Since I'm Still Snowbound....

In the DC area, most of us have been paralyzed by the crazy blizzard and the threat of more snow.  and yet somehow, the sports world still Marches on...

Case in point from last weekend: none of the DC area teams cancelled or postponed their games.  And why put fans at risk..or the players, coaches,etc.???  For the Benjamin I suppose.  And tonight, even though the George Mason campus has been closed since Friday afternoon, tonight there is a scheduled game between arch rivals GMU and VCU.  And, no-the game hasn't been cancelled yet.  Even with threat of one more foot or more of snow, the show must go on.  I guess ESPNU coverage might have something to do with it...

The Washington Capitals has been this area's best team the last three years.  They have proven it in spades this calendar year, shooting off a 14 game winning streak, the third longest ever in the NHL.  They are the NHL's winningest team at this stage.  Thge proof for the Capitals will be whether or not they can do it in the playoffs.  While they have beaten Pittsburgh in both meetings so far, never underestimate the champs.

Now that the NFL season is over, lots of questions are out there as we head into a tricky off-season.  Can the NFL foster labor peace?  Does Bret Faver finally retire?  How long and much does Peyton Manning brood over the Super Bowl loss??  Is New Orleans capable of repeating?  Will the Bears become the greatest show on....the lake??  Can the Steelers bounce back?  

The Winter Olympics start this weekend.  Joy.  The Daytona 500 is this weekend.  More joy.  And the NBA all star game thug fest is this weekend as well.  Even more joy!  So EnJoy!!

Happy shovelling...again...

JP 

Final NFL Recap: Super Bowl and Who Dat Nation

Well...another Super Bowl has come and gone.  And we have a new champion this year-The New Orleans Saints.

As far as games went, it was a decent game.  The Saints weathered the early storm..spotted the Colts a first quarter ten point lead...and stormed to a 31-17 win.  Until the deciding interception return for a touchdown, the game was a relatively clean game.  There weren't a lot of penalties and only the one turnover.  The game truly turned at the beginning of the second half as the Saints shocked the world with the onside kick heard 'round the world.  Granted the Colts re-gained the lead, but Drew Brees and company proved to be too much for the Colt defense.

Did Peyton's mistake in the fourth quarter cost him his legacy?  I doubt it and here's why.  Bret Faver won only one Super Bowl and had game changing interceptions in two of his last three playoff games.  Dan Marino never won the big one, nor did Dan Fouts.  None of their legacies were really affected and I don't see that with Peyton.  In fact I bet it motivates him all the more for 2010.

So how was the Super Bowl this year and its assorted out of game entertainment things?  First of all, I didn't find the game as compelling as it had been in most recent years.  Granted it was close most of the night, but it was very hard for me to get behind somebody.  I truly appreciate the talents of each team, but I just couldn't get into it.  The commercials were as bad as I ever recall.  The commercial hype seems worse than the game hype; not one commercial really stood out.  And I as much as I love the Who, the performance last night was really not anything like Tom Petty.  Here's hoping for something for current and contemporary for next year...

Of course another season is over, but that doesn't mean the NFL is finished.  The draft is only 2 1/2 months away, coaching vacancies still need to be filled in and labor negotiations still need to happen,.  This will be a busy offseason.

I guess we now focus our attention on March Madness and Baseball's spring training.  And even more snow clearing.....

JP

Super Sunday Slog: More Previews and Hall Of Fame

Ah...here we are.  We have finally reached the pinnacle of the NFL season.  Despite a bad economy and potential labor strife, The NFL had a very exciting and successful season in 2009.  We had two teams stay undefeated together at historically long stretches.  And now these two meet in the Super Bowl!

The Manning family has an interesting intersection for this year's Super Bowl because of papa Manning.  Archie Manning played for the Saints from 1970-82.  Peyton now will be playing against his daddy's team in the biggest game of all. Archie was very clear this week who his rooting interest will be (the Colts).

Something else interesting was said this week as former Colt coach Tony Dungy said the Colts would win easily.  I'm a little surprised Dungy would say this publicly, but I suppose in some ways, this is his team and I'm sure he still feels that connection in retirement....

I have already made my prediction and I'm sticking by it: Colts 35-31.  A sick part of me hopes this goes to overtime, so the world could see how absurd the NFL's overtime rules are.

Interesting law and order issues this week-featuring former University of Miami players (and the Game is being played in Miami by the way). Michael Irvin was charged with rape and Warren Sapp was charged with domestic violence.  Real winners we have here and, incidentally, both have lost their football related jobs (although I think Irvin still has one of them at this point; he lost his espn radio gig)

The Hall Of Fame inductees were announced and we have a big class this year.  I think the induction ceremony will last as long as the pre Super Bowl game day hype.  No less than seven players will be inducted in Canton, Ohio this summer.  As expected,  Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice are in. For the veterans group, Dick LeBeau and Floyd Little will be inducted.  For the other three, I was very surprised, as Rickey Jackson, Russ Grimm and John Randle were all elected.  I'm somewhat shocked that one of Cris Carter, Tim Brown or Andre Reed were not elected.  Could we have a repeat similar to Art Monk??  And for defense, I thought Richard Dent would have been elected, but I was wrong about that too...

Depending on mood, I will attempt a live blog for the game tonight, as I will use the commercials for my post writing.  Otherwise, enjoy the game!!

JP

College Basketball This Week:Slogging Through Snowzilla

Now that we have survived what was perhaps the snowiest Saturday on record, it's time to prepare for what will be the annual hype fest know as Super Sunday.  But first, we must wade through the slog known as the college basketball season.  Unlike last year, where there seemed to be a consensus as to the year's best team on paper in North Carolina, there seems to be some uncertainy as to who that team is this year.  Kansas and Kentucky seem to be those teams, but they have shown some vulnerability of late.  My favorite team of the moment-Villanova-got crunched by an untrustworthy Georgetown team.  Fringe favs Michigan State, Texas and Temple had not so good weeks.  What gives?

Maybe we're at that stretch of the season not unlike baseball goes through in August-the Dog Days of the season.  Players have been going at it since October.  Plus they're kids-they have class, exams, practice and social things.  They seem to have things handed to them, but we sometimes forget we expect quite a bit out of teenagers/young adults.  So this stretch of the season may not be the easiest.  Plus with the season winding down with the added Bubble talk, the pressure is now on. so the pressure is now on.

Before we go on to my weekly NCAA predictions/Bubble talk, there is one topic concerning March Madness I have surprisingly not touched on.  Until now. I've been reading and hearing noise concerning the expansion of the men's NCAA basketball championship field to 96 teams.  I think if the NCAA is really serious about this, they are making a HUGE mistake.  There's some school of thought that 65 is a big enough field and I agree.  Sure, 5-10 teams a year feel snubbed, but the field of 65 is really more inclusive, even with the BCS teams, than all championships the NCAA runs.  96 would not only really water down the field, but it would basketball on the same plane as the football post season.  I just don't see the point of having a slew of 17-12, 16-14 or whatever mediocre teams in the field.  It just misses the point.  I hope the NCAA realizes this and keeps things at 64 or 65. Don't mess with a good thing!!

 Now on to my weekly Final Four predictions and Mid Major Watch.  I had a special post back on Monday for the Mid Major feature Bracket Buster.  I will throw teams out there that I think you should keep in mind when thinking about that office pool.

FINAL FOUR-In Four We Trust???

My Fianl Four favs of late have let me down.  We may have the potential of maybe 6-8 teams who have a genuine chance right now of reaching college basketball's promised land.  Kansas and Kentucky right now seem to be the strongest two.  Villanova still is my team to watch, but let's see how they react to their first Big East loss.  Syracuse looks very promising.  Wo else looms?  I still like Michigan State, but they are in a slump right now.  Duke and Georgetown are on the fringe.

ELITE EIGHT

The teams above look very good to be included in my Elite Eight right now. Other teams contending for spots?  West Virginia, BYU (despite losing again), Kansas State.

MID MAJOR FAVORITES

I've spent time this week rating the Bracket Buster games.  In this post, I list the Mid Major teams you should keep in mind when looking for upset in the rough:

I start with my usual disclaimer by listing big teams in small conferences that will probably win 1-2 games in the Madness, not to mention their lofty rankings and the near assurance that they will get an at-large bid if they lose in their conference tournaments: Gonzaga, Butler, Northern Iowa and Temple.  Here are the rest:

Siena.  They are very close to the list above.  The Bracket Buster gives them a chance for the signature win needed.

CAA.  Oh what a mess this week.  George Mason takes two bad losses to drop out of first and out of the Bubble.  VCU-look out!!  Old Dominion is fading as well, but still may have the best current out of CAA profile.  So that leaves Northeastern as the team to beat here.

Atlantic Ten.  Big goings on this week.  Richmond blasted Temple on Saturday and should be closely watched now.  Dayton crushed Xavier to return to the Bubble list.  Rhode Island might trump them all with their #11 RPI.  Charlotte, the team currently in first place, isn't getting a lot of Bubble looks.  Could be the best non BCS conference.

Cornell.  The Ivy League has a history of March surprises.  Not since the Princeton days have seen an Ivy team that could be that dangerous.  And they're now ranked in the Top 25.

St. Mary's. The perennial sidekick in the WCC to Gonzaga, St. Mary's is in first place and a viable Bubble team.

Murray State.  Undefeated in their conference and an upset threat come March.

Morgan State.  The MEAC also has a history of scaring the majors come March

The week's best games: Duke-UNC headlines.  Need I mention any more big games?  How about Villanova vs. West Virginia and Kansas vs. Texas on Monday alone?  Or others such as: Purdue vs. Michigan State; Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee; GMU-VCU; Virginia vs Maryland; Richmond vs. Rhode Island; Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's; West Virginia vs. Pitt; Kentucky vs. Tennessee; Maryland vs. Duke; Rhode Island vs. temple; Cornell vs. Princeton.

There are tons of games this week that will impact the NCAA tournament scramble.  Should make for a fun recap next week!!

JP  

Semi Live Snow Blog: The Saturday Slog

The big wammy hit the DC area yesterday and today.  Where I'm at, we're sitting on a 22 inch snowfall....and counting.  So after a round of snow removal, it's an afternoon of college basketball action.  While I will do my proper recap of the week's action on Sunday, today I will do a "live"  rant and riff of the day's action. 

Today is headlined by a monster matchup of Big East powers Villanova and Georgetown.  For the historians, few will ever forget the 1985 NCAA final as Villanova pulled off the major upset over Pat Ewing and Georgetown.  Today, Villanova comes in as the #2 team, and in my opinion, the best team in the nation right now.  Georgetown is on a roller coaster, crunching Duke last week in front of the Prez, but following up that game with a loss to south Florida.  The game is still on in a snowy DC and G-Town is crushing 'Nova at halftime.

The other nooner feature is Dayton-Xavier, a very critical Atlantic Ten matchup...not to mention a key game for the NCAA bubble.  This is one that Dayton needs.  Dayton is winning at halftime and I will keep you posted.

Today we will also see a key CAA slobber knocker, as Old Dominion plays VCU.  We start today with a three way tie for first in the CAA.

We will also see Gonzaga play Memphis...Temple against Richmond and BYU vs. UNLV.  It should be a snowtastic day for college hoops!! 

Update #1

Georgetown is playing big on a snowy Saturday and continues to lead big against Villanova.  Dayton avenged an earlier loss to Xavier, as they exploded down the stretch for a huge win.

My Direct Tv now seems to be affected by Snowzilla as I get only the local stuff.  So no ESPN, BTN or anything other than local.  So the live updates may not materialize the way I'd like it, but I will try to stay current as Penn State and George Mason play this afternoon...

Update #2

Food for thought.  In the crazy weather, the authorities implore us to stay indoors.  Which I can live with.  But why /how on earth are people at the MCI Center in DC when the Metro is out of commission above ground?  How did so many people get to the Georgetown game?  I'm amazed that there were almost no postponements for athletic events.  

Still no Direct TV..so I have to rely on my online stuff for score information

NFL Super Bowl Stuff

We are now about 48 hours from the Big Game.  By the time this starts, those of us in snowbound DC will be Sooooo ready for a decent diversion.  The last time the Colts played in the Super Bowl, there was rain.  I think there's a chance there might be a repeat this year.  Can you imagine if the Super Bowl was in DC this weekend??

Some fun stuff still to be decided this weekend.  The first order of business is the Hall Of Fame results.  By all rights, we'll see Jerry Rice.  But who else will we see?  I think this year's class could be very fertile, as Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed at wide receiver alone have good shots.  Not to mention Emmitt Smith, Roger Craig, Richard Dent, Charles haley.  How does one pick?  This year's class could be the best ever.  Who do I think?  Definitely Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.  Cris Carter and maybe Charlie Haley.  

There's the commercials.  Yuck.  But it's what really draws the viewers.  My least favorite part.

But then there's the game.  This is an intriguing matchup.  The Saints vs. Colts.  Superstar QB's.  Teams unbeaten for long stretches this year.  On paper, I would think the Colts should have no problems.  But the Saints are a charmed team.  On the heels of the tragedy in Haiti, how could one not root for the Saints?  But with the Colts, Peyton is very likable and he has found receivers that may be better than the last Super Bowl winner.  Coach Jim Caldwell was a PSU assistant coach 20+ years ago and his demeanor is so Tony Dungy and Joe Paterno.  

Prediction: Colts 35-31.  A very entertaining game is in store, which will make the game far from a bore.  If only halftime had the Who in its prime, which back in the day, was maximum R&B (as they billed their early shows).  I don't think we'll get fooled into a classic show, but I'll ride the Who's Magic Bus any day...

Tomorrow: my snow adventures and college hoops galore...

Thirsty Thursday: The Calm Before The Storm

This winter has been a tough one for us in the DC area.  Plus it's snowed a lot.  And we're getting more.  Nothing like a big snowstorm on Super Bowl weekend.  That means your entertainment could be my blog.  Can you think of worse things??

Well, if you're not a hype person, then maybe there are worst things than my blog.  I hate Super Bowl Hype week.  I really don't give a darn; I just want the game.  But this year, I just can't get into the Colts-Saints.  And I'm not sure why.  Drew Brees is a great story (he never could beat Penn State) and I admire what he's done for the city of New Orleans.  Peyton Manning will go down in history as the best quarterback of this generation, perhaps ever.  Could we have the first overtime Super Bowl??

Other late week notes:

-Bummer day in college basketball.  George Mason loses to an inferior team on the road, reverting to early season mode.  Mason now is in a tie for first in the CAA.  PSU got shellacked by Ohio State.  Georgetown loses to south Florida.  And West Virginia beat Pitt...

-I saw a poll wondering if Jerry Rice is the best player ever in the NFL.  With the Hall Of fame announcement due this weekend, Rice is a no brainer induction.  But is he the best ever?

There is no question he is/was/will be the standard all wide receivers will be measured.  He worked very hard and seemed like a classy guy.  I would certainly put him in the top two or three.  I would certainly pick Jim Brown/Walter Payton ahead of Rice.  Dan Marino/Bret Favre may play into this.  What do you think??

-Signing day was Wednesday.  It looks like Florida had another top recruiting class.  Wasn't Urban Meyer taking a break?  Is recruiting good for his heart??  I think he was using that to throw off his recruiting competitors...

PSU seemed to do well this time, with some circles ranking them with the 10th best recruiting class.  There looks to be more defense on the horizon for PSU!!

Get prepared...make sure you're well stocked for the storm!!  

Jp

Happy Groundhog Day

Today is annual tradition where the gopher from Punxutawney, PA determines if we're going to have six more weeks of winter.  Or something like that.  As a sports fan, February is the ghost town of sports months.  Which I'm sure is why people drag their asses out in sub zero cold to see this spectacle.  Is it any coincidence that Ground Hog day is six weeks away from March Madness??

So in spirit of celebrating six more weeks of winter, here are some things sports fans can actually look forward to in February:

- Super Bowl.  Think the NFL is stupid? (well..with potential labor strife, yes, the NFL may be stupid)  With no real options, the NFL may expand to the point that one year it may conflict with Valentine's Day...or even President's Day....

- Baseball Spring Training.  Nothing like watching fake games as two states end winter early.

- Daytona 500.  Well...a segment of the population really like this monstrosity ...I'm not even sure why.  If watching cars go around in a circle floats your boat...

- This year-The Winter Olympics.  To some purists, the Winter Games aren't THE real Olympics.  

- NHL/NBA All Star Games.  Oy!!  And you think the NFL Pro Bowl is bad...

-Bracket Buster.  Okay...finally something I can get behind...

Gotta love February....the ultimate sports winter wonder wasteland...

Happy Groundhog Day!!

Jp

DC Funnies 2010 VI: Gilbert's Gone....

Yeah yeah yeah...I'm late on this one.  But Gunnin Gilbert was suspended for the rest of the year by the NBA for his recent exploits and guilty plea.

The next step is whether or not the Wizards will void his contract.  If that isn't successful, what will be next?  Is Gilbert worth the risk?  There's no question he's an extraordinary talent.  But with a gimp knee.  A bad sense of humor.  And a record (what NBA player nowadays doesn't???).  But he's still young...and three years of little court wear and tear.

In today's Washington Post, Gilbert wrote an article hoping he can reach out and do better for the DC youth.  Hopefully his future actions do some good and he can rehabilitate himself in the eye of public opinion.  After all, America loves a redemption story...

Other DC stuff:

-The NHL Capitals are on a 10 game winning streak, tying a franchise record.  Won't matter if the Pens smoke 'em again...

-Jim Zorn is now QB coach of the Ravens

-Is it just me, but could we be in for a lot more wins for the Nats this season??

Only time will tell....

Jp

Bracket Buster 2010

Saturday, February 20th is a special day for college basketball fans who root for the non major teams.  Affectionately known as Bracket Buster, this is the day the Mid Major teams take over the college basketball spotlight as positioning becomes important in the race for NCAA tournament bids.  To me, this is the calm before the March Madness storm as Bubble watching takes over the sports nut consciousness.  It's a good time had by all...

So today was the announcement of the Bracket Buster matchups.  Times will be officially announced next week, but locally I'll be looking at the George Mason-College Of Charleston for GMU's Homecoming, tentatively at 8pm on espn2.  Matchups and analysis:

GMU-Charleston.  Mason has been a Buster mainstay and this game is their 6th appearance.  I didn't expect GMU to get a great matchup considering their current RPI situation (in the 100's).  But anytime you play a team coached by Bobby Cremmins, expect a tough game.  *** rating

Siena vs. Butler.  Main event I.  Butler is #15 in the country; Siena had an upset over Ohio State last March.  Siena badly needs a big win to help its NCAA resume. ****1/2 rating.

Northern Iowa vs. Old Dominion.  Main event II.  ODU owns a win over Georgetown, a potential Final Four team.  UNI is ranked in the Top 25 and is this year's Missouri Valley darling.  A key game for each.  **** 1/2 rating.

Wichita State vs. Utah State.  A late Saturday night matchup worth waiting for.  Can a win here truly help either team?  *** 1/2 rating.

William & Mary vs. Iona.  I expected better for W&M, considering their huge ACC wins.  But they have faltered and Iona is their reward.  Very little value here. * 1/2 rating

Murray State vs. Morgan State.  I like this matchup, as I have extolled the virtues of Murray State in past updates.  Morgan State (I believe) is coached by former Cal guy Todd Bozeman.  This in itself makes this game intriguing to me.  *** rating.

Louisiana Tech vs. Northeastern.  Another underrated matchup.  La. Tech is tied for first in the WAC; Northeastern may be THE hot team in the CAA.  Will Karl Malone deliver an appearance for this one???  *** 1/2 rating

Nevada vs. Missouri State.  Not sure why either team was invited.  Avoid this game unless you truly don't have a life. 1/2 * rating.

Akron vs. VCU.  Not sure how I like this one, but don't ever underestimate VCU.  Akron could make noise down the road in the MAC.  ** rating.

Western Carolina vs. Kent State.  Don't laugh, but this game has potential.  WCU is in contention for the Southern title; Kent State has a Cinderella past.  *** rating

New Mexico State vs. Pacific.  Interesting matchup; know very little about either team.  * 1/2 rating.

Notable absences: 

-No Atlantic Ten teams??  No Conference USA??  The Atlantic Ten is the best non BCS conference at this point.  GMU-Richmond might have been a great game for Virginia basketball fans.  In C-USA, UAB, Tulsa or Memphis would match well.

-No St. Mary's?  They certainly represent what Bracket Buster teams represent...

-No Coastal Carolina?  The Big South has always been an interesting conference; Coastal Carolina would have been a nice fit for the Buster.

-I know the Ivy League tries to be academic, but Cornel would have been cool to have in the Buster.

-I love the CAA, but five teams seems to be too much.  Seeing some of the above teams instead might have given the Buster more variety.

Overall, the Bracket Buster isn't bad.  Three games up top will have true Bubble value.  What I do on this day is watch Buster games only; it's the one day what happens with major teams doesn't matter to me.

I will do predictions later.  Can't wait for the 20th!!

JP