Next, we head out to the West region where where the controversial Gonzaga Bulldogs own the #1 seed. They might be top dogs, but are they the best team?
Best team: It's a week bracket with the zags, OSU, and New Mexico owning the top three spots. But I think the best team by a favorable margin Is The Ohio State university. I have always had a dislike for Ohio State in every sport, but this year's Buckeyes have something about them. In the beginning of the year, it appeared as though Ohio State could beat everyone they were supposed to, but fell short against elite competition. All of that changed on Feb 20. when the Buckeyes handed a 71-45 lashing to Minnesota, which began an 8 game win streak in which OSU allowed one team to score over 60 points. They beat 4 ranked opponents, 3 top 10's, highlighted by a come from behind road win in Bloomington Indiana. Thad Matta's brilliance has shown this year, as his relatively short handed Buckeyes have become a nightmare for opposing offenses. Players get fired up over dunk, Ohio State players get fired up over defensive stops, taking charges, and shot clock violations. Aaron Craft is one of the best decision makers in the country, and DeSean Thomas(for some reason, whenever I flip to an Ohio State game, this kid is nailing a corner 3.... It's happened about 7 times this year) is the only double figure scorer on the team, averaging close to 19.5 points per game and is a ravenous defender. Depth isn't an issue for the Buckeyes who are primed to make a final four run in a week west bracket.
Best Player: This is a tough call, but nobody means more to his team then Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson. The "land shark" is a prolific scorer, and unless your team has an exceptional lockdown man defender, you better double team or hope your help defense is good. He is unconventional because he establishes his outside shot and then goes inside. He shoots close to 39% from the field and is a 37% 3 point shooter. Also, he shoots 88% from the stripe. He is so much fun to watch play because he plays with unbelievable passion, and his teammates feed him because Henderson will find the open man if he is double teamed. Henderson will have a chance to prove his worth to his team, and we will see how prolific of a scorer he really is when the Rebels square off with Wisconsin Badgers, one of the best defensive teams in the country.
Best Coach: The first article I ever wrote was about Sean Miller and I believe he is one of the most underrated coaches in the NCAA. In his tirade on Sunday afternoon, he demonstrated why. Defending his players, and fighting for them, which in turn will motivate them. Miller loves his guys, and even thought Arizona hasn't had a great year, Miller has done a fantastic job with the personal he has.
Most overrated team: Bruce Webber's Kansas State team is a defensive monster, and might be the worst offensive team in the tournament in big games. 3 ranked wins, two against Oklahoma State, and one against an inconsistent Florida team. The Wildcats haven't beaten an elite team yet this year, and were held to 35% shooting from the field against KU last week.(25% from 3, and 50% on free throws) Play all the defense you want, but when you play an elite team you need to score, and those numbers won't cut it. If Kansas State gets in a hole early, it's over. McGruder and Angel Rodriguez aren't enough offensively.
Most underrated Team: They are Kansas State on defense, but have the offensive part of it worked out. The Wisconsin Badgers are better then a 5 seed and I like them to grind their way to an Elite 8 matchup with Ohio State. This a classic, under appreciated, Bo Ryan team.-Josh Neighbors
photo credit:https://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=877&tbm=isch&q=deshaun+thomas&spell=1&sa=X&ei=u_BJUZuzKM3B4APc84HYCg&ved=0CFEQBSgA#imgrc=bNNJkU_poW3KxM%3A%3BaiojdfDLNoSOEM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia.cleveland.com%252Fosu_impact%252Fphoto%252Fdeshaun-thomasjpg-c2d18bfb5ba47475.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.sportsoverdose.com%252Fncaa-basketball-players%252Fdeshaun-thomas%3B1024%3B778
https://www.google.com/search?q=marshall+henderson&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=VPFJUZvZBuHk4AOVuIHwCg&biw=1680&bih=877&sei=VvFJUaacLMXK4AOfo4HADg#imgrc=SfdbMcMVDVrdiM%3A%3BcOzphW3lOiHPrM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fgraphics8.nytimes.com%252Fimages%252F2013%252F03%252F19%252Fsports%252FHENDERSON1%252FHENDERSON1-articleLarge.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2013%252F03%252F19%252Fsports%252Fncaabasketball%252Fmarshall-henderson-leads-ole-miss-into-ncaa-tournament.html%253Fpagewanted%253Dall%3B600%3B486
https://www.google.com/search?q=wisconsin+basketball&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=t_FJUeSFILOo4AOplIDYDQ&biw=1680&bih=877&sei=ufFJUdP0O9LK4AONiIH4Aw#imgrc=oyW-SvI1UH--JM%3A%3B_r4aDxVVFfLlFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn.bleacherreport.net%252Fimages_root%252Fslides%252Fphotos%252F002%252F983%252F146%252Fhi-res-159552292_crop_650x440.jpg%253F1360996914%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbleacherreport.com%252Farticles%252F1531575-wisconsin-basketball-passfail-for-each-player-based-on-2013-expectations%3B650%3B440
Objective opinions and previews for all sports. Basketball to tennis, football to boxing, we cover it
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Heartland Heroes
Here comes My 2013 NCAA tourney preview in the planes of the midwest.
Best team: No surprises here people, the Louisville Cardinals are without a doubt the best team in this bracket, with the best player, and the best coach. Everything else will be based on the other 15 teams in this region.
Best player: This guy has so many haters and it is completely unfair. Doug McDermott, the coaches son and star of the Creighton Jays is the best player in this region(besides Russ Smith). His critics would say the competition would inflate his numbers and make him appear better than he truly is, which is completely false. McDermott has had his best games against tournament teams. In the 8 games this season where the Jays played tournament teams, McDermott averaged close to 28 points per game in those 8 games and his Jays had a record of (5-3) against those teams, which included wins against Wisconsin, Cal, and a 41 point performance vs Witchita State in their 2nd meeting this season. He is his father on the court and does a fantastic job of leading his team. His game isn't always pretty, but he is a blue collar player who is a leader and the best player in the midwest.(but I think they lose in the first round to either Saint Mary's or MTSU)
Best Coach: I am going off the map on this one and going with Cincinnati's Mick Cromin. Cincinnati has not had a great year, but Cromin is a fantastic motivator and I think he will make sure his team is ready for Creighton. The talented, experienced trio of Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, and JaQuon Parker will lead this team to a first round upset of Creighton.
Most overrated team: Easily the Memphis Tigers. They have played 3 tournament teams and lost all 3. They also lost to Xavier. I like either La Salle or St. Marys to knock off Memphis.
Most underrated team: The 12 seeded Oregon Ducks are not a 12 seed. The PAC-12 champions were given the big 12, leading many to believe that they had to win their conference tournament to get in. They are a balanced team lead by a core group of seniors and posses some talented freshmen. The struggle for this team is to remain consistent and continue this role they are on right now and they have an early challenge with Marcus Smart and the Cowboys.-Josh Neighbors
Photo credit:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=ej+singler&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=TMtIUczXEreo4AOdx4HAAg&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=T8tIUdnjBpfJ4APt6oCADQ#imgrc=rLPkI_VnOx6H6M%3A%3BjXf-FU0YVwpocM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww3.pictures.zimbio.com%252Fgi%252FTyler%252BHoneycutt%252BE%252BJ%252BSingler%252BPac%252B10%252BBasketball%252BOISyQHUUO0il.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.zimbio.com%252Fphotos%252FTyler%252BHoneycutt%252FE.J.%252BSingler%3B594%3B396
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=doug+mcdermott&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=wctIUZSVF_bF4APolYCgAg&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=0stIUaXaDLaj4APdjIDAAw#imgrc=rYEBqtGLK4tXKM%3A%3BC7iH1fxqNE1FSM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwhiteandbluereview.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F11%252F2012CUMBBprofilesMcDermott350.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwhiteandbluereview.com%252F%253Ftag%253Ddoug-mcdermott%3B350%3B200
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=louisville+basketball&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=VMxIUbeWI6614AOJ84CoAQ&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=V8xIUeOpGbO94AOW0IG4Dg#imgrc=dOcMfRy7OgFfIM%3A%3BkFWVAO3OLp3HBM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn.bleacherreport.net%252Fimages_root%252Fslides%252Fphotos%252F003%252F048%252F990%252Fhi-res-163846557_crop_650x440.jpg%253F1363574966%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbleacherreport.com%252Farticles%252F1571570-louisville-basketball-5-biggest-roadblocks-to-winning-2013-ncaa-championship%3B650%3B440
Best team: No surprises here people, the Louisville Cardinals are without a doubt the best team in this bracket, with the best player, and the best coach. Everything else will be based on the other 15 teams in this region.
Best player: This guy has so many haters and it is completely unfair. Doug McDermott, the coaches son and star of the Creighton Jays is the best player in this region(besides Russ Smith). His critics would say the competition would inflate his numbers and make him appear better than he truly is, which is completely false. McDermott has had his best games against tournament teams. In the 8 games this season where the Jays played tournament teams, McDermott averaged close to 28 points per game in those 8 games and his Jays had a record of (5-3) against those teams, which included wins against Wisconsin, Cal, and a 41 point performance vs Witchita State in their 2nd meeting this season. He is his father on the court and does a fantastic job of leading his team. His game isn't always pretty, but he is a blue collar player who is a leader and the best player in the midwest.(but I think they lose in the first round to either Saint Mary's or MTSU)
Best Coach: I am going off the map on this one and going with Cincinnati's Mick Cromin. Cincinnati has not had a great year, but Cromin is a fantastic motivator and I think he will make sure his team is ready for Creighton. The talented, experienced trio of Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, and JaQuon Parker will lead this team to a first round upset of Creighton.
Most overrated team: Easily the Memphis Tigers. They have played 3 tournament teams and lost all 3. They also lost to Xavier. I like either La Salle or St. Marys to knock off Memphis.
Most underrated team: The 12 seeded Oregon Ducks are not a 12 seed. The PAC-12 champions were given the big 12, leading many to believe that they had to win their conference tournament to get in. They are a balanced team lead by a core group of seniors and posses some talented freshmen. The struggle for this team is to remain consistent and continue this role they are on right now and they have an early challenge with Marcus Smart and the Cowboys.-Josh Neighbors
Photo credit:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=ej+singler&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=TMtIUczXEreo4AOdx4HAAg&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=T8tIUdnjBpfJ4APt6oCADQ#imgrc=rLPkI_VnOx6H6M%3A%3BjXf-FU0YVwpocM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww3.pictures.zimbio.com%252Fgi%252FTyler%252BHoneycutt%252BE%252BJ%252BSingler%252BPac%252B10%252BBasketball%252BOISyQHUUO0il.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.zimbio.com%252Fphotos%252FTyler%252BHoneycutt%252FE.J.%252BSingler%3B594%3B396
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=doug+mcdermott&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=wctIUZSVF_bF4APolYCgAg&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=0stIUaXaDLaj4APdjIDAAw#imgrc=rYEBqtGLK4tXKM%3A%3BC7iH1fxqNE1FSM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwhiteandbluereview.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F11%252F2012CUMBBprofilesMcDermott350.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwhiteandbluereview.com%252F%253Ftag%253Ddoug-mcdermott%3B350%3B200
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=louisville+basketball&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=VMxIUbeWI6614AOJ84CoAQ&biw=1246&bih=595&sei=V8xIUeOpGbO94AOW0IG4Dg#imgrc=dOcMfRy7OgFfIM%3A%3BkFWVAO3OLp3HBM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn.bleacherreport.net%252Fimages_root%252Fslides%252Fphotos%252F003%252F048%252F990%252Fhi-res-163846557_crop_650x440.jpg%253F1363574966%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbleacherreport.com%252Farticles%252F1571570-louisville-basketball-5-biggest-roadblocks-to-winning-2013-ncaa-championship%3B650%3B440
Monday, March 18, 2013
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
There are 12 months in a year. Some months are better than others. December is a great time of the year with all of the holidays and families coming together. How about November being a great time to give thanks? Maybe one of the summer months because the weather is great, and you get to really have an enjoyable time with friends. However, all of these months are truly abysmal compared to one: March.
The NCAA Tournament is undoubtedly the most exciting postseason in all of sports. I do not want to hear any argument for the NFL or NBA and do not even think about the Bowl system. No other postseason provides the suspense and intensity, the passion, the storylines, the heartbreak, and the joy March Madness provides. If you are still not convinced, take a walk with me.
One of my favorite parts of the system is the opportunity provided by the conference tournaments. Disregarding the Ivy League and the bottom four teams in a few conferences, every single team in college basketball has a chance. If you went (0-30) and did not shoot over 15% in any game that season, you are still awarded the opportunity to make a run at the big dance and win the National Championship. Sure, the odds of this situation are very minimal, but the fact is that they exist. Every team has a chance to make it into the tournament. And as we have learned in the past, once you get into the tournament, absolutely anything is possible.
The second aspect is the drama. Absolutely nothing beats a college basketball game where an entire season is on the line with two minutes left. With 64 teams playing in the first round, there will always be a fair number of games that come down to the very last play. The buzzer beaters that which sends one fan base into euphoric hysteria, but sends another into indescribable, heartbreaking pain. You remember the feeling of having your team’s heart ripped out, which makes it all the more sweeter when your teams rips another’s out. 1.2% of college players make play professionally, which makes college basketball even more special. A majority of these kids realize this is the end of their meaningful basketball career, which renders itself the to high intensity and passion of the game. This high tension creates an atmosphere in which scrutiny is heightened, every error magnified and criticized, every succession praised and adored.
We end with Cinderella. Every year a certain team makes a run that nobody predicted. Some of these runs are to a greater extent than other, but there is always at least one team that seems to have something magical about them. Some of the most notable runs in the past few years have been George Mason getting to the Final Four, Davidson making it to the Elite 8, a Butler squad making the National Championship back to back years, VCU embarking on an incredible Final Four run, and then last year an Ohio Bobcat team making it to the Sweet 16. These teams give hope to the little guy. They give hope to every team that they can be the next Cinderella. When these teams make their run, they have the whole country behind them. Everybody loves an underdog story, and there are plenty of those when March rolls around.
This year is a special year in college basketball to say the least. Never before have we seen such an even landscape of teams. This season has consisted of upset after upset. The nationwide absence of dominance has lead to a beautiful anarchal basketball landscape. This plethora of statements means that this NCAA Tournament may be the best. Upsets will happen, and the true Cinderella will be hard to identify until the latter part of the tournament. I will even go as far as say that this will be the first time ever that a 16 seed beats a 1. I could be wrong. If theres anything we have learned this season, it’s that we can predict absolutely nothing. After it’s all over and we get to watch the montage of highlights from the tournament known as One Shining Moment, watching all the moments will give us goose bumps. The culmination of memories we cannot wait for which will mark the end of this beautiful chaos which we call the Road to Atlanta. Let the mayhem begin.
-Ben Greer
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Change in Pace
The Miami Heat have pounded every team they have played this year. Except for one, the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers in two meetings with the heat this year, the Pacers have won both meetings by double digits. The Heat are averaging 103 points per game this season. Against the Pacers they scored 87 and 77. The Heat average 10 more points per game than the Pacers. The Heat shoot 50% from the field and the Pacers shoot 35%. The Miami Heat run the floor and if you asked any casual NBA fan they could name you the best 3 players on the Heat easily and could probably name you 1 player on the Pacers. But in two meetings this season its been the Indiana Pacers handling the Heat easily and frustrating the Heat. LeBron and Dwayne Wade both had great games when they played twice, but it was the role players that were nowhere to be found. Indiana’s blue collar defensive approach is uncommon in the NBA and that is what makes them successful. There is no #1 guy, which is not the case on most teams. Everyone on the team is physical and is better on the defensive end than the offensive end, once again atypical. Playing against them is a culture shock, making teams switch up their game their normal gameplans. The Heat got down early last year, but adjusted and ending up winning the series, but that series gave the Pacers all the confidence they needed. Indiana left that series feeling that they let one get away.
Indiana currently sits at 16 games over .500 and are 7 games back of the Heat, rendering them the #2 seed in the playoffs. They have done most of it without Danny Granger, who has played 5 games since recovering from injury, but it appears to have been a blessing in disguise. Paul George has emerged as a rising star in this league. Averaging close to 18 points 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game. George, at age 22, has become a mature player even with only 2 years of experience under his belt. Even though the scoring output is great, his best attribute is his athleticism which has translated into some rather fine defense. He proved his ability in the dunk contest, was in the 3 point contest this year, and has the experience of a playoff loss to the Heat under his belt. I love Paul George and what he brings to Indiana with his youth, but my favorite young player is the rather unknown sophomore shooting guard from Cincinati, Lance Stephenson. Growing up in Brooklyn, and playing under defensive minded Mick Cronin at Cinci has morphed Stephenson into a defensive nightmare. Dwayne Wade has hung 30 and 17 on Stephenson this year and look for those numbers to get worse because Stephenson is a highly motivated guy with a high basketball IQ and a student of the game on the defensive side of the ball. He refuses to back down, and while the shooting numbers aren’t great, he doesn’t take many bad shots and realizes his place. In the paint, David West has brought his steady play and veteran leadership to Indiana. He’s heard the talk about how Chris Bosh’s injury before the conference semi’s last year was the reason they were in it and has taken it to heart. In the last meeting between the two, David West dropped 30 points on Bosh, who looked like the 32 year old as West looked as if he was as youthful as ever. Let’s not forget everyone’s favorite player on the bench Tyler Hansborough, and I really hate this guy, but I cannot dispute the fact that he comes to work every day. Amidst all this, we have forgotten the player who is most motivated to beat the Heat, Danny Granger. The iconic image of Danny Granger staring down at LeBron during the playoff series tells the entire story. He remembers how badly LeBron torched him the second half of that series and he and his teammates are determined to not let their foot off the pedal if they see the Heat again in the playoffs.
My synopsis of the Eastern Conference Finals would start off with a familiar tone, the Pacers would win game 1 in a close defensive struggle, lose game two by about 10. I’d like them to split games 3 and 4 in Indiana, leaving a three game series to decide who would represent the East in the Finals. In a three game series, I like Indiana because they are not afraid to play on the road. LeBron will get his, but the Indiana Pacers will hit the Heat where it hurts, on the boards. I will take Hibbert and West over Bosh and Joel Anthony every time. Also, in hustle plays and plays in which momentum will shift, I like the Pacers as well because of this defensive minded style they bring to the game. I believe Miami is the best team in the league right now, but the balanced, defensive minded, youthful, veteran lead Indiana Pacers are the nightmare matchup for the King and his men.-Josh Neighbors
Sunday, February 3, 2013
FAMILYarity Breathes Contempt
Let me begin by saying I love my brother very very much, but if he and I were coaching against each other in the super bowl, I'd want to beat his ass. Would it be awkward? No not at all. Do I still love him? Absolutely. When it comes to competition between brothers, there can only be one winner. Whether its a weekend game of Madden, or its in the Super Bowl, the goal is to win.
To summarize this pre-requisite, the battle of the brothers is one I can relate to, which makes this game all the more intriguing to me.
As for all the other storylines, we have heard them all ad nauseum. So I'd love to make this somewhat simpler. On offense, both teams need to establish the run. Joe Flacco is elite when Ray Rice is elite. And when Rice is not having good games, Flacco struggles mightily. The Ravens need to establish Ray Rice in the screen game and get him into open space away from the two Smith's and San Francisco's defensive line. The second key is Joe Flacco's mind. He will mistakes, San Francisco's defense will make sure of that, but Flacco's response will be a key. SF will take away Boldin to the best of their abilities, so it will be up to Pitta, Smith, and Jones to carry the load in the receiving game.
For San Francisco, it's simple. Believe in your quarterback. If you do this, you put the pressure on the defense of the the Ravens. Colin Kaepernick is poised, I have talked to this guy and he has complete confidence in himself and never crumbles. If he breaks contain, which is a guarantee, It will be up to Ray Lewis, Danelle Ellerbe, and Suggs to stop Kaepernick. Unlike most running quarterbacks, Kaepernick wants to use that 6'4, 230 pound frame and hit you. It's going to be battle of two teams who like to hit you on both sides of the field. I got San Francisco 31-21 In a hard hitting battle. Radio report coming later today at 4:30 with more extensive analysis on blogrtalkradio.com.-Josh Neighbors
To summarize this pre-requisite, the battle of the brothers is one I can relate to, which makes this game all the more intriguing to me.
As for all the other storylines, we have heard them all ad nauseum. So I'd love to make this somewhat simpler. On offense, both teams need to establish the run. Joe Flacco is elite when Ray Rice is elite. And when Rice is not having good games, Flacco struggles mightily. The Ravens need to establish Ray Rice in the screen game and get him into open space away from the two Smith's and San Francisco's defensive line. The second key is Joe Flacco's mind. He will mistakes, San Francisco's defense will make sure of that, but Flacco's response will be a key. SF will take away Boldin to the best of their abilities, so it will be up to Pitta, Smith, and Jones to carry the load in the receiving game.
For San Francisco, it's simple. Believe in your quarterback. If you do this, you put the pressure on the defense of the the Ravens. Colin Kaepernick is poised, I have talked to this guy and he has complete confidence in himself and never crumbles. If he breaks contain, which is a guarantee, It will be up to Ray Lewis, Danelle Ellerbe, and Suggs to stop Kaepernick. Unlike most running quarterbacks, Kaepernick wants to use that 6'4, 230 pound frame and hit you. It's going to be battle of two teams who like to hit you on both sides of the field. I got San Francisco 31-21 In a hard hitting battle. Radio report coming later today at 4:30 with more extensive analysis on blogrtalkradio.com.-Josh Neighbors
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Art of Unpredictability
Almost every sport during every season has that dominant team. That clear number one. That team that when they are mentioned, every knowledgeable fan agrees that they are undoubtedly the best. In college football right now, it is clearly Alabama. When you win the National Championship three out of the last four years, you deserve the title of “the best.” As for the NFL, it may not be as clear for some, but it is for me. I am no fan, but the Patriots earn my ranking for number one in the NFL. They may not win it every year; however, their consistency is unmatched. Now for the NBA. The Miami Heat are the dominating team in the NBA. You could make the argument for the Thunder or even the Spurs, but when I look at the team that I would put my money on against any team, the Heat are the clear choice. Sorry for all of you soccer and hockey fans, but I am going to have to leave you out considering the miniscule amount of importance they have in my mind. So what is the point of all this you ask? 
The best part of sports is the unpredictability. Anything can happen on any given night! Even the best can go down! The Washington Wizards are 7 and 28. But guess what, two of those wins are against the Thunder and the Heat. It simply does not make sense... and thats what makes it so fun. Drama unfolds right in front of you and this unpredictability is most evident in one sport. That sport, is college basketball.
In college basketball, you have the historical powerhouses. You have UCLA in the John Wooden era, Kentucky in the Adolph Rupp era, and yeah I guess Duke has a pretty good history too, but we will not waste our time on that program. There have been nine different national champions in the last twelve years. No one team has won more than two in the last twelve years either. This is credited to the best postseason format in sports.
As I said earlier, nobody wants to watch something with a pre-determined outcome. If everyone knew who would win it all every year, it would not be so incredibly intriguing. They do not call it March Madness for nothing. There has been one year, yes one, where all four teams in the Final Four were one seeds. This means that only one year in the history of this great game, the predicted actually happened.
One of the greatest pieces that makes March Madness the premier post-seasons in all of sports is the Cinderella story. Ahh the Cinderella story. George Mason, an eleven seed, made it to the final four. They upset many thought to be superior teams including the number one seed UCONN. And the way in which a cinderella team makes their run only adds to the bravado of the story. They may not be the most athletic, but to win in March, you need heart. Heart wins games. And speaking of heart, how about VCU? Sure I am biased I am a VCU season ticket holder. I believe the Siegel Center is one of the best atmospheres in the game but that argument is for another time. Back to my point, VCU was an 11 seed just like Mason. They got an opportunity, maybe an undeserved one, and they took advantage of it. They believed and they played with more heart than USC or Georgetown or Purdue or Florida State or of course, Kansas. The Rams wanted it more than each and every team previously mentioned. These teams probably had an edge on the Rams physically, but that does not matter in March. Nobody could possibly predict VCU or George Mason making it to the Final Four, and that is what makes a Cinderella Story such an exhilarating thrill ride.
This unpredictability has increased in the recent years. There are more athletes, and more guys with an incredible amount of talent that results in a larger quantity of good teams, which makes the unpredictability rise even more. All time, Richmond was the only 15 seed to win a tournament game, and it was over 2 seed Kansas in 1991. Last year, 15 seeds Lehigh and Norfolk State took down 2 seeds Duke and Missouri. The game is getting crazier and crazier. Kentucky won the National Championship last year, but you would not find them in the Top 25 right now and you may not find them in the tournament come March. 
There is no clear alpha dog in college basketball. Number one has already changed multiple times. Indiana could not keep it, and people saw Duke beat some of the best teams in the country, but they lost their spot with a loss to NC State. Michigan would have taken over, but the very next day they fell to Ohio State. Right now number one is Louisville. Their lone loss is to Duke, but they had to play without their star center Gorgui Dieng. If you think that they will keep number one all year, well you are simply mistaken. Indiana could be the best team, but as I write this I am watching them fall to a Wisconsin team at home that could not take down UVA in their own building.
There is no best team in college basketball. There are a lot of really talented teams. A lot of teams that you know will have an extremely successful season, but no team that you can say, “They have the national championship in the bag.” Conference play has just begun. There is a lot of season yet to be played, and there is a lot of time for more teams to emerge. College basketball is what it is because of its incredible unpredictability. You don’t have a clue what is going to happen some nights, and on others you think you got everything figured out and boom, Norfolk State just took down Missouri. This year that is the case more than any year I can remember. Anybody can beat absolutely anybody on any given night! This year the only thing you can actually predict is that it is going to be so unpredictable. That opens the door for all of those potential “Cinderellas.” It is going to be a crazy year and an even crazier tournament. That factual statement makes me and all other die hard college basketball fans think one thing: Bring on the Madness.-Ben Greer
Monday, January 7, 2013
If We Could Go Back
Momentum is the most important thing in sports. When it's on your side, anything is possible. Once you attain this theoretical confidence, the goal is to keep it by whatever means necessary. Once momentum turns, so does the game. Mike Shanahan handed momentum to Pete Carrol and the Seattle Seahawks last night. After going up 14-0, Shanahan opted to keep an obviously injured RGIII in the contest, instead of going to battle tested Kirk Cousins. For many, the decision was a tough one, for me, it's black and white. Here is my argument for why Kirk Cousins was the obvious choice.
1. RGIII Is a throwing quarterback who can run. That being said, his feet are his most dangerous attribute in my mind. The entire Redskins read option offense is based on unpredictability. When one of the unpredictable factors of the offense doesn't work, well the unpredictable becomes.... predictable.
2. The Redskins had momentum. With Griffin obviously hurting, you have to put in Cousins, his 100% is better the RGIII 60%. RGIII is not a pocket passer, which his injury forced him to be last night. At this point now, you have 2 pocket passers, one of which is basically on 1 leg. The choice is obvious.
3. We (Redskins fans) all love Kirk Cousins. What he did against the Ravens and Browns was phenomenal. He was ready for that moment. He was in many huge moments at Michigan State, and to be honest, when he played in the 4th quarter he looked pretty good. The offensive line fell apart. Kirk Cousins is just as much of a gamer as RGIII is. There is an offensive game plan in place for him.
4. If Cousins comes in on the Redskins 3rd drive, he has an entire crowd, completely confident in his abilities, behind him. He has momentum, he isn't in the flow yet, but the rest of his teammates are. I honestly believe if you put Cousins in, the Redskins go up either 17 or 21 to 3.
5. Watching the deterioration of RGIII was slow, painful, and culminated into a horrific ending everyone saw coming. The air was slowly sucked out of the fans, coaches, players, and Griffin himself. He said he wouldn't have come out of the game, that is false. He knew it was better for the team, and he is unselfish enough to not let his pride get in the way.
6. If Cousins plays for 3 1/2 quarters, somewhere in that time frame the Redskins do enough offensively to win the game. Your offense does not fall apart with a healthy QB, it does with a hurt one, who's injury only worsens as the game progresses.
7. The defense is affected by what the offense is doing. Momentum is not a one way street, as RGIII worsened, so did the entire team's energy. I will say, the defense played inspired football and I am impressed by the way they performed.
8. Finally, this may not mean much, but the media and fans would not have killed Shany for putting Cousins in He's proved his worth on multiple occasions. The fans do love him, and would support him. If Cousins in you'd be 1 protecting RGIII, and 2 putting in the player who was better suited for the situation. If he was left out there to motivate everyone, it did not work. It slowly brought everyone down.
Even though I am bitter with the outcome, the Seahawks played a fantastic 3 quarters and earned the win. That being said, the outcome is different if RGIII is healthy, or if Cousins comes in and plays. Instead, here we are with people putting Shanahan on blast for being reckless with Griffin's health, which I do not find totally fair. I hate playing what if, but in this case it was necessary. If Cousins plays, Redskins nation doesn't watch in stunned silence as our playoff dreams go down with the horrific twist of Robert Griffin's right knee.-Josh Neighbors
Photo Credit: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Kirk+Cousins&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1246&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbnid=9fnFRPYkDzzIpM:&imgrefurl=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-kirk-cousins-rg3-20121210,0,6971.story&docid=RwKR0cqrmgSHfM&imgurl=http://www.trbimg.com/img-50c60743/turbine/la-sp-sn-kirk-cousins-rg3-20121210-001/600&w=580&h=387&ei=oznrUJnYLcG-2gXmz4GABA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=821&vpy=283&dur=1029&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=221&ty=120&sig=113262905238804822970&page=3&tbnh=138&tbnw=226&start=46&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:50,s:0,i:286
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=RG3+ON+GROUND&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1246&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbnid=VDpRD_16qIdRyM:&imgrefurl=http://news.yahoo.com/redskins-coach-shanahan-says-rg3-mild-sprain-203814222--nfl.html&docid=zKKjTlRejBK2oM&imgurl=http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/YTYRYTdn8ry4Z64NuYzidA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MTU1NDtjcj0xO2N3PTIzMzE7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQyMDtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b81d4c389e5b3d22230f6a706700e0b8.jpg&w=630&h=420&ei=ETnrUKirA4uq0AG3roDQCQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=3&sig=113262905238804822970&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=224&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:87&tx=113&ty=71
1. RGIII Is a throwing quarterback who can run. That being said, his feet are his most dangerous attribute in my mind. The entire Redskins read option offense is based on unpredictability. When one of the unpredictable factors of the offense doesn't work, well the unpredictable becomes.... predictable.
2. The Redskins had momentum. With Griffin obviously hurting, you have to put in Cousins, his 100% is better the RGIII 60%. RGIII is not a pocket passer, which his injury forced him to be last night. At this point now, you have 2 pocket passers, one of which is basically on 1 leg. The choice is obvious.
3. We (Redskins fans) all love Kirk Cousins. What he did against the Ravens and Browns was phenomenal. He was ready for that moment. He was in many huge moments at Michigan State, and to be honest, when he played in the 4th quarter he looked pretty good. The offensive line fell apart. Kirk Cousins is just as much of a gamer as RGIII is. There is an offensive game plan in place for him.
4. If Cousins comes in on the Redskins 3rd drive, he has an entire crowd, completely confident in his abilities, behind him. He has momentum, he isn't in the flow yet, but the rest of his teammates are. I honestly believe if you put Cousins in, the Redskins go up either 17 or 21 to 3.
5. Watching the deterioration of RGIII was slow, painful, and culminated into a horrific ending everyone saw coming. The air was slowly sucked out of the fans, coaches, players, and Griffin himself. He said he wouldn't have come out of the game, that is false. He knew it was better for the team, and he is unselfish enough to not let his pride get in the way.
6. If Cousins plays for 3 1/2 quarters, somewhere in that time frame the Redskins do enough offensively to win the game. Your offense does not fall apart with a healthy QB, it does with a hurt one, who's injury only worsens as the game progresses.
7. The defense is affected by what the offense is doing. Momentum is not a one way street, as RGIII worsened, so did the entire team's energy. I will say, the defense played inspired football and I am impressed by the way they performed.
8. Finally, this may not mean much, but the media and fans would not have killed Shany for putting Cousins in He's proved his worth on multiple occasions. The fans do love him, and would support him. If Cousins in you'd be 1 protecting RGIII, and 2 putting in the player who was better suited for the situation. If he was left out there to motivate everyone, it did not work. It slowly brought everyone down.
Even though I am bitter with the outcome, the Seahawks played a fantastic 3 quarters and earned the win. That being said, the outcome is different if RGIII is healthy, or if Cousins comes in and plays. Instead, here we are with people putting Shanahan on blast for being reckless with Griffin's health, which I do not find totally fair. I hate playing what if, but in this case it was necessary. If Cousins plays, Redskins nation doesn't watch in stunned silence as our playoff dreams go down with the horrific twist of Robert Griffin's right knee.-Josh Neighbors
Photo Credit: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Kirk+Cousins&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1246&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbnid=9fnFRPYkDzzIpM:&imgrefurl=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-kirk-cousins-rg3-20121210,0,6971.story&docid=RwKR0cqrmgSHfM&imgurl=http://www.trbimg.com/img-50c60743/turbine/la-sp-sn-kirk-cousins-rg3-20121210-001/600&w=580&h=387&ei=oznrUJnYLcG-2gXmz4GABA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=821&vpy=283&dur=1029&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=221&ty=120&sig=113262905238804822970&page=3&tbnh=138&tbnw=226&start=46&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:50,s:0,i:286
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=RG3+ON+GROUND&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1246&bih=595&tbm=isch&tbnid=VDpRD_16qIdRyM:&imgrefurl=http://news.yahoo.com/redskins-coach-shanahan-says-rg3-mild-sprain-203814222--nfl.html&docid=zKKjTlRejBK2oM&imgurl=http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/YTYRYTdn8ry4Z64NuYzidA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MTU1NDtjcj0xO2N3PTIzMzE7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQyMDtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b81d4c389e5b3d22230f6a706700e0b8.jpg&w=630&h=420&ei=ETnrUKirA4uq0AG3roDQCQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=3&sig=113262905238804822970&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=224&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:87&tx=113&ty=71
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