Tossing Batting Practice….while wondering how a country that produced the immortal Jin Ho Cho and Sun Wu Kim can be in the WBC final?
So much like the Little League World Series, the US lost to Japan (after all the Chinese Taipei guys were like 46) and our boys are going home. It’s good to see that Roy Oswalt, who got lit up in the final, will fit in well with the rest of the Astros, who are on track to make the ’03 Tigers look like the ’98 Yankees.
Had I still been in college while watching last night’s game, I think I would have enjoyed the Sadahara Oh drinking game. Basically if I took a drink every time the ESPN booth mentioned his name or the camera flashed to him, I would have had alcohol poisoning of epic proportions. Also known as the Jimmy Buffet edition.
(there I beat all of you who know me to the punch, so any comments will not get past the fictional ombudsman)
We get it, revered Japanese hero, they love him, hit lots of home runs. Alright enough already.
So Castro's son is apparently the trainer for Cuba? Does he also administer the beatings for potential defectors? Does he put players down like horses when they're too hurt to perform? I have lots of questions about this.
Is it like prison, do the Cuban hierarchy beat the hell out of one player to prevent mass defections? Or are there families held in a work commune together only to be released provided all players return?
Sticking with baseball momentarily, everyone knows Curt Schilling retired today, and it does start to mark the end of an era in my eyes.
The departure of Manny, and the instant aging of Varitek and Ortiz last year started the trend, but now the book is starting to close on the last team of my youth.
The group of idiots, and why not us, was the last team that featured all the players older than me, and was the last group I truly lived and died with every single day.
Schilling has been a polarizing figure here in new England the last couple years, but to me I love him. I don’t agree with his politics in the least, or many of his other opinions, but an athlete that candid about anything, and that thankful to be a ballplayer, and to the fans is ok in my book.
I still remember the chills I got as we cheered Schilling as he walked to the bullpen for the start of game 2 of the 04 World Series, for all you did Curt, I say thank you.
I tried today to explain the magnitude of what 2004 meant to me and everyone I know to a southerner today. The best equivalent I could come up with would be beating Florida in the BCS title game after trailing 28-0 after three quarters.
If you equate anything in life to college football…a southerner will understand you. I think that’s where Obama needs to go to garner support for his policies.
After driving to Myrtle Beach and back this week, I have to say, the state of South Carolina is a lot bigger than it looks on a map.
Myrtle Beach was nice, kinda looked like a cleaner Atlantic City, minus the drugs, hookers, Jersey trash and Casinos.
Which I guess makes it nothing like Atlantic City, oh well.
Most of my drunken ramblings about the NCAA tournament came and went, clearly I am more coherent and thoughtful sober, but I’m infinitely funnier drunk.
However, nothing sucks more than liking an upset and talking yourself out of it, only to see it come to fruition. I’m looking at you Cleveland St. And glancing with an evil eye at Wake Forest.
Overall it was kind of a dull first two rounds in my strictly for entertainment purposes bracket challenge against myself; I still have a pretty good shot to win, provided everything goes my way.
I was 13-16 in the Sweet 16, and frankly had I actually listened to some of my own research written below I might have been better. Instead I got drunk Wednesday night and put my picks in at 1am.
Like the good coach in me I'm more annoyed with the games I lost, particularly because they could have been prevented.
After spending the tournament in Vegas last year, I am forever ruined watching it on the CBS local feed, where you spend the entire time not watching your game, even if its a back and forth thriller, but watching the little scoreboard box, and getting excited or riled up over the slightest change in score.
As far as my theory goes, well it was 11-16 with teams ranking in four or more categories. Three of those teams that didn’t were Duke, Michigan St. and Villanova. All three of them got favorable draws against other middling teams but overall it seemed to hold up again.
In the end this year I’m surprised it held up as well as it did because there were so few mid-majors who excel under the radar.
I am definitely glad that I have grown up and kicked my NCAA gambling addiction, because Ball State over Tennessee absolutely would have ruined my women’s pool.
Stacey Dales, you are sorely missed on the women’s hoops analysis. Kara Lawson, you owe me 1,500 bucks from breaking my hd tv with your ugliness, and possibly burning my retinas beyond repair.
My all time Nemesis Boston University is the top overall seed in the NCAA hockey tournament, I cannot stress how hard I will be rooting for the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota to take them out. Especially since I always end up rooting for BC against UND, despite close family ties to the crew from Grand Forks. (population Quincy, Mass. Yet is the third largest city in ND)
For the first time in 15 years my honorary college is in the hockey tournament. The Northeastern Huskies are going to be the darlings of the tournament, or do like they always do in the Beanpot and choke in the end.
Let the chants of Sieve! and BU Sucks!!! begin. Go Huskies.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Tossing Batting Practice while wondering why you would ever cheer when the cameras come on you, and you’re announced as a 16 seed…
I’ve spent way too much time in my life, finding ways to cheat the system, and succeed in the NCAA “Brackets” (remember its not a pool, gambling is very very bad, shame on you!)
Perhaps I should devote more time to what DR. Emmett L. Brown once said was “the other great mystery in life, women.” But I digress.
The most productive, yet not completely scientific formula of that was spent on Gatehouse Media’s dime, and uses a little of the Bill Jamesian corollary.
Basketball is a largely difficult sport to quantify using just statistics however it can be done. I try to do it every year, as one of my basic tenets in filling out a bracket is finding teams that do a number of things well (novel concept I know) and in those tough games I compare the numbers against two teams.
What I discovered is that if you can successfully pick as many sweet 16 teams as possible, you’ll be in the running for your bracket championship. First round upsets are nice, but they’re only worth one or two points, and won’t leave much of a lasting impression.
As such I aim to get the sweet 16 right, and hope things take care of themselves from there.
What I look for is a team that ranks in the top 30 nationally in at least four categories and pinpoint them as a potential sweet 16 team. Sometimes the smaller conference teams rate highly in a bunch because they play poor competition, but sometimes they don’t and its up to you to determine what’s an important category and what isn’t.
I look are three point offense and defense, rebounding, turnovers, and free throws as most important but it’s subjective.
For perspective George Mason thrived in 5 statistical categories in 2006, there are other examples, and while it seems rather obvious, sometimes when you go back and look at teams that were allegedly “upset” they only did one thing well, like Duke last year upset in the second round, only did three things well.
This season the NCAA has added a couple new Categories, so I’m going to increase the number to five categories in the top 30 make a sweet 16 team. It’s not scientific, but if you know what teams do well and what they don’t you can help determine who’s going to win those games you usually flip a coin on.
One wrinkle I added last year was the adjusted rankings, because sometimes offensive and defensive scoring numbers are skewed because teams play fast or slow, thus efficiency on offense and defense are far more important.
Traditionally I have found between 8-13 teams per season, depending on the parity of the NCAA will excel in at least four (this year I’m trying 5 to experiment, but 4 might still be the working model) categories, as I look at the numbers sometimes a team may not excel, (i.e. top 30) but might do a lot above average (between 31-65) those are usually the teams that throw the wrinkle off.
I wrote 46 teams breakdowns out on who has a shot at the sweet 16, they were don before the brackets came out, I mean I’m not going to do all your work for you, and make the picks.
Below you will find the teams, the first 25 are the latest top 25 poll, after that they’re in no particular order. I shied away from a lot of 8 and 9 seeds because they almost never make the sweet 16 and it was kind of a waste of an hour of my life to research them. Some of them are done because I had them higher or lower earlier in the week.
The way it works is the team, and then how many categories they excel in, followed by their adjusted for pace rankings, and some notes.
I don’t expect anyone to read them all, but feel free to look for the teams you aren’t sure about and hopefully they help, unless you’re in the pool I am in. Then screw off.
Team – (Number of categories in top 30) Adj off/def…notes
North Carolina (9) 1/23...Is the best offensive team in the country, high FG%, doesn’t turn it over, defensive numbers are skewed by the fast pace they play. Real active on defense, forces a lot of turnovers, probably unbeatable in a track meet. Their rebounding margin, and A/TO ratio are incredible and debunk some of the myths about their lack of toughness.
Louisville (5) – 46/2…Slightly above average offense and defense numbers, tremendous FG% defense, shoots and defends the three well; unselfish (doesn’t rely on one scorer) Free throws are a problem.
Pittsburgh (6) 3/38…Offensively they’re a little stronger than Pitt teams of the past, defensively they’re weaker. Near the top in rebounding margin, so they can overpower weaker teams, but probably don’t shoot from outside well enough to beat a tougher team.
If Blair gets in foul trouble all bets are off. They don’t turn the ball over, and get a lot of easy buckets, but could struggle against a tough defensive team that can shoot from outside.
UConn (6) 22/3…Very strong and can over power teams, but struggle to make shots from outside, and not great from the line. If they end up at the Garden there’s no way they lose in the regionals. Defensively they wear you out, and can probably only be beaten by a Big East team, or UNC unless Thabeet gets in foul trouble early. However a superhuman effort from a guard could get them.
Memphis (7) 43/1…Numbers are skewed slightly because they play awful competition, but they defend like crazy inside and on the perimeter, they rebound and don’t turn the ball over too much. Offensively they struggle from the field, and at the line and suck from beyond the arc. A sound halfcourt team that executes on offense will give them the most trouble, provided they can defend a little bit.
Oklahoma (4) 7/47… Not as statistically sound as one would like. The things they excel in (FG% and rebound margin) are essentially because Griffin is the POY, he hasn’t been the same since the concussion and neither has OU. They are an average shooting team and average defensively; they turn it over too much and don’t force enough. It all hinges on Griffin and who they matchup with.
Wake Forest (6) 34/14…They score pretty easily, but are terrible beyond the arc; are actually sound defensively forcing steals and turnovers. They are the youngest team in the top 10 and it shows at times turning the ball over too much; a bad matchup against a team like Louisville or Memphis
Duke (3) 6/13…This is one of those anomalies sometimes because it doesn’t doing anything exceptionally well, but doesn’t do anything badly either. Their adjusted numbers make up for not hitting the magic number of 4. Only an average shooting team, so a tough perimeter defending team could be a problem. Probably a Sweet 16 team but no more, could be upset in the 2nd round against an athletically superior small conference opponent.
Michigan St. (2) 27/10…We’ll know after the first weekend if the big 10 was better than we thought or it sucked. They struggle at the foul line, and don’t force a lot of turnovers, but make scoring difficult, and rebound like crazy. If a more skilled team matches their toughness they’re done.
Villanova (1) 19/26…They are a guard oriented team that doesn’t shoot the three well, and turns it over more than it should the toughness of the Big East should help them. A team with some size that gets after it defensively would be a tough matchup.
Kansas (4) 20/16…I haven’t liked them all season, but the things they excel at are important, the shoot well, and defend on the perimeter well, rebounding they are solid, but much of that is Aldrich, who is foul prone. They turn it over a little too much, and don’t force many mistakes. A good shooting team that doesn’t turn it over will send them home. As could an athletically superior team.
Gonzaga – (8) 5/12…Their numbers are skewed as well because of poor competition, and they crapped the bed against Memphis at home, They can play fast or slow, and defend well inside. However a team that shoots the 3 well, or a big strong team inside like a Big 10 or Big East team will eventually send them home.
Washington (2) 33/11…They can score, but mainly because they play at a fast pace; they don’t force many turnovers, and give it away too much, and don’t shoot the three well What they do, do well is rebound, and score on offensive rebounds. A team that can match their rebounding, and shoot well eliminates them.
Missouri (6) 16/15…They play a frenetic pace, so they score a ton, and defend pretty well, they don’t turn it over much either; but they struggle to rebound, and make free throws, foul trouble is a problem too, so a good FT shooting team that gets into the bonus early could send them home.
But a legit sleeper pick, especially if they don’t win the Big 12 tourney.
UCLA (5) 2/45…One of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, but doesn’t defend well, compared to UCLA teams of the past, they do still force a lot of turnovers, but allow a lot of easy baskets, a team that shoots well and defends the interior will send them home, but could be a tough out for a lot of pretenders or teams without experience.
Butler (2) 59/46…The don’t allow easy baskets, and will likely win a first round game if they get another mid-major, but that’s as far as they’ll go. They don’t do anything else really well, and you can’t beat good teams that way.
Clemson (4) 9/51…They can score and shoot the ball well, but defensively they suck, and they don’t rebound very well either, they could be first round fodder for a good statistically sound mid-major.
Syracuse (6) 12/37…The orange have good scoring numbers, and defend the three well; they don’t shoot free throws well, and turn the ball over a little too much, but if they aren’t gassed from the Big East Tourney they could be a tough out.
They don’t foul much (UConn only shot 22 free throws in that 6ot epic) so they make teams earn their points, which could be a tough thing for an offensively challenged team to do to beat them.
Xavier (4) 40/24…They defend well and shoot the 3 at a high percentage, and they can rebound. What scares me is the turn the ball over a lot, struggle at the foul line, and don’t create a lot of turnovers either. A good shooting team that defends on the perimeter can send them packing.
LSU (3) 47/56…The SEC sucked this year, and these numbers prove it, I the Tigers don’t really do anything well except rebound , block shots, and shoot free throws. All nice things, and their athleticism might help over a mid-major, but they’ll fall to a more skilled team that can match the athleticism.
Marquette (4) 8/55…The things they do well, are all guard oriented but they only have half that tandem now with the injury to Domenic James. They are poor defensively in all facets, and will bow out to a superior offensive team that exploits those defensive deficiencies.
Florida State (2) 113/9…Defensively they’re strong in a conference not known for much defense, but are poor offensively. Couple that with no tournament experience, and you can pencil them out early. They turn the ball over a lot, and don’t shoot very well.
Arizona St. (7) 11/28… They’re in the top 30 in 7 categories, and top 35 in 10. So they are statistically strong almost everywhere. They are suspect rebounding, and while they’re efficient on offense, getting into a track meet probably doesn’t suit them. They are a strong sleeper, with two big time scorers, a solid defense, and good coaching in the tournament (remember those multiple sweet 16 trips Herb Sendek made at NC St.)
Arizona (2) 7/132…They shoot the ball well, but don’t defend very well from the field, or in forcing turnovers. If they get a bad defensive team they could last a game or two but anyone who can score and defend even a little sends them home.
USC (1) 62/19…They defend very well, and rebound and could steal a game with that combination, an efficient offensive team that forces turnovers is their bad matchup.
BC (1) 27/131…They are here on the strength of two wins, perhaps my BC bias is taking over but I just don’t believe in them at all to do much of anything.
Minnesota (2) 88/20….They defend pretty well, but struggle to score and shoot, they also turn it over too much.
Wisconsin (3) 24/60 Typical Wisconsin team, defends, doesn’t foul or turn it over, they’re pretty efficient on offense though, could make for a surprise.
Michigan (5) 41/67…Like his WVU teams of the past John Belien leads in a lot of seemingly random categories that add up to March success, three point shooting, few turnovers, very few fouls, the contrast is their efficiency numbers aren’t as high as I’d like. They struggle to rebound, and don’t shoot a high percentage, could be a first round winner, unlikely beyond that unless they are matched up with a team that hasn’t seen the 1-3-1 on defense before it’s tough to prepare for on short notice.
Texas (1) 46/27…They don’t do a lot very well, they don’t do a lot poorly either other than shooting threes, however if Abrams gets hot he could be a difference maker. They defend pretty well and rebound.
Dayton (1) 144/41…Don’t do much well, they defend pretty good, but they struggle to score, or shoot from anywhere, and they turn it over a little too much.
BYU (6) 24/17….Another intriguing option, they shoot the ball well, and defend very well. Obviously against inferior competition, but provided they don’t draw an ultra athletic team early they could stick around through the first weekend.
Purdue (5) 67/5…The only other Big 10 team I like besides Mich. St. Purdue’s offensive numbers aren’t good because their best player has been hurt all year. They don’t shoot that well, but if Hummel is healthy that’s an upgrade. Rebounding is an issue for them, which is odd given how well they defend/
Cleveland St. (3) 121/30…An intriguing team defensively, they get after you, force turnovers, and steals, and preotect the ball offensively, they don’t rebound well and aren’t a good shooting team, but getting into a track meet with them and they could upset you.
California (5) 10/87…They are the best 3 point shooting team in the country, but they only make about 6 a game, they shoot very well, and don’t turn it over, defensively they aren’t very good, so a team that struggles to score, or doesn’t defend well could kepp them alive, but teams that do defend will make it tough for them.
Akron (3) 153/50 Doesn’t shoot very well or rebound well, is pretty good defensively, but unless they get a big 10 team that struggles to score they’ll be going home early.
Illinois (6) 96/4…They are so efficient on defense and make it difficult to score, but some of that is a product of the big 10, some of it isn’t. On offense it’s the same story, The loss of their PG who may or may not be back will be an issue as well because they don’t turn it over and move the ball with him, but without him not so much.
Western Kentucky (0) 68/168 They shoot the three ok, and are decent on the glass, but I don’t see a duplicate of last year’s first round magic.
West Virginia (5) 16/7They defend the three, rebound, and don’t turn it over, however unlike WVU teams of the past they are a bad shooting team. They are efficient on offense and exceptionally so on defense, all in all a tough out for anyone.
Utah (4) 51/21…They are very tough defensively but they don’t force many turnovers, so matched up with a good shooting team and they’re going home. Offensively they can shoot the three at a high percentage and a terrific free throw shooting team.
Utah St. (7) 13/169…They are poor defensively especially against the three. They have a lot of good numbers because of an easy schedule, but they are very efficient offensively, they shoot very well, inside and from 3, they rebound well, don’t turn it over and stay out of foul trouble. They can win a slow down game, but not a track meet.
Texas A&M (0) 37/79….They will rebound the basketball, and that’s about it, pack lightly Aggie fans. They are an average team across the board, don’t do anything well, but nothing critically poor. Except maybe defending the three. Matched up against anyone who does anything well and they’ll be done, against another average team it’s a toss up.
Tennessee (3) 15/75 Typical UT team, they try to go up and down and play at a fast pace, they don’t shoot the three well though which is a problem because they like to chuck them up. If they can’t create turnovers on defense and score easy buckets they’re in trouble.
Siena (4) (49/89)…Everybody’s trendy pick which usually results in an early trip home. They play at a fast pace, so their defensive numbers are pretty low, but they aren’t as efficient as I would like; They don’t shoot threes well, and are poor at the line. They rely on getting easy baskets, either off the dribble, or in transition creating turnovers, which they do fairly well, almost 9 steals a game. Rebounding could be their eventual demise.
Miss. St. (2) 69/66 They shoot a ton of threes, at a decent percentage, but that’s about it. They block a ton of shots, but that’s because of Varnado. I don’t see them doing anything well enough to win in the tournament, unless they get a slow mid-major that gets into a track meet with them.
VCU (1) 75/49…Great FG% defense but doesn’t do anything else spectacular, played in a pretty tough mid-major conference; they shoot the 3 well, and are active forcing turnovers, they struggle to rebound, and foul often, so a strong rebounding and FT shooting team is their Achilles.
ND State (5) 32/139…A potential sleeper with the right matchup. Offensively they are very efficient, and shoot the ball very well, especially from three point land.
They are a pretty good rebounding team and don’t turnover it over much. Defensively they are porous, a plodding big 10 team is their ideal matchup, especially one that doesn’t shoot very well.
Maryland (2) 74/48 They shoot free throws well and don’t turn it over; they don’t shoot it that well, don’t rebound and don’t defend the three. An up and down game would be their best chance to succeed.
Northern Iowa (2) 57/127…Typical white kids, they shoot free throws well, and don’t turn it over, they aren’t strong defensively on the perimeter but if forced into a slow down game they could be knock a team off. The MVC probably wasn’t strong enough this year for them to make it to the second weekend.
I’ve spent way too much time in my life, finding ways to cheat the system, and succeed in the NCAA “Brackets” (remember its not a pool, gambling is very very bad, shame on you!)
Perhaps I should devote more time to what DR. Emmett L. Brown once said was “the other great mystery in life, women.” But I digress.
The most productive, yet not completely scientific formula of that was spent on Gatehouse Media’s dime, and uses a little of the Bill Jamesian corollary.
Basketball is a largely difficult sport to quantify using just statistics however it can be done. I try to do it every year, as one of my basic tenets in filling out a bracket is finding teams that do a number of things well (novel concept I know) and in those tough games I compare the numbers against two teams.
What I discovered is that if you can successfully pick as many sweet 16 teams as possible, you’ll be in the running for your bracket championship. First round upsets are nice, but they’re only worth one or two points, and won’t leave much of a lasting impression.
As such I aim to get the sweet 16 right, and hope things take care of themselves from there.
What I look for is a team that ranks in the top 30 nationally in at least four categories and pinpoint them as a potential sweet 16 team. Sometimes the smaller conference teams rate highly in a bunch because they play poor competition, but sometimes they don’t and its up to you to determine what’s an important category and what isn’t.
I look are three point offense and defense, rebounding, turnovers, and free throws as most important but it’s subjective.
For perspective George Mason thrived in 5 statistical categories in 2006, there are other examples, and while it seems rather obvious, sometimes when you go back and look at teams that were allegedly “upset” they only did one thing well, like Duke last year upset in the second round, only did three things well.
This season the NCAA has added a couple new Categories, so I’m going to increase the number to five categories in the top 30 make a sweet 16 team. It’s not scientific, but if you know what teams do well and what they don’t you can help determine who’s going to win those games you usually flip a coin on.
One wrinkle I added last year was the adjusted rankings, because sometimes offensive and defensive scoring numbers are skewed because teams play fast or slow, thus efficiency on offense and defense are far more important.
Traditionally I have found between 8-13 teams per season, depending on the parity of the NCAA will excel in at least four (this year I’m trying 5 to experiment, but 4 might still be the working model) categories, as I look at the numbers sometimes a team may not excel, (i.e. top 30) but might do a lot above average (between 31-65) those are usually the teams that throw the wrinkle off.
I wrote 46 teams breakdowns out on who has a shot at the sweet 16, they were don before the brackets came out, I mean I’m not going to do all your work for you, and make the picks.
Below you will find the teams, the first 25 are the latest top 25 poll, after that they’re in no particular order. I shied away from a lot of 8 and 9 seeds because they almost never make the sweet 16 and it was kind of a waste of an hour of my life to research them. Some of them are done because I had them higher or lower earlier in the week.
The way it works is the team, and then how many categories they excel in, followed by their adjusted for pace rankings, and some notes.
I don’t expect anyone to read them all, but feel free to look for the teams you aren’t sure about and hopefully they help, unless you’re in the pool I am in. Then screw off.
Team – (Number of categories in top 30) Adj off/def…notes
North Carolina (9) 1/23...Is the best offensive team in the country, high FG%, doesn’t turn it over, defensive numbers are skewed by the fast pace they play. Real active on defense, forces a lot of turnovers, probably unbeatable in a track meet. Their rebounding margin, and A/TO ratio are incredible and debunk some of the myths about their lack of toughness.
Louisville (5) – 46/2…Slightly above average offense and defense numbers, tremendous FG% defense, shoots and defends the three well; unselfish (doesn’t rely on one scorer) Free throws are a problem.
Pittsburgh (6) 3/38…Offensively they’re a little stronger than Pitt teams of the past, defensively they’re weaker. Near the top in rebounding margin, so they can overpower weaker teams, but probably don’t shoot from outside well enough to beat a tougher team.
If Blair gets in foul trouble all bets are off. They don’t turn the ball over, and get a lot of easy buckets, but could struggle against a tough defensive team that can shoot from outside.
UConn (6) 22/3…Very strong and can over power teams, but struggle to make shots from outside, and not great from the line. If they end up at the Garden there’s no way they lose in the regionals. Defensively they wear you out, and can probably only be beaten by a Big East team, or UNC unless Thabeet gets in foul trouble early. However a superhuman effort from a guard could get them.
Memphis (7) 43/1…Numbers are skewed slightly because they play awful competition, but they defend like crazy inside and on the perimeter, they rebound and don’t turn the ball over too much. Offensively they struggle from the field, and at the line and suck from beyond the arc. A sound halfcourt team that executes on offense will give them the most trouble, provided they can defend a little bit.
Oklahoma (4) 7/47… Not as statistically sound as one would like. The things they excel in (FG% and rebound margin) are essentially because Griffin is the POY, he hasn’t been the same since the concussion and neither has OU. They are an average shooting team and average defensively; they turn it over too much and don’t force enough. It all hinges on Griffin and who they matchup with.
Wake Forest (6) 34/14…They score pretty easily, but are terrible beyond the arc; are actually sound defensively forcing steals and turnovers. They are the youngest team in the top 10 and it shows at times turning the ball over too much; a bad matchup against a team like Louisville or Memphis
Duke (3) 6/13…This is one of those anomalies sometimes because it doesn’t doing anything exceptionally well, but doesn’t do anything badly either. Their adjusted numbers make up for not hitting the magic number of 4. Only an average shooting team, so a tough perimeter defending team could be a problem. Probably a Sweet 16 team but no more, could be upset in the 2nd round against an athletically superior small conference opponent.
Michigan St. (2) 27/10…We’ll know after the first weekend if the big 10 was better than we thought or it sucked. They struggle at the foul line, and don’t force a lot of turnovers, but make scoring difficult, and rebound like crazy. If a more skilled team matches their toughness they’re done.
Villanova (1) 19/26…They are a guard oriented team that doesn’t shoot the three well, and turns it over more than it should the toughness of the Big East should help them. A team with some size that gets after it defensively would be a tough matchup.
Kansas (4) 20/16…I haven’t liked them all season, but the things they excel at are important, the shoot well, and defend on the perimeter well, rebounding they are solid, but much of that is Aldrich, who is foul prone. They turn it over a little too much, and don’t force many mistakes. A good shooting team that doesn’t turn it over will send them home. As could an athletically superior team.
Gonzaga – (8) 5/12…Their numbers are skewed as well because of poor competition, and they crapped the bed against Memphis at home, They can play fast or slow, and defend well inside. However a team that shoots the 3 well, or a big strong team inside like a Big 10 or Big East team will eventually send them home.
Washington (2) 33/11…They can score, but mainly because they play at a fast pace; they don’t force many turnovers, and give it away too much, and don’t shoot the three well What they do, do well is rebound, and score on offensive rebounds. A team that can match their rebounding, and shoot well eliminates them.
Missouri (6) 16/15…They play a frenetic pace, so they score a ton, and defend pretty well, they don’t turn it over much either; but they struggle to rebound, and make free throws, foul trouble is a problem too, so a good FT shooting team that gets into the bonus early could send them home.
But a legit sleeper pick, especially if they don’t win the Big 12 tourney.
UCLA (5) 2/45…One of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, but doesn’t defend well, compared to UCLA teams of the past, they do still force a lot of turnovers, but allow a lot of easy baskets, a team that shoots well and defends the interior will send them home, but could be a tough out for a lot of pretenders or teams without experience.
Butler (2) 59/46…The don’t allow easy baskets, and will likely win a first round game if they get another mid-major, but that’s as far as they’ll go. They don’t do anything else really well, and you can’t beat good teams that way.
Clemson (4) 9/51…They can score and shoot the ball well, but defensively they suck, and they don’t rebound very well either, they could be first round fodder for a good statistically sound mid-major.
Syracuse (6) 12/37…The orange have good scoring numbers, and defend the three well; they don’t shoot free throws well, and turn the ball over a little too much, but if they aren’t gassed from the Big East Tourney they could be a tough out.
They don’t foul much (UConn only shot 22 free throws in that 6ot epic) so they make teams earn their points, which could be a tough thing for an offensively challenged team to do to beat them.
Xavier (4) 40/24…They defend well and shoot the 3 at a high percentage, and they can rebound. What scares me is the turn the ball over a lot, struggle at the foul line, and don’t create a lot of turnovers either. A good shooting team that defends on the perimeter can send them packing.
LSU (3) 47/56…The SEC sucked this year, and these numbers prove it, I the Tigers don’t really do anything well except rebound , block shots, and shoot free throws. All nice things, and their athleticism might help over a mid-major, but they’ll fall to a more skilled team that can match the athleticism.
Marquette (4) 8/55…The things they do well, are all guard oriented but they only have half that tandem now with the injury to Domenic James. They are poor defensively in all facets, and will bow out to a superior offensive team that exploits those defensive deficiencies.
Florida State (2) 113/9…Defensively they’re strong in a conference not known for much defense, but are poor offensively. Couple that with no tournament experience, and you can pencil them out early. They turn the ball over a lot, and don’t shoot very well.
Arizona St. (7) 11/28… They’re in the top 30 in 7 categories, and top 35 in 10. So they are statistically strong almost everywhere. They are suspect rebounding, and while they’re efficient on offense, getting into a track meet probably doesn’t suit them. They are a strong sleeper, with two big time scorers, a solid defense, and good coaching in the tournament (remember those multiple sweet 16 trips Herb Sendek made at NC St.)
Arizona (2) 7/132…They shoot the ball well, but don’t defend very well from the field, or in forcing turnovers. If they get a bad defensive team they could last a game or two but anyone who can score and defend even a little sends them home.
USC (1) 62/19…They defend very well, and rebound and could steal a game with that combination, an efficient offensive team that forces turnovers is their bad matchup.
BC (1) 27/131…They are here on the strength of two wins, perhaps my BC bias is taking over but I just don’t believe in them at all to do much of anything.
Minnesota (2) 88/20….They defend pretty well, but struggle to score and shoot, they also turn it over too much.
Wisconsin (3) 24/60 Typical Wisconsin team, defends, doesn’t foul or turn it over, they’re pretty efficient on offense though, could make for a surprise.
Michigan (5) 41/67…Like his WVU teams of the past John Belien leads in a lot of seemingly random categories that add up to March success, three point shooting, few turnovers, very few fouls, the contrast is their efficiency numbers aren’t as high as I’d like. They struggle to rebound, and don’t shoot a high percentage, could be a first round winner, unlikely beyond that unless they are matched up with a team that hasn’t seen the 1-3-1 on defense before it’s tough to prepare for on short notice.
Texas (1) 46/27…They don’t do a lot very well, they don’t do a lot poorly either other than shooting threes, however if Abrams gets hot he could be a difference maker. They defend pretty well and rebound.
Dayton (1) 144/41…Don’t do much well, they defend pretty good, but they struggle to score, or shoot from anywhere, and they turn it over a little too much.
BYU (6) 24/17….Another intriguing option, they shoot the ball well, and defend very well. Obviously against inferior competition, but provided they don’t draw an ultra athletic team early they could stick around through the first weekend.
Purdue (5) 67/5…The only other Big 10 team I like besides Mich. St. Purdue’s offensive numbers aren’t good because their best player has been hurt all year. They don’t shoot that well, but if Hummel is healthy that’s an upgrade. Rebounding is an issue for them, which is odd given how well they defend/
Cleveland St. (3) 121/30…An intriguing team defensively, they get after you, force turnovers, and steals, and preotect the ball offensively, they don’t rebound well and aren’t a good shooting team, but getting into a track meet with them and they could upset you.
California (5) 10/87…They are the best 3 point shooting team in the country, but they only make about 6 a game, they shoot very well, and don’t turn it over, defensively they aren’t very good, so a team that struggles to score, or doesn’t defend well could kepp them alive, but teams that do defend will make it tough for them.
Akron (3) 153/50 Doesn’t shoot very well or rebound well, is pretty good defensively, but unless they get a big 10 team that struggles to score they’ll be going home early.
Illinois (6) 96/4…They are so efficient on defense and make it difficult to score, but some of that is a product of the big 10, some of it isn’t. On offense it’s the same story, The loss of their PG who may or may not be back will be an issue as well because they don’t turn it over and move the ball with him, but without him not so much.
Western Kentucky (0) 68/168 They shoot the three ok, and are decent on the glass, but I don’t see a duplicate of last year’s first round magic.
West Virginia (5) 16/7They defend the three, rebound, and don’t turn it over, however unlike WVU teams of the past they are a bad shooting team. They are efficient on offense and exceptionally so on defense, all in all a tough out for anyone.
Utah (4) 51/21…They are very tough defensively but they don’t force many turnovers, so matched up with a good shooting team and they’re going home. Offensively they can shoot the three at a high percentage and a terrific free throw shooting team.
Utah St. (7) 13/169…They are poor defensively especially against the three. They have a lot of good numbers because of an easy schedule, but they are very efficient offensively, they shoot very well, inside and from 3, they rebound well, don’t turn it over and stay out of foul trouble. They can win a slow down game, but not a track meet.
Texas A&M (0) 37/79….They will rebound the basketball, and that’s about it, pack lightly Aggie fans. They are an average team across the board, don’t do anything well, but nothing critically poor. Except maybe defending the three. Matched up against anyone who does anything well and they’ll be done, against another average team it’s a toss up.
Tennessee (3) 15/75 Typical UT team, they try to go up and down and play at a fast pace, they don’t shoot the three well though which is a problem because they like to chuck them up. If they can’t create turnovers on defense and score easy buckets they’re in trouble.
Siena (4) (49/89)…Everybody’s trendy pick which usually results in an early trip home. They play at a fast pace, so their defensive numbers are pretty low, but they aren’t as efficient as I would like; They don’t shoot threes well, and are poor at the line. They rely on getting easy baskets, either off the dribble, or in transition creating turnovers, which they do fairly well, almost 9 steals a game. Rebounding could be their eventual demise.
Miss. St. (2) 69/66 They shoot a ton of threes, at a decent percentage, but that’s about it. They block a ton of shots, but that’s because of Varnado. I don’t see them doing anything well enough to win in the tournament, unless they get a slow mid-major that gets into a track meet with them.
VCU (1) 75/49…Great FG% defense but doesn’t do anything else spectacular, played in a pretty tough mid-major conference; they shoot the 3 well, and are active forcing turnovers, they struggle to rebound, and foul often, so a strong rebounding and FT shooting team is their Achilles.
ND State (5) 32/139…A potential sleeper with the right matchup. Offensively they are very efficient, and shoot the ball very well, especially from three point land.
They are a pretty good rebounding team and don’t turnover it over much. Defensively they are porous, a plodding big 10 team is their ideal matchup, especially one that doesn’t shoot very well.
Maryland (2) 74/48 They shoot free throws well and don’t turn it over; they don’t shoot it that well, don’t rebound and don’t defend the three. An up and down game would be their best chance to succeed.
Northern Iowa (2) 57/127…Typical white kids, they shoot free throws well, and don’t turn it over, they aren’t strong defensively on the perimeter but if forced into a slow down game they could be knock a team off. The MVC probably wasn’t strong enough this year for them to make it to the second weekend.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tossing batting practice…while wondering if Ted Sarandis kidnapped Sean McDonough during the first overtime, and announced the final 25 minutes of the game.
McDonough’s voice hit octaves last night that was previously unseen or heard in any experience I remember of him.
It never fails, if you wave off a buzzer beater at the end of regulation, you can prepare yourself for a very very long night. Let that be a lesson to you young officials out there. Overtime is not your friend, and your per diem doesn’t increase if it takes three days to determine a winner.
It doesn’t matter that they basically played a third fourth half, I’m pretty sure Jim Calhoun is berating his players for allowing 100 127 points.
The fourth fifth sixth (?!?!) overtime, was the stuff of dreams…for the walkons at the end of both benches. You know they sit in class day dreaming about getting inserted into the game after the first 10 guys have fouled out, got hurt, or become academically ineligible in the middle of a game that seemingly lasted two semesters.
The five six overtime thriller was made all the better when I caught this nugget of a story. Last week’s featured friend Ryan, actually went to the afternoon games, but sold his night session tickets. That accurately sums up Ryan, who right now is working on a self deprecating script of his own life, yet its far too pathetic to be real.
I think the stat “fast break points” should stop after a second overtime, and changed to “slow controlled jog points.”
If you’ve ever played and lasted deep into an AAU tournament (or been on a kick ass pickup team that won’t lose) you know how both teams must have felt by the end. UConn especially looked like an AAU team in OT no. 6 as they just wildly chucked threes and played no perimeter defense.
Calhoun probably had practice at Storrs, at 6am, and if its spring break at UConn he might have had double sessions.
He even stated in his postgame presser he wasn’t tired and could go to practice right away.
I love him because of his miserable ornery persona because its funny, particularly if you’ve played for someone like that, but I can see what it rubs the rest of America the wrong way.
I’m sure there’s No doubt he was wearing that miserable glare, asking rhetorically “how can I play you, if you won’t work hard on defense in the sixth overtime, after four hours of real time playing?” Now if Calhoun is anything like my college coach, which I think he is, the rest would play something along the lines of “shut up! Shut the f*#! Up!” if anybody actually tried to answer the rhetorical question.
So apparently the espn live blog update on the game allows people to vote whether or night they like this game. Beyond my initial question of why would anyone who is reading the in game boxscore vote negatively for any game, only 97.2% of people seem to like this six OT thriller. Seriously, those 2.8% of people have to be the most miserable group of people on earth, probably the folks who call into the Big Show and Mike Adams regularly.
McDonough’s voice hit octaves last night that was previously unseen or heard in any experience I remember of him.
It never fails, if you wave off a buzzer beater at the end of regulation, you can prepare yourself for a very very long night. Let that be a lesson to you young officials out there. Overtime is not your friend, and your per diem doesn’t increase if it takes three days to determine a winner.
It doesn’t matter that they basically played a third fourth half, I’m pretty sure Jim Calhoun is berating his players for allowing 100 127 points.
The fourth fifth sixth (?!?!) overtime, was the stuff of dreams…for the walkons at the end of both benches. You know they sit in class day dreaming about getting inserted into the game after the first 10 guys have fouled out, got hurt, or become academically ineligible in the middle of a game that seemingly lasted two semesters.
The five six overtime thriller was made all the better when I caught this nugget of a story. Last week’s featured friend Ryan, actually went to the afternoon games, but sold his night session tickets. That accurately sums up Ryan, who right now is working on a self deprecating script of his own life, yet its far too pathetic to be real.
I think the stat “fast break points” should stop after a second overtime, and changed to “slow controlled jog points.”
If you’ve ever played and lasted deep into an AAU tournament (or been on a kick ass pickup team that won’t lose) you know how both teams must have felt by the end. UConn especially looked like an AAU team in OT no. 6 as they just wildly chucked threes and played no perimeter defense.
Calhoun probably had practice at Storrs, at 6am, and if its spring break at UConn he might have had double sessions.
He even stated in his postgame presser he wasn’t tired and could go to practice right away.
I love him because of his miserable ornery persona because its funny, particularly if you’ve played for someone like that, but I can see what it rubs the rest of America the wrong way.
I’m sure there’s No doubt he was wearing that miserable glare, asking rhetorically “how can I play you, if you won’t work hard on defense in the sixth overtime, after four hours of real time playing?” Now if Calhoun is anything like my college coach, which I think he is, the rest would play something along the lines of “shut up! Shut the f*#! Up!” if anybody actually tried to answer the rhetorical question.
So apparently the espn live blog update on the game allows people to vote whether or night they like this game. Beyond my initial question of why would anyone who is reading the in game boxscore vote negatively for any game, only 97.2% of people seem to like this six OT thriller. Seriously, those 2.8% of people have to be the most miserable group of people on earth, probably the folks who call into the Big Show and Mike Adams regularly.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tossing batting practice, while wondering who the fifth, sixth, and seventh teams are in and out of the NCAA tournament.
I have majored in bracketology since I was about 9, (thanks Dad) and completed my final core requirement to graduate last year by spending the opening weekend of the tourney in Vegas, “watching, just watching” games, so I think I have a pretty good grasp on the NCAAs. But it drives me nuts whenever I see the last four in and last four out column.
If you’re a fan of any other bubble (I promise not to use that word again in this blog) team do you feel better, worse, or unfulfilled after seeing that update?
Who has a cooler, but more useless job to society, Draft Exper Mel Kiper Jr. or Bracketologist Joe Lunardi?
With a 10 hour bus ride to Mississippi to look forward too this weekend I should have ample time to work on my fool proof Bill Jamesian pool strategy, that is almost guaranteed to have at least 12 sweet 16 teams correctly identified.
Who is the Dutch Al Michaels? and how do you say "doyou believe in miracles?" in Flemish?
See even teams ARod begs off of, can't win the big one. No matter what now though the US can't be the most disappointing team in the tournament. And the Sox get David Ortiz back a little earlier. A win win for all Amierican Sox fans involved.
Last week it was too cold, this week it’s damn hot, judging by the fact I look like a lobster from a weekend in Tennessee. But clearly my car has yet to understand the change in geography and with it climate.
I got into it the other day and the digital temperature said it was 39 degrees and had the snowflake icon.
It was in fact 77 degrees.
After a weekend in Volunteer country, I think my retinas are permanently tinted Creamsicle orange.
I finally saw the infamous Rabun county and the Tallulah Gorge this week. The scenery was incredible, but my god I thought the flux capacitor had been activated on the bus and sent me back 125 years.
That area of the world makes Vermont look like Manhattan.
So A-Rod’s having surgery huh, eh, he still sucks.
It was hard not to root for North Dakota St. in the Summitt league final the other night. They’re in their first year of Division 1 tournament eligibility, and they send out a full whitewash of five Caucasian starters.
They epitomize a Norman Dale coached team, rebounds below the rim, solid passing and screening etc.
Is it a stereotype to also announce that they lead the nation in three-point shooting? Is that kind of assumed, like Pitt leading the nation in rebound margin?
Were NDSU and Pitt matched up in the NCAAs there wouldn’t have been a more contrasting set of styles since the 1954 Indiana State high school title game.
I know I said it was hard to root against NDSU, but I did for two simple reasons.
1. I have family closely related to the University of North Dakota, and you’re only allowed to root for one, I think.
2. In writing the Summit league preview for Blue Ribbon a year ago, I picked Oakland to win it, and despite being a year late, I feel vindicated. Slightly.
There are plenty of good seats still available for the Braves home opener, and after seeing one of their commercials I know why. It was one of those fan interview deals, where they ask everyone what they love about the Braves, and you mostly got your standard answers of Derek Lowe, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, but there was one that stuck out.
The shapely blonde woman in her twenties who claims she loves watching Bobby Cox; After all there's nothing sexier than a 70 year old man waddling out to make 3 pitching changes a night
According to a recent study organized religion, in America, particularly those who identify themselves as Christian has dropped 11 percent in the last 15 years; meanwhile I'm praying before games, something doesn't quite add up
Driving to Tennessee though the mountains was like going through the Berkshires only for three hrs. It was basically every ride I ever took to Ludlow to visit a former significant other’s mother, minus the sense of impending doom and misery hanging ominously in the room.
So TO has been banished to Buffalo huh? That seems appropriate, there are only two reasons to go to Buffalo, one is if someone offers you millions of dollars and there are no offers anywhere else. The other is if a woman will willingly date, or have sex with you, and again you can't find anyone anywhere else.
TO has done one, and a friend of mine is the other.
I am glad we didn't have to spend countless days and weeks speculating that the Pats might swoop in. I would have eventually talked myself into it, but selling my soul like that would have only been worth it were we to finish what we started with that whole unbeaten business.
Now I can go back to hating him unequivocally; if Ralph Wilson has a sense of humor, or actually has gone into dementia (he is 137 years old and played before helmets) he'd sign Michael Vick too.
By request we’re adding more photos to the blog, and with that, is this week’s photo of my friend from college the immortal (only in his own world,) Ryan who hails from Rhode Island which he will immediately tell you upon introduction.
Ryan is the son of a town elected public official, and one of the great tacklers in the history of his High School football, from his safety position. I think the term yards after catch was invented to convince Ryan to play basketball in college. He also possesses a microscopic collegiate baseball era of 46.00 over 10 innings, in two separate seasons four years apart.
On the basketball court he was an excellent sixth offensive option for the EC Lions, right after blatantly kicking the ball out of bounds when the other four players couldn't score.
Professional (or for that matter collegiate) sports were obviously not his calling, but avoiding real work of any kind, certainly is. (After all he’s the son of an elected official) thus he is currently working as a Hollywood extra, albeit in the Northeast. While he is largely unfamous now, soon enough could be added to the favorite parlor game of citizens of Rhode Island.
I am talking of course, of the six degrees of __________ (insert semi famous, in the real world, but rock start status in RI, athlete, actor, singer or disgraced imprisoned Mayor) game.
If you meet almost anyone from Rhode Island, they can connect themselves to Rocco Baldelli, Chris Ianetta, James Woods (I’m running out now but you get the idea).
Ryan’s goal is to someday be in that game, and not for having played high school volleyball against Bishop Hendricken when Rocco was a senior.
Pictured here is Ryan in his familar blank stare "working" in a scene for a new movie about a NYC subway hijacker starring John Travolta as a lunatic. Here it is difficult to discern what Ryan is doing or thinking, but you the reader can help.
a) is he staring at Travolta’s ass
b) Not doing anything heroic, because he’s a coward
c) Biding his time until he’s a star beyond just his own dreams
d) Disappointing his father because he is not using his degree whatsoever
All other options or captions are welcome in the comments.
Lastly, a shout out to my beloved Green Wave hoop squad for winning the south sectional and earning a trip to the Garden for the EMass finals. Since its been 13 seasons since I went a whole year without seeing a game, I guess we know I was as big a curse to my high school basketball program as I have been to my parents.
I have majored in bracketology since I was about 9, (thanks Dad) and completed my final core requirement to graduate last year by spending the opening weekend of the tourney in Vegas, “watching, just watching” games, so I think I have a pretty good grasp on the NCAAs. But it drives me nuts whenever I see the last four in and last four out column.
If you’re a fan of any other bubble (I promise not to use that word again in this blog) team do you feel better, worse, or unfulfilled after seeing that update?
Who has a cooler, but more useless job to society, Draft Exper Mel Kiper Jr. or Bracketologist Joe Lunardi?
With a 10 hour bus ride to Mississippi to look forward too this weekend I should have ample time to work on my fool proof Bill Jamesian pool strategy, that is almost guaranteed to have at least 12 sweet 16 teams correctly identified.
Who is the Dutch Al Michaels? and how do you say "doyou believe in miracles?" in Flemish?
See even teams ARod begs off of, can't win the big one. No matter what now though the US can't be the most disappointing team in the tournament. And the Sox get David Ortiz back a little earlier. A win win for all Amierican Sox fans involved.
Last week it was too cold, this week it’s damn hot, judging by the fact I look like a lobster from a weekend in Tennessee. But clearly my car has yet to understand the change in geography and with it climate.
I got into it the other day and the digital temperature said it was 39 degrees and had the snowflake icon.
It was in fact 77 degrees.
After a weekend in Volunteer country, I think my retinas are permanently tinted Creamsicle orange.
I finally saw the infamous Rabun county and the Tallulah Gorge this week. The scenery was incredible, but my god I thought the flux capacitor had been activated on the bus and sent me back 125 years.
That area of the world makes Vermont look like Manhattan.
So A-Rod’s having surgery huh, eh, he still sucks.
It was hard not to root for North Dakota St. in the Summitt league final the other night. They’re in their first year of Division 1 tournament eligibility, and they send out a full whitewash of five Caucasian starters.
They epitomize a Norman Dale coached team, rebounds below the rim, solid passing and screening etc.
Is it a stereotype to also announce that they lead the nation in three-point shooting? Is that kind of assumed, like Pitt leading the nation in rebound margin?
Were NDSU and Pitt matched up in the NCAAs there wouldn’t have been a more contrasting set of styles since the 1954 Indiana State high school title game.
I know I said it was hard to root against NDSU, but I did for two simple reasons.
1. I have family closely related to the University of North Dakota, and you’re only allowed to root for one, I think.
2. In writing the Summit league preview for Blue Ribbon a year ago, I picked Oakland to win it, and despite being a year late, I feel vindicated. Slightly.
There are plenty of good seats still available for the Braves home opener, and after seeing one of their commercials I know why. It was one of those fan interview deals, where they ask everyone what they love about the Braves, and you mostly got your standard answers of Derek Lowe, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, but there was one that stuck out.
The shapely blonde woman in her twenties who claims she loves watching Bobby Cox; After all there's nothing sexier than a 70 year old man waddling out to make 3 pitching changes a night
According to a recent study organized religion, in America, particularly those who identify themselves as Christian has dropped 11 percent in the last 15 years; meanwhile I'm praying before games, something doesn't quite add up
Driving to Tennessee though the mountains was like going through the Berkshires only for three hrs. It was basically every ride I ever took to Ludlow to visit a former significant other’s mother, minus the sense of impending doom and misery hanging ominously in the room.
So TO has been banished to Buffalo huh? That seems appropriate, there are only two reasons to go to Buffalo, one is if someone offers you millions of dollars and there are no offers anywhere else. The other is if a woman will willingly date, or have sex with you, and again you can't find anyone anywhere else.
TO has done one, and a friend of mine is the other.
I am glad we didn't have to spend countless days and weeks speculating that the Pats might swoop in. I would have eventually talked myself into it, but selling my soul like that would have only been worth it were we to finish what we started with that whole unbeaten business.
Now I can go back to hating him unequivocally; if Ralph Wilson has a sense of humor, or actually has gone into dementia (he is 137 years old and played before helmets) he'd sign Michael Vick too.
By request we’re adding more photos to the blog, and with that, is this week’s photo of my friend from college the immortal (only in his own world,) Ryan who hails from Rhode Island which he will immediately tell you upon introduction.
Ryan is the son of a town elected public official, and one of the great tacklers in the history of his High School football, from his safety position. I think the term yards after catch was invented to convince Ryan to play basketball in college. He also possesses a microscopic collegiate baseball era of 46.00 over 10 innings, in two separate seasons four years apart.
On the basketball court he was an excellent sixth offensive option for the EC Lions, right after blatantly kicking the ball out of bounds when the other four players couldn't score.
Professional (or for that matter collegiate) sports were obviously not his calling, but avoiding real work of any kind, certainly is. (After all he’s the son of an elected official) thus he is currently working as a Hollywood extra, albeit in the Northeast. While he is largely unfamous now, soon enough could be added to the favorite parlor game of citizens of Rhode Island.
I am talking of course, of the six degrees of __________ (insert semi famous, in the real world, but rock start status in RI, athlete, actor, singer or disgraced imprisoned Mayor) game.
If you meet almost anyone from Rhode Island, they can connect themselves to Rocco Baldelli, Chris Ianetta, James Woods (I’m running out now but you get the idea).
Ryan’s goal is to someday be in that game, and not for having played high school volleyball against Bishop Hendricken when Rocco was a senior.
Pictured here is Ryan in his familar blank stare "working" in a scene for a new movie about a NYC subway hijacker starring John Travolta as a lunatic. Here it is difficult to discern what Ryan is doing or thinking, but you the reader can help.
a) is he staring at Travolta’s ass
b) Not doing anything heroic, because he’s a coward
c) Biding his time until he’s a star beyond just his own dreams
d) Disappointing his father because he is not using his degree whatsoever
All other options or captions are welcome in the comments.
Lastly, a shout out to my beloved Green Wave hoop squad for winning the south sectional and earning a trip to the Garden for the EMass finals. Since its been 13 seasons since I went a whole year without seeing a game, I guess we know I was as big a curse to my high school basketball program as I have been to my parents.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Tossing Batting practice…while wondering why no local news producers thought to pair REM’s “It’s the end of the world” with its coverage of today’s “snow storm”
Ok, seriously what the f*#$ is this? It’s March 1st, and I live in Georgia. Like the mob looking for a snitch, snow and cold just seems to find me during softball season.
There doesn't appear to be an Atlanta version of Shelby Scott. The Tv News folks seem to run the gamut from Token Black Guy, to Redneck homosexual, to bubbly blonde woman excited to make snow angels.
When the TV news stations aren't properly prepared for storm coverage, how can regular citizens be adequately ready.
I’m ok with the Stephon Marbury error, I mean era. We needed to do something, and him and Mikki Moore, though if there’s a roster spot available in April, I’d be open to Ainge inquiring about the availability of Maya Moore for the stretch run.
(Ok I promise no more women’s basketball references today).
I’m now resigned to the Celtics ending up as the two seed, and a seemingly more difficult road through the playoffs. I think we’ll look back and see that losing to the Clippers, and blowing that game to the Jazz will be our undoing.
When you give up 100 points to the Pistons, it might be just time to start working toward the playoffs, getting the new guys squared away and such.
I hope to god we don’t play anymore 1 p.m. games on Sundays the rest of the season, clearly the hangover isn’t quite worn off when we play at that time.
Let the Kevin O’Connell era begin!!!!
Matt Cassel, we hardly knew ye, but while I’m a little disappointed we couldn’t get more than a second round pick it’s better than $29 million at one position, and honestly we’ll see how much better Cassel is with Dwayne Bowe, and whoever else he has to throw to. (By the way, the Chiefs wideouts are so nondescript, I had to go to my fantasy football site to look up Bowe’s name. Despite the fact he was my leading receiver this year, and on my roster all season long. Now that’s some real live anonymity).
I am sad to see Mike Vrabel go, he as much as anybody was the heart and soul of a three time Super Bowl champion squad, and the very definition of a Patriot, playing end, and OLB, catching passes on offense, and playing Special Teams.
He’ll have a long career if he wants working tv and radio when he’s done in New England, while shilling for Giant Glass, and Ernie Boch.
I just hope he doesn’t undergo the full frontal lobotomy to remove common sense and decency that’s required currently of our local radio hosts.
Chad Finn’s article about the state of sports radio in Boston, wasn’t exactly groundbreaking news, but what was unique was he was the first person to tell it like it is from a major publication. I’ve been a fan of Chad’s for a long time, and I think much of his point was proven by the Big Show guys who just crapped all over him, and took things out of context to fit their own agenda in the aftermath of the story.
There was an article in SI recently about the Big East, and the author went out of his way to describe Jim Calhoun of being a product of his hard scrabble roots in….(wait for it)
Braintree????
I'm sorry I know I've been gone a couple months, but the home of the South Shore Plaza, and Archbishop Williams is still next to Milton, Holbrook and Weymouth right? It hasn't been moved to area between Dudley and Eggleston squares?
Ok just checking; I’m as big a Calhoun supporter as the next guy (which is to say more so than a Connecticut state legislator) but even though he did have it tough after his father died let’s not go nuts here; I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with making him a miserable bastard at times.
Though I’m guessing his time spent at AIC (Almost In College) may have contributed to those hard scrabble roots. There is really nothing redeeming about Springfield.
I realize that the Commonwealth of Kentucky may not have Milton’s or a Men’s Warehouse there, but somebody please tell Rick Pitino to find a new tailor. And Ricky, if you’re going to rock with the Colonel Sanders look, you have to go all out, that means monocle and cane, sir.
If you’re KFC you can’t get much better advertising than that on a weekly basis, even I was in the mood for fried chicken and biscuits after the Louisville game today.
Walter McCarty is on staff at Louisville; I don’t really have a joke here, but here’s hoping his 6-9 frame is one day prowling a Division 1 sideline as a head coach. I’m thinking Holy Cross as the perfect fit, just so Tommy Heinsohn can profess his love on a daily basis on local TV and radio.
I miss Tommy Heinsohn, more than you can possibly imagine. The National announcers are just making me sick.
Mike Tirico is a jinx of the worst kind…every time he comments about a stat, the team immediately comes through.
The next two weeks feature trips to rural Tennessee and Mississippi, hopefully they provide as much humor as Georgia has so far.
It’s been 60 days in the south, and I still have yet to visit a Waffle House. Though yesterday I had softball in the morning, and I simply did not function properly without a sausage egg and cheese on a plain bagel from Dunks.
Ok, seriously what the f*#$ is this? It’s March 1st, and I live in Georgia. Like the mob looking for a snitch, snow and cold just seems to find me during softball season.
There doesn't appear to be an Atlanta version of Shelby Scott. The Tv News folks seem to run the gamut from Token Black Guy, to Redneck homosexual, to bubbly blonde woman excited to make snow angels.
When the TV news stations aren't properly prepared for storm coverage, how can regular citizens be adequately ready.
I’m ok with the Stephon Marbury error, I mean era. We needed to do something, and him and Mikki Moore, though if there’s a roster spot available in April, I’d be open to Ainge inquiring about the availability of Maya Moore for the stretch run.
(Ok I promise no more women’s basketball references today).
I’m now resigned to the Celtics ending up as the two seed, and a seemingly more difficult road through the playoffs. I think we’ll look back and see that losing to the Clippers, and blowing that game to the Jazz will be our undoing.
When you give up 100 points to the Pistons, it might be just time to start working toward the playoffs, getting the new guys squared away and such.
I hope to god we don’t play anymore 1 p.m. games on Sundays the rest of the season, clearly the hangover isn’t quite worn off when we play at that time.
Let the Kevin O’Connell era begin!!!!
Matt Cassel, we hardly knew ye, but while I’m a little disappointed we couldn’t get more than a second round pick it’s better than $29 million at one position, and honestly we’ll see how much better Cassel is with Dwayne Bowe, and whoever else he has to throw to. (By the way, the Chiefs wideouts are so nondescript, I had to go to my fantasy football site to look up Bowe’s name. Despite the fact he was my leading receiver this year, and on my roster all season long. Now that’s some real live anonymity).
I am sad to see Mike Vrabel go, he as much as anybody was the heart and soul of a three time Super Bowl champion squad, and the very definition of a Patriot, playing end, and OLB, catching passes on offense, and playing Special Teams.
He’ll have a long career if he wants working tv and radio when he’s done in New England, while shilling for Giant Glass, and Ernie Boch.
I just hope he doesn’t undergo the full frontal lobotomy to remove common sense and decency that’s required currently of our local radio hosts.
Chad Finn’s article about the state of sports radio in Boston, wasn’t exactly groundbreaking news, but what was unique was he was the first person to tell it like it is from a major publication. I’ve been a fan of Chad’s for a long time, and I think much of his point was proven by the Big Show guys who just crapped all over him, and took things out of context to fit their own agenda in the aftermath of the story.
There was an article in SI recently about the Big East, and the author went out of his way to describe Jim Calhoun of being a product of his hard scrabble roots in….(wait for it)
Braintree????
I'm sorry I know I've been gone a couple months, but the home of the South Shore Plaza, and Archbishop Williams is still next to Milton, Holbrook and Weymouth right? It hasn't been moved to area between Dudley and Eggleston squares?
Ok just checking; I’m as big a Calhoun supporter as the next guy (which is to say more so than a Connecticut state legislator) but even though he did have it tough after his father died let’s not go nuts here; I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with making him a miserable bastard at times.
Though I’m guessing his time spent at AIC (Almost In College) may have contributed to those hard scrabble roots. There is really nothing redeeming about Springfield.
I realize that the Commonwealth of Kentucky may not have Milton’s or a Men’s Warehouse there, but somebody please tell Rick Pitino to find a new tailor. And Ricky, if you’re going to rock with the Colonel Sanders look, you have to go all out, that means monocle and cane, sir.
If you’re KFC you can’t get much better advertising than that on a weekly basis, even I was in the mood for fried chicken and biscuits after the Louisville game today.
Walter McCarty is on staff at Louisville; I don’t really have a joke here, but here’s hoping his 6-9 frame is one day prowling a Division 1 sideline as a head coach. I’m thinking Holy Cross as the perfect fit, just so Tommy Heinsohn can profess his love on a daily basis on local TV and radio.
I miss Tommy Heinsohn, more than you can possibly imagine. The National announcers are just making me sick.
Mike Tirico is a jinx of the worst kind…every time he comments about a stat, the team immediately comes through.
The next two weeks feature trips to rural Tennessee and Mississippi, hopefully they provide as much humor as Georgia has so far.
It’s been 60 days in the south, and I still have yet to visit a Waffle House. Though yesterday I had softball in the morning, and I simply did not function properly without a sausage egg and cheese on a plain bagel from Dunks.
