Butler Vs Duke
Butler vs Duke. David vs Goliath. The National Championship.
I'll be honest: I can't see Duke losing this game. Sure, it's possible. But, very unlikely. Duke is too good on the perimeter, and no one on Butler is big enough to handle Zoubeck. If Butler shoots the lights out, then they have a chance. But, that's a remote possibility.
So, it looks like Duke is gonna be the next National Champ. As much as I like Coach K, it would be nice for Butler to do it. Hey, maybe they'll surprise. That would be nice.
Thanks for returning to The Blog of Champions!
Left For Dead, Baylor Basketball Is On Its Way To The Top
There was a moment seven years ago, when a basketball program was changed forever. For better or worse, this program would never be the same. For, on this moment, a life was lost. Baylor forward Patrick Dennehy was found dead after disappearing. His teammate, Carlton Dotson, was the killer.
There was a moment seven years ago, when a basketball program was changed forever. For better or worse, this program would never be the same. For, on this moment, a basketball program would be penalized for its NCAA infractions. They included:
Head Coach Dave Bliss paying for tuition for two players, Dennehy and Corey Herring and attempting to conceal it.
Coaching staff providing meals, transportation, lodging and clothing to athletes.
Coaching staff paying for tuition and fees for a recruit at another school.
Bliss's encouragement of school boosters to donate to a foundation tied to a basketball team that included prospective Baylor recruits.
Failure to report positive drug test results by athletes.
Failure by the entire coaching staff to "exercise institutional control over the basketball program
And their subsequent penalties:
The university's probation was extended until June 22, 2010.
Baylor was barred from playing any nonconference games for the 2005-06 season, the first time such a "half-season" penalty had been imposed.
The NCAA further reduced Baylor's paid recruiting visits from twelve to nine for the 2006-07 season. (Baylor had already imposed restrictions on recruiting visits for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.)
With Bliss, barred from coaching until at least 2015 and the program, forced to play with limited recruiting spots, in shambles, Baylor basketball was left for dead. There was no way Baylor could rebound, and become a successful program. There was no chance. Baylor basketball was, for all intents and purposes, a non-existent program.
There was a moment seven years ago, when a basketball program was changed forever. For better or worse, this program would never be the same. For, on this moment, Baylor hired Scott Drew. Scott Drew, son of famed Valparaiso coach Homer Drew, had only one year of head coaching under his belt. And now, he was going to take on damaged goods, the "Scandal School", the one left for dead. He was crazy.
Slowly, but surely, Drew and the Bears began to prove the doubters wrong. In his first season, Drew led his team to an 8-21 record. The next season, 9-19. Two seasons later? 21-11 and a spot in the NCAA tournament (they lost in the first round). Baylor had a foundation. Baylor began to recruit star players. It wasn't just the "Scandal School", the one no one wanted to touch. It was becoming a basketball school.
From there, the rise has been meteoric. Last season, Drew led the Bears to a 24-15 record, and were the NIT runner-ups.
And then there's this year. For this year, is different. It's special. Led by stars Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor has found its way into the Elite Eight, facing Duke on Sunday.
"That's the reason why we came here. To be a part of something special," Carter said. "It really means a lot to me, this team, this program, for us to come through all the adversity."
Baylor features an athletic team, maybe the most athletic team in the country. They can score. They can play D. They can do it all. They can win a Championship.
There was a moment seven years ago, when a basketball program was changed forever. For better or worse, this program would never be the same. For, on this moment, a new program was born, just as a life was being lost, just as a life was in shambles. For, on this moment, a school, a program would rise out of the ashes. For, on this moment, a foundation was set for a successful future. For, on this moment, a team outweighed a scandal.
"When we had our first 20-win season, that's when people started to look at us in a different light," Drew said. "It allowed people to look at us and say, 'Their basketball team is back.' "
Their basketball team is not just back. It's alive. It's kicking. And it's on its way to a National Championship.
Kansas Falls
So there it was. A David beating Goliath. Some kid with an unpronounceable name (try saying Farokhmanesh 5 times fast) beating the big bad Jayhawks. Kansas is out. Northern Iowa has been cast in the new version of Cinderella. Millions of people are ripping up their brackets.
So there it was. I was sitting in a Chinese restaurant, and, while devouring Moo Shu Pork, watching the game on my phone (isn't technology grand?). I was trying to keep my emotions intact, trying to suppress that primal yell building up inside of me. I was in public, after all.
So there it was. I was driving home, listening to the game on the radio, when I realized that if I didn't pull over, my emotions could veer me off the road. When the shot heard 'round the world hit net, I didn't know what to do. Should I honk my horn? Should I run into the house that I was pulled in front of, knock on the door, and celebrate with them? Surely they were watching. I did what came to me: Gave my trademark fist pump, let out a 'Whoo!' and sent a mass text message to my friends saying what was on our minds: Holy Shit.
So there it was. The pure, raw emotion of Northern Iowa. Running around, hugging, screaming. It doesn't matter what happens next week in the Sweet 16. They could get blown out. It wouldn't matter. All that mattered was this moment, the memory, this win. There was a sense of accomplishment. They had taken down Goliath.
So there it was. The pure, raw emotion of Kansas. Sinking to the floor, hands in their heads. Dejected. Defeated. There was the indelible image of senior guard Mario Little, unable to contain himself, the emotion flowing out. He was inconsolable. Playing what was likely his last game. The notion that it was all over. The notion that there was nothing he could do about it. In that moment, you felt a part of him died. There was a sense of disappointment. They had lost to David.
So there it was. The weird thing about March Madness is the switch that turns. I had Kansas winning in my bracket. If they lost, I would have no chance of winning my bracket. But, with about 8 minutes left, I didn't care about winning. I didn't care about what I would buy with the money. I cared about an upset. I cared about the team with the kid with the funny name beating the big bad Jayhawks. I cared about David, bracket be damned.
So there it was. The kid with the funny name. The two brothers embracing each other. Their little sister holding up a "My Big Brothers Rock!" sign. The little team that could. The glass slipper. David Beating Goliath. There's an inherent part of human nature to want to see the little guy win. Maybe it's the success story. Maybe it's seeing the mighty fall. Maybe it's hoping that you can take down that mountain in front of you. That's why we love David. That's why we love Northern Iowa.
So there it was. The full range of human emotion, in one 40 minute game. The amazing thing? Everyone watching that game felt the same thing. That's why we love sports. That's why we love David. That's why we love Northern Iowa. Northern Iowa may be eliminated next game. They may win the National Championship. Whatever happens, we'll remember the kid with the funny name, the two brothers embracing each other. We'll remember Goliath falling. We'll remember that pit in our stomachs, the intense need for our team--America's team--to win. We'll remember Northern Iowa. And we'll think back fondly and say: Anything is possible.
March Madness Thoughts
I haven't picked my bracket yet. But, I've identified about 25 teams who can make a run. The actual bracket is here
Final Four Possibilities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland
Elite Eight Possiblities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Marquette, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, New Mexico
Sweet Sixteen Possibilities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Marquette, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, New Mexico, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Butler, Pittsburgh, Xavier, Cornell, Temple, BYU
What are your thoughts?
The Madness Is Beginning
Every year, my dad and I fill out two brackets for March Madness. We enter some pool (I'm not even sure how we found it, and who the guy running it is. But, it's online, and that's good enough for us), and do two brackets.
Every year, we argue for hours about our brackets. We usually agree on the elite eight and final four, but the early round games are a nightmare. Will the 10 seed beat the 7 seed? What about that 5-12 game? The 8-9?
In our two brackets, we usually flip those games. In one bracket, we'll have the 7 seed beating the 10. In the other, the 10 is beating the 7. The problem with this, of course, is that they never match up. One bracket inevitably will have the wrong combination of upsets.
When one team that I or my father advocates for loses, the blame game is played heavily. Every time that team wins, we brag. It's a natural father son rivalry.
My father is an old-time basketball fan. He played in high school, and if not for an injury his senior year, could have played in college. He hates the new NBA, but still loves college. As a Syracuse grad, he's enjoying how good this team--and taking time to reminisce about the Cuse teams of old. Whenever he talks about old-time basketball, he gets a little glimmer in his eyes, and uses words of his youth--groovy, man. You don't expect your old man to use those words, but, I don't mind it. It's rare to get my dad to talk about basketball. He doesn't follow the NBA, and wishes Magic and Bird were going up against each other again. But, get him talking about the old days, about Keith Smart in '87, about the '74 'Cuse team, about the '70 Knicks team, about Walt "Clyde" Fraizer, and the glory days of Knicks basketball, and you can't get him to stop talking. And that's fine with me. Seeing that glimmer in his eyes, that look of admiration is more than worth it.
We're starting to think about this year's bracket. I'm not sure who we're picking to win. I'm leaning towards Kansas. He'll probably lean towards Syracuse. But, that part will be easy. We'll battle for hours over the 7-10 game, the 8-9 game, the 5-12, the 6-11.
We haven't won that pool yet. We've come close. But we've never won. I don't know if this is our year. We're usually in the running until very late, and then one thing will mess us up. Maybe this year will be different. Maybe we'll make all the right calls, and win it all. Or maybe we'll flame out early. I don't know. What I do know is that the madness is beginning. And that means we'll be discussing basketball for hours. In my mind, there's nothing better.
Enough is Enough: Time to Recognize College Players For What They Actually Are
With the alleged Michigan NCAA violations , in which they practiced more than they're supposed to, it's time for a frank discussion on the state of athlete-students in college sports. Academics is rarely a priority. For some players, who know they have no future in pro sports, academics can be a priority. And there are some who enjoy school. But for a majority of players, football (or basketball) is a priority. Getting to the pros is a priority. In college basketball, it's mostly "one and done". In football, the best players leave after three years. So this is what I propose: First, instead of skirting around the issue, be clear about it. Athletes are athletes first, students second. Second, they should get paid. For the money they raise for the school, it's the least they could do. It wouldn't be much, and nothing near what you get in the pros, but maybe on par to a minor league baseball salary. Third, real-life classes. Classes are not a priority. But let's make the ones they do take valuable. Things like basic math, finance, balancing a checkbook, things they'll need when they go off into the pros. If we pretend that athletes are going to class, and if we pretend that school is a priority, we're just fooling ourselves. So enough is enough. Let's recognize college players for what they actually are: athletes who happen to go to class. Collegiate sports will be a whole lot better.
This Guy Deserves a New Scholarship
Jarvis Varnado, a junior forward from Mississippi State, is a special player. He led the Bulldogs to a SEC tournament title, and an NCAA Tournament berth. He's led the nation in blocked shots the past two years. He's also a special person. Varnado is giving up his scholarship so that Mississippi State can carry an extra scholarship player. You are allowed 14 scholarship players. They had 15. Varnado has decided to pay his way.
"We had discussed it with coach (Rick) Stansbury and he let us know that if Jarvis put his name in the draft, and he had a chance to get Renardo Sidney ... we'll take out a loan so he can come back to school," Winston Varnado, the coach at West Point High School, said.
He'll be taking out a loan to pay the $5,151 it costs as an in-state student. This selfless act is one rarely seen. Varnado is truly a team player. I only hope that this gets more attention. A star player giving up his scholarship for the betterment of the team. Truly outstanding. Varnado deserves a new scholarship. He'll have earned it.
Awesome Wooden Commercial
Gatorade has been putting up some pretty good commercials lately. This one is with John Wooden:
Very well done. Not sure about the outfit, John.
Calipari to Kentucky
It's official: John Calipari is going to Kentucky.All I can say is good luck. Kentucky basketball is the top of the college basketball mountain. It takes a special person to win there. Billy Gillepsie couldn't do it. He was regarded as a good hire. It should be interesting. Calipari left a peachy job with Memphis, to take a demanding one in UK. We'll see. If Jodie Meeks stays, that should help. I'll look forward to the Calipari/Pitino recruiting battles. It should be fun.
Dicky V Being Dicky V
I'm not sure if this is crazy, insane, hilarious, enjoyable or all of the above. Well, see for yourself:
You gotta love him
