Final Four

Michigan State will play well in this game, they’ll be gutty, they’ll play great defense, Suton will hit shots, and UConn will win this game by 10 points. Michigan State was on fire against Louisville from downtown and I just don’t see that happening again in this game. They will be forced to shoot and UConn is not a stupid team, like Louisville is. They’ll be patient, they’ll be tough, and they will win. Jeff Adrien is playing horrendously on the offensive end for UConn, but he’s a tough defender and he gets garbage points. As long has he doesn’t shoot his nasty corkscrew-looking jumper, he’ll be fine. Stanely Robinson is playing really well on both ends and I see no reason why he won’t keep it up. I’m in love with Kemba Walker’s game and Michigan State will try and neutralize him, but he’s just too good, even if he is a freshman. Hasheem Thabeet will block many and alter more. I just don’t see any way how Michigan State wins.

I’m all over Villanova’s jock. If they play like they did against Pitt, they’ll have a great chance to win this game, but for some reason, I don’t see it happening. They have a tendency to shoot ill-advised shots from time to time and since they play such good defense, they can afford to do that most nights. But this UNC team has shown itself to be so wildly efficient offensively (on drives and on jumpers) and Nova isn’t going to be able to jack up shots and not pay the price. Danny Green has been killing it (his smooth jumpers off of the glass make me weep). Wayne Ellington has a sweet J and it’s been working for him. Ty Lawson is going to be MOP of the Final Four. He’s killing it and everyone like Arnold in “Running Man.” They really don’t even need Hansbrough, but there he is. I’m predicting a 17 and 8 night for him, while taking like 9 shots from the field. Not great, but very solid. Sadly, I see UNC running away with this game by 15. I want to be wrong about this, but UNC is way too strong.

Draftaffection

Every year I follow the combine and pro-day workouts leading up to the NFL Draft in late April. And every year, I become enamored with certain players and hope that the Hawks draft them. Sometimes I gravitate toward a player because he fills a perceived Hawks need, sometimes I just think that the guy is really good and that the Hawks can always use good players.

In the leadup to the 2004 NFL Draft, the object of my draftaffection was Jason Peters from Arkansas. I never saw the guy play, but I saw what he did during workouts and was blown away. Yes, I know, beware of workout warriors. But hear me out. He played tight end for the Razorbacks, which isn’t remarkable. He was remarkable because of his size and the fact that he played TE in the first place. Here is a sampling of some of his workout numbers:

Height: 6’4 ½
Weight: 328 lbs
40 Time: 4.93 (at the combine); 4.85
(at Arkansas’s pro day)
Bench 225 lbs: 21 (at the combine); 25 (at Arkansas’s
pro day)
Vert: 29 (at the combine); 33 ½ (at Arkansas’s pro day)
Broad
Jump: 9’ 7”

Simply put, there is no way that a guy that size should be able to move like that. He was projected to be a tackle in the NFL simply because of his size (which makes me wonder what the hell Arkansas was doing playing him at TE). Because of the position switch, he wasn’t going to be a high draft pick, but it seemed like a team should definitely take a flyer on in the third or fourth round. I desperately wanted the Hawks to do so. Instead he wound up not getting drafted at all. Tell me, how does a guy with that much crazy, freaky ability not get picked? He turned out to be one of the best LTs in the game as evidenced by being selected to the Pro Bowl in ’07 and ’08 and was second team all pro both years. How can I, with no playing experience beyond bad high school football, be pining for this guy (and be right about him) when all 32 other teams take a complete pass on him? I don’t get it. Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but I wanted him then, as well as now.

As I dismount from my high horse, it’s only fair that I get my foot caught in the stirrups and fall flat on my face because I was over-the-moon enamored with Champ Bailey’s younger brother, Boss, who ended up getting drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in ’03. He has had a decent, but not fantastic career and is now in Denver with his brother earning 17.5M over 5. I couldn’t get over his size 6’3 235 and numbers, which were an astounding 4.38 40 and 48 inch vert. Cornerbacks and receivers would bury their mothers for those numbers and this was a guy who played at a high level in the SEC at Georgia finishing second in both the Butkus and Lombardi awards (linebacker and lineman/linebacker awards). His production and numbers convinced me that he’d be a fantastic linebacker in the NFL and I was wrong, he’s merely decent.

Also, in the ’05 draft I wanted the Hawks to take OLB Daryl Blackstock out of Virginia. Instead they drafted both Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill. I guess I’ll give them a “pass” on those two.

Most recently, I’ve focused on production in college with the caveat that if a player is surrounded by subpar talent then he’s upgraded in my mind.

There are many objects of my draftaffections this year based on what I’ve seen and they are as follows:

First-Round Guys
· Eugene Monroe, 6’5 309 LT, University of Virginia
I’m going off of the guys from National Football Post on this one. The Hawks need a good LT and they seem to agree that this is the guy. Jason Smith out of Baylor is supposed to be amazing as well, but he might end up in Detroit and if not there, then most certainly he’ll go to St. Louis since Orlando Pace wasn’t resigned (and hasn’t been the same in two years, good luck with that, Chicago.)

It’s difficult for normal fans to “scout” offensive lineman (on TV) since we really don’t know what to look for and the focus isn’t on them. We certainly can tell if they continually maul someone or if they give up sacks, or if they get blown up on running plays (like Chris Gray did two years ago and Rob Simms did last year, and the year before. Look, I love Chris Gray, the guy was very solid, but he got his ass handed to him on several occasions. I guess playing with a possible broken neck isn’t very good for you).

I’m told that Monroe is technically sound, strong, and athletic. If he falls to the Hawks, they’ve got to take him.

· Knowshon Moreno, HB, Georgia, 5’11 217
He’s an electric runner who did some pretty damn amazing things at Georgia the last few years. When I watched him play, I saw a shifty back who makes people miss and can catch the ball. He ran pretty pedestrian times at the combine and at Georgia’s pro day (4.6ish), but his initial burst is what makes him interesting. Plus, he’s bigger than I thought he was. I figured he’d be around 190, maybe 200, but he’s nearly 220. I don’t know if he gained weight after the season (which would explain the slower times) but if he’s able to run like he did in college at that size, he’s going to be really good.

He’s probably going to go in the first round anyway, and the Hawks certainly shouldn’t pick him at No. 4, but if he does fall out of the first round, I hope that they nab him.

· Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia (6-2, 225)
· Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (6-2, 227)

I’m torn between these two guys. I liked both of them during the year. They’re nearly identical physically at 6’2 and around 225, although their weight must be distributed differently because Stafford kind of looks fattish (like Rex Grossman) and Sanchez almost looks skinny. Both of them seem to be smart and affable. Both are very similar athletically: they ran 4.8+ 40s and had nearly the same verts, 32.5 for Sanchez 30.5 and for Stafford, and broad jumps 9’8 for Sanchez and 8’11 for Stafford).

Statistically, they were eerily similar last year:

Stafford
235-383 3459 yards 61.4% 9.03 per attempt 78 long 25 TDs 10 INTs 17 sacks 153.54 rating

Sanchez
241-336 3207 yards 65.8% 8.76 per attempt 63 long 34 TDs 10 INTs 17 sacks 164.64 rating

Stafford has a ton more experience than Sanchez and has a stronger arm, but I don’t know how much that matters if the arm is good enough. The knock on Stafford is that he lacks sound decisionmaking at times and trusts his arm too much because it is so strong. Maybe that’s true, but if it is, I’m fairly certain that kind of thinking would be beaten out of him by an NFL QB coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach. Either that or the 30 interceptions he’d throw during the year would get him to change his stripes.

Sanchez does not have the same stunningly-strong arm that Stafford has, but his gun is plenty strong enough. He is also very poised in the pocket. I like his completion rate a little better than I like Stafford’s, he was simply more efficient with his throws.

I’ll put it this way, I would be happy with either one of these guys and if one or both is available at No. 4, I’m hoping that the Hawks take one of them. I’d love a lineman, but these guys are good players and I’m very concerned about Hasselbeck’s ability to stay healthy this year and next.

· Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri, 6-0, 198
· Percy Harvin, WR, Florida, 5-11, 192

These two guys exemplify what’s wrong with perceptions and workout numbers. Anyone watching these guys play last year and previous years can tell that they both possess explosive, gamebreaking speed and agility. But the lament from scouts is that neither one of them put up insane 40 times. The fastest time that I’ve seen for Maclin is a 4.43 and the fastest I’ve seen from Harvin is a 4.41 that he ran at the combine. Were they supposed to run 4.2s? Would 4.39 have been fast enough? These guys can catch the ball, separate, make people miss, and score. I’d love to have either one playing for the Hawks. I’d take Maclin over Harvin because it seems like he’s a better route-runner and doesn’t get hurt as much as Harvin does, but I’d take either one in a heartbeat. Of course, the Hawks will pick neither one at No. 4 and they’ll be long gone by the time they pick in the second round.

· Clay Matthews, OLB, USC, 6-3, 240
I’m hoping that Matthews falls out of the first round on draft day, although he’ll probably go in the teens. He’s got fantastic size, speed, and explosiveness. The National Football Post guys had a great article on the 10-yard dash part of the 40-yard dash and how that time is the true measure of a defensive end/linebacker. Clay Matthews turned in a time that would have been outstanding for a cornerback, which means the guy can get off of the ball and make things happen, which is exactly what he did for USC last year.

Second-Seventh-Round Guys

· Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State 6-3, 205
Now here’s a guy that the Hawks have a shot at in the second or third round. He has good-enough speed (ran a 4.49 at the combine), but I’m more impressed with what scouts are saying about his “polished” route-running ability and great hands. It would be ridiculous if those things weren’t the case since his dad is a damn WR coach in the NFL, but still. Also, I didn’t know he was as big as he is. I’d absolutely love it if the Hawks picked him up.

· Sean Smith, CB, Utah 6-4, 214
A big CB is just what the doctor ordered for this Hawks team. Evidently the guy ran his 40s in the high 4.4-range at Utah’s pro day, but more impressive than that was his agility and smoothness during his position drills. I read that he moved around like he was 5’10, which if he was that height, the Hawks would knock over their grandmother’s to draft because they love undersized CBs. They need a guy like this back there. Badly.

· Willie Tuitama, QB, Arizona 6-3, 234
He’s probably a 5-7th round guy and it would make a ton of sense for the Hawks to go after him that late. He’s a very accurate passer (64.9% … 23 TDs 8 INTs) who is marginally athletic, but who would be perfect to groom for a starting job down the line. I saw him light up UW like a brushfire on several occasions, but that’s not saying much.

Thoughts on Jay Cutler
I have a friend, Mike, from Chicago and I was going to tauntingly call him on Wednesday and say something stupid like “It’s too bad the Bears don’t need a QB because Cutler’s available.” Since I thought it would be dumb and mean for me to do, I didn’t make the call. They, along with Seattle, were about the last teams that I thought would actually pull the trigger on a deal to land him. He’s handled this thing like a spoiled kid with bad Donald Trump hair. I don’t care if McDaniel’s screwed this thing up, it’s never good to act like a petulant baby; it just doesn’t keep with being a leader, but maybe he doesn’t care about that.

Nevertheless, he’ll be very good for Chicago, however, they need some receivers in a bad way. He’s not throwing to Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall anymore (although, it could be said that those guys were made better because of Cutler… I suppose we’ll see).

Denver came out of this looking OK. They’re getting a guy in Kyle Orton who is not terrible, necessarily, but certainly not in the same stratosphere as Cutler. But is he much different than Matt Cassel? If McDaniel is as good of an offensive coach as he seems to be, then Orton is going to be fine, and so is Denver’s offense; but it wasn’t the offense that screwed them last year.

Sounders FC

I’m not sure if you’re heard or not, but evidently Seattle has a Major League Soccer franchise now. On Sunday, my friend, Joel, asked me what I thought about this. I told him that I had no opinion whatsoever. Yet. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I decided that the MLS will work here, but I don’t know if I’ll be interested.

Soccer is Not a Mainstream Sport
The MLS will work in the Seattle area because it’s not a mainstream sport in the national sense. The major media outlets cover the sport, but not in the comprehensive format that they cover the big three of football (NFL, NCAA Football), basketball (NBA, NCAA Basketball) or baseball (MLB). Actually, they cover the NHL more than they cover the MLS, but that may change over time. However, there is no chance that the MLS unseats any of the big three. The Seattle area has a large mix of people and a great many of them are die-hard sports fans. Some support the local teams fanatically and some support other teams because Seattle is also home to many people who come from elsewhere around the country (and the world).

Contrarians Live Here
But, there is another relatively large contingent of people who are sort of counterculture contrarians. There are intellectuals (some pseudo, some actual) who look down at sports and who prefer to watch operas, go to the symphony, or read; or smoke, drink coffee, get tattoos and piercings, play “ultimate Frisbee,” and try to out-cool people by being unconventional and ironically uncool. As if enjoying sports is mutually exclusive from engaging in any of these activities. There are outdoor enthusiasts who like act superior and tell people that they would rather do something than watch something, or as they like to put it “I don’t need to live vicariously through guys getting paid millions.” There is no arguing with these people, better to just let them go hike, bike, kayak, ski, or eat my fist. There are other types, but these guys are top of mind for me. As my friend Rob says about some of these guys, “they just have real hard time being dudes.” Well said.

Some of these people don’t like sports because they were never good at them and/or they were picked on by people who were. I get that. Some can’t get past how much money professional athletes get paid or how much money is in sports generally. I get that, too, but to a lesser degree because that person would look past the money if they actually liked the sport. And some people just don't like sports because they don't like sports, sort of like how I don't like most reality TV.

Since soccer is not a mainstream sport, at least in the U.S., and is considered almost counterculture in its own right, it may appeal to these non-sport-loving Seattle-area people. When I was growing up, soccer was always an alternative sport. Generally, the kids who played the sport were also the kids who were skateboarders. They had longer hair and were a little different. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Youth Soccer
While soccer on a professional level in the U.S. has not taken off, youth soccer has. With the amount of youth leagues around the country that has grown steadily for years, soccer has to be one, if not the, fastest growing sports among kids in the country. It makes perfect sense that the kids who grew up playing the sport (who are probably in their 30s now) will become fans of the local professional team. By extension, all of the parents who have driven their kids to practices and games over the years have been exposed to the game. They have no choice but to learn things about the game by seeing so much of it. I’m guessing that at least some of these parents are not big-three sports fans, and they may even be some of the other folks that I described above. The youth soccer market in the Seattle area exponentially grew over time without a professional franchise to rally around and that’s probably why the league will be successful here. The professional team wasn’t forced on these people. The demand was there because the grassroots stuff (youth soccer) tilled the ground for the MLS. People who grew up playing the sport, and their parents who watched them, know all of the nuances of the game and are therefore interested in watching professionals performing the game better than they’d ever seen in person before on a consistent basis.

Kevin Calabro
Don’t underestimate the Power of Calabro. People around here love him, for good reason, from his days calling games for the Sonics. I may tune in simply to listen to him call the game because I’m curious and I know that he’ll bring the proper amount of enthusiasm and knowledge to the game. He’s never done this before, but I’m guessing that he doesn’t want to embarrass himself by not understanding the game. He's a big draw for a non-soccer fan like me.

The Euro Factor
People around the Seattle area are Europhiles (myself included) and because soccer (futbol) is so pervasive in Europe I would be surprised if people weren’t fans of soccer, generally, because of this. It’s probably the reason people love to drink Heineken (me? I love the bottles).

Startups
Startups have a robust culture in Seattle. We’ve had a number of successes (when I say “we” I mean most everyone but me) in this area and we’ve had some fantastic flameouts (now I can be counted). Regardless, people here love startups and the Sounders are definitely that. Taken further, the MLS is a startup league. It’s cool to be part of something new; it makes people feel like they’re in on something, sort of like being part of a club. Being an early fan of the Sounders is considered a cool thing. It’s an intriguing aspect and cannot be discounted.

Player Salaries
MLS salaries are very low compared to the big-three sports. According to this Sports Illustrated story, the median income for players is $88,000, which is good money for playing a sport, but it’s nothing compared to the NFL, NBA, or MLB. The story also reports that the league minimum is $34,000 (40 players make this amount) and the “developmental” minimum is $21,100 (12 players make this amount). Because the majority of guys are making good, but not even close to great, money regular fans can relate to them more easily. These guys are also more likely to be a little more grounded simply because they aren’t unfathomably rich and can’t buy Boeing field if they wanted to. I’m guessing that many MLS players also play in other leagues, overseas, but still. They have more in common, salarywise, with WNBA players than they do NBA players.

Outside
The MLS season is perfectly timed with the best weather days of the year in Seattle. While the season ends in November, when it gets rainy and dreary here, the bulk of the season is in the sunny months. And people around here love to be outside during this time. This is another reason why the Mariners have such great attendance in Safeco Field. Obviously the success of the team right before and around the time they moved into the stadium had a lot to do with it, but trust me when I say that going to games in the Kingdome when I was a kid in the middle of July when it was 80 degrees out was a horrible experience (because we were inside and because the team consistently shat the bed). Being outside is a huge plus for the MLS in Seattle.

Game Time
One of the best things about soccer, regardless of the quality of play, is that there is constant action and there are no real breaks except for halftime. There are nominal breaks like penalty stuff and out-of-bounds stuff, but really the game keeps moving. Additionally, the 45 minute running halves is awesome. The fluidity of the game is one of its best attributes and makes the game very fan-friendly.

Songs
I don’t know if this has already happened with the Sounders or not, but European soccer leagues all have songs that are pretty much yelled by fans throughout the games. It's fantastic. During the World Cup, the fans of Countries sing songs and I have no idea what they're saying and it's great. If one hasn't been created for the Sounders already, I hope that one emerges. It would be great if the song develops organically because of something that happens surrounding the team. Or they could ship in a bunch of Brazilian Betties with whistles and tube tops and have them cavort around. Either way.

What I’ll Do
I’m not sure what I’m going to do. To this point I have ignored the Sounders. Not because I dislike them or dislike soccer, but I guess I just don’t care yet. I have several impediments to Sounders, or MLS, acceptance. They are, in no particular order:

• I don’t know the game, I don’t know how to tell if a player is doing something right or doing something wrong. And for me to enjoy something, I need to know what the hell I'm talking about
• All I can tell is if a guy is fast and can handle the ball and make precise passes
• I can’t tell why a guy, who everyone says has great ball control, can miss a goal by kicking it 20 feet wide or over the goal. To me, it seems like a good jumpshooter shooting 15 percent but when he misses, he airballs by five feet. I don’t know why this is so and perhaps I’ll learn, but having never played the sport I don’t know how hard it is to do some of the things they do. That said, they’re professionals, so anything I could have done would be laughable by comparison.
• I don’t know how many teams are in the MLS
• I don’t who what cities are represented
• I don’t know how many divisions there are
• I don’t know how many teams make the playoffs
• I don’t know the playoff format
• I don’t know what the championship game is called even though I heard two weeks ago that the Sounders will host the game at Qwest Field
• I don’t know how many players are on the roster
• I don’t know if there is a salary cap
• I don’t know if it’s a young man’s game or if veterans rule
• I don’t know how many games they play
• I’m not 100 percent sure if I could describe the offsides rule
• I don't know the league will survive

I may take the time and effort to learn any of those things and get involved in with the team. But I don’t know if I’ll truly ever care. One of my big hang-ups is that I may feel like a poser for jumping on board; kind of like some of the “football” fans who decided that they liked the Seahawks in 2003.

The team won’t miss me, but will I miss my chance to get in on the ground floor? It wouldn’t be the first time.

Great Eight - Saturday

I picked Pitt to win the tournament and I’m not ashamed that I did so. That team has stones and it’s a damn shame that the Villanova – Pitt game was not the final because no remaining game is going to top that one. Pitt is not a pretty team, but they are tough and hit big shots. That pretty much describes LeVance (I’m going uppercase V) Fields. He’s actually pretty gross-looking out there. He’s not fast and takes some pretty crappy shots, but hits them and makes great passes. He simply does not look the part, but plays the part. I love the guy. DeJuan Blair is a Brahma Bull. That and1 he got in the first half was awesome. The Nova defender tried to knock him off course by fouling him hard when Blair was in the air, but he ended exploding on impact while Blair’s body continued on course. He’s a nice player who simply abuses college defenders. We’ll see how it translates to the NBA but why can’t he be a better Jason Maxiel? His ceiling is Elton Brand because of his long arms. I’d rather pick at 25 and take him than be at 3 and pick Hasheem Thabeet… or a guy like James Harden (I dislike his game). Old man Sam Young is a great player too, damn shame they lost the game.

While I really like Pitt’s squad, I equally love Nova. Neither of those teams deserved to lose, but as Snoop Pearson (and Clint Eastwood) says, “deserve ain’t got nothing to do with it.” Nova plays such great defense with active hands and positioning. The most entertaining matchup has got to be Nova – Louisville, let’s hope that happens. I guess UConn – UNC would be nice also, but those two schools get enough strokes as it is.

Aside from the way that Nova and Pitt played, the game revealed two other things:

1. Nova’s uniforms are cool. Their colors are the same as the coolest basketball unis on the planet, which belong to Argentina.

2. Pitt’s Tyrell Biggs looks exactly like Michael Olowokandi.

I’m saddened by Missouri’s exit from the Big Dance, those cats are enjoyable to watch. They force teams to run with them and make them to all kinds of stupid stuff that they wouldn’t normally do, plus they are fearless. Unfortunately they just couldn’t stop Kemba Walker (who is going to be superb) and Stanley Robinson (who was everything for UConn on Saturday). As good as UConn is, I am unimpressed by AJ Price, that guy makes some dumbass plays. They seem to be in much better hands when Walker is running the show. Also, Jeff Adrien looks like the second coming of Charles Oakley. His game is very similar and he, like Oakley, probably could put his hand on the ground and rush the passer as a D-End. He didn’t do too much in this game though.

One thing to think about as we await the UNC – Oklahoma game:

how in the world does Tony Crocker play in a long sleeve shirt?

I’d pass out from heat exhaustion in 5 minutes wearing that thing.

Sweet Sixteen

One of the first things that I noticed about the Sweet Sixteen regional games was the stadiums and the massive swaths of empty seats. I’m guessing that they have these games in huge football stadiums because they don’t want to run out of tickets, but the end result is an embarrassing scene whereby it seems as though no one cares about the games. It’s weird. Just hold the games in basketball arenas and if they’re sold out, so what. There is no need (and apparently, no demand) have 75,000 people at a basketball game because about 7/8ths of the people won’t have a very good sightline to the action anyway.

To the games themselves …

I haven’t seen much of UConn this year and I almost feel bad for Hasheem Thabeet. Almost. The guy is going to be a lottery pick and never have to sit at a desk and do real work, ever, so I can’t feel too bad for him. What I mean by this is that during the game, his teammates don’t look to him much and I can tell that he gets frustrated. But, on the other hand, he’s not very skilled offensively and still does really stupid stuff like bring the ball low or dribble it in the post when there is no need to do so. But all young big guys do this, so it’s not just him. I think commentators pick apart his game because he is so huge and has some ability, he’ll be fine. But he is very limited athletically because he has a bit of a Calvin Booth thing going on where it looks like he’s running with George Clooney in “O Brother, Where Art Thou” in shackles. Also, if you just saw Thabeet from the waist up, you’d think he’d be a relatively slender, spy dude, but then from the waist down he looks very heavy, kind of like a weeble-wobble. That’ll probably help anchor him in the post, but makes it very hard to run (and watch him run…) I was going to bash him, but he’s actually good and can get a ton better.

Um, Dick Enberg, maybe it’s time to step aside and let another play-by-play guy get a shot. Time to hang up the mic. I’ll give him this though, he’s resilient. He keeps coming back even when networks force him to do those sappy, crappy puff pieces. I’d take those as a hint to get out of the game, but he still brings it. It’s not like he’s lost his fastball, he’s throwing with the other arm now.

Here are two more applicants for the Anti-Baby Face Team:

1. Xavier's B.J. Raymond
2. Pitt's Sam Young (who rivals previously mentioned Dallas Lauderdale as the overall No. 1 seed)

That Pitt – Xavier game was fantastic, even if it was more of battle of offensive attrition than actually stellar defense. I was still riveted. Levance Fields is Khalid El-Amin reincarnated. Both of those dudes are so portly, but successful (in college, anyway). Also, shouldn’t the “v” in Levance be capitalized? I’d switch that up if I was him. I humbly submit that “LeVance” looks cooler than “Levance.” One great scene that occurred at the 1:20 mark remaining in the game was a loose ball that traveled from Pitt’s side of the court to Xavier’s side. Derrick Brown (no. 5) hustled and ran the ball down, but stepped out. The ref called it and Brown started stomping his feet and bitching to the ref and Dante Jackson (no. 25) sprinted over to Brown and screamed at the top of his lungs “SHUT THE F**K UP!” right in Brown’s face and the camera caught it. Great moment. I’m a little saddened that Raftery didn’t say anything about that, perhaps he didn’t see it. Something like, “Jackson’s giving some life lessons to Brown right now.”

I love, absolutely love, what Villanova did to Duke. Nova looked so damn superior in every single aspect of the game. They were bigger, stronger, faster, better shooters, played tough defense. It was awesome. Nova looks like a very strong title contender right now. The cool thing about the teams remaining in the tournament is that four of the eight teams remaining play crazy fast, pressure basketball. Here are the regular season averages of the eight teams:

1. UNC – 90.5
2. Missouri –81.6
3. Oklahoma – 79.2
4. UConn – 78.4
5. Pitt – 77.5
6. Nova – 77.0
7. Louisville – 74.9
8. Michigan State – 72.0

Two of these teams, Louisville (103) and Missouri (102), hung a Franklin on Arizona and Memphis. I guess I’m saying that I’m looking forward to a possible Louisville – Missouri game. Someone, please make this happen.

Speaking of the Arizona – Louisville game, just sitting in my TV room watching this game I felt intimidated by Louisville’s athleticism and cockiness. I could just feel them making fun of me. I felt the same way about Memphis’s team last year. Louisville just seems to come after teams wave after wave. It’s a trademark of Pitino teams, but this squad seems like it’s really put together perfectly to pull it off. Arizona has great athletes and everyone knew that their depth could be an issue, but it was pretty shocking to see them get so roundly dismantled. Michigan State has steady players who are tough, so this game is going to be very interesting.

That Gonzaga – UNC game was terrible. Gonzaga played no semblance of a defense and UNC shot the hell out of the ball. Ty Lawson looked absolutely perfect out there. He could be an outstanding RB if he wanted to be one by the way. He’s strong and has fantastic balance and speed. I didn’t know that his jumper was so milky either, of course, when no one guards you it makes it a lot easier, but still. Hansbrough played a solid game and hit open jumpers. He’s got a shot in the NBA, much more so than I gave him credit for. He looks to be just as relentless as Jon Brockman, although he’s not as thick as him. They both have the same short arm, not explosive issues, but Hansbrough is an exponentially better shooter than Brockman which makes him less of a liability offensively. I could see him being a role player on a good team, like third or fourth big man, which is not too shabby. Bouldin and Heytveldt, two guys who absolutely needed to have good if not great games for Gonzaga to win, were non-factors in the game, which is very disappointing. It didn’t seem like UNC’s defense caused them to be ineffective, they just had off nights, both of them. Too bad.

It sounds like Austin Daye may put his name in the draft and not hire an agent. Smart move, but I'd be surprised if he left. The feedback that he's going to get isn't going to be very positive, but he can improve upon things (and his draft position) if he stays. He simply needs to get bigger and stronger (and stop bitching so much). Bouldin would be an absolute fool if he left, which I doubt he'll do.

Pulling for Purdue

Fans experience an interesting phenomenon in postseason settings when the team that they follow is eliminated from contention. These fans fall into two groups:

1. Fans who align with the team that eliminated their team, and
2. Fans who align with the team that opposes the team that eliminated their team.

I’m ignoring a third group of fans who don’t care one way or the other because their Swiss-like neutral perspective is boring; much like I ignorantly perceive Switzerland to be having never been there myself. I just know that it’s expensive and that they’ve got banks, I know this because I’ve watched Matt Damon’s Bourne movies.

As a sports fan in the Seattle area, I have experienced this tug of allegiance numerous times in recent history because my teams fail to advance (or even enter) in the postseason.

Most recently, this allegiance question focuses on Purdue.

Here are two some possible thoughts fans may be having and the reasons that they feel the way that they do:

1. I’m rooting for the team that beat my team to validate that while my team lost, at least it lost to a good team.
   
   Clearly this fan is adopting a loser’s mentality, but it is pervasive and has some merit. Many people feel this way. It also makes some sense because while it’s a loser’s mentality, there’s a reason for that that: Because the team this fan roots for LOST.
   
2. I’m rooting for the team that beat my team to play well because I don’t want my team to look bad for losing to a team that gets its ass handed to it in the next round.
   
   This fan roots this way because he doesn’t want his team (that already lost, mind you) to look bad. This thinking is somewhat convoluted because the team already looks bad because it did lose, but to lose to a team that looks bad makes his team look much worse. It’s like losing twice and constantly makes this fan think “Why couldn’t they play like that when they faced us!?” or worse, “We’re so bad we lost to garbage team.” Neither alternative is good.

Both scenarios are face-saving justifications, but I tend to go with number 2 because it seems like the fan is still primarily focused on his team and is slightly more negative at its core, which sums me up nicely.

Another phenomenon that creeps up occasionally by some twist of fate is focused not on the team that beat the fan’s team, but is more outwardly focused on the opponent of that team. In this case: the hated (and evidently cheating) UConn Huskies.

UConn has dramatically ended tourney runs by UW twice in the last decade. One was Rip Hamilton’s buzzer beater that makes me want rip up the carpet in my TV room, find anyone with any ties to UConn, roll them up in the carpet, and kick the carpet down a hill into oncoming traffic anytime I see it. (By the way, thanks, a lot CBS for constantly replaying that goddamn commercial, it’s not funny. Why didn’t Patrick Femerling tip the ball high into the air? Why are you doing this to me?)

Thinking of UConn also reminds me of Mike Jensen’s brainlocked foul on Marcus Williams… it’s killing me just thinking about it. By the way, I was born in Connecticut and own a UConn sweatshirt that my dad brought back from a visit he took back east. I guess this means that I'm should roll myself up in the carpet... I really should burn that thing and flush the ashes down the toilet, although I’m sure it would clog my pipes and cause the sewer to back up; such is the power that the Eastern Huskies wield over me.

So, instead of just rooting for Purdue to save face, I’m rooting against UConn for historical, pain-inducing reasons. That’s double rooting interest coming from my house, which should be more than enough to topple Calhoun and his merry bunch of thieves and hooligans (that’s unfair, but I don’t care right now). Go Boilers.

The Purdue/UConn scenario also applied to the Super Bowl last year because of the visceral hate that Seahawks fans have for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a result of that horrible game in Detroit in 2005. As I’ve written in the past, I, like many others, was pulling for Arizona in that game. My hate for Pittsburgh was mighty and my desire for an NFC West team to win was much less mighty, but it was there.

A similar rooting-interest corollary arises when a fan’s team is eliminated, or didn’t make the tournament/playoffs at all. It’s interesting to see how people feel when this happens. I enjoy watching games where I’ve got a rooting interest, that’s obvious. I don’t gamble, so that’s out, I’m talking about pure, emotional interest. There are times when I watch a game and I really don’t care who wins, but it’s impossible for me to not lean one way or another, oftentimes for no good reason. For instance, when I was watching Florida State play Wisconsin I couldn’t care less who won, but I did pick Wisconsin in my bracket, so you’d think I’d be pulling for them. But I hate their style of play so much that I was definitely pulling for Florida State. There are times when I root for the underdog because it’s fun to do that, but there are times when I root for the favorite because it almost disgraces the game if the favorite loses to such a gross team like Wisconsin.

Yet another reason for rooting for a team is proximity. I’m rooting for Gonzaga for the simple fact that they are from Washington. If this same cast of characters and the same coach were based out of Texas, or worse, Oregon, then I’m certain I wouldn’t give them a second thought. I wouldn’t care about a guy like Micah Downs who looks like he definitely would be Eminem’s best friend in “Eight Mile.” But since he’s from Washington, I pull for him. I definitely would hate Matt Bouldin for the simple, adolescent, preposterous reason that he has longer-than-normal, messy hair. I’m petty that way sometimes. But I like the guy because he plays in Washington (and is a very good player). Austin Daye would receive the heat of my fury for being a waste of size and skills, but he plays for a team in Washington (wait, that one doesn’t work because I kill him now despite who he plays for—scratch that one). I’m even pulling for Arizona because they play in the Pac10. But I’m also pulling for Louisville because Terrance Williams is from Seattle—worlds colliding in that one. Since I have Louisville in the title game, I suppose that’s the trump card.

I don’t know what will happen if both Purdue and UConn fail to advance to the Final Four, but I’m sure I’ll figure something else out. Maybe I’ll figure out a way to root against Missouri because they fired Quinn Snyder who is from Washington…

Seahawks Moves and ABF

Seahawks Observations

Leonard Weaver
His contract demands couldn’t have been very high since he signed with Philly for 1 year/2.5 million. Seeing that number, I’m surprised that they didn’t keep him around since he said he wanted to stay. He’s said in interviews that he can do all of the traditional fullback things, but I’m not sold on that, and neither was the new regime. Looks like Mora and co. like what they have in Owen Schmidt and I’m excited to see if he can reproduce what he did at West Virginia. It also seems apparent that they are going to need to draft an HB (in the late rounds), which is something I favor. Young RBs produce in the NFL.

Bobby Engram
I’ll miss him if only because Hasselbeck seemed to trust him, but I understand why he left. Seattle wasn’t going to pay him because I’m sure that they consider him to be too old and now that they’ve dedicated so much cash to the WR position with Burleson, Branch, and now Houshmanzadeh. Engram was hurt last year and while he’s been relatively healthy injury-wise, the older these guys get, the more injuries creep up. They were wise to let him go. I wish him well in KC, he’s got a real chance to help out there.

Colin Cole & Cory Redding
I’m intrigued by both of these guys since they’re relatively young (both are 28). I like Cole’s size at 330 and he should team nicely with Mebane. It sounds like Redding is going to play DE predominantly, and I’m surprised by that, but he’ll probably play both and that’s fine. I’d be surprised and more than a little disappointed if they draft a DT at No. 4 now. While Mebane has worked out wonderfully and Bryant showed some flashes before he was injured, the looming specter of Marcus Tubbs’s knee makes me want to go hide under my bed.

TJ Houshmanzadeh
I like TJ. He catches everything and this team needs that. We have no idea how Burleson is going to be the year after his ACL surgery. As has been reported and commented on many times, it usually takes two years to recover from ACL surgery, why would Burleson be any different? I hope I’m wrong because he’s a good player when healthy. TJ will become a trusted guy in this offense (especially with Engram leaving) very quickly because of his ability to catch the ball, regardless of who is playing QB this fall. All Seattle fans want Hasselbeck to be the guy, but we’d all be kidding ourselves if we’re not worried that he’s going to go down again. I nearly cut out my own kidneys when he took that hit to the knee against the Giants last year.


Julian Peterson
Speaking of the Giants game, I recall a specific play where Brandon Jacobs decided to treat Julian Peterson like he was me, and simply shoved him out of his way when Peterson tried to tackle him. Granted, Jacobs weighs over 260, but it’s not like Peterson is soft, but he is slightly undersized despite being tree-root ripped. It was at this point that I decided that I’d like for Seattle to beef up its LBs. Then watching the playoffs and seeing just how damn physical teams like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Tennessee were made me want to see something like that here. I have no idea who they’ll go after to fill his spot. It doesn’t make sense to plug in anyone that they’ve currently got on the roster, Lewis, Laury, and Herring are nice backups and special teams guys, but I want someone who is bigger and more physical. Seems to me that the right place to go for this position is in the draft because of the cash they’ve got tied up in Tatupu and Hill.

I was not and am not a fan of Peterson’s point-at-the-name-on-the-back-of-his-jersey-please-throw-a-fifteen-yard-unsportsmanlike-conduct-flag-on-me move. He’s known as a team guy, but pointing at his name, as if what he just did had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of his team, is paradoxical behavior for a team guy. Very strange.

Despite the showboating, I loved what Peterson brought to the table. He was aggressive and versatile, although not as versatile as some might have you believe. He could drop back in coverage and he could rush the passer, but he certainly cannot lock anyone down. I noticed tight ends running by him on several occasions and thought that he should have been able to keep up with them and I was always disappointed when he didn’t. I expected more out of him because he looks the part (Exhibit 1 is the picture on the left, which is absurd. There is no reason to ever pose for something like this unless you were paid, and paid well) and is a good guy, as mentioned above.

I’ll miss his play on the field, but the Hawks made a good move by getting a little younger and filling a position of need, especially with Kerney getting older and his propensity to get injured.

From a non-football perspective, like Greg Oden, Peterson is just one of those guys who looks a lot older than he is. He has an ABF (Anti Baby Face). I mean, look at this photo from his senior year at Michigan State. Tell me he doesn’t look like he’s in his mid 30s in that picture.

I can easily envision him playing MC Eiht’s “A-Wax” on “Menace II Society” as an OG who is still in the game, but doesn’t do too much dirt anymore. Of course, since he’s from the DC area “The Wire” would work too, although there is probably a lot of beef between DC guys and Baltimore guys. Regardless, I can definitely picture him in a Stringer Bell role, holding court, and saying stuff like “Let them young ‘uns hannle that,” convincingly. I’m aware that I’m typecasting the man, but he could also play Rip Hamilton, w/o the mask because those two dudes look a lot alike (except Rip is only Hamilton’s nickname, while Peterson is actually ripped.).

We all know guys that look prematurely old, and it’s an interesting phenomenon. Do these guys continue to look older than they are when they’re actually old? When they reach the age that people thought they were when they were 18 (say 35) do they actually look 35? When Greg Oden is 35 will he look like he’s 35 or will he look he’s 55? When he’s 55 will he look like he’s dead? I’m hoping that he actually starts to look his age and will go from a “guy who looks older than he is” to a “guy who looks his age” and then he’ll start to be a “guy who looks young for his age.” Hair plays a key role here and Oden looks like he’s got a fantastic, Marques-Johnson-like hairline that will not betray him in his advanced age. He does look like he’ll go prematurely gray though because it’s evident that he worries so much.

After watching Gonzaga beat Akron Thursday, I noticed another candidate to join the anti-baby face club: I give you Chris McKnight. His brother Brett looked like a candidate on TV, but. sadly, his picture doesn’t do him justice, because he looks like Randy Wagstaff here, and that kid is 14 or 15.

Dallas Lauderdale, a forward for Ohio State, joins the club as well since he looks like a 45-year old, prison guard, who just wants to come home and have a cigarette and watch the game in his well-worn leather chair.

Second Round Thoughts

My friend, Josh, bought two tickets off of eBay on Friday night for the Saturday games in Portland, OR. He’s a UW fan and he and his dad wanted to see them trounce Purdue and step into the Sweet Sixteen. Evidently, Purdue JuJuan Johnson had other plans and now UW is heading home. He did get his money’s worth though because he saw two of the best possible games the NCAA Tournament can feature and were literally decided in the final seconds.

Some thoughts on the two games:

UW v. Purdue
Evidently Purdue plays good defense. I didn’t see them play all year, but when I read descriptions of the squad, they sounded a lot like Washington State. This was not a lazy team. They pressure the ball relentlessly, and may not get a lot of steals, but they limit penetration and contest shots. They are an incredibly active team that chases down rebounds. While some rebounds they got were purely serendipitous, even round balls bounce funny sometimes, they put themselves in position to grab loose balls and UW could not secure easy boards after misses. It was sickening to watch UW get stop after stop, then misjudge the ball, and watch it land in a Purdue player’s hands for an easy layup or jumper. For a team like UW that rebounds the hell out of the ball, this was disheartening, and this is where the game was lost. If Purdue doesn’t get those second chances, the game is not close, but they did, and UW lost.

There were several other things contributing to the loss, however, such as the inability to know when to take good shots (Pondexter’s turnaround at the end of the game when all of his success came from driving to the hoop) or to take any shots at all (Dentmon continued his bizarre passivity by shooting only 8 times this game and pump-faking and passing approximately 30 times). They were unable to stop JuJuan Johnson from being awesome, they guy made some very tough shots and grabbed key rebounds to keep possessions alive. I admired his game, he was huge. Elston Turner not taking open threes. He took, and made, one, but then passed on another. Instead of taking that wide-open shot, he pumped and dribbled in for a baseline floater. I’m not a fan of gunners, but he’s the best shooter they have and it’s actually more selfish of him to not take that three because it hurts the team. It’s a minor thing, but as it turns out a pile of minor things equals going home instead of going to the Sweet Sixteen. He’s young, though, as are many key contributors on this team, so their future looks bright—although I do have concerns as I’ll describe below.

Now some good things… Brockman played a nearly perfect game for him. He did not force things offensively. He bullied anyone and everyone. He took and made layins. I love the way he played and I shudder a bit when I think of the team next year without him. As much as I’ve urinated on his offensive (scoring) game, his ability to go balls-to-the wall is something that will be hard, probably impossible, to replicate. I’m not the least bit convinced that MBA will be able to do this. He’s not tough enough (but who is?) right now and doesn’t seem to have that same drive (but who does?). I guess he’s talented, but he does not seem comfortable or in control of his body yet. The only hope is that Tyreese Breshers will be a similar type of player.

Isaiah Thomas was fantastic. He played with the type of fire and urgency that the team needed. He was fearless the way he kept penetrating and either scoring, getting fouled, or dishing to Brockman. I loved the way he played, even if he did miss some free throws. I’m shocked that his final layin attempt failed, it was the right play, but it just didn’t drop.

Great season by UW, but it’s a damn shame that they’re going home.

Gonzaga v. Western Kentucky
My friend Joel is a huge Gonzaga fan so when I called him during the game to tell him how much I loved Matt Bouldin’s game, here’s what he said: “I have a mancrush on him, he’s my favorite player in college basketball.” I can see why. I’ve watched him intently these last two games and a few things are clear:

1. he’s a big, strong, guy
2. he’s got tremendous court vision
3. he’s aggressive when the game calls for him to be aggressive
4. he has a good-looking jumper
5. he’s not quick or fast, but he's savvy
6. he’s decent on defense, but somewhat disinterested (looks like he sags off of his guys a bit too much when the ball is on the other side of the court)
7. he is definitely an NBA player.

Joel and I talked about the possibility of him playing point guard in the NBA and it seems like a real possibility to me. At 6’5 225 he’s a much bigger, much better version of Steve Blake, who happens to be starting for the playoff-bound Blazers and playing over 30 minutes a game.

We also talked about Austin Daye, of course, and Joel compared his game to Dirk Nowitski, which is probably accurate from a skillset perspective, but a more apt comparison and a guy whose game he really emulates is Mehmet Okur. Now, Okur has about 70 lbs on Daye, but they play the same. Okur is perimeter-oriented, 6’11, and slow footed. This is Austin Daye. The comment that he's a "guard" are ridiculous. He's way, way, way too slow to guard any decent 2 or even a 3.

The game itself was one of the best I’ve ever seen. These two teams shot the damn lights out. Both teams shot over 50% from the field and over 42% from beyond the arc. Amazing. The game was extremely close throughout and neither team could gain a significant advantage.

Orlando Mendez-Valdez and A.J. Slaughter were in such a zone they were communicating with animals, existing and extinct. They were supernatural and would not let their team down. They could have beaten any team yesterday, Gonzaga was just able to hang on and make a great play at the end.

When Gonzaga plays UNC they need, absolutely need, to get the ball to Heytvelt so that he can take Tyler Hansbrough's virginity; this matchup, friends, is a mismatch in size and talent. Heytveldt is such a superior player and it’s the smart move to get the ball to him.

Here are a few random thoughts about Wisconsin. That is a gross team. As much as I can figure, it seems like their “offense” is this: pass the ball around the court. Pump fake. Pass some more. Take a crappy three with five seconds on the shot clock. They shoot 36% from three, so I guess it’s not such a terrible way to play, but I’d rather rub a cheese grater on my face than sit through another game with those guys in it again. Keep them off of my screen, CBS.

Thoughts on Round One (UW and Gonzaga, only)

UW
Pondexter looked great offensively yesterday, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t point out that he fell asleep on defense and let his man (No.5, Osby) grab an offensive rebound and flush it with two hands. Pondexter had no idea where he was and helped someone else block out their man. I can’t kill him for that because he had a great game, but the little stuff like that can haunt teams in close games. He’s got to be aware and I’m sure his coaches let him know it. I'm a hard guy to please when it comes to teams I root for, it's something they have to live with. Seeing as how they have no idea who I am, and coulnd't possibly care less by the way, they're getting along just fine despite my constant haranguing.

I’m bummed for Dentmon. It’s obvious that the guy wants to be a leader and go out with a bang, but putting up only six shots is lunacy. He passed up many what I would consider “good” shots by pump-faking and passing or pump-faking and making a less-than-aggressive effort to drive into the lane. It’s possible that he just didn’t trust his jumper last night and if that’s the case, then he should be commended for not taking shots. Confidence is a huge part of shooting and if he wasn’t feeling it and his jumper felt forced, then good for him for lying off. Hopefully he’ll be ready to go on Saturday.

Brockman hit the deck after that rebound like he was thrown out of a 10-story building. He landed completely on his side. It’s amazing to me that he didn’t stay on the ground, although why would I be amazed at this point? He doesn’t feel pain like a regular human does. Nevertheless, I’d advise him to try not to emulate John Malcovich at the end of “In the Line of Fire” again. Great, aggressive game by him though. It’s exactly what I like to see out of him—easy buckets around the rim, good, physical defense, leadership (I distinctly remember him talking to Overton and telling him to settle down) and maniacally obsessive pursuit of the ball for rebounds.

Overton is a straight-up menace. It would be so painful to try and bring the ball up the floor against him. Weak guards will get tormented. He’s like GP used to be from a yappy, aggressive, and quickness perspective. My friend Chris pointed out that Overton beat MSU’s guards to the spot every single time and he got called for fouls only when he reached (which he doesn’t need to do). He’s impressive. I’m amazed that none of MSU’s players threw a haymaker his way, although it could be argued that the hit he took on that screen qualified. Through his own aggression and quickness he nearly got himself killed. People get jacked up on screens all of the time, but most people don’t run, with their head turned, the equivalent of a 4.3 40 straight into a 6’9 245 lb guy. Despite nearly ending his own life, on the very next play he takes the ball coast-to-coast and lays it in. He’s a tough S.O.B. As an aside, that pseudo-alley oop dunk was both impressive and pathetic at the same time if that makes sense.

One last guy I’ll mention is Darnell Gant. If he develops a reliable 12-15 footer he’s going to be great for this team. He’s not called upon to score, that’s obvious, but he’s left open so often that he needs to get that part of his game going. He will never be called on to put the ball on the floor and create like Pondexter does, but people will double off of him and he has a chance to diversify this team and increase his playing time. His defense is great and he’s learning how to play hard just by being on the same court as Brockman. He’s got a chance to be a real difference maker and I’m excited about his future. It’s pretty amazing that he’s only a freshman.

Gonzaga
I’ve been killing Austin Daye every chance I get because I think that he’s a pansy, but he looked very good last night, especially defensively. It’s nearly impossible to get a shot off against him on the perimeter and it’s is truly impossible to get a good look at the hoop if he’s playing up on his guy. For as thin as he is, he’s has no quickness or speed at all, so he definitely needs to add about 30 lbs to take advantage of his size. If his game was all about using his size and quickness then it would make sense for him to remain around 190 or 200, but he isn’t that kind of player. Last night, while he looked good out there, he got shoved around. If he fills out he can be a force. I don’t know what it would take for him to get a little nasty (probably nothing because he’s probably a really nice kid who just doesn’t have it in him to be a killer) but if he added some bulk and aggression he would be a nice player.

I love Heytvelt, 'shrooms aside, that guy is a player. He has that nasty streak that Daye lacks, and perhaps Daye just needs time to grow up a little. He’s only a sophomore. Heytveldt has a bit of a strange looking jumper where his whole body is completely erect, but it’s effective. I like how strong he is and his desire to finish strong around the rim. He looked great last night and if he keeps playing like that, I was wrong to have the Zags lose to UNC. They’ll beat that team if they play like they did in the second half.

Bouldin looked good last night too. He’s got a great feel for the game and his size causes problems for opposing guards. I like his game.

I don’t like Pargo’s game very much but his leaner dunk was shocking. I know he has ups, but that was an out-of-nowhere flush. I could tell that he was going to try because he had that kind of bounce when he got near the rim, but I did not expect him to finish like that. Filthy.

Final Bracket

Final Bracket. I switched UNC and Oklahoma.