Phil Becomes A Golden Griffin

(Buy your t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts now)

To let all of my loyal readers know, Phil has accepted a professorship position at Canisius College, a very reputable Jesuit institution in Buffalo New York. Huge props to Phil! We can all be glad that he'll be brainwashing students at a college with a Division 1 NCAA basketball program. Phil will now be immersed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Canisius has made the NCAA Tournament 4 times, most recently in 1996. They were the No. 9 seed in this year's MAAC tournament, where they upset No. 8 seed Loyola before losing to eventual Conference Champion Siena. Frank Turner led the Golden Griffins in scoring this year and will be back next year for his senior season. I've done no research on the subject, but I can only assume that the Canisius basketball squad is a program on the rise. I look forward to engaging in a MAAC Tournament bet next season. Nicely done Phil.

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Villanova 78, Pittsburgh 76

(Three of the best players in Pitt history, and the scapegoat)

I've officially had enough time to digest the premature end to Pitt's season. It hurt. It stung. It sucked. But I have to move forward. The comments sections are getting nasty...and demanding my thoughts and opinions on the Panther's heart-breaking loss to Villanova last Saturday. To appease the masses, and to help the healing process, here are a few of my thoughts about the demise of the best Pitt basketball team I've ever witnessed.

• There were two moments when I thought Pitt "had" the game won: 1) When they were up by 4 and had the ball with 3:05 to play, and 2) When Villanova turned the ball over on the home-run inbound pass, Levance Fields got fouled, and with ice in his veins...sunk the two clutch free throws that tied the game. As I told Phil during our halftime phone call, I was never 100% confident in Pitt winning the game. But during those two moments, my mind wandered on the hope that Pitt was about to reach the Final Four for the first time in their history. As we know, it wasn't meant to be. This is the epitome of why Panther fans dream of the best, but constantly prepare (emotionally) for the worst.
• I discovered that...when one is emotionally invested in a particular team...it is nearly impossible to realize THAT team is in the midst of a "classic" game. I have the awareness to realize I'm watching a "great" or "classic" game when my team isn't involved. (Such as the Memphis/Kansas title game last year, or the UNC/Michigan title game in 1993) But I do NOT have the awareness (or composure) to notice this when Pitt is playing. At no point during the Villanova game did I think to myself, "Wow...this is a great game! It's probably the best game of the tournament to date! The deciding bucket will be shown during One Shining Moment and haunt me for years!" To me...it was just a game where Pitt was battling their hearts out to achieve something the program had never achieved before. I believe that emotional investments prohibit one to exist outside themselves and realize the magnitude of what's going on in the present...and it's lasting imprint on the future.
  
• Jermain Dixon had a really good year for the Panthers. He was Pitt's best on-the-ball defender and will be a crucial part of their success next season. With that being said, I need to throw him under the bus for a moment. If Dixon hadn't made 2 mistakes (one mistake actually having four parts), I wonder if we'd be talking about Pitt's first trip to the Final Four this week. First...when Pitt was up 4 with three minutes left, Dixon and Fields were playing catch in the back court to advance on the Villanova press. For reasons that defy logic, Dixon: 1) took the ball across the timeline (center court), 2) picked up his dribble, 3) turned the ball over, and 4) fouled Dwayne Anderson as he was in the midst of making a layup. Ug. A basketball player is taught IN SEVENTH GRADE to NOT take the ball over the timeline and pick up their dribble! The errors after that were the wonderful snowball effect of frustration. His second mistake occurred on the last play of the game. Dixon's responsibility on the play we've all seen 1,000 times by now was to 1) Deny Scottie Reynolds the ball, and if he couldn't do that, 2) Deny Scottie Reynolds from running north/south up the court. Unfortunately, Dixon allowed Reynolds to receive the ball cleanly (and with full momentum) on a classic triangle-based soccer play. Reynolds streaked up the court and the rest was Pitt and Villanova history. I like you Jermain. I just need to get this out. It's therapeutic.
• What makes college basketball great is the same thing that makes it suck. If you're lucky, you get to watch your team's players for 4 years. You get to watch these kids come in as flawed freshmen and develop into players with specific skills and endearing personalities. Sometimes...we have to be happy watching a player for just a season or two. College basketball is permanent and temporary...endearing and disappointing...familiar and brand new all at the same time. This is what makes it so great. This is what makes it suck. I'm going to miss the hell out of Sam Young and Levance Fields. It seems like those two have been starting on Pitt's squad forever. I can't envision watching a Pitt game next season where I don't have Young's ridiculous pump-fake to look forward to. You're telling me I can no longer watching Fields move around the court like a bowling ball dishing out sweet passes and taking ballsey 3-pointers at the end of a close game? Sigh. And let's PLEASE not bring up the fact that Dejuan Blair might jump ship and declare for the NBA draft. I can't deal with that right now. I've started to love his passion, his intensity, his Hines Ward'esque smiling, his rebounding dominance, and Bill Raftery's references to his derriere. This was the best Pitt team I've ever had the privilege of watching. College basketball is a cruel mistress. It giveth...and it taketh away.
  
• I have to give credit to the Villanova Wildcats and I have to give credit to Matt. They won. His team won. That team is both skilled and scrappy. They were physical and demonstrated finesse at the same time. They made a TON of difficult/clutch shots. Pitt tried to punch them in the mouth over and over again and they never wavered. If these teams played a 10-game series, I believe each would win 5 times. This was a classic Great Eight game. Jamie Dixon and Jay Wright's squads provided an outstanding match-up. Someone had to win, someone had to lose. These kinds of cliches could only come from someone on the losing end. Props to you Matt. It's right here in writing...for the world (or at least 10 people you don't really know) to see.
• Hey...at least Gary McGhee didn't enter the game.
• I took no notice of what the coaches were wearing during this game. Perhaps their attire had something to do with the outcome. (Annie...I'm opening a window for you here!)
  
• After a sloppy performance in the Pitt/Xavier game, I thought that Verne Lundquist acquitted himself nicely in this one. Bill Raftery, of course, remains the consummate professional.
• Just to say it before they're gone: Dejuan Blair - 20 points (9-9 from the field!) and 10 rebounds, Sam Young - 28 points and 7 rebounds, Levance Fields - 6 assists and 0 turnovers. Like I said, I'm gonna miss these guys.
• I think that about does it. This is my Pitt/Villanova recap. Please feel free to contribue comments concerning this "classic" Great Eight game. Pitt had an oustanding season. Villanova prevailed on this night and reached the Final Four. It hurt. It stung. It sucked. But this is what being a fan is all about.

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Predictions For Thursday's Sweet Sixteen Games

(Writing poetry & slamming dunks all the way to the Great Eight)

I'm actually doing well in some of my pools this year, but I'm still going to make things interesting and informative by predicting the rest of the games from here on out.

Connecticut over Purdue

Reasons:

• Jim Calhoun is like teflon...if you think something as small as a "recruiting scandal" is going to knock him off his game, you're crazy. A similar situation destroyed the Indiana Hoosier program, but it's only going to piss Coach Calhoun off and make the team stronger.
  
• UConn has arguably been the best team in the tournament so far, steamrolling their way through the first two rounds. They're doing a great job as the "underdog" after being labeled the most "vulnerable" No. 1 seed.
• I have a sneaking suspicion the nation is not done hearing about Hasheem Thabeet. Not to mention, A.J. Price is really really good.
• It's Big East over the Big 10. It doesn't take a astro-physicist to get this one correct.
• I couldn't name you a single Purdue player other than Robbie Hummel. And I'M the one that's been obsessed with college hoops for the past 5 weeks.
• The Boilermakers definitely win the mascot battle over the Huskies, but I have to go with the #1 seed here. There are at least 1.6 million reasons to like them against Purdue.
• Confidence in this pick: 9.2

Pittsburgh over Xavier

Reasons:

• It's only been four days since this match-up has been set, but I've already been reminded that Xavier Coach Sean Miler used to play for the Panthers roughly 25,000 times. For some reason, I'm angrier at Xavier for hiring him than I am at Pitt for recruiting him. Enough of this story already!!!
• Oklahoma State hung with Pitt athletically, but eventually lost because they were grossly undersized (and they stink). Xavier is neither athletic OR big. The only way they can win is to "out-Pitt" Pitt. And that's not gonna happen with Sam Young and Dejuan Blair in the mix.
• Xavier lost to Duquesne. I mean...I have Pittsburgh pride here...but Duquesne? Really Musketeers? Sean Miller is a "great" coach and you lost to the Dukes? You're better than that.
• I'll take the Big East over the A-10 EVERY SINGLE TIME! OK...maybe not DePaul over anyone, but I'll take the Big East over the A-10 EVERY SINGLE OTHER TIME!
• By choosing the Panthers, I'm going against some blog trends. I'm picking against the Jesuit institution, which means I could potentially be going against God. By not going with Xavier, I'm also saying that Liz & Emily's grandmother's favorite team is going to lose. So there are possible karma issues involved (such as losing another closely contested NCAA pool...or being hated on). But these reasons will not deter me, for we are all Pitt Panther fans today!!!
• This Pitt team is a team of destiny. And by destiny, I mean that they're going to reach the Great Eight for the first time in my lifetime. We're gonna see it happen Phil. This team is too talented. It's GOING to happen! (I typed this whole point with one hand, so I could cross my fingers with the other hand. No jinx going on here)
• Confidence in this pick: 8.1

Missouri over Memphis

Reasons:

• Don't really have any legitimate reasons for this pick. I'm shamelessly rooting for Missouri because an "upset" win by them helps me out in a lot of my brackets. And I can earn way more bragging rights by excelling in my brackets than I can by randomly predicting a team to win on this blog.
  
• If you desperately NEED a reason...Missouri is the one team that can run and actually keep up with Memphis. This is a good Memphis team but not the one that made the national championship game last season. If a team can come out early, punch them in the mouth, run with them, and not back down...they're going to be in trouble. And I think that trouble finds them tonight in the form of Missouri (coached by the outstanding Mike Anderson).
• Confidence in this pick: 5.4

Duke over Villanova

Reasons:

• I honestly have no idea who to pick here. This is as even a match-up as one could hope to find in the sweet sixteen. Should be a great one.
• Big East vs. ACC? Very evenly matched. This is why we watch college basketball. Can't find an edge here.
• Coach K vs. Jay Wright? Well Wright obviously wins that match-up if fashion sensibilities were the only criteria. There are a lot of Coach K "haters" out there, but the truth of the matter is, his track record is a little more beefy and established than Jay Wright's.
• Duke wins the battle of most awkward looking white players. But I'm not so sure that "win" isn't more of a loss.
• Neither team has been overly impressive...with Villanova getting a scare from American in the first round, and Duke going down to the wire with Texas in round two.
• If I went with Villanova to win here, it would just look like I was pandering to Matt. I'm choosing to avoid that appearance. But please, please, please, please, please.....don't for one second think that I like the Duke Blue Devils.
• I don't even know which of these two teams I'd want Pitt to face in the Great Eight. But back to the jinxing thing, I'm getting WAY ahead of myself here.
• Confidence in this pick: 0.0 (totally a 50/50 propsition)

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Pitt vs. ETSU Running Diary w/ Tangents

(Number 1 seed? It's about damn time!)

Last season, I kept a running diary of Pitt's opening round game against Oral Roberts (Oh Oral! How I miss thee!). The problem was...the game was not that captivating, as Pitt won in a blowout. I figure I'll slightly alter the gimmick this year. I'll keep a running diary of the game...but I'll hardly be focused on the game...allowing for my thoughts on the tournament's first day and a half, commentaries about coaches and commercials, along with updates about who I'm talking to on the phone and how my brackets are doing. Sound like a plan? Sounds like something at least.

(Comments for the Pitt game will be preceded by the time...all other comments will be marked by bullet points. That way...you can easily read either/or, both, or neither if you so choose)

Here we go. #1 Pitt vs. #16 ETSU to open Pitt's run in the East region. Let's make it happen this year! (I'm not sure what I mean by "it")

3:05 pm - Dejuan Blair wins the opening tip back to Levance Fields. Bill Raftery says, "Verne Lundquist...Eastern Tennessee State goes...MANTAMAN"! Everything is right in the world.

3:08 pm - Raftery makes his first "derriere" reference of the day. I think I'll be keeping a running count of this. Tyrell Biggs makes a 3-pointer for Pitt. He's surprisingly good for one of those a game. Pitt 6, ESTU 5.

• Has anyone else noticed how these NCAA Tournament games have been grossly under attended? It's really absurd. The Portland region has been the worst. There were so many empty blue seats during that Gonzaga/Akron game last night. There is NO ONE at the Temple/Arizona St. game right now. This has to have something to do with the weak-ass economy, right? This Pitt game in Dayton is no different. Plenty of good seats available.

3:16 pm - Apparently country music star Kenny Chesney attended ETSU. Don't know how that applies to Pitt's chances. The Panthers have committed 4 turnovers and look lazy. Pitt 11, ETSU 11.

• Pitt is doing what they do all-to-well, playing down to their competition in the first half. I need to divert my attention. As CJS has mentioned, check out Club Trillion, a blog by Ohio State bench player Mark Titus. It's titled Club Trillion because when he gets into a game, his line in the box score is 1 (for minutes played), followed by a BUNCH of zeros.

3:37 pm - After two missed free-throws by Blair, Pitt only leads by two. The fact Bill Raftery is calling this game can't even make me feel better right now. The UConn/Chattanooga game yesterday was close for the first 15 minutes, right? UConn ended up winning by 50 of course. 10 turnovers for Pitt and were not even at the half! Pitt 22, ETSU 20.

3:39 pm - Blair gets called for a technical for "hanging on the rim" after a dunk! Maybe he did a little bit of a chin-up on the play but COME ON! Both Raftery and Lundquist don't agree with the call. Coach Jamie Dixon is furious...either at the officials or at Blair. Dixon's hair, however, remains slicked back and in position. Pitt 24, ETSU 22.

3:41 pm - Bob sends me a text that simply reads, "BULLSHIT!!!" He immediately sends me another text saying, "Let's have a sporting event text chat like (Bill) Simmons and his buddies! I wanna make the blog!" Well Bob...you just did.

3:48 pm - Raftery, "Pitt has not put their imprint on this game." Couldn't have put it better myself sir. Pitt 24, ETSU 22.

• The best games so far have been #11 VCU's one-point loss to #6 UCLA, #11 Utah State's one-point loss to #6 Marquette, and #12 Western Kentucky's smack-down of #5 Illinois. I think the NCAA Tournament selection committee isn't going to make the mistake of giving WKU a #12 seed anymore.

3:55 pm - Pitt makes ANOTHER turnover...giving them 13 in the first half. I'm not panicking yet, but I'm definitely sick in my stomach. ETSU makes a last second layup to end the half that is then taken away after review. This is disgusting. Embarrassing. I need a cigarette Pitt 26, ETSU 23.

4:07 pm - Just talked to Phil during halftime. He's not nearly as confident as I am right now. Pitt's going to win...it's just a matter of if they win by 5-10 points or more than 20. They need to dominate and pull away, not for the fans, but for themselves. This is excruciating.

• Tournament Tattoo Update - The one guy from American U. had some ridiculous ink on his bicep, the explanation of which couldn't be determined. The tattoos of the tournament have to go to the boys from Northern Iowa. Lots of white guys with lots of ink. This prompted my dad to comment, "Tattoos on white guys just don't look good". I don't know if this means he thinks they look good on black guys, or he doesn't think they look good on anyone. Love ya pops!

4:18 pm - The second half gets underway. I really hope Jamie Dixon tore the boys a new one in the locker room during halftime. I'm wondering where my level of frustration will be in 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

4:20 pm - Jermaine Dixon takes a long bomb outlet pass...misses the layup...gets his own rebound, and misses the put-back. ETSU rebounds. At no point during that entire sequence did any Pitt player enter the screen to come down and help Dixon out. What the hell is going on?!?

4:23 pm - Bob sends me another text, "For cryin' out loud...they (Pitt) look like Bobby Mo (Robert Morris) in the (NEC) title game! Hey-oh!" Bob just got all of his labels taken away.

4:26 pm - I love how they have to break out the whole "no #16 seed has ever defeated a No. 1 seed" thing. The attempt to jinx the Panthers is officially on!

4:29 pm - CJS just texted me - "What the fuck?!?!" Why do I feel this growing momentum against Pitt? The crowd in Dayton is certainly pulling for the upset. Pitt 35, ETSU 33.

4:34 pm - Shot of Coach Dixon sitting down on the Pitt bench with his face buried in his hands. This sums up today's events perfectly. Pitt 39, ETSU 38.

4:37 pm - Lundquist keeps calling Sam Young "Wanamaker"...in reference to Panther guard Brad Wanamaker. Anything is going to piss me off at this point. Pitt 40, ETSU 40.

4:46 pm - When I did the running diary of Pitt's victory over Oral Roberts last year...it was a party...every player was contributing, smiles were all around. This is the complete opposite of that experience. ETSU just threw down a dunk. Blah. Pitt 46, ETSU 44.

4:52 pm - Sam Young misses his billionth layup of the game...Blair gets two offensive rebounds and finally makes the basket, giving Pitt it's first 5 point lead in an eternity. They just need to score 15 more unanswered points to PUSH the spread of 20. Pitt 50, ETSU 45.

4:55 pm - Young makes his second 3-pointer in the last couple of minutes. Things are a little more encouraging than they were before. Also, Fields looks like he's playing at about 60%, maybe I'm looking for excuses.....but he doesn't look like the Levance Fields we Pitt fans know and love. Pitt 58, ETSU 52.

5:01 pm - A bunch of bullshit just happened underneath Pitt's basket. I can't talk or type rationally right now. Pitt 59, ETSU 57.

5:06 pm - CBS holds a gun to Lundquist's head and makes him read the "no #16 seed has ever beaten a No. 1" fact again. I hate CBS right now. Pitt 62, ETSU 57.

5:09 pm - Pitt's going to win, as I said at halftime, but this win isn't going to feel good at all. Ashton Gibbs just hit a 3-pointer...followed by an ETSU layup. It's all but over...but I'm still feeling sick. Pitt 67, ETSU 61.

5:12 pm - College hoops are SO about confidence and momentum. Pitt came out lazy and entitled, once ETSU felt they could hang with the Panthers...the complexion of the game changed completely. Give a team confidence and they'll believe they can do anything. Pitt 70, ETSU 62.

5:16 pm - The "game" is finally over. I'm going to need to drink a lot tonight. This was horrible. I can't wait to hear from everyone busting my balls over this disaster. Hopefully this is what Pitt needs to wake up and realize that a No. 1 seed is earned and not given. They have to go out and PLAY like a No. 1 seed. I pray this scared them shitless. I have nothing more to say right now. Final Score: Pitt 72, ETSU 62.

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Tourney Notes, Tips, Anecdotes, & Fun Facts

With the opening round games tipping-off in a mere 55 hours...it's time for some notes, tips, anecdotes, thoughts, musings, and fun facts to help get you up to date with the tournament, as well as this blog.

• Before their teams get eliminated, you need to be aware of some of the great names associated with this year's tournament: Chief Kickingstallionsims, C, Alabama State (name is Navajo and means "strength of the fallen rocks"), Kwadzo Ahelegbe (Ka-JOE Uh-HELLIG-buh), G, Northern Iowa (his name means "born on Monday"), and my personal favorite - Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens, G, Akron (apparently he's gone by "Humpty" since childhood...we can only hope he does the Humpty Dance after each made three-pointer).
• CJS...I'm aware that you're in Boston, Mass. for St. Patrick's Day, but I must say that I'm disappointed you didn't comment on the (real) Syracuse/UConn post, after rooting so intently during the game and bitching so profusely when there wasn't a comprehensive post afterwards. I look forward to your return to the comments sections.
• Hopefully I'll get around to a proper requiem post for this year's Davidson team in the next couple of days. Until then, for those who care deeply (Phil), Stephen Curry's Wildcats begin their NIT run tonight against South Carolina. It's a 7:00 pm game that will be nationally televised on ESPN2. Here's to hoping Curry stays around for his senior year and one more NCAA Tournament run.
  
• Speaking of our resident Davidson alum, here is a quote Phil sent me featuring Dejuan Blair talking in the third person: Blair on Hasheem Thabeet before Pitt's second meeting with UConn, "I hope he shows up with an 'I'm going to kill DeJuan' attitude, because DeJuan already has that attitude for him. It should make for a beautiful game." Blair also referred to that game as a "celebrity death match" at some point. Anytime a sports star speaks in the third-person, I'm going to be a BIG fan.
• I happened upon some interesting information regarding the graduation rates of this year's tournament teams. Here are the grad rates of the No. 1 seeds: North Carolina 86%, Pittsburgh 69%, Louisville 42%, and UConn 33%. Is there really any surprise here? UNC and Pitt clearly show they are the best two teams in this tournament when one combines academics and athletic ability. Not only does Jim Calhoun make "way more" than 1.6 million a year...he makes that money and doesn't bother to make graduating college a priority for his kids. What a trashy program. The exact opposite of a trashy program would be the Robert Morris Colonials, who were one of seven teams in the field with a 100% graduation rate. Nicely done boys. (The other six were Binghamton, Florida State, Marquette, Wake Forest, Utah State, and Western Kentucky) Cal St. Northridge had the worst grad rate of anyone in the field at 8%. Maryland was a close second at 10%. Great job Gary Williams, how do you sleep at night? I couldn't find the graduation rates for the Villanova or Holy Cross teams. Sorry. I'm guessing that Holy Cross' number would be quite high, as they won the "All-Academic NCAA Bracket" two years ago. Here is this year's All-Academic Bracket. A very fun way to waste some time.
• We all know Pitt and UNC are dominant both on the court and in the classroom. But things may not be as dominant on the hardwood if the two No. 1 seed's injury problems don't improve. Ty Lawson's toe might keep him out of UNC's opener against Radford on Thursday. Levance Fields won't miss any time for Pitt because of his groin injury, but Pitt fans must be concerned that he might not be 100%.
  
• A word of advice: PLEASE don't get caught up in the "sexy" upset picks this year. EVERYONE is going to be picking VCU over UCLA. When the bandwagon gets too crowded for any one underdog...it basically guarantees that underdog won't win. It's the reverse bandwagon effect in action. With that said, No. 11 seeds are 6-10 over the last four years while No. 12 seeds are 5-11. There will be upsets, you just have to be smart in picking the right ones.
• I have to bring Duquesne's valiant run in the A-10 Tournament to attention. The Dukes did their best to get all three D-1 schools from Pittsburgh into the Big Dance by upsetting #2 Rhode Island and #3 Dayton on their way to the A-10 Championship Game where they lost to Temple. Duquesne's program has shown marked improvement over the past couple of years, winning 21 games this season after the on-campus shooting of 5 players just two and a half years ago. Interestingly enough, the Dukes play Virginia Tech in the first round of the NIT tomorrow night...another university that knows all-too-well about tragedy, sadness, and the painful process of healing.
• What's the difference between a No. 1 seed and a No. 2 you may ask? In the last four years, all 16 No. 1s made it to the Sweet 16. Only nine of the 16 No. 2s made it that far. Oops...I may have just jinxed some number one seeds near and dear to the reader's hearts.
  
• Matt...I'm thinking that when you and the family are back in the States for March Madness next year, you should seriously consider taking some pictures of you kids wearing Villanova gear. I don't know where your wife stands on this issue, but you know I'm a sucker for that stuff on the blog.
• I have to talk about the Division III college basketball tournament because it includes some schools of interest. Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburgh) made the "little dance" and advanced to the second round only to lose to John Carroll University by a mere two points. JCU is of course one of 28 institutions that make up the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Regarding John Carroll...props must be given to CJS, R.B., and Sara (sorry if I forgot anyone). The team of note performing the best is Franklin and Marshall (props to Bryan). They reached the D-III Final Four and will battle a feisty Richard Stockton squad on Friday. My money is on Guilford, who beat John Carroll in the quarterfinals and play Washington U. on the other side of the bracket on Friday. Wheaton Ill. (props to Annie) won two games before losing to Wash. U. in the "sweet sixteen". We covered a lot of people, schools, and ground right here. I have officially conquered the 2009 D-III Tournament.
• The play-in game (now called the opening round game) is tonight and pits Morehead State against Alabama State. The winner earns the right to get demolished by Louisville on Friday. I'm taking Lewis Jackson's Alamaba State squad featuring Chief Kickingstallionsims in a blowout.
  
• Finally...as Chaz informed us in the comments section, Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale got into a good argument during a "Bracketology" segment on ESPN. The video is featured below. Things really kick into high gear around the 3:00 mark. The best part is when a frustrated and chippy Vitale says to Bilas, "I know you went to Duke, and I didn't go to Duke. But I'm telling you now, I don't buy it [Jay's point] at all". Fun stuff. The only thing that could have made this clip better was if Bilas was wearing the puffy winter coat from his photo shoot with Annie and Lydia Cate.

Cleveland State Wins - I Lose The Bet

(Cleveland State coach Gary Waters willed his team to victory tonight)

I don't want to talk about this. Cleveland State came up with a HUGE upset on Tuesday night, defeating a strong Butler team in the Horizon championship game by a score of 57-54. Unfortunately this means Phil wins the First Official March Madness bet. He has won 5 of my (us) dollars. The all-time series with this particular bet is now tied 1-1. Sometimes bets can be won or lost by sheer luck. In this instance, Phil was downright lucky with regard to his luck. If these two teams play 20 games...Butler wins 19 of those contests. I just got unlucky. Props go to coach Gary Waters and his Cleveland State team. They will be going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986. It takes a lot to defeat the mighty Butler Bulldogs. Phil...congrats...you (somehow) won this time. I look forward to making this bet for years to come. You must report the $5 on your taxes by the way.

P.S.

I guarantee I win this bet next year.

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Conference Tournament Results: March 7th & 8th

Here's another post that I'm a day late on. These are the results from the completed Conference Tournaments with regard to my predictions bracket. If I make a prediction...I need to let the public know about how I did, for better and for worse. That's called integrity. Or is it authenticity? Or disclosure? Or stupidity? Either way...these picks have definitely fallen into the "worse" category so far. I definitely messed up with the Creighton pick...I should have never gone away from picking a team from Iowa. As Phil said, "If picking a bracket buster from Iowa is wrong, I don't want to be right." When you're right Phil, you're right. Here's how I fared during the first four Conference Tournament brackets.

Big South Conference:

• Actual Champion: Radford (2nd NCAA appearance, first since 1998)
• My Predicted Champion: Radford
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 85.7% (6 of 7 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 85.7% (6 of 7 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 100% (1 of 1 correct)

Atlantic Sun Conference:

• Actual Champion: East Tennessee State (8th NCAA appearance, first since 2004)
• My Predicted Champion: Belmont (lost in semi-finals to ETSU)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 50% (3 of 6 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 69.2% (9 of 13 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 50% (1 of 2 correct)

Ohio Valley Conference:

• Actual Champion: Morehead State (6th NCAA appearance, first since 1984)
• My Predicted Champion: Murray State (lost in semi-finals to Austin Peay)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 57.1% (4 of 7 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 65% (13 of 20 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 33.3% (1 of 3 correct)

Missouri Valley Conference:

• Actual Champion: Northern Iowa (5th NCAA appearance, first since 2006)
• My Predicted Champion: Creighton (lost in semi-finals to Illinois State)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 66.7% (6 of 9 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 65.5% (19 of 29 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 25% (1 of 4 correct)

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Conference Tournaments Starting on March 6th

Five...count 'em FIVE Conference Tournaments start on Friday. Thank goodness I'm here to help guide you through them. Leagues of note include the West Coast Conference and the Southern Conference...homes to Cinderella favorites Gonzaga and Davidson. This weekend is going to be HUGE with the Pitt vs. UConn game, the UNC vs. Duke Tobacco Road battle, along with the first Conference Champions being crowned. Should be good times. But first, let's knock out these five Conference Tournament Capsules. As always, my predicted champions are in bold.

• West Coast Conference - Saint Mary's - This league comes down to two teams and two teams only: Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. Gonzaga rolled through the WCC regular season with a perfect 14-0 record. But it has to be said that the Zags were losing on their home floor to St. Mary's on Jan. 29th when superstar Patty Mills got injured for the Gales and Gonzaga stormed back to win. This is the 10 year anniversary for the Zags coming out party when they shocked the nation and reached the Elite Eight. Gonzaga is lead by head coach Mark Few, senior forward Josh Heytvelt, and senior guard Jeremy Pargo. Lots of senior leadership, one of the best coaches in the country, and a bunch of younger skill players. However...Saint Mary's is the desperate team here. Gonzaga will get a NCAA Tournament bid whether they win this tournament or not. It's not so easy for the Gales. St. Mary's played Gonzaga tough both times this season. Patty Mills has been cleared to play in this Conference Tournament and I believe that will give St. Mary's the edge they need to win the whole thing and get the automatic invite to the Big Dance. Notable Seeds: #1 Gonzaga, #2 Saint Mary's, #3 Portland, #4 Santa Clara, #5 San Diego, #6 Pepperdine

• Southern Conference - Davidson - What else is there to say here? Davidson became part of the national consciousness last season when they made an epic run to the Elite Eight, only to lose to the eventual national champion in Kansas. The Wildcats are lead by head coach Bob McKillop and the nation's leading scorer Stephen Curry. (That's Steff-in for those of you living in a cave for the last 15 months) Davidson needs to win this tournament to secure a NCAA tournament bid because they had the audacity to lose two conference tournament games this year. They also didn't have a marquee out of conference win besides beating West Virginia on a neutral court. Davidson is the clear-cut favorite here, but could face challenges from the College of Charleston and The Citadel. We NEED Davidson and Stephen Curry and Dell Curry back in the NCAA Tournament! That's why I'm predicting them to win the Southern. Notable Seeds: #1(s) Davidson (props to Phil, Jordon, & John L.), #2(s) The Citadel, #3(s) College of Charleston, #1(n) Chattanooga, #5(n) Elon, #6(n) UNC Greensboro (props to Emily)

• America East Conference - Vermont - Lots of solid public schools from the Northeastern US in this Conference. Vermont has the best nickname/mascot in the Catamounts. Stony Brook simply has the best name. I really had a hard time picking against Binghamton. If anyone is going to win the title besides Vermont...it's going to be the Bearcats from Binghamton New York. UMBC (University of Maryland-Baltimore Country) was one of my Bracket Busters last season...and while they did go to the NCAA Tournament as league champion...they got crushed in the first round and have fallen on hard times this year. Don't sleep on Hartford...they are the best #9 seed playing in this tournament. Vermont is well known for knocking off #4 Syracuse as a 13 seed back in 2005. I'm going with the Catamounts to win this tournament...but may select them or Binghamton as one of my Bracket Busters. I gotta cover my bases. Notable Seeds: #1 Binghamton, #2 Vermont, #3 Boston University, #4 New Hampshire, #5 Stony Brook, #6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County, #9 Hartford

• MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) - Siena - This is the third tournament of the day where I couldn't choose between two teams. Unfortunately, Rider University just doesn't have the game this year to make a run. This makes me sad. Rider is one of the best school names in college hoops. I guarantee that the MAAC Tournament Champion will be either Siena or Niagara...I just can't decide which one. Siena had an outstanding regular season, cruising most of the way to a 23-7, (16-2) record. Their #28 RPI is fantastic. Niagara is next in line with a 24-7, (14-4) record and a #57 RPI ranking. What makes this difficult is that Niagara OWNED Siena in their last meeting, a 100-85 victory on February 27th. Ideally...the championship game will feature these two teams and it will be a classic. I might as well flipped a coin, but I'm going with Siena. Notable Seeds: #1 Siena, #2 Niagara, #3 Rider, #5 Fairfield, #7 Iona

• CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) - VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) - I'm going back to that familiar well again and picking VCU. I chose them to win the "Association" last season and they stabbed me in the back...opening the window for the much hated George Mason squad to win the automatic bid (again). Senior Eric Maynor is STILL at VCU, leading the team to victories. He won a bunch of awards this year and averaged 22 points per game. Maynor is best remembered in the Pittsburgh area because he was on the VCU team that gave Pitt fits during their sweet-sixteen game in 2007...forcing overtime and eventually losing to the Panthers 84-79. I really like the #3 seed Northeastern...but they have too difficult of a draw...one that will probably include the much-maligned George Mason squad. VCU has the easiest draw to the championship game and has the star player and seniors to deliver a championship. Notable Seeds: #1 VCU, #2 George Mason, #3 Northeastern, #4 Old Dominion, #5 Hofstra, #7 James Madison, #11 Towson

0201

First Official March Madness Bet

Sometimes in life, nothing feels better than the familiar. So it is with my first official March Madness bet of the season. Phil and I have a mild obsession with the Horizon League...he can't stop backing Gary Waters' Cleveland State Vikings...and I can't stop insisting that front-runner Butler is second to none in the Conference. The bet between Phil and I is as follows:

The Stakes: 5 dollars

The Goal: Choose the Horizon League Champion

The Picks:

• Me - Butler Bulldogs or UW Milwaukee Panthers
• Phil - Cleveland St. Vikings, UW Green Bay Phoenix, or Detroit Titans

This is basically last year's bet, with a few of the throw-in teams being different. The principles are still Butler and Cleveland St. Should a team not listed win the Horizon League...nobody wins the money. To entice Phil into the same bet this year, I offered him three teams (as opposed to the two from last year) and my number of teams would remain the same. Then Phil had the audacity to chose #10 seed Detroit as his third team. Detroit is playing Cleveland State tonight. Either way...a brilliant black coach is advancing in the tournament. Either way...Phil is losing one of his teams. It's good to be making bets again. It's GREAT to be making bets that are essentially guarantees. Go Butler.

Lydia Cate, Annie, & Phil Take Things Up A Notch

I'm speechless. Well...I have things to say, but I'm still stunned. Phil, Annie, and Lydia Cate have gone out and done something unprecedented in the history of this blog. I don't want to spoil the moment with too many words...those can be left for the comments section. Villanova traveled to South Bend on Monday night to play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. ESPN was broadcasting the game nationally with their best announcing crew. Phil, Annie, and Lydia Cate were in attendance. Here's what happened:

(Superstar announcer Bill Raftery, Annie, & Lydia Cate)

This one makes me so proud! The blog was worth it just for this!

(Play-by-play man Sean McDonough, Annie, & Lydia Cate)

I'm so excited and proud right now I might just cry. You have certainly raised the bar. I have no idea how I'll ever be able to top this. But I'm thankful that we'll have these pictures for the rest of time. Amazing work. Amazing moment. Amazing memories.

0201

DON'T GO OUTSIDE THE BLOG

...because your thoughts, opinions, and ideas will get posted anyway.

The following is what transpired Friday, February 27th on an e-mail thread after some mild interaction in the comments section of my first Patriot League post. Phil referred to the league as "uninteresting and depressing" and Matt went on record as saying "yawwwwnnnnn". This was the last straw for Chaz. The Holy Cross graduate had to take a stand. (But he should have taken it on the blog) I'm choosing not to edit any content, but I did add some information in brackets to assist readers in the experience. Enjoy.

Chaz - 12:05 pm

fired up by phil's post, i just wrote up this comment for damon's blog, but after re-reading it I realized that it was heavy on the personal attack and light on anything having to do with the tournament, so i decided that i still wanted to attack phil personally (and let you all in on it) but that i didn't feel the need to advertise it to damon's internet community. liz, for goodness sake, please post something on damon's blog - you're the one with real knowledge in our family and you're the only one, THE ONLY ONE, who graduated from a school (North Carolina) with a real chance of winning this thing. you need to humble Phil (no chance for alma mater [Davidson], adopted another school's [Pitt] team), Annie (no chance for alma mater (does Wheaton play basketball?), adopted new home's [Notre Dame] team (which has no chance), adopted husband's team [Davidson?]), Damon (no chance for alma mater [Robert Morris], adopted another school's [Pitt] team), Craig J (sadly, no chance for the [John Carrol] Blue Streak(s), adopted another school's team [Pitt? Syracuse?]), and me (no chance for alma mater although of course happy that the Patriot League still brings heart and class to the March Madness - and usually a good first round show).

Here is what I was going to write:

It's time.

While D-man has fired up his blog this week, I've been in sunny Simi Valley, California, home to the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Simi Valley has also been the home to the Charles Manson Family (in the 1960s), Michael Landon and the cast and crew of 'Little House on the Prairie' (in the 1970s), and the jury in the controversial Rodney King trial (in the 1990s).

Today, after reading D's illuminating post about a little-known NCAA conference and then reading some of the comments, I thought of Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?"

I know that Phil gets some kind of sick pleasure at insulting Holy Cross basketball and the Patriot League, but it always reminds me of the Republican Senator who can't seem to say enough about how disordered gay people are: he protests too much. Need I remind Phil that in the fall of 2000, while a junior year abroad student at Mansfield College, Oxford, he was basically also a Holy Cross undergrad (all of his friends were Crusaders). May I also remind Phil that he benefited from one year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, a program which receives no small amount of support from Worcester's college on the hill. And may I remind Phil, ABD [All But Dissertation], of one final thing: he does philosophy. By my lights, there is nothing more "uninteresting (and depressing)" than insecure white elitists exploring the mysteries of the universe by focusing narrowly on what insecure white elitists have written about the universe in the past.

And Matt, step the f off. I don't even know you and you are giving me ultimatums about when I should post? I hope that Annie kicks your as$.

But back to Rodney King. Phil, "Matt", quit trashing the Patriot League and let's get a long. It's not cool. If you would like to learn something about the league, which bares little resemblance to the CAA, read John Feinstein's book 'The Last Amateurs' which according to Amazon.com is the #1 book in the Basketball, College & University category (for Kindle). Nothing to "yaawwnn" at, Matt.

Oh, and Anna Lou leads Lydia Cate for the second week in a row.

Phil - 12:14 pm

CTS (Chaz),

you might as well go ahead and post this. most of the comments don't have to do with basketball anyway. personal attacks are all the rage...that's the beauty of damon's blog!

besides, your arguments for my debt to holy cross are pretty weak.

i also felt some tension between your claim that we should all get along and that matt should step the "f" off (not to mention your description of philosophy).

Chaz - 12:28 pm

my next comment on damon's blog: phil's debt to holy cross, in three parts.

CJS - 12:38 pm

I really feel all of this needs to be on the blog, it may be the only chance I have of seeing JVC [Jesuit Volunteer Corps] on a college basketball blog, or anywhere for that matter.


Thank you to everyone involved with this e-mail thread. It was quite an enjoyable experience. Chaz...never take things outside the blog again! That's what the comments sections are for!

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

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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