Unlike most people in the world, I don't like to make resolutions at the new year that I know I just won't keep. So instead, I like to make resolutions for others. So, in no particular order, here are my ten (sports related) resolutions for others as we get ready to ring in 2009:
A legit prospect for the Lions
Like everyone else, I feel for the Detroit Lions of 2008, aka the worst team in NFL history. They need a whole new team, but that trend needs to start with one great franchise player. Sadly, I don't see them getting that man with the first pick in the Draft. God willing, some player looking to make a big mark takes a chance and signs on to be the face of this crummy program.
Ring number 18 in Boston
Sure Christmas day was a hurter, but hardly a setback. Boston is still the best team in the league and nobody has proven that they can beat them consistently, which is what it will take in the playoffs. Sure, 73-9 would be a nice new record, but I want the big three to end up with three rings, so it has to continue sometime. Why not in 2009?
Dewitt Scott; IPFW's first NBA player
The Mad Ants had their first player worked out by an NBA team in their second season recently. And while his name wasn't Dewitt Scott, I hope the former Mastodon keeps putting up decent numbers and gets a chance either this season or if he decides to return to the D-League for 2009-2010. As it looks less and less like former IPFW standout David Simon will get to the league, Witt may be the schools best chance in the near future.
Brett Favre retires...for good
Get it over with already!
The Yankees still lose
I hate rich snobs, therefore I hate the Yankees. Here's hoping that hundreds of millions in free agency doesn't land them squat. Go Sox.
Stephon Marbury returns and wins a title
If anyone deserves good karma, its Marbury for all the crap he has put up with in 2008. While the Knicks keep fumbling around, I hope someone with half a brain is able to land this talent and take him to the promised land.
Someone gets off Sean Avery's back
Oh no, someone didn't like a Sean Avery comment! Is bad press better than no press for the faultering NHL? If anyone gets ragged on more than Marbury, its this poor guy. At least he is a character for your faceless league. Go ahead, be a non-hockey person and name 5 current NHL players that haven't been in the league 10-plus years...yeah, didn't think so. Wake up NHL, embrace him, don't discourage him.
A college football playoff
Do I really need to say more? I know Texas, Texas Tech, Alabama and Utah are with me.
IPFW goes dancing
The program is showing that they can kinda hang this year, even in several defeats. Usually teams that can "kinda hang" during the regular season make good Cinderellas come March.
Coach K gets #4
This has been on my resolution list since 2002 rolled around, Coach K is due and he has the right crop to win now. Waiting until next year is overrated and I am ready for this to happen. Not many people are with me, but honestly there are also way too many haters out there when it comes to Duke basketball. For all of you, focus your attention on the upside of a Duke title: it keeps Tyler Hansbrough's crybaby hands off a title for his college career so he can go flourish as a 12th man in the NBA.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
>The Nonsensical Big XII
I really don't think that the Big XII tries too hard anymore.
Forget for a second their twisted logic in who they are sending to the Big XII title game from the southern division...no wait, don't forget that. They sent the team (Oklahoma) that beat the team (Texas Tech) that beat Texas, instead of sending Texas who beat Oklahoma. And why? Because the conference's fifth tie breaker is who is ranked higher in the BCS standings.
And let's be honest, the BCS is pretty reliable....right?
Now, the league has released their All-Conference teams in which Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was named 2nd Team All-Big XII behind Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, while getting votes, wasn't good enough to make the cut. It's arguable whether Bradford or McCoy should be first team as the two are about to slug it out again for the Heisman very soon. But, if McCoy was only the second best quarterback in the league, then how exactly was he also named the Big XII Player of the Year?
ESPN.com says 'go figure'....showing even more that the entire world is giving up on the Big XII a little more everyday.
Nonsense.
Forget for a second their twisted logic in who they are sending to the Big XII title game from the southern division...no wait, don't forget that. They sent the team (Oklahoma) that beat the team (Texas Tech) that beat Texas, instead of sending Texas who beat Oklahoma. And why? Because the conference's fifth tie breaker is who is ranked higher in the BCS standings.
And let's be honest, the BCS is pretty reliable....right?
Now, the league has released their All-Conference teams in which Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was named 2nd Team All-Big XII behind Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, while getting votes, wasn't good enough to make the cut. It's arguable whether Bradford or McCoy should be first team as the two are about to slug it out again for the Heisman very soon. But, if McCoy was only the second best quarterback in the league, then how exactly was he also named the Big XII Player of the Year?
ESPN.com says 'go figure'....showing even more that the entire world is giving up on the Big XII a little more everyday.
Nonsense.
Monday, December 1, 2008
>The Knicks' fantasy world
Someone please tell me- exactly what world do the New York Knicks' front office, coaching staff and roster live in where they believe that Stephon Marbury is the bad guy.
I agree, he's done some things that can make him A bad guy, but that doesn't make him THE bad guy.
He is not the bad guy in his current crazy situation with the Knicks. He, outside of his character, was ok with coming into this season in a backup role. Whether Marbury liked it or not, he was willing to come off the bench behind new guard Chris Duhon until coach Mike D'Antoni let him know that he wasn't in the new coach's "plans."
And then he was on the bench.
No playing time, not in uniform.
To trade, no release, no buyout.
Just sitting...on the bench.
And then when D'Antoni and his lead croonie, general manger Donnie Walsh, made too many moves too quickly and left the team shorthanded, Marbury agreed to but chose not to play. And how can you blame him? They only wanted him when they had no other options. He did the same last week in a loss to Detroit and got suspended for his decision.
Wait, isn't that what being de-activated (which he has been all season) pretty much is?
And now, teammates like Quentin Richardson are chastising him, saying Marbury wasn't a good teammate. But Marbury was basically told he wasn't a Knick, wasn't going to be a Knick...so why represent the Knicks?
And even after an attempt to reach a buyout today, no progress was made. Well, maybe it was made in their world of fantasy.
I agree, he's done some things that can make him A bad guy, but that doesn't make him THE bad guy.
He is not the bad guy in his current crazy situation with the Knicks. He, outside of his character, was ok with coming into this season in a backup role. Whether Marbury liked it or not, he was willing to come off the bench behind new guard Chris Duhon until coach Mike D'Antoni let him know that he wasn't in the new coach's "plans."
And then he was on the bench.
No playing time, not in uniform.
To trade, no release, no buyout.
Just sitting...on the bench.
And then when D'Antoni and his lead croonie, general manger Donnie Walsh, made too many moves too quickly and left the team shorthanded, Marbury agreed to but chose not to play. And how can you blame him? They only wanted him when they had no other options. He did the same last week in a loss to Detroit and got suspended for his decision.
Wait, isn't that what being de-activated (which he has been all season) pretty much is?
And now, teammates like Quentin Richardson are chastising him, saying Marbury wasn't a good teammate. But Marbury was basically told he wasn't a Knick, wasn't going to be a Knick...so why represent the Knicks?
And even after an attempt to reach a buyout today, no progress was made. Well, maybe it was made in their world of fantasy.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Day Four: Major Confereces Part 2
IAD 2008-2009 COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW DAY THREE
BEST OF THE MAJORS PART 2: "ACC/A-10/Pac-10/SEC"
There is a lot to be said for North Carolina, not only in the ACC, but nationally as well. More often than not, the Tar Heels are considered the favorite to walk out of 2009 with a National Title. Sadly, that can almost be said every year of Tyler Hansbrough's tenure at UNC. And no, its not just the Tar Heel hater in me that expects them to fail (ok, that's a part of it). Everyone from Chapel Hill to Durham (and even places not on Tobacco Road) need to face the real facts that UNC are not closers. Hansbrough, coach Roy Williams, Ty Lawson and company are all more pretender than champion. UNC will be good, but also beatable in the clutch.
And even as a hardcore Blue Devil fan, I can't put all my objective (ha) professional faith in Coach K and company. Honestly they have a lot to prove and their two main weaknesses are glaring. The most notable is in the post where Brian Zoubek isn't exactly a stud and Kyle Singler isn't most efficient. Hopefully Miles Plumlee will alleviate this issue some. Also, they froze in the clutch. Their tournament time wouldn't have been as good as it was had it not been for Gerald Henderson while the rest of the team folded like laundry (and that's putting it nicely).
Behind them, 3 through 10 in the ACC is pretty even with Miami on the verge of their best ACC season to date.
Xavier should run away in the Atlantic 10, even though Dayton, St. Joe's, Temple and Charlotte will all mae noise in their own ways. The Musketeers return just under 30 points in CJ Anderson, Derrick Brown and BJ Raymond alone. Tack on two 6'8'' transfers and a seven-foot freshman and this team should blow them all away.
I am not exactly sure how to feel about the Pac-10 just yet. It's obvious that UCLA will take the crown out there yet again. They lost three pretty significant players, but return three more of equal calibar. Darren Collison in the best player in the conference, hands down, and the people around him will make his job easier. Even their freshman class is stacked with five players from the Top 50. Arizona has a decent team, led by Chase Budinger, but they have had plenty of offseason perils with the retirement of coach Lute Olsen and the loss of Brandon Jennings to international play. I question the Wildcat focus at this point. USC has plenty of talent to work with even if OJ Mayo is gone, but I still think that UCLA is far and away in a league of their own. The problem with this conference is it is much more of an individual talent team outside of UCLA, much like the ACC is outside of Duke and Carolina.
In the SEC, things look pretty different everywhere you look. Each team lost someone quite important to their nucleus in the offseason and it will be interesting to see who bounces back quickest. Tennessee has a solid core still and should be the team to beat, but I think that Billy Donovan's Florida Gators will return to the promised land sooner than later. They struggled badly after the loss of Joakim Noah and company, but Nick Calathes played so strong last year and should put the Gators back at the top of at least the SEC East and back into the NCAA's.
Individually, I am loving Dionte Christmas at Temple. Even with a down year for the Atlantic 10, this guy is sensational and will be one of the nation's top individual players. Tyrese Rice fits into that same category and is explosive as an individual but saddled with an at-best sub par team in Boston College. Though I'm not liking them as much, you can go ahead and throw Chris Warren from Ole Miss and Devan Downey of South Carolina in that same 'good player, mediocre team' catagory as the season begins.
AD Vassallo at Virginia Tech and AJ Ogilvy at Vanderbilt will be make or break players for their schools. Ogilvy, just a sophomore, will be a First Team player in the SEC and may even contend for conference player of the year honors. Also, watch Taj Gibson at USC to see if he can pick up the slack of the departed OJ Mayo. The pressure is on Gibson to lead a still talented Trojan team that also has a lot of new faces. Also under coach Tim Floyd, keep an eye out for Romeo Miller (son of rapper/ex-short term NBA player Percy "Master P" Miller). I don't expect him to do much at all, but it will still be interesting to watch him on the court.
ALL-MAJOR (ACC, A-10, PAC-10, SEC) CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina) - Player of the Year
Kyle Singler (Duke)
Darren Collison (UCLA)
Dionte Christmas (Temple)
James Harden (Arizona State)
AJ Ogilvy (Vanderbilt)
OTHER MAJOR (ACC, A-10, PAC-10, SEC) PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gerald Henderson (Duke)
Tyrese Rice (Boston College)
Jack McClinton (Miami)
Ty Lawson (UNC)
AD Vassallo (Virginia Tech)
Jeff Teague (Wake Forest)
Chase Budinger (Arizona)
Josh Shipp (UCLA)
Taj Gibson (USC)
Jon Brockman (Washington)
Walter Hodge (Florida)
Jai Lucas (Florida)
Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)
Marcus Thornton (LSU)
Chris Warren (Ole Miss)
Devan Downey (South Carolina)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
ACC: Duke - North Carolina (NCAA Bid)
A-10: Xavier
PAC-10: UCLA
SEC: Tennessee (East), LSU (West) - Tenneessee (NCAA Bid)
BEST OF THE MAJORS PART 2: "ACC/A-10/Pac-10/SEC"
There is a lot to be said for North Carolina, not only in the ACC, but nationally as well. More often than not, the Tar Heels are considered the favorite to walk out of 2009 with a National Title. Sadly, that can almost be said every year of Tyler Hansbrough's tenure at UNC. And no, its not just the Tar Heel hater in me that expects them to fail (ok, that's a part of it). Everyone from Chapel Hill to Durham (and even places not on Tobacco Road) need to face the real facts that UNC are not closers. Hansbrough, coach Roy Williams, Ty Lawson and company are all more pretender than champion. UNC will be good, but also beatable in the clutch.
And even as a hardcore Blue Devil fan, I can't put all my objective (ha) professional faith in Coach K and company. Honestly they have a lot to prove and their two main weaknesses are glaring. The most notable is in the post where Brian Zoubek isn't exactly a stud and Kyle Singler isn't most efficient. Hopefully Miles Plumlee will alleviate this issue some. Also, they froze in the clutch. Their tournament time wouldn't have been as good as it was had it not been for Gerald Henderson while the rest of the team folded like laundry (and that's putting it nicely).
Behind them, 3 through 10 in the ACC is pretty even with Miami on the verge of their best ACC season to date.
Xavier should run away in the Atlantic 10, even though Dayton, St. Joe's, Temple and Charlotte will all mae noise in their own ways. The Musketeers return just under 30 points in CJ Anderson, Derrick Brown and BJ Raymond alone. Tack on two 6'8'' transfers and a seven-foot freshman and this team should blow them all away.
I am not exactly sure how to feel about the Pac-10 just yet. It's obvious that UCLA will take the crown out there yet again. They lost three pretty significant players, but return three more of equal calibar. Darren Collison in the best player in the conference, hands down, and the people around him will make his job easier. Even their freshman class is stacked with five players from the Top 50. Arizona has a decent team, led by Chase Budinger, but they have had plenty of offseason perils with the retirement of coach Lute Olsen and the loss of Brandon Jennings to international play. I question the Wildcat focus at this point. USC has plenty of talent to work with even if OJ Mayo is gone, but I still think that UCLA is far and away in a league of their own. The problem with this conference is it is much more of an individual talent team outside of UCLA, much like the ACC is outside of Duke and Carolina.
In the SEC, things look pretty different everywhere you look. Each team lost someone quite important to their nucleus in the offseason and it will be interesting to see who bounces back quickest. Tennessee has a solid core still and should be the team to beat, but I think that Billy Donovan's Florida Gators will return to the promised land sooner than later. They struggled badly after the loss of Joakim Noah and company, but Nick Calathes played so strong last year and should put the Gators back at the top of at least the SEC East and back into the NCAA's.
Individually, I am loving Dionte Christmas at Temple. Even with a down year for the Atlantic 10, this guy is sensational and will be one of the nation's top individual players. Tyrese Rice fits into that same category and is explosive as an individual but saddled with an at-best sub par team in Boston College. Though I'm not liking them as much, you can go ahead and throw Chris Warren from Ole Miss and Devan Downey of South Carolina in that same 'good player, mediocre team' catagory as the season begins.
AD Vassallo at Virginia Tech and AJ Ogilvy at Vanderbilt will be make or break players for their schools. Ogilvy, just a sophomore, will be a First Team player in the SEC and may even contend for conference player of the year honors. Also, watch Taj Gibson at USC to see if he can pick up the slack of the departed OJ Mayo. The pressure is on Gibson to lead a still talented Trojan team that also has a lot of new faces. Also under coach Tim Floyd, keep an eye out for Romeo Miller (son of rapper/ex-short term NBA player Percy "Master P" Miller). I don't expect him to do much at all, but it will still be interesting to watch him on the court.
ALL-MAJOR (ACC, A-10, PAC-10, SEC) CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina) - Player of the Year
Kyle Singler (Duke)
Darren Collison (UCLA)
Dionte Christmas (Temple)
James Harden (Arizona State)
AJ Ogilvy (Vanderbilt)
OTHER MAJOR (ACC, A-10, PAC-10, SEC) PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gerald Henderson (Duke)
Tyrese Rice (Boston College)
Jack McClinton (Miami)
Ty Lawson (UNC)
AD Vassallo (Virginia Tech)
Jeff Teague (Wake Forest)
Chase Budinger (Arizona)
Josh Shipp (UCLA)
Taj Gibson (USC)
Jon Brockman (Washington)
Walter Hodge (Florida)
Jai Lucas (Florida)
Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)
Marcus Thornton (LSU)
Chris Warren (Ole Miss)
Devan Downey (South Carolina)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
ACC: Duke - North Carolina (NCAA Bid)
A-10: Xavier
PAC-10: UCLA
SEC: Tennessee (East), LSU (West) - Tenneessee (NCAA Bid)
Friday, November 7, 2008
Day Three: Major Conferences Part 1
IAD 2008-2009 COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW DAY THREE
BEST OF THE MAJORS PART 1: "The Bigs"
Part one of my look at the seven "major" conferences starts with "The Bigs" of the Big East, Big Ten and Big XII (that's twelve if you can't count roman numerals). These conferences always bring a good deal of excitement to the table, and in 2008 they even brought a national title by way of the Big XII's Kansas Jayhawks.
16 teams total to put the "big" in Big East whereas many as 10 teams could honestly find themselves dancing come March. Leading that pack is Notre Dame, who have no real household names behind Luke Harangody, but just a consistent core of players that includes four seniors and three juniors other than Harangody. Sure, they lost 12.5 ppg with the graduation of Rob Kurz, but they also add redshirt freshman Carleton Scott, who will likely shoulder half of that load while senior combo Ryan Ayers will also chip in a few more on the offensive end. Behind them is a hungry UConn Huskie team that prematurely exited the 2008 tournament in part due to an injury to AJ Price. Athlon Sports picks them to make it to the National Title game and that may be something that the Huskies have to cash in on right away with Price's forthcoming graduation and the likelihood that 7'3'' junior Hasheem Thabeet will also take his size and low-post skill pro come June.
But, where to go from behind these two? Picks 3-10, all very likely tournament candidates, will be tough to make. Louisville, Pittsburgh and Marquette are the likely choices to be on the heels of Notre Dame and UConn, but Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia and Providence would all like to make cases for themselves as well.
It's an upperclassmen laden conference that also happens to be highlighted by lightning quick guards. I can't wait to see the super-duo of Dominic James and Jerel McNeal at Marquette. Unfortunately, the load is all theirs, along with a couple other guards with no real post threat. If you want an intriguing post threat in the Big East, look no further than New Jersey where 6'9'' JR Inman is going to do some damage for Rutgers. I'd expect the senior to improve his numbers a bit and likely average 15 and 10 in his final season.
And while the Big East flourishes, the Big 10 is kind of another story. Purdue, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State should all shine their dancing shoes, but beyond that, it's looking pretty sparse. The Boilermakers should be a runaway champion in the conference, losing just one player in transfer Scott Martin. He transferred because he was not seeing enough minutes, so chances are they won't miss him too much. Chances are even more likely that the Purdue faithful will be too busy watching Martin's ex-classmates Robbie Hummel, E'twaun Moore and JuJuan Johnson run roughshod over the league. Toss in the sturdy veteran Chris Kramer and this is likely to be at least an Elite Eight team. Wisconsin will also be interesting to watch, despite losing over 20 ppg. Numbers for Marcus Landry and Trevon Hughes will go way up.
Possible the most interesting thing to watch in the Big 10 this year will be likely last place Indiana, who returns just Kyle Taber. Who, you ask? Exactly. JuCo transfer Devan Dumes, freshman late signee Malik Story and walk-on Evan White are the ones who I think will do the most damage or at least look good in trying.
Ohio State's return to the tournament will not be that easy. They didn't make it there last season for a reason, despite winning the NIT, and they lost their top three scorers. So everybody in Columbus is going to have to pick up the slack if they hope to return to the real madness of March. I'm expecting freshman BJ Mullens to have the best "non-Oden" year that anyone has had for the Buckeyes in recent memory.
Big XII = Blake Griffin. Remember that equation and come June, you will also know how to solve the NBA Draft Lottery equation (hint: 1 = Blake Griffin). Coach Jeff Capel took over a becoming inbattled program from the cheat-tastic Kelvin Sampson and has done some good things with it. His best move, getting Griffin to stay in school and lead the Sooners deep into the 2009 postseason. He'll get some help from junior Tony Crocker but Willie Warren, the freshman who led the McDonald's All-American game in scoring, will give Oklahoma the perfect outside match for Griffin's inside power. Texas will contend, but unless AJ Abrams can get some help inside (Dexter Pittman just ain't gonna do it). Baylor hadn't been to the NCAA's in 20 years before being the last choice this past Spring, but they will be back again I'm sure, however they won't bridge that big gap between them and the top two teams in the Big XII.
Behind those three, it's tough to call. Kansas returns just four players (Sherron Collins being the most experienced) from their National Champion team, but junior college transfer Mario Little will pick up more than his fair share of slack. Oklahoma State, Missouri and (kind-of) Texas Tech will all have to rely on new coaches. Meanwhile, Nebraska's off-season has been ripe with injury and big recruits bailing.
ALL-MAJOR (Big East, Big 10, Big XII) CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) - Player of the Year
AJ Abrams (Texas)
Hasheem Thabeet (UConn)
Dominic James (Marquette)
Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)
Robbie Hummel (Purdue)
OTHER MAJOR (Big East, Big 10, Big XII) PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sherron Collins (Kansas)
Mario Little (Kansas)
Deonta Vaughn (Cincinnati)
AJ Price (UConn)
Jerel McNeal (Marquette)
JR Inman (Rutgers)
Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)
Raymar Morgan (Michigan State)
BJ Mullens (Ohio State)
E'Twaun Moore (Purdue)
Marcus Landry (Wisconsin)
Trevon Hughes (Wisconsin)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
Big East: Notre Dame
Big 10: Purdue
Big XII: Oklahoma
Thursday, November 6, 2008
>Day Two: Mid-Major Conferences
IAD 2008-2009 COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW DAY TWO
BEST OF THE MID-MAJOR CONFERENCES
One step aside from being one of the big boys, the Mid-Major programs in Division 1 basketball have made a habit out of making noise come tournament time, no matter where they are or who they face. Their conference races and tournaments have grown to be some of the most interesting in all of college basketball. That trend was highlighted last early-spring with one conference in particular: the West Coast Conference.
Gonzaga has long been the upset and underdog kid of the NCAA Tournament that their Cinderella ways brought more interest into the West Coast Conference. Last year, two more teams made it way more interesting and together with the 'Zags, this year should be the conference's best ever. In 2008, all three of these teams went on to the NCAA Tournament and I wouldn't be shocked to see Gonzaga, St. Mary's and San Diego all return again this season. And while most outlets believe that Gonzaga and St. Mary's will be the "Toast of the Coast" (catchy, ain't it?)- I am fully behind the belief that San Diego will not only win the tournament title again, but that they will win the WCC outright. And why? Because the highly underrated Gyno Pomare was one of the most interesting and explosive players to watch last spring and he's not even statistically San Diego's top player. All five starters and top four scorers from last year are back, led by Pomare and senior Brandon Johnson. Johnson averaged just under 17 ppg but led the league with 80 three-pointers. Behind them, Gonzaga with Jeremy Pargo and St. Mary's with Patrick Mills are going to give the Toreros fits.
Barely considered a Mid-Major, Conference USA will be a point of interest as well with Memphis, UAB, UTEP and Tulsa all grasping for the crown. Memphis lost so much in NBA draftees Joey Dorsey, Chris Douglas-Roberts and that guy named Derrick Rose. But what cures the ills of coach John Calipari? A man by the name of Tyreke Evans. Arguably the best freshman in the country, Evans was the MVP of both the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic and should put up some Rose-like numbers this year. He's highlighted by senior big man Robert Dozier and I am imagining that junior JuCo transfer Roburt Sallie (originally committed to Nebraska) will help out on the wing as well. Behind them first is Tulsa, who has an awkward mix of veteran and newcomer at almost every position but are led by headstrong junior guard Ben Uzoh (15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg). UAB will be the confusing team to read as they could go as far as upsetting Memphis for the top spot or being fifth in the conference depending on how the team gels around senior Robert Vaden. Can the younger squad account for the 22.2 points per game lost to graduation? Only time will tell.
And finally, pay close attention to the Horizon League, where the balance of power may actually be shifting after all these years. Butler lost five crucial players that won 59 games in the last two seasons. How players like Zach Hahn and Grant Liendecker can fill in for the likes of AJ Graves and Pete Campbell will be crucial for the Bulldogs. And while Matt Howard, as just a sophomore, is one of the league's best- it may be time for the Bulldogs to take a backseat during the season, though my money is still on them come tournament time. Cleveland State should run away in the regular season because of the combo of J'Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson. The duo may be one of the best on this level and combined for 28.7 points and 11.5 rebounds last year. The Vikings return two other starters as well. Also in the Horizon, look for Wisconsin-Green Bay and Illinois-Chicago to post longtime highs in wins.
Skipping to the individual side of things, there are a great deal of explosive Mid-Major players that could have an impact year. Osiris Eldridge at Illinois State of the Missouri Valley is one of the most overlooked talents at this level of Division 1. He averaged almost 16 points per game last season and is the top returning offensive threat in the conference. I'll be interested to see how a couple of former Indiana Hoosiers do in new homes as Joey Shaw is at Nevada and Ben Allen is at St. Mary's. The Aussie Allen could be a major catalyst for St. Mary's contention is the ever-more interesting West Coast Conference race. And of course, you have to pay attention to the guys that are on teams that won't really contend hard but still could be future NBA draftees. The previously mentioned Vaden is going to be one of the best players in Conference USA in trying to help UAB stay strong. It's a shame we won't get to see him alongside other former Hoosier Armon Bassett, who sits out Vaden's senior year as a transfer. Also, Wright State won't really be a factor in the Horizon League when it comes down the stretch, but Vaughn Duggins proved late last year that he can be clutch and I am sure he will just continue that trend. Want one of the nation's most explosive guard match ups? Slide over to the Summit League and check out North Dakota State's Ben Woodside against Oakland's Jonathan Jones.
Oh, did I mention a guy by the name of Stephen Curry? You know him, right? The darling of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. His Davidson Wildcats will storm through the Southern Conference (again), but Curry will be one of the very best players in college basketball this year. His defense is getting more keen by the game and his shooting touch is almost picture perfect. Now hopefully, Davidson's new point guard will be just as good at getting him the ball in the right place at the right time as the PG who graduated in the Spring.
ALL-MID MAJOR CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Matt Howard (Butler) - Player of the Year
Jonathan Jones (Oakland)
Robert Dozier (Memphis)
Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Robert Vaden (UAB)
Osiris Eldridge (Illinois State)
OTHER MID-MAJOR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tyreke Evans (Memphis)
Vaughn Duggins (Wright State)
J'Nathan Bullock (Cleveland State)
Cedric Jackson (Cleveland State)
David Kool (Western Michigan)
Jonathan Cox (Drake)
Lee Cummard (BYU)
Joey Shaw (Nevada)
Jeremy Pargo (Gonzaga)
Ben Allen (St. Mary's)
Gyno Pomare (San Diego)
Ben Woodside (North Dakota State)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
Big West: UC-Santa Barbara - Cal State Northridge (NCAA Bid)
Conference USA: Memphis
Horizon: Cleveland State - Butler (NCAA Bid)
Mid-American (MAC): Kent State (East), Western Michigan (West) - Kent State (NCAA Bid)
Missouri Valley: Creighton
Mountain West: BYU - UNLV (NCAA Bid)
Patriot: American
Southern: Appalachian State (North), Davidson (South) - Davidson (NCAA Bid)
Summit: Oakland
Western Athletic (WAC): Nevada
West Coast: San Diego
BEST OF THE MID-MAJOR CONFERENCES
One step aside from being one of the big boys, the Mid-Major programs in Division 1 basketball have made a habit out of making noise come tournament time, no matter where they are or who they face. Their conference races and tournaments have grown to be some of the most interesting in all of college basketball. That trend was highlighted last early-spring with one conference in particular: the West Coast Conference.
Gonzaga has long been the upset and underdog kid of the NCAA Tournament that their Cinderella ways brought more interest into the West Coast Conference. Last year, two more teams made it way more interesting and together with the 'Zags, this year should be the conference's best ever. In 2008, all three of these teams went on to the NCAA Tournament and I wouldn't be shocked to see Gonzaga, St. Mary's and San Diego all return again this season. And while most outlets believe that Gonzaga and St. Mary's will be the "Toast of the Coast" (catchy, ain't it?)- I am fully behind the belief that San Diego will not only win the tournament title again, but that they will win the WCC outright. And why? Because the highly underrated Gyno Pomare was one of the most interesting and explosive players to watch last spring and he's not even statistically San Diego's top player. All five starters and top four scorers from last year are back, led by Pomare and senior Brandon Johnson. Johnson averaged just under 17 ppg but led the league with 80 three-pointers. Behind them, Gonzaga with Jeremy Pargo and St. Mary's with Patrick Mills are going to give the Toreros fits.
Barely considered a Mid-Major, Conference USA will be a point of interest as well with Memphis, UAB, UTEP and Tulsa all grasping for the crown. Memphis lost so much in NBA draftees Joey Dorsey, Chris Douglas-Roberts and that guy named Derrick Rose. But what cures the ills of coach John Calipari? A man by the name of Tyreke Evans. Arguably the best freshman in the country, Evans was the MVP of both the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic and should put up some Rose-like numbers this year. He's highlighted by senior big man Robert Dozier and I am imagining that junior JuCo transfer Roburt Sallie (originally committed to Nebraska) will help out on the wing as well. Behind them first is Tulsa, who has an awkward mix of veteran and newcomer at almost every position but are led by headstrong junior guard Ben Uzoh (15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg). UAB will be the confusing team to read as they could go as far as upsetting Memphis for the top spot or being fifth in the conference depending on how the team gels around senior Robert Vaden. Can the younger squad account for the 22.2 points per game lost to graduation? Only time will tell.
And finally, pay close attention to the Horizon League, where the balance of power may actually be shifting after all these years. Butler lost five crucial players that won 59 games in the last two seasons. How players like Zach Hahn and Grant Liendecker can fill in for the likes of AJ Graves and Pete Campbell will be crucial for the Bulldogs. And while Matt Howard, as just a sophomore, is one of the league's best- it may be time for the Bulldogs to take a backseat during the season, though my money is still on them come tournament time. Cleveland State should run away in the regular season because of the combo of J'Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson. The duo may be one of the best on this level and combined for 28.7 points and 11.5 rebounds last year. The Vikings return two other starters as well. Also in the Horizon, look for Wisconsin-Green Bay and Illinois-Chicago to post longtime highs in wins.
Skipping to the individual side of things, there are a great deal of explosive Mid-Major players that could have an impact year. Osiris Eldridge at Illinois State of the Missouri Valley is one of the most overlooked talents at this level of Division 1. He averaged almost 16 points per game last season and is the top returning offensive threat in the conference. I'll be interested to see how a couple of former Indiana Hoosiers do in new homes as Joey Shaw is at Nevada and Ben Allen is at St. Mary's. The Aussie Allen could be a major catalyst for St. Mary's contention is the ever-more interesting West Coast Conference race. And of course, you have to pay attention to the guys that are on teams that won't really contend hard but still could be future NBA draftees. The previously mentioned Vaden is going to be one of the best players in Conference USA in trying to help UAB stay strong. It's a shame we won't get to see him alongside other former Hoosier Armon Bassett, who sits out Vaden's senior year as a transfer. Also, Wright State won't really be a factor in the Horizon League when it comes down the stretch, but Vaughn Duggins proved late last year that he can be clutch and I am sure he will just continue that trend. Want one of the nation's most explosive guard match ups? Slide over to the Summit League and check out North Dakota State's Ben Woodside against Oakland's Jonathan Jones.
Oh, did I mention a guy by the name of Stephen Curry? You know him, right? The darling of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. His Davidson Wildcats will storm through the Southern Conference (again), but Curry will be one of the very best players in college basketball this year. His defense is getting more keen by the game and his shooting touch is almost picture perfect. Now hopefully, Davidson's new point guard will be just as good at getting him the ball in the right place at the right time as the PG who graduated in the Spring.
ALL-MID MAJOR CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Matt Howard (Butler) - Player of the Year
Jonathan Jones (Oakland)
Robert Dozier (Memphis)
Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Robert Vaden (UAB)
Osiris Eldridge (Illinois State)
OTHER MID-MAJOR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tyreke Evans (Memphis)
Vaughn Duggins (Wright State)
J'Nathan Bullock (Cleveland State)
Cedric Jackson (Cleveland State)
David Kool (Western Michigan)
Jonathan Cox (Drake)
Lee Cummard (BYU)
Joey Shaw (Nevada)
Jeremy Pargo (Gonzaga)
Ben Allen (St. Mary's)
Gyno Pomare (San Diego)
Ben Woodside (North Dakota State)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
Big West: UC-Santa Barbara - Cal State Northridge (NCAA Bid)
Conference USA: Memphis
Horizon: Cleveland State - Butler (NCAA Bid)
Mid-American (MAC): Kent State (East), Western Michigan (West) - Kent State (NCAA Bid)
Missouri Valley: Creighton
Mountain West: BYU - UNLV (NCAA Bid)
Patriot: American
Southern: Appalachian State (North), Davidson (South) - Davidson (NCAA Bid)
Summit: Oakland
Western Athletic (WAC): Nevada
West Coast: San Diego
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
>Day One: Small Conferences
IAD 2008-2009 COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW DAY ONE
BEST OF THE SMALL CONFERENCES
Often overlooked because of their size, small conference games have become equally interesting in recent years as some of the big time college games. The reality is, that even if you are a big time star at your high school or in your city, that once college rolls around, it is a place like Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Gardner Webb that you are more likely to end up at.
But, yet you can still flourish here. There are still conference titles, All-Conference teams and that looming automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament come March.
Just look at the Bruins of Belmont out of the Atlantic Sun conference. The competition in this conference is always interesting with that "any given team on any given day" feel. Belmont has been the catalyst of power in this conference and small conferences across the nation, earning three straight automatic NCAA tournament bids leading into this season. Only five other teams can claim that honor. The interest in the conference comes from the many other catalysts working into the overall equation. While Belmont shines, Jacksonville is on it's way up (winning 18 games last year after a one win season in 2004-2005) and Campbell boasts a mediocre team but the league's top returning scorer in Jonathan Rodriguez (20.9 ppg). Only seven teams are eligible for the conference title after Gardner Webb bolted for the Big South, but the four that aren't eligible yet (Kennesaw State, Florida Gulf Coast, South Carolina Upstate and North Florida) will all be looking to cause a ruckus among the major players.
The Southland will be another interesting conference to watch. In a world where meteoric rise is often followed by a big crash at the bottom (Texas A&M Corpus-Christi joined the league in 2006 and went to their first field of 65; then coach Ronnie Arrow left and so did their winning ways as they finished last in the Southland West Division.) Three teams could win the East Division, while three more have equal chances of taking the West. And again, never underestimate the power of a player, like with Texas State. The Bobcats are expected to finish fifth of six in the West but return 34.6 points per game in Brandon Bush, and Brent Benson and Ryan White alone.
Also worth mention is the Independent rankings where Chicago State is still floating after a 2007 exit from the Mid-Con (now Summit League) and Utah Valley State is still the toast of town even without conference affiliation. But the main reason worth mention: they sent five teams to conferences since last season (the four previously mentioned to the Atlantic Sun and Presbyterian to the Big South). In addition, eight teams joined Division 1 as provisional members via the Independents: Bryant, Houston Baptist, New Haven, North Carolina Central, North Dakota, Seattle, SIU-Edwardsville and South Dakota.
On the individual side of things, that are six players in small conferences that will have the ability to make a big impact this season.
That starts in the American East conference where Marques Blakely should repeat as conference player of the year and give Vermont a trip to the dance. Last year, he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, numbers that will probably increase for the junior. At Belmont, of the Atlantic Sun Conference, Shane Dansby almost helped offset a huge upset in last year's tournament when the Bruins battled Duke. This year, the senior forward will again be the talk of the small conference world. And don't ever forget to watch out for backdoor cuts when playing VCU. The Colonial Athletic Conference 2007 champions are looking to return to that form on the back of senior guard Eric Maynor, one of the top recruits ever made by former coach Jeff Capel (now at Oklahoma).
ALL-SMALL CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Marques Blakely (Vermont) - Player of the Year
Shane Dansby (Belmont)
Eric Maynor (VCU)
Grayson Flittner (Gardner Webb)
Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley State)
Lester Hudson (Tennessee-Martin)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
American East: Vermont
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big Sky: Portland State
Big South: Winthrop - UNC Asheville (NCAA Bid)
Colonial: VCU
Ivy League: Cornell
Metro Atlantic (MAAC): Siena - Rider (NCAA Bid)
Mid-Eastern (MEAC): Morgan State
Northeast: Mount Saint Mary's
Ohio Valley: Murray State - Tennessee-Martin (NCAA Bid)
Southland: Lamar (West), Stephen F. Austin (East) - Stephen F. Austin (NCAA Bid)
Southwestern (SWAC): Alabama State
Sun Belt: South Alabama (East), North Texas (West) - South Alabama (NCAA Bid)
Independents (Best team; No Title or NCAA bid): Utah Valley State
BEST OF THE SMALL CONFERENCES
Often overlooked because of their size, small conference games have become equally interesting in recent years as some of the big time college games. The reality is, that even if you are a big time star at your high school or in your city, that once college rolls around, it is a place like Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Gardner Webb that you are more likely to end up at.
But, yet you can still flourish here. There are still conference titles, All-Conference teams and that looming automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament come March.
Just look at the Bruins of Belmont out of the Atlantic Sun conference. The competition in this conference is always interesting with that "any given team on any given day" feel. Belmont has been the catalyst of power in this conference and small conferences across the nation, earning three straight automatic NCAA tournament bids leading into this season. Only five other teams can claim that honor. The interest in the conference comes from the many other catalysts working into the overall equation. While Belmont shines, Jacksonville is on it's way up (winning 18 games last year after a one win season in 2004-2005) and Campbell boasts a mediocre team but the league's top returning scorer in Jonathan Rodriguez (20.9 ppg). Only seven teams are eligible for the conference title after Gardner Webb bolted for the Big South, but the four that aren't eligible yet (Kennesaw State, Florida Gulf Coast, South Carolina Upstate and North Florida) will all be looking to cause a ruckus among the major players.
The Southland will be another interesting conference to watch. In a world where meteoric rise is often followed by a big crash at the bottom (Texas A&M Corpus-Christi joined the league in 2006 and went to their first field of 65; then coach Ronnie Arrow left and so did their winning ways as they finished last in the Southland West Division.) Three teams could win the East Division, while three more have equal chances of taking the West. And again, never underestimate the power of a player, like with Texas State. The Bobcats are expected to finish fifth of six in the West but return 34.6 points per game in Brandon Bush, and Brent Benson and Ryan White alone.
Also worth mention is the Independent rankings where Chicago State is still floating after a 2007 exit from the Mid-Con (now Summit League) and Utah Valley State is still the toast of town even without conference affiliation. But the main reason worth mention: they sent five teams to conferences since last season (the four previously mentioned to the Atlantic Sun and Presbyterian to the Big South). In addition, eight teams joined Division 1 as provisional members via the Independents: Bryant, Houston Baptist, New Haven, North Carolina Central, North Dakota, Seattle, SIU-Edwardsville and South Dakota.
On the individual side of things, that are six players in small conferences that will have the ability to make a big impact this season.
That starts in the American East conference where Marques Blakely should repeat as conference player of the year and give Vermont a trip to the dance. Last year, he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, numbers that will probably increase for the junior. At Belmont, of the Atlantic Sun Conference, Shane Dansby almost helped offset a huge upset in last year's tournament when the Bruins battled Duke. This year, the senior forward will again be the talk of the small conference world. And don't ever forget to watch out for backdoor cuts when playing VCU. The Colonial Athletic Conference 2007 champions are looking to return to that form on the back of senior guard Eric Maynor, one of the top recruits ever made by former coach Jeff Capel (now at Oklahoma).
ALL-SMALL CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Marques Blakely (Vermont) - Player of the Year
Shane Dansby (Belmont)
Eric Maynor (VCU)
Grayson Flittner (Gardner Webb)
Ryan Toolson (Utah Valley State)
Lester Hudson (Tennessee-Martin)
IAD CONFERENCE CHAMPION PREDICTIONS (if different than regular season winner, automatic bid recipient will follow in bold)
American East: Vermont
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big Sky: Portland State
Big South: Winthrop - UNC Asheville (NCAA Bid)
Colonial: VCU
Ivy League: Cornell
Metro Atlantic (MAAC): Siena - Rider (NCAA Bid)
Mid-Eastern (MEAC): Morgan State
Northeast: Mount Saint Mary's
Ohio Valley: Murray State - Tennessee-Martin (NCAA Bid)
Southland: Lamar (West), Stephen F. Austin (East) - Stephen F. Austin (NCAA Bid)
Southwestern (SWAC): Alabama State
Sun Belt: South Alabama (East), North Texas (West) - South Alabama (NCAA Bid)
Independents (Best team; No Title or NCAA bid): Utah Valley State
>Men's College Basketball Preview Week
For the next week, there will be a brand new blog each day in the massive and OFFICIAL "In All Directions Men's College Basketball Preview."
The week will culminate in the preview of the IPFW Mastodons, which will appear in the IPFW Communicator on November 12.
Check back each evening for the brand new preview.
The week will culminate in the preview of the IPFW Mastodons, which will appear in the IPFW Communicator on November 12.
Check back each evening for the brand new preview.
Friday, October 31, 2008
>When someday seems like never
In 2004, I sat in an arena and watched Greg Oden dominate his opposition.
Even then he was tagged as the next big thing and I anxiously awaited the day that this 30-year old looking teenager took his game to the next level. I'm still waiting.
After that 2004-2005 season, he played one more year at Lawrence North High School, got hurt -- played a year at Ohio State, got hurt -- was the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, got hurt and missed EVERY game in his initial rookie season.
All of that history leads to the question: why did we expect more when his 2nd rookie season began?
Because just 14 minutes later (and four missed field goals), he was on the bench- hurt.
I no longer look forward to the day when Indiana boy Greg Oden fulfills his prophecy of being basketball's next big thing. Instead, I await the day that he scores a single basket.
Too bad right now the name of that day seems like it only rhymes with the word never.
Even then he was tagged as the next big thing and I anxiously awaited the day that this 30-year old looking teenager took his game to the next level. I'm still waiting.
After that 2004-2005 season, he played one more year at Lawrence North High School, got hurt -- played a year at Ohio State, got hurt -- was the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, got hurt and missed EVERY game in his initial rookie season.
All of that history leads to the question: why did we expect more when his 2nd rookie season began?
Because just 14 minutes later (and four missed field goals), he was on the bench- hurt.
I no longer look forward to the day when Indiana boy Greg Oden fulfills his prophecy of being basketball's next big thing. Instead, I await the day that he scores a single basket.
Too bad right now the name of that day seems like it only rhymes with the word never.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
>Now I can sleep easier at night
It was 2005 the only other time I have seen something the likes of what I saw when watching back-to-back-to-back IPFW volleyball exhibition matches last Sunday. It was a completely revamped scene that sometimes saw all six active players on the court as new faces to everyone.
A big senior class last year had to breed a new, big freshman class this year, we all knew that. But that concept scared me a bit. It scared me just as much as it did in 2005 when unfamiliar names like Brock Ullrich and Josh Stewart joined the familiar’s of Matt Zybyszewski and Serdar Sikca.
I guess I can rest easy now. Because what I saw made me crack a reminiscent smile. Much like that January day in 2005, I have found myself thinking “these new kids- they are going to do alright.”
More than alright, they were pretty impressive on a 2-1 day where they hung with a pretty experienced Ball State, even in a loss.
To me, last year’s team and the personality driven spark that they put out cannot be replaced. But this team has already, in one day, gone a long way in reminding me that I also once had to adjust to those departed ex-players.
The roster has the names of twelve players who, coming into this year, have never worn the blue and white in a match. Eight of them did it for the first time Sunday in Gates and for the most part, they did it delightfully.
While familiar faces of ex-IPFW players Dan McNerney and Jason Yhost watched from the stands and another former player, Jon Bassillo, sat nearby on the sidelines as part of the Quincy coaching staff- it was the sight of Phil Peterson, Jonathan Meyer, Eric Hardek and a host of others that peaked my interest the most.
Peterson, thus far, is the most impressive I have seen a freshman be since Josh Stewart in the 2005 regular season. He led IPFW in kills against Carthage and Ball State as well as overall for the day with a powerfully fast spike. Filling in the void of CJ Macias, Ullrich and Yhost on the outside will be a difficult task, but Peterson showed that he will be a big part of that. And while his passing and defense sometimes looked weak, he also led IPFW on the block. I can see his versatility being the main ingredient in how successful this team can be from the early going.
I’m equally impressed by the power, control and emotion of sophomore Darryl Shank, who played little as a freshman. Arnie Ball is going to have his hands full in deciding the balance between these two, as well as freshmen Hardek and Ivan Matos on the outsides as all four showed a major upside over the weekend with day-totals of 28, 24, 18 and 10 kills (more than 60 percent of the team’s total).
And if it was only the outside hitters, I would still be impressed. But it was much more.
Chris Brigson showed much of that freshman inexperience early on the offensive side but also helped stuff down the opponent with big middle blocks alongside Oliver Kook and Nathaniel Berg. Freshman Dan Mader is going to give Corey Stewart and Kevin Goncalves a run for their money at the setter spot where both Mader and Stewart showed Sunday that they are very capable of handling one of the most important positions of any IPFW team. And, I cannot wait to see the battle at libero between the veterans Mike Morici and Matt Pliske, each of whom has led IPFW to a Final Four appearance. Not to mention, they have a little libero in the wings in Garrett Bitter who will be anxiously waiting, watching and learning.
This team has restored hope in my mind (not that all of it was lost). If they continue to develop over these next two months of practice, I can only imagine that they will be a special thing to watch in many ways come that January 9 home opener.
A big senior class last year had to breed a new, big freshman class this year, we all knew that. But that concept scared me a bit. It scared me just as much as it did in 2005 when unfamiliar names like Brock Ullrich and Josh Stewart joined the familiar’s of Matt Zybyszewski and Serdar Sikca.
I guess I can rest easy now. Because what I saw made me crack a reminiscent smile. Much like that January day in 2005, I have found myself thinking “these new kids- they are going to do alright.”
More than alright, they were pretty impressive on a 2-1 day where they hung with a pretty experienced Ball State, even in a loss.
To me, last year’s team and the personality driven spark that they put out cannot be replaced. But this team has already, in one day, gone a long way in reminding me that I also once had to adjust to those departed ex-players.
The roster has the names of twelve players who, coming into this year, have never worn the blue and white in a match. Eight of them did it for the first time Sunday in Gates and for the most part, they did it delightfully.
While familiar faces of ex-IPFW players Dan McNerney and Jason Yhost watched from the stands and another former player, Jon Bassillo, sat nearby on the sidelines as part of the Quincy coaching staff- it was the sight of Phil Peterson, Jonathan Meyer, Eric Hardek and a host of others that peaked my interest the most.
Peterson, thus far, is the most impressive I have seen a freshman be since Josh Stewart in the 2005 regular season. He led IPFW in kills against Carthage and Ball State as well as overall for the day with a powerfully fast spike. Filling in the void of CJ Macias, Ullrich and Yhost on the outside will be a difficult task, but Peterson showed that he will be a big part of that. And while his passing and defense sometimes looked weak, he also led IPFW on the block. I can see his versatility being the main ingredient in how successful this team can be from the early going.
I’m equally impressed by the power, control and emotion of sophomore Darryl Shank, who played little as a freshman. Arnie Ball is going to have his hands full in deciding the balance between these two, as well as freshmen Hardek and Ivan Matos on the outsides as all four showed a major upside over the weekend with day-totals of 28, 24, 18 and 10 kills (more than 60 percent of the team’s total).
And if it was only the outside hitters, I would still be impressed. But it was much more.
Chris Brigson showed much of that freshman inexperience early on the offensive side but also helped stuff down the opponent with big middle blocks alongside Oliver Kook and Nathaniel Berg. Freshman Dan Mader is going to give Corey Stewart and Kevin Goncalves a run for their money at the setter spot where both Mader and Stewart showed Sunday that they are very capable of handling one of the most important positions of any IPFW team. And, I cannot wait to see the battle at libero between the veterans Mike Morici and Matt Pliske, each of whom has led IPFW to a Final Four appearance. Not to mention, they have a little libero in the wings in Garrett Bitter who will be anxiously waiting, watching and learning.
This team has restored hope in my mind (not that all of it was lost). If they continue to develop over these next two months of practice, I can only imagine that they will be a special thing to watch in many ways come that January 9 home opener.
Monday, October 6, 2008
>Tin Caps? Well, it could be worse.
So Fort Wayne has yet another new mascot. Gone are the long-standing Wizards (or the Dragons as their logo has suggested now for years) and in it’s place are the Tin Caps.
Wait? The Tin Caps? Really?
And the logo. It’s a semi-angry apple with a pot on it’s head. Wait, we are the Pot Heads? Oh hell.
Whoever thought this one up must be a genius, because there would never be a chance that anyone would take the name and turn it around in such a negative manner (please, note the sarcasm.)
However, drug references aside, I can’t really condemn our new Minor League Baseball team’s moniker. After all, does anybody remember how much the citizens of Fort Wayne despised the name Wizards when it came about in 1993?
“Amazing baseball,” and all aside, most people here actually wanted us to be called the Fort Wayne Twins, due to our then-affiliation with the Major League Minnesota variety.
So now accounting for taste there.
The Tin Caps does capture two things that I think are very important when naming teams in the present days of terrible sporting names:
1) It is different. It’s not the Bobcats or Warriors or Panthers or something that any other professional team or school has.
2) It is localized. The logo points out things that the name doesn’t. Referring to the tin pot that the fabled Johnny Appleseed supposedly wore on his head, the team had an interesting play on one of Fort Wayne’s more legendary persons of lore.
If you like the name Mad Ants, of the one-year old NBA Developmental League, then you cannot in any good faith dislike Tin Caps.
When Jeff Potter and the crew over with the Mad Ants came up with the name, they used the same formula. They took famed General Anthony Wayne, twisted the Anthony part up and there you have it: angry ants.
And it fits in well with not only the Mad Ants, but Fort Wayne’s only other really focused on professional team the Komets. Because Komets with a ‘K’? That’s pretty much just a Fort Wayne thing.
And Tin Caps is oriented specifically to this city. Or for all you old school Wizards haters, we could call ourselves the Fort Wayne Padres!
Or you could shut up.
We could be boring and cliche with usual names or ones that start with a ‘F’ for pathetic rhyming purposes (Flash? Fever? Defunct Freedom?). Or we could break out as we have done.
So me, I will accept the Tin Caps.
Why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t anyone.
After all, we still have this brand new and Tom Henry-rific financially irresponsible stadium to complain about.
Wait? The Tin Caps? Really?
And the logo. It’s a semi-angry apple with a pot on it’s head. Wait, we are the Pot Heads? Oh hell.
Whoever thought this one up must be a genius, because there would never be a chance that anyone would take the name and turn it around in such a negative manner (please, note the sarcasm.)
However, drug references aside, I can’t really condemn our new Minor League Baseball team’s moniker. After all, does anybody remember how much the citizens of Fort Wayne despised the name Wizards when it came about in 1993?
“Amazing baseball,” and all aside, most people here actually wanted us to be called the Fort Wayne Twins, due to our then-affiliation with the Major League Minnesota variety.
So now accounting for taste there.
The Tin Caps does capture two things that I think are very important when naming teams in the present days of terrible sporting names:
1) It is different. It’s not the Bobcats or Warriors or Panthers or something that any other professional team or school has.
2) It is localized. The logo points out things that the name doesn’t. Referring to the tin pot that the fabled Johnny Appleseed supposedly wore on his head, the team had an interesting play on one of Fort Wayne’s more legendary persons of lore.
If you like the name Mad Ants, of the one-year old NBA Developmental League, then you cannot in any good faith dislike Tin Caps.
When Jeff Potter and the crew over with the Mad Ants came up with the name, they used the same formula. They took famed General Anthony Wayne, twisted the Anthony part up and there you have it: angry ants.
And it fits in well with not only the Mad Ants, but Fort Wayne’s only other really focused on professional team the Komets. Because Komets with a ‘K’? That’s pretty much just a Fort Wayne thing.
And Tin Caps is oriented specifically to this city. Or for all you old school Wizards haters, we could call ourselves the Fort Wayne Padres!
Or you could shut up.
We could be boring and cliche with usual names or ones that start with a ‘F’ for pathetic rhyming purposes (Flash? Fever? Defunct Freedom?). Or we could break out as we have done.
So me, I will accept the Tin Caps.
Why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t anyone.
After all, we still have this brand new and Tom Henry-rific financially irresponsible stadium to complain about.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
>OJ did it, move on
An ex-OJ Simpson associate is now spilling his guts, saying that a high, drunk OJ admitted murdering his wife and Ronald Goldman in 1994
Let's stop pretending that this is really news worthy here. OJ did it, we all know that.
I was in sixth grade when the murder happened. I watched story unfold, saw a sweet bronco chase, remember the trial (Judge Ito, Kato Kaelin and all). I watched the verdict in my sixth grade science class (obviously Ms. Hunter really didn't have anything better to do...like teach.) And through all of that, I only knew one thing: OJ did it.
So stop. I don't want it on Sportscenter, CNN.com needs to find something better to do and aren't there better guests for "Outside the Lines" than scumbags (if you were EVER in the "OJ camp," you are a scumbag.)
Forget the "fictional" book, the banter- it's old and I'm over it. OJ Simpson could stand in front of congress and say "I killed 'em, it was fun, kiss my ass" and there is nothing anyone could do. So if we all know he did and there is nothing that can be done about it, what is the big deal? I don't care if he admits it.
Stop wasting my time, this isn't 1994. OJ Simpson is dead to half the world, why can't we just leave it that way?
Let's stop pretending that this is really news worthy here. OJ did it, we all know that.
I was in sixth grade when the murder happened. I watched story unfold, saw a sweet bronco chase, remember the trial (Judge Ito, Kato Kaelin and all). I watched the verdict in my sixth grade science class (obviously Ms. Hunter really didn't have anything better to do...like teach.) And through all of that, I only knew one thing: OJ did it.
So stop. I don't want it on Sportscenter, CNN.com needs to find something better to do and aren't there better guests for "Outside the Lines" than scumbags (if you were EVER in the "OJ camp," you are a scumbag.)
Forget the "fictional" book, the banter- it's old and I'm over it. OJ Simpson could stand in front of congress and say "I killed 'em, it was fun, kiss my ass" and there is nothing anyone could do. So if we all know he did and there is nothing that can be done about it, what is the big deal? I don't care if he admits it.
Stop wasting my time, this isn't 1994. OJ Simpson is dead to half the world, why can't we just leave it that way?
Friday, May 2, 2008
>West Coast Evils
I feel like I need a therapist for this one...
Doctor, I hate the West Coast and I really don't know why.
I guess it started in 2006 with this fellow named Steve Klosterman. He had these easy-t0-mock friends named Dennis Gonzales, Damien Scott, Paul George, Jamie Diefenbach, Nick Scheftic and this feathery haired jerk named Tony Ker.
Last year, I thought I was content until some guy who can't spell Jason right (yeah, you Jayson Jablonsky) and his buddy Brian Thornton came along.
And now, I have this strange desire to punch an Aussie named Paul.
Why do I have such rage when it comes to the volleyball programs of the West Coast?
Tonight, Pepperdine (who got royally ousted by the Mastodons last year) advanced to the National Title Game. And with the wave they are riding (no pun intended), it may be hard for the Nittany Lions of Penn State to get by them. And that really, really irritates me. If Paul Carroll and JD Schleppenbach out-do Matt Anderson and Luke Murray, I may go insane.
This time, my boys aren't even involved. So why the rage? Why do I wish that Penn State ends Saturday night in some fashion that resembles 30-0, 30-0, 30-1? (Yeah, I'll give Pepperdine a point for a ridiculous mascot)
The hatred I feel for UCLA, UC-Irvine, Pepperdine and yes you UC-Santa Barbara (turn around and watch the game!) is unrivaled!
Maybe I need help. I don't even get this upset for Duke basketball sometimes. But I am sick of this "west coast dominance" shit. It's time to put these boys and their old, tired coaches in their place.
Go Penn State.
Doctor, I hate the West Coast and I really don't know why.
I guess it started in 2006 with this fellow named Steve Klosterman. He had these easy-t0-mock friends named Dennis Gonzales, Damien Scott, Paul George, Jamie Diefenbach, Nick Scheftic and this feathery haired jerk named Tony Ker.
Last year, I thought I was content until some guy who can't spell Jason right (yeah, you Jayson Jablonsky) and his buddy Brian Thornton came along.
And now, I have this strange desire to punch an Aussie named Paul.
Why do I have such rage when it comes to the volleyball programs of the West Coast?
Tonight, Pepperdine (who got royally ousted by the Mastodons last year) advanced to the National Title Game. And with the wave they are riding (no pun intended), it may be hard for the Nittany Lions of Penn State to get by them. And that really, really irritates me. If Paul Carroll and JD Schleppenbach out-do Matt Anderson and Luke Murray, I may go insane.
This time, my boys aren't even involved. So why the rage? Why do I wish that Penn State ends Saturday night in some fashion that resembles 30-0, 30-0, 30-1? (Yeah, I'll give Pepperdine a point for a ridiculous mascot)
The hatred I feel for UCLA, UC-Irvine, Pepperdine and yes you UC-Santa Barbara (turn around and watch the game!) is unrivaled!
Maybe I need help. I don't even get this upset for Duke basketball sometimes. But I am sick of this "west coast dominance" shit. It's time to put these boys and their old, tired coaches in their place.
Go Penn State.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
>Is this the best time for a volleyball change?
In the past five years, IPFW has experienced many changes including an influx of young coaches. Since the fall of 2002, when the program became fully Division I certified, only four coaches have left the school.
That low number leaves me expectant that will change in coming years. The biggest and most important change that could come in that area is the retirement of Arnie Ball, whenever that may occur.
When it comes to coaches at IPFW, mens volleyball coaches nationwide and pretty much coaching in general, Arnie Ball is in a certain class of his own.
When you have been at a school for almost 30 years and are one of the winningest coaches in your sport, there is never a “right time” to walk away. But the fact is that eventually, Arnie will choose to do so. And when he does, I pray that it is the right way because Arnie Ball is the epitome of IPFW athletics and should always be remembered that way.
There has always been talk of who would replace Arnie when he retires from the sport he has helped define. Will it be son Lloy when he retires from professional and Olympic play? How about assistant Ryan Perrotte, who seems like he has been groomed well for the replacement?
But most importantly, when is the best time? As I said before, there is no right time. So when would it be best to hand over the reigns?
And as much as I respect and like Coach Ball (and as much as he’ll adimently disagree with my next assessment), I believe that this is the best time to leave IPFW in the capable hands of either replacment. Though, I am all for Ryan Perrotte.
Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.
Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.
But think about this:
Coach Ball is fresh off of back-to-back Final Four appearances, the school’s first National Runner-Up finish, a 2007 AVCA Coach of the Year honor and saying goodbye to seven seniors (the most for IPFW in quite sometime).
As it stands now, there will be just two seniors in 2009. The team is quite young with only two starters returning. And those who are still around have quite the relationship with Perrotte. The next couple of years will be a rebuilding time for the mens volleyball program. I think it could be best to let someone else rebuild. No, Arnie would not be going out on top, and I know he wants to win a National title pretty damn bad. But this may be the closest to going out on top that he may ever get.
I’m not saying I want Arnie to leave. On the contrary, I would love for him to stay forever. And coach, if I still have you reading my articles all these years later, let me say that I have truly enjoyed every second of covering you, talking to and interviewing you. I really do hope that you continue to coach at IPFW forever. Because as long as you coach, I will definantly be in the stands watching you do it.
Since I won’t be here when he does hang up the clipboard, I do truly hope that IPFW gives Arnie the caring and emotional parting that he deserves. Because when it does happen, Mastodon athletics will never be the same again.
(this column originally appeared in the IPFW Communicator on April 30, 2008)
That low number leaves me expectant that will change in coming years. The biggest and most important change that could come in that area is the retirement of Arnie Ball, whenever that may occur.
When it comes to coaches at IPFW, mens volleyball coaches nationwide and pretty much coaching in general, Arnie Ball is in a certain class of his own.
When you have been at a school for almost 30 years and are one of the winningest coaches in your sport, there is never a “right time” to walk away. But the fact is that eventually, Arnie will choose to do so. And when he does, I pray that it is the right way because Arnie Ball is the epitome of IPFW athletics and should always be remembered that way.
There has always been talk of who would replace Arnie when he retires from the sport he has helped define. Will it be son Lloy when he retires from professional and Olympic play? How about assistant Ryan Perrotte, who seems like he has been groomed well for the replacement?
But most importantly, when is the best time? As I said before, there is no right time. So when would it be best to hand over the reigns?
And as much as I respect and like Coach Ball (and as much as he’ll adimently disagree with my next assessment), I believe that this is the best time to leave IPFW in the capable hands of either replacment. Though, I am all for Ryan Perrotte.
Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.
Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.
But think about this:
Coach Ball is fresh off of back-to-back Final Four appearances, the school’s first National Runner-Up finish, a 2007 AVCA Coach of the Year honor and saying goodbye to seven seniors (the most for IPFW in quite sometime).
As it stands now, there will be just two seniors in 2009. The team is quite young with only two starters returning. And those who are still around have quite the relationship with Perrotte. The next couple of years will be a rebuilding time for the mens volleyball program. I think it could be best to let someone else rebuild. No, Arnie would not be going out on top, and I know he wants to win a National title pretty damn bad. But this may be the closest to going out on top that he may ever get.
I’m not saying I want Arnie to leave. On the contrary, I would love for him to stay forever. And coach, if I still have you reading my articles all these years later, let me say that I have truly enjoyed every second of covering you, talking to and interviewing you. I really do hope that you continue to coach at IPFW forever. Because as long as you coach, I will definantly be in the stands watching you do it.
Since I won’t be here when he does hang up the clipboard, I do truly hope that IPFW gives Arnie the caring and emotional parting that he deserves. Because when it does happen, Mastodon athletics will never be the same again.
(this column originally appeared in the IPFW Communicator on April 30, 2008)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
>This is your Legacy
IPFW volleyball’s season and hopeful run for a third straight Final Four came crashing down with a 3-2 loss on Friday night. After two straight trips to the nation’s top stage with many of the same players, this IPFW team finished 12-15, losers of their last four.
And for seven very special seniors, that is how your college careers ended. That is not your legacy. That is not how you will be remembered.
This group will go down as one of the best teams, of any kind, in the history of this institution. Josh Stewart, Brock Ullrich, Dan McNerney and Steve Rogers have shown that there are kids who buy into programs will be true team players for all four years. Graydon Ainsworth has filled the most important role in the program by moving in at setter in 2008. And C.J. Macias and Jason Yhost have transferred in, hit hard and restored faith in a program that had its share of struggles in years before.
These seven seniors have left an amazing mark on this school, their sport, each other and every fan who has watched them over the past two, three or four years.
Going to matches at Gates, and in some ways life, will not be the same now that they must move on. And that is a legacy.
On the court, who is going to hit from the outsides? Who is going to be a permanent ball stopper in the middle? Hell, who am I going to have to cringe at regarding ball control?
On the sidelines, who is going to always be smiling? Who is going to be the clapping-nazi? And what will it be like without errant yells of “Yyhhooooosst!” before a serve?
Overall, what will life be like without seven guys who have done amazing things for IPFW and always done so with a smile, a laugh and without taking it all too seriously?
Yes, they faltered when the pressure was actually on them. I don’t think that any of them will argue with that. But why in the world would that be their legacy?
Anybody who has seen them play, anybody who knows them personally will carry their own distinct, and I’m betting, positive memories of these guys. And that is what we should remember them for.
From the first time I watched any of them play, on January 28, 2005 in a loss to Lewis, you always had a feeling that the original core group of five (then including Mike Morici) was going to be something special. Later that year I cheered against Macias as IPFW bounced him and
I will remember these seven seniors for those things.
I will remember the first time I interviewed any of them. Brock Ullrich sure was cool and collected the first time I stuck a recorder in his face when he was a freshman. Goofy? Yeah. Serious? Never. He was Brock. The same Brock that ripped Pepperdine in the 2007 National Semis, the same Brock that adorns a towel on his head on the sidelines when we are down and spikes his hair in crazy ways when the momentum is going our way.
I’ll know that C.J. was always willing to swing by for a quick interview anytime I needed just one more quote for a story and I’ll always know that he made having the mens volleyball beat during their first Final Four run the easiest thing in the world.
And I’ll always know that two of these guys, while never playing as much as their peers, spent four great years at IPFW filling two of the most crucial roles, as I see it, on this mens volleyball team. In the form of Mike Daiga (Class of 2006), Steve Rogers was a true team player who was always smiling and always happy to be part of this program.
And Dan McNerney? What really would a match be like if he was not there? Loud, vocal, leading and the life of the party in the
We all have our memories of the seven of you. You all have your memories of each other and your time at IPFW. Good, bad, funny and even sad, that is your legacy. And it is worth remembering.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
>And the exile begins...
Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, : good riddance.
The NCAA exile has already begun and I can't wait until the list is complete. You guys might as well take OJ Mayo and Derrick Rose with you, because it's coming and I don't want them anymore. If you are a freshman and going to the NBA, then you and that league full of jackasses deserve each other. If you are 19 and your family is not living in poverty, then keep your butt in school.
If you are a junior and you feel it's your best time to go, then more power to you. Some of you will get your degrees in three years, others have enough discipline to still get that degree (Stanford's Lopez twins) and very few of you will be big-headed jerks that think you are above the sport.
Kids who think they are too good for college basketball ruin the purity of the most pure level of the sport that still exists. And as a big-time college basketball fan, I say that the NCAA is better off without you. So, goodbye.
(This will be the one and only time that I admire Tyler Hansbrough. He could have gone to the league as a lottery pick at any point, but chose to try and lead his school to a national title.)
Oh and good luck five years into your NBA career when your knee gives out and you have nothing to fall back on. Or, when the league passes you by and you are forced to work at a hardware store to try to make ends meet and fail to pay child support for your 10 kids by 8 moms (yes, a Jason Caffey shoutout).
The NCAA exile has already begun and I can't wait until the list is complete. You guys might as well take OJ Mayo and Derrick Rose with you, because it's coming and I don't want them anymore. If you are a freshman and going to the NBA, then you and that league full of jackasses deserve each other. If you are 19 and your family is not living in poverty, then keep your butt in school.
If you are a junior and you feel it's your best time to go, then more power to you. Some of you will get your degrees in three years, others have enough discipline to still get that degree (Stanford's Lopez twins) and very few of you will be big-headed jerks that think you are above the sport.
Kids who think they are too good for college basketball ruin the purity of the most pure level of the sport that still exists. And as a big-time college basketball fan, I say that the NCAA is better off without you. So, goodbye.
(This will be the one and only time that I admire Tyler Hansbrough. He could have gone to the league as a lottery pick at any point, but chose to try and lead his school to a national title.)
Oh and good luck five years into your NBA career when your knee gives out and you have nothing to fall back on. Or, when the league passes you by and you are forced to work at a hardware store to try to make ends meet and fail to pay child support for your 10 kids by 8 moms (yes, a Jason Caffey shoutout).
Thursday, April 3, 2008
>Dakich's parting shot
Last week, Indiana University guards Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis skipped a mandatory team meeting. The next morning, they opted out of a disciplinary 6 a.m. run. Tuesday, they were promptly booted from the team by Interim coach Dan Dakich. Wednesday, the school named Tom Crean as the new head coach. ESPN even went as far as to note that Dakich was already cleaning out his office.
So just who in the hell does Dan Dakich think he is?
The disobeyed you, I get that. But considering that in 24 hours, they weren't going to be your players anymore, is it your place to dismiss them?
Grow up Dan Dakich. You couldn't get the job done at IU, the team was miserable (at best) under you and you fire a last shot by eliminating Tom Crean's best returning players- real mature.
You've said you do not know where you will end up next year. With bush-league antics like that, my guess is coaching parks and recreation ball in Idaho.
What a punk.
So just who in the hell does Dan Dakich think he is?
The disobeyed you, I get that. But considering that in 24 hours, they weren't going to be your players anymore, is it your place to dismiss them?
Grow up Dan Dakich. You couldn't get the job done at IU, the team was miserable (at best) under you and you fire a last shot by eliminating Tom Crean's best returning players- real mature.
You've said you do not know where you will end up next year. With bush-league antics like that, my guess is coaching parks and recreation ball in Idaho.
What a punk.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
>Mayweather crosses barrier
“It’s not easy.”
That was Floyd Mayweather’s first thought he passed on to the media after his pro wrestling debut on Sunday’s WWE Wrestlemania show.
Easy or not, Mayweather made it look pretty good and mildly entertaining. And in such, boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter took a step and crossed a barrier that no man really has before. He has made the transition from fan favorite athlete to legit bad guy in the male soap opera world of the WWE.
Other celebrities and athletes have attempted to make crossovers, usually at Wrestlemania, several times over the last decade. But none could be considered as widely publicized or successful as Floyd Mayweather’s appearance last Sunday.
Not only did Mayweather get the win (the WWE wasn’t paying him to come and lose), but he was entertaining in the process. And he was entertaining booked as the bad guy in the match. And if anyone has ever watched Mayweather’s personality, they know that he is far from the bad guy.
Mayweather showed that he can be a character. And let’s face it, that is what pro wrestling is about, right? And while he was obviously out of his element, he put on a good showing for a guy who’s never been in that kind of ring before.
From his faux-fur shorts to his “Philthy Rich” medallion, Mayweather found an amazing new medium to showcase his over the top personality.
Will he pass on boxing, retire at 39-0 and become the WWE’s next evil intruder? Doubtful. But it was fun to watch for one night.
The bottom line is that Mayweather is the first athlete to cross this shaky barrier and be successful.
Do I think more athletes should do this? Absolutely not (said with a smile). Honestly, I don’t really think that anybody else could pull this off quite like “Money” Mayweather did.
It was a once in a lifetime kind of thing and the WWE and Mayweather both did their best. It was worth the watch anyway and that says a lot about the appeal of Mayweather in general as his real sport continues its’ decline.
>Column appeared originally in 4/2 Communicator
That was Floyd Mayweather’s first thought he passed on to the media after his pro wrestling debut on Sunday’s WWE Wrestlemania show.
Easy or not, Mayweather made it look pretty good and mildly entertaining. And in such, boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter took a step and crossed a barrier that no man really has before. He has made the transition from fan favorite athlete to legit bad guy in the male soap opera world of the WWE.
Other celebrities and athletes have attempted to make crossovers, usually at Wrestlemania, several times over the last decade. But none could be considered as widely publicized or successful as Floyd Mayweather’s appearance last Sunday.
Not only did Mayweather get the win (the WWE wasn’t paying him to come and lose), but he was entertaining in the process. And he was entertaining booked as the bad guy in the match. And if anyone has ever watched Mayweather’s personality, they know that he is far from the bad guy.
Mayweather showed that he can be a character. And let’s face it, that is what pro wrestling is about, right? And while he was obviously out of his element, he put on a good showing for a guy who’s never been in that kind of ring before.
From his faux-fur shorts to his “Philthy Rich” medallion, Mayweather found an amazing new medium to showcase his over the top personality.
Will he pass on boxing, retire at 39-0 and become the WWE’s next evil intruder? Doubtful. But it was fun to watch for one night.
The bottom line is that Mayweather is the first athlete to cross this shaky barrier and be successful.
Do I think more athletes should do this? Absolutely not (said with a smile). Honestly, I don’t really think that anybody else could pull this off quite like “Money” Mayweather did.
It was a once in a lifetime kind of thing and the WWE and Mayweather both did their best. It was worth the watch anyway and that says a lot about the appeal of Mayweather in general as his real sport continues its’ decline.
>Column appeared originally in 4/2 Communicator
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
>Ex-Mastodon shines in Madness
In the vast Madness that is college basketball in March, one ex-IPFW Mastodon used 2008 as another year to stand out.
Let us all reminisce and remember Pete Campbell, a guy we in Fort Wayne all once knew as 'Soup.'
Hearing or reading his name on ESPN or in Sports Illustrated has been really cool over the last year. But nothing was as good as watching three-pointer after three-pointer swish through the net in an opening round victory over South Alabama.
Campbell, who spent two years at IPFW (only one playing),was the Independent Newcomer of the Year in 2005. He left shortly after the hiring of Dane Fife, citing that he wanted a guaranteed chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.
And Pete made the right choice.
He has been there twice in his two years as a Butler Bulldog, going to the Sweet 16 in 2007. He scored a big 26 points last Friday in a first round win. Though the Bulldogs lost on Sunday to Tennessee, his 8-for-10 shooting clinic from three-point range in round one was definitely his shining moment.
In his five tournament games, Pete averaged 14/game, hitting a massive 21 three-pointers along the way.
Kudos to Campbell for making a decision for the right reason and sticking to it despite losing a season of eligibility. As much as I have missed Pete Campbell at IPFW, his five game NCAA Tournament career was well worth the move that he made.
(This column originally appeared in the IPFW Communicator on March 26)
Let us all reminisce and remember Pete Campbell, a guy we in Fort Wayne all once knew as 'Soup.'
Hearing or reading his name on ESPN or in Sports Illustrated has been really cool over the last year. But nothing was as good as watching three-pointer after three-pointer swish through the net in an opening round victory over South Alabama.
Campbell, who spent two years at IPFW (only one playing),was the Independent Newcomer of the Year in 2005. He left shortly after the hiring of Dane Fife, citing that he wanted a guaranteed chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.
And Pete made the right choice.
He has been there twice in his two years as a Butler Bulldog, going to the Sweet 16 in 2007. He scored a big 26 points last Friday in a first round win. Though the Bulldogs lost on Sunday to Tennessee, his 8-for-10 shooting clinic from three-point range in round one was definitely his shining moment.
In his five tournament games, Pete averaged 14/game, hitting a massive 21 three-pointers along the way.
Kudos to Campbell for making a decision for the right reason and sticking to it despite losing a season of eligibility. As much as I have missed Pete Campbell at IPFW, his five game NCAA Tournament career was well worth the move that he made.
(This column originally appeared in the IPFW Communicator on March 26)
Friday, March 21, 2008
>College basketball's BIG tease
If NCAA Basketball can have its 'Cinderella', then it certainly can have its 'Star Wars: Episode 1' as well. AKA, a big buildup and great back story, only to be a massive disapointment.
I am pretty sure that Drake has just etched out its spot as the biggest tease in tournament history. And I thought Duke's performance last night left me wanting to stone myself to death.
In my mind, the Drake Bulldogs were Division I's greatest story this season and one of the best stories in sports period. And then, they lost to Western Kentucky. And then, suddenly Drake didn't matter anymore- back to old times I guess.
This isn't about messing up brackets, because they sure did that everywhere I am sure (so much for my Sweet 16 hopes). This is about proving that you really weren't that good to begin with. While better teams with (for some reason) less hype and relegated to lower seeds, here Drake is at a number-5 and losing in round one. It proves that while Coach Keno Davis did a masterful job taking a team ripe with ex-walkons and powering through the MVC, they just didn't have the stamina to hold up in the end.
Welcome to the NCAA Tournament Drake; welcome to sports.
A great season means nothing if you can't finish. And sadly, you guys never really even got started.
So what will Drake 2008 go down as? Simply a disapointment.
I am pretty sure that Drake has just etched out its spot as the biggest tease in tournament history. And I thought Duke's performance last night left me wanting to stone myself to death.
In my mind, the Drake Bulldogs were Division I's greatest story this season and one of the best stories in sports period. And then, they lost to Western Kentucky. And then, suddenly Drake didn't matter anymore- back to old times I guess.
This isn't about messing up brackets, because they sure did that everywhere I am sure (so much for my Sweet 16 hopes). This is about proving that you really weren't that good to begin with. While better teams with (for some reason) less hype and relegated to lower seeds, here Drake is at a number-5 and losing in round one. It proves that while Coach Keno Davis did a masterful job taking a team ripe with ex-walkons and powering through the MVC, they just didn't have the stamina to hold up in the end.
Welcome to the NCAA Tournament Drake; welcome to sports.
A great season means nothing if you can't finish. And sadly, you guys never really even got started.
So what will Drake 2008 go down as? Simply a disapointment.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
>Yay! It's Play-In Day!
The NCAA Tournament is officially hours away from starting, bringing in weeks of solid and almost non-stop basketball action (thank you CBS).
However, the first stop is brought to us by the wonderful people at ESPN when Mount Saint Marys do battle with Coppin State. And, if for no other reason, we should all watch this game to enjoy one of the best nicknames in college basketball.
I pray that The Mount not only beat Coppin State (that's my pick anyway), but that they also exterminate UNC in the first 16-over-1 upset ever. Because I hate UNC? Well, yeah. But also because there is simply nothing cooler than The Mount.
And while on some final pre-tournament business, I have to make note of what may be my favorite or least favorite recruiting news of all time. Coach K has decided to sign a player with a least pronounceable last name. Yeah, it is actually possibly.
World, meet Olek Czyz:
I don't even know how to pronounce this name. I'm guessing something like "Szzziz," but really have no idea. Our buddy Olek is a lean 6'7'' forward from Reno, Nevada and a 3-star recruit according to most scouting services.
And since when did Duke recruit guys that weren't McDonald's All-Americans? This is either going to make my next four years or wish that Greg Paulus had a younger brother. And if its the second one, then God help us all.
However, the first stop is brought to us by the wonderful people at ESPN when Mount Saint Marys do battle with Coppin State. And, if for no other reason, we should all watch this game to enjoy one of the best nicknames in college basketball.
I pray that The Mount not only beat Coppin State (that's my pick anyway), but that they also exterminate UNC in the first 16-over-1 upset ever. Because I hate UNC? Well, yeah. But also because there is simply nothing cooler than The Mount.
And while on some final pre-tournament business, I have to make note of what may be my favorite or least favorite recruiting news of all time. Coach K has decided to sign a player with a least pronounceable last name. Yeah, it is actually possibly.
World, meet Olek Czyz:
I don't even know how to pronounce this name. I'm guessing something like "Szzziz," but really have no idea. Our buddy Olek is a lean 6'7'' forward from Reno, Nevada and a 3-star recruit according to most scouting services.
And since when did Duke recruit guys that weren't McDonald's All-Americans? This is either going to make my next four years or wish that Greg Paulus had a younger brother. And if its the second one, then God help us all.
Monday, March 17, 2008
>I hate to Burst your Bubble
It's going to be a long NIT Tournament for VCU, Virginia Tech, Florida, Syracuse, Maryland and Ohio State, among others.
That is because their bubbles, hard or soft, were burst in their conference tournament.
Or the selection committee was just stupid. Guess which one I am going for?
Now, not all of those teams deserved a spot in the tournament, but some of them did. Here is who should be in and who really needs to be out:
Arizona State replaces Arizona: The Sun Devils were probably the most bitch-jacked team in college basketball. Not only did they beat Arizona twice, they beat four other tournament teams, including a 3-seeded Stanford and an Oregon that also doesn't deserve to be in the field of 65.
Dayton replaces Oregon: While we are talking about the Ducks, lets get them out of there. Dayton beat Louisville and Big East champions Pitt. Their RPI is the highest of any team not making the tournament. And while the Flyers probably wouldn't have stayed around long, they at least deserved a ticket.
Virginia Commonwealth replaces Baylor: While the Bears' story is appealing, this isn't the daytime emmys. VCU was shocked by William & Mary in their conference tournament semis but looking only at that ignores a great season for the Rams. They didn't have the greatest RPI or strength of schedule, but they were one of Division I's most consistent teams over the course of the year.
Who didn't make the cut and for good reason:
Much love to Virginia Tech. They had UNC on the ropes before they forgot to block out in the ACC Semi-Finals. But, they really needed to beat UNC to have a shot at the tournament. In the tough conference, they beat the bottom teams and split with the slightly more mediocre. Even though they played strong late, they weren't that great this year.
No repeat finalists thanks to Ohio State and Florida. And while the Gators really weren't so close, the Buckeyes supposedly were. 19-13 with nine conference losses doesn't do it in my book, hence why Oregon should be out. OSU was 2-10 against top 50 RPI teams and thankfully the committee did not put them in just on name alone (can we say Arizona?).
And while I will be looking forward to some NIT games too (thanks to the brilliance of the selection committee), below is my NCAA Tournament bracket (which will be updated daily following my hits and misses).
My Final Four? North Carolina, Kansas, Pittsburgh and Duke.
Kansas and Pitt have the best line of sight to get there, while Duke will need to play bold in a region that could go to them, UCLA or West Virginia depending on who is playing the best.
North Carolina has the toughest road with Notre Dame, Louisville, Butler and Tennessee.
Not a big upsetting year if you ask me. But, I think Saint Joseph's will get through a couple of rounds with San Diego, Winthrop and Siena poised to pull round one upsets. I also like Drake, while a 5-seed, to get past Western Kentucky and UConn to head to the Sweet 16.
And the game of round one? Kansas State and USC. Beasley and Mayo may be the best one-on-one match that the tournament could hope to produce. Can we say ratings? Can we say bye-bye O.J, have fun in the NBA?
That is because their bubbles, hard or soft, were burst in their conference tournament.
Or the selection committee was just stupid. Guess which one I am going for?
Now, not all of those teams deserved a spot in the tournament, but some of them did. Here is who should be in and who really needs to be out:
Arizona State replaces Arizona: The Sun Devils were probably the most bitch-jacked team in college basketball. Not only did they beat Arizona twice, they beat four other tournament teams, including a 3-seeded Stanford and an Oregon that also doesn't deserve to be in the field of 65.
Dayton replaces Oregon: While we are talking about the Ducks, lets get them out of there. Dayton beat Louisville and Big East champions Pitt. Their RPI is the highest of any team not making the tournament. And while the Flyers probably wouldn't have stayed around long, they at least deserved a ticket.
Virginia Commonwealth replaces Baylor: While the Bears' story is appealing, this isn't the daytime emmys. VCU was shocked by William & Mary in their conference tournament semis but looking only at that ignores a great season for the Rams. They didn't have the greatest RPI or strength of schedule, but they were one of Division I's most consistent teams over the course of the year.
Who didn't make the cut and for good reason:
Much love to Virginia Tech. They had UNC on the ropes before they forgot to block out in the ACC Semi-Finals. But, they really needed to beat UNC to have a shot at the tournament. In the tough conference, they beat the bottom teams and split with the slightly more mediocre. Even though they played strong late, they weren't that great this year.
No repeat finalists thanks to Ohio State and Florida. And while the Gators really weren't so close, the Buckeyes supposedly were. 19-13 with nine conference losses doesn't do it in my book, hence why Oregon should be out. OSU was 2-10 against top 50 RPI teams and thankfully the committee did not put them in just on name alone (can we say Arizona?).
And while I will be looking forward to some NIT games too (thanks to the brilliance of the selection committee), below is my NCAA Tournament bracket (which will be updated daily following my hits and misses).
My Final Four? North Carolina, Kansas, Pittsburgh and Duke.
Kansas and Pitt have the best line of sight to get there, while Duke will need to play bold in a region that could go to them, UCLA or West Virginia depending on who is playing the best.
North Carolina has the toughest road with Notre Dame, Louisville, Butler and Tennessee.
Not a big upsetting year if you ask me. But, I think Saint Joseph's will get through a couple of rounds with San Diego, Winthrop and Siena poised to pull round one upsets. I also like Drake, while a 5-seed, to get past Western Kentucky and UConn to head to the Sweet 16.
And the game of round one? Kansas State and USC. Beasley and Mayo may be the best one-on-one match that the tournament could hope to produce. Can we say ratings? Can we say bye-bye O.J, have fun in the NBA?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
>Selection Stupid
The NCAA Tournament field is set and the Butler Bulldogs have shown us all one major thing:
We need to form a selection committee to choose the NCAA selection committee.
A 7-seed? Like really? So the ninth best team in the nation has 24 teams that are better than them? That sure makes sense.
Even worse is that this great committee decided to reward the Horizon League's top team by giving them a game against South Alabama in Birmingham....Birmingham, Alabama.
Sometimes, I think that you have to be a complete idiot to work for the NCAA.
We need to form a selection committee to choose the NCAA selection committee.
A 7-seed? Like really? So the ninth best team in the nation has 24 teams that are better than them? That sure makes sense.
Even worse is that this great committee decided to reward the Horizon League's top team by giving them a game against South Alabama in Birmingham....Birmingham, Alabama.
Sometimes, I think that you have to be a complete idiot to work for the NCAA.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
>All hail #80
So the great debate (and complaint) is on about new San Francisco 49er Issac Bruce wanting to wear number 80.
Yes, 80 in San Francisco means Rice.
No, not Uncle Ben- just Jerry.
Yes, Dancing with the Stars Jerry Rice.
But didn't Issac Bruce wear number 80 his entire, historic career? Wasn't it his number 80 scoring SuperBowl touchdowns more recently than Rice?
This is basically these jackasses in the NFL telling Issac Bruce "well Jerry Rice is more legend...ish than you. So there!"
Oh grow up! Jerry Rice is one of the best ever, without a doubt. But the world will not cave in, Rice's legacy will not be tainted and San Francisco will not fall into the ocean if Issac Bruce wears number 80. It is simply a number. Whatever happened to the old saying that "the name of the front of a jersey is more important than the name on the back"? Shouldn't that go with numbers too?
If Peyton Manning wanted to come to the 49ers but said that he only would if he wore number 8, would the Steve Young fanatics outrage? Or would they welcome Captain Hickboy with open arms?
At least Jerry Rice has given his OK on the jersey wearing. Well thanks Jerry, I'm not sure when the NFL put you in charge of that, but if LaDainian Tomlinson decides to sign with the Cowboys, just check with Emmitt Smith before you give a "yay or nay" to the people in Big D.
I think the 49er fans should probably just shut up and be grateful that their pitiful program landed a Hall of Fame player. Especially a receiver in a land that no receiver should want to go. (Note that Alex Smith was statistically the worst QB in the land last year.)
So grow up San Francisco. Just be happy, it may be a while until you get thrown another bone like this.
>I do care about IPFW
Dear Readers, I'm sorry for being right.
I am sorry that I wrote a column in the March 5 edition of the IPFW Communicator that said that Oral Roberts would eliminate both the men and women basketball teams from the Summit League Tournament. I am sorry that both the men and women basketball teams were eliminated by Oral Roberts in the Summit League Tournament. I am sorry that I exercised my right to pen a column expressing my opinion.
In all seriousness, I do apologize if I offended Dane Fife, Chris Paul and/or any of their players. That was not my intention.
But any implication, true or not, that I do not support IPFW athletics is a joke. I have been covering IPFW sports for the past six years in some way or another for four different publications. I attend every home men's volleyball game, I have written about every sport during that time and I have attended more basketball games (men and women) then probably 97 percent of the student body at IPFW over that time. Oh yeah, I have also been trying to convince players I have coached (on the high school basketball level) to play at IPFW.
I value IPFW and what the department has accomplished probably as much as anyone who really doesn't have anything to do with the department first hand.
So if anybody thinks that I believe IPFW is a joke. You are wrong.
But I was honest when I said that the chances for IPFW basketball, either gender, to get by Oral Roberts were not good. I thought the chances were low and yes, both teams lost to the Golden Eagles. Does that mean I was cheering against the Mastodons?
I am sorry for any offense taken. But I will not apologize for expressing my personal, professional and educated opinion of what events would transpire. So understand, when I say "better luck next year IPFW," it is not out of cynical spite. I mean it and I always stand by the Mastodons.
So don't second guess me.
I am sorry that I wrote a column in the March 5 edition of the IPFW Communicator that said that Oral Roberts would eliminate both the men and women basketball teams from the Summit League Tournament. I am sorry that both the men and women basketball teams were eliminated by Oral Roberts in the Summit League Tournament. I am sorry that I exercised my right to pen a column expressing my opinion.
In all seriousness, I do apologize if I offended Dane Fife, Chris Paul and/or any of their players. That was not my intention.
But any implication, true or not, that I do not support IPFW athletics is a joke. I have been covering IPFW sports for the past six years in some way or another for four different publications. I attend every home men's volleyball game, I have written about every sport during that time and I have attended more basketball games (men and women) then probably 97 percent of the student body at IPFW over that time. Oh yeah, I have also been trying to convince players I have coached (on the high school basketball level) to play at IPFW.
I value IPFW and what the department has accomplished probably as much as anyone who really doesn't have anything to do with the department first hand.
So if anybody thinks that I believe IPFW is a joke. You are wrong.
But I was honest when I said that the chances for IPFW basketball, either gender, to get by Oral Roberts were not good. I thought the chances were low and yes, both teams lost to the Golden Eagles. Does that mean I was cheering against the Mastodons?
I am sorry for any offense taken. But I will not apologize for expressing my personal, professional and educated opinion of what events would transpire. So understand, when I say "better luck next year IPFW," it is not out of cynical spite. I mean it and I always stand by the Mastodons.
So don't second guess me.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
>Bynum to change the NBA
The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of things. They have more than enough star power (see Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol). They have plenty of ego (check Kobe again and the possibility of adding Gilbert Arenas in off season free agency). They have friendly-faced veterans (Derek Fisher is beloved pretty much everywhere). But they also have a man, who while injured, may be on his way to revolutionizing the National Basketball Association.
His name is Andrew Bynum.
Big men once ruled this league. From Robert Parrish to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, from Bill Russell to Hakeem Olajuwon; this was once the land of the giants. Lately, the only giant thing about the big men of the NBA has been disappointment.
Of anyone currently in the league, Bynum has the best chance to anyone to change that stigma.
I am sick of seeing mediocre basketball talents cashing in on big pay days because they are 7-foot tall. Let's face simple facts: Shaq is old, Yao is really just tall and Gasol really is not a big man. It pains me to know that soon the NBA will exploit UNC-Asheville's 7'8'' man beast Kenny George just because he can dunk without jumping, even though he can barely run without tripping.
Bynum was not really a Draft day steal or anything like that. Like most of the really best long term NBA players, he was just another draft pick to help a team down the line. But for all of the things the Lakers have done wrong, they made some right choices with him.
And he has made some good choices too. He is down to earth, intelligent with his status and eager to learn from players who have more experience. 90 percent of the players in the league don't have those qualities. With the right motivation and staying in that rare 10 percent, Bynum may be the best humanitarian in the NBA soon. As far as being one of the best players (or big men), Bynum has the most talent by far in the league. His skill set allows him to go old school playing hard around the rim but also move around like a new age post is expected to do.
I do think that Andrew Bynum may be able to flourish more somewhere else with less cocky and ball hogging players around him, but L.A. will do for now. As it is, he at least knows he can rebound extremely well with the 30 shots Kobe is putting up a night. His likely return in early-April before the playoffs will be the best thing for a Laker team hoping for some postseason wins.
Mark my words: Andrew Bynum will change this game with time.
His name is Andrew Bynum.
Big men once ruled this league. From Robert Parrish to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, from Bill Russell to Hakeem Olajuwon; this was once the land of the giants. Lately, the only giant thing about the big men of the NBA has been disappointment.
Of anyone currently in the league, Bynum has the best chance to anyone to change that stigma.
I am sick of seeing mediocre basketball talents cashing in on big pay days because they are 7-foot tall. Let's face simple facts: Shaq is old, Yao is really just tall and Gasol really is not a big man. It pains me to know that soon the NBA will exploit UNC-Asheville's 7'8'' man beast Kenny George just because he can dunk without jumping, even though he can barely run without tripping.
Bynum was not really a Draft day steal or anything like that. Like most of the really best long term NBA players, he was just another draft pick to help a team down the line. But for all of the things the Lakers have done wrong, they made some right choices with him.
And he has made some good choices too. He is down to earth, intelligent with his status and eager to learn from players who have more experience. 90 percent of the players in the league don't have those qualities. With the right motivation and staying in that rare 10 percent, Bynum may be the best humanitarian in the NBA soon. As far as being one of the best players (or big men), Bynum has the most talent by far in the league. His skill set allows him to go old school playing hard around the rim but also move around like a new age post is expected to do.
I do think that Andrew Bynum may be able to flourish more somewhere else with less cocky and ball hogging players around him, but L.A. will do for now. As it is, he at least knows he can rebound extremely well with the 30 shots Kobe is putting up a night. His likely return in early-April before the playoffs will be the best thing for a Laker team hoping for some postseason wins.
Mark my words: Andrew Bynum will change this game with time.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
>Boo-Hoo Brett
OK Brett, you have everyone's attention now, congratulations.
A Superbowl crown, a couple of MVP awards, some NFL records. Those don't matter, do they? Good for you Brett, people are paying attention to you- again. And again, I am not so sure why.
In case you have been dead to the world in the last 24 hours, Brett Favre announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers. Oh boo-hoo. I spent 90 percent of my television viewing time in the last 24 hours hearing about Brett Favre. And you would have thought that there was an election somewhere or something.
I mean, let's be serious. He basically retires EVERY YEAR.
So why do we continue to pay so much attention to an overpaid, has-been, who also happens to be a recovering drug addict? The Favre legacy, if you can call it that, is pretty much a joke. He was the league MVP at a time when the league was in the decline. Viewership, talent; they were all at a modern-era low. And yeah, he probably was the NFL's top quarterback during that time. But, it was also a time between Montana and Brady, when even the best throwers in the league were either old or a flash-in-the-pan (can anyone say Kurt Warner?).
The press conference itself was boring. Brett Favre comes on television, takes up valuable time, all to tell the world that he is tired and ready to go (aka: The Packers didn't land Randy Moss in free agency, so I am going to take my ball and go home). And he wants the world to hang on his every word while I am praying that one person in the room will just stand up and say "hey dude, you're not that good."
I was more saddened by the retirement of Warren Sapp, who for note, owned Brett Favre whenever they matched up over the last 11 years.
So Brett, give us all a break. You cried, you got your attention. Now, be a good little boy, take a vicodin and ride off into the sunset because nobody other than the cheeseheads is even going to know that you are gone.
A Superbowl crown, a couple of MVP awards, some NFL records. Those don't matter, do they? Good for you Brett, people are paying attention to you- again. And again, I am not so sure why.
In case you have been dead to the world in the last 24 hours, Brett Favre announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers. Oh boo-hoo. I spent 90 percent of my television viewing time in the last 24 hours hearing about Brett Favre. And you would have thought that there was an election somewhere or something.
I mean, let's be serious. He basically retires EVERY YEAR.
So why do we continue to pay so much attention to an overpaid, has-been, who also happens to be a recovering drug addict? The Favre legacy, if you can call it that, is pretty much a joke. He was the league MVP at a time when the league was in the decline. Viewership, talent; they were all at a modern-era low. And yeah, he probably was the NFL's top quarterback during that time. But, it was also a time between Montana and Brady, when even the best throwers in the league were either old or a flash-in-the-pan (can anyone say Kurt Warner?).
The press conference itself was boring. Brett Favre comes on television, takes up valuable time, all to tell the world that he is tired and ready to go (aka: The Packers didn't land Randy Moss in free agency, so I am going to take my ball and go home). And he wants the world to hang on his every word while I am praying that one person in the room will just stand up and say "hey dude, you're not that good."
I was more saddened by the retirement of Warren Sapp, who for note, owned Brett Favre whenever they matched up over the last 11 years.
So Brett, give us all a break. You cried, you got your attention. Now, be a good little boy, take a vicodin and ride off into the sunset because nobody other than the cheeseheads is even going to know that you are gone.
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