The Inside Handshake

Kids in "Scared Straight" Program Visit Horrifying Cleveland Cavaliers Practice

2011-02-11T11:33:00.001-05:00

Another classic from The Onion.

CLEVELAND—As part of an effort to help at-risk youths turn their lives around before it's too late, organizers of a local "scared-straight" program exposed a group of at-risk teens to the horrors of a Cleveland Cavaliers practice Wednesday.

The 13- to 18-year-old juveniles—who were enrolled in the program by concerned family members or teachers hoping to show them the possible consequences of delinquent behavior—endured a long and painful day at the Cavaliers' training facility. While there, they were subjected to the same environment of hopelessness and despair the Cavaliers face every day and were forced to watch the NBA's worst team attempt layup drills, run the most basic offensive plays, and play a full-court scrimmage.

"I don't want to ruin my life and end up someplace like this," a visibly shaken 13-year-old Calvin Roberts said after witnessing three straight hours of poor ball-handling skills and terrible shooting. "It was the worst thing I've ever seen. I can't imagine going through day after day of that. All I could think about was apologizing to my parents for being such a jerk all the time."

Cleveland Scared Straight organizer Doug Whitney touted the program's ability to instill fear in teenagers by subjecting them to the sight of dejected Cavaliers who repeatedly miss free throws, turn the ball over during fast break drills, and look completely lost while working on their full-court press. Whitney believes that exposure to the 12 broken men responsible for the most atrocious losing-streak in NBA history has deterred countless teens from choosing the wrong path.

"Watching the Cavaliers practice—actually being right there up close, where you can see the anger and the desperation firsthand—is a really harsh experience for these kids," Whitney said. "But it makes a huge impact. All of them are ready to straighten up and fly right after they see the consequences of not even knowing which player is responsible for taking the ball out of bounds."

Whitney said that early on, some critics questioned whether the shock tactics were truly effective. Visiting teens often cried when the reality of their situation struck them, sometimes from the moment they were instructed to put on their mandatory Cleveland Cavaliers T-shirts. Many were nearly struck by the endless barrage of mishandled basketballs, and there were questions as to whether attending the Cavaliers practices put the youths at even greater risk than they had been before. But the vast majority of participants displayed improved behavior after seeing the fundamentally unsound losing path their lives could take them down.

"And in those rare cases where seeing a practice doesn't work, we take them to an actual Cavaliers game," said Whitney, explaining that it is a last resort used only with teens who are hardest to reach. "By the end of the first quarter, even the toughest kids are begging to leave and promising they'll never get into trouble again."

During Wednesday's practice, several players interacted with the teenagers, intimidating them with the bald truth of pitiful statistics and telling them horror stories about the team's dreadful season, including the time the Cavaliers were embarrassed on their home court by the Miami Heat.

"You want to end up like me?" said forward J.J. Hickson, screaming at the teens. "Broken down, hopeless, and barely able to complete a bounce pass without turning it over? Then you just keep living your life they way you have been. Look at this. This is you in 10 years."

"What are you laughing at?" added Hickson, staring directly at a snickering 14-year-old. "You think getting blown out by the fucking Toronto Raptors is funny? That's what I thought once. But this is some serious shit right here. I wish this life on no man."

While the teenagers attempted to present a tough exterior as they listened to the Cavaliers talk about how they turned the ball over 17 times against the Detroit Pistons or how they were pathetically optimistic after almost beating the 22-28 Indiana Pacers, a majority of the troubled juveniles became so frightened that they ultimately burst into tears.

"When we first showed up, I told everybody I wasn't scared," said Eric Carter, 17, rubbing at his red eyes. "But after five minutes, all I could think about was going home and trying to improve my life. I'm definitely better than something awful like this. Hell, my brothers and I run a better three-man weave than that."

"One time I visited a prison with Scared Straight," 15-year-old Clayton Jackson said. "But this is way worse. I'd rather be serving a life sentence in jail."

Tony Manuel, 16, said the intervention made him realize he needed to improve his attitude, avoid making poor decisions, and spend more time practicing his dribbling.

"Until you actually see these guys, you don't see what a waste it is," Manuel said. "And really, the only difference between them and me is that they can't move the ball up the court, get takeaways, rebound, or drive into the paint without dribbling the ball off their foot."

Cavaliers point guard Daniel Gibson told the gathered teenagers that they were lucky, saying that if he had participated in a scared-straight program as a youth, he would have stayed in school and might have actually made something of his life.

"You may think you have it bad," Gibson told the kids. "But come talk to me after you've been completely abandoned by your best player and left to fend for yourself. Come talk to me when you have no hope."

"No fucking hope at all," Gibson added, almost to himself.

The Top 10 College Football Teams for Next Year

2011-01-13T11:29:00.001-05:00

UCLA is not mentioned in this article. I don't care.

This is from one of our favorite websites, The Big Lead.

It’s still a bit early. Recruits haven’t signed yet. Some schools don’t even have coaches lined up. We already looked at teams that could slip in 2011. For fun, here is a preliminary Top Ten for 2011.

Oklahoma: The Sooners are loaded on both sides of the ball. Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles are coming back. The have a veteran defense. Should they decide to show up outside of Norman, they can compete for a national title.

Alabama: The Crimson Tide are losing McElroy, Ingram and Jones, but returning Trent Richardson and nine starters on defense. I put them at a slight disadvantage with an inexperienced quarterback.

Ohio State: They have a veteran team coming back. They will miss their memorabilia salesman for the first five games, but should scrape by without them. They play four of those five at home. Miami away is the only “tough” game.

Florida State: The Seminoles lose Ponder, but his importance was overrated. Their young defense will have another year under Mark Stoops. They keep bringing in top-calier recruiting classes. They should be the preeminent ACC team.

Oregon: They are losing a number of key contributors on defense and the offensive line. But Darron Thomas and LaMichael James will return and it’s hard to doubt Chip Kelly’s system.

Boise State: Boise lose their two best receivers, but they are bringing back Kellen Moore and the bulk of their defense.

Stanford: Jim Harbaugh is gone, but Andrew Luck, many of his recruits and the bulk of his coaching staff should remain. Enjoy Luck while he’s still fresh. You are going to here WAY too much about him next season.

LSU: Les Miles and a lot of talent returning. The trouble is they are losing a lot of experience and ability on defense and they are coached by Les Miles.

South Carolina: Garcia, Lattimore and all their wide receivers are returning. If they can stay healthy and save Steve Spurrier from himself, they should compete.

Texas A&M: The Aggies return virtually their entire offense and eight starters on defense. They will have Ryan Tannehill in place from day one.

Saddest. Story. Ever.

2011-01-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

From ESPNNewYork.com:

Mark Sanchez went to work Tuesday, preparing for a big football game. Some 40 miles away, a little boy from Queens, N.Y., was buried -- a friend of the New York Jets quarterback.

Sanchez and Aiden Binkley, 11, met each other only a few weeks ago, but they became fast friends. Binkley was suffering from a rare form of cancer, and he had only two wishes -- he wanted his two brothers to stay healthy and he wanted to meet Sanchez.

And so he did.

Aiden Binkley's dream was to meet Mark Sanchez and the Jets. He got his wish.

Aiden visited the Jets' training facility Dec. 15, and he received the VIP treatment, as if he were a big-name player making a free-agent visit. He watched practice and was escorted to owner Woody Johnson's second-floor office, where he met Antonio Cromartie, Dustin Keller, Mike Devito and others.

And, finally, Sanchez. The people who were there say Aiden's face lit up like Broadway at night.

"He sat there, beaming and smiling," said Aiden's mother, Lisa Binkley, who initially wasn't sure if it was a good idea to make the trip because Aiden was in such pain.

"Nothing meant more to him than coming here and meeting Mark and meeting the Jets," Keller said quietly Wednesday in the Jets' locker room. "Great kid ... a tough situation."

The 24-year-old quarterback was immediately taken by Aiden and his upbeat personality and his love of the Jets. A few days later, Sanchez & Co. beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh -- the biggest win of the season -- and Sanchez sent his new friend a game ball.

Sanchez was deeply touched by Aiden, who battled rhabdomyosarcoma, according to a 2008 New York Daily News article. There was a lemon-sized tumor that spread from his pelvis to his lungs, and he required 60 weeks of chemotherapy.

They became texting buddies and, one day, Sanchez surprised Aiden's parents by asking, "Can I come over?" When Sanchez arrived, the boy was sleeping. Sanchez sat at Aiden's feet, waiting until he woke up.

"He opened his eyes and there was Mark, sitting on the couch," Lisa said. "He was so sweet."

They ended up having a long conversation, like a couple of old friends. Aiden took Sanchez to his bedroom and showed him his sports stuff, including his hockey stick. He gave Sanchez a camouflage bracelet with the inscription "Binkley's Battle." Sanchez and Keller were wearing the bracelets Wednesday in the Jets' locker room.

"My man, Aiden ... breaks my heart," Sanchez said Tuesday during his weekly spot on "The Michael Kay Show" on 1050 ESPN Radio. "He's so tough."

Sanchez, choked with emotion, paused several times as he talked about Aiden, whom he met through the Teddy Atlas Foundation. Atlas, the boxing trainer and ESPN analyst, was a Jets special assistant under former coach Eric Mangini.

"He brought me so much inspiration. ... It's hard to talk about him," Sanchez said. "He meant the world to me. I felt like I've known him forever. ... I saw his personality. I saw his competitive spirit. I saw him fighting every day.

"I'm complaining about a shoulder. Are you kidding me? ... I think he was 11 years old, and he has cancer eating away at his body," Sanchez continued. "This kid is fighting every day. He's smiling every time I talk to him. I visited him at his home. I mean, he has to get carried up the stairs because he's so weak and all he wants to talk about is LT [LaDainian Tomlinson] and Darrelle Revis and Rex Ryan and me.

"Oh, man, it kills you, just thinking about it. I love him to death."

Sanchez was sitting at his locker before facing the Steelers, going over the game plan one last time, when he received a text from Aiden. His friend was concerned about the chilly weather.

"He's saying, 'It looks cold out there in Pittsburgh. I'm glad I'm watching from home. Good luck,'" Sanchez said with a chuckle. "Little stuff like that really fires you up."

After the game, Aiden fired off a congratulatory text to Sanchez. Don't expect a return text, his mother warned, explaining that Sanchez would be too busy to answer an 11-year-old boy. So they watched his postgame news conference on TV, never imagining they'd hear from him.

About 20 minutes later, the phone rang. It was Sanchez.

"We were blown away," Lisa said.

In his final days, Aiden's cancer was so unbearable that he couldn't get out of bed. But he kept his phone close by, just in case his friend Mark decided to call or text.

"He'd be lying in bed, in such pain, and the phone would ring -- and he'd smile," Lisa said.

Funny thing about Sanchez's texts: Instead of a simple, inspirational message, he always posed a question, trying to initiate a conversation.

Their friendship was born at a difficult time for Sanchez. The Jets were on a two-game losing streak after being embarrassed by the New England Patriots 45-3 and showing no energy in a 10-6 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Even Ryan admitted he thought about pulling his franchise quarterback from the Miami game.

"I'm not a happy camper, I'm upset, I'm frustrated," Sanchez said. "I want to make it right. I want to hurry up and play another game."

Along came Aiden.

"All I hear from someone is, 'There's a youngster who's terminally ill with cancer and all he wants to do is meet you,'" Sanchez said. "It changes your whole world. It stops everything. You get a chance to step back. It's really close to my heart. ... He's the best. I love him."

Keith Sullivan, an Atlas Foundation board member, was struck by Sanchez's sincerity. In that initial meeting, Sanchez and Aiden exchanged cell phone numbers, with Sanchez telling the boy, "I'll shoot you a text later. We'll talk." And Sullivan hoped it wasn't just lip service, a millionaire athlete trying to appease a starstruck kid.

Sanchez called. They talked.

"Aiden had a smile on his face for the last three weeks of his life," Sullivan said.

Aiden lost his courageous battle last Thursday. Before the Jets' game last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, the Jets honored him with a moment of silence.

Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.

Oh boy. This makes me sad.

2010-12-27T11:10:00.000-05:00

Steve Francis, revered in China since his days in Houston with Yao Ming, arrived in Beijing early in the morning on December 14th to a hero’s welcome; a homecoming of sorts for one of China’s favorite players of all time.

13 days later, Fu Laoda’s happy homecoming has turned into a messy divorce.

According to Sina Sports, the Beijing Shougang Ducks have decided to cut Francis from their roster, just six games after the three-time NBA All-Star joined up with the franchise. Although the team has yet to formally announce the news, Francis’ agent has confirmed to the Chinese news outlet that the nine-year NBA veteran will be released by the organization shortly and will return to the United States within the next couple of days.

Since arriving with the team less than two weeks ago, Francis has played a total of 14 minutes over four games, averaging 0.5 points 0.7 rebounds.

Though Sina is reporting that the team is cutting Francis, a source speaking to NiuBBall.com indicated that the break-up was mutual and that both sides were equally ready to move on. Francis, who was brought in on a large contract after Beijing head coach, Min Lulei, flew out to the U.S. to watch him work out in November, became quickly frustrated with Min over his lack of minutes and felt as if the team was merely using him to sell tickets and merchandise. Francis had not played more than five minutes in a single game, and had received his second straight DNP-CD tonight against Jiangsu after not getting any action on Friday against Bayi.

“He didn’t fly all the way out to China to just sit on the bench,” the source said.

Since he’s been in uniform, attendance figures for both Beijing home and away games have risen dramatically, as fans have been eager to catch a glimpse of one of their all-time favorite NBA stars.

The Ducks, however, have also experienced their share of perceived frustrations over the last two weeks, most of which have revolved around Francis’ poor conditioning and behavior towards his coaches.

When Francis first arrived, Min indicated that the player would not be seeing major minutes during games before his conditioning improved to an acceptable level after almost three years away from the game. Though Min came away impressed enough to sign him to a contract after he flew out to the States to see Francis practice, team management had major concerns about his ability to handle a full season of games even after the workout and up until he came to China. After Francis joined with the team in Beijing and began practicing, it became apparent to team management that Francis’ body was too out of shape and his skills too eroded, and that it was unrealistic for them to heavily invest in a player that could not be counted on serious on-court contributions this season.

In addition to Francis’ unacceptable physical condition, Beijing also grew weary of his attitude towards practicing. The final straw appears to have been drawn yesterday on Christmas when Francis, against the wishes of coaches, skipped a morning practice to spend the holiday with his family. The vast majority of Chinese do not celebrate Christmas, and since the Chinese government does not legally recognize the day as a holiday, workers and students are not given a day off.

“Yesterday, the whole team practiced, but only [Francis] went to go spend Christmas with his family,” Coach Min said to reporters after tonight’s 104-89 win against Jiangsu, visibly angry. “This afternoon I was still speaking with him, I wanted to find him a conditioning coach to work him out for a bit. But he said to me that he needs to play in games, not practice…”

After not playing on Friday in Beijing’s win against Bayi, Francis received his second straight DNP-CD tonight. Apparently at his wits end over not playing, Francis left the bench and halftime and did not return for the second half.

“I don’t know if other coaches would give him the minutes he wants, but the whole team has been working hard in practice. Actually, I had planned to let him play today but the first quarter we got down by too much.”

When asked by a reporter if Francis and the team were close to going their separate ways, Min nodded his head sligthly and answered, “I waited another day or two to talk to you guys [the media] again. Right now I don’t know how Francis sees it all… Today we got a big win, but I’m in a very bad mood.”

No time was given by the Sina report as to when the team will officially break the news.

Francis’ short stay in the country’s capital can be best described as adventurous. His debut came unexpectedly when Min substituted a clearly unprepared Francis onto the court for the final 17 seconds of Beijing’s home victory against Qingdao on December 15th after the coach publicly stated on multiple occasions that he would wait to put Francis into the lineup until he had practiced a few times with the team and acclimated himself to the 13 hour New York-Beijing time difference. With his shoes unlaced and an ice-pack taped over his socks, Francis dribbled out the clock to deafening cheers by the supportive Beijing home crowd.

In the team’s next game against Shandong on the 17th, Francis played his first meaningful period of basketball, tallying a total of four minutes, all of which came during the second quarter. In a chaotic sequence of events, Francis lost his balance on several occasions, slipping and falling on the floor as he ran for loose balls on his way to one rebound, two turnovers and two fouls.

In his third game on the 19th against Guangdong, Francis scored his first and only basket of his China career in a little over five minutes, but his play on the court was overshadowed by a late game incident that happened off the court. Coming down to the wire in a close game away against three-time defending champs, Guangdong, Beijing’s star import, Randolph Morris, fouled out on a questionable loose ball foul battling for a rebound under the boards. Morris, displeased with the call, walked back to the bench incredulously as the game’s television camera focused in on him. Unknowingly on camera, Francis, in the background and on the bench, extended a middle finger over his head to the ref protesting the call. Though he went unpunished by in-game officials, he received a warning by the league for his “uncivilized behavior”, and the team was ordered to privately “criticize and educate” the player to prevent any similar acts from occurring in the future, which is a common and accepted form of punishment within the country.

Originally signed on for a one-year deal with an option for a second, Francis and Beijing have already negotiated a release sum, according to the source.

With the win over Jiangsu, Beijing has now won its last six games and stands in third place at 6-1. At present, it is unclear who the Ducks will target to replace Francis on their import roster.

Whitlock on LeBron: "I Give Up."

2010-12-01T11:20:00.002-05:00

Jason Whitlock is my favorite sportswriter. Here's why:

I give up.

This column was going to be a plea for LeBron James to apologize to Cleveland fans for the classless way he exited the city.

An apology in the hours before Thursday’s Heat-Cavs tipoff would douse some of the animosity sure to fill Quicken Loans Arena.

An apology would relieve some of the stress on a Heat team totally uncomfortable with playing the role of villain, of being the team America loves to hate.

An apology would serve James’ image well, allowing his objective critics to move on.

But I give up. LeBron James looks, feels and sounds like a lost cause today, a millionaire celebrity incapable of reaching rock bottom, self-reflection or uttering an ounce of remorse.

Talent in the kind of abundance James is blessed with is a curse. It seduces the owner into believing his flaws are his strengths.

I once knew a Pro Bowl NFL receiver who believed being high on marijuana during practice and games was the key to his success. He said he’d been playing and practicing high since high school. He had no idea his reliance on marijuana was the main reason he’d never be a Hall of Fame receiver, and that’s not to suggest there are no recreational drug users in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Lawrence Taylor was so gifted it never mattered what he did before kickoff; putting on a uniform 16 Sundays a year was as responsible as LT needed to be.

LeBron James thinks he’s as dedicated to the game as Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash and Tyler Hansbrough.

Nope. He’s more talented, the game comes easier to LeBron. He can excel in the NBA without ever submitting to coaching. He can earn lifetime financial security without ever attending college or grinding at the bottom of the corporate ladder. He can win friends and be popular with women without ever demonstrating humility or showing respect.

You wonder why Big Ben Roethlisberger tried to have sex with a college student inside a nightclub closet/bathroom? Probably because he had before. People do what works. If bad habits get rewarded, people never interpret them as bad habits.

LeBron James bullies the coaches who dare to coach him, who dare to try to define for him the sacrifices necessary for true greatness.

According to an ESPN story, the Heat players, particularly LeBron, are bothered that Erik Spoelstra is demanding that LeBron conduct himself in a more professional demeanor. Spoelstra has committed the felonious crime of yelling at LeBron in front of his teammates. Spoelstra won’t let LeBron be LeBron the way a parent won’t let a child be an unbathed child day after day.

The story appears to be intentionally leaked by members of Team LeBron -- the clueless group that brought you The Decision — to undermine Spoelstra. In reality, it undermines James.

That’s why I give up.

The people surrounding and advising James are just as devoid of mature perspective as James. They’ve been blessed with a gift (James) so talented they can’t recognize their flaws, either. Their flaws, in their minds, have no real consequences, especially none that can’t be explained away by racism or “haterade.”

It’s the blind leading the blind. Unless one of them talks James into financing a dogfighting ring, it’s highly unlikely James will ever snap out of his cluelessness.

Seriously, that’s what it took for us to see the best of Michael Vick, another once-in-a-generation talent who never approached his potential until he sat behind bars for 19 months.

I have no interest in seeing LeBron James go to prison.

So I give up. I’m just going to accept his immaturity and stubbornness and bullying. He’s an immense talent I’ll never fully enjoy or appreciate. I’ll tune in Thursday night and root for the Cavaliers.

James is a lost cause. He’ll never man up and apologize. His bank account says he doesn’t have to. His friends say he shouldn’t. His coworkers and peers, besides Spoelstra, are too fearful to tell James what they really think. He’s a bully. Team LeBron’s next media leak could be about how Chris Bosh needs to be traded or Dwyane Wade must shoot less.

King Blames must be made happy in order for the Heat to reach their potential. The Little Diaper won Ohio state championships when everyone catered to his needs.

King Blames can’t hear us. Not any of us who ask him to rule the basketball world with grace, class, fairness and eye toward greatness. We don’t need him. And he doesn’t need us.

I give up.

E-mail Jason or follow him on Twitter. Media requests for Mr. Whitlock should be directed to Fox Sports PR.

Cowboys, Nancy Boys and Po' Boys: Random Musings for 11.18.10

2010-11-18T14:46:00.003-05:00

Some random musings as I dream about the Oyster Po Boy I’m going to be devouring in a few days . . .

Have you noticed all the trick plays that have been popping up on YouTube and elsewhere? Hell, the other night Ohio State coach Jim Foster called a fake timeout, the LSU's girls started walking to their bench, and a Lady Buckeye made an uncontested layup. God knows I'm old school, but is that really how you want to win a game? By pulling a fast one on your opponent? Am I stupid to think a win has more meaning if you actually outplay somebody head-to-head on the court? Has the world gone crazy? Am I asking too many questions? Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why is LeBron so pissed? Why can’t he understand the reaction of fans who now view him as an egotistical, immature, spoiled, self-centered multi-millionaire? How can he not see this? Why does he feel so put-upon? I’ll tell you. Because he’s surrounded by back-patting, glad-handing, blood-sucking leeches who hang on his every word and crack up at every joke he tells. Bron-Bron can do no wrong, kids. Ever see that Elvis documentary where they film everything, including a bunch of behind the scenes stuff? You know, where Elvis mumbles some lame joke and everyone in the room acts like he’s fucking brilliantly hilarious? That’s LeBron’s life.

And I know the Heat will end up winning 55 games but it sure is fun watching them struggle early, ain’t it? People are finally figuring out that it takes a TEAM to win basketball games. Remember the Lakers of a few years ago with Kobe, Shaq, Karl Malone and Gary Peyton? How soon we forget.

Finally, when I got over my disappointment and anger it wasn’t surprising that LeBron “took his talents to South Beach.” In the culture of AAU isn’t that what you do? Just go to the team with the best players? Sure, Michael, Magic and Larry would have never made “The Decision,” but that’s why they’re in the rare air that LeBron will never, ever, breathe.

On a related note, I recently read that within 15-20 years high school athletics will cease to exist as we know it, that everything will be club sports similar to AAU. Sadly, this makes perfect sense to me. School administrators will love it because they’ll have no equipments costs, no transportation costs, no liability, and best of all no bitching parents. Parents will love it because every kid will have a team and, best of all, nobody will get cut. Billy’s not good enough to make the AAU All-Ohio Red Squad? No sweat. Billy’s dad just starts his own team! Hell, he played on his intramural team, he knows basketball! And just think, none of those annoying High School Athletic Association’s “Rules & Regulations” to worry about. Everybody will be better off without having to get worked up about, you know, getting passing grades or behaving on the court, silly stuff like that. After all, it’s all about “having fun out there,” right?

Good Lord.

Oh, I know Mike Vick is playing great, everybody deserves a second chance, blah-blah-blah. Bottom line, I love watching great athletes but I also hate people who kill and torture dogs. Sorry, but throwing dogs in water, electrocuting them and watching them die is not my idea of a bitchin’ time. You gotta remember, I’m a guy who still can’t think of his little Scottish Terrier without tearing up, and she passed over 2-years ago. Guess I’m a softie. Screw you Vick.

And how ‘bout them Cowboys? They absolutely blow their first seven games and suddenly remember how to play a few days after getting a new coach? Them Cowboys must be a fragile bunch. I’ve never liked Wade Phillips, but his team quit on him, simple as that. Or are we supposed to believe that Jason Garrett’s game-plan and new “disciplined” approach made the difference? Don’t think so. They simply decided to play.

You know who makes me sicker? The Bengals. Marvin’s laid-back approach is killing me, and Carson Palmer is acting just like his head coach. What I’d give to see him grab Ocho Stinko by the facemask and tell him to get the hell off the field. This “professional” and “business-like” approach has got to go. Get pissed for once, dammit.

Don’t even get me started on Brett Favre, Randy Moss or Albert Haynesworth. Jesus.

I have no idea what to think of the football Buckeyes. I don’t know if they’re any good or not. None.

Most of you know I coached a team from Montserrat that visited the USA last month. It was a hell of a week, lemme tell ya. I’m in debt forever to Coach Tressel and all he did for the team. The tour of the Woody Hayes Center, Ohio Stadium, weight facility, meeting Terrelle Pryor, private 30-minute talk to the team from Coach, it was just an unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the guys. Add the visit to OSU hoops practice, West Virginia practice, and all the games played and the dinners attended and it was unforgettable for all involved.

Speaking of hoops, I’ve watched both OSU and WV practice and I’ll say this – WV is underrated (look out for Kevin Jones!) and, although they’re ranked #5, so may be the Buckeyes. They’re deep and very talented.

How sad am I for Greg Oden? Very. I hated to hear the news of his latest injury. Still, you can call me a fool but I still think he’s going to be an impact player in the league someday. Then again, I also was convinced LeFraud was going to stay in Cleveland.

That’s it, I’m out. As of next week I’m taking my talents to the Outer Banks. That Po Boy awaits.

Diva wide receivers. Who needs 'em?

2010-11-08T10:04:00.001-05:00

From Doc down in Cincy. By the way, I've been saying this exact same thing for years.

Now that the Randy Moss, how-boorish-can-I-be tour has settled in Nashville like a yard full of moles, it's time to shatter a few NFL myths, starting with Moss and the position he plays.

It's amazing the time, money and babysitting some clubs will spend on their wide receivers, given that wide receiver is the easiest position to fill in the NFL, and the least important to winning. You'd think Moss and his diva receiva brethren were left tackles or edge rushers, given the attention they're afforded.

Because the NFL is about conventional wisdom, and because its coaches generally see creativity as a threat to life as we know it, myths live on: The wisdom of punting, for example. That establishing the run is vital to winning. That great wideouts are important.

Mostly, punting is a white-flag waste of time and an expression of coachly timidity. If your team is behind in a game and outside its 30-yard line, it should never punt. Especially if your team is playing the way the local team is playing now. When you are 2-5 and all but statistically out of the playoff picture, what do you have to lose by using all four downs? Another game?

Think of how an offensive coordinator's playbook would expand if 3rd-and-6 were the new 2nd-and-6. Imagine the massive migraines that would provide a defensive coordinator, whose calls are heavily influenced by what plays the other guys tend to run in certain situations.

Imagine giving Peyton Manning 25 percent more snaps, every game.

But we digress.

Establishing The Run has little to do with winning games, and never has. Winning NFL teams win by throwing, not running. Don't believe me. Believe a guy who crunches stats for fun and profit. My pal Kerry Byrne runs the website coldhardfootballfacts.com. He says teams owning the highest average yards per pass attempt win big. Always have.

Otto Graham has the highest yards-per-throw average ever, 8.62. He also has the highest winning percentage among quarterbacks, ever, .810. Graham's career record was 57-13-1. The modern parallel is Ben Roethlisberger, who will be here Monday night. Big Ben, says Byrne, has the highest YPA in the NFL in the last 50 years.

“If you have a high average per attempt, you're going to win. Period,'' says Byrne.

That wouldn't seem to square with the argument that high-price, high-maintenance wide receivers - Byrne calls them “hood ornaments'' -- aren't vital. But it does. It only requires deeper crunching of the numbers. Football coaches aren't big on that. Unlike their baseball brethren - who use stats as a crutch - football coaches rely on conventional wisdom. They look back.

“Football is dominated by conventional wisdom,'' Byrne says, “and a lot of conventional wisdom is flat-out wrong.''

A deeper look at the numbers reveals that teams with great quarterbacks win big. Receivers are incidental. Name Tom Brady's wideouts when New England was winning three Super Bowls, win fabulous prizes chosen just for you.

While you're at it, name two wide receivers from last year's Super Saints team. Name one.

Byrne mines deeper history. The notion that the Bill Walsh 49ers could not have dominated without Jerry Rice is false. The Niners' greatest year - 15-1 in 1984, a Super title - came when Rice was at Mississippi Valley State. Joe Montana's favorite target was Roger Craig. He was a halfback.

As Byrne writes, “Rice didn't make the 49ers winners. The 49ers made Rice a winner.''

The assumption that Pittsburgh achieved greatness in the 70s on the talents of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth? Sorry. The Stillers dominated the decade with exactly one 1,000-yard season from a wideout, Stallworth in '79. In his nine NFL seasons, Swann averaged just 607 yards a year.

Even now, Roethlisberger's impressive YPA is not because he has had Pro Bowl wide receivers. Hines Ward is a very good player. He's not Randy Moss.

Michael Irvin? The “playmaker''? He caught 10 TD passes in a season just once.

And so on. Randy Moss' presence did not equal a Super Bowl title for New England in 2007, when the Pats went 16-0 in the regular season. In the Tom Brady Era, the Patriots are 12- 2 in the postseason without Moss, and 2-2 with him. Receivers might be the drama kings of the NFL. They might own the highlights portion of the program. Like Moss, they might get more chances to preen their feathers than their worth.

When it comes to winning, wide receivers are way down the list of must-haves. Something to ponder on Monday night, in case a couple of the local wideouts get a little, you know, carried away.

10 Most Disappointing Teams of 2010. We're #3! We're #3!

2010-11-02T14:04:00.001-04:00

From The Shutdown Corner:

The 10 most disappointing NFL teams of 2010

By Shane Bacon

1.) Dallas Cowboys (1-6): A playoff team a year ago, the Cowboys have had nearly the perfect storm in terms of falls from grace. The most popular sports team with no real answer to the problem, star quarterback and heartthrob hurt during the season, entire fan base up in arms about the struggles, and to boot, the Super Bowl being played at their stadium this season, when everyone was penciling them in to be a part of the festivities. Also, when a team has my dad mumbling on the phone to me, "I just have never seen anything like it," you know it's bad. The Cowboys could end the season with two wins, and at this point, that might be a stretch.

2.) Minnesota Vikings (2-5): At least the Cowboys have the Brad Childress/Brett Favre(notes)/Randy Moss Show to thank for not making Dallas look like the only lost souls in the NFL in 2010. The Vikings have also had a list of things go bad, including a continued quarterback situation (because it isn't really a controversy) that is only made better because it includes one of the wishy-washiest players in the history of sports, who, to boot, is involved in a sex scandal with a girl that was made famous because she was caught on the sidelines of a Florida State game with, umm, a well-fitted shirt. Minnesota was 12-4 last season, making it all the way to the NFC Championship game, but continues to fire bullets into their own shoes whenever possible.

3.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-5): Have you ever gone to a high school reunion, and ran into that "it girl" from your younger years that just doesn't look as good as she used to look, but you still hold her extremely high in your mind because she was the "one you could never touch"? I feel like that's the Cincinnati Bengals, a team we keep thinking is supposed to be good even though none of their pieces really work anymore. Carson Palmer(notes) isn't even a top-15 quarterback anymore. Both "star" receivers can't do much to change the momentum of a game. The defense is giving up over 23 points per game. We've just got to the point with Cincinnati where we need to realize who they are (not very good) and stop expecting them to be who they aren't (2005 Bengals).

4.) San Francisco 49ers (2-6): Everyone's favorite sleeper this season, the 49ers define one of the easiest, but most forgotten, trends going on in the NFL; if you have no quarterback, you can't be consistent. It's OK, though. They're 1-0 in games played outside the United States, and everyone in San Fran will be so loopy from the Giants winning the World Series that they will hardly remember a football team even plays on Sundays for the next four months.

5.) Denver Broncos (2-6): A little high here for some because nobody thought the Broncos would be that good this season, but they did start the season 2-2 before dropping four straight, with the last two coming at the hands of the Raiders and 49ers. One of my favorite sneaky stats of this season? Brady Quinn(notes) makes more per salary year than Kyle Orton(notes).

6.) Carolina Panthers (1-6): In their six losses this season, the Panthers have failed to score more than 10 points in four of them, which makes people like myself who own DeAngelo Williams(notes) in a fantasy league jump for joy. Here is their current depth chart at quarterback: Matt Moore(notes), Jimmy Clausen(notes) and Tony Pike(notes). If at any time, one of those guys came trotting out to play for your football team, you'd immediately turn off the TV and go back to Sunday chores.

7.) Arizona Cardinals (3-4): Remember when I said that thing about the three quarterbacks on the Panthers depth chart? Larry Fitzgerald(notes) was reading that, salivating on his computer.

(Also, a mini-tangent. I live in the greater Phoenix area, and have for the last two seasons. When the Cardinals were thinking of building a new stadium, they had two options; one in the middle of the city, where parts like Mesa/Tempe/Scottsdale collide, and one in a place called Glendale, where only scorpions and Joe Arpaio have ever ventured. What did they pick? Glendale. Now, to "enjoy" a Cardinals game with friends, you either get someone to DD or spend $200 on a cab. Thanks for looking out for your true fans, Arizona!)

8.) San Diego Chargers (3-5): Moved quickly down the list with a big win last week against the Titans, but you still have to look at the whole of the Chargers season as a disappointment. They've lost to the Chiefs, Seahawks, Raiders and Rams, not exactly a list of teams that makes you run for the hills. While that win jumped them to 3-5, it still has San Diego looking up in its division at the Raiders and Chiefs, with two of its next three at Houston and Indianapolis.

9.) Washington Redskins (4-4): I'll just say this about the Redskins: If Mike Shanahan wasn't Mike Shanahan, and just some regular coach like Josh McDaniels, he would be getting the most flak of anyone in the league. There really isn't anything like pissing off two of your highest profile players to prove to people "you're boss." It just seems like when you're 58 years old, maybe taking the high road on a few of these spats with players could end up being beneficial to your team in the long run, but who am I to talk, I haven't won two Super Bowl rings 12 years ago!

10.) Buffalo Bills (0-7): Hey, if you haven't won a game this season, you're going to be on this list, even if nobody thought you'd be any good. I was really hoping for a tie in that Kansas City game last week in case the Bills went winless, they could forever be known as the 0-15-1 team.

Urban Meyer, Insufferable Prick and Hypocrite

2010-10-13T14:36:00.000-04:00

From our friends over at The Big Lead:

The Florida Gators lost their second consecutive SEC game to LSU last weekend. Not coincidentally, head coach Urban Meyer decided Chris “Time to Die Bitch” Rainey had done his penance for texting his girlfriend a death threat. He has been reinstated. I could shake my head and attribute this to Meyer being just another ball coach, if he wasn’t such an insufferable hypocrite.

Meyer has perpetuated an ethos since he became Gators coach. Florida is the school of Tebow. They don’t just recruit talent. They recruit for character. This is Meyer from a profile by Stewart Mandel in 2006.

“I always like to ask a female at the school — a secretary, or someone coming down the hall,” said Meyer. “It’s important a kid has respect for women. And they [the women] will tell you the truth.”

“We won’t offer a kid unless we’re sure he’s a good kid,” said Meyer.

Meyer has had 30 of his Florida players arrested since those statements. That number is only the players who were caught. Either these comments were complete bullshit or Urban Meyer is sanctioning such an outlandish den of iniquity it is corrupting every fresh-faced innocent who arrives there. Either way, Meyer comes off poorly.

There are youthful indiscretions and there are malicious acts. You don’t learn from the latter. They are obviously wrong to anyone with a moral barometer. Urban Meyer isn’t teaching Rainey a lesson. He’s keeping him out long enough to satisfy the media. With their second SEC loss, the cost of keeping Chris Rainey off the field outweighed the PR benefit.

The sad thing is Meyer’s cynicism is the appropriate attitude in college football. No one besides Gregg Doyel cares how Florida wins as long as they win. Cam Newton stole a laptop. His punishment was sitting out from D-I for a year and becoming a Heisman candidate at another school.

Football players aren’t necessarily bad guys, but bad guys who play college football get away with it. Urban Meyer will be ripped for playing Rainey, but far less than if he lost to Mississippi State. His crime is pretending to have values.

Point the Finger at Yourself, LeBron

2010-10-01T11:30:00.002-04:00

This is by Jason Whitlock. I love Jason Whitlock:

Send this column to LeBron James’ black enablers and sycophants, the men and women circling the racial wagons around King James in hopes of being invited to his South Beach parties, the men and women determined to cripple LeBron the way they once crippled Michael Vick.

LeBron James is not an innovator.

He is not the first athlete to create a business and give jobs to his unqualified friends.

Deion Sanders jumped from Super Bowl contender to Super Bowl contender.

Magic Johnson fired Paul Westhead.

Curt Flood and Oscar Robertson are the fathers of free agency.

Please, let’s stop with all the nonsense that white folks are uncomfortable with LeBron because he’s “taken control of his career.”

Give me a &*%$ing break. The rationalization is as tired and lame as listening to Limbaugh defenders claim his black call screener is proof Rush is free of bias.

With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.

In an attempt to justify his asinine statement and gain favor with The King, LeBron’s enablers launched a counter offensive. Rather than deal with the real catalyst for the LeBron backlash – The Decision – we heard talk about how troubled some white folks were by LeBron deciding on his own to take his talents to South Beach.

Are you kidding me? Shaquille O’Neal has played for damn near half the NBA. Shaq bolted Orlando and took his talents to Hollywood without turning off most of America.

Quiet down.

LeBron James can't talk his way into popularity again. Mark Kriegel's advice is just shut up.

LeBron’s exit was disgraceful. It pissed people off. It painted LeBron as an uncaring boob. I’m sure that some bigots used The Decision as an excuse to air racist comments toward LeBron on Twitter or through e-mail.

No doubt, bigots – of any color – don’t need much of an excuse to flash their stupidity. But that doesn’t mean the backlash against LeBron is racist.

The truth is, LeBron James and his kiddie corps of handlers are no threat to the power structure. None.

They’re not Muhammad Ali and Elijah Muhammad telling the government the Viet Cong never called me nigger. They’re not John Carlos and Tommie Smith raising black fists on the medal stand. Hell, they’re not Barry Bonds chasing down Babe Ruth’s greatest-slugger-of-all-time legacy.

LeBron James and his business partner/friend Maverick Carter are two spoiled kids, drunk on fame and privilege and clueless about how to maximize and utilize the power they have.

I’m speculating, but my hunch is many white folks feel sorry for James. They wish he’d open his mind to mature advice. They hope The Decision isn’t an indication James is going to have a Kobe Bryant-, Lindsay Lohan-, Tiger Woods-child-celebrity fall from grace.

LeBron’s enablers are providing him the racial cocoon of denial. They’re giving LeBron an excuse to avoid dealing with his own bad (The) Decision.

Racism exists. It touches the lives of millionaire black athletes, too. I was at ground zero when it was fashionable for the national white media (and the public) to pretend that Barry Bonds invented steroids. I was one of the first journalists to call out the Duke lacrosse prosecutor for succumbing to the black racism that tried to lynch white college kids on the word of a black hooker.

I don’t leave home without my race card. I hate it when people throw it around to cover their shortcomings.

On Thursday, LeBron told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that people were looking too deep into his CNN comments, but he stands by what he (and Maverick Carter) said. He’s playing the race-is-a-factor-in-everything card, which is true. But that’s not what he and Carter implied on CNN. They implied that people have a problem with James and his handling of his free-agency situation because his skin is black.

Outside of Cleveland, no one cares or cared that LeBron left. No one could understand why he left in such a classless manner. It’s not like he claimed that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert did him dirty behind the scenes or Cleveland fans mistreated his family the entire time he represented the city.

LeBron pissed on Cleveland because he could and because he apparently doesn’t know any better. Well, people don’t like self-absorbed bullies. So America is taking a dump on LeBron.

Claiming racism might win LeBron the respect of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the folks at ESPN who concocted and participated in The Decision, but all it does in the rest of America is once again illustrate that Team James is in over its head.

LeBron blew a perfect opportunity to say, “Man, I screwed up the way I left Cleveland, and I regret the animosity it created. It’s a mistake I’ve learned from.”

Maverick Carter half-heartedly acknowledged this when he said “the execution could’ve been better.”

Just admit you were dead wrong and apologize. The people unwilling to accept your apology and move on are the people who have a problem with your skin color.

The rest of us are just tired of seeing athletes do dumb (stuff).

Montserrat's Ohio Tour Schedule

2010-09-21T14:00:00.008-04:00

Here's the schedule for the Montserrat National Team while they're in Ohio. Hope everone gets a chance to meet these guys. Everyone who donated in any way is invited to the Hog Roast at my house on the 24th. Oh, and you can click on the photos for a better look.

Wednesday, 10/20
Arrival in Columbus

Thursday, 10/21

8:00 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

10:00 AM: Practice @ Triple Crown Sports

1:00 PM: Cookout @ Ralph & Kathryn Shoemaker's

6:00 PM: Piketon Open Gym/Workout

8:30 PM: Piketon Dinner

Friday, 10/22

7:30 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

9:30 AM: Exhibition/Presentation/Q & A Assembly @ Paint Valley MS

1:00 PM: Practice @ Triple Crown Sports

4:00 PM: Tour of Ohio Christian University, Pre-Game Meal

7:00 PM: Montserrat vs. Ohio Christian University

Saturday, 10/23

8:00 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

1:00 PM: Lunch @ Karen & Army Armstrong's

6:00 PM: Montserrat vs. University of Rio Grande

8:30 PM: Dinner @ Coach Anderson & Kristy’s

Sunday, 10/24

8:00 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

2:00 PM: Montserrat vs. Ohio University-Chillicothe

6:00 PM: Hog Roast @ Marianne & Coach Shoe’s House

Monday, 10/25

8:00 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

10:00 AM: Depart for Columbus

11:15 AM: Lunch in Columbus

1:30 PM: Meet Coach Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes

3:00 PM: Ohio State Basketball Practice

8:00 PM: Dinner @ Lori & Canon Anderson's

Tuesday, 10/26

8:00 AM: Breakfast @ Hotel

10:00 AM: Depart for Morgantown, WV

1:00 PM: Lunch in Morgantown

3:00 PM: West Virginia Basketball Practice

10:00 PM: Dinner @ Hotel

Wednesday, 10/27

Departure

Everybody Hates LeBron

2010-09-14T11:38:00.001-04:00

From Deadspin. com:

LeBron James's latest Q Score is out, and to no one's surprise, the country sees him as a huge bastard. That's a lot more names for his enemies list.

A little perspective: the average sports star has a 15 percent positive Q score and a 24 percent negative score. That makes sense. His team's fans like him, his team's rivals' fans hate him, and most everyone else is indifferent.

Way back during the season, LeBron was viewed positively by 24 percent of respondents, and negatively by 22. Polarizing to be sure, but generally more liked than most athletes. Well, they polled people again. And it's clear he didn't make many fans outside of Miami by going to the Heat.

Just 14 percent of the general population has a favorable impression of LeBron James, compared with 39 percent who think he's a big selfish jerk who drove a stake through the heart of Cleveland. (My words, not the poll's.)

That's bad. He's the sixth most hated athlete in the country, behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant. Most impressively, James didn't earn his infamy by committing some horrible transgression, like killing dogs, breaking up a marriage, or starring on a VH1 show.

This won't be a wakeup call. We already know LeBron has reached a level of fame and fortune to be able to dismiss any criticism as haters hating. And you know someone from his circle is going to show him these stats, and tell him that seven percent more Americans have an opinion about him since The Decision. And in the world of marketing, that's probably the most important number.

Random Notes: Pennant Race vs. Kickoff 2010?

2010-08-29T08:45:00.006-04:00

Ahhh...the dog days of summer are upon us. The kids are back in school. The pool out back looks like shit. Pennant races are shaping up. Marching bands are cranking it up on Friday nights again. Tiger Woods shot a round under 70. The U.S. Open allegedly will be played next week in Flushing. Brett Favre has blessed us with his presence once again....

* Usually, for Reds fans, this means shutting down your veterans & calling up AAA wanna-bees, starting the debate on who'll be in the rotation next year, and starting the anointment process for the next "savior." But wait, Reds fans - the Messiah is here, and his name is Joey Votto, and he's Canadian. That's right - not only are the Reds poised to make the playoffs (4 up on STL), but Votto is also in a battle for a Triple Crown with STL's Albert Pujols. Votto-matic leads The Machine in BA, but trails slightly in HR & RBI. Should be a lot of fun to watch, and a reason for us die-hard Red's fans to give a shit in September.

* While I'm on the Reds, I just want to give a big "F-U" to ESPN's Colin Cowherd. In case you haven't heard, Cowherd has been on a month-long mission to prove why the Reds are "a fraud." Sure, they have a losing record against other division leaders. OK, fine. It's not their fault Mr. Baseball, Tony LaRussa & his Cards can't beat a AAA team like Pittsburgh or Washington. He calls out Votto as a fraud, claiming he's not in Pujol's league and benefits from the bandbox that is GABP. had Cowherd done his research he would have known that Joey hits for a better average & has a better slugging % on the road. He calls out the Reds staff, claiming the Yankees would own them in a 7-game series. OK, I'll concede a loss to C.C. Sabbathia, but Cincy stacks up everywhere else except payroll. (Don't forget, the Cuban Missile countdown to launch is on...). After all the hate mail started to pour in, Cowherd then took a shot at the whole state of OH-IO!! Not only did this douchebag call out the Reds & Votto, but he declares the Bengals, Bearcats, Musketeers, & Buckeyes also to be frauds. Cowherd also picked a fight with Paul Daugherty of The Cincinnati Enquirer, whom he called "a local hack." This one he won't win, no matter how much P90X he does...and oh, by the way there's some USC on your chin, Cowherd.

* Let's not forget the Bengals, Brown-eyes & Buckeyes are set to kick-off too. The Bengals D has looked suspect this camp, but should come around. Carson now has a bevy of receivers to pick from with T.O., Gresham, & Shipley now adorning stripes. I like this team, I really do. Same goes for my Buckeyes - anything less than a National Title will be a disappointment for me.

* The Big 10 is prepared to throw the greatest rivalry in college sports out the window. yes, Jim Delaney in all his wisdom wants to put OSU & UM in separate divisions, hoping they'll showdown in the newly-formed conference title game & make him look like a genius. Tress'll do his part, but Dick-Rod can't get out of his own way up in Ann Arbor (insert whore joke here). Listen here, Mr. Delaney...I'm going to teach you some MAC-learned geography & mathematics: you now have 12 teams. 12/2=6. 6 teams per division. Go east to west and stop at 6. Penn St, Ohio St., Michigan, Michigan St., Indiana & Purdue = Big 10 East. Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa & Nebraska = Big 10 West. he claims splitting the conference up like this would lead to competitive imbalance - I don't see it. I see right through you, man....all you see is $$$$. Given the proposed realignment, since Penn St. joined the Big 10, OSU & Michigan would only have matched up 4 times in a hypothetical championship game. If you worried about competitive imbalance, maybe your other teams should get better? Just sayin'....

* Great take by ESPN.com columnist Jeff MacGregor on the difference between Albert Haynesworth & Brett Favre right here.

* OK, speed round time....biggest sign of the Apocalypse: Pete Rose canceled a casino appearance to show up at GABP to be honored by the Reds on the anniversary of 4192, 9/11....it has been researched & reported that a guy named Tommy John was the first pitcher to undergo Stephen Strasburg surgery....an observation for Roger Clemens: you fucked up, cowboy...Randy Couture beat boxer James Toney in the first round in an MMA fight. Duhhhhhh....boxers can't punch from their backsides....Brett Favre is responsible for Percy Harvin's migraines....NASCAR drivers are pussies - yeah, I'm talking to you Kurt Bush. I'll beat you down just for looking at me, punk....Tiger Woods plays like he has carpal tunnel syndrome. Put the Jergens down & go get laid, already....what's the over/under JaMarcus Russell is wearing black & orange by season's end....I wish Joe Nuxhall were still alive.

Pryor Still Not the Prettiest Passer, but Ohio State QB Is Having a Sturdy Preseason

2010-08-24T11:20:00.001-04:00

From www.fanhouse.com:

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor looked bored, and because of it yours truly wasn't feeling so froggy himself on Saturday in muggy Flyover Land.

I felt like I was watching Michael Jordan try to play golf, or seeing Usain Bolt on a treadmill.

At Ohio State's final football scrimmage of the preseason, Pryor was the only starter wearing a black jersey. Which meant that if any Buckeye defender slammed into the star quarterback, he'd be thrown into the nearby Olentangy River and possibly off the team. To balance the equation, Pryor was confined to either throwing the ball or handing it off. The junior was permitted to run with the cargo, but only to avert a touch "sack."

No wonder Pryor looked like he might fall asleep between series at Ohio Stadium. Depriving him of expanded riffs with his feet is like taking a saxaphone from a jazz artist.

The success of Ohio State's offense begins with Pryor's feet, even when they don't set course for downfield. The threat they pose opens the chessboard. Ohio State's receivers, running backs and blockers are pretty good but not great. Pryor's passing, while improved, is nothing special. Nor is offensive design typically a strength at Ohio State.

What induced University of Texas coach Mack Brown to declare two years ago that a national title was a virtual certainty for Ohio State in the Pryor Era to come? Pryor's fast feet. As with the Longhorns quarterback Vince Young in the mid-2000s, it would take time, Brown said. But the feet would scare the bejeebers out of defensive coordinators.

Pryor wasn't made available for comment Saturday, which allowed Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel to convey, or perhaps invent, the quarterback's thoughts regarding the afternoon game of touch football he had just played. "I wouldn't say he loves it," Tressel said. "It's a nuisance, but he knows when the day comes and he gets to wear the normal jersey, it might be like freedom."

Buckeyes defenders were spared the embarrassment of pursuing a 6-foot-6, 235-pounder who appears not to strain when he runs, yet is as swift as defensive backs.

Buckeyes blockers were withheld the holy water that washes away their sins.

"He's so capable, it's crazy," said senior left guard Justin Boren. "We can blow a protection, and there will be a guy in the backfield, and Terrelle will make a move, and he'll be 30 yards downfield."

With NBA star LeBron James having fled Cleveland this summer, Pryor steps onto the stage now as the Buckeye State's best speed-and-power athlete. The Miami Hurricanes, populated with fast defenders, some of them weighing nearly 300 pounds, will visit Columbus on Sept. 11. It'll be an athletic exam for Pryor. The Buckeyes are comforted to know he'll be wearing scarlet and gray, not black, that Saturday night.

"Oh, he's a freak athlete," said Buckeyes senior lineman Cameron Heyward, laughing.

Heyward is Ohio State's best player, a relentless defender who is high on every NFL's team's draft list. The son of the late Craig "Iron Head" Heyward, who was a sledgehammer of a running back for the New Orleans Saints, he is dangerous as both an inside or outside rusher. He also was a pretty good basketball player in high school. He didn't feel quite so good about his basketball prowess, however, after going against Pryor in an AAU game five years ago.

"He's so capable, it's crazy. We can blow a protection, and there will be a guy in the backfield, and Terrelle will make a move, and he'll be 30 yards downfield."

Pryor isn't trying to win a decathlon for Ohio State. He's trying to become a championship quarterback. And the finding out is what makes Ohio State interesting to the sane world beyond football-crazed Ohio.

Will Pryor's arm and eyes catch up with his feet, or at least join the party?

In Pryor's freshman and sophomore years, the answer was often a skeptical one. And among Buckeyes fans, where passion can send reason into hiding, the doubting grew extreme last autumn.

Some fans demanded that Tressel move Pryor to wide receiver, although from what I saw on Saturday, Ohio State's backups are a galaxy apart from him.

When Pryor's four unsightly turnovers led to an embarrassing loss at Purdue last season, the lunatic fringe likes of which afflicts every large fan base called for Tressel's dismissal.

Purdue actually had done Ohio State a favor by depantsing both the star quarterback and an in-flux line and overall offense that, even a month earlier, had sabotaged the OSU defense's great work against USC. Pryor, recalled by one teammate as a bit of a "punk" when he got to OSU, began to mature at a faster pace. Ohio State powered up its running game, and Tressel, perhaps belatedly, found ways to better exploit defenses terrified of allowing Pryor to run past their flanks.

By the time they came to California last January, the Buckeyes were a new team. Pryor passed better than he ever had, leading the Buckeyes to a victory over favored Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Pryor was growing up, everybody said.

Great things were predicted for him this fall, and against that backdrop I watched him on Saturday.

What I saw was a quarterback who probably will never be the pretty, laser-like passer like those that Football America watches on Sundays. The connection between his feet, hips and arm doesn't resemble that of most NFL quarterbacks, or the elite college passers. On this Saturday against his fellow Buckeyes, Pryor was 12-25 for 152 yards Four of those passes were dropped. But a fifth pass also clanged off hands -- those of a reserve cornerback, Travis Howard, in the end zone. Pryor said recently that he will return to Ohio State for his senior year. Every personnel man in the NFL, I am certain, would endorse that decision.

Critics who demand NFL-like skills from college quarterbacks tend to miss the point. For all the blurring between the sports, they nonetheless are quite different. The game and schedule are less brutal in college, allowing great athletes to run the ball some as quarterbacks. Sublime passing didn't define any of the last four quarterbacks to direct national champions -- Chris Leak (Florida), Matt Flynn (LSU), Tim Tebow (Florida) and Greg McElroy (Alabama). Nor was Craig Krenzel artistic in leading Ohio State to the title in the 2002 season.

In Saturday's slog at Ohio State, the offense won the scrimmage not because it scored touchdowns -- it notched only one -- but because it turned the ball over only once in 140 plays, which equates to half a turnover in a full game. "Do that, and you're probably going to win the game, and to me, that is the only significant thing," said Tressel, whose deep aversion to turnovers has inspired the term Tressel Ball.

Tressel transformed one fleet quarterback, Troy Smith, into an efficient leader without burying his improvisational talents. Smith would win a Heisman Trophy and reach a national title game. Pryor could do the same this year.

But will Pryor accomplish his stated goal of getting Tressel over "the hump" in his quest for a second BCS national title?

I think of LeBron James and the Cavaliers. James led the Cavs to the best record in the NBA each of the past two seasons, but in the postseason, the Cavs were revealed as less than elite. Sometimes the exposure was humiliating, as with Ohio State's football team in the national title games of 2007 and 2008 pre-Pryor and opposite SEC champions from Florida and LSU. Next week, the Buckeyes will enter the season ranked second in the AP poll. Above them is yet another SEC power, Alabama. Rightly so.

The best news for Ohio State is that Pryor apparently has built on his strong performance against Oregon. While his success that day owed much to Tressel's game-planning and the threat posed by Ohio State' improved power running -- Pryor plucked low-hanging fruit with short passes that were unusually available -- the performance also showed that Pryor can win with his arm and his eyes. He played well despite a damaged knee ligament that would lead to surgery and may have robbed him of foot speed, although most Oregon defenders still looked slow by comparison. Saturday, Pryor wore a knee brace but moved briskly when he had to.

A quarterback's decisions off the field can be as critical as the reads he makes on it. And the Buckeyes well know how fine the line can be. While Smith's overall career at Ohio State was a redemptive one, one decision cost the Buckeyes dearly. His suspension for taking money from a booster hampered preparations in the summer of 2005, and may have contributed to the loss to Texas that September. Ohio State defended Young far better than any opponent would that season, but the Longhorns left Columbus unbeaten and, four months later, would win the national title via Young's destruction of USC in Pasadena. If Brown's cocksure talk of Ohio State winning a title with Pryor seems overly optimistic, and it does here, consider that OSU's great defense left a lasting impression.

Pryor's evolution as a quarterback and a person will continue briskly, the Buckeyes say. They cite what they see from the junior behind the scenes.

Tressel said Pryor "has had a great preseason."

"He wants to be better," Heyward said. "He comes in and looks at the film. And he gets in the weight room so much. He's matured a lot, grown up a lot. Playing as a freshman, you really have to go through some tough times. You have to learn about yourself. But I definitely think he's excited for this season. I see that his competitive drive is as high as it's ever been."

Said Boren: "As a freshman he struggled with the leadership role a little bit. But last year, and especially this year, he's really grabbed that. He's the leader of the offense."

Mike Zimmer finds solace in coaching.

2010-08-03T16:15:00.001-04:00

From espn.com:

CINCINNATI -- Their condo on the Ohio River is the way she left it. There's a beige couch with matching throw pillows and blanket, a style-conscious collection that strongly suggests that there's no way this place was decorated by a football coach. There's a flowery wreath on the table and a sign on the wall. It says, "There is always something to be thankful for."

Mike Zimmer clutches the remote of his large flat-screen TV, watching sports, counting the hours until training camp starts and the world rights itself. Silence is the enemy. It seeps in everywhere -- the car, the grocery store, at breakfast -- giving him too much time to think.

A few days ago, Zimmer was eating at a coffee shop down the street from his condo. He glanced at the couples, the friends sitting together, the people laughing and chitchatting. He turned to his left and spotted an old man eating breakfast alone. And then Mike Zimmer, the ultra-intense, highly sought-after defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, thought something to himself: That's me in 30 years.

"The hardest part," Zimmer says, "is probably the loneliness, I guess."

It is Tuesday, hours before another training camp starts in Georgetown, Ky., 10 months removed from the day Zimmer left work to check on his wife, Vikki, and found her dead. And nothing is really the same. He subsists mainly on microwaved frozen meals, still refers to just about everything with a "we" and constantly texts, dotes on and worries about his daughters.

He knows it doesn't make sense that a man surrounded by 81 football players could feel alone. That he can drop F-bombs over the span of a two-hour practice but still cry over a random memory. That he can be so jangled up inside that he'll go to church, three times a week sometimes, and light candles and ask existential questions. But that's what the quiet does to you.

A buzzer goes off in the laundry room. It's time to pack, and for Zimmer to get back to his hard-charging, testosterone-oozing, 16-hour-a-day life, the life he knows, the one that gives him a semblance of peace.

They met under the backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains, two kids, seemingly opposite, converging on a jogging track at Weber State University in the early 1980s. She was a pretty, petite dancer who had the distinction of being named Miss Weber State; he was a rugged football coach from Peoria, Ill., whose toughness was forged at birth. Football was everything in the Zimmer family. His dad, Bill, played in the NFL, coached him in high school and taught him how to methodically outwork his opponents.

Football was nowhere on Vikki's list of interests. She didn't know what a draw play was, and didn't exactly care. But it was clear, early on, that Zimmer was smitten. The couple was at a party once with Mike Price, who was then the head coach at Weber State, and Price's son turned to his dad and told him, in a conversation later relayed to Zimmer: "This is the one. You can tell how he's acting. That's the one he's going to marry."

Within a year, they were married, thrusting the young ballerina who once played the lead role in "The Nutcracker" into the world of a coach's wife. To this day, Zimmer jokes, he doesn't know what Vikki saw in him. But to everyone else around them, it was clear they were the perfect match. Vikki smoothed out Zim's rough edges. She kept him balanced.

"It's funny," Bengals defensive tackle Tank Johnson says. "When he's a hardass, he's a hardass. But when he's around his family, he's the softest SOB you've ever seen. She truly was his better half."

The life of an NFL coach's wife is described by some who've lived it as being similar to that of a military spouse. There's the constant moving, the long gaps of virtual separation, the stress and secrecy. When training camp starts, some wives joke that it's time for their husbands to step into the submarine. They're only half kidding.

"You make the best of where you are," says Rebecca Bratkowski, whose husband, Bob, is the Bengals' offensive coordinator. "And there's always something good about every place you go."

The Zimmers and Bratkowskis have a deep history together. In 1980, Mike caught the garter at Bob and Rebecca's wedding. Bob and Mike were assistants together at Missouri, then coached under Price at Weber State. Back then, the staff was very family oriented.

Price's daughter would often babysit for his assistants' young children. And the wives would often lean on each other in their times of solitude. It was a sorority of sorts, among a handful of women who advised and chuckled and knew things the rest of the world couldn't understand.

"We were all just young kids," Rebecca says. "We became a really close-knit group."

But inevitably, in coaching, groups splinter. The Bratkowskis have moved eight times in their marriage; the Zimmers have been to five stops around the college ranks and NFL. But somehow, Vikki managed to hold the family together. She cared more about raising their three kids -- Adam (26, a defensive assistant with the Chiefs), Marki (23) and Corri (20) -- than any media analysis of whether Mike's 4-3 defense was sound.

Sure, she would go to the games, even when times were bad and Zimmer told her to stay home so she wouldn't be subjected to the fans' surly comments. Thing is, they were rarely bad with Zim. He helped engineer some of the best defenses in the NFL in Dallas, winning a Super Bowl with Barry Switzer, then thriving under Bill Parcells.

When criticism came down from the stands, within earshot of Vikki, she occasionally would fire back with a, "You don't know how hard they work!" She was always the compassionate one, everybody's mother. She shuddered at the four-letter words Zim would rain on his players and told him he needed to be nicer. She softened bruised egos with cookies and brownies.

It would make the old coach roll his eyes, the Post-it notes reminding him to bring in the treats, the trays he'd have to lug in some early mornings when all he wanted to do was break down film and build his guys back up.

Some of the sweetness he never knew about until she was gone. Like how she gave a grocery bag full of food to a homeless lady, then kept another bag of food in her car in case she ran into the woman again.

"She was the sweetest, kindest, most caring person who'd never say a bad word about anybody," Zimmer says. "I mean, [that] story really typifies her. That was my wife."

When the Zimmers came to Cincinnati in 2008, they decided to lease a tidy, wood-floored condo, which sits a few miles from the stadium. His new job as the Bengals' defensive coordinator wasn't exactly rooted in stability. He inherited a group of castoffs and a defense that was consistently near the bottom of the NFL. Critics blasted owner Mike Brown for not opening his coffers to produce a team serious about winning; the people of Cincinnati had given up on the defense.

"When I first got here, the expectations of the defense in Cincinnati were … they were the worst thing ever," he says. "I felt sorry for them after hearing all the different things people were saying. So that was sort of our rallying cry."

His first year in Cincinnati, his defense finished a stunning 12th. His motivational tactics were the stuff that would turn a pack of marshmallows to steel. He gathered his team in a meeting room and pointed to the seventh-round draft picks, the washed-up veterans, the guys, he said, that nobody else wanted. He asked them to raise a hand if they ever had been cut from a team. Outstretched hands filled the room.

"If we don't start playing better," he told them, "you're going to be out on the street!"

Deep inside, Zimmer loved the fringe guys. Those are the men, he says, who know they can't slip up again. Those are the ones desperate enough to do anything to prove themselves because they know they have only this one last shot.

Tank Johnson was one of those guys last summer. The troubled tackle sat in Zimmer's office during camp, listening to the background report that was being whispered in league circles. Johnson was arrested multiple times in his younger days in Chicago, spent a suspension-shortened season in Dallas, then signed with the Bengals in the spring of 2009. This was seemingly it for the former second-round draft pick, and Johnson, perhaps, could feel it.

"He told me what the perception of me was in this league," Johnson says. "And a lot of times you don't get to hear that. He came right to me and told me, 'Hey, this is what's out there on you right now, and if you want to be successful in this league, you're going to have to clean A, B and C up.'

"He didn't leave any gray area. When a coach is straight with you, you can take it a lot better."

The "Z-fense" -- as some Bengals like to call it -- was churning right along on Oct. 8, 2009, when Zimmer got a call at work. It was his mom, asking whether he had heard from Vikki. Zimmer's daughter called, too, saying she had tried to call three times but Mom wasn't answering. It wasn't like Vikki. She always had her cell phone on.

Zimmer left work and headed to the condo, and found her dead in their bedroom. Her two beloved dogs, a dachshund and a Yorkie, hovered around her. One of the dogs was licking her.

Hamilton County chief deputy coroner William Ralston says Vikki Zimmer died of natural causes. She was only 50. Ralston says it's "not all that rare" for someone as young as Zimmer to die of natural causes, a term that is used when a person dies and there is no foul play or drugs involved.

To the Zimmers, it will never make sense. For months after Vikki's death, Mike Zimmer slept on the couch, trying to block out the memories. He coached that weekend, three days after her death, because he knew Vikki would want it that way. The Bengals upset the Ravens 17-14 in Baltimore. They gave Zimmer the game ball, which sits in his living room next to his TV.

The grind of the season was a welcome distraction, and when Cincinnati made the playoffs, it further delayed some of the pain. When it was over, a number of teams inquired about Zimmer's services. He thought about leaving, about sealing up and packing away such a numbing year.

He wasn't sure he had the strength, back then, to start over.

"We're very thankful for Zim's decision to stay," safety Roy L. Williams says. "Besides his daughters and his son, we are his family. There's no better place than being with your extended kids here on the football field.

"He's the rock of our defense."

The Bengals took turns looking out for the Zimmers. Mike Brown flew family members to Cincinnati for Vikki's funeral. The Bratkowskis had Mike, Corri and Marki over for Thanksgiving.

"I don't ever want him to feel like we're not in this with him," Rebecca Bratkowski says.

"It's tough. I mean, I send him cards every now and then just so he knows that he's not forgotten, that Vikki's not forgotten. We're here, and it's OK to talk."

Rebecca and Vikki talked so many times in their final stop together. Vikki was the one who planned the outings with the coaches' wives, and she comforted Rebecca last year when her father died. After Vikki's passing, the wives didn't want the tradition to end. So they got together and learned how to line dance and do the electric slide. Vikki, Rebecca says, would've loved that.

"It was such an appropriate thing to do because she was a dancer," Rebecca says.

"She was a tiny person with a huge heart and a great smile. She was just a blast to be around."

True story: Practically nothing stops an NFL coach in-season. Crowns break off of sore, abscessed teeth, yet the average coach delays going to the dentist until at least January. Nobody on the outside understands it, how the world stops for football.

Zimmer has been through so much, has changed so much, but he doesn't waver from his commitment. He was recently diagnosed with skin cancer and was advised to have surgery. Zimmer, 54, told his doctor that it would have to wait for a couple of weeks, when the Bengals returned from camp.

Zimmer thought about leaving Cincinnati after such a numbing year, but wasn't sure he had the strength to start over.

"It's nothing," he says. "It really isn't. It's what they call basal cell; it's not a melanoma. It's not an urgent thing. The doctor wasn't worried about it, so I wasn't worried about it."

He's softer now, "more feminine," he jokes, but somehow manages to balance everything. In the months after Vikki died, he carried his cell phone on the field in case his daughters called. He won't do certain things now because of his kids. Coach Marvin Lewis asked whether he wanted to jump out of a plane with the Golden Knights; Zimmer didn't want to risk it.

He thinks about the frailty of life more. He had Bill Cowher on his mind last week after the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach lost his wife, Kaye, to cancer.

"Bill Cowher's wife was 54," he says. "I notice these things a lot more than I did before. I have more empathy now. Because I know what they're going through."

In the days after Vikki's death, Zimmer received boxes of letters from people throughout the country, strangers who shared stories of grief. Some postmarks came from prison. One man from California wrote that his wife died 24 hours after the birth of their only son.

"That was probably the thing that helped me the most," he says. "I found out I was not the only one."

And he's never alone. Coach Lewis had his annual pre-camp kickoff party last week, and Zimmer, at first, didn't feel like going. He thought about the wives and families and how, a year ago at this time, he was there with Vikki. He forced himself to go, and was surrounded by stories and laughter and happy memories.

When it was over, Zimmer knew he needed that.

This is where he belongs, surrounded by 81 men, pushing on like on any other hot and desperate August afternoon.

"You see him thinking of her," linebacker Dhani Jones says, "and then he might do something a little bit different because she would've wanted him to do it. I don't know, it's just like a look. Instead of not giving any compliments, he might give us one."

Elizabeth Merrill is a senior writer for ESPN.com. She can be reached at merrill2323@hotmail.com.

Jack Tatum's Last Interview. A must-read for any Buckeye fan.

2010-07-28T18:33:00.001-04:00

BY ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI (2003)

SAN DIEGO — Some day, Jack Tatum had to tell his son the story of the most infamous hit in National Football League history. “I knew it was coming,” he said. Three years ago, it did. Lewis Tatum walked into the house. The kids at school had been talking about Darryl Stingley. Now, he wanted to hear for himself: Why had his father paralyzed a man?

They used to call him Assassin, but now they call him Dad. Tatum hadn’t met his wife, Denise, until his professional football career was over in 1980. She and the children — Jestyn, 15, and Lewis, 13 — had never watched Tatum play a down of football. Especially the kids, they just knew him as the man who was there every day in retirement, packing lunches, driving to swimming and soccer practices, and reading bedtime stories.

Yet, if Tatum wasn’t obsessed with the rest of the world understanding his truth, he was with his own son. “I told him that you never intentionally try to hurt someone,” Tatum said. “That what happened was an accident. What matters is what kind of father I am, what kind of husband I am to my wife. If someone can tell you that your dad was a dirty player, you can go back and watch some of the films and see what kind of football player he was.”

Jack Tatum stopped trying to tell the rest of the world a long time ago. It’s no use. Almost 25 years ago, with a preseason hit on the New England Patriots star, Stingley, with four words on a book jacket — “They Call Me Assassin” — most of America had its case to consider an All-American out of Passaic as a cold, unfeeling monster.

“I’m not going to beg forgiveness,” Tatum said. “That’s what people say: You never apologized. I didn’t apologize for the play. That was football. I was sorry that he got hurt. But to go out and apologize for the way I played football? That is never going to happen.

“I never did anything wrong. I apologized for the result. It was portrayed that I did something wrong — by the NFL, by papers - because that’s what they were fed. Even today, people still think I’m a bad guy.

“My only question is this: What did I do wrong?”

Tatum, 53, let his question hang in the air Friday night. He was sitting in the lobby of the Barona Casino and Resort on Friday night, about 40 minutes beyond a wild night in downtown San Diego for Super Bowl XXXVII. He had come for a golf tournament with a couple of old teammates, but couldn’t be found on an end-to-end walk of the casino floor. Grab a house phone, connect to his room, and Tatum could be found talking to his family on the phone. It was 9:30 p.m., and he had called it a night.

“I’m not a gambling man,” Tatum said downstairs, settling into a chair for something he so reluctantly and rarely does: Tell his story. The white streaks peel back through his long parted hair, tumbling down into his bushy Fu Manchu. He is still lean and taut. He still has presence. His Super Bowl XI ring glistens on his hand, the Raiders’ 32-14 victory over Minnesota punctuated with Tatum hitting Sammy White so hard, White’s helmet popped off.

Nobody remembers it. Nobody remembers his three All-AFC selections between 1971 and 1979 as a Raiders’ safety. They remember Aug. 12, 1978, a preseason game when Stingley turned toward Tatum on a slant pattern. The pass was incomplete, but Tatum stayed on course and jarred Stingley in the spine.

Tatum still sees Stingley laying on the Oakland Coliseum grass, still expects to see him stand up. Only, it will never happen. Stingley is a paraplegic, confined to a wheelchair and a life believing that Tatum isn’t just remorseless over the hit, but coldly profited with his best-selling book, “They Call Me Assassin.” This will be the 25th anniversary of the hit in 2003, inspiring people to bring the story back to life and try to make sense of this unresolved element of the story:

Jack Tatum still has never spoken to Darryl Stingley.

Tatum insists he tried years ago.

Stingley says Tatum never did.

“I made some attempts but it seems people around Darryl thwarted that,” Tatum said. “It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen. You can’t keep banging your head against the wall.”

If it never does, Tatum has learned to live with it. So has Stingley, who no longer does interviews on the issue.

Tatum wasn’t just the NFL’s most feared hitter, but an exacting student of his craft. He was a great cover man, voted one of the 25 best college football players in history for his time at Ohio State, where he moved between safety, linebacker, and corner. Tatum isn’t sure anyone remembers it. Or even cares anymore. All they ever heard was this: He paralyzed a man and sold 1.2 million books bragging about it.

“They thought that I was crowing about hurting Stingley,” Tatum said. “I had to go back after the book was finished and add that chapter, because it happened after the book was finished. He was barely in that book.”

Tatum has never confessed to this, but the hit on Stingley changed him on the football field. He stopped hitting in 1978. Naturally, he was scared of hurting someone else. He never told people, because this could’ve cost him his edge on the field. Yet eventually, Wendell Tyler of the Rams ran him over late in the season. He was a small back, but “I stopped short and didn’t make the big hit,” Tatum said. His older brother, Manuel, had watched it on television. He called Jack and told him, “If you’re not going to play, get your ass off the field.”

He started hitting again, because nobody in football hit like Jack Tatum. Even now, he confessed: “If you were a little afraid, I wanted you to be a lot afraid. If you weren’t afraid at all, I wanted to try to make you afraid.”

He talked this way years ago, and talks this way now. People hate to hear it, but it was the truth. Jack Tatum was a Raider. He was the hardest-hitting safety in the NFL. That’s who he was, that’s who he’ll always be. What it’s cost him, it’s cost him. After his retirement, Tatum wanted to be a football coach, just like his beloved second father at Ohio State, Woody Hayes. He didn’t want to work in the NFL, but college. How about that: Jack Tatum wanted to be Woody Hayes.

“You could teach there,” Tatum said. “You could have a bigger role in the lives of kids. Guys who go to the pros are million-dollar ballplayers. A lot of them don’t have fundamentals, but how are you going to tell a million-dollar guy that he can’t tackle? Or that he’s got to do it this way? I wouldn’t be a good NFL coach.”

So, Tatum started to touch base with old friends in college coaching, checking on even the lowest level of assistant jobs. All of them told him that he would make a good coach, “but told me that they couldn’t afford me in the program,” Tatum said.

“I was blackballed. It’s nothing that I did, but what I was perceived to have done. But then, I started to think that maybe I didn’t want to coach. If I was coaching and a kid got hurt, it would be because I was coaching him. That’s all people would say: I taught someone to do that.”

Nobody can believe his job now: He’s a paid employee of the National Football League’s so-called “Fashion Police.” On appointment by Al Davis, Tatum works the Raiders’ sidelines on Sunday, instructing shirts to be tucked and sneaker logos covered. “I don’t know if the NFL was too happy about it,” he said, “but Al Davis wanted a guy the players would respect.

“I don’t agree with all the rules, but I enforce them.”

It isn’t just the fashion that bothers him, but rules on contact. “They’re trying to make it safer, but this is a violent game. They’re teaching tackling wrong now.”

His son isn’t a football player, which is fine with the father, who understands football is a dangerous game and people get hurt. Denise Tatum was on the telephone Saturday night, a wife who met her husband weeks after his football career ended in 1980 and said: “I never fell in love with a football player. I fell in love with Jack.” She was telling the story of him “changing far more diapers than I ever did,” staying home with the kids, of him spending five years of mornings and afternoons feeding and caring for her father afflicted with Alzheimer’s.

“He’s the most kindhearted man I’ve ever known, the absolute best dad on the planet,” Denise said. “It’s hurtful to hear what people say about [Jack] and [Stingley]. He did hurt over it. He did. He tried to reach out and do the right thing, but he was turned away. It was an accident, what happened. But he didn’t do anything wrong.

“Apologize?” She stopped for a second and took a deep breath. The 25th anniversary is on the way, the story of Jack Tatum and Darryl Stingley starting all over again.

Finally, she said, “My husband is never going to apologize.”

Hope Springs Eternal in "Brownstown"

2010-07-26T07:53:00.003-04:00

Anyone who honestly thought one year ago that in July of 2010, the Cleveland Browns would be the best professional sports team in Cleveland, please stand. (Come on don’t be shy…just jump right up. Go ahead and brag about how right you were. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?...)

With rookie training camp underway, the veterans due in later this week, and the first preseason game less than three weeks away, this seems like the right time to start thinking about football and stop thinking about that number 23 basketball player guy.

Looking back, 2009 was a tale of two seasons for the Browns. The first twelve games of the season brought talk of how historically bad this team might be. Save for a 6-3 win in Buffalo in one of the ugliest games in the history of organized football, the Brownies didn’t win a single game. Granted, it took an overtime field goal by the Bengals and a last play fluke penalty in Detroit to get there, but the Browns limped into week 13 with a 1-11 record. There was serious talk of 1-15 and the number one pick in the draft (again). Beleaguered first year head coach Eric Mangini was on the hot seat. The only thing to be truly excited about in Cleveland was across town at Quicken Loans Arena.

Then, against the most unlikely of foes, everything changed.

I was fortunate (some said unfortunate at the time) enough to have tickets to the Browns/Steelers game on Thursday December 10^th, 2009. I bought these tickets in August in the foolish hope that the Browns would be fighting for their playoff lives and control of the AFC North against their hated rivals. I am a life long Browns fan who had been to many games to that point, but had never been to a Pittsburgh game.

An injury riddled Pittsburgh team was still in the playoff hunt, and a win against the hapless Browns would obviously improve their chances of defending their Super Bowl title. The Browns were decimated by injuries as well, and most people were expecting them to simply be playing out the string to bring another hugely disappointing season to a merciful end. Eric Mangini’s job was in peril, there was no general manager, and Mike Holmgren had not yet been hired, and everything was seemingly headed in exactly the wrong direction. On top of all of that, the Browns had lost to the Steelers 12 consecutive times, the Browns were near the bottom of nearly every statistical category in the league, and Brady Quinn was the starting quarterback. There was absolutely no rational reason to believe that the Browns were going to win this game.

But as I stood in “the pit”, a parking lot adjacent to Cleveland Browns Stadium, drinking a slushy beer and half frozen bratwurst, none of that mattered. The Steelers were in town, and maybe this team could summon up the intestinal fortitude to do the unthinkable. The game time wind chill was -12. The foam in our beer was freezing in the neck of the bottle. We were building fires in the parking lot to try to stay warm. It was beautiful. It was fun. It was everything that a Browns home game in December was supposed to be.

Behind 8 sacks of Ben Roethlisberger, and 200 all purpose yards from Josh Cribbs, the Browns exorcised their demons and beat their hated rivals. The team with nothing to play for except pride defeated the team with everything to play for. Walking out of that stadium and hearing the chants of “Pittsburgh Sucks” and “Here we go Brownies” was a memory I will never forget. Records didn’t matter. For a brief shining moment, all was right in Cleveland. The Steelers had been vanquished, and no amount of cold, wind, or snow could take that away. I saw the soul of Cleveland sports that night, and it had nothing to do with any narcissistic, egocentric basketball player. That number 23 basketball player guy was never the face of this city, no matter how big the banner hanging across from Quicken Loans Arena was.

Oh, yeah. And the Browns haven’t lost since. Behind a renewed sense of purpose, a suddenly competent defense, and (gasp!) a running game, the Browns closed the season with three more wins and a lot of momentum heading into 2010.

I always had a good laugh whenever I heard people contend that with the success of the Cavs over the past few years, Cleveland was in danger of becoming a “Cavs town”, and that the Browns were soon to be an afterthought in Cleveland sports. I read several blog articles to this effect. I remember laughing whenever I would read these articles, because whoever thought that any team could displace the Browns in the hearts of Clevelanders doesn’t know Cleveland, and doesn’t know Browns fans. The Cavs and the Indians will always play second fiddle to the Browns in Cleveland, and if the Browns somehow find themselves in the playoff hunt come December, “LeBron who?” will be a common refrain across the city.

It is with this backdrop that the eternal optimist in me looks forward to another season of Cleveland Browns football. In the coming weeks I am hoping to write a series of articles dealing with the offense, defense, special teams, coaching, and schedule for your 2010 Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland is a football town. Cleveland was, is and always will be “Brownstown”. Anyone who believes otherwise is kidding themselves.

Oh, and one final note: The Browns close the season at home on January 3^rd…against none other than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cleveland in January? There’s no place I’d rather be.

7 Types of People You See on the Jumbotron

2010-07-22T12:37:00.001-04:00

More from the cats over at Guyism. Good stuff:

If you’ve ever been to a sporting event of any kind you’ve probably noticed a oversized TV hanging from the rafters or placed dead center of a scoreboard. What you’re looking at is the JumboTron. It’s great for watching replays so you can justify your hatred for the ref that just blew an obvious call. But more than that, the screen is a great place to catch all sorts of people.

7 The Attention Whore

This person will begin flailing their arms to get the attention of the camera, and then continue making a fool of his or her self once on screen. When they see someone near them on the JumboTron they make a convincing effort to steal the focus of the camera. If they know the person near them, they’ll do the “bunny ears” technique, which somehow has not died off, nor has escaped this person’s imagination despite probably being thirty.

6 The Dancer

Have you ever been to a sporting event and, during a timeout, witnessed an event commonly known as “Dance Cam?” You know, where the people make fools out of themselves by shaking whatever it may be that their respective mothers gave them. Generally this is not a pretty sight, but it can really go either way when the camera captures a member of this group. Regardless if it is time for some dance related event, this type of person is constantly strutting, shimmying, twisting, bopping, or in some cases even boogying down.

5 The Sideline Celebrity

Having a big name in the building at a major sporting event is bound to garner attention. One should expect to see the celebrity on the big screen at least once during the course of the game. But this can become a little tricky. For instance, what do you do when the biggest “celebrity” at the game is some local politician? Sure, he proposed Ordinance 943.2 to eliminate unfair taxes on imported strawberries from a bordering county, but that’s the short term. With celebrities you need to think staying power.

4 The Awkward Waver

This person didn’t want to be on the JumboTron, but now they are and they’re just going to wave until they aren’t any longer. This is also the person that if they are in the shot of the JumboTron when it is focused on someone else, they act as if they are having a conversation or doing something on their phone even if they know they’re on camera.

3 The Duck-and-Hider

A shyer version of the “Awkward Waver.” The duck-and-hider will do anything to avoid being on the JumboTron. As it turns out, this is usually a great way to draw more attention to you. If the cameraman has a sense of humor they follow this person and show them multiple times over the course of the game.

2 The Proposal Maker

There is a lot of fun to be had with this guy (or very, very brave girl. You’ve got to have confidence to be in this category. Not only do you need the balls to speak in front of a huge audience, you better be confident you’re going to get the answer you want. There are few things worse than the image of you failing at one of the most important moments of your life on a fifty-foot screen built specifically to replay memorable events over and over.

1. The Couple

Are couples at games ever not awkward? Especially with Kiss Cam. When it comes on here’s a breakdown of what happens: the guy draws attention to the two of them so he can slip her the tongue on the JumboTron. She hides her face in her hands as if it was some sort of mask that made her boyfriend not act like a tool (Side note: Kiss Cam is the reason you should not go to a game of any sort with a relative of the opposite gender. Prepare for awkwardness). There’s nothing is better than a guy going in for a kiss on the JumboTron and his partner denying him completely. You know they fight about it the rest of the night too. You may say that I’m just bitter and to that I say, “You’re right.”

West Virginia Top Academic Team

2010-07-18T17:44:00.001-04:00

MORGANTOWN, W.VA. – Not only was West Virginia the top dog in the Big East Conference, but the Mountaineers were also the top academic team as well.

Today, the Big East announced the 25 teams that have been recognized with the 2009-10 Team Academic Excellence Awards, recognizing the highest collective grade-point averages in each conference sport and Coach Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers finished the highest among all men’s basketball schools.

The winners were chosen based on the 2009-10 grade-point average of each student-athlete who appears on an institution’s squad list as the last contest of the championship segment in each conference-sponsored sport.

WVU seniors Da’Sean Butler, Wellington Smith and Jonnie West recently earned their degrees, while Joe Mazzulla and Cam Thoroughman are currently enrolled in graduate school.

West Virginia won a school record 31 games on the way to making its first Final Four appearance in 51 years in 2010. The Mountaineers also captured their first-ever Big East tournament championship with their 60-58 victory over Georgetown.

Eleven Big East schools had at least one team recognized by the conference, with Providence finishing with a conference-best five teams recognized. DePaul and Syracuse had four teams recognized, while Cincinnati, Louisville, Notre Dame and St. John’s had two each. Georgetown, Rutgers, USF and West Virginia all had single teams represented.

ESPN Green-Lights "The Decision" for 22 More Episodes.

2010-07-17T14:41:00.001-04:00

The folks over at Onion Sports are at it again:

BRISTOL, CT—ESPN President George Bodenheimer announced Wednesday that the hour-long program The Decision, a melodrama about NBA superstar LeBron James declaring his intention to join the Miami Heat, has been green-lighted for an additional 22 episodes. "The pilot episode was obviously very gripping, as nearly 10 million people tuned in, but the series is going to have an expanded cast of characters and mostly take place on South Beach," Bodenheimer said. "Viewers will be captivated by how the decision affects LeBron as well as by a number of new decisions he'll have to make every week, like whether or not to save a drowning fan, apply suntan lotion to David Stern's back, or let one of his teammates chase down a loose ball. And don't worry, just like in the original, each episode will feature an hour of LeBron sitting on his stool and answering questions posed by a different guest star." Bodenheimer, who called The Decision daring and innovative, confirmed that either Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade will likely be killed off in the season finale.

7 types of guys that ruin pick-up sports.

2010-07-12T11:15:00.002-04:00

More from http://guyism.com/:

A lot of men like to exercise and take care of themselves as they get older but we sometimes don’t have the time to join rec leagues and YMCA tournaments. So we usually just grab some buddies and head down to the local gym or field to get some much needed exercise. This can usually be a lot of fun depending on how serious the people you play with take their pick-up games. Usually everyone is there to have some fun and maybe burn a little testosterone, but there are always those folks that take these games far too seriously. These are a few of the guys that ruin pick-up games.

7 The guy that always calls a foul in basketball.

There is always one guy (usually the most unathletic) that will call fouls like Tim Donaghy during a play-off game he had money on. Every ticky-tack slap on the wrist and body foul get called as if his life depended on it. When he does actually get fouled he awkwardly falls to the ground and flails like Paul Pierce engulfed in flames. He ruins the flow of the game and usually ends up getting one really hard foul that is meant to remind him that he is ruining the fun for everyone else.

6 The guy that always talks shit.

Yeah, he has got something to say; so much so that the muscle he’s most likely to pull out on the field/court is in his jaw. He’s got game and he is going to tell you all about it. Gives the play-by-play like Marv Albert without (hopefully) all the biting. If he and Terrell Owens got into a shouting match, the only winners would be the deaf. He and Ron Artest would only be able to play “H.O.A.R.S.E.” together. He just never stops telling you everything that’s about to happen and it just gets annoying. Even if you’re winning, he’s usually complaining about something. If you win you can talk, but until then just shut your mouth and play ball.

5 The guy that brushes people back from the plate.

Really? I’d expect Roger Clemens to brush back his kid at a father/daughter game, but during a church picnic or pick-up game? Seriously? Sure, it’s funny if it’s one of your buddies and it’s meant jokingly, aside from that, it is simply uncalled for. This is supposed to be fun, people. Unless he hit a home run off of you last at-bat and stared majestically into the stands as it sailed over the fence, while pumping his fist and pointing. Because if that’s the case, then fire away Nolan. Otherwise, it’s best to keep the bean balls and ensuing fistfights for the parking lot after the game.

4 The sweaty guy.

That scene from Along Came Polly with Ben Stiller pretty much says it all.

3 The guy that wears his shorts too low.

I understand wanting to get your money’s worth when it comes to the elastic band on your Nike shorts, but when you have to play defense with one hand holding up your shorts, you are doing it wrong. Happens more than you think too. The worst is when a someone gets by the guy like this and his shorts fall down and he trips on them in the ensuing chase. Hey, maybe if you used that drawstring we’d be winning this game, droopy drawers. This is a man’s game, so save your peep show for the girlfriend later on and buy some longer shorts if this is going to continue to be a problem.

2 The guy that turns flag/touch football into tackle football.

I can’t really complain about this because touch football usually always ends up deteriorating into tackle football. Somebody gets a little too rough, emotions run hot and somebody ends going all Ray Lewis by taking another player down hard. It just sort of naturally happens when male testosterone and pride levels peak while playing football. It’s why we play in the first place. So just be cool and don’t let it escalate into some huge issue that ruins the game.

1 The guy that takes it all too seriously.

Who will protect this house? This dude will. He will lace up the sneakers that he claims takes half a second off his 40 time. Has the entire Nike breakaway suit that he‘ll dramatically tear-off dramatically before the first game. He has the arm band, headband, Horace Grant goggles–the whole nine yards. Hell, he may even wear one of those watches that doubles as a heart monitor (which he’ll check every 30 seconds). This guy will bark plays like he’s Mike Ditka and scold his teammates like Kobe during a TV timeout. This is life for this guy. He has all the issues stated above, except it’s magnified by his unrelenting douchiness. I think the great Jack Byrnes said it best in Meet the Parents when he said, “Jesus, Focker. It’s just a game!”

Miami Thrice? Who's The Pivot Man?

2010-07-09T08:13:00.004-04:00

Yeah, I watched the ESPN special, and I do feel violated. I'd already had a growing hatred for Chris Broussard & Tim Legler in the weeks leading up to this fiasco - I feel so sorry for Jon Barry. Now, I turn the channel whenever they come on my TV. Thank God for NBA TV and its access to "real" talent like Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, & Eric Snow - I'll even forgive the unintelligible C-Webb. The Bachelor-esque vibe, where LeBron figuratively gives Riles his rose (and the finger to the whole state of Ohio) was at best, cheesy. Why the need to validate at the end by bringing in the Boys & Girls Club charity thing? Instead of teaching values like loyalty & family, you teach these kids that succumbing to peer pressure & going with the crowd is the cool thing? Anyway, fuck you LeBron, fuck you Miami, fuck you Wade & Bosh, fuck you Pat Riley, & fuck you ESPN. You're free to go suck-off Brett Favre now. But I digress, on to basketball-related observations....

So who takes the last shot in Miami? You're damn right....D-Wade. It's his team, Bosh & James are guests & always will be. Plus, LeBron's always passed on that shot anyway.
Who are the role players? The Heat only have 4 players under contract I think since they had to trade former #1 pick Michael Beasley for a #2 pick, just to clear cap room for The Thrice. There's a SG spot open for ya, Tim Legler...
The Cavs are calling James a "quitter" now that he's gone, much as I'm sure everyone in Cleveland was muttering under their breath during the playoff beat down by the Celtics. You wanna talk about a scorned lover: try Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.
The Legacy? The Brand? See ya. James would have been immortal in Cleveland. Now he's every bit as infamous as Art Modell. No statues outside The Q. No more "Witness" billboards. BTW...Jim Brown is looking for your ass.
This move instantly validates Kobe Bryant in the history books as "The Man," post-Jordan. Kobe has won 2 straight NBA titles without Shaq, just less than a month removed from hoisting the trophy for a 5th time. You know Kobe was sitting at home watching all this free-agent bullshit going down, just seething. God have mercy on the Heat should they be fortunate enough to meet L.A. in the finals next year.
Are the Heat even the best in the East? All these jack-offs on TV & on the radio are anointing this crew as the best in the Conference already...even though as previously mentioned they don't even have enough players to field a team yet. Please. Boston, Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta. Miami ain't getting through that.
The Cavs can still be a good team. Mo, Jamison, Varejao...this core can play a little, especially now that they don't have to defer to King James. It's crucial that the Cavs bring in a gritty, "glue" guy to replace #23, and if they do I like Byron Scott getting the most out of this team. Keep an eye on J.J. Hickson....I'm just sayin'.

Neers Sign Minnesota's 2010 Mr. Basketball

2010-07-07T19:01:00.000-04:00

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Kevin Noreen, who was named Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball for 2010, has signed a grant-in-aid to attend West Virginia University in 2010-11 and play basketball for the Mountaineers, coach Bob Huggins announced today.

“We are really excited about getting a player of Kevin’s caliber this late in the process,” says Huggins. “Kevin is a multi-skilled player who will fit in our system extremely well. With our abundance of physical low post players, Kevin’s skill set should prove very valuable for our team’s future.”

Noreen is a 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward from Minneapolis, where he attended Minnesota Transitions Charter School. As a senior, he averaged 38.6 points, 16.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.2 blocks per game for coach John Sherman.

Noreen guided his team to the 2010 Class A state championship, scoring 24 points with 15 rebounds and nine blocks against Sebeka in the state title contest. For his efforts, he was named to the all-state tournament team. He also had games of 22 points, 22 rebounds against Cass Lake-Bena and 17 points and 11 rebounds against Rushford-Peterson during the state playoffs.

He is the all-time scoring leader in Minnesota high school history, scoring 4,086 career points. As a senior, Noreen had 14 games of more than 40 points, including seven when he scored 50 or more points. He had 1,205 points last year, his third straight 1,000-point season.

Noreen earned first team all-state honors as a senior and second-team honors as a junior. As a senior, he was named the Minneapolis Star-Tribune Player of the Year.

As a junior, Noreen averaged 32.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.5 steals and 4.8 assists while shooting 66 percent from the field. He played AAU basketball for the Minnesota Pump N Run.

Noreen joins Noah Cottrill (Logan High, Logan, W.Va.), David Nyarsuk (Mountain State Academy, Beckley, W.Va., native of Juba, Sudan) and Darrious Curry (Stratford High, Houston, Texas) as signees for the 2010-11 season

Butler to the Heat, Ebanks to the Lakers. Ebanks in LA? Yikes.

2010-06-29T15:37:00.001-04:00

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Da’Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks were selected in Thursday night’s NBA draft held in New York City. Butler was the 42nd selection in the second round by the Miami Heat while Ebanks was taken one pick later by the defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers.

“I’m so happy right now, you don’t understand,” Ebanks said. “The world champions … I get to play with the best player in the world, Kobe Bryant … I don’t really have too many words to say. I’m just happy.”

Butler is also pleased.

When he injured his knee midway through the second half of West Virginia’s Final Four game against Duke there were doubts that Butler would even get drafted despite once being projected as a first-round choice.

Butler worked hard to rehabilitate his knee and the Heat thought enough of his potential to make the call.

“I was literally just overwhelmed,” said Butler. "I started to cry for a second.”

Butler was one of three players selected by Miami in the second round joining Texas center Dexter Pittman and Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado. Last year Miami had a 47-35 record and finished third in the Southeast Division before losing in the first round of the playoffs to Boston.

Ebanks was one of two players taken by the Lakers; Texas El-Paso forward Derrick Caracter was taken 58th.

Ebanks averaged 12 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in helping the Mountaineers to their first Final Four appearance in 51 years.

Butler averaged 17.2 points per game and became only the third player in school history to score 2,000 career points. The other two were Hot Rod Hundley and Jerry West.

“I feel good, I mean you hear so much, ‘he doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that,’ ” Butler said. “I mean I have a lot more work and a lot more things to accomplish to prove everybody wrong about me so I’m just looking forward to the season, that’s about it.”

West Virginia made the NCAA tournament during three of Butler’s four seasons playing for the Mountaineers and the other year they won the NIT when he was a freshman.

“It’s been a long, long journey,” Butler said.

The selections of Butler and Ebanks marks the first time in school history West Virginia has had two players taken since the draft was paired to only two rounds. The last time two Mountaineer players went in the draft was 1983 when guard Greg Jones was selected in the third round by the Indiana Pacers and forward Russel Todd was drafted in the sixth round by the Milwaukee Bucks.

It also represents the second and third Bob Huggins-coached players taken in the draft since Huggins has been at WVU; Huggins has had 18 players drafted during his coaching career.

“I’m willing to learn,” Ebanks said. “They just won the NBA championship, so I have a whole bunch of stuff to learn about the NBA and what better team than the Lakers?”

Miami Heat get the steal of the draft in Da Sean Butler

2010-06-27T10:14:00.001-04:00

With all the hoopla over John Wall being a superstar, Kentucky getting five in the first round and underclassmen dominating again, the Miami Heat may have gotten the best bargain in the NBA draft with the 42nd pick.

The team's selection of West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler, a 6-7 guard, may pay off bigger for Miami than any other pick last night.

There were questions of whether Butler would even get drafted after he tore up his left knee (who can forget the sight of coach Bob Huggins cradling him on the floor) in the NCAA playoffs.

But prior to his injury, Butler was thought of as a sure first-rounder and his play last year (he scored more than 2,000 career points) was superior to almost every other player picked.

While college stardom doesn't always transfer to the NBA, if Butler, expected back on the court in the fall, is anywhere near the player he was pre-injury, other executives may wonder how Heat president Pat Riley pulled off grand theft robbery without a mask and a weapon. -- Reid Cherner for USA Today.

Random Musings: Vida Blue, the Cleveland Izzos and More

2010-06-14T13:26:00.002-04:00

So I’ve been watching the NBA Finals and I was wondering. Why do so many players have to have these stupid pre-game rituals? It’s getting ridiculous. Kevin Garnett, who I used to love before he became a chest thumping, screaming, preening prima donna, walks to the basket support and slams his head into it. Wow, that’s pretty cool, except not at all. Dwyane (my mom couldn’t spell) Wade walks over under the basket, jumps up and does a chin-up while putting his head through the rim. Awesome. And don’t get me started on LeBron and his whole powder routine. I don’t know, I mean who is entertained by all this? Bueller? Bueller?

I was highly amused the other night when the ESPN talking heads were all ga-ga about Big Baby Davis and Nate Robinson showing “emotion” and “joy” on the floor and being so “energized.” Nate said they have to show emotion like that to get themselves and their team “into the game.” So, playing in the NBA Finals for the sport's highest honor and making millions of dollars a year to play basketball isn’t enough incentive for you to play hard and, hell, care?

Sigh.

Speaking of LeBron, I’d like a show of hands for anybody else getting sick of all the drama. How many times have you heard that the city of Cleveland will be emotionally and economically destroyed if he leaves? You know what? I’m to the point of saying just go if you don’t want to be here. Cleveland will survive. That said, I still think he’s staying. I heard from a pretty good source that the Cavs expect him to re-sign for a 3-year extension. I also heard that Danny Ferry left because he didn’t want to fire Mike Brown but Gilbert overruled him and is now calling all the shots. Ruh-roh. Hope we don’t have another Jerry Jones on our hands.

Thought on the coaching situation. Can you picture Tom Izzo standing there while LeBron and Co. go through their whole picture taking routine before games, just smiling? Me either. Then again, for 30-million he just might think it’s hilarious.

When did height become length? I’ve been involved in basketball for over 40-years and I never heard the term “length” used until a few years ago. I never heard an announcer say, “Boy, that Wilt Chamberlain causes a lot of problems out there with his length” (insert Wilt sex joke here). Also, apparently fast breaks are now run-outs. Go figure.

Final NBA thought. The refs control the series. L.A. wins game six and Game 7 will go as the referees call it. Let ‘em play, Celts win. Call it tight, edge to L.A. In addition, Joey Crawford’s an ass.

OK everybody, settle down. Stephen Strasburg’s had a couple great games. Let’s not induct him into the Hall of fame just yet (I’m talking to you, Bob Costas). Hey, I’m old enough to remember one of the last great phenoms. Had a poster of him on my wall. He went 17-3, before the All-Star game, in 1971. He finished 24-8 and had a good career, winning over 200 games. His name? Vida Blue. How many of you can tell me who he played for? Probably everybody because that’s his picture up there, but you get the point. Nolan Ryan he wasn’t, though everybody thought he was in the beginning. Listen, I don’t wish any ill will on the Strasburg kid but I predict arm troubles. He throws too much with his arm and not enough with his legs. Just sayin’. Call me in 3-years.

For the life of me I can’t watch the World Cup, and Lord knows I’ve tried. My son played soccer, loves it, and watches it all. He knows the best players from Slovenia and South Africa and knows the difference between a Flick Header and a Front Header (I had to look those up – Googled "soccer terms"). All I see is a bunch of guys running around scoring no points. Case in point – the Americans are thrilled with a 1-1 tie against England. Huh? That’s foreign to me, and I mean that literally. If they got rid of the goalies they might have a pretty cool game, but right now it’s like a basketball game with a guy on a chair in front of the rim, swatting away 99% of the shots.

Finally, does anybody still watch Pardon the Interruption? I do, and I've done a complete 180 on Wilbon and Kornheiser. I use to think Kornheiser was an ass and that Wilbon was pretty cool. Now Wilbon has become such a name-dropping, self-important blowhard that I can't stand him. He has to preface every comment with, "When I spoke to Shaq the other day . . ." or "Hey, Ray Allen's a friend of mine but . . ." I'm telling you it's disgusting. Meanwhile, Kornheiser's crusty old man act has become somewhat endearing.

That’s all I got. The Outer Banks, and a Chillipepper's Oyster Po' Boy, await.

West Virginia Hoops Recognized by NCAA

2010-06-09T22:22:00.001-04:00

This isn't juicy and won't make headlines, but . . .

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s basketball team recently received public recognition by the NCAA for their latest multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. The team posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all NCAA basketball programs.

Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear APR. This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams who demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.

Multiyear APR scores for all of WVU’s athletic teams, including the teams receiving public recognition awards, will be announced by the NCAA at a later date. More detailed information is available at www.ncaa.org.

Nation undecided on who it hates more, Lakers or Celtics?

2010-06-08T12:32:00.000-04:00

Man, I love The Onion.

WASHINGTON—The NBA Finals have thrown the nation's basketball fans into a state of angry confusion this week, as the bitter debate over whether they despise the Celtics or Lakers more rages on. "Kobe is such an egotistical prick that it's really easy to detest the Lakers, especially with that clenched-jaw face he makes, but come on—you have to hate the Celtics because the Big Three are so much more fucking annoying," said Jeff Connor, a St. Louis native. "I'll admit that I can't stand Pau Gasol, just because the guy rubs me the wrong way, maybe due to his disgusting greasy hair. Phil Jackson is a pretty huge asshole with all that loud whistling he does, but Rondo is the most irritating little shit, and I loathe that fat sweaty hog Glen Davis. Ray Allen is actually okay. That dick Kevin Garnett, though, is a chest-pounding idiot." After much discussion, a consensus appears to be near, as Americans are agreeing to hate the Lakers and Celtics equally.

New York Chosen As Site For 2014 Clusterfuck

2010-05-26T20:45:00.001-04:00

From our friends at The Brushback.com:

NEW YORK--The NFL announced today that the New Meadowlands Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, would be the official site for the clusterfuck known as the 2014 Super Bowl. The clusterfuck will feature historic traffic jams, stifling security measures, and possibly terrible weather, commissioner Roger Goodell indicated.

“This Super Bowl will be one of the biggest clusterfucks in this history of the world,” said Goodell. “And it’s going to happen right here in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. You won’t be able to get anywhere in the city that week. It’s going to be like the St Paddy’s Day parade combined with New Year’s Eve and extended for a whole week. And the security? Forget about it. You’ll be strip-searched on every corner, which will be especially uncomfortable in single-digit temperatures.”

Goodell predicted a New York Super Bowl could present “the perfect storm of clusterfuckery.”

“If everything goes wrong, this really could be the perfect storm of clusterfuckery,” said Goodell. “Just think about the crowds and security, then add a blizzard to the mix. Yikes! Thank God I’ll be escorted around in a limo all week. I wouldn’t want to be a regular fan. Those people are going to suffer terribly. Heh. I love it when that happens.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg beamed with pride when the league announced the results of its voting on Tuesday.

“Finally, we’re going to see the biggest game in the world played on the biggest stage in the world,” Bloomberg said. “No offense to Miami or New Orleans, but it doesn’t get any better than the Super Bowl in New York – unless you live here and, you know, want to have the slightest measure of peace and normalcy that week. Sorry, New Yorkers! You waived your right to peace and normalcy when you moved into this monstrous parody of capitalist excess.”

Residents of the New York area had mixed reactions to the announcement. While some were excited to have the big game in town, others were weary of the headaches and inconvenience of having the world’s biggest clusterfuck outside their doors.

“Oh great. That’s just what I need,” said Amanda Zweifel, 31, of Brooklyn. “Hundreds of thousands of tourists swarming the streets and airports, military police in the transit systems, and drunken media people getting oral sex from hookers in alleys. This is going to be...well...just like every other week, but slightly more crowded.”

Mayor Bloomberg assured residents that every precaution would be taken to ensure a safe and hassle-free Super Bowl week.

“We’ve already got plans in place for pretty much every situation,” said Bloomberg. “The weather, safety issues, traffic issues - you name it, we’ve got a plan for it. Of course, none of these plans are going to work, but we have to make them anyway in order to waste as much money as possible on this thing.”

LeBron's Next Team

2010-05-22T04:55:00.000-04:00

From the always amusing Onion:

In scant weeks, LeBron James will be the most desirable free agent in recent memory. Where will basketball's biggest catch choose to go?

Kings: Sacramento GM Geoff Petrie has been known to call James "the best player in the league," so perhaps this will flatter LeBron into making the wrong decision

Knicks: LeBron has said he's always wanted to play in the most overrated franchise in sports history. Plus, you can order out at 4:00 AM! Woohoo!

Nets: East Rutherford could be the destination, as James has hinted to the media how much he loves "marshy hellholes"

Bulls: Have wooed James by offering him a chance to be the franchise's all-time second-best player

Bucks: Not very likely, since LeBron has never even heard of this team

Heat: Miami, having no income tax, or apparently any other laws of any kind, may prove intriguing to young James

BK Ventspils: LeBron has always been enamored with Latvia's nightlife

Cavaliers: Makes perfect sense for both sides, but God, would that be boring

Phil Jackson Burns Steve Nash’s House Down In Effort To Get Into His Head

2010-05-18T13:45:00.002-04:00

From The Brushback.com. Printed without permission. Hey, they wouldn't return my emails.

PHOENIX--Lakers coach Phil Jackson is famous for trying to get into his opponents’ heads during postseason play, and the Zen Master was in rare form this weekend when he set fire to Suns point guard Steve Nash’s Phoenix-area mansion. The wily old coach insisted it was all an accident and said he was “terribly sorry” for all the destruction.

“I’m terribly sorry about burning down Steve Nash’s house,” Jackson quipped, a mischievous smirk on his face. “I just happened to be in the neighborhood and I wanted to wish him good luck and I accidentally doused the property with gasoline and set it ablaze. Oops! I’m such a stumblebum! I just hope this doesn’t affect Steve’s play. I imagine it's hard to concentrate on basketball when everything you own is in smoldering ruins.”

When asked if the arson was an attempt to “tweak” his opponent, Jackson, winking, insisted it was not.

“Tweak the opposition? No, not me!” Jackson said. “I would never do something like that. This was simply an unfortunate accident. I feel terribly sorry for him. I’m sure the referees do, too. They’ll be putting him on the free throw every time he touches the ball, I imagine. But hey, I’m not complaining. The guy has been through a lot, the poor baby.”

Nash’s sprawling mansion in the suburbs of Phoenix has sustained approximately $1 million in damage, police say. While it is clearly a case of arson, they are hesitant to charge Jackson as they know the Zen Master was simply trying to get in Nash's head.

“Under normal circumstances, this would be clear-cut case of arson,” said Sgt. Lance McCullough of the Arizona State Police. “But with Phil Jackson, it gets a little complicated. I mean, the guy has a reputation for playfully tweaking his opponents. As bad as the damage is – and it’s really bad – this is vintage Phil Jackson. And frankly, I think it’s good for basketball.”

Experts believe the arson attack will add an additional layer of intrigue to the Western Conference finals.

“Phil Jackson has just raised the stakes in this series,” said ESPN’s Mark Jackson. “Will Steve Nash succumb to his head games, or will he be able to brush it off and concentrate on winning? My bet is the latter. Steve Nash is too smart, and too much of a veteran, to let some childish antics like this distract him from his goal.”

When pressed for a comment, Nash admitted he found the incident “upsetting” but said it would not affect his performance on the court.

“With Phil it’s always something,” Nash said. “He’s either tweaking the refs or getting in a dig about your playing style or reducing your mansion to a pile of ashes. If I get pissed or take it personally I'll be playing right into his hand. The only way to get revenge for this incident is to win the series – or possibly bang his girlfriend.”

Kevin Garnett now screaming each time Rajon Rondo scores.

2010-05-15T13:57:00.000-04:00

Gotta love The Onion . . .

BOSTON —Now that Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo has emerged as the team's leading postseason scorer, 33-year-old forward Kevin Garnett has taken to emitting his signature primal scream each time Rondo makes a basket. "I'm no longer able to contain myself when I pass it back out to him because I can't get through a double-team, or when he hits a three while I'm stumbling in the paint," Garnett told reporters after Rondo's 22-point performance Thursday, during which Garnett punctuated the point guard's behind-the-back fast-break assist by pounding Rondo's chest with his fist. "I think I feel it the most when I'm grinding under the basket and I flip up an off-balance shot that clangs off the front of the rim, and Rajon's there to rebound and lay it back all in one motion and I'm like, 'GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!'"

Garnett also announced plans to engage in histrionics whenever Glen Davis does something in the interior that Garnett is no longer capable of doing.

Sport's Most All-Time Intimidating Athletes. Who ya got?

2010-05-10T19:25:00.001-04:00

With Lawrence Taylor being in the news the last few days, it got me to pondering (big ponderer, me) - who are the all-time baddest, most intimidating athletes in sports? With this in mind, I put together a quick list of guys off the top of my head to be included in a “Most Intimidating Athlete in Sports History” poll. And please, spare me the wrestlers. Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan ain’t included, ya rednecks. And speaking of rednecks, I won’t consider Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhart either, because race car driving, like golf, is not a sport. We’re keeping this to the guys other athletes were or currently are physically afraid of, guys who make (or made) their opponents tremble if you will.

So, without further ado, here are the sixteen athletes I’ve chosen for the poll:

Bob Gibson, Baseball

"Hmmpphgrrr."

Hank Aaron had this to say about Bob Gibson, “Don't dig in against Bob Gibson. He'll knock you down. Don't stare at him. He doesn't like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don't run too slow, don't run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don't charge the mound, because he's a Gold Glove boxer.” There’s really nothing else to say except this – As a kid I once asked Bob Gibson for his autograph before a game at Crosley Field in The Natti. He wasn’t pitching that day so Dad said it was cool. I leaned over the railing and said, in my nicest southern Ohio twang, “Mr. Gibson, Mr. Gibson, may I have your autograph?” He stopped, then turned and looked at me. I swear to God I actually staggered back a few steps. His glare was that scary. It actually almost knocked me off my feet. He then said, and I remember this clearly, “Hmmpphgrrrr.” Then he walked away. Thanks Dad.

Ray Lewis, NFL

Ray's Senior Picture. I kid.

How Ray Lewis has turned into the unofficial NFL mentor for troubled players is beyond me. Because, you know, he more than likely killed a guy or two a few years ago. Allegedly. Not only that, the dude turned on his friends on his way to a plea bargain that got him off. I mean seriously. Still, this murderin’ snitch is a beast on the football field. He’s quick, relentless, and has a motor that just keeps going and going. Sort of like a 6’-4” Energizer Bunny, except with homicidal tendencies. Hence the whole intimidation thing.

Robin Ventura getting a beatdown.

Nolan Ryan, Baseball

Ryan’s Express was the most feared pitcher of his generation, with 7 no-hitters on his resume. Sure, he could throw 100+ miles an hour. Problem was, once in a while a he let one get away from him. Whether this was done intentionally or unintentionally, no one was sure. His image was only enhanced when, in 1993, Robin Ventura charged the mound and was promptly grabbed by Ryan, who proceeded to get him in a headlock and pop him on the top of the skull seven straight times before they were broken up. No backin’ down from this Texan.

Brock Lesnar, Mixed Martial Arts

Pussy.

Lesnar is the only guy I’ve ever seen who has a neck bigger than his head. He’s a former NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Champion who turned to MMA when he became bored. He immediately took the sport by storm, scaring normally tough men witless on his way. He’s widely thought of as the most feared man in MMA as well as th rest of the universe and beyond.

He got a real pretty mouth, ain't he?

Jack Lambert, NFL

Jack Lambert was, quite simply, one mean son-of-a-bitch. As leader of the Pittsburgh Steeler’s notorious Steel Curtain, the man with no teeth would jump, twitch, and chomp at the bit before the snap as opposing QB’s would look nervously in his direction. And oh yeah, his nickname? Jack the Ripper. Perfect.

George Foreman, Pro Boxing

Foreman, pre- 5 little Georges.

Forget the guy you know now, the happy-go-lucky minister who sells grills and does commercials. When Foreman first went pro after winning the ’68 Olympic Gold Medal he was a one man wrecking crew. I’ll never forget watching him lift undefeated heavyweight champion “Smokin’” Joe Frazier completely off the mat enroute to a 6-knockdown, 2-round beatdown for the ages. The man had a right like a jackhammer back then.

The original LT.

Lawrence Taylor, NFL

LT was an absolute menace on and off the football field. For over a decade opponents had to account for his presence at all times. He was fast, big, mean, and changed the way people looked at the linebacker position forever. None other than Joe Montana once said that LT was the only football player he ever feared. Lawrence Taylor was a badass.

Maurice Lucas, NBA

One bad mofo fo sho.

For you youngins out there, Maurice Lucas played for the Portland Trailblazers with Bill Walton when they won the NBA title in ’77. “Luke” as he was known, was the Blazers enforcer and was one bad mofo. In that ’77 NBA Finals series, Lucas asserted his "enforcer" role in Game 2. With the 76ers comfortably ahead late in the game, the Blazers streaked down the floor on a fast break. Lionel Hollins missed a shot, and both 6’-5” Bob Gross of the Blazers and 7’-0” 280 lb Darryl Dawkins went up for the rebound. They both came crashing to the floor, then jumped up and squared off. They appeared ready to come to punches when Lucas slapped Dawkins in the head from behind. You know, just to get the big fella’s attention. Dawkins then whirled around and saw what awaited him. Maurice Lucas, at 6’-8” and 220 lbs, had dropped into a boxers stance and was charging in. At that point Dawkins backpeddled away, thus saving his life if not his pride. Lucas, on the other hand, had cemented his legend.

Must be a league game.

Dick Butkus, NFL

No one in the history of professional football played with more maniacal intensity than Butkus. He didn’t just hit people, he meant to destroy them. Those who played against him learned to fear this monster, a bringer of pain, a harvester of ruin. Butkus admittedly played every game as if it were his last. He also once stated that his dream was to kill a guy on the field. He also once famously said, “When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something.” Yikes.

Circa '87. One bad man.

Mike Tyson, Boxing

Kids, forget the face tattoo and the biting off of people’s ears. Forget the prison stint for rape and the goofy quotes about eating your children. OK, maybe you should remember that last one. The point is that from 1984 to 1990 Mike Tyson truly was “The Baddest Man on the Planet.” He not only beat people, he destroyed, embarrassed and disgraced them. He wore no robe or socks, just black trunks and shoes. Most boxers were finished before the fight started. He was simply a devastating puncher and relentless boxer that rarely experienced a fight past 3-rounds in his prime.

"The Spin Cycle."

Tie Domi, NHL

Domi may have been the most feared enforcer in the history of the National Hockey League. This menacing cutthroat was famous taking on anyone, anytime. Once, he aquirted a fan with water and the fan foolishly jumped into the penalty box after him. By the time security arrived Domi had beaten the guy senseless. And get this, Domi’s fighting style even had a name – it was called “The Spin Cycle.” Classic.

Ronnie "9-Finger" Lott

Ronnie Lott, NFL

Here’s all you need to know about Ronnie Lott’s toughness – he once had a finger amputated rather than miss playing time. Vince Carter just read that sentence, pissed his pants, and passed out. I remember his hit in Super Bowl XXIII that nearly killed Ickey Woods. You could feel it through the TV set, and Woods was lucky his head stayed attached to his neck. Guys who played against Lott still consider him to be the most brutal hitter in NFL history.

"Hungo"

Al Hrabosky, Baseball

Al was known as “The Mad Hungarian” for good reason. This Fu Manchu wearin’ maniac would stomp around behind the mound, muttering to himself, shake his long unruly hair, go to the mound, stare the hitter down, then promptly deliver his 98 mph fastball. He threw the fastball 90% of the time, and even though hitters knew it was coming there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot they could do about it. The pitch was rendered even more effective because it would occasionally be aimed right at the batter’s ear.

Looking for a QB to destroy.

Deacon Jones, NFL

Deacon Jones was a member of the famed “Fearsome Foursome” who played for the Los Angeles Rams, and is credited with inventing the term “quarterback sack.” He hated quarterbacks and revolutionized the role of pass rusher in the league. Recently Jones was asked who is the toughest athlete in sports today. Here’s his answer: “I'd have to cast the vote for myself. Because No. 1, I'm probably the toughest motherfucker here. Ain't no question about that with me. I'm the toughest guy here. If you want to eliminate me from the pack, you can pick somebody normal. Of course, quarterbacks are eliminated. We definitely don't want none of them in that mix.” Kids, Deacon Jones is 72-years old.

"The Big Unit"

Randy Johnson, Baseball

At 6’10”, Randy Johnson is one of the tallest baseball players ever. With a fastball that’s routinely clocked at 100 mph, his mullet and goatee, and a downright vicious demeanor, Johnson cuts an imposing figure on the mound. Add to this a notorious early-career perception of a stunning lack of control, not many hitters have felt truly comfortable guarding the plate with “The Big Unit” throwing fastballs. Everyone remembers the All-Star Game when Johnson faced off against John Kruk. You may also remember the look of sheer terror in Kruk’s eyes as a pitch smoked wildly over his head. Randy Johnson, in his prime, terrified hitters.

Woody taught him well.

Jack Tatum, NFL

Jack Tatum’s autobiography is titled “They Call Me Assassin.” In his first pro game after graduating from Ohio State, he knocked the Baltimore Colt’s John Mackey and Tom Mitchell out cold. Jack Tatum was ruthless, and he and George Atkinson anchored one of the most vicious and feared defenses in football history for the Oakland Raiders. In a 1978 preseason game Tatum caught the Patriot’s Daryl Stingley with a brutal hit, paralyzing him for life. Sad story, but it defined Tatum’s career of bone-crushing hits.

So there you go. Who ya got?

PNC Park sold out for "Fan Euthanasia Night."

2010-05-08T19:39:00.000-04:00

PITTSBURGH—PNC Park boasted a rare sellout crowd Tuesday when more than 38,000 eager Pirates fans showed up for "Fan Euthanasia Night," during which each attendee was guaranteed "the sweet release of a quick and painless death" courtesy of sponsor PepsiCo. "For a diehard Pirates fan who has been following this team for nearly 20 consecutive losing seasons, or really just anyone who watched them get beat 20-0 by the Brewers last week, this is certainly a well-deserved treat," said 46-year-old Jim Martin, walking through the turnstile to receive his souvenir program and his lethal dose of sodium thiopental. "I haven't seen so many people so relaxed and generally happy to be at a Pirates game in a long time." An estimated 200,000 Pirates fans who were unable to get tickets to the game reportedly listened to its radio broadcast while idling their cars inside closed garages.

This article originally appeared on The Onion, as if you hadn't figured that out.

When Losing Makes You a Winner

2010-05-06T10:44:00.001-04:00

The following article was written by Shane Bacon for Yahoo! Sports.

There are times to be competitive. Moments when all you want to do is humiliate your opponent as you defeat him. It's the nature of sports, and what our internal competition meters usually read.

That, we all know, is how athletes feel most of the time. But, at times, and these are few and far between, we see acts that defy wins and losses. A moment when a girl is brought in on crutches to score a layup to break a record or someone being carried around the field after she twisted her ankle rounding the bases. Opponents coming together to transcend the game.

That is what happened between two collegiate golfers, vying for a spot in the NAIA National Championship.

Grant Whybark (left), a sophomore at the University of St. Francis, had locked up a spot in nationals with his team, which won the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, but was in a playoff against Olivet Nazarene's Seth Doran (right) for individual honors.

As championships go, both the winning team and winning individual are asked to move on to nationals, so if Whybark won the playoff against Doran, he'd be honoring both spots and Doran wouldn't be asked to move on.

What happened next is the type of stuff movies are made about. Whybark stood over his tee shot on the first playoff hole, looked down the fairway and back at his ball, and hit it 40 yards right of the fairway, out of bounds by a mile. He made double bogey, Doran made par, and Olivet Nazarene had a man in nationals.

What makes it so incredible? Whybark intentionally did it, because he felt Doran had earned a spot in the next round.

"We all know Seth very well," Whybark explains, "and he not only is a very good player, but a great person as well. He’s a senior and had never been to nationals. Somehow, it just wasn’t in my heart to try to knock him out.

"I think some people were surprised, but my team knew what I was doing and were supportive of me. I felt Seth deserved to go (to nationals) just as much as I did.

"It was one of those things where I couldn’t feel good taking something from him like this. My goal from the start was to get (to nationals) with my team. I had already done that."

Too many times we read about cheap shots or fights or cheaters, and it is stories like this that make it all seem petty. A golfer simply knew his place, was comfortable with where he was, and thought that a senior, playing in his final tournament as a collegiate golfer, had done enough to earn one more week with the game he loved.

I'm not a big believer in karma, and I'm sure the story won't end the way it should, but if Whybark somehow won nationals, it would make for a really nice screenplay.

Whybark did what most of us would never do, and although he is short a trophy in his case, he earned respect from anyone reading this story.

Nice shot, kiddo.

The Elbow Could be Signaling Doom

2010-05-04T12:00:00.001-04:00

The following article originally appeared in The News-Herald, a northern Ohio newspaper.

If The Elbow is worse than we know, that changes everything.

Monday night in Game 2, there was evidence The Elbow is worse than we know.

Monday night, The Elbow looked bad, and the Cavs looked worse.

The Cavs looked worse because The Most Valuable Elbow got very little help from its teammates, and the result was a double dose of ugly.

Monday night, the Celtics simply ran over, around and through the strangely listless Cavaliers, who for most of the game — and all 12 minutes of the third quarter — seemed lost, disoriented and leaderless in their own building. And just like that, the home court the Cavs worked so hard for six months and won 61 games during the regular season to establish is gone. Gone with the din.

Boston's 104-86 pancaking of the flailing, flattened, frustrated Cavs at The Q (for "Quiet'') is undeniably a series turning point, even though it was only Game 2.

Prior to Game 2, the Cavs didn't need to win a game in Boston to win the series.

Now the Cavs do.

That's right, the Celtics now lead the series, 1-1. They lead the series, 1-1, because they have the homecourt advantage. The same homecourt advantage the Cavs coughed up to Orlando in the first game of last year's Eastern Conference finals.

And you know how that one turned out.

For the rest of the series, the Celtics need only to win their home games in order to bounce from the playoffs for the second year in a row the team that had clinched the homecourt advantage all the way through the playoffs.

The Cavs desperately need a bounceback game Friday in Boston, but that could be problematic if LeBron James is as wounded as he now apparently is.

Monday night, for maybe the first time in his career, James was pretty much a non-factor in a game of basketball.

Clearly, his elbow is in a lot worse shape than anyone knew, or will admit.

"His elbow is fine,'' said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "If it's bothering him, he hasn't said anything to me.''

James doesn't have to say anything. His style of play says it all. Monday night, the explosiveness wasn't there. The acrobatic abandon wasn't there. The jackhammer dunks weren't there. The outside shooting wasn't there. And his teammates weren't there.

Unless team doctors can figure out a miracle cure for an injury that probably is best treated with rest — which is in short supply this time of year — the Cavs could be in big trouble.

Because all of a sudden the supporting cast now has to become the leading men, and the early returns on that configuration were downright horrifying.

Trailing by just four points at halftime, the Cavs were run out of the gym in the third quarter. They were outscored, 31-12, in the quarter, and it wasn't that close. The Cavs seemed stunned, and the Celtics sensed blood in the water.

Prior to the game, James was presented with his second straight MVP award by NBA commissioner David Stern.

James thanked everyone, especially his teammates. Then the game began, and his teammates repaid that thanks by promptly disappearing.

On a night when their wounded wordwide icon needed help, nobody stepped up. No one. Especially in the third quarter.

Shaquille O'Neal looked more old than powerful, missing a bucketful of shots barely a bucket's width from the bucket.

Mo Williams careened around the floor at about 100 mph firing up misguided missiles from all angles and missing all but one of his nine field-goal attempts.

Delonte West played 31 minutes and in the first 28, incredibly, he didn't score a single point. None. Anthony Parker? He missed five of seven field-goal attempts and had one rebound in 28 minutes. J.J. Hickson: one rebound in 19 minutes.

The Cavs' no-show defense was riddled by Rondo. Boston point guard Rajon Rondo ran circles around the Cavs. He had 19 assists in the game and has 31, only four fewer than the Cavs' whole team, in the series.

The Celtics routed the Cavs with such ease in the third quarter Boston forgot to play most of the fourth, allowing the Cavs to go on a face-saving 15-0 run. That kind of hit-the-gas-late approach was enough to win four games from the Bulls in the first round.

But the Celtics are not the Bulls.

Following the game, a refreshingly candid and fiery Brown basically called out his team, at least the ones with two good elbows:

"We did not play with any sense of urgency, and we got our behinds kicked,'' he said. "We've got to decide if we are going to take the fight to them. Because for us to win this series, we have to play with a greater sense of urgency than we did tonight.''

And for the rest of the series the Cavs will need all hands on deck, because they may be short one elbow.

by James Ingraham

Any idea why Jason Kidd gets a free pass?

2010-05-03T09:34:00.001-04:00

With all this talk about LeBron "needing to win a title" to cement his legacy, it got me to thinking about all the great players who have never won one. Here's a short list of recent NBA greats off the top of my head:

Karl Malone - All you hear about is how The Mailman "couldn't deliver a title." In fact, Malone is largely forgotten by anybody under 30 today.

Charles Barkley - Sir Charles is constantly being badgered by the guys on-set at TNT for never winning a title.

Patrick Ewing - Again, his career is mostly defined by the fact that he couldn't bring a championship to New York.

Dominique Wilkens - We look back upon The "Human Highlight Film" and his career as mostly all glitz without substance. Why? No title.

John Stockton - See Karl Malone.

Tracy McGrady - Anytime you hear a talking head babbling about T-Mac, it's always the same thing - he can't get his team a title.

All of which leads me to this - why does Jason Kidd get a free pass? He's been in the NBA since 1994 and has been to the finals twice, where he was swept once and went out in 6 the other time. He's played for 4-teams during that span. He's a career 39% shooter in the playoffs. Sure, he's had success in the olympics, but so did Malone, Stockton, Barkley, and Ewing. In addition, it's not like he's been free of some of the things we crucify others for. In 2001 he was arrested and pled guilty to spousal abuse, something that McGrady has never been accused of. Still, when describing Kidd, all you hear are phrases like "unselfish player"and "team leader" ad nauseum. It's not like he has some great personality, which is one reason Barkley gets by with so much. I'm befuddled, flummoxed and confused. My head hurts.

And so I ask - why does Jason Kidd get a free pass?

The NBA Playoffs: An Update

2010-04-29T11:52:00.001-04:00

That's Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks. Joe Johnson is a franchise killer, a canker on the heel of your team, and a locker room virus that has no cure. Joe Johnson is playing for a new contract somewhere next year. Joe Johnson will sign with somebody for a maximum deal next year worth well over 100 million dollars. Such is life in the 2010 NBA.

Currently Joe's team is being outplayed and outcoached by Scott Skiles and the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks. Although I didn't see this coming (see my predictions a couple blogs below), it's sure as hell fun to watch. There's nothing better than watching a bunch of immature, talented blowhards self-implode and go down in flames to a less talented, hard-working team. Love it. I swear this team started going downhill when Coach (and I use that term loosely) Mike Woodson inexplicably shaved his eyebrows midseason. Pure comedy. Here's my worry though. The Bucks beat Atlanta, only to roll over for the Magic who win in four straight. Then the Celtics, who are old but experienced, give the Cavs a battle and force a six or seven game series. We'd then see a rested Magic team taking on a Cavs team that is coming off a hard-fought series with the Celts. I worry too much.

On the other side we have some really interesting battles taking place. The Ok City Thunder are actually pushing the Lakers a bit, which is a surprise. No worries, there's no way LA loses this one. Denver and Utah are fun to watch because the Nuggets are as dysfunctional as Atlanta. Same story too. They're getting outcoached and outplayed by the Jazz. Phoenix is up 3-2 on Portland, but I have zero faith in this team because of their terrible defense. No way they get past the next round. Finally, we have the Mavs and the Spurs. The Mavs have a nust-win game in San Antonio and if you don't watch this one you're not a real basketball fan. And what did I tell you about Dirk Nowitzki? No team with him as their go-to guy will win a championship. Dude tightens up in the clutch, what can I tell you? The Big Weiner Schnitzel just can't get it done when it counts.

So, here's hoping for the Cavs, Spurs, Bucks and Jazz all to advance. I couldn't care less about the other teams. And oh yeah I'll say it again. LeBron ain't goin' nowhere.

Final NFL Mock: Spiller Slides; Eagles and Browns Swap Picks

2010-04-21T23:56:00.003-04:00

1. St. Louis (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Despite the fact that Suh is the best overall player in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams are in a position offensively where they are a franchise quarterback away from becoming solid at the very least. With Steven Jackson running the ball, young receivers with potential, and bookend tackles to look forward to, the Rams simply cannot pass up on Bradford who is extremely accurate and smart. Despite former top 15 pick Adam Carriker being traded to Washington, St. Louis grabs their franchise guy.

2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line, despite the acquisition of Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Suh is their guy.

3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.

4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol. With the acquisition of Donovan McNabb, you can bet that Washington is going to protect their new veteran quarterback.

5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.

6. Seattle (5-11) – Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Seattle needs help in the secondary, and Berry is the best player available, while playing a huge position of need. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.

7. Jacksonville (7-9 trade up with Cleveland) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.

8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.

9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help. While Gailey is said to prefer more mobile quarterbacks, you cannot pass on a guy with Clausen’s ceiling.

10. Cleveland Browns (5-11 trade with Jacksonville) Dan Williams, NT, Tennesse- The key component to running a 3-4 defense is the nose tackle position. Although it is currently filled by Shaun Rogers, many believe that Rogers will be traded on draft day as he is aging, and is rumored to not want to be in Cleveland. Worst case scenario is that Rogers would be retained, and play the 5 technique, while Williams would play nose tackle. Williams is excellent value here.

11. Denver [from Chicago] (7-9) – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama- Denver could go a couple different ways here, but with a newly installed 34 defense, a signing of Justin Bannan to play some nose tackle, and the need for a Patrick Willis type linebacker in the middle, they grab McClain here. McClain can do it all. His weaknesses are very limited, as there are no glaring weaknesses. He’s the best sideline to sideline linebacker in this class who can cover as well as be a key in the run game.

12. Miami (7-9) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas- Miami’s biggest problem is on the defensive line, but they are equally as bad at the free safety spot. Thomas is just slightly below the talent of Eric Berry who Seattle grabbed at pick number 6. Thomas’ speed allows him to cover a lot of ground, and he’s very aggressive like a ball hawk.

13. San Francisco (8-8)- Joe Haden, CB, Florida- After Haden’s disappointing forty time at the combine, he slips a few picks, but not too far. Haden is still the best cornerback in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still has great change of direction, and terrific ball skills, as well as being a very physical corner. San Francisco could really use an upgrade at the cornerback position after giving up 226 pass yards a game, which was the one of the worst in the league.

14. Seattle [from Denver] (8-8) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Seattle had just 28 sacks in 2009, and lack have a big problem getting to the quarterback. Derrick Morgan is the best pick at the 14th spot, being an excellent pass rusher who’s also stout against the run. He’s an athletic player who can be a game changer. Seattle gets to use their second 1st round pick to get another defensive stud, just like last season when they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry.

15. New York Giants (8-8) – Brian Price, DT, UCLA- With the loss of Fred Robbins, defensive tackle becomes the number one need for the G-Men. Brian Price is a dominant defensive tackle who just blows up plays in the backfield. He can get to the quarterback, and disrupt the backfield better than any other defensive tackle not named Suh or Gerald McCoy. The Giants get a bargain here with Price.

16. Tennessee (8-8) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Best pick available here, and a huge need filled for the Titans drafting the speedy Wilson who has seen his stock rise quite a bit since the beginning of the 2009 football season. Wilson is a guy that can come in immediately and make an impact for a team who was 2nd to last in the NFL against the pass.

17. San Francisco [from Carolina] (8-8) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- Iupati is one of the best offensive guards in the last few NFL Drafts. He’s also quite versatile as he can get work at right tackle and potentially even left tackle. The 49ers are in dire need of a dominating offensive guard for Gore and Company to run behind. Iupati fills that hole.

18. Pittsburgh (9-7) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- Pittsburgh quarterbacks were sacked a total of 50 times last season. The Steelers have had offensive tackle woes for quite awhile now, and this is the year they look to fix it with Williams filling in the left tackle spot. With Rashard Mendenhall looking to take control, the Steelers will want a big tackle in there to push the pile and open up holes for the big running back, while keeping their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback off the ground.

19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is the type of player that all 32 football teams should have on their team. He’s a defensive leader who can go sideline to sideline and make tackles. On top of that he’s one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft and is a no brainer here for the Falcons who have a huge vacancy at the SAM linebacker position.

20. Houston (9-7) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. Houston was 30th in the league in 2009 in the rushing department, and with a quarterback as good as Schaub, they could be a stud rusher away from being a legit playoff team. Spiller gives them a dynamic at the running back position that they have never seen before.

21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Taylor Mays, S, USC- It’s hard for the Bengals to pass up on the athleticism and potential of Mays. Cincinnati lacks that intimidating safety in the defensive backfield, despite the signing of Roy Williams, who has regressed significantly. Mays has a high ceiling, and with proper coaching could become an elite player in the NFL.

22. New England (10-6) – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida- New England lacks that feared pass rusher on defense. Adalius Thomas is regressing, as he had the highest tackle/missed tackle ratio of last season, and has slowed down quite a bit. New England’s coaching staff can develop this physical freak into an effective outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.

23. Green Bay (11-5) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- Charles Woodson had an excellent season for Green Bay, but he’s aging, and they still need another cornerback as Tramon Williams is strictly a nickel guy. Jackson is a speedy corner with quick hips who isn’t afraid to make a tackle and is very instinctive. Jackson could take over as a dominant number one corner in the NFL one day, especially if he spends more time with Woodson.

24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- After losing Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, the Eagles are desperate for a speedy corner opposite Pro-Bowler Asante Samuel. Their cornerback depth is weak, and McCourty is a player who can step in right away and play in the number two spot. He can cover speedy receivers down the field, and isn’t too bad against the run either.

25. Baltimore (9-7) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Baltimore lost Dwan Edwards, and has an aging defensive end in Trevor Pryce. Odrick fits as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s a powerful guy who plays well laterally and is excellent at the point of attack. Baltimore getting Odrick would make the transition to outside linebacker much easier for Paul Kruger, who is going to be asked to play a bigger role in 2010.

26. Arizona (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Arizona lacks a true pass rusher at outside linebacker, and both of their starters are over age 33. Graham’s stock has really risen after the Senior Bowl, and even more so at the combine posting a nice forty time, and 31 reps on the bench. Graham is a steal at the end of the first round and is looked at as a potential elite pass rusher in the form of Dwight Freeney.

27. Dallas (11-5) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- The Cowboys need help on the offensive line. Flozell Adams is regressing, and it’s too hard to tell if Doug Free can man the left side or not. Davis’ hopes are at left tackle, but I’m not 100% sold on his ability to protect the quarterback. His best fit is on the right side as a mauling right tackle, while the Cowboys keep Free at left tackle.

28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- San Diego just let go their future Hall of Fame running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and have only Darren Sproles back to the team. Even with LT last season, they were the 2nd worst in the league in rushing yards per game, and need an impact player at the running back spot. Mathews is an every down back who can run well between the tackles, and has the speed to get outside and break a long run and be a number one running back for the nest 5-7 seasons.

29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- Dunlap is a bit of a question mark when it comes to motivation and preparation issues, but is top 15 talent if coached up. What better defensive mind to go to than Rex Ryan? The Jets need help at defensive end and Dunlap could play 3-4 defensive end effectively. He fits the mold of Calais Campbell in that he can rush the passer while still holding the point of attack allowing the linebackers to make plays.

30. Minnesota (12-4) – Javhid Best, RB, California- With all of the better cornerbacks already selected, the Vikings look to replace Chester Taylor as Adrian Peterson’s backup runner. Best can catch the ball well out of the backfield and is elusive, much like Taylor, only he’s a bit quicker. In a league where many teams are running with two backs consistently, this move makes sense considering the better members of the secondary are already off the board.

31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Charles Brown, OT, USC- With Tony Ugoh being a disappointment, the Colts are in need of a left tackle that can protect Peyton Manning and give them a few more shots at winning a Super Bowl ring. Brown is an agile tackle with long arms. He’s more of a finesse offensive tackle who doesn’t over power people, and is only mediocre in the run game. Brown would be able to fit right in protecting Manning’s backside.

32. New Orleans (13-3) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC- The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end opposite Will Smith who had 13.5 sacks in 2009. They get good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but with a standout guy like Griffen, they can get better against the run, and penetrate the backfield much easier. Griffen is stout against the run, and is excellent with contain.

Ranking the NBA Playoff Teams

2010-04-21T17:50:00.001-04:00

Yeah, that's Joakim Noah on the beach with some chick. I post this because that's where he'll be again, in about a week.

So, the NBA playoffs have started and I again have something to watch on the tube besides Pardon the Interruption and Real Housewives of New York. How can I watch self-important, egotistical, name-dropping bitches yak about unimportant issues, you ask? Well, it's tough but PTI's not that bad. That Bethanny from Real Housewives though, she goes down real easy if you know what I'm sayin'. Meow. But on to the playoffs. I thought I'd rank the teams top to bottom with my pick for the eventual champion at the top, except I'll do it backwards. Wait. What? I just confused myself. Ah, hell, you'll see where I'm going with this. So, h-e-e-e-e-r-e we go . . .

16. Milwaukee. I like this team. Small market, play as a team, no real superstar, blah-blah-blah. Still, they have zero chance. Thay lost Michael Redd long ago and big Andrew Bogut went down with that gruesome arm injury, so they're in trouble from the get-go. They showed a ton of grit down the stretch but there's no way they get past a deep and talented Atlanta squad.

Sidenote: Marianne loves gruesome injuries. Whenever I see one on TV or Youtube I feel obligated to call her into the room. The conversation invariably goes like this:

Me: "Honey, you need to see this."
Her: "What now? I'm busy."
Me: "You've got to see this guy get hurt. His arm has snapped in half and is dangling by a bit of skin."
Her: "Ooh! Wait! I'll be right there."

At this point she comes in a makes me play the scene over and over several times before complaining that there isn't any blood involved. Not enough gore for her it seems. Marianne is a complex woman. And so it goes.

15. Charlotte. This is Charlotte's first-ever playoff berth, and no doubt their last before Michael Jordan screws them up with one of his Kwame Brown moves. Plus, I hear Larry Brown is heading to back to Philly, which should surprise nobody. By the way, did you know Larry Brown's full name is Lawrence Harvey Brown? Sounds like a small college. Also, just so you know, Larry has coached at Carolina (ABA), Denver, Los Angeles (Clippers), New Jersey, Kansas (NCAA), San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philadelphia, Detroit, New York (Knicks), and Charlotte. That's really sort of staggering when you really look at it, isn't it? Good coach but even he can't get this team past the Orlandos.

14. Chicago. This team entered the playoffs going backwards, if that makes any sense. They have way too many characters on their team, guys like Noah who take the focus away from the task at hand. And that's not including G.M. John Paxson and Head Coach Vinny Del Negro, who recently got into a near rumble over Noah's playing time. Oh, and they're playing the LeBron's in Round 1. See ya.

13. Oklahoma City. Yeah, Kevin Durant is a helluva player, everybody knows that. You know what, though? I'm still not sold on the notion that Portland made a colossal mistake in taking Oden over him. Call me nuts but I think there's still a chance that Greg Oden can be more of an impact player down the road. Is that derisive chucking I hear? Anyway, Durant and Westbrook make a formidable duo but they have less of a chance against the Lakers than a 20-year old college chick getting out of Roethlisberger's bathroom without seeing his schlong. Sidenote #2: At a bar the other night, a buddy left our table to go take a leak and as he was leaving I said, "Don't forget to shake your Roethlisberger." Chuckles all around. I'm hilarious.

12. Portland. Again, too many injuries. I know, they're currently up 1-0 on Phoenix and may even win that series, but Phoenix is about as dysfuntional a team as you'll find in the league. More on that circus later. As for the Blazers, you simply can't lose that many key guys and win in the playoffs. They've lost more players to injury than any other team in the playoffs, including Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, and Joe Przybilla. Make no mistake, this team is going to be one of the league's best over the next few years (plus the old Jail Blazer days are over), this just isn't the year they break all the way through.

11. Phoenix. What the ?!%$ you say? I hear ya. Phoenix ended the season at #3 in the NBA Power Rankings! How can they be this low? Well, lemme tell ya. Their two best players are Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Know what those two have in common? They couldn't guard Cloris Leachman with a pulled hammy. Stoudemire is probably the most overrated player in the NBA. Don't get me wrong, he's a great dunker and, uh, he's a great dunker. Love Nash and his toughness, but his defense is so weak he makes Jon Diebler look like Bruce Bowen out there. Bottom line? You can't hide a poor defense in the playoffs.

10. Miami. Dwyane Wade is a one man wrecking crew but he simply doesn't have the supporting cast to pull it off. Sidenote #3 - Who spells Dwyane like that? Was it intentional or could someone not spell? Sidenote #4 - Always loved it when Jordan would refer to his "supporting cast." Pure comedy. Again, unless somebody like Michael Beasley or Daequan Cook turn into Scottie Pippin it just ain't happening kids. Sidenote #5 - Just took a look at the Heat's roster and noticed that Udonis Haslem is making $7.1 mill per year. Sweet Jesus.

9. Boston. Boston's old. Boston bitches like my Aunt Bertha. Boston is a bunch of drama queens. Boston has an overrated coach. Boston has Rasheed Wallace. Boston has Kevin Garnett, formerly my favorite player who has turned into a chest-thumping, screeching, whining ass clown. I hate Boston and I hate their fans.

8. San Antonio. I love San Antonio because I love Tim Duncan, the single most underrated player in the history of the NBA. Duncan doesn't dance, he doesn't do spectacular dunks, he has no personality. What does he do? He wins. Yeah, he does it in a boring, old school way, but he wins. He also uses the backboard. Yay! I love Tim Duncan. I also love Greg Popovich because he insists that his players play the game the right way. Unfortunately San Antonio is, like Boston, old. They're old without the bitterness though. I'd love to see them make a run. They won't.

7. Denver. Denver has one chance to win the west, and that is if George Karl makes a triumphant return to the sidelines sometime soon. Nothing like the return of a coach facing death to make a bunch of guys with the maturity of 12-year olds (ahem - Melo and K-Mart?) to join together and win one for The Gipper. God I'm cold-hearted. Otherwise, like always, they disappoint.

6. Utah. Introducing my favorite team in the NBA. Well, actually I support Cleveland because I'm from Ohio and all, but man do I like Utah. Please tell me how Jerry Sloan has never, I repeat NEVER, won a Coach of the Year award. Waiting . . . waiting . . . that's what I thought. There's no rational explanation. The man has won with virtually every conceivable mix of players imaginable and has done it with with athletes the so-called Zen Master, Phil Jackson, wouldn't let sit on the end of his bench. Seriously, the man has run the 2-man game his entire career and has beaten the bejesus out of people with it. I would give my left nut to see them hand the Lakers a beatdown and advance. Sidenote #6 - Just kidding about the left nut thing.

5. Orlando. Sometimes I can't put a finger on why I don't like Orlando. Is it Stan Van Gundy? I don't think so. He's sort of old school and I like the way he coaches. Is it Dukie J.J. Reddick? That's a possibility because I always hated that guy. No, I think I know what it is. It's Dwight Howard's constant grinning, preening, and posing for the camera. I don't want to get all racial here but I think if I was black I'd be a little disturbed by it. It has sort of a stereotypical, black-face, grin-for-the-man feel to it. Plus, the dude just never seems like he gets it, ya know? Does he really understand what it takes to win it all or is he compiling those stats on pure athletic ability? The fact that he hasn't developed a true post up game drives me crazy as well. For God's sake, man, get a jump hook.

4. Atlanta. People will get all up in arms because I rank these guys ahead of Phoenix and Orlando, but I think that on pure athletic ability alone they deserve this spot. Josh Smith is an absolute beast. Dumber than a bag of hammers, but a beast nonetheless. Total honesty - Atlanta scares me. I fear them if they play Cleveland. Sidenote #7 - Just noticed that some 6'-11" cat named Zaza Pachulia is making $4.75 million a year for the Hawks. That sound you hear is Wilt Chamberlain's head banging on the lid of his coffin.

3. Dallas. Ah, Dallas. The following has always been my line regarding Dallas. No team with Dirk Nowitzki as its go-to guy will ever win an NBA Championship. Although I've softened on that a tad (just a tad), I still believe you can count on the Big Wiener Schnitzel to choke in the clutch. I know they've supposedly toughened up by adding some players, but since when does Brendon Haywood and Caron Butler toughen you up? Finally, Jason Kidd cannot shoot the basketball. I realize Dallas is the trendy pick right now but I see them, once again, gagging when it matters most.

2. Los Angeles. The Lakers played like the Clippers down the stretch, but when it counts they'll be right there, trust me. They are just too deep, experienced and talented at too many positions not to make it to the finals. I was hoping Ron Artest would implode at some point but, alas, it never happened. By the way, that dude's hair is disgusting. It looks like somebody puked up a mouthful of Fruit Stripe Gum on his head. Mercy. Kobe will not let them lose to anybody in the west, and Odom and Gasol are the perfect role players for him. Final thought. Before I die I would love to see Phil "The Zen Master" Jackson take over a team like the New Jersey Nets and see what happened. Despite the 10-titles, you'll never convince me he's a better coach than Jerry Sloan or Lawrence Harvey Brown. Never, damn it. Never!

1. Cleveland. Yep, I'm going with the Cavs as the best team and the team that's going to win it all. No big shock, I know. Still, let's talk about this. All I've heard is that the Cleveland franchise has finally given LeBron the team he needs to win it all. You know what? I don't think they have. I"ll even go as far as to say that you could put LeBron on most of the teams that didn't make the playoffs and they'd be sitting close to where the Cavs are now. LeBron's that good. Shaq? He's old and stiff as a board, nowhere near the player he was 10-years ago. Antawn Jamison? He's a nice player, but Scottie Pippin he ain't. Next game watch carefully how he plays defense. He doesn't. Mo Williams? C'mon. Shooting guards are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Put Mo on the Mavs and he'd be their 8th man. The rest of the guys on the Cavs are average at best. Having said that, I'm picking them because, as I said, I think LeBron James is that good. I think Cleveland will win it in spite of the rest of those guys and the fact that LeBron makes them w-a-y better than they really are. Final thought, and I'm dead serious about this, why don't they just go ahead and make LeBron the player/coach? He's extremely intelligent, knows the game inside out, and all the players respect him and would listen to him. Isn't Mike Brown sort of a figurehead anyway? You know, like Reagan in the mid-80's? Isn't LeBron, like Nancy Reagan, actually running the show anyway? I'm not even kidding about this.

So there you go. I have a Cleveland vs Atlanta matchup in the East Finals, and a Dallas vs Los Angeles matchup in the West Finals, with the Cavs topping the Lakers to win it all and bring mass hysteria to the city of Cleveland. I can see it now, the parade travels through the city, stops at City hall, everybody speaks, then up steps LeBron. At that point he says something like this: "Thank you Cleveland! It was my dream to finally bring a World Championship to this city. And by the way . . . (pause for effect) . . . we're going to do it again next year!"

Hey, a guy can dream, right?

St Louis: Still Going Quarterback

2010-04-21T00:11:00.003-04:00

With the draft just under 48 hours away, the St. Louis Rams cut ties with, injury-prone, Adam Carriker. Carriker was the 13th pick of the 2007 NFL out of Nebraska. Many thought Carriker to be the ideal 3-4 defensive end, while still being a guy that could shut down the run and get to the passer as a 4-3 under tackle. Carriker was sent to the Washington Redskins for a seventh round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

So did dealing Carriker make room for Ndamukong Suh as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft? Perhaps it did. The Rams were 27th against the run last season from a yardage perspective. However, stats also show that they weren't as bad against the run as most would think. Profootballfocus.com has them as the 14th best rush defense last season. The secondary and pass rush seemed to be the biggest problem in St. Louis.

However, Suh is a phenomenal pass rusher as well, and warrants the first pick overall for virtually any team. Don't forget that a successful pass rush helps out the secondary significantly. However, will one defensive tackle solve all of their defensive problems? Most likely not.

The debate since the end of the college football season has been Suh vs. Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen. Until the middle of February, most everyone had Suh as the first overall pick, being the best pick available.

The million dollar question is "Why wouldn't St. Louis draft a quarterback?". Many teams in St. Louis' position on draft day generally don't have the offensive situation that the Rams are 'blessed' with. You may ask me why I think they are 'blessed' despite being one of the most ineffective offenses in 2009, and I'm here to tell you why.

First off, not many teams drafting number one overall have a franchise running back like St. Louis has with Steven Jackson. Jackson is coming off of his 5th consecutive 1,000 yard season. Two of the last four seasons that Jackson has played 15 or 16 games, he's rushed for over 1,400 yards. He still eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark despite playing in only 12 games in 2007 and 2009. He's a workhorse running back who can carry the load.

The next thing to look at is the offensive line. While young, they have two potential bookend tackles. Jason Smith was drafted #2 overall in the 2009 to take over at the left tackle spot for Alex Barron who has disappointed in pass protection, and even worse with penalties. However, Barron is a very stout run blocker and could switch to the right side, while giving the left tackle spot to Smith, who looks to be a dominate pass blocker at the next level. The Rams didn't get to see much of Smith as he went down with an injury in the middle of the season.

Don't forget last off-season's free agent acquisition of reliable veteran Jason Brown, and the Rams have a respectable offensive line. The guards are what will hold the Rams down, but the Rams should look to find guard help in the second or third round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

The last aspect to look at are the wide receivers. Donnie Avery will be in his third season after having a solid year in 2009. Last season, rookie Brandon Gibson also made a small splash as a number two wide out after Laurent Robinson went down. Gibson had just five drops after being thrown at 64 times. The problem was the quarterback last season for the Rams. The last big piece of the wide receiver corps is Laurent Robinson who showed promise in his first few games after grabbing 13 passes. Robinson could be a very promising wide receiver. He a very good size and speed combo as well as hands of glue.

When you look at it, the Rams are in a very good position to draft a quarterback at number one. Many teams that are drafting with the first pick don't have a franchise running back, or a potential franchise left tackle. Looking at the Rams options of Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford, it's hard to tell which one they'll choose, however, it's looking like Bradford will be the guy.

Don't rule out Suh completely at number one overall, but with quarterback being the most important position on the football field, and given the Rams somewhat promising offense, they're in a good position to grab their franchise quarterback.

Making Ezra's Dream Come True

2010-04-16T11:12:00.002-04:00

Marlins Will Rock ... With Scott Stapp?

2010-04-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

Marlins Will Rock ... With Scott Stapp? - SB Nation

West Virginia Mine Tragedy Hits Home for Stewart, Huggins

2010-04-12T12:32:00.001-04:00

The following article originally appeared on Fanhouse.com.

When 25 miners were killed Monday in the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, W.Va., the tragedy brought back memories from West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart's childhood.

Stewart's uncle, Millard "Buss" Williams, died in a mining accident in April 1961. The summer before Williams' death, Stewart remembers as an 8-year old sitting down at the dinner table. He immediately noticed Williams' hands.

"I told him 'Uncle Buss, you didn't wash your hands very well,' " Stewart told FanHouse Thursday. "He said, 'What's on your hands is dirty dirt. You can wash that off. What's on my hands is 'coal dirt.' This is 'clean' dirt – I earned this dirt today.' I'll never forget that.

"Every time there's a mining accident, I think of my Uncle Buss. This is a tragic loss for our community"

The Upper Big Branch tragedy was the worst mining accident in West Virginia since 1984. On Wednesday, West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins took a helicopter to Montcoal and visited with the victims' families and brought food and other items. Stewart is in the midst of spring football practice with the Mountaineers and remained in Morgantown.

"I was so proud of Bobby, I wish I wasn't in practice so I could join him," Stewart said. "If you cut him, I'll bleed. That's how close we are. That did not surprise me that he did that. I'm so proud. That's who Bobby is."

During West Virginia's run to its first Final Four since 1959, Huggins talked about how Gov. Joe Manchin told him the Mountaineers' games were piped into "all the factories and all the mines because otherwise guys were trying to get off their shift because they wanted to watch the game."

"It's piped in everywhere in the state of West Virginia," Huggins said on March 25 after beating Washington in the Sweet 16. "Everybody in West Virginia [was] listening to the game or watching the game. That's how much it means to our state.

"And for me, having played there and [being] born there. My mom and dad are both from Morgantown. My dad grew up in Dug Hill. My mom grew up on Eighth Street. So I understand how much it means. And I think the great thing is these guys understand how much it means to the people."

Stewart said his Uncle Buss and Aunt Thelma had a coal vein on the family farm and discovered it "almost like Jed Clampett on Beverly Hillbillies."

"They took a pick and a shovel and opened this coal mine up, Uncle Buss and his bride," Stewart said.

The operation eventually grew to a 40-man operation. Stewart, 57, remembers as a young boy, cleaning and wiping down the ponies that went down in the mines.

"This is our heritage up here," Stewart said. "When I see a miner, I know his family and my family's cousins worked in the mines. I know how proud I am of them."

Huggins, who was born in Morgantown, and Stewart, born in New Martinsville, both said unless you're from the state, you can't realize the bond between the university and the state. The coach visited the families of victims Wednesday, bringing pasta and Mountaineers t-shirts.

"Athletics are everything in our state," Huggins said last week at the Final Four. "We don't have professional franchises. There's really no one else to root for. I think it's inherent. I think there's such a strong bond between the university and the people of West Virginia and it goes back generations. I can remember sitting on my grandfather's lap listening to West Virginia football and basketball games. I think a large part, if not all of the state of West Virginia, grew up like that.

"It's unlike any place that I've ever been. I think that once you go to school there, and once you become a part of it, you start to understand. The passion that the people of West Virginia have for Mountaineer athletics is unparalleled."

When West Virginia returned to Morgantown after winning the Big East tournament at 2:45 in the morning, they were greeted by a couple thousand fans at the airport and a couple thousand more fans at WVU Coliseum, Huggins said.

West Virginia senior forward Wellington Smith said the support the team receives is amazing.

"We have like 12,000 people come out just to see us leave to go on a bus," Smith said. "It just feels amazing knowing we're the focal point of West Virginia. And West Virginia basketball and football is the only thing that people really live for and thrive for. We just feel honored that we get the opportunity to make 'em feel good."

The people came to these hills for a better life. We are one big clan in this state ... everyone cares about everyone..

Bill Stewart, West Virginia Footabll CoachStewart said it stems from their pride in each other.

"To be part of this is something no one can know about unless you live and experience it, it's who we are, it's what we are," Stewart said. "These people came to these hills for a better life. We are one big clan in this state, whether you're a miner, a construction worker, a banker -- everyone cares about everyone.

"We don't have a pro team. We tell all our players -- don't you ever forget the pride of playing before the hardest working, God fearing, most wonderful people you'll ever meet in your life. That's what we are, that's who we are."

That pride overflowed for Stewart a couple weeks ago. Stewart and his family were in Myrtle Beach, S.C. for his son's spring break. They watched West Virginia's victory against Kentucky at Broadway Louie's, a sports bar. The win sent West Virginia to the Final Four.

After West Virginia's victory, Stewart, at the urging of his son Blaine, went up on the stage and led the crowd in a rousing rendition of "Take Me Home, Country Roads." More than 25,000 people have watched Stewart's singing talents on YouTube.

"I didn't sing it very good, but I sang it from my heart," Stewart said. "Ain't no one that could sing it like me. I sang it as loud as I could. I sang that for the people of West Virginia."

And since Monday, Stewart, like all West Virginians, has had a heavy heart with the tragedy that occurred in Montcoal.

"It hits home when something like this happens," Stewart said. "It hits you. It hits you right in the heart."

Contact FanHouse senior writer Brett McMurphy at brettmcmurphy@gmail.com or on Twitter @BrettmcmurphY.

West Virginia see Huggs as one of their own.

2010-03-31T11:57:00.001-04:00

The following article is by Andy Katz of ESPN.com.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- No one could have foreseen the love affair between Bob Huggins and Mountaineers fans being to this degree.

Huggins' transformation from a controversial figure at Cincinnati to the beloved West Virginian has been one of the most impressive turnarounds in college basketball.

Long gone are any of the problems he had at Cincinnati, including an embarrassing public video of a DUI arrest, a battle with then-president Nancy Zimpher and a hostile firing.

West Virginia fans have embraced coach Bob Huggins and his team.

The celebration of Huggins and West Virginia was hard to project. Even when Huggins was close to signing with the Mountaineers in 2002 (but couldn't leave the Bearcats at the time), there was no indication that he would be celebrated as much as he has been in the past three seasons.

North Carolina hired back alumnus Roy Williams, and he led the Tar Heels to national titles in 2005 and 2009.

Syracuse never really had to say goodbye to alumnus Jim Boeheim.

But there is a thread running quite deep with Huggins and the people of West Virginia, and it seems unrivaled by any other coach currently working at his alma mater. The Mountaineers fans milling about in Syracuse couldn't say enough about how much Huggins is theirs, a regular guy, a person whom they can relate to regardless of the situation.

Huggins' nonconformist attitude -- with his black windbreaker, the passion he exudes for the state, his tears when John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" was piped into Madison Square Garden upon winning the Big East tournament and then the Carrier Dome after winning the East Regional -- doesn't get lost among the faithful.

There have been other West Virginia natives or coaches who have strong ties to the state. They include John Beilein, Gale Catlett and Fred Schaus. But Huggs is so much more a regular guy, someone who doesn't hesitate to hoist a beer and chat up just about anyone. He has had his issues, from the DUI to a heart attack to being fired. He's experienced just about everything a traditional working man has dealt with in the highs and lows of a job. He may be paid more than most, but he has experienced similar workplace issues -- from making mistakes, stress from a boss, getting fired and hired again.

"He means a lot to a lot of people,'' said West Virginia sports information director Bryan Messerly, a native of the state as well. "It means a lot the way he talks about the coal miners like he has done. The day we had his press conference on the floor of the coliseum, there were thousands of people on a Good Friday during spring break [in 2007] to see him introduced.

"What he has said about growing up in the state of West Virginia and what it means to him is dead-on,'' Messerly said. "We don't have professional teams, and the state has embraced him and this team. It has been a tremendous feeling.''

Ed Pastilong is the athletic director who tried to hire Huggins in 2002 and then finally did so in 2007. He was also at West Virginia in 1975 when Huggins played.

Huggins wants to let his players, and fans, bask in all of the Final Four glory this weekend.

As the final 13 seconds ticked away during West Virginia's win over Kentucky on Saturday night, Pastilong thought back to his conversation with Huggins in 2007. "I never thought this would work out,'' Pastilong said. "I always thought he would stay at his previous institution [Cincinnati] for a long time. And then all of a sudden the stars lined up and the opening occurred, and I asked him if he wanted to come home.''

Huggins had just been given a second chance at Kansas State. One year wasn't enough for the Wildcats, but this was West Virginia. This was his last shot to coach the Mountaineers.

"I knew if we could bring him back that he would have so much pride, not just for the university but for the 1.8 million in West Virginia,'' Pastilong said. "Kentucky loves its team, but West Virginians love their team. They're in love with this basketball team. Bobby is a man of his word and an honorable person. I knew Bobby didn't want to be at Kansas State for just one year, but he knew that this was his last chance to come back to West Virginia.''

Pastilong said as soon as Huggins arrived in 2007, he knew a Final Four was possible. "He has a magic when he talks to basketball players,'' Pastilong said. "They respond to him. He works them hard, but they walk off that court and they love him.''

You can hear that in Joe Mazzulla's voice. He has been with Huggs for three years and calls him "Huggs," not "Coach." He is a classic Huggins player -- a hard-working overachiever with a skill set that needed to be developed.

Assistant Larry Harrison was with Huggins when the Bearcats went to the Final Four in 1992. When Huggins got the West Virginia job, he called Harrison and asked him if he thought they could win a national championship in Morgantown.

"I said you can do it,'' Harrison said. "West Virginia has always had a good influx of New York guys. We're in the Big East and [with] you as a coach, we can recruit players from anywhere. He said, 'Do you want to do it again?' I said, 'Let's go.'''

Huggins, who might be the lowest talker in the business and rarely changes his expression aside from when he barks at officials, hasn't mellowed much since his heart attack or from his time at Cincinnati in the '90s. "It's the same intensity and drive,'' Harrison said. "But let's say in a 40-minute game or a three-hour practice he's probably in the face of the players for 30 minutes instead of 38 and the same [percentage] is true in practice. I think a lot of things bounce off him now that maybe didn't before.''

He' the type of guy that made some mistakes in his life, but he doesn't look back on it. … He's a regular guy. He's comfortable in this environment and this situation.

Huggins' college friends used to come up and hang out with him after Bearcats games. Now they're hanging around more often.

"He' the type of guy that made some mistakes in his life, but he doesn't look back on it,'' Harrison said. "He's around people who accept him for who he is, not just as a basketball coach, but as a person. He does a lot of charity work in the community. He goes out with his buddies. He's a regular guy. He's comfortable in this environment and this situation.''

Huggins deferred all enjoyment after the East Regional victory to his players and to the people of West Virginia. "I've been through this and I don't need all of this, I don't, I don't,'' Huggins said of all the attention. "I'd be very happy without it.''

There is internal pressure that he put on himself to win, but nothing has been hounding him from the exterior since he arrived at West Virginia. "I have no outside pressure whatsoever,'' Huggins said.

That's exactly why he's allowed to be comfortable in his clothing. Huggins said he once sweat through his suit so badly that he put on a windbreaker at Cincinnati. Then-AD Bob Goin was OK with the look, but new president Zimpher didn't appreciate it. "Whoever started saying coaches had to wear suits?'' Huggins said.

Huggins scoffs at the notion that the team and he are on a redemption tour, saying that is something the media have created. Huggins said injuries along the way prevented the Bearcats from getting back to the Final Four from 1992 to 2005.

So getting back for the first time in 18 years hasn't moved him much. Sitting in the locker room at Syracuse, I asked the glum-looking coach how excited he was. His response was "Can't you tell?'' "I'm happy for them,'' Huggins said of his players.

If the Mountaineers win the title, Huggins plans on taking the trophy around the state in a bus. He might try a pickup truck with no rearview mirror since he loves that story of being in a truck without one when he was a boy. The moral? Never look back.

"We'll pick some spots and we'll just drive around in the bus and take it to different places,'' Huggins said. "Understand they piped the games into the mines, piped into the work places. Everybody didn't want to go to work. They wanted to watch the game. That's how important it is to the state. It would be neat to go to them and reach out to them and let them touch the trophy.''

If his team does win the championship, don't doubt Huggins would do this. He is a man of the people now, a Mountaineer-bred man who loves representing them as their coach in every way possible.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

The Final 4: Almost heaven, but not quite yet.

2010-03-29T18:02:00.001-04:00

Well, it's here. The Final Four. The Holy Grail of college basketball. We have a #1 Seed, a #2 Seed, and a couple of #5 seeds that crashed the party. Me? I can't wait. I'm (hopefully) heading out on Friday, and if all goes well I'll witness two good friends get exactly what they deserve - a National Championship. But my allegiances are well known and I won't bore you to tears with all that. Instead, some random thoughts about this weekend:

Did the NCAA Selection Committee grease the rails for a Duke trip to the Final 4 or not? They were given maybe the weakest #2 seed ever (Villanova, losers of 5 of 7 going in), an upstart #3 in Baylor and a #4 seed without it's best player in Purdue. By far the easiest road to Indy. They've won every game by a large margin, but that ain't the Arkansas- Pine Bluff Golden Lions waiting for you this Saturday, boys.
Sticking with Duke and their "advantages", I was in Minneapolis in 2001 when Maryland was up 17 at the half only to see the Dookies come storming back due to some very questionable officiating. Arizona and Michigan State were also there, and everybody except Duke fans were burying the zebras.
How the hell does Tom Izzo get the Final 4 as often as he does? Do you realize that every player he's recruited has been to a Final 4? How's that for a recruiting tool? Six in 12 years? Mercy. Plus, he got there without Kalin Lucas. Of course, he only had to outwit nitwit Bruce Pearl in the Regional Finals, which is no big challenge . . . unless you're Thad Matta.
Speaking of Matta, just a few things. First of all, save me the garbage about Evan Turner being fouled on that last shot. He wasn't touched. I'm sorry to say it, but it was all ball. Did I wish it would've gone in? Hell yes. But he wasn't touched. In addition, for the life of me I can't figure out why Matta never subbed this year. He can say that "my guys are conditioned to roll" but the fact is they were gassed at the end of that game. It seems so simple to me. Send a guy in for a minute 2-3 times during each half. How could that hurt you? It gets everybody involved and helps team chemistry. Thad was forced to insert Jeremie Simmons into the lineup last Friday, and what does he do? Hits 3 of 4 treys. Second half he doesn't see the floor as Jon Diebler was going 1 for whatever for the game. Sigh. And the Buck's inside game? Don't get me started.
Butler is a pretty good story, no? A mid-major making the Final 4 only 7-miles from their hometown, blah-blah-blah. And Lucas Oil Arena is a great name huh? Sounds like someplace a minor league hockey team would play. Anyway, something tells me they're going to have their hands full with The Izzos this weekend.
And finally . . . West Virginia. I know, I promised I wouldn't bore you with my Mountaineer loyalties. But now that I have you reeled in, I must be homest. I lied. Nobody, but nobody, deserves a National Championship more than Bob Huggins and Billy Hahn. Billy has been through more adversity in the last 6-years than anybody I know. From the whole Lasalle fiasco to his wife Kathi's health problems, he's perservered and fought through it all with his head held high. I'm sure basketball doesn't seem as important as it once did to him, but you'd never know it by his work ethic. Billy Hahn is as good a person as I've ever known. I can't put it any clearer. And Huggs? He was screwed at Cincinnati, pure and simple. Nobody cares about his players more than Huggs, and it's taken him just 3-years to get his alma mater, the school, the state and the town he loves to the pinnacle of college basketball. Unbelievable job by he and his staff at West Virginia.

Well, I guess you know who I'll be cheering for on Saturday. It sure as hell won't be Coach K's Dookies. Hey, Izzo's had his titles, Butler's Brad Stevens (what is he, 33?) will surely get other chances when he bolts for a bigger school, which he surely will. That leaves Bob Huggins and Billy Hahn, two guys who, as much or more than anybody, deserve this.

Man, I can't tell you how badly I want it to happen.

Almost Heaven . . .

2010-03-27T22:55:00.001-04:00

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Country road, take me home.

Or better yet, Indianapolis.

It's almost heaven, West Virginia. Da'Sean Butler and the Mountaineers are off to the Final Four for the first time since 1959.

Injury replacement Joe Mazzulla scored a career-high 17 points in his first start this season and West Virginia handled a cold-shooting Kentucky team stocked with future NBA players almost from the opening tip for a 73-66 victory in the East Regional final Saturday night.

Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins, back with his alma mater, is in the Final Four for the first time since taking Cincinnati in 1992. It's an even longer stretch for West Virginia -- Jerry West was the star of the team 51 years ago, and not yet a Hall of Famer or NBA logo.

For freshman sensation John Wall and the young Wildcats, a scintillating season ended with a clang.

They were awful from 3-point range, missing their first 20 attempts and finishing a stunning 4 of 32 (12.5 percent). DeAndre Liggins finally hit a 3 with 3:29 left to end the drought, but by then it was too late.

West Virginia went the other way, making eight 3s in the first half without a 2-point basket.

Kentucky coach John Calipari led his talented team to the regional final in his first season, restoring the Wildcats among basketball's elite after several underachieving seasons.

But they showed their inexperience in this one, misfiring all night after using a swarming defense to beat tournament darling Cornell in the round of 16.

Calipari was left staring at the Carrier Dome roof, wondering what he could do. Now, his focus shifts to which Wildcats are coming back.

Wall, who scored 19 points, might be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft if he decides he's one-and-done at UK. DeMarcus Cousins, another fab freshman, and Patrick Patterson also could bolt the Bluegrass for the NBA. Cousins scored 15 points.

"We've had games where we missed free throws and 3-pointers, but our defense, we gave up a lot of layups. And they just outplayed us," Cousins said. "We played bad defense. We were supposed to go under the screen but we were going over, which was giving them layups. I mean, simple stuff that we know better."

Calipari built top-seeded Kentucky into a championship contender again, and the Wildcats routed their first two tournament opponents. They became favorites to win an eighth national title when No. 1 overall seed Kansas was upset in the second round.

But other than an 11-0 run early, the Wildcats were wildly ineffective all game. Darius Miller missed all six shots, and Patterson and Eric Bledsoe were a combined 6 for 16.

It's been a turbulent time for Huggins since his previous Final Four appearance. He was forced out at Cincinnati, had a heart attack in 2002 and spent a year coaching Kansas State before he found the country roads back to Morgantown in 2007.

He couldn't have imagined at the start of the tournament relying on Mazzulla to take his team to Indianapolis. Hindered by a surgically repaired shoulder, Mazzulla came off the bench in 35 games this season and averaged 2.2 points -- barely worth a mention in most scouting reports.

He started Saturday because West Virginia point guard Darryl Bryant broke his right foot Tuesday in practice.

Mazzulla dashed uncontested to the rim for several easy baskets. When he was out of the game, he was on all fours in front of the bench slamming the court in encouragement.

West Virginia fans chanted "Final Four! Final Four!" as the players took their spots at halfcourt after the final buzzer. Butler, who scored 18 points, led the Mountaineers in a little Final Four dance and they cupped their ears to the crowd.

"I talked about it being special," Huggins told the crowd. "Two more and it will be really special."

They had the stage after Kentucky had the spotlight all season. The Wildcats (35-3), who also went 16 for 29 at the free throw line, were a strong favorite to win their first national championship since 1998 once overall No. 1 seed Kansas went down in the second round.

Instead, a team loaded with NBA-caliber players is left to wonder how its season ended in a whimper.

Butler, who played with a sore right hand, was a big part of Kentucky's problem. He made four of West Virginia's 10 3-pointers

The Mountaineers led 28-26 at halftime in one of the quirkiest 20 minutes of shooting in tournament history. They made 8 of 15 3-pointers -- and went 0 for 16 on 2s. Not inside, not mid-range, not from anywhere except beyond the arc.

Butler hit four of them, shouting toward the crowd and pounding his chest after each one.

More oddities: Kentucky missed all eight 3s in the first half and outrebounded WVU 29-13. But the Mountaineers had only three turnovers after averaging 11.9 per game this season.

Mazzulla only made five of 11 shots but all of them were clutch. Mazzulla scooted to the basket three times for untouched, uncontested layups led 47-36. He got another easy look at the basket, missed, but Devin Ebanks' tip made it 49-40 and the Mountaineers would stretch the lead to 16 points.

Kentucky was clearly flustered for the first time this tournament. Cousins, the 6-foot-11, 260-pound gregarious freshman center, started to steer Kentucky back on course on a couple of strong inside buckets. As he got back in position on defense, he clapped his hands in West Virginia forward John Flowers' face and screamed, "Let's go!"

Cousins slapped Butler in the groin reaching for a loose ball and was sent to the bench with three fouls.

Kentucky had the lottery picks. West Virginia had Mazzulla.

So they're singing "Take Me Home, Country Roads," from Syracuse to Huntington and now all the way to Indianapolis.

DB41's First Round Mock

2010-03-27T00:02:00.003-04:00

1. St. Louis (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Despite the fact that Suh is the best overall player in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams are in a position offensively where they are a franchise quarterback away from becoming solid at the very least. With Steven Jackson running the ball, young receivers with potential, and bookend tackles to look forward to, the Rams simply cannot pass up on Bradford who is extremely accurate and smart.

2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line and Suh is their guy.

3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.

4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol.

5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.

6. Seattle (5-11) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Despite the emergence of 3rd year pro Justin Forsett, Seattle still averaged a measly 97.9 yards per game on the ground. With new Executive VP/Head Coach Pete Carroll at the helm, one should know how you can never have too many good tailbacks. Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. While Forsett may be in the same mold to an extent, the NFL is becoming a league in which you almost need to have 2 good backs to succeed, and being an offensive guy, Pete Carroll pulls the trigger on Spiller.

7. Cleveland (5-11) - Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Cleveland needs help all over the place, but the fact that they had a wide receiver playing safety for most of the season goes to show just how desperate they are in need of a true safety, especially a play maker and game changer like Berry. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.

8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.

9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help.

10. Jacksonville (7-9) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.

11. Denver [from Chicago] (7-9) – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama- Denver could go a couple different ways here, but with a newly installed 34 defense, a signing of Justin Bannan to play some nose tackle, and the need for a Patrick Willis type linebacker in the middle, they grab McClain here. McClain can do it all. His weaknesses are very limited, as there are no glaring weaknesses. He’s the best sideline to sideline linebacker in this class who can cover as well as be a key in the run game.

12. Miami (7-9) – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Some people may question this pick, but when you’re running a 34 defense, the nose tackle is the biggest key to success. I personally believe much of the average play of the linebackers in Miami was due to the fact that they do not have a defensive line that can eat up blockers and take up space, forcing the line backers to get mauled by the offensive lineman who are able to get to the 2nd level. Williams is a 1 or 2 gap DT and is absolutely dominant.

13. San Francisco (8-8)- Joe Haden, CB, Florida- After Haden’s disappointing forty time at the combine, he slips a few picks, but not too far. Haden is still the best cornerback in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still has great change of direction, and terrific ball skills, as well as being a very physical corner. San Francisco could really use an upgrade at the cornerback position after giving up 226 pass yards a game, which was the one of the worst in the league.

14. Seattle [from Denver] (8-8) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Seattle had just 28 sacks in 2009, and lack have a big problem getting to the quarterback. Derrick Morgan is the best pick at the 14th spot, being an excellent pass rusher who’s also stout against the run. He’s an athletic player who can be a game changer. Seattle gets to use their second 1st round pick to get another defensive stud, just like last season when they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry.

15. New York Giants (8-8) – Brian Price, DT, UCLA- With the loss of Fred Robbins, defensive tackle becomes the number one need for the G-Men. Brian Price is a dominant defensive tackle who just blows up plays in the backfield. He can get to the quarterback, and disrupt the backfield better than any other defensive tackle not named Suh or Gerald McCoy. The Giants get a bargain here with Price.

16. Tennessee (8-8) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Best pick available here, and a huge need filled for the Titans drafting the speedy Wilson who has seen his stock rise quite a bit since the beginning of the 2009 football season. Wilson is a guy that can come in immediately and make an impact for a team who was 2nd to last in the NFL against the pass.
17. San Francisco [from Carolina] (8-8) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- Iupati is one of the best offensive guards in the last few NFL Drafts. He’s also quite versatile as he can get work at right tackle and potentially even left tackle. The 49ers are in dire need of a dominating offensive guard for Gore and Company to run behind. Iupati fills that hole.

18. Pittsburgh (9-7) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- Pittsburgh quarterbacks were sacked a total of 50 times last season. The Steelers have had offensive tackle woes for quite awhile now, and this is the year they look to fix it with Williams filling in the left tackle spot. With Rashard Mendenhall looking to take control, the Steelers will want a big tackle in there to push the pile and open up holes for the big running back, while keeping their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback off the ground.

19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is the type of player that all 32 football teams should have on their team. He’s a defensive leader who can go sideline to sideline and make tackles. On top of that he’s one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft and is a no brainer here for the Falcons who have a huge vacancy at the SAM linebacker position.

20. Houston (9-7) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas- Houston has some holes to fill in the secondary, and with Earl Thomas falling to pick 20, he’s an obvious choice to fill the free safety position currently manned by John Busing. Thomas also may be able to translate to the NFL as a cornerback, which is another big need for the Texans with the loss of Dunta Robinson, who’s been disappointing in his last two seasons.

21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Taylor Mays, S, USC- It’s hard for the Bengals to pass up on the athleticism and potential of Mays. Cincinnati lacks that intimidating safety in the defensive backfield, despite the signing of Roy Williams, who has regressed significantly. Mays has a high ceiling, and with proper coaching could become an elite player in the NFL.

22. New England (10-6) – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida- New England lacks that feared pass rusher on defense. Adalius Thomas is regressing, as he had the highest tackle/missed tackle ratio of last season, and has slowed down quite a bit. New England’s coaching staff can develop this physical freak into an effective outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.

23. Green Bay (11-5) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- Charles Woodson had an excellent season for Green Bay, but he’s aging, and they still need another cornerback as Tramon Williams is strictly a nickel guy. Jackson is a speedy corner with quick hips who isn’t afraid to make a tackle and is very instinctive. Jackson could take over as a dominant number one corner in the NFL one day, especially if he spends more time with Woodson.

24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Daryl Washington, LB, Texas Christian- Washington is a hard-nosed linebacker who plays well sideline to sideline. Washington is also quite versatile and could realistically play all 3 linebacker positions in a 43 or 46 scheme, and with Philadelphia not having a true weak side linebacker, and an unreliable veteran in Trotter, Washington is a no brainer.

25. Baltimore (9-7) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Baltimore lost Dwan Edwards, and has an aging defensive end in Trevor Pryce. Odrick fits as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s a powerful guy who plays well laterally and is excellent at the point of attack. Baltimore getting Odrick would make the transition to outside linebacker much easier for Paul Kruger, who is going to be asked to play a bigger role in 2010.

26. Arizona (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Arizona lacks a true pass rusher at outside linebacker, and both of their starters are over age 33. Graham’s stock has really risen after the Senior Bowl, and even more so at the combine posting a nice forty time, and 31 reps on the bench. Graham is a steal at the end of the first round and is looked at as a potential elite pass rusher in the form of Dwight Freeney.

27. Dallas (11-5) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- The Cowboys need help on the offensive line. Flozell Adams is regressing, and it’s too hard to tell if Doug Free can man the left side or not. Davis’ hopes are at left tackle, but I’m not 100% sold on his ability to protect the quarterback. His best fit is on the right side as a mauling right tackle, while the Cowboys keep Free at left tackle.

28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- San Diego just let go their future Hall of Fame running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and have only Darren Sproles back to the team. Even with LT last season, they were the 2nd worst in the league in rushing yards per game, and need an impact player at the running back spot. Mathews is an every down back who can run well between the tackles, and has the speed to get outside and break a long run and be a number one running back for the nest 5-7 seasons.

29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- Dunlap is a bit of a question mark when it comes to motivation and preparation issues, but is top 15 talent if coached up. What better defensive mind to go to than Rex Ryan? The Jets need help at defensive end and Dunlap could play 3-4 defensive end effectively. He fits the mold of Calais Campbell in that he can rush the passer while still holding the point of attack allowing the linebackers to make plays.

30. Minnesota (12-4) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- With the Vikings injuries at cornerback, they need to draft one early. Cedric Griffen tore his ACL against the Saints, and Antoine Winfield has a nagging foot injury that kept him from performing up to his usual self last season. Griffen will most likely start the season on the PUP list, and the Vikings lack depth. McCourty is a speedy corner who can cover the burners of the NFL and potentially be a number one corner.

31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Charles Brown, OT, USC- With Tony Ugoh being a disappointment, the Colts are in need of a left tackle that can protect Peyton Manning and give them a few more shots at winning a Super Bowl ring. Brown is an agile tackle with long arms. He’s more of a finesse offensive tackle who doesn’t over power people, and is only mediocre in the run game. Brown would be able to fit right in protecting Manning’s backside.

32. New Orleans (13-3) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC- The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end opposite Will Smith who had 13.5 sacks in 2009. They get good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but with a standout guy like Griffen, they can get better against the run, and penetrate the backfield much easier. Griffen is stout against the run, and is excellent with contain.

An Admitted Biased Ranking of the Sweet 16

2010-03-23T14:56:00.005-04:00

Let's do this. Keep in mind I'm hopelessly biased and pathetically sentimental.

1. Kentucky. The Wildcats haven't been tested yet, and a lot of people are wondering what will happen when they are. Will we find out this weekend? We just might. Couldn't you just picture John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins turning on each other when things got hot? Yelling at Coach Cal and disintegrating before our very eyes? I can. Still, the most talent left in The Dance.

2. Syracuse. Man, these cats are playing great and are still, somehow, under the radar. Quick - name their best player. That's what I thought. It's Wes Johnson, the most underappreciated player in the tournament. For some reason that 2-3 zone just perplexes the bejesus out of people, almost as much as wondering how Boeheim landed a wife that hot. It's just a mystery. Oh wait, I remember. He's rich.

3. Duke. God, I hate Duke. They got a gift from the committee with their draw. That said, their Big 3 of Singler, Smith and Scheyer are going to be hard to handle this weekend. I know, people say their inside game is lacking, but I think their serviceable enough to carry them through. But God, I hate Duke. Then again, 13-years of working summer camps in College Park will permanently alter your view of the Dookies, and not in a good way.

4. West Virginia. Lord knows I'm biased here, 'cause I love Billy and Huggs. The only thing that worries me is their perimeter shooting (the team, not the coaches. Billy can still shoot lights out with that one-hander). They're the best defensive and offensive rebounding team left though, and that could carry them. I would LOVE a Kentucky-West Virginia regional final. Butler vs. Wall and Cousins & Co. vs. WV's bigs would be epic. Plus, I'll take the Mountaineers coaches and bench over UK's any day. Again, biased.

5. Ohio State. I might be underrating the Buckeyes, but Evan Turner just hasn't looked right to me lately. Sure, the stats are good, but he's turning the ball over a lot. Hope that, and the lack of Buckeye depth, doesn't catch up to them. Bonus: Diebler has been money from beyond the arc thus far. But man, if only our boy Dallas "The Fort" Lauderdale had a post up game. If he did they'd be the favorite. I still got 'em in the Final 4 however.

6. Kansas State. They play great defense, but can that carry them? They can be really shaky on the O end, but they may be just scared enough of Frank Martin to keep advancing.

7. Baylor. The Bears are big, athletic, and well coached. Quite possibly the most underrated NCAA team from start to finish. If Duke meets these fellows it could be curtains for Coach K and his band of dipshits. Have I mentioned I hate Duke?

8. Xavier. Jordan Crawford takes some bad shots, but he seems to hit them when it counts. They may be overmatched in the post soon, though. Sidenote: Please, coach, let Dante shoot the ball more!

9. Butler. Butler is in Indianapolis. The Final Four is in Indianapolis. What a great story that would be, no? These guys are playing with a ton of confidence and think they can beat anybody right now. Lots of experience too. I like Butler a lot.

10. Cornell. Seriously, Kentucky had better be ready to play. This senior-laden team can flat out play. They all live together in one house on campus, and none of them are on a scholarship. It'll be Good vs. Evil when they play the Wildcats, and I can't wait. Maybe the aforementioned Wildcat Meltdown happens in their next game. Hey, a guy can dream, right?

11. Tennessee. I gotta tell ya, I'm completely torn where these guys are concerned. One minute I think they have no chance and the next I can see them making the Final 4. I just don't think they can outscore the Buckeyes. In addition, Bruce Pearl is a dick.

12. Saint Mary's. Omar Samhan, my friends, is a load. He is a true center with great, fundamental post moves, and if you double him he'll destroy you with his passing. If Dallas Lauderdale had his post moves he'd be Moses Malone, except with, you know, a post 4th grade education.

13. Northern Iowa. Question - why haven't Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck been complaining about Ali Farokhmanesh's name? Seriously, I think the (what the hell are they, the Panthers?) have a really good shot at the Izzos.

14. Washington. Way better than anticipated, and they're representing the much maligned Pac-10 so they're on a mission. They're scary, but I think the Mountaineers handle them with their suffocating defense.

15. Purdue. Nobody gave these guys a chance after they lost Hummel. They're playing with a chip on their shoulder, play good defense, but can't match up with the Dookies. The road ends here.

16. Michigan State. Just too decimated to go much farther. They might, just might, sneak past Northern Iowa, but the Buckeyes or Vols await. Ruh-roh.

My Final 4? I've got Ohio State, West Virginia, Syracuse, and . . . Duke. Damn, I almost said Baylor. Please God, let it be Baylor.

Billy Hahn, Matt Hahn at the center of a very happy family reunion in NCAA tournament

2010-03-19T21:27:00.001-04:00

The following article was written by Zach Berman for the Washington Post.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Only four people understand what the past five years have been like for the Hahn family, and they will all be here on Friday. That, within itself, is an achievement.

"Five years ago, after everything that happened, I never would have fathomed this," said West Virginia assistant coach Billy Hahn, a former Maryland assistant. "I never would have bet any money that this would happen."

Hahn was once a basketball pariah following a controversial exit after coaching La Salle from 2001 to 2004. His wife, Kathi, is healthy enough to travel after overcoming ovarian cancer in June 2008 and recovering from a bone marrow transplant following a leukemia diagnosis two months later.

Their son, Vermont assistant coach Matt Hahn, is blossoming on his own after spending his basketball career with his father -- first as a player at Maryland, and then as an assistant at La Salle. And their daughter, Ashley, is a teacher at Galway Elementary School in Silver Spring; she held the family together while Kathi underwent treatment and Billy and Matt coached. Ashley planned to take the first flight to Buffalo out of Baltimore on Friday morning.

Both West Virginia and Vermont reached the NCAA tournament. They could have gone to any of eight destinations, but they were both sent to Buffalo. They could have been timed to play back-to-back, which would have been taxing for Kathi, who becomes fatigued. Instead, the second-seeded Mountaineers play No. 15 Morgan State at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, while the 16th-seeded Catamounts face No. 1 seed Syracuse at 9:40 p.m.

Kathi and Ashley can both go to the same site, wear blue and gold at noon and green and gold in the evening. The Hahns can come together in the same place, united by basketball and family and second chances.

"It could not have worked out better for us to get them both in the same spot," Kathi said. "It's just a miracle."

Kathi would know.

Both Billy and Kathi are on their second lease in life on entirely different levels. Billy was in the process of rebuilding the program at La Salle when three of his players were accused of sexual assault. Although two were acquitted and charges were dropped against the third, Hahn was forced to resign and the stigma kept schools from hiring him.

He finally received an opportunity at West Virginia in 2007. One year into Billy's tenure at West Virginia, Kathi learned she had ovarian cancer. When she overcame that, the family celebrated, but the high was short-lived. She learned she had leukemia in August 2008. On Feb. 6, 2009, she received a bone marrow transplant and has been recovering since.

Billy and Matt kept coaching. Ashley took a leave from her job and moved to Morgantown, W. Va., to care for Kathi, only getting back to Maryland once a month to see her fiance.

The hardest part for her was "knowing that I was the daughter taking care of my mom. I'm so used to her taking care of me."

Billy called her "the rock" of the family.

"It's really just too hard to explain to anybody what [Kathi's] been through, and unless you're there day in and day out basis, no one could really explain . . . what [Ashley] did and what [Ashley] went through and what [Ashley] sacrificed," Billy said.

"If we weren't a close family, it could have really destroyed us," Kathi said. "But we've always been very close."

That is especially the case with Billy and Matt, who consider each other best friends. Kathi said they're the same person. They talk every day, and have an esoteric empathy rare between a father and son. A lost recruit, a zone to attack, another road trip -- it is all part of the same language.

"I had so many people through the years come up to me and say: 'How do you have that relationship with your son? How do you do that?' " Billy said.

Growing up, Matt was always Billy's kid. He remembers being teased in school when Georgetown thrived and Maryland was beginning to rebuild under Coach Gary Williams, and he experienced the excitement of watching the Terrapins when they returned to national prominence. But Matt embraced this label, calling it a "badge of honor."

He played at Maryland from 1996 to 2000 while his father was an assistant coach, and joined his father's staff when Billy coached La Salle. He said he can never shake the label as Billy's son, but after five years at Vermont, he's at least carving his own niche -- even though among the veteran grinders on the recruiting trail, he's still "Matty Hahn."

"I'm beginning to establish my own identity, and I think I had to get out from under his wings to do it," Matt said. "But I've been able to do it from the lessons I learned from being his son, working for him, playing for him. I'm starting to take what he taught me and I observed and apply it to my job here."

Matt said he works even harder after witnessing when his mother endured. Whenever Billy complains, he stops himself and thinks about Kathi's fight.

When Kathi spoke about the past five years, she emphasized that the family has made it out on the other side. Billy fought tears, crediting the "basketball gods" for looking over the family and making a weekend in Buffalo that existed only in their dreams a reality.

"I've always had faith in the family and in the principles and everything we're all about," Matt said. "But I can tell you now that it's here, it's a dream come true."

Current Cleveland Browns Off-Season Summary

2010-03-16T00:05:00.002-04:00

The 2010 Cleveland Browns off-season has taken a huge turn in the last few weeks. The Browns got started immediately by giving up the rights to wide receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth missed the 2009 season after being suspended by Commissioner Goodell for a drunk driving incident in which a pedestrian was killed. Shortly after Stallworth was released, Holmgren sent defensive end Corey Williams to the Lions for a 5th round pick in 2010. Williams will go back to his undertackle position in which he succeeded in Green Bay in a short time as a situational pass rusher.

A few days later the Browns made a surprising release of veteran Hank Fraley, who served as a viable option playing center and some guard since 2006. Following the Fraley release, we witnessed the inevitable departure of Derek Anderson, who was due a roster bonus of 2 million dollars on March 19th, to go with a 7.45 million dollar salary in 2010 had he stayed. To make up for the loss of Derek Anderson, we traded a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick for quarterback Seneca Wallace who is a 7 year year veteran out of Iowa State who's spent his career in Seattle, most of it under Holmgren. The following move was the releasing of tight end Steve Heiden, who's had a quietly productive career with Cleveland since 2002.

Throw in the signings of Scott Fujita, who's brought in more for his experience and leadership abilities, as well as mauling right tackle Tony Pashos, and you've got a pretty boring off-season involving mostly average players. With the exception of Fraley getting released, there were no true surprises. Seneca Wallace was a small surprise, but being a Holmgren guy who's filled in nicely for Hasselbeck when injured, it wasn't a huge deal. However, it's a question whether or not Holmgren thinks that Wallace can be a 16 game quality starter. The most exciting signing has been tight end Ben Watson, who can catch the ball well (despite a mediocre 2009 season), and has enough speed to do damage in the middle of the field. Watson is like a poor man's Kellen Winslow.

Here's where things started to get interesting. Jake Delhomme was brought in to Cleveland last Wednesday to work out and show the management that he could still throw the ball well, and has gas in the tank. Coming off of an 11 start, 18 interception performance in Carolina, which he was recently released, teams were a bit skeptical on the 35 year old veteran who's best year came in 2004. Delhomme passed the workout, but left Cleveland without a deal in place, stating that he would be visiting the New Orleans Saints to try out for a backup role behind Super Bowl winner Drew Brees. Delhomme also left New Orleans without a contract, in which Holmgren jumped on and signed him to a deal for a base salary of 900,000 with 7 million dollars available in incentives, providing he starts and hits the escalators.

The Delhomme move made many speculate the fate of Brady Quinn. Could Delhomme have been brought in for veteran leadership, or is Holmgren hoping to start Delhomme and develop a young quarterback in which is drafted, or even Wallace? It was all up in the air, until it was announced on Sunday that quarterback Brady Quinn was traded to the Denver Broncos for running back/fullback Peyton Hillis and 2 draft picks. In what Holmgren stated in his press conference on March 15th, Heckert, Holmgren, and Mangini made a "collective decision" in that Brady Quinn wasn't what they looked for as the quarterback in the 2010 NFL season. Holmgren stated that the Browns "couldn't go into the season like we entered the 2009 season", meaning that there was no need for a quarterback controversy or to start out the season with either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.

To add to the quarterback drama in Cleveland, former first round pick Kamerion Wimbley was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 3rd round draft pick in 2010. Wimbley has been very disappointing since racking up 11 sacks in his rookie season with Cleveland in 2006, only averaging barely over 5 sacks in each of his last 3 seasons. The move was somewhat surprising considering Wimbley's name was not one that was brought up often, if at all, while speculating trades in the Cleveland Browns off-season.

So what do all of these moves mean, and how will they effect the Browns? To be honest, it's extremely hard to tell. If Delhomme starts in 2010, what Jake do we see? Can we see a guy that completes 60% of his passes or better, as well as 7+ yards per attempt? If we can, that could mean good things for Cleveland. But the chances of a 35 year old quarterback putting up those numbers with virtually no talent around him are quite slim, which make the signing questionable. I could understand if we had some talented wide receivers, and a consistent running game. If we had a potential playoff team that just needed an experienced quarterback, then this move may make more sense, but when you're starting fresh with a team, you don't bring in a 35 year old quarterback coming off of a horrendous season, despite having one of the best rushing games in the league, to help turn around your team.

Losing Wimbley may not hurt as much as we thought, and getting a third round pick out of him was a steal for this draft. Had this been any regular draft, then it may be questionable, but there will be a lot of starting talent around in the 3rd round, and Wimbley just didn't seem to grasp the 34 outside linebacker position. Like I said earlier, the Scott Fujita signing seems more of a veteran presence, and locker room leadership guy. He's always been a hard worker, and is a smart player, however, he's in no way a long term option. Tony Pashos should step in right away at right tackle, despite being poor in pass protection. Either way, he'll be an upgrade over the terrible John St. Clair who had one of his worst seasons of his career.

The signing of Ben Watson, is my favorite as he is a guy that can stretch the field from the tight end position, and was under utilized in New England simply due to the fact that New England has so many targets for Tom Brady to get the ball to, which made him expendable in New England's eyes.
The Browns will not miss Corey Williams, who should have never been traded for in the first place, especially for a second round draft pick by Phil Savage. He is a situational pass rusher who got more of his sacks coming off the bench in Green Bay than actually starting. Savage made the mistake of thinking that he could just plug in a semi-talented defensive tackle to play in a 34 defensive system to play defensive end. I was baffled by the move in the first place, and Williams will not be missed. Derek Anderson will not be missed for obvious reasons. 2 completions against the Buffalo Bills in 2009, despite them missing 3 starters in the secondary in that game is just uncalled for, whether you have talent to throw to or not.

By far the biggest question mark is the trading of Brady Quinn. Many Cleveland fans were convince after just 12 starts that he was a terrible quarterback and would never amount to anything. It's very possible that it's true, and he did not play much better than Anderson at times, but he was a young guy who did show improvement, most notably not throwing any interceptions since coming back from the bye week in 2009, until the last game of the season. Before you say "hey, he threw 2 against Baltimore", you have to recognize that in that game, both of those interceptions came off of passes that were right to the wide receiver which were dropped and tipped up into the hands of Raven defenders. Quinn showed improvement, and it seems a bit unfair not to give him a chance, which makes this move quite bold for Holmgren. It's very possible that Quinn goes into Denver and starts, and succeeds with a solid offensive line, running game and legit wide receivers to get the ball to. On the flip side, it's very possible that Quinn falls on his face and the Holmgren trade looks genius.

It's too early to tell where all of these moves will take the Browns, and it's quite possible that there will be many more moves. With 12 draft picks on the table for the 2010 NFL Draft, we could trade for players, or we could trade up in the draft to obtain better positions to draft starters and potential starters. It appears that nobody is safe in Cleveland, and that Holmgren is ready to clean house and start completely fresh. Whether or not that decision is a wise one is, obviously, yet to be determined. Let's give it 3 seasons to find out.

NCAA Caves to Pressure, Goes Easy on Duke

2010-03-15T11:15:00.001-04:00

Here's Jason Whitlock's take on the NCAA Selection Committee and the pairings they announced on Sunday. Great stuff.

The experts on CBS and ESPN were not at liberty Sunday night to explain to you why the NCAA Tournament selection committee treated Duke like the No. 1 overall seed rather than Kansas, the nation’s best basketball team.

The explanation is simple: Duke is television ratings gold, and the NCAA is in the process of negotiating a new TV contract for its prized tournament.

CBS, the current rights holder, and ESPN, America’s 24-hour national sports network — along with several other networks — are currently participating in the contract negotiations. It’s a high-stakes affair. CBS paid $6 billion to exclusively broadcast the event for the last 11 years.

In an effort to hoodwink a TV network into again overpaying for the Big Dance, the NCAA is considering expanding the tourney to 96 teams.

So it’s only logical that the selection committee provided the Blue Devils — tournament-chokers for most of the last decade — a relative cakewalk to the Final Four. Duke, the alleged third No. 1 seed, is in the bracket with the weakest No. 2 (Villanova) and No. 3 (Baylor) and No. 4 (Purdue).

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks draw No. 2 seed Ohio State, the team many believe deserved a No. 1, and No. 3 Georgetown and No. 4 Maryland. Every expert I heard Sunday stated the obvious: Kansas is in the toughest bracket in the tournament, and Duke is in the easiest.

Why?

“Duke and (North) Carolina bring big built-in audiences to TV sets,” CBS programmer Mike Aresco told a USA Today reporter last year in explaining CBS’s 2009 tournament ratings bump.

The NCAA needs another bump.

Over the last 15 years, the NBA has stripped the college game of name-brand, ratings-generating players to showcase. Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James skipped college ball altogether.

Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and Stephen Curry — to name just a few — could all conceivably still be looking for one last shining moment in front of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg. Instead, they’re NBA millionaires, leaving the NCAA to promote legendary coaches and tradition-rich programs.

No coach and no team move the needle better than Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils.

They’re the Tiger Woods of hoops, a squeaky-clean fantasy that sports fans love and love to hate.

Short of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Coach K and his All-American Boys have been the NCAA’s best box-office draw. Duke’s 1992 victory over Michigan is the second-most-watched championship game after Magic-Bird. Duke’s loss to Arkansas in 1994 is fourth.

I know. Around here, we’re quite proud of Kansas’ rich tradition. The Jayhawks produced Dr. Naismith, Wilt Chamberlain and Danny Manning. Kansas owns three NCAA titles. And just about everyone agrees Bill Self is as good a coach as there is.

Kansas fails the squeaky-clean charade.

Larry Brown hired Danny Manning’s dad and left the program on probation. We still don’t know for sure how Darrell Arthur passed 10th-grade algebra. And then there’s that whole thing about Kansas being the favorite team of porn stars.

On a more serious note, Duke (and North Carolina to a lesser degree) score higher on the old “eyeball” test. Fewer tattoos and more white guys.

I just made many of you uncomfortable. Sorry. But it’s a fact.

It’s no different from Tiger Woods’ brown skin in a traditionally white-skin sport sending golf ratings (and sponsorship dollars) skyrocketing. Coach K and his band of Boys Next Door are the Great White Hopes of Hoops. Three of Duke’s five starters are white. Their top two scorers are white.

I’m not complaining. I’m not anti-Duke at all. I would love to have a son play for Coach K. It would mean that my son excelled athletically and academically. Plus, I respect Coach K.

But let’s deal with the reality of why Duke was given a favorable draw. The NCAA is desperate for television ratings. The $6 billion CBS paid over 11 years financed a lot of things the NCAA likes to do — stuff like propping up nonrevenue sports.

Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if the NCAA mandated that Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Shane Battier referee all of the Blue Devils’ tournament games.

This is the price of television being in total control of the sports world. At contract time, the NCAA Tournament isn’t much different from “American Idol.”

Butler Does It Again as West Virginia Wins Big East Tourney

2010-03-14T01:36:00.001-05:00

By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com

NEW YORK – The Butler did it one more time! Da’Sean Butler’s running jumper with four seconds left lifted sixth-ranked West Virginia to a 60-58 victory over Georgetown to capture the 2010 Big East basketball championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Big East Tournament MVP Da'Sean Butler kisses the championship trophy after leading West Virginia to a 60-58 victory over Georgetown Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Butler, who scored 20 points on 7 of 19 shooting, was named tournament most valuable player immediately after the game. This was West Virginia’s first conference tournament victory since claiming the Atlantic 10 championship on its home floor in 1984.

"We ran the same play that we set up for the Cincinnati game," Butler explained. "I waited for Casey (Mitchell) to come off. They kind of overplayed one side and went the other way.

"I came to the top of the key and I had to come get the ball and they kind of switched. I think Monroe was on me and I think he had a feeling I was going to shoot a 3. I had a little hesitation, went around him, Freeman stepped up, and had a little hop step and scooped a layup off the glass."

It seemed the Mountaineers were almost destined to win their first Big East title with an all-New York City starting lineup of Butler, Wellington Smith, Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks and Truck Bryant. Including reserve forward Danny Jennings, West Virginia has six players on its roster from the New York City metropolitan area.

Smith, another New Yorker, played a fantastic first half, scoring 9 of his tournament-best 11 points while grabbing a team-best 10 rebounds.

As it has done all year, West Virginia (27-6) won this game with great defense, tough rebounding and the clutch playmaking of Butler, who joined Mr. Clutch himself, Jerry West, and Hot Rod Hundley in the school’s prestigious 2,000-point club.

Butler’s 2,000th point came late in the first half when his three-point play put the Mountaineers up 24-20.

Georgetown had two four-minute stretches in both halves without scoring baskets, and finished the game shooting just 42.6 percent after carving up top-seeded Syracuse and Marquette earlier in the tournament.

But West Virginia could never quite shake the determined Hoyas, the Mountaineers building leads of six in the first half and then later nine with 12:22 remaining on a Casey Mitchell 3-point basket.

That’s when Georgetown went to work, getting a 3 from Hollis Thompson and then back-to-back baskets by Austin Freeman and Chris Wright to cut the Mountaineers’ lead to two, 43-41, with 10:38 left.

Butler stopped the run with a 3, and added a jumper at 9:02 to take the lead back to seven, 48-41.

But as it did two nights before against Cincinnati and again last night against Notre Dame, West Virginia had to hold on for dear life. Two Greg Monroe free throws with 3:27 left cut Georgetown’s deficit to one, 52-51, and the Hoyas eventually tied it at 56 when Freeman nailed a 3 with 54 seconds left.

Mitchell unknotted the score with a pair of free throws, and Mazzulla added two more from the line with 27 seconds left to give West Virginia a 58-56 advantage.

Chris Wright answered with a basket for Georgetown with 17 seconds left to set the scene for Butler’s game-winning heroics.

"I wish we would make some shots, you know," said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. "I think it would be a little easier. But we talk about it all of the time - we are what we are. We're just going to keep competing. If the day comes and we're going to lose in the next few weeks, we're going to go down swinging."

Butler has now made the deciding basket in six games this season, keying victories over Cleveland State, Marquette, Louisville, Villanova, Cincinnati and now Georgetown.

"It feels good - our familes and our friends are here," said Butler of winning the tournament near his hometown of nearby Newark, N.J. "But we kind of wanted to win for our state first, because the people there love us so much and they support us so much. And I definitely know it means the world to them."

Jones added 12 points and four rebounds for West Virginia, which now has to be considered for one of the four No. 1 seeds awarded to the top teams in the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia has won six straight and eight of its last nine heading into postseason play.

Huggins made his case for a No. 1 seed after the game.

"We have 18 Top 100 wins. We have nine Top 50 wins. The 18 is the most of any team in the country," Huggins said. "Our non-league RPI was second. Our strength of schedule is going to be one. We're going to end up in the top two or three in the RPI. They say, 'Do those things' and we've done those things.

"That being said, we're going to enjoy this. We're going to get together tomorrow and watch the selection show, find out where we're going to go and who we're going to play."

Wright finished with 20 points for Georgetown, now 23-10. Georgetown coach John Thompson, III was asked after the game if he thought playing four games in four days played a factor in tonight's outcome.

"You have to give credit to them and their ability to contest shots," said Thompson, III. "We got some looks we normally make that didn't go in - long guys running at you. But I don't think it was a question of fatigue."

After the game, West Virginia fans were treated to Country Roads on the Madison Square Garden public address system, a tradition at WVU home games following victories.

Huggins, a WVU graduate who returned to his alma mater wanting to win championships and hang banners for his alma mater, could be seen fighting back tears as he embraced his players on the floor after the game.

The school’s first men’s basketball title was also fitting for retiring Director of Athletics Ed Pastilong, who played an instrumental role in getting the Mountaineers into the conference as a full-fledged member 15 years ago.

Butler's 3 Buries Cincy, 'Neers Advance

2010-03-12T12:26:00.001-05:00

From MSNsportsnet.com:

NEW YORK – Da’Sean Butler’s bank-shot 3 from beyond the top of the key with 1.3 seconds left gave sixth-ranked West Virginia a 54-51 victory over Cincinnati Thursday night in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

West Virginia players jump on Da'Sean Butler's back in celebration of his last-second 3-point basket to defeat Cincinnati 54-51 in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City Thursday night.

“He’s a winner,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins of Butler. “He’s going to have the ball at the end of games, he’s done it time and time again.”

It's the fifth time this year Butler has hit the winning shot for West Virginia. He also did it in wins against Cleveland State, Marquette, Louisville and Villanova.

The third-seeded Mountaineers were the only team with a double bye to advance in the Big East Tournament on Thursday. Top-seeded Syracuse was defeated by Georgetown, fourth-seeded Villanova lost to Marquette and second-seeded Pitt was downed by Notre Dame.

"I'm not a fan of the double bye, but I don't know that that had that much to do with it," said Huggins.

Cincinnati, playing its third game in as many days, was looking to pull off another late-game victory. On Tuesday night, the 11th-seeded Bearcats got free throws from Lance Stephenson to beat Rutgers and last night, Deonta Vaughn preserved the Bearcats’ 69-66 win over Louisville by stripping Edgar Sosa before he was able to get off a game-tying 3.

Tonight’s game featured a combination of great defense and some bad offense. Cincinnati missed its first 10 shots of the game and did not score its first field goal until 9:21 when Stephenson made a reverse layup.

West Virginia (25-6) which led by as many as 14 points, 18-4, with 10:57 left in the first half, couldn’t throw it in the ocean for the rest of the half, going scoreless for a five-minute stretch until Butler’s 3 from the top of the key ended the dry spell.

"We were just standing still a lot," said Butler. "When they went man we just didn't pass the ball. Instead of passing the ball and doing the things that got us the lead, we kind of strayed away from that and were making two passes and taking quick shots."

Cincinnati (18-15) made it a one-point game on Darnell Wilks’ fast-break dunk that was made possible by Joe Mazzulla’s missed 3 from the wing.

After Casey Mitchell's jumper made it 23-20, Cincinnati’s Larry Davis answered by drilling a 3 from the corner with 39 seconds to tie the game at 23.

West Virginia untied it just ahead of the halftime horn when Jonnie West hit a contested 3 from the top of the key.

Early in the second half West Virginia once again appeared to be taking control of the game, getting baskets from Truck Bryant, Kevin Jones and a 3 from Butler to take an eight-point lead at 36-28 with 13:09 to go.

Cincinnati cut it to two, 36-34, on a pair of Yancy Gates baskets and free throws by Stephenson.

But back to back baskets by Devin Ebanks and Jones got West Virginia’s lead back to nine, 47-38, with 5:42 to play. Then buckets by Gates and Stephenson and a 3 by Vaughn with 3:36 left pulled the Bearcats to within two, 47-45.

“When they started to come back it really didn’t rattle us,” said Butler. “We just tried to stay focused, listen to coach and a little luck helps.”

West Virginia helped Cincinnati’s run by missing a pair of 3s and then Kevin Jones missing one close. But the sophomore responded with two clutch baskets, the second with 1:09 left, to give West Virginia a 51-48 lead. Butler made a pretty assist on the play, fighting for a loose ball in the lane and then flipping it from his knees to a wide open Jones underneath the basket.

Stephenson tied it at 51 with a tough 3 from the wing with 47 seconds left.

Huggins called timeout with 30 seconds on the clock to design a game-winning play, but with the shot clock winding down, Ebanks’ drive and wild shot at the basket didn’t draw iron and Jones’ stick-back attempt was deflected out of bounds underneath West Virginia’s basket as the shot clock expired.

After a Bearcat timeout, Dion Dixon was called for traveling near West Virginia’s bench with three seconds left, allowing Butler enough time to bank in a 3 from well beyond the top of the key to win the game for the Mountaineers.

“I drew it up to get him a shot at the top of the key, not necessarily a bank shot,” said Huggins.

“I was really trying to get it inside the 3-point line, but (Stephenson) kind of over played and knocked me off balance so I only had time to get one dribble off,” said Butler. “I looked up, took my one-two step and just put it up there and it just fell. Thank God.”

Butler scored 15, two short of Jones’ team-high 17 for West Virginia. Ebanks added 10 points and six rebounds.

"I thought we would make more shots than we did, honestly," said Huggins.

Stephenson scored a game-high 19 for the Bearcats.

Cincinnati finished the game 17 of 52 from the field for 32.7 percent.

"They're a great defensive team because of their length and they way they denied everybody, they don't let you run an offense," said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin.

Among the celebrities in a star-studded crowd watching tonight's games were former President Bill Clinton, actor Denzel Washington and singer Nick Lachey.

West Virginia advances to the Big East Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in the last six years and has now won nine of its last 14 conference tournament games.

Notre Dame, which is 3-0 against the remaining teams in the Big East Tournament this year, is making its first semifinal appearance since Luke Harangody’s freshman year in 2007.

The Irish knocked off Pitt 50-45 earlier tonight to run its record to 23-10. Notre Dame has won six straight heading into Friday night’s semifinal to solidify its status in the NCAA Tournament.

West Virginia lost 70-68 to Notre Dame on Jan. 9 in South Bend when the Mountaineers nearly erased a 22-point first-half deficit. Last year, West Virginia knocked Notre Dame out of the Big East Tournament in the first round with a 74-62 victory.

The West Virginia-Notre Dame game will follow the first Big East semifinal featuring eighth-seeded Georgetown and fifth-seeded Marquette ast 7 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPN.

POY: Evan Turner vs. John Wall. Who Ya Got?

2010-03-05T15:55:00.005-05:00

The phenom, or the do-it-all kid that has worked his tail off over the past 3 years? I'm a bit biased of course...I hate Kentucky almost as much as I love Ohio State. However, I'm not drinker of the Thad Matta Kool-Aid and have been skeptical over his recruiting in the past...but he sure did fall into a winner with Evan Turner. When this kid came to Columbus 3 years ago, I dismissed him from the outset. He was skinny & frail. Could not finish. He was not hyped like his fellow freshmen Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, and Dallas Lauderdale were coming out of high school. But, in a short amount of time he's become a man, pulling far & away ahead and rightfully deserving POY honors for taking an otherwise average-at-best Buckeye squad to a Top 10 ranking, a Big 10 Championship, and possible #1 seed in the Big Dance. The guy's a modern-day Oscar Robertson...a difference maker in every facet of the game. Turner's even contemplating returning for his senior season, which is huge in my book in this day of one & done divas. Oh, did I mention the kid BROKE HIS BACK this season too, came back & never missed a beat? C'mon Andy Staples...get yer head of Wall's ass. Here's the counterpoint from SI's Stewart Mandel, obviously a more level-headed, mature individual without propensity for man/boy crushes. Wall might be a better pro, just like Derrick Rose, but Turner is the 2009/2010 COLLEGE Player of the Year!

Random Musings: NCAA Hoops, the Combine, and Giant Beavers

2010-03-01T19:58:00.007-05:00

Some musings as I sit here watching Bruce Pearl blather on about something on PTI. I hate Bruce Pearl. Bruce Pearl is a phony and a snitch.

Alright, I have to say this up front. I wanted to post a picture of one of those giant inflatable beavers they had at the closing ceremonies in Vancouver last night, and well . . . let me just say that you don't want to go to Google Images and type "Giant Inflatable Beavers" into the search box. Sweet Mother of God, I'm traumatized. Good thing I'm drinking.

Anyway, the Winter Olympics are over, the NFL Combine is in progress, and March Madness is just around the corner. What does this mean? I have no idea. It's 6:21 PM and I'm on my third Goose & 7, so cut me some slack.

But back to the olympics and those beavers. I swear I can't get excited about the Winter Olympics. These people that are saying that hockey has been "rejuvenated" by the game last night are out of their minds. Yeah, I get the whole patriotic fervor thing, the underdog overcoming the odds, blah-blah-blah. Still, let's see a show of hands. Whose going to watch the big Detroit - Colorado hockey game tonight? Bueller? Bueller? That's what I thought. It's just another example of the ESPN talking heads blowing a story way out of proportion.

Did I like anything about the winter olympics? Sure. A couple of those women figure skaters were pretty hot. Nothing as nice as that Cohen girl (up top) from a few years back though. Meow. The men made me a little uncomfortable. Too many feathers and too much glitter. You know that box they go to and wait for their scores? They used to give them flowers while they waited. Pretty gay right? No way they could get any gayer? Wrong. Now they give them Teddy Bears. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I watched a little bit of the cat with the red hair flying around on his snowboard. Shawn White was it? He was pretty good. Ah, who am I kidding? I couldn't watch any of it.

Anybody watching the NFL Combine? Seriously? And I thought I had no life. I saw where everyone's heart was a flutter because Timmy Tebow had a 38" vertical. And this helps him become a good NFL quarterback how? I doubt that little jump pass he used in college will work in the league, but hey, I could be wrong. My point is I think the NFL Combine is a joke. See Tom Brady, Akili Smith, etc etc etc.

As I mentioned, March Madness is rapidly approaching. I can't remember a year where there wasn't a clear cut favorite. Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse are probably the favorites. I heard a couple people saying that the Widcats loss to Tennessee was a "good" one, whatever that means. Newsflash - there are no good losses. End of discussion. And this is neither here nor there, but I have it on good authority that John Wall is an assclown and a tool. Just sayin'.

I can't get excited about the Dukies at all. Sure, they're 25-4 but the ACC is really bad this year, cheapening their record in my opinion. I'm obviously rooting for West Virginia and Maryland, but they both have the kind of team that could make a deep run or be out in the 1st Round. Same for Ohio State. I'm so confused.

Note: WVU is dismantling #20 G-Town as I write this.When they're playing well they're scary.

I will say that Da'Sean Butler of West Virginia may be the most underrated player in the country. He's a 6'7" guard who can shoot, defend, and play four positions well. Think Jon Diebler except the exact opposite.

Oh, I got a text from Jimmy Patsos, head coach at Loyola-Maryland. He's an old friend who was at Maryland for years. He once got me home from Bentley's in College Park by laying me across the back trunk of his little sports car and driving me home. Long story. That's him in the picture, calmly giving instructions. Anywho, he's pissed he wasn't included in our tournament. Here's his take on the matchups so far:

"Jamie Dixon is a real wild card…in real life I do not have him getting out of first round! Gary if he was younger…….the champ is Huggins…and I want him in the steel cage match!"

Careful what you wish for Jimmy. And hey, who knew Jamie Dixon was such a pussy?

Speaking of the tourney, I think I know Gary Williams pretty well and there's no way I'd ever bet against him in any fight, anywhere. Dude is wired differently than most of us, and by "wired differently" I mean "batshit crazy."

One more thing. Did anybody see Jason Kidd "accidentally" run into Mike Woodson the other night? What a dick. Kidd loves to body slam people though. Just ask his ex-wife.

I got nuthin' else here. See ya on down the road, jack.

Finally, the All-Time Cartoon Football Team (Again)

2010-02-26T10:58:00.005-05:00

Due to a special request from a Handshake Fan overseas (England as a matter of fact), we're re-running this blog. Seems it was a big hit with the Brits when originally posted awhile back. Anyway, here 'tis, just for the Limeys:

And isn’t it about time? I mean really? Admit it, as soon as you read that title you were intrigued. Seriously, once this idea popped into my melon I knew I had a winner. It’s a blog that’s sure to illicit opinion, debate, even outrage. I can hear it now:

“How DARE you leave out Daffy Duck! He would have made a great wide receiver! Plus, nobody could take a hit like that guy!”

I really only had one rule when putting this all-star squad together, and that rule was this - No Superheroes. It would have been way to easy to put Superman at quarterback, Flash at running back, then stick The Incredible Hulk at linebacker and call it a day. No, I leave easy posts like that to the likes of DJ.

And so, without further ado, I give you my All-Time Cartoon football team. Feel free to throw in your opinions in the comments section under the blog. As always, I’ll ignore them completely.

THE OFFENSE

QB: Bugs Bunny

How can you argue with Bugs leading this team? He’s intelligent, crafty, sneaky, and always comes through in the clutch. Sure, he’s a bit on the thin side and doesn’t exactly have a bazooka for an arm, but neither did Joe Montana. The only question mark is that we’re not sure he can take a hit because he’s never really been touched. Note to trainers: Keep plenty of carrots on the sidelines. Bonus: Once played hoops with Jordan.

TB: Sonic the Hedgehog

Now we’re talkin’. This little hog can flat out fly. He’ll zig when expected to zag, turn on a dime, and has a mean streak to boot. I mean, look at his face. That’s a game face, my friends. Negatives: Well, he's a hedgehog.

FB: Tazmanian Devil

Are you kidding me? Is there anyone else to even consider? How in the world can anyone expect to bring this guy down? He’s a whirling dervish of unstoppable madness. Want a yard? Taz will get you 9. Downside: He scored a -7 on the Wonderlic.

WR: Speedy Gonzales

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Too small. Well, forget it, because this mouse can flat out go. Yes, he has small hands, but he’s impossible to overthrow and has a can-do attitude. Reportedly has never been caught from behind. Downside: Insists on wearing a giant yellow sombrero, which tends to slow him down. And then there's the rabies thing.

WR: Inspector Gadget

Eight words my friends - telescopic arms that come out of his hat. Thank you and goodnight.

TE: Bullwinkle

Like Taz, not the brightest Moose on the block but he can catch a ball over the middle with the best of them. Who wants to tangle with those antlers? Negatives: He insists that his best friend and agent be with him at all times. I say no problem. We can always make room for Rocky the Flying Squirrel on our sidelines.

OT: Magilla Gorilla

Look out. LOOK OUT. Ya think this ape can clear a hole for Speedy or Taz? You know it dawg. Two negatives here though. He smells like rotten bananas, and his second cousin recently ripped a lady’s face off.

OT: Fat Albert

Simply put, the originator of the Pancake Block. While eating pancakes. On the downside, it’s been said he lacks stamina and sounds oddly like Dr. Huxtable.

C: Fred Flintstone

Fred may be the best all-around cartoon athlete ever. Seriously, have you ever seen him bowl? There have been seminars given on that tippy-toe style release. Classic. And those big hands, made strong from working in the Slate Rock & Gravel Company, can grip the ball like a vise. Weakness? He’s sort of whipped at home if you know what I’m sayin’. Get’s locked out of the house a lot.

G: Barney Rubble

The chemistry between he and Fred is a given, plus Barney has a low center of gravity that you can’t coach. Negative: He’s 3 feet tall.

G: Porky Pig

Alright, I admit he’s a little soft, and I’ve heard he may lack some sizzle. Still, I’m betting when the going gets hot he’ll bring home the bacon. Let’s just hope he doesn’t pull a hammy. God, I hate myself right now.

Kicker: Quick Draw McGraw

For you youngin’s who aren’t familiar, Quick Draw McGraw is a horse. A horse that stands upright. A horse with a very strong leg. Yes, his style could be described as unorthodox (OK, he kicks backwards) but if he’s lined up correctly he’s money. Rumored to be close friends with noted football mind Huckleberry Hound. Downside? Let’s just say the manager needs to keep a shovel handy.

Holder: Lucy Van Pelt.

Lucy, that jerking-the-ball-away-at-the-last-second trick may work on poor Charlie Brown, but it may be a mistake trying it with old Q-Draw. I know those Peanuts folk have big heads but Quick Draw can take down a barn door for God’s sake. Careful young lady. Careful.

Return Man: The Road Runner. ‘Nuff said.

DEFENSE

LB: Popeye

Supply this sailor man with enough spinach and it’s over for anybody trying to cross over the middle. As Pop says, “I yam what I yam.” And what he is is one bad mofo. In addition, he can expect a big endorsement deal from the folks over at Bird’s Eye. Downside: His forearms are the size of pick-up sticks.

LB: Optimus Prime

Holy smokes. This half-man half-machine will be a whole-man wrecking machine for the D on this squad. He’s a little slow, but that’s overshadowed by his sheer size and strength. Negatives? When it rains he’s been known to short out.

LB: George of the Jungle

Sure, he’s a little out of control, and he’s not the sharpest stick in the rainforest. Still, his power and agility make him perfect for the 3-4 defense. The fact that he can’t count to 3, much less 4, is irrelevant.

LB: Hong Kong Phooey

The Phooey theme songs says it all my friends: “Hong Kong Phooey, he’s the #1 Super Guy, Hong Kong Phooey, quicker than the human eye.” And let’s just say that when Phooey brings out his patented “Phooey Chop” the fat lady starts singin’.

DT: Jolly Green Giant

Well, here’s a no-brainer if there ever was one. Talk about a fierce pass rusher. Think this guy could get a hand up in the passing lane? What is he, like 20-feet tall? Plus he’s, uh, green. That alone will throw a guy’s timing off. Negative: He reeks of peas.

DT: Foghorn Leghorn

Lemme tell ya, this rooster is one hard drivin’ cock. Big on the party circuit, this D-Lineman knows only one direction – straight ahead. Cock-a-doodle-indeed. I swear I don’t even know what that means.

DT: Skeletor

How would you like to line up across from this dude? He has kind of a bad attitude, but you might too if you were a 7-foot hooded bluish humanoid with a yellowish bare-bone skull, had no eyes and sported a head that floated magically over your shoulders with no visible connecting tissue. Downside: Difficult to coach, hard to find people to line up across from him in practice. Upside: Once made Anthony Munoz shit his pants.

DB: Woody Woodpecker

Are you serious? Talk about pesky. This woodpecker can make life absolutely miserable for any diva receiver he’s asked to cover. Plus, the ladies love him. Something about that name. Negative: Suffered severe head trauma when metal goalposts were invented. Nobody told him the wooden ones had been replaced.

DB: Atom Ant

What can I tell you? He can lift 250 times his own weight, has superspeed, and can fly. And oh, by the way, he hits like Lawrence Taylor on a coke binge. Downside: Is prone to leaving games abruptly to raid picnics.

DB: Mighty Mouse

Again, he’s undersized but packs a nasty wallop. His signature move is a vicious uppercut that brings an opponent to his knees. Negatives: He’s known to carry a variety of life-threatening diseases.

DB: Yosemite Sam

Man, I’d like to see Plaxico Burress pull his piece on this gun totin’ sumbitch. Sure, he’s a short-tempered outlaw, and Lord knows you can’t let him around Bugs Bunny, but this surly little DB will stick to an opposing wideout like stink on a train hoppin’ hobo.

Managers: Eric Cartman & Bart Simpson. You know, just to keep things interesting.

Head Coach: Wile E. Coyote

This guy has designed more schemes than Belichick and Wyche combined. Downside: None of them ever worked.

So there ya go. I've spent way too much time thinking this through. Discuss.

Huggs Pensive After Loss

2010-02-23T20:22:00.002-05:00

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Bob Huggins was in a reflective mood Monday night during his postgame radio show following West Virginia’s 73-62 loss to Connecticut in Hartford. The defeat at UConn all but eliminated the Mountaineers from Big East title contention.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins talked about the great pride West Virginians have in their sports teams.

Sometimes talking in a whisper, Huggins was disappointed in the way his team played, he was upset with the way the game was officiated, and he was apologetic to the people of the state for his team letting another great opportunity slip through their hands.

Recent close losses to Villanova, Pitt and Connecticut have begun to tug at his heart.

“I just told (the players) in there, ‘I don’t know if they have any idea how much (you) mean to this state and how much this state rallies around (you),’” said Huggins. “I told them this, ‘You have very few times in your life when you are special – very, very few. A lot of people never have a chance to be special.’ This group, maybe could have, should have or would have … if we close a couple of games out against some pretty good teams then we’re probably top five in the country.”

Huggins drew comparisons between the rabid interest West Virginians have for their teams to some of the other places he’s been or has seen.

“Very few people have the opportunity to be special and particularly in a place like West Virginia. Pitt has had great basketball, but they are not the Steelers. Cincinnati had great basketball when I was there, but we were not the Reds,” Huggins said. “Mountaineer football and basketball are West Virginia’s pride. We had a chance to be special and represent this state and bring so much pride and joy.”

Huggins recalled the great disappointment he had to endure watching Kenyon Martin’s college career come crashing down in the 2000 Conference USA tournament. Martin had turned down millions to return to Cincinnati for his senior season to try and win a national championship for the Bearcats.

“I had the best team in the country and it wasn’t even close. I had pros everywhere,” said Huggins. “I had the best player in the country. He came into my office in the spring and he said, ‘Huggs, what should I do?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, man, let me find out.’ So I found out that he was going to go between 18 and 21 in the draft.

“So I called him back in and he comes in and I asked him before I got into this deal, ‘What do you want to do?’ He looked at me and he said, ‘I want to win the national championship.’ He said, ‘Coach, you talked about being special and I want to win the national championship.’ He got a tear running down his cheek. I said, ‘Kenyon, I think you answered your own question,’” Huggins said.

Cincinnati was well on the way to doing that, spending almost the entire regular season No. 1 in the polls. Then Martin got his leg rolled by a St. Louis player in the Conference USA tournament quarterfinals.

“When he broke his leg I’m out on the floor and he’s hugging me and he’s crying on my shoulder,” said Huggins. “He never said one word about, ‘Oh man, there goes my pro career. Oh man, look at the money I might have lost.’ He said, ‘Man, I’m not going to be able to win the national championship. Why Huggs? Why? Why did this happen? I just wanted to win the national championship and be special.’ There was a guy who was the No. 1 pick in the draft and maybe could have been done.”

Huggins said Martin was single minded in his purpose and focus.

“That’s what he wanted to do,” said Huggins. “I told them, ‘You guys have no idea.’ When you get older and you say, ‘Man I wish I would have listened. I wish I would have …’ We all do. But this might not happen again.

“The 600 students at the Seton Hall game … they may never have another Top 10 team. It may never happen again. Everybody assumes. I know when I was at Cincinnati they assumed that we were going to be what we were year after year after year. It’s hard.”

Huggins said he had opportunities to coach in the NBA, but the NBA never appealed to him the way the college game does.

“These guys think that I want to go to the NBA,” said Huggins. “That ain’t fun. Everybody in the NBA will tell you the greatest experience they had was playing in college. Everybody. It’s fun.”

And that’s why losing rattles him to his core.

“I’m usually pretty irate when we lose because I detest losing,” said Huggins. “I’m hurt because I know what this means to the people in our state of being able to pump your chest out a little bit and say, ‘That’s my team.’

“I came back here for a reason. I didn’t come back here for anything else other than I love this university, I love this state and I love the people,” said Huggins. “If we can do something special for them, that’s what I want to do and we’re going to.”

Who are the hardest players to place?

2010-02-20T03:11:00.003-05:00

Every off-season, NFL scouts are all over the country finding new talent, and watching old talent. They are looking for that diamond in the rough, the guy that they can draft in the 6th round and turn into a star. Some teams reach for players, while other teams pass on players that seem to be too talented to drop, and for unknown reasons. Most notably, in the 2003 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns selected a linebacker out of a win-less West Texas A&M school in the 2nd round, despite the fact that he was rated as a 6th-7th round prospect at best. On the flip side, the 2005 NFL Draft featured former Michigan standout Ernest Shazor who some believed would be a 2nd round pick, only to watch him not be drafted and sign as an Un-Drafted Free Agent with the Cardinals. You can see that it's hard to place some players, and each player has their reasoning. So who are the hardest players to place in this year draft?

#10- Brandon Spike-ILB-Florida

Brandon Spikes had a very solid career with the Florida Gators. Prior to the 2009 season, many people had him pegged as a top ten linebacker for the 2010 NFL Draft. Statistically, Spikes didn't have a bad 2009 season after being named a First Team All-American for the 2nd straight season. However, many scouts are wondering just how well he can get off blockers, and if his hips are fluid enough to drop back in coverage, while also being a dominant presence inside the box on defense. On top of that, some character concerns are raised following the Georgia/Florida game, in which he was seen gouging out an opponents eyes. I've seen Spikes go as high as #10 in mock drafts, and as low as #65 in mocks. I have him right in the middle, around the top half of the 2nd round, probably in the 40 range. He is definitely a difficult player to place.

#9- Dexter McCluster-RB/WR-Ole Miss

Dexter McCluster is a talented player, and there's no doubt about it. However, prior to the end of the 2009 season, not much was being said about him until the bowl game, and then the Senior Bowl. Many people had McCluster as a 5th-6th round running back/wide receiver with high upside, but hold his size (5'8 165 pounds) against him. McCluster's speed is elite, and his catching ability is great. However, he's too small to really be an effective #1 or #2 receiver, so he'll have to be a running back? Right? Honestly, I have him as a 2nd round pick with the 3rd round as his floor, mostly because he's a guy that just needs to get touches. He's a utility player who will get the ball whether it's in the slot, the left side of the field, the right side. Whether it's in the air, or whether it's on the ground, he's going to find a team that wants to utilize his speed and cutback ability, along with his great hands.

#8- Jevan Snead-QB-Ole Miss

Jevan Snead is one of the most confusing declarations for the 2010 NFL Draft. After throwing 20 interceptions in 2009, and having a 54.4% completion percentage, Snead decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. What makes Snead such a hard player to place is knowing what kind of talent he has. He's got a very good arm, and while he could work on his accuracy, it's not terrible. So what happened? Was it immaturity? Was it a lack of intangibles? Right now, I have Snead as a 5th-6th round player, but he's a guy that has the talent to go into the 2nd round, as hard as it is for me to say it. Poor decision making can be improved as he gets groomed in the NFL, as well. I've seen some mocks have him as a 3rd rounder and a few having him as a 6th-7th round pick.

#7- Mike Williams-WR-Syracuse

Not many people really know much about Mike Williams, other than that he has the same name as a former Detroit Lion wide receiver who was a bust in the NFL. Mike Williams is one of the most talented players in the draft. Had he been able to play in 2008, and finished the 2009 season, he could easily be a 1st-2nd round draft pick. However, character issues have marked red flags all over him. After finishing 2007 with sixty catches and ten touchdowns, he became suspended for 2008 for theory of academic dishonesty. After coming back in 2009, he played seven games and had 746 yards off of 49 receptions. He left the team in the middle of the season in fear of being suspended. He flat out quit on his team. He was to be suspended for breaking team rules after he was involved in a car accident off the field. Prior to that he was suspended against Akron for undisclosed reasons. It's too hard to pin where this guy could go with owners like Al Davis out there. Some teams want talent and will disregard character issues. However, I think he'll end up in the 4th round strictly based on talent.

#6- Colt McCoy-QB-Texas

Colt McCoy has all the stats that NFL owners love to see. He throws for a very high percentage (70.6% in 2009), and throws quite a few touchdowns. Questions about his footwork, the system he played in at Texas, as well as his throwing motion are big concerns. The killer is the injury he suffered in the National Championship game from Marcel Dareus. McCoy is poised to throw at the combine, but if he can't, then NFL scouts will only be able to judge what he did at Texas and question whether or not they can improve him. If he can throw, and he throws well, he could end up being a late first round pick. If he can't throw, I could see McCoy slipping to the bottom of the 2nd or top of the 3rd round if not later.

#5- Toby Gerhart-RB-Stanford

A heck of a season Gerhart had in 2009, after rushing for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns. Right after his bowl game, he started moving into the first round of a lot of mock drafts. It seems some of the talk has cooled, however, and many have him as a 2nd rounder, and I've seen him as low as a 5th round pick. Personally, I have him as a 3rd-4th rounder assuming he runs a 4.58 or lower at the combine. Rumor has it he's been working on his forty time for over a year and that he could run in the 4.4's. However, I'll believe it when I see it. He's powerful, but he's a one dimensional north/south runner who ran behind a mauling Stanford line and behind Owen Marecic, his very underrated fullback. I think Gerhart is talented, but not 2nd round talent. If he runs in the 4.4's, I'll reconsider, and maybe be a little less hard on him.

#4- Jonathan Dwyer-RB-Georgia Tech

Many believed that Dwyer was a top 5 pick over a season ago. His combination of speed and power made him a hot commodity. However, his stock seems to be slipping based on the fact that maybe his speed still isn't good enough. Many people also question his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and run efficiently outside the tackles. I've seen Dwyer as early as pick number 11, and as far down as a mid-2nd round draft pick. Personally, I think he's right in the middle, probably between New England's pick at 22 and San Diego's pick at 28. I'm one of the few people that think he excelled in a triple offense that limited his abilities, but we'll see.

#3- Terrence Cody-NT-Alabama

Terrence Cody is one of the hardest guys to place in this draft, simply because we don't know what he's fully capable of. Is he strictly a two down nose tackle with weight issues? Or can we believe that he's been working hard after losing 60 pounds prior to 2008? Laziness is commonly associated with Cody, but perhaps we don't know the entire story. Nick Saban wouldn't let him play 3rd downs because of his weight issue, so one would question his drive. One thing we don't have to question is his size and strength. He clearly demands double teams, and can be dominant and very hard to block. But where is his value necessarily? I've seen him as high as #12 overall and as low as the top of the 3rd round. I've got him around pick #42 or so, with potential to move up if he can have some good interviews and have a good combine.

#2- Bryan Bulaga-OT-Iowa

Bulaga is one of the bigger question marks, and it's not because of his talent. It's because of the depth of offensive tackles, and because of his arm length. The combine is going to answer a big question in his arm length. Many have reported that his arms may only be around 33-33.5 inches long, which is just an average at best size. Anybody that knows offensive tackles knows that arm length is an integral part of success. While it's not that you cannot be successful, but it's definitely not ideal. I've seen Bulaga as high as pick #6 overall and as low as the middle of the 2nd round. That's a big jump. Right now, I think that with his talent, drive, and hard work ethic, he's a mid-1st round player, probably around pick 14 or 15.

#1- Tim Tebow-QB-Florida

The hardest player to place in Mock Drafts is easily Tim Tebow. His throwing motion, and footwork is a huge question mark, but his intangibles most certainly are not. You can't help but wonder what NFL team owner doesn't want this guy strictly for ticket sales and leadership ability, but how high is too high to draft for such a big risk? He's a guy that may not even play quarterback in the NFL, and could be suited for a halfback or even tight end. I've seen people who still believe Jacksonville will take him in the first, and personally, I have him as a 2nd, strictly because a team will reach for him. As a quarterback, his talent level is a 4th or 5th rounder. As a football player, his talent is a 2nd rounder. It's too hard to say where this guy is going to go, and he's by far the hardest player to place in mock drafts for 2010.

The Shake's New Tournament - My Observations

2010-02-19T12:19:00.000-05:00

The Inside Handshake began a new tournament yesterday, and I must say we may have hit rock bottom with this one. Or maybe not. Depends on your outlook I guess. Some may think it's tastless and without merit, others may think it's harmless fun. Anyway, I consulted my top lieutenants here at Handshake HQ (DJ and SuperVesey) and with them being tasteless and without merit themselves, they were all for it. So, I proceeded thusly.

(ED. note: I always wanted to write "I proceeded thusly." Another checkmark for my bucket list.)

OK, where was I? Oh yeah, the tournament. It got me to thinking. And so, without further ado, my random musings on our fictional and short-titled "What College Basketball Coach Would Win a No-Holds-Barred Alley Fight" Tournament for the ages.

First off, some questions. Who would advance and who would get coldcocked early? Would Rick Pitino fight like a girl? Would Bill Self's hairpiece get knocked off? Would Tubby Smith's eyes pop out of his head? So many questions. Let's proceed with a look at some of the contestants.

Mick Cronin. Trust me when I say a lot of guys would be hoping for a shot at Micky C. I can picture Huggs holding his hand on top of Mick's head as he swung wildly like they do in the cartoons or Three Stooges movies. Classic. An added bonus would be if Mick pissed his pants.

Coach K. I can visualize Coach K trying to reason with Jim Calhoun, you know, trying to rise above the mindless violence, reminding him that they're not animals but human beings who can discuss things like gentlemen. All this right before Calhoun drops him like a bad habit with a vicious uppercut. Awesome.

Billy Donovan. I got a feeling Billy might be a bit of a badass. He certainly looks as if he's wound a little tight, ya know? I could see him and Tom Izzo going at it like a couple of Chihuahua's in Vick's family room. Trouble is I can also see the winner advancing to face Frank Martin and getting beaten like a crack baby in foster care.

Gary Williams. I know for a fact that Gary W is not a man to be messed with. There's a well-told story out of College Park involving Gary and former player Obinna Ekezie. Ekezie was a 20-year old, 6'-10", 275 pound center from Nigeria, and Gary was 56-years old, stood about 5'-9" and probably weighed 160 pounds. Anyway, as the story goes, at a practice Ekezie mouthed off to the coach, things escalated, and pretty soon they were nose-to-nose. Everyone in Cole Field House thought they were about to throw down. I asked a couple people that witnessed this how many of them thought Gary was going to get his ass kicked. The answer? "Nobody." Nobody there doubted who would win that fight. Dude's wrapped so tight you couldn't pull a needle out of his ass with a backhoe.

John Calipari. Seriously, does anybody think this cat can fight? He'd turn tail so fast he'd leave his hair gel in a puddle behind him.

Bruce Pearl. Again, trust me when I say a lot of coaches would like a shot at this guy (see Mick Cronin). He's a media darling but most coaches think he's a camera whore quote machine. I'd love to see Jamie Dixon get a shot at this wackbag in a street fight. Or better yet? Pat Summitt. Now we're talkin'.

Bo Ryan. Don't you think Bo Ryan would be a hard guy to put away? Seems like he'd just keep coming at ya, head down and charging like the Tazmanian Devil on a coke binge.

Thad Matta. I've no idea if this guy can fight or not, but I'm pretty sure he's taken some shots to the schnozzola already. If we ever have an "Ugliest Coach" tournament I know who my money's on.

And finally, Frank Martin. I've gotta say it. Frank Martin looks like an international incident waiting to happen, like a guy who'd kick a baby if it looked at him the wrong way. Dude is flat crazy. Amirite or amirite? Visual evidence above.

Thought: Do you think coaches would fight like they coach? I mean, would Boeheim sit back in a zone, inviting guys to step in, only to pop them in the kisser? Would Huggs aggressively attack the perimeter? Would Gary Williams scream at you the whole time he was slapping you silly? Would John Beilein launch wild swings like 3's from everywhere? Would Coach K get all the calls and have an unfair advantage? Would Pitino screw your girlfriend after the fight? Sorry, I couldn't help myself on that last one.

Sidenote: I actually tried to upload three Frank Martin pictures to this blog before I found one that would work. That guy is tenacious.