It seems to be a recurring theme, but it's something I've been dealing with for a few years - I hate the Boston Bruins.
Let me start from the beginning...
Thanks to a couple of friends, I feel in love with the Bruins when I was 14 (for those of you who don't know, that was in 1997). I grew up in a non-hockey house in Massachusetts, mainly because my dad grew up in Florida, then went to high school in New Jersey. But I met Lauren and Alexa, and suddenly I was watching games, learning player's names, reading the Boston Globe every morning for Bruins stories, and basically becoming a hockey-knowledge sponge.
When I fall for something, I fall hard. I would bring my Walkman with me whenever I left home if there was a game on so I wouldn't miss a minute of the action; when I was at home and the games weren't on TV (this was, sadly, before my parents had NESN, which broadcasts the Bruins games - they righted this travesty quite soon), I would listen in the dark in my bedroom on AM radio; I had posters of Sergei Samsonov and Joe Thornton, I loved Byron Dafoe, PJ Axelsson, and even "the great" Hal Gill. To put it bluntly - I was obsessed.
But over the years, as my wide-eyed optimism and 100% faith in the team began to pale, I began to see a trend - the Bruins not signing free agents unless they came at a bargain; letting go of talented free agents at their peak. It took awhile for me to see the truth, because I didn't want to believe what was staring me in the face. But in 2004, after the Bruins, and the #1 seed, lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs , I finally accepted it; I realized what many other already knew but I was too naive to see - the organization cared more about making money than winning the Cup.
The straw that broke the camel's back for me as a Bruins fan was the unthinkable trade of Joe Thornton. The Bruins traded away their captain, their best player, and the face of their franchise, to San Jose (don't even get me started on HOCKEY teams playing in California, Florida, or anywhere else in the South). Then, to make matters 9832481 times worse, at the end of the SAME SEASON he won the MVP Award. WHAT?! Has any (other) team EVER traded away a player who went on to win the MVP in the same season (I'll help you out- the answer isn't yes). It was a travesty - in order to keep from signing Jumbo Joe to a contract he deserved after playing with the team since he was the #1 overall pick at 18 years old, the spineless Harry Sinden traded him so he wouldn't have to pony up the dough, and could get something (even though it was maybe 20 cents on the dollar) in return.
It was like a slap in the face. I'd fallen in love, and after almost 10 years of hard-core dedication, it was like I'd been cheated on and thrown to the curb. How can you care about someone who doesn't care about you back? How can you invest time, money, and you heart into something that won't give you anything in return. Sure, the regular season may show you some good times, but, inevitably in the playoffs, the Bruins will lose in the first round (if they even make it), and the small amount of casual fans who jumped on the Bruins bandwagon as they post-season approached will be back on the sidelines until the following April.
This year was much of the same... the Bruins skated into the playoffs to play their former arch-nemesis, the Montreal Canadiens. They went down 3 games to 1, just as I expected. But then, somehow, they came roaring back to tie the series at 3-3 and head back up to the Great White North to play game 7. Suddenly there was some buzz about the B's, could they really pull this off? Momentum was surely on their side!
But, of course, the Canadiens won the game, and in a 5-0 shutout no less, to shove the nails into the coffin that is the Bruins franchise.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
great links, quotes
Whenever we get confused about athletes being heroes, people like Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor remind us what a true hero is. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/08/seal.medal/index.html
DJ Gallo's AL preview... hysterical http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/080401&sportCat=mlb
Anaheim -- "Fun Fact: Third baseman Chone Figgins' first name is actually pronounced "Shawn." And his last name is actually pronounced "Weinberg" (it's a silent "Figgins")."
Seattle -- "Fun Fact: With just 130 more hits, Ichiro will have 3,000 hits between Japan and MLB at just 34 years of age. Whoop-dee-do. Between playing Little League and "RBI Baseball" on Nintendo, I had, like, four times that many hits by the time I was 13."
Toronto Blue Jays -- "The Blue Jays made some solid additions this offseason, including Scott Rolen, Marco Scutaro, Shannon Stewart and David Eckstein. This should allow them to finish in a much more solid third place than they normally do."
One quote I did NOT enjoy, the so-called "Fun Fact" attached to the NY Yankees - NOT fun.
Garnett for MVP!
"Argument? There's no argument, it's Garnett. I went to almost every home
game. He's standing on the bench screaming for his teammates when we're up 30
points. He's a maniac! A few weeks ago, I couldn't go to a Wednesday night game
so I put my tickets online and they sold in four minutes. Four minutes! Last
year, I would have been walking around my office asking if anyone wanted to go,
and I would have probably ended up eating the tickets. This year? Four minutes.
Who did more for a team in one year? We lost 18 straight games last season. We
were nothing. Didn't you watch the games? How could anyone be more valuable than
KG was this season?"
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080416
NCAA Aftermath - NHL playoffs, baby
Well, it's all over. March (and into early April) Madness has come to a close, Kansas was crowned as National Champions, stars rose (welcome to the first round of the draft, Stephen Curry), and some fell (stay at USC for another year, OJ Mayo).
So what now? Well, let's see... baseball is a week into the season, the NBA and NHL playoffs are about to begin, and the NFL draft is only a few weeks away - No lull here!
Ahhh baseball. My beloved Red Sox are off to a mediocre start (4-4), but I am confident they will bounce back, after all, the Tigers are 0-7 after everyone and their mother picked them for a monster year. As much as I love baseball, it's hard for me to get really into it until at least summer, when the games feel like they start to matter more.
The NHL playoffs are ready to begin, and since most of my friends are hockey-fanatics, I figure I'll write a bit about it, so here goes!
First Round match-ups:
EAST
Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins
I'm from Boston, but I have little faith in the Bruins. I hate Jeremy Jacobs (WHO trades a league MVP in the middle of the season?), and until he is gone I will NEVER bet on the Bruins.
Go Habs, 4 games to 2.
ACTUAL: Habs in 7
Pittsburgh Penguins-Ottawa Senators
I won't bet against Sydney Crosby, and with a supporting cast of points-leader Evgeni Malkin (second in the league behind Ovechkin), Marc-Andre Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, Marian Hossa et all, I think they will cruise past the Sens. Ottawa who started off hot, but are ice-cold as of late, with shaky goaltending, lack of scoring and playing without Daniel Alfredsson and and Mike Fisher.
There is one major reason I will root against Pitt, but we really don't need to get into that.
Pens 4 games to 1
ACTUAL: Pens in a sweep
Washington Capitals-Philadelphia Flyers
If I picked anyone but the Caps, my friends would kill me. Led by likely Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin, who plays with as much HART (heh heh) as anyone in the league, the Caps enter the playoffs having won 11 of their last 12 games, which always puts a team in a great mindset going into the playoffs (refer to: Colorado Rockies, circa 2007). Plus, having Mike Green's breakout season, possible ROY Nicklas Backstom's talent, and recently acquired Sergei Federov's playoff experience doesn't hurt either. Caps possible downfall? Lack of experience in net, with Huet taking the place of Olie Kolzig (Whose only injury, I was informed, is his pride).
It will be a close, ugly, physical battle, but Ovie will lift his boys to the second round in game 7.
Caps 4 games to 3.
ACTUAL: Flyers in 7, much to the dismay of my Caps season ticket-holding friends.
NJ Devils-NY Rangers
I swear this is a matchup every single year. NJ-NY, the media tries to make it out to be a battle, but no one outside of the tri-state area cares. The Devils are good, but boring as usual, and the Rangers are good, and the aura of the Rangers stands firm. Both teams depend on their goalie to stand on his head each night, and Martin Brodeur (NJ) and Henrik Lundqvist(NY) Mmmm Henrik Lundqvist mmmm, oh sorry, I got distracted... um, what was I saying? Oh yeah, they are both exceptional in net, but you can't bet against Marty in the playoffs.
The Rangers are led by Chris Drury, who you can never bet against on a big stage (GO BU!), Jaromir Jagr, who though past his prime, is playing his best hockey of the season, and Scott Gomez, though he's been slowed by injuries as of late. On the other side of the puck, NJ is led by... um... Zach Parise? Are you serious? The little squirt from the University of North Dakota is the leading scoring on the New Jersey Devils, with only 65 points? OUCH Brodeur will definitely need to step it up, seeing as how his team was shut out a franchise-high 11 times this season.
A team depending solely on a goaltender, against a team of hard-nosed grinders who also have a good goal tender, but also scoring to back it up?
Rangers 4 games to 2 (By the way, the Rangers were 7-1, with 3 OT wins and 1 OT loss, against the Devs this year. I'm just saying...)
ACTUAL: Rangers in 5
WEST
(wait, there's a Western Conference in the NHL? You're telling me there are HOCKEY teams in Texas, Arizona and California?)
Detroit Red Wings-Nashville Predators
Detroit is probably the only West team anyone outside of the West (ie 85% of hockey fans) cares about. They are also the top seed in the West, thus Nashville is the lowest. Yes, Nashville finished 3-3-2 against the Wings this season, but that wasn't the playoffs.
Nicklas Lindstrom, Dan Cleary, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Brian Rafalski and co. were the top scoring team and the top power play unit in the leagues, will have an easy go against the the inexperienced and much less talented Preds.
Wings in 5.
ACTUAL: Wings in a suprising 6
San Jose Sharks-Calgary Flames
The Sharks have Joe Thornton, and this is their year to take it all. Evgeni Nabokov is arguably the strongest goaltender in the league, Patrick Marleau had 19 points in his final 20 games after truggling through most of the season, and Billy Guerin, an all-time fav of mine, add a certain je nes-se-qua to the Sharks.
Jerome Iginla had another stellar 50-goal season, but he doesn't have too much surrounding him, and he bears most of the Flames' scoring burden himself (Kristian Huselius, the second highest scorer on the team, has a whopping 32 points less than Iggy).
I like Thornton and company, and I know they are probably the best team in the league top-to-bottom, but if another California team is in the Stanley Cup Finals, the league will be doomed to 10 more years on Versus... I'm just being honest, and everyone knows it. For the good of the league, Joe, get the hell out of Cali and back up to Canada! PLEASE!
That said, San Jose in an easy 5
ACTUAL: Sharks in a shocking 7
Minnesota Wild-Colorado Avalanche
HEY! Two states in the Western Conference that actually SHOULD have hockey teams!
The Avs barely made the playoffs, having to go 5-0-1 in their last 6 just to qualify. Minnesota plays strong, confident, steady, if un-exciting, hockey - but in the playoffs, that tends to be what wins games.
Colorado depends on stars like goalie Jose Theodore (who has really stepped up in the final 20 or so games of the season, and is the main reason Colorado is even IN the playoffs), Paul Statsny (71 points) Joe Sakic (who is years past his prime, but is still the "emotional leader" of the team), Peter Forsberg (seriously? I thought he was still in Sweden), Adam Foote (I think I'm looking at the roster from 1999)... while Minnesota has no real stand outs, but steady scoring from Marian Gaborik, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston (another all-time fav of mine) but steady play all around. But I don' t think they can withstand the
Boring series, Minnesota 4 games to 2
ACTUAL: Avs in 6, and CORRECTION! I put Minnesota as my pick, which was not what I meant. I knew the Avs would win -- oops!
Anaheim (No more Mighty) Ducks-Dallas Stars
Conversation with my friend M, a HUGE hockey fan:
J: Wait! They play hockey in California?
M: Yeah, damn good hockey too
J: But... If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
That is how I think of the Western Conference... these are supposedly the superior teams, but NO ONE CARES, and because of that, NO ONE watches the Stanley Cup Finals besides the fans of the teams playing, and a few die-hard hockey fans. Wait, the Ducks won the title last year? Really?! NO ONE CARES
That said, Dallas is on a roll entering the playoffs, and Anaheim is a dismal 4-8-2.
DALLAS in 7, 4 games to 3.
ACTUAL: Stars in 6
So what now? Well, let's see... baseball is a week into the season, the NBA and NHL playoffs are about to begin, and the NFL draft is only a few weeks away - No lull here!
Ahhh baseball. My beloved Red Sox are off to a mediocre start (4-4), but I am confident they will bounce back, after all, the Tigers are 0-7 after everyone and their mother picked them for a monster year. As much as I love baseball, it's hard for me to get really into it until at least summer, when the games feel like they start to matter more.
The NHL playoffs are ready to begin, and since most of my friends are hockey-fanatics, I figure I'll write a bit about it, so here goes!
First Round match-ups:
EAST
Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins
I'm from Boston, but I have little faith in the Bruins. I hate Jeremy Jacobs (WHO trades a league MVP in the middle of the season?), and until he is gone I will NEVER bet on the Bruins.
Go Habs, 4 games to 2.
ACTUAL: Habs in 7
Pittsburgh Penguins-Ottawa Senators
I won't bet against Sydney Crosby, and with a supporting cast of points-leader Evgeni Malkin (second in the league behind Ovechkin), Marc-Andre Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, Marian Hossa et all, I think they will cruise past the Sens. Ottawa who started off hot, but are ice-cold as of late, with shaky goaltending, lack of scoring and playing without Daniel Alfredsson and and Mike Fisher.
There is one major reason I will root against Pitt, but we really don't need to get into that.
Pens 4 games to 1
ACTUAL: Pens in a sweep
Washington Capitals-Philadelphia Flyers
If I picked anyone but the Caps, my friends would kill me. Led by likely Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin, who plays with as much HART (heh heh) as anyone in the league, the Caps enter the playoffs having won 11 of their last 12 games, which always puts a team in a great mindset going into the playoffs (refer to: Colorado Rockies, circa 2007). Plus, having Mike Green's breakout season, possible ROY Nicklas Backstom's talent, and recently acquired Sergei Federov's playoff experience doesn't hurt either. Caps possible downfall? Lack of experience in net, with Huet taking the place of Olie Kolzig (Whose only injury, I was informed, is his pride).
It will be a close, ugly, physical battle, but Ovie will lift his boys to the second round in game 7.
Caps 4 games to 3.
ACTUAL: Flyers in 7, much to the dismay of my Caps season ticket-holding friends.
NJ Devils-NY Rangers
I swear this is a matchup every single year. NJ-NY, the media tries to make it out to be a battle, but no one outside of the tri-state area cares. The Devils are good, but boring as usual, and the Rangers are good, and the aura of the Rangers stands firm. Both teams depend on their goalie to stand on his head each night, and Martin Brodeur (NJ) and Henrik Lundqvist(NY) Mmmm Henrik Lundqvist mmmm, oh sorry, I got distracted... um, what was I saying? Oh yeah, they are both exceptional in net, but you can't bet against Marty in the playoffs.
The Rangers are led by Chris Drury, who you can never bet against on a big stage (GO BU!), Jaromir Jagr, who though past his prime, is playing his best hockey of the season, and Scott Gomez, though he's been slowed by injuries as of late. On the other side of the puck, NJ is led by... um... Zach Parise? Are you serious? The little squirt from the University of North Dakota is the leading scoring on the New Jersey Devils, with only 65 points? OUCH Brodeur will definitely need to step it up, seeing as how his team was shut out a franchise-high 11 times this season.
A team depending solely on a goaltender, against a team of hard-nosed grinders who also have a good goal tender, but also scoring to back it up?
Rangers 4 games to 2 (By the way, the Rangers were 7-1, with 3 OT wins and 1 OT loss, against the Devs this year. I'm just saying...)
ACTUAL: Rangers in 5
WEST
(wait, there's a Western Conference in the NHL? You're telling me there are HOCKEY teams in Texas, Arizona and California?)
Detroit Red Wings-Nashville Predators
Detroit is probably the only West team anyone outside of the West (ie 85% of hockey fans) cares about. They are also the top seed in the West, thus Nashville is the lowest. Yes, Nashville finished 3-3-2 against the Wings this season, but that wasn't the playoffs.
Nicklas Lindstrom, Dan Cleary, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Brian Rafalski and co. were the top scoring team and the top power play unit in the leagues, will have an easy go against the the inexperienced and much less talented Preds.
Wings in 5.
ACTUAL: Wings in a suprising 6
San Jose Sharks-Calgary Flames
The Sharks have Joe Thornton, and this is their year to take it all. Evgeni Nabokov is arguably the strongest goaltender in the league, Patrick Marleau had 19 points in his final 20 games after truggling through most of the season, and Billy Guerin, an all-time fav of mine, add a certain je nes-se-qua to the Sharks.
Jerome Iginla had another stellar 50-goal season, but he doesn't have too much surrounding him, and he bears most of the Flames' scoring burden himself (Kristian Huselius, the second highest scorer on the team, has a whopping 32 points less than Iggy).
I like Thornton and company, and I know they are probably the best team in the league top-to-bottom, but if another California team is in the Stanley Cup Finals, the league will be doomed to 10 more years on Versus... I'm just being honest, and everyone knows it. For the good of the league, Joe, get the hell out of Cali and back up to Canada! PLEASE!
That said, San Jose in an easy 5
ACTUAL: Sharks in a shocking 7
Minnesota Wild-Colorado Avalanche
HEY! Two states in the Western Conference that actually SHOULD have hockey teams!
The Avs barely made the playoffs, having to go 5-0-1 in their last 6 just to qualify. Minnesota plays strong, confident, steady, if un-exciting, hockey - but in the playoffs, that tends to be what wins games.
Colorado depends on stars like goalie Jose Theodore (who has really stepped up in the final 20 or so games of the season, and is the main reason Colorado is even IN the playoffs), Paul Statsny (71 points) Joe Sakic (who is years past his prime, but is still the "emotional leader" of the team), Peter Forsberg (seriously? I thought he was still in Sweden), Adam Foote (I think I'm looking at the roster from 1999)... while Minnesota has no real stand outs, but steady scoring from Marian Gaborik, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston (another all-time fav of mine) but steady play all around. But I don' t think they can withstand the
Boring series, Minnesota 4 games to 2
ACTUAL: Avs in 6, and CORRECTION! I put Minnesota as my pick, which was not what I meant. I knew the Avs would win -- oops!
Anaheim (No more Mighty) Ducks-Dallas Stars
Conversation with my friend M, a HUGE hockey fan:
J: Wait! They play hockey in California?
M: Yeah, damn good hockey too
J: But... If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
That is how I think of the Western Conference... these are supposedly the superior teams, but NO ONE CARES, and because of that, NO ONE watches the Stanley Cup Finals besides the fans of the teams playing, and a few die-hard hockey fans. Wait, the Ducks won the title last year? Really?! NO ONE CARES
That said, Dallas is on a roll entering the playoffs, and Anaheim is a dismal 4-8-2.
DALLAS in 7, 4 games to 3.
ACTUAL: Stars in 6
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sweet 16?
Okay, so I did decent, I suppose, with my predictions for the first two rounds of NCAA Men's Basketball. My Final Four teams are all still alive, 6-of-8 quarterfinal teams, and 10-of-16 in the coming round.
EAST
Prediction: (1) UNC vs. (4) Washington State
Actual: (1) UNC vs. (4) Washington State
... right on. I took UNC in this round, and after seeing them play in the first 2 rounds I am so not changing that pick. Look for a tough game, but for Carolina to pull it out by 9 in the late second half.
Prediction: (2) Tennessee vs. (11) St. Joe's
Actual: (2) Tennessee vs. (3) Louisville
...I should have seen this one coming, but I didn't want to pick 1-2-3-4. Regardless, I had Tennessee advancing to the Elite Eight, and I still think they can pull it off. Louisville is looking very good, but here's hoping the Vols put up some big numbers, after barely squeaking past Butler. UT by 4.
MIDWEST
Prediction: (1) Kansas vs. (5) Clemson
Actual: (1) Kansas vs. (12) Villanova
Nova is the biggest shock of the Sweet 16, I think. I was SURE Clemson would be here, but I was also sure Kansas would beat them to advance to the Elite Eight. Now I'm VERY sure Kansas will advance to the Elite Eight, and hopefully the championship game, as I predicted. Kansas by 12.
Prediction: (2) Georgetown vs. (3) Wisconsin
Actual: (3) Wisconsin vs. (10) Davidson
Davidson has played strong ball in the first two rounds, and so far the tournament MVP has unquestionably been Stephen Curry, who had 30 points in the SECOND HALF in Davidson's win over Georgetown (40 overall). Curry has been impressive, but Wisconsin looks very, very strong. I had Georgetown advancing to the Elite Eight... so I'm hoping it's Davidson, for the feel-good story, but expecting them to fall down to earth, and taking the Badgers by 9.
SOUTH
Prediction: (1) Memphis vs. (4) Pittsburgh
Actual: (1) Memphis vs. (5) Michigan State
After the way they've played the last month or so, it was a huge shock to see Pitt go down over the weekend. I thought Memphis would go down this round, but to Pitt. The Tigers' freethrow shooting is horrendous, and if it doesn't improve, then the Spartans will surely advance to the Elite Eight. But Im going to try to have a little more faith in the #1 seed, and take them in a nail-biter by 3 points.
Prediction: (2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford
Actual: (2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford
woot woot! I knew these teams were both very strong, but I think the Longhorns are a little stronger. I look for DJ Augustin to lead Texas to the Elite Eight with a 9-point win.
WEST
Prediction: (1) UCLA vs. (4) UConn
Actual: (1) UCLA vs. (12) Western Kentucky
Connecticut losing in the first round cause groans from bracketeers around the country. Western Kentucky lucked out in facing Drake in the second round, but their luck stops here. UCLA hasn't looked as strong as I'd hoped (since they are my pick to win it all) or expected, but I think they will step it up against WKU, show everyone why they are the #1 seed, and easily win the game by 12.
Prediction: (3) Xavier vs. (10) Arizona
Actual: (3) Xavier vs. (7) West Virginia
Sooo off on Arizona, and kicking myself because I was THIS CLOSE to taking West Virginia to the Sweet 16, but was swayed by so-called "Bracketologists" grrrrrrr Either way I lose, but Xavier is one of the most consistent and balanced teams in the tournament, and West Virginia, while they played well their last two games, have been inconsitent all season. I'm going to take Xavier by 5, but wouldn't be shocked either way.
EAST
Prediction: (1) UNC vs. (4) Washington State
Actual: (1) UNC vs. (4) Washington State
... right on. I took UNC in this round, and after seeing them play in the first 2 rounds I am so not changing that pick. Look for a tough game, but for Carolina to pull it out by 9 in the late second half.
Prediction: (2) Tennessee vs. (11) St. Joe's
Actual: (2) Tennessee vs. (3) Louisville
...I should have seen this one coming, but I didn't want to pick 1-2-3-4. Regardless, I had Tennessee advancing to the Elite Eight, and I still think they can pull it off. Louisville is looking very good, but here's hoping the Vols put up some big numbers, after barely squeaking past Butler. UT by 4.
MIDWEST
Prediction: (1) Kansas vs. (5) Clemson
Actual: (1) Kansas vs. (12) Villanova
Nova is the biggest shock of the Sweet 16, I think. I was SURE Clemson would be here, but I was also sure Kansas would beat them to advance to the Elite Eight. Now I'm VERY sure Kansas will advance to the Elite Eight, and hopefully the championship game, as I predicted. Kansas by 12.
Prediction: (2) Georgetown vs. (3) Wisconsin
Actual: (3) Wisconsin vs. (10) Davidson
Davidson has played strong ball in the first two rounds, and so far the tournament MVP has unquestionably been Stephen Curry, who had 30 points in the SECOND HALF in Davidson's win over Georgetown (40 overall). Curry has been impressive, but Wisconsin looks very, very strong. I had Georgetown advancing to the Elite Eight... so I'm hoping it's Davidson, for the feel-good story, but expecting them to fall down to earth, and taking the Badgers by 9.
SOUTH
Prediction: (1) Memphis vs. (4) Pittsburgh
Actual: (1) Memphis vs. (5) Michigan State
After the way they've played the last month or so, it was a huge shock to see Pitt go down over the weekend. I thought Memphis would go down this round, but to Pitt. The Tigers' freethrow shooting is horrendous, and if it doesn't improve, then the Spartans will surely advance to the Elite Eight. But Im going to try to have a little more faith in the #1 seed, and take them in a nail-biter by 3 points.
Prediction: (2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford
Actual: (2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford
woot woot! I knew these teams were both very strong, but I think the Longhorns are a little stronger. I look for DJ Augustin to lead Texas to the Elite Eight with a 9-point win.
WEST
Prediction: (1) UCLA vs. (4) UConn
Actual: (1) UCLA vs. (12) Western Kentucky
Connecticut losing in the first round cause groans from bracketeers around the country. Western Kentucky lucked out in facing Drake in the second round, but their luck stops here. UCLA hasn't looked as strong as I'd hoped (since they are my pick to win it all) or expected, but I think they will step it up against WKU, show everyone why they are the #1 seed, and easily win the game by 12.
Prediction: (3) Xavier vs. (10) Arizona
Actual: (3) Xavier vs. (7) West Virginia
Sooo off on Arizona, and kicking myself because I was THIS CLOSE to taking West Virginia to the Sweet 16, but was swayed by so-called "Bracketologists" grrrrrrr Either way I lose, but Xavier is one of the most consistent and balanced teams in the tournament, and West Virginia, while they played well their last two games, have been inconsitent all season. I'm going to take Xavier by 5, but wouldn't be shocked either way.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
I'm baaack... with first round picks
It's been too long, but I've been uninspired lately. Looks like March Madness came along at the perfect time!
So I figured I'd share my picks, and my reasons of them. I'll start with the first round today. ACTUAL OUTCOME IN ORANGE UNDER ORIGINAL PREDICTION
Let's start with the East.
Carolina is clearly the class of the field, but Tennessee could give them a run for their money.
(1)UNC over (16) Mt. St. Mary's -- I really don't think I even need to explain this one. Plus, a 16 seed has NEVER beat a 1 seed. UNC by 20
APPARENTLY I WASN'T GIVING NORTH CAROLINA ENOUGH CREDIT -- 39 POINT WIN
(9) Arkansas over (8) Indiana -- I'm a sucker for 8 over 9, I can't really explain it. Plus Arkansas plays in a tougher division, IMO. It will be a close one, but I'm taking the Razorbacks by 7
I WENT 2-FOR-4 ON MY 9 OVER 8 SELECTIONS! INDIANA TOOK A TAILSPIN AFTER THE LOSS OF COACH SAMPSON. EASY WIN BY THE PIGS - 86-72.
(5) Notre Dame over (12) George Mason -- two years ago GM stunned the world and made the Final Four. George Mason will NOT be this year's George Mason... ha. Notre Dame played a tough Big East schedule, and probably would have gone undefeated in Mason's CAA. Irish by 10.
RIGHT ON THE OUTCOME - ND BY 18
(4) Wash State over (13) Winthrop -- Washington State played in arguably the strongest conference this year, and Winthrop never makes much noise. Wash State by 6.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, WAY OFF ON THE SCORE - WSU BY 31
(11) St Joe's over (6) Oklahoma -- Oklahoma isn't coming into the tourney on a good note, and though this looks like an upset pick, many Vegas boards have St Joe's as the favorite. They'll take it to the Sooners and win by 11.
OFF ON THIS ONE... I THINK THE SOONERS HAD THE OLD "NO ONE THINKS WE CAN WIN!" CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER, AND TOOK THE GAME 72-64
(3) Louisville over (14) Boise State -- Rick Pitino coaches a good college team, and they will walkover the Boise State Broncos in the first round. Boise State put together a good little season at 25-8, but they didn't face the same game-in-game-out pressure of a Big East schedule like Louisville. Cards by 14
RIGHT ON. L'VILLE WON BY 18
(10) South Alabama over (7) Butler -- for one reason, and one reason only - the game is in Birmingham. Butler is a decent team, worthy of a 7 seed, but they couldn't have gotten a worse 10 to play than the scrappy South Alabama squad playing in their own state. It will be close, but the crowd with make the difference in this one, and S. Bama will take it by 4.
APPARENTLY THE CROWD WASN'T ON S. BAMA'S SIDE. BUTLER ROLLED TO A 20 POINT WIN.
(2) Tennessee over (15) American -- Tennessee is a strong squad, American has never been in the Big Dance. Looks like a massacre to me, UT by 20.
I WASN'T OFF BY MUCH ... TENNESSE WINS BY 15, 72-57
MIDWEST
Again, there are two teams that are the class of the field, Kansas and Georgetown, but they won't have an easy road.
(1) Kansas over (16) Portland State -- just looking at this makes me laugh. Poor Portland State. Jayhawks by 21
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MUCH CLOSER -- KU WINS BY 24
(9) Kent State over (8) UNLV -- I told you I'm a sucker for 9 over 8. UNLV won their tourney - again- at home - again, but Kent State is a strong team and will win for the first NCAA tourney game in 6 years. Too bad they face Kansas in the second round.
OUCH, WRONG! UNLV HANDED IT TO KENT STATE, 71-58
(5) Clemson over (12) Villanova -- Clemson is on a roll, Villanova is young and inexperienced. Tigers by 9.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. NOVA HAS BEEN THE SUPRISE OF THE TOURNAMENT SO FA, IMO. THEY DEFEATED THE RED-HOT TIGERS BY 14
(4) Vanderbilt over Siena (13) -- Siena is quick and many think that Vanderbilt is overrated... but I can't forget the Commodore's win over Tennessee, who is not only an in-state rival, but was also, at the time, the #1 team in the land. Siena could keep it close, but Vandy's schedule will help them and they'll pull away at the end to win by 6.
OUCH! I AT LEAST AM COMFORTED BY THE FACT THAT NOOO ONEE PICKED SIENA OVER VANDY. COMMODORE'S CHOKE AGAIN, AND SIENA SAILS TO A 11 POINT VICTORY.
(11) Kansas State over (6) USC -- My potential bracket buster. Battle of the frosh, with Trojan OJ Mayo taking on rookie of the year Michael Beasley. I think Beasley has the Kevin Durant-esque willpower to take it to a good team in a big game, and I think he leads his team into the second round. K State by 6, with Beasley putting up over 30.
MY FAVORITE PICK OF THE FIRST ROUND - A BIT OFF ON THE SCORING, KSU WON BY 13, WITH BEASLEY SCORING 23
(3) Wisconsin over (14) Cal-State Fullerton -- Won't even be a game. Badgers by 17.
RIGHT ON - WISCONSIN WON BY 15
(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga -- the Zags won't get me this year. A "risky" pick, and probably an unpopular one, but I CAN NOT go for Gonzaga again until they win a big game. Davidson by 4.
I WAS SO RIGHT ABOUT THIS ONE IT KILLS ME... DAVIDSON PULLS THE "UPSET" YOURS TRULY CALLED WITH A 6-POINT WIN, 82-76.
(2) Georgetown over (15) UMBC -- As a Boston University grad, I should go for the America East school... but as a BU grad, I'm also no dummy. Georgetown in a rout.
DUH. GU SAILED IN THE FIRST ROUND BY 19... DIDN'T LAST LONG THOUGH.
SOUTH
Memphis is #1, but they have probably with toughest bracket, with the liklihood of facing red-hot Pitt in the Sweet 16, and, if they somehow get beyond that, Texas and DJ Augustin in the Elite Eight.
(1) Memphis over (16) Texas- Arlington -- Any D1 school with a city name after the state doesn't stand a chance, with the exception on UCLA. Look it up. Memphis by 16
SPOT-ON. MEMPHIS BY 14
(9) Oregon over (8) Mississippi State -- I again went with 9 over 8. This was the toughest, but I think Oregon was underrated in a tough Pac-10. It will be close, but I give it to the Ducks by 5.
I WAS DRAWN IN BY 9 OVER 8, AND THIS ONE WAS OFF. MISS STATE WON 76-69
(5) Michigan State over (12) Temple -- Temple has two good players - and that's it. MSU is a good team, and will exploit the Owl's weaknesses, lowpost, and win by 9.
RIGHT ON AGAIN -- MICHIGAN STATE WON BY 11
(4) Pittsbugh over (13) Oral Roberts --A team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Pitt shocked the NCAA world by defeating Georgetown for the Big East title, and are probably the hottest team in college bball. Pitt by 15
RIGHT -- PITT WON 82-63
(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky -- Kentucky shouldn't have even made the tournament. An experienced Marquette squad will take it by 11.
ANOTHER FAVORITE PICK... A THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BLINDED BY THE MYSTIQUE THAT IS KENTUCKY, BUT AS I SAID THEY SUCK THIS YEAR AND LOST BY 8.
(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell -- Battle of the smarty-pants will be taken by the "a little less" smarty-pants, ie the school that can give scholarships. Stanford by 13.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, A BIT OFF ON THE SCORE - STANFORD TOOK IT BY 24
(10) St. Mary's over (7) Miami -- The Hurricane's are one giant question mark, while St. Mary's is battle-tested. They advance to the second round for a tough rematch against Texas, where they will lose - again.
HOW VERY WRONG I WAS... THERE WILL BE NO TEXAS-ST MARY'S REMATCH, AS MIAMI TOOK IT TO THEM WITH A SOUND 78-64 WIN. CONGRATS MIAMI, NOW YOU GET TO TAKE ON THE LONGHORNS.
(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay -- I wouldn't even know where Austin Peay was if I hadn't met a friend at Fort Belvoir who was stationed at Fort Campbell and went to Austin Peay (it's in Clarksville, Tennessee). That said, I will reiterate - a team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Plus, Texas is nasty. Horns by 15.
TEXAS BY 20
WEST
UCLA is my pick to take it all.
(1) UCLA over (16) Mississippi Valley State -- unless it's a major state school (ie Penn State, Ohio State), they don't stand a chance in a D1 tourney. Kevin Love and co. will glide into the second round with a 24-point rout.
COME ON, OF COURSE I GOT THIS ONE - BUT EVEN 24 POINTS WASN'T GIVING UCLA ENOUGH CREDIT (OR GIVING TOO MUCH TO MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ) - MY PICK TO TAKE IT ALL WON BY 41
(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU -- I picked every 9 over 8, I don't know why I do that. But I do know I have more faith (ironically) in A&M than BYU. I dunno, Mormon's just don't seem that tough to me, and you know those boys from Texas are. Aggies by 8.
I WENT 1-FOR-2 ON 9 OVER 8 ON DAY ONE, WITH THE AGGIES WINNING BY 5
(12) Western Kentucky over (5) Drake -- Why? Call it a hunch. Drake is overrated, coming from a mid-major, and the Hilltoppers will exploit their lack of experience with a 6 point victory.
GOOD PICK. GREATTT GAME. WKU IN A 2-POINT OT WIN.
(4) UConn over (13) San Diego -- Is there even any doubt? Come on. What's up. Huskies by 12.
SHOCK OF THE FIRST ROUND, RUINING THOUSANDS OF BRACKETS. SAN DIEGO BY 1 IN THE CLOSING SECONDS.
(11) Baylor over (6) Purdue -- Call me a sucker, but I love me a feel-good story. The Bears are playing on emotion, and Purdue's best players are underclassmen. Baylor by 4.
OUCH, PRETTY OFF ON THIS ONE... I LET MY EMOTIONS GET THE MOST OF ME. PURDUE HANDILY BEAT BAYLOR 90-79
(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia -- As a resident of the peach state I'd love to pick the Bulldogs, and I have to admit their unexpected SEC tourney win was shocking, especially by winning 3 games in less than 30 hours. But the buck stops here for the Dawgs, cause Xavier is better than the SEC. Xavier by 9.
CORRECT - GEORGIA STARTED OFF STRONG, BUT COULDNT KEEP UP THE INTENSITY. XAVIER TOOK OVER IN THE SECOND HALD TO WIN BY 12
(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia -- BEST GAME OF THE FIRST ROUND, bar none. I went back-and-forth on this game about 8 times, no joke. The teams have played evenly all year, but if Zona is at full-capacity, they are better than the Mountaineers. Look for this team to make a nice little run. 'Cats by 4.
WRONG - THIS COULD BE THE GAME THAT COSTS ME. WVU TOOK IT BY 10. I HAD ARIZONA GOING TO THE ELITE EIGHT, OUCH.
(2) Duke over (15) Belmont - I hate Duke, but even I couldn't take them to lose this one. Devils by 13.
RIGHT - BELMONT MADE IT VERY INTERESTING, WITH A 1 POINT LEAD WITH SECOND ON THE CLOCK... BUT THE DUKE EXPERIENCE WON OVER, AND THE DEVILS WON BY THE SLIMMEST OF MARGIANS - 71-70.
So I figured I'd share my picks, and my reasons of them. I'll start with the first round today. ACTUAL OUTCOME IN ORANGE UNDER ORIGINAL PREDICTION
Let's start with the East.
Carolina is clearly the class of the field, but Tennessee could give them a run for their money.
(1)UNC over (16) Mt. St. Mary's -- I really don't think I even need to explain this one. Plus, a 16 seed has NEVER beat a 1 seed. UNC by 20
APPARENTLY I WASN'T GIVING NORTH CAROLINA ENOUGH CREDIT -- 39 POINT WIN
(9) Arkansas over (8) Indiana -- I'm a sucker for 8 over 9, I can't really explain it. Plus Arkansas plays in a tougher division, IMO. It will be a close one, but I'm taking the Razorbacks by 7
I WENT 2-FOR-4 ON MY 9 OVER 8 SELECTIONS! INDIANA TOOK A TAILSPIN AFTER THE LOSS OF COACH SAMPSON. EASY WIN BY THE PIGS - 86-72.
(5) Notre Dame over (12) George Mason -- two years ago GM stunned the world and made the Final Four. George Mason will NOT be this year's George Mason... ha. Notre Dame played a tough Big East schedule, and probably would have gone undefeated in Mason's CAA. Irish by 10.
RIGHT ON THE OUTCOME - ND BY 18
(4) Wash State over (13) Winthrop -- Washington State played in arguably the strongest conference this year, and Winthrop never makes much noise. Wash State by 6.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, WAY OFF ON THE SCORE - WSU BY 31
(11) St Joe's over (6) Oklahoma -- Oklahoma isn't coming into the tourney on a good note, and though this looks like an upset pick, many Vegas boards have St Joe's as the favorite. They'll take it to the Sooners and win by 11.
OFF ON THIS ONE... I THINK THE SOONERS HAD THE OLD "NO ONE THINKS WE CAN WIN!" CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER, AND TOOK THE GAME 72-64
(3) Louisville over (14) Boise State -- Rick Pitino coaches a good college team, and they will walkover the Boise State Broncos in the first round. Boise State put together a good little season at 25-8, but they didn't face the same game-in-game-out pressure of a Big East schedule like Louisville. Cards by 14
RIGHT ON. L'VILLE WON BY 18
(10) South Alabama over (7) Butler -- for one reason, and one reason only - the game is in Birmingham. Butler is a decent team, worthy of a 7 seed, but they couldn't have gotten a worse 10 to play than the scrappy South Alabama squad playing in their own state. It will be close, but the crowd with make the difference in this one, and S. Bama will take it by 4.
APPARENTLY THE CROWD WASN'T ON S. BAMA'S SIDE. BUTLER ROLLED TO A 20 POINT WIN.
(2) Tennessee over (15) American -- Tennessee is a strong squad, American has never been in the Big Dance. Looks like a massacre to me, UT by 20.
I WASN'T OFF BY MUCH ... TENNESSE WINS BY 15, 72-57
MIDWEST
Again, there are two teams that are the class of the field, Kansas and Georgetown, but they won't have an easy road.
(1) Kansas over (16) Portland State -- just looking at this makes me laugh. Poor Portland State. Jayhawks by 21
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MUCH CLOSER -- KU WINS BY 24
(9) Kent State over (8) UNLV -- I told you I'm a sucker for 9 over 8. UNLV won their tourney - again- at home - again, but Kent State is a strong team and will win for the first NCAA tourney game in 6 years. Too bad they face Kansas in the second round.
OUCH, WRONG! UNLV HANDED IT TO KENT STATE, 71-58
(5) Clemson over (12) Villanova -- Clemson is on a roll, Villanova is young and inexperienced. Tigers by 9.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. NOVA HAS BEEN THE SUPRISE OF THE TOURNAMENT SO FA, IMO. THEY DEFEATED THE RED-HOT TIGERS BY 14
(4) Vanderbilt over Siena (13) -- Siena is quick and many think that Vanderbilt is overrated... but I can't forget the Commodore's win over Tennessee, who is not only an in-state rival, but was also, at the time, the #1 team in the land. Siena could keep it close, but Vandy's schedule will help them and they'll pull away at the end to win by 6.
OUCH! I AT LEAST AM COMFORTED BY THE FACT THAT NOOO ONEE PICKED SIENA OVER VANDY. COMMODORE'S CHOKE AGAIN, AND SIENA SAILS TO A 11 POINT VICTORY.
(11) Kansas State over (6) USC -- My potential bracket buster. Battle of the frosh, with Trojan OJ Mayo taking on rookie of the year Michael Beasley. I think Beasley has the Kevin Durant-esque willpower to take it to a good team in a big game, and I think he leads his team into the second round. K State by 6, with Beasley putting up over 30.
MY FAVORITE PICK OF THE FIRST ROUND - A BIT OFF ON THE SCORING, KSU WON BY 13, WITH BEASLEY SCORING 23
(3) Wisconsin over (14) Cal-State Fullerton -- Won't even be a game. Badgers by 17.
RIGHT ON - WISCONSIN WON BY 15
(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga -- the Zags won't get me this year. A "risky" pick, and probably an unpopular one, but I CAN NOT go for Gonzaga again until they win a big game. Davidson by 4.
I WAS SO RIGHT ABOUT THIS ONE IT KILLS ME... DAVIDSON PULLS THE "UPSET" YOURS TRULY CALLED WITH A 6-POINT WIN, 82-76.
(2) Georgetown over (15) UMBC -- As a Boston University grad, I should go for the America East school... but as a BU grad, I'm also no dummy. Georgetown in a rout.
DUH. GU SAILED IN THE FIRST ROUND BY 19... DIDN'T LAST LONG THOUGH.
SOUTH
Memphis is #1, but they have probably with toughest bracket, with the liklihood of facing red-hot Pitt in the Sweet 16, and, if they somehow get beyond that, Texas and DJ Augustin in the Elite Eight.
(1) Memphis over (16) Texas- Arlington -- Any D1 school with a city name after the state doesn't stand a chance, with the exception on UCLA. Look it up. Memphis by 16
SPOT-ON. MEMPHIS BY 14
(9) Oregon over (8) Mississippi State -- I again went with 9 over 8. This was the toughest, but I think Oregon was underrated in a tough Pac-10. It will be close, but I give it to the Ducks by 5.
I WAS DRAWN IN BY 9 OVER 8, AND THIS ONE WAS OFF. MISS STATE WON 76-69
(5) Michigan State over (12) Temple -- Temple has two good players - and that's it. MSU is a good team, and will exploit the Owl's weaknesses, lowpost, and win by 9.
RIGHT ON AGAIN -- MICHIGAN STATE WON BY 11
(4) Pittsbugh over (13) Oral Roberts --A team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Pitt shocked the NCAA world by defeating Georgetown for the Big East title, and are probably the hottest team in college bball. Pitt by 15
RIGHT -- PITT WON 82-63
(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky -- Kentucky shouldn't have even made the tournament. An experienced Marquette squad will take it by 11.
ANOTHER FAVORITE PICK... A THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BLINDED BY THE MYSTIQUE THAT IS KENTUCKY, BUT AS I SAID THEY SUCK THIS YEAR AND LOST BY 8.
(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell -- Battle of the smarty-pants will be taken by the "a little less" smarty-pants, ie the school that can give scholarships. Stanford by 13.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, A BIT OFF ON THE SCORE - STANFORD TOOK IT BY 24
(10) St. Mary's over (7) Miami -- The Hurricane's are one giant question mark, while St. Mary's is battle-tested. They advance to the second round for a tough rematch against Texas, where they will lose - again.
HOW VERY WRONG I WAS... THERE WILL BE NO TEXAS-ST MARY'S REMATCH, AS MIAMI TOOK IT TO THEM WITH A SOUND 78-64 WIN. CONGRATS MIAMI, NOW YOU GET TO TAKE ON THE LONGHORNS.
(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay -- I wouldn't even know where Austin Peay was if I hadn't met a friend at Fort Belvoir who was stationed at Fort Campbell and went to Austin Peay (it's in Clarksville, Tennessee). That said, I will reiterate - a team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Plus, Texas is nasty. Horns by 15.
TEXAS BY 20
WEST
UCLA is my pick to take it all.
(1) UCLA over (16) Mississippi Valley State -- unless it's a major state school (ie Penn State, Ohio State), they don't stand a chance in a D1 tourney. Kevin Love and co. will glide into the second round with a 24-point rout.
COME ON, OF COURSE I GOT THIS ONE - BUT EVEN 24 POINTS WASN'T GIVING UCLA ENOUGH CREDIT (OR GIVING TOO MUCH TO MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ) - MY PICK TO TAKE IT ALL WON BY 41
(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU -- I picked every 9 over 8, I don't know why I do that. But I do know I have more faith (ironically) in A&M than BYU. I dunno, Mormon's just don't seem that tough to me, and you know those boys from Texas are. Aggies by 8.
I WENT 1-FOR-2 ON 9 OVER 8 ON DAY ONE, WITH THE AGGIES WINNING BY 5
(12) Western Kentucky over (5) Drake -- Why? Call it a hunch. Drake is overrated, coming from a mid-major, and the Hilltoppers will exploit their lack of experience with a 6 point victory.
GOOD PICK. GREATTT GAME. WKU IN A 2-POINT OT WIN.
(4) UConn over (13) San Diego -- Is there even any doubt? Come on. What's up. Huskies by 12.
SHOCK OF THE FIRST ROUND, RUINING THOUSANDS OF BRACKETS. SAN DIEGO BY 1 IN THE CLOSING SECONDS.
(11) Baylor over (6) Purdue -- Call me a sucker, but I love me a feel-good story. The Bears are playing on emotion, and Purdue's best players are underclassmen. Baylor by 4.
OUCH, PRETTY OFF ON THIS ONE... I LET MY EMOTIONS GET THE MOST OF ME. PURDUE HANDILY BEAT BAYLOR 90-79
(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia -- As a resident of the peach state I'd love to pick the Bulldogs, and I have to admit their unexpected SEC tourney win was shocking, especially by winning 3 games in less than 30 hours. But the buck stops here for the Dawgs, cause Xavier is better than the SEC. Xavier by 9.
CORRECT - GEORGIA STARTED OFF STRONG, BUT COULDNT KEEP UP THE INTENSITY. XAVIER TOOK OVER IN THE SECOND HALD TO WIN BY 12
(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia -- BEST GAME OF THE FIRST ROUND, bar none. I went back-and-forth on this game about 8 times, no joke. The teams have played evenly all year, but if Zona is at full-capacity, they are better than the Mountaineers. Look for this team to make a nice little run. 'Cats by 4.
WRONG - THIS COULD BE THE GAME THAT COSTS ME. WVU TOOK IT BY 10. I HAD ARIZONA GOING TO THE ELITE EIGHT, OUCH.
(2) Duke over (15) Belmont - I hate Duke, but even I couldn't take them to lose this one. Devils by 13.
RIGHT - BELMONT MADE IT VERY INTERESTING, WITH A 1 POINT LEAD WITH SECOND ON THE CLOCK... BUT THE DUKE EXPERIENCE WON OVER, AND THE DEVILS WON BY THE SLIMMEST OF MARGIANS - 71-70.
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