The chain of events that has been set off since the Goofs upset UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament has had many facets both interesting and puzzling. As you know, Ben Howland was fired as coach of UCLA the day after the Goofs' rout and the head coach of the Goofs, Tubby Smith, soon followed out the door after the Goofs were trounced in the next round by Florida.
Howland had already had his issues with the Bruins and was probably on his way out anyway. Although Smith had some success as the Goofs coach, he just never looked comfortable under the "Minnesota Nice" microscope that has consumed such coaching legends as Denny Green, Glen Mason, Brad Childress, and Dan Monson.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Higher Power: A Hospital (Somewhere Near Tibet)
I had this feeling before.
Waking up in a strange place, head pounding, fuzzy vision, dry mouth. But this was no hangover.
And it wasn't Vegas.
As I looked around the room, all I saw were bright lights (not helping the headache), sharp instruments (but if felt like my organs were still in place) and no liquid of any kind (at this point, I would have taken rubbing alcohol).
And no television. There was a calendar on the wall. I think it was Thursday.
Waking up in a strange place, head pounding, fuzzy vision, dry mouth. But this was no hangover.
And it wasn't Vegas.
As I looked around the room, all I saw were bright lights (not helping the headache), sharp instruments (but if felt like my organs were still in place) and no liquid of any kind (at this point, I would have taken rubbing alcohol).
And no television. There was a calendar on the wall. I think it was Thursday.
Friday, March 22, 2013
The Higher Power II: Tibet
This was getting ridiculous.
Not only had I sidestepped my Vegas trip at the last minute to hop a plane to Tibet. But now I was sweating. In Tibet. It was 5 below zero. I was wearing sunglasses.
I had never mountain-climbed before, much less over frozen terrain. But the voice the other night (which I was still sure had Chewy's paw prints all over--strange considering it was a voice) said this was where the answer would be--where the Higher Power resided. Where a possible end to my NCAA suffering could be located.
So I did the only logical thing a perfectly sane person would do--instead of connecting to Vegas in the airport, I took advantage of the "I" in Denver International Airport and bought a round-trip ticket to Tibet.
Not only had I sidestepped my Vegas trip at the last minute to hop a plane to Tibet. But now I was sweating. In Tibet. It was 5 below zero. I was wearing sunglasses.
I had never mountain-climbed before, much less over frozen terrain. But the voice the other night (which I was still sure had Chewy's paw prints all over--strange considering it was a voice) said this was where the answer would be--where the Higher Power resided. Where a possible end to my NCAA suffering could be located.
So I did the only logical thing a perfectly sane person would do--instead of connecting to Vegas in the airport, I took advantage of the "I" in Denver International Airport and bought a round-trip ticket to Tibet.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Vegas Travel Blog Redux
Well, my first trip this early in the morning and the first thing to notice is all of the poor saps like me in terminal 2 who are also flying on a 7am flight. First one is to Denver and based on the average age of those in front, I am guessing Denver might be their last stop. I am not exactly seeing a lot of degenerate gamblers in this group.
Those who recall last year know that by flying Southwest, I am in the same terminal but this time for the right reasons. Fairly relaxed right now too...worried about not getting served this early in the morning but I took care of that after I got here...'nuff said. Actually one beer in a parked car won't kill anyone but it does a world of good for me.
Those who recall last year know that by flying Southwest, I am in the same terminal but this time for the right reasons. Fairly relaxed right now too...worried about not getting served this early in the morning but I took care of that after I got here...'nuff said. Actually one beer in a parked car won't kill anyone but it does a world of good for me.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
The Higher Power
Late Sunday night, Raap is taking care of a sick Etan, and I couldn't sleep.
Again.
It's bad enough that I have to go through the machinations accompanying yet another losing effort for March Madness. Especially after last year, I am burnt out. But knowing that I'm a sure bet to once again lose to my wife makes it a truly hopeless endeavor. Why put myself though this every year? I can't just shut off the competitive side. It doesn't work like that. It's like telling Yzzi and Etan to stop breathing. They will try and at some point, if they really want something, they will take to the "blue in the face" level. Eventually the body's the natural inclination to breathe takes oAver and a big exhale follows. No one has ever voluntarily held their breath to the point of death.
Again.
It's bad enough that I have to go through the machinations accompanying yet another losing effort for March Madness. Especially after last year, I am burnt out. But knowing that I'm a sure bet to once again lose to my wife makes it a truly hopeless endeavor. Why put myself though this every year? I can't just shut off the competitive side. It doesn't work like that. It's like telling Yzzi and Etan to stop breathing. They will try and at some point, if they really want something, they will take to the "blue in the face" level. Eventually the body's the natural inclination to breathe takes oAver and a big exhale follows. No one has ever voluntarily held their breath to the point of death.
The Big Fall
Crazy things going on during tournament week...
The end of the Charlotte/Richmond game was one of the most unusual scenes ever in college basketball. I will not be able to do it justice but for details go here. It is yet another example of how a lack of discipline can do in a team at the worst possible moment.
Basement Joe Lunardi and his cronies at ESPN were actually debating whether or not a team belonged in the "First Four Out" or the "Next Four Out" after Basement Joe informed them that he moved a team between those categories. Think about what that means--they debated whether or not a team "almost made it" or was just short of the "almost made it" category.
The end of the Charlotte/Richmond game was one of the most unusual scenes ever in college basketball. I will not be able to do it justice but for details go here. It is yet another example of how a lack of discipline can do in a team at the worst possible moment.
Basement Joe Lunardi and his cronies at ESPN were actually debating whether or not a team belonged in the "First Four Out" or the "Next Four Out" after Basement Joe informed them that he moved a team between those categories. Think about what that means--they debated whether or not a team "almost made it" or was just short of the "almost made it" category.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Man Should Really Shut Up (Part II)
A lot has happened at Indiana since the days of Bobby Knight. It has been quite a road for the Hoosiers to end up with essentially the same basketball coach they tried to get rid of 13 years ago.
First, after Knight's dismissal in 2000, a search for the "anti-Knight" landed Mike Davis a genial first-timer who not only won a share of the Big Ten title in his second full season as head coach but in the same year took the Hoosiers to their first title game appearance in 15 years (2002). But as is the case in the world of college basketball's "what have you done for me lately" culture, two years in a row without a March Madness trip (2004 and 2005) spelled doom for Davis' tenure with Indiana.
First, after Knight's dismissal in 2000, a search for the "anti-Knight" landed Mike Davis a genial first-timer who not only won a share of the Big Ten title in his second full season as head coach but in the same year took the Hoosiers to their first title game appearance in 15 years (2002). But as is the case in the world of college basketball's "what have you done for me lately" culture, two years in a row without a March Madness trip (2004 and 2005) spelled doom for Davis' tenure with Indiana.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Man Should Really Shut Up (Part I)
Three points but split over three days to keep your ever waning attention spans. Tomorrow how Tom Crean is actually the second coming of Bobby Knight. Now, without further adieu...
Ahhh Seth Davis. The man who would be Billy Packer is constantly making outrageous statements whether it be on the CBS selection show prior to the selection show (last year he said South Dakota State would beat Baylor--final score Baylor 68 SDSU 60 and Baylor's run ended at the Elite Eight) or as the College Basketball contributor for Sports Illustrated. Seth's mouth is only surpassed by the hyperbole that spews forth from it. His most recent attempt, however, is downright embarrassing.
Ahhh Seth Davis. The man who would be Billy Packer is constantly making outrageous statements whether it be on the CBS selection show prior to the selection show (last year he said South Dakota State would beat Baylor--final score Baylor 68 SDSU 60 and Baylor's run ended at the Elite Eight) or as the College Basketball contributor for Sports Illustrated. Seth's mouth is only surpassed by the hyperbole that spews forth from it. His most recent attempt, however, is downright embarrassing.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Soft Bubble
The above phrase appears redundant. Actually ridiculous might be the better "r" word to describe it. What in the world would a "hard" bubble be like?
But its self-redundancy (or "anti-oxymoron", if you will), is only part of the problem. The bigger picture is that it represents all that has gone wrong with our approach to a 68-team field for the NCAA Tournament. "OUR" approach? Ok, I'm guessing the dear reader is not sitting up late at night putting their own bracketology spin on the current state of the March Madness picture. Or giving minute by minute updates of who is in and who is out based on one game which then changes thirty minutes later when another team wins or loses. But the problem is becoming epidemic and it threatens to further saturate an already bloated concept. And the move to 68 teams is to blame.
But its self-redundancy (or "anti-oxymoron", if you will), is only part of the problem. The bigger picture is that it represents all that has gone wrong with our approach to a 68-team field for the NCAA Tournament. "OUR" approach? Ok, I'm guessing the dear reader is not sitting up late at night putting their own bracketology spin on the current state of the March Madness picture. Or giving minute by minute updates of who is in and who is out based on one game which then changes thirty minutes later when another team wins or loses. But the problem is becoming epidemic and it threatens to further saturate an already bloated concept. And the move to 68 teams is to blame.
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