Syracuse & UConn Play For A Long Time

(Rat Boy with a little premature celebration)

Of course I have a few thoughts from Thursday's Syracuse/Connecticut 6-overtime game. I just didn't have the strength or energy to write them on Friday. So instead, I chose to write a pissy post to the demanding masses, claiming the epic Big East Tournament contest was uninteresting. This is mostly true. I'm not here to write about content. I'm here to write about process. That's what you've all come to expect. So here (finally) are my musings about Syracuse's 127-117 6 OT win over UConn, along with some final thoughts on the Big East Tournament:

Syracuse & UConn's All Nighter:

• Watched the game at The Saloon in Mt. Lebanon in the company of CJS, Kim, Chris H., A.J., & Rick. The only one really invested in the game before it came a classic was CJS, who still unquestioningly roots for the Orangemen based on his love of a color pattern back in 5th grade. Soft. In the spirit of full disclosure, I had a Washington Huskies Starter jacket in 7th grade because I liked their colors and logo. Still...not as soft as CJS.
  
• Before the game even went into overtime, we were all ready to go home. Everyone was either tired or had to work the next day. Little did we know what was going to happen next. I have to give Kim some props here...she had to work the next day and probably wasn't too excited to go out in the first place. She left after the 2nd overtime...4 overtimes before the game ended. You're a trooper Kimberly!
• Any time a sporting event goes so long that one orders drinks long after one has closed their tab and sobered up, is probably a very good one.
• You've all seen Eric Devendorf's "winning" 3-pointer at the end of regulation that didn't count. After preening, posing, and showing-up Seton Hall the night before, Rat Boy drew attention to himself again by jumping up on the scorer's table after the phantom 3-pointer. His teammates quickly pulled him down...but the image of the cocky, tattooed guard with poor facial hair standing on a table will now be around for generations to enjoy.
• Jonny Flynn of Syracuse deserves some huge credit for not only playing 67 of a possible 70 minutes, but for hitting all 16 of his free throws...many of which were taken on exhausted legs. A.J. Price gets some props from me to for being damn good and for not having any eligibility left, therefore, never being able to play Pitt again. Also...coaches Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun are looking old.
  
• The most interesting thing from this game was when Canadian-born Andy Rautins hit a wide-open 3-pointer for Syracuse at the end of the 3rd overtime that tied the game at 98. Twenty-eight years ago, Rautins' father, Leo, tipped in a buzzer-beater to topple Villanova in the 1981 Big East tourney championship game...in three overtimes...in what was then the longest conference tournament game in history.
• I wish that somebody would have had the balls to ask Jim Calhoun about his salary after the game. This would have been the PERFECT opportunity for that follow up! He could have at least worked it into his post game press conference. Here's how it could have played out: Reporter - "Coach Calhoun, are you disappointed or unhappy that your team lost this 6 overtime game tonight?" Coach Calhoun - "I have 1.6 MILLION reasons to be happy right now! In fact...I have A LOT more than that!"
  
• Had a very nice back-and-forth texting exchange with Liz during the game. You know that something is becoming an event when someone texts, "are you watching this?" The absurdity of things was exponential with each overtime. It was impossible not to get caught up in the madness. "Only basketball can make me stay up this late", Liz said at 1:15 am. I could not have put it better myself. I hope Anna Lou's 2 am wakeful period wasn't too bad that night.
  
• Remember when Georgia had to play two games in one day to miraculously win the SEC Tournament last season? This had to be worse.
  
• That Syracuse went on to beat West Virginia the next night 74-69 in OVERTIME was quite comical.

Other Big East Tourney Thoughts:

• West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins wore the same suit, shirt, and tie for three consecutive games. The combo ran out of luck during the Mountaineers semifinal loss to Syracuse. What exactly was he thinking? Who knows.
• Jamie Dixon was absolutely brilliant to let Pitt lose in the quarterfinals. The Panthers now have a week to rest and get focused for the important tournament. What has reaching the Big East Championship game done for them during the last 7 seasons? Nothing. And don't give me the whole..."Pitt was trying and still lost the game!" bullshit. Gary McGhee was getting quality minutes in the first half. Enough said.
• Discovered that Annie's favorite player on West Virginia is Devin Ebanks. I didn't know that Annie had a favorite West Virginia player. I also have no idea why it's Devin Ebanks. Please feel free to explain yourself at any time Annie.
• Before the Syracuse/UConn game...the best game of the tournament was the Marquette vs. Villanova game from earlier in the day Thursday. Dwayne Anderson made a last second layup to give Jay Wright's Villanova squad a 76-75 victory. The result of this thriller should have made Matt quite happy. At least until his Wildcats lost to Louisville the next day.
• As I've said all season long, DePaul is the best 0-18 team in Big East history. They proved my point by upsetting Cincinnati in the first round then giving Providence all they could handle on Wednesday. The frumpy Jerry Wainwright did a great job of getting his team to peak at just the right time.
• Louisville defeated an exhausted Syracuse team last night to win the tournament. This should give the Big East three #1 seeds when the brackets come out in 4 hours. Everyone rooting for the Cardinals knows how to correctly pronounce "Louisville". I'm sorry I'm not drinking with Tony in South Bend right now.

0201