We keep hearing that Texas A&M's impending departure to the SEC will start a chain reaction that will result in four 16-team super conferences. If that's true, it will be a losing situation for many college football teams and fans. There is nothing positive to gain from the existence of super conferences.
Scheduling will quality opponents will be a nightmare for teams left outside the conferences. With so many tough conference opponents on the slate, playing tough non-BCS teams will no longer be an option for BCS teams. (Honestly, it quit being an option some time ago for many of them.)
The disparity between the BCS schools and non-BCS schools in terms of facilities, talent and revenue will grow even larger. It is much easier to line up donors if your school is playing big-time opponents and in big-time bowl games in a BCS conference than if your school is on the outside looking in.
Eventually many non-BCS schools will be forced into an intermediate division between the FBS and FCS because they no longer can compete on an even playing field. When that happens, the appeal of college football is going to take a huge hit and some smaller schools may drop the sport altogether.
When A&M finally leaves, it will be the first domino of many to fall. Expect Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State all to find new landing spots in some combination of the Pac-12, Big 10 and Big East.
It will signal a bad new era in the sport. If you hated the formation of the BCS, you will really loathe the advent of the super conference.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Five Greatest Bowl Game Comebacks
Postseason bowl games in college football have a reputation for being meaningless outside of the BCS National Championship Game. Good thing many of the coaches and players do not see them that way. Bowl games have provided some of the most incredible comebacks the sport has ever seen. These five rank as the most dramatic bowl game comebacks and would be more than enough to spark a goalpost tear down frenzy.
#5: 2001 GMAC Bowl -- For one half, Marshall looked to be thoroughly outclassed by future Conference USA rival East Carolina. The Thundering Herd trailed 38-8 and appeared headed for an ugly loss. The second half felt like a different game altogether. Momentum shifted in the third quarter when Ralph Street and Terence Tarpley each returned interceptions for touchdowns. Those defensive scores helped Marshall trim the Pirate lead to 41-36. The Thundering Herd still trailed by six, 51-45, with 50 seconds left when Byron Leftwich moved the Marshall offense 80 yards in 43 seconds for the tying touchdown to force overtime. Marshall finally prevailed in the second overtime, winning 64-61. It remains the highest scoring bowl game in NCAA history.
#4: 2006 Insight Bowl -- Texas Tech mounted the greatest bowl game comeback in college football history to defeat Minnesota 44-41 in overtime. The Red Raiders trailed the Golden Gophers 38-7 with 7:47 remaining in the third quarter when they ripped off 31 unanswered points to force overtime. Starting with Graham Harrell's 8 yard TD pass to Robert Johnson to open the fourth quarter and ending with Alex Trlica's 52 yard field goal as time expired, Texas Tech owned the final 15 minutes. The Red Raiders outscored Minnesota 24-0 in that stretch. The loss was the final straw for Golden Gophers' coach Glen Mason. He was fired two days later.
#3 2006 Rose Bowl: Vince Young ended the USC dynasty in epic fashion. The Trojans appeared well on their way to winning another national title when they took a 38-26 lead over Texas on a 22 yard pass from Matt Leinhart to Dwayne Jarrett. The Longhorns got the ball back with 6:42 remaining and Young went to work. He accounted for all 69 yards on a scoring drive that brought Texas within five. A failed fourth down conversion by USC with 2:09 left gave the Longhorns the ball at their own 44 yard line. It set up Young's nine yard TD run on 4th-and-5 with 19 seconds left and lifted Texas to a 41-38 victory and a national title.
#2: 1980 Holiday Bowl -- For most of four quarters, BYU looked completely outmatched against an SMU team that was the best team money could buy as it later turned out. Eric Dickerson and Craig James ran roughshod over the Cougar defense. Trailing 45-25 with 3:32 remaining, BYU came to life. Jim McMahon threw a long touchdown pass to Matt Braga to spark the comeback. The Cougars then recovered an onside kick and scored two plays later to cut it to six. Then Bill Schoepflin blocked an SMU punt with 13 seconds left. That set the stage for a 41 yard touchdown pass from McMahon to Clay Brown on the game's final play and BYU stunned the Mustangs 46-45. It was the first of many wild finishes for the Holiday Bowl.
#1: 1979 Cotton Bowl -- Joe Montana carved out his legend as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever starting with leading Notre Dame to incredible rally over Houston. The Fighting Irish trailed 34-12 with just 7:37 to play when Montana went to work. He helped Notre Dame score 23 unanswered points, capped off by a rollout touchdown pass to Kris Haines on the game's final play to give the Irish a 35-34 victory over the Cougars. Montana battled hypothermia in the chilly Dallas weather and ate chicken soup at halftime to keep his body temperature up. It ended up being a secret ingredient to a memorable rally.
#5: 2001 GMAC Bowl -- For one half, Marshall looked to be thoroughly outclassed by future Conference USA rival East Carolina. The Thundering Herd trailed 38-8 and appeared headed for an ugly loss. The second half felt like a different game altogether. Momentum shifted in the third quarter when Ralph Street and Terence Tarpley each returned interceptions for touchdowns. Those defensive scores helped Marshall trim the Pirate lead to 41-36. The Thundering Herd still trailed by six, 51-45, with 50 seconds left when Byron Leftwich moved the Marshall offense 80 yards in 43 seconds for the tying touchdown to force overtime. Marshall finally prevailed in the second overtime, winning 64-61. It remains the highest scoring bowl game in NCAA history.
#4: 2006 Insight Bowl -- Texas Tech mounted the greatest bowl game comeback in college football history to defeat Minnesota 44-41 in overtime. The Red Raiders trailed the Golden Gophers 38-7 with 7:47 remaining in the third quarter when they ripped off 31 unanswered points to force overtime. Starting with Graham Harrell's 8 yard TD pass to Robert Johnson to open the fourth quarter and ending with Alex Trlica's 52 yard field goal as time expired, Texas Tech owned the final 15 minutes. The Red Raiders outscored Minnesota 24-0 in that stretch. The loss was the final straw for Golden Gophers' coach Glen Mason. He was fired two days later.
#3 2006 Rose Bowl: Vince Young ended the USC dynasty in epic fashion. The Trojans appeared well on their way to winning another national title when they took a 38-26 lead over Texas on a 22 yard pass from Matt Leinhart to Dwayne Jarrett. The Longhorns got the ball back with 6:42 remaining and Young went to work. He accounted for all 69 yards on a scoring drive that brought Texas within five. A failed fourth down conversion by USC with 2:09 left gave the Longhorns the ball at their own 44 yard line. It set up Young's nine yard TD run on 4th-and-5 with 19 seconds left and lifted Texas to a 41-38 victory and a national title.
#2: 1980 Holiday Bowl -- For most of four quarters, BYU looked completely outmatched against an SMU team that was the best team money could buy as it later turned out. Eric Dickerson and Craig James ran roughshod over the Cougar defense. Trailing 45-25 with 3:32 remaining, BYU came to life. Jim McMahon threw a long touchdown pass to Matt Braga to spark the comeback. The Cougars then recovered an onside kick and scored two plays later to cut it to six. Then Bill Schoepflin blocked an SMU punt with 13 seconds left. That set the stage for a 41 yard touchdown pass from McMahon to Clay Brown on the game's final play and BYU stunned the Mustangs 46-45. It was the first of many wild finishes for the Holiday Bowl.
#1: 1979 Cotton Bowl -- Joe Montana carved out his legend as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever starting with leading Notre Dame to incredible rally over Houston. The Fighting Irish trailed 34-12 with just 7:37 to play when Montana went to work. He helped Notre Dame score 23 unanswered points, capped off by a rollout touchdown pass to Kris Haines on the game's final play to give the Irish a 35-34 victory over the Cougars. Montana battled hypothermia in the chilly Dallas weather and ate chicken soup at halftime to keep his body temperature up. It ended up being a secret ingredient to a memorable rally.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Five Most Memorable March Madness Cinderella Runs
Underdogs are the main reason why the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is one of the most anticipated sporting events each year. There is nothing more college basketball fans enjoy than getting behind a mid-major team making an unthinkable run at glory. These five Cinderella mid-major teams stayed alive long enough to etch themselves into March Madness lore.
5: Gonzaga (1999) -- This is where it all started for a team that is now identified among the college basketball elite. Entering the tournament as a 10 seed, Gonzaga knocked off Minnesota, Stanford and Florida to reach the Elite Eight for the only time in school history. The Zags eventually fell to no. 1 seed Connecticut which went on to win the first of three NCAA titles.
4: Davidson (2008) -- Before Jimmer Fredette, there was Stephen Curry. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry nearly singlehandedly willed Davidson into uncharted territory. Curry was a beast in scoring basket after basket to propel the Wildcats to within a basket of making the Final Four. He averaged 32 points per game in leading past Davidson past Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin before it finally fell to eventual national champion Kansas in the Elite Eight.
3: George Mason (2006) -- The Patriots broke through the glass ceiling by becoming the first true mid-major team to advance to the Final Four since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. One of the great ironies is that many so-called experts blasted the committee for awarding George Mason an at-large bid and giving it an 11 seed, saying the Patriots did not deserve to make the tournament. George Mason silenced the critics in impressive fashion, knocking off Michigan State, defending champ North Carolina and top seed Connecticut to reach the Final Four.
2: VCU (2011) -- The similarities between the Rams and George Mason five years earlier were uncanny. VCU was one of the last four teams in and played in the inaugural First Four round against USC. Many critics said the Rams had stolen an at-large bid from a more deserving BCS Conference team. All VCU did was win five straight games -- punctuated by an upset of no. 1 seed Kansas in the Elite Eight -- to become just the third 11 seed to reach the Final Four.
1: Butler (2010 & 2011) -- The Bulldogs set the benchmark for all mid-majors past and future with back-to-back runs to the NCAA Championship games. A 61-59 title game loss to Duke in 2010 is still considered one of the greatest championship games in college basketball history. An mind-numbingly awful 53-41 loss to Connecuticut in the 2011 title game set the sport back several decades with the inept offense shown on both sides. Still, it does not diminish the fact that Butler is in a rare category as one of only a handful of teams to reach the NCAA Championship game in consecutive seasons.
5: Gonzaga (1999) -- This is where it all started for a team that is now identified among the college basketball elite. Entering the tournament as a 10 seed, Gonzaga knocked off Minnesota, Stanford and Florida to reach the Elite Eight for the only time in school history. The Zags eventually fell to no. 1 seed Connecticut which went on to win the first of three NCAA titles.
4: Davidson (2008) -- Before Jimmer Fredette, there was Stephen Curry. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry nearly singlehandedly willed Davidson into uncharted territory. Curry was a beast in scoring basket after basket to propel the Wildcats to within a basket of making the Final Four. He averaged 32 points per game in leading past Davidson past Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin before it finally fell to eventual national champion Kansas in the Elite Eight.
3: George Mason (2006) -- The Patriots broke through the glass ceiling by becoming the first true mid-major team to advance to the Final Four since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. One of the great ironies is that many so-called experts blasted the committee for awarding George Mason an at-large bid and giving it an 11 seed, saying the Patriots did not deserve to make the tournament. George Mason silenced the critics in impressive fashion, knocking off Michigan State, defending champ North Carolina and top seed Connecticut to reach the Final Four.
2: VCU (2011) -- The similarities between the Rams and George Mason five years earlier were uncanny. VCU was one of the last four teams in and played in the inaugural First Four round against USC. Many critics said the Rams had stolen an at-large bid from a more deserving BCS Conference team. All VCU did was win five straight games -- punctuated by an upset of no. 1 seed Kansas in the Elite Eight -- to become just the third 11 seed to reach the Final Four.
1: Butler (2010 & 2011) -- The Bulldogs set the benchmark for all mid-majors past and future with back-to-back runs to the NCAA Championship games. A 61-59 title game loss to Duke in 2010 is still considered one of the greatest championship games in college basketball history. An mind-numbingly awful 53-41 loss to Connecuticut in the 2011 title game set the sport back several decades with the inept offense shown on both sides. Still, it does not diminish the fact that Butler is in a rare category as one of only a handful of teams to reach the NCAA Championship game in consecutive seasons.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Big 12 Chaos
One year later, it appears Texas may finally succeed in destroying the Big 12 Conference after all.
The advent of the Longhorn Network – and the financial and recruiting advantages it seemingly offers to Texas over the rest of its conference mates – is the proverbial last straw for Texas A&M. The Aggies have always been overshadowed by the Longhorns in winning tradition, talented players, facilities and deep pocketed alumni.
Texas A&M has had enough. The Aggies are making a bid to join the SEC. If they are accepted into the nation's toughest football conference this week, expansion chaos is about to break loose.
The SEC will likely go to 14 teams or 16 teams. Rumored leading candidates to join A&M are Missouri, Clemson and Florida State. If the ACC loses a pair of teams, they will likely raid the Big East for some combination of Rutgers, Syracuse, West Virginia and Pittsburgh to get back to 12 teams.
You can bet if the SEC moves to 16, the Big 10 and the Pac-12 will not be far behind. The Pac-12 could go after Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Big 10 could set its sights on Maryland, Notre Dame, Missouri and Pittsburgh. The ACC could respond by absorbing the last of the Big East to move to 16.
Four super conferences and the end of the Big 12 and Big East as we know it. The gap between the BCS and non-BCS schools will widen and college football will enter a new era. It will not be a good era. A select few teams having a stranglehold over money, the best coaches and the best athletes is not good for the long term health of the sport.
College football needs teams like Utah, Boise State and TCU to break through the barrier erected by the sport's traditional powers. It needs a more level playing field that college basketball provides. No one can deny the excitement generated by March Madness.
Think of the possibilities for a “December Delirium” with college football playoffs at the FBS level. Fans and players would embrace it in an instant and these playoffs would instantly become one of the nation's most popular and most anticipated sporting events.
All of this started because of Texas-sized greed from the Lone Star State's flagship school. It was given new life because of a Texas-sized temper tantrum from their rival with an inferiority complex.
Everything hinges on what Texas does next. If the Longhorns are committed to saving the Big 12 and can keep the other seven schools from jumping ship, it can prevent the six BCS conferences from consolidating into four 16-team super conferences for at least a few more years.
If Texas and Oklahoma decide to cast their wandering eyes elsewhere, the end is already here.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Everybody wins with NFL lockout at an end
NFL Football will once again grace our TV screens in 2011. Monday brought a 10 year deal between players and owners that brought an end to a 4 1/2 month lockout.
It is a good thing both sides saw the light. If the lockout had continued, it would have simply weakened the dominant position the NFL holds in the hearts and minds of sports fans. Losing fan support in certain NFL markets would have signaled a death knell for franchises staying viable in those places.
Ask Major League Baseball how well it works to wipe out part of a season over labor disputes. Long before steroids became an issue in that sport, a lockout that wiped out the rest of the 1994 season also drove away a large portion of baseball fans.
It also caused the demise of the Montreal Expos. In 1994, the Expos were 74-40 and in first place in the National League when the rest of the season was cancelled. Montreal would have likely reached its first ever World Series. Instead, the Expos traded many of their top players and were never the same. Slumping attendance and revenue loss led to the team relocating to Washington D.C. where they became the Washington Nationals.
An NFL lockout could have very well sent teams such as the Buffalo Bills or the Jacksonville Jaguars looking for new homes elsewhere. In both cases, the franchises are already struggling with dwindling attendance and interest in their cities and both are rumored candidates to move to major metro areas like Los Angeles or Toronto that do not currently have an NFL franchise.
The new deal offers concessions on both sides. Owners earned a bigger revenue share and will get 53 percent compared to 47 percent for the players. They will also get to limit spending on rookie contracts. On the other hand, players will have safer offseason and in-season practice rules and most will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after four seasons.
Each team will operate under a hard $120 million cap for salary and bonuses in 2011 and will offer another $22 million in benefits. The numbers should reach at least that level in 2012 and 2013.
While NBA fans sit back and helplessly watch pro basketball sit on the shelf for a year while NBA players flee to play overseas rather than work things out with the owners, NFL fans can feel happy in knowing their sport of choice will go on as regularly scheduled.
It is a good thing both sides saw the light. If the lockout had continued, it would have simply weakened the dominant position the NFL holds in the hearts and minds of sports fans. Losing fan support in certain NFL markets would have signaled a death knell for franchises staying viable in those places.
Ask Major League Baseball how well it works to wipe out part of a season over labor disputes. Long before steroids became an issue in that sport, a lockout that wiped out the rest of the 1994 season also drove away a large portion of baseball fans.
It also caused the demise of the Montreal Expos. In 1994, the Expos were 74-40 and in first place in the National League when the rest of the season was cancelled. Montreal would have likely reached its first ever World Series. Instead, the Expos traded many of their top players and were never the same. Slumping attendance and revenue loss led to the team relocating to Washington D.C. where they became the Washington Nationals.
An NFL lockout could have very well sent teams such as the Buffalo Bills or the Jacksonville Jaguars looking for new homes elsewhere. In both cases, the franchises are already struggling with dwindling attendance and interest in their cities and both are rumored candidates to move to major metro areas like Los Angeles or Toronto that do not currently have an NFL franchise.
The new deal offers concessions on both sides. Owners earned a bigger revenue share and will get 53 percent compared to 47 percent for the players. They will also get to limit spending on rookie contracts. On the other hand, players will have safer offseason and in-season practice rules and most will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after four seasons.
Each team will operate under a hard $120 million cap for salary and bonuses in 2011 and will offer another $22 million in benefits. The numbers should reach at least that level in 2012 and 2013.
While NBA fans sit back and helplessly watch pro basketball sit on the shelf for a year while NBA players flee to play overseas rather than work things out with the owners, NFL fans can feel happy in knowing their sport of choice will go on as regularly scheduled.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Pac-12 TV deal boosts league in BCS pecking order
There looks to be no east coast bias when it comes to the Pac-12 snagging a sweet new TV deal.
The deal signed between the league and ESPN and Fox earlier this week is worth nearly $3 billion over a 12 year span. Starting in 2012, every school in the league will receive about $21 million in annual TV revenue. The only exception is Utah, which does not receive a full revenue share until the 2014-15 season.
It is a win-win deal for the Pac-12. The league's visibility is going to be much higher than before.
A total of 44 football games will be shown nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, FOX or FX. The remainder will be aired on the soon-to-be-launched Pac-12 Network. No more games consigned to the likes of Versus or FSN is a good thing for a BCS Conference that often gets lost in the Big 10, Big 12, SEC shuffle in the fall.
On the basketball front, 68 regular-season games will appear on ESPN and its affiliated networks or on Fox Sports Net. The remainder will be shown on the Pac-12 network.
Seeing the Pac-12 net a TV deal worth about $250 million annually has to rub the Big 10 and the SEC the wrong way. The Big 10 nets $220 million per year in their current ABC/ESPN deal and the SEC draws in $205 million annually in their CBS/ABC/ESPN deals.
More visibility could mean a bump in recruiting for the rest of the schools not named USC or Oregon. If anything, the TV deal could be a foreshadowing of the Pac-12 making a rise to dominance mirroring the rise of the SEC in the 1990s.
The deal signed between the league and ESPN and Fox earlier this week is worth nearly $3 billion over a 12 year span. Starting in 2012, every school in the league will receive about $21 million in annual TV revenue. The only exception is Utah, which does not receive a full revenue share until the 2014-15 season.
It is a win-win deal for the Pac-12. The league's visibility is going to be much higher than before.
A total of 44 football games will be shown nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, FOX or FX. The remainder will be aired on the soon-to-be-launched Pac-12 Network. No more games consigned to the likes of Versus or FSN is a good thing for a BCS Conference that often gets lost in the Big 10, Big 12, SEC shuffle in the fall.
On the basketball front, 68 regular-season games will appear on ESPN and its affiliated networks or on Fox Sports Net. The remainder will be shown on the Pac-12 network.
Seeing the Pac-12 net a TV deal worth about $250 million annually has to rub the Big 10 and the SEC the wrong way. The Big 10 nets $220 million per year in their current ABC/ESPN deal and the SEC draws in $205 million annually in their CBS/ABC/ESPN deals.
More visibility could mean a bump in recruiting for the rest of the schools not named USC or Oregon. If anything, the TV deal could be a foreshadowing of the Pac-12 making a rise to dominance mirroring the rise of the SEC in the 1990s.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Final Four Predictions
March Madness has been crazier and more enjoyable to watch than any other year in recent memory. I love seeing two mid-major teams make the Final Four. It really gives an unpredictable feel to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This is a season where it feels like anything can truly happen because of what already has happened.
My own bracket is more or less finished off at this point, so I can just sit back and have fun watching these games. Here are my thoughts on both Final Four games and my predictions on who will play for the NCAA title on Monday:
VCU vs Butler:
No one saw this historic Final Four matchup materializing. Both teams took radically different paths to get here. Butler produced one heart-stopping finish after another, with wins over Old Dominion, Pittsburgh and Florida going down to the final seconds. VCU dominated in reaching this point. The Rams beat USC, Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas by double digit margins.
So who has the edge out of this matchup of lower-seeded underdogs? I like Butler's chances in this one. The Bulldogs are good on the glass and have been solid defensively all season. VCU has been white hot from 3-point range all tournament. But it is a little harder to knock down shots from long range in a football dome like Reliant Stadium than a traditional basketball arena.
Butler 62, VCU 59
Connecticut vs Kentucky:
The run of success the Huskies have enjoyed over the past month is simply amazing. UConn won five games in five days to claim the Big East Tournament title. The Huskies kept it up with four straight NCAA Tournament victories to reach Houston. Kemba Walker is one of the best guards in the nation and his ability to completely take over a game is what makes UConn a difficult team to beat.
Kentucky is extremely young. But the Wildcat youngsters are also super talented. There has been a dose of maturity late in the season that has been the difference for UK. Once the Wildcats figured out how to finally win on the road, they have been able to win in a variety of ways against a variety of opponents. The awe factor of being in the final four could be there, but Kentucky has already taken out its fair share of tough opponents after beating West Virginia, Ohio State and North Carolina to get to Houston.
Kentucky 71, UConn 64
My own bracket is more or less finished off at this point, so I can just sit back and have fun watching these games. Here are my thoughts on both Final Four games and my predictions on who will play for the NCAA title on Monday:
VCU vs Butler:
No one saw this historic Final Four matchup materializing. Both teams took radically different paths to get here. Butler produced one heart-stopping finish after another, with wins over Old Dominion, Pittsburgh and Florida going down to the final seconds. VCU dominated in reaching this point. The Rams beat USC, Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas by double digit margins.
So who has the edge out of this matchup of lower-seeded underdogs? I like Butler's chances in this one. The Bulldogs are good on the glass and have been solid defensively all season. VCU has been white hot from 3-point range all tournament. But it is a little harder to knock down shots from long range in a football dome like Reliant Stadium than a traditional basketball arena.
Butler 62, VCU 59
Connecticut vs Kentucky:
The run of success the Huskies have enjoyed over the past month is simply amazing. UConn won five games in five days to claim the Big East Tournament title. The Huskies kept it up with four straight NCAA Tournament victories to reach Houston. Kemba Walker is one of the best guards in the nation and his ability to completely take over a game is what makes UConn a difficult team to beat.
Kentucky is extremely young. But the Wildcat youngsters are also super talented. There has been a dose of maturity late in the season that has been the difference for UK. Once the Wildcats figured out how to finally win on the road, they have been able to win in a variety of ways against a variety of opponents. The awe factor of being in the final four could be there, but Kentucky has already taken out its fair share of tough opponents after beating West Virginia, Ohio State and North Carolina to get to Houston.
Kentucky 71, UConn 64
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Looking at the Sweet 16
I don't remember feeling this hyped up about the Sweet 16 in a long time.
There are so many intriguing games on tap, partly because there were so many surprising results last weekend. I'll be glued to my TV (or my laptop) watching every game. Here are my thoughts and predictions on last week's action and what lies ahead this weekend.
Biggest surprise: VCU
Did anyone else see the Rams going from First Four participant to Sweet Sixteen team in such dominating fashion? The Rams have beaten three straight major conference opponents by an average of 16.3 points per game. They downed a team with a strong frontcourt (USC), a strong backcourt (Georgetown) and a strong all-around offense (Purdue). Where are all those critics who said VCU did not deserve a bid? All the consternation over the Rams getting in reminds me of what happened when George Mason earned an at-large bid in 2006. We all know what happened after that.
Biggest disappointment: Big East
The most overrated conference in America showed its supposed basketball strength was once again a product of East Coast media hype not grounded in reality. Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Syracuse – all awarded top three seeds – made forgettable second-round exits. Louisville, St. John's and Georgetown could not make it out of the first round against lower-seeded foes. Only two teams remain from 11 who were given bids. Maybe the selection committee will learn its lesson and not buy into the hype again when next March rolls around.
Final Four darkhorse: Butler
Could the Bulldogs make it two Final Fours in a row? It seems likely. Butler showed it can match up with physical teams in its victories over Old Dominion and Pittsburgh, making Wisconsin less of a challenge for the Bulldogs than it would seem on paper. If Butler wins there, the Bulldogs have good enough guard play and strong enough post players to match either Florida or BYU.
Easiest path: Kansas
The Jayhawks might as well reserve plane tickets to Houston. Only three double digit seeds stand between them and going to Reliant Stadium. Kansas is just too deep, too talented and too hungry after last year's upset loss to Northern Iowa to be denied.
Toughest path: Duke
Even with Kyrie Irving back in action, the Blue Devils are not looking impressive. They nearly suffered a come-from-ahead second round loss to an average Michigan team and face a potential Elite Eight matchup where either opponent (Connecticut or San Diego State) boasts a stronger frontcourt than Duke. Don't expect the defending champions to repeat.
My Final Four Picks:
Ohio State, San Diego State, Kansas, Butler.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
NCAA Basketball: Southeast Region Breakdown
March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.
Here is my take on the Southeast Region:
Southeast Region --
Overseeded: Michigan State
I am not buying that the Spartans even deserve to be in this field with how poorly they have played throughout the season. Michigan State seems like a better fit for one of those “First Four” games than it is as a 10 seed. Maybe Tom Izzo will work some magic and coax another Final Four run out of this crew. I wouldn't bet my house on it though.
Underseeded: Old Dominion
The Monarchs are trapped a couple seeds too low in the 8/9 game against Butler. They have a physical frontcourt and a good enough defense to go toe-to-toe with most teams. If Old Dominion gets past the Bulldogs, it is certainly more than capable of knocking off top seeded Pittsburgh.
Darkhorse: Gonzaga
It is weird to classify the Zags as a darkhorse. But things are actually favorable for the 11 seed to reach the Sweet 16. They face a St. John's team without one of its best players in D.J. Kennedy and could play a BYU team missing starting center Brandon Davies. If there is one thing Gonzaga is good at doing, it is embracing an underdog role.
Region winner: Florida
True, the SEC is not as strong as in seasons past. But the Gators did win the regular season crown. They have a balanced team – led by do-everything senior Chandler Parsons. Being a 2 seed in the weakest region should open the door for a return to the Final Four.
NCAA Basketball: Southwest Region Breakdown
March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.
Here is my breakdown on the Southwest Region:
Southwest Region –
Overseeded: Georgetown
The Hoyas were not the same team over the past month without injured point guard Chris Wright. Before Wright got hurt, Georgetown could beat anybody. Without him, the Hoyas lost to just about everybody. Wright supposedly will be ready to go against VCU. Unless he is at 100 percent, I could see Georgetown bowing out as a first weekend upset victim for the third time in four years.
Underseeded: Richmond
How do you win the Atlantic-10, beat Purdue and end up with a 12 seed? The Spiders are much better than your typical 12 seed and are more than capable of knocking off Vanderbilt in the second round. Richmond runs the Princeton offense to perfection and if the Spiders can get to the basket, the Commodores will have a hard time keeping it close.
Darkhorse: Texas A&M
No one is saying anything about the Aggies, but it is not wise to overlook a team coached by Mark Turgeon. Texas A&M has a habit of doing well with lower seeds and have a decent shot at reaching the Elite Eight if the Aggies can knock off Notre Dame in the third round.
Region winner: Kansas
The Jayhawks were the runaway favorite to win it all last year until falling to Northern Iowa in shocking fashion in the round of 32. I see that early exit being a motivator this time around. Kansas is too deep and too talented to not reach the Final Four in 2011.
NCAA Basketball: West Region Breakdown
March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.
West Region –
Overseeded: Cincinnati
It is astounding that the Bearcats can go from being on the bubble nearly all season, net a couple of “big” victories in the Big East over a fading Georgetown squad and suddenly be good enough to snare a 6 seed. Cincinnati's inflated record will be exposed soon enough. The Bearcats are a pedestrian 6-8 against teams in the 68-team field.
Underseeded: Temple
Few teams are hotter than the Owls coming into the tournament. They may be the most dangerous 7 seeds in the bracket. If Fran Dunphy can finally snap his first round jinx, Temple has the tools to make a run to the Elite Eight. The Owls enjoy strong backcourt play from Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore and have shown an ability to compete with Big Six teams all season.
Darkhorse: Oakland
The Grizzlies have a tough first round draw in Texas. But Oakland has a legitimate NBA prospect in center Keith Benson. And the Grizzlies won't be intimidated by the Longhorns. If it can pull off the first-round shocker, don't be surprised if Oakland makes a Sweet 16 run.
Region winner: San Diego State
Can a team go from zero NCAA wins to a Final Four berth? The odds are in the Aztecs' favor to pull off such a feat. With Kawahi Leonard, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White, San Diego State has one of the most physical and athletic frontcourts in the country. They can wear teams down and that will prove valuable in making a deep postseason run.
NCAA Basketball: East Region Breakdown
March Madness is here and it really is the most exciting time of the year. Nothing rivals seeing an underdog make a run through the NCAA Tournament or seeing a team win in dramatic fashion on an incredible buzzer-beater.
I intend to break down each of the four regions heading into this week's second and third round games. We will start with the East region:
East Region –
Overseeded: Villanova
It boggles my mind that the Wildcats can lose 10 of 15 games after a 16-1 start and still be safely in the 68-team field. This is a 11 or 12 seed masquerading as a 9 seed. Villanova hasn't beaten any team with a pulse in several weeks. I guess it pays to play in the overhyped Big East.
Underseeded: Clemson
The Tigers proved they deserved much better than a 12 seed after routing UAB on Tuesday. Clemson put a scare into North Carolina in the ACC Tournament before falling in overtime. The Tigers are more than capable of knocking off West Virginia if they don't come out flat-footed from travel fatigue.
Darkhorse: Xavier
The Musketeers have reached the Sweet 16 three consecutive years and could easily make four straight. This team is a trendy first-round upset victim. But I'm not sold on Marquette, a team with a recent history of early round flameouts. Tru Holladay is a talented and experienced backcourt leader. Teams with those kind of players tend to advance far in the NCAAs. Plus, I think Xavier has the tools to match up with Syracuse's famed 2-3 zone in the third round.
Region Winner: Ohio State
Behind powerful freshman Jared Sullinger and a talented senior supporting cast, the Buckeyes have just the right ingredients to cut down the nets in Houston. Anything short of reaching the Final Four would rank as a massive disappointment.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Thoughts on the "First Four"
I might be one of the few sports reporters in the country who will actually admit to liking a 68 team field in this year's NCAA basketball tournament.
I like adding in three more first-round play-in games to the mix. It gives opportunities to a few more good teams to make a memorable run in March who might have otherwise been relegated to the NIT. Sure there are some mediocre teams in this year's tournament. But there have been plenty of years where good teams got snubbed. It should add little bit of extra excitement to the whole first weekend.
Here are my thoughts on the "First Four" games on Tuesday and Wednesday:
Best team: USC
It is true the Trojans had a ton of bad losses early in the season. But USC also proved its mettle by beating its share of tough teams in PAC-10 play. The Trojans are catching fire at the right time and could be a darkhorse to claim a Sweet 16 berth.
Worst team: Alabama State
The Hornets needed to win 11 of their last 12 games just to get to .500 in one of the worst conferences in the nation. This is exactly why SWAC teams are a fixture in play-in games.
Predictions -
UAB vs Clemson:
The Tigers pushed North Carolina to the limits in the ACC Tournament. The Blazers had an uninspiring loss to East Carolina in the C-USA Tournament. Clemson has a recent history of early tournament exits. I think the Tigers reverse that trend here. Clemson 68, UAB 63.
UNC-Asheville vs Ark-Little Rock:
Six straight wins -- including a pair of victories over Coastal Carolina -- helped the Bulldogs reach this point. They won the first play-in game when the field went to 65 teams back in 2003. My guess is they will have enough momentum to beat a Trojans' squad that needed a buzzer-beater to win a bad Sun Belt Conference. UNCA 74, UALR 67.
USC vs VCU:
These are two teams going in opposite directions. Despite a memorable run to the CAA title game, the Rams have lost five of their last eight games. USC has won six of its last eight and owns three victories over top 25 teams this season. I think the Trojans can make some noise with Nikola Vucevic playing at his best. Vucevic, who averages 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds, is a big factor in USC's late season emergence. USC 82, VCU 76.
UT-San Antonio vs Alabama St.:
The WAC gets a sneak peek of one its new members for the 2012 season. Not sure anyone else will really care about this one. UTSA 73, Alabama St. 59.
I like adding in three more first-round play-in games to the mix. It gives opportunities to a few more good teams to make a memorable run in March who might have otherwise been relegated to the NIT. Sure there are some mediocre teams in this year's tournament. But there have been plenty of years where good teams got snubbed. It should add little bit of extra excitement to the whole first weekend.
Here are my thoughts on the "First Four" games on Tuesday and Wednesday:
Best team: USC
It is true the Trojans had a ton of bad losses early in the season. But USC also proved its mettle by beating its share of tough teams in PAC-10 play. The Trojans are catching fire at the right time and could be a darkhorse to claim a Sweet 16 berth.
Worst team: Alabama State
The Hornets needed to win 11 of their last 12 games just to get to .500 in one of the worst conferences in the nation. This is exactly why SWAC teams are a fixture in play-in games.
Predictions -
UAB vs Clemson:
The Tigers pushed North Carolina to the limits in the ACC Tournament. The Blazers had an uninspiring loss to East Carolina in the C-USA Tournament. Clemson has a recent history of early tournament exits. I think the Tigers reverse that trend here. Clemson 68, UAB 63.
UNC-Asheville vs Ark-Little Rock:
Six straight wins -- including a pair of victories over Coastal Carolina -- helped the Bulldogs reach this point. They won the first play-in game when the field went to 65 teams back in 2003. My guess is they will have enough momentum to beat a Trojans' squad that needed a buzzer-beater to win a bad Sun Belt Conference. UNCA 74, UALR 67.
USC vs VCU:
These are two teams going in opposite directions. Despite a memorable run to the CAA title game, the Rams have lost five of their last eight games. USC has won six of its last eight and owns three victories over top 25 teams this season. I think the Trojans can make some noise with Nikola Vucevic playing at his best. Vucevic, who averages 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds, is a big factor in USC's late season emergence. USC 82, VCU 76.
UT-San Antonio vs Alabama St.:
The WAC gets a sneak peek of one its new members for the 2012 season. Not sure anyone else will really care about this one. UTSA 73, Alabama St. 59.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Utes fire Boylen
When Utah makes its move to the PAC-12 next season, Jim Boylen will not be coming along for the ride.
Boylen was fired as the men's basketball coach on Saturday after leading the Utes to a dismal 13-18 record this season. In four years, he compiled a 69-60 record and helped Utah reach the NCAA Tournament in the 2008-09 season -- his second year at the helm.
Over the past two seasons, however, the Utes struggled to compete under Boylen. They won just 27 games in two years since going to the NCAA Tournament. Recruiting and transfers were a huge issue too. Coming into this season, Marshall Henderson and Carlon Brown -- the top two scorers from a year ago -- left the program, with Henderson going to Texas Tech and Brown joining Colorado.
This move comes after Boylen signed a five year contract extension following the 08-09 season. It will likely be a costly buyout for the Utes to get rid of Boylen, but it needed to be done.
There is an obvious talent drain in the program. With his midwestern roots as a longtime assistant under Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, Boylen did not understand how to recruit out west. He regularly lost recruiting battles to archrival BYU for top players in Utah. An infusion of junior college players this season -- highlighted by leading scorer Will Clyburn, could not offer a quick fix to mask the poor recruiting of previous seasons.
The final nail in the coffin for Boylen came with sagging attendance in the Huntsman Center. Crowds for women's gymnastics meets nearly doubled the amount of fans that showed up for men's basketball games. Such a loss of revenue could not continue going forward.
What are your thoughts on Boylen's firing?
Boylen was fired as the men's basketball coach on Saturday after leading the Utes to a dismal 13-18 record this season. In four years, he compiled a 69-60 record and helped Utah reach the NCAA Tournament in the 2008-09 season -- his second year at the helm.
Over the past two seasons, however, the Utes struggled to compete under Boylen. They won just 27 games in two years since going to the NCAA Tournament. Recruiting and transfers were a huge issue too. Coming into this season, Marshall Henderson and Carlon Brown -- the top two scorers from a year ago -- left the program, with Henderson going to Texas Tech and Brown joining Colorado.
This move comes after Boylen signed a five year contract extension following the 08-09 season. It will likely be a costly buyout for the Utes to get rid of Boylen, but it needed to be done.
There is an obvious talent drain in the program. With his midwestern roots as a longtime assistant under Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, Boylen did not understand how to recruit out west. He regularly lost recruiting battles to archrival BYU for top players in Utah. An infusion of junior college players this season -- highlighted by leading scorer Will Clyburn, could not offer a quick fix to mask the poor recruiting of previous seasons.
The final nail in the coffin for Boylen came with sagging attendance in the Huntsman Center. Crowds for women's gymnastics meets nearly doubled the amount of fans that showed up for men's basketball games. Such a loss of revenue could not continue going forward.
What are your thoughts on Boylen's firing?
New Mexico gets Jimmered
There is no debate about who deserves player of the year honors in college basketball after Friday night. No debate at all.
Jimmer Fredette put all speculation to rest with a performance for the ages in a 87-76 victory over New Mexico. Fredette helped BYU advance to the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament by scoring a career-high 52 points on 22-of-37 shooting -- including 7-of-14 from 3-point range.
Fredette gave an indication this would be his night when he made 14 of his first 20 shots to score 33 points by halftime. To put it in perspective, that is the same amount Wisconsin scored as a team over 40 minutes in a 36-33 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten quarterfinals on Friday.
Many experts wondered if BYU could get past a Lobos team that had already beaten the Cougars twice this season, especially given that starting center Brandon Davies was no longer on the team after being suspended for an honor code violation. Fredette quieted those critics -- at least for one night -- when he set a new single-game scoring record for the Cougars and passed Danny Ainge to become BYU's all-time career scoring leader.
Some bracket projections had dropped BYU down to a three or four seed going into Friday based on the assumption the Cougars would lose to New Mexico a third time. It's a safe bet many of those projections are going to be reevaluated come Saturday morning.
The only question ahead for BYU now: What can Jimmer do for an encore?
Jimmer Fredette put all speculation to rest with a performance for the ages in a 87-76 victory over New Mexico. Fredette helped BYU advance to the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament by scoring a career-high 52 points on 22-of-37 shooting -- including 7-of-14 from 3-point range.
Fredette gave an indication this would be his night when he made 14 of his first 20 shots to score 33 points by halftime. To put it in perspective, that is the same amount Wisconsin scored as a team over 40 minutes in a 36-33 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten quarterfinals on Friday.
Many experts wondered if BYU could get past a Lobos team that had already beaten the Cougars twice this season, especially given that starting center Brandon Davies was no longer on the team after being suspended for an honor code violation. Fredette quieted those critics -- at least for one night -- when he set a new single-game scoring record for the Cougars and passed Danny Ainge to become BYU's all-time career scoring leader.
Some bracket projections had dropped BYU down to a three or four seed going into Friday based on the assumption the Cougars would lose to New Mexico a third time. It's a safe bet many of those projections are going to be reevaluated come Saturday morning.
The only question ahead for BYU now: What can Jimmer do for an encore?
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