisco. Ho hum.

8:46: Another trade, Miami gives up the 12th pick to San Diego. Lots of debate as to who the Chargers are targeting: Ryan Mathews, Dan Williams, Derrick Morgan, Earl Thomas, etc. Mort thinks it is Mathews and he is correct. NFL Network just got scooped on that one. Miami got a nice package to move back here.

8:52: Philly drops two 3rd rounders & their #24 pick for the Broncos' 13th pick to take Earl Thomas. The fans' consensus? "Eagles suck". Tom Jackson has made a good point about teams that are not great right now going out to draft in areas that they were particularly good in when they were successful. San Diego gets a RB to replace LT, Philly takes a safety to replace Brian Dawkins, etc.

8:55: Jason La Confora on NFL Network reporting something...I think he was giving a presentation to his US History classmates. Dude looks straight up nerdy.

8:56: And everything just reported is wrong. Philly takes Brandon Graham at #13. Morgan & Thomas both still on the board. Jon Gruden loves this kid as does Tom Jackson. I'm clueless on this dude. All I know is he better be pretty good with all that extra practice Rich Rodriguez had the Wolverines doing last season.

8:59: Sal Pao reporting. I love Sal Pao.

9:00: Food update: I made breakfast for dinner during picks 3-5, hence why the rundown is a little thin there. Six eggs, four turkey sausage links, two packs of grits, and a whole wheat blueberry waffle. OJ to drink, hold the Bacardi. Already had dessert too: MCC ice cream with a cookie. Boom.

9:02: Deon interviewing the Iowa lineman, giving him some good-natured crap about still being on the draft board. Maycock says Seattle going with Earl Thomas, who he likes better than Eric Berry. Earl is on the phone with somebody...

9:04: Earl Thomas goes 14 to Seattle. Earl's mama hugs him forever. She is now Earl Thomas' rich mama.

9:07: Derrick texts in lamenting the Giants draft position as of now. Derrick Morgan is there for them or a trade out is a possibility according to my favorite Rhode Islander.

9:08: Lebron almost tears down the rim on a ferocious two-handed slam to cut the Bulls' lead to 9 points with 9 minutes left. Chicago is not winning this series, but they might not win a game if they blow this lead. Pens are on the power play on my PIP.

9:10: I can think of many better things than hanging out with Mike Ditka while wearing a sweater vest.

9:11: Mort weighs in on Clausen. It's San Fran at 17 or a plummet. I could see someone trading up to snag him though.

9:11b: Cavs cut it to 6 on a Delonte West three ball. Bulls are gagging.

9:12: Jason Pierre-Paul goes to NYG at 15. Jews and Guidos rejoice. The chic next to Pierre-Paul is wearing white undies as she just showed America. Thanks for that, ma'am. I'll mail you $10.

9:15: Holy crap, the dude did 14 consecutive back handsprings at the combine. I'll wear white panties the day I can do that. Question is can he sack the quarterback though.

9:17: Pittsburgh scores to go up 3-2. Is that the end for Ottawa?

9:20: Derrick Morgan finally goes #16 to Tennessee. I smell an enigma here, not sure he can dominate at the pro level. We'll see.

9:22: Senators tie it back up so no, not the end for the Sens. At least not yet.

9:25: The 49ers use the Panthers' pick at #17 to select Mike Iupati. Good thing the Panthers traded this selection last year for #43 in 2009. Whew.

9:29: Steelers take Maurkice Pouncey at #18. Make-A-Wish kid reads the pick, something really cool the NFL has started doing this year. What a neat moment for that kid.

9:30: Props to Peter King for nailing picks 17 & 18.

9:32: Atlanta goes with Sean Weatherspoon, the freak athlete linebacker from Missouri, at #19. We'll see if he's ready for my boy DeAngelo in the open field.

9:34: Ottawa survives a Penguins' power play with six minutes left while Chicago leads 104-99 late, made tougher by Hinrich bricking two free throws. Now it is 104-102 as Lebron nails a three-pointer. Seriously, that all happened in the time it took me to type the previous sentence. Now Derrick Rose has a flashback to the 2008 National Title game, bricking one of his own. Bulls by three with ten seconds left. Hockey goes from PIP to big screen, flipping with NFL Network, sound to NBA for a minute. Can't pass up a potential big moment with Marv Albert announcing.

9:36: Houston takes Kareem Jackson at #20. The Boise St DB is still available, weird.

9:38: Chicago smartly fouls Varejao on the inbounds pass, as he hits just one of two freebies.

9:39: Men across the country swoon as Erin Andrews makes an appearance from California covering Clausen, followed by Jenn Brown from Austin, TX with McCoy. The perfect trifecta is broken by some douchebag with Tebow that I didn't see in time to catch his name. Meanwhile, Cincinnati takes Jermaine Gresham, the TE from OU. Another dang Sooner. Bill Simmons predicted Gresham here I think.

9:41: Brad Miller knocks down two for the Buls, giving them a four-point lead. Pittsburgh & Ottawa heading to OT. And Mo Williams cuts the lead to one for Cleveland. Wow.

9:43: NFL Network says Demaryius Thomas to Denver at #22 and is correct. He's tall, but I've never seen him run anything other than a deep route/jump ball because of the Georgia Tech offense. He's also not as good as Dez Bryant. Have fun catching passes from Kyle Orton's mustache, Demaryius.

9:46: Chicago hangs on, barely, 108-106, as Anthony Parker misses a halfcourt heave that would have won the game. Moving on to the Lake Show visiting Kevin Durant & Co. Also, the Flyers beat Jersey 3-0 to win the series in the NHL first round.

9:49: Ed Werder reports that Josh McDaniels wanted to take Demaryius Thomas because he reminds him of Brandon Marshall, who he just traded to Miami. Um, what? That's the dumbest thing I've heard tonight, which is possible only because Michael Irvin is still muted on TV #1.

9:51: Bryan Bulaga goes to Green By at #23. Perfect fit, as Chris Berman states. Is that his girlfriend or sister he just hugged? I'm hoping sister because a) he hugged her like a sister, not a girlfriend; and b) if it is the gf, she's about to get upgraded since he's getting paid. Although, she might be the hottest girl in Green Bay. Hmm, what a debate that would be. I am probably getting in trouble right now, I better stop.

9:55: LA up 10-0 already in OKC. The Thunder are learning about the post-season right now. Chances in game two were wasted and Kobe took his game up four notches while Durant couldn't quite do it. One day, it will be Durantchula taking games over like that. And yes, that's the best nickname I've heard for the kid yet. Someone please come up with something better than that.

9:58: Dallas trades up to #24 as Todd McShay reports that the Cowboys like Dez Bryant. Spot-on Todd, as we see Bryant's people partying it up at his house. NFL Network goes to Prime Time who credits God for handling this situation. Dez is crying hysterically, as Deon mentions himself & Michael Irvin "being there" for a guy like Bryant. I guess "being there" includes meeting with the kid while he's still in college and getting him suspended for the last nine games of last season.

10:02: Controversy in the Pens game at Ottawa scores on a kicked puck it appears, leading to a review. No goal, correctly called on the ice. Cut to the reaction from the Ottawa player just in time to see him drop a Canadian F-bomb. "What's that aboot," he wonders.

10:05: For the record, I think Dez Bryant is going to be really, really good.

10:05: Huge news of the night, as Baltimore trades their pick to Denver for the Broncos to select Tim Tebow. Berman & the ESPN gang are confused as crap as to what just happened, but nonetheless, Tebow going to Denver. I love Tebow and what he stands for, but golly gee, I'm not sure this is the right move. Clausen on the board, McCoy on the board...plus Denver has Orton & Quinn already on their roster.

10:07: Denver has also made another a huge move, changing their name from the Broncos to the Boy Scouts.

10:08: Denver gave up their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounders for this pick. Good night, what a gamble. Story of the first round, no question. Baltimore made out like bandits here, imo. I'm really happy for Tebow though.

10:10: My boy Shivers, a native Denverian...Denverer...uh, Denverite...he is from Denver. Anyway, his insight on the Tebow selection: "Brady Quinn & Tim Teabag oh dear God, this has got to be a nightmare of some sort." I think he's skeptical.

10:12: Tebow gives Jeremy Schapp a good interview while wearing a sweet teal shirt. The Broncos got themselves leader and a worker, no doubt. The parallels to Tyler Hansbrough continue.

10:13: Speaking of Psycho T, he won a National Title while at North Carolina. In case you've forgotten.

10:14: Shivers continues: "I think we should be in the freakin arena league with this draft."

10:16: Good night in Chicago sports as the Blackhawks lead Nashville 3-0 late, needing a win tonight.

10:17: Tim Tebow thanks the critics for the motivation. He won't be short on motivation I'm afraid.

10:17b: Arizona takes Dan Williams at #26. About time that dude got picked. Mel Kiper gives himself some props mentioning this is where he had Williams going in his final mock draft. Mel has had a decent night, but I think I saw his hair sweat following the Tebow pick.

10:20: Jason Spezza, one of Ottawa's best players, takes a dumb penalty for a cross check, negating the remaining :24 seconds on a Sens power play. Let's see if the Pens can capitalize on his bonehead move.

10:23: Nope. No pressure by Pittsburgh. Compounded by a Pittsburgh penalty right after the power play expires.

10:24: New England grabs Devin McCourty at 27. Two Rutgers guys in the first round. I recall Carolina beating the do-do out of the Scarlet Knights a few years ago on a Thursday night game. So there's that. But, as Gruden points out, this kid is versatile, which New England values.

10:27: Next year, I'm having people over for the draft. I need some banter and good quotes. I can't really quote myself when I'm just talking aloud to...well, myself. So, applications are being taken beginning now for the NBA Draft & NFL Draft nights at my house. BYOB and chip dip.

10:28: Speaking of, I'm hungry again. Cereal time?

10:29: Lakers by eight with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. Double OT in the hockey game, which is a problem because the Versus coverage joins the next game in progress. We've missed all of Chicago/Nashville already and could be impeding on San Jose/Colorado, who are in a critical game five of their own.

10:30: Miami takes Jared Odrick 28th overall. Sounds like he is going to the DE spot in Miami's 3-4 defense per the analysis.

10:33: The Jets have 3:11 remaining until they make their pick. Just sayin'.

10:35: J-E-T-S take Kyle Wilson 29th. He should fit in very well as a nickel guy. Fans are excited, probably not so much because they like the pick, but more because their team had a surprisingly good season/playoff run and because they got to wait until 29th to make a pick. Keep in mind that picks are much better when you've been drinking for three hours already. I assume they serve alcohol at the draft? Someone please advise on this, I'm not sure if they do or not.

10:38: I just tried to google the answer to my question and found that a lot of people do a live blog of the NFL Draft. But, I did not find the answer to my pondering.

10:40: Jon Gruden might be tipsy, so I think they must serve alcohol at this draft. He thinks Minnesota should take Jahvid Best to add to All Day.

10:42: A lot going on here. Jason La Confora points out that Baltimore recouped everything they gave up for Anquan Boldin, but higher picks than they would have had in those rounds. Ozzie Newsome's eyes "bugged out" when he heard the offer from Denver. Duh.

10:42b: Minny trades the 30th pick to Detroit to select...Jahvid Best. Gruden was half right. He still might be tipsy, but maybe that's his general nature. I think it is safe to say that is the case after watching him tear apart the quarterbacks on the ESPN special earlier this week.

10:46: Jahvid Best is an awesome pick for the Lions if they can block anyone. What weapons on offense now for Stafford in Best & Megatron (Calvin Johnson), not to mention Kevin Smith if he can get healthy from his knee injury.

10:50: I wonder how these TV guys go about choosing suits for three national television appearances in a row? Luckily no one shopped at Craig Sager's closet, as the TNT sideline reporter has on an off-blue coat with redish shirt and tie, complete with a flower on it.

10:52: ESPN faux-pas as they come back from the 1983 montage with Gruden, not realizing his mic was up, showing Mel Kiper a text message that says "what a crazy league, a lot of dumbass picks". I told you Gruden had been sipping on the syrup during breaks.

10:54: Jerry Hughes goes to Indy at 31. I'm glad we only have one round tonight.

10:59: Blogger needs to make it easier to upload pictures. I just spent an entire commercial break uploading and formatting the picture at the top of this entry. Whew. Plus, it has screwed up the formatting of the remainder of the blog and I can't get it fixed. I need to move to Word Press.

11:02: Drew Brees comes out to read the 32nd pick for his Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. That's pretty cool. Saints take Patrick Robinson to conclude Round One. Thursday night is ov-ah.

Finishing up tonight, I'm still hungry and the Pens & Sens are still playing hockey. Clausen still has no home for next year; think the Rams are going to have some calls tonight for pick #33? Better yet, do you think they regret taking Bradford 1st overall instead of Suh or trading down, then taking Clausen or McCoy to open the second round? Minnesota sits right behind them and KC is just a few picks back, so I doubt one or both of these QBs last too long Friday night.

Quickly on the Panthers, who have no selection until #48 tomorrow night...I think they go WR. Fox & Hurney are not going to draft a QB who won't help the team next year that high. Instead, if there is a new coach and/or front office following next season, I could see that regime taking on the responsibility of drafting the new franchise QB to fit their taste/scheme. It is still possible they use the 3rd rounder on a QB I suppose - hopefully my main guy, LeFevour. DE or DT would make a lot of sense in addition to WR in those first two picks. I really like Mardy Gilyard from Cincinnati myself, as he is a solid catcher of the pigskin as well as a good return guy. Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer made a similar case for Dexter McCluster from Ole Miss, who is versatile in the mold of Percy Harvin. Problem is the Panthers have not exactly shown a penchant for creativity when it comes to offense and McCluster is far from a polished WR at this point. Arrelious Benn also could be an option at WR. On the defensive side, Carlos Dunlap would be great at DE. Very interesting to see where the Panthers go and perhaps even more interesting to see what happens at the top of Round Two with the aforementioned quarterbacks.

Thanks for reading, ya'll be good.

I Plain, Straight Hate You, But...

2010-04-06T00:17:00.004-04:00

Three quickies from tonight's unbelievable National Championship game:

1) How do you hate Dook? I understand the rivalry, yell expletives at Duke all the time, definitely think they benefit from block/charge calls on a regular basis, want to punch Chrissy Collins in the face, & never want to see them win the title. But man, you have to respect them. They put it together year in and year out, always get everyone's best shot, and still find a way to finish in the top 10 every season. It is Coach K, his staff, their players, the program as a whole. Their players work hard, play together, defend & rebound consistently, graduate, and go on to productive lives (ok, except Shav Randolph. He just sucked for three years and rides the bench in the NBA, stealing money from whoever pays him a contract now). Look at how much Smith & Zoubek improved from last season, how hard these guys must have worked. There is clear buy-in on their team, so they maximize the potential of the whole. I never think Duke might be cheating and don't really worry about their players getting in trouble either, something you cannot say about many other elite programs (I can think of one). So, despite a great rivalry and "hatred" for the Devils, you have to respect the program.

2) I did some quick numbers work via email with a good friend today on the "best" college basketball programs in the country. Why? Because Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News & Observer opined that Carolina has gone from way ahead of Duke to way behind Duke as a program. Needless to say, I disagree: Carolina was never "way ahead" of Duke just because of last year's title and Harrison Barnes, nor does one down season put them "way behind" either. It is Tudor's job to write something that people will read, I get that, yet his snap judgements and hyperbole are a tired act in my opinion. But, I digress. My friend and I discussed that what people frequently forget, especially those who live in the day-to-day college hoops hotbed of NC's Triangle, is that Duke & Carolina are the two best programs in the nation, period. Both now have four titles and twelve Final Four appearances since the tournament began including multiple teams from the same conference in 1975 (this according to my math today via All Brackets; correct me if I missed something). Kentucky & Indiana both have three titles while a number of teams have seven Final Four appearances. Given that the major criteria for success should be titles and Final Fours, at least in the 64/65 team tournament era, I'd say it is pretty clear that these two are the creme de la creme. Comparing them is splitting hairs at this point. Let's just acknowledge the success and greatness of both and be happy that we get to be a part of it.

3) Can you imagine if Gordon Hayward's half-court heave goes in? Seriously. You have the following:

- Cinderella winning the title
- Butler, a mid-major, topling Duke, one of the two best programs in the country (see above)
- Duke losing and Coach K sobbing unhappy tears
- Butler winning in its home city
- A huge upset from a numbers standpoint (5-seed over a 1-seed)
- The smallest school of the modern era winning the title
- One of the five best, no three best, titles games ever
- Undoubtably the best shot to win a title, somehow knocking off the insanity of Lorenzo Charles' dunk to beat Houston
- Ok fine, if that shot goes in, everyone in Chapel Hill buys a Butler t-shirt and, as former Carolina guard Bobby Frasor tweeted, Gordon Hayward's Butler jersey goes in the rafters of the Smith Center. This means I could have purchased Heyward (Jason, of the Atlanta Braves) and Hayward (Gordon, of the Butler Bulldogs) jerseys on consecutive days.

As Bill Simmons tweeted, why couldn't the Basketball Gods have let it happen? The Butler Freakin' Bulldogs as National Champions? How much different would our sports lives be? I'd watch Sportscenter for three days straight. I'd have bought a DVD of the game, a la Boise St vs Oklahoma, just because it was so darn awesome. And yes, I'd have really bought a Butler t-shirt. But alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, we have the Evil Empire as National Champions. But damnit, do I respect you, Evil Empire.

2010 NCAA Tournament Predictions

2010-03-18T11:45:00.002-04:00

The Blue Team does not pay, so pardon me for working the past three days and not providing any sort of follow-up to my Sunday night post of bracket thoughts. This too will likely be brief, as I am writing extemporaneously less than an hour prior to the first game.

Midwest:
1st Round - Kansas, UNI, Michigan St, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgetown, Oklahoma St, Ohio St
2nd Round - Kansas, Michigan St, Tennessee, Ohio St
Sweet 16 - Kansas, Ohio St
Elite 8 - Kansas

As tough a draw as this is for the Jayhawks, they will only have to play Michigan St OR Maryland, Ohio St OR Georgetown OR Tennessee. Prior to the pairings, I could have absolutely seen a scenario where my Final Four was KU, Ohio St, Georgetown, & Michigan St though. Regardless, the bottom half of this region will be fun to watch. Tennessee has a tough first round opponent in SDSU and will probably lose now that I've put them to the Sweet 16. I definitely think that Oklahoma St or Georgia Tech could give the Buckeyes trouble. I really like Ohio St's squad, but their lack of depth is really concerning if foul trouble becomes an issue in that second round game. Ultimately, Kansas is still the best team in the Midwest Region, and the country, and will play as such.

West:
1st Round - Syracuse, FSU, UTEP, Vandy, Xavier, Pitt, Florida, Kansas St
2nd Round - Syracuse, UTEP, Xavier, Kansas St
Sweet 16 - Syracuse, Kansas St
Elite 8 - Syracuse

First of all, let me say that I am picking a team to go to the Final Four that could lose its first-round game. I'm sure some of you saw the story of the Vermont player whose mother passed away right before the America East Tournament Final from a long bout with cancer. The Sports Guy says never bet against God or puppies, and one would have to think that God would be on this kid's side right now.

In all honesty and seriousness, I basically picked Syracuse by default on this region. The more I look at the West, the easier it is to see it totally falling apart. I don't have a lot of faith in K-State keeping its head on straight for four consecutive games, nor Pitt hitting enough shots to win multiple games. I even picked Florida to go to the Elite 8 in one bracket. I could see Vanderbilt giving Syracuse problems, as they might have the shooters to beat the vaunted 2-3 zone, but the Commodores have to get through two tough upset-minded teams first. Syracuse was the "safe pick" here and nothing more.

South:
1st Round - Duke, Cal, A&M, Purdue, ND, Baylor, Richmond, Villanova
2nd Round - Duke, A&M, Baylor, Villanova
Sweet 16 - A&M, Villanova
Elite 8 - Villanova

Everyone has been down on 'Nova for a return trip to the Final Four, mainly because they struggled a bit against big-time Big East teams late this season. I think their experience and the time they've had to rest/refocus will help the Wildcats immensely. I'm not buying erratic-yet-athletic Baylor all the way to Indianapolis myself, and you know Duke is poised for a letdown. I honestly think A&M can give Duke a tough one and pound them down low. We'll see.

East:
1st Round - UK, Texas, Temple, Wisconsin, Washington, New Mexico, Missouri, WVU
2nd Round - UK, Wisconsin, New Mexico, WVU
Sweet 16 - UK, WVU
Elite 8 - UK

No time to summarize, maybe letter. UK is good, really good.

Final Four - KU over Syracuse, UK over Villanova
Championship - KU over UK 80-72

Enjoy the tournament ya'll, go Heels. Damn.

2010 NCAA Tournament: Thoughts & Reactions

2010-03-14T22:38:00.005-04:00

Well, the bracket is here. Bracket Day is winding down and all that's left is to listen to Vitale ramble about making a mid-major play the Big East schedule. Oh, we already did that? Sorry. I guess all that is left then is to dish out some Blue Team-style analysis and opinions. Per tradition, we will analyze the 2010 NCAA Tournament bracket selection first, with thoughts on the field itself, seeding, and the big picture. I'm seeing some region-by-region work over the next couple of days, then the Tar Heels' path to the Final Fo-...nevermind. Maybe instead, we'll wait a few weeks then take a look at the season that was for Carolina and the seasons to come. I'm sure I'll post my predicted bracket late Wednesday or early Thursday for anyone that cares as well. For now, let's go ahead and get busy with the initial thoughts segment of our program.

In or Out: I think the committee was close to getting this right, but is inconsistent in who they put in. To me, there were two schools of thought: 1) value lots of wins over weak competition and cite the eye test; or 2) value the tough schedules and quality victories while overlooking a few blemishes. Utah State, UTEP, Virginia Tech, & Cal fall into the first group while Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, and Georgia Tech fall into the latter. Clearly, there was room for both in the tournament, but Illinois & Virginia Tech both found themselves on the outside looking in. I think, therefore, that the perceived inconsistency between these two groups actually forms a consistency of sorts: neither school of thought wins out, they just guessed on who the best candidates were. How is Utah State's resume better than Virginia Tech's? How is Florida's resume better than Illinois'? And you can cross that up too, Utah State is better than Illinois and Florida than Virginia Tech? I don't think there was a solid formula this year at all and that is probably what does not set well with some coaches. I personally felt Illinois was more deserving than VT or Utah State, but it is not the end of the world.

On a side note, Jay Bilas said that the entire argument was stupid. His point was that there is little reason to argue over who is the 34th at-large team or the "65th" best team in the field because that team will not be playing for the National Championship. I suppose he has forgotten about George Mason's Final Four run, because the Patriots were a sqaud who were admitted to the field under heavy fire and yet proved themselves more than worthy of inclusion. No doubt someone among the last four or so teams in the field will win at least one game, maybe more. I like Jay and think he does a good job, but he is wrong on this argument.

Finally, I feel bad for Virginia Tech, as the excitement around basketball was very high here in Blacksburg this season. While Seth Greenberg has taken tremendous heat, some of it justified, for the weak non-conference schedule, one should not lose cite of the weak ACC schedule the Hokies faced. This is the major problem with unbalanced scheduling, which is now present in all of the BCS Big Six leagues, sans the Pac-10. VT played Duke, Maryland, and FSU (the top three in the ACC) only once apiece and went 0-3. They played the bottom of the league (UVA, UNC, NC State, and Miami) twice each and went 6-2. Hence, 10-6 in the ACC suddenly does not look so good, you know? That portion of the schedule is completely out of control for the coaches, but it remains a fact on the resume of the Hokies and other teams. To me, this hurt Virginia Tech's chances just as much as the non-conference schedule.

Seeding: I'll be honest, I was not too down on the seeding initially. But, now that I've sat down and digested the bracket (along with some sushi), I am beginning to scratch my head. It seems that all of the Big East teams got pushed on the high end of their seeding range, especially Notre Dame & Marquette. Temple got hosed, they've been solid all year and I think their resume is much stronger than Butler, Maryland, or Vanderbilt. A 4-seed at worst, imo. Cornell also took a low spot, as did Siena, both of whom I could see in the 10-seed range. The 6-seed for Tennessee was harsh as well. I could go on for a while here, as there just is not a lot of rhyme or reason to the way these teams were seeded.

So, why is this? I think it has a lot to do with the high number of non-major teams in the field. This year's bracket includes sixteen non-Big Six conference squads seeded twelfth or higher. That's a lot, folks, 1/3 of the top forty-eight teams in the field. That is 33% more than last year based on my quick look back and math skills, both of which should be verified. My point is that I think there was a sense of comparing apples and oranges and grapes and watermelons this year instead of having an easier criteria of teams from power leagues with similar resumes. You can thank the down year from the Pac-10 for blessing us with those extra spots. Instead of six Pac-10 teams getting into the field like last year, we had two. That left four more spots for other leagues to essentially fill in, which gave us the 33% increase in teams from outside the Big Six among the 12-seeds and higher.

Big Picture: This tournament bracket is imbalanced, period. Take a look at Kansas. Oh, Kansas. There was not much doubt in my mind who to pick this year at any point in the season until seeing the Midwest region. A road that goes through 28-4 Northern Iowa or UNLV, then Michigan St/Maryland, Ohio St/Georgetown/Tennessee? Wow. Let me put it this way: if Carolina was having a normal year and was a 1-seed stuck with the path Kansas just got, I'd be livid. The saving grace for KU is that the bottom of the Midwest region could blow up, because the 7, 10, & 11 seeds are all capable of beating any team, any place, any time. It looks to me like there are no less than five teams in this region that could earn a Final Four berth: KU, Ohio St, Georgetown, Michigan St, & Tennessee.

Kentucky and the East region is no walk in the park either. That tantilizing matchup with former number one Texas looms in the second round, with an experienced, physical team likely waiting in the Sweet 16 in the form of Wisconsin or Temple. West Virginia has been playing incredible ball the few weeks, but could have a rough time with Clemson or Missouri in the second round. I'm interested to see what Washington can do now that they're healthy and playing focused ball as well.

On the flip side, both the South & West regions are much softer. Duke itself is a weak 1-seed, as I think their style could lead to them exiting before Indianapolis this season. Villanova has struggled down the stretch, but has the experience and players to return to the Final Four. None of the other teams really jump out of the South region as scary: Baylor is erratic, Purdue is without Hummel, Texas A&M has trouble scoring...the list goes on. Notre Dame is finally starting to click, but I wonder about their ability to continue playing at a high level. I saw a great tweet earlier as well, basically saying that Louisville would either beat Duke or lose by 26 points. I'd take it a step further and say Louisville could see the Elite 8 or lose by 26 points to California - they are that maddening. To me, this is the region most likely to implode and give us a number of upsets.

Syracuse becomes a default selection of sorts in the West region, as they are definitely the best team out there. Pittsburgh & Vanderbilt are both squads I felt would be ripe for disappointment entering the tournament and somehow they ended up 3 and 4-seeds respectively in the West. It is not quite equal to the famed UCLA Invitational of 2008, but I think Syracuse got a break. I will admit to wondering if the committee might have considered this a tradeoff for sending them out west to begin with. I know things aren't supposed to work like that, but the thought crossed my mind nonetheless. Kansas St is strong at the bottom of the bracket, but they have a habit of hurting themselves with bad shots and missed free throws. They are talented, but I'm just not sure they can focus for four straight games and earn their way into the Final Four.

We'll take a more in-depth look at the regions the next couple of days and delve into some potential matchups and extended runs. I know that a lot of you readers (a lot if a relative term when there aren't many readers, but whatever) are Carolina fans and alums who are bummed that the beloved Heels are not part of March Madness. Take this season to relax and gain some further perspective on how fortunate we are to cheer for a team that not only participates in the NCAA Tournament most every March, but wins lots of games and some championships too. There is a reason that Roy Williams mentions in almost every winning post-game press conference that "we feel very fortunate to have won tonight" - because they are. I love March Madness for all of the pomp and circumstance around it, but especially when it involves Carolina. Just think, it will make it that much sweeter when we're back in the tournament and spitting nails over a bad call or just chewing on nails in the final two minutes of a tight game. 2005 does not happen without 8-20 and 201X might not happen without this year's NIT. We'll be back.

Happy March Madness to all and to all a good night.

2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket Prognostication

2010-03-14T17:09:00.004-04:00

Just because it is tradition, here is my final bracket prognostication for the 2010 NCAA Tournament:

Midwest (1):
1. Kansas
2. Georgetown
3. Purdue
4. Tennessee
5. Maryland
6. BYU
7. Oklahoma St
8. Notre Dame
9. St. Mary's
10. ODU
11. UTEP
12. Siena
13. Cornell
14. North Texas
15. Vermont
16. Robert Morris

West (4):
1. Duke
2. West Virginia
3. Temple
4. Baylor
5. Butler
6. Michigan St
7. Gonzaga
8. Missouri
9. Louisville
10. San Diego St
11. Goergia Tech
12. Florida
13. Oakland
14. Murray St
15. Lehigh
16. ETSU

East (2):
1. Kentucky
2. Kansas St
3. Villanova
4. New Mexico
5. Texas A&M
6. Richmond
7. Northern Iowa
8. Clemson
9. Marquette
10. Washington
11. Wake Forest
12. Illinois
13. Ohio U
14. UCSB
15. Montana
16. Winthrop vs Ark Pine Bluff

South (3):
1. Syracuse
2. Ohio St
3. Pittsburgh
4. Wisconsin
5. Vanderbilt
6. Texas
7. Xavier
8. FSU
9. Cal
10. UNLV
11. Utah St
12. Houston
13. New Mexico St
14. Wofford
15. Sam Houston St
16. Morgan St

I have the least confidence in Utah State being a part of this tournament of the teams most are projecting in, along with Florida. I really think Illinois gets in based on 5-9 vs the RPI top 50. Utah State, on the other hand, is only 2-1 against the RPI top 50. I think Florida's overall resume is stronger than Utah State, Virginia Tech, or Mississippi St, giving the nod to the Gators. So, for the record, Florida is my last team in, then Minnesota, then Illinois. The first teams out would be Utah State, Virginia Tech, Mississippi St, Seton Hall, & Rhode Island. Also, I just changed my mind six times on Utah State/Minnesota/Florida before settling on the above. It does seem to me that Utah State and Virginia Tech would have good arguments, so 3 out of 5 from the last three in/first two out should be the final bracket.

I will say that I hope the Hokies get in the tournament, I'm just not convinced that such a weak non-conference schedule, combined with the easiest ACC schedule within the league, can be rewarded despite a 23-8/10-6 record. Stressful time for the hoops fans and staff here in Blacksburg.

Merry Bracket Day to you all.

Dook vs Carolina Live Rundown 2nd Half

2010-02-10T22:00:00.002-05:00

...and the rivalry continues...

10:00pm: Using halftime to respond to text messages and BBM's. Don't say it people, don't even think it.

10:05pm: Smilin' Dan describes Hansbrough's style of play as a whirling derbish. Indeed. I wish the derbish had some eligibility left.

10:06pm: Bobby Frasor tweets in "pretty awesome to see his jersey in the front row". Yes sir, it is.

10:07pm: I gave Duke too much credit: 23% shooting in the first half. And they're ahead. 23% ain't happening again folks, it's just not.

10:09pm: Graves gives up a trey to Singler to start the half. I'm going to lose it.

10:10pm: Ginyard for three - bang. Do it, Marcus.

10:11pm: II with two terrible plays, as pointed out on TV. Roy is going to punch him.

10:12pm: Marcus on the break...pass it, oh no, ehhhh...yes!

10:15pm: Ginyard does a terrific job rotating on defense to deny a Chewbek dunk. That's what he does, kids, makes the plays you don't see in the boxscore.

10:17pm: Duke is killing it on the offensive glass. This never used to happen when #50 was inside. It's not just the talent drop-off, it is the toughness and intensity that we miss. Tyler would have bruised four Devils in the first half on rebounds and none of those guys would want a piece by the second half. No one does that anymore. Carolina needs a bruiser. I finally realized this. I think this is why Roy wanted Delvon Roe & Samardo Samuels two recruiting classes ago. Davis and Big Z are fine, but I wouldn't use "tough" to describe either at this point.

10:20pm: 19 offensive rebounds for Duke, proving the above point tenfold. Geez.

10:22pm: Dex should find the bench soon: a three-point brick and a stupid foul outside.

10:25pm: 43-39 Heels, timeout Duke. Gene and Psycho T high-five their approval. Roof about to go off the Dome.

10:28pm: We can't stop Singler. This is foreboding.

10:30pm: Does anyone know how much the Braves' offer to Johnny Damon is worth? I'm fine paying the guy $6 million on a one-year deal, just not $10 million. I guess it doesn't matter if it is only for one year, but I don't want July to roll around and the Bravos not be able to make a deadline deal because of finances committed to Damon, ya know? It would be nice to get a for-real lead-off hitter though and let Escobar or McClouth bat 2-hole.

10:34pm: Scheyer misses two free fros when he shouldn't have been at the line to begin with; Marcus fouled him on the floor, not the shot. Ball don't lie, Rasheed. Of course, Davis comes down and clanks two for the Heels too.

10:39pm: Tied at 45-45, eight-minute media timeout. Hokies are up on State 59-42 at the same point in the game. Beating State has not come easy for VT, so this would count as a decent win if only to get the monkey off their back.

10:44pm: "Grab a freakin' rebound Ed, %@&$#%^@"

10:45pm: The question now for the Tar Heels is who is going to make a play...cue Will Graves. We NEED you Will.

10:46pm: 54-48 Duke. Get out the fork...

10:54pm: and stick it in, we're done. Scheyer nails a contested three-pointer and a miss from Graves on a terrible shot. 59-50.

10:55pm: The "we're done" is not only for tonight, but for the season. Barring a miraculous turnaround and/or a run of four (yes, four) victories in the ACC Tournament, the Heels will miss the NCAA Tournament this year and are well on their way to missing post-season play all together. I really don't know if they will finish at .500 or above. It will be interesting to see how the team responds to being 2-7 and losing tonight in the only real chance to put a shot in the team's collective arm. Marcus played his ass off tonight, Larry & Will had their moments, and Henson was long...but it is just not enough.

Congratulations to Duke on a gutty win in a game in which they shot horribly. The Devils did a great job crashing the glass and were flat out tougher than the Heels, which has not been the case in recent years. I don't really think Duke is very good because they still struggle to control quick guards and get no point production down low (except when they're killing us on the glass and tipping the ball back in).

Carolina meanwhile continues to struggle late in games when the other teams tightens the screws defensively. It is like a collective panic ensues, shots are rushed, and no one is capable of stepping up and hitting the big shots when we absolutely need them. This season will not end pretty the way things are progressing right now.I agree with what Roy said about this team not playing hard enough, which just totally blows my mind. That characteristic, maybe more than the record and losing, is why the 2009-2010 Tar Heels are a total disappointment as of early February.

Dook vs Carolina Live Rundown 1st Half

2010-02-10T21:02:00.002-05:00

It is 9:00pm and that means gametime is upon us. The Blue Team presents a Live Rundown full of intensity and passion: it's Duke vs Carolina.

9:00pm: UCONN at Syrcuse is bringing us a good finish that the Huskies just managed to screw up. A bad three-pointer and inability to stop the long pass over the top robs UCONN of an upset on the road at the Carrier Dome.

9:01pm: We've got Tim Brando and Smilin' Dan Bonner bringing us the action tonight from Chapel Hill. It could be worse. We are at least spared Vitale screaming all night about whatever he screams about. I just hear loud noise with him now. It all sounds the same.

9:03pm: #50 goes into the rafters tonight, last time anyone will don these digits. Shockingly it will read "Hansbrough" instead of "Bersticker".

9:07pm: Tip-off time. Go Heels.

9:07pm: Hess, Jones, & Ayers - good officiating crew in Chapel Hill.

9:08pm: I just realized the Virginia Tech vs NC State game has started. I doubt I focus on it too much tonight, but go Hokies nonetheless.

9:09: Duke is deflecting the ball left and right. Awesome. But Ed Davis dunks to put up the first points tonight for the Heels. 2-0 lead...stop the game now.

9:11pm: The 2-3 zone on the baseline out-of-bounds plays yields a Singler three-pointer. Heels have got to find another way to defense the in-bounds play, this is not working anymore.

9:14pm: 9-4 Duke at the first media timeout. I am rattled by this "type and watch the game" thing already. The Hokies are up 10-4 and I have no idea how anyone has scored. I do know that Ted Valentine is officiating this game, which makes me relieved that he didn't end up about 30 miles down the road tonight.

9:16pm: Chewbek misses a bunny and I get to roll out the first Chewbacca roar of the evening. Always a crowd pleaser.

9:22pm: James McAdoo is behind the bench. James, graduate early and enroll at CH now. Like tomorrow morning. PJ Hairston, I now see you too. Likewise, just come on over to Carolina and suit up. As I type this, Dex clanks a free fro.

9:19pm: Liesl BBM's in to say that she found ESPNUnavailable on her DirecTV package.

9:23pm: Henson channeling Sam Perkins and blocking two shots! Quietly, it appears John may be trying to get off the short bus and graduate to playing real live college basketball.

9:25pm: Completely sick of "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" Gatorade commercial. It was maybe kinda sorta ok the first time...the hundreth? Not so much.

9:26pm: VT is 10-10 from the field and leads State 26-7. Carolina is not 10-10.

9:27pm: Will Graves' lack of defense is killing the Heels as Dan Bonner points out. But his three-pointer from Burlington is not. He has to go for 25 tonight to get Carolina some points and off-set all the ones he gives up. Seriously, we need a big game from Will to have a chance.

9:30pm: Holy Henson Batman. John narrowly misses a steal, comes all the way back for the board, which leads to a Drew II layup. Follows with a spike on the next possession. John! Welcome to the party son.

9:32pm: Tie game. Fist pump. 20-20 at the media timeout. Crowd is good thus far tonight. Way to show up for the Duke game folks. I sat through every game of 8-20, least ya'll students can do is pull a not-so-good team through a few games here. *gets off soapbox*

9:35pm: Hokies are still rolling. I'm not sure what Seth Greenberg will have to yell about at halftime. In other news, ESPN is showing the VT/State game on the mothership in all Raycome markets. This could really drop the Duke/Carolina ratings in the Triangle and in Virginia. Not that any of you care, but still.

9:37pm: I think we have 95 blocked shots thus far. "Duke is having trouble finishing around the rim"...not the first time some of the Dookies have heard that one.

9:40pm: Henson, Gumby, and Good Heavens all in the same sentence from Smilin' Dan. Eventually settles on "Mr. Gadget" to describe Henson. Good heavens indeed.

9:41pm: Marcus Ginyard battles for a loose ball and saves a possession. Get up off that game haters. He'd die for this team to be good. Finishes the possession with a dunk to give the Heels their first lead since 2-0, 24-23 at the four minute timeout.

9:44pm: Float like a butterfly...

9:45pm: I think they should remake that commercial with pictures of Tiger Woods "stinging like a bee". Now THAT would make me buy Gatorade.

9:48pm: II misses a three which Deon rebounds clean. He manages to dribble, gets tied up briefly, and loses the ball cleanly to three Devils without ever diving on the floor. That is why, talented as he may be, Thompson has the reputation for PLAP.

9:50pm: Scheyer miss, scramble, three guys on the floor, scramble some more, Drew controls....and one, bitch.

9:51pm: 28-27 Duke at the half. I feel like we won the National Championship again. Ok not really. But the first half was just as ugly as Carolina needs to make this entire game in order to have a chance to win. This team ain't winning pretty (or at all recently), so they've got to learn to grind games out and do it on the glass and defensive end. Duke shot about 30% the first half I bet, including some open misses, which cannot be expected the rest of the night. The Heels have got to keep the intensity up and make some shots to win this one.

Blue vs Blue Live Rundown Upcoming

2010-02-10T20:04:00.003-05:00

I don't expect much from tonight's battle of the blues, so I think I can type and think while also watching the game. Thus, we're going for a Blue Team Live Rundown tonight, as Carolina vs Dook is also joined by Virginia Tech vs NC State. I don't recall ever publishing a rundown during a Tar Heels game, so this will be a first. Could be a last too. And if you think I'm striving for a Bill Simmons special reverse jinx, you dang right.

Prediction: Dook 83 UNC 69

Paging Henny Penny...

2010-01-20T22:10:00.004-05:00

If you couldn't figure it out against College of Charleston, were still a bit slow during the blowout at Clemson, or didn't quite get the point on Saturday in the loss to Georgia Tech, you HAD to figure it out during the Wake Forest game: these Tar Heels just aren't very good.

This game was over two minutes in. Ish Smith, as pointed out numerous times on TV, was far and away the best player on the floor. I now understand how teams felt when Ty Lawson would zoom down the floor and scoop up a shot off a made basket. I guess I quickly forgot my rule in college hoops: when one team has a dominate point guard, they will likely win the game. In the college game, a great point man just makes things so easy for his teammates, not to mention scoring points himself. The drop-off dunks and kick-out threes come after a great point guard breaks down the defense, and that's what we saw tonight.

Aminu was huge as well. He dominated the glass, along with my boy McFarland. Twice in the second half, Wake Forest batted the ball around before first Aminu, then Tony Woods, corralled the ball for a slam dunk/layup. It was at this point that I realized how much I took Tyler Hansbrough's toughness, tenacity, and passion for granted. As a team, the Tar Heels play like a bunch of vaginas. Some of the freshmen just aren't big enough yet to push people around, I'll acknowledge that. However, size and toughness is not necessarily the same thing. This team has size, but little toughness.

The little things kill Carolina - a missed box-out, not talking on a defensive switch, getting pinned underneath while your guy hits an open three, etc. The reason the 2005-2006 team overachieved and became a "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" squad was because they did a lot of these little things on a regular basis. Leadership, basketball I.Q., whatever you want to attribute it to - they did it. The team absolutely does not understand this concept.

I don't like calling out individual players, but I'm going to say something here and try to move on: John Henson is one of the most disappointing "hyped" players I have ever seen as a freshman at an elite college program. This might not be his fault - he didn't assign himself the "#5 in the country" ranking. The recruiting pundits opined that he was a Brandan Wright clone, a possible-if-not-likely one-and-done guy, a dude who could play the 3-spot because of his varied skillset. He played point guard early in high school, the story goes, and was a better player because of it. Um, what? Has anyone seen this "skillset" this season? He is long and can block shots...but that's about it thus far. Three fouls and two turnovers in nine minutes tonight. He scored going 1-2 out the foul line after one of the slowest, most awkward one-man fast breaks I've ever seen (and it was a four-on-one break). He looked like a 6-10 Special Olympian running down the floor - and I'm sorry if I've offended any of the Olympians. Moving on...

This team very clearly has no confidence, as individuals, in their teammates, or in the collective unit. The off weekend must change that. Roy said something in his postgame about a Kansas team he coached that lost eight in a row, I believe in his first season. He had them watching "Hoosiers", "Rocky III", and eating bologna sandwiches. Well, it is indeed time to dust off every trick in the book, Ol' Roy, starting Thursday. I already mentioned it last week, so without belaboring the point - ACC play is NOT the time to try to find your confidence and figure things out. Right now, the Heels look like a wounded fish with all the other sharks swimming in circles around them, sniffing out the blood in the water and ready to bite.

So where do we go from here? For the fans, I'd recommend hard liquor. This ain't turning around fast. For the team, the expectations have to be lowered even more for this season. Get it together enough to make the NCAA Tournament and win twenty games. Continuing to play like this will not equal either of those things happening.

I don't mean to sound spoiled here. I realize that Carolina won the National Championship last year, and has won two in five years. That is outstanding. I'm still proud to be a Tar Heel and always will be. I wouldn't trade places with Duke, State, Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA (ok, bad example this season) or anyone else this year or any other year. You cannot replace the excitement and passion of a title. But, living in the here-and-now, it is really frustrating to watch this team struggle. We all thought it could be a down year, but probably not quite this rough. I'm not throwing in the towel or giving up on the 2009-2010 team; I hope they improve and make a good run of things. But, I'm no longer expecting it. And that's what's frustrating.

Clemson Catastrophe & ACC Notes: The U

2010-01-13T22:52:00.005-05:00

An absolutely abyssmal performance on the road tonight for Carolina. Clemson's MO under Coach Purnell has been full-court pressure that often leads to easy transition buckets for the Tigers. In discussing the game with a friend earlier today, I said that the Heels could not turn the ball over and expect to compete, much less win. It was that simple. Well, they finished with about 73 turnovers, so mission not-so-accomplished. I'm not writing any more about this game for fear of being too reactionary. Just know that I did laundry from the twelve minute mark on of the second half. Also, know that Roy Williams' tie was gawd awful. Burn it Roy. Finally, know that I wore untested "Carolina Gameday" boxers tonight that I received for Christmas. Needless to say, I will no longer be wearing these drawers on gamedays.

Moving on to something new for this college hoops season: The Blue Team will feature team notes on each ACC team I get to see play in person. As you know, I work every home basketball game at Virginia Tech courtside and get to see at least nine ACC teams (including the Hokies) every season. Tonight, the Hokies opened ACC play by beating the Miami Hurricanes 81-66. VT actually led 48-13 at one point late in the first half, so this was never much of a game. However, there are still a few decent takeaways on the Canes despite their poor performance, so let's delve into the first set of ACC Notes.

The initial quality that jumps out about Miami is their athleticism. Every single guy on this team looks like a stud athlete. They are very smooth and fast. That being said, the collective skill of this team is not all that good. Shooting is streaky, turnovers are frequent, and good decision-making is not always present. They remind me a lot of Eddie Sutton's Oklahoma State teams of recent years, just not quite as good. However, Miami is going to be tough to beat when they defend well and can get out and run a lot, as not many teams are able to keep up with the Canes.

From an individual standpoint, no one player really jumped out to me as "the guy". Dwayne Collins is supposed to be option one, but he is still inconsistent. The Hurricanes did not do a good job, especially early on in this game, of getting into their offense. Every set seemed to get blown up, either by a turnover or just good defense from the Hokies. As a result, Collins was not a factor. He did completely sky over Victor Davila for a put back in the second half, so you know the tools are there. He's probably just waiting to unleash 30 & 13 on the Heels later this year.

Durand Scott, a freshmen guard from New York, is going to be a good one for Miami. He was a 4* recruit coming out of high school and really showed great burst and toughness tonight. He was frustrated with his team & his individual play at times tonight, but I think was the typical "New York competitiveness" coming out. He is a physically strong kid and will really be a good scorer once he hones his jumper.

Likewise, Reggie Johnson, a redshirt freshmen from North Carolina, shows a lot of promise as well. He is a big body, very much reminding me physically of current Tar Heel Deon Thompson when he was a rookie. He is not polished, but seems to use his size well and can at least man up defensively. If Frank Haith & his staff can work with this kid, Johnson could develop into a force before his Miami career is over.

On the flip side, sophomore Dequan Jones was a 5* guy coming out of high school, a huge recruiting get from Haith & Co. However, he is the definition of "athletic without skill" right now. Sure, he can rebound and defend, but he doesn't have much handle or a consistent jumper. I reckon he's going to improve and his body is off the charts, but the basketball skills have not caught up yet for this guy.

Overall, I think Miami is going to be alright. They took a lot of bad shots tonight, making some but missing more. I'm sure playing in a tough road environment did not help, but they seemed to lose composure and get rattled (reminds me of another team that lost on the road in the ACC tonight). However, there are four seniors on the team, so hopefully these guys will take it upon themselves to pull their team together and get better. I think I just a caught the Canes on a bad night tonight and we'll see the real Miami develop to the tune of 9-7 in the league. The battle, of course, will be with the selection committee to get past their atrocious non-conference schedule and snatch a bid.

One other quick note related to the Canes. They have a guy, whom I assume to be a senior in school there, who serves as a team manager. He sat on the end of their bench tonight and did all of the manager things: water, stools, clipboard, towels, etc. He also lept to his feet after nearly every made basket, clapped with far-too-enthusiastic vigor, and screamed at the officials on more than one occasion. It was bad enough that I noticed the other "end of the bench guys" (trainers, stat guy, strength guy, etc) discussing his behavior after a particularly strong reaction/meltdown in the second half. Somehow the Hokies' student section, the Cassell Guard, did not notice how into the game this guy was. But let me tell you, he heard them anyway. Every "Uuuuuuuu suck" or "Just like foot-ball" chant by the students was met by a slew of f-bombs, glares, and fidgety body language. I really thought this kid was going to lose it and strangle someone for yelling at his beloved Hurricanes. It's a long season dude, and you've got seven more ACC road environments to visit. You might want to chill out and relax, because if another school realizes how into the game you are, you could find yourself the target of their chants. Worse yet, if you snap on an official, Frank Haith will be looking for a new manager. It's just a game man.

We'll get to another ACC Notes segment next week, as the Boston College Eagles come calling to Blacksburg. I doubt I'll bother with a formal UNC breakdown at any point, given the amount of coverage the Heels already receive. We'll save the Hokies for later in the season, after they have developed a bit more. In the meantime, enjoy watching NBC screw themselves & Tennessee scramble to find a new coach not named Butch Davis.

Observations from Bob Uecker's Seat

2010-01-11T12:22:00.009-05:00

Every college basketball season, I get the chance to watch a lot of ACC Basketball up close and personal. Sunday night led me to Chapel Hill to "work" the Tar Heels vs Hokies affair. Thanks again to Bill, Mike, & Damian for allowing me to tag along. Here are a few thoughts from the game at the Smith Center:

- First, the Hokies' side of things. Virginia Tech played hard the entire game, but clearly ran out of gas. Malcolm Delaney was outstanding the first half, but his bum ankle and being a touch out of game shape seemed to catch up to him in the second frame. Not to mention the job Marcus Ginyard did on him defensively.

- The Hokies, as discussed many times over in our office, still need a consistent third offensive option or will have to rely on the "total team effort" to provide points. To me, it looks like Dorenzo Hudson can be that guy if he does not press so much. Relax and let your offense come to you. Dude plays hard too.

- Coach Greenberg really remains fairly composed when facing Carolina. He and his staff seem to emphasize staying poised in tough road environments and it works well against the Heels. Sans the blowout in Chapel Hill during the 2006-2007 season, the Hokies have played Carolina very tough in the four seasons I've been at VT.

- While already a decent squad this year, the Hokies could be really, really good next season. No major players graduate from the rotation and one would not expect Delaney to leave for the pros following this year. So, bring everyone back, add in a stud transfer from UF named Allan Chaney, plus two solid recruits that will contribute immediately and you could have a very good Virginia Tech lineup in 2010-2011.

- Moving on to the game atmosphere a little bit...the Smith Center was barely 50% full five minutes prior to the game. Then, the National Anthem ended and it was 95% full. Guess everyone was racing in from the cold still?

- Anoop Desai, Carolina alum and one of last year's American Idol contestants, sang the anthem. He and his parents sat right behind us - very nice people. His father was right amused by the parade of hotties coming up to Anoop for pictures. But what he didn't see were the two girls sitting across the court from us on the front row trying to take his son's picture during the game. Anoop is still a Carolina celeb, I reckon.

- People always joke about Duke's insane number of student managers, but the Heels have a ton as well. I'm not sure what everyone's role is, but most of the row immediately behind the scorer's table is full of students who assist the basketball program in some way, shape, or form. They don't all run out and mop up sweat during the game or pass out water to the players, but they did all seem to have pre-game and post-game duties.

- Dr. Holden Thorp, the Chancellor at UNC, sits right behind the TV commentary guys across from the scorer's table. The lady next to him, whom I presume to be his wife, Patti, jumped during the "Jump Around" segment of pregame festivities with as much enthusiasm and vigor as I have ever seen. The chic was basically raising the roof. Very...nerdy, yes, but incredible support from the presumed Mrs. Thorp.

- Also during pregame, Carolina has implemented the UNC Drumline into the starting lineup introductions. I assume this just started this season after the addition of the new lights, but correct me if I am wrong. Either way, I don't recall ever hearing of this at any other schools around the country. Anyone know of any?

- One quick officiating note: they botched the injured player/who shoots the foul shot ruling. Under the new rule for this season, the coach of the team that commits the foul is granted the chance to appoint a foul shooter from among the remaining four players on the floor for the injured team. Had the foul on Davila been intentional or flagrant, then Virginia Tech would have been able to select the player to shoot. In this case, Roy Williams should have been given the choice of the four players on the floor to shoot the free throws (he likely would have chosen Terrell Bell from the four on the court at the time). In any event, it worked out for the Tar Heels because freshman Ben Boggs checked in and missed the front-end of the one-and-one.

- Now, moving to the Carolina side of things. First off, Dexter Strickland is really fast in person. I know he looks it on TV, and no, he's not nearly in the Lawson/Felton/Kenny Smith category. But when you see him in person, that's probably the first thing you notice. He's also very smooth. Going to be a great player for Carolina no doubt.

- Tyler Zeller really struggled Sunday night. Big Z seems to excel against shorter opponents, but has a bit of trouble with 1) big and physical because he's not strong with the ball all the time; and 2) quick players, including guards coming in and stripping rebounds. He definitely brings the ball down low too often and is very robotic at times. I'm sure you've heard the Eric Montross comparisons (tall, white, gets down the court well, baby hook), but I currently think of him closer to a more offensive-minded Kevin Salvadori, who was a teammate of Montross. Chill out, Z will end up better than Salvadori (who was no slouch by his senior year & got a sniff in the NBA), but he is comparable right now.

- Finally, for people who have freaked out about this team, keep in mind the comparisons that have arisen with the 2005-2006 Baby Heels who were led by David Noel (I thought Adam Lucas referenced this in passing following a recent game, but I'm striking out on the link again). That team started out 1-3 in league play, then 2-4. They fell out of the polls all together a few times that season, including after the home loss to Dook in early February (shouts to Burt for making the down-and-back with me from Clemson that day/night/early morning). Eventually, Carolina climbed back to #10 in the polls. Now imagine if that team had been without David Noel & Reyshawn Terry for a few weeks and that's what we've had recently with Ginyard & Graves missing. Somehow this team is still ranked #13 (ridiculous and clearly based on talent, potential, and the name on the jersey) and will be fine if they "get it". Point: getting Marcus & Will back healthy, contributing, and, most importantly, leading, will make this team look a lot better.

I think that's enough from Sunday's game. We'll hit up some more topics later this week, including the NFL playoffs and Carolina's football recruiting. Thanks to everyone who texted compliments on the purple shirt last night. As I told G Elliott, purple is very "in" this season. Be good ya'll.

Tha Crossroads

2010-01-04T22:20:00.003-05:00

Now tell me whatcha gonna do
when there ain't nowhere to run
and whatcha gonna do
when there ain't nowhere to hide
when judgement comes for you

- Bone Thugs-n-Harmony - "Tha Crossroads"

I thought The Blue Team was dead. Not enough time on my hands to write, yet too much to say. Too many other things that are more important to do. But one bad night of hoops can change your entire perspective on shi-...stuff. Plus, when someone asks, "hey, what do you think?", the Blue Team obliges.

"Tha Crossroads" is a touching rap song off the E. 1999 Eternal album of legends Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. It is an ode to homies fallen, specifically Eazy Mother-Effin' E, who had just died of AIDS. The point of the song, besides honoring lives lost, is about those left on this earth making a decision with what to do with their lives; how one reacts following adversity, in this case the loss of a loved one.

I think you know where this is heading. The 2009-2010 Carolina basketball team is officially at its crossroads. For each individual, for the coaches, for the team as a whole: whatcha gonna do? This question is not at all unfamiliar: I asked the same thing of last year's team. Most every team who wins anything in any sport goes through a "whatcha gonna do" moment in its season.

The difference for this year's Tar Heels is this question has been building gradually over a month or so. A bad half against Syracuse? Ok, they're better than everyone thought. A bad ten minutes against Kentucky? Alright, it was the first road game. 103 effing points given up to Texas? Maybe Jerry Jones' video board really is too big. But the disconcernment has snowballed with lackluster wins against non-conference foes in recent weeks.

The last three weeks of December are the most important weeks for a college hoops team. First, players go through exams and need to focus/stay eligible (after all, they are student-athletes). Next, there are tons of practices due to the NCAA restrictions on practice hours easing up with students gone for the holidays. That means a lot of time to bond and get better. Finally, you generally get to play against some lesser competition many of those games, which means that big wins and confidence should result if you have a good team.

Therein lies the problem. Carolina has not had a single game this season that it played well for a full forty minutes. Numerous writers have commented on it & Coach Williams has pointed it out, but it wasn't really a problem until tonight's loss to College of Charleston. There's really no need to dissect the loss; it happened, it's over. The reaction moving forward is ten times more important than exactly what went wrong. But, big picture, a number of things have to change:

1) Health. Marcus Ginyard & Will Graves are not Magic & Larry. But they're two of the few veterans on this team, and the best defender and shooter respectively. The prescence and consistently solid play of these two individuals is imperative to this season's success. Duh.

2) Youth. I don't think this is going to change, and what I mean is the inexperienced guys are going to continue to be a bit up-and-down the rest of the season. But, some level of consistency has to emerge from all of the young guys. Notice I did not say "freshmen". I mean everyone not named Marcus Ginyard or Deon Thompson.

3) Defense. Coach Williams said early in pre-season practice that this team had a chance to be very good defensively, going as far as to say they had the ability to be better than the 2005-2006 team protecting the house (tried to find a link, but failed. Here's the best I could do). That has absolutely not been the case. I likewise prognosticated this summer with friends that this team would win more games "ugly" than the other teams under Roy, with good defense and rebounding. A "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" type of team. Again, wrong. I think everyone expected the youth to be a problem, for there to be some bad shooting nights, and to see some turnovers. But terrible defense? The breakdowns have been the only consistent trait of the Heels on the defensive end of the court. More than anything else, this absolutely, positively must get better if this team wants to reach its potential.

I realize that Carolina won the National Championship last season. It is not the end of the world if 2009-2010 is a "down" year that ends in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. But this team still has a lot of talent, a lot of depth, and a lot of potential. The Heels will get better - Coach Williams won't have it any other way. I keep telling everyone who's ready to jump off a cliff that by the time they host Dook in Chapel Hill, this squad is going to be very good. I still believe that 100%. But, I don't play. I'm not on the team. To quote The Rock, it doesn't matter what I think. The team has been knocked down and now they are the ones who have gotta answer the bell.

So again, here we are, a year later. Another team that's not buying in entirely, not playing the type of defense you have to play to be successful. Judgement has come for the Tar Heels and there ain't nowhere to hide. The coming weeks will tell us how they react at their collective crossroad.

This Blog is Looking a Little Blue in the Face...

2009-09-15T22:15:00.003-04:00

It's been long enough, Blue Team. Nearly two months without a post? Enough already, write something so people can begin wasting time at work and in class again. Somehow I've managed to not write anything on Michael Vick, Brett Favre, Serena Williams, Carolina's hoops schedule, Kanye West, the MLB pennant races, or the nude jogger in Waxhaw, NC (no, it's not anyone in my family...I don't think). The obligatory college football & NFL previews were also temporarily shelved. But, in honor of Mark McGwire, let's keep all that in the past and move forward...sort of.

The NFL season is only a week old and yet it has already surprised us in numerous ways. Though there were not that many "upsets" once the games actually ended, there were some incredible games and finishes where we might not have expected them. Keep this in mind: every season, there are probably 4-6 teams that are going to make the playoffs, barring a major injury. There are probably 6-8 teams that barring a miracle, make-a-movie-about-it season, are not going to make the playoffs. Everyone else looks about even on paper in mid-September. You can seemingly count on Pittsburgh, New England, & probably the New York Giants this year. I'd argue that's all. Indy has defensive issues and a ton of new coaches, Tennessee's QB is still Kerry Collins, San Diego apparently is going to continue playing down to the level of its competition, Baltimore is stuck behind Pittsburgh and doesn't have a go-to offensive weapon in the AFC. Philadelphia is replacing the late Jim Johnson as its Defensive Coordinator and always must deal with a fragile QB & RB in MccNabb & Westbrook, Minnesota & Green Bay both have system challenges (Minny's offensive changes around Favre & the Packers transition into a 3-4 defense), and the Panthers...well, they suck. Even though the "playoff locks" don't always end up being dominant, they generally are going to finish in the top six of their conference. My point is this: there aren't as many locks this year. Bill Simmons has said that he feels the NFL has entered the "Tyson Zone" of unpredictability and I would agree with that; the above analysis helps show us why.

That being said, I think the AFC looks pretty simple this year. The Patriots, Colts, Titans, Steelers, Ravens, & Chargers are all solid. I also like the J-E-T-S to be good under Rex Ryan - lowered expectations and not dealing with the Brett Favre hoopla will help this team. Give me 6 of those 7 in the post-season. The NFC is a bit tougher, as the Giants, Iggles, Vikings, & Packers are the only team I'm counting on for much right now. The NFC South is pretty wide open and the NFC West just shouldn't put a team in the post-season anymore. The only "sleepers" I'll give you are the aforementioned J-E-T-S and Coach Singletary's 49ers (might they manage 9-7 and a division title?). I'm not counting New Orleans as a sleeper, as it wouldn't surprise anyone if they are very, very good this season. The Super Bowl smells like New England vs Green Bay to me, with the Pats coming out on top.

A quick aside: I checked out ESPN.com's NFL Predictions chart last week and noticed a startling trend: no one picks an NFC team to win the Super Bowl. Out of 16 guessers (cause that's all they're doing: guessing, just like you or me), not a one picks a National Football Conference foe to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Weird.

Moving on to the hometown Panthers, last Sunday was obviously awful. The entire team played poorly, but Jake Delhomme was clearly the worst, giving the Eagles possession of the football five times by himself. Add this performance to last season's post-season debacle and you get this. Of course, he's not the only one under fire. Apparently a 38-10 loss at home in the FIRST GAME of the season, after going 12-4 and winning the NFC South last season, is worthy of John Fox's job coming into question. Sigh.

The Panthers are 0-1. Just like Cincinnati, just like Arizona (Remember them? The team who murdered the Pamfuzz in the playoffs last year?), just like Tennessee. You don't get two losses for a bad performance like that. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't think 2009 is going to be a great season for the Carolina Panthers. The schedule is tougher, the depth is thin, and their best run stuffer is already done for the season...the karma is just not there for this team. Then again, last season started with its best player punching out its big-money defensive back in training camp and still ended up 12-4 - some karma, huh? Anyway, I do not foresee 12-4 again, but I also do not think we're headed for 4-12 either. Things often snowball in the NFL, so it's important to right the ship and get a win in at least one of the next two games (at Atlanta, at Dallas) so the team isn't staring at 0-3 and having to deal with the media and fans tearing them to bits. Even at 1-2, the season can easily be salvaged. So don't risk breaking your leg jumping off the bandwagon yet. Breath, stretch, shake and let game one go.

Moving to the college game, I have not had the chance to see a lot of games thus far. I did catch the Carolina game at UCONN (what an ugly game), I've seen Michigan play and win twice thanks to being in Michigan for Labor Day (congrats again to Gracie and Ryan), and I was able to watch USC squeak by The Overrated State University (henceforth my name for the Buckeyes). Of course I saw the employer, Virginia Tech, in both its effort versus Alabama & Marshall. The Hokies will be fine, typical 10-2 or 9-3. But my Tar Heels...I'm concerned. Health is far too big of an issue and it's only September. The offensive line was thin in May and is anorexic now, special teams are shaky, and the wide receivers have not given me any reason to be optimistic for this season, sans Erik Highsmith's two big 3rd down conversions last Saturday. The defense has done a nice job thus far, but the offense must find a way to put consistent points on the board and be able to move the football like they did during the fourth quarter at UCONN. My 8-4 prediction is starting to feel more like 6-6. Sigh again.

But in other news, Carolina did win the 2009 National Championship. Happy sigh. I feel better.

No promises, but The Blue Team seems to be back in bidness. We'll turn our attention to more of the world of sports again sometime soon. Bye bye bye...

From That "Prospective"...

2009-07-28T22:40:00.005-04:00

Three more quick thoughts on the Okafor/Chandler trade. First, please note that my displeasure from the trade is largely related to the quality & durability of the two players involved. Strictly from a basketball sense, it just is not an even trade. In my opinion, this holds true even if Tyson Chandler stays healthy for two seasons. I just think Okafor's consistency is more valuable. From a long-term financial standpoint, it does provide tremendous flexibility.

Second, and work with me here: if you're the management team of the Bobcats, how do you come to the conclusion that the same player you signed to an extension last summer is no longer a good fit? Seriously, click on that link and read the release from ESPN.com about the signing, paying special attention to the quotes from Rod Higgins and Larry Brown. Does this trade mean they had their doubts even then about his long-term place in Charlotte? The team just signed him to that ridiculous deal in order to trade him a year later? I doubt it; that would take far too much forward-thinking on behalf of the Charlotte organization. But ok, let's say you signed Okafor to that deal and then, a year later, had buyer's remorse. You decide you made a mistake, that he's not a good fit for this team, that you just don't want to pay him all that money; whatever the reason, you decide he needs to be traded. Ok, fine. But, he's durable and a double-double big man, plus he's never in trouble or bad for team chemistry and the best you can do for him is Tyson Chandler? Samuel Dalembert (2 years, $12.1 million in 2009-2010) from Philly, Chris Kaman (3 years, $10.4 million in 2009-2010) from the LA Clippers, Joel Przybrilla (2 years, $6.8 million in 2009-2010) & an expiring deal from Portland, Jamal Crawford (2 years, $9.36 million in 2009-2010) from Golden State earlier in the summer, or any other number of players might have been had for Okafor. Heck, why not play out a year with Tracy McGrady on the roster (McGrady & Chuck Hayes' expiring deals for Raja Bell, Okafor, and VladRad). Better players, with potentially more offensive skills, expiring contracts, or whatever the team desired were available. You just can't tell me the best offer for Emeka was Tyson Chandler.

And third, if you are going to trade a player of Okafor's ability, why not force a team to take one of those three bad deals off your hands too? Diop's is the worst and the longest, but he's just not getting traded for anything other than a seemingly more useful player with an equally bad contract. Nazi plays the same game as Okafor, just older and not as well, so including him would have been tough. But, what about VladRad? Why not force a team to take him and either get back an expiring deal or a more useful player (hey, anybody for a conventional power forward or a scoring guard)? It wouldn't work in all situations, but I think a bit more exploration might have been prudent.

Oh well, what's done is done. The team has traded the original face of the franchise and there is no turning back now. I have not read anyone (other than Scott Fowler) that approves of the deal for the Bobcats. John Hollinger went as far as to say "What are the Bobcats thinking?". Time will tell on this trade, as it does most. I was very, very critical of the Raja Bell & Boris Diaw for Jason Richardson & Jared Dudley swap initially, but it has been good to this point (fine with trading Richardson, but thought they could have done better for him - much like this trade. Let's see if Diaw can continue to play motivated for three more $9 million years). Forgive me if I don't rush out to buy a new Tyson Chandler jersey though.

Top 5 Tuesday: Bobcats

2009-07-28T16:02:00.004-04:00

Top 5 Tuesday returns! Today's topic: Great Moves in Charlotte Bobcats history. Straight to the countdown we go...

5)

4)

3)

2)

1)

There you have it folks, the five greatest moves ever by my hometown Charlotte Bobcats. What an incredibly difficult list to construct, so many outstanding choices.

More thoughts on the Okafor trade later. Ben brought up a good point in the "Comments" section of last night's post and I have two other things to mention as well. I'll try to get to that later today.

Yeah buddy, rollin' like a big shot

Gotta Go Shopping: Okafor Trade Analysis

2009-07-27T22:10:00.004-04:00

You know, I had a lot to do tonight. There is a pile of clean laundry (whites & towels) laying under my feet on the sofa. There is more dirty laundry to wash in the foyer. I have a proposal to do for work and a 9:30am meeting to get ready for, not to mention a new employee starting tomorrow (shouts Waddle). Wrestling is on, being hosted by Shaq, and the Cardinals and Dodgers are on ESPN. Most importantly, I have a passport to apply for and a flight to book for a wedding/trip to Canada. So how did I spend my Monday evening?

Because of the Charlotte Bobcats, I was driven to playing the drums, trying a new beverage, and trying to digest the latest trade by MJ & Co.

The drums? A subpar effort on some Billy Joel, Boston, and The Band. New groups to drum to, but not my best. The drink? Orange Crush + Captain = Orange Creamsicle-esque beverage. It was good, but I think it would be better as a frozen treat. The trade? This potential trainwreck.

With the trade still in discussion, I hesitate to write too much on it. However, if I don't write tonight, it's not happening this week. Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler, huh? Not so much, 'Cats, not so much.

A few quick notes, then some analysis. First, I find it odd/funny that ESPN.com broke the news of this trade that was apparently agreed to in principle on Friday, as opposed to the Charlotte Observer or a Charlotte news station digging it up. As much as I have defended Rick Bonnell, the Bobcats beat writer for the Observer, it is a bit frustrating that he did not have the scope on this deal first.

Second, Scott Fowler of the Observer has already written an article defending the trade. I know this only because that is what the headline says. I will read his piece only after I finish writing this, as to remain close to my opinion only. However, I would have put $100 that someone, perhaps multiple writers, would defend this trade in the hometown paper. Maybe it is part of the gig; don't totally offend the folks who you need a future story from. And as an amateur blogger, I have no inside information or expert knowledge that a professional might. But, seriously, can someone at this paper please call a spade a spade for once?

And third, this trade (should it happen) is not your average NBA trade for Charlotte. Okafor, though not an NBA superstar (or even All-Star), is/was the face of the Bobcats franchise. He was our first ever draft pick. He is incredibly active in the community. He is unfailingly polite, articulate, and reliable off the court. Though fans may have some frustrations with his lack of offensive development, he still holds a special place within the community. Gerald Wallace might be the team's best player, but Okafor is the most recognizable. A deal like this can only further bury the Bobcats far away from the area's sports spotlight.

Now, let's try and look at this trade objectively. My first reaction, on a -10 to +10 scale (-10 being "I absolutely hate this deal" and +10 being "Oh my Lord, what a steal"), was a -2. After stewing on it for an hour, I went to about a -4. That's where I am as I write this. Why? Let's look at the +/- of the deal:

The negatives:

- Tyson Chandler costs more money short-term than Emeka Okafor. According to Hoops Hype, Chandler is due $11.85 million this season, with a player option (which he will surely exercise) next year for $12.75 million. Okafor is only due $10.5 million in 2009-2010, and $11.5 in 2010-2011. That's about $2.5 million more for Chandler. For a team that is supposedly pinching the pennies just to try and re-sign Raymond Felton and a couple low-dollar free agents, does it really make sense to add salary?

- Tyson Chandler is not as good a player as Emeka Okafor. According to ESPN.com's Trade Machine, this trade would cost the Bobcats 6 wins next season. Chandler's PER is 13.4 while Okafor's is 18.0. Granted, Chandler had a rough, injury-plagued season last season, dropping his PER...which makes me wonder why the Bobcats would trade for him. To further illustrate, consider that Chandler has averaged a double-double in only one season in his career: 2007-2008, thanks in large part to the assists of Chris Paul on his dunks. On the other hand, Okafor has averaged a double-double in all five of his NBA seasons.

- Tyson Chandler has not been as durable a player as Emeka Okafor in recent seasons. Not only did Chandler miss 37 games last year, but he has never played in all 82 games in his career. Okafor has done that both of the last two seasons. In addition, Chandler was traded this past season to Oklahoma City, only to have the trade rescinded due to a failed physical (concern over his toe injury). In fact, New Orleans was so desperate to get rid of him and his salary that they were only getting back Chris Wilcox & Joe Smith in the deal, both of which would have left the Hornets at season's end. Now, instead of dumping Chandler for next to nothing, they get back a durable double-double machine. And the Bobcats get back...well, all of those same issues that made the Hornets want to get rid of Chandler for next to nothing.

- Tyson Chandler, even if healthy and playing at his best, does not bring a lot of what the Bobcats could use. This team really, really needs a big guy who can get easy baskets. Not dunk-off-a-dump-off baskets, but back-your-guy-down-and-score baskets, a la Elton Brand, Tim Duncan, or Pau Gasol. Whether or not this is at power forward or center does not really matter, but it needs to happen. Yes, Boris Diaw is effective as an offensive weapon, but he is not that type of scorer (although I will admit that he's been very good for this team...thus far). For a team to be an efficient offense/tight defense squad, a low-post threat who shoots a high-percentage is necessary.

The positives:

- The Bobcats save a ton of money from 2011-2015. Chandler will likely walk after the end of his deal, or at least earn whatever type of contract he might get from Charlotte (less than what was due Okafor, I'm sure) after two years. That's great, flexibility is key in the NBA. But, that logic also admits a major mistake by the Bobcats' management team: re-signing Okafor to a 6-year deal worth that much money to begin with prior to last season. We just did it! Now, my philosophy is that you only sign marquee, super-duper stars for more than four years and more than $12 million/year at any point in the contract. So yes, I thought the Okafor contract was a bit much when they did it. But, I did see some logic: double-double machine, face of the franchise right now, premium for a big man, and they seemingly had the money to spend (at the time). Since then, the organization has added the $26.5 million over 4 years for Diop & nearly $13 million for 2 more years of VladRad, crippling its short & long term space. In essence, those two added contracts have helped generate the "need" to rid the team of a questionable long-term deal of a solid, if unspectacular, player.

- The Bobcats, specifically Coach Larry Brown, wanted a taller center. This does make some sense. It was clear when Brown signed off on adding Diop to the roster that he values size at the 5-spot. His preference was further driven home by rumors of Samuel Dalembert becoming a Bobcat (he of the equally ridiculous contract). Okafor played center at UCONN, but is a bit undersized at the center position. Long arms, but not a lot of vertical. The really good centers in the league just tear him up (see Howard, Dwight). At the 4-spot, Okafor is way too slow to go out and guard anyone with a face-up game (see Bosh, Chris) and never provided the offense necessary from most power forwards. Chandler, at a legit 7-0, does give Coach Brown a taller, more athletic center. This is honestly a good thing in this trade.

- The Bobcats may have a valuable trade piece for use around January 2011. I believe, and I need to check to make 100% sure, that even after Chandler exercises his player option for 2010-2011, he can still be traded to another team. This would mean the Bobcats would have the ability to trade his $12.75 million worth of salary for another player or two from a team looking to free up cap space after the 2010-2011 season ends. Of course, the Bobcats could also just let Chandler play out his deal and use that cap room to attack a free agent or two of their own: VladRad & Nazi's deals both expire that same summer, meaning that the 'Cats could have as much as $25 million to spend in the summer of 2011. That does require two things to happen though: 1) free agents have to actually agree to play in Charlotte; and 2) the Bobcats have to still exist in Charlotte.

In summary, I see the long-term benefit of this deal after typing all of this out, especially the above point about all the cap room. However, for a team that was "making the playoffs next season" (2009-2010), it sure doesn't look like they have improved in the short-term with this deal. They have further crippled their short-term cap room and no doubt drove away some more fans (do these "fans" even exist?) by trading the face of the franchise. I am therefore officially assigning my trade evaluation as a -3 on this deal. This franchise needed to make a decision to preserve cap room last year or figure out a way to go for it and they made the wrong decision.

As for me, I now have to buy a new Bobcats jersey. My #50 is no longer in style. Personally, I'm planning to wait until this team gives me a long-term player who's worth spending $60 on. Call me in the summer of 2011 I guess.

Reason for my Absence

2009-07-17T18:13:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to issue a quick apology for the lack of posts recently. A vacation was planned following the week of the NBA Draft, as I journeyed to Garden City, SC with the family. However, I just have not gotten back on the writing bus, as a few of the most loyal Blue Teamers have pointed out.

With that said, I need some prayers folks. Work is very rough right now, as I am having trouble with hitting my sales goal. As a quick summary, I had a great season two years ago, thanks in large part to one major account. Last year proved more challenging, and I suffered a bit from lack of focus and the need to really learn my craft in a tough economy. This year, I re-focused and eliminated a number of distractions from my life in hopes of success. It has not worked. The big account from two years ago, which allowed me to buy my first house, flat-screen TV, furniture, and a sweet pair of UNC shorts, is in peril. If I lose this account, there is no way I will hit my goal this year and will suffer greatly because of it.

Needless to say, I am down and frustrated because of it. The last three weeks, including my "vacation" time, have been filled with self-doubt and wallowing in pity. In efforts to be honest about it, I'm throwing out my personal/professional life on this blog. Some of you know me well, others not much at all. But, I ask each of you to throw a prayer up for me. For discipline, positive thinking, and persistence. For the many accounts I need to close business on to happen, including saving the big one (they need financing - anyone want to invest in some real estate?). For me to work harder than ever before. And for God to do His work in my life as a whole.

Ya'll, this is not life or death, and I'm not trying to paint it as such. It's just that my professional life means a lot to me, as I love my job and what we do. But, do me one other favor and don't ask too much about it. I'll update as things happen, but I don't really want to/can't talk too much about it. I would just appreciate the prayers right now. I acknowledge that either way, God is good all the time and completely in control of everything according to His will.

Don't ever give up, right?

All the Bobcats Need for 60 Wins Is...

2009-06-29T10:50:00.005-04:00

Following last week's NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats have not changed a great deal. Two rookies will join the team and hope to make an impact. Neither will be able to lead this organization to 60 wins, but I know someone who will - LeBron James. Yeah, you should probably keep reading...

After concluding my rundown at the end of the NBA Draft's first round, the Charlotte Bobcats made two 2nd round selections which have not been discussed. Derrick Brown, a forward from Xavier, was chosen with the 40th selection. Clearly, since I had placed Brown 15th in the first round in my Mock Draft, I like the kid and think he could be really good. Definitely a guy who will make the roster and potentially contribute this season, if he gets some playing time behind Wallace and VladRad. Brown has a funky offensive game, but is athletic and smart. NBADraft.net makes the comparison to Derrick McKey, in large part because he's a lefty and 6-8. I would personally like to see Brown continue to fill out a bit more and try his hand at the 4-spot and evolve into a David West (former Xavier forward as well) type - an undersized, strong, sweet-shooting pick-and-roll guy. The Bobcats also selected Robert Vaden in the 2nd round and promptly traded him to OKC for $$$.

At this point, where does that leave Charlotte's hoops team? In need of a superstar. Just like a week ago. Sure, some depth was developed from this draft. But, I don't think the team is any better for it, as a VORP evaluation would show (Value Of Replacement Player). There is no substantial upgrade to drafting Henderson & Brown than signing a backup at the 2 & 3 spots for this season.

Going into the 2009-2010 season, the Bobcats still need to unload a contract or two if they can and try to use the saved dollars to help with a free agent or two. More than anything right now, some scoring off the bench would be nice. A combo guard who can drop 15 points in the 2nd & 3rd quarters of a game...explosive for stretches...potentially able to help out in the 4th quarter...Allen Iverson anybody? A college friend and I discussed this possibility via Facebook messages last week and I claimed to be in the "No" camp on looking at AI. I remain there today...but only because I don't think he could accept that type of role in Charlotte. If he continues playing, Iverson should look to a contender like Boston (if they don't re-sign House) or Orlando or Cleveland to contribute and know his role off the bench as opposed to a still-building team like the 'Cats. That being said, he would provide exactly what the team needs and might be open to playing nice under Larry Brown & MJ...just a thought. A backup at the 4-spot is still necessary, as Rick Bonnell points out today. I can't see either of his preferred options materializing, but I think he has the right idea. A more-likely scenario would involve trading Nazi and/or VladRad for a backup at the 4-spot with a bad contract, or just going cheap and re-signing Juwan Howard.

In pondering all things NBA last week, I did construct an interesting thought related to Charlotte & Cleveland. If you took LeBron James off the Cavs and put him on the Bobcats, would Charlotte turn into a better team with LBJ than Cleveland is? The comparison here is apples-to-apples: Charlotte with LeBron vs Cleveland with LeBron (not a trade scenario). As currently constructed, I think it would be darn close. Mo Williams is better than Raymond Felton, but not a ridiculous amount. Let's say Ray-Ray is 85% of Williams. LeBron would essentially play the 2 for the 'Cats since Gerald Wallace is a 3, so you'd have to compare Wallace to Delonte West as a swingman-to-swingman comparison (moving Raja Bell to our bench). Gerald > Delonte, easily. Now, here's where things get interesting: would you rather have Diaw/Okafor or Shaq/Varajeo (assuming he is re-signed)? It's probably advantage Cleveland, but not by that much. I do think Shaq can be a dominate force for another year or two, but how healthy will he stay? And next to LeBron, how good could Diaw's passing skills look? How many more easy dump-offs would Emeka receive courtesy of King James? Cleveland would definitely have a depth advantage with Big Z in the post vs Diop/VladRad, but I'd give Raja Bell the nod over Daniel Gibson and the DJ Augustin/Gerald Henderson combo is better than whatever turd sandwich Cleveland can piece together for it backcourt backups this year. And coaching is not even close: a big + for the Bobcats.

My point in this ridiculous hypothetical is two-fold: 1) The Bobcats have a lot of the suppoting cast pieces in place for a great team - they just lack the super-duper star to make it happen; and 2) Cleveland's supporting cast, minus a 37 year-old Shaq, is just not that good (as was shown in the playoffs vs Orlando). I think that illustrates just how good LeBron really is, along with just how sucky Cleveland would be without him. I honestly believe that if you add a LeBron or a D-Wade to the Bobcats that you instantly have a 60-win team, but you could probably say the same thing about ten other non-playoff teams in the NBA as well.

Of course, in reality, none of this matters a bit because it ain't happening. However, next summer when there are free agents available, the hope is that MJ & Co can lure a player based on "the pieces are in place around you, we just need a stud to elevate us to the next level", similar to what Orlando attempted with Rashard Lewis. Sure, it won't be LeBron James, but what about Joe Johnson or Michael Redd? Maybe the 'Cats become at 53-win team at that point. That's really the only hope for becoming a great team, a potential contender, since a major trade would take away a large chunk of the supporting cast that is in place. One thing you cannot argue based on this exercise: one player in the NBA can make all the difference, and the Bobcats don't have it.

Enough on the Bobcats for a week or two, I promise. I know there is a limited amount of folks who care about the NBA, much less a 35-win team in an ambivalent market. We'll take a more diversified look at the world of sports later on this week. Peace up, A-town down.

2009 NBA Draft Rundown

2009-06-25T23:00:00.003-04:00

Somehow, it is ten minutes before the 2009 NBA Draft commences, and I’m thinking about…Michael Jackson. The King of Pop, apparently dead of a heart attack. Wow. RIP to one of the all-time most exciting and talented entertainers the world has ever seen.

On to the draft. I’ve got the Chick-Fil-A ready to go, but not without incident. I usually go in to pick up my order at the CFA in Christiansburg, and tonight was no different. However, while attempting to text about Michael Jackson and carry my food out at the same time, I managed to drop my bag of food and spill half my frenchy fries. But, this near-disaster turned into a winning situation, as I got to keep my remaining fries and get an entire second container of waffle fries too. I tell ya’ll what, the fine folks at the Christiansburg CFA treat me right. They are always friendly and make sure your experience is good.

Anyway, the Bobcats t-shirt & Carolina shorts are in place. Also, I’m hitting this draft from the new kitchen table for computer/food efficiency. Get a visual in place.

Let the record show that it is 7:22pm and I’m already annoyed with fellow UNC alum Stuart Scott. Boo-no.

Dickie V makes his first appearance for the evening. It is also the first time I’ve seen him on my HD television. He looks like a ghost on speed. He also loves Ty Lawson, which might be the kiss of death for Ty’s NBA career.

Let’s just say this one time and get it out of the way, in efforts to refrain from becoming redundant: ESPN could not have put together a worse announcing team for this draft telecast. Between errors, no substantive points, and a lack of chemistry, it is going to be a long night.

Blake Griffin goes #1 to the LA Clippers. Welcome to hell, Blake. He sounds just like Mark McGwire in his interviews: “I’m not here to talk about the past…” This is followed up by an awkward interview with the Griffin parents by Lisa Salters. Oh boy.

Hasheen Thabeet goes #2 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Here’s hoping he takes some ribs home to Tanzania with him when he goes to do charity work (Thabeet is already known as a philanthropist among his peers and the college basketball world). Good to see that Dikimbe Mutumbo passed along his Cookie Monster impersonation to Thabeet.
Over/under on how many times Thabeet gets throw around by another big man or dunked on by a wing player is 3,419 (assuming he survives six years in the NBA).

#3 pick is James Harden to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yeah, they have a team in Oklahoma. Harden was dressed by Andre 3000, complete with bow tie. Interesting pick because the word was Harden was the guy OKC thought was the best fit for their team, but Rubio is probably a higher-ceiling talent. I think Harden will be pretty solid though.

All three guys selected thus far have been very well-spoken, especially Harden. Some real quality guys this year in the draft.

My main man, Tyreke Evans, goes #4 to Sacramento. Sad times here at Casa de Kyle. He’s going to be really stinkin’ good. I am optimistic for his chances playing off the ball at the shooting guard with Kevin Martin at the 3 for the Kings. Martin is a great shooter and should open up the lane a bit for Tyreke’s driving abiltiy.

Minnesota is doing back flips right now, Rubio is still on the board.

Hey, did you know Ricky Rubio will be the first player selected in a draft to be born in the 1990s? Stuart Scott just told me that…for the 4th time. Seriously.

Rubio goes #5 to the T-Wolves…and the Madison Square Garden crowd chants “U.S.A., U.S.A” Awesome. Now they just need a shooting guard next to him. I’m interested to see what they do here at #6. Jordan Hill would make some sense too, as there is not really a pure shooting guard available that is worth the #6 pick. DeRozan maybe? Curry is more of a point guard, in my opinion, and would be tough to fit next to Rubio.

We are reminded that Minnesota has no coach right now. Why? Because they sucked last year. Why did they suck last year? Because they’ve drafted four straight shooting guards from 2005-2008. McCants (traded), Roy (traded on draft night for Randy Foye…who just got traded too), Corey Brewer (um…struggling is putting it nicely), and OJ Mayo (traded on draft night). Therefore, they still need a shooting guard.

Naturally, Minnesota takes Johnny Flynn at #6. Like Rubio, he is also a point guard. So I’m assuming Minnesota is trying to swing a trade and took Flynn on behalf of another team...? Otherwise this pick makes NO sense. Naturally, no one on ESPN points out this possibility. No one.

Johnny Flynn is seriously one of my all-time favorites to hear interviewed. He is an Avery Johnson in training.
Hey, Ric Bucher is on my TV and speculating that the Wolves will keep Rubio and Flynn. I am befuddled. At least they finally addressed the possibility of a trade.

Golden State is up and takes Stephen Curry at #7. New York fans are pissed. Aren’t they always? I am intrigued as to how the Warriors will play him next to Monta Ellis. Neither guy can defend, but then again, neither can anyone else on Golden State’s roster. I assume Curry will try out the 1-spot with Ellis playing the 2.

Sweet footage of Dell Curry as a Charlotte Hornet. Man, one of my favorites growing up. I also want to mention that watching Stephen Curry in person during the 2008 NCAA Tournament 1st & 2nd rounds is one of the highlights of my sporting events career. Truly special.

There is no way the goatee Stephen Curry has is real. I don’t think he’s seen a razor in his life.

The Knicks are on the clock. They show a man of foreign descent in the crowd with a Dook hat on. No comment.

The Knicks select Jordan Hill at #8 and the fans boo. I doubt anyone would be cheered by th- oh crap, Stuart Scott literally said that as I typed the sentence. I have no real comment on Jordan Hill other than I enjoyed watching him play late-night at Arizona, but he’s really got to improve to be an NBA rotation guy.

Carolina grad Donnie Walsh interviewed by Rachel Nichols. I just wanted to point out that he’s a Tar Heel and we won the national title in 2009.

DeMar DeRozan goes #9 to Toronto (hope he has a passport), Brandon Jennings to Milwaukee at #10, and…Terrence Williams at #11 to New Jersey. The Bobcats will not have a chance to draft Williams and his Barbie backpack. I’m fairly relieved.

Bobcats are on the clock at #12 and Gramps texts in to speculate Gerald Henderson. I am hoping for Earl Clark or a trade, but he’s probably right. During the course of the three previous picks, my Rhode Island buddy calls in to discuss the draft, etc. Derrick is biased towards the Big East, but he loves Earl Clark too.

With the 12th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select…Gerald Henderson. Not the end of the world, but I don’t think he’ll ever be a great player. It could have been worse, and I’d rather have him than Williams, but it could have been better too (see Clark, Earl or Trade, Draft Day).

Gerald Jr. mentions golf and hard work in his interview with Mark Jones. He apparently battled frequently in workouts with Tyler Hansbrough. I wonder if he threw any forearms in Psycho T’s direction during those workouts? It’s ok if he did, I’m sure Tyler just flexed and showed him his National Title ring. Erich IM’s in to lament the Bobcats not taking a chance on the former national player of the year…

And speaking of, in a surprise move, Tyler Hansbrough goes #13 to Indiana. Wow. I’m quite shocked, actually. NY fans chant “overrated”. That’s alright though, none of them can read. A frat boy-in-training is shown in the crowd with a #50 NC jersey, complete with mop-top hair.

It looks like Tyler is ready to play right now during his interview with Jones. They cut to National Championship winning coach Roy Williams in the seats. ROY!

For the record, I completely forgave Henderson for his stupid forearm assault on Tyler immediately after the 2006-2007 season ended. I loved watching Henderson at Dook and would have loved him as a Tar Heel. I am also realistic that Tyler will be a good, but not great, NBA player. No major bias coming from this house.

I think it’s time for a bowl of ice cream and a beverage.

Ric Bucher is reporting a great trade rumor of Amar’e to Golden State for Brandan Wright (go Heels), Marco Belinelli, and Andris Biedrins. That would actually be a pretty decent get for Phoenix, some cheap-but-talented guys to go with Biedrins. Maybe Golden State would then flip a wing player for another big man?

Earl Clark goes #14 to Phoenix and somehow we end up welcoming Brandon Jennings, who was picked 10th by Milwaukee, to the stage. As previously mentioned, I love Earl Clark and think Phoenix got a great player.

In other news, Cousin Car wishes the Bobcats had made a run at Psycho T as well. She is pissed. “I just do not like Gerald at all,” Car says. Rhino, on the other hand, is already in search of Pacers/Bobcats tickets.

Austin Daye goes #15 to Detroit. Daye is very talented and long and skilled and all of those things. I am afraid he is also a wuss and will not be a good NBA player. At least you can bet that he’ll be better than fellow Gonzaga alum Adam Morrison.

Dickie V is on my television in HD again. Oh my. He loves Hansbrough and Steph Curry, who he claims will be a “big-time star” and the Rookie of the Year next year. Vitale also hates guys being taken on “potential”. Same song, different verse.

Chicago passes on DeJuan Blair at #16 and takes James Johnson from Wake Forest instead. I know Andrew is probably relieved. Not sure how much I like Johnson, but I’m open to seeing how it works.

Steve Kerr is interviewed and mentions multiple times that the Suns are “in transition” right now. Suns fans, I would not be renewing those season tickets unless you want to watch a train wreck of a team next season.

Yup, Andrew texts in to express affection for the Bulls & James Johnson.

Ty Lawson gets passed up at #17 by the 76ers in favor of Jrue Holiday. I forgot he was still available, honestly, even though Holiday has been sitting in the green room for two hours. I’m getting a bit concerned for Lawson, he could tumble a ways now with Teague and Maynor still out there. Word this afternoon was Portland likes him though, so maybe the Blazers can grab him at #22?

Finished with the ice cream, and debating a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. If HNC were an NBA player, they’d have to be Scotty Pippen: consistent, versatile, and overall solid. Not my numero uno cereal, but an All-Star member of the rotation for years.

And nevermind my worry about Ty Lawson slipping, as Minnesota takes him at #18. ESPN talks for three minutes before bringing in Ric Bucher to assuage the fears of fans everywhere that the T-Wolves are trying to field a midget league team by telling us that Lawson is going to Denver for the Bobcats’ protected first-rounder next year.

Funny moment of the night so far though was the flood of texts, IMs, and BBMs that just rolled in after that Lawson pick. Expletives galore, and some good versatility among those chosen by my friends. Even Coach Roy was surprised by the pick, texting me a “WTF…three PG’s???” after the pick was made.

Jeff Teague goes #19 to Atlanta. He’s going to be great for them, as I really like Teague as a quality guard in this league for a long time. Yes, more than Lawson. On a related note, Utah takes Eric Maynor #20 to play behind Deron Williams. Here’s hoping that they don’t regret passing on DeJuan Blair if Millsap & Boozer both leave in free agency.
Larry Brown is on my television and gets the “ass-hole, ass-hole” chant for the NY crowd. I also just realized the Bobcats lead the league in players named “Gerald”, with Henderson & Wallace on board. So we’ve got that going for us!

New Orleans brings us Darren Collison at #21. Kind of a reach there, in my opinion. No better than a backup in this league. They do need a second point guard, but I would have rather had Toney Douglas than Collison.

So, we still have DeJuan Blair & BJ Mullens on the board. Blair’s stock has really fallen tonight, as he was speculated as high as #11 within the last week. Mullens is destined to be a big white stiff, so maybe teams actually realized that. It has also been a quiet night in the trade market thus far, with few new deals to report.

Portland is choosing 22nd here and selects Victor Claver. He’s not coming to the US for a couple years, which would be fine if Portland had not traded up with Dallas to grab him.

Shaq being interviewed by Lisa Salters and he sends out condolences to Michael Jackson’s family first – classy move by O’Neal. Seriously. He sounds optimistic about going to Cleveland and is willing to do what it takes to be a team player. Lisa is butchering this interview, btw, as she has most of the night. Dear ESPN – please don’t bring in four folks (Stu Scott, Mark Jackson, Van Gundy, and Salters) who are not used to unscripted television for the NBA Draft. Last time I’m mentioning this (wanna bet?).

Sacramento takes Omri Casspi from Israel at #23. Jews everywhere rejoice. One time at a New York Mets game, my Dad & I watched a kid use his kippah (yarmulke) as a bowl to eat his potato chips from. I doubt Casspi will do this in Sac-Town, but if he does, Frito Lay better be ready as a sponsor.

Dallas takes BJ Mullens at #24. I guess they are willing to wait on this kid, seeing as he did not start at Ohio State (which Jay Bilas points out as I’m typing this). “Must improve: post game”. Ominous for a POST player. Next, David Stern tells us that Oklahoma City has drafted Rodrigue Beaubois at #25, followed by Ric Bucher telling us that OKC has traded him for BJ Mullens.

I have to say, this draft has not been all that exciting, sans Brandon Jennings’ sudden appearance and the three point guards that Minny has selected. I might should have watched Burn Notice live and left the draft muted on TV #2 instead of DVR-ing it. Does anyone reading this watch Burn Notice? I have watched since its inception and find it entertaining week after week, even though it is basically the same show week after week. Why is that?

Chicago is back up and grab Taj Gibson at #26. I am not sure about that one either. Aren’t he and James Johnson similar players, or at least project to the same position in the league? I would think they would need to think about a shooting guard to at least back up Ben Gordon or whoever ends up playing the 2-spot for them.

Memphis takes DeMarre Carroll with the 27th pick after a spirited discussion among the ESPN guys about how to make the team exciting. Um, I don’t think that did it.

Minnesota returns to take another point guard at #28? Nope, they select Wayne Ellington from the University of National Champions. I wish Minnesota was not trading Lawson; that would have been fun to watch them play together again.

Interview with Roy! Sweet shirt/tie combo there, Coach. I love that man.

The Knicks are now picking at #29 following a trade with the Lakers, and have also traded Q Richardson to Memphis for Darko Milicic. Both of these developments were reported earlier today, so no surprises there. Here’s hoping Darko does well in New York and can salvage a decent career and some dignity under Mike D’Antoni. The Lakers take Toney Douglas here, and we are to assume he is headed to the Big Apple anytime now.

Cleveland closes out the first round by taking Christian Eyenga at #30.

Final thoughts as we close out this way-too-long live rundown: this draft was drama-free. The trade market is heating up, though, and should continue for a few weeks as discussed earlier today on the blog (see below). Congrats to Blake Griffin for going #1, congrats to the Timberwolves for drafting a seven-footer in the form of three point guards, and congrats to the Tar Heels for having a lot of good players. Early-entries like Chase Budinger, DeJuan Blair, & Patty Mills last until the second round, which must be disappointing for those guys. There may be a bit more nuts-and-bolts analysis in the coming days, including some further fallout from the trade and free agent markets, here on The Blue Team – be sure to check in. Thanks for reading ya’ll, be good.

2009 NBA Draft: Final Mock & Pre-Draft Thoughts

2009-06-25T00:10:00.010-04:00

Less than three hours away from the 2009 NBA Draft as I post this. There is still a lot of flux as to what teams will do, even at the top of the draft. It looks like Griffin and Thabeet will go 1-2 in the draft at this point, and I think Rubio ultimately goes #3 - either to OKC or to the team that trades up with the Thunder. If Sam Presti & Co really want James Harden, then they should trade back with Minnesota to #5 and pick something else up and make the Timberwolves pay a bit more for Rubio. After that, it is a crapshoot, especially as it relates to point guards. At least two guys will end up falling out of the top 10 that did not appear to be available in the middle of the draft as of a few weeks ago, meaning a Charlotte, Detroit, or Chicago should gladly snatch them up. I have an odd feeling that we're going to see a busy night out of Indiana, as they've been too quiet for a team with so many long-term holes. Philly might make some noise too. Just hunches there, nothing factual.

Here is my final mock draft, for historical reference:

1. Blake Griffin (LAC)
2. Thabeet (MEM)
3. Rubio (OKC)
4. Flynn (SAC)
5. Harden (MIN)
6. Curry (MIN)
7. Hill (GS)
8. Evans (NY)
9. Holiday (TOR)
10. Clark (MIL)
11. DeRozan (NJ)
12. T. Williams (CHA)
13. Jennings (IND)
14. J. Johnson (PHO)
15. Derrick Brown (DET)
16. Blair (CHI)
17. Lawson (PHI)
18. Mullins (MIN)
19. Teague (ATL)
20. Daye (UTA)
21. Henderson (NO)
22. Maynor (POR)
23. Casspi (SAC)
24. Hansbrough (DAL)
25. Gibson (OKC)
26. Summers (CHI)
27. Mills (MEM)
28. Budinger (MIN)
29. McClinton (NY)
30. Green (CLE)

And for proof, even though you really can't read it:

The key early on is going to be Golden State at #7. The Warriors have a glut of wing players and almost HAVE to slide Monta Ellis over to the point guard spot to play all their guys (Jackson, Azubuike, Maggette, and Belinelli) at the 2 & 3. That would point towards drafting a post player like Jordan Hill to rotate with Biedrins and the Randolph/Wright lean meat sandwich. The problem? That's no good. I think Golden State would love to deal the #7, a young talent and part of their wing depth for a quality player to make a playoff run this year (see Davis, Baron). If they did this, the draft changes really fast.

The only really odd pick in my mock draft is Derrick Brown, the forward from Xavier, going at #15 to the Pistons. I loved that guy as a young freshman in the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and really think some team is going to get a good player. So yes, that's a personal pick going that high. Danny Green going at #30 might be a bit weird too, but a quality spot-up shooter and versatile defender would help Cleveland a lot.

There will still be some trades this evening, of course, but one of the bigger ones went down around midnight - Shaq heading to Cleveland. I don't mind the one-year rental idea with the Big Diesel, but Cleveland has not solved its two biggest problems: defending the pick-and-roll and building a core around LeBron so he'll stay around long-term. They must find a way to not only re-sign Varejao, but also a versatile big man who can defend and move, but a wing player to take some pressure off LeBron. Trading Big Z and one of their 6-2 shooting guards (West, Gibson, Mo "All-Star Point Guard" Williams) would make that possible - but who wants that bag of potato chips?

And in breaking news, literally as I type this: Vince Carter has been sent to Orlando for Courtney Lee, Tony Battie's contract, and Skip to my Lou (Raefer Alston). More analysis as this deal becomes official, but my initial reaction was something to the effect of "hoooooly, I...I mean...ugh, OMG!!!"...Which roughly translates into "what a deal for Orlando - an energized Vince Carter returning to his home state of Florida and playing with talent for the first time since Jason Kidd & RJ - wow!"

Finally, a big picture point before we end this for the evening: beginning with this week's draft, this off-season is going to shape the next 5-7 years of the league. Though the draft itself is weak on talent, it is NOT weak on drama. This season, it also sets the table for a summer of moves that will give us a good indication of which teams are buying and selling. There are so many teams battling economic problems right now, many of which have been paying luxury taxes in the few seasons. These teams are looking to cut costs in any way possible, which means so guys are going to be readily available for trades. In fact, you're likely to see a few of the "3 quarters for a $1" trades this off-season as a team makes a desperate move. The residual effects are that the teams who acquire players being pawned off are setting themselves up to be very, very good for a number of years. Some team are instead setting themselves up to lure a marquee free agent or two next summer by putting talent in place to have around that player. You have others, like the Knicks, trying to clear as much cap room as possible to make a splash next summer with a guy or two from what could be the most star-studded free agent crop in NBA history.

Take the two most-recent blockbuster deals as examples. Cleveland had to upgrade its roster to try and keep LeBron after next season, so they wanted to make a deal or two for some "great" players (Shaq, Vince Carter, etc). And Phoenix, a major spender in the past years with their luxury tax issues, has made everyone available to the highest bidder (i.e. most saved salary) because owner Robert Sarver has apparently run out of money. Put a team like Cleveland with a team like Phoenix and that's how you ended up with Shaq next to LeBron in 2009. I would have preferred an extended Amar'e and a sign-and-trade Matt Barnes going to Cleveland for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, JJ Hickson, and Delonte West, but the Cavs took a less-risky approach.

In the case of Orlando, they needed a good shooting guard to drive the ball and take pressure off Howard in the post. New Jersey has been shopping Carter for months in order to clear a ton of cap room for next summer. Done & Done. The Magic are potentially the favorite for at least the Eastern Conference title in 2009-2010 & the Brooklyn Nets now have plenty of money to woe co-owner Jay-Z's boy LeBron in the infamous summer of 2010.

Enjoy tonight's festivities. I'll be cranking on the live rundown, some CFA, potentially some beverages, and a lot of yelling I'm afraid. The 2009 NBA Draft: Who's Real?

2009 NBA Draft Preview: Bobcats

2009-06-24T22:42:00.004-04:00

Continuing with this week's NBA Draft analysis, we'll take a look at the hometown Bobcats and their draft outlook real fast. But, before you look at the draft, you must first look at what's in place and the needs of the team.

Raymond Felton will receive a qualifying offer and return for at least one year, plus DJ Augustin (last year's first-rounder) remains at point guard. In fact, word is Augustin grew almost four inches this summer - he's now 5-7. A third point guard or a shooting guard who can play some minutes at the one will probably come via a small free agent signing this summer. Thus, point guard is set. The 2-guard spot is a different story, as incumbent starter Raja Bell was rumored to be headed to Golden State earlier this week. Even though that fell through, it still lets us know that the 'Cats are not sold on Bell or anyone else who might return as the shooting guard (Cartier Martin was a late-season addition). Gerald Wallace, the team's best player, returns at the small forward spot. Injury prone, in large part due to his aggressiveness, Wallace needs a capable backup who is a true small forward - not Juwan Howard, Boris Diaw, or Vlad Radmanovic moonlighting as a 3. The power forward position is lined by Diaw and Rad, both of whom are heavy on the offensive capabilities, but a bit low on the toughness/rebounding angle. Okafor and Desagana Diop are in the middle, with Nazi holding down the over-paid-and-never-play spot in the post.

So, the summary: no long-term solution at shooting guard, no real backup at the small forward spot, and the need for some defense and rebounding at the power forward. However, look closer at the roster...now envision what a bonafide NBA contender looks like...now think again about the Bobcats...now spit the barf out of your mouth...rinse...ok. Obviously Charlotte does not have the pieces in place to be successful in terms of competing for a title.

What the Bobcats need is a guy their opponent has to gameplan around defensively. Yes, that means a super-duper star. Okafor scores off dump-and-dunks and rebounds, Diaw scores off deep post isolation, Wallace scores on the break and at the line, and Felton scores when no one else will take a shot and he has to throw one up there. Raja Bell is aging at the shooting guard spot and should not be counted on for 70+ games this year, much less 82 and maybe the playoffs. I sincerely think Tyreke Evans can become a guy who the other team must plan around. In the short-term, he would be another guy who can't shoot (like Felton and Wallace) and his turnovers would drive Larry Brown nuts. Plus, he won't be on the board at #12. Regardless, I don't think the odds are high that Charlotte finds a team-changer at #12. Here is a list of the past fifteen years worth of #12 picks and the team who selected him:

2008: Jason Thompson (Sac)
2007: Thaddeus Young (Phi)
2006: Hilton Armstrong (NO)
2005: Yaroslav Korolev (Lac)
2004: Robert Swift (Sea)
2003: Nick Collison (Sea)
2002: Melvin Ely (Lac)
2001: Vlad Radmonovic (Sea)
2000: Etan Thomas (Dal)
1999: Alek Radojevic (Tor)
1998: Michael Doleac (Orl)
1997: Austin Croshere (Ind)
1996: Vitaly Potapenko (Cle)
1995: Cherokee Parks (Dal)
1994:Khalid Reeves (Mia)

Um, yeah. Not so much, huh? The two most recent guys have shown some promise, but it's early yet on both Thompson & Young. Not a single All-Star appearance on this list, unless you count Cherokee Parks' appearance on the NBA's All-Tattoo team. Oh, Robert Swift made an appearance too? I had no idea he was even still alive. For those of you scoring at home, that's 12,348 tattoos and ZERO All-Stars from the past 15 years worth of #12 picks. Log on to Basketball Reference and keep digging through the annals of drafts past; the #12 pick has not been kind to teams.

So what should the Bobcats do? Make a trade, of course. Either trade up or trade out. If there is a guy earlier in the draft that the team loves, then b-e aggressive and trade up for him. I'm not sold on Stephen Curry, but if they think he's the guy, then go get him. If it's Evans, go get him. Now, what would it take to trade up? Probably the #12 pick and one of the point guards - either a contractually extended Raymond Felton or DJ Augustin. Of course, it depends on how high you're trying to move up and who is targeted. After looking at that option, I don't think the pieces are there, nor the trade partner, to be able to move up and get a great player in this draft.

The other option is to trade the #12 pick and move back or out of the first round all together. Pair the pick with a bad contract (Nazi, Vlad, or Diop, in that order) and either get a good player or just the cap space in return. I personally don't love the idea of just moving back in the first round unless it gets rid of a contract too - there just aren't enough good players to be had. I'd much rather try to get a stud who can be good long-term. This idea is essentially what the team tried to do in 2007 in the Jason Richardson deal. The problem with that deal was two-fold: Richardson was not as good as they hoped, and neither were the parts around him. Now, the parts are a bit better, but finding the right player might be tough. Here's my point for the Bobcats - no more role players. No more above average guys. They need a stud, and they aren't going to find one at #12. Unless...

If the Bobcats keep the #12 pick, they need to take Earl Clark, upon availability. Not Terrence Williams, not Gerald Henderson, not a midget point guard. Why? He has the upside to turn into a great player, and fairly soon. Clark is 6-10 and a combo forward out of Louisville. He has decent handle, good range, rebounds pretty well, and can impact the game on both ends. His shot is a bit streaky and he's too light to play the 4-spot right now, but the major knock on him is supposedly his motivation/intensity. Not so much in a "I'm too cool for school and won't try hard" way, but more like a "I just don't show a ton of emotion" way. I was personally sold on Clark for a while as a decent player, but really warmed up to him after reading this analysis. (If you like the NBA, click that link. Just a fantastic, in-depth piece.)

Clark's skillset lends itself to becoming a face-up 4-man down the road. He'll add strength and some weight as a result of the NBA-level workout regiment, so I think the issue of being a bit too light will fix itself in a year or two. At the 4-spot, Clark immediately becomes quicker than many guys trying to guard him, providing the matchup problems that we discussed yesterday in regards to Tyreke Evans. As his shot improves and bigs have to guard him closer, the driving lanes will open up and you suddenly have a tough matchup. His ceiling is something like a Rashard Lewis, but more physical defending and rebounding. Clark definitely is not in Lewis' class as a shooter right now, but he could evolve into that type of guy. For now, Clark can play behind Wallace at the 3-spot and move over to the 4 occasionally. In three years? Maybe you have a stud.

Hopefully the Bobcats make a good decision with this pick. I'm fine with drafting Clark or trading the pick, especially if it unloads a bad deal or two. Unfortunately the Bobcats have apparently made a promise to Clark's collegiate teammate, Terrence Williams, to draft him at #12 if he's still there. That's awesome, considering Chad Ford said today on his ESPN Podcast with Bill Simmons that Williams carried a Barbie bookbag in college and "reminds him mentally of Ron Artest...minus the attacking fans thing, of course" (fast-forward to the 58-minute mark or so). I'll keep the liquor close by Thursday night in case this scenario unfolds. Goooooo Bobcats.

One more update coming pre-draft, with my mock draft and some bigger picture impact of this draft. Then, we'll hit up the live rundown during the draft. And I can't wait. Ain't I...

Top 5 Tuesday: The Best Player in the 2009 NBA Draft

2009-06-23T21:49:00.003-04:00

Making a return this week is a modified Top 5 Tuesday, of course having to do with Thursday's NBA Draft. Today, I present my case for the player I feel will be the best in the 2009 NBA Draft.

The Bobcats are currently slotted to select 12th in the first round. For two months, I've been operating off the assumption that the 'Cats would not move up in the lottery (they didn't) and would be choosing 12th. I was hoping that maybe my guy would have bad workouts or pull a muscle or something so he would fall to 12th (where no doubt the Fightin' Bob Johnsons would pass him over for a midget), but it has not happened. The guy I love? The guy I wish Charlotte could select? Tyreke Evans, the freshman guard from Memphis. Why? I'm so glad you asked. The five reasons:

1) He is not a point guard. A shooting guard with handle? Yes. A shooting guard that really can't shoot right now? Yes again. But NOT a point guard. So, don't compare him to other point guards in this draft or currently in the league. To me, he can play either guard spot, which should be viewed as a good thing. Ultimately, though, I see him as a 2-guard and a darn good one. Why is this so important? Because it will enable him to score the basketball, get to the line, and distribute when he can, as opposed to trying to run a team.

2) He is not a problem child. He had a bit of a reputation in high school. Not OJ Mayo, not Lance Stephenson...but supposedly selfish. I didn't see that at Memphis this year. What I did see though was a kid who slid into the point guard spot ten games into the season and led his team, as a freshman, to 26 straight victories. Scoring the ball, dishing the ball, pressuring the ball - Tyreke had it covered. Not only does that reputation seem to be dispelled, Evans actually appears to be a good teammate who makes the guys around him better.

3) He is solidly built and ready to play. He does, however, need to invest in either a draw string or some better drawers. You don't have to wait on the strength needed to play in the league with Evans, as he's already strong and ready for the 82-game grind. So many young players in the draft in recent years have not been physically ready to play; skills for sure, but not the body. Evans is not one of those players. For a guy who predicates his game on being able to go to the hoop (at this point, his best offensive strategy since he can't hit the outside shot consistently), he should be able to finish at the rim and absorb contact with ease.

4) Evans can play the all-around game. Defensively, I see Tyreke able to stay in front of point guards and be physical with them. He's also quick enough to bother a shooting guard. He plays the passing lanes pretty well and will be a terror on the fast break once he steals the ball. I don't see him becoming a lockdown type of defender, but instead an athletic thief like the guy whose game he resembles. That guy...

5) is Dwayne Wade - a scorer who excels with the ball in his hands, yet can also set teammates up. I like to just refer to that as a "creator" and not worry about what position he starts the game at. I've also seen the Larry Hughes comparison, as well as Jamal Crawford. And yeah, I can see both of those, too. But Evans' ceiling is D-Wade. I'm serious. Following his freshman year of college at Marquette, Wade's game was probably quite similar to Evans' game. No, Wade did not run the point position for his team (they had Travis Diener), but he did spend a lot of time with the ball in his hands to create. Flash also had no jump shot to speak of, which remained the knock on him all the way through the 2003 NBA Draft. In fact, critics point to that as his "weakness" today. And what a weakness it is: Wade only scored 30.2 points/game this year, leading the league. In today's NBA, with the hand-check rules in place, a premium is placed on guys who are quick and have a good handle for their position. Not just point guards, but any player who is able to attack the rim against slower defenders. Evans will be just that type of player, as is Dwayne Wade. Either way, if Evans does not reach to D-Wade heights (again, let me stress this: his CEILING, the absolute best he can be, is Wade), I still think he's a starter in this league and a multiple-time All-Star.

What is your feedback? Who is the best player in this draft? You don't have to leave five reasons why, a few will do. But let's hear it - who do YOU like and what do you think of Evans?

As of today, it would take a ridiculous happening for the Bobcats to get a hold of my homie Tyreke at #12. He will not last past New York at #8 and probably goes before that. So, what position does that leave the Bobcats in? Tomorrow, we'll take a look at just that.

In the meantime, figure out what dance you'd do in the circle.

2009 NBA Draft Preview: Overview

2009-06-21T21:49:00.002-04:00

The NBA Draft is coming up this Thursday night: let's preview it. But, not just today. Every day, a brief blog entry on the draft. Because I love ya'll so much.

Everyone says this draft is full of bad prospects and no talent. I personally think the ceiling on a number of players is limited, but the floor may be as well. Most of these early first-rounders will at least be rotation players in the league, as opposed to total busts. Therefore, the draft should be better in quality than the 2000 & 2001 drafts to which it has been compared.

That being said, there are not too many potentially great players to be had. Even the consensus #1 pick, Blake Griffin, is probably not the stud player for an NBA Championship-caliber team. An All-Star, sure, but I don't see him in the Karl Malone category as he has been likened to. I see flashes of Amare, an occasional Mailman, and a bit of Horace Grant all rolled into Griffin. Not bad company, so it is easy to see why he's the best talent in this draft. Keep in mind too that he dominated college basketball this year, to a much greater extent than Derrick Rose, Greg Oden, Andrew Bogut, or some of the other recent collegiate #1's (those guys were great in college, Bogut won player of the year like Griffin; but seriously, Griffin was a man among boys this year). This domination hopefully lends itself to an aggressive confidence and the drive for Blake to become great.

Other than Griffin, there are a few players I really like early on. James Harden should be solid for 12 years or so: cerebral, efficient game with good length and the ability to improve. Jordan Hill will be a good rotation guy for some team, but I don't see an All-Star in the making. I also can see him falling down the lottery board to the 10th pick or so this Thursday - just a hunch. I really liked Johnny Flynn at Syracuse this season, but he might be a bit overrated in the mid-lottery. I'd rather take Lawson or Teague ten picks later than Flynn early on. After that, not much else in the lottery. Oh, there is one guy I absolutely love...but more on him tomorrow. That's right, he gets his own entry.

As for the players I don't so much love? Hasheem Thabeet. He has no offensive game whatsoever and will absolutely be a liability for his team when they have the ball. Furthermore, he is NOT going to rebound in the NBA. The guy has no mass and is not quick enough to beat opponents to the ball. If 6-5 DeJuan Blair can ride him out and knock him on the chest to the tune of 23 & 20, then imagine what Dwight Howard would do to Thabeet? They compare him to Mutombo, but Dikembe was much more athletic at this same stage, in my opinion.

Who else? Stephen Curry. I've seen him in person, he is amazing. He is savvy, he is tough, he is a better ball handler than you think. But, he also took a lot of bad shots, is still only 6-3, and is not an NBA-level defender. Unfortunately, the love affair teams apparently have with this guy and the clamoring to select him at #3 or #4 pretty much sums up this draft - it's just not that good at the top. He might actually be the fourth best guy in this draft. The problem is a team is committed to paying him the same amount of #4 overall pick money as any other year in the draft.

A few late-first round sleepers on the "yay" list: Earl Clark, Chase Budinger, Psycho T (duh), & Derrick Brown. Second rounders: Toney Douglas, Dionte Christmas, Josh Heytvelt, Danny Green, Chris Johnson, & Wesley Matthews.

That's it for today, brief and generalized. I leave you with links to an emerging artist out of DC named Wale. He dropped "Nike Boots" on us earlier this year and his collaboration with Lady Gaga "Chillin" is out now & I'm kinda obsessed. Different sound, quite popular here in the VA and in the District. Enjoy.

Top 5 Tuesday x2: DMB & 311

2009-06-02T11:46:00.004-04:00

I have been waiting for this day for 3+ years now. But a new Dave Matthews Band album AND a new 311 album on the same day? Unprecedented. A new album is the culmination of years of creativity for the artist. Hopefully, both of these albums will subsequently provide years of listening enjoyment for us, the fans. In honor of this historic double-decker album drop, let's double our Top 5 Tuesday pleasure and get ready to count down the five best tracks from both Dave Matthews Band & 311.

Your role young reader is going to be a little bit different than normal. See, DMB & 311 are probably my two favorite rock-ish bands. So, I am essentially counting down the five best songs of my favorite artist(s). You, therefore, will do the same. In the "Comments" section (we need more comments people, this is slowly starting to grow), I need you to 1) identify your favorite musical artist, 2) provide a brief summary of why you like them, and 3) name your five favorite songs by that artist, in order. To serve as a sample:

Artist: 311

Why: Chad Sexton is a fantastic drummer, they are the best band I have ever seen live, they have provided years worth of bonding between myself and one of my best friends (helllllo Jason Howie), & their music is consistent - great melodies, some throw-down mixed with some mary jane chill, and a side of reggae funk. Love it.

My 311 Top 5:

5) Champagne (7th track off From Chaos) - sounds like a good song to toast to at a wedding to me

4) Don't Stay Home (11th track off 311) - kicking drum intro, really tight song

3) Applied Science (6th track off Grassroots) - the drum solo song. Played live at every concert, includes an extended solo for Chad Sexton and a joint-percussion section with the rest of the band. You think that's not making the top 5? Take the time to click the link on this one to get a taste of a live show. Awesome.

2) Beautiful Disaster (4th track off Transistor) - love the guitar rift and the general feel of this song.

1) All Mixed Up (4th track off 311) - yes, a mainstream track. I can't help it. Just love the flow of the verses, it has a hip-hop reggae feel to it. Chorus is solid and I dare you to play it at a bar and not see people singing along. I never skip it on the ipod.

Artist: Dave Matthews Band

Why: Carter Beauford is one terrific, bass-akwards drummer, their songs are complex & intricate, there are few things better than chillin at a Dave concert, & I never get tired of listening to them.

My DMB Top 5:

5) Pantala Naga Pampa/Rapunzel (1st & 2nd tracks off Before These Crowded Streets) - played together, and oh so creative. Best track off the best DMB album. But boy, does Halloween give it a run for its money.

4) Grey Street (2nd track off Busted Stuff) - the harmonies on this one, lots of energy, and it's great live.

3) #41 (5th track off Crash) - the #41-Say Goodbye-Drive In, Drive Out trio of songs is what caught my ears the first time I heard this album. Dad gave it to me for Christmas because some people had recommended it as something I might like. He didn't know I actually "hated" Dave Matthews Band because I did not like the song "Crash". Naturally, he gave me not only that song, but the entire album. Turns out I kind of liked it. And then it grew on me. And then it became an entry for Top 5 Tuesday. Carter's high-hat work and the live jam on this one put it in the list.

2) Dreamgirl (1st track off Stand Up) - I just love it.

1) Ants Marching (7th track off Under the Table and Dreaming) - very popular song across the masses. Encompasses all things DMB, in my opinion, and is just a fun song.

(For the record, the next five DMB tracks would be Drive In Drive Out, Say Goodbye, Recently, Grace is Gone, and Halloween, in no order).

There you have it, twice the Top 5 Tuesday fun. Hit it up with your favorite artist and your personal top 5. I've gotta run - two albums to pick up and play.

Know that we will always be down, down...

Top 5 Tuesday: Favorite NBA Players To Watch

2009-05-26T23:13:00.005-04:00

This week's Top 5 Tuesday has to be NBA-related, given the ridiculously fun conference finals series currently going on. As I type, the Orlando Magic have taken a 3-1 series lead on Cleveland. Yes, you read that right. And I still think the Cavs have a good chance to win the series. Anyway, I think most people can agree that the top five players in the league right now are, in some order, King James, Black Mamba, Flash, CP3, and D-12 (although I'd debate Howard's inclusion). I thought about trying to rate the top five playoff moments I've ever seen, but figuring out which five Michael Jordan moments to include was a bit redundant. So, I am electing to go with your Top 5 NBA Players to Watch. It might be guys who hustle, guys who dunk, guys on your favorite team(s), or what have you. The only stipulation is that it must be a CURRENT NBA player (thereby eliminating Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Tim Kempton). My choices:

Honorable Mention: Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Ben Gordon (when he's hot), Baron Davis (when he cares), Tim Duncan (a former top 5 guy, but getting a bit older).

5b) Kevin Durant: There is no doubt in my mind that he will be in the Top 5 next year. Of course, that requires me actually being able to watch him on television. I saw the AFKATSS (Artists Formerly Known As The SuperSonics) play two times all season, and will need some more Durant time to adequately elevate him to Top 5 status. Either way, I too developed a man-crush while he was at Texas and love his ability to score in every way from every spot on the floor.

5a) Lebron James: Everyone loves him, and rightfully so. He is only down a bit on my list because he's just so physically imposing that it is almost unfair sometimes. Apparently only the Magic have figured out how to slow down the guy. His passing, weakside shot-blocking, and thunderous dunks are unmatched.

4) Brandon Roy: LOVED him in college at Washington and begged Bob's Cats to pick him in the draft. Naturally, they chose Adam Morrison instead (since he was not even the best collegiate player in his state at Gonzaga and he cried. Excuse me, she cried) and continue to search for a go-to-guy to score down the stretch from the wing. Go figure. Anyway, Roy does everything well and is a really tough dude. I enjoy the Trail Blazers mostly because of him and am looking forward to watching them grow up. He's just a gritty, clutch player.

3) Carmelo Anthony: Again, LOVED him in college. Saw him play early that season in Madison Square Garden and fell for his polished offensive game in the NCAA Tournament. He is such a phenomenal scorer for the Denver Nuggets, another young team that has been fun to watch grow. I find 'Melo frustrating at times because he can lose focus and not hustle back; on the flip side, I find him incredibly talented and efficient scoring the ball. My favorite part of his game is the smoothness - no one else like that in the league right now.

2) Chris Paul: I HATED him in college. He played on two great teams at Wake Forest, harassed the Heels on numerous occasions, and whined more than his fair share. He also did this. I figured he would go to the NBA and be a good, but not great, point guard. Now, I am a big Raymond Felton guy, and I like Deron Williams too. But, there is no argument about the best point guard from the 2005 draft. It is Chris Paul, a gap, then the debate begins. CP3 is faster than fast, pokes and prodes the opposing defense better than anyone other than Steve Nash and Ron Jeremy, and drops dimes like I drop rhymes (see?). Paul can score when needed and is one of the best pick pockets in the NBA. Paul is also a terrific team leader and seems to will his teammates to a higher level. There are few guys this competitive in the league, and his refuse-to-lose mentality is what sets him apart from his peers and puts him this high on my list.

1) Mark Madsen: because of this.

Ok, fine. The real #1?

1) Dwayne Wade: I do not care for the Heat, nor have I cared for many of their marquee players since Wade entered the league. That should illustrate the level of respect and admiration I have for D-Wade's game. This guy absolutely KILLS himself every. single. night. for his team. One injury-riddled season in 2007-2008 led them to the lottery. A full--strength D-Wade led them to an overachieving 5-seed. He is as personable a player as the Association has, a good guy off the court. He can do anything on both ends of the floor. But, it is the will to win and his 110% all the time that puts him tops on my list.

Alright, that's it for this week's Top 5 Tuesday. Later on this week, a look at three types of baseball. Next week's Top 5 will take place on a holiday on sorts, so get ready for a double-decker of analysis.

Holla atcha boy.

Top 5 Tuesday: Ladies (Revised)

2009-05-23T22:11:00.003-04:00

Um...so did we know that Hayden is 19? As in, "Hi, my name is Hayden, I'm cute and all, but I'm only 19."

Oops.

New rule for my personal Top 5: you gotta not be too young for me (intentional double-negative, thanks). You can decide for yourself what that limit is, but she definitely crosses the line for Top 5 status. That's just not gonna work, ya'll. And next time, somebody of the male gender please let me know these things and police my postings/Top 5 lists.

As I mentioned, Hayden was a recent addition to the list. So, Hayden my dear, you gots to go. Maybe when I'm 35 and you're 27, that's alright. But I'm not in to changing diapers or having you show an ID to get into an R-rated-movie. And I would enjoy a glass of merlot if we ever had dinner...but you could not partake. So...um...wow, this is kinda awkward...I just think it's best if we stay friends and see other people (preferably those who are "of age" in my case).

Hey, it could have been worse.

Let's just go ahead and move Shakira up to the number 4 slot. And moving into fifth place, none other than my favorite American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood. The blond beauty from Oklahoma rocks the country music scene and rocks my world. Oh lil country girl. Insert gigantic picture here for emphasis:

Recap: Out with the way-too-young Hayden, in with the near-perfect Carrie. Revised Top 5: Carrie Underwood (5), Shakira (4), Alicia Keys (3), Scarlett Johannson (2), Jessica Alba (1). Lock it in.

Down down do your thang...

The Inaugural Top 5 Tuesday: Celebrity Crushes

2009-05-18T22:00:00.000-04:00

It's here. The gimmick column that will take over the world. Cue the music as The Blue Team presents: Top 5 Tuesday. The premise is quite simple. I make a list of my "Top 5 _____" and you read it. Then, you tell me how stupid I am. The catch is this: when you comment on my choices, you have to provide your own Top 5 as well in the comments section. Not in great detail or description, but at least give me your list. And then, let the debate ensue from there.

I joke often about how no one in their right mind would read my craptastic blog. But, I think there is actually a decent number of you who read this, either via Facebook or linked from Twitter. Therefore, my hope is that this concept will provide you a good reason to read at least once a week and provide feedback. This is a bit similar to the Facebook rankings that a user can generate, but I appreciate more discussion and a better array of topics.

This week's Top 5 will feature the debate that started it all: Who are your Top 5 "Celebrity Crushes"? The criteria is open to your interpretation. It can be the Top 5 you would marry, sleep with, eat dinner with, discuss politics with, or what have you. Also, you can decide what constitutes a "celebrity". My cousin Whitney posed this question at Thanksgiving a few years ago and my entire family sat with great consternation developing our lists. It is now a standard question we ask folks, expecting them to have a response ready (or at least be able to come up with one fairly quickly). Failure to do so is met with tremendous disdain from our family. I asked a friend a few weeks ago and was met with such intense pondering that I had to allow him a few weeks to get back to me.

Anyway, let's roll. Here's my list for Top 5 Tuesday: Celebrity Crushes

5) Shakira. Beautiful, she can dance, she can sing, she can whisper sweet nothings in Spanish, and her hips...oh, her hips. I really think my favorite quality of Shakira is that she is probably not in your top 5. She's well-known, I promise, but I rarely hear her mentioned as one of the hottest women out there. She is a total package, in my opinion, and I like that you don't hear about her all the time. Although, you did hear "Hips Don't Lie" all the time; the song was apparently the most played song ever for a one week period.

4) Hayden Panettiere. Miss Claire Bennet herself is my "hero". She is also the newest addition to my personal top 5. Cute, personable in interviews, and short. Like it all. She is a bit on the young side though, a major drawback. However, it was obviously only a drawback from being a bit higher on this list, not nearly enough to put her off it completely. She is set for the big screen with "I Love You, Beth Cooper", which comes out this July. While I highly doubt I will ever set foot in a theater to watch it, I would surely enjoy her appearance in such a film. Yee haw.

3) Alicia Keys

She is an unbelievable singer, first of all. Second, I love her versatility: braids, straight hair, afro. Third, she is 100% woman. This chic does not mess around: she's politically active, involved in charitable organizations, and her lyrics are consistent with who she is. All adds up to a spot in my Top 5.

2) Scarlett Johansson. She kind of came out of nowhere in my mind, as I can't remember much about her becoming a celebrity hottie. The first time I truthfully can recall Scarlett was in "The Island", which came out in 2005. I mean, check out her IMDB. One would think that a celebrity of her status and respect among the male population would have been in a few more mainstream films or TV shows to gain exposure. Whatever. Point is, she is number 2. Which can only leave...

1) Jessica Alba. I felt like I "discovered" her on the show "Dark Angel", which aired through my junior and senior years of high school. None of my peers knew about her or the show. Oh, but I did. She obviously grew in recognition from there, staring in a number of well-known films. She has always been praised more for her beauty than her acting skills, which I attribute more to just how stunning she is than her lack of ability. She recently got married and became a mom, so I guess she's technically also number one on the "Hot Moms" list as well. I forsee her slipping from the number one spot on my list at some point, but it's going to take a new lady to do it. Namely, my wife.

That wraps up this week's "Top 5 Tuesday". So, now it's your turn. Who's your top 5? And yes, ladies, you can list your top 5 guys. We'll get to man crushes another week I'm sure, but the idea is to list the opposite (or attracted to) sex for this list. Now, go for it.

She got a body like a Coke bottle, face like a super model...

Back Like Jordan, Wearing the 4-5

2009-05-17T18:15:00.002-04:00

I felt like I deserved a break following the NCAA Tournament string on regular updates, so...I took one. However, I have learned many things since April 7th. Let's make a list:

I've learned that there are few feelings as a sports fan like representing your school or team following a championship. There are many a proud alumus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but even moreso when proud of the University of National Champions. Working and living in Blacksburg, VA means there are few people who agree with my preference of school, as maroon and orange is clearly the chosen institution. I'd say the collective disdain for my UNC paraphernalia has only increased in the last month. And dang do I love it. (*insert shirt poppin' here*)

I learned Firefly + Lemonade = A John Daly (or Arnold Palmer for adults). We know this. However, when short on lemonade, substitute Sierra Mist and dial back the necessary mixer ratio just a bit. Delish.

I learned that if you are a female and you're going to wear sweatpants that say "Paws Off" on the butt, you had better have buns that anyone would want to put their paws on to begin with. It happened at the gym, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

I learned that there is absolutely no way the NBA will allow the Lakers to lose game 7 against Houston. If they can't get it done themselves, then the officials will provide all the help necessary.

I re-learned how quality Third Eye Blind is. A very simple, pop-rock band of the late nineties, their songs continue to be catchy and melodic. I rarely skip them on the ipod.

On a related note, I learned that any pop track with a drumline beat and a sultry female singer is always a winning situation on the ipod. That means "London Bridge", "Hollaback Girl", and "Love Me or Hate Me". And yes, you just learned that my musical taste can indeed sometimes be questioned, and rightfully so. Most people would classify those as guilty pleasures; the problem is, I don't feel guilty.

I learned that Bill Simmons is finally coming around and has now acquired a multiple-TV setup in his newly constructed Man Cave (he called it an "office". Sports Guy, admit it: it's a Man Cave). Rhino provided us with the multiple-TV opportunity full-time during our sophomore year by sacrificing his desk in our dorm to put another TV on. We upgraded to three off-campus and I went with 3.5 for a few years myself. Glad The Sports Guy has caught up. Simmons' sounds like it is of high-quality. Don't worry, I'm going to upgrade soon too.

I learned that the Stanley Cup Playoffs are freakin' awesome. Not so awesome, apparently, was my comment that Carolina was causing me "caniac arrest". Come on people, I thought it was clever. *crickets*

I learned that bar golf is indeed a fun evening, even if you think you have strep throat (I didn't, but daggum did I feel like crap).

I learned that I really, really don't care about horse racing. And here's why: I don't bet, so I have no horse to root for. And to me, with no rooting interest, most sports are not worth my watching. Andre Aggasi retires, I don't have a rooting interest in tennis...I don't watch tennis. I couldn't name ten boxers currently fighting, have no favorites...I don't watch boxing. There is never a reason for me to pull for one horse over another, unless there is one vying for the Triple Crown, so I have no rooting interest. I think that is why I love all college sports so much. In most cases, Carolina has a team worth rooting for, so I naturally have a "dog in the fight" per say. Maybe I've learned that I need to start betting on horse racing so I can get into it. Someone call me when Roy Williams or Tyler Hansbrough buys a thoroughbred.

I've learned that I am indifferent towards the Boston Celtics. A New England area fan I am not, clearly. However, the Red Sox are the only team in the area I really find myself rooting against for no reason. The Celtics just don't really tick me off, nor do they inspire me. This is somewhat odd, considering most elite teams are bound to spark an interest one way or the other in me. But, the C's just don't do it. I pulled for Chicago against them, mainly because I plan on driving the Derrick Rose bandwagon sometime soon, but I could care less otherwise.

On the other hand, I learned that I am on the Denver Nuggets bandwagon. I like Chauncey Billups, I've always liked Carmelo (and taken crap for it), and have defended Kenyon Martin countless times (and taken TONS of crap for it). Give me an aggressive, thuggish, aggravating team with a good on-court leader (Billups) over a pretty, flopping, bitchy-yet-talented team (ahem, the Lakers) any day.

I learned that Derek Lowe is still a really good pitcher. If only the Braves had anybody who could hit for power in a slow-pitch softball league, much less MLB.

I learned that if you eat hard-boiled eggs one night and fart in the shower the next day, the shower will quickly be filled with the smell of eggs. I would like to learn why this does not happen with all other foods. Wouldn't it be nice to fart the smell of chocolate chip cookies or vanilla ice cream? But no, just eggs. Why God, why?

Finally, I learned that there are few things I despise more than public displays of affection at the gym. A guy and girl put on quite the PDA fest last week and I nearly barfed my lunch up. To make matters worse, they stole a bench I was using, and proceeded to stay on it and play kissy face for ten minutes. Grrr.

There is a lot coming up here on The Blue Team. Hopefully the Canes will continue to be a topic for about another month, plus we've got the LeBron Invitational Tournament to finish up. The NBA Draft will, as usual, be of interest, especially with four Tar Heels and a Hokie among the potential draftees. Also, this Tuesday will commence the debut of what I hope will be a regular theme for this forum, one that elicits reader interaction and debate. Finally, there is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence coming up on June 2nd, almost like a comet or something. Try not to pee yourselves in breathless anticipation.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind...

Let's All Go Hump Brett Favre's Leg

2009-05-06T23:13:00.002-04:00

It is 11:12pm EST on Wednesday night. I am watching the Rockets and Lakers in game 2 and decided to flip over to SportsCenter during a commercial real fast. The reason? To catch extended highlights and analysis of the two overtime Stanley Cup Playoffs games from earlier this evening, specifically the Hurricanes and Bruins. The show opened with Celtics/Magic highlights, as it probably should. The NBA is definitely more popular than the NHL across the majority of the Sportscenter audience, plus the Celtics are a cornerstone franchise defending their title. No problem. NHL highlights follow, opening with the Capitals/Penguins contest. The Pens won this game 3 matchup in overtime, and the series pits Crosby versus Ovechkin, who are the league's marquee superstars. Again, no problem. So naturally, the next set of highlights would be the Hurricanes/Bruins game 3 overtime contest, right? Nope. Let's talk about Brett Favre potentially un-"retiring" for the 432nd time to join the Minnesota Vikings. PROBLEM.

ESPN, seriously: I DON'T CARE ABOUT EFFING BRETT FAVRE. Call me when either a) the NFL season starts; or b) he appears on the Minnesota Love Boat II. I absolutely, positively could care less about whether or not a geriatric, washed-up Brett Favre comes back next year. We've had to listen to speculation, day-by-day reporting, and ficticious scenarios involving him for the past five years. Will he retire? Will he come back? Who will he be traded to? Can they make the playoffs behind The Great Brett Favre? Will he stay retired? Will he ask for extra mustard on his hot dog? What kind of puppy will he buy (oh wait, that wasn't Favre)? I'd say the percentage of people who really give a crap about Favre coming back (again) is limited to about sixteen Packers fans who just want to see him keep playing (and further tarnishing a legacy that was nearly unmatched), for their chief rival nonetheless, and the Minnesota Vikings contingency who want anyone but Tavaris Jackson behind center. Seriously, they might take Joakim Noah, Ellen Degeneres, Barney the Purple Dinosaur, or Yoda over Jackson at this point. In the meantime, we have to hear about Brett Favre before a playoff hockey game that involves the number one seed Boston Bruins losing to fall behind in the series to an underdog Carolina Hurricanes squad? Really ESPN? Really?

And, to make matters worse, as I typed the above sentence, we made it to 11:30pm. Still no Canes/Bruins. We've had baseball (Red Sox, Yankees, and the Mets/Phils game that was on - wait for it - ESPN earlier tonight), some decent news on Toledo basketball's point-shaving scandal, and a Terrelle Pryor interview. And, of course, a Sportscenter Reset on the Brett Favre story. That's right folks, TWO Brett Favre segments before overtime hockey highlights. FML.

My point is this: ESPN has a monopoly, so they can cover whatever they deem newsworthy. I know this, you know this. However, they have a nasty habit of latching on to a story they find particularly interesting and just oversaturating us with "news" and analysis. Far too much of it is speculative, and they will inevitably bury the supposed story into the ground. Barry Bonds and his alleged steroids, A-Rod and his alleged steroids, Terrell Owens, Brett Favre, etc. Give me more highlights. Give me more analysis of actual games and strategies. Do not create a story where there really is not that much to report, and, for goodness sake, do not force particular athletes and your collective agenda down our throats. I do not tune in for a running diary of Brett Favre. FYI, ESPN.

It is now 11:44pm and I finally have my Canes highlights. And yet, I am too worked up and pissed off to enjoy them. Thank you, ESPN Sportscenter, for ruining a perfectly calm, enjoyable evening of sports for me. I'm off to shoot BB's at my old Brett Favre Starting Lineup figures. Peace.

Where Amazing Actually Happened

2009-04-30T23:57:00.003-04:00

I really have nothing to say about the Bulls vs Celtics first round playoff series other than "wow". That's it. Every single play from the five minute mark of the fourth quarter on was hugely important and player after player stepped up tonight. For everyone who hates the NBA (and there are a TON of you haters out there), this is your chance: get on the bandwagon. Watch the games, appreciate the plays and the players, and admit to watching amazing happen. Go watch highlights and watch the ESPN "Instant Classic" that will surely air on Friday sometime. You have a reprieve, this is your chance to hop on and enjoy it. Or, don't get on the bandwagon. You, Mr. or Miss Hater, can just sit in your little house, put on your blinders, and complain to yourself about how much the NBA sucks. Tell yourself that the players don't care, they're overpayed, the play is bad, or whatever it is that you think. Then shut the hell up cause your negativity is distracting me while I watch yet another great game.

Follow Me and Everything is Alright...

2009-04-28T11:37:00.003-04:00

I finally activated my Twitter account, and I need followers. I know, it's a far cry from being a member of Napoleon's army, a servant to Darth Vader, part of the Bad Boy Family, or a Kool-Aid drinker of Jim Jones...but humor me. "What's in it for me" you ask? Well, you'll be fortunate enough to receive instantaneous updates during sporting events, sarcastic comments about people and places, jokes specifically tailored to tick off Nickelback fans, and even reports on trips to the bathroom. Or maybe cool Bible verses instead of that last one.

Anyway, @kylepwinchester. That's the joint, yo. Twitter.com: do it.

A Legacy of Champions

2009-04-07T22:06:00.003-04:00

"The 2008-2009 version of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team is at a crossroads. The decision is very clearly laid out in front of each player and this collective group. The question is the same as Hulk Hogan asked the Ultimate Warrior prior to their match for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania VI.

So Tar Heels, I ask you this: Do YOU want to live forever?

Do you want to live forever in the minds and hearts of fans? Do you want a book written about you? Do you want to watch "One Shining Moment" and smile and cry simultaneously? Do you want to make us crazy buying 8 shirts, 3 books, 3 DVDs, a commemorative towel, 2 hats, a dog sweater, a flag, and a Sports Illustrated subscription? Do you want to put a ring on it and raise a big banner?

Gone is the depth that was overflowing in the pre-season. Gone is the leadership and defense of Marcus Ginyard. Gone is the versatility of Will Graves. Gone, gone, gone. Now, laid out before this team, is the opportunity to wallow in a pit of frustration and despair, of "it just wasn't meant to be". Or, they can man up, commit to one another and their coach, and rally together as a team to complete the mission. It's not how you act, it's how you react. So, I bid you this question, Tar Heels:

Do you want to live forever?"

The above was written on February 4, 2009, following a home win over Maryland. It has been sitting unpublished on my Blogger account, the only unpublished entry I've ever had. I quit writing that night because I wanted to simmer down a bit. After all, the Heels had just blown out Maryland at home and won another game. But, they looked awful doing it. No defense, no rebounding, just on complete cruise control. Just the type of team that has no heart and loses in March when it matters. To make things worse, all of the off-court fallout occurred that same evening, as referenced above. It was never in doubt if this team was talented enough to win it all; I only questioned whether or not they were focused enough, tough enough, or had enough heart. I was just not sure how bad they wanted it, leading me to rhetorically ponder: did the 2008-2009 Tar Heels want to live forever?

Question answered.

The University of North Carolina won the 2009 National Championship Monday night, 89-72, capping off a focused run of dominance in the tournament known as March Madness. They played very well for the better part of six straight games and were tougher mentally and physically than all of their opponents. And, they played with incredible heart.

I think it was a bit lost on most everyone outside of the program just how badly these guys wanted to win the national title. Sure, everyone came back to school, but they almost seemed resigned to return, hoping to improve their NBA Draft stock and maybe win a title along the way. The season ebbed and flowed quite differently than everyone expected, with unexpected losses and lots of injuries. But, somewhere along the way, all of this adversity further unified these guys and brought about a determination that ultimately led the Heels to the top of college basketball. They committed defensively, they rebounded just well enough, they shared the basketball, and they won.

It would have been easy to answer my question with a "no". The challenges Coach Williams and his staff and players faced were indeed very difficult to deal with. The ridiculous expectations further complicated things, bringing about a collective pressure that few teams have faced. But, Carolina chose a different response. A loud, emphatic "yes, we want to live forever and we're going to look dang good doing it, too".

The Heels rolled through this tournament, sans a ten minute period against LSU in the second round. Monday night's game was over quickly, despite my cries of, "come on, it's not over yet!" Throughout the season, we have known that when Carolina plays its best, there is no team in the nation who can match them. A talented best, yes, but also with the heart of a lion. They understood what was at stake and embraced the opportunity to rise to the challenge, to capture the spotlight. The desire, the tenacity, the urgency. They played with heart, and, captured our hearts in the process.

We've talked about enjoying the ride all season. Keeping an eye on the big picture, not over-reacting to the bumps in the road, having fun watching this supremely-talented edition of Carolina basketball. The big picture left us with one collective goal, for all of the players, coaches, and fans: a national title. A question unanswered. Would they do it?

Well, the picture is complete, the question answered. The legacy of each and every one of these players will be tied to the legacy of this team, a team of champions. They have done it with heart and had fun along the way. As have we. So, thanks for the ride, guys. It was incredible to watch you and we appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into this season and your careers. I'll proudly tell Lil' Kyle how you came together and raised a banner, doing it with class and dignity. We will all cry (again) watching "One Shining Moment". We will wear our eight t-shirts and re-watch the DVD's for years. This season is not going away, it cannot be forgotten, and neither can any of these players and coaches.

Carolina basketball, you did it: you won the title. Carolina fans, we did it: we enjoyed the ride. And, along the way, we combined to answer to ultimate question.

Yes indeed, the 2008-2009 Tar Heels will live forever: as National Champions.

One Last Ride

2009-04-05T23:50:00.004-04:00

Greetings from snowy Detroit. Only two teams remain to play on college basketball's biggest stage on Monday night: the Heels and Spartans. It will be a battle between two of the nation's top programs, each led by terrific coaches and some quality upperclassmen. I can tell you first-hand that Ford Field will be full of green and white, even more so than it was on Saturday night. The Villanova and UCONN fans had no problem getting rid of their tickets for the remaining game thanks to the hometown Spartans' appearance, which will make Monday night a road game for the favored Tar Heels. Some notes on Detroit and the environment first, then analysis on the game itself, and finally a prediction.

The Motor City has been hit hard by the economic downturn in America - duh. We are all aware of that, and it's not the only city with such issues. I will tell you, though, that you don't realize how bad things are until you see it in person. Building after building, street corner after street corner, empty or falling apart. Comerica Park and Ford Field are beautiful facilities and the Detroit River area is gorgeous overlooking Windsor, Ontario...but that's about it. The event planning folks have done their best with what they have, but that has surely been tough. Hoops City is a long way from The Big Dance which is a really long way from Ford Field. In between are tons of bars and some casinos, but no really great areas to hang out and enjoy the Final Four atmosphere. The Carolina team hotel is incredibly small and cramped compared to others I've seen. There is little directional signage to show fans where to go and I personally do not think there have been enough police and security personnel away from the stadium. They did do a great job planning The Big Dance, the free music festival along the river. Fergie, Gavin DeGraw, Jesse McCartney, Staind, Pussycat Dolls, and...Keith Sweat. Needless to say, we checked into the Sweat Hotel and jammed pre-game Saturday afternoon.

The venue itself is great for football, but leaves a bit to be desired for hoops. Setting up the court in the center of Ford Field has turned into a good thing for the NCAA simply because Michigan St has survived this long and filled the joint. Had Louisville been the fourth team instead of Michigan St, this would have been the easiest Final Four ticket in history. As it was, I know of ten Carolina people or so that actually turned down tickets this week (are you kidding me?) for various reasons. Now, Monday night's ticket is really, really hot. Again, had this game not included the Spartans, it would have been the complete opposite. Anyway, our seats are on the club level, some of the best in the venue...and we're probably 150 yards from center court. Some of the seats on the floor along the sidelines stretch fifty yards beyond the baseline and are set below the court itself, making it darn near impossible to watch comfortably. I really question this decision by the NCAA to expand the seating long-term, but it has (luckily) been a success this season.

Some friends and I journeyed to Ann Arbor today to poke around and ate some delicious cuisine at a local joint, Afternoon Delight. We checked out The Big House and the hockey arena (amazing), as well as some shops downtown. Ann Arbor is much bigger than I remembered, but the campus is just great. Consistent architecture, green spaces, trees, and tons of students - very nice.

Now, on to the reason we're here. Monday night's game is going to be a battle. These two teams have a lot of respect for one another and will compete like warriors with the biggest prize on the line. Rebounding is a hot topic, as it should be, considering the Spartans are reputed to be the best in the country from season to season. Carolina is going to have to crash the glass as a team and hold their checks until the ball is secured. I really think continued defensive pressure by the Heels will create some missed Spartan shots and potentially lead to easy buckets, provided that the Heels get the rebound.

Michigan St supposedly wants to continue pushing the ball Monday night; I think that's BS. I see the Spartans trying to ugly this game up and slow it down, forcing Carolina to execute in the halfcourt against their terrific defense. On the other hand, Carolina will push the tempo per usual and look for easy buckets like the got in December.

Individually, Travis Walton is the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and can guard Lawson or Ellington. I would imagine he'll at least start out on Ellington and try to keep Wayne from heating up early. He could really make a huge difference in this matchup if he is able to neutralize one of Carolina's weapons. Delvon Roe is healthy now and playing great ball. No doubt he is looking for a huge performance to remind Roy Williams and Co why they recruited him so hard last year. Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan were both sensational Saturday night, but I think both could struggle against Lawson and Green. Lucas really had a hard time keeping up with Tywon in December, but he took it personally and elevated his game the remainder of the season (not too dissimilar from Lawson's response to being torched by Jeff Teague). Carolina has to continue to be balanced offensively, and some bench points from Frasor and Davis would go a long way in helping out. A great game from Tyler Hansbrough should be in the books, as Michigan State honestly does not have a guy who can guard him individually - not Suton, not Roe. Look for the Spartans to concentrate on throwing some different looks (fronting, double-teams, etc) and really trying to keep him from easy offensive rebounds. Finally, Ty Lawson remains the ultimate key for Carolina. If Lawson dominates this game, things could turn out well. Rebound, defend, hit your free throws, and Ty Lawson.

So what will happen? Ford Field will be as loud as it can be for Michigan St and the Heels will have to remember how to win on the road. The entire country will be pulling for the underdogs to win in their home state and further uplift a city in economic despair. And someone will win. Either way, it's the last ride for us to enjoy. Monday night is definitely Tyler Hansbrough's last game in blue and white. Same for Danny Green, Bobby Frasor, and Mike Copeland. Go ahead and add Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington to that list in my opinion. The next talented batch of players awaits to arrive on campus and try to win a national title. Next year, there will be new guys to have a man-crush on. But for now, live it up. This is why we watch every game and cheer with such vigor and passion. College basketball does not get better than playing for a National Championship on a Monday night in April, so soak up every moment and enjoy the last ride. Let's all hope this last ride ends with One Shining Moment.

Score: 82-71. Rah rah...

Preview This

2009-04-02T23:44:00.004-04:00

Four teams remain with title aspirations and I'll be there to see them settle it this weekend. Tickets are moving pretty easy this year, so it's possible to go (thank you NCAA folks for choosing Detroit to host this wonderful event. Snow is in the forecast for Monday, so I've got to pack a toboggan and gloves).

UCONN over Michigan St. I think the Huskies are really, really good. They can run with you, but are also perfectly comfortable in the halfcourt. They have the athletes and strength to rebound with the Spartans, plus they can really get out and defend them as well. Louisville's 2-3 zone was a bit soft for my taste last Sunday and did not provide near enough pressure on Michigan State's shooters. Though the Spartans are not a great shooting team, they will readily knock down open shots like the Cardinals gave them. I do not forsee UCONN providing near as many quality looks at the basket. Kemba Walker is a key for the Huskies; if he plays like he did against Missouri, this team will cut down the nets. He's just a freshman, but he will be a high NBA pick one day soon. I am afraid we have not seen his best yet, and what we have seen has been really good. Michigan State certainly has the home-court advantage going for them, but in the end, I just do not think that will be enough. Score: UCONN 70 Michigan St 58.

Carolina over Villanova. The Wildcats remind me a lot of Arizona's 1997 title team (*shudders*): good guards who spread you out, a capable wing player, two solid post guys, and a short bench. Scottie Reynolds has the ability to go for 30 any night and Dante Cunningham can bang with anybody despite being a bit undersized. Contrary to what you might assume, Villanova outrebounds their opponents by four per game, and they do this by being quicker to the ball. It will be essential that the Tar Heels' big men get a body on every Wildcat when heading to the glass. Villanova also has some "destiny" feel to them, plus the revenge factor stemming from 2005 (if I hear one more thing about the "controversy" from that game, I'm going to puke). However, North Carolina is a better team. Lawson is the best point guard in the nation, Hansbrough one of the best big men. Ellington and Green might be the best 2/3 combo and Deon Thompson is no slouch. Add in some good depth and an NBA Lottery big man or two coming off the bench and you have the country's best team. That does not mean anything in the Final Four unless this group plays as a unit and plays effeciently. Defense like last weekend and attacking the boards with tenacity will be required to advance to Monday night. Ultimately, I think Ty Lawson proves yet again to be the difference. Score: Carolina 78 Villanova 74.

Holler at me if you'll be in Detroit.

Rah rah...

As Promised...

2009-04-01T10:39:00.003-04:00

Adam Lucas' piece on Marcus Ginyard, courtesy of TarHeelBlue.com.

A few other quick thoughts on the week in college hoops:

- Outstanding hire by the University of Kentucky. That's all you're going to read these next few days, and rightfully so. When Billy Gillispie was forced out, the natural candidates to me were Rick Pitino (might as well ask him if he's interested in returning) and John Calipari. I laughed when I read last week, according to a source close to Calipari, that he would not be interested in the UK job. Are you joking? If it's not the best job in America, it's certainly in the top five. Plus, you knew they would be willing to pay big bucks. Combine that with Calipari's interest in coaching in a major conference and you have the next Wildcats coach. Things just got tougher in recruiting for the Heels, Blue Devils, Jayhawks, and other major programs, as Calipari might be the best recruiter in the nation and is now coaching for one of the best programs in the nation. Consider that, depending on how things shake out with the Memphis recruits, Calipari could realistically have a lineup next season with Jodie Meeks, Patrick Patterson, John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Xavier Henry (doubtful), Jon Hood, and Daniel Orton. Definitely an NCAA Tournmament team right there.

- Interesting hire by Univeristy of Virginia, who have brought in Tony Bennett from Washington St to lead their program. He meets their criteria: young coach who is polished, effective communicator, even-keeled, and successful. He also brings a very slow-paced offense that some are saying will drive away recruits. Um, what recruits? It's not like UVA is consistently bringing in McDonald's All-Americans here. Landesberg was great as a freshmen and Tristin Spurlock will be as well (if he stays with UVA), but I would not claim to be losing a lot of top-level guys when you are already losing those same guys because...well, because you're losing. I personally like the hire and think Bennett is a good coach with a lot of potential. Time will tell though.

- Mike Anderson is making the right decision by staying at Missouri. They have a good following and nice facilities, plus it is indeed possible to win big in the Big 12. The folks at Georgia are certainly emphasizing basketball more now than in the past, but it seems like a lateral move at best. Plus, the SEC is not any easier to win in than the Big 12, not when Kentucky and Florida are around, plus other good programs like LSU and Tennessee.

- Heading to Detroit for another Final Four this weekend. Everything is taken care of much earlier than it has been in years past, and Balla and I are pumped to see the Heels. Not so pumped about Detroit itself, but let's all collectively get over that. Anyway, I am looking forward to the games and hopefully a better ending than last year, but the best part is taking folks to their first Final Four. I was completely in awe in 2005 with my Dad and tried to soak in as much as possible. Last year was a bit disjointed because we stayed outside of San Antonio, but our entire group was pumped. This year brings a couple of new folks to the mix for their first event. I am just wondering who is going to sit with me at the coaches' hotel and people-watch with a pitcher of Yuengling.

- McDonald's High School All-American game is Wednesday night and four future Tar Heels will be playing: Dexter Strickland, John Henson, and the Wear twins, David and Travis. Henson is the highest-rated of the four, but Strickland might be pushing for the starting lineup next season as well, depending on who leaves early. Tune in and check'em out.

We'll have some in-depth Final Four analysis later on Wednesday night or Thursday.

Saved Me Some Work

2009-03-31T11:07:00.005-04:00

A buddy and I were discussing the post-game celebration in Memphis on Sunday when he mentioned how almost sad Marcus Ginyard looked. Not selfish, I-wanted-us-to-lose sad, but happy-for-my-teammates-but-I-wish-I-could-help sad. I told him I was planning to write something for The Blue Team this week on the nearly forgotten Tar Heel, but it looks like I won't have to. Adam Lucas, the fantastic editor of Tar Heel Monthly and writer on TarHeelBlue.com (and contributor to all things Carolina) will apparently have this covered later on this week. I'm glad because I know it will be well worth the read, especially since he can talk to Marcus, his teammates, and his family about everything. I'll link to it on The Blue Team as well. Plus, it will save me a night of writing on this blog. A night I can now spend, instead, watching the 1982, 1993, and 2005 National Championship games. After all, those are my favorite movies.

Eight Legacies a Leapin'

2009-03-28T15:40:00.003-04:00

Eight teams remain in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Fifty-seven others are already home, watching the tournament just like me, and wondering what went wrong. Their seasons are finished, their stories complete. The eventual winner of this tournament is only halfway home to a title: three down, three to go. For these eight remaining teams, these next three games are what will write their stories and define their legacies.

A journey to the Final Four will be a memorable legacy for all four teams that are fortunate enough to go. Missouri has never been there and now, they are forty minutes away from extending a surprising season to remember. For a ravaged fan base just three season removed from the Quin Snyder mess, a trip to the Final Four would mean so much.

Oklahoma fans surely realize the greatness they are seeing before them. Blake Griffin is a once-in-a-lifetime talent for the Sooners. They are looking to surpass the late-eighties Billy Tubbs teams and seal the deal before Griffin is the first pick of the NBA Draft.

Villanova is on the brink of the Final Four yet again. Jay Wright has taken them this far once before and has the Wildcats poised for another Big East party at the Final Four, circa 1985. A team that will never be forgotten finished that season as champions and edition has a chance to join them in history.

Michigan St is playing not only for a short trip to nearby Detroit, but for all the people of their much-maligned state. The economic turmoil that our nation is facing is as bad as it gets in the Motor City, and the Spartans have given these folks a team to rally behind. For Coach Izzo and the green-clad fan base, a title in this particular season under these circumstances would be historical.

For UCONN coach Jim Calhoun, a third title in three tries at the Final Four would elevate him into the discussion of the game's greatest coaches. It would provide a full-circle experience for AJ Price, the senior who has been through so much in his Husky career. And, of course, three more wins might quiet the allegations against one of the best programs in the country...at least for a little while.

At Louisville, a title would place the spotlight on a program that sometimes feel lost under the shadow of its big blue neighbor. What better way to stick it to Kentucky than to win a national title with their old coach in the same season the Wildcats missed the NCAA Tournament and fired their coach? The Cardinals are hungry and have their best chance since Never Nervous Pervis & Co won it back in 1986.

For Pittsburgh, a Final Four appearance alone would validate the Panthers as a legitimate contender under Jamie Dixon; a title would only enhance things. This is a team that had not gotten over the hump of the Sweet 16 in years and could now make its first trip to the last dance.

And finally, for North Carolina, a championship would provide the ultimate reward for a group of players who all returned to school to hang a big banner in the Smith Center. It would also give Roy Williams a title with players he and his staff recruited. And, of course, it would be freakin' sweet.

History is before these eight teams and their fans. Someone will win three games and establish a legacy that will live forever. Today commences the remainder of the journey.

UCONN over Missouri, 78-74
Villanova over Pittsburgh, 71-61
Louisville over Michigan St, 84-67
Carolina over Oklahoma, 86-76

Rah rah...

Sixteen Candles

2009-03-26T15:31:00.003-04:00

The briefest of Sweet 16 previews is upon us. Let's ride...to-night...

West Region:

UCONN over Purdue. The Huskies, as was mentioned the other day, are playing great basketball right now. Then, this happened, and UCONN has been dealing with two days of distractions, questions, allegations, and speculation instead of focusing exclusively on Purdue. That being said, the Huskies are still the better team. Purdue should be able to hang in midway through the second half at least, but I just do not think they have the weapons to pull off the upset. The Boilermakers will have to shoot the ball extremely well and make certain to get quality shots after milking some time off the clock on each possession. I personally see AJ Price & Co coming out with the intent to rally behind their coach and program and take out some frustrations on Purdue. Score: 69-57 UCONN

Because I linked to the Montell Jordan video above and got distracted going through mid-nineties hip-hop videos, I have now ended up watching Mariah Carey videos for the last half hour. "Fantasy" is my personal fav, followed closely by "One Sweet Day". For the record, I have stood loyally by Mariah through all of her issues and am quite excited by her success in the past three or so years. I also stood by Christina Aguilera through the "Dirrty" phase. Just like Mariah, the girl can flat out sing and it's always catchy. I will now waste another half hour on Christina videos.

And we're back...

Memphis over Missouri. I do not think Missouri will have much success scoring in the halfcourt against Memphis' vaunted defense. The (Mizzou) Tigers will have to turn over the (Memphis) Tigers in order to convert easy buckets, and I do think they will have some success in doing so. Just not enough to win the game. Demarre Carroll, Missouri's best offensive weapon, will face a couple of great defenders in Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier who are both quick enough to slow him down. Tyreke Evans' ability to break the press will be minimized because Memphis has enough other guys who are capable of helping him out with the ball-handling duties. Plus, John Calipari has been here more often than Mike Anderson and has recruited this outstanding talent for just such games. Score: 81-67 Memphis.

East Region:

Xavier over Pittsburgh. This game is quite simple really: the team who shoots the higher percentage will win. I think Xavier's post players can get DeJuan Blair in some foul trouble because of their quickness, thereby minimizing his rebounding impact. The Musketeers also have the athleticism on the wings to match up with Sam Young defensively. Young is the best all-around player on the Panthers and just went nuts against ETSU and Oklahoma St, so Xavier must do a good job on him as a team to prevent a repeat. I do worry a bit as to whether or not Xavier has an offensive weapon capable of getting them big buckets late in this game against Pitt's stellar defense, but I'm willing to take my chances. Score: 67-63 Xavier.

Villanova over Duke. Not changing this selection from my initial bracket (you know, the one currently floating down the Mississippi River en route to the Gulf of Mexico). Villanova has better balance inside and can convert some easy baskets as a result. The 'Cats should have an advantage on the glass and can defend Duke by switching on screens (a technique Carolina rarely uses, but has implemented effectively in its defeats of the Devils the past two years). They also have Scottie Reynolds running the show at the point, a multi-faceted guard who can score, distribute, and defend. Duke is tougher than heck, I'll admit, so Coach K's boys are not going down without a fight here. But in the end...Score 74-66 Villanova

East Region:

Louisville over Arizona. Closer than expected though. The Wildcats were on my Five to Thrive until I thought they might miss the tournament. Oops. While I do not think Arizona has beaten a legitimate opponent in the tournament yet, they certainly have the ability to do so. Budinger and Hill have been good most of the year, but Nic Wise, Jamelle Horne, and Kyle Fogg have been playing better recently. Arizona's zone defense will frustrate Louisville and if the Wildcats can take care of the ball, they have a real shot at winning. Nic Wise will be the key in that plan, as the point guard can be erratic at times. Keep in mind, also, that the Cardinals are not a good foul shooting team, which could come back to bite their red booties. Ultimately, I think Louisville is better balanced and will have a couple of key guys step up to make big plays and preserve a victory. I have liked this team all year and am not jumping off the bandwagon now. Score: 73-66 Louisville.

Michigan St over Kansas. I really do not know why other than I think Michigan St can defend a little better. Both teams have great point guards and a number of athletic wings. Cole Aldrich can make the difference inside for KU, but I think Coach Izzo's crew can attack him with their athleticism. I am honestly surprised that both teams made it this far, but have started to warm up to both of them a bit. Michigan St won the first matchup back in January and will do it again Friday. Score: 72-70 Michigan St.

South Region:

Syracuse over Oklahoma. The Orange have a terrific point guard (Jonny Flynn), two really good shooters (Devendorf and Rautins), a versatile forward (Paul Harris), a big banger (Onuaku), and a Hall of Fame coach. All five of those players average in double figures. Oklahoma has the player of the year nationally (Blake Griffin, of course), a talented freshmen guard (Willie Warren), a decent supporting cast, and a young coach. Syracuse plays a frustrating 2-3 zone that will require the Sooners to either score before it gets set up or hit from long-range. Better balance and a guard who can control every aspect of the game will lead the 'Cuse to a victory. Score: 85-73 Syracuse.

Carolina over Gonzaga. Ty Lawson is at least healthy enough to play and be effective. As last Saturday proved, the Heels will go as far as he carries them. He'll carry them to at least the Elite Eight. Also, Tyler Hansbrough got owned by Josh Heytvelt last time these teams played, played a poor second half against LSU last weekend, and wants to win a national championship - think he needs further motivation against the Zags? Score: 83-69 Carolina.

Although I enjoy a good early-round upset as much as the next fan, those tend to lead to poor games on the second weekend of the tournament. Davidson and George Mason have been exceptions, but usually Cinderella's clock strikes midnight in the Sweet 16 by about halftime. I am optimistic for some high quality hoops these next four days, and hopefully a trip to Detroit.

Rah rah...

Tournament Food for Thought

2009-03-22T22:30:00.003-04:00

Following one weekend of hoops, there are now just sixteen teams for which the dream of a national championship still remains. All of the 1, 2, & 3 seeds remain, but many were tested at some point this weekend. Arizona is the lone "upset" team that has stuck around (I don't consider Purdue much of an upset as a five-seed), which helps justify the selection committee's decision to include the Wildcats in tournament. The SEC is completely eliminated already, the Pac-10 has only one squad hanging around, and the Big Ten and ACC has lost 10 out of 14 tournament teams combined (5 a piece). Overall, it was an exciting four days of basketball, but was ultimately characterized by near-misses instead of little engines that could and one shining moments.

I did not see much of the Thursday/Saturday games aside from the ones I saw in Greensboro in person, but UCONN has to come out of this weekend as the most impressive team thus far. The Huskies simply blew out both their opponents and hardly broke a sweat. Things could certainly change with Purdue on Thursday night. Pittsburgh seemed pretty shaky in both of their contests, while Louisville and Carolina both struggled in the second round. We'll analyze the Sweet 16 a bit more later this week when picking the games (it has become tradition on The Blue Team to pick the actual matchups from the Sweet 16 through the finals because my bracket is traditionally ruined by now; speaking of which...)

That sound you heard this weekend, emanating from Blacksburg, VA, was my bracket being blown to bits. The smell? It started when I lit my bracket on fire. The water that erupted? Don't worry, it was just my bracket going down the drain. The last time I had a bracket go this terribly was way back in 2005.

Thursday in Greensboro was fairly tame. Only the Butler/LSU game was reasonably close and the crowd was pretty quiet most of the day. Duke playing the last game thinned out the Carolina folks who were willing to stick around and pull for Binghamton, so the Blue Devils did not have to play a "road game" as was speculated. Saturday, on the other hand, was intense. My day started early in Blacksburg with an 11:00am NIT home game. The Hokies decided not to show up, while Baylor came to play, leading to an 18-point home loss to end Virginia Tech's season and drive me to an early exit. After two plus hours in the car, I met the crew for some tailgating and hoops. The scoreboard gave us the first indication of Ty Lawson's status, including him on the listed starters. I sat/stood quietly for the entire game until Lawson's three-point play right before the eight minute media timeout of the second half, erupting from my seat for some unintelligible yelling, three pounds of the seat in front of me, and high-five that might have broken the girl's hand sitting in that seat in front of me (didn't know her) before I had to sit back down quickly. I had a Roy spell, nearly tipping over. Oops. I think I forgot to enjoy the ride for a minute there. Overall, the game was about what was expected in closeness, but the lackadaisical attitude in the first ten minutes of the second half was bothersome. Lawson is imperative to this team and Carolina will go as far as he carries them. Survive and advance, though, and the Heels did just that. Whew.

We'll see what next weekend brings us. All I know is that Carolina has only good teams left to play in this tournament. The top four seed in the South and East regions all remain, and I still think that UCONN and Louisville will settle who plays for the championship. I can tell you for sure that I'll be tuned in on Friday night at 9:57 EST for a tough matchup with Gonzaga. Rah rah...

And Your 2009 National Champion Is...

2009-03-18T23:48:00.003-04:00

The end is near for this edition of the North Carolina Tar Heels. Six games, at the most, remain for the nucleus of this squad. So before we analyze their potential path to a national championship, take a second to think of all the great things we fans have been blessed to see the past few years. Really, stop reading and think...

Ok, now smile. It has been so much fun, hasn't it? Disappointing and frustrating at times, sure, because the ultimate prize is still elusive. But, they have given us so much to appreciate and remember, so many times we've all lept out of our seats or fallen off the sofa with uladulterated elation. You find yourself shaking your head and smiling ruefully as Tyler grabs another gritty rebound and pounds it back for an and-one. You raise your hands when Wayne pops a high-arching three ball. You beat your chest after Danny Green blocks a shot on one end, then runs the floor and dunks on somebody at the other end. You give a high-five to Frasor in your mind after another drawn charge and find yourself wanting to fist-bump Mike Copeland everytime you see him. And, you try to keep up with Lawson when the afterburners kick in and he zooms down the court, weaving for another layup. All the wins over Duke, the ACC titles, the ACC Tournament titles, the thrilling wins that you'll tell Lil' Kyle about. This team, this group of players, does not need a national championship to become special - they already are.

But that does not mean they don't want to win the whole darn thing. So how do they do it?

1) Get healthy and stay that way. This needeth no explanation.

2) Rebound like it's your job. Every matchup will favor Carolina on the frontline unless they play UCONN or Wake Forest. Four guys 6-9 or taller will do that. But this team has not been quite as dominate on the boards as those prior to them in recent years. I promise this was a point of emphasis in practice this week.

3) Defend.

4) Don't get ahead of yourself. It has been a long, arduous season already. A marathon as Ol' Roy likes to say. Well, the time for the sprint is upon us. However, this group cannot afford to start thinking about anything but the next game. They cannot get behind and panic because the dream appears to be dying before them. They must keep grinding and focus only on small segments at a time (and the same goes for the fans in case you're wondering).

5) Have fun playing together and enjoy the ride.

Ladies and gentlemen, I challenge you to do the same. Enjoy this time and be thankful for basketball and this team. Furthermore, remember that there are many, many things much more important than hoops. On to my picks...

Midwest Region:
First Round Winners: Louisville, Ohio St, Arizona, Wake Forest, WVU, Kansas, USC, Michigan St
Second Round: Louisville, Wake Forest, WVU, Michigan St
Sweet 16: Louisville, WVU
Elite Eight: Louisville

West Region:
First Round: UCONN, BYU, Purdue, Washington, Utah St, Missouri, Cal, Memphis
Second Round: UCONN, Purdue, Utah St, Memphis
Sweet 16: UCONN, Memphis
Elite Eight: UCONN

East Region:
First Round: Pitt, Tennessee, FSU, Xavier, UCLA, Villanova, Texas, Duke
Second Round: Pitt, FSU, Villanova, Duke
Sweet 16: Pitt, Villanova
Elite Eight: Villanova

South Region:
First Round: UNC, LSU, Western Kentucky, Gonzaga, Temple, Syracuse, Michigan, Oklahoma
Second Round: UNC, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Michigan
Sweet 16: UNC, Syracuse
Elite Eight: UNC

Final Four:
UCONN over Louisville
UNC over Villanova

Rah rah...

Hammer Time

2009-03-17T15:00:00.007-04:00

I was going to come up with a clever intro to this column analyzing the brackets involving MC Hammer and the Tar Heels, but I lost my train of thought once I got to youtube and started watching the Too Legit to Quit video. Seriously, I can't remember where it was originally headed because I got up and broke out the old dance moves from second grade along with the video. And yes, this was in a shirt and tie at the office on my lunch break. Too Legit was actually my favorite Hammer track, along with "Have You Seen Her", which I belt out in the car and shower. "U Can't Touch This" is a bit overrated in my opinion...

Kind of like Duke! There, we did it. A successful segue from MC Hammer to college hoops. And I did not spell it "segway" and have to back space and look it up either!

Alright, focus. My goal today is to give some opinions on specific teams and some potential matchups that could have an effect on your bracket. There are not a lot of comprehensive tournament guides for the individual teams (lots of storylines, some players, and gimmick columns or ESPN, CBS Sports, SI, and others), so I am hoping that you will learn a few things that might be of service to your selections. USA Today does have a decent team-by-team with key stats, as does Yahoo! that I have found useful before. Then, I'll make my actual picks and put together a little something about the Tar Heels. For now, let's again go region-by-region starting with the...

Midwest Region:

Louisville is the favorite, of course. The Cardinals were originally part of my Five to Thrive a few weeks back, but played so well down the stretch that they no longer qualify for F2T status. Sad. I was terrified (yes, terrified) of Louisville being the two-seed in the Heels' region prior to their closing couple of weeks, making me quite relieved that both teams would have to win five games to play each other. What makes Louisville so good? Depth, great defense (a 3/4 court press that sags back into a 2-3 zone in the halfcourt), two stars capable of changing a game (Terrance Williams and Earl Clark), and a number of supporting cast guys who can light it up. And oh yeah, Rick Pitino is still a heckuva coach. Siena and Ohio St are both decent teams, but I just cannot see either hanging with Louisville for the full forty minutes.

Wake Forest, as alluded to on Sunday night, got a horrible draw. Arizona's zone, Utah's slow-it-down efficiency, and Cleveland State's athleticism are all issues. The Deacs will have to step it up to make it to the second weekend. This team had a rough time blending Ish Smith back into their starting lineup, as he has been turnover prone and is another guy who simply has no jump shot. Chas McFarland, on a related note, has been plagued with foul trouble (even though he's never committed a foul in his life - just ask him) and has not contributed the easy buckets in the paint they need. This is a dangerous team, despite these flaws, because Teague is terrific and they can pound people on the glass when focused. Can they win four straight games against good team/bad matchups though? Eh.

West Virginia, how I love thee. Bob Huggins, for all his shortcomings off the court, is a wonderful coach. He somehow has blended the leftovers from John Beilein's tenure with the athletes he likes to recruit and enjoyed the best of both worlds. WVU should have enough to survive Dayton and I really think they can knock out Kansas in the second round. KU can ride Sherron Collins as far as he can take them, but will have to get some other points from their auxiliary scorers in order to go far. Southern Cal vs Boston College is intriguing in the 7-10 game, as both teams prefer to keep the tempo down a bit and convert quality shots in the paint. USC should be able to switch everything on the post-flex that BC will run, and I think that is enough to make a difference. The Trojans could also prove challenging to Michigan St, as they start five guys between 6-5 and 6-9. I have not been impressed with the Spartans much this year, but still see a Sweet 16 in the works for the Coach to the Izzo.

West Region:

Everyone seems really down on UCONN. The Huskies lost at home to Georgetown in early January (fluke?), twice to Pittsburgh (tough matchup against a great team), and in 6 overtimes to Syracuse (and I stayed out watching it...on a work night). I don't see much to be that worried about really. Not a really deep team, and some guys are a bit inconsistent, but UCONN is still really, really good. I honestly have trouble seeing anyone in this region beating them except possibly Purdue. The Boilermakers are finally healthy (hence their Five to Thrive status), play outstanding defense, and have a number of guys who can hurt you. I am hesitant on that matchup due to Purdue's rebounding deficiencies combined by UCONN's propensity to gobble up boards. This is the kind of game that the Huskies will really miss Jerome Dyson and his outside shooting ability. Kemba Walker, in my opinion, is going to really have to step up and control this team from the point guard spot, which would enable AJ Price to concentrate on scoring the ball. Lord knows Price is dying for an extended tournament run following his knee injury he sustained in last year's first-round upset loss.

The bottom of the West bracket is headed by Memphis. Though the Tigers lost a ton of talent from last year's shoulda-woulda-coulda champions, they have pretty much replaced it all and continued to harass people defensively. Like, really harass. John Cal's boys should make the Sweet 16 with ease, and probably the Elite 8. I am not high on Missouri or Marquette, but for different reason. The Tigers are best when they run and gun and force teams into turnovers, but have issues against slower folks. Marquette just has not been right since James' injury. So who does that leave? Utah State, an efficient, slow, experienced team. Hello Cinderella's castle. If the Aggies can play their way and force Marquette and Mizzou out of their comfort zones, we could have quite a story on our hands.

East Region:

For years, Pittsburgh has been good, but not quite good enough. They defend, they rebound, they wear you down...but if you're a great team, you usually beat them. Under first Ben Howland, then Jamie Dixon, they have danced nearly every year, but not made it past the Sweet 16. This might be the year to change that, thanks in large part to Sam Young. When he blew out his knee last year, I had no clue how good he was, very similar to the season Brandon Roy missed at Washington in 2005. Young is the inside-outside scorer and do-everything guy that the Panthers have been lacking. Blair and Fields are good, but Young makes this team go. That being said, I think Pitt could have a tough opponent in every round. Oklahoma St can do nothing with the Panthers, but Tennessee's ability to stretch them out would cause major problems. Florida St was another Five to Thrive team of mine and I think they can handle Wisconsin and Xavier. FSU plays outstanding defense as a team. Their wings take some chances on the outside for steals because they know that Solomon Alabi is standing behind them to erase mistakes. I loved this team when they played in Blacksburg and still like them now. I'm not sure they can beat Pittsburgh, but a Sweet 16 is not out of the question.

The Dookies are the number two seed in this region, but probably are not the favorite to make the Elite 8. That falls instead to Villanova. Behind an experienced point guard in Scottie Reynolds and two solid front-court mates, Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham, the Wildcats have the pieces in place to go deep into this event. UCLA might pose a problem if they make it to the second round, but the Bruins have not put together consistent offense this year. Duke is almost a sleeper in the region, as I cannot recall having seen anyone pick the Blue Devils to emerge in the Final Four. Their defensive ability is unmatched along the perimeter; the questions are 1) can they get any rebounds if/when they start missing; and 2) can they avoid being torched by another point guard? I just can't see both of these turning up "yes" for four consecutive games.

South Region:

For the sake of speed, we'll largely ignore the Tar Heels in this analysis. LSU vs Butler is a toss-up in my opinion, but I think LSU's athleticism, combined with the youth in the Butler backcourt (start two freshmen guards), will sway this game in favor of the Bayou Bengals. Illinois was one of the worst "good" teams I saw all season and I love Western Kentucky in general, so...Gonzaga is playing its best ball and is the biggest threat in this region to a healthy Carolina squad. They are actually second in defensive field-goal percentage now (Memphis passed them after the C-USA tournament) and have five capable guys on the offensive end.

Down below, Oklahoma is the high seed and not one that I particularly like. Blake and Taylor Griffin are excellent, but I thought the Sooners benefited from a soft schedule early in the Big 12 season. I do not think their guards are ready to handle Clemson or Michigan - either the pressure of the Tigers or the zone of the Wolverines. I am taking Michigan because of Clemson's half-court deficiencies and riding them two rounds I think. Syracuse should be fine, too much is being made of the Orange's 6 OT game as it relates to their legs. They should see the second weekend at least in my opinion, but could see a dangerous Temple team. The Owls are traditionally a squad you never want to see in your bracket because of their matchup zone, but John Chaney is gone and this team rides the scoring of Dionte Christmas as much as their defense.

Big Picture:

There are five teams that I think can win six games: Louisville, UCONN, Pitt, Villanova, & UNC. So yes, I think the Big East is good. Wake Forest, WVU, Purdue, Memphis, Duke, Gonzaga, and Syracuse are all good enough to win four. And yes, I left out Oklahoma and Michigan St intentionally. Who you pick to win depends on one big toe and the subsequent health of its owner. Otherwise, the Louisville/UCONN semi-final would decide things for me.

A Buffet of Bracket Goodness

2009-03-15T20:06:00.006-04:00

The 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament field has been set and the road to the Final Four is finally laid out before us. Overall, the general consensus has been that this year's committee did a solid job, and I tend to agree. They were consistent across the perceived strength of the conferences and, in my opinion, got the top seeds right. I finished 64/65 on the bracket, missing Arizona (I had San Diego St in). No gripe there, I really thought Arizona had better wins, but figured the committee would go for a stronger Mountain West Conference or have pity on St. Mary's. Oh well. Bracketography nailed it, 65/65, while Joe Lunardi hit on 64/65 teams.

There are a few noticeable trends across the bracket (again, that's a sign of a job well done, because that means things are consistent). First, the committee really likes the Big East's strength. Three one-seeds, yes, but also a three for Syracuse following their tournament run. Also, Marquette remained pretty high (six-seed) despite a late-season swoon after Dominic James' season-ending injury. Second, the committee was also high on the Pac-10. A four-seed for Washington, was strong, but especially the ten-seed USC was rewarded with after winning the Pac-10 tournament. Of course, Arizona making the field was also good for the league. On the flip side, the ACC was not given as much prestige as some had thought. Wake Forest, FSU, and Clemson were all a seed line lower than I thought they would be. Also, the SEC was given harsh treatment, with an 8, 9, and 13 seed. I found that ironic considering the chairman of the committee is Mike Slive, the commissioner of the SEC.

Another thing that is consistent across this bracket is the equal strength found in each region. Last year, I was really appalled at how easy UCLA's region was; this year, none such region exists. Certain matchups may prove especially difficult for individual teams, and it looks like each one-seed has at least one such issue prior to the Elite Eight.

In the Midwest Region, Louisville will either see a feisty Siena squad or Ohio State (playing in Dayton, an hour or so from Columbus) in the second round. Arizona looks dangerous as can be, a la Villanova last year, as a team that just snuck in but has plenty of talent to advance. Doug Gottlieb made a great point on ESPN's show that Wake Forest could potentially see Arizona's zone defense in the second round, which could be a serious problem considering their issues when facing zones this season. A young-in-places Kansas team is staring at West Virginia's athleticism in the second round and Michigan St will either grind one out with BC or face a hot Southern Cal team. Louisville is still the best team in the region, but the Cards will have to earn a Final Four berth.

The West Region brings some potentially delicious matchups in the Sweet 16. If UCONN and Purdue can both navigate tricky second rounders, they would face off in Phoenix. Missouri's press should wear down Cornell, but the Bison will do their best to slow things down against an inexperienced foe. I wish Marquette was healthy, because to see their guards attack Mizzou would sure be fun. Memphis likely awaits to form a Tigers vs Tigers game in the tournament's third round. It seems to me that UCONN's toughest foe could indeed be Purdue, who is finally healthy and focused as a unit.

Over in the East Region, Pittsburgh's reward for a great season is either a tussle with Okie State or a horrendous date with Tennessee. The Vols run a high flex offense (the perimeter flex, a la Illinois or Ohio St, as opposed to Maryland and Boston College's interior or post flex) which forces the defense to fight through screens or switch. It also pulls the opposition's big men away from the lane and into easy foul trouble from trying to hedge the screens or guard smaller players off switches. DeJuan Blair in foul trouble could mean big trouble in that scenario. If the Panthers survive, they'd see Florida St (LOVE the 'Noles, more on that another day) or a really athletic Xavier team, or even a resilient Wisconsin team. No favors for Pitt. On the bottom half of the bracket, Villanova and UCLA are headed for a great second round game. That is, if the Bruins can survive Eric Maynor and VCU. Duke will be forced to play another small team in Texas, but a small team who is far more athletic than the Blue Devils. This region is, in my opinion, the one most likely to implode and give us a surprise or two. While Pittsburgh is a terrific team with a defense that never slumps, the road ahead of them is chock full of land mines.

Finally, the South Region and the beloved Tar Heels. I saw Radford play in person a few weeks back in the Big South Tournament final and really like their team. Artsiom Parakhouski is a talented big man and will relish the opportunity to body up with Psycho T. I was quite surprised to see LSU, a team that won a BCS conference regular-season title by three games, listed as an eight-seed. I do not think LSU over Butler is a foregone conclusion, but the Tigers are more athletic and bigger than a young Bulldogs unit. That very athleticism and a great coach, first-year head man Trent Johnson, scare me a bit. Illinois will be fortunate to escape Western Kentucky and Gonzaga could struggle with Akron. The Zags, though, are the team who could really present problems for Carolina thanks to a tremendous starting five and the nation's stingiest defense (#1 ranked field-goal percentage defense in America) in the form of a 2-3 zone. Down below, red-hot (and tired) Syracuse and another 2-3 zone will tangle with either Dionte Christmas and Temple's matchup zone or James Harden and former NC State-turned-Arizona State coach Herb Sendek in the second round. Yikes. Oklahoma's road to hoe is no better, with the 1-3-1 of Michigan and John Beilein or the diamond press of Clemson awaiting. Ugh. Carolina's chances honestly hinge on the right big toe of Tywon Lawson. If it heals, the Heels could at least see the mean streets of Detroit for one night.

All in all, a job well done by the selection committee, possibly the best I've ever seen. The balance and consistency are excellent and the right teams are mostly in the field. A much more successful process than the BCS, don't you think? Personally, I think we're in for a fun few weeks and hopefully a fun celebration on a particular street in Chapel Hill on April 6th/7th. Rah rah...

Merry Bracket Christmas: Revised

2009-03-15T17:15:00.004-04:00

Slight revisions for the final edition of this year's prognosticated bracket. First, Mississippi St did end up winning the SEC Tournament, meaning the cowbell-ringing Bulldogs will be in the Big Dance. That means that someone had to go from the Field of 65, and I finally settled on excommunicating St. Mary's. Which really sucks, by the way. San Diego St. stays in, joining Minnesota, Maryland, and Wisconsin as my last four in. St. Mary's, Arizona, Creighton, and Penn St are the final four out.

I also exchanged Wisconin and Michigan within the bracket. While Michigan might not have been the ideal team to bump up so far on the S-curve, it was easier given their conference affiliation. With only half an hour before the selection show, moving one team could have forced a number of switches because of the high number of Big Ten teams between seeds eight and eleven. I left Ohio St where they were, as I had already bumped them this week from a ten-seed to an eight-seed given their run to the Big Ten tournament finals and win over Michigan St.

We'll see how this turns out. I reckon I'll have a few major mistakes, but oh well. It is fun either way. Holla holla.

Merry Bracket Christmas

2009-03-14T19:48:00.008-04:00

In less than twenty four hours, we will not have to hear the term "bubble" for a solid eleven months. The brackets will be out and, after a couple hours of hearing every "expert" tell us who got screwed and left out of the tournament that should have gotten in, we can just sit back and dissect the actual road to the Final Four. Sadly, we will not get to sit through the annual Billy Packer/Jim Nantz attack on the tournament committee chairperson. I'll really miss that actually, highly entertaining.

Anyway, as many of you are well aware, I've been sitting around predicting the tournament field for the last six or seven years. It started out in college as a good way to stay awake in class from late-January through the tournament selection show and has evolved into a less-complicated-but-more-efficient Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Last year, The Blue Team hit home 63/65 teams, which is really an average performance. That dastardly Joe Lunardi nailed the entire field. Screw him and the horse he rode in on.

2009 is a new year though, and I'm here striving for perfection. Keep in mind that the bubble has shrunk considerably in recent days, thanks to Cleveland St, Temple, & Southern Cal winning their conference tournaments. Each of these teams "stole" a bid, and Mississippi St remains to try and do so on Sunday. As of now, here are your last eight teams according to seed who are at-large squads in the tournmament: St. Mary's, San Diego St, Minnesota, Maryland, Dayton, Michigan, Texas A&M, Oklahoma St., and those are listed from the bottom up. I have the "out" teams as Arizona, Creighton, Penn St, Providence, Auburn, New Mexico, Florida, listed from the bubble down.

Simple math would show that if Mississippi St wins the SEC Tournament, they will take St. Mary's bid away. However, I am still hedging on St. Mary's vs San Diego St vs Arizona. I've seen the Wildcats a bunch of times and I know they have the most talent of those three; the question, though, is do they have the best resume? I think San Diego St is solid, but I am also hesitant due to Arizona's head-to-head victory over San Diego St. Past history has shown us that does not really play a factor with the committee. As you may recall, last year, Arizona benefitted from this scenario, as they had lost two games to Arizona St, yet made the field of 65 just ahead of the disappointed Sun Devils.

Without really delving into the why's and why not's of things, let's just look at The Blue Team's Field of 65:

I am still waiting on a few automatic bids as I type this, so apologies for having to fill in a league instead of a team. Please note, again, that this bracket assumes Mississippi St does not win the SEC title on Sunday. Adjustments will be made prior to the Selection Show, which is a 6pm Sunday evening.

The briefest explanation possible for what you may be thinking: yes, three Big East teams as one-seeds. I am not convinced the committee will do it, but UCONN has better wins than Memphis, period. Strangely, they both played Syracuse and Georgetown: UCONN split with Syracuse but lost to Georgetown while Memphis lost to both. I really think UCONN has better numbers than the Tigers. Either way, I assume the two teams will be sent out west and will be the number four and five overall seeds based on the S-curve. For my bracket, I assumed the regions as East, Midwest, South, West in that order.

As a brief aside, my official Five to Thrive will be written this week as part of the tournament preview. The teams I selected two weeks ago: Louisville (not sure they count anymore), Florida St, Tennessee, Purdue, VCU. Three of these teams have already gotten kind of hot, so I guess the cat is out of the bag there. Oh well, that's what I get for being lazy and not writing.

Finally, I would like to point out that I selected the 65 teams at my house this evening. However, I put my bracket together, seeding the teams and placing them in their regions, at Big Al's, a bar in Blacksburg. So yes, I sat at a high-top table with a Diet Coke and scibbled on a piece of paper while my friends played mini-Shuffleboard and downed pitchers of beer, keeping an eye on Louisville's dominate performance. I am not sure if that is dedication or nerdiness, but either way, that's how it went down yo.

Merriest of Bracket Days to everyone. Enjoy the last few conference tournament finals and get ready for a fun three weeks of madness. Everybody dance now...

Let Every Heel Chill

2009-03-14T16:06:00.008-04:00

Carolina lost to Florida St in the ACC Tournament Semi-Finals...and it's ok. Come on, say it aloud: it's ok. Now rinse, repeat. And again. There, you feel better?

The goal is to win every game; I understand that. But, the big picture goal is to win your last six games, cut down nets, and cry your way through "One Shining Moment". So get healthy, Ty Lawson. Remember that the ball can actually go IN the basket, Danny Green. And Roy, learning to make that "T" sign with two hands would indeed be nice (for a demonstration, please see Webber, Chris, circa 1993). Win your last six, and you get this:

After two hard-fought, emotional games in this tournament, a third matchup with Duke or forty minutes against a fired-up Maryland team could potentially do more harm than good. Remember, these guys, save the freshmen, have all won the ACC Tournament before (most of them twice). Winning it sure is fun, but getting out of the ACC Cocktail Party with your health and a high seed are more important THIS YEAR. For the record, I advocate playing hard in every game and trying to win this historic event with everything you've got. But, for THIS TEAM, a National Title is the ultimate goal. They've gone to Atlanta, played two gritty games, and hopefully learned what needs to be worked on this week.

We'll analyze this team more in-depth this week. For now, I've got to complete my bracket prognostication and type it out on this blog. I leave you with a quote that sent me into three minutes of giggles and singing. Courtesy of Tim Brant, who announced today's game for Raycom with Mike Gminski: "There's a lot of bumpin' and grindin' going on (in the lane) down there".

You dang right, Tim Brant: there ain't nothin' wrong with a little bump and grind.

Score One for the Good Guys

2009-03-11T21:40:00.004-04:00

Last week, The Blue Team took a break from the norm and journeyed to the depths of hell to analyze Coach K and his Evil Empire, the Duke Blue Devils. Now, after a longer-than-anticipated delay (sorry Kev), let's summarize Roy and the Boys' equally successful trip to Blacksburg. For the sake of brevity...

An early arrival with tarheelpwin in tow. Woody and the Tar Heel Sports Network team are all in place. First Erin Andrews sighting, along with your favorite Dookie and mine, Jay Bilas. Erin > Jay.
Tyler Hansbrough is famous for an extensive pre-game stretching routine. However, on this night, he nearly lost his life when he decided to lay outside the Carolina locker room for said stretching routine. A wayward employee was walking to the press room, turned around to glance back at Danny Green, and almost fell over a sprawled-out Psycho T. Lucky for Tyler, I'm quick like a cat and avoided him.
Unlike Duke, Carolina does no such crazy tandem stretching or military-like pregame routine. Each player is focused in his own world for the most part. William Graves did manage to swish three straight baseline three-pointers standing about two feet out of bounds on the right side of the basket. I guess that's his spot...too bad it is indeed out of bounds and thus, useless in a game.
JB Tanner is known within the Tar Heels community for his pre-game shooting displays, but it is really sick in person. The kid just rains three ball after three ball, none as much as touching the rim.
The mosh pit in the hallway is hype. I did not make it to the Smith Center this year to see it on the videoboard, but it is still fun.
It is fun to hear everyone boo the Heels on the road. They do not look tight at all, a good sign early.
One thing that is in stark contrast to Duke is the size of the Carolina players. Everyone on this team is filled out and cut. Frasor is much thicker in person than I remember two years ago and Ty Lawson's calves are the size of my quads (not saying much, but still). What is odd is that Hansbrough is not beefy looking at all, very trim; however, his core strength was only display multiple times on this night as he powered through the Hokies defense.
During the game itself, the Carolina bench is very much into the game. Pointing on assists, cheering on defensive effort, checking out dancers...
Contrary to popular perception, Coach Williams may engage the officials as much or more than Coach K. Roy is similar in that he does not typically just scream at them, instead choosing to have one-on-one heated discussions. Maybe it is just because of their reputations and place among the nation's great coaches, but it does seem to me that both Coach K and Coach Roy are given the chance for interaction with officials more so than others. Of course, there are some coaches who just scream and yell and stomp and kick just to put on a show...not naming any names.
Ed Davis is phenomenal. In this game, he probably made at least five plays that will not show up in a stat sheet, but made a difference for the Heels: a tipped ball here, an altered-shot there. He is athletic, but not out-of-this-world. However, he is definitely a coach's kid, as evidenced by his seemingly innate ability to make smart basketball plays and his understanding of the game. Love this guy.
Tyler Zeller did not play a great deal, and frankly looked rough in his brief stint. However, he is definitely a legit 7-0 and is fast from end to end. Once he gets back into the flow of the game and slides his feet better, I think he can log some good minutes.
From our courtside table, I have a wonderful vantage point for checking out the visiting team's shoes. The Heels are well-stocked with Air Jordans, my personal brand of choice. Quite partial to Bobby Frasor and Tyler Zeller's choice of the Team Jordans with the interlocking "NC" on the outer heel.
After a scrum early in the second half, Davis grabbed an offensive rebound, gathered it in, and rose for a tremendous two-hand stuff. In his excitement, one of the Blue Teamers threw his gum in the air over his shoulder. It landed behind the bench on the front row of the Carolina seats, much to the amusement/dismay of the fans there.
Speaking of which, one of the Carolina fans was an African-American gentleman roughly the size of my house. Seriously, this guy was easily 6-3, 300 muscular pounds and stood cheering after every made basket. Very nice guy, though I do not know which player(s) he belonged to. Maybe a father, maybe an uncle, not sure.
Though this game was close off and on, it never felt like the Hokies had a chance to turn the corner. Carolina got in the lane (specifically Ty Lawson) at will, whereas VT had to work like crazy for everything they got. In the end, the Heels are just more talented and were able to win playing at about 85% focus/effort. I don't particularly have a problem with that honestly, as long as they recognize that the time to play at 100% focus/effort begins on March 19th.
After the game, I made my way to the media room to listen to Coach Williams. I was joined by Dick Baddour, the athletics director at Carolina, who sat drinking Gatorade while Roy talked about how fortunate we were to win, etc. Roy was very calm and poised after the game, even taking the time to share a joke with Baddour and SID Steve Kirschner. How refreshing.

Though there are differences in how they approach things, both Duke and Carolina are highly successful programs. This level of success just serves as further motivation for the both program, each pushing the other along. It was fun to see both of them in person, especially one after the other. Of course, it was also fun to watch them battle it out last Sunday and prove just which blue is better. Duuuuh.

General thoughts on college hoops & my bracket prognostication are coming this weekend. Next week, we'll have picks, a Five to Thrive, and the steps Carolina has to take in order to secure a national championship. Until then...happy 311 Day.

Analysis of the Evil Empire

2009-03-01T23:53:00.005-05:00

One of the many perks of working for ISP here at Virginia Tech is the chance to sit courtside for a minimum of eight ACC men's basketball contests per season. After an internship at Carolina, a season of hoops at Clemson, and three here at VT, it is almost odd watching a game from anywhere else; less stressful, yes, but not quite as good a vantage point. Besides not having to worry about a 6-6 guy standing in front of you or a sorority girl screaming at the wrong time behind you, an All-Access pass allows you to see and hear things not many are priviledged to; sometimes, it also leads to a 6-6 guy tumbling over the table into your lap, but that's another story. Anyway, it is easy to get a read on how focused a team is watching the pre-game warm-ups and "get hype" mosh pit in the tunnels. It is always entertaining to hear the coaches during the game. And finally, it is fun to see a team celebrate a big win or tough to watch them grieve a heart-breaking defeat.

On Saturday, Coach K and the 2008-2009 version of the Duke Blue Devils rolled into town for a matchup with the Hokies, a nationally televised contest and a shot for VT to make a move off the NCAA Tournament bubble in the positive direction. This Wednesday night, Carolina comes calling, extending the same opportunity to Seth Greenberg's squad. I thought that the rare chance to see two programs of such stature would be a good way to compare and contrast them. Here are my thoughts and observations of the Duke Blue Devils, up close and personal:

Saturday started for Team Duke around 1:30pm when the team bus arrived at Cassell Coliseum. The Dookies were off the bus and out to shoot around early, each player loosening up at his own pace after ankle tapings and such. All of the players were dressed exactly the same: short-sleeved blue and white Nike Elite shooting shirts and black shooting pants. No one was in shorts or a different shirt or an extra layer of clothing. A reflection of Coach K's military training no doubt.
I came back out from a Hokie Club function with 75 minutes on the pre-game countdown. Duke's players were just finishing their individual work. The team huddled for a brief moment, then lined up across the baseline. Paulus led the players as they walked baseline to endline and back, with jogging, high knees, shuffling, etc. Everyone then gathered (after Gerald Henderson slapped hands with every team member - he is definitely the leader here) in pairs to stretch each other out. I watched as each player went through seven or so different stretches, counting loudly in unison to ten or fifteen depending on the stretch. Another influence from the military days.
The Blue Devils did not whoop it up in the locker room much before the game. Some synchronized clapping, then a short talk from what I could hear. They did circle up in the tunnel and mosh for ten seconds or so before running out to a chorus of boos. Nothing fancy, no craziness...just focus and confidence. LOTS of confidence.
Nolan Smith sat on the bench in a team jumpsuit with earplugs to alleviate the pain that the noise of the fans could cause post-concussion.
Coach K, in the early part of his career, was known for really screaming at the officials. However, following two decades of excellence, he has earned the ability to just plead his case with a few quick words. It is quite rare nowadays to see him fly off the handle and just go balistic about a call. There are other coaches in the ACC that I cannot say the same for...not naming any names of course. One call on a ball out-of-bounds did not go his way and all he said to official Bob Donato was "that's impossible", meaning the ball could not possibly have gone off his player and landed over the inline. And, he was right. Of course, he can still go off at any given moment like he did during a timeout late in the second half. K actually picked up a chair off the bench like he was about to throw it or break it due to his frustration with his team's ability to stop the ball.
Assistant coaches Steve Wojohousekey (sic) and Chris Collins catch a lot of flack from opposing fans (two careers of filling the "annoying white guy on Duke" role will do that for you), but there are likely not two more intense assistants in the ACC. Wojo was out early watching the players closely during pre-game and had a couple of pep talks with inidividuals during the game. Collins, who looks more like his father, Doug Collins, everyday, worked the officials on behalf of Coach K a few times. Included in this was an incorrect protest of not allowing substitutions to enter the game, to which he admitted his mistake with a "my bad, I messed up".
Chris Carrawell and Nate James, both on the Blue Devils' staff now following Johnny Dawkins leaving for the head gig at Stanford (I am actually typing this in a Stanford shirt and shorts...thanks), could both suit up and play right now. James worked a good bit in pre-game with the guys on the floor, as a post-up defender, passer, and rebounder. Carrawell, a grad assistant, observed intently from the sideline most of the afternoon.
Yes, the entire army of goons travels with Duke on the road, or at least it seems like it. Duke added five additional chairs to the end of their bench (leaving one manager nearly sitting on our table courtside), plus had three folks behind the bench in charge of the coolers and towels. Not to mention four more of the traveling party who sat in the first row behind the bench.
Speaking of, there was a particularly attractive Dukette on the second row of the Blue Devils' seat. Blond, athletic, and not obnoxious from what I saw. So yes, they do exist. Who knew?
As for the players themselves, I was surprised at how small the Blue Devils are. Yes, we all know they do not have much height on their frontline, but none of their guys are bulky either. Singler must be incredibly strong in his core and legs to bang in the post as much as he does, because it sure is not obvious on the rest of him. Scheyer looks like a marathoner more than a basketball player (and a douchebag more than a marathoner...oops, sorry). This is in stark contrast to a team like Georgia Tech, which has the thickest frontline players I've ever seen. Too bad only one of them has a lick of basketball skills (that will change next year when Derrick Favors pairs with Lawal - oh my).
When I say Duke has no height, I mean none except for Brian Zoubek. Chewbek, as I have called him for three years now, is a giant. When Neil Fingleton and his 7-6 British mullet patrolled the grounds at UNC my freshman year, people gawked at him. Chewy got a similar reception from the Virginia Tech fans on Saturday. He's not much better than Fingleton, but I did have a friend who thought Fingleton would play in the NBA. Gotta love Jarhead. By the way, click on the Fingleton link, it's worth five minutes at least.
Gerald Henderson is on another level as an athlete, but he is still a bit streaky. VT really clamped down on him in the second half, playing him with one-and-a-half defenders (allowing Singler to kill them...awesome). Henderson had three dunks and a block that were nuts, including a Stackhouse-esque reverse on the baseline that made me jump out of my seat (way to stay professional, I know).
VT students chanted "T-bag Paulus" every time he entered the game and serenaded Singler with "you're a p****". Hokies Respect!
I am not at all one to whine and complain about officiating, and I am not about to right now. I will acknowledge that Duke "gets" a lot of calls, especially in the block/charge department. There were nine (I think) offensive fouls called on the Hokies, including six charges to just one block. This has to do with two factors that stem from Coach K's defensive philosophy. First, Duke rotates on defense better than any team in the ACC, year in and year out. Second, they sell the charge and are willing to step in to take it. Every. Single. Player. Tough, smart, and solid gamesmanship. Do I think all of those calls were right? I'd say the odds are no. But, you have to give the Devils credit for their efficiency on the defensive end.

All in all, I was very impressed with Duke. They are organized, team-oriented, and a group with one singular focus: winning games. This is not a national title team this year, probably not a Final Four team either. But, watching the way Coach K runs his ship and the way the players and coaches respond is really cool. Remember, Darth Vader had some good qualities too and made Luke Skywalker that much better, just as Duke serves this purpose for North Carolina. But also remember who's the Dark Side and which side wins out in the end.

More from the lighter and brighter shade of blue after Wednesday night's game. Hopefully we'll have a chance to analyze the college basketball landscape soon before the end of the regular season, and I promise a look at the Tar Heels as it relates to the big picture and their title hopes before the Big Dance. It's back to sports, specifically college hoops, here at The Blue Team for the next month plus. March Madness is finally upon us and it's going to be one heck of a fun ride.

Bench Press, Pull-ups, and Pat Benatar

2009-02-25T17:28:00.007-05:00

Two consecutive posts that have nothing to do with sports...this has to be some kind of record. Today's topic: Soft Rock Hell.

I am a member of New Tech Fitness here in Blacksburg, VA. It is best described as a local gym where you see more or less the same folks every time you work out. The kind of place you assign nicknames to people you don't know and, once you do meet them, learn what their actual nickname is and call them by it. From "Cheeseburger" to "Tank", they're all regulars. Another thing you can count on in a gym like this is controversy over little things. For instance, the weight room was just re-arranged, quite well I thought, but some people had to get all upset over it. The musical selection has been a long-standing issue. We've gone from satelite radio to internet radio to local radio and back, classic rock to alternative rock to techno. But never have we entered Soft Rock Hell...until Tuesday.

I arrived at the gym to find the radio tuned to local station Q99 out of Roanoke, VA. As I changed in the locker room, "Borderline" by Madonna came blaring through the speakers. At this point, I thought it was kind of funny - I had my ipod, so no worries on the music. I finished changing, grabbed my ipod, and headed to my workout. On my way, I paused at the front desk and made the comment to my friend working behind said desk that playing Q99 is the kind of thing that will make people cancel their membership, or at least make sure they never forget their ipod. We laughed and I went on downstairs to prepare for chest and back. I smiled as the voiceover came on the radio: we play the best hits of the 80s, 90s, and today, from Elton John to The Eagles to Nickelback, here on Q99!. "Thank God for my ipod," I thought to myself as I slid the headphones through my shirt. And then...nothing happened.

My headphones went dead. Not like I-might-need-new-headphones dead, but like you've-got-to-be-kidding-me-these-things-are-completely-dead dead. I frantically took them out, put them in...tried it again...nothing. For the first time in the three years I've been at New Tech Fitness, they are playing soft rock on the radio...and I've got dead headphones. So here I was, trying to super-set chest and back in Soft Rock Hell.

I went about my workout following a couple of choice words muttered under my breath. Flat bench and pull-ups to John Mellencamp and Kelly Clarkson, incline bench and seated cable rows to Jimmy Buffet and Cyndi Lauper, weighted dips with Mariah Carey. Let me be the first to tell you, there's nothing like some good Mariah Carey. But listening to "Hero" while you try to push yourself up on the fourth set of dips is not encouraging. Duncan Shiek, John Mayer, Pat Benetar, Carrie Underwood, and The Eagles (they did promise) rolled me along through most of the remainder of the workout.

At this point, I should tell you that there were two problems. First, of course, were the songs themselves. Second though, is that I will sing along to almost anything. Somehow, over the course of my 26+ years on this earth, I have learned many of these songs despite never listening to Lite 102.9 during my youth in Mint Hill, NC. But, between trips to the dentist and doctor, long rides on elevators, and being stuck in the car with my mom and aunts, I've learned the lyrics to these songs. But it's not just me. I can remember a couple of nights in college that Rhino and I sat there rolling on the floor in laughter listening to Delilah and singing along to these crappy songs. Somehow two hicks from Mint Hill learned this crap, it's ingrained in all of us, slowly killing our masculinity. Anyway, so there I sat between sets on the incline hammer strength machine mumbling the words..."fathers be good to your daughters, and daughters will love like you do..."

Finally, "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker came on and I nearly went over the edge. My last exercise, chest flys on the pec deck, and I am subjected to one of my least favorite songs ever. "This could not get any worse," I thought to myself.

Then, suddenly, an angel came and rescued me from Soft Rock Hell. The station changed! I had been forgiven for my musical sins and extended a second-chance on this day at the gym. We were switched over to 105.3 The Bear for some new rock. Then, to my dismay, my angel turned out to be a product of Satan himself. Why? Because as soon as we switched to 105.3, a new song came on.

"Something in Your Mouth" by...Nickelback. My all-time least favorite band. It was then and there that I decided this workout session belonged on FMyLife.

Needless to say, I am making the trip to nearby Christiansburg for a new set of headphones prior to the next workout. And, should I ever be without my ipod again, I will never, ever remain at the gym for another day of Soft Rock Hell.

Follow me everything is alright...

Baby Addi Got Back

2009-02-23T21:31:00.011-05:00

There are not many topics that lead The Blue Team astray from the basic topics of this blog: sports, music, pop culture, and the occasional politics. But today? Babies. Because sometimes God does something so insanely magnificant that it just has to be shared.

My cousin Lindsey and her husband Jason had a baby girl last week. Addison Charlotte High was born on Tuesday, February 17th (Michael Jordan's birthday, which is why I took that date in the baby pool. Somehow my Mom mis-reported my selection and I did not receive credit, but whatever) and weighed in at 7 lbs, 7 ounces. Doctors feared some health issues prior to the birth, but she came into this world just as healthy as she could be. My cousins (Lindsey, Whitney, and Caroline) and I are all very, very close; thus, baby Addi is just about the coolest thing we've ever seen. Plus, she has really energized all of our parents.

I personally have not spent much time around wee little children, so I am very much learning on the fly how to interact. However, I felt it necessary to share this little bit of personal life because I just think it is another example of how amazing God is. I do not really understand where babies come from on the scientific side, but I can assure you this: they come from the heart of God. We all do. We just fall dead to our own sin and fail to remember this fact as we become corrupted by the world. But every so often, we get a sweet and real reminder about who God is when a newborn enters this world.

We've all been praying for Addison for months, but just because it was God's will for her to be healthy do not mean that the prayers cease. On the contrary, our prayers as a family must multiply, for she is now surrounded by sin in this world. Her innocence is no more, so our prayer is for God's continued protection of her soul. I cannot wait until she learns about Christ and asks Him into her heart, for that rebirth will be the most important day of her life. But for now, we just pray for her and love her as much as we can. Don't get me wrong here - she is not my child, so I have no idea the depth of the love Lindsey and Jason have for her right now. But, I think she is so awesome and I'm really excited to see our family grow.

Ok, onto pictures. I'm sure these will make it to facebook at some point (some already have - thanks Whit). Yeah, I'm totally obsessed/stoked/awed.

Her debut shot reminds me of Simba in "The Lion King"

She's an Earnhardt fan I think

First time in a Carolina hat and she loves it

Teaching Addi "Rah-Rah Carolina"...seriously

Addi's first "look"

Are you stinkin' kidding me?

Welcome to the world, Addison Charlotte High. God's love is in the house.

4-0

2009-02-12T15:08:00.003-05:00

Thanks in large part to Tywon Lawson's second half and the poise of experince, the Boys in Baby Blue managed to make it four straight victories at Cameron Indoor Stadium with a 101-87 win. There are a few things to take away from this game as it relates to the big picture:

1) Anyone who tries to run with Carolina will eventually get run out (of the gym). There was not a great deal of consternation in my recliner at halftime (which lasted 17 seconds thanks to my DVR) because Duke was more than willing to try and run. Possessions were rushed and shots were flying quickly, and not always from the right player/spot on the court for Coach K's squad. Though Duke played more guys, the Devils seemed to tire out more quickly than Carolina. I don't think that is the only reason for missed jump shots, but it certainly plays a factor.

2) 15 points. That's what is needed from the bench. The total output of Frasor, Drew II, Davis, and Copeland needs to be approximately 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, a couple blocks (thanks Ed), great defense and minimal turnovers. Wednesday night saw 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a block, good defense and 3 turnovers. Very close across the board. Depth is not as important in college basketball except to combat injuries and foul trouble. I hope the Heels are done with injuries, but foul trouble is sure to come at some point. Regardless, the depth that this team does have should be counted on for these types of numbers moving forward. Chalk that up as another reason for victory.

3) Carolina = W when Ty Lawson > Point Guards X, Y, Z. Prior to the UVA game in Charlottesville, coming off two straight league losses, a friend in Blacksburg inquired about the struggles of "my boys". I told him that Carolina will go as far as Ty Lawson takes us. When asked about the game prior to Wednesday night, I said "I feel like we go as far as Ty Lawson carries us". In the two losses thus far, Lawson was badly outplayed by Rice and Teague. For Carolina to achieve its goal of an NCAA Tournament Championship, Lawson will have to be at his best against the best point guards. Any team without a great point guard really does not stand much of a chance. Which brings me to Duke...

4) Duke cannot win a title with a mediocore point guard. College basketball is dominated by point guard play. They control the tempo, distribute the ball, and run rampant in the lane. Duke has not had a great point guard since Chris Duhon. The team has failed to make the Final Four since 2004, when their point guard was...Chris Duhon. Coincidence? Much is made of the Devils' lack of a great big man, and for good reason. A good center scores you easy buckets in the lane and rebounds the ball, securing important possessions. But a great point guard can dominate a game (see Lawson, Ty) and Duke has not had the luxury of one in five years.

5) The secret is back out I'm afraid. Carolina had sort of sunk under the radar for a while, toiling behind other teams who notched the number one ranking, both nationally and in the league. Now alone at 8-2 on top of the ACC standings, the Heels are back to having a huge bullseye on their backs and plenty of sweet musings in their ears. Dealing with the expectations was tough back in January and it will only get worse as this season rolls on. Even though fans have been encouraged to Enjoy the Ride, the media will have none of it. I personally have no problem with this team putting it on cruise control at times as long as they understand what it will take to win those last six games. Hopefully they will continue to get better defensively and get their minds right for what is sure to be a pressure-packed final six weeks.

While last night may not go down in Carolina/Duke lore as one of the all-timers, it was certainly a highly-competitive game, well-played, well-coached, and well-officiated. Everyone brought their A-game. For now at least, Carolina's A-game is better than Duke's. We'll see what happens when the rivalry renews on what is sure to be an emotional evening in Chapel Hill on March 7th Until then, I've still got eight classic Carolina/Duke games on my DVR to get me through the days.

Rah Rah Caro-lina-lina...

Carolina > Dook: My Top Ten Games

2009-02-10T14:43:00.008-05:00

Happy Beat Dook Week to fellow Tar Heels 'round the world. There is nothing more fun than the two regular season matchups between these two giants of the ACC and college basketball - the hype, the talent, the coaches, the fans, the trash talk, and, of course, the games. Many of you reading this are no doubt alumni of the lighter hue of blue and have lived through this rivalry as a student - count yourself fortunate. See, it is easy to forget that most people's perception of Carolina/Duke is far different than ours. Their perspective is that of an outsider - maybe an ACC fan, maybe not. Maybe they have a preference of one team versus the other, or maybe not. While I do think most fans of college hoops appreciate the rivalry for the players, coaches, and games, I highly doubt they understand the anticipation and hype that surrounds it.

I am a fan of Major League Baseball, specifically the Atlanta Braves. I love the history of the game and the atmosphere of a nerve-wrecking playoff pitcher's duel. But Yanks/Sox? Don't care. Hate them both, always have. I certainly do not understand the preferential coverage the rivalry receives and why I have to watch all 19 regular-season games on television (I actually watch only a few of those games, but they are always televised nationally). While college sports are definitely different from professional sports, I imagine that there are people out there who feel the same about Carolina/Duke that I feel about Yanks/Sox.

Blame ESPN, blame Dickie V and Billy Packer, blame the snotty, obnoxious fans of both schools, blame whoever you want for the overexposure of the rivalry. But, after you're done whining about it, watch the games and appreciate the energy and passion with which they are played. And call me following a classic contest to tell me about the chills you got after it was over.

So in honor of this rivalry, let's get nostalgic and count down The Blue Team's Top 10 Carolina/Duke Games. The criteria are pretty subjective - I have to have a positive memory of the game. This is my blog, I own it like Psycho T owns Paulus, so I chose MY Top 10. The only real criteria was that I made this list from 1990-present. While I vividly recall the intense 1989 ACC Tournament Final, most of our readers will not. And yes, we have all seen the 1984 home game on ESPN Classic (it was on Monday at 1pm, the DVR was set again this year), but we were not cognizant for it (I am, however, certain that I pooped my diaper after Matt Doherty hit the game-tying shot). So, without further adieu, I present to you:

The Blue Team's Top 10 (or so) Carolina/Duke Memories

Close-But-Not-Quite-Top-10 - 1990 Game at Duke (Duke was good, Carolina was not, yet the Heels swept the season series), 1996 game at Carolina (Calabria's shot for a 73-72 win, but neither team made it to the Sweet 16), 2000 game at Carolina (Forte sends it to OT, Heels lose 90-86), 2001 game at Duke (Haywood's free throws secure an 85-83 win), 2004 game at Carolina (Jawad Williams' 3 sends it to OT, McCants' 3 ties it late, but Duhon goes coast-to-coast to break the Tar Heels' hearts), 2007 game at Carolina (Henderson's overhead smash breaks Tyler's nose).

#10: 1991 ACC Tournament Final in Charlotte - #6 Carolina 96 #7 Duke 74. My first of 11 Carolina/Duke games in person ended with seniors King Rice, Pete Chilcutt, and tournament MVP Rick Fox cutting down the nets in Charlotte. This was the first time I got to see nets get cut down in person and I have since been obsessed. Both teams would make it to the Final Four three weeks later, with the Heels being upset by Kansas before Duke pulled off an unbelievable victory over undefeated UNLV, followed by beating KU in the finals for the Devils' first national title.

#9: 1994 game in Chapel Hill - #2 Carolina 89 #1 Duke 78. This game was also on as part of ESPN Classic's countdown this week. 1 vs 2 with a ton of hype in a matchup of the past three NCAA champions and an eye toward gaining the number one seed in the East Region. The talent in this game is off the charts for both sides, but all I can remember is the unbelievable performance by the Duke Team Barber. Seriously, Marty Clark, Cherokee Parks, and Chris Collins all three had ridiculous bowl cuts. Duke eventually lost in the national title game to Arkansas and the Heels...um...yeah...anyways.

#8: 1992 game in Chapel Hill - #9 Carolina 75 #1 Duke 73. The Montross Blood Game. An ugly defensive struggle in which Derrick Phelps hit two free throws for the final margin. As a nine year-old, I was ready to go GI Joe on every Dookie in sight. I was also up well past my bedtime no doubt. Duke avenged this defeat twiceover, including a blowout in the ACC Tournament final before my young eyes and eventually won its second consecutive national title. Man, that team was sick.

#7: 2002 ACC Tournament in Charlotte - #3 Duke 60 Carolina 48. What? A game the Heels lost? You bet. This was the last game of the 8-20 season under Matt Doherty. The Heels had been destroyed five days earlier at Cameron Indoor Stadium by the defending national champs and most expected a similar performance in the tournament quarterfinal. Instead, Coach Doherty used a stall tactic of milking every bit of the shot clock to limit the number of possessions. From the last row of the Charlotte Coliseum, we watched as the Heels hung in it for 36 minutes. An inopportune turnover dashed any hopes of an upset and, mercifully, the nightmare season ended. But, I distinctly remember discussing with the boys that one day soon, we'd be kicking Duke's butt again. It was the low of lows in my four-year college basketball journey.

#6: 2006 game in Durham - #23 Carolina 83 #2 Duke 76. Psycho T dropped 27 on the road and the Baby Heels pulled off a shocker on the Senior Day for JJ Redick and Shelden Williams. The win also spawned this from The Blue Team.

#5 2003 game in Chapel Hill - Carolina 82 #10 Duke 79. Matt Doherty's last regular-season home game turned into his first Battle Royal after a hard foul by Dahntay Jones on Raymond Felton. Coach Doherty and Duke assistant Chris Collins nearly came to blows, leading to Duke scrub Andre Buckner shoving Doherty and a melee. The Heels hit a ton of threes to combat the lack of a big man and Jones' halfcourt heave was a half-second too late. Carolina students rushed the court and I had to hold up a crying roommate. This was the first win over Duke at home for every four-year student in attendance. Shockingly, the seniors did not claim every available ticket for the game, leaving a small number the Monday morning after ticket distribution. Therefore, the suitemates and I camped out in the twenty-something degree night to claim our tickets, and I actually slept on the ticket window counter. We can each proudly say that we did not miss a Carolina/Duke home game in our four years at school thanks to this frozen adventure. We were also each able to bring our fathers to this game, which made the victory 100x more special. There is truly nothing like sitting on the last row of the Dean Dome and watching a victory like that with your Dad and your best friends. Nothing.

#4 1995 game in Durham - #2 North Carolina 102 Duke 100 (2OT). Coach K is missing from the Duke sideline and the Blue Devils had their version of an 8-20 season without him. On the other hand, the Heels featured Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Jeff McInnis, and 1993 Final Four MOP Donald Williams on a team that would notch a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament and make the Final Four. Naturally, the Heels jumped out to a big lead, lost the lead, and ended up in overtime against a vastly overmatched Duke squad. After Serge Zwicker missed the front end of a one-and-one, Duke's Jeff Capel drove just past halfcourt and launched the most famous shot in this storied rivalry (at least from the Duke perspective - anyone else think 8 points in 17 seconds and Walter Davis' shot make this look average?) and Dickie V absolutely loses his mind. The Heels eventually won in the second overtime thanks to Jeff McInnis' heroics. Of course, this game also featured The Dunk. I mean, seriously. On a related note, enjoy these dunks as well. Thank you David and Danny.

#3 1998 series - Wow. Just a memorable three games by these two squads. First, the Tar Heels won a 1 vs 2 matchup in Chapel Hill 97-73. The hype prior to the game was off the charts, but the contest itself ended up becoming a route late in the second half. Antawn Jamison had 35 & 11 on 14-20 shooting, despite only touching the ball for like 34 seconds total. Duke won the rematch in Durham on the last day of the regular season 77-75 to earn a share of the league title. The Heels missed four free throws late that would have tied the ballgame. On a sidenote, I listened to this game on my Walkman, sharing an earbud with Erich on a camping trip on South Mountain. Somehow we did not get in trouble for disappearing for two hours or bringing an electronic device on the excursion. Finally, the rematch in the ACC Tournament Final in Greensboro the next Sunday was set to decide who would earn the one-seed in the East Region. The Heels prevailed 83-68 behind 27 & 18 from Jamison and a hot shooting performance by senior Shammond Williams, who then led the Tar Heel pep band in the fight song following the game. What made this particular season unique was the fact that the Blue Devils were ranked #1 all three times the two teams played. Duke suffered a shocking loss in Charlotte to Providence the following week and the Heels made the Final Four where they...awww, nevermind. Next game please...

#2 2005 game in Chapel Hill - #2 Carolina 75 #6 Duke 73. The Devils had survived a ridiculously intense defensive struggle in Durham a month earlier, a game that ended after the Heels could not get off a shot to win the game (a meltdown that changed the season - thank you Raymond Felton). A back-and-forth game eventually saw Duke take a 73-64 lead with just over three minutes remaining. Senior Day seemed ruined...until The Comeback (go ahead, I'll give you five minutes to click the link, watch the finish, and dry your eyes). Jawad, Marvin, and Sean all converted buckets to cut the lead to 73-71. Eventually, Raymond Felton hit a free throw and tipped his missed second free throw to Marvin Williams who converted a three-point play to put the Heels ahead 75-73. Subsequent misses by Redick and Daniel Ewing allowed the home team to survive and the senior class of Melvin Scott, Jawad Williams, CJ Hooker, Jackie Manuel, & Charlie Everett to go out on top as ACC Champions (and eventually, National Champions). An emotional victory, complete with tears of joy, lots of man hugs, and, eventually, a dash to Franklin St. How does one possibly top this?

#1 The Next Game. You see, this is what is so great about the Carolina/Duke rivalry. There's always another great game or great moment that is to come. The players change, the coaches (eventually) change, and the results change, but the stakes never do. It's always the biggest game of the regular season and always played with tremendous passion. Carolina is Carolina because of Duke, just as Duke is Duke because of Carolina. The true fans understand this and appreciate the other institution and respect the other team for making them better. What makes Carolina/Duke so much fun is the anticipation of the Next Game because of the unknown - all you know is that it will be as fun and intense as college basketball can be.

Rah Rah Car-o-lina-lina...go to hell Dook.