In the spirit of March Madness here's a compilation of final four participants in the NBA for the 2007-2008 season (as well as those who retired in 2007) by team:
Atlanta: Shelden Williams (04 Duke), Royal Ivey (03 Texas), Al Horford (06 07 Fla), Marvin Williams (05 UNC), Mike Bibby (Arizona 97)
Boston: Glen Davis (06 LSU), Tony Allen (04 Oklahoma State)
Charlotte Bobcats: Derek Anderson (96, 97 Kentucky), Jake Voshkul (99 UConn), Nazr Mohammed (97, 98 Kentucky), Jason Richardson (00-01 Michigan State), Sean May (05 UNC), Raymond Felton (05 UNC), Jeff McInnis (93, 95 UNC), Emeka Okafor (04 UConn), Alan Anderson (05 Michigan St), Summer League Team: Jawan Terry (05 UNC)
Chicago: Ben Gordon (UConn 04), Loul Deng (Duke 04), Chris Duhon (Duke 04), Kirk Hinrich (Kansas 02, 03), Joachim Noah (Florida 06 07), Tyrus Thomas (LSU 06), Drew Gooden (Kansas 02)
New Jersey: Josh Boone (UConn 04), Maurice Ager (Michigan State 05), Richard Jefferson (Arizona 00), Vince Carter (95, 97, 98), Jason Collins (98 Stanford)
NYK: Jared Jeffries (Indiana 02), Zach Randolph (Michigan State 01)
Milwaulkee: Charlie Bell (Michigan St 99-00), Michael Redd (Ohio State 99), Charlie Villanueva (UConn 04)
Minnesota: Wayne Simien (02 03 Kansa), Antoine Walker (96 Kentucky), Michael Doleac (98 Utah), Rashad McCantis (05 UNC), Mark Madsen (98 Stanford), Corey Brewer (06 07 Florida), Chris Richard (07 Florida), Summer League Team: Luke Schnesser (Ga Tech 04)
Miami: Dwayne Wade (03 Marquette), Udonis Haslem (00 Miami), Jason Williams (94 Florida),
Utah Jazz: Carlos Boozer (01 Duke), Deron Williams (05 Illinois), Jarron Collins (98 Stanford)
Denver Nuggets: Taurean Green (06-07 Florida), Carmelo Anthony (03 Syracuse), Marcus Camby (96 UMass)
Orlando: James Augustine (05 Illinois), JJ Reddick (04 Duke), Summer League Team: Tony Skinn (GMU 06)
New Orleans Hornets: Hilton Armstrong (04 UConn), Morris Peterson (99, 00 Michigan State)
Houston: Shane Battier (99, 01 Duke), Bobby Jackson (97 Minnesota), Luther Head (05 Illinois), Steve Novak (03 Marquette), Summer League Team: John Lucas (04 Oklahoma St), Ivan McFarlin (04 Oklahoma St)
Pheonix: Jalen Rose (92, 93 Michigan), Grant Hill (91, 92, 94 Duke)
Dallas: Jason Terry (97 Arizona), Juwan Howard (92, 93 Michigan), Erik Dampier (96 Mississippi State), Jamal Magloire (98 Kentucky), Jerry Stackhouse (95 UNC), Summer League Team: Reyshawn Terry (05 UNC)
LAC: Paul Davis (05 Michigan State), Corey Maggette (99 Duke), Elton Brand (99 Duke)
LAL: Jordan Farmar (06 UCLA), Luke Walton (01 Arizona)
Sacramento: Shelden Williams (04 Duke), Fransisco Garcia (05 Louisville)
Portland: Greg Oden (07 Ohio State), Jarret Jack (05 Ga Tech), Steve Blake (02, 03 Maryland)
Cleveland: --
Memphis: Mike Miller (00 Florida), Hakim Warrick (03 Syracuse), Rudy Gay (04 UConn), Mike Conley Jr (07 Ohio State)
Seattle: Jeff Green (07 Georgetown), Nick Collison (02, 03 Kansas), Chris Wilcox (02 Maryland)
GSW: Chris Webber (92, 93 Michigan)
SAS: Damon Stoudamire (94 Arizona), Matt Bonner (00 Florida)
Toronto: Joey Graham (04 Oklahoma St), TJ Ford (03 Texas)
Indiana: Stephen Graham (04 Oklahoma St), Mike Dunleavy Jr (01 Duke), Travis Diener (03 Marquette)
Detroit: Rasheed Wallace (95 UNC), Richard Hamilton (99 UConn), Juan Dixon (01, 02 UMD), Arron Affalo (06-07 UCLA)
Philly: Shavlik Randolph (04 Duke), Andre Miller (98 Utah),
Washington: Gilbert Arenas (01 Arizona), Brendan Haywood (98, 00 UNC), Antwain Jamison (95, 97, 98 UNC), Summer League: Lee Humphrey (06, 07 Fla)
Showing posts with label College Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label College Basketball. Show all posts
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Ten best athletes of 2007
1. Boise State-As the Bowl Championship Series rolled around this year, we were treated to not just the usual round of complaining about the flaws of the BCS system from the teams who got left on the sideline for the national champion game, but a Cinderella Story of epic proportions. Undefeated Boise State, angry at the lack of respect showed to them by Oklahoma, took matters into their own hands delivering on 3 crucial plays down the stretch, each one imaginative and perfectly executed. It made for gripping television, especially when running back Ian Johnson proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend after making the game winning play.
2. Florida Gators-Showing that sports wasn’t about money, players Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, and Al Horford brushed aside millions of dollars and unapolegetically dove back into amateur status for another year at the University of Florida on a mission to make their squad the first back-to-back NCAA champions in over a decade. Their reward? Top 10 picks in the NBA draft the following year. Showing that money wasn’t everything, Coach Billy Donovan reneged on an NBA contract he hastily signed with the Atlanta Hawks because he realized his heart was with the Gators. His reward? A probable blackballing on future NBA coaching positions, but on the flipside, the loyalty and cheers of his fans in Gainesville, and the respect of anyone who can appreciate integrity in a world where selling out is just a multimillion dollar contract away.
3. Sidney Crosby-The city of Pittsburgh got to see hockey's next great hope enter the NHL and play alongside Mario Lemieux, and now they've seen him surpass him. Crosby broke Lemieux's NHL records for most points and assists by a rookie and became the youngest player to reach 1000 points. Seems like Pittsburgh hockey fans and the NHL has a lot to look foward to from the sport's new saviour.
4. Tony Dunghy-Overcoming great adversity with the death of his son, Dunghy became the first black coach to win a superbowl.
5. Colorado Rockies-The Red Sox might have won the World Series but it is hard to forget the Rockies' unforgettable run, having won 14 of their last 15 regular season games, beating the Padres in a playoff, and riding that heat all the way to the World Series and the series produced new household names in Todd Helton, Kaz Matsui and Matt Holliday it was caree
6. Chicago Fire/Cahutumec Blanco-David Beckham might have been the bigger newsgetter, but this highly seasoned and entertaining midfielder from the US's biggest rival crossed the Rio Grande this year to empower Chicago's soccer fan base in a way never seen before. While he's raised some controversey for his dirty style, he's been highly effective for the Fire helping them reach the MLS Eastern Conference Finals and with Beckham only appearing in 5 games, he's been MLS's more consistent star attraction this past year.
7. Kevin Durant-The player of the year honors aren’t usually supposed to go to a freshman but by being one of the nation's leading players in points, rebounds, and blocked shots, one has to wonder if there's ever been a more dominant freshman in history. Durant was also an ideal poster boy for the high school hoops prodigies forced to endure a year of college under the new bargaining contract, fully embracing college life and his team and has set the bar pretty high for the class of '08. His transition to the NBA thus far has been smooth as he's settled into command as the go-to guy on the Supersonics.
8. Don Nelson & The Golden State Warriors-Revenge is a dish best served cold for Nelson who left the Dallas Mavericks only to have their number come playoff time. Nelson and the perennial lottery entrants the Golden State Warriors squeezed into the playoffs the last night, and with the new acquisitions of Stephen Jackson and Othella Harrington proceeded to turn the 1st ranked Mavericks inside out. When the sports media treats the NBA playoffs as a story of one winners and fifteen losers, it was a breath of fresh air to see a team uplift themsleves and their city just by breaking through to the second round in an improbable upset.
9. John Papelbon-It wasn't sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz saving the day for the Red Sox, but the closer who held under pressure. Papelbon finished off five of the Red Sox last seven games, logging three saves in the World Series where he allowed only five scattered hits. Upon recording his last out to end the season and give the Red Sox their 2nd title in four years, Papelbon was too excited to celebrate, but he'll have the rest of his life to relish being a legend in Boston folklore.
10. Ryan Hall-Hall finished third at the national high school championships his senior year and he has spent much of his running career since being eclipsed by the two guys who finished ahead of him, Olympians Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenheim, who have long been hailed as the future of American distance running. This year, Hall might have emerged as the one to carry the torch for the cause. He became the first American to break an hour for the half-marathon in January and four months later he finished 6th in a highly competitive field at the London Marathon, setting records for the fastest time for a Marathon debut record and fastest time ever run by an American-born citizen.
2. Florida Gators-Showing that sports wasn’t about money, players Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, and Al Horford brushed aside millions of dollars and unapolegetically dove back into amateur status for another year at the University of Florida on a mission to make their squad the first back-to-back NCAA champions in over a decade. Their reward? Top 10 picks in the NBA draft the following year. Showing that money wasn’t everything, Coach Billy Donovan reneged on an NBA contract he hastily signed with the Atlanta Hawks because he realized his heart was with the Gators. His reward? A probable blackballing on future NBA coaching positions, but on the flipside, the loyalty and cheers of his fans in Gainesville, and the respect of anyone who can appreciate integrity in a world where selling out is just a multimillion dollar contract away.
3. Sidney Crosby-The city of Pittsburgh got to see hockey's next great hope enter the NHL and play alongside Mario Lemieux, and now they've seen him surpass him. Crosby broke Lemieux's NHL records for most points and assists by a rookie and became the youngest player to reach 1000 points. Seems like Pittsburgh hockey fans and the NHL has a lot to look foward to from the sport's new saviour.
4. Tony Dunghy-Overcoming great adversity with the death of his son, Dunghy became the first black coach to win a superbowl.
5. Colorado Rockies-The Red Sox might have won the World Series but it is hard to forget the Rockies' unforgettable run, having won 14 of their last 15 regular season games, beating the Padres in a playoff, and riding that heat all the way to the World Series and the series produced new household names in Todd Helton, Kaz Matsui and Matt Holliday it was caree
6. Chicago Fire/Cahutumec Blanco-David Beckham might have been the bigger newsgetter, but this highly seasoned and entertaining midfielder from the US's biggest rival crossed the Rio Grande this year to empower Chicago's soccer fan base in a way never seen before. While he's raised some controversey for his dirty style, he's been highly effective for the Fire helping them reach the MLS Eastern Conference Finals and with Beckham only appearing in 5 games, he's been MLS's more consistent star attraction this past year.
7. Kevin Durant-The player of the year honors aren’t usually supposed to go to a freshman but by being one of the nation's leading players in points, rebounds, and blocked shots, one has to wonder if there's ever been a more dominant freshman in history. Durant was also an ideal poster boy for the high school hoops prodigies forced to endure a year of college under the new bargaining contract, fully embracing college life and his team and has set the bar pretty high for the class of '08. His transition to the NBA thus far has been smooth as he's settled into command as the go-to guy on the Supersonics.
8. Don Nelson & The Golden State Warriors-Revenge is a dish best served cold for Nelson who left the Dallas Mavericks only to have their number come playoff time. Nelson and the perennial lottery entrants the Golden State Warriors squeezed into the playoffs the last night, and with the new acquisitions of Stephen Jackson and Othella Harrington proceeded to turn the 1st ranked Mavericks inside out. When the sports media treats the NBA playoffs as a story of one winners and fifteen losers, it was a breath of fresh air to see a team uplift themsleves and their city just by breaking through to the second round in an improbable upset.
9. John Papelbon-It wasn't sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz saving the day for the Red Sox, but the closer who held under pressure. Papelbon finished off five of the Red Sox last seven games, logging three saves in the World Series where he allowed only five scattered hits. Upon recording his last out to end the season and give the Red Sox their 2nd title in four years, Papelbon was too excited to celebrate, but he'll have the rest of his life to relish being a legend in Boston folklore.
10. Ryan Hall-Hall finished third at the national high school championships his senior year and he has spent much of his running career since being eclipsed by the two guys who finished ahead of him, Olympians Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenheim, who have long been hailed as the future of American distance running. This year, Hall might have emerged as the one to carry the torch for the cause. He became the first American to break an hour for the half-marathon in January and four months later he finished 6th in a highly competitive field at the London Marathon, setting records for the fastest time for a Marathon debut record and fastest time ever run by an American-born citizen.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Why GMU's run last year gave us such a boring sweet 16
As we are leaving the sweet 16 and moving on to the next round, and before this becomes irrelevant, I thought I'd post this.
This year's opening weekend of the tournament was what I might consider a very boring tournament. Sure, Ohio State had a thriller against Xavier and Pittsburgh and VCU went to overtime, but in both these games the upper seed won. Regardless of the play, if you look at the tournament on paper, the bottom line is that among the teams that advanced none were double-digit seeds and no one was lower than 7. The last time we had a tournament without a double-digit seed advancing to the Sweet 16 was 1995 and every tournament from 1997 on had at least two.
Then I was thinking, if you just look at the schools themselves who had advanced you'll see there's a Missourri Valley Conference school in Southern Illinois and a Horizon league school in Butler. The two teams to have made the sweet 16 from the Horizon League, Butler in 2003 and Wisc-Milwaulkee in 2005, were seeded 12th and the last time a Horizon league team was seeded in the single digits it was 1996 (Wisc-Green Bay was seeded 8th). Similarly, the Missourri Valley Conference has done a little better on seeding but they've generally been home to the biggest giant killers in the tournament. SW Missourri State and Bradley were the lowest seeds to advance to the sweet 16 of their respective tournaments in 1999 and 2006. Creighton has upset as a double digit team 3 times and Southern Illinois made the sweet 16 before as a double digit seed. The highest a MVC team has been seeded was 7th (if I'm not mistaken) in the specified time span.
In each of those cases, we considered those victories major upsets and cheered those underdogs on. The only thing that's really changed is the numbers in front of the team names on our brackets. 12th-seeded Butler making the Sweet 16 is exciting while 5-seeded Butler making the Sweet 16 is a yawn.
The reason for this higher seeding, I believe, is that after GMU made the tournament last year, pollsters started having their eyes out for the next George Mason and after Butler did so well in the Pre-Season NIT, the pollsters annointed them the next GMU and stuck them in the top 25. Similarly, Southern Illinois started winning games and their win-loss record looked impressive enough for the pollsters to group them in that category as well. Once you get into the AP Top 25, you are virtually guaranteed to advance higher and higher up on that list every week you don't lose a game because others will. The problem there is that Southern Illinois and Butler play against far inferior competition to that of the power conferences, so winning was far easier for them. I'm not entirely sure how much the RPI computerized system plays into the final selection of seeds, and if it's computerized and the seeds are actually based on the level of competition than I am completely wrong, but my theory would be that the constant presence of Butler and Southern Illinois on the AP Top 25 polls this season gave the selection committe added weight to want to give them high seeds.
Another way of looking at it, however, is that the Seeding Committe finally got it right. They successfully picked the two non-major conference schools who would be able to upset the majors en route to the Sweet 16, and thanks to George Mason's run, that really is a significant milestone. The only problem is that when the selection committee is that exact, the tournament is far more boring.
This year's opening weekend of the tournament was what I might consider a very boring tournament. Sure, Ohio State had a thriller against Xavier and Pittsburgh and VCU went to overtime, but in both these games the upper seed won. Regardless of the play, if you look at the tournament on paper, the bottom line is that among the teams that advanced none were double-digit seeds and no one was lower than 7. The last time we had a tournament without a double-digit seed advancing to the Sweet 16 was 1995 and every tournament from 1997 on had at least two.
Then I was thinking, if you just look at the schools themselves who had advanced you'll see there's a Missourri Valley Conference school in Southern Illinois and a Horizon league school in Butler. The two teams to have made the sweet 16 from the Horizon League, Butler in 2003 and Wisc-Milwaulkee in 2005, were seeded 12th and the last time a Horizon league team was seeded in the single digits it was 1996 (Wisc-Green Bay was seeded 8th). Similarly, the Missourri Valley Conference has done a little better on seeding but they've generally been home to the biggest giant killers in the tournament. SW Missourri State and Bradley were the lowest seeds to advance to the sweet 16 of their respective tournaments in 1999 and 2006. Creighton has upset as a double digit team 3 times and Southern Illinois made the sweet 16 before as a double digit seed. The highest a MVC team has been seeded was 7th (if I'm not mistaken) in the specified time span.
In each of those cases, we considered those victories major upsets and cheered those underdogs on. The only thing that's really changed is the numbers in front of the team names on our brackets. 12th-seeded Butler making the Sweet 16 is exciting while 5-seeded Butler making the Sweet 16 is a yawn.
The reason for this higher seeding, I believe, is that after GMU made the tournament last year, pollsters started having their eyes out for the next George Mason and after Butler did so well in the Pre-Season NIT, the pollsters annointed them the next GMU and stuck them in the top 25. Similarly, Southern Illinois started winning games and their win-loss record looked impressive enough for the pollsters to group them in that category as well. Once you get into the AP Top 25, you are virtually guaranteed to advance higher and higher up on that list every week you don't lose a game because others will. The problem there is that Southern Illinois and Butler play against far inferior competition to that of the power conferences, so winning was far easier for them. I'm not entirely sure how much the RPI computerized system plays into the final selection of seeds, and if it's computerized and the seeds are actually based on the level of competition than I am completely wrong, but my theory would be that the constant presence of Butler and Southern Illinois on the AP Top 25 polls this season gave the selection committe added weight to want to give them high seeds.
Another way of looking at it, however, is that the Seeding Committe finally got it right. They successfully picked the two non-major conference schools who would be able to upset the majors en route to the Sweet 16, and thanks to George Mason's run, that really is a significant milestone. The only problem is that when the selection committee is that exact, the tournament is far more boring.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
My new March Madness method
Here's my new system of doing the tournament. Treat seeds as irrelevant and treat them as such, i'm going to rank the teams as i see their chances and i throw in a little bit of randomness just like how when you predict the tournament. When these teams meet on whatever the bracket may be that's released this afternoon, i will go by who's higher on my list:
1. Kansas-I just have them pegged to win this year. It's been a while since they've won and I just like the success story of Brandon Rush trying to right his brother's wrongs.
2. UCLA-I feel like even more than Florida, they'll be hungry to get back there and depth is big
3. Ohio State-I'm basing some of my picks off the Carmelo Anthony rule: A talented NBA-level freshman can change the course of the entire tournament and I think that's Greg Oden. He shouldn't even be in the tournament except for the new rule
4. Florida-They're my favorite team but conventional wisdom says that they're vulnerable and won't repeat. Still, it's such a talented group of players who show strong resolve and teamwork. I like Noah as a person but i don't think he can repeat his performance and i don't think he's really a star player that can carry his team. Perhaps Humphrey or Horford can
5. Wisconsin-With the senior trying to do carry his team (see Mateen Cleaves) possibilities are big, but I'm usually not used to linking Wisconsin and final four team in the same words. It was done once before on an extreme fluke.
6. Pittsburgh-They were my dark horse final four team. They've been a 2 or 3 seeded team with somewhere around Sweet 16 credentials for about 5 or 6 years now, the law of averages shows that like Louisville in 2005, Texas in 2003, Indiana in 2002, Stanford in 1998, that if you keep finishing the season in the 10 or 12 teams, sooner or later you'll make the final four
7. Washington State-I don't know, they'd just make a good story
8. Memphis-Haven't been tested that much, it's some of the same strong group that put on a good performance last year
9. UNC-Not placing much stock in the ACC this year, all those talented freshman though, could do good but they also could do bad
10. Texas-Subscribing to the Law of Carmelo Anthony with Kevin Durant, i'm putting them high
11. Oregon-Aaron Brooks is one of those talented players who could turn on
12. Oklahoma State-They'll be ranked incredibly low which means only that they've had a few bad weeks down the stretch, but they've also had some good moments and have hung with the best of them. They have a penchant for doing well at the tournament and i'm inclined to pick them to do well
13. Air Force-They were once really good, and i don't think injuries or anything have changed them significantly. I'd like to see a team representing the Armed Forces do well in the tournament for once. It's a hopeful, wishful thinking sort of thing
14. USC-OJ Mayo isn't there yet, which will be the irony. Karma will reward USC for it's dissapointing football season with a good basketball season
15. Nevada-Of the mid-majors hoping to do well in the tournament, i have the most faith in Nevada. It's conference doesn't suck as much as Butler's or Creighton's
16. Vanderbilt-A sleeper in the SEC. They've done devestating stuff to Florida
17. Marquette-I don't know, there recent losses never convinced me that they were a bad team. Big East is a tough conference, i feel.
18. Stanford-Has had a lot of losses, but some quality wins. They're also a team that has had a lot of bad luck in the tournament since their 1998 final four run. Karma will be generous with them
19. Duke-Tradition of winning is too powerful to ignore
20. Kentucky-Same for this program as well
21. Southern Illinois-I'll put them around here. Normally a Missouri Valley Team is an underdog making an upset but with a 3 or 4 seed, it'll be reverse as they'll be waiting to be taken down
22. Maryland-Star power is what gets a team to the final four. They have at least a little bit of it
23. Texas A & M-Congratulations to the Aggies on their unusually good season but this post-season, i see you as one of the unlucky beneficiaries of a Cinderella
24. Indiana-It's the Hoosiers, come on. Give them some love.
25. Boston College-Jared Dudley might make the difference.
26. Kansas State-Bob Huggins is desperate to prove critics wrong, and this team almost hung with Kansas
27. Louisville-I love the Cardinals, usually, but they weren't ranked in the preseason and I think it's generally a rebuilding team. They're only hot as of late.
28. Arkansas-They've beaten all those teams in the SEC like Alabama, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. And look at them in this tournament.
29. Georgetown-As with people who predict upsets, i'm predicting a bit of randomness in Georgetown's losing. Like Louisville they haven't been good the whole season and just the flavor of the moment. I also just never really liked the school and am rooting against them. I'm from Washington D.C. and I don't know why locals here like the University. I think Georgetown is a snobby and secluded college (and neighborhood) that really doesn't interact or organically blend that much wiht the rest of Washington.
30. WVU-Since WVU made the elite eight, i'm always rooting for that WVU magic as someone who went to college 13 miles from the West Virginia Border
31. VCU-I think statistically, it might be unlikely that the tournament's big Cinderella will come from the same conference twice, but as a Cinderella this team has proved resillient and reliable and has stayed atop a conference that is getting better and better.
32. UNLV-I'm placing them low, i concede but just don't have any confidence in them even though they won the SEC tournament
33. Creighton-They’re in the Missourri Valley which has a tradition for upsets
34. Notre Dame-A solid team, not entirely upset-resistant
35. Virginia Tech-They have no experience whatsoever playing in the NCAA tournament and haven’t had any in years
36. UNLV-I'm placing them low, i concede but just don't have any confidence in them even though they won the SEC tournament
37. Syracuse-Jim Boheim has NCAA experience
38. Texas Tech-Bob Knight and Company usually have a lot to prove
39. UVA-I’m a Virginian, and even I concede that we rarely are ever good. Do we have any really good players?
40. Davidson-For getting the league bid over Applachian State
41. Butler-Hello?! It’s the horizon league. They’re not nor were they ever that good
1. Kansas-I just have them pegged to win this year. It's been a while since they've won and I just like the success story of Brandon Rush trying to right his brother's wrongs.
2. UCLA-I feel like even more than Florida, they'll be hungry to get back there and depth is big
3. Ohio State-I'm basing some of my picks off the Carmelo Anthony rule: A talented NBA-level freshman can change the course of the entire tournament and I think that's Greg Oden. He shouldn't even be in the tournament except for the new rule
4. Florida-They're my favorite team but conventional wisdom says that they're vulnerable and won't repeat. Still, it's such a talented group of players who show strong resolve and teamwork. I like Noah as a person but i don't think he can repeat his performance and i don't think he's really a star player that can carry his team. Perhaps Humphrey or Horford can
5. Wisconsin-With the senior trying to do carry his team (see Mateen Cleaves) possibilities are big, but I'm usually not used to linking Wisconsin and final four team in the same words. It was done once before on an extreme fluke.
6. Pittsburgh-They were my dark horse final four team. They've been a 2 or 3 seeded team with somewhere around Sweet 16 credentials for about 5 or 6 years now, the law of averages shows that like Louisville in 2005, Texas in 2003, Indiana in 2002, Stanford in 1998, that if you keep finishing the season in the 10 or 12 teams, sooner or later you'll make the final four
7. Washington State-I don't know, they'd just make a good story
8. Memphis-Haven't been tested that much, it's some of the same strong group that put on a good performance last year
9. UNC-Not placing much stock in the ACC this year, all those talented freshman though, could do good but they also could do bad
10. Texas-Subscribing to the Law of Carmelo Anthony with Kevin Durant, i'm putting them high
11. Oregon-Aaron Brooks is one of those talented players who could turn on
12. Oklahoma State-They'll be ranked incredibly low which means only that they've had a few bad weeks down the stretch, but they've also had some good moments and have hung with the best of them. They have a penchant for doing well at the tournament and i'm inclined to pick them to do well
13. Air Force-They were once really good, and i don't think injuries or anything have changed them significantly. I'd like to see a team representing the Armed Forces do well in the tournament for once. It's a hopeful, wishful thinking sort of thing
14. USC-OJ Mayo isn't there yet, which will be the irony. Karma will reward USC for it's dissapointing football season with a good basketball season
15. Nevada-Of the mid-majors hoping to do well in the tournament, i have the most faith in Nevada. It's conference doesn't suck as much as Butler's or Creighton's
16. Vanderbilt-A sleeper in the SEC. They've done devestating stuff to Florida
17. Marquette-I don't know, there recent losses never convinced me that they were a bad team. Big East is a tough conference, i feel.
18. Stanford-Has had a lot of losses, but some quality wins. They're also a team that has had a lot of bad luck in the tournament since their 1998 final four run. Karma will be generous with them
19. Duke-Tradition of winning is too powerful to ignore
20. Kentucky-Same for this program as well
21. Southern Illinois-I'll put them around here. Normally a Missouri Valley Team is an underdog making an upset but with a 3 or 4 seed, it'll be reverse as they'll be waiting to be taken down
22. Maryland-Star power is what gets a team to the final four. They have at least a little bit of it
23. Texas A & M-Congratulations to the Aggies on their unusually good season but this post-season, i see you as one of the unlucky beneficiaries of a Cinderella
24. Indiana-It's the Hoosiers, come on. Give them some love.
25. Boston College-Jared Dudley might make the difference.
26. Kansas State-Bob Huggins is desperate to prove critics wrong, and this team almost hung with Kansas
27. Louisville-I love the Cardinals, usually, but they weren't ranked in the preseason and I think it's generally a rebuilding team. They're only hot as of late.
28. Arkansas-They've beaten all those teams in the SEC like Alabama, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. And look at them in this tournament.
29. Georgetown-As with people who predict upsets, i'm predicting a bit of randomness in Georgetown's losing. Like Louisville they haven't been good the whole season and just the flavor of the moment. I also just never really liked the school and am rooting against them. I'm from Washington D.C. and I don't know why locals here like the University. I think Georgetown is a snobby and secluded college (and neighborhood) that really doesn't interact or organically blend that much wiht the rest of Washington.
30. WVU-Since WVU made the elite eight, i'm always rooting for that WVU magic as someone who went to college 13 miles from the West Virginia Border
31. VCU-I think statistically, it might be unlikely that the tournament's big Cinderella will come from the same conference twice, but as a Cinderella this team has proved resillient and reliable and has stayed atop a conference that is getting better and better.
32. UNLV-I'm placing them low, i concede but just don't have any confidence in them even though they won the SEC tournament
33. Creighton-They’re in the Missourri Valley which has a tradition for upsets
34. Notre Dame-A solid team, not entirely upset-resistant
35. Virginia Tech-They have no experience whatsoever playing in the NCAA tournament and haven’t had any in years
36. UNLV-I'm placing them low, i concede but just don't have any confidence in them even though they won the SEC tournament
37. Syracuse-Jim Boheim has NCAA experience
38. Texas Tech-Bob Knight and Company usually have a lot to prove
39. UVA-I’m a Virginian, and even I concede that we rarely are ever good. Do we have any really good players?
40. Davidson-For getting the league bid over Applachian State
41. Butler-Hello?! It’s the horizon league. They’re not nor were they ever that good
Monday, February 05, 2007
The AP top 25 poll
I used to be really into college basketball from around 10th to 12th grade, and oddly enough this year, I’ve gotten into it again. That means I’ve never followed college basketball closely pre-March Madness while I was in college, but I just never went to schools with good basketball programs and I just shifted my interest to the NBA.
It seems like the AP poll, operates under a fairly automatic system that works without much thought: Take last week's poll, move down 2-3 spaces the teams that lost, and move up the teams that won. It seems like little thought is given to the caliber of the opponent or much else.
Even if a top 25 team loses to a team ranked higher than them, which would be the expected outcome, (i.e. Arizona losing to UNC, Clemson losing to Duke, or Washington State losing to Oregon) they move down in the rankings while mid-major teams like Butler, Air Force, or Nevada move up for beating mediocre teams. I think there are a lot of advocates for allowing the mid-majors to have a chance, but it’s ridiculous to think that because
Fortunately, the seeding for March Madness isn’t done by the polls but by a committee and by the RPI, which is probably something like the BCS system. I think any computerized system is going to be much better than the AP Poll because it doesn’t suffer from human problems of having short-term memory and the like. I don’t know much about college football, but if the BCS system places teams mathematically, that’s gotta be better than human judgement in this case. People tend to complain when the AP Poll disagrees with whomever the BCS assigns as #1 and #2 but if the AP Poll in Football is anything like the AP Poll in Basketball, I’d much rather trust a computer.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Top 10 Athletes of 2006
I love to make those top 10 lists that I see everywhere where the year ends. It usually starts out when i see in some magazine, the top 10 in sports or something, and just for fun I try to predict what will be on the list, and often it usually ends up being me making my own. Here are a couple left over I found on my a drive
10. Billy Donovan-The unconventional coach and former Pitino protege, who’s known for going the extra mile on recruiting trips, finally won a title for the University of Florida which happens to be the state’s first with a talented quartet of sophomores.
9. Amilie Mauresmo-A perennial threat to any Grand Slam semifinal over the last 5 years, Mauresmo finally jilted cold nerves to break through the hegemony at the top of the game usually occupied by the Williams sisters or the Belgian duo of Henin-Hardene and Clijsters. Mauresmo not only made a final for the second time in her career after more than five years and countless semifinal appearances, but she might long-standing nemesis Henin-Hardene in both the French and Australian Opens.
8. Ohio State-Michigan Game-One of the most anticipated regular season football games in years. The Wolverines fought for a shot at the title game and a chance to honor a late coach and the Buckeyes fought off their biggest threat to their undefeated season. Neither side dissapointed in a 3-oint win that went down to the last play.
7. Chris Paul and Reggie Bush-Two newcomers to the NFL and NBA, respectively, helped enhance the prospects of their teams to help uplift the spirits of a city in need of something to look forward to. Rookie Chris Paul was passed over for fellow point guard Deron Williams in the draft, but in his first season he became runaway choice for rookie-of-the-year and led his team from the lottery doldrums to a very close race for a playoff spot in a more competitive Western Conference. On top of that he was selected as the starting point guard for the USA Basketball team in the 2006 World Basketball Championships. Reggie Bush, similarly has been a major catalyst for the New Orleans Saints and has relished his role as the city’s savior. He is playing a big part in the Saints winning season.
6. U.S. Speedskating Team-The Winter Olympics outside of woman’s figure skating, are a hard sell to the U.S. public and nothing helps the publicity machine like controvoursey. Some sports pundits said that the Shani Davis-Chad Hedrick spat was bad for the sport, but their conflict was relatively minor since both men dominated their races and picked up a brevy of other medals in a sport traditionally dominated by the Dutch and Germans. Another big winner, Joey Cheek who took a gold in the 500 and a silver in the 1000, donated his cash bonus to charity and prompted another of other sponsors to match his donation.
5. France-Remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt more than anything else, the merits of the French in reaching the World Cup final shouldn’t be discounted. This was practically the same French squad that with its diversity and upset over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup, gave the French people great cause for celebration and hope in a racially harmonious country, and after bombing out of the last World Cup and Olympic competitions, upsetting much younger squads on a tough road that included Brazil, Spain and Portugal was no small feat.
4. St. Louis Cardinals-
In a battle between two Midwestern blue-collar towns who hadn’t won a World Series since the 1980s, the power-hitting core of Scott Rolen, series MVP David Eckstein, Albert Pujols, and Jim Edmonds made the difference for a Cardinals squad that had close calls in 2004 and 2005. Tony La Russa became the first manager to win a championship with the American and National league, also of note Chris Carpenter started the all-star game, and the city treated the team and its fans to a shiny new stadium to enjoy their victory in.
3. Italy-The jolly Opera-loving Italians, who had been in danger of falling out of the league of super powers and marred by scandal, emerged from a competitive field in the ultimate global contest to win a world cup for the first time since 1982. The Azzuri had a well-balanced attack with 11 different players scoring goals in competition, a formidable line of defenders, and a little bit of luck on their side. Four months earlier, the Italians hosted the Turin Winter Olympics successfully with hometown hero Enrico Fabris garnering 3 medals including a team relay medal and an upset of both Chad Hedrix and Shani Davis in the 1500 (see #6)
2. George Mason-Cited by countless sportsradio talk show hosts within the following weeks as the biggest upset in college basketball history, the George Mason Patriots disproved the notion that Cinderellas only go so far. Defeating four of the last seven national championships in Michigan State, Maryland and UConn, the Patriots made the final four in a triumphant show of resilience in a final four appearance.
1. Dwayne Wade/The Miami Heat-The big question was when the coveted Class of ’03 would make the playoffs or the final, but to lead the team to the championship that soon was entirely unexpected. The Heat started out with what seemed like an unbalanced roster full of egos and a washed-out coach, but behind the 3rd Year from Marquette, the Heat unseated King LeBron in the conference semifinals, followed it up with a defeat of the nearly impenetrable 80-win (?) Pistons, and with a clutch win in Game 2 of the finals, it all was smooth sailing from there. As the league crowned its new superstar in Wade, it was also a sweet day as veterans Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton were able to finally take rings home after storied careers.
10. Billy Donovan-The unconventional coach and former Pitino protege, who’s known for going the extra mile on recruiting trips, finally won a title for the University of Florida which happens to be the state’s first with a talented quartet of sophomores.
9. Amilie Mauresmo-A perennial threat to any Grand Slam semifinal over the last 5 years, Mauresmo finally jilted cold nerves to break through the hegemony at the top of the game usually occupied by the Williams sisters or the Belgian duo of Henin-Hardene and Clijsters. Mauresmo not only made a final for the second time in her career after more than five years and countless semifinal appearances, but she might long-standing nemesis Henin-Hardene in both the French and Australian Opens.
8. Ohio State-Michigan Game-One of the most anticipated regular season football games in years. The Wolverines fought for a shot at the title game and a chance to honor a late coach and the Buckeyes fought off their biggest threat to their undefeated season. Neither side dissapointed in a 3-oint win that went down to the last play.
7. Chris Paul and Reggie Bush-Two newcomers to the NFL and NBA, respectively, helped enhance the prospects of their teams to help uplift the spirits of a city in need of something to look forward to. Rookie Chris Paul was passed over for fellow point guard Deron Williams in the draft, but in his first season he became runaway choice for rookie-of-the-year and led his team from the lottery doldrums to a very close race for a playoff spot in a more competitive Western Conference. On top of that he was selected as the starting point guard for the USA Basketball team in the 2006 World Basketball Championships. Reggie Bush, similarly has been a major catalyst for the New Orleans Saints and has relished his role as the city’s savior. He is playing a big part in the Saints winning season.
6. U.S. Speedskating Team-The Winter Olympics outside of woman’s figure skating, are a hard sell to the U.S. public and nothing helps the publicity machine like controvoursey. Some sports pundits said that the Shani Davis-Chad Hedrick spat was bad for the sport, but their conflict was relatively minor since both men dominated their races and picked up a brevy of other medals in a sport traditionally dominated by the Dutch and Germans. Another big winner, Joey Cheek who took a gold in the 500 and a silver in the 1000, donated his cash bonus to charity and prompted another of other sponsors to match his donation.
5. France-Remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt more than anything else, the merits of the French in reaching the World Cup final shouldn’t be discounted. This was practically the same French squad that with its diversity and upset over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup, gave the French people great cause for celebration and hope in a racially harmonious country, and after bombing out of the last World Cup and Olympic competitions, upsetting much younger squads on a tough road that included Brazil, Spain and Portugal was no small feat.
4. St. Louis Cardinals-
In a battle between two Midwestern blue-collar towns who hadn’t won a World Series since the 1980s, the power-hitting core of Scott Rolen, series MVP David Eckstein, Albert Pujols, and Jim Edmonds made the difference for a Cardinals squad that had close calls in 2004 and 2005. Tony La Russa became the first manager to win a championship with the American and National league, also of note Chris Carpenter started the all-star game, and the city treated the team and its fans to a shiny new stadium to enjoy their victory in.
3. Italy-The jolly Opera-loving Italians, who had been in danger of falling out of the league of super powers and marred by scandal, emerged from a competitive field in the ultimate global contest to win a world cup for the first time since 1982. The Azzuri had a well-balanced attack with 11 different players scoring goals in competition, a formidable line of defenders, and a little bit of luck on their side. Four months earlier, the Italians hosted the Turin Winter Olympics successfully with hometown hero Enrico Fabris garnering 3 medals including a team relay medal and an upset of both Chad Hedrix and Shani Davis in the 1500 (see #6)
2. George Mason-Cited by countless sportsradio talk show hosts within the following weeks as the biggest upset in college basketball history, the George Mason Patriots disproved the notion that Cinderellas only go so far. Defeating four of the last seven national championships in Michigan State, Maryland and UConn, the Patriots made the final four in a triumphant show of resilience in a final four appearance.
1. Dwayne Wade/The Miami Heat-The big question was when the coveted Class of ’03 would make the playoffs or the final, but to lead the team to the championship that soon was entirely unexpected. The Heat started out with what seemed like an unbalanced roster full of egos and a washed-out coach, but behind the 3rd Year from Marquette, the Heat unseated King LeBron in the conference semifinals, followed it up with a defeat of the nearly impenetrable 80-win (?) Pistons, and with a clutch win in Game 2 of the finals, it all was smooth sailing from there. As the league crowned its new superstar in Wade, it was also a sweet day as veterans Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton were able to finally take rings home after storied careers.
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