So with A&M playing like crap for most of the game and needing this win over Nebraska to help improve their chances for the tourney the Aggies come back from 18 down in the 2nd half, hold the Huskers to just seven points in the final 14 minutes and only two field goals in the last 16:52 but the Aggies were still down by 1 with 2.6 seconds left to play and...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
He's back, the big guy!
First off, I am VERY thankful to Coach Leach for his dating advice. Everyone knows if there's one thing I need, it's dating advice.
Secondly, I want to apologize for my extended absence. It's hard for me to do anything since I'm either 1) gone 4/7 of the week or 2) drunk 4/7 of the week. Yes, I am living it up.
Third, as to my latest excursion, Memphis is a city everyone should visit. Graceland is cooler than I expected, Tunica is a better gambling venue than I expected (side note, who knew it was the 3rd biggest gambling locale in the US behind only Vegas and AC? Not I, so I'm guessing no one), and the FedEx Forum is much more baller than I expected - especially from a suite.
Fourth, it's going to royally upset me when ND wins the NIT and Mike Brey is viewed as a hero. Can we fire this joker already? Any real coach would have us with 20 wins already. That said, ND's team next year will be much, much, MUCH better than this year.
Sixth, I can't count.
Seventh, who else is planning to walk the river in San Antonio next fall?
Eighth, Scott Van Pelt is still the man. http://deadspin.com/sports/top/scott-van-pelt-has-a-way-with-the-ladies-192853.php
Ninth, I have nothing else to say.
Secondly, I want to apologize for my extended absence. It's hard for me to do anything since I'm either 1) gone 4/7 of the week or 2) drunk 4/7 of the week. Yes, I am living it up.
Third, as to my latest excursion, Memphis is a city everyone should visit. Graceland is cooler than I expected, Tunica is a better gambling venue than I expected (side note, who knew it was the 3rd biggest gambling locale in the US behind only Vegas and AC? Not I, so I'm guessing no one), and the FedEx Forum is much more baller than I expected - especially from a suite.
Elvis' tomb at Graceland.
Fourth, it's going to royally upset me when ND wins the NIT and Mike Brey is viewed as a hero. Can we fire this joker already? Any real coach would have us with 20 wins already. That said, ND's team next year will be much, much, MUCH better than this year.
Sixth, I can't count.
Seventh, who else is planning to walk the river in San Antonio next fall?
Eighth, Scott Van Pelt is still the man. http://deadspin.com/sports/top/scott-van-pelt-has-a-way-with-the-ladies-192853.php
Ninth, I have nothing else to say.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
More ND Basketball
Everyone knows how great Luke Harangody's numbers have been this season. No one seems to realize that there's probably not another player in the country whose individual performance is less important to his team than Gody. Since the Ohio St. game in December and St. John's game in January, the way that teams beat the Irish is by letting Gody get his 30 pts. per night and eliminating the perimeter game for the Irish (which effectively eliminates MacAlarney, Ayers, and Zeller, the #2, 3, and 5 scoring options, respectively). Good coaches (like Williams at Marquette, Dixon at Pitt, and Huggins at WVU) have realized this and made the appropriate in-game adjustments to respond; bad coaches (like Davis at Providence) haven't done so and have lost because of it.
So Harangody will get his, and ND's 3 guard spots are fairly well set, but who's ND's #2 forward: here's the 3 stat-lines in February (6 games beginning with 2/4 @ Cincy through 2/21 @PC):
Per Game:
Player #1: 3.5pts, 5.7reb, 3.0asst, 0.7stl, 1.3TO, 32.0%FG, 50%FT, 27.0minutes
Player #2: 4.0pts, 3.4reb, 0.4asst, 0.4stl, 0TO, 60.0%FG, 50%FT, 10.8minutes
Player #3: 2.7pts, 1.8reb, 0.2asst, 0.2stl, 0.3TO, 33.3%FT, 100%FT, 9.5 minutes
Per 30 minutes (per minute * 30):
Player #1: 3.9pts, 6.3reb, 3.3asst, 0.7stl, 1.5TO
Player #2: 11.1pts, 9.4reb, 1.1asst, 1.1stl, 0TO
Player #3: 8.4pts, 5.8reb, 0.5asst, 0.5stl, 1.1TO
Player #1 is also the team's weakest interior defender, although he does have a surprising success rate with jump balls. Anyone else see a problem? Player #1 is Zach "I play like a Kyle's mom" Hillesland, player #2 is Tyrone Nash, and player #3 is Luke Zeller.
By the way, this doesn't mean I hate Mike Brey, who is now the 3rd-longest tenured Big East Coach (Boeheim and Calhoun) and has only had one sub-.500 conference record since being hired at ND.
So Harangody will get his, and ND's 3 guard spots are fairly well set, but who's ND's #2 forward: here's the 3 stat-lines in February (6 games beginning with 2/4 @ Cincy through 2/21 @PC):
Per Game:
Player #1: 3.5pts, 5.7reb, 3.0asst, 0.7stl, 1.3TO, 32.0%FG, 50%FT, 27.0minutes
Player #2: 4.0pts, 3.4reb, 0.4asst, 0.4stl, 0TO, 60.0%FG, 50%FT, 10.8minutes
Player #3: 2.7pts, 1.8reb, 0.2asst, 0.2stl, 0.3TO, 33.3%FT, 100%FT, 9.5 minutes
Per 30 minutes (per minute * 30):
Player #1: 3.9pts, 6.3reb, 3.3asst, 0.7stl, 1.5TO
Player #2: 11.1pts, 9.4reb, 1.1asst, 1.1stl, 0TO
Player #3: 8.4pts, 5.8reb, 0.5asst, 0.5stl, 1.1TO
Player #1 is also the team's weakest interior defender, although he does have a surprising success rate with jump balls. Anyone else see a problem? Player #1 is Zach "I play like a Kyle's mom" Hillesland, player #2 is Tyrone Nash, and player #3 is Luke Zeller.
By the way, this doesn't mean I hate Mike Brey, who is now the 3rd-longest tenured Big East Coach (Boeheim and Calhoun) and has only had one sub-.500 conference record since being hired at ND.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Alexander the Great
Alright so after Ovie's goal against Montreal tonight (currently #3 on my list with @ Phoenix #1 01/06, playoffs vs. Philly 4/08 #2, vs Buffalo 12/08 #4).
If you don't mind going from 6 to midnight, have fun watching this clip (throwback to his first year in the league).
If you don't mind going from 6 to midnight, have fun watching this clip (throwback to his first year in the league).
Dating tips from Mike Leach
In honor of the fact that it looks like Texas Tech will be running off their pirate savant coach Mike Leach despite the fact he's the most successful head coach they've ever had I'd like to post some pearls of wisdom from the mad pirate himself:
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Top Ten Ugliest Men is Sports
There are many candidates for this prestigious list, but just ten make the cut. Most are current, whilst a couple made their way back from retirement with their smashing looks.
For some it's a sign of endearment, and others a wakeup call to purchase a mirror.
1) Bryant 'Big Country' Reeves - This is the face of the Vancouver Grizzlies. (Whose idea was this? I hope he's unemployed.) The fate of Kevin Bookout's career was sealed when he was given the moniker 'Big Country v 2.0.' Today, rather than that ghastly Vancouver Grizzlies uniform, Big Country is most likely to be found wearing a mossy oak camouflage hat and jorts.
2) Mike Ricci - He'll always be loved in Denver, where he won The Cup with the Avalanche in 1996. But Lord have mercy, what happened to this guy? He actually looked worse when he cut the mane. One of the best stories I've ever come across was when Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in 2002 and dropped a ceremonial first puck with the team captains prior to a Canucks-Sharks game. Ricci, the acting Sharks captain, put in his teeth for the spectacle out of respect for Her Majesty. He might be ugly, but he is a good looking hockey player who knows how to honour royalty.
3) Franck Ribery - The dude's French, hideous, and a damn good footballer.
4) Chris Kaman - Since he cut his hair, Encino Man more closely resembles Neanderthal than Homo habilis, with the hope of one day catching up to the rest of mankind. By this time I’m sure Homo sapiens will have evolved to robots.
5) Randy Johnson - Never has the Kentucky Waterfall flowed so gracefully from underneath a New Era cap.
6) Sam Cassell - Uncredited for his role as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
7) Adam Morrison - Despite what some photographic evidence tells you, he was not drafted in the 1970s. Perhaps the only part of his game uglier than that 'stache is that he couldn't get off the bench in Charlotte.
8) Mike Tyson - I don’t know what makes me more afraid of him: that facial tattoo, the fact that he chewed off Holyfield’s ear, or his desire to eat Lennox Lewis’ heart and children.
9) Joakim Noah - Originally crowned ugliest female in sports until tests confirmed he possessed the Y-chromosome of human males. (I'm not the only one who thought he was some butch chick the first time I saw him play for Florida.) Noah now debatably beats Anderson Varejao as the most effeminate NBA player.
10) Ronaldinho - The man's been blessed with some of the best moves on the planet. Magnificent. What he may lack in dental alignment is more than made up for with footy skill.
For some it's a sign of endearment, and others a wakeup call to purchase a mirror.
1) Bryant 'Big Country' Reeves - This is the face of the Vancouver Grizzlies. (Whose idea was this? I hope he's unemployed.) The fate of Kevin Bookout's career was sealed when he was given the moniker 'Big Country v 2.0.' Today, rather than that ghastly Vancouver Grizzlies uniform, Big Country is most likely to be found wearing a mossy oak camouflage hat and jorts.
2) Mike Ricci - He'll always be loved in Denver, where he won The Cup with the Avalanche in 1996. But Lord have mercy, what happened to this guy? He actually looked worse when he cut the mane. One of the best stories I've ever come across was when Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in 2002 and dropped a ceremonial first puck with the team captains prior to a Canucks-Sharks game. Ricci, the acting Sharks captain, put in his teeth for the spectacle out of respect for Her Majesty. He might be ugly, but he is a good looking hockey player who knows how to honour royalty.
3) Franck Ribery - The dude's French, hideous, and a damn good footballer.
4) Chris Kaman - Since he cut his hair, Encino Man more closely resembles Neanderthal than Homo habilis, with the hope of one day catching up to the rest of mankind. By this time I’m sure Homo sapiens will have evolved to robots.
5) Randy Johnson - Never has the Kentucky Waterfall flowed so gracefully from underneath a New Era cap.
6) Sam Cassell - Uncredited for his role as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
7) Adam Morrison - Despite what some photographic evidence tells you, he was not drafted in the 1970s. Perhaps the only part of his game uglier than that 'stache is that he couldn't get off the bench in Charlotte.
8) Mike Tyson - I don’t know what makes me more afraid of him: that facial tattoo, the fact that he chewed off Holyfield’s ear, or his desire to eat Lennox Lewis’ heart and children.
9) Joakim Noah - Originally crowned ugliest female in sports until tests confirmed he possessed the Y-chromosome of human males. (I'm not the only one who thought he was some butch chick the first time I saw him play for Florida.) Noah now debatably beats Anderson Varejao as the most effeminate NBA player.
10) Ronaldinho - The man's been blessed with some of the best moves on the planet. Magnificent. What he may lack in dental alignment is more than made up for with footy skill.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Hope
In some ways, this article by Rick Reilly from this past December reminds me of The Doob's post regarding priorities from "way back" in 2008.
I just stumbled across this article tonight, I never saw it when it was actually published so it's a bit off-season; given that it's about Christmas hope and we're only three weeks away from the beginning of Lent.
I found it because in a different place on ESPN.com Rick Reilly says that Roger Goodell invited the coach of Faith to the Super Bowl after Troy Aikman heard the story and passed it on up to the commissioner.
The coach, Kris Hogan, had this to say.
"I hate it that this thing that we did is so rare," Hogan said. "Everybody views it as such a big deal. Shouldn't that be the normal?"
Great message. Sports and hope go hand in hand. Sports can deliver a larger message. But why does it seem so rare that someone use sports to spread hope for a person's character and life, rather than hope for a fat paycheck, hoes in every area code, and a trophy? If every one of us sports fans were to be sure directed our passion for sports to passion for changing the life of someone who desperately needs to know they are not on the margins of society, what would happen?
Perhaps I'm over stating the issue, but hyperbole often returns results.
At least, I hope so.
I just stumbled across this article tonight, I never saw it when it was actually published so it's a bit off-season; given that it's about Christmas hope and we're only three weeks away from the beginning of Lent.
I found it because in a different place on ESPN.com Rick Reilly says that Roger Goodell invited the coach of Faith to the Super Bowl after Troy Aikman heard the story and passed it on up to the commissioner.
The coach, Kris Hogan, had this to say.
"I hate it that this thing that we did is so rare," Hogan said. "Everybody views it as such a big deal. Shouldn't that be the normal?"
Great message. Sports and hope go hand in hand. Sports can deliver a larger message. But why does it seem so rare that someone use sports to spread hope for a person's character and life, rather than hope for a fat paycheck, hoes in every area code, and a trophy? If every one of us sports fans were to be sure directed our passion for sports to passion for changing the life of someone who desperately needs to know they are not on the margins of society, what would happen?
Perhaps I'm over stating the issue, but hyperbole often returns results.
At least, I hope so.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
N-B-A H-O-R-S-E
Okay - so two NBA posts in one night...it's a bit much. I really don't even like the NBA outside of the Nuggets, but this is awesome. So before the NBA All-Star game, they're going to be doing a game of H-O-R-S-E the night before. This is the setup for the game (it's not going to be in the arena) and the rig behind the court can go up 14 feet and from what I've read seems like it could be used for shots.
So I have two questions:
- Who should be the three All-Stars playing?
- If you could play H-O-R-S-E with any other set of two people, who would they be?
The Knicks
Alright, so I'm not saying that New York is good by any means...though given the fact that they are in the East, that means they're one game out of the playoffs. However, because it is the East, they could probably be 12 games under .500 instead of just six by the end of the year and still have a chance at making the playoffs. I digress, the point that I want to make is that while everyone is trumpeting Kobe's heroics and now LeBron's - my first thought is "wow they're good" and my second is "wow the Knicks really suck!" Honestly, for a group of professionals - I would be pretty embarrassed if I were them to get worked by one guy like that. Then again...if I were paid millions of dollars and Kobe scored 61 on me, I probably wouldn't be heartbroken.
Happy Manti Teʻo (and Chris Martin) Day
It's National Signing Day and the Notre Dame momentum is starting to build. We've been disappointed so many times on NSD, but the Irish have gotten two huge commitments today.
Everyone knows about Manti Teʻo as he's arguably the top defensive recruit in the country and is easily the best ND defensive recruit in the last 20 seasons. He is one of those difference makers the ND defense needs more of (Ethan Johnson, Darrin Walls, hopefully Steve Filer).
And this afternoon ND got another commitment from a five-star player. Chris Martin is a five-star defensive end recruit for the class of 2010. He's from California, had a USC offer and is possibly the best defensive recruit from the state of California.
Those are two bellweather recruits that closes the talent gap between Notre Dame and SC.
So ND has three commitments for the class of 2010, two five stars and one four star. You can't over-state the effect momentum has in recruiting.
Things are turning around. I'm not on the bandwagon yet (dominating offensive/defensive line play against inferior opponents is a must), but I continue to want those guys to succeed.
Just look at the video on UND.com of the coaches reacting to the Manti Teʻo announcement.
Everyone knows about Manti Teʻo as he's arguably the top defensive recruit in the country and is easily the best ND defensive recruit in the last 20 seasons. He is one of those difference makers the ND defense needs more of (Ethan Johnson, Darrin Walls, hopefully Steve Filer).
And this afternoon ND got another commitment from a five-star player. Chris Martin is a five-star defensive end recruit for the class of 2010. He's from California, had a USC offer and is possibly the best defensive recruit from the state of California.
Those are two bellweather recruits that closes the talent gap between Notre Dame and SC.
So ND has three commitments for the class of 2010, two five stars and one four star. You can't over-state the effect momentum has in recruiting.
Things are turning around. I'm not on the bandwagon yet (dominating offensive/defensive line play against inferior opponents is a must), but I continue to want those guys to succeed.
Just look at the video on UND.com of the coaches reacting to the Manti Teʻo announcement.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Things have been entirely too mundane around here...
...so here's a little bit to get your blood pumping:
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Super Sunday
A big football game took place Sunday.
Liverpool defeated Chelsea at Anfield behind an eleventh hour brace from Fernando Torres (the man who led Spain past Germany in last year's Euro 2008 final to crown the Iberians as Europe's finest. I'll remind everyone that Italy are still campioni del mondo until South Africa next year.)
The Spaniard's first goal came in the 89th minute, and his double was completed just a blink of the eye later in the 90th. Today's match also saw Chelsea's Frank Lampard sent off with a straight red card following a dangerous tackle. The home victory keeps Liverpool breathing down the neck of holders Manchester United, just two points ahead.
Oh, and there's another big football game stateside in Florida, with Pittsburgh taking on the debutantes from Arizona. I'm picking the Steelers to win, but the Cardinals to cover the 6.5 points.
Liverpool defeated Chelsea at Anfield behind an eleventh hour brace from Fernando Torres (the man who led Spain past Germany in last year's Euro 2008 final to crown the Iberians as Europe's finest. I'll remind everyone that Italy are still campioni del mondo until South Africa next year.)
The Spaniard's first goal came in the 89th minute, and his double was completed just a blink of the eye later in the 90th. Today's match also saw Chelsea's Frank Lampard sent off with a straight red card following a dangerous tackle. The home victory keeps Liverpool breathing down the neck of holders Manchester United, just two points ahead.
Oh, and there's another big football game stateside in Florida, with Pittsburgh taking on the debutantes from Arizona. I'm picking the Steelers to win, but the Cardinals to cover the 6.5 points.
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