Top 25 Ratings and "Upsets"

Remind me never to bet on college football again. It is so frustrating to see all these ranked teams get beat every week and have analysts say 'I don't know what happened.' Last week USC lost to Washington and ruined my day and this week almost every team I bet on blew it.

What I have learned from this experience is that early on in the college football season rankings means nothing. They are based more on opinion than statistics and upsets are common. Here are the ranked teams that were "upset" this week:

#6 California lost to Oregon 42-3
#4 Mississippi lost to South Carolina 16-10
#18 Florida St. lost to Southern Florida 17-7
#22 North Carolina lost to Georgia Tech 24-7
#9 Miami lost to Virginia Tech 31-7
#5 Penn St. lost to Iowa 21-10
#24 Washington lost to Stanford 34-14

Those are 7 of the top 25 teams in the country that were beaten by unranked opponents (except Miami who lost to Virgina Tech ranked #11). What does this tell us? Some would argue it tells us that a lot of superior teams lost to inferior teams but this is not the case. It tells us that rankings are useless early in the season.

To prove this point look no further than Washington. Going into this week they were 2-1 and coming off of a win over USC. This means that their 1 win over USC put them in the top 25. Now in that game USC played their back up quarterback and played one of the worst offensive games of the past decade yet in the eyes of the rankings a win is a win. So when 2-1 Washington played 2-1 Stanford the teams were actually closer to even than the rankings would indicate yet Washington was the heavy favorite.

How is a 2-1 team beating a 2-1 team an upset? Both teams have the same record and have played almost the same level of competition. The only thing that separates the two is that little 24 that is beside Washington on the scoreboard which was put there based on someones opinion and not stats.

Iowa vs #5 Penn St. is another great example as both teams were undefeated going into Saturday at 3-0. One would assume Penn State would win due to their superior ranking however Iowa is a strong team and beat Penn State last year to end their National Championship title hopes. Iowa ended up winning and the game is called an upset.

Each team that won today is a solid team. There actually wasn't a real "upset" today as all the losing teams lost to solid competition. It would be calling a Houston Texans victory over the New England Patriots an upset. One team is thought to be superior but really they are pretty even if you look at it.

Early in the season the rankings are compiled based on the team record of the previous season, the recruitment class and also number of players retained. Basically what this means is people choose the best teams based on potential and no on performance. Thus this system favors teams with a good reputation and past success.

The system also keeps some teams in the top 25 that have no business being there. Some teams are undefeated and yet are not in the top 25 while other teams who have lost games continue to hold a ranking. For example Auburn is 4-0 and unranked while Mississippi is 2-1 and ranked #4.

In the first few weeks you have to sit back and watch the games and learn about the teams and see who are the contenders and who are the pretenders. This is a lesson I wished I had learned a few weeks ago because then my wallet wouldn't be so empty.

Random YouTube Video

Why College Football is Great

This is a photo taken after the University of Washington Huskies beat the University of Southern California Trojans 16-13 on Saturday. These two teams aren't massive rivals. I mean they are both in the same conference but that is where it ends. USC is a perennial power house and going into Saturday were ranked #3 in the nation where as Washington is mediocre at best and have been dreadful as of late going 0-12 last year.

This picture and this game is why college football is amazing. I was watching the game on TV and the camera was literally shaking because the stadium was so loud and the people were jumping up and down shaking the stands. That just doesn't happen at an NFL game. People get loud but the stadium never shakes.

Another great thing about college football is rushing the field. This is by far one of the most exciting things to do as a fan. In my first year at university I was lucky enough to watch live as my school team won the national championship. It was an amazing game and when the final whistle blew everyone there rushed the field. It was insane as thousands of people rushed the middle of the field to celebrate with the players and share in their joy as if it wasn't the team that won but the school.

College football also has what I feel are more meaningful games than the NFL. So many times you watch games late in the season and you see guys playing who aren't going to go on and become pros and you realize that this will be their last game of competitive football. These kids played football from the time they were 5 and now it is all over. It turns their last game from just another game on the schedule to their SuperBowl.

This is also true of rivalry games. Ohio State plays 12 games in a season but the game that is most important to them is the game against Michigan. This is a rivalry more intense than any rivalry in the NFL and if you need proof of this just watch the HBO documentary "The Rivalry" and you will understand.

Don't get me wrong I love the NFL and I don't buy into the whole argument that college is better because the players actually care. That is serious BS. The NFL is the best sports league in the world and there is no sport better than football. Nothing compares to an NFL game. I am just saying that college football is amazing.

The picture really says it all.

Random YouTube Video

One and Done

One and Done is a phrase used by members of the media to describe the current phenomenon of players going to college for 1 year and then leaving as it pertains to sports. What this means is that young men are being forced to go to college for 1 year before they are allowed to enter the NBA. No more straight out of high school kids. It is better known as the LeBron rule.

This rule is only enforced by the NBA as commissioner David Stern felt that too many kids were coming right out of high school and going into the NBA. He felt that the NBA could do some good and therefore made it mandatory for kids to go to school for 1 year before entering the pros.

What has happened however is that the term "student athlete" is being made a mockery of as these kids use colleges as pit stops on their way to the pros.

The whole process really started back in 2003 when Carmello Anthony led Syracuse University to a national championship as a freshman and then immediately declared for the draft being taken 5th overall by the Denver Nuggets.

Since Anthony there have been countless players who have gone to school for 1 year and then gone straight to the pros. Players like: Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and OJ Mayo all did their time at school in the NCAA and then made the jump to the NBA.

Now I do not have a problem with players going to the NBA at a young age. What I do have a problem with is the whole 1 year thing because all it does is make a mockery of student athletics by allowing these kids to go to a school, play basketball for 4 months and then leave. What is the point?

It's not as if these kids are getting an education. Hell they don't even stay for a whole year. Once the season is over what incentive is there for them to go to class? They know they are going to the pros so why bother. What 19 year old in their right mind would wake up for early morning classes when they know they have $20 million waiting for them in 4 months?

Nothing is gained by forcing these kids to go to college for 1 year. They gain absolutely nothing from it other than getting a chance to win a National Championship.

The rule is so stupid that some players are finding ways around it and getting their money right away. Brandon Jennings for example went to play basketball in Italy and made almost $600,000 last year rather than going to school. Now he is projected to go 9th overall to the Toronto Raptors in the upcoming draft.

What the NBA needs to do is either get rid of the rule or stretch it to a 2 year minimum of college. This way kids will either come right out of high school or get at least some form of education while at college.

If they want to just go right to the pros then let them. They may get their money or they may get injured and wind up a bum. Let them make the call. If they choose college then they stay for 2 years and learn something or maybe choose to stay since they are half way done. It is really a win win.

Some NCAA coaches have taken it upon themselves to try and fight this epidemic by not recruiting players who have plans of leaving after 1 season. The leading man behind this new movement is Mike Krzyzewski of Duke who refuses to recruit any player that wants to only stay for 1 year. It has caused Duke to falter somewhat but they are still a very competitive team every year and have made the NCAA March Madness tournament 20 years in a row.

As it stands right now 4 of the top 15 draft prospects are freshman who are coming out of school after only 1 year. That number is sure to rise with each passing year as more and more kids are going to make the jump to the NBA as soon as they are allowed.

If the NBA is actually serious about trying to ensure these young men are getting an education than they need to do something about this rule. Right now players are coming right to the pros with little or no education and are treating the NCAA and college as a speed bump on their way to the NBA.

Random Youtube Video

NCAA Championship Running Diary

Tonight is the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship game and will be my first time doing a running diary.  I am sitting in front of my TV with my diet Pepsi ready to make updates every few minutes.  I have picked Michigan State as my streak for the cash pick so hopefully they can pull through and help me win $1,000,000.  

If you are reading this then just keep hitting refresh on your page every few minutes for updates and analysis:

9:02 - Jim Nantz and Clark Kellog set up the game for us.  Turns out this is Kellog's first championship game.  Wish it had been Gus Johnson but at least Kellog is better than Verne Lundquist who takes it upon himself to ruin every game he works with his useless comments.  

They made reference to the game earlier this season where UNC won 98-63 which was the most points scored on a Tom Izzo team.  This should give MSU some motivation and hopefully they will put it out.

9:12  - Izzo is shown in the MSU locker room giving his team a pre-game speech.  The speech was clearly was not intended for the white players as not only are that at the very back of the room but I can say this confidently that won't be seeing the floor.

9:14 - The UNC team is shown in the tunnel getting ready for the game.  Odd that so many players have uniforms considering only 7 of their players will ever see the floor.  Seriously how was a team made it this far with such a shallow bench?  Gotta love it.

Seth Davis makes a brilliant comment as he says, "If they can pull off the upset then they will be the national champions."  Looks like we are in for a solid broadcast.

9:18 - Sweeping shots of the crowd show a MSU fan who might be the most creative student of all time as her sign reads, Sparty Like its 1979.  Genius.

9:20 - Travis Walton gets introduced for MSU and with the mic far too close to him he screams, "let's get these n*ggas here!" Amaaazing. 

I love when microphones accidentally catch stuff like this.  It is much better in wrestling when you can hear some of the worst things ever being said.  Wrestling may be fake but they take the acting real seriously.

9:23 - Clark Kellog expects a "hard fought and competitive game from both sides."  Thank god as I was worried for a second that both teams wouldn't bring their best effort and were planning on playing shitty. 

9:25 - We are reminded again that this is the largest crowd ever at 72,000 people.  Odd that the game is in Detroit aka the most economically depressed city in the USA.

Game is off to a quick start as both teams come out with a quick pace forgetting that basketball requires you to play defense. 

UNC 7 - MSU 3

9:26 - Having a hard time concentrating as my neighbour is currently telling everyone in the room about some broad he plans on banging tomorrow night saying, "I am gonna stick my finger in her bum."  I cleaned this up a bit as although there are no censors on this blog I can't in good conscience write what he actually said. 

UNC 10 - MSU 5

9:32 - UNC has come out on fire and is up 17-7 early.  The talk of anal sex reached an awkward conclusion and hopefully will not be brought up again for the rest of the night, or ever.  

Crank 2 movie trailer comes on during the commercials.  This iteration of the film has Jason Statham's character keeping himself alive by electrically charging his heart.  This might be the most anticipated film of the year and is already getting early Oscar buzz.

UNC 17 - MSU 7

9:39 - Danny Green of UNC picks up two quick fouls and is sent to the bench for a rest.  While on the bench he should probably get himself yet another awful tattoo.  Seriously this kid has some of the worst tattoos I have ever seen.

UNC 24 - MSU 8

9:45 - During the break a Mr. Sub commercial comes on the air.  These are probably the worst commercials ever.  Seriously this guy digging the hole has the worst accent I have ever heard. Is he from Russia or Romania or what?  Also he may just be the long lost brother of Goran Sutton. Finally why are the two guys watching the guy digging the hole wearing suits while the 3rd is in a wife beater? Explain this to me Mr. Sub.  I need closure.

UNC 26 - MSU 11

9:47 - My other neighbour Baby J has entered the room and within 2 minutes of being here has already called Tyer Hansborough "Psycho T" and the "Big Handsbeezy."  These nicknames cause me insant irritation and quickly remind why I hate Hansborough so much.

He also has suggested that MSU go for the "Whitewash" which is when a team puts all white players on.  A brave tactic that is not utilized nearly enough for Baby J's liking.

More anal sex talk has started and seems like it may be a common theme throughout the night.

UNC 31 - MSU 11

9:53 - MSU hits a basket and trims the lead to 21 which elicts a loud "YES!" from me.  I instantly get ripped on for cheering that my team is only down 21.  This is gonna be a long long game. 

"If I fucked bitches like rappers do then I would get arrested after." - Trizzle aka my neighbour and the same guy who started all the conversations about anal sex.  His talk was distracting but his desire to watch the game made up for it.

UNC 36 - MSU 18

10:00 - Raymar Morgan just got destroyed by Danny Green as they both went for a pass.  Even with his custom fit mask Morgan still got the worst of that as he is laying on the ground clutching his face.  Typical UNC play from Danny Green trying to intentionally foul...assholes.

UNC 43 - MSU 20

10:08 - MSU looks out of it and Kellog and Nantz have already crowned UNC champions and have taken it upon themselves to verbally jerk off the whole team.  I seriously hate when broadcast teams do this.  The game isn't even at half time and they have called it.  I realise the deficit is large but crazier things have happened.  Put the bias away.

I realise I am tremendously biased but hey this is a sports blog on the internet.  I am not on national TV here.

UNC 48 - MSU 25

10:12 - Magic Johnson is shown for the first time tonight which is surprising as in the Final Four game against Louisville they showed him 50+ times by halftime.  He looks real upset.  Don't know if it's because his team is losing or because he has the HIV.  He's just not only sure they are going to lose, he is HIV positive.  Either way not a good night for Magic.

MSU is on a little run here and have trimmed the lead to only 18 points.  This is seriously such a demoralizing game as MSU is struggling bad.  Draymond Green commits a foul causing Baby J to say, "I guess everyone doesn't love Draymond."  This is the highlight of the night so far...depressing

UNC 49 - MSU 30

10:20 - With a Wayne Ellington basket UNC has set a record for the most points scored in one half for the NCAA championship at 53.  At least things can't get any worse as there is nowhere to go but up for the Spartans frome here.  "No surge and no answer."  Thanks for that one Nantz.

UNC 55- MSU 34

HALFTIME...thank god

10:42 - Larry Bird needs to spend some money on a new tie as the one he was rocking during his halftime interview was mad ugly.  Also how come Larry Legend was in the tunnel and Magic Johnson was at the main desk with the CBS guys? Sadly neither Larry or Magic has aged well as Magic looks like he ate Larry Bird and Bird looks like he took up a career in boxing after he retired.  Seriously I have taken dumps that look better than Larry Bird.

UNC 57 - MSU 36

10:48 - The game has been so one-sided we have turned to discussing the nutritional value of carrots which I have learned is very minimal.  Baby J just asked if Goran Sutton is a Marvel Comics character due to the fact that he is invisible on the court. Can't agree with this as Sutton has been the only Spartan who hasn't been playing like that crap tonight.

Ty Lawson grabs his 8th steal of the game.  Racist jokes ensue.  Not by me of course.

UNC 61 - MSU 41

10:55 - Tyler Hansborough's mom is shown in the stands (hot) and immediately inappropriate comments ensue from Baby J.

The game doesn't seem to be holding the attention of the crew here as they have resorted to making gay jokes about one another.  I know this seems bad as in the last 15 minutes racist and homosexual jokes have been made but trust me it is all in good fun.

More shots of Hansborough's mom need to occur as this has become the most interesting part of the game.

UNC 62 - MSU 44

11:05 - In the span of 10 seconds Goran Sutton set an illegal screen and hit Danny Green with a Randy Savage style elbow.  He is going to make one hell of a San Antonio Spur.

It has also been decided that my UFC nickname will be James "the Dancing Bear" Choleras.  I feel like this name will win over the fans but will also intimidate opponents as despite the fact I will be dancing I am still a bear.

UNC 67 - MSU 50

11:13 - The Bud Light commercial comes on where they have vintage NHL t-shirts in the cases. This has started a discussion on just how bad Bud Light actually is.  It has been agreed that if you as someone for a beer and they bring you a Bud Light that they do not like you. 

I remember buying a case for one of the hats.  Didn't drink any of the beer just rocked the hat. $35 for a hat.  Good deal. 

UNC 72 - MSU 55

11:16 - Vince Carter and Antwon Jameson are court side at tonight's game.  Any coincidence both their teams have losing records?  Or that they are both overpaid former all-stars.  I think this explains why they suck so much because they are more interested in this game than winning in the NBA.  

I also realise I need to take this lap top off my crotch or else I am going to be as sterile as Baby J.

UNC 72 - MSU 55

11:20 - Goran Sutton makes a big stop on the defensive end and makes "Psycho T" his bitch.

UNC 72 - MSU 56

11:25 - The teams have been exchanging baskets for the past few minutes and MSU has somehow trimmed the leaded to a mere 13.  Hansborough has picked up his 3rd foul.  Baby J dropped a dirty fart and it is currently killing my nostrils.  Good times all around.  

"Michigan State has one real fat cheerleader." - Trizzle "That's not nice to say about Magic Johnson." - Ryan.  Comedy gold.

UNC 76 - MSU 63

11:31 - Goran Sutton sets a nasty screen and sends Ty Lawson to floor.  As Sutton goes to move Lawson trips him from the floor and Sutton goes down hard selling it all the way.  Seconds later Hansborough gets gifted a charge call by the refs.  As Hansborough wipes the semen away from his mouth and winks at the official signifying their deal.  Must be nice to get every call.

Baby J just dropped an elephant fart that if we had people living below us surely would have killed them.  I hope the foundation is still intact.

UNC 80- MSU 65

11:40 - Bobby Frasor of UNC just got a steal and had a wipe open drive to the basket in which he opted for a lay up.  Bitch move.  Clark Kellog calls this balanced scoring "sharing the sugar."

Clips are being shown of Obama playing basketball with UNC which is obviously why they won.  Obama picked UNC to win his bracket so clearly he has the officials giving UNC all of the calls.  It all makes sense.

UNC 84 - MSU 68

11:43 - Tom Izzo has given up and is now putting all of the bench players in for MSU.  It isn't a whitewash yet but give it a few seconds.

Also with just over 1 minute to play Baby J has sat on the couch ending his occupation of the floor.  The floor is greatful as now it won't be bombed with farts every 5 seconds.  Honestly baby J drops the most hainous farts ever.  They all sound like he just crapped his pants.

UNC 87 - MSU 70

11:45 - The game has come to an end with almost every white player on both teams on the floor.  A sad day for MSU and a great day for UNC.  This has been one of the more forgetable championship games as MSU was never really in it.  At least it provided an opportunity for Sports Informer history to be with the first ever running diary of a game.  

Final Score: UNC 89 - MSU 72

This ends the NCAA running diary.  I hope you enjoyed it.  I will probably do another one of these on NFL draft day in a few weeks.  Also I have changed it so anyone can comment on posts now.  No longer do you need to register with the site. 

North Carolina's Golden Path to the Finals

So instead of doing a 'Weekend That Was' update this I have instead decided to write about North Carolina and their easy path to the championship game.  Monday night the UNC Tarheels play the Michigan State Spartans for the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship.  While the Spartans had to beat GOOD teams to get the finals including Kansas, Louisville, and UCONN their opponents in UNC were gifted by playing Gonzaga (mid major), Oklahoma (one-dimensional), and Villanova (over rated and fluky). 

Now I realise that this comes off as bias because I am a Spartans fan and have both Tyler Hansborough and coach Roy Williams on my Mount Rushmore of NCAA jerkstores but believe me I have brought some stats to the party.  I may write like a blowhard but I do occasionally like to reference some actual statistics.

3-Pointers

In every game since the round of 32 (this round needs a cool nickname) North Carolina's opponents have been shooting like crap from 3-point land.  In the Sweet 16 against Gonzaga (not a good team) the Zags went 7-23 from 3-point which is 30.4%.  In the Elite 8 against Oklahoma (one dimensional) the Sooners went 2-19 from 3-point which is 10.5%.  Finally in the Final Four the Villanova Wildcats (fluke to even be this far) went 5-27 which is 18.5%.

All of North Carolina's opponents couldn't hit a 3-pointer to save their life in these 3 games and it costly them dearly.  Now I know that this could be attributed to the Tarheel's defense but having watched all 3 of these games I can safely say that all 3 teams were missing wide open looks.  In the Villanova game star guard Scottie Reynolds missed open shot after open shot and helped cost his team the game.

Strength of Opponents

As previously stated North Carolina had to beat Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and Villanova to get into the championship game.  In terms of overall records this seems like a daunting task however once the tournament begins records are thrown out the window and the only thing that matters is the momentum a team currently has going.

Gonzaga

In the Sweet 16 UNC played Gonzaga.  Gonzaga had gotten this far by beating Akron 77-64 and narrowly beating Western Kentucky 83-81.  Gonzaga had no momentum and shot terribley which equals an easy win for UNC

Oklahoma

In the Elite 8 UNC played Oklahoma who had breezed their way through the tournament so far. However they had done so by beating weaker teams.  They opened the tourney with a 82-54 win over Morgan State and followed that up with a win over Michigan 73-63.  They then found themselves lucky enough to be playing Syracuse who was exhausted as coming into the tournament they had played 4 games in 4 nights, including a 6 overtime marathon game against UCONN.  

Villanova

Villanova had almost as easy a road to the Final Four as UNC as they had beaten up on American University 80-67, a sub-par UCLA team 89-69, and an underwhelming Duke squad 77-54.  Their only hard game was against Pittsburgh and if not for Levance Fields attempting to take a charge rather than trying to block a shot they would not have won that game.

Clearly the teams that UNC had to beat to make it to the national championship were not as great as originally believed as they were either given easy opponents to make it that far or faced the right team at the right time.

Conclusion

Many people are writing off Michigan State already and are doing so based on the 98-63 loss to UNC earlier this season.  I feel like this is game has no bearing on Mondays game other than to give the Spartans extra motivation. 

The game is at Ford Field in Detroit so obviously the home crowd will favor MSU which should help.  Added to this is the incredible momentum MSU has after beating two #1 seeds in a row (Louisville and UCONN) which should give the team extra confidence as they are this years giant killers.

However in order for MSU to be successful they will need to force UNC to go to its bench early. The only reserve players that UNC have (that don't completely suck) are Bobby Frasor, Ed Davis, and Tyler Zeller.  MSU has a much deeper bench and if they can force UNC into early foul trouble then they should be able to win this game.

Sidenote: I will be doing a running blog diary of this game on Monday night adding updates every few minutes, or when something merits being written about, so come to the site during the game (if possible) and keep hitting refresh for constant updates.

Random Youtube Video

Snake in the Bluegrass

Congratulations John Calipari you are now officially a giant douchebag.  I always thought he was an arrogant jerk but I now know that he is truly nothing more than a selfish and thoughtless person. On Tuesday it became official that Calipari would leave the Memphis Tigers and take the head coaching job at the University of Kentucky.  He will now be the highest paid coach in college basketball signing an 8 year $31.65 million dollar deal with the Wildcats.

Why does this anger me so much you ask?  Well let me tell you.

Reason #1

When Memphis was made a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament this year Calipari bitched and whined to the media about Memphis was an amazing program and they deserved to be discussed amongst the big schools.  His team lost in the Sweet 16 and then he quits on them. Great commitment to your school doucher.  God forbid you stay with a team you so vehemently defend.  What does it say about the school if you bail on them to join a "big name" school like Kentucky.  To me it says that you don't believe in Memphis and everything you said was bullshit.

Reason #2

By leaving Memphis Calipari has ruined that program for years.  Not only is the team left without a head coach, who was great at recruiting, but he is also taking Memphis' top recruit with him.  Freshman Wesley Witherspoon has decided to transfer to Kentucky to be with coach Calipari.  Fellow freshman star Tyreke Evans has also decided to declare for the NBA draft as he was only staying in Memphis to be coached by Calipari.  So now he has single handily taken away Memphis' ability to recruit and has cost them their two best freshman players.

Five-star center DeMarcus Cousins, a late pledge who has not signed an official letter of intent with Memphis, is one of them, as are guards Nolan Dennis and Xavier Henry, who have opt-out clauses in their commitments to Memphis in the event that Calipari is gone.

Reason #3

He is a massive liar.  In a press conference with the team Calipari told them that leaving Memphis was, "the hardest decision of my life."  Was it actually?  His team lost in the Sweet 16 and one week later you bail on them for the Kentucky job.  The whole series of events occurred in under 10 days.  Was is that hard of a decision really?  Seems to me like he jumped all over the opportunity to coach at Kentucky and took the job as soon as possible.

Clearly Calipari was doing what was best for himself by taking this job.  He got offered a lot of money and he is doing what is best for his family.  I am ok with that aspect.  But if that is your logic then just say so.  I hate when coaches or athletes or anyone really puts up a massive front to try and save face.  He is screwing over Memphis and his whole rant about Mid-Majors deserving to be ranked higher in the tournament has been proven to be pure crap as he has jumped ship to the first Major school that offered him a job.

So congratulations Kentucky you have signed the biggest dirtbag coach in all of the NCAA.  May you share many wonderful years together and win plenty of NIT championships.

Random Youtube Video

NCAA vs NBA

March Madness is one of the greatest tournaments and sporting events of the year as it is exciting and gives fans a better look at the future of the NBA.  With that being said though the NBA is much better to watch than NCAA basketball, even the tournament games.  I'm not saying NBA playoff games I am talking about any NBA game during the season is better than any NCAA game whether it be during March Madness or not.  There are a few exceptions, Duke vs UNC and the NCAA Championship game, but for the rest of the games it does not even come close to comparing.

Now one thing I do love about the NCAA is that the players truly care about whether they win or lose.  They don't play for money and it shows when young guys like Blake Griffin dive into the stands for a loose ball and when guys cry during games that they lose.  Imagine seeing Allen Iverson cry on the bench if his team got knocked out of the playoffs?  Doesn't happen.

This however does not take away from the overall much inferior play in the NCAA.  Watching March Madness has reminded just how bad some of these college players are.  Not only can 98% of guards and forwards not drive the line but with the exception of Thabeet, Blair, and Hansbrough none of the big men can finish around the basket.

Too many NCAA teams rely too heavily on the 3 ball and instead of creating open looks by driving the lane and kicking out or simply beating someone off the dribble teams simply work the ball around the perimeter and then toss up a prayer with the clock winding down.  A few times over the weekend I would see a team jack up a 3, miss, get the offensive rebound, then jack up another 3 ball within 2 seconds of getting the ball.  God forbid you run some sort of offense.

If a player did that in the NBA he would be benched for the rest of the game, unless of course he is Zac Randolph who is just unconscious and shoots from everywhere on the floor with little or no consequence.  Teams in the NBA run offensive plays that they work on all week in practice and then utilize in games to score points.  This leads me to wonder what teams in the NCAA do all week.  Practice jump shots from half court for 90 minutes a day?

Another reason I prefer the NBA is because at the NBA level a fan can really get attached to a team and a player.  For instance if you are a Lakers fan then lucky for you Kobe Bryant is on your team and has been there for years now.  He will more than likely end his career there and you can always look back at how he made the Lakers great.  In the NCAA players go for 1 or 2 years and then leave.  Players like Tyler Hansbrough and Lavance Fields who are 4 year players are the exception.  This makes getting attached to a team more difficult as when you look back at the history of your team it is a long list of people you only have fleeting memories of.

Lastly there are the crowds.  While crowds at the perennial Duke vs UNC game are always crazy they set the benchmark and no rivalries even come close.  Fans go because it is free but their passion and love of their team is more often than not alcohol induced.  Look at the first two rounds of March Madness.  There were empty seats as far as the eye could see and the crowds never seem to get into the games too much.  Compare that to the NBA where every night at the ACC the crowd goes crazy or at the Cavs games where people are constantly on their feet for LeBron James.  Some schools in the NCAA have amazing crowds that are legendary but they are few and far between.  The NBA overall has a much stronger fan base that doesn't go to the games cause their free and to get wasted.

While the NBA has been somewhat tarnished over these past few years as more and more players don't care about winning but only making money it is still a game that is far superior to the college game.  The players are better and fans can form a stronger attachment to their team through these players who are the face of a franchise.  The average crowd is there to watch great basketball and are much more into the game than the average college crowd. 

Really if you need to settle any sort of debate just ask this question.  Would you rather watch Blake Griffen (best NCAA player in the country) play the best game of his life or watch any regular game with Kobe, LeBron, or Dwyane Wade?  The answer I hope is obvious.

Random Youtube Video

First Round Thoughts

Cinderella is a Bitch

Seriously Dayton, Wisconsin, Western Kentucky and Cleveland St. can kiss the fattest part of my ass.  My brackets which were looking strong after Friday have now officially been dumped on by these "Cinderellas."  I love the Madness but I am starting to really get tired of that phrase.  How can a team be called Cinderella when they are only making it out of the first round?  You gotta make a run deep into the tourney to be considered a true Cinderella.

The worst part about all this is that collectively these four teams have cost me 5 grand as now I have been officially eliminated from the Facebook 5k Bracket Challenge.  I needed that money to support my Taco Bell addiction.  Now I have to eat at Arby's.  Thanks guys.  

Famous Kids

Turns out that there is some serious star power in this tournament as the sons of Michael Jordan and Master P both played this weekend.  Jeff Jordan the son of Michael Jordan aka the Greatest basketball player ever, a sophomore at Illinois played, 11 minutes against Western Kentucky. He scored 1 point and no doubt cost his team the game.   Way to ruin the family name.

Master P's son, Percy Miller aka Lil Romeo, on the other hand didn't see the court and instead cheered his USC Trojans to victory over the Boston College Eagles.  This proves the theory that if you want to be successful in college basketball never play the child of a celebrity. 

Falling In Love With the 3-Pointer

It has become abundantly clear to me why the pro game is so much better than the amateur game.  In the pros players can create open looks, they can drive to the basket, and there are players who can post-up down low.  In the college game all teams do it jack up 3 balls.

I took a random game that I didn't really watch: Pitt vs East Tennessee State.  In the game Pitt went 7-19 from beyond the arc and East Tennessee State went 4-22.  It's sad really when you watch a team knowing that they can't win because they can't hit 3's but then it makes you happy when you know you picked a team with an inside presence to win it all.  

Seriously once you are 4-18 from 3-point land just stop shooting 3 balls.

He Got Boned

Going into the Madness I had done some research and came across one of the best coaching names out there...Ken Bone.  Ken Bone coaches at Portland State.  In the first round his team was playing Xavier who I thought was over rated.  This almost got be to take Bone and his Vikings but logic won over comedy and in the end I passed on Ken Bone.

Good thing because Ken Bone failed to achieve victory and instead tasted bitter defeat.  Bone will be back however as Portland State is in the lowly Big Sky Conference and should be back next year.

Bone in 2012.  I can see the buttons and bumper stickers now.

Old Man Strength

Gary Wilkinson is a 6'9 240lb forward that plays for the Utah State Men's basketball team who was knocked out of the tournament today after a heart breaking loss to Marquette.  He is also a 26 year old MAN.  That's right this man is 26 and still in college.  How is this is allowed?  I don't know but he clearly uses his old man strength to his advantage.

To put this into perspective he is older than LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmello Anthony, and Chris Bosh.  I guess the NCAA felt bad and let this slide because they knew Utah State would suck but really this just isn't right.

Random Youtube Video (Remember Roller Jam?)

The Obama Bracket

So I was browsing the Internet today in class, checking out the usual websites when I clicked on ESPN.com and saw a video that, to me, was one of the coolest videos I have ever seen.  It was this video:

President of the United States of America Barack Obama filling out his NCAA March Madness bracket with ESPN writer Andy Katz.  At first I thought to myself this is pretty sweet that Obama is doing a bracket on ESPN but then I realised how truly significant it was.

Think about it.  The NCAA College Basketball Championship Tournament was founded in 1939 which means that it is 70 years old.  In that time 12 different men have been President of the United States.  Not one of those men before Obama would ever think of doing something like this.  Now obviously for men like Truman it wasn't really a possibility but still that should not tarnish the significance.

The most powerful man in the entire world took time out of his day to pick a bracket just like a normal person would do.  It is proof of the evolution of the office of President as before the men who held the position held themselves on a pedestal that no one could ever reach.  Yet Obama has brought a human touch to the Presidency as he comes off as someone you might hang out with on a regular basis.

I also love the fact that he knows what he is talking about.  He didn't pick his bracket based on politics he went with his knowledge.  He watches college basketball and is going to watch some of the tournament.  He was talking about certain players and key match-ups like he was an analyst for ESPN. 

Now I know that this isn't the usual kind of stuff that I write and that I may be giving too much emphasis to such a minuscule event but I found it really interesting to see how modern society has produced a man of its time.  Presidents of the past have always seemed out of date but with Obama he is right there on top of the stuff that everyday people find important.

Now if you want to see how he broke down his bracket just watch the video because he and I have some similar picks except he blew it in the championship game as Louisville will be taking it home.

Best line of the whole video is when Obama says, "now because of Reggie Love I gotta go with Duke" to which Katz replies "the whole way?" and Obama quickly shuts him down with a "no no not the whole way...come on now."  Burn on the DUKEEEES.

Random Youtbe Video

Rap Video Controversy

Going into the 2008 NCAA Football season the Oklahoma Sooners had secured themselves an excellent crop of rookies with their best recruit being Josh Jarboe. Jarboe is 6-3 195lbs and was ranked as the 10th best receiver recruit in the entire nation. However Jarboe came with some serious baggage as in his senior year of High School he was arrested on weapons charges when he brought a gun to school.

Now when they recruited him Oklahoma and Head Coach Bob Stoops were well aware of these charges and they made a commitment to the young man that they were going to look past this incident and allow him to come play. However 2 weeks ago a Youtube video was released that showed Jarboe rapping in a “derogatory manner” and Jarboe was subsequently kicked off of the team.

"We are disappointed in this outcome, but our complete review and this final decision is in the best interest of our program," Stoops said in a statement. "We outlined for Josh the expectations we had for and, unfortunately, those expectations have not been met. Josh needs to learn from this experience. We hope he can move forward in a positive manner."

I think this is a complete cop out by Stoops and Oklahoma. Rap is just music. Just because in his freestyle he said the word “gun” doesn’t mean that he is going to shoot somebody or have another gun related incident. People have been rapping about violence for decades now and how many rappers actually shoot people? It is an expressive art form that often gets taken out of context by people who aren’t familiar with it.

To make matters worse only days earlier Notre Dame freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen was photographed drinking at a party. Notre Dame took no disciplinary action on Clausen and people have already forgotten about it. Now to me this is a more severe offense as by drinking that beer Clausen was breaking the law by drinking under age. All Jarboe did was rap and he gets kicked out of school. Maybe it is a racial thing but I highly doubt it. I think that Clausen being a quarterback at a powerhouse school like Notre Dame means he can get away with more than a receiver at Oklahoma. However it just shows how unfairly Jarboe was treated.

I also feel that Oklahoma has let this kid down in a way. What if instead of just kicking him off the team and giving up on him the coaches at the school and his new teammates tried to help him change his life for the better. Maybe if they sat down with him and explained that this sort of behavior, while innocent to Jarboe, reflects badly on him and the school he would realize he needs to be more conscience of what he does. I can think of numerous stories of players who had rough pasts and corrected their lives through sports.

Look at Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. Only 12 months ago Hamilton was in rehab and was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Now he is clean and sober and is having an MVP type season. Imagine they had just kicked him out of baseball and everyone had given up on him? Jarboe is getting a raw deal from Oklahoma and I think that he should have been allowed to stay on the team.

I think that a bigger moral of this story though is that in this day and age athletes and celebrities need to understand that there are so many people out there with cameras on their cell phones and anyone can use Youtube that they need to always be conscience of what they are doing. People are always going to try and invade your privacy and these athletes, like Josh Jarboe, need to understand that their actions have consequences.

Hopefully Josh Jarboe lands on his feet and plays football somewhere this upcoming year or at least goes to school. I think that he deserves another chance and that his coaches and teammates should stand behind him and say that this was just a simple mistake and that it wasn’t anything major. The kid is only 18 years old he is going to do some immature things throughout his life but a positive influence like sports can keep him occupied and away from the negative aspects of life.