So today is Friday and I am flying out of Shenandoah Valley to cover the WNIT game in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Til now, I've never been past the Ohio Valley, so this was certainly going to be an experience regardless of what ended up happening...
What took place is both literally and metaphorically the longest day of my life. But let me begin at the beginning.
Luckily I had no class today, so I didn't have to do the whole "traveling to Oklahoma on school business, don't count me absent" thing. The first plane left Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (which for some reason I keep calling shenandoah national airport- which is CLEARLY isn't if you've ever been there) at 2:25. So I left around 1 just to make absolutely sure I had absolutely enough time to get there. My directions state it's a quick 25 minute drive down the interstate, so that would be more than enough time. (you might think you know where this is going, but I promise, you don't.)
25 minutes down I81 from Harrisonburg is the 81/64 junction. So I assumed the airport was around that area. Around 8 miles before the merge, I started looking for airport markers. 5 miles... 3 miles... 1 mile... Junction. I'd been past the junction before, but never when I was driving- only on a family trip to Roanoke or trips to West Virginia through Beckley, etc. So as I passed two more stops after the junction, I decided I would get off at the next exit and plug in my GPS and let it guide me to the airport.
(Why didn't I just use my GPS to begin with? Well my car only has one 12V plug in and I wanted to listen to my ipod... duh.)
Well of course the next exit wasn't for another seven miles. But as I got off and plugged in the GPS, it told me to just hang a right and drive a couple miles down the road. Perfect! Fortune favors the ipod-inclined directional hopefuls. Actually, not so much. The GPS directed me through downtown Mint Spring, which consisted of a Post Office and two driveways. After a few more miles of driving, Emily (my GPS, named after a former YMCA coworker) dropped me back on 81/64 and told me to drive 20 miles back toward Harrisonburg. I had overshot the airport by 20-some miles.
In reality, the airport is in Grottoes at exit 235, a seven-mile drive from the the Harrisonburg city limits. By now it was already 1:45, and my plane was leaving in 40 minutes. I had 20+ miles to go.
I proceded to drive at a rate that I will not reveal online because I know my parents will be reading this. But take my word for it. It was fast.
...Until the RV/Camper that was in front of me had a tire that completely exploded before my eyes and started blowing really black, tarry smoke everywhere. This guy refused to get off the road, blown tire and all though, so he continued drive, switching lanes back and forth like he was vying for the most indecisive man award.
I finally got to Grottoes around 2, leaving me very little time to get to the airport and get settled. (Remember, I've never really flown, so I need some extra time just to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing.) I fly off the interstate ramp and drive half a mile down the road to find A TRAIN. As I crest over a hill, I see the arms descending to block the road, and I have to wait. You think this is going to be a short train? Yeah right. This clearly is not my day.
The airport is practically on the other side of the tracks, thank God, so after I finally get past the stupid train tracks, I arrive at the airport about two minutes later. I get inside, happen to walk to the right counter out of sheer dumb luck, check my one bag, and go sit in the lobby.
Of course by now it's 2:15 and I know they're about to call for the security for the flight, and HOLY CRAP I FORGOT MY IPOD IN MY CAR.
I absolutely sprint out of the building- I can't make this trip without my ipod, and I don't particularly care if that means I need to leave my bag unattended to get it, airport lady on the PA- and make it back to my car. I rip open the door, grab my ipod, slam the door shut, and rush back inside. Thank you, body of a former track star. ("star" here is used pretty loosely.)
Now, here's probably about the part where you're thinking this story must be close to over, because holy crap this has gone on for a while. But remember... all I've done is got to the first airport.
Next, they called for security. Everyone clearly knew what to do here, and I... didn't. I had to be told like three times to take my shoes off because I was so busy trying to get stuff in the right bins. They confiscated my RGX spray- clearly a weapon of mass destruction- but I get that they're just doing their job. I have like 5 cans of the stuff so no harm no foul. I do now get to say though that I had something confiscated by TSA.
Side story: I totally did say this. Actual conversation between me and my lovely editor, Carleigh Davis:
Me: sweet, i can now check "have something confiscated by tsa" off my bucket list. yessss
CD: What'd they confiscate?
Me: my gun. did you know you cant take guns on an airplane? I had no idea.
CD: YOU TOOK A GUN??
Me: HAA. got you
CD: omg
Me: haha damn I got you good
CD: Fuck you.
Me: oh stop, you love me.
Me: My plane could crash and I could die you know. ignoring me will only make you more wistful after I'm dead.
Once we got on the plane... I mean I knew the plane ride from SVRA to Dulles would be short but wow. I'm definitely taken shits that took longer than this flight.
We got to Dulles around 3:00PM, but my flight for OKC didn't leave until after 7. So I hunkered down with a burger in Dulles' Five Guys and chilled. Around 5, some guy straight off a plane from India came up to me wanted to call his son. He had a phone with his son's number, who I think lived in Jersey according to the phone number he was calling, so I'm not entirely sure why he couldn't use his own. But it was cool to help somebody who had just got to America. (his english was pretty broken, and that was one of the only bits I could get out of him.)
I knew that the plane would leave around 7:20 or 7:30 and would land soon after 9. But it wasn't until standing in the shadow of the plane that I realized that was nearly a three hour flight because of the time change. So I braced myself for a longer flight than I had initially anticipated.
On the plane, I sat in the midst of an awkward combination of a girl from Clarksburg, who I was very interested in talking to, and a bunch of Oklahoma State fans, who I was fairly hesitant to talk to. I wasn't keen on them finding out who I was or where I was from, but I eventually got to talking to one of them after the flight and told her I was from Harrisonburg in the Valley and was covering the WNIT. I stupidly told her it had been a long day, VA to DC to OK, and she proceeded to tell me she started the day in Rome. Yeah, I felt pretty dumb.
I wish I could say I was done at that point, but my phone was dead, I still had a checked bag to find, and I had to go get my rental car. After a pit stop at an electrical outlet to charge my phone, I secured the keys to the rental car (around 11 or 12 years nicer than the KiaOutMobile, not complaining) and started on my scavenger hunt for where it was hiding in the rental garage. It took ten minutes to find the car, ten minutes to get settled in the car and figure it out, and another ten minutes just to find the exit out of the garage.
From there, it was into the jaws of Oklahoma City. You might not think it was that big if you've never been out here, but holy shit, Oklahoma City makes Richmond look like BFN. It's like the entire city is a series of ramps on ramps on ramps. And yeah... that was a Racks reference. I'm tired. Get over it.
And then nothing. All of a sudden, I was in actual BFN, with nothing but what I'm assuming were giant telephone poles and even bigger fields, but I'm not totally sure. Rural Oklahoma isn't like Virginia where even in places like Dinwiddie and Goochland, both of which I've spent fair amounts of time in, the countryside is more or less lighted. No lights in Oklahoma. Even with the cars' lights on, it was like driving with my eyes closed. Bizarre experience.
An hour or so later I finally pulled into the Quality Inn that I'm staying at. My clocks all said about three different times, so I had no idea what time it actually was here, let alone back in HBurg where everyone else is. I saw what I'm pretty sure was the JMU girls' basketball bus, and took small comfort in knowing that I had finally caught up to them.
As I walked into the lobby to check in and grab my keycard, the guy at the front desk looked at me and started asking me questions like my last name and stuff. Pretty routine questions, really. I was exhausted, and it was all I could handle just to answer the most basic of questions.
The last question he asked me was a killer- I'm tired, in the 25th hour of my day, which shouldn't even be possible, and I just want to go to sleep. I can barely communicate. Without missing a beat, the guy looks at me and says, "Did you drive a car here?"
I stood there for a moment, looked up at him, and replied,
"Nah man. I walked here from Virginia."
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Day Three Reaction
I missed a large portion of the games yesterday because I was watching a mini-marathon of softball from 2-7:30 (eat shit Pitt!). So not a lot of basketball watching on my part. I did notice a sort of trend though... This weird thing happened where all the high seeded teams wons. Kind of weird. Thought I'd mention it.
This March has been a strange one for my bracket. I'm not doing too hot, yet all of my bigtime picks are still in tact. I've got some major demons to slay today as MSU battles Saint Louis (not worried), Florida State plays Cincinatti (okay, maybe somewhat worried), and Creighton faces off against North Carolina (should I have gone to church this morning?). If I can take two of those three, I'm still in good shape. If I somehow manage all three, my bracket will be primed to take a commanding lead in most pools.
However, I'll be rocking the press pass at a women's NIT game today, so it will be another day of box scores and gamecasts.
Other thoughts:
-After the last few years, why were we all so ready to jump on the Vanderbilt bandwagon? I'm just as guilty as the next person. I wasn't quite ready to throw them in the Final Four, but i did have them upsetting Wisconsin. Another preseason top 10 team... another year with no sweet 16 appearance for the Commies.
-Marquette is really showing the balance of a team that wants to win the national title. They basically have the easiest path EVER to the Elite Eight (they were dealt a shouldn't-even-be-in-the-NCAA-tournament BYU team, a nationally overrated Murray State squad, and the winner of UVA/Norfolk State). Once there, all they have to do is handle business against Michigan St/Louisville. They match up well with the Cards. If not, well hey. Nice run for the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.
-Yeah, Buzz Williams may be first team all-press conference, but I seriously have no idea what this means.
-Ohio State looked pretty good as they handled Gonzaga. Some people are gonna say that the game never should have been as close as it was. But have you seen the last two games the Zags have played? They've played out of their mind, way above where they should be playing. Survive and advance. The Buckeyes have.
-Team that looked the best today: Syracuse. Clinging to a one point halftime lead, Syracuse shot like US army-trained snipers the second half. Scoop Jardine looked like a man possessed, hitting consecutive threes and distributing the ball like he played for the Clips or something. At one point, Syracuse went through some five or eight minute period where they actually shot 90% from the field. Oh, and their bench outscored K-State 33-0. Even though the habitual residents of the Octagon of Doom sorely outrebounded them, particularly on the offensive glass (where the Orange have had their biggest problem in games without Fab Melo this year), there was no stopping the kind of show that Syracuse was putting on in the second half yesterday.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 3: 8/16 (Kansas St, Vanderbilt out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 3: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
This March has been a strange one for my bracket. I'm not doing too hot, yet all of my bigtime picks are still in tact. I've got some major demons to slay today as MSU battles Saint Louis (not worried), Florida State plays Cincinatti (okay, maybe somewhat worried), and Creighton faces off against North Carolina (should I have gone to church this morning?). If I can take two of those three, I'm still in good shape. If I somehow manage all three, my bracket will be primed to take a commanding lead in most pools.
However, I'll be rocking the press pass at a women's NIT game today, so it will be another day of box scores and gamecasts.
Other thoughts:
-After the last few years, why were we all so ready to jump on the Vanderbilt bandwagon? I'm just as guilty as the next person. I wasn't quite ready to throw them in the Final Four, but i did have them upsetting Wisconsin. Another preseason top 10 team... another year with no sweet 16 appearance for the Commies.
-Marquette is really showing the balance of a team that wants to win the national title. They basically have the easiest path EVER to the Elite Eight (they were dealt a shouldn't-even-be-in-the-NCAA-tournament BYU team, a nationally overrated Murray State squad, and the winner of UVA/Norfolk State). Once there, all they have to do is handle business against Michigan St/Louisville. They match up well with the Cards. If not, well hey. Nice run for the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.
-Yeah, Buzz Williams may be first team all-press conference, but I seriously have no idea what this means.
-Ohio State looked pretty good as they handled Gonzaga. Some people are gonna say that the game never should have been as close as it was. But have you seen the last two games the Zags have played? They've played out of their mind, way above where they should be playing. Survive and advance. The Buckeyes have.
-Team that looked the best today: Syracuse. Clinging to a one point halftime lead, Syracuse shot like US army-trained snipers the second half. Scoop Jardine looked like a man possessed, hitting consecutive threes and distributing the ball like he played for the Clips or something. At one point, Syracuse went through some five or eight minute period where they actually shot 90% from the field. Oh, and their bench outscored K-State 33-0. Even though the habitual residents of the Octagon of Doom sorely outrebounded them, particularly on the offensive glass (where the Orange have had their biggest problem in games without Fab Melo this year), there was no stopping the kind of show that Syracuse was putting on in the second half yesterday.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 3: 8/16 (Kansas St, Vanderbilt out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 3: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Day Two Reaction
This is probably a historic day of upsets. It's probably safe to say that never before has such a rediculous day unfolded. 10's, 11's, and 12's all won, all topped off my the never-before-seen two separate 15 seeds topping two different 2 seeds. Good grief. Where to even begin.
Well, I guess I'll begin with my bracket. Today was almost the exact same as yesterday. The day started off perfect, and I moved through the day perfect until about 6 or 7. Then... well the shit hit the fan, to be frank. I dropped several of my last final games to finish the weekend 20/32. The bad news is that. I'm only 4 games above .500. The good news is that most of the teams I whiffed on don't matter, at least historically speaking. I missed on a lot of teams that are likely to lose before the end of the weekend. The bigtime players are all still in it. Neither Duke nor Missouri made it past the Sweet 16 in my bracket, which most people can't say. That means that, though I might be taking a point dip right now, I should end up ahead of most people in my pools.
For example, first place in one particular pool has scored 24/32 so far. He picked four more games correctly than I did. However, the absolute maximum number of points he can score is 132 because of the advancement of Mizzou and Duke. (Keep in mind we operate on a standard 1/2/4 scale in this particular pool.) Meanwhile, I'm sitting at 20/32 (still in the top 10 of the pool), but my maximum is 164. I had Missouri losing to Marquette and Duke losing to the ND/Xavier winner. So the damage is minimized. In the long term, I benefit from the chaos. So even though I lost points, I'm sitting pretty happy after the first full round.
Other thoughts from today:
-Offense beats defense... at least for today. That's the message when Creighton pulls out a one point win over defense-minded Alabama. I'm certainly anxious for the fate of my Bluejays, who I have in the NC game. If they can barely beat a 9 seed, can they really knock off UNC. Are they really a Final Four threat?
Then I remember Butler's game winner over ODU last March, and I feel alright.
-Like VCU, Cincinatti's ability to close out games might end up hurting them by the end of the NCAA touranment. But still, they looked pretty good today. Yancy Gates proved that he can fufill a role besides designated face-puncher, and they are a serious threat to knock off Florida State, who I have schedule to make a deep run in this tournament.
-HAHAHAHA, Georgetown is totally gonna drop another game as a high ranked seed playing a dangerous low-major team... wait, what? They won by 25?
My bracket has NC State upsetting both San Diego State and Georgetown. I like how the Pack has played recently, but it's hard to argue with the beatdown the Hoyas laid on a pretty good Belmont team today. This might finally be the year Georgetown breaks through and plays like the team they are capable of being.
-Lehigh (a team who has never won an NCAA game) defeating the ultra-elite Duke might make the best movie some day in the future, but don't get it twisted. Norfolk State over Mizzou was the biggest upset of the day, and maybe of all time. The MEAC is about as unheralded as they come, and Mizzou is a very good team, even if their unconventional sets (4 guards) do have flaws built into the system itself. Meanwhile, Duke might be the most overrated fourth-ranked team of all time. They occupied the top 5 for most of the seaosn, but they sure weren't playing like it. I picked Duke to lose before this weekend was over because all it would take for them to drop out was a bad shooting night. People will argue over whether today's outing should be classified as a "bad shooting night," but what they won't argue over is how disappointing Coach K's squad has been this year. Duke seems to be all or nothing in NCAA tournaments since the year 2001; either they win the whole thing, or they make a completely odd, unexpectedly early exit.
-You know what? Ditto for Michigan. Both Michigan and Duke are teams that have lived and died by the 3-point shot, and well... they both died by it tonight. Neither did enough to survive the night, and now John Beilein is stuck scratching his head. Shoulda stayed in Morgantown, Johnny.
-Team that looked the best today: Georgetown and Florida both deserve some honorable mention, but I'm going with NC State. The hottest team in this NCAA tournament continued their hotness by more or less dominating sixth seed San Diego St today. As I mentioned earlier, I have the Pack in the Sweet 16. They're capable of going farther than that based on how well they are playing right now, but I'm not sure they have to talent to knock off a Kansas or a UNC.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 2: 10/16 (Notre Dame, Missouri, Temple out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 2: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
Well, I guess I'll begin with my bracket. Today was almost the exact same as yesterday. The day started off perfect, and I moved through the day perfect until about 6 or 7. Then... well the shit hit the fan, to be frank. I dropped several of my last final games to finish the weekend 20/32. The bad news is that. I'm only 4 games above .500. The good news is that most of the teams I whiffed on don't matter, at least historically speaking. I missed on a lot of teams that are likely to lose before the end of the weekend. The bigtime players are all still in it. Neither Duke nor Missouri made it past the Sweet 16 in my bracket, which most people can't say. That means that, though I might be taking a point dip right now, I should end up ahead of most people in my pools.
For example, first place in one particular pool has scored 24/32 so far. He picked four more games correctly than I did. However, the absolute maximum number of points he can score is 132 because of the advancement of Mizzou and Duke. (Keep in mind we operate on a standard 1/2/4 scale in this particular pool.) Meanwhile, I'm sitting at 20/32 (still in the top 10 of the pool), but my maximum is 164. I had Missouri losing to Marquette and Duke losing to the ND/Xavier winner. So the damage is minimized. In the long term, I benefit from the chaos. So even though I lost points, I'm sitting pretty happy after the first full round.
Other thoughts from today:
-Offense beats defense... at least for today. That's the message when Creighton pulls out a one point win over defense-minded Alabama. I'm certainly anxious for the fate of my Bluejays, who I have in the NC game. If they can barely beat a 9 seed, can they really knock off UNC. Are they really a Final Four threat?
Then I remember Butler's game winner over ODU last March, and I feel alright.
-Like VCU, Cincinatti's ability to close out games might end up hurting them by the end of the NCAA touranment. But still, they looked pretty good today. Yancy Gates proved that he can fufill a role besides designated face-puncher, and they are a serious threat to knock off Florida State, who I have schedule to make a deep run in this tournament.
-HAHAHAHA, Georgetown is totally gonna drop another game as a high ranked seed playing a dangerous low-major team... wait, what? They won by 25?
My bracket has NC State upsetting both San Diego State and Georgetown. I like how the Pack has played recently, but it's hard to argue with the beatdown the Hoyas laid on a pretty good Belmont team today. This might finally be the year Georgetown breaks through and plays like the team they are capable of being.
-Lehigh (a team who has never won an NCAA game) defeating the ultra-elite Duke might make the best movie some day in the future, but don't get it twisted. Norfolk State over Mizzou was the biggest upset of the day, and maybe of all time. The MEAC is about as unheralded as they come, and Mizzou is a very good team, even if their unconventional sets (4 guards) do have flaws built into the system itself. Meanwhile, Duke might be the most overrated fourth-ranked team of all time. They occupied the top 5 for most of the seaosn, but they sure weren't playing like it. I picked Duke to lose before this weekend was over because all it would take for them to drop out was a bad shooting night. People will argue over whether today's outing should be classified as a "bad shooting night," but what they won't argue over is how disappointing Coach K's squad has been this year. Duke seems to be all or nothing in NCAA tournaments since the year 2001; either they win the whole thing, or they make a completely odd, unexpectedly early exit.
-You know what? Ditto for Michigan. Both Michigan and Duke are teams that have lived and died by the 3-point shot, and well... they both died by it tonight. Neither did enough to survive the night, and now John Beilein is stuck scratching his head. Shoulda stayed in Morgantown, Johnny.
-Team that looked the best today: Georgetown and Florida both deserve some honorable mention, but I'm going with NC State. The hottest team in this NCAA tournament continued their hotness by more or less dominating sixth seed San Diego St today. As I mentioned earlier, I have the Pack in the Sweet 16. They're capable of going farther than that based on how well they are playing right now, but I'm not sure they have to talent to knock off a Kansas or a UNC.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 2: 10/16 (Notre Dame, Missouri, Temple out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 2: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
Friday, March 16, 2012
Day One Reactions
Why was I looking forward to anything Pittsburgh-related again? Please remind me.
Coming in to today, I highlighted WVU-Gonzaga and Wichita-VCU as the two most exciting matchups of the day.
Well, at least I was right once.
Even as a diehard fan, it was hard to watch the West Virginia blowout while a mid-on-mid classic was raging on CBS. I'm famous for sticking around til the absolute eleventh hour in obvious WVU losses, but even I have my limits. With eight minutes to go and stuck in a never-changing 25-point hole, I finally called it quits. Close friends will tell you that you know I'm pretty pissed off when I have to go lift weights to purge the rage from my system. It's a rare event, but until I calm down, I am not a fun person to be around.
On the bright side, my Wichita/WVU picks were really my only incorrect notions on the day. Other than those two teams (both of whom I had advaned to the Sweet 16), my bracket did okay. Not blowing people out of the water, but not horrible either. Pretty typical first day for me- when my bracket does well, it's because I nail the later rounds, never because I start strong.
My other reactions:
-Boy, what to say about that Syracuse game. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but how many gifts can one program get in a year's time? There was the inexplicable extra point debacle last fall, don't forget. The saw-it-with-even-my-naked-eye goaltending miss at the end of regulation vs West Virginia. Who knows how many games Syracuse picked up because Fab Melo played when he was, in all actuality, probably ineligible. And now just blatant, egregious missed calls against Asheville today. I did not personally see the lane violation so I won't speak to that, but the horrible possession call at the end of the game (in a one possession game!) is just horrible. My heart breaks for those kids from UNCA. If a 16 seed was ever to knock off a 1 seed, this was it- not only was the Cuse at its most vulnerable in its first game without Fab Melo since the end of January, but UNC Asheville is a pretty solid team. You know, for low end major teams anyway. In all actuality, they probably deserved a 15 or a 14 seed.
Jim Boeheim said after the game that the "better team won." And he's right. Syracuse is a better team than UNC Asheville. I'm not sure anyone would argue the letter of that statement. But it doesn't mean they were a better team today. Because frankly, they weren't.
-It's only halftime, but Iowa State is handling UConn pretty handily. People thought UConn would not only dominate ISU, but really challenge overall #1 seed Kentucky. Remember- there's a reason they were 8-10 in the Big East. It's because they're honestly not that good of a team. (And just think about what that means for WVU, who the Huskies beat not once but twice this season.)
-Other than Syracuse looking like a 10 seed, not a 1 seed, the top 10 teams in the tournament cruised. The only other closish game was Baylor. That game was highly publicized as a tough matchup for the Bears, even as a 3-14 game. So not even that was totally shocking.
-Team that looked the best so far: Marquette. Missouri is a popular pick to get out of the West region and go onto the Final Four and beyond. But I have them losing to Marquette in the sweet 16. My upset picks are usually brilliant or completely idiotic (see: Creighton over UNC), but I think this one trends toward brilliant. Marquette can play small ball right with Mizzou, and have not one but two go-to players in Jae Crowder and DJO, whereas I think Kim English is the only guy on the Tigers that is THE GUY. Marquette can match the four guard set, they can match the inside-out play, and they can guard English in the 4 spot. If they continue to play like they did today (Thursday) then I feel good about the pick, and I shall watch as bracket empires crumble around me.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 1: 13/16 (WVU, Wichita St, UNLV out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 1: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
Coming in to today, I highlighted WVU-Gonzaga and Wichita-VCU as the two most exciting matchups of the day.
Well, at least I was right once.
Even as a diehard fan, it was hard to watch the West Virginia blowout while a mid-on-mid classic was raging on CBS. I'm famous for sticking around til the absolute eleventh hour in obvious WVU losses, but even I have my limits. With eight minutes to go and stuck in a never-changing 25-point hole, I finally called it quits. Close friends will tell you that you know I'm pretty pissed off when I have to go lift weights to purge the rage from my system. It's a rare event, but until I calm down, I am not a fun person to be around.
On the bright side, my Wichita/WVU picks were really my only incorrect notions on the day. Other than those two teams (both of whom I had advaned to the Sweet 16), my bracket did okay. Not blowing people out of the water, but not horrible either. Pretty typical first day for me- when my bracket does well, it's because I nail the later rounds, never because I start strong.
My other reactions:
-Boy, what to say about that Syracuse game. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but how many gifts can one program get in a year's time? There was the inexplicable extra point debacle last fall, don't forget. The saw-it-with-even-my-naked-eye goaltending miss at the end of regulation vs West Virginia. Who knows how many games Syracuse picked up because Fab Melo played when he was, in all actuality, probably ineligible. And now just blatant, egregious missed calls against Asheville today. I did not personally see the lane violation so I won't speak to that, but the horrible possession call at the end of the game (in a one possession game!) is just horrible. My heart breaks for those kids from UNCA. If a 16 seed was ever to knock off a 1 seed, this was it- not only was the Cuse at its most vulnerable in its first game without Fab Melo since the end of January, but UNC Asheville is a pretty solid team. You know, for low end major teams anyway. In all actuality, they probably deserved a 15 or a 14 seed.
Jim Boeheim said after the game that the "better team won." And he's right. Syracuse is a better team than UNC Asheville. I'm not sure anyone would argue the letter of that statement. But it doesn't mean they were a better team today. Because frankly, they weren't.
-It's only halftime, but Iowa State is handling UConn pretty handily. People thought UConn would not only dominate ISU, but really challenge overall #1 seed Kentucky. Remember- there's a reason they were 8-10 in the Big East. It's because they're honestly not that good of a team. (And just think about what that means for WVU, who the Huskies beat not once but twice this season.)
-Other than Syracuse looking like a 10 seed, not a 1 seed, the top 10 teams in the tournament cruised. The only other closish game was Baylor. That game was highly publicized as a tough matchup for the Bears, even as a 3-14 game. So not even that was totally shocking.
-Team that looked the best so far: Marquette. Missouri is a popular pick to get out of the West region and go onto the Final Four and beyond. But I have them losing to Marquette in the sweet 16. My upset picks are usually brilliant or completely idiotic (see: Creighton over UNC), but I think this one trends toward brilliant. Marquette can play small ball right with Mizzou, and have not one but two go-to players in Jae Crowder and DJO, whereas I think Kim English is the only guy on the Tigers that is THE GUY. Marquette can match the four guard set, they can match the inside-out play, and they can guard English in the 4 spot. If they continue to play like they did today (Thursday) then I feel good about the pick, and I shall watch as bracket empires crumble around me.
Remaining S16 Teams after Day 1: 13/16 (WVU, Wichita St, UNLV out)
Remaining F4 Teams after Day 1: 4/4 (UK, MSU, FSU, Creighton still in)
Saturday, March 10, 2012
10 Things: Blind NCAA Predictions
I say it every year- March is the greatest month of the year. Period. No sporting spectacle compares to the NCAA tournament. Not the Superbowl, bowl season, NBA/NHL finals, UEFA cup, World Cup, or Olympics. Nothing sweeps over America quite like March Madness.
Selection Sunday is tomorrow (stop by our Viewing Party if you happen to be in Harrisonburg for the Selection Show), but before the brackets are revealed... before we even know who all the autobids are, really, I'm going to make 10 predictions as to the nature of this year's bracket. Some may seem like common sense; some may seem rediculous. But I've watched enough basketball this season to really feel these in my gut, and now I'll be sharing them with you.
1. The Big East will surprise people. In what has been a "down year" for the reguarly dominant Big East, I think this conference is going to surprise people with what it does. While there isn't the talent at the top of the giant conference like there normally is, the middle of the pack from Georgetown to Seton Hall have all moved giant steps forward. (You may say 'Seton Hall, really??' but was the Hall even a fringe bubble candidate last year?)
If you want specifics, I predict two Big East teams will make the Elite Eight. At least one will seriously contend for the Final Four/National Championship.
2. The Big 10 will grab two final four spots. I have said all year that this is the year that the Big 10 has been the best conference. MSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Purdue have formed a core half of the conference who are capable of making deep runs in March. But it's not just quantity, it's quality- most of these teams have big physical bodies to go along with excellent guard play, and that inside-out play will enable the Big 10 to grab not just one but two spots in the national semi's.
3. The First Four will really, really suck. No one knew it at the time (and if someone says they did, they're lying) but last year's First Four ended up ripe with the intrigue of an actual National Championship contender. But it's not just that- the games were actually good. Fun to watch. Enjoyable. Don't expect the same treatment this year, with a historically weak bubble. Teams that are 8-10 in conference play are projected to make the final cut- and that's not even who will play in these games. When you're dealing with teams that are actually worse than the Big East's less than average, it's time to turn off the TV and grab the shotgun.
4. West Virginia will make the Sweet 16. Okay c'mon, by now you know I gotta stick a homer pick in here.
Fringe POY candidate Kevin Jones has absolutely carried this team through this calendar year, with Truck Bryant occassionally deciding to help out in big ways. Without him, this team is frighteningly bad. I expect Jones, fresh off a shocking Big East POY snub, to be locked in and focused on upsetting a couple of teams. The Mountaineers can go as far as the bracket allows them too- if they're a ten seed, they have a legit chance to win three games and get to the regional finals. If they're a eight/nine seed, I don't see them winning more than one game.
5. West Coast conferences will fall apart. Pac-12, MWC, and WCC- you are all on notice. I have no faith in your wildly inconsistent guards, and as the saying goes, guard play wins the games in March. I dont expect more than one or two teams from all three of these conferences to make the second weekend.
6. Another Cinderella will captivate America... Look, I have no idea who it's going to be, but with the wild parity in this year's season, it's safe to say that some off-the-beaten-path team is going to make some noise. Elite Eight. Final Four. I don't know. Maybe it's a more predictable team like Murray State (doubt it), Creighton (meh) or Wichita State (probably). Maybe it's a team that makes you google their University page just so you know where they're from (Belmont). Someone is gonna be that team this year.
7. ...But it won't be VCU. The Rams of Richmond had a run for the ages last year. Don't expect it to happen again. While Shaka's HAVOC pressure will return to the NCAA dance, that's about all that returns. Last year's magical run was largely based off a team that is as senior-heavy as senior gets, not to mention three-point shooting that would make Jerry West consider Prozac unnecessary (uhh... too soon?) Bottom line is that kind of combination of crazy luck and seniority is a once or twice in a generation type of thing. VCU is good and they'll probably even win a game. But realistically, I don't see them winning more than 2 games.
8. Syracuse won't make the Final Four. All year, as the Orange nearly ran the table, we said "wow, looks like they aren't the team they normally are.' Well, maybe they are. Every year, I think that there's no possible way that the Cuse can get beat in the BE/NCAA tourney and every year, they find a way to lose. This time, they managed to lose in the BE semifinals to unranked Cincinatti. I think the Bearcats are really good (Cronin deserved Coach of the Year over that guy from South Florida for sure) but better than Syracuse?
Judges Ruling? Helllll nah. Yeah, didn't think so.
Syracuse will once again find a way to drop a game in the second weekend of play despite their incredible depth. Farewell in advance, potential #1 overall seed.
9. Kentuck won't win the National Championship. Similar to my eighth prediction. Uhh... how many years has Calipari had the best class in the nation? Or a top ranked team? Or been a favorite to win the national championship? How many times has he done it? Yeah... that's kind of what I though.
Kentucky walks the walk during the regular season. They even win the SEC tournament, unlike Syracuse, who underperforms throughout the entire basketball postseason.
But Kentucky barely eeked out a win over Florida this weekend. Frankly, the team in Gainesville is crazy overrated. Kentucky might make a second straight final four, but they aren't gonna win the national championship this year.
Hey Calipari, can you hear those voices? No, you're not going crazy. They're just NBA GM's, and they're calling you. I'd pick up the phone.
10. The season will end where it started
with North Carolina playing Michigan State for the national title. Unlike on the aircraft carrier, the Spartans take the real prize. Anyone getting tired of rematches in National Championships this year?
Selection Sunday is tomorrow (stop by our Viewing Party if you happen to be in Harrisonburg for the Selection Show), but before the brackets are revealed... before we even know who all the autobids are, really, I'm going to make 10 predictions as to the nature of this year's bracket. Some may seem like common sense; some may seem rediculous. But I've watched enough basketball this season to really feel these in my gut, and now I'll be sharing them with you.
1. The Big East will surprise people. In what has been a "down year" for the reguarly dominant Big East, I think this conference is going to surprise people with what it does. While there isn't the talent at the top of the giant conference like there normally is, the middle of the pack from Georgetown to Seton Hall have all moved giant steps forward. (You may say 'Seton Hall, really??' but was the Hall even a fringe bubble candidate last year?)
If you want specifics, I predict two Big East teams will make the Elite Eight. At least one will seriously contend for the Final Four/National Championship.
2. The Big 10 will grab two final four spots. I have said all year that this is the year that the Big 10 has been the best conference. MSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Purdue have formed a core half of the conference who are capable of making deep runs in March. But it's not just quantity, it's quality- most of these teams have big physical bodies to go along with excellent guard play, and that inside-out play will enable the Big 10 to grab not just one but two spots in the national semi's.
3. The First Four will really, really suck. No one knew it at the time (and if someone says they did, they're lying) but last year's First Four ended up ripe with the intrigue of an actual National Championship contender. But it's not just that- the games were actually good. Fun to watch. Enjoyable. Don't expect the same treatment this year, with a historically weak bubble. Teams that are 8-10 in conference play are projected to make the final cut- and that's not even who will play in these games. When you're dealing with teams that are actually worse than the Big East's less than average, it's time to turn off the TV and grab the shotgun.
4. West Virginia will make the Sweet 16. Okay c'mon, by now you know I gotta stick a homer pick in here.
Fringe POY candidate Kevin Jones has absolutely carried this team through this calendar year, with Truck Bryant occassionally deciding to help out in big ways. Without him, this team is frighteningly bad. I expect Jones, fresh off a shocking Big East POY snub, to be locked in and focused on upsetting a couple of teams. The Mountaineers can go as far as the bracket allows them too- if they're a ten seed, they have a legit chance to win three games and get to the regional finals. If they're a eight/nine seed, I don't see them winning more than one game.
5. West Coast conferences will fall apart. Pac-12, MWC, and WCC- you are all on notice. I have no faith in your wildly inconsistent guards, and as the saying goes, guard play wins the games in March. I dont expect more than one or two teams from all three of these conferences to make the second weekend.
6. Another Cinderella will captivate America... Look, I have no idea who it's going to be, but with the wild parity in this year's season, it's safe to say that some off-the-beaten-path team is going to make some noise. Elite Eight. Final Four. I don't know. Maybe it's a more predictable team like Murray State (doubt it), Creighton (meh) or Wichita State (probably). Maybe it's a team that makes you google their University page just so you know where they're from (Belmont). Someone is gonna be that team this year.
7. ...But it won't be VCU. The Rams of Richmond had a run for the ages last year. Don't expect it to happen again. While Shaka's HAVOC pressure will return to the NCAA dance, that's about all that returns. Last year's magical run was largely based off a team that is as senior-heavy as senior gets, not to mention three-point shooting that would make Jerry West consider Prozac unnecessary (uhh... too soon?) Bottom line is that kind of combination of crazy luck and seniority is a once or twice in a generation type of thing. VCU is good and they'll probably even win a game. But realistically, I don't see them winning more than 2 games.
8. Syracuse won't make the Final Four. All year, as the Orange nearly ran the table, we said "wow, looks like they aren't the team they normally are.' Well, maybe they are. Every year, I think that there's no possible way that the Cuse can get beat in the BE/NCAA tourney and every year, they find a way to lose. This time, they managed to lose in the BE semifinals to unranked Cincinatti. I think the Bearcats are really good (Cronin deserved Coach of the Year over that guy from South Florida for sure) but better than Syracuse?
Judges Ruling? Helllll nah. Yeah, didn't think so.
Syracuse will once again find a way to drop a game in the second weekend of play despite their incredible depth. Farewell in advance, potential #1 overall seed.
9. Kentuck won't win the National Championship. Similar to my eighth prediction. Uhh... how many years has Calipari had the best class in the nation? Or a top ranked team? Or been a favorite to win the national championship? How many times has he done it? Yeah... that's kind of what I though.
Kentucky walks the walk during the regular season. They even win the SEC tournament, unlike Syracuse, who underperforms throughout the entire basketball postseason.
But Kentucky barely eeked out a win over Florida this weekend. Frankly, the team in Gainesville is crazy overrated. Kentucky might make a second straight final four, but they aren't gonna win the national championship this year.
Hey Calipari, can you hear those voices? No, you're not going crazy. They're just NBA GM's, and they're calling you. I'd pick up the phone.
10. The season will end where it started
with North Carolina playing Michigan State for the national title. Unlike on the aircraft carrier, the Spartans take the real prize. Anyone getting tired of rematches in National Championships this year?
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