More Problems Than I Can Solve

Joan Niesen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated.  In the mega issue devoted to the upcoming baseball season, there was a small blurb devoted to Joan's recent encounter with the NCAA.

A couple weeks ago, she was at the St. Louis sub-regional, covering the first two rounds.  Pretty quickly after she unpacked her water bottle, a NCAA rep told her that she "should not have been let into the building with her own water bottle".  You see, the NCAA had a policy that the only courtside consumption that could take place had to be out of NCAA-logo cups that also had a logo of a corporate partner.  Kudos to Joan for not giving in and revealing the corporate partner during the article (and thus giving said corporate partner free advertising).  And apparently Joan wasn't the only victim--as she attested to in the article, several coaches were also asked to take their water bottles and pour them into NCAA-specific cups to appease the powers that be.

Shake your head.  Shrug your shoulders.  Go ahead.  Take a second.  I don't blame you.  Be amazed at the short-sighted nature of it all.  But don't lose sight of why this is really a problem, other than the obvious (a greedy approach by a collection of megalomaniacs).

Conference Tournaments: How To Keep a Good Mid-Major Down (WIHAWIHI Part 4)

Those who are frequent readers of my material (not including my Mom), know that I am partial to mid-majors.  Not because I believe mid-majors rule the world.  More because I know the system is constantly being rigged to favor the power conferences.  Sports Illustrated just had an article last week about how #16 Princeton's almost upset of #1 seed Georgetown in 1989 singlehandedly saved mid-majors from an effort being launched by major conferences to exclude certain smaller conferences from even getting an automatic bid for their conference champion.  Sure, Georgetown survived but the fact that it is was possible took the credibility out of the argument that mid-majors were not as worthy as the money conferences.

Me Thinks He Doth Thinks Too Much (WIHAWIHI Part 3)

Pittsburgh's Lamar Patterson was right where he needed to be.

With five seconds to play, Patterson was one on one with his defender in a tie ballgame against Notre Dame.  He drove the lane and as he lifted off the ground and reached out his hand to administer the winning layup, a whistle blew.  If you watched the replay, you notice Patterson looking over his shoulder wondering what happened.  He obviously didn't think he was fouled (he wasn't) and he certainly didn't commit any kind of foul (he didn't).

Imagine his surprise when after he landed, he realized he was fouled.

By his coach.

The clock stopped with 2.7 seconds indicating the point at which the refs granted Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon a timeout.  One that he requested.

Crowd Control (WIHAWIHI Part 2)

When was it ok to storm the court?

There was a time in my life as a sports fan when I remember seeing fans stream a court after something memorable occurring.  It must not have been that memorable because I can't even give you an example.  But I seem to recall it was only when something unbelievable happened and added to the moment.  As a fan, it made you want to be there--to be one of them, excited to be at that kind of finish for your favorite team.

But at no point in sports history has it been "ok" for a fan to go on to the field of play.  Sure, there are times where it was not exactly frowned upon.  I remember as a young Reg watching in 1974 when the two young guys slapped Hank Aaron on the back as he circled the bases after his record breaking (and non-steroid induced) 715th home run.  It was harmless.  It was a celebration.  And both guys were arrested.

What I Hate (And Why I Hate It)...

As we run up to the conference tournaments (and in honor of the inane reasoning that is the conference tournaments), I'm going to take the next few days to let it all out.  The negativity.  The annoyances.  The irritations.  Everything that bothers me right now about college basketball.

That doesn't mean I hate college basketball.  And it doesn't mean that there will not be some negativity during the actual tournament.  But there is the possibility that a little "anger cleansing" prior to the selection show next Saturday will help me get over the Hawkeyes freefall.

I doubt it.

But it's worth a try.

To start the rants, I give you the Wichita State Shockers.