I’m way to young to remember John Wooden, but I know he left an impact for the game of basketball. A HUGE one. WIth ten National Championships and 664 wins, we are wrong to only remember Wooden as the greatest coach of all-time. That wouldn’t be good enough. Maybe he’s one of the greatest person’s of all-time.
I did some google searches on him today, just for fun. Deep down, this guy was something nobody might ever come close to. Known as “Woodenisms,” he lended his words in many ways. He was a motivational speaker. I came across a lot of quotes, and these two struck me the most:
“Be quick, but don’t hurry.”
“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”
Inspirational, huh? I’m thinking if a picture is worth a thousand words, what is Wooden’s words worth?
His death this last weekend was shocking at 99. He’s one of those persons you didn’t want to die, because he was such a legend. I never was a UCLA fan, I can’t help but respect what he accomplished for them. Truly a great role model.
Gus Johnson was riveting last night during the two-overtime game he called between Xavier and Kansas State in the Sweet 16. The game was great but I found myself listening to his calls more. I couldn’t flip the channel.
Johnson is one apple that fell way off the tree, but in a good way. Personally, I like broadcasters who call the game as they see it. And there’s nobody better. Jim Nantz, Verne Lundquist, they’re all great but they’re old breeds. Sometimes classic is nice. Johnson is the up and coming future of sports broadcasting. Just listenin to him go nuts and you’ll understand what I mean.
He’s a growing trend that keeps you dialed in. Last night, he popped into the fasting growing trend on twitter. Everyone was talking about him. I think within a few years, he’ll be calling the bigger games, and maybe just the National Championship game. I’m amazed by how creative he is.
I’ve settled on Kentucky in my bracket. All year long I’ve liked them, they have a certain knack to their team. It’s what John Wall brings. It’s the consistent play of Patrick Patterson. It’s the talent all around. I just like their team.
You can’t argue the fact that the Wildcats are the most talented team in America. I said the other day in a post that I was scared of their youth. But it all came down to their draw in the bracket, and I think the blue bloods in Kentucky have to like the potential here to make an inside run to the Final Four. In the East region, West Virginia is their only worry, that’s if they can get past a good team in Missouri and possibly Marquette first.
There you have it. One year removed from the NIT Tournament, Kentucky is my pick to cut down the nets in Indianapolis. Wall+Patterson+DeMarcus Cousins+Eric Bledsoe=Too much. Go Kentucky. What’s college basketball without them anyways? Not much.
This is going to be one odd year when March Madness brackets come out Sunday without seeing teams like Connecticut, North Carolina and UCLA in the field of 65. I’m not even going to go research the last time this occurred. Has it ever?
All year, we’ve been waiting for these teams to peak, especially the Tar Heels. The talent is certainly there on each team, and the coaching is the best you can get. In the preseason polls, North Carolina was ranked No. 6, and their final record was 16-15. You want to talk about hitting rock bottom, for a team that was the Defending National Champions?
I don’t think there’s any need to panic if you’re a fan of these teams. History tells us they’ll be fine. Hell, last year Kentucky missed the tournament, and now they’re a potential No. 1 seed and National Title contender just a year later. So as abysmal of a year it’s been for these teams, there’s no need to give up. One year is one year. We all hit bumps in the road.
I ask you: Is it still madness without the likes of UConn, UNC and UCLA? Of course it is. Maybe it’s about time we see the pendulum sway in college hoops towards other teams.
It’s getting closer, and already the Field of 65 will be revealed next Sunday for the NCAA Tournament. It’s funny to even think about associating a down economy in our country in the month of March. We all throw tons of money in pools in hope to be the one coming out on top. I won’t lie, but whenever I fill out my bracket(s), I tend to think I’m nailing the picks left and right. In just one game your whole field could be wiped clean. But that’s the joy of this little game we do. Maybe this will be my magic year.
Right now, the big talk is on the No. 1 seeds. We should all be able to agree that Syracuse is the Top Overall seed. After that, Kansas and Kentucky are in good position to snag one as well. But the fourth No. 1 seed is where it gets interesting. And I’m signaling Duke. Coach K, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer is enough to explain why.
On a side note, with these four, I feel that Kentucky is the most vulnerable to lose first. Sometimes youth gets exposed in the tournament, and they’re very young with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. If the tournament is all about matchups like people say, then it’s to the Wildcats strength. But I tend to think of maturity first and that’s their pitfall.
The University of Memphis today got the news that their entire 2007-08 basketball season, where they won 38 total games, is all going down the drain. For the second time in his coaching career, John Calipari got caught red handed. I like the guy a lot as a coach, but from everything I’ve always heard, his underground terms are sketchy. Maybe all those winning years at Memphis we’re a little fishy. Think Kentucky wants to take back their hiring of him?
The terms of this appeal ride on the fact that the Tigers point guard Derrick Rose cheated on his ACT in high school to get into Memphis, and had his brother paid for on every basketball trip. Now Rose was a stud. I remember watching high school tapes of him and just knowing he was NBA bound very quickly. Cheating is cheating though even though I enjoy his game. And somewhere he should have known he was not doing the right thing. Blame him or the NCAA clearing houses, but this shouldn’t have happened.
Then there’s the media. I’m questioning as to why they’re not blowing this up out of the ordinary like usual. Take away a shot from Kansas’ Mario Chalmers with under five seconds to go, and Memphis is your 07-08 National Champions. If Memphis calls a timeout previous to that play, it just doesn’t go down. The parallels between the NCAA wiping away a potential National Championship and Memphis cheating become scary. As much as I know, never has one been scratched away. Only Final Four trips have been, like the one in 1996 when Calipari had infractions when he took UMass to the big dance despite Marcus Camby getting gifts up the ying-yang. So take it from that standpoint, but I see this a HUGE deal. 38 wins is a lot of victories to discredit.
Kentucky is a mecca to college basketball. If you think Nebraska football is big to us, imagine if basketball was as well. That’s what it’s like in Lexington. Ever since the firing of Billy Gillespie on Friday, names have swirled as to who will take the head coaching gig. You’ve heard several already (Jay Wright, Tom Izzo, Jamie Dixon), but the name that makes the most sense is the current head coach at Memphis, John Calipari.
Last year was arguably when Calipari fully surfaced the nation. He took his “Dribble Driving” Tigers all the way to the title Game, only to choke from the Free Throw line late in the fourth and lose to eventual Champion, Kansas. You can trace Calipari all the way back to when he coached UMass from 1988-96. He took this unknown school to perennial ranks, from #1 for consecutive years, into the Final Four in 1996. But if you dig deep, that record-making season was swiped away due to NCAA player violations.
It’s easy to say he’s the best coach right now not to have a ring on his finger. At Memphis, he’s bringing in the best players in the nation (next year #2 DeMarcus Cousins and #3 Xavier Henry are coming in). He’s got everything he wants right now with the Tigers, he’s like a King. The downfall to his job is his team’s conference. It’s a cakewalk. Since the Kentucky program is in shambles, it’s something Calipari could turn around quickly. No doubt could his recruits scratch their original commitment and come to Lexington (think Scottie Reynolds with Oklahoma and Devin Ebanks with Indiana). Kentucky has all the resources in the world to be successful. The boosters at Kentucky have tons of money. Not only that, but the boosters control the team. They want a coach who is easy-going, ambitious, hungry and familiar with the rich school tradition. Nazo, the Delivery Guy in Big Daddy once said:
“Oh, yes. They make terrific pair. They fit together like lamb and tuna fish” … “Lamb and tuna fish?” … “Maybe you like spaghetti and meatball?”
The news today is that Calipari and Kentucky are in talks. Calipari held a team meeting with his Tigers and frankly told them this job would be too hard to pass up. If I were Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, I would already have Calipari the contract papers. Get him while you can, because in a few years you’ll be hard pressed if you didn’t.
What a game it was last night at the Qwest. Quite the eventful trip it was there too. Left Kearney around 1, and it was about that time when Tornado Watch’s were put out into the area. Sure enough, on I-80 we run right through a few of the storm cell clouds outside York that were pretty wild. Couldn’t see the road a few times, and several cars just pulled off and waited for the pass. The wind was insane yesterday as well.
Sure enough made it into Omaha though and just went straight to the Qwest. Got there right as the sirens sounded for a Tornado Warning in Douglas County so all people heading in were ushered into a safe exhibit room. Couldn’t wait for tip-off though, and it was quite the game. Haven’t been in that fun of an atmosphere for a basketball game for awhile. The Q was electric from the start. I was glad P’Allen Stinnett and Booker Woodfox came to play. Book hit a 3 to open the game up and the place went nuts. The only time it was quiet was when we shot Free Throws.
Unfortunately, Kentucky got the best of us. You can say the refs favored the Wildcats. But, with under four to go, Creighton held a slim lead. Free Throw’s is cost the Jays down the stretch. Stinnett missed 4/5, and Justin Carter then missed back-to-back. Had a great look to win the game at the end, but Woodfox’s three was long off the iron. The Wildcats prevailed 65-63. In the end, I was glad I had the opportunity to go with some friends. Kentucky is a perennial school I’ll probably never see again. I saw two prototype NBA players with Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson. Would have loved for the Jays to win, as Notre Dame would have came to town Wednesday. That would have been a game to go see as well.. After the game on the way home, called up Matt Perrault with the Bluejay Wrap Up Show. Great NIT game after all. Have to wait til next year for more Bluejay Basketball.
I’m leaving for Omaha here in about an hour, and heading out to the Creighton and Kentucky basketball game. Granted, I was upset at first when Creighton didn’t make the Field of 65 on Selection Sunday. Just being in the NIT Tournament didn’t get me excited and I felt as if the players could care less to compete in it. But the moment I saw the possibility of the Jays and the Wildcats meeting up, I couldn’t believe it. Kentucky Wildcats… are you serious? Let me set this straight. Here’s a team who will never enter this state again, unless Nebraska hosts an NCAA regional. Kentucky has a record seven National Championships, and is one of the perennial basketball schools in the nation, behind the Dukes and Carolinas. This year, they’ve got arguably the best 1-2 punch around with sharp-shooting senior Jodie Meeks and sophomore post Patrick Patterson. Both are obviously gone at the end of the year. These guys ranked fifth nationally in points per game of any tandem.
With that said, I think Creighton has a lot of trouble tonight. They got lucky to sneak away from Bowling Green in the opening round. Booker Woodfox hasn’t been the same after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. They’ll need him to hit some 3’s just to stay in it. I think Patterson will be too much down in the paint. He’s probably the biggest guy the Jays have faced all year. I think Kentucky wins, even in this environment 72-67. Their used to big crowds and I think they’re a solid team all around. Anyways, can’t wait to get to Omaha. Going to be a fun one at the Qwest tonight. Prime time ESPN is a great draw for Creighton. Go Jays!
Stuck to my plans today and just hung out in front of the T.V. to watch the opening day of the NCAA Tournament. I really wasn’t too excited for the BYU/Texas A&M game to start things off, as it turned into a one sided affair. The Aggies hit everything and controlled the whole game. But going on at the same time was the Memphis/Cal St. Northridge game, where the Tigers had their hands full! Take away Roburt Sallie’s TEN Three Pointers for Memphis and Northridge wins that game.
I was pulling for Northridge just because when you see the upsets coming, you tag along with it. Northridge was up six with around five to go, but collapsed on out. Get this, Memphis was arguably going to be a #1 seed, and they eventually landed a #2. This could have been the first ever upset of a #16 vs. #1. The ball rolled Memphis’s way from five minutes out. They played the way they should have from the beginning.
The afternoon games were good. I mainly watched Northern Iowa/Purdue, and I wouldn’t say the Panthers played horrible, just couldn’t buy buckets when it counted. Losing by six to a perennial Big 10 school was a nice show for the Missouri Valley. Gotta remember that N. Iowa is pretty solid, but Creighton is a much better MVC team. Even Illinois State is legit. Unfortunately, MVC only got the one bid.
My brackets are hanging tough! Thankfully, UCLA hung on over a late scare to VCU. Sorry Maynor, but no daggers this year (think Duke). I like to think I’m smart since I had Western Kentucky. Tomorrow’s first game is Stephen F. Austin/Syracuse… but definitely no upset here. Keep an eye out on North Dakota St./Kansas. The Bison have the 9th leading scorer in America with Ben Woodside at 22 points per game. Upset? I wouldn’t be surprised.
