Why don't coaches sign their contracts?

Its going to be fascinating to see if and how much of the $6 million that Kentucky owes Billy Gillespie will actually get paid. Gillespie's contract sat on his desk for 2 years, and he never signed it. He signed a memo of understanding which he better hope will stand up in court otherwise he is screwed out of a ton of money, all because he didn't sign his contract. He's not the only coach who has done this, and it forces me to ask the question: Why don't coaches sign their contracts?

Remember when Mike Price didn't sign his contract at Alabama? He got a big contract to leave Washington State, but didn't sign it. Then after spring practice Sports Illustrated reported that he checked into a hotel with a stripper and all hell broke loose. There was all sorts of debate about what to do with Price. Firing him would have cost a lot of money in a buyout, but since he never signed his contract the school simply rescinded it, and they didn't owe Price a dime. Again, why wouldn't Price sign the contract?

Now comes word that Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has not signed his 7 year $15.2 million extension. The new contract would more than double his current salary. I just don't understand why he won't sign it. Why risk it?

Tony Bennett says yes to Virginia after turning down Indiana and LSU

Washington State coach Tony Bennett will be named the new head coach of Virginia, who comes off its worst season in 40 years. This comes just one year since Bennett was the top choice to fill the vacancies at Indiana and LSU. 2008-2009 was Bennett's third season as a head coach, and the first season that Washington State did not make the NCAA Tournament since his father Dick Bennett was the coach in Pullman. So why did Bennett choose to leave Wazzu now and take the job at Virginia which I would consider a worse job than Indiana and LSU. Well I think stock was falling a little after a very average season, and its very hard to maintain a winning program at Washington State. 

Did Bennett make a mistake sticking around at Washington State and taking over an average ACC program that has made 1 sweet 16 since 1989? I don't think so. You can't blame him for not wanting to take the Indiana job because of the NCAA issues, and as an IU student at the time, I didn't want him to take the job because he only had 2 years of head coaching experience under his belt. I think he probably should've taken the LSU job because it is very similar to Virginia in that its a football school, so there isn't as much pressure. Plus LSU was bringing back a veteran team that Trent Johnson was able to lead to an SEC championship. 

You can still win at Virginia, they have a new arena, and before this season Dave Leitao looked like he had things going in the right direction, but turning down Indiana and LSU might be decisions that Bennett will regret. 

Winning a conference tournament in 2009 was not important

For the first time since 2003 none of the teams that have advanced to the Final Four won their conference tournament. Actually None of this year's Final Four even made their conference tournament championship game. UConn lost its first game in the Big East tournament, and Michigan State, North Carolina, and Villanova all lost in the semis. Here are how the teams that made the championship of their conference tournament, in the 6 major conferences, fared in the NCAA Tournament:

SEC

Tennessee- Lost first round to Oklahoma State

Mississippi State- Lost first round to Washington

ACC

Florida State- Lost first round to Wisconsin

Duke- Lost regional semifinal to Villanova

Big East

Syracuse- Lost regional semifinal to Oklahoma

Louisville- Lost regional final to Michigan State

Big 10

Ohio State- Lost first round to Siena

Purdue- Lost regional semifinal to Connecticut

Pac 10

Arizona State- Lost second round to Syracuse

USC- Lost second round to Michigan State

Big 12

Baylor- Did not qualify

Missouri- Lost regional final to Connecticut

Where the Final Four teams have come from in the last 15 years

I have compiled a list of the last 60 team to reach the Final Four (1994-2008) and separated them by conference in order to see what conferences are sending the most teams to the Final Four. The results might be surprising:

Big East- 5
Connecticut (’99, ’04)
Syracuse (’96 ’03)
Georgetown (’07)

ACC- 13
North Carolina (’95, ‘97, ’98 ,’00, ’05, ’08)
Duke (’94, ’99, ’01, ’04)
Maryland (’01, ’02)
Georgia Tech (’04)

Big 12- 7
Kansas (’02, ’03, ’08)
Oklahoma (’02)
Texas (’03)
Oklahoma State (’95, ’04)

Big 10- 10
Minnesota (’97)
Ohio State (’99, ’07)
Michigan State (’99, ’00, ’01, ’05)
Wisconsin (’00)
Indiana (’02)
Illinois (’05)

Pac 10- 8
Arizona (’94, ’97, ’01)
Stanford (‘98)
UCLA (’95, ’06, ’07, ’08)

SEC- 11
Kentucky (’96 ‘97, ’98)
Florida (’94, ’00, ’06, ‘07)
LSU (’06)
Arkansas (94, ’95)
Mississippi State (’96)

CUSA- 3
Marquette (’03)
Louisville (’05)
Memphis (’08)

WAC- 1
Utah (’98)

CAA- 1
George Mason (’06)

Atlantic 10- 1
Massachusetts (’96)

It is pretty hard to believe that the Big East is responsible for just 5 of the last 60 Final Four teams. Its pretty amazing that 6 of the 11 Big 10 programs have made the Final Four in the last 15 years, and if I were to have extended this back one more year it would have been 7 (Michigan).

One other thing I found interesting is that all the programs with multiple Final Four appearances in this span have done it with at most 2 coaches except for North Carolina. In this 15 year stretch the Heels had 4 head coaches, 3 of those coaches reached the Final Four with all 3 making 2 appearances. Maybe stability isn't that big a deal, or maybe its just not that big a deal when you are North Carolina. 

Roy Williams, Rick Pitino, and John Calipari are the only coaches to have taken 2 different programs to the Final Four in this stretch.

2 of college basketball's best in bad times

The Indiana/Kentucky rivalry is one of the best in all of college basketball, and they are two of the most storied programs in college basketball.  The two teams have combined to win 12 national championships and have made 21 Final Four appearances, but for the 4th year in a row, one program is looking for a head coach, and for the first time since 1965 neither team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky hasn't made a Sweet 16 since 2005, for Indiana the drought is now 7 years, and they have just made one Sweet 16 trip in the last 15 years. Just like the NBA needed the Celtics and Lakers to be relevant again, college basketball needs an Indiana/Kentucky resurgence. 

I took the above picture at the Indiana/Kentucky game in December of 2005. The game was at a place that no longer exists (RCA Dome), and the coaches (Mike Davis and Tubby Smith) will be replaced for a second time once Kentucky makes its hire. All that change in less than 3 1/2 years. 

Kentucky media chases Gillespie after he is fired

The reporters actually run after him.

Ranking the best of the elite

Here is how I rank the Elite 8 teams. This is based solely on how they have played through their first 3 NCAA Tournament games:

1. Connecticut- The Huskies really have never been challenged at any point. Purdue made them work a little bit, but at no point did you feel that UConn was in danger of losing the game.

2. North Carolina- They were a little shaky against LSU, and trailed in the second half, but other than that they have looked great.

3. Villanova- I don't think I have ever seen a team flip a switch quite like Nova. They were down double digits in the second half against American, managed to win the game by double digits, and then had 2 dominating wins against UCLA and Duke. 

T4. Louisville- They've had the easiest road to the Elite 8. They are the only team that hasn't played a top 8 seed, but the win against Arizona was as good as it gets.

T4. Missouri- The Memphis win was as impressive a win as their has been this tournament, but I don't like the way they have played with big leads. They got lucky to beat Marquette, and Memphis had no business getting that game into single digits.

T4. Oklahoma- Their first 2 wins weren't anything special, but the way their guards played against Syracuse makes them scary, especially when Griffin dominates the way he has this tournament. 

7. Michigan State- They aren't the type of team that going to blow anyone out, but they have played good defense, they have rebounded well, and they make every play down the stretch.

8. Pittsburgh- They haven't had an easy game yet, but one encouraging thing about their 3 wins is that they won the Oklahoma State game with their offense and the Xavier game with their defense. 

UK fires Gillespie

In Billy Gillespie's first season as a head coach (2002-03) UTEP went 6-24. The next season they went to the NCAA Tournament. Then it was off to Texas A&M, who hadn't had a winning season in over a decade. Not only did they have a winning season, they won more than 20 games for the first time in almost 20 years. The next season the Aggies were in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987. In 2007 they made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1980. His final win at Texas A&M came over Rick Pitino and Louisville at Rupp Arena. Soon after that win he would be named the head coach at Kentucky. Gillespie had been a head coach for 5 season, and had won 3 NCAA Tournament games. It appears that he wasn't ready for prime time. 

Lets face it, UTEP is UTEP, there are no expectations. A&M basketball was irrelevant. Just like at UTEP nobody cared, they just wanted to be respectable, but Gillespie was going to be able to just focus on coaching. Thats not how it is at Kentucky, and Gillespie found out the hard way. Gillespie never did grasp the PR aspect of the job, and PR is just as important as recruiting and winning. Lets be honest here, very little was expected from Kentucky last season, but they went 12-4 and made the NCAA Tournament, but the fan base in Lexington still was not happy with him, so after this season's disappointment, he had no chance. If Gillespie would have had the support of the base he could have easily made it to next season.

Hopefully Gillespie learns from this. He is only 49, and should have no trouble getting another job. One possibility would be Houston, if they decide to let Tom Penders go, something a lot of people here would like to see. Its a perfect match, and its not like Penders has set the world on fire at UH. If you are Kentuck AD Mitch Barnhart, my best advice is to take your time. Even if the first couple of guys you talk to aren't interested don't get desperate. That is why you are in this situation in the first place. 

On the Midwest Region

Revised Picks:
Louisville over Arizona
Michigan State over Kansas
Michigan State over Louisville

I love the way Arizona is playing right now, and I think that they can force enough turnovers to beat Louisville, but I think their lack of depth will really show for the first time this tournament. I haven't been real impressed with Kansas in this tournament. Dayton couldn't make any shots in their last game and it took a long time for Kansas to finally pull away. I think that Michigan State is playing well, and they are just better. The Kailen Lucas/Sherron Collins matchup will be great. 

On the South Region

Revised Picks:
UNC over Gonzaga
Syracuse over Oklahoma
UNC over Syracuse

I love the way Syracuse is playing right now. Johnny Flynn has really elevated his game in March, and I think that they have enough inside to contain Blake Griffin. I also think that the Syracuse zone will give the OU guards some problems. I think that the Gonzaga/Carolina game will be highly entertaining, but I don't see Gonzaga getting enough stops. North Carolina can beat you too many ways. 

On the West Region

Revised Picks:
UConn over Purdue
Memphis over Missouri
UConn over Memphis

I think that Purdue will be able to keep it close against UConn, they don't beat themselves, and they are too well coached to get embarrassed. I think that UConn is just too talented, and they are playing great. I thought that Missouri would be beat Memphis last week, but I did not like how Missouri played in the second half against Marquette, and that gives me pause. I thought Memphis was great against Maryland, and I think they are a little better than Mizzou, should be an incredible game though.

On the East Region

Revised Picks:

Pitt over Xavier

Duke over Nova

Pitt over Duke

After the first 2 rounds I still see this region the way I saw it heading into the tournament. I think that Duke will be able to control tempo more than UCLA could against Villanova because they are a much better offensive team. I know Pitt hasn't been as dominant as you would like to see, but I think they will be fine. The big positive out of the Oklahoma State game was that they were able to keep up with the Cowboys offensively. In the past, if a team was as hot as OKlahoma State, Pitt had no chance.

The NCAA Tournament in Vegas

I am back after spending the weekend in Vegas for the first 2 rounds of the NCAA Tournament. I have been to Vegas for the Super Bowl before, and I'm being honest when I say that it doesn't compare to the first 2 rounds of the tournament. It really is insane because there is so much going on at once, especially when there are 4 games being played at the same time. I have always just watched the tournament at home with the DirecTV package, but watching it with a group of over 1000 people, all of whom are betting on the games makes things much more exciting and entertaining, but it is also mentally and physically draining. They really need to move Vegas out of the pacific time zone. 

I went with 6 friends, and our plan was to wake up really early and try to get a seat at the Bally's sportsbook, which was where we stayed. That plan was scrapped Wednesday night when I found out that Bally's was reserving every seat in their sportsbook. Luckily, and very smartly, some of the hotels setup makeshift sportsbooks in their theatres or ballrooms. One of these places was the Paris, which is connected to Bally's. The theatre, which is pictured below holds over 2,000 people. In the concessions area they sold drinks, and some food, although you were better off going to one of the restaurants near the casino. More importantly they had betting registers. It was also free to get in the theatre, which was a huge plus, the big negative was that it was hard to move around because you are in a theatre.

The other makeshift sportsbook that we went to was at the Wynn. It was held in one of their ballrooms and it was in conjunction with the Billy Packer Survive and Advance show that he is doing for FSN. Both Packer and Bob Knight were in the room with us for part of the day. The setup at the Wynn (pictured below) was entirely different. First of all they had tables set up, much better, and they also had couches which were reserved for people staying at the hotel. They also had HD projectors all along the walls of the room, and a jumbotron type thing setup in the middle. It was incredible. They also had craps and blackjack tables setup in the corners of the room, brilliant idea. The one catch was that it cost $50, but they gave you 2 drink coupons, and a meal coupon. You could get $10 drinks with the coupons, so there is $20, and for the meal you could get 2 items that normally cost $12 and as much as you could fit on one plate of the other stuff, so the $50 essentially paid for itself. 

You don't get much sleep during the weekend because the games start so early on the west coast, but if you love the NCAA Tournament you have to go at least once, its a great atmosphere, and there is nothing better than when you get to the last seconds of a game, and one team is shooting free throws which mean nothing in terms of who will win the game, but everyone in the room is yelling and screaming because those free throws will determine if they will win their bets. 

Spo's take: West Region

Here are my picks for the West Region:

Here are some thoughts I have on the West Regional:

• I don’t like Washington that much, and I think Purdue is playing well, and they are finally healthy.

• Mississippi State got a bad break. They played 4 games in 4 days in order to make the tournament, and now they are forced to travel to Portland to play Washington.

• Utah State has a great opportunity to prove itself, and Marquette has not found a way to replace Dominic James.

• I think Maryland gets past Cal easily.

• I think that Missouri pressure will cause Memphis a lot of problems and allow the Tigers to get cheap points of turnovers. They aren’t a great half court teams, and Memphis plays great half court defense, so it will be vital to play at a frantic pace.

• I think Connecticut will get through this region with relative ease.

Spo's take: South Region

Here are my picks for the South Region:

Here are some thoughts I have on the South Region:

• North Carolina doesn’t need Ty Lawson to win their first round game, and they probably don’t need him to win their second round game either, so the key will be having him ready for next weekend.

• Butler really played poorly at the end of the season, and I don’t see them beating LSU.

• Everyone is picking Western Kentucky to beat Illinois, but I really like the Illini, and I think they are a little too physical for the Hilltoppers.

• I’m worried about Syracuse. Remember when they made that big run in the Big East tournament in 2006 they were destroyed in the first round. Fortunately for them they don’t have to play on Thursday, but I am still worried they don’t have enough in the tank.

• I really like Arizona State a lot. I know they didn’t finish real strong, but they lost a lot of close games. They are also a hard team to prepare for because their style of play. James Harden is also one of the more underrated players in the country.

• I really think Michigan is going to give Clemson a lot of problems. Clemson doesn’t take care of the ball, and Michigan will force a lot of turnover. Also John Belien teams are always good in the tournament.

• Blake Griffin/Tyler Hansborough will be a great matchup in the Elite 8.

Spo's take: East Region

These are my picks for the East Region:

Here are some thoughts I have on the East Region:

• When I saw the VCU/UCLA matchup I immediately thought VCU would win. I really don’t like UCLA that much, and VCU is too good to just be an 11 seed.

• I think Wisconsin is going to get blown out by Florida State.

• Texas/Minnesota will be a close, low scoring game.

• I really like Duke this year, but I always overate Duke, except the year they lost to VCU, but I think the draw sets up well until they play Pitt who is a terrible matchup for them. They have too much offense for Texas, and I think a game against Villanova would be outstanding, but I think Duke is too dangerous from behind the arch.

• I struggled with Florida State/Xavier, but I like the way the Noles are playing, and Xavier isn’t playing badly, but they certainly aren’t the team they were in the nonconference.

• The key for Pitt will be avoiding a game where they just can’t score. That has been their downfall for years, but I think they have enough this season. Even though they matchup well with Duke inside, Duke can beat them.

Spo's take: Midwest Region

These are my picks for the Midwest Region:

Here are some thoughts I have on the Midwest Regional:

• I know everyone loves Louisville right now, but I think they are a little over seeded. I have Wake beating them because I think Wake is just too talented, and for some reason I see it coming together for them, especially when they play teams who aren’t used to playing at their tempo.

• Siena reminds me a lot of Bucknell from 2006. Remember the year before they shocked Kansas, brought back most of that team and were seeded 9th against Arkansas in Dallas. They beat Arkansas that year. Siena beat Vandy as a 13, and now they are playing Ohio State in their backyard. I also think Siena is really good.

• I really can’t wait to see how Arizona plays against Utah. They probably shouldn’t have gotten in, and I want to see if they take advantage of their second life. I think they will. 10 years ago Oklahoma was the last time to get in (13 seed), and they won 2 games in the tournament, including beating Arizona in the first round.

• I think Devin Ebanks has a huge tournament and gets West Virginia into the second week. Ebanks will be a lottery pick this season.

• I think I am the only person taking Michigan State to get to Detroit, but I think they are really good, and Tom Izzo knows how to win in the tournament. The Ohio State loss might have been a good thing for them.

Spo's 2009 Bracket

Here is my 2009 Tournament bracket:I know its kind of hard to read. My Final 4 is Michigan State, UConn, Pitt and North Carolina. Pitt is my champion. I will break down each region in the next couple of hours.

I am in Vegas right now for the tournament, so I will not be able to blog as much as I would have liked, unless I figure out how to do it on my phone, but I will do my best. 

One impressive streak could be in jeopardy

Arizona barely made the NCAA Tournament for the 25th straight year. Kentucky saw its 17 year streak come to an end. As impressive as those streaks are, there is one that is much more impressive. The Tennessee Lady Vols have not only made all 28 NCAA Women's Tournaments, but they have advanced to the Sweet 16 in every single Tournament. Think about that for a second. 25 straight Sweet 16's, but this season the Lady Vols could be in trouble.

Pat Summit's team is the 2-time defending champions, but they didn't have a great regular season. They lost 10 games for just the second time since 1986, and they are a 5 seed going into the NCAA Tournament, so according to the chalk the streak should end this season. They play Ball State in the first round, if they are able to win that game they play the winner of Iowa State/East Tenn St. I have no clue if Tennessee will be able to make it 29 straight, but the last time they lost 10 games in a season was in 96-97, that year they would win their second of three straight championships.

Rockets make a statement without Yao

I was excited on Monday to watch Rockets/Hornets. It was a big game and an opportunity for the Rockets to win a big game on the road. Last week they won in Denver only to lose close games at home to the Lakers and San Antonio in close games. I turn on the game and they show the starting lineups. Yao is not in it. Turns out he has the flu. Which was a bit of a relief because I thought it could be something serious, but I was obviously disappointed because the Rockets needed this game, and while not impossible it would be close to it, especially on the road where the Rockets have had all sorts of issues.

The Rockets came out and played well, Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola did a nice job on the offensive end, and the game was tied after the first period. Then the Rockets bench made a run when Chris Paul went out in the 2nd and built an 8 point lead. Towards the end of the first half the Rockets really struggled offensively. Ron Artest was awful, missing his first 11 shots, and while they were only down 3, you didn't feel like they could muster up enough offense to win the game, especially with Artest playing so poorly. The Hornets would score the first 8 points of the second half to go up 11, and I changed the channel, When I flipped the switch the Rockets did the same. I see the score on ESPN.com towards the end of the 3rd period and suddenly the Rockets are up 3.

New Orleans had a small lead midway through the 4th period, but the Rockets did something they have rarely done this season- they finished. They outscored the Hornets 22-9 in the last 7 minutes. They played with a sense of urgency. Guys like Carl Landry and Luis Scola diving all over the floor, keeping possessions alive. The Hornets could not match that intensity, or they didn't want too. While its a great and unexpected win for the Rockets, its an inexcusable loss for the Hornets. Houston had no business winning that game, and as bunched up as the West is right now, the loss is one that will comeback and sting the Hornets, and they deserve it. At home, No Yao, 11 point lead in the second half, and you lose by 11.

Astros to sign Pudge

Like the rest of the team, the Astros catchers have been dreadful this Spring. Humberto Quintero's .182 batting average is tops among the 3 vying for the 2 catcher spots on the Astros roster. That made Pudge Rodriguez a natural fit, especially when you see him playing at a high level in the WBC, but it didn't look like the Astros were willing to add payroll. On Monday the Astros agreed to a 1 year $1.5 million deal with the future hall of famer. It was a move the Astros have to make. 

Humberto Quintero is a nice guy to have on the roster. There aren't many catchers who have a better arm, but he can't hit, and you can't go into opening day with him as your starting catcher. J.R. Towles had his chance, but when given the job last season he looked lost at the plate. He hit .137 last season, and its not like he had just 50 at bats and they got impatient. He had 146 at bats. He struck out once every 3.65 at bats. That is dreadful. He is just 2 for 15 (.133) this spring, with 5 strikeouts, so he really isn't showing any progress. 

The Astros are 1-14-1 in Grapefruit League play. The win came in their opener, so they are winless in their last 15 games against big league teams. Welcome to Houston Pudge.

Live: Selection Show

I will be providing my thoughts on the brackets as they are unveiled. During the Selection Show keep clicking on refresh.

#1 Seeds

• I don't think that Louisville is the best of the #1 seeds, but they are playing the best right now, but I still would have had UNC as the overall #1.
• Like I said yesterday, I think that UConn has too many quality wins to not be a #1 seed.
• UConn was placed in the West region both years they won the National Championship, and ironically they were 5 years apart (1999, 2004, and now 2009)

Midwest Region

• Ohio State was given a favor being put in Dayton, that gives them a big advantage over Siena
• I don't think Arizona deserved to get in, that extends their streak to 25 straight
• The bottom half is brutal.
• I think the entire state of North Dakota will travel to Minneapolis for their game, Remember KU lost as a 3 seed a few years ago.
• Right now I wouldn't be shocked if the Big 10 only got 6 teams in.

West Region

• Purdue wasn't done any favors having to go all the way to Portland
• I think Washington got a great draw to the sweet 16
• I think Memphis would have preferred staying closer to home
• Very interesting matchup with Marquette/Utah State, I give Utah State a great chance in that game.
• At first glance I would be surprised if Memphis and UConn don't play.

East Region

• Wisconsin as a 12 is very low, the Big 10 is really getting screwed except for Ohio State.
• Villanova was done a big favor, A 3 seed and in Philly
• VCU was an 11 when they beat Duke 2 years ago, and they won in Pennsylvania
• Duke got a nice draw, Texas and Minnesota cannot score with them.
• Pitt also got a nice draw if they can get to the regional final, I don't see Duke or Nova beating them.

South Region

• LSU got badly under seeded, shows what people thought of the SEC
• Like Purdue, Illinois got a bad draw having to go to Portland and possibly be matched up with Gonzaga.
• Clemson/Michigan is an interesting game
• Gonzaga/UNC could be a very entertaning game
• I think Arizona State could surprise in this region

I really thought that Saint Mary's should have gotten in ahead of Arizona, I think that was the biggest travesty of this season.

I will breakdown each region further in the next 24 hours. 

A sign of whats to come?

Louisville was not only the only regular season champion of the 6 major conferences to win its tournament, but the Cardinals were the only regular season champ to make the championship game. Tennessee was considered a #1 seed cause they won their division, LSU was the actual regular season champion. Here were the seeds for all of the BCS conference championships:

Pac 10: #4 Arizona St vs #6 USC-

#1 Washington lost in semis

Big 12: #3 Missouri vs #9 Baylor

#1 Kansas lost in quarters

ACC: #3 Duke vs #4 Florida St.

#1 UNC lost in semis

SEC: #1E Tennessee vs #3W Mississippi St 

Overall #1 LSU lost in semis- LSU finished 3 games ahead of Tennessee

Could the next couple of weeks be full of upsets like this week was? 

My #1 Seeds

East: North Carolina

Midwest: Pittsburgh

South: Louisville

West: Connecticut

John Calipari did every interview imaginable to campaign for a #1 seed, but I don't think he will get it. In the end UConn has too many quality wins ignore, so I gave it to them. 

One other possible #1 seed is Duke if they beat Florida State. Right now they are #2 in the RPI, and the win over FSU would give them 8 wins against the RPI top 50 (3 of those would be against FSU), and that is the same amount that UConn has. Memphis has only 4. 

Championship Week thoughts through Thursday

• The Big 10 has locked down 8 bids with Minnesota, Michigan, and Penn State winning Thursday.
• Clemson is going to be a very popular upset pick in the first round of the Tournament.
• Texas plays Baylor in the Big 12 semis, Rick Barnes has never lost to Baylor. Texas has never won the Big 12 Tournament.
• Oklahoma will not be a 1 seed.
• If North Carolina beats Virginia Tech I think they lock down the overall #1 seed.
• I think UNC and Pitt will be #1 seeds, I think Louisville, Michigan State, and Memphis could be #1's if they win their conference tournaments. UConn is still in the mix.
• West Virginia is a team I would not want to play right now.
• Hopefully Marquette takes positives out of their heart breaking loss to 'Nova. They have only won once since Dominc James got hurt, but at least they played well Thursday.
• The SEC is going to be interesting tomorrow, mostly because more than half the teams in action are on the outside looking in, and most of those teams are capable of winning the tournament.
• USC is can win the Pac 10.
• For those teams on the bubble, tomorrow's crucial game is Memphis/Houston. A Houston win will eliminate a bubble team. That being said the game is in Memphis, and the game is at 3:00. Why does that matter? Houston played the last game on Thursday, and needed overtime to beat UTEP, so they have the quick turnaround, and it will be their 3rd game in 3 days.

Does Jim Calhoun get paid extra?

I really don’t know what more I can say about the UConn/Syracuse marathon thriller. It was just incredible, everything about it was incredible. The level of play, the coaching, the atmosphere, even the officiating. First of all, I’ve gotta talk about the atmosphere. To me, what sets the Big East Tournament apart is that its played at Madison Square Garden, and the atmosphere is just unbelievable. I have always wondered why they don’t play NCAA Tournament games there. I mean how great would an Elite 8 game be on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden? They won’t ever play a Final 4 there, 1996 was the last time a Final 4 wasn’t played at a football stadium, but at least give us a regional.

Now onto the game. Johnny Flynn was incredible. To play as long has he did, its amazing that he was able to make 4 key free throws in the 5th OT to keep the Orange alive. The same can be said with Paul Harris who shot 13 of 14 from the foul line, Flynn made all 16 free throws. 7 guys fouled out, 3 for Syracuse, 4 for UConn. It was interesting because all of Syracuse’s guys fouled out in the first few overtimes, but UConn couldn’t put them away, only to see their guys foul out and Syracsue was able to eventually take advantage.

It will be interesting to see what kind of hangover both teams have from this game. I can’t imagine Syracuse winning tomorrow night, especially since it will basically be their 4th game in 3 nights, but I will also be curious to see how UConn bounces back next week. It can’t be easy to exert that much effort only to lose. UConn has now lost 4 straight Big East Tourney games.

One stat I found interesting- UConn had 28 turnovers, which is pretty good especially when you consider how tired guys were at the end. Syracuse had just 15 turnovers. 15! That’s incredible

Kobe Bryant on the Lakers win in Houston

Kobe was great after the game. Its about 5 minutes long. He said he kicked Artest's ass, and talked about the rivalry between the two.

Robert Horry was in the Lakers locker room after the game with his son. Kobe challenged his son to 1-on-1, and then told him that Horry was one of the greatest clutch players of all-time, and that the stories Horry tells are true.

Lakers 102 Rockets 96

The Lakers were very impressive in beating the Rockets without Lamar Odom. I thought the Rockets played a great first half, but the Lakers adjusted defensively, most notably on Yao, and outscored the Rockets by 17 points in the second half. Yao was 6 of 6 in the first half, but only took 3 shots in the second half. LA did a good job of doubling, and Yao was unable to pass out of them. Here are some other observations that I had:

1. The Lakers did a great job of pressuring the ball, that was a big reason why the Rockets had 23 turnovers.

2. Kobe was great, flat out. 37 points on the night, 31 of those came in the second half. 

3. Ron Artest was awful, flat out. 0 for 8 from 3. At some point you just have to stop shooting and defer to others. 

4. The Rockets were 5 of 28 as a team from 3. 

5. Artest got caught up in the 1 on 1 battle with Kobe. I thought that Shane Battier should have guarded Kobe down the stretch so that Artest wouldn't get distracted by Bryant. 

6. The Rockets cannot beat the Lakers right now, and the one thing that is going to hold them back is that they don't have that go-to guard who can get his own shot whenever he wants. Artest can be on some nights, but not enough to win a 7-game series against the Lakers. 

Here is postgame audio:

Rick Adelman

Phil Jackson

Ron Artest

The Adelman stuff is real good, he talked about what went wrong in the second half, and he talks about what the Rockets, in particular Yao should have done. Phil Jackson made a Hitler reference.

What to watch for: ACC/Big 10/SEC Tournaments

The last 3 major tournaments get underway tomorrow. Here are some things to watch for:

ACC

1. Will Ty Lawson play? I don't think he should, they have locked up a 1 seed,and playing 3 games in 3 days will only hurt.

2. I think the top 6 teams are locks to make the tournament, and I think the only way Miami, VTech, and Maryland make it is if they win it. 

3. Clemson is not playing well, so its important that they have a good tournament which I think is beating Georgia Tech and Florida State to the semis where they would likely face Carolina.

Big 10

1. I think tomorrow could be the most important day in this tournament. I believe the top 5 seeds are locks, and Penn State, Michigan, and Minnesota play themselves in with wins, but if any of those 3 teams lose I think they are done except possibly for Michigan.

2. I think Northwestern can still get in, but they have to beat Minnesota and then Michigan State. 

3. Penn State has a tough game tomorrow even though its against a terrible Indiana team. Its practically a home game for the Hoosiers, and their fans will come out as they have the entire season. They haven't been as bad as the 1-17 record says, they just haven't been able to finish games.

SEC

1. The SEC does their seeding by division, so they have 2 #1 seeds, the winner of the East and West and so on, they are one of the few conferences that seeds like this.

2. LSU and Tennessee won their divisions, but both are playing badly. LSU went 0-2 last week and Tennessee lost to Alabama Saturday. 

3. Remember last year Georgia shocked everyone and won this tournament, I wouldn't be at all surprised if a team that is not in the NCAA Tournament right now wins the SEC Tournament to take an at large spot away from someone, in fact I expect it. 

What to watch for: Big 12/Pac 10 Tournaments

The Big 12 and Pac 10 get underway today, and here are some quick thoughts that I have about them before they start:

Big 12

1. The conference moved the tournament up a day so it they wouldn't have to play the championship on Sunday because they thought it hurt them when it came to seeding. It might have, but I think the league gets more exposure when they play on Sunday afternoon compared to Saturday night.

2. I think Oklahoma can get a #1 seed if they win the tournament especially if Pitt wins the Big East.

3. Texas A&M is a lock if they beat Tech, same with Oklahoma State if they beat Iowa State.

4. KState probably would have been better off not having a bye in the first round. I think they may need to win 2 games to get in, that would probably come against Texas and Kansas. If you flip flop their seed with Texas and if they would have beaten Colorado and Texas I think they make it.

Pac 10

1. The Arizona/Arizona State game on Thursday is big. Arizona probably needs it to get in, and Arizona State needs a good tournament to get back on track after a bad 2 weeks.

2. Washington has a chance to really elevate itself if they can win this tournament. They have really been under the radar, similar to Oregon 2 years ago. They won the tournament, got a 3 seed, and advanced to the Elite 8.

Lane Kiffin should not speak to people anymore

This comes from ESPN.com blogger writer who has a post about Alshon Jeffrey, who was a top WR recruit. He originally committed to USC, but softened on that commitment starting a battle between USC, Tennessee, and South Carolina, where Jeffrey is from. Towards the end of the process, Kiffin knew he would not be able to sign Jeffrey, but he did offer him this piece of advice: 

According to Jeffrey, Kiffin told Jeffrey that if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.

Can you imagine Monte Kiffin saying something like that? Are they actually related? I guess we can add Steve Spurrier to the list of coaches Lane Kiffin has already pissed off. Remember what Kiffin said about Florida when he took the Tennessee job? The Gators do, its framed in their practice facility, oh well, its not like they'll be good next year.

What to watch for: Big East Tournament

The Big East Tournament starts today. Here are some thoughts I have going in:

1. They have expanded the tournament to have all 16 teams in this year, most people seem to think its a good idea. I think its a lousy one. 

• First of all it makes it nearly impossible to for the 9-16 teams to win it. They would have to win 5 games in 5 days. The 5-8 seeds have to win 4 games in 4 days, and 1-4 have to win 3 in 3 days. Obviously its not likely that a 9-16 seed would win, but it is possible, Syracuse won it 3 years ago as the 9 seed.
• Do we really need to see 0-18 Depaul play Cincinnati? Not just that, but the teams that wouldn't have made it under the old rules have no business being in it this year. There are clearly 4 really bad teams. At least the 9-12 teams will be competitive. 
• The first day of this tournament is meaningless. Its not even going to be on TV.

2. I think the top 7 teams are locks to make the NCAA Tournament. I think Providence needs to at least win one game, possibly two.

3. Marquette really needs to win a game. They have lost 4 straight, the last 3 without Dominic James. They need to get at least one win just to build some confidence that they can win without James. 

4. Pitt has a #1 seed locked up. I think Louisville will if they win the tournament. I also think they could if they get to the final, as long as they don't lose to UConn. I think UConn gets the 1 seed if they win it.

UPDATE: DePaul beat Cincy to get their first Big East win. Only 4 more to go. Does a win over DePaul even help Providence?

 

There is must-see college basketball tonight

ESPN and ESPN2 have what should be 4 great conference championship games involving 4 conferences that in the last few years have had teams make big runs in the NCAA Tournament.

Southern Conference- College of Charleston vs Chattanooga

This is the least intriguing of the 4. It also is the only game that doesn't have the top 2 seeds. Charleston knocked out Davidson last night. Former Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Cremmins is their coach, and it would be his first appearance in the tournament in close to a decade. Chattanooga advanced to the sweet 16 back in 1997 as a 14 seed.

Colonial Athletic Association- George Mason vs Virginia Commonwealth

Mason made the Final 4 back in 2006, then lost to VCU in a thrilling CAA Championship the next season, which of course is when VCU beat Duke in the first round. 

Metro Atlantic Association Conference- Siena vs Niagra

Siena won a game in the NCAA Tournament last year as a 13 seed. There is a good chance that they get an at-large spot if they lose, so it is a big game for bubble teams in the major conferences. Niagra has already beaten Siena this season, they are also coming off of a double overtime win over Rider in the Semis of the MAAC Tournament.

West Coast Conference- Gonzaga vs Saint Mary's

Gonzaga is a lock, and Saint Mary's has a great chance to get an at-large bid if they were to lose. These are 2 really good teams, probably the two best teams that play tonight. Gonzaga won both meetings in the regular season, but both were close, and Saint Mary's was without its best player- Patty Mills, who played for the first time in 9 games last night. Saint Mary's was ranked for most of the season until he got hurt.

Rockets have entered a brutal stretch

Last nights boring and uncompetitive win over the Grizzlies began a 5 game in 7 day stretch for the Rockets who right now are the 3-seed in the west. Here is the way the rest of this week will play out for Houston:

Tonight: @Denver

Wednesday: vs Lakers

Friday: @Charlotte

Saturday: vs San Antonio

So they play the top 2 teams in the West, as well as Denver, who had been the 3-seed until last week. This reminds me of the homestand they had right after McGrady was pronounced out for the season. They played Dallas, Portland, and Cleveland, and the ironic thing is, in the middle of that stretch they also played Charlotte, just like this week.

I don't think that teams should play 5 games in 7 nights, but what baffles me even more about the way the NBA schedule works, is that after this week, they play just 6 games in the 14 days.

A coincidence?

On draft night in 2006 the Rockets traded the #8 pick (Rudy Gay) and Stromile Swift to the Grizzlies for Shane Battier. Here are the records of both teams the year before the trade, and in the 2+ seasons since:

2005-06

Memphis: 49-33

Houston: 34-48

After the trade

2006-07

Memphis: 22-60

Houston: 52-30

2007-08

Memphis: 22-60

Houston: 55-27

2008-09

Memphis: 16-45

Houston: 40-23

Charles Barkley in jail

Here is a picture of Charles Barkley in jail:

Question: Do you think Nike paid Chuck to sport the swoosh while in the can? 

He did a press conference from jail earlier, I am looking for audio/video. Apparently he doesn't have to wear a uniform, and he is reading a book.

If they really wanted to punish Sir Charles, they should make him watch every Memphis Grizzlie game from this season. I have to watch them play tonight, and I didn't break any laws. 

UPDATE:
Here's a clip of his press conference:

Was TO desperate?

Terrell Owens now plays for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been irrelevant for the last decade. They last made the playoffs in 1999 which ties them with the Lions for the longest playoff drought in the NFL. They haven't been a joke like the Lions, but they have pretty much been forgotten. They haven't won, they haven't had any stars, and they play in Buffalo. This is why the Owens signing makes sense. The Bills finally have a player that garners national attention, and even bad attention is better than no attention, unless its Marshawn Lynch getting arrested again, but fortunately for Buffalo, TO doesn't cause any problems outside of the locker room, only inside.

It seems to me that Owens was desperate, and would sign with anyone if they offered him a decent amount of money. Why? PR. The quicker Owens signed with a team, the quicker everyone forgets that he was released by the Cowboys. Drew Rosenhaus said this week that he had many teams interested in signing Owens. That was probably a huge lie, but it doesn't matter now. His biggest goal was to get his client a new team ASAP, and he succeeded, and he got him paid too. Drew Rosenhaus did his job. One of his most high-profile clients has a job less than days after the Cowboys cost themselves more money against the cap by cutting him. Now that he is a Bill that is forogtten. Had he stayed on the market for weeks or even months the negatives from what happened in Dallas would have made it harder for Owens to find a team, much less $6.5 million. 

Towson looks to crash the party

This is why I love the conference tournaments: Towson finished the regular season at 10-21, 11th place in the Colonial Athletic Association, but after beating Drexel in the first round of their conference tournament, and Northeastern in the quarterfinals, they are now just 2 wins away from advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Next up for the Tigers is George Mason, who knows a thing or two about crashing parties. The winner of that game plays the winner of #1 Virginia Commonwealth/#4 Old Dominion in the championship game. Here are some other observations I have so far from Championship Week:

1. The Big South Championship Game (Radford/VMI) was a lot of fun to watch. VMI is like a smaller/faster version of the Warriors, and Radford plays slow and has a couple of good big guys. In the end Radford had way too many second chance points, and VMI didn't make enough shots.

2. Cleveland State/Butler is going to be a real good game. Cleveland State is a veteran team, and a lot of people picked them to win the Horizon League. They lost both meetings in the regular season by 2 points, including last week at Hinkle Fieldhouse where the Championship will be played.

3. Creighton had a brutal weekend and is going to have to sweat out the next week.

4. How badly do you think ESPN wants Davidson to play in the Southern Conference Championship? If they lose the semifinal ESPN gets College of Charleston vs Samford/Chattanooga. 

5. Oral Roberts has represented the Summit League the last few years in the NCAA Tournament, they were shocked as the 2 seed by 7 seed South Dakota State in the first round of that Tournament which is being played in Sioux Falls. 

6. Make sure you watch the West Coast Conference Semis on Sunday night. First you get Gonzaga, after that game you get Saint Mary's with Patty Mills making his return. 

7. Moorehead State and Austin Peay scored a total of 18 points in 2 overtimes. In the second overtime Moorehead State scored 4 points, doubling Austin Peay's 2. 

Is Ron Jeremy a terrorist?

When I was looking for the Ron Jeremy picture for the last post I ran into this picture.That is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed on the left. He's the guy who planned 9/11. Ron Jeremy is on the right. 

Stan Van Gundy calls out Shaq

On Tuesday the Magic beat Phoenix 111-99. Before the game Shaquille O'Neal had called Dwight Howard his understudy, and said a few other things. Howard got the better of the matchup, and called Shaq his elder after the game. I didn't see the game or the highlights, but apparently Shaq was doing some flopping while guarding Howard in the low post. Stan Van Gundy didn't like that too much, and had this to say afterwards:

"I was shocked, seriously, shocked," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of O'Neal's flopping. "And very disappointed cause he knows what it's like. Lets stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight."

Wow. Question- who wins a battle to the death: The Van Gundy brothers or Shaq? I'm going with the Van Gundy's. I can see Jeff grabbing onto Shaq's ankle and Shaq trying to kick him off while Stan rains blows upon him. 

On to what Van Gundy said. First of all if Shaq was flopping it is the epitome of hypocrisy. He has complained his whole career about guys flopping when guarding him, so he shouldn't be doing the same. I don't think I've ever seen Yao flop. Fall down, yes, but never a flop. Also don't forget Van Gundy hates Shaq because he's the reason that Van Gundy "resigned" as coach of the Heat. Stan will never say, but Jeff will and has, and he has taken shots at Shaq in the past. 

Shaq will be in Houston on Friday night to play the Rockets. It also happens to be his 37th birthday, unfortunately I will not be there. My cousin is getting married. 

I don't hate Duke, but......

This is funny:

Your tax dollars at work

Thousands of people are losing their jobs everyday, the defecit is skyrocketing, and the stock market continues to tank. You would think that our represenatives in congress would be trying to do something about those things. I give you House Resolution 153 put forward by Congresswoman Diane Watson (D- CA): 

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 153

Commending the University of Southern California Trojan football team for its victory in the 2009 Rose Bowl.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 10, 2009

Ms. WATSON (for herself, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. ANDREWS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. RICHARDSON, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. BOREN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. WATERS, Mr. ISSA, Ms. SOLIS of California, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. FARR, Mr. HINCHEY, and Mr. WATT) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor


RESOLUTION


Commending the University of Southern California Trojan football team for its victory in the 2009 Rose Bowl.

Whereas the University of Southern California (USC) Trojan football team achieved many historic accomplishments during the 2008 regular season;

Whereas the USC Trojan football team has now won more Rose Bowls than any other team in the Nation;

Whereas USC has achieved its seventh straight top 5 finish;

Whereas USC achieved an unprecedented seventh consecutive season of at least 11 or more victories;

Whereas USC was invited to make an unprecedented seventh consecutive Bowl Championship Series appearance;

Whereas USC won an unprecedented seventh consecutive Pacific-10 (Pac-10) Conference championship;

Whereas USC has become the first school to win 3 consecutive Rose Bowls;

Whereas USC has appeared in a record-tying fourth consecutive Rose Bowl;

Whereas USC is now tied with the record for most bowl victories of all time;

Whereas USC has won 86 of its last 96 games;

Whereas with USC's 2009 Rose Bowl victory, the Pac-10 Conference finished a perfect 5 and 0 in post-season bowl appearances;

Whereas, during the 2008 season, USC's defense was ranked number one in the Nation, holding opponents to just over 221 yards per game;

Whereas, during the 2008 season, USC featured 3 All-American first team players (linebackers Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and safety Taylor Mays);

Whereas USC will feature 5 players in the Under Armour Senior Bowl game held in Mobile, Alabama (linebackers Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and Clay Matthews, and defensive linemen Fili Moala and Kyle Moore);

Whereas USC head football coach Pete Carroll is 88 and 15 (85.4 percent) in 8 years (2001 to 2008) as a college head coach at USC, his record is the best winning percentage of any current NCAA Division I coach with at least 5 years of experience;

Whereas Coach Pete Carroll was featured on CBS's `60 Minutes', not only for his football accomplishments but for his work with `A Better L.A.', a nonprofit group consisting of a consortium of local agencies and organizations working to reduce gang violence by empowering change in individuals and communities;

Whereas, in the fall of 2008, Coach Pete Carroll helped organize `LA Live Peace 08', a march and rally at the Coliseum to promote gang intervention and non-violence in Los Angeles;

Whereas the annual Rose Bowl is the oldest of all college bowl games, and its history and prestige have earned it the title `The Granddaddy of Them All';

Whereas USC has played in the Rose Bowl on 33 occasions and won 24 times, both records exceeding any other collegiate football program;

Whereas, during the 2009 Rose Bowl game, quarterback Mark Sanchez passed for a game second-best 413 yards, a game record-tying 4 touchdown passes, and ran for a touchdown;

Whereas Sanchez's efforts resulted in him being named the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the game;

Whereas, during the 2009 Rose Bowl game, linebacker Kaluka Maiava made 4 tackles and 2 pass breakups, and he was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the game;

Whereas with linebacker Kaluka Maiava taking home Defensive MVP honors, each linebacker in USC's starting lineup has now been named defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl (Kaluka Maiava in 2009, Rey Maualuga in 2008, and Brian Cushing in 2007); and

Whereas, under the leadership of USC's 10th president, Steven B. Sample, USC has established itself as a world-class research university, known for its leadership in the fields of communication, media, public diplomacy, the sciences, and the arts: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) commends the University of Southern California (USC) Trojan football team and USC President Steven B. Sample for USC's victory in the 2009 Rose Bowl;

(2) applauds Coach Pete Carroll for his leadership not only on the football field, but also in the community; and

(3) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, students, alumni, and staff who were instrumental in helping the University of Southern California win the Rose Bowl.

Maybe this is the one piece of house legislation that will actually have Republican support.

McGrady defends himself

Ian Thomsen wrote an article last week about the Rockets moving on without Tracy McGrady. It was posted online Friday, but as I was listening to the radio today, it was being talked about. There is one quote in particular that has gotten attention from people in the city:

"I haven't been the guy who's been fortunate enough to play with Shaq, to play with Tim Duncan. I always seem to have average teams,'' he said. "You take me back in my Orlando days with Shaq? Come on, there are no questions. You take a healthy me and switch me out with Paul Pierce [on the current Celtics]? There's no question. There's definitely no question.''

Obviously people are taking that as a shot at his current and former teammates, but is it true? He played with Vince Carter in Toronto, and got swept out of the playoffs his only trip there, but they were young, so I don't think we can call that a good team. He played with nothing in Orlando, so you can't blame any playoff losses on him. Remember as an 8 seed he took the top seeded Pistons to 7 games. Since he has been with the Rockets he has played with an all star center. Has there been much around either of them? No, but I don't think you can call those teams average. 

McGrady has seen his stock drop faster than Prudential' this season, and he is trying to defend himself from the people who say he's choked in the playoffs, and he's not a winning player. Is he Michael Jordan? No, but he is not A-Rod either. Here are his playoff numbers, they are good. It would be great if he could win a series, but its not like he's flaming out every year.

By the way, I took that picture on Thursday night, I just forgot to post it until now.

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1999–00	Toronto	3	3	37.0	.386	.286	.875	7.0	3.0	1.0	1.0	16.7
2000–01	Orlando	4	4	44.5	.415	.200	.816	6.5	8.3	1.8	1.2	33.8
2001–02	Orlando	4	4	44.5	.462	.313	.739	6.3	5.5	.5	1.8	30.8
2002–03	Orlando	7	7	44.0	.448	.340	.773	6.7	4.7	2.0	.9	31.7
2004–05	Houston	7	7	43.0	.456	.370	.824	7.4	6.7	1.6	1.4	30.7
2006–07	Houston	7	7	40.0	.394	.250	.737	5.9	7.3	.7	.9	25.3
2007–08	Houston	6	6	41.2	.425	.208	.623	8.2	6.8	1.5	.8	27.0
Career		38	38	42.2	.430	.301	.756	6.9	6.2	1.3	1.1	28.5

Conference Tournaments are underway

The road to the Final Four officially begins tonight as 3 conferences start their tournaments. Selection Sunday is 12 days away. Here are some tournaments to pay attention to in the next 7 days because they have teams that are locks to be in the NCAA Tournament, or they have teams that are on the bubble, and could knock out a big conference school if they were not to win their conference tourney.

Horizon League

Butler is a lock just as they have been the last few years. Nobody else in that league has a chance at a bid, so Butler losing would eliminate a bubble team. 

The Horizon League Tournament is very strange. It is basically 2 different tournaments. Like the Pac 10 it is a 10 team league, but instead of having the bottom 4 teams play to get into the quarterfinals like they play it like this:

So the bottom 8 teams will play 2 games before the top 2 seeds play a single game, thats why I said its like 2 different tournaments. Obviously things are very much in Butler's favor since they have to just win 2 games, and both games would be at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

West Coast Conference

Gonzaga is a lock to be in the NCAA Tournament, so its important for the bubble teams that they win the tournament, but unlike the Horizon League, the West Coast Conference has a legit #2 seed in Saint Mary's that will be with start Patty Mills. Before Mills got hurt Saint Mary's was a top 20 team, and have an argument to be included in the field of 65 without winning the WCC tournament. The Tournament starts on Friday, and since its an 8 team league you'd think it would be a pretty simple bracket. That is not the case as you can see:

Seriously, who comes up with this crap? It appears that Saint Mary's and Gonzaga will meet for a third time this season. Gonzaga won the first two meetings by 7 and 2 points. The entire tournament is being played in Vegas.

Missouri Valley Conference

Creighton is in right now, and I think they will get in regardless of if they win or not, the team to watch is Northern Iowa. Joe Lunardi has them in right now because they won the regular season title, and go in as the #1 seed, but I don't think they will get an at large bid, so they probably have to win it. The MVC is a 10-team league, and they have a normal 10-team tournament, with the 7-10 seeds playing to get into the quarters.

Metro Atheltic Athletic Conference

Siena won the regular season championship, and Lunardi has them in ahead of some teams that are getting at large bids, so if they don't win the tournament there is a chance that they could get in as an at large. Remember Siena beat Vandy as a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament last year. What makes things interesting in that league is that Siena just lost to the #2 seed, Niagra, last week. It is a 10 team conference, and they play their tournament like the Missouri Valley.

A bad inning for the Astros

The Astros lost to the Rays on Tuesday 12-2 to drop to 1-5 on the Spring. They led 1-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd, Brandon Backe remained in the game after giving up no runs on 1 hit and a walk in his first 2 innings. He even struck out 3, so Cecil Cooper had to be feeling great. Then, it got ugly. Here is how the 10-run inning happened batter by batter. Notice the 4 pitchers used. 

BRANDON BACKE pitching

Reid Brignac: home run

Jason Bartlett: single

Carl Crawford: walk

Ben Zobrist: walk

SAMMY GERVACIO pitching

Pat Burrell: walk

Gabe Kapler: walk

Dioner Navarro: walk

POLIN TRINIDAD pitching

Adam Kennedy: walk

Ray Sadler: two-run double

Reid Brignac: strikeout

Jason Barltett: two-run single

Carl Crawford: strikeout

Ben Zobrist: two-run single

JEFF FULCHINO pitching

Pat Burrell: strikeout

I don't know what is more amazing. The fact that they walked 6 straight batters or that they struck out the side. Lost in that disaster is that Bud Norris pitched 2 perfect innings. 

Cardinals in a bind

The Kurt Warner saga has taken quite a turn in the last few days. Warner had said that he wasn't sure if he was going to comeback, but if he did it would be for the Cardinals and no one else. Now it appears that not only is Warner going to play, but he also wants to get paid, and it looks like he's pretty open to playing for someone else other than Arizona. Warner is in San Francisco being wooed by the 49ers, and it looks like they are making a run at the former MVP. Warner had said that he didn't want his family to have to move again, but the 49ers did the smart thing. They made sure his wife Brenda came along, so that they could sell her on the idea of San Francisco as well. Lets be honest, Brenda will have final say on where her husband plays.

The Cardinals are in a real tough spot. PR wise they have to re-sign Warner. They have to build on 2008, and if Warner walks over money most of the goodwill the Cardinals had from the fan base will go out the window. You can't totally blame them for not wanting to guarantee him more than $10 million. He is old, has had injury problems before, and frankly has been bad 5 of the 10 years he has been a starting QB in the NFL. 

In the end, the Cardinals have to re-sign Warner, especially when the team he could wind up with is in their division. Something tells me that if Warner were to sign with San Francisco it is a guarantee that the Cardinals will open the season at home against Warner and the 49ers on Monday Night Football. I'm not sure if you want to celebrate your Super Bowl season when your quarterback is on the other sideline. 

McDaniels off to a bad start

You are Josh McDaniels. You are the new 32-year old coach of the Broncos. You are replacing a guy who was with the head coach for 14 years and won 2 Super Bowls. You have a 25-year old quarterback who just made the Pro Bowl in his 3rd season, and will likely spend much of the net decade going to Pro Bowls. The quarterback loved the last guy who had your job. He doesn't really know you, so naturally he is a little skeptical of you. 

Here's what you don't do:

You don't shop the quarterback to try and get another quarterback, and if you do, you had better make the trade, otherwise you are screwed. 

Well, Josh McDaniels is now screwed. He decided that he would rather have Matt Cassel than Jay Cutler, which is fine, but he wasn't able to pull off the trade, and now Cutler is pissed. If he was a little skeptical of McDaniels before, he now doesn't trust him at all, and the relationship is likely damaged beyond repair before the duos first mini camp. Only making things worse is that the Broncos told Cutler they weren't shopping him around,which is a lie. Cutler was supposed to be in Denver this week going over the playbook with McDaniels, not anymore. Not a good start for the 4th Belichick assistant to get a head coaching job. Lets look at the first 3:

Romeo Crennel- 4 season, no playoff appearances- Fired

Eric Mangini- 3 seasons, one playoff appearance- Fired (will start his second HC job)

Charlie Weis- 10-15 the last 2 seasons, 1-2 in bowl games, has been embarrassed by good competition. 

Patriot assistants are quickly becoming like college coaches in the NBA, or Florida recievers in the NFL, or Jeff Tedford quarterbacks in the NFL (before Aaron Rodgers)- Stay away, stay far far away. 

With the 34th pick in the draft the Kansas City Chiefs select......

Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel.

Wow, thats a hell of a pick. I mean you get a good veteran linebacker to help lead a very young defense, and then you get a guy who you think could be your quarterback for the next decade, and oh ya, he has already started 15 games at a high level for a team that won 11 games last season. Scott Pioli is off to a very good start in Kansas City. Lets be honest, the Chiefs were bad last season, but they weren't as bad as their 2-14 record says they were. 7 of their losses were by 7 points or less, and the Chiefs led many of those games late in the 4th quarter, only to squander a lead. 

We know what Vrabel is. He's on the downside of his career, but he will certainly help the Chiefs, obviously the key to the deal is Cassel. I don't know if he's the real deal or not, but he is without a doubt worth a second round pick to find out. Lets be honest, who has a better chance of being a great NFL QB: Matt Cassel or Matthew Stafford? The answer is Cassel because we have seen him succeed in the NFL. There have been 7 quarterbacks drafted in the second round in the last three NFL drafts. They are:

Brian Brohm

Chad Henne

Kevin Kolb

John Beck

Drew Stanton

Kellen Clemens

Tavaris Jackson

I think we can safely say that Cassel is better than all 7, and if I'm the Chiefs I don't sign him to a big long-term contract. Let him play this season, just to make sure he's the guy. You can always franchise him again. If he flops in '09 and you haven't given him a new contract, then its just like making a bad second round pick, obviously not good, but it doesn't really set you back. Give him the new contract and he flops it will be like wasting a top 5 pick. That sets a team back years.

The question that was asked all weekend was couldn't the Patriots have gotten more? People have been saying that the Patriots didn't want first round picks. That makes a little sense because first round picks are a pain to sign, while second round picks are very easy to sign, but still don't you think the Patriots could have gotten a second rounder in 2010 to go along with this pick?