The Curry Bunch: A Comprehensive Analysis

(Stephen, Dell, & Seth Curry)

Here it is, the much awaited and highly anticipated column on the Curry family! To kick things off, I will say that in the above picture, Dell's Toronto Raptor team is definitely the worst team of the three represented. Notice the family unity though, all three Curry men wearing #30. Like father like son like brother. In case you don't already know, here are the basic facts about the Curry posse:

Dell Curry

• Father of Stephen & Seth Curry
• Born Wardell Stephen Curry on June 25th, 1964
• Star basketball player at Virginia Tech
• 16 year NBA career while playing for 5 different teams
• 1994 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
• 23rd in NBA history in made 3-pointers
• 2004 inductee of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame
• Married to Sonya Curry
• Frequently shown on TV watching his son(s) play
  

Stephen Curry

• Son of Dell & Sonya Curry, Brother of Seth Curry
  
• Born Wardell Stephen Curry II on March 14th, 1988
  
• Junior at Davidson College
  
• Standout guard and household name after last year's NCAA Tournament, leading the Wildcats to the Elite Eight
• 2008 Southern Conference Player of the Year
• Too many other awards to list here
• Leads the nation in scoring, averaging 28.6 points per game
• Seems like a good guy
• Shown on TV playing basketball a lot
  

Seth Curry

• Son of Dell & Sonya Curry, Brother of Stephen Curry
• Born Seth Curry on August 23rd, 1990
• Freshman at Liberty University
• Standout guard and soon to be household name due to his family name, as well as his basketball abilities
• All-State, All-Conference, CSAA-All-American accolades
• About to win many Big South Conference awards
  
• Leads all Freshman in scoring with 20.6 points per game
• Seems like a Curry, therefore, a good guy
• Not shown on TV playing basketball enough

Sonya Curry

• Wife of Dell Curry, Mother of Stephen & Seth Curry
• Former volleyball standout at Virginia Tech
• Probably has won many awards in her past
• Sends text messages with scriptures to her sons
  
• Most recognizable mother in college basketball
• Cries
  
• Often shown on TV watching her son(s) play

You are now familiar with the Curry cast of characters. Due to Matt's incessant nagging, I'll now try to explain how neither Curry son is playing for a big time college basketball program, along with why Seth chose to take a different route and not play with his brother at Davidson.

Let's start with Stephen. The eldest Curry son didn't attract attention from big-time college programs because of his size. Stephen looked like he was 14 his freshman year and might look like a freshman if he stays around for his senior year. His final decision concerning where to play came down to Winthrop, Virginia Commonwealth, a walk-on role at Virginia Tech, and Davidson. Coach Bob McKilop and assistant coach Matt Matheny sold Stephen on Davidson in the living room of the Curry household during a recruiting visit in September of 2005. Notice that Stephen turned down an offer to play at Virginia Tech, his father's alma mater. This theme will come up over and over again as we discuss the Curry boys. Here is a quote from Coach Bobby Cremins after his College of Charleston team lost to Davidson in the Southern Conference Championship game during Stephen's freshman year: "When I see Seth Greenberg (head coach at Virginia Tech), I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. The kid (Stephen) wanted to follow his dad to Virginia Tech, and I'm disappointed in Seth right now." This quote was mostly given in jest, but one can kind of sense Cremins mocking Seth Greenberg underneath it all. The ACC missed out on Stephen Curry and now he was giving coaches in the Southern Conference headaches. We all know the rest of the story with regard to Stephen Curry and Davidson. Let's move on to Seth.

Seth Curry always had the fact that Dell Curry was his father going for him. As he finished up his high school career, he had to deal with the pros and cons of now being Stephen Curry's brother. Even with this name association notoriety, Seth (like Stephen) was overlooked by programs in powerhouse conferences, most notably the ACC. I can't say with absolute assurance why Seth was overlooked. One would think that after Stephen Curry made a mark during his freshman and sophomore years at Davidson, someone would have tried to recruit Seth if for no other reason than to have Stephen Curry's brother on their team. Genetics mean something, right? The reasons for Seth being ignored are pretty weak...he suffered a hamstring injury the summer before his senior year of high school, along with the same fears that he was too small and undersized to succeed at the college level. Because of these things, Seths' final decision concerning where to play college basketball came down to Virginia Tech, Davidson, and Liberty. Notice the Virginia Tech theme? Apparently, Virginia Tech's offer to Seth came late in the recruitment process. Their offer included a scholarship, but it also included a redshirt year. Seth Curry is quoted as calling the pitch from Virginia Tech "a token offer", to which Seth Greenberg (VT head coach) replied "an offer is an offer." I don't believe that Seth Curry ever wanted to play for Virginia Tech due to the fact that they weren't trying to woo him from the beginning. In every article I came across, Seth Greenberg sounded at a loss, irritated, and bitter with regard to missing out on both Curry boys.

It then came down to Davidson or Liberty to determine where Seth would make his mark. You'd think that two talented kids from a good family would end up playing college basketball together if their abilities allowed them. Obviously, this didn't happen. I believe that Seth choosing to play for Liberty was due to Stephen's unexpected success at Davidson, Liberty Coach Ritchie McKay's unrelenting pursuit of Seth, and simple birth order. If Stephen is average/good, but not great/amazing at Davidson...I believe we might have been watching both Curry boys play for the Wildcats this season. Stephen became the face of the Davidson team last year. Davidson's run in the tournament became a national story. Stephen Curry was now a household name. While Seth's decision to play at Liberty might have been made before last year's NCAA Tournament, college basketball fans, especially those in the Carolinas, were already raving about his brother. If you're Seth...why go somewhere where your (family) name is already established? Why go someplace where you'll always be compared to your brother? Davidson did extend Seth a scholarship offer, but as much as he wanted to play alongside his brother, Seth wanted to carve his own identity. One of the biggest desires he had was the opportunity to play immediately...Virginia Tech wasn't going to give that to Seth, and as crazy as it sounds, immediate playing time was no guarantee if he had gone to Davidson.

Seth Curry must know that he's a good basketball player. He also has to be competitive as hell on some level. These things go hand-in-hand. I'm guessing that Seth didn't want to live/play in his brother's shadow at Davidson because he has aspirations of accomplishing the same things that his brother has at the mid-major level. Imagine the taunting involved if Seth could boast to Stephen that he put LIBERTY college on the national map, made an NCAA Tournament run, and gave the school recognition for something other than being associated with Jerry Falwell. Athletes are naturally competitive. Brothers are a MILLION times more competitive. It's biology.

Here is Seth Curry himself in a quote that sums it all up: "He (Stephen) was making such a big splash and no matter what I did, I was always going to be in the background at Davidson. I was always going to be his little brother, and even though I'm still his little brother, now I'm doing it at my own place." And all the fans of the Liberty Flames rejoiced!

I do have a few questions remaining after this research on the Curry family:

1. What quotes has Seth Greenberg thrown out there with regard to missing out on recruiting the Curry brothers? Has he lost it during a press conference? How does he really feel about it? Does he care? Or does he sometime cry himself to sleep thinking what could have been?
2. Has Dell and Sonya Curry stopped giving donations to Virginia Tech after each of their sons were of such low-priority during the recruitment process? Do they still show up for any alumni events at VT? Do they promote their alma mater in public?
3. Does Seth Curry going ot Liberty give weight to the idea that Stephen is definitely coming back for his senior season at Davidson? If Stephen was leaving after this year for the NBA, then Seth would have only had to deal with one year in his brothers shadow, learned from him, then taken over the team next year (if he had chosen to play at Davidson). Did Seth know something we didn't when he chose to become a Flame? If Stephen does stay for his senior year...will the two schools do the smart thing and schedule an out-of-conference game during the holidays next year?

I'll leave you with some stats:

Freshman season averages for both Curry brothers:

• Stephen - 21.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, .463 FG%, .408 3P%
• Seth - 20.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, .421 FG%, .359 3P%

Which Curry will go down as the best Curry?

0201

Props To The Patriot League #1

I promised my readers a regular Patriot League update...and I'm delivering on that promise. Watch as I skillfully navigate my way through a league I know little to nothing about. I'm hoping that Chaz (Holy Cross graduate) will chime in at some point to provide insight to this select group of academic institutions. The Patriot League's motto is great: "Today's Scholar-Athletes, Tomorrow's Leaders." This blatantly reveals that, while these kids may have heart, determination, and brains...they don't necessarily have much in the way of athletic skill. But this is not a bad thing. The motto is also saying, although we might lose to you in basketball...your dropouts will be working for our graduates in five years. "Winning" is truly relative.

Here are the Patriot League standings as of Wednesday night:

1. American University Eagles - 20-7, (12-1) - (RPI: 80)
2. Holy Cross Crusaders - 15-13, (10-3) - (RPI: 184)
3. Navy Midshipmen - 18-10, (7-6) - (RPI: 146)
4. Lehigh Mountain Hawks - 15-12, (5-8) - (RPI: 240)
5. Army Black Knights - 9-18, (5-8) - (RPI: 308)
6. Colgate Raiders - 9-18, (5-8) - (RPI: 292)
7. Lafayette Leopards - 8-20, (4-9) - (RPI: 306)
8. Bucknell Bison - 7-21, (4-9) - (RPI: 296)

This is not the best of years for the Patriot League. Their conference RPI is 26...and that's out of 31 conferences. Four of their teams have an RPI of 292 or worse (out of 343 possible schools). American U. is the class of the league, losing only one conference game to an always feisty Holy Cross squad. The Crusaders have overachieved this season, going 3-8 to start the year with losses coming at the hands of Brown, Harvard, and Yale. (Insert your own intellectual, elitist, Ivy League taunt here) Holy Cross has bounced back nicely in league play and have wrapped up the #2 seed for the Patriot League conference tournament. Navy last went to the Elite Eight in 1986 when David Robinson was their star player. Lehigh's most notable alumni is none other than capitalist crusader Lee Iacocca. Army and Lafayette are noteworthy because neither team has ever been to the NCAA Tournament. Bucknell became the first Patriot League team to win a NCAA Tournament game in 2005 when, as a #14 seed, they defeated #3 Kansas by a score of 64-63. And Colgate reminds people of toothpaste. Seriously...I'm sure Colgate is a nice safety school for those who couldn't get into Wellesley.

Each Patriot League team has one game left in the regular season. All four of those games happen this Saturday. Here are the match-ups: American U. at Lafayette, Lehigh at Holy Cross, Army at Bucknell, and Colgate at Navy. My projected winners are in bold, as I have to make picks. The Patriot League Conference Tournament is right around the corner. First round games begin next Wednesday (March 4th), so I'll check back in with these beloved 8 teams some time next week with a Tournament preview.

0201

Blog Intro #3 - What We Know

Nothing. We know absolutely nothing. That's a good place to start.

I quit the blog. I was done. It was finished. For a good 15 minutes tonight, the previous three statements were true. I was as furious as Bob Knight during a solid chair toss as I watched the Pitt debacle, only I was not sporting a stylish polo shirt or knit sweater. I've followed this team all season and this is how they repay me? A shit-tastic performance at Providence? Going down less than 48 hours after being voted the #1 team in the country? I felt as if I had teleported back to 2005 and was watching a Carl Krauser led Panthers squad. There was no precedent from this season hinting at the possibility of a pathetic effort such as this. In EVERY SINGLE GAME the Pitt Panthers had played this season, they led by 10 points during the contest (yes, even in their two losses). It was INCONCEIVABLE that a scenario like this would play out. A Pitt loss while ranked number one? Sure...those things happen. But being down on the road by 18 at halftime after being labeled the nation's best? That my friends is ridiculous.

What was the point of the blog? Why go on? I don't want to see these upset highlights over and over again, let alone discuss the event rationally, let alone WRITE about it. Why suffer like that? My feelings could be summed up by a text Liz sent me after North Carolina fell to Maryland on Saturday: "It's too soon. I can't talk about it." Exactly.

And it is too soon. But curiously enough, I find myself writing about the Pitt upset at Providence. Why? Because that's what we do as fans. We move forward...always moving forward. The pain makes us sick. Losses deflate us. Upsets feel like a punch in the face. But there is always the next game...and if not the next game...the next season. No matter what happens with the stupid teams we root for based on whatever reasons we have to root for them...we're going to come back. We're going to cheer, swear, yell, bitch, and taunt. That's our role. As fans, that's what we're here to do. There is a lot of basketball left to be played. Victory and redemption are always around the corner. (In Pitt's case, that victory better come Saturday night at Seton Hall, or this blog really is over)

TURN RECORD OVER

I need these blog intros to be over...so with absolutely no transition, here are a few things that we kinda, sorta, might know about college basketball this season:

• The four best teams in the country are Pitt, North Carolina, UConn, and Oklahoma. There is a marked drop-off after this group with the next tier being Memphis, Michigan State, Louisville and an ACC team yet to be determined. BUT...the top four teams from this year are not as good as the top four teams from last year when all #1 seeds reached the final four. Each of these four teams have weaknesses and each of these four teams have shown they can lose at any time. Do not fill out a control bracket this year and expect to win you pool. (P.S. I guarantee I beat the control bracket in Phil's pool this year)
• The SEC and the PAC-10 stink. Here's a little exercise - Think about your team playing in the NCAA tournament. Now imagine that they just defeated some small school in the first round and are gearing up for their second round match-up against an unknown SEC or PAC-10 school. Now go through the list of every single team in those conferences that might make the tournament and find ONE team that you would be worried about. I'll wait. (downloading music and twittering about blogging while waiting) You finished? I DARE you to name me one team from either conference that you think your team could not beat.
• The Big 10 plays the most boring brand of basketball in the history of humankind. Penn State defeated Illinois 38-33 last week. That score really speaks for itself and I should stop there, but the fascinating thing is that Illinois was ranked #16 at the time and was playing at HOME!!! It was also the second time this season that Illinois failed to score 40 points in a game. Penn St. is much improved this year, but hardly a powerhouse. The Fighting Illini and the Big 10 should be embarrassed. Play the exercise from the point above with the Big 10 and see if you come across any scary teams besides Michigan St. Maybe Iowa could switch conferences so the Big 10 could actually be the Big 10 again. I'm only filling out a Big 10 Conference Tournament bracket this year because of principle...not because I'll enjoy it.
• The following individuals all have something in common: Oliver Purnell (Clemson), Trent Johnson (LSU), Leonard Hamilton (Florida State), Mike Anderson (Missouri), Craig Robinson (Oregon State), Jeff Capel (Oklahoma), and Lewis Jackson (Alabama State). What do these men have in common you ask? They are all GREAT college basketball head coaches.
• Nobody is officially in or out of the NCAA Tournament yet. I haven't been offered a large sum of money to sell-out this blog (yet), but I'm starting to wonder if I'd accept the offer should it present itself. (I TOTALLY would, but stay with me) The media is driving ME crazy...and that's saying something. I'm starting to realize that if one pays attention to something for long enough, it will eventually begin to dissolve one's brain. According to "analysts" and "experts" there are roughly 82 teams that are locks for the NCAA Tournament, with another 27 or so on the bubble. The 24 hour news cycle is truly maddening. I'm all for talking/complaining/bs'ing about sports, but come on members of the media...talk about strong teams from lesser known conferences, Jerry Wainwright's hair, or the lost art of the mid-range jump shot instead of relentlessly guessing bubble teams when all know things will really start to take shape next week. I'm Desmond Huntington and I'm in the NCAA Tournament. Thanks for reading.

0201

Weekend Wrap-Up - Oscar Edition

"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative" ~ Oscar Wilde

"I love trash...I love it because it's trash" ~ Oscar The Grouch

I'm taking a moment here for self evaluation. I'll fully admit that my writing has not been up to snuff and that I've been recycling bits from last year's blog. I'm not necessarily going to CHANGE anything, I just wanted to disclose this in the hope that this blog will be an enjoyable experience for everyone, and that I'll continue to improve all the time. Thank you kindly. Tidings be.

Only 3 weeks left until selection Sunday. We're dangerously close to the beginning of the conference tournaments so it's time for this blog to push things forward. To do this, I'm going to attempt something never done before in the history of writing: create fake, Oscar'esque categories through which I'll describe some component of college basketball that took place over the weekend. Brilliant!

Best upset of the weekend: Take your pick - North Carolina lost to Maryland in overtime, UCLA got bumped by Washington St. at home, Oklahoma got shocked by Texas after Blake Griffin took one in the head, Robert Morris embarrassingly got tripped up by Wagner, Jerry Lewis continues to defeat death, and I actually ended up at the 31st Street Pub for a rock show.

Best performance picking Bracket Busters games: Not me. I went a passable 8-5 with my picks. I'm still not sure what the purpose was with those picks, except that I enjoy making picks. When in doubt (not the movie), go with the Missouri Valley Conference, they went 7-3 in their non-conference games this weekend. Phil does not win this category either as he went 0-1 with his picks, brashly choosing a shaken Davidson team over Butler.

Best team from Iowa this weekend: The Iowa Hawkeyes...narrowly beating out the Drake Bulldogs to win this category. Jake Kelly set career highs with 23 points and 9 rebounds (while playing all 45 minutes) in Iowa's overtime victory over Michigan on Saturday.

Best team in the Patriot League: American University. In a Patriot League battle for the ages, American U. defeated Holy Cross 56-50 on Saturday. The Crusaders had an opportunity to move into a first place tie in the conference with the Eagles, but it was not meant to be. Although these two squads split the season series...American U. is safely in first place and Holy Cross looks good to be the number two seed for the upcoming conference tournament.

Best props given from the stage during a performance: Bob, to me. Much thanks to you Bob for pimping my blog during the show this weekend. I'm not sure how many rock and roll kids are into the college basketball, but I don't care, it's the thought and props that count. I am truly humbled, though not yet famous. You definitely got the Toby Ziegler in you.

Best player in a "supporting" role: I know the Tar Heels lost this weekend, but after watching a couple of their games recently, I'm thinking that Ty Lawson is the real star of that team. Tyler Hansbrough receives most of the press and a lot of the fanfare...but Ty Lawson seems to be the leader of that squad. He's the player I'd want with the ball in his hands down 2 with under a minute remaining. Lawson has more skills and is more versatile than any of his teammates. He shouldn't be overshadowed by Hansbrough anymore. Am I wrong?

Best team to be ranked #1 in the nation tomorrow: Pitt! I'm giddy.

Best teams not bothering to recruit defensive players: Duke and Notre Dame. Both teams scored over 100 points in their wins this weekend. That's great and sexy and what-not, but come next month, those teams are going to play tough games in the tournament (NCAA or NIT) where that kind of shit ain't gonna fly. Athletic and physical teams win in march. Teams made up of twigs that have a knack for hitting three pointers don't go very far.

Best tirade by a coach: Jim Calhoun. The University of Connecticut head coach decides who is stupid and discusses the economic implications of athletic organizations while making me really want iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. Enjoy!

0201

Bracket Busters Predictions

Dateline - McKeesport, PA

If ESPN is going to trot out 26 mid-major teams and pit them against one another under the guise of cross-strata competition while making a bunch of money off the whole deal...then I'm just going to have to predict the winners of each game. To make deadline, these are going to be quick.

Here are your winners of this weekend's Bracket Busters match-ups:

Friday, February 20th

Illinois St. (22-5, 11-5 MVC) at Niagra (21-7, 12-4 MAAC) - Both of these teams are probably the second best in each of their respective conferences. The Missouri Valley is the stronger conference, but I'm going with the home team because they need a moment of glory before losing to Siena in the MAAC Tournament. Winner - Niagra Purple Eagles

Virginia Commonwealth University (19-8, 12-4 Colonial) at Nevada (15-10, 8-4 WAC) - It makes no sense that ESPN would send VCU across the country to play this contrived Bracket Buster game...and that's exactly why they are going to win. Winner - VCU Rams

Saturday, February 21st

Northeastern (16-10, 11-5 Colonial) at Wright St. (16-11, 10-6 Horizon) - Northeastern has disappointed me all season. Wright St. plays in the best Mid-Major conference in the country. I hate to do it...but I gotta. Winner - Wright State Raiders

Liberty (20-8, 11-5 Big South) at Old Dominion University (17-9, 10-6 Colonial) - Both of these teams stink. There were better representatives in both of their conferences. Fortunately, the team that sucks less is also hosting this game. Layup. Winner - ODU Monarchs

Butler (22-4, 13-3 Horizon) at Davidson (22-5, 15-2 Southern) - Obviously the best and most marquee match-up of Bracket Busters weekend. I don't think that either team is as good as it was last season. Butler is very young. Davidson is all Stephen Curry this year. Winner - Davidson Wildcats (if Curry plays), Butler Bulldogs (if Curry is out)

Buffalo (17-7, 9-3 MAC) at Vermont (21-7, 12-3 America East) - I LOVE this Vermont team. They could very well be one of my own Bracket Buster choices in the upcoming days. Buffalo has a higher RPI, but I don't care. Great nickname here. Winner - Vermont Catamounts

Northern Iowa (18-9, 12-4 MVC) at Siena (21-6, 15-1 MAAC) - Normally, I'd be taking Northern Iowa here due to my Midwest bias. The problem is, they're playing Siena on the road. Siena is a really good team who could win a game or two in the NCAA tournament. Winner - Siena Saints

Miami Ohio (15-9, 8-4 MAC) at Evansville (15-11, 7-9 MVC) - Another game where I don't agree with the teams involved. I should go with the MVC team at home, but I'm not. Call it instinct. It's my column. Plus, MU Ohio produced a two time Super Bowl champion quarterback. Winner - Miami (Ohio) Red Hawks

Utah State (25-2, 12-1 WAC) at St. Mary's (21-5, 8-4 WCC) - This SHOULD be the marquee game of the weekend. Both of these teams are Tournament bound. Utah State does have to play on the road, but St. Mary's is missing super star Aussie Patrick Mills. Winner - Utah State Aggies

UW Green Bay (20-8, 12-4 Horizon) at Long Beach St. (13-11, 8-4 Big West) - Yet another game that doesn't make sense geographically. Look at Long Beach State's record...they stink. There's so much trouble in the L.B.C. Green Bay plays in the Horizon League, what else do you really need to know? Winner - UW Green Bay Phoenix

Hofstra (18-9, 10-6 Colonial) at Fairfield (15-12, 8-8 MAAC) - Those Fairfield fans are notorious for being crazy and really getting pumped up for big games like......I have no idea what I'm saying. Even I can't get excited for something like this. Winner - Hofstra Pride (I'm not making this up)

Boise State (17-8, 7-5 WAC) at Portland State (18-9, 9-5 Big Sky) - Boise State has a way better RPI, plays in a better conference, and has a much better football team. But I will NOT give up on this Portland State team...and they're not being denied at home. Winner - Portland State Vikings

George Mason (18-8, 11-5 Colonial) at Creighton (22-6, 12-4 MVC) - One doesn't travel into the land of Conor Oberst and expect to come away with a victory. I'm tired of George Mason. I think you know where I'm going here. Winner - Creighton Bluejays

Those are my Bracket Busters predictions. It may have been a complete waste of time, but then again, if there is a convoluted set of games to be played in college basketball this time of year...I'm going to make some predictions.

Props here to John and the town of McKeesport as the research for this column was done at the offices of the Daily News.

I'll be back soon with the third and final Blog Intro post. Thanks for reading.

0201

Blog Intro #2 - What I'm Curious To Find Out

(how did this happen?)

Last year we all asked the aforementioned question. Unfortunately, no answer provided sufficient explanation for this perplexing turn of events. Who would have believed that Bill Self could coach a team to a national championship? Nobody. That's who.

And do you know why nobody believed this? Because we weren't asking the right questions! Could an underachieving drunk who continually choked while coaching in the Big 10 lead his team past the likes of North Carolina & Memphis, while matching wits against the likes of Roy Williams & (Clarion's own) John Calipari? Well.....yes....apparently so. I just never thought to ask.

But I'm not here to discuss the past (too often). And I'm not here to try and figure out how Kansas won the National Championship (hurts my head). And I'm DEFINITELY not here to rehash topics of conversation that I've already exhausted (except when humorous or when provoking friends). What I am here to do is ask questions that pertain to this year's NCAA Tournament (and this lovely blog). So without further ado, here is a provocative and surprisingly fresh list of the Top 10 things I'm curious to find out over the next 8 weeks.

1. How will my friends and their teams be involved with this year's tournament? In an ideal situation, the following teams would make the field of 64 (65): Pitt, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Robert Morris, Villanova, Davidson, Holy Cross, Iowa, Gonzaga, Penn State, & Duquesne. Did I leave any program out? Of the teams listed, Notre Dame, Iowa, Penn State & Duquesne have little to no chance of making the Big Dance. Mike Brey's mock-turtlenecks and Luke Harangody's haircut will be sorely missed. If everyone else makes it in...this blog is going to be a lot of fun. Of course if Chaz doesn't make his presence known on this blog sometime soon, I'm going to be very disappointed.
   
2. Can the Pitt Panthers finally reach the Elite Eight? This program has turned itself around SO much since the Ralph Willard/Jerry McCullough era, but there are so many remaining hurdles to overcome. I can't realistically root for a Final Four appearance until I see them reach the Elite Eight first.
3. How many Tournament pools will I win? Three...Four...Five? Will I end up filling out bogus brackets in some pools to allow others the chance at victory? Is this blog merely a ruse to lead you in the wrong direction? How many times will you personally have to congratulate me for winning the pool you're involved in? We'll see.
4. When will the NCAA stop treating the "play-in" game like a joke? That's right...I'm going to beat this issue to death this year as well. A conference tournament champion, no matter how small the conference, should be rewarded by playing at a regional site where they get the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being in the limelight, dealing with reporters, meeting celebrities and (oftentimes) losing their first game by 20 or more. And that's fine! DON'T RELEGATE ANY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS TO THE PLAY-IN GAME! Solution: The "play-in" game should feature the last two teams on the bubble, according to the selection committee. These two teams should play Tuesday night in Dayton...and the winner would then be placed as the 11th or 12th seed in the region deemed the weakest. So simple. So smart. So good for TV. You'll thank and credit me later.
5. Why was Billy Packer removed from his announcing duties with Jim Nantz during the Final Four and replaced by Clark Kellogg? Because we won people. We won.
6. How many Northeast Conference Tournament games featuring Robert Morris will I attend? Without jinxing things...hopefully three. Robert Morris is in line for the #1 seed in the NEC (although they lost an embarrassing game at Monmouth tonight). The higher seed hosts every game in the NEC tournament, and for $5, you better believe I'm not missing one this year. I'm still bitter from last season. While writing this comprehensive blog, I didn't make it to one college basketball game...and I seemed to be the only one. Phil & Annie attended Notre Dame games. Rob attended the Missouri Valley Conference championship game (Drake won it all). Chaz & Liz attended Patriot League Tournament games in Washington D.C. I'm not getting left our this year. No way.
7. Which team will be this year's Davidson? I'll tell you right now...it's not going to be George Mason. Never again. NEVER! This question will be answered during my Bracket Busters columns, but I will say that I don't think this year's Davidson is going to be Davidson. It's hard to catch lightening in a bottle twice. I don't care how good Stephen Curry is.
8. Are there any teams with a legitimate shot to win it all outside of the ACC and Big East? I don't know. Seriously...I don't know...that's why I'm asking. The obvious answers are Oklahoma, then there is a drop-off before Memphis and possibly Michigan State. The Pac 10 stinks. Gonzaga? It is the 10 year anniversary of their coming out party. Xavier lost to Charlotte tonight. So a big NOPE on them. I just can't see it happening (yet). The Elite Eight could have 7 Big East/ACC teams then some random Cinderella.
   
9. Will Matt run away with the comments race? He's off to an early lead and looking very solid. I can't help but think that this bodes well for the well dressed Jay Wright and his Villanova squad. But we all know that comments don't equate to labels, so nobody can become complacent this early in the blog.
10. Who will become the star of this year's Tournament and who will become the star of this year's blog? I will reveal my thoughts for both, but only for gambling purposes. I'm not giving that shit away for free. Every Tournament and Tournament Blog is different. The best part about both is the process involved. Sit back, relax, taunt, and enjoy.
    

5 Quickie Questions Not Typed In Boldface:

1. Will Syracuse somehow find a way to choke this year?
2. When will Brian W. finally comment on this blog?
3. Will Trent Johnson look just as angry while coaching LSU?
4. How can one read this blog daily and still want to be my friend?
5. Which team will nearly upset Duke in the first round this year?

I'll have my picks for ESPN's convoluted Bracket Busters weekend up sometime tomorrow, followed soon thereafter by my third and final Blog Intro...splendidly titled: Blog Intro #3 - What We Know. Thanks for reading.

0201

Blog Intro #1 - What To Expect

Like The Killers on their Sam's Town album...I kicked things off with a bang (the already timeless running diary of Pitt's victory over UConn)...and will now take a step back to send greetings & explain myself through the writing gimmick called: using song lyrics as sub-headings. (This bit is totally a stolen idea, do not ask me about it. Good writers steal things, get over it)

• "We hope you enjoy your stay...it's good to have you with us, even if it's just for the day" - Enterlude

Welcome back loyal readers! Welcome back those near and far! Welcome those who were tricked into clicking on this blog! Welcome all! The college basketball blog is back. I'm very excited for this year. I started this blog last year because I needed a creative outlet and a distraction during a crappy time. This year, I'm doing the blog because I enjoy it so much, and more importantly, you readers make it so much fun and totally worth my while. Thank you all very much. Let's enjoy the ride!

• "Can We climb this mountain? I don't know, higher now than ever before" - When You Were Young
  

Here are some things that one can expect from the experience known as Conquering The 2009 NCAA Tournament:

• Filling out 30 conference tournament brackets - besides having friends get into arguments in the comments sections, this is the main reason I bleed and sweat for this blog. If filling out one bracket is good, how are 30 brackets not way better?
• There will be guarantees - anyone who knows me, has read this blog before, or knows Phil...knows that guarantees are going to happen. The best strategy is to get on board early and enjoy the genius...and the absurdity.
• Running Diary of Selection Sunday - I did this last year, enjoyed it a lot, so I'll be doing it again. Will Billy Packer make an appearance this year?
• 5 Bracket Busters - last season, I predicted 5 potential bracket buster teams for the NCAA Tournament. The awesome thing was that I did this before the conference tournaments were complete. I'll definitely be doing this again. Listen to me early, or risk the chance of being ignorant and/or embarrassed later.
• Much discussion about the best dressed coaches in college hoops - duh (Annie is my expert here, although Matt does have that crush on Jay Wright).
• Mild rooting for UNC - because I must find an excuse to post a picture of Anna Lou in her Tar Heel blue and I think a Pitt vs. UNC Final Four match-up or Championship game would be outstanding.
  
• An Intense Labels Race - One of the fun surprises of last year's blog was how intense the "labels" race became. There reached a point where people were shamelessly attempting to get labels. I predict even more shame this year...not to mention bribery involved with people trying to get props. I look forward to it all. No C.O.D.s please.
• Blatant Homer'ism - I'll be rooting for Pitt and Robert Morris at every opportunity. And I will bring up Iowa for no apparent reason every now and then. Be prepared.
• Bets - If March Madness is about anything...it's about filling out brackets. If it's about anything else...it's about gambling and making bets. With any luck I'll be in 5 NCAA Tournament pools and will (again) con Phil into making many absurd bets.
• An obsession with winning Phil's pool - I need a victory for bragging rights and to prove dominance. Plus, I lost to Liz two seasons ago and I'm still way bitter.
  
• Dell Curry man love - When Davidson makes the Tournament, we can expect tons of talk about Stephen Curry. But more importantly, we can expect tons of crowd shots of Dell Curry! Did you know Stephen Curry's dad Dell once played in the NBA?!? Holy shit!
• Predictions - After the first weekend of the tournament is over and my brackets have already been eliminated from making me any money...you better believe I'm going to keep myself invested by predicting the results of the games from the Sweet Sixteen through the Championship Game. I'll still get those picks wrong 50% of the time, but it keeps things interesting.
• A Weekly Patriot League Update - This league absolutely fascinates me. Their conference tournament last year was amazingly competitive. Plus I have to keep Chaz involved with this blog somehow.
• Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery man love - duh.
• Giving my friends props - What's the use of having a creative platform if one can't give his friends props all the time for no apparent reason? Plus, this is a blog of the people...you make it enjoyable for me to do. And you provide opinions, ideas, and feedback that allow me to create and have fun with things. Can we make this the best and most extensive NCAA Tournament Blog on the net? YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!

• "Don’t give the ghost up just clench your fist, You should have known by now you were on my list" - My List

Coming up next time in the entry cleverly titled: Blog Intro #2 - What I'm Curious To Find Out, I'll ask the most pressing questions I have with regard to this blog as well as college basketball.

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#4 Pitt vs. #1 UConn - Running Diary

Welcome back loyal readers. This blog needed to start sometime...and it seems very appropriate to kick things off with my favorite writing gimmick: a running diary of Pitt's biggest game of the season to date against #1 ranked UConn. This is the first of two, hopefully three, and possibly four meetings this year between the two Big East powerhouses. It's going to take a little while to find my "blog voice" again, so let's see what happens with this diary...along with the all important game.

7:01 pm - ESPN kicks off it's coverage with the announcing crew of Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas, and Bill Raftery. I'm not really a fan of the three-man team, but this threesome gets it done on a regular basis. And, of course, I'm a huge fan of Bill Raftery. So that must be a sign of good things to come for the Panthers.

7:04 pm - Not a white guy on either side's starting lineup. This is going to be a good game.

7:04 pm - Raftery: "Sean McDonough...Jay Bilas...Pittsburgh goes...MANTAMAN!" It's good to be back. Starting to feel like March.

7:08 pm - Sam Young makes a deep two and then a three pointer on back-to-back possessions. If he's making those...it could be a VERY good night for Pitt. (knocking on wood)

7:10 pm - Hasheem Thabeet just went over the top of DeJuan Blair after a rebound, falling to the floor awkwardly and hard. The fans in Hartford haven't been this silent since the Whalers left town.

7:12 pm - The Hartford Whalers were a professional hockey franchise that played in the NHL from 1979 - 1997. They are of note because they: once threw the team a parade after losing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, had awesome uniforms, and sported the best theme song in all of sports: Brass Bonanza. Thank you Wikipedia for filling in the gaps.

7:15 pm - OK...back to college hoops, I swear. Young just hit a sweet turn-around baseline jumper. He's the most NBA ready Pitt player I've ever seen. DeJuan Blair already has 6 rebounds. Pitt 12 - UConn 6.

7:22 pm - Pitt's worst player, back-up back-up center Gary McGhee, just fouled Thabeet three times in less than a minute. It's kind of like the hack-a-Shaq defense, except that Thabeet didn't possess the ball during any of the three fouls. Curious. McGhee is the Panthers only player that gives me anxiety every time he enters the game.

7:28 pm - Gilbert Brown steals the ball away from Thabeet in the low post, gets the ball to Levance Fields, who throws up a 45 foot alley-oop to Young. THAT was pretty! Pitt 21 - UConn 13.

7:44 pm - UConn has staged a mild rally thanks to missed alley-oops, turnovers, and wasted possessions on Pitt's part. Fields is having a difficult time bringing up the ball with Craig Austrie of UConn all over him. Blair is ABUSING Thabeet to this point, already having a double-double (10 pts and 11 rebounds). Young is on the bench with 2 fouls for Pitt.

7:48 pm - Apparently rivalry week on ESPN is brought to us by CISCO. Good to know. Couldn't have college rivalries without corporate sponsorship.

7:52 pm - A.J. Price hits a bullshit step-back three-pointer at the end of the half. But HOLY CRAP...DeJuan Blair just had the half of his LIFE!!! 15 points, 13 rebounds - attacking Thabeet on every single possession. Thabeet has 4 points and 2 rebounds. Blair is winning the fight on all score cards to this point. Not a bad 20 minutes by the Panthers. Still too close, I'm tense, need a smoke break. Pitt 36 - UConn 33 at halftime.

8:09 pm - Never addressed this at the beginning of the game - Jaime Dixon out-dresses Jim Calhoun any day of the week. It's not even close. Not to mention, nobody (and I mean NOBODY), messes with Jamie Dixon's slicked-back hair.

8:10 pm - Jay Bilas praises Sam Young's exaggerated shot fake. I'm not going to argue with him. More importantly, Young's shot fake and drive leads to Thabeet's third foul.

8:19 pm - Choppy four minutes before the first media time out. Pitt still wasting possessions with turnovers, questionable shot selections, and Fields palming the ball. The refs started to take over the game, calling 5 fouls so far. Blair has 17 rebounds. Yikes! Pitt 44 - UConn 39.

8:30 pm - This is too intense for me to be typing. Young and Price trade three point jumpers. Then Thabeet and Blair get in a scrum away from the ball and the ref calls a foul on Thabeet, his fourth, when a foul could have been called either way, or not at all. Jim Calhoun is furious! This is too much. Pitt 49 - UConn 48.

8:34 pm - Blair has 20 rebounds. Thabeet has 4.

8:39 pm - I don't know where to begin. Blair got elbowed in the eye then acted like he was dying. Bodies have been flying all over the place without any fouls called. UConn started shooting 100% from the field including a bank shot. Pitt has only 1 timeout left and Dixon has no intention of using it anytime soon. There was a huge melee for the ball in UConn's half of the court that included 3 consecutive turnovers. Pitt can't make a three point shot, yet is settling for that exact shot way too often. UConn has the momentum, and their largest lead of the game. UConn 56 - Pitt 51.

8:46 pm - Blair with a layup and one! 22 points & 22 rebounds. Tie game! Pitt 56 - UConn 56.

8:48 pm - Jermaine Dixon finally hits a 3 pointer! Pitt takes the lead again! UConn timeout! Pitt 59 - UConn 58.

8:49 pm - McDonough points out that Pitt is 0-13 when facing the number one ranked team in the country. I can't decide if that's a jinx or a counter-jinx.

9:11 pm - PITT WINS! PITT WINS! I spent the last twenty minutes pacing around, occasionally swearing and screaming. DeJuan Blair is the player of the game. 22 points, 23 rebounds, and a black eye as he talks to Jay Bilas after the victory. The last minute of the game dragged on forever. But Pitt made their foul shots and came away with the upset at UConn. The defining moment(s) were Fields' back to back three pointers after not making a single basket all game. The contest went from tied to Pitt being up 6 in the blink of an eye and the Panthers never looked back. I could critique this game, but what's the point? Pitt just defeated the number one ranked team in college basketball and is close to locking up a #1 seed for the Tournament. Good times!

9:15 pm - Final Score: Pittsburgh 76 - Connecticut 68

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