SCHULTZ's SHOTS

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2011-08-19T21:14:00.000-04:00

Check out the new blog via the Query & Schultz page on WNDE.com!

Hill the Right Fit

2011-06-28T20:05:00.004-04:00

If you get past the fact that George Hill grew up in Indianapolis, starred at both Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI, you may notice that he's a pretty good basketball player. The three-year veteran was considered to be the heir apparent to Tony Parker as the franchise point guard for the Spurs, and carved out an important role with a San Antonio team that annually contends for NBA Championships.

I don't view the Hill-to-Pacers trade based on who George Hill is, or where he's from. It's solely based on the player he is: a pretty good one. It's nice to see an Indy kid play for the hometown Pacers, but even if Hill was from Topeka and starred at UMKC, I'd still think this was a good trade for the Blue and Gold.

This year's mediocre Draft was beyond a crap shoot. With a pick in the middle of the First Round, the Pacers likely weren't going to be able to get a starter-caliber prospect. But, they turned that 15th overall pick (and the 42nd selection plus Erazen Lorbek) into a guy that's going to come in immediately and push Darren Collison at the point, and potentially end up as the starting two-guard. The worst-case scenario for George Hill is that the Pacers will have a terrific sixth man. The worst-case scenario for Kawhi Leonard, Marshon Brooks, Chris Singleton or any of the other players the Pacers could've had at #15? Much, much worse. That's not to say those players don't have the potential to become good NBA players - they do - but you can only collect so many young players with potential.

The Pacers have plenty of potential, what they needed was a young player that has already proven that he belongs. Hill should bring a winning mentality from one of the great organizations in the NBA, and some much-needed leadership in what has at times been a fractured Pacers locker room. That sounds a lot better than pinning your hopes on Kawhi Leonard's massive hands, a 6'10 Latvian, or a guy that has languished in Europe for the last six years.

Grim Reality

2011-06-17T10:38:00.002-04:00

After the Bruins' 4-0 Game 7 win over Vancouver to clinch the Stanley Cup the other night, I've been wrestling with the realization that Boston is the new Best Sports City in America. In fact, it's barely an argument even worth having. All four of Boston's major pro sports teams have won championships since 2004. They have seven total titles in the span of the last decade. Compare that success to the other cities nationwide that have 3-4 pro sports teams.

New York
- Yankees have won 27 World Series championships, with five coming in the last fifteen years
- Giants are near the top of the list with three all-time Super Bowl wins, and the Islanders dynasty netted them four Cup Titles
- Long droughts – the Rangers have one Stanley Cup in the last 70 years (1994), the Jets have one Super Bowl in 43 years (1968), the Mets have just one World Series in the past 40 years (1986), and the Knicks haven’t won an NBA Title in almost 40 years (1973)

Chicago
- the Bulls won six titles in the 90s, but those are the only NBA Championships of their 45-year history
- the Cubs and White Sox have combined to win one World Series Championship in the last 91 years
- the Bears have only won one Super Bowl (1985), and the Blackhawks have one Stanley Cup in the last 50 years (2010)

Dallas
- after the Mavericks won their first title in their existence, and the Rangers went to the World Series, they’re in the conversation
- Cowboys have the second most Super Bowl titles (5), and are tied for the most appearances in the big game (8)
- the Stars have only been in Dallas since 1993, but they do have a Stanley Cup title (1999), and have won seven Division Championships

Other cities with 3-4 major sports teams that don’t qualify: Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Miami, Oakland, Denver, Washington, Tampa Bay, St. Louis

Other cities with 3-4 major sports teams that REALLY don't qualify: Cleveland, Seattle

Choke or Not?

2011-05-31T20:42:00.005-04:00

In the last 48 hours, there has been some debate over whether JR Hildebrand's last-lap crash was a choke or not. Here are the two sides to the argument.

WHY IT ISN'T A CHOKE
JR Hildebrand did what rookies rarely do at Indy: have a chance to win. He ran up front all day, and put himself in a terrific position to chug the milk. With just one turn, and five more clean seconds necessary to claim the checkered flag, Hildebrand messed up.

He's handled it extremely well, refusing to throw his team (read: spotters) or Charlie Kimball (who he was attempting to pass) under the bus.

WHY IT'S A CHOKE
Plenty of great athletes have "choked" before. Bill Buckner had over 2,700 hits in his career. Hall-of-Famer Patrick Ewing missed a finger roll that would've won New York's Eastern Conference Semifinals series with the Pacers in 1995. 14-time Major champion Tiger Woods lost a Sunday lead in the 2009 PGA Championship to someone called Y.E. Yang. Alex Rodriguez, LeBron James, and Peyton Manning have all at one time or another been labeled as a "choker". If an inexplicable mistake comes at a crucial time, it's a choke regardless of who makes the error.

In order to complete the Indianapolis 500, you have to make 800 correct turns. JR Hildebrand was perfect for the first 799, and then crashed after Turn 800 about two football fields away from the finish line. Blame it on his spotters if you want, but even JR said that it was his split-section decision to go high and make the aggressive pass on Kimball. It's perfectly reasonable for a 23-year old rookie to make a mistake at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - it happens multiple times annually. The only problem is that it rarely happens after the final turn, on the final lap, while the rookie is leading the race.

FINAL VERDICT
It's a choke. Hildebrand is a great kid, with a ton of talent, who has handled the heartbreaking situation with the class of a long-tenured veteran. That being said, it doesn't matter how nice or how classy JR is. It would've been highly unlikely that he a) would've run out of gas, or b) been passed by Wheldon had he let off the gas a little bit and played it safe heading to the line.

The Big 2...

2011-05-11T12:41:00.005-04:00

Besides celebrating the birthdays of Cam Newton, Salvador Dali, and Francisco Cordero, May 11th is a special day on the calendar because it's the two-year anniversary of The Zone!

I've already done so on the Zone fanpage on Facebook, but I also wanted to take this space to thank all of you that have listened, supported, and participated over the past 24 months. It's been a big thrill for me, and I'm looking forward to more of the same.

Help Found

2011-05-04T11:43:00.005-04:00

It was very strange to watch the approach to this year's Draft for the Colts. For so long, we had seen this franchise draft based on the best player available, and for a long time that approach worked. But, a new philosophy - perhaps signifying a new era with Chris Polian waiting to take over for his father - was ushered in on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: the Colts were drafting for need.

The offensive line had been rapidly deteriorating for a long time, and that area was finally addressed by the team. Indianapolis used their first two picks to fortify their shaky line by adding tackles Anthony Castonzo, and Ben Ijalana. Ijalana, out of FCS program Villanova, is expected to shift to guard. Both are skilled and, more importantly, large. Castonzo checks in at 311 pounds, while Ijalana would be a beefy guard at 317 pounds. The additions of the two draft picks should lead to some shifting on the offensive line. Expect Charlie Johnson to move to the right side, whether that be at guard or tackle, with Castonzo securing the starting LT nod. The battle at offensive guard should be the most interesting storyline of Training Camp (if there is one), with Ijalana, Mike Pollak, Kyle DeVan, Jamey Richard, and Jacques McClendon all getting a look. The odd man out in this whole situation could be longtime RT starter Ryan Diem. Diem, a ten-year veteran, has been regressing for years and is due $5.4 million (a jump from $3.8M last season) in 2011, the final year of his contract.

Drake Nevis, a third-round pick out of LSU, puts an extra body at the interior of the defensive line with the statuses of Daniel Muir, Mookie Johnson, and Eric Foster still yet to be determined. Nevis will also get a chance to start. Also, I'm very intrigued by RB Delone Carter from Syracuse. The 225-pounder has a body type that we haven't ever seen in the Colts' backfield, and could help with their struggles in short-yardage situations. If Chris Rucker of Michigan State can prove his legal issues are a thing of the past, he can contribute as well. He is projected to help at safety, where the Colts have glaring depth issues.

All in all, the 2011 Draft class signifies that the Colts have gotten the message. Their patchwork offensive line needed improving, while the defensive tackle position and depth at RB and S needed to be addressed. We won't know how to grade this five-player haul until several years down the line. However, based on positions only, you have to be happy with what the players the Colts were able to bring into the fold.

Sold on Solder?

2011-04-28T13:12:00.003-04:00

Mock Drafts are hardly an exact science, but with the 2011 NFL Draft beginning tonight, I was surprised at how nearly-unanimous the experts were in projecting the Colts' 22nd overall selection:

Colts' #22 Mock Draft rundown
Mel Kiper, ESPN: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
Todd McShay, ESPN: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
Mike Mayock, NFL Network: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
Pat Kirwin, NFL.com: DT Cory Liuget, Illinois
Russ Lande, Sporting News: OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
Rob Rang, CBSSports.com: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
Chad Reuter, CBSSports.com: OT Gabe Carmini, Wisconsin
Adam Caplan, FoxSports.com: DT Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple*
(* this was after Caplan had Solder in his first three Mock versions)

It's tough to know anything about offensive lineman, outside of the guys like Jake Long who are considered top-five picks. Here's a highlight video of Solder:

I don't really care if Solder is the pick or not, but with this being such a great draft for offensive tackles, the Colts really need to take advantage of that. I'd list their other needs in order as: DT, S, and depth at WR and CB.

Tiger Myth

2011-04-11T20:42:00.007-04:00

If you're a fan of the show (which I'm guessing you are if you're reading this...), you know that I'm not a huge Tiger Woods fan. It doesn't have anything to do with his personal life, or personal jealously, even though I'd love to look that scary in red. It's mostly because of his attitude, and a blantant disregard for the etiquitte instilled in all golfers when they first learn to play. However, all of that aside, one thing I can't stand is the belief that professional golfers are scared of Tiger Woods.

Chances are, you've heard it before from announcers and fans alike: "Uh oh, here comes Tiger! I bet is going to crumble!" Forget the fact that Tiger still has never come from behind on a Sunday to win a Major championship. There's a widely-held belief that other golfers on the tour watch Tiger's every move, and tremble with fear as he approaches them on the leaderboard.

It's completely ridiculous.

Golf is a game of inner focus. Are other golfers cognizant of what Tiger (and everyone else) is doing? Of course. They need to know where they stand for strategy purposes. But, pro golfers have to focus on themselves. They wouldn't be playing at the PGA Tour level if they didn't. Brian Murphy of Yahoo! Sports writes a terrific piece on how Sunday's results at The Masters proves that other golfers are unafraid. Murphy focuses on what the other golfers did once Tiger tied for a share of the lead through 10 holes:

Jason Day: bogey-free back nine 32, including birdies on 17 and 18. Adam Scott: without a major title and questioned for his mental toughness, played behind Tiger’s roars and posted a bogey-free 33 on the back nine, finishing ahead of Tiger.

Geoff Ogilvy: already with a major in the Tiger Era (the 2006 U.S. Open), played in the twosome immediately behind Tiger and ripped off five consecutive birdies for a back-nine 31, tying Tiger’s final-round 67.

Luke Donald: playing behind Tiger’s noise, bounced back from a double-bogey on No. 12 for a back-nine 34, going three under in his last six holes.

Charl Schwartzel: all of 26 years old (just 12 when Tiger won the 1997 Masters) and playing behind Tiger’s pine-rattling crowds, carded arguably the greatest back nine since Nicklaus in ’86, a bogey-free 32 and those instantly historic four consecutive birdies. Oh, by the way, he’ll be drawing up the menu for next year’s Champions Dinner.

Just like the '09 Masters when Tiger charged the front nine and faded away, the rest of the field was unafraid. Tiger is great. Tiger will win again. But, the psychologial impact that Tiger has on the rest of golf is grossly overrated.

Hammertime

2011-04-08T22:16:00.007-04:00

Purdue will unveil their new ~~and improved~~ version of Purdue Pete during tomorrow's annual Gold and Black game. A video of Purdue Pete II (or version 2.0) surfaced on their athletics website yesterday before it was taken down a few hours later. We were still able to find the photo on the Lafayette Courier-Journal website.

I'm not a big fan. While the old Purdue Pete had a creepy, hard plastic face (similar to what the mascot from the old Big Boy burger chains had), PPII's is made from fabric. In fact, he looks more like the lovechild of Jay Leno and Sparty, just without the HGH. I'm completely lost on the hat. Since when was chrome part of Purdue's color-scheme? I thought it was "Hail to the Old Gold and Black". PPII's octagon-shaped tin foil hat makes this outfit appear even more ridiculous. A plain gold shirt, and oversized belt buckle (also chrome) don't help tie the outfit together. I'm no fashionista, but that reflective hat is going to look absurd reflecting the bright sun on Saturday afternoons at Ross-Ade Stadium. Did I mention the new Pete is ditching the trademark hammer as well?

The old Purdue Pete wasn't perfect. But, he had his weapon of choice, a hard hat with the official school colors, and a face that would haunt your dreams (don't you want your mascot to be intimidating?) Hell, I'd even take the super effeminate basketball-version of Purdue Pete, with the short shorts and go-go boots. This toned-down, huggable, tin foil hat wearing fraud was a big swing and a miss.

Quickest MLB Preview Ever

2011-03-31T15:48:00.007-04:00

Author's note: we're already about two hours into Opening Day, so me putting off my MLB Preview has left me scrambling just to get some predictions on the record. Here they are...

AMERICAN LEAGUE
East: Red Sox - They're just too strong. Their offseason reminds me of what the Yankees did in '09 which led to a World Series run. Also, just imagine what they can do with a healthy Youkilis, Pedroia, and Ellsbury...

Central: White Sox - Chicago seems to be the trendy pick. There's nothing exciting about this team, but they're steady and would've been the Division champ last year if not for a late-season fade. The Adam Dunn Factor (teams suck when they acquire him) worries me.

West: Athletics - A casual baseball fan won't know much about their starting rotation, but it's enough to make a baseball nerd drool. For what Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Brett Anderson lack in big name appea, they make up for in talent and effectiveness. Don't sleep on Dallas Braden either - he was 11-14, but only had a 3.50 ERA in 2010.

Wild Card: Yankees - With Tampa Bay falling off, it's hard to see anyone else coming up here and grabbing this spot. If the AL Central was a college basketball conference, it would be a one-bid league. Texas had a lot of things go right last year, and the Angels aren't back (yet). From a talent standpoint, New York is still one of the three best teams in the league.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
East: Phillies - This team isn't as invincible as everyone makes them out to be. Chase Utley likely won't be back until mid-May, and promising prospect Dom Brown is hurt, and still may need some more seasoning when he returns. The success of this squad falls on their starting pitching, which with the addition of Cliff Lee, is one of teh best we've ever seen on paper.

Central: Reds - I think they're a safe pick because there are more answers than questions with this bunch. They aren't flashy, but they have a wealth of solid starters, a young lineup with no glaring holes, and are possibly the best defensive team in all of baseball.

West: Rockies - I've been burned by them the last couple of years, but the law of averages says that I'll have to be right eventually. Ubaldo Jimenez can't be expected to have the same season as he did last year, but if the rest of their rotation can pick it up, they'll be in good shape.

Wild Card: Braves - It's tough leaving the defending World Champs out of it, but the Braves look like they're back. It's taken a few years for them to retool, but they have terrific pitching depth. Nate McClouth can't be worse than he was last year, and the addition of Dan Uggla can only help.

I'm not going to give you my World Series pick for fear that this entry will end up similar to my Bracket picks (see below, if you dare). But, I'm leaning towards Red Sox/Rockies in a rematch of a non-competitive 2007 Fall Classic, with the same end result.

Hail to the King

2011-03-20T20:16:00.008-04:00

In the late 1990's and early 2000's, Gonzaga captivated the nation with back-to-back-to-back Cinderella runs in the NCAA Tournament to the Elite 8 (1999 as a #10 seed) and the Sweet 16 (2000 as a #10 seed, 2001 as a #12 seed). They have made the NCAA Tournament in every year since, winning 263 games in the process, to become known as the preeminent mid-major power in college hoops.

However, following an upset of another top-seed to secure their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in their last six Tournament trips, Butler has surpassed Gonzaga as the king of mid-major hoops. Let me preface this by saying that I don't often count Xavier, from what is historically a multi-bid Atlantic 10 conference, as a mid-major. That term is reserved for teams from leagues that generally send just one team to the NCAA Tournament, ala the West Coast and Horizon (Mountain West wouldn't count).

When you look at the comparison between Gonzaga and Butler over the last decade, it's barely a comparison at all. Despite accruing more bluechip talent, the Zags' Tournament results just haven't stacked up against Butler's.

NCAA TOURNAMENT
Gonzaga hasn't really done anything since making their third straight run to the NCAA Tournament's second weekend in 2001. Since '01, Gonzaga has defeated the following teams in the Tournament:

Gonzaga Tourney wins since 2002:
#8 Cincinnati*
#15 Valparaiso
#14 Winthrop
#14 Xavier
#6 Indiana
#13 Akron
#12 Western Kentucky
#9 Florida State
#6 St. John's*
*win against a higher-seeded team

Gonzaga has beaten only two higher-seeded teams in the last decade, with no wins over a seed better than a 6. Five of their nine Tournament wins have come against a seed #12 or lower. Not very impressive at all. They went to the Sweet 16 twice, beating a 14 and 6 as a 3-seed in 2006, and a 13 and 12 as a 4 seed in 2009.

Gonzaga Tourney losses since 2002:
2002: lost to #11 Wyoming by 7
2003: lost to #1 Arizona by 1 in OT
2004: lost to #10 Nevada by 19
2005: lost to #6 Texas Tech by 2
2006: lost to #2 UCLA by 2
2007: lost to #7 Indiana by 13
2008: lost to #10 Davidson by 6
2009: lost to #1 North Carolina by 21
2010: lost to #1 Syracuse by 22
2011: lost to #3 BYU by 23

When matched-up against top-level competition, Gonzaga hasn't even been close. Their last three Tournament exits have all come in blowout fashion. This decade they've lost to four teams seeded below them (11, 10, 6, 10), and are just 2-6 against higher-seeded teams. Who has Gonzaga really beaten/pushed in the Tournament in the last decade outside of the OT loss to top-seeded Arizona in '03? Just in the last four years, Butler has defeated the outright Big East regular season champion (both as #1 seeds), defeated #2 seed Kansas State, and took #2 seed Tennessee to double overtime in 2008. Take a look:

Butler Tournament wins since 2002:
#5 Mississippi State*
#4 Louisville*
#12 Old Dominion
#4 Maryland*
#10 South Alabama
#12 UTEP
#13 Murray State
#1 Syracuse*
#2 Kansas State*
#5 Michigan State
#9 Old Dominion
#1 Pittsburgh*

Butler Tournament losses since 2002:
2003: lost to #1 Oklahoma by 11
2007: lost to #1 Florida by 8
2008: lost to #2 Tennessee by 5 in OT
2009: lost to #8 LSU by 4
2010: lost to #1 Duke by 2

In their six Tournament appearances this decade, Butler has been eliminated by three #1s and a #2 by an average of just over six points per contest. That's a lot less than the 20+ point beatdowns that have been handed out to Gonzaga over the past few years. Butler has advanced to the Sweet 16 four times in their past six Tourney trips as a #12, #5, #5, and #8. Gonzaga has only made it to the second weekend as a #3 or a #4 in their last ten appearances. Also, Butler is 7-5 this past decade against teams that are either seeded higher than them or on their same seed-line (Michigan State, Final Four '10). Compare that to the Zags' 2-6 mark.

TALENT
Despite Gonzaga becoming a national player when it comes to top recruits, acquiring talent hasn't really paid off for them. Meanwhile, Butler is just starting to scratch the surface with their last few classes.

National Top 150 recruits since 2002:
Gonzaga (12): Josh Heytvelt #120 (2004), David Pendergraft #147 (2004), Jeremy Pargo #105 (2005), Matt Bouldin #45 (2006), Theo Davis #39 (2006), Austin Daye #25 (2007), Robert Sacre #102 (2007), Steven Gray #64 (2007), Grant Gibbs #118 (2008), Demetri Goodson #132 (2008), Mangisto Arop #88 (2009), Sam Dowyer #116 (2009)
Butler (3): Nick Brooks #124 (2003), Matt Howard #91 (2007), Khyle Marshall #118 (2010), Crishawn Hopkins #124 (2010).

Rivals.com three-star or better recruits:
Gonzaga (18): Derek Raivio (2003), Joao Batistia (2004), Heytvelt, Pendergraft, Pargo, Mamery Diallo (2005), Bouldin, Davis, Daye, Sacre, Gray, Gibbs, Goodson, Andy Poling (2008), Arop, Dower, GJ Vilarno (2009), Keegan Hyland (2010)
Butler (9): Brooks, Zach Hahn (2007), Howard, Gordon Hayward (2008), Shelvin Mack (2008), Ronald Nored (2008), Andrew Smith (2009), Marshall, Hopkins.

NBA Players:
Gonzaga (5): Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Blake Stepp, Austin Daye, Ronny Turiaf
Butler (1): Gordon Hayward

Gonzaga has gotten high-profile talent, but it hasn't been able to translate for them. Butler has had one pro (Hayward) as of now, and one Top 100 National recruit (Howard), yet they've outperformed Gonzaga in March.

The two schools have combined for 508 wins in the last decade, with either a regular season or Conference Tournament title (or both) in 17 of the 20 combined seasons. Both Gonzaga and Butler have carried the torch for all mid-major hoops programs. But, Butler has been doing more of the heavily lifting lately.

Bracket Breakdown

2011-03-16T20:07:00.023-04:00

After slamming head into a desk repeatedly over the last 72 hours, I've finally come up with some analysis (if you want to call it that) on the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Enjoy.

EAST Region
Best potential matchup: Ohio State vs. Kentucky
This matchup really should've come in a Regional Final, but instead Kentucky was under-seeded as a four. You'd have the best team in the Big Ten face off against the top squad in the SEC in the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes would certainly have the experience edge, but the Wildcats have the athleticism to cause Ohio State some problems.

Easy pickin': Xavier over Marquette
I'm stunned how many people are picking the Golden Eagles in this game. Since going to the Final Four in 2003, Marquette is 2-5 in the NCAA Tournament with three one-and-dones. Meanwhile, the Musketeers are one of the most dangerous teams in March. In their last eight Tournament appearances, they have only lost in the First Round once (falling by four points as a 14-seed against 3-seed Gonzaga in '06). In that span, they've advanced to the second weekend three times, going as far as the Elite 8 twice. I know that doesn't have much to do with this year, but I'll generally take the team that plays well in the Tournament over the team that doesn't. Plus, Tu Holloway will be the best player on the court by far.

Darkhorse: Washington
The Huskies come into the Tourney hot after running to a Pac-10 Tournament title. Junior guard Isaiah Thomas is one of the most dynamic players in the field, and UW is prone to offensive explosions. They should have any easy time of it against a weak Georgia squad in the opener, and can cause a lot of problems for potential Second Round foe North Carolina.

Champ: Ohio State
Even in a loaded region, the Buckeyes are the least flawed. Depth could be an issue, but their 1-7 is the best in the nation. I love the job Thad Matta has done mixing in experience (Lighty, Diebler, etc.) and youth (Sullinger, Craft, Thomas). They'll have to earn those four wins, but if anyone can make a tough run through the East, it's them.

WEST Region
Best potential matchup: UConn vs. Missouri
As an 11-seed, the Tigers don't jump out to you as a serious threat, but it's Mike Anderson's up-tempo style that should make this Second Round matchup a treat. Mizzou sports five players averaging in double-figures scoring, but had a lot of trouble away from Columbia this year. UConn likes to get up and down as well, so this one would likely get into 90s. Both teams shouldn't overlook Cincinnati and Bucknell, though.

Easy pickin': Arizona over Memphis
There isn't an upset pick that jumps out to me in this bracket, but I've been seeing Memphis get some heavy consideration as everyone loads up on 12-over-5 selections. I'm having trouble picking a Tigers team that wouldn't have even made the field without UTEP blowing a 13-point lead in the Conference USA Tournament Title game. Arizona has one of the best individual talents in the country in Derrick Williams, and would be one of the toughest challenges this season for a Memphis team that missed on numerous opportunities against Top 25-caliber teams over the course of the year.

Darkhorse: Tennessee
There may not be a team in the West Region more talented than Tennessee - the problem is that the Vols have rarely been able to put it together. UT limped to the finish line, losers of seven of their last eleven, but have a number of impressive early-season wins against teams like Pittsburgh, Villanova, and Memphis. Things fell into place for them in their Elite 8 run last year, but it'll be tough for history to repeat itself, even with the potent duo of Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris.
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Champ: Texas
The Longhorns are a huge risk, especially with the way that they fizzled down the stretch, but this is a Region of risks. Duke is experienced and talented, but their overall body of work in a weak ACC wasn't worthy of their #1 seed. San Diego State has NBA talent (see: Kawhi Leonard), but built their entire resume on their dominance of UNLV, who they defeated three times. UConn has some exciting young guns, but they're essentially a one-man show that will go as far as Kemba Walker takes them. Here's hoping that the midseason version of Texas' reappears in March, instead of the Tournament version we've seen most years since 2003.

SOUTHWEST Region
Best potential matchup: Purdue vs. Notre Dame
I've always enjoyed their football rivalry - why not hoops as well? Two of the best-coached teams in the country are slated to meet in the Southwest Regional Semifinals should they be good enough to get through their first two games in nearby Chicago. The Irish are underrated athletically, and have a starting lineup with five guys that can hurt you. When Purdue defends well, they can hang with (and beat) anyone in the country. The most intriguing question in this game is what Notre Dame does on the interior to counter JaJuan Johnson. Meanwhile, without Kelsey Barlow, the Boilers will be short one of their best defenders against one of the nation's most fluid offenses.

Easy pickin': Richmond over Vanderbilt
This didn't require much thought. In their last two trips to the NCAAs as a four-seed, Vandy has been embarrassed in upset losses to Siena and Murray State. Meanwhile, scrappy Richmond, a 27-win team this season, may have been under-seeded as a #12. The Spiders have won seven straight, and eleven of their last twelve heading into the Tournament. The senior All-Atlantic 10 duo of Justin Harper (17.9 ppg) and Kevin Anderson (16.5 ppg) are a handful.

Darkhorse: Louisville
One thing we know about the overachieving Cardinals this season is that they've competed with everyone. Of their nine losses, five either came by single-digits or in overtime, mostly in the rugged Big East. Unlike in past years, Louisville doesn't "wow" you with NBA talent, but this is perhaps Rick Pitino's best coaching job of his illustrious career. They're athletic and they play smart. The Cards are going to be an awfully tough out.

Champ: Louisville
It's too easy to pick Kansas. If the Tournament was based on talent alone, the KU would be in the Final Four every year. I'll go out on a limb and take Louisville because I think they're one of the few teams in the country that has the athletes to compete with the Jayhawks. We've seen super-athletic teams (Texas, Kansas State) cause them problems this season. Plus, the Jayhawks burned me in '97, '98, and '10, and I'm tired of getting toasted.

Can't go wrong with a guy named "Peyton", right?

SOUTHEAST Region
Best potential matchup: Butler vs. Old Dominion
Take the word "potential" right out of it. Butler/ODU may be the best head-to-head battle that this dumpster-fire of a grouping has to offer. ODU is making their fourth Tournament appearance in seven years, and this may be their best team yet, claiming victories over Clemson, Xavier, and Richmond this season. Also, don't underrate the strength of the Colonial which sent three teams to the NCAAs this year. Butler is Butler. They'll be ready and focused. But, the Monarchs won't be afraid.

Easy pickin': Florida being upset at some point
I have UCLA knocking them off in my bracket. Some have Michigan State. Others have whoever comes out of the BYU/Wofford/St. John's/Gonzaga pod. The Gators are a nice team, but were grossly over-seeded as a 2. The good news for Florida is that they drew what is by far the weakest half of any Region: a one-man BYU squad, banged-up St. John's, and bi-polar UCLA and Michigan State teams. I'm just not real high on Billy Donovan's group this year.

Darkhorse: UCLA
I often develop crushes on young teams with great head coaches, and UCLA checks both of those areas off on the list. They had some early growing pains, including a four-game non-conference losing skid capped by a loss to Montanta, but have since rebounded nicely. Oh, and it helps that the Bruins are 14-4 in their last four trips to the NCAA Tournament with three Final Four appearances.

Champion: Pittsburgh
Sometimes you're forced into picking a team based on what the draw ends up being. If Pitt breaks through for their first Final Four appearance since World War II, they should send a thank you card to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. This Southeast Region is the worst Region that I can ever remember (2000 West Region is a close second) since I started filling out brackets in the early 1990s. Who beats Pitt? Kansas State, who was comatose for the first three months of the season? Wisconsin, who scored 33 points in their last game? BYU without Brandon Davies? Overrated Florida? Despite their lack of Tournament success - Pitt has been defeated by a lower-seed in six of their last eight NCAA appearances - my pick is the Panthers by default.

The Shots Final Bracket
CHAMPIONSHIP: Ohio State over Pittsburgh
FINAL FOUR: Ohio State, Texas, Louisville, Pittsburgh
DARKHORSES: Xavier and UCLA in the Elite 8
FIRST ROUND UPSETS: VCU, Richmond, Belmont, Wofford

Banner-worthy

2011-03-08T20:31:00.003-05:00

With the recent trade of Bob Sanders, the Colts will need a new face to hang on one of their banners outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. If you're unfamiliar with the outside of the building, the Colts have four banners - one of which is of Sanders - that hang outside year round, with two on each side of the stadium. Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, and Reggie Wayne are on the other three.

So, with Sanders gone, who is banner-worthy?

The first candidates that come to mind are Dallas Clark, Gary Brackett, and Robert Mathis. All three have spent their entire careers in Indianapolis, and each of them are impact players. Clark is one of the best tight ends in the league, and his hard-nosed playing style (read: unafraid to take hits) has endeared him to the Colts' faithful. Brackett is the defensive captain and one of the vocal leaders of the team. He's worked his way up from an undrafted and undersized free agent, to one of the best middle linebackers in the league. Mathis is outspoken, he's fiery, and it helps that he's been to three straight Pro Bowls. You can't go wrong with any of those three, but for a darkhorse candidate, what about Johnny Unitas?

Since the Colts refuse to let go of their past in Baltimore, why not hang up a banner of the best player in franchise history? Unitas wanted nothing to do with Indianapolis, and wanted all of what he accomplished in a Colt uniform to stay in Baltimore. But, he's not here anymore. If Jim Irsay really wants to bring the franchise's history in Baltimore and Indianapolis together, this is his chance.

Doesn't this debate reveal the ridiculousness of the Colts holding onto history that isn't theirs? This has nothing to do with the Baltimore fans. They have their own team now. They won their own title in 2000. Broken hearts should've been mended long ago. My argument this entire time has been that the Colts have done enough in Indianapolis for that history to stand on its own. A Super Bowl Championship (XLI), 27 seasons, more games in Indy than were played in Baltimore - it's time to move on.

Nothing about the Baltimore Colts resonates with Indianapolis fans. Unitas isn't to Manning what Starr was to Favre, or what Staubach was to Aikman. Raymond Berry isn't a beloved figure in our city. To Colts fans in Indy, "The Greatest Game Ever Played" is the 2006 AFC Championship Game, not the 1958 NFL Championship.

Give Baltimore back their history, and further establish Indy's own. Or, put Johnny Unitas' face outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. We're only talking about a silly banner, but maybe the conversation about the Colts leaving the past in the past is worth bringing up again.

Best in the State?

2011-03-01T12:28:00.003-05:00

As we enter the final week of the regular season, we have been debating on the show who the best team in Indiana is. Here's how they weigh-in:

Purdue (24-5, 13-3 Big Ten)
RPI says: 2-3 vs. Top 25, 5-3 vs. Top 50, 12-5 vs. Top 75
Good wins: Ohio State, Wisconsin, at Illinois
Bad losses: Richmond-N, at Minnesota
PROS: have two of the best players in the country, have a dominant big, are terrific defensively, good role players who know what their job is, have experience where they need it, don’t get shaken too much on the road,
CONS: did nothing against a mediocre non-league schedule, their road resume isn’t super-impressive, struggle when a third guy doesn’t step up, rely on streaky players like Smith, Byrd, and Barlow, had trouble closing out good opponents away from Mackey Arena

Notre Dame (24-5, 13-4 Big East)
RPI says: 6-4 vs. Top 25, 9-4 vs. Top 50, 12-5 vs. Top 75
Good wins: at Pitt, Wisconsin-N, Georgetown, St. John’s, UConn, Louisville, Villanova
Bad losses: at Marquette (by 22), at West Virginia (by 14), at St. John’s (by 18)
PROS: experienced, senior leadership, have a go-to guy (Ben Hansbrough), lethal from three-point range, can score with anybody
CONS: have not played consistently well away from home, struggle when they don’t hit shots, not terrific defensively, have issues against physical teams, don’t have a great Tournament history in recent seasons

Butler (21-9, 13-5 Horizon)
RPI says: 0-3 vs. Top 25, 3-3 vs. Top 50, 5-4 vs. Top 75
Good wins: swept Cleveland State, Florida State-N
Bad losses: at Youngstown State (RPI 290!), Evansville (136), at Wright State (129)
PROS: seem to have gotten things figured out since a three-game losing skid, one of the premiere teams in the Horizon defensively, found some consistency on offense, have veterans that have been there before, when they hit shots watch out, thrive in the underdog role
CONS: the only NCAA Tournament team they’ve beaten this year is FSU, did not play well on the road, the Horizon is still the Horizon, Shelvin Mack has been disappointing (FG% down from 45 to 40, 3-pt FG% down from 39 to 33), as has Zach Hahn

Butler isn't really a part of this conversation. They're not a Top 25-caliber team, much less a Final Four contender like Notre Dame and Purdue. This really comes down to the Irish and the Boilermakers. While Notre Dame has a much better overall resume, I feel that Purdue is the more dangerous team. They have two of the top ten players in the country in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, and are more of a consistent lockdown defensive team than Notre Dame is. The verdict goes to Purdue, but it's close. Both teams have a chance to really be dangerous in a few weeks.

Thanks, but...

2011-02-26T10:36:00.003-05:00

The NBA Trade Deadline came and went with the Pacers having the same roster as they did earlier in the week. But, they were close to a major to making a major shakeup that never materialized. Indiana and Memphis had a deal in place to swap Josh McRoberts and Indy's First Round pick for troubled guard O.J. Mayo. Whether it was because of missing the 3 PM deadline, or the Pacers trying to recruit a third team (New Orleans) that pulled out at the last second, the deal didn't get done.

It was the best move the Pacers didn't make.

I enjoy Bob Kravitz's work in the IndyStar, but I couldn't disagree more with his take on the Mayo deal. While nobody questions O.J. Mayo's potential, he's been a headache everywhere he's gone. From high school incidents (playing for three different teams in four years, by the way) involving shoving a referee and being charged with marijuana possession, to taking improper benefits at USC, to getting on a fight on the team plane and testing positive for a steroid this year, Mayo has a troubled past. The third-year guard was a 17-18 points per game scorer in his first two years, but has regressed to an average of just over 12 ppg in year three. He's seen his minutes decrease as the Grizzlies have shopped him openly around the NBA. Yes, he's only 23, and just three years ago he was the third overall pick. But, we've seen what has happened in the past when Pacers have weighed talent over character, and it didn't end well.

Rebuilding has been an arduous process for the Pacers, but one thing they have accomplished is weeding out the character-issue guys. Stephen Jackson is gone. So is Shawne Williams. Ditto for Ron Artest. Why bring toxicity back to a locker room that has worked so hard to purge all of their malcontents in the past four years?

This isn't about McRoberts, who is a marginal role player that the Pacers will likely lose to free agency anyway. It also isn't about their First Round pick which will likely fall in the mid-to-late teens in what most believe will be a mediocre Draft. Those are two pieces that the Pacers could part with and not lose any sleep over. But, a me-first headcase with behavioral issues is the last thing this young team needs right now.

The Pacers haven't been pro-active enough, and the front office has been too passive, leading to this long rebuilding process. I'm not saying the Pacers shouldn't take any risks. But, they need to push their chips on the table on the right hand at the right time. Mayo wasn't a winning hand.

Power Outage

2011-02-23T13:46:00.004-05:00

There's a severe star power shortage in the NBA's Western Conference.

For several years now, the power has been in the West where teams like the Spurs and Lakers have reigned supreme throughout the 2000s. Even beyond the elite level, the Mavericks, Jazz, Blazers, and Suns have all competed for Conference titles. Over in the East, we've seen some great teams like the current incarnation of the Celtics, LeBron's Cavs, or the 2003-07 Detroit Pistons, but once you got past the top three or four, there was nothing else to speak of. That's about to change.

Just in the last 36 hours, two of the Western Conference's biggest superstars in Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams changed zip codes. Add in Amar'e Stoudemire jumping from Phoenix to New York last summer, and you can argue that three of the top ten players in the league have switched from the West to the East.

Look at the West now - the three best teams are the Spurs, Lakers, and Mavericks. Each have aging cores, and appear to soon be on the decline. Meanwhile in the East, Boston would fit under the Spurs-Lakers-Mavs category, but the rest of the Conference is on the rise. Miami has a trio of superstars in the prime of their careers. The Knicks have done the same with the duo of Carmelo and Amar'e. Even the teams near the bottom of the playoff standings like Philadelphia and Indiana have improving young cores.

If we're just comparing star power, the shift of balance really becomes apparent when you look at the ages. In the West, top players like Kobe Bryant (32 years old but 14 seasons in the NBA), Tim Duncan (soon-to-be 35), Manu Ginobili (33), Dirk Nowitzki (32), Steve Nash (37) all have left, or are leaving, their primes. Only four members of the West All-Star Team last week (discounting Anthony and Williams) are under the age of 30. When thinking of young(er) stars in the West, the list is pretty short: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Monta Ellis. If you want to, you can also include All-Stars Kevin Love and Blake Griffin. In the East, you likely have seven of the top ten players in the entire NBA that are all under the age of 30: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Deron Williams. Beyond that, you have a second tier of stars that includes Rajon Rondo, Chris Bosh, Al Horford, and Josh Smith.

These things tend to go in cycles. The East dominated the league throughout the 1990s behind the strength of Jordan's Bulls, and teams like the Pistons, Knicks, Pacers, Heat, and Magic. The NFC dominated the NFL from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. The National League destroyed the AL for nearly two decades from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s.

Like these other trends, I'd expect the West's dominance of the NBA to come to an end soon.

Snubbed

2011-02-20T17:28:00.012-05:00

There has been a major outcry locally over Reggie Miller not making the cut for the 2011 Basketball Hall-of-Fame class. Besides Peyton Manning, Miller is easily the most beloved figure in Indianapolis sports history.

Contrary to popular belief, you can make an argument that Reggie Miller isn't a Hall-of-Famer. He only made the All-NBA Team three times, never cracking the First or Second teams. Reggie only finished in the MVP voting twice (16th in 1997-98 and 13th in 1999-00). He was a one-trick pony as a scorer, and provided little else (3.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.1 spg career). For being just a scorer, his career average of 18.2 ppg was respectable, but not on-par with the elites. Miller may rank 2nd all-time in three-pointers made, but he's just 17th in three-pointers made per game (1.8). You can poke holes in that resume.

However, there are other aspects of Reggie Miller's career that goes beyond numbers. He carried the Indiana Pacers' franchise for almost two decades. During his tenure, the Pacers saw an unprecedented run of success that included an Eastern Conference Championship (2000), and six trips to the Conference Finals (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004). Reggie had the ability to raise his game when it mattered most - something that separates the greats from the very goods. His 20.6 ppg in the Playoffs is almost 2 1/2 points per game better than his regular season average. Those numbers are even better when you take out his final three postseason appearances (2002-05) when he had become more of a role player and emotional leader than the go-to-guy. When in his prime, Miller was a 23.5 ppg Playoff scorer.

Reggie Miller's Playoff moments have been forever etched into NBA lore. The 25-point fourth quarter in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, the eight points in nine seconds in the 1995 East Semis, the game-winner to beat Jordan's Bulls in Game 4 of the 1998 East Finals, the epic finish to the decisive Game 5 against New Jersey in 2002, etc. The list goes on forever. I don't think the lack of a postseason resume should hurt a player, but I do think that it should help. He's one of the great clutch players in league history.

But, forget all of that.

We're not supposed to be arguing whether or not Reggie Miller is a Hall-of-Famer. What makes Friday's news a travesty isn't that Reggie Miller isn't in the Hall-of-Fame. It's that he wasn't even a FINALIST.

When this year's class was announced, most believed the Reggie would be the marquee name. No offense to Chris Mullin or Dennis Rodman, but neither of those players were better than Reggie Miller. And, there's no debate that Maurice Cheeks, Jamaal Wilkes, and Ralph Sampson weren't even on Reggie's level.

Here are a few reasons why:

FEATURED PLAYER
In the case of Wilkes, Cheeks, and Rodman, all were on Championship teams, but none of those players were ever the best players on those teams. Wilkes was part of great Lakers teams that included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and later on Magic Johnson. Cheeks played with Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Andrew Toney, and later Charles Barkley in Philadelphia. Rodman played with Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen in stints with the Pistons, Spurs, and Bulls. There was never any question as to who the best player on the Pacers was.

STATISTICS
Chris Mullin is the candidate that is the most similar to Miller. He only made five All-Star teams (like Miller), and finished in the MVP voting twice (like Miller). He also has a identical 18.2 ppg career scoring average to Miller's. However, unlike Reggie, Mullin really only had seven seasons as a great player. He ran into injury problems in the prime of his career, and was reduced to a veteran role player in the late 1990s after he was traded from Golden State to Indiana. He's the NBA's 64th all-time leading scorer, compared to Miller being 14th on the list.

Dennis Rodman is known for being a great rebounder and defender. Helping Rodman's case are his eight nominations to the NBA's All-Defensive Team, including being on the First Team seven times. He also won five NBA Championships as part of dynasty Detroit and Chicago teams. But, Rodman was only a two-time All-Star and never was named to an All-NBA Team. Rodman is only 11th all-time in rebounds (11,954), and 21st in rebounds per game (13.1). In 169 Playoff games, Rodman averaged a paltry 6.4 ppg and just 9.9 rpg - over three less than his career average. He was never more than the 3rd best player on any team that he ever played for. Take out the Championships, and his career isn't much better than the one Buck Williams had.

Maurice Cheeks was a good, but hardly a great player. His middling averages of 11.1 ppg and 6.7 apg (the same average as Mookie Blaylock) aren't close to Hall-of-Fame worthy. Ralph Sampson was one of the best collegiate players of all-time who never lived up to the hype as a pro mostly because of injuries. He played just 456 games in nine seasons, and really was only a premiere player for his first three years in the league. Jamaal Wilkes was a good player for about a dozen seasons, earning just three All-Star nods. If any of these three get in, then you might as well go ahead and let Stephon Marbury in, too.

If you dig a little deeper, the numbers shine for Reggie Miller. According to the stat geeks (and I use that term in a loving way) over at Basketball Prospectus, Miller's 172 career WARP (Wins Above Replacement Player) ranks 12th of all NBA players in the last thirty years. It's tops among eligible players not yet inducted into the Hall-of-Fame. He's 14th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, and everyone in the Top 30 that is eligible is already in the Hall. The only two active players ahead of Mille are Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who are both easy Hall choices.

For Reggie to not be included on the list of finalists is an embarrassment. Unfortunately, this could mean that Miller might have to wait longer than most Pacers' fans originally thought. I still think he will eventually get in. But, sometimes the question of "when?" as opposed to "if?" is just as hard to answer.

No Spitting

2011-02-14T20:42:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to make as big of a deal over Tiger's spitting incident as some others. If you haven't seen the clip, you can check it out here.

What I will say is the reason that I haven't been, and will never be a fan of Tiger Woods is because of his poor etiquette. I'm not 1/500th the golfer that Tiger is, but I know how to hack through 18 holes shooting a 96 without acting like a petulant child.

Apples to Oranges

2011-02-11T11:40:00.004-05:00

Over the past three seasons, we've been bombarded with talk about the Big East's basketball dominance. In January and February, the league flexes it's collective muscle on Big Monday and Super Tuesday, generating a lot of buzz when the weekly AP and Coaches Polls are released. But, with all the talk about Big East dominance, why haven't they been that good in March?

A Big East team hasn't won a National Championship since UConn raised the trophy in 2004. In fact, they haven't had a respresentative even play in the National Championship Game since then. They're a paltry 3-2 against higher-seeded teams in the last two NCAA Tournaments, earning a nation-high total of 15 bids. Ten of those fifteens teams have been eliminated by lower-seeds. As you see, the Conference's perceived dominance hasn't scared off opponents in the last two March and Aprils:

2010
#1 Syracuse loses to #5 Butler, #2 Villanova loses to #10 St. Mary’s, #3 Georgetown loses to #14 Ohio, #3 Pittsburgh loses to #6 Xavier, #6 Notre Dame loses to #11 Old Dominion, #6 Marquette loses to #11 Washington

That's four losses to double-digit seeds, and the average seed disparity in those defeats being six seed-lines. The lone higher-seeded win of 2010 was #2 West Virginia's defeat of #1 Kentucky in the Regional Final.

2009
#1 Pittsburgh lost to #3 Villanova, #1 Louisville loses to #2 Michigan State, #1 UConn loses to #2 Michigan State, #6 West Virgnia loses to #11 Dayton

The results weren't as poor as 2010, but the big boppers (trio of #1 seeds in Lousiville, Pittsburgh, and UConn) were all bounced by lower-seeded teams. At least #3 Syracuse and #6 Marquette were respectable in losses to higher-seeded Oklahoma and Missouri.

The point isn't that the Big East isn't the best basketball conference in America - it is. However, comparing it to the SEC's dominance of football, just doesn't hold water. The last five football National Champions have come from the SEC, and the league is 15-6 all-time in BCS games. Compare that to the Big East, where current members are 0-5 in Final Fours since 2004, and the gap becomes apparent.

Let's see if they're able to truly be dominant in a couple of weeks.

Boom, Boom, Bust

2011-02-08T10:42:00.003-05:00

Some quick post-Super Bowl XLV thoughts:

- what a disaster for Dallas. In an effort to get into the Super Bowl rotation, things couldn't have possibly gone worse for them. Throw out all of their other issues (there were many), because it comes down to two things: 1) Ice injuring people outside of the stadium, and 2) the 400 fans left without seats for the game. When you screw up the safety of fans, and the fan experience, that's a black eye that doesn't go away.

- between Christina Aguilera's National Anthem flub and the shrieking awfulness of Fergie's version of the classic G&R hit "Sweet Child O' Mine", the music was some of the worst I've ever heard for a Super Bowl. Just brutal. I expected more from the Black Eyed Peas.

- Aaron Rodgers’ stats would’ve been even more impressive if he wasn’t the victim of several drops. One by James Jones and another by Jordy Nelson each would’ve resulted in long TD passes.

- Greg Jennings is one of those guys that just makes big plays. It seems like he always has a line of like 4 catches but a pair of scores.

- the running backs were largely ignored even though both played pretty well – James Starks only had 11 carries, but had 52 yards (4.7 ypc) and Rashard Mendenahll had 14 touches for 63 yards (4.5 ypc).

-Pittsburgh’s decision to kick a 52-yard field goal with Suisham didn’t end up hurting them, but it was a really poor decision. Sort of like trotting out Stover for that long attempt last year.

- Pittsburgh lost the game in the third quarter. They forced four punts, and had three straight possessions with the score at 21-17 and couldn’t do anything with it. On the 4th possession from the Green Bay 33, Mendenhall’s fumble gave the Packers the ball back.

- loved the option call from Roehtlisberger to Randle-El on the two-point conversion, but I still feel like ‘Twan should always run that.

- the Buck/Aikman booth was one of the most boring and unentertaining broadcasts in Super Bowl history. They added absolutely nothing to the game, and were completely unmemorable, even in critical moments. Neither of them told me something that I didn’t know about either team during the game, and it’s like they went out of their way to not mention Brett Favre.

360?

2011-02-03T18:21:00.004-05:00

Twelve days ago, Indiana was giving up 91 points in a 14-point thrashing at the hands of Big Ten cellar-dweller Iowa. Less than two weeks later, the perception of Tom Crean's rebuilding efforts has completely changed.

Back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, sandwiched between an overtime loss that the Hoosiers gave away in East Lansing, has IU fans singing a different tune. Sure, a 12-11 (3-7 Big Ten) record is nothing to crow about, but considering where Indiana looked to be headed, it's a bit of a small victory for Crean & Co.

I'm not going to go overboard and declare Tom Crean the Big Ten Coach of the Year like some are doing, but we're starting to see the Indiana team that we expected to see over the last three games. Reasonable Indiana fans weren't expecting this team to win on a consistent basis in the first three years. However, they were expecting IU to compete, something that they didn't do in losses to Iowa, Northwestern, and Ohio State. Frustrations reached a fever-pitch following the blowout loss to previously winless Iowa, but something must have clicked with Indiana following that setback.

Lacking a star, especially with the recent injury to Christian Watford, Indiana has to be a sum-of-its-parts team. Last night's win against Minnesota was a great example. Five Hoosiers scored between 8-12 points, with no one scoring more than 12. They got a bit from Matt Roth, a bit from Jordan Hulls, and a little bit more from Tom Pritchard and Verdell Jones. They'll need everyone to contribute if they want to enjoy similar results.

The recent streak has everyone re-examining Indiana's progress in year three. Progress is a funny thing - some judge it on how much progress you make. I've always felt like progress is progress, and though it's been slow, the progress is there:

2008-09 season: 6-25, 1-18
2009-10 season: 10-21, 4-14
This season: 12-11, 3-7

It's been a slow, arduous climb for Tom Crean and the Indiana program, but they are climbing. There are eight more games to see how far up the mountain they can go.

End of the Line

2011-01-30T18:53:00.002-05:00

The writing was on the wall for the future of Jim O'Brien, but the Pacers decided that they couldn't deal with it any longer. After an embarrassing 0-4 Western swing and blown leads agaisnt the Clippers and Warriors, it felt like Pacers' fans had reached their boiling point. That forced Larry Bird's hand, and as much as he would've liked to have held on to JOB for the rest of the 2010-11 season, he had no choice.

While the last four seasons have been a disaster for the Blue and Gold, this isn't all on O'Brien. Danny Granger has leveled off after averaging a career-high 25.8 points per game in 2008-09. Roy Hibbert talks the talk, but he has yet to walk the walk, suffering through a brutal last two months. And, frankly, I'm tired of waiting on Brandon Rush. He is what he is at this point - an inconsistent player that doesn't have a good enough work ethic to change.

Let's not forget the role that the front office has played in this as well. The cupboard wasn't exactly stocked for O'Brien. That being said, after a pair of 36-win seasons in his first two years, last year's squad took a nosedive. This year's team, despite higher expectations, is just 17-27. In 16 of those 27 losses, the Pacers have led in the fourth quarter. That has to fall on the head coach.

I compared the current state of the Pacers to a new house that is a fixer-upper. There are a lot of issues that need to be ironed out, but when you find out you have termintes, you have to nip that in the bud immediately. O'Brien was the first problem that needed to be solved for this franchise to move forward.

On to the next one.

Season on the Brink

2010-12-19T10:20:00.003-05:00

Today's game against Jacksonville is the first time in a long time that the Colts have been in a virtual must-win situation. Here are the only other games of the last decade that even come close:

November 2, 2008 vs. New England: Colts were off to a 3-4 start after a blowout loss in Nashville to the Titans, who had opened up at 7-0. It was a Sunday Night game against Matt Cassel and the 5-2 Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. A sloppy 18-15 win kick-started a nine-game win streak that saved their season.

November 8, 2004 vs. Minnesota: Colts entered a Monday Night duel with 5-2 Minnesota at a sluggish 4-3. Manning and Dante Culpepper traded blows for five straight possessions before Mike Vanderjagt won it with a 35-yard field goal with seconds left. The win sent the Colts on an eight-game wins streak before a loss in the season-finale.

November 10, 2002 at Philadelphia: the Colts were 4-4 and didn’t seem to be going anywhere after a three-game losing skid including a home loss to the first-place Titans in the week prior. Manning and Indy carved up the 5-2 Eagles, one of the top defenses in the league entering the game, as Manning threw for 319 yards and James Mungro paced the rushing attack with 114 yards on the ground in a 35-13 romp.

December 11 and 18, 2000 vs. Buffalo and at Miami: a potential playoff spot was on the line in the AFC East as the Bills and Colts each entered the game at 7-6. Edgerrin James ran for three scores as the Colts pounded Buffalo 44-20. The next week, the Colts knocked off the division-leading Dolphins 20-13 to lock up a Wild Card spot in a tight race that included the 9-7 Jets as well. In a cruel twist of fate, less than a month after their win in South Beach, the Colts were eliminated in the playoffs by the Dolphins in overtime.

Perfectly Average

2010-12-12T12:49:00.007-05:00

Many times in sports, you can skip steps.

In 2006, George Mason wasn't known as a mid-major power and they hadn't made a Sweet 16 appearance before. The 1997 Marlins had never even made the playoffs before winning the World Series. Florida State, a nothing program prior to the 1980's, was 10-2 in Bobby Bowden's second year in 1977 and was dominant for the next two decades.

Unfortunately, the Pacers don't have that luxury.
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Following last night's loss to Atlanta, Indiana is an even 11-11. They're 6-5 at home, and 5-6 on the road. They've knocked off the Lakers in Los Angeles and they've beaten-up on Denver. They've also lost by 26 in Philadelphia, and have fallen twice to the nine-win Bucks. The Pacers are 16th out of 30 NBA teams in scoring (99.6 ppg), and 17th in scoring defense (97.4).
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In a word, the Pacers are perfectly average.

There's nothing wrong with being a middle-of-the-road team - the Pacers are 139-189 over the last four seasons combined. This season is just the second step for this franchise, and not all teams can go from the basement to the top of the staircase in one year.

Finally, there is a young core to build around. Darren Collison hasn't overshot, or undershot, expectations. He's exactly what most Pacers' fans thought he was going to be. Brandon Rush is showing signs of life in year three, and may finally live up to his potential. Roy Hibbert continues to grow, and it's hard to see someone with his work ethic not succeeding. Being on the end of the bench during the World Championships was the humbling experience that Danny Granger needed, and he's responded by becoming a stronger team player. A.J. Price, Tyler Hansbrough, and Josh McRoberts have contributed when given proper minutes. All of the players on this list, outside of Granger who is 27, are 25 or younger and none of them have played more than three seasons in the league.

Average doesn't equal championships, but don't go shoveling dirt on 2010-11. This isn't a throwaway year. If the season ended today, the Pacers would be the 7th seed in the East and find themselves in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. After the top five (Boston, Orlando, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta) in the East, there appears to be a big drop-off. There isn't any reason to believe that the Pacers can't compete with the Knicks, Bobcats, Bucks, Raptors, Sixers, Pistons, and Cavaliers for three playoff spots.

Conseco Fieldhouse is still half-empty, and I may still have to ask someone behind the bar to turn on the Pacers game when I'm at a downtown establishment, but this team is slowly on its way back up. Average may not be that far off from bad, but it's a heck of a lot closer to good.

Swing and Miss

2010-12-07T10:26:00.004-05:00

If you need a reason why the Colts have apparently fallen off a cliff in 2010 with their disappointing 6-6 record, look no further then some of their most recent Draft classes. It's unfair to make a blanket judgement on the 2010 class, mostly because those players are still rookies. Even though Jerry Hughes has been a disappointment, he should be given more than twelve games to prove himself, as should the rest of the group.

However, if you look at the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Draft classes, Bill Polian has been missing a lot more than he's been hitting.

2007
1 – WR Anthony Gonzalez
2 – OT Tony Ugoh
3 – CB Dante Hughes
3 – DT Quin Pitcock
4 – S Brannon Condren
4 – LB Clint Session
5 – WR Roy Hall
5 – CB Michael Coe
7 – DE Keyunta Dawson

2008
2 – OG Mike Pollak
3 – LB Philip Wheeler
4 – TE Jacob Tamme
5 – DE Marcus Howard
6 – TE Tom Santi
6 – C Steve Justice
6 – RB Mike Hart
6 – WR Pierre Garcon
7 – C Jamey Richard

2009
1 – RB Donald Brown
2 – DT Fili Moala
3 – CB Jerraud Powers
4 – WR Austin Collie
4 – DT Terrance Taylor
6 - QB Curtis Painter
7 – P Pat McAfee
7 – OG Jaimie Thomas

Of these 26 players, ten (all highlighted in red) are no longer with the team, including more than half of the nine player 2007 Draft class. An even more glaring issue: only four of the 26 players (Session Moala, Powers, Collie/Garcon - take your pick for #2 WR) are healthy starters. Out of the entire 26 player group, there are really only a handful of players that you could say are valuable at this point. Jerraud Powers (3rd, 2009) looks like a future Pro Bowler and is already the best cornerback on the team. Austin Collie (4th, 2009) is a perfect fit for this offense. With some more seasoning, Pierre Garcon (6th, 2008) could be a star, and regardless, he was a sixth-round steal out of Mount Union. Pat McAfee (7th, 2009), Jacob Tamme (4th, 2008), and Mike Hart (6th, 2008) have stepped up to the plate when asked to do so.

It's not that the Colts haven't tried to address their offensive and defensive line issues. Ten of the 26 players they drafted in the 2007-09 classes were either offensive or defensive lineman. The problem is that none of them have made any sort of significant impact: Ugoh, Pitcock, Dawson, Pollak, Howard, Justice, Richard, Moala, Taylor, and Thomas. Only one of those (Moala) is a current starter, while the others that are still with the team are low-level backups (Pollak, Dawson, Richard, Thomas), with little-to-no upside. Ugoh, who was cut before the season, was perhaps the biggest bust of the Polian era. The Colts traded their 2008 first round pick to trade into the 2007 second round to select him out of Arkansas. Small injuries (cough laziness cough) cost Ugoh time in games and practice, and judging by how much this offensive line has struggled, the fact that the Colts were willing to cut their losses tells you all you need to know about Ugoh.

It's foolish to ask Bill Polian to hit a home run in every Draft class, but he was pretty darn close from 2003-06. In those Drafts, the Colts selected six future Pro Bowlers (Robert Mathis, Cato June, Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai, Antoine Bethea, Bob Sanders), several top-end starters (Jake Scott, Kelvin Hayden, Marlin Jackson, Charlie Johnson), and a few other somewhat impact players (Jason David, Tyjuan Hagler).

The Colts will go into this offseason needing to do more than just tinker. Their offensive line needs a complete overhaul, and it's time to start restocking the depth at several key positions - most notably in the defensive secondary. With the Colts likely to get a pick in the lower 20's, a position they haven't been in since 2002, this 2011 Draft becomes the most important of the Polian era.

Ignorance is Bliss

2010-12-04T19:41:00.004-05:00

After Auburn's blowout win over South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game, they'll play for a National Championship. Also, their quarterback Cam Newton, who accounted for six touchdowns in the game, will likely be the most lopsided Heisman Trophy winner in college football history.

Four days ago, the NCAA could've taken all of that away.

Auburn declared their star quarterback ineligble on Tuesday, and then immediately filed for him to be declared eligible. The NCAA granted their request, but in doing so, went against one of their most important rules.

NCAA Bylaw 12.3.3: "individuals or entities are not allowed to represent a prospective student-athlete for compensation to a school for an athletic scholarship.”

The NCAA cleared Newton because they “couldn’t find sufficient evidence that either Cam, or Auburn, knew of the situation with his father.” Um, that’s great and all, but whether or not Cam Newton had any idea what his father was doing is completely irrelevant. The Bylaw clearly states that no one is allowed to “represent” Cam - but his father did. The NCAA admitted that rules were broken when Cecil Newton and Kenny Rogers (not the pitcher) tried to arrange a pay-for-play system with Mississippi State during Cam’s second recruiting rodeo. So, by keeping Cam Newton eligible, the NCAA essentially ignored their own Bylaw, and in the same breath opened up a very dangerous can of worms.

As has been said all this week by pundits nationally, what is to stop family members/friends/coaches from coming to schools recruiting their children/friends/players with their hands out? Even a player can organize an elaborate pay-for-play scheme, as long as he finds a middle man. All the player has to do is plead ignorance. The worst thing that the NCAA could do is turn around months later and rule Cam Netwon ineligible. That’ll likely mean another flawed National Champion, and the 2nd tarnished Heisman in five years.

Groundhog Day

2010-11-15T14:41:00.000-05:00

When going back and looking at past seasons, it seems that the Colts have a "sloppy" game like yesterday's win over Cincinnati every year. Oddly enough, it seems like most of the games have been at home, too.

2010: Colts 23, Bengals (2-7) 17
Early in the game, all the pieces were in place for an Indy romp. The Colts jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were in cruise control early in the second quarter. However, a 42-yard run by Brian Leonard on a punt fake swung the momentum back Cincinnati’s way, and they were in the game throughout. The Colts offense was inefficient as they punted seven times in the game. Five Cincy turnovers were their ultimate undoing, but despite all of that, the Bengals had the ball with under a minute left and a chance to win the game. Back-to-back sacks by Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis ended whatever hope the Bengals had of a comeback.

2009: Colts 18, 49ers (3-3) 14
Oddly enough, Joseph Addai threw the only touchdown pass of this game, as Peyton Manning wasn’t his usual self. You would never be able to tell that #18 was off from his final line: 31-48 for 347 yards, but he missed on a lot of throws that he normally makes. Peyton’s shakiness kept the Niners in the game, as Alex Smith was solid in his first start in two seasons, despite playing behind a struggling offensive line that allowed four sacks.

2008: Colts 10, Browns (4-7) 6
Peyton Manning did complete 15 of his 21 pass attempts, but threw for just 125 yards in the victory. Both defenses dominated the game as there wasn’t an offensive touchdown scored - the only TD in teh game came on a Robert Mathis scoop-and-score off of a Derek Anderson fumble in the fourth quarter. It was the first time since Week One of 2003, coincidentally enough also against Cleveland, that the Colts had failed to score an offensive touchdown in a game.

2007: Colts 13, Chiefs (4-6) 10
Coming off back-to-back losses to New England and San Diego, their first two of the season, the Colts were in desperate need of a victory. Peyton Manning was dreadful (I would argue it was possibly his worst game since pre-2003), leading to a 23.4 halftime QB rating. After another half, he had only bumped that up to an even 50, finishing with a 16-32 day for 163 yards and a pick. The Colts only managed 73 first half yards, but were able to put together a 14-play drive that ate up the final seven minutes of regulation, to set up Adam Vinatieri’s winner from 24 yards out.

2006: Colts 17, Bills (3-6) 16
Peyton Manning was strong in this game, but the Buffalo defense forced mostly short throws as Indy had to dink-and-dunk their way down the field. Peyton finished with a solid line of 27-39, for 236 yards and a score, but the Bills were still in position to take the lead in the fourth. Ryan Lindell missed a 41-yard field goal with just over six minutes left that would’ve given Buffalo the lead. The Colts took over possession, picked up four first downs, and were able to end the game without the Bills getting another chance.

To Dallas Without Dallas

2010-10-24T14:59:00.004-04:00

Instead of focusing on the most important four-game stretch of the entire season, the Colts spent most of the bye week dealing with arrests and injuries.

The good news is that a night in the drunk tank and a one-game suspension will bring punter Pat McAfee back - the same can't be said for Dallas Clark. The Pro Bowl tight end that caught 100 passes last season will miss the rest of 2010 after undergoing wrist surgery. The injury thins out an already-depleted receiving corps, that has dealt with injuries to Pierre Garcon (hamstring), Anthony Gonzlaez (ankle), and Austin Collie (hand) already this year.

Colts will miss the defensive attention that Clark demands

The Colts love to brag about their "Next Man Up" philosophy, but which next man can replace what Clark brought to the table? Defenses don't have to gameplan and/or adjust for Brody Eldridge. Gijon Robinson doesn't help the Colts dominate the middle of the field. It's doubtful that Jacob Tamme will be a reliable security blanket for Peyton Manning.

Dallas Clark is one of those players that you don't realize his value until he's gone. He's a mismatch for any NFL linebacker. He isn't afraid to go over the middle. If the big play is taken away and the offense has to improvise, Clark plays the role of both dink AND dunk. He's invaluable to the Colts' success.

Now, Indy enters a crucial stretch without Clark (not to mention Collie as well) when their AFC South title hopes, and playoff hopes, could be decided. Even while realitively healthy, the Colts struggled through their first six. What's going to happen with arguably the most important Colt outside of Peyton Manning and Dwight Freeney?

Of course it would be silly to ever count out Peyton Manning, and a Colts team that has won at least 12 games in each season since 2003. But, this latest injury could be the knockout blow for any hopes of getting to the Super Bowl. I just don't see how the Colts get to Dallas without Dallas.

New Kid on the Block

2010-09-23T20:46:00.002-04:00

I'm what you would call a traditional sports fan. Though I embarrassingly admit to watching the debut of the XFL, and attending several live WWE events in my lifetime, I mainly stick to the sports that have history.

Mixed martial arts, and more specifcially the UFC, aren't really my thing. Don't get me wrong, I can understand why two guys in a cage with no rules (basically) and a variety of fighting styles meshed into one "anything goes" match is popular. However, it's just never really translated for me. I compare it to horror movies. Some people like being frightened. They pay money to be scared for two hours in a dark theatre. That's not my thing. I get it, it's just not for me.

The UFC is having an event in Indianapolis for the first time on Saturday, and the popularity of the sport is at an all-time high. We even had Chris "Lights Out" Lytle on the radio show today to plug it. As much as I may be opposed to following the sport, it may get to a point where I'm forced to.

I haven't given the UFC much of a chance. But, if the attendance and PPV numbers are true, maybe I should reconsider.

Rocky Start for Irish

2010-09-19T13:29:00.005-04:00

After a heart-wrenching 34-31 loss to rival Michigan State, Notre Dame already finds themsevles at a crossroads for the 2010 season. While most expectations were lukewarm for the Irish, this season can quickly spiral out of control for Brian Kelly in Year #1.

At 1-2, the schedule doesn't give Notre Dame too many favors over the next three weeks with games against Stanford, at Boston College, and Pittsburgh. Breaking down the rest of the schedule, seven wins could be the best-case scenario for Notre Dame.

Even having dropped two out of three to Navy, you have to expect Notre Dame to beat the Midshipmen when the teams meet later this season. Tulsa, Western Michigan, and Army, will all be easy victories barring catastrophe. There are five wins. The rest of the schedule is anyone's guess. Notre Dame will have to go at least 1-4 against Stanford, at Boston College, Pittsburgh, Utah, and at USC. That should be do-able to get bowl eligible. However, 2-3 over those five games may be asking too much.

I promosted myself that I wouldn't judge Brian Kelly on wins and losses in his first year. That was already done with Tyrone Willingham (10-3) and Charlie Weis (9-3) and we all know how those eras ended up. But, with a 1-5 start a realistic possibility, the margin for error is shrinking.

Predicting the 2010 Colts

2010-09-10T21:32:00.003-04:00

To me, predicting stuff is the worst part about being a talking head. It's really a lose-lose situation because regardless of what picks you actually get right, chances are you're going to get at least 75% of them wrong. The good news is that lately with the Colts, it's been fairly easy to get things right.

I broke their schedule into three categories: Gimmie games, Probable wins, Probable losses.

GIMMIE GAMES
at Denver - though they trail the all-time series 11-7, the Colts have dominated the Broncos in their matchups recently, winning the regular season meetings in 2007 and last year, and routing Denver in their two playoff meetings in 2003 and 2004.

at Jacksonville, Jacksonville - I'm predicting the Jaguars to finish in last place and last place teams rarely beat the Colts. I'm actually more confident with the Colts playing the Jaguars in Jacksonville than playing them in Indy. The Colts haven't lost in Florida since the 275 rushing yard debacle in 2006.

Kansas City - they'll be better, but this team isn't close to being ready to hanging around with the NFL's elite.

at Washington - I don't care how bad the Redskins are, it's always tough to go to the East Coast and play in front of 90,000 rabid fans. They finally have a quarterback and a coach this year, but not much else.

at Oakland - the Raiders will be better, but is this team worlds different from the '07 squad that the Colts beat?

PROBABLE WINS
NY Giants - I think the Giants will be somewhere in the 8-8, 9-7 range this year. They're a solid team that can cause the Colts come problems, but their defense was woeful last season and couldn't have drastically improved overnight.

at Houston, Houston - the Colts have won 15 of the 16 all-time meetings. In this series, the Colts have either a) found a way to win or b) watched the Texans implode upon themselves.I keep hearing that this is the Texans' year, but that's what we've heard the last three years. I'll believe it when I see it.

Cincinnati - can someone tell me the last time the Colts lost a game that actually counted to the Bengals? Anyone? I didn't think so.

San Diego - this team looks like they're taking a step back this season. They still have Phillip Rivers who is always a threat, but there defense isn't what it was 2-3 years ago.

at Tennessee - I really struggled calling this game a "probable win". Since the AFC South was formed, Nashville has by far been the toughest division road game for the Colts. Maybe Vince Young reverts to his 2009 form. Maybe Vince Young reverts to his 2007 form. I'm leaning towards the latter.

PROBABLE LOSSES
at Philadelphia - with new quarterback Kevin Kolb, it's tough to determine what the Eagles will do this year. One thing that is different about this team is that they have playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, something that they never surrounded Donovan McNabb with (outside of Brian Westbrook). Tough atmosphere, tough team, tough task.

at New England - I still think this team has a good run in them. The defense is a problem, but the offense should still be elite. They moved the ball at will against the Colts last season before self-destructing late.

Dallas - this is likely going to be the best all-around team that the Colts face this season. Being at home will help, but something about DeMarcus Ware going up against that porous Colts' O-Line worries me.

Tennessee - it's Week 17, duh.

Final Schultz's Shots prediction: 12-4, AFC South Champs

Week 1 Recap

2010-09-06T09:24:00.002-04:00

Every week of the college football season, we'll hit the main bullet points for Indiana, Notre Dame, and Purdue.

Brian Kelly's debut: while Saturday may not have been the offensive explosion that Kelly was used to at Cincinnati, it was a smart, efficient, and fitting start to his coaching tenure. For the first time in a long time, the Irish played terrific fundamental football with solid tackling and some spectacular Special Teams' play. Considering Notre Dame was four yards away from turning this game into a 27-3 blowout, and then weathered a furious Purdue comeback in the fourth, there are reasons for optimism going forward.

MARVElous: perhaps the only debut that was just as highly-anticipated as Brian Kelly's was that of Miami transfer Robert Marve for the Boilers. Playing in his first game in nearly two years, Marve showed some rust at times, but overall showed why he earned so much praise in the offseason. The final line - 31-42, 220 yards, 2 TD - isn't jaw-dropping, but Marve was able to show-off his powerful arm and deceptive speed. Though the two interceptions were largely the fault off defensive pressure (ND had four sacks on the day), both were crucial because they came in Notre Dame territory. The flip into the endzone on the touchdown run was not only in poor taste (Still trailing by eight? On the road? Seriously?), but it gave Notre Dame a chance to change the field position after their next possession, and pin Purdue deep into their own territory.

Cupcakes, please: say what you want about IU's pillowy-soft non-league schedule, but for the Hoosiers a win is a win (is a win). Considering their struggles in year's past against teams such as Nicholls State and Eastern Kentucky, Indiana was far more impressive in their 51-17 drubbing of FCS-team Towson. Ben Chappell (2 TD, 0 INT) was his usual solid self, while Darius Willis (14/102) continued to show promise. The score may be a bit misleading, as the Hoosiers were actually outgained by Towson 392-360. The defense is still a work in progress, but IU will have a bye week before their 2nd game against Western Kentucky to iron some things out.

Questioning Reggie

2010-09-01T23:16:00.004-04:00

Earlier this week, Bob Kravitz brought up a topic that I hadn't thought much about: Reggie Miller's Hall-of-Fame candidacy. Given his playoff heroics, and his status as the 14th All-Time leading scorer in NBA history, I figured that he was a lock. I might've been wrong.

For fun, judge these two players:

PLAYER A
18.2 career ppg (20.6 career playoff ppg)
3.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.1 apg
5-time NBA All-Star (once as a starter)
3-time All-NBA (3rd Team each time)
Finished in the MVP voting twice (13th in 2000, 16th in 1998)
Averaged 24 ppg or better game in one season
NBA All-Time leader in 3-pointers made and attemped

PLAYER B
21.5 career ppg (28.5 career playoff ppg)
6.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg
7-time NBA All-Star (six starts)
Seven-time All-NBA (2X 1st Team, 3X 2nd Team, 2X 3rd Team)
Finished in the MVP voting Top 8 six times (twice finished 4th)
Averaged 24 ppg or better in seven seasons
Two NBA scoring titles

Player A is Reggie Miller. Player B is Tracy McGrady.

What the above shows is that a player's contributions have to go beyond what a sheet of paper says. Given what he did for the Pacers franchise. and his countless clutch playoff moments, I still think Reggie Miller is a Hall-of-Famer. I think most of the voters will agree with me.

Stupid X 3

2010-08-28T09:38:00.005-04:00

Two weeks ago, the Pacers pulled off a terrific trade, swapping Troy Murphy's expiring contract for veteran James Posey and a possible franchise point guard in Darren Collison. For the first time in a long time, things were looking pretty rosy for the Blue and Gold.

Days later, word leaked out about Lance Stephenson's altercation with his girlfriend with allegedly got way too physical. Now, a little over a week after that incident, Brandon Rush has been suspended for failing his third drug test.

Oh fate, why must thou spite thee?

The police blotter and the Indiana Pacers have been like chocolate and peanut butter for the better part of six years. We don't need to rehash all of the incidents during that time, but the fact that some Pacers are returning to their old ways has fans worried.

I don't even want to talk about Stephenson right now. It sounds really serious, and I'm sure we'll cross that bridge once we get there. But, as far as Rush is concerned, can you really be that stupid? He flunked his third drug test by coming up positive for marijuana.

In case you didn't know, the NBA doesn't go public with failed drug tests until it happens for a third time. The league doesn't even tell the team that their own player has failed a drug test until then.

Rush clearly has some talent, but he's looked lazy, disinterested, and immature during his two-year stint in Indiana. Think about the people that you know that smoke marijuana. Lazy, disinterested, immature - chances are that person employs all three of those characteristics. What especially troubles me about this incident is that by failing three times, Rush is clearly showing that he prioritizes weed higher than improvement on the basketball court. Why else would he risk a third failed test?

I doubt Rush will be straight-out released, but clearly the 2010-11 season is make-it-or-break-it time for his career. Considering the investment that Bird & Co. have put in him, I hope he doesn't let his opportunity go up in smoke. (Thank you, tip your waitresses!)

Frauds?

2010-08-20T09:33:00.002-04:00

As you might've heard already, Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio called out the Reds during Thursday's show. He labeled Cincinnati as "frauds" because of their hollow 70-51 record which has mostly been aided by beating up on sub .500 teams.

Looking beneath the surface, Cowherd has a point.

The Reds entered Friday's action with a 49-23 record against teams below .500, and that includes a sparkling 29-11 mark against the Brewers, Cubs, Astros, and Pirates. On the flip side of that, Cincinnati is just 21-28 against teams with winning records, which includes a 5-10 showing against the Cardinals this year.

All of that being said, Cincinnati doesn't employ many of the other characteristics of a team that should be labeled as a fraud. Frauds generally don't bounce back from tough stretches, yet the Reds have done exactly that several times this season. They were swept in Seattle in June when they mustered just one run in the three game set. They responded by winning their next five games. After a four-game sweep in Philadelphia which included back-to-back 1-0 losses before the All-Star Break, the Reds began the second-half by winning four of five. What could've been a crippling sweep last week to the rival Cardinals, was quickly offset by Cincinnati's current six-game win streak. Fraud teams fold under the first sign of adversity (see: 2009 Red Sox, 2008 Cubs, 2007 Rockies, and 2006 Yankees).

Also, the Reds are dominating almost every major offensive category in the National League:
Batting Average: .272 (1st)
Runs: 593 (1st)
Hits: 1,122 (1st)
Home Runs: 135 (3rd)
RBI: 572 (1st)
OBP: .338 (2nd)
SLG: .435 (1st)

As much as we like to hype the Red Sox-Yankees head-to-head matchups, the AL East crown depends on how those teams do against Baltimore and Toronto. Would I like to see the Reds play better against top-flight competition? Absolutely. But, I don't think they should make any apologies for beating the teams they're supposed to beat.

How Far They've Come

2010-08-13T20:54:00.003-04:00

The trade for Darren Collison is another move forward in what has been a three-year rebuilding plan. Has the progress been slow? Yes, but it's there. If you need any indication to how Larry Bird and David Morway are doing, take a look at the current Pacers' situation compared to almost three years ago:

2010-11 Depth Chart
PG Darren Collison, TJ Ford, Lance Stephenson, AJ Price
SG Brandon Rush, James Posey, Dahntay Jones
SF Danny Granger, Paul George, Mike Dunleavy
PF Tyler Hansbrough, Jeff Foster, Josh McRoberts
C Roy Hibbert, Solomon Jones, Magnum Rolle

2007-08 Depth Chart
PG Jamaal Tinsley, Flip Murray, Travis Diener
SG Mike Dunleavy, Marquis Daniels, Kareem Rush
SF Danny Granger, Steven Graham, Shawne Williams
PF Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu
C Jeff Foster, David Harrison

Also take into account that before the start of the 2007-08 season, Murphy still had four years/$44M left on his deal, Dunleavy had four years/$40M left, and Tinsley had three years/$21M left. This season, Dunleavy is entering the final year of his deal ($10.5M), as are Ford ($8.5M), and Foster ($6.6M) - that's over $25 million coming off the books. Meanwhile, Danny Granger is the only Pacer signed past 2011-12 season.

Baby steps...

Double-Standard?

2010-08-10T08:28:00.002-04:00

Over the past decade, as the Colts have risen to prominence and the Pacers have fallen victim to sub-.500 seasons and off-court issues, the dynamic in the city of Indianapolis has changed. Just ten years ago in 2000, this was still clearly a Pacers' town, and the Colts were still struggling to fill the tiny RCA Dome. The Indy sports-scene has done a complete 180 since.

It's not just the city's attitude towards the teams, but their attitude towards the individual players.

A perfect example of this is John Gill. Who, you ask? Gill is a low-level reserve defensive tackle, who recorded all of nine sacks last season, mostly during garbage time of the team's Week 16 loss to the Jets. He was arrested after being found passed out in a ditch drunk. He was charged with public intoxication, but that was later dropped (for no apparent reason).

I went on the IndyStar message boards today assuming that most Colts' fans would be talking about the strong message the team needed to send to the young reserve. Instead, what I read made my jaw hit the floor...

"OMG, a 20 something football lineman drinking? Say it ain't so!"

"Just because he was found intoxicated doesn't mean he is an alcoholic. He might have been on some type of medication that didn't mix well with the alcohol that could have caused this to happen. At least he wasn't driving."

"Wow! One drunken night out, no charges filed, nobody hurt, and all of a sudden the guy has to give up a whole year from his career and attend rehab?! A bit drastic!"

What people didn't mention was what possibly drove a guy on the cut-line to choose to get hammered drunk on the team's only off day of Training Camp? "Hammered" isn't even the right word. Being drunk enough to pass out in a ditch and (excuse my language) piss yourself in the process is way past a simple night on the town. People do stupid things - I get that. But what I don't get is when a person does something so idiotic that it's totally inexplicable.

Judging from the reactions of fans in this city over Pacers' players scrapes with the law, I can assure you that they would've been less forgiving had Gill donned the Blue and Gold. The comments section would be littered with references to "thugs", and how the entire team should either a) be thrown in jail, or b) move to a different city.

So, it's hands-across-Indianapolis for a 4th string defensive tackle, while Jermaine O'Neal is crucified for defending himself during the melee in Detroit.

What a difference a decade makes.

Not Learning from Mistakes

2010-08-06T15:08:00.005-04:00

In a move that can only be described as "interesting", if not borderline-delusional, the Knicks are bringing Isiah Thomas back to the organization.

The wounds still haven't healed from Thomas' disastrous run as President/GM of the once proud franchise. After Scott Layden tore out the core of a Knicks' franchise that had been a contender throughout the 1990s, Isiah set the explosives around the foundation and lit the wick. In the aftermath, the Knicks were left to deal with the ridiculous contracts of players like Eddy Curry and Jerome James, while having several of their Lottery picks hastily traded away to stop the bleeding.
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To be fair to Thomas, he has shown an eye for scouting talent. This is the same person that drafted Tracy McGrady, Trevor Ariza (in the 2nd round), and David Lee 30th overall. However, there have been widespread rumors that Isiah could regain his throne should current GM Donnie Walsh step away from basketball after his contract expires in 2011.

If Isiah is just coming back as a consultant - fine. However, this is a terrible PR move for the Knicks who have been working for almost 36 months to dodge the label of "laughingstock" that they've earned thanks to a decade of futility.

Welcome Back, Slacker!

2010-08-02T20:51:00.002-04:00

It dawned on me today that due to the craziness of the past few weeks, I haven't updated the blog. My apologies.

I was away for my sister's wedding in Connecticut, and have been hustling to put the pieces in place for the show for the upcoming football season.

I'll be back tomorrow with some Colts' talk.

CIB Caves for Pacers

2010-07-12T20:30:00.004-04:00

The Pacers are staying in Indianapolis.

Such a proclamation really isn't that big of a deal, considering that the Blue and Gold were never a realistic threat to leave in the immediate future. That's what makes the franchise's $33.5 million deal with the CIB that much more puzzling.

I couldn't help but feel that the CIB were like parents caving into their unruly 16-year old. If your kid threatens to run away, you call their bluff. In this instance, the kid said he was leaving and the parents decided to buy him a $150,000 Lexus.

Where exactly were the Pacers going to go?

The economy is still recovering from the crash two years ago. Markets with already-existing NBA teams like Memphis and Charlotte are struggling. The Pacers can say whatever they want about having "numerous sutiors" - I'd love to see who (and where). My point is: where was the immediate threat? Why the rush to bend over backwards to Pacers instead of playing a little hardball?

I think we'd all agree that retaining the Pacers is a good thing for the city of Indianapolis. It helps raise the overall profile of the city, and continues the quest to become of the premiere sports destinations in America. If a city isn't strong enough to support their own NBA team, why would Super Bowls, Final Fours, and World Cups come here?

All of that being said, just rolling over for Herb Simon & Co. was not the way to go. $10 million per over the next three years, plus footing the entire bill of capital improvements is a bigger rob job than Darko's $20 million extension. The CIB should've dug their heels in and come to a reasonable agreement. $5 million per year would've covered about one-third of the annual operating cost of Conseco Fieldhouse. Let Simon dig into his deep pockets for the rest.

$33.5 million? That's too much, Bob.

My biggest problem is the lack of responsibility on the part of the Pacers. Instead of saying "please help", it's "we need this and we need that, or we're gone". It's not the CIB's fault that the franchise took onTroy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy and the hefty contracts that came with them from Golden State in 2007. It's not Indianapolis' fault that the Blue and Gold can't put a product on the floor that consistently attracts more than 10,000 fans per home game. It's certainly not the taxpayers fault that Jamaal Tinsley was paid $7 million to sit on his keister.

I hate to think glass half-empty, but there's nothing stopping the Pacers from coming back to the with their hands out at the end of the 2012-13 season. I hope the CIB and the city of Indianapolis drive a tougher bargain next time around.

Cons & Cons

2010-07-08T19:38:00.003-04:00

LeBron's DECISION (caps for emphasis) is about an hour away, and I, like all of you, am still guessing as to where he will land. When projecting something like this, I've always found that the true answer lies in which option has the least significant cons as opposed to the most significant pros. Since I'm up against the clock, here's an abbreviated version of all of the cons from LeBron's possible destinations:

Cleveland
1) They've tried to build a contender around him, and have failed to do so. Despite having the best record in the East the past two years, the Cavs have flamed-out spectacularly in each of the last two postseasons. 2) They have zero cap flexibility and are tied into a lot of long-term contracts. They have attractive trade options, but working sign-and-trades is a lot more complicated than just throwing $100M in someones face. 3) It's Cleveland. Comparing Cleveland to Miami, Chicago, and New York is like comparing a hot dog from a street vendor to filets at St. Elmo's, Shula's, and Ruth Chris. Sure, it's home, but he can maximize his earning potential elsewhere.

Chicago
1) You're stepping into Michael Jordan's shadow - a shadow that will never fully go away. Six rings is asking a whole lot. 2) The whole "LeBron needs a point guard" belief is a myth. He needs to have the ball in his hands. I think he cancels out what Derrick Rose (running the offense) does best by putting him on that team. 3) You're joining a team with a brand-new and therefore unproven head coach in Tom Thibodeau. Is that a risk LeBron is willing to take?

New York
1) LeBron + Amar'e Stoudemire + .....? Danilo Gallinari? Toney Douglas? The Knicks aren't an instant Championship favorite like Miami and Chicago would be. 2) Knicks' fans would literally flip out with LeBron chose to come to New York, but they wouldn't be star-struck forever. Eventually fans would come to expect things (i.e. multiple Championships), which may make the latter years a struggle. 3) The Knicks do have Eddy Curry's expiring contract coming off the books next year, but they're already lost their 2012 First Round pick. Gallinari is the only young piece with All-Star potential, as the ceilings of Douglas and Wilson Chandler are pretty low.

Miami
1) LeBron is having his own one-hour primetime TV special to announce his decision, and you think this is a guy that wants to go to Miami where he'll have to fight for the spotlight with Dwyane Wade? 2) The LeBron-Wade-Bosh trio sounds great on paper, but how would this really work? Remember the embarrassing Olympic (2004) and World Championships (2002) teams? The problem with those teams was that everyone was trying to get theirs. The same could result here. 3) Miami is a complete disaster of a sports town. I'm convinced there are more Knicks/Mets fans in that town than Heat/Marlins. He won't be beloved there like he likely would be in Cleveland, New York, and Chicago.

All in all, I think the Miami reports today, and the Knicks reports last night, were all smoke-screens. I think you'll see LeBron decide to stay in Cleveland, because it's the situation that makes most sense.

Happy LeBronakah!

2010-07-01T13:52:00.004-04:00

With July 1, 2010 finally here, I have rundown a list of the top available free agents in this year's star-studded class (age in parenthesis):

1) LeBron James (25)
Why? Because of this.

2) Dwyane Wade (28)
Wade, like Dirk, is probably only testing the waters and seeing what Miami will do with their cap room. I’d expect him to be back as long as they are somewhat aggressive.

3) Dirk Nowitzki (32)
I’d be shocked if Dirk didn’t stay in Dallas, considering they could give him a four-year deal with a no-trade clause and over $95 million if he stayed. He's a natural fit for what the Mavs like to do (insert "early playoff exit" joke here).

4) Chris Bosh (26)
Had career-highs in scoring and rebounding last season and could be put in a good situation. He’s an ideal #2, and will probably wait to see if one of the other big dominos fall first.

5) Amare Stoudemire (27)
Not sure about his attitude at all times, and he doesn’t care much to rebound the basketball but he immediately makes any offense better.

6) Rudy Gay (23)
Gay is the youngest, and therefore still has by far the most potential of anyone on this list. However, he is looking for a max deal, and I’m not sure who is going to give that.

7) Joe Johnson (29)
There’s no question he can score, and he’s also very durable, but the performance in the playoffs has scared me off. Seems like the kind of guy that wouldn’t be happy as a #2.

8) Carlos Boozer (28)
Had a big, and most importantly healthy, season in 2009-10 going for 19.5 ppg and 11.2 rpg. Is the B-est of B-level players, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

9) David Lee (27)
His numbers (20.2 ppg, 11.7 rpg) wow you, but his defense does not. Is Lee just another one of those players artificially inflated by playing in Mike D’Antoni’s system?

10) Paul Pierce (32)
Pierce is still an effective player, but it’s tough to even call him a #2 anymore. At 32, he has a lot of tread on the tires, and is athletically-limited

Honorable mention: Ray Allen, John Salmons, Luis Scola, Josh Howard

Paul George reaction

2010-06-28T22:03:00.002-04:00

It only took ten selections for the first big suprise of Thursday's NBA Draft - the Pacers' selection of Paul George. While even avid college basketball fans may not have ever watched George star at Fresno State for two seasons, his potential is unmistakeable once you see him play.

His most common NBA comparison is Danny Granger, and you can see a lot of DG in his game. He's long, athletic, and he can score, but will need some polish to become a complete player. Because of the Granger comparisons, some Pacers' fans have panned the pick, but the Blue and Gold need talented players - regardless of their position.

George immediately becomes Granger's backup, and may eventually push for a starting spot alongside Granger if Brandon Rush continues to struggle.

What's the Scenario?

2010-06-22T18:01:00.004-04:00

With the NBA Draft just a few days away, the Pacers find themselves in an interesting spot. With rumored trades involving Jonny Flynn and Minnesota as well as Oklahoma City, the Blue and Gold aren't short on options. Here are some of the scenarios:

Pacers Draft Scenario #1: Keep the pick, roll with the point guards they already have.
The Pacers really have two options at #10: a big or a wing. Potential wing prospects include: Avery Bradley (Texas), Gordon Hayward (Butler), Xavier Henry (Kansas), and James Anderson (Oklahoma).

Pacers Draft Scenario #2: Keep the pick, and draft a point guard with one of the 2nd round selections.
There is no one in the 2nd round that could be an immediate NBA starter. Possible 2nd round options: Terrico White (Miss. State), Willie Warren (Oklahoma), Grevis Vasquez (Maryland), Matt Bouldin (Gonzaga), Sherron Collins (Kansas), and Denis Clemente (Kansas State).

Pacers Draft Scenario #3: Trade down, and if Murphy is included in the deal, draft a power forward.
This is a fantastic draft for bigs. Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Ed Davis (North Carolina), Paul George (Fresno State), Ekpe Udoh (Baylor), Hassan Whiteside (Marshall), and Daniel Orton (Kentucky) all could fall somewhere in the late teens or early 20's.

Pacers Draft Scenario #4: Draft Luke Harangody.
Hey, he played four years, was super productive, and has limited upside - this fits the recent trend of Pacers' First Round picks.

Ultimately, I think the Pacers are going to deal the pick, probably for a starter-caliber point guard. The question is whether or not they'll get a pick in return. It's a shame that in a draft full of NBA-ready forwards, the Pacers biggest needs are in the backcourt.

Rob Job

2010-06-20T14:26:00.008-04:00

So, raise your hand if you're tired of officiating controversies...

Just a handful of weeks after Jim Joyce's imperfect gaffe ruined a piece of baseball history, the "human element" has struck the world of sports again. It's been over 48 hours since Koman Coulibaly inexplicably disallowed what would've capped an improbable rally by the Americans in their match against Slovenia.

With Slovenia reeling in the 84th minute, Maurice Edu toed in the soccer equivalent of a walk-off homer, only to have it waved off for an apparent offsides. After surveying the video replays, the call was changed to a foul (think Scottie Pippen on Hubert Davis). Looking more closley at the tape, it was Slovenia that was draping the Americans on that free kick - Michael Bradley was essentially bear-hugged by a defender. In a game where the slightest trip results in a yellow card, the Slovenian players were given free reign like Dale and Antonio Davis jockeying for a rebound.

Sure, the Americans should've never been a position to have to rally against Slovenia, the smallest of the 32 countries participating in the World Cup. However, in the world's biggest sporting event, calls like this are inexcusable. Say what you want about Team USA putting themselves in a bad position with a horrid performance in the first half, but that doesn't change the fact that soccer is a 90-minute game and the Americans won that match in the 84th minute.

There was considerable outcry afterwards, but some of the blow was softened by Algeria's stunning 0-0 draw against England. Team USA still controls their own destiny, but would've been virtually guaranteed a trip to the Round of 16 had Coulibaly done the right thing.

R.I.P. Coach Wooden

2010-06-06T21:25:00.002-04:00

I have nothing to add to the recent conversation about the passing of John Wooden. I never met Coach Wooden, but know several who did. All I can say is that I've never heard of anyone say a negative word about John Wooden the person, and that's the best thing you can say about the true essence of the man.

R.I.P to perhaps the greatest product of this great state of Indiana.

Quick Shots: Indy 500

2010-05-31T22:07:00.004-04:00

The 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 took place on Sunday, and here are some of my knee-jerk reactions.

Swish: Dario Franchitti, Chip Ganassi
The Scot became just the 17th driver in history to capture multiple Indy 500 titles, after a dominating effort saw him lead 155 of the 200 laps. Say what you want about this being a fuel strategy win - the #10 car was clearly the class of the field. As for team owner Chip Ganassi, he made some history as well, becoming the first team owner to win the Indianapolis and Daytona 500s in the same year. Jamie McMurray took the checkered flag in Florida back in February.

Swish: Andretti Autosport
After an embarassing qualifying performance the weekend before, the Andretti cars came to play on Sunday. Marco Andretti made the podium for the third time in five career starts, coming from 16th to finish 3rd. Tony Kanaan charged through the field after starting dead last to get all the way to 2nd place before running out of fuel and falling to 11th (still not bad for TK). Danica Patrick was a surprise as well. Despite being clearly uncomfortable with her #7 Go Daddy car all month long, she was able to carve out a 6th place finish. Maybe their performance in Indy will give AA a much-needed boost heading into the rest of the season.

Brick: Early TV ratings
Despite a larger crowd, and a bigger buzz around this year's race than the last few editions, the excitement didn't translate to the television ratings. The 2010 Indy 500 ratings were down both locally and nationally, netting just a 3.68 across the country. That was down over four million households from last year. In central Indiana, the 500 earned a 12.2, down from the 14.6 a year ago.

Air Ball: Team Penske
Roger Penske hasn't had too many rough days in Indianapolis, but this was one of his worst. Outside of 1995 when both of his entries in Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi failed to qualify, this may have been their poorest showing to date. Defending champion and favorite Helio Castroneves stalled out in the pits with 55 laps to go, costing him a chance at a victory, and giving him a disappointing 9th place finish. Give Will Power credit for rallying to jump into the top ten (8th), but he was behind the eight-ball all day after being assessed an early penalty for leaving the pits with a fuel pump still attached. The worst performance came from Ryan Briscoe, who hit the wall in Turn 4 hard, and continued his run of bad luck in Indy with a 24th place finish.

Bring a Jacket...

2010-05-26T19:38:00.004-04:00

Hopefully this global warming phenomenon warms things up considerably by 2014, or else the NFL is in for a rude awakening. On Tuesday, the league gave the new Meadowlands Stadium in north Jersey Super Bowl XLVIII in four years. After first going to a northern city in Detroit in 2005, followed by a bid to our very own Indianapolis in 2012, the NFL has now thrown all caution to the wind. For those of you that haven't been to the New York area the first week of February, it's absolutely frigid.

According to NY.com, the average temperature in February is 33 1/2 degrees - hey, at least we know it won't snow! Actually, there's a very good chance for snow during Super Bowl XLVII, considering that a record 39 inches fell just this past February.

What I love about the Super Bowl is that it is the most neutral of neutral atmospheres. Generally it's played in a warm climate, so weather is not a factor. It's a corporate atmosphere with a small number of actual fans, meaning that there is no homefield advantage. By rolling the dice for a NY/NJ Super Bowl, the NFL is putting the neutrality of the site at risk. Can you imagine if the Colts (an indoor team) had a rematch against the Bears (a cold-weather team) again? It would give Chicago an unfair advantage. Teams are affected by playing in the cold/snow - there's no such thing as a cold-weather team (i.e. Chicago, Minnesota, either New York squad) struggling in 70 degree weather.

The cons far outweight the pros. Really, the only "pro" I can think of is the fact that it would be pretty cool to see a Super Bowl in the snow, and being played in the world's biggest market (New york), or at a place like Lambeau Field. The cons (weather issues, fan experience, traffic, etc.) could spell disaster for America's greatest sporting event.

Inspecting Interleague Play

2010-05-22T10:54:00.004-04:00

The 14th season of Interleague play officially began last night in Major League Baseball, and like any other "tradition", it needs some spicing up.

While I was originally a big fan of Interleague play, I feel that the cons outweigh the pros. If Interleague baseball is going to continue, there are some things that need to be tweaked. However, hoping for constructive changes from Bud Selig is like hoping for Bob Sanders to stay healthy.

Interleague play hasn't been much of a struggle for the AL

Here are some of the issues I have with the current state of Interleague baseball:

1) The novelty has worn off
- even the great rivalries like Yankees/Mets and Cubs/White Sox don't have the same allure that they used to have.

2) The American League has become far too dominant
- the AL has won the season series for six years running, with an alarming 714-546 edge in the past five years.

3) Most of the so-called "rivalry" games are a joke
- does anyone really care about the Ohio Cup (Reds/Indians), Marlins/Rays (Citrus Series), Twins/Brewers, etc.?

4) Scheduling inequities
- due to the designated rivalry, the Cubs get six games against the recently contending White Sox (.500 or better in eight of the last ten seasons, '05 champs) while the Cardinals get six versus the usually dormant Royals (one season over .500 since Interleague play began).

5) The "filler" games
- for every Yankees/Mets series, you have five "nobody cares" matchups like Rays/Astros (Planetary Series), Cubs/Rangers (Sammy Sosa Series), Rockies/Royals (The Ro-Ro Series), and Blue Jays/D’Backs (Do Snakes eat Birds? Series).

My solutions are simple. Kick Houston over to the AL West (where they belong) so you have even five-team divisions in each league. Just like in the NFL, each team plays a division every year that is rotated (i.e. an NL team would play the AL West in 2010, AL Central in 2011, AL East in 2012). You would still get the great games/players coming to your parks, and it would happen more frequently (once every six years) than in football (once every eight years). 15 of your 18 games will be against a specific division, while the other series would be with a designated "rival". For instance, the the Yankees/Mets, White Sox/Cubs, Angels/Dodgers, etc. would still play every year, but only one three-game series (instead of two). The home parks can rotate every other year.

I like Interleague baseball, and I don't necessarily want it to go away. But, the current format is tired and these changes can only help.

Party like it's 2008!

2010-05-19T20:50:00.002-04:00

It may be an understatement to say that the NBA Playoffs have been disappointing. Outside of the storylines involving LeBron James in Cleveland, there hasn't been much drama to speak of at all.

To make matters worse, Boston winning back-to-back games in Orlando to take a commanding 2-0 lead, and the Lakers in cruise control, makes it seem inevitable that a 2008 NBA Finals reprise is on the horizon.

No offense to the Lakers-Celtics rivalry - the greatest in basketball history, and one of the top five all-time rivalries in sports - but didn't we just see this movie last year? The names and faces are almost exactly the same. Garnett, Rondo, Piere, Allen, Bryant, Bynum, Odom, and Gasol were all with their respective teams when we saw them battle 24 months ago. Even Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson are still on the sidelines.

What's the storyline between the last two champions in the NBA meeting again? It reminds me of the Bulls-Jazz sequel in '98 - the only reason to tune in was to see Jordan cement his legacy. I know that Magic-Suns wouldn't have piqued the interest of the casual basketball fan, but it would've been nice to mix things up.

It's too bad barely anyone cares about the NHL, because their product has been 100X better this postseason.

Perfectly Solid

2010-05-10T21:18:00.004-04:00

After Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in baseball history, I got to thinking: this should be a great sign of things to come.

Unlike no-hitters, which have been accomplished by everyone from Nolan Ryan (324 career wins) to Bud Smith (7 career wins), perfect games have mostly been hurled by very good-to-great pitchers.

Four Hall-of-Famers have done it - Sandy Koufax, Catfish Hunter, Jim Bunning, and Randy Johnson (yeah, I'm jumping the gun, but it's inevitable). After that quartet, you have several pitchers that have had long and successful careers. Dennis Martinez won 244 other games besides his 1991 perfecto against the Dodgers. David Wells was one of the better lefthanders of his era, going 239-157 over 19 seasons including an afternoon in 1998 when he baffled the Twins. Kenny Rogers also toppled the 200-win plateau, playing for six different teams over nearly two decades. David Cone (perfect game in 1999 vs. Expos) struck out nearly 2,700 batters and won the 1994 Cy Young. Mike Witt (perfect game in 1984 vs. Rangers) won at least 15 games in four straight seasons from 1984-87, and Mark Buehrle (perfect game in 2009 vs. Rays) has played in four All-Star Games and is just entering his prime at 31 years old.

In fact, Don Larsen, who probably threw the most famous perfect game in the 1956 World Series, may be the worst pitcher to ever toss up all zeroes. He was just 81-91 in his career and was the only pitcher in modern baseball history to pitch a perfect game yet not ever play in an All-Star Game. Even Len Barker (perfect game in 1981 vs. Blue Jays) and Tom Browning (perfect game in 1988 vs. Dodgers), made one All-Star appearance each.

What does this mean for Braden? Nothing, as of now. He'll be 27 in August and has only made 53 career starts. While he seems solid, nobody is praising him as a future star. But, his accomplishment is unique because unlike a no-hitter, a perfect game is no fluke. Very good pitchers have made history before, and time will tell is Dallas Braden can stay true to that trend.

All-Ringless All-Stars

2010-05-01T11:19:00.011-04:00

Another promising season ended early for one of the NBA's biggest superstars, as Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks were upset by the 7th-seeded Spurs in six games.

While most wouldn't argue Nowitzki belongs among the elite tier occupied by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade, he definitely is at the top of the 2nd tier along with players like Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Tim Duncan. What makes Dirk different is that he is such a unique talent - a 7-foot perimeter player that is virtually unguardable. Much like Kevin Garnett, he is one of the few players to revolutionize the NBA with his unprecedented skill-set.

However, despite leading Dallas to ten straight 50+ win seasons, Nowitzki remains without a ring. The question is does Dirk Nowitzki belong on the starting five of the greatest players to never win an NBA Championship?

The Candidates (no, not like "LOST")
Point guard: This is an unbelievably deep and talented group of Championship-less players. Most immediately think of Utah's John Stockton, who despite holding the all-time assists record by over 5,000 (15,806 total), never found himself in the winner's circle. Jason Kidd, arguably the most complete point guard of all-time, is without a ring as well. Two-time MVP Steve Nash, four-time scoring champ Allen Iverson (26.7 ppg career), and the revolutionary Pete Maravich also find themselves on the list.

Shooting guard: Nearly all of the great shooting guards in NBA history (Jordan, West, Bryant, etc.) have won multiple Championships. Even second-tier players like Joe Dumars, Ray Allen, and Earl Monroe won at least one title. Headlining the list is George Gervin. The Iceman had a deadly finger roll which he used to become one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, averaging over 27 ppg from 1977-82. Other ring-less SGs include Reggie Miller, who was never surrounded by a Championship-caliber supporting cast in his 18 seasons in Indiana. Dave Bing was waived by Washington months before their only Championship in 1978. After jumping from the ABA, Hall-of-Famer David Thompson spent his career with mediocre Denver and Seattle teams.

Small forward: Knowing that Elgin Baylor spent his entire Hall-of-Fame career with the Lakers, most people probably assume that he's won multiple NBA Championships - that unfortunately is not the case. Baylor went an astonishing 0-for-8 in his NBA Finals appearances, seven of those setbacks coming to Bill Russell's Boston Celtics. One of the more underrated players in NBA history, Dominique Wilkins never got a chance to play in the NBA Finals. However, he was one of the best players in the NBA from the mid-1980's to mid-90's, and is ninth on the league's all-time scoring list. Original Dream Teamer Chris Mullin also went his entire career without a title, despite playing with the memorable Run TMC trio (with Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway) during his prime in Golden State. Bernard King's potential was derailed by a crushing knee injury in the middle of his prime, and Grant Hill never got a great opportunity due to injury issues of his own.

Power forward: Like the point guard spot, this is another list of fantastic players. Karl Malone, the NBA's 2nd leading all-time scorer, never won a Championship. Neither did Charles Barkley, who at just 6'6, did things at the forward position that were unprecedented. This is also where you would categorize Dirk Nowitzki, and even a guy like Shawn Kemp warrants a mention.

Center: There's Patrick Ewing, and then there's everybody else. This is one of the few no-brainers on the list, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a Knicks-homer. Bob Lanier is one of the only other Hall-of-Famers on this list, and like Ewing, rarely had a strong supporting cast. Lanier played on some contending Bucks' teams in the early 80's, but at that point was in the twilight of his career. Artis Gilmore would make this list, but he spent most of his early years in the ABA (where he did win a championship with the Kentucky Colonels in 1975).

The Starting Five
PG Jason Kidd
This is just a personal preference and you could put just about anybody here. Kidd was a five-time All-NBA First Team selection, and made the All-Defensive Team nine times. He also made the NBA Finals twice (with the Nets of all teams!), something that only John Stockton was able to match on the list. Though Kidd played on some great Nets' teams in the early 2000s, he never played alongside a player as great as Karl Malone. That's why he gets the nod over Stockton.

SG George Gervin
Nothing against Reggie, but he only made five All-Star Games, while Gervin won FOUR scoring titles. Gervin also matched Reggie's postseason heroics, averaging a whopping 27.9 ppg in 57 career NBA Playoff games.

SF Elgin Baylor
The 10-time All-NBA First Team selection is considered the greatest player to never win an NBA Championship, and it's a tough point to argue. Had his career not collided with Bill Russell's, he would've had a ring for every finger on one hand, if not more. No offense to 'Nique or Mullin, but this isn't even up for debate.

PF Charles Barkley
You can certainly argue Malone because of his numbers, but from a pure talent standpoint, I don't believe there's much debate that Barkley was the superior player. While Malone was an all-time great in his own right, I never felt that he was as dominant as Barkley was.

C Patrick Ewing
Because I'm a homer. Duh.

Final Draft Thoughts

2010-04-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Colts addressed several needs with their incoming group. Here are a couple of my thoughts on the incoming class:

Huuuuuughes: The TCU pass-rusher looks like a classic example of a Colts' steal. Bigger (Jason Pierre-Paul), stronger (Brandon Graham), and more athletic (Derrick Morgan) ends were taken in front of Hughes, but none of them had the production that he had during his college career. At 6'2, 260, the speedster seems to be a great fit as the third defensive end.

Only one offensive lineman drafted: I'm surprised that there was only one OL taken and it wasn’t even a tackle. This is starting to make me believe that Charlie Johnson will not be switching to guard. Most of this depends on how free agent acquistions Andy Alleman and Adam Terry perform in Camp.

Staying big on the O-Line: Jacques McClendon is massive (6’3, 324) for a guard. Given his selection, the Colts have officially added lineman that are 304 (Alleman), 324, and 335 (Terry) pounds.

Finally, a return man!: Not only does the addition of Ray Fisher show the Colts are getting serious about their return game, they also signed UDFA Brandon James of Florida. Fisher led the nation in kick return average (37.3 ypr, also a Big Ten record) while James set four SEC records during his time as a return threat for the Gators.

Defense depth: With as strong as the offense is currently constructed, the Colts really addressed their defensive depth chart. Kevin Thomas makes up for the losses of Jackson and Jennings at CB, Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner fill out the two-deep at LB, Hughes and Ricardo Matthews continue to shore up the depth at the D-Line.

Colts 2010 Draft Class: TCU DE Jerry Hughes (6’2, 260), Iowa LB Pat Angerer (6’1, 235), USC CB Kevin Thomas (6’1, 185), Tennessee G Jacques McClendon (6’3, 324), Oklahoma TE Brody Eldridge (6’5, 265), Cincinnati DL Ricardo Matthews (6’3, 294), Clemson LB Kavell Conner (6’1, 225), Indiana KR Ray Fisher (5’9, 185).

My Only Friend, The End

2010-04-17T10:17:00.006-04:00

In what was once a Pacers-crazy town here in Indianapolis, the 2009-10 season went out with a whimper. It was almost fitting that the final loss came to a dreadful Washington team - a solemn reminder of just how far this Pacers franchise has fallen.

Overall, the Blue and Gold suffered their worst record (32-50) in over twenty years, and missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season, the first time they've accomplished that feat since the 1982-86 seasons.

In what's become an annual ritual, team president Larry Bird held a season-wrapping press conference discussing his thoughts on another failed season. Besides backing head coach Jim O'Brien and saying the rebuilding plan was "on target", Larry Legend piqued my interest with this comment:

"The point guard position is one that we're going to look very hard at. It all starts with the point guard."

I would say something snide like "thanks Captain Obvious!" but that wouldn't be fair to Captain or even Lieutenant Obvious. Not to sound like a know-it-all, but I pleaded with the Pacers to address the point guard position in last year's NBA Draft, which had one of the deepest PG classes in recent memory. This fact may be depressing, but take into consideration the point guards that the Pacers passed up last year to draft Tyler Hansbrough at #13 overall:

#17 – Jrue Holiday, Sixers (8.0 ppg, 3.8 apg in 24 mpg)
#18 – Ty Lawson, Nuggets (8.3 ppg, 3.1 apg in 20 mpg)
#19 – Jeff Teague, Hawks (3.2 ppg, 1.7 apg in 10 mpg)
#20 – Eric Maynor, Jazz/Thunder (4.7 ppg, 3.3 apg in 15 mpg)
#21 – Darren Collison, Hornets (12.4 ppg, 5.7 apg in 28 mpg)

I would take any one of those five players over Hansbrough in a heartbeat, and it's not just because of Psycho T's mutant ear infection. T.J. Ford, for lack of a better word, is bad. We've known that for years. He's lost his starting job for every team he's ever played for. Earl Watson, while productive, is what he is: a veteran that is a backup on any halfway decent NBA team. While I like the potential of 2nd round pick A.J. Price, he's still at least another season or two away from being an NBA starter.

The Pacers are really behind the eight-ball this summer because they a) aren't shedding any money, and b) have another middling Lottery pick (10th overall barring a ping-pong ball miracle). Also, this Draft is big heavy, and point guard light.

The team you saw this year, will basically be the team you see next year. The only thing the Pacers are "on target' for is another 30-35 win season.

We'll reconvene in 2011.

For Perception's Sake

2010-04-12T22:36:00.003-04:00

Has anyone had a more trying first few years on the job than Roger Goodell? In a seemingly unending cycle of player incidents, it is once again decision-time for the NFL's head honcho.

Georgia authorities said on Monday that they would not pursue sexual assault charges against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, but that doesn't mean he's off the hook with the league. In the past (most notably with Pacman Jones), Goodell has handed out suspensions to players regardless of whether they were charged with a crime.

No one is going to argue that Roethlisberger hasn't sullied the image of the NFL, along with his own. Though he isn't going to be charged, should this 2nd scrape with the law cost him some game time?

A suspension for Roethlisberger is warranted for two major reasons:

1) To send a message to Ben that he needs to stop putting himself in these kind of situations.

2) To dispell the belief among NFL fans that there is a double-standard when it comes to race.

I don't think Goodell has unfairly punished minority players, but there's no question there's a perception out there that he has. Throwing Michael Vick into the fire while letting Roethlisberger walk would make plenty of people question Goodell's integrity. I don't think Goodell is racist, nor do I think he was unfair with his punishments of players like Vick and Jones. However, perception is what matters - and Goodell has to do everything he can to guard against a negative labeling from NFL fans and players.

Stevens Returns

2010-04-08T21:24:00.007-04:00

Note: I know I had promised an NCAA Tournament wrap-up post, but I don't feel like I can add anything to what's already been said. It was a terrific run for Butler, and overall was probably the most entertaining Tournament since the field expanded in 1985.

Brad Stevens will be back, at least for next year.

Stevens and Butler agreed to a 12-year contract extension, which was announced late this afternoon. The extension means that for this summer the overtures from BCS teams will be ignored. However, the rumors about Stevens' future will never fully go away, regardless of whatever contract he signs or what is said publicly.

Much like Mark Few at Gonzaga, as long as Stevens keeps winning, his name will come up in the conversation of every big school coaching vacancy.

On the bright side, Brad Stevens will definitely be back at Butler next season. That in itself is crucial because the program needs Stevens there to carry the momentum from an improbable run to the National Championship game, and take advantage on the recruiting trail. However, what he does after next season is anybody's guess.

In the college coaching ranks today, contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Extensions don't signify that any coach will stay - their only purpose is to boost the monetary amount of the buyout that a BCS-level team will have to pay.

Such is life for mid-major programs, but we're happy Brad Stevens didn't jump at the first opportunity.

STP and Final Four picks

2010-04-03T11:33:00.003-04:00

I hit the free STP show downtown last night to ring-in the Final Four festivities. While it was still pretty awesome, it was nothing like this:

A clearly ~~obliterated~~ sleepy Scott Weiland rambled on between songs about picking up his USA Today, putting his money on STP (instead of Butler, MSU, Duke, or West Va), and called the record-warm weather "glorious".

Final Four picks...
Butler 64, Michigan State 62
Before you accuse me of picking with my heart instead of my head, remember that the Dawgs are actually a 1.5-point favorite according to Vegas. Butler has completely shutdown two much stronger offenses in Syracuse and Kansas State over the past week, and the Spartans will likely struggle to score. One thing that should make Butler fans nervous is the fact that Michigan State is much more physical than any team Butler has faced in the Tournament so far. Butler gives the hometown fans a win to continue this run.

West Virginia 74, Duke 67
I'm curious as to why Duke is considered the National Championship favorite. West Virginia could've easily been a #1 seed, and they dismantled the team that a lot of people thought was going to walk away with the title (Kentucky) just a week ago. Duke's size is certainly an advantage, but I don't envision the Mountaineers letting them have their way on the offensive glass like they did against both Purdue and Baylor. West Virginia's offense wakes up for the first time this Tournament and they slip into Monday night's marquee matchup.

No "Hickory" Here

2010-03-29T22:34:00.004-04:00

With Butler making a surprise run to the Final Four, the comparisons to Hoosiers and Cinderella labels were to be expected. However, for the basketball fans of Indianapolis that have watched this program over the past four years, they know that this Butler program isn't your average Tourney darling. Here are five reasons why Butler shouldn't be put in the same boat as the George Masons of the past:

1) Pollsters giving props
Butler was ranked #10 in the 2009-10 preseason AP Top 25 poll and #11 in the final regular season poll three weeks ago. They've cracked the top 11 in the rankings in each of the past four seasons with highs of #9 (2006-07), #8 (2007-08), #11 (2008-09), and #10 (2009-10). Only three teams have spent more weeks in the Top 25 over that span: North Carolina, Kansas, and Duke.

2) Marquee wins
Take a look at some of the programs Butler has beaten in the past four seasons: #4 Syracuse (2010), #6 Kansas State (2010), #12 Xavier (2008), #15 Ohio State (2009), #21 Tennessee (2006), #22 Maryland (2007), #24 Gonzaga (2006) - not too shabby. Also, say what you want about the Horizon League, but winning 62 of 70 regular season games against Conference opponents is quite an accomplishment.

3) Record-wise
20-win seasons used to be the mark of excellence in college basketball. But, with the boom in preseason tournaments, 30 wins is considered the new "elite" benchmark. Over the past four seasons, the Bulldogs have averaged 30 wins per season (30-5 overall). Brad Stevens, who is in his third year at the helm, has won 88 of the 102 games (86%) in his short career. If you want to go back even further, Butler has won at least 20 games in 12 of the past 14 seasons, eclipsing the 25-win mark six different times.

4) Making it happen in March
The Final Four may be a new horizon (no pun intended) for Butler, but success in the NCAA Tournament is nothing new. Since 2001, the Dogs are 10-5 in the Tourney, going 5-1 in First Round games (a four-point loss to 8-seed LSU in 2009 the only blemish), taking two trips to the Sweet 16 (2003, 2007), and now the Final Four. Something else worth noting is that Butler has never lost to a lower-seeded team - that's something that Gonzaga has done four times since 2002.

5) Power of Personnel
No offense to A.J. Graves and Avery Sheets, but the overall talent level at Butler is night-and-day compared to what it was just five years ago. Matt Howard was ranked among the Top 100 players nationally by Rivals.com and held offers from Indiana, Purdue, and Xavier among others. Gordon Hayward was coveted by Purdue and Michigan. Shelvin Mack drew attention from Miami (FL) and UAB. Six players on the current Butler roster were rated three-stars or higher by most recruiting services. The Bulldogs don't have to find hidden gems in White River Valley any longer.

Going Mad (again!)

2010-03-22T21:07:00.005-04:00

On Monday morning, the bracket that I had filled out that said "KANSAS" all over it found its final resting home - the trash.

Normally, being eliminated from my pool midway through the third day of the Tournament would upset me, but after everything that happened in the first two rounds, I couldn't be happier.

I had lost faith in the NCAA Tournament in the last two years. After two lifeless brackets where all four #1 seeds advanced for the first time to the Final Four (2008), and only one seed lower than a five made the second weekend (2009), four crazy days brought the "madness" back to March:

- The odds-on favorite Kansas, was beaten by Northern Iowa in the most jarring upset since George Mason toppled UConn in 2006.

- Eight double-digit seeds won their opening game, Including a #14 (Ohio), a #13 (Murray State), a #12 (Cornell), and two #11s (Washington, Old Dominion).

- A record-tying five non-BCS teams (Butler, Xavier, Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's and Cornell) advanced to the Sweet 16.

- 25 of the 48 games in the first two rounds were decided by nine points or less.

After all, the Tournament is about the Cinderellas.

It's back!

Instead of gushing over Evan Turner and John Wall, all the water cooler conversation is around Ali Farokhmanesh's ice-water veins, and Omar Samham's swagger. Instead of chalk, and BCS-level heavyweights flexing their muscle, we're talking about how the Missouri Valley Conference and Atlantic-10 teams should get the respect they deserve from the committee.

Kentucky, Syracuse, and Duke all still look strong, and the higher seeds could still reign supreme. But, for four days, the Tournament reminded us why it's the greatest event in American sports.

Breaking Down my Bracket

2010-03-18T09:20:00.003-04:00

Gimmie Upset: San Diego State over Tennessee
The Volunteers can beat everyone on any given night as evident by their wins over Kansas and Kentucky this season, but they also lost to USC by 22 and Georgia during SEC play. The Aztecs are an intriguing team led by Steve Fisher (who coached the 1989 National Champion Michigan team) and was two points away from being MWC regular season champ New Mexico three times this season.

Easy Final Four pick: None
Each year there is generally an easy Final Four pick in at least one of the regions. Last year, it was UConn coming out of the West. The two-seed was a grossly overrated Memphis team, the #3 a Missouri team that didn't have the interior weapons to slay the Huskies, and the 4/5 (Purdue, Washington) weren't serious threats. Teams like North Carolina (2005, 2008) and Florida (2007) have also been no-brainers. On the flip side, this year there is no gimmie Final Four pick. Kansas is a team that everyone has (so you're safe picking them), but their region includes Ohio State, Georgetown, Maryland, and Michigan State - a group that has combined for ten Final Fours since 1999.

Tough Final Four pick: Baylor
I have a problem falling in love with teams early in the season and I end up convincing myself that they're legit contenders. This happened with Acie Law's Texas A&M team in 2007, who I actually had in my National Championship Game, as well as the Foye/Ray/Fraser Villanova team in 2006, who I picked to win it all. Both of those teams fell well short of my expectations. The Bears are sort of like a poor man's 2009 UConn team - great frontline depth and size (Thabeet, Adrien, Robinson to Udoh, Lomers, Jones), plus a guard that can take over a game (A.J. Price to LaceDarius Dunn). They could hypothetically have to get by Notre Dame, Villanova, and Duke to get to Indianapolis, which is a steep climb for a team whose best win this season came against Xavier and went 1-3 against Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas A&M combined.

Reach of the Tournament: Utah State
The 4/13, 5/12 groupings get messy a lot of the time, and that's what I expect in the South Region. Purdue is coming off a 30+ point drilling by Minnesota and is without their star player, while Texas A&M is solid but unspectacular. The two mid-majors those teams will face are MAAC Champion Siena (who has won First Round games in each of the past two seasons), and Utah State (one of the final at-large bids). The Aggies are notorious for playing a soft schedule - they've had teams left out of the NCAAs that have won 23, 25, 23, and 24 games - but came a basket away from upsetting Marquette a year ago. They're my sleeper to come out of that group. It's frustrated because this is a grouping that should've gone to Kansas or Kentucky instead of Duke.

Toughest Region to predict: West
Syracuse will be without big man Arinze Onuaku for at least the first two games, maybe more. Looking around the rest of the region, Kansas State is strong, but is in unchartered waters for that program. Pittsburgh rarely (if ever) plays to their seeding, Vanderbilt is the weakest #4, Butler isn't a realistic Final Four team, and Xavier is a bit of an enigma. Some people are hopping on #7 BYU to come out of that group. I picked Syracuse mostly because I didn't feel comfortable hedging my bets on unproven teams (Kansas State) or ones that generally fall on their face in the Tournament (Pitt, Vandy).

Final, Final Four: Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia, Baylor
Kansas has been the strongest team all season long, so even though they have a death-march of a draw, they're the only team I feel comfortable about. I believe I sufficiently explained my reasoning for picking Syracuse above. West Virginia is a huge boom-or-bust team coached by a man (Bob Huggins) that never defeated a higher-seed in 14 NCAA Tournament trips at Cincinnati. However, they're red-hot and they have experienced players that have been in big situations unlike Kentucky that relies mostly on underclassmen. Finally, my Baylor pick is a combination of my man-crush on the Bears and my refusal to fall into the trap of picking Duke just because they have an easy draw (like I did in '06).

Happy Basketball to you and enjoy the best time of the year on the sports calendar.

Early Tourney Thoughts

2010-03-15T20:27:00.004-04:00

I gave myself 24 hours to digest the NCAA Tournament draw, and have a few assorted thoughts. We won't lock into the picks until Wednesday. Filling out a bracket for me is sort of like what picking out a wedding dress is probably like for a chick - I go through a bunch before one feels just right.

Seeding - the Selection committee very rarely gets this right. Tell me, which is the tougher draw?

Draw A: #2 Ohio St., #3 Georgetown, #4 Maryland, #5 Michigan St.

Draw B: #2 Kansas St., #3 Pittsburgh, #4 Vanderbilt, #5 Butler

In the last eleven years, Draw A has combined for ten Final Four appearances. Draw B has only been past the Sweet 16 once (Pitt last year). However, Draw A went to supposed top overall seed Kansas, while the much easier Draw B went to the fourth #1 Syracuse.

Bracket Buster II - in this year's draw, there were 15 teams from non-BCS leagues on the 5-12 seed lines. Of that group, eight are playing each other: Temple/Cornell, Butler/UTEP, Richmond/St. Mary's, and Northern Iowa/UNLV. Instead of matching up Texas/Wake Forest and Clemson/Missouri, why not mix those teams up against mid-majors?

We don't learn anything from matchups like Drake/WKU

Snubs - this was truly a weak field of at-large hopefuls. Unlike past years, I don't feel like there was a team left out that had a legitimate complaint. Virginia Tech had the 339th rated non-league schedule, Mississippi State had only two RPI Top 50 win (Vanderbilt, Old Dominion), and Illinois had fourteen losses with four coming to teams rated outside of the RPI Top 100 (Bradley, Georgia, Northwestern, Utah).

Big Ten Tourney Picks!

2010-03-11T07:59:00.006-05:00

With the Big Ten Tournament set to begin downtown this afternoon, here are my picks:

First Round
#11 Penn State over #6 Minnesota
#7 Northwestern over #10 Indiana
#8 Michigan over #9 Iowa

As much as I would love to pick Indiana to beat Northwestern back-to-back games, I just don't see how it happens. The Hoosiers played one of their best offensive games (43% shooting, 10-23 3-PT, 26-32 FT) of the season last Saturday against the Wildcats, and still needed overtime to survive John Shurna & Co. Meanwhile, Penn State has split their last six meetings, and three losses have only come by 8, 2, and 4 points to the three top teams in the conference (Ohio St., Michigan St. Purdue). I think they'll sneak up on Minnesota.

Quarterfinals
#4 Wisconsin over #5 Illinois
#3 Michigan State over #11 Penn State
#2 Purdue over #7 Northwestern
#1 Ohio State over #8 Michigan

Illinois is the only team that hasn't locked up an NCAA bid with legitimate at-large hopes going into this week. Even though they have played well in the Big Ten Tournament, it's hard to see them bouncing back from a lifeless performance in Sunday's 15-point home loss to the same Wisconsin team that they'll face on Friday. The Spartans survive a scare from the Nittany Lions like they did last week, Purdue does enough to get by Northwestern, and Ohio State flexes their muscle against the overmatched Wolverines.

Semifinals
#3 Michigan State over #2 Purdue
#1 Ohio State over #4 Wisconsin

It would be a great story if the Boilers rallied around each other and put together a run, but this is a team that has yet to prove they can beat quality opponents without Robbie Hummel. They had a forgettable effort in a home loss to Michigan State, beat a bad IU team, and barely scraped by last-place Penn State. Wisconsin is scrappy, and I actually think the winner of this game will win the Tournament, but the Buckeyes are rolling right now.

Championship
#1 Ohio State over #3 Michigan State

Ohio State's depth issues will prevent them from making a serious National Championship run, but they're good enough to get by a maddeningly inconsistent Spartans squad. Just to add to the chalkiness of my bracket, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Evan Turner earns MOP honors. I'm feeling risky today.

Four for Indiana?

2010-03-09T14:59:00.003-05:00

Championship Week is officially upon us, and several Indiana teams will have a chance to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

In the past few days, Indiana State (MVC), Evansville (MVC), Ball State (MAC), and IPFW (Summit) have all been eliminated, but the Hoosier state still has a legit chance at as many as four bids.

IUPUI will play in the Summit League final tonight against top-seeded Oakland, a team they split with this season. The Jaguars are looking for their first Tourney trip since being dropped by #1 seed Kentucky in 2003. They did have some success against Oakland this season, losing by just three on the road, and handing the Grizzlies their lone conference loss of the season by 24 in Indy.

Butler is already in, but could do themselves a big favor seeding-wise by holding serve tonight against Wright State in the Horizon League Championship game. The Dogs are currently the owners of the nation's longest winning streak at 19 games, and could nab as high as a #4 seed should they take care of business tonight.

The other teams that are looking strong are Purdue (a lock at 25-4), and Notre Dame, who finished with four straight wins to push their Big East record to 10-8. However, for the Irish to truly feel safe, they may want to knock-off the winner of Seton Hall/Providence in the Big East Quarters on Wednesday.

Gary Goes Nowhere

2010-03-05T12:29:00.001-05:00

In a move that surprised no one, Gary Brackett will remain an Indianapolis Colt. Despite passing this morning’s 12:01 deadline, the unrestricted free agent agreed to a five-year deal. The contract will pay Brackett $33 million, including a signing bonus of $12 million. The deal makes Brackett one of the highest paid players at his position in the NFL.

The signing bucks a long-time trend by the Colts’ front office to let talented linebackers walk. In the past, players such as Cato June, Mike Peterson, and David Thornton have all been allowed to pursue free agency. However, while talented, those players never held the distinction of being defensive captain – a title that Brackett has held since the 2007 season.

Staying up-to-date with the latest, the Colts now have just one unrestricted free agent in K Matt Stover, who is expected to retire. Of their restricted free agents, safeties Melvin Bullitt and Antonie Bethea, along with LT Charlie Johnson, DT Antonio “Mookie” Johnson, and DT Daniel Muir have all been tendered. CB Marlin Jackson, PR T.J. Rushing, and the remaining restricted free agents were not given offers by the Colts and will become unrestricted free agents.

UPDATE: The Colts cut DT Raheem Brock and QB Jim Sorgi late Friday. Sorgi isn't as much of a suprise, but considering that Brock was only owed $3.8M for the final year of his deal, the news is a bit curious (especially in an uncapped year). Maybe Indy is freeing up as much money as they can for Peyton's lucrative extension?

No Ride for Rahal

2010-02-24T21:43:00.005-05:00

It was something that I had barely even noticed, but as Curt Cavin's piece in the IndyStar pointed out, rising star Graham Rahal doesn't have a ride for the 2010 IndyCar season.

For a driver of his talent level (7th in points last season) and heritage (father Bobby won the 1986 Indy 500), such a fact is inexplicable. Failing a proper explanation, it can only come down to one factor: money.

Rahal's McDonald's sponsorship from last season was dropped, and he has no ticket for 2010. Other less-talented drivers that are already attached to sponsors have secured rides. Hell, they'd probably put just about anybody in an IndyCar as long as the price was right.

The shutout of Rahal goes against the founding principle of the IndyCar Series, which was to provide ample opportunities to American drivers in open-wheel racing. As it sits right now, only four Americans are slated to participate in the 2010 season, and three reside on the Andretti Autosport team (Andretti, Patrick, Hunter-Reay). After boasting six American champions in their first seven years of existence, only one American (Sam Hornish, Jr.) has won a points title in the last seven.

IndyCar has bigger problems that just the lack of Americans in the series, but it is a problem that needs solving. Casual fans are attracted to names like Andretti and Rahal, but not Mutoh and Viso.

The Day After

2010-02-20T09:14:00.013-05:00

I promised myself that I would wait almost a full 24 hours following ~~the biggest event in the history of the planet~~ Tiger Woods' press conference to fully digest everything and give my reaction.

Everyone is going to have a different interpretation, but for me Tiger's mea culpa was a mixed-bag.

First off, Tiger has to be commended for having the courage to speak publicly and apologize for his transgressions. That's something that plenty of other athletes in the same situation haven't done. It's always better to say something than to say nothing at all.

Something else that I liked about yesterday's presser was that Tiger didn't try to gloss over what he did. He used the words "cheat" and "affair" rather than paint a broadstroke over his infidelities. Of course we all know what he did, but the use of those words made the apology seem more sincere. So many times when athletes/celebrities make these kinds of statements, they're very vague. A great example is performance-enhancing drug users in MLB not using the words "steroids", "PEDs", or "cheat" (i.e. Jason Giambi).

But, Tiger's apology wasn't a home run. The popular notion of the media/fans that Woods doesn't owe anything to anybody other than his family is laughable. The big group of people that were really tarnished by this were the members of the PGA Tour. When the you-know-what hit the fan after the Thanksgiving incident three months ago, Tiger left the burden of his transgressions on his colleagues.

Guys like Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson were badgered for months about their thoughts on Tiger, and I'm sure that their personal lives were put under a bigger microscope. It's a lot like when the CEO of the company does something wrong - that image (fairly or unfairly) blankets every employee in the company. Tiger is the face of the PGA Tour. His infidelities cast a poor light on the Tour and the players in it. Anyone that says anything to the contrary is wrong.

So, where was the apology to his fellow golfers? In 13 1/2 minutes, he barely acknowledged the Tour at all.

Another portion of yesterday's statement where Tiger dropped the ball was when he lied about what happened on Thanksgiving night. To be fair, none of us are entitled to know all of the details of what happened that night. That being said, we are entitled not to be lied to.

The fact is, all of us have gotten into spats with spouses or significant others. Obviously, I'm not talking about physical violence, but I'm sure we've all shouted at each other, and said things we've regretted. It's human. Instead of copping to it, Tiger decided to go all Rafael Palmeiro on us, wagging his finger at the camera and guaranteeing that there was no altercation between he and Elin that night.

Bull.

I'm not the sharpest needle in the stack but when I hear that someone crashed an SUV while backing out of their driveway, was barefoot with visible scratches on their face, and (the cherry on top) was seen lying in the middle of the road wrapped in a blanket afterwards, that doesn't sound like a run-of-the-mill Thanksgiving evening.

Obviously, there was some sort of alertcation between Tiger and his wife that night. All he had to do was admit to that, without divulging any private details. Instead, Woods tried to sell that as a "media misunderstanding", and hoped that we would buy it. I didn't, because I'm not a fool.

Overall, I thought Tiger's statement yesterday was satisfactory. He was basically in a lose-lose situation. No matter what he said, there were going to be some people out that weren't satisfied. He apologized to his family, praised his wife, and didn't skirt the issues. Sure, there were no gorey details, but what did you expect? I mean, the guy's boat is named Privacy.

Tiger Woods will never return to the peak that he was prior to this controversy, but this country loves redemption stories. It will be an uphill climb, but he'll eventually be back.

Tiger will win again. He'll win majors again. He'll probably pass Jack Nicklaus and go down as the greatest golfer of all time. But, his off-the-course life will always tarnish his legacy.

Yesterday was a step in the right direction because American sports fans love to forgive.

However, they rarely forget.

Purdue a #1? No Joke.

2010-02-17T20:33:00.007-05:00

Chances are if you've watched college hoops this year or read any analysis, you've heard reasons why Purdue isn't a legit National Title contender. I have analyzed some of the reasons why Purdue can/can't win a National Championship this April:

Why Purdue Can't Do It...
1) They don't have THE guy.
Experts maintain that without a surefire NBA Lottery Pick, the Boilers can't possibly win a National Championship. Over the last decade, all but one title winner (2006 Florida) had a player taken in the Lottery of that June's draft - and that Gators team ended up with three players taken in the top nine of the 2008 Draft (Horford, Brewers, Noah).

2) Where's the beef?
Outside of their talented top three (Moore, Hummel, Johnson), the Boilers don't have much of a scoring punch. Entering Wednesday night's win over Ohio State, that trio had scored 65% of Purdue's points this season. Purdue can go 9/10 deep, but they don't have any scorers off their bench.

Why Purdue Can Do It...
1) Sum of the Parts
First off, the assertion that Purdue doesn't have a go-to guy is absurd. E'Twaun Moore is a 17 ppg scorer that shoots 49% from the floor this season. Even if they don't have a guy that NBA scouts are drooling over, they do have three that will get All-Big Ten First Team consideration. At this point, JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore are locks for the first team, and Robbie Hummel is right on the cusp.

2) Body of Work
Take a look at Purdue's top wins this year (RPI ranks): West Virginia (5), Wake Forest (12), Wisconsin (15), Tennessee-N (19), @Michigan State (26), and @Ohio State (31). You can definitely stack those up favorably against any wins from any of the top teams:

#1 Kansas: @Kansas State (7), @Temple (11), Baylor (13), @Texas A&M (18)
#2 Kentucky: Vanderbilt (17), Tennessee (19), Louisville (30), UConn-N (50)
#3 Villanova: @West Virginia (5), Georgetown (8), @Louisville (30), Dayton-N (35)
#5 Syracuse: @West Virginia (5), Georgetown (8), California-N (23), UConn (50)

Outside of Kansas, there isn't a team right now in America that has a better overall resume than the Boilers. Purdue could be in line for a #1 seed, and any team that earns that distinction is absolutely a National Title contender.

Remember When...

2010-02-14T21:05:00.003-05:00

There have been many instances where things that were once great, are no longer that way. Sometimes, not only are these things no longer as great as they were, they now completely suck. A couple of notable examples are Green Day, The Simpsons, and birthdays.

Add the NBA Slam Dunk Contest to that list.

Remember when these guys made good music?

Saturday's snooze-fest was beyond a debacle. At least eight of the twelve total dunks attempted could've been executed by 95% of the players in the league (if you don't count the entire Pacers' roster - sorry Dunleavy, Murphy, and Diener...). The best dunk of the night, was DeMar DeRozan's off the side of the backboard windmill, which was the only thing close to a worthy attempt. At least the eventual champion Nate Robinson tried, that's more than I can say for either a disinterested Gerald Wallace or an extremely uncreative Shannon Brown.

Bill Simmons declared the Dunk Contest dead, and while I'm not willing to go that far, I'll admit that it's on life support. What the contest needs is star-power like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Instead, those two are too preoccupied with showing off their new wardrobe and rubbing elbows with fellow celebs.

Unless the stars step-in, there is no saving what used to be one of the highlights of the NBA season.

The Blame Game

2010-02-11T08:36:00.003-05:00

Ugh. Here we go again...

Colts President Bill Polian pointed the finger at two units - the offensive line and Special Teams - and bemoaned the lack of execution in Indianapolis' Super Bowl XLIV loss to New Orleans.

Polian mentioned the onside kick to start the second-half as the turning point of the game:

"We had four things we could have done positively on that play. We didn't do any of them. That absolutely changed the game. It went from our getting the ball on their 40-yard line to having them march down for a touchdown."

The blame going on the offensive line is a bit of a surprise. The Colts rushed for 99 yards, well above their 80.9 ypg regular season average, and yielded zero sacks. Peyton Manning was rarely hurried or hit like he was in the Jets and Ravens games earlier in the playoffs.

Frankly, I'm tired of the blame game. Offense, defense, Special Teams, coaching - the Colts were outplayed and outexecuted in every single one of those areas. There's no reason to throw a specific unit or player under the bus.

If Polian really wants to point the finger at someone, why not his own head coach? Jim Caldwell's conservative approach after jumping out to a 10-0 lead was as much to blame as anything for the disappointing loss.

Looking for a Label

2010-02-08T22:26:00.016-05:00

Nearly 24 hours after the completion of Super Bowl XLIV, I still can't fully define the legacy of the 2009 Colts. For a third straight year, and for the fifth time in six years, I'm left searching for an explanation.

For much of Sunday's loss, it was the Saints that played the brand of football that we had seen from the Colts for over five months. They played clean, they played smart, and most importantly of all, they played aggressive.

I thought that because New Orleans relied so much on their opponents making mistakes, that the Colts - a team that rarely shoots themselves in the foot - would prevail. They didn't, and the Saints were praised for a huge "upset" victory.

But, was New Orleans' win really an upset?

At some point between early December and early February, the football world decided that the once miniscule gap between the Colts and Saints had widened to the point where Indianapolis was suddenly the heavy favorite. The main culprit was the two team's performances in their respective Conference Championship games. One team overwhelmed their opponent in the second-half behind one of the best postseason performances in the career of their MVP quarterback. The other needed five fumbles, an overtime, and a ridiculously reckless throw by Brett Favre to punch their ticket to the franchise's first Super Bowl.

What we all forgot along the way, was that all the signs pointed to this being an even matchup.

The Colts' two best wins (record-wise) of the season came against Arizona and New England - two teams that the Saints pasted by a combined 45 points. In the postseason, New Orleans had just gotten by two Hall-of-Famers in Kurt Warner and Brett Favre, while the Colts beat-up on the inexperienced Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez. Someone tell me how overwhelming a nine-win, one-dimensional Wild Card team translated to defeating a 13-win, offensive juggernaut like New Orleans?

This, however, is not about excuse-making, it's just the realization that maybe the Colts weren't as dominant as we thought. Take a look back at the Colts in 2009... They didn't beat anyone with less than six losses. They needed seven fourth-quarter comebacks. Their two best wins were a ~~fluky~~ fortunate comeback against a not-as-good-as-advertised Patriots team, and a victory over the champion of the worst division in football (Arizona). They were also the second team ever to waltz into the Super Bowl by playing two Wild Card teams (the other being the 2005 Seahawks). Sure, you can't blame the Colts for playing the schedule in front of them, but did we put too much stock in a collection of wins over 7-9, 8-8, and 9-7 football teams?

Statistically, the Colts had a very good offense (6th scoring, 9th in yards-per-game), and a solid, but middling defense (8th in scoring, 18th in yards-per-game). In the final regular season DVOA rankings, they came in 8th. All of this shows that the Colts were a great team, but hardly an unstoppable force.

The NFL is now a passing league, and every single division-winner had an upper-level quarterback. With that in mind, fourteen of Indianapolis' sixteen wins came against the following quarterbacks:

David Garrard(twice), Chad Pennington, Seneca Wallace, Kerry Collins, Marc Bulger, Alex Smith, Matt Schaub (twice), Joe Flacco (twice), Vince Young, Kyle Orton, and Mark Sanchez.

Yeesh.

Had this team not started 14-0, would we think a Super Bowl victory was a given? All of this is very similar to the 2008 season. Had Indy not scored an impressive comeback over the eventual champion Steelers on the road, would we have falsely believed they could make a run? In both instances, probably not.

Obviously, this is a better Colts' team than the squad from '08. In fact, this was a great Colts team; any time you win 14 games you earn this distinction. But, because of the 14-0 start, they were placed amongst the all-time great teams - a label that was both illogical and undeserved. This team was never to the level of the 2007 Patriots, much less the 1985 Bears, regardless of what their record said. If we weren't all so preoccupied with the irrational dreams of a 19-0 season, maybe we would've realized that.

None of this takes the sting off of a Super Bowl loss. But, in hindsight, Sunday night's result wasn't as much of an upset as we made it out to be.

Anatomy Class

2010-02-01T20:58:00.002-05:00

During every Super Bowl week, there's a major storyline. Last year, it was the Cardinals overcoming their "loser" heritage. The year before that, it was the Patriots pursuing perfection. This year, it's a body part - more specifically, the right ankle that belongs to Dwight Freeney.

Reports have surfaced that Freeney has a ligament tear in the ankle, something that the Colts have denied. Indianapolis is instead saying that it's a third-degree sprain (which by definition is technically a tear). Adam Schefter says "potatoe", Colts say "potato" - what everyone agrees on is this is serious.

Dwight Freeney's importance cannot be understated. He has wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks for almost a decade. Like Peyton Manning on the other side of the ball, Freeney defines the philosophy of the Colts' defense to a "T": quick, deceptive, relentless. Especially against the top scoring passing offense in the league, Freeney's potential loss is major. But, it's not a death-blow.

The Colts have prided themselves on their "next man up" philosophy, and backup Raheem Brock is a solid veteran that can fill the gap. What this injury does is level the playing field even more. If you thought Super Bowl XLIV was slightly in the Colts' favor (i.e. 55/45), then this probably tips the scales back to a toss-up.

Nobody said winning Championships was easy.

Way-too-early Offseason Glance

2010-01-28T10:30:00.004-05:00

With a Super Bowl title on the line a week from Sunday, most of you Colts fans probably aren't thinking too much about the offseason.

But, since I'm always thinking one step ahead (like a carpenter that makes stairs), I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the personnel questions facing the Colts heading into the winter/spring of 2010.

The Anthony Gonzalez situation
You remember Gonzo right? The former first round pick out of Ohio State had productive 2007 and 2008 seasons and was poised for a breakout this year with the departure of Marvin Harrison. However, that never came to be thanks to a fluke non-contact injury in the early stages of the regular season opener against Jacksonville. The knee injury cost Gonzalez his 2009 season, and the "breakouts" instead came from Pierre Garcon and rookie Austin Collie. Gonzalez is still very talented and also has three years remaining on his deal, so there's no reason to think the Colts would part with him. But, it's not clear how Gonzalez exactly fits into their plans going into the 2010 season.

Peyton Manning's extension
Both parties so far have brushed this situation aside, saying that they'll take care of it when the time comes. Well, guess what? That time is almost here. The reigning back-to-back NFL MVP is about to enter the final year of the seven-year deal he signed before the 2004 campaign. Manning will turn 34 during the offseason, but given the performances of Brett Favre (40) and Kurt Warner (38), there's no reason to believe that Peyton couldn't be productive well into this decade. His little brother's contract extension netted him $97.5 million, and at the very least, Manning's final Colts' contract would probably match that or jump into the nine-figure range.

Key Free Agents
Is Gary Brackett the next great Colts linebacker to walk away? The defensive captain will be a free agent at the conclusion of the season, and Indianapolis doesn't exactly have a great track record when it comes to retaining star linebackers. The Colts let Mike Peterson, David Thornton, and Cato June all walk after their contracts were up. However, Brackett could be an exception to that rule because he is one of the clear locker room leaders, unlike any from that trio. Others on the free agent list include: Pro Bowl S Antonie Bethea, Marlin Jackson, Melvin Bullitt (restricted), Tim Jennings, and Charlie Johnson. Out of that group, the only two that are definitely gone are Jackson and Jennings.

We now return you to your regular Super Bowl programming...

Sting Like a Bee

2010-01-25T21:52:00.007-05:00

For the 2nd time in four years, the Colts are heading back to Miami.

A 30-17 AFC Championship Game victory over the Jets, followed the script of many Colts' victories during the course of the 2009 season. New York jumped out to a hot start behind an aggressive defense and tricky offense, jumping out to a 17-6 2nd quarter lead. But, they failed to land the knockout blow.

I compared the Colts to a Championship boxer. So often this season, we've seen Indy step into the ring and fall behind on all three scorecards through the first four rounds. Opponents are able to jab and to land punches, but fail to connect on any haymakers. The Jets took control of the Colts in the early rounds, but Indianapolis came storming back.

So, where was the knockout blow?

Some point to the two-minute drive, highlighted by the 46-yard connection to Austin Collie that got the Colts within 17-13 at halftime. But, I think the real haymaker came in the third quarter. The Jets had driven to the Indianapolis 37-yard line to start the half, but the drive flamed-out, leading to a Jay Feely field goal miss from 52 yards out. Three minutes and eight plays later, the Colts were in the lead for good.

All the momentum the Jets had built - the effective blitzing, some fabulous throws by Mark Sanchez, trick plays - was in the toilet. It was only a three-point game, but the Jets were laying on the canvas.

16-2 with 16 TKOs and two forfeits. We'll see if the Colts can make it 17 in South Beach.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

2010-01-21T07:11:00.006-05:00

We're only a handful of days away from the Colts playing for a trip to their 2nd Super Bowl, yet a lot of the talk this week has revolved around a perceived lack of national respect for Indy.

My response: who cares?

Let's face facts - the Colts aren't the story. In fact, out of the four remaining teams in the playoffs, the Colts are the least interesting.

Take a look at the Jets, Indy's counterpart for the AFC Championship game. They have a brash, honest-to-a-fault head coach in Rex Ryan, plus a confident, ball-hawking defense and physical rush offense. They're also a five-seed that was left for dead after scoring just seven points against a Falcons' team that had already learned they would not make the postseason in Week 15. Oh, and did I mention they're from New York?

Over in the NFC, the New Orleans Saints have been the Los Angeles Clippers of the league for years. They're one of the only pro sports teams that I know of with a negative connotation nickname (Ain'ts). But, the fans have rallied around the Saints since Hurricane Katrina ravaged their city just three short years ago. New Orleans' high-powered offense (this decade's "Greatest Show on Turf"), led by the likeable Drew Brees, has them a game within their first Super Bowl.

The Vikings have Brett Favre. Brett Favre, people! He of the Wrangler jeans, vicodin-addictions, and crocodile tears. Favre is always a story. Despite a lot of success on the football field (Minnesota has been to eight Conference Title games), the Vikings have NEVER won a Super Bowl. They have exciting players all over the field like Percy Harvin, Adrian Peterson, and Jared Allen.

Indianapolis is making its third Conference Title game appearance in seven years. Peyton Manning just won his fourth MVP. They've won at least 12 games in seven straight seasons. They've won an NFL-record 115 games over the past decade. The Colts won the Super Bowl three years ago, something that the three other teams remaining in the playoffs have combined to do just once in their collective 136-season existence, and zero times in the last forty years. Yawn.

Been there, done that. Nobody cares.

The only thing that matters is being front page news on the morning of February 7th.

Colts 24, Ravens 21

2010-01-16T15:23:00.003-05:00

(I figured instead of teasing it, I'd just cut right to the chase with the score prediction)

Colts end up finding a way against Baltimore

Super-quick analysis...
Player of the Game: Pierre Garcon
After regaining contact with family members in Haiti, the 2nd year wideout responds to an emotionally-draining week with what turns out to be the game-winning touchdown grab.

Goat of the Game: Billy Cundiff
A forgettable postseason for NFL kickers continues, when Cundiff misses a potential game-tying field goal late in the fourth quarter that could've forced overtime.

Key matchup: Chris Carr vs. Garcon
I'm assuming that Dominique Foxworth gets Reggie Wayne, which will leave Carr to deal with Garcon. Carr has done a solid job this season, but isn't exactly Chris McAlister in his prime.

Rebirth of a Classic

2010-01-12T11:41:00.005-05:00

When stumbling upon the news that EA Sports was going forward with an updated version of NBA Jam, I struggled to find words to explain my reaction.

Excitement? Joy? Tear-inducing convulsions due to pleasure overload?

Even though I was a part of the Nintendo-craze in the late 80's, I consider myself a 90's kid. The golden era of video games for me was that decade, and the shining light was the original NBA Jam for Sega Genesis (which was vastly superior to the SNES version).

I had a long history with he game. I probably spent about 90% of my time/earnings on the arcade-version. That included almost all of a week-long vacation in Orlando when our hotel had the console in their downstairs game room (note: if you're ever staying in the Orlando World Marriott, check and see if DCS still has the 2nd highest score). I remember shoveling driveways through the winter and saving up $60 to buy NBA Jam at the Kay-Bee Toys store at Trumbull Mall. I then remember getting grounded by my father for asking to stay home from church on Easter so I could continue a 48-hour NBA Jam bender that I was on in April of 1993.

I only wish Ewing/Stark's NBA Jam dominance was real

We exchanged codes for secret characters (i.e. Bill Clinton, Air Dog, etc.) in the cafeteria at school, we held neighborhood tournaments - hell, I don't think I went outdoors other than to wait for the school bus for 10 months. I even did irreparable damage to a few friendships because of the game. That's how big of an NBA Jam dork I was.

Nothing will ever top the original classic, but this version of NBA Jam should greatly cut into my productivity, just like it did 15 years ago.

Bama Wins, but...

2010-01-08T23:18:00.008-05:00

Though Thursday's BCS National Title Game had drama, drastic momentum swings, crushing injuries, and boneheaded coaching decisions, I was left feeling empty after the confetti rained on the members of the Crimson Tide.

Texas star quarterback Colt McCoy was a mere spectator as he watched his backup, a true freshman named Garrett Gilbert, wilt under the pressure of the spotlight and Bama's relentless defense. Yet even without McCoy, the Longhorns had the ball with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter before the wheels came off.

Do I think Texas would've beaten Alabama even with a healthy McCoy? No. However, when it comes to Championship games, I'd rather all things were equal. I want to see #1 vs. #2 at their best. I want dueling superstars (i.e. McCoy vs. Mark Ingram). I want both teams to be firing on all cylinders. Most importantly, I want no excuses.

Thursday's BCS Title game will always go down as a "yeah, but..." game, and it's the thing I hate the most about sports. A couple of examples of "yeah, but..." games in recent history:

2007 AFC Divisional Playoff: Chargers 28, Colts 24

This is my favorite because the excuse from Colts' fans "yeah, but Indy didn't have Dwight Freeney...". Forget the fact that the Chargers conducted the game-winning drive with backup Billy Volek on the field. Besides Phillip Rivers being hurt, Ladainian Tomlinson played just one offensive series, and Antonio Gates was practically on one leg.

Yeah the Colts lost to the Chargers, but...

2005 NCAA Tournament: North Carolina 67, Villanova 66
The fifth-seeded Wildcats, who were a double-digit underdog, stormed back from a ten-point deficit with under four minutes left and had a chance to tie with :11 left. Trailing by three, Villanova guard Allan Ray drove the lane for what appeared to be a basket-plus-foul, sending Ray to the line for a chance to win the game. Instead, officials mistakenly called Ray for a travel, and the Tar Heels were able to hold on.

2002 Boston College 14, Notre Dame 7
The Irish were out to an 8-0 start under first-year head coach Tyrone Willingham when they were upset by the Eagles in South Bend. Former walk-on Pat Dillingham replaced starter Carlyle Holiday for most of the game after Holiday went down with a shoulder injury. Dillingham threw two picks, including one that was returned 71 yards for a score by Josh Ott which ended up being the final margin of victory. Notre Dame, who lived a charmed life through the first eight weeks of the season, was pummeled by USC in the season-finale and in the Gator Bowl by N.C. State.

2000 NCAA Tournament: Tulsa 69, Cincinnati 61
Led by Wooden Award winner Kenyon Martin, the Bearcats had a 28-2 season and were #1 for a good portion of the year. But, Martin was lost for the season after suffering a broken leg during the Conference USA Tournament, leading to the Bearcats' 2nd round upset loss to 7th-seeded Tulsa.

If you go back even further, one "yeah, but..." game that is still talked about around these parts is Kentucky's upset over undefeated Indiana (without Scott May) in the 1975 NCAA Regional Final.

There have been some teams to actually rise above "yeah, but..." excuses:

2001 New England Patriots - lost Drew Bledsoe in Week 2 to injury and had to turn to a former 6th round draft pick named Tom Brady. Brady led the Patriots to 14 wins in the 17 games he started, including Super Bowl XXXVI.

1990 New York Giants - late in December, quarterback Phil Simms broke his foot, thrusting Jeff Hostetler (who threw 109 passes in five seasons as a backup) into the starting role. The Giants upset the heavily-favored 49ers in the NFC Championship game, and went out to beat Buffalo in one of the most memorable Super Bowls of all-time.

The point of all of this is that you always feel empty after "yeah, but..." games. In some instances, the fans are right. Indiana probably would've been undefeated and gone on to win the title in '75 had they had the services of May. Cincinnati likely would've been a Final Four team with Martin, who was by far the most dominant player in the country. But, those questions will be never answered.

Alabama is the BCS (mythical) National Champion. Texas fans are left to wonder what could've been.

Boost for Big Ten

2010-01-06T09:44:00.003-05:00

At first glance, the Big Ten's bowl record of 4-3 may not look like much. However, thanks to Iowa's Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech, the Big Ten captured victories in all three of their marquee bowl games:

Rose Bowl - Ohio State 26, Oregon 17
Orange Bowl - Iowa 24, Georgia Tech 14
Capital One Bowl - Penn State 19, LSU 17

Sure it would've been nice for Northwestern to hold on against Auburn (38-35 OT loss), Minnesota to get a safety against Iowa State (14-13 loss), and Michigan State to hold Texas Tech in check (41-31), but having all the premiere teams in the league win was much more important.

The Big Ten hadn't won a Rose Bowl since Michigan's National Title-clinching victory over Washington State during the 1997 season, and lost their last three appearances in Pasadena by an average of almost three touchdowns. They had lost their last six BCS Bowl appearances, including both of Ohio State's lopsided National Championship defeats by Florida (41-14) and LSU (38-24).

I'm not saying the Big Ten was a great league this year - it wasn't. But, it was clearly better than both the ACC and Pac-10, and I think you can argue it was superior to both the Big East and Big 12 as well.

It's about time.

No National love for Purdue

2010-01-04T21:54:00.004-05:00

For Purdue, a perfect 13-0 and a #4 ranking still isn't enough to garner serious love from the national media.

Following an easy 77-62 win over #6 and previously undefeated West Virginia, I heard one national "expert" say that Purdue didn't have the star power that fellow unbeatens Kansas, Texas, and Kentucky had. Really?

E'Twaun Moore isn't a star? He's 7th in the Big Ten in scoring (16.3 ppg), hitting double-figures in all but one of Purdue's wins, while setting season-highs with 22 points against both Tennessee and Wake Forest. After an inconsistent sophomore campaign, E'Twaun has become Purdue's go-to guy.

Robbie Hummel isn't a star? The Preseason All-American and Wooden Award Finalist is averaging a quiet 15/6, but there aren't many players more important to their team that Hummel is to the Boilers. What he does goes way beyond whatever you see in the box score.

JaJuan Johnson isn't a star? This is likely the big man's last year in West Lafayette, and he's making sure to go out with a bang. Johnson made light work of West Virginia's frontcourt, pouring in 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The pro scouts know that he's no slouch.

Sure, Purdue doesn't have that sure-fire NBA Lottery pick, but does that mean they're any less of a team than Kansas, Texas, and Kentucky?
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Last time I checked, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins have never played in the NCAA Tournament. Neither have Xavier Henry or J'Covan Brown. What the Boilers may lack in "star" power, they certainly make up for in experience. The fact also remains that there isn't a better defensive team in America than this Purdue squad.

If a perfect non-conference season with wins over heavyweights like Tennessee and West Virginia isn't good enough to make Purdue a Final Four contender, then that's fine.

Maybe it would be better for the country's best kept secret to finally be revealed in Indianapolis this April.

Pobody's Nerfect

2009-12-27T19:25:00.006-05:00

To be honest, I'm almost glad that the Colts' pursuit of perfection is over. Let's face facts - the #1 focus of this team should be on winning a Super Bowl Championship, not making Mercury Morris choke on his champagne (though that would be entertaining). Did I expect the Colts to rest starters? Of course. It's what they've done during the entire ~~Tony Dungy~~ Bill Polian era. Did I expect them to lay down like thay did against the Jets? No.

However, none of this matters. This is a great football team, but not one that was up to the level of the '72 Dolphins or '85 Bears. They needed fourth-quarter comebacks in half of their wins. They didn't beat anybody with less than FIVE losses. They didn't play the Chargers, Bengals, Saints, Vikings, or Eagles - the other top five teams in the NFL. Heck, I'm pretty sure the '07 Patriots would've left this year's Colts in their wake. But, who cares?

A Week 16 loss to the Jets doesn't mean that this Colts' team can't go down in history. Whether you're 16-0 or 10-6, the only truly memorable teams win Championships, and last time I checked that was something that the Colts still have a chance to do.

The only thing that made me really upset about watching Indianapolis basically forfeit the final quarter-and-a-half to the Jets, was the way that this team's franchise player conducted himself on the sidelines. Frankly, Peyton Manning looked like a spoiled brat more than a leader of a Super Bowl contender. Between keeping his helmet strapped on and constantly talking to offensive coordinator Tom Moore, I was disgusted with the display that I saw from Manning. Of course he has the right to be upset, because guys like Peyton Manning are so competitive, they want to be out there all the time. But what kind of message did that send to his backup Curtis Painter? If I was Manning and I was going to be forced to sit anyway, I would've thrown a headset on and been rooting on my rookie teammate from the sidelines.

(9:58 PM UPDATE: I'm going to back off on the "throwing Manning under the bus" argument after talking to DZ of 18to88.com. He said Peyton was pretty much in a lose-lose situation - if he stomps off in disgust, he's a primadonna. If he just grins and bears it, then he's a wuss. I can understand that viewpoint.)

The point of all of this is, the Colts haven't won or lost anything yet. The games in January and February are what is going to shape the legacy of this team.

Perfect or not, the Colts can still make history.

Honeymoon = Over

2009-12-22T23:02:00.003-05:00

Loyola of Maryland has beaten Indiana. That's the same Greyhounds team that lost to Niagara by 20 and Mount St. Mary's by 19. Boston University, another team that defeated IU this year, has already lost six games and that includes setbacks against Harvard and Iona.

It's way to early to make any determinations about Tom Crean, who is in the infancy of his 2nd year at the helm. However, one thing is clear: this Indiana team is not competing at a level where they should be by now. If the Hoosiers are indeed making progress, they're doing so at a snail's pace. They're improving about as quickly as Zydrunas Ilgauskas on a fast break.

Losing to Kentucky, Mississippi, and Maryland is one thing, but falling to .500-level mid-majors at home is unacceptable.

Indiana currently has five wins. Let's say for the sake of argument that they find a way against Bryant College next week. That would be win #6 going into the Big Ten season. I think the absolute best-case scenario for IU in conference play is 4-14. That would be a season-sweep of Iowa, and stealing two home wins somewhere - unfortunately they don't get Penn State in Bloomington.

I said that 12 wins (double last year's total) was a fair expectation, even though I was hesitant to grade this program's progress by a wins number. That would be a 10-20 regular season record. That's an improvement from 6-25, but I'm pretty underwhelmed with what I've seen from this team so far.

Merry XMas DWI offenders!

2009-12-19T19:47:00.004-05:00

In a shocking twist, two key players will return to their respective teams for critical upcoming bowl games.

Florida DE Carlos Dunlap, who is considered to be one of the top players at his position in the entire country, has been reinstated to the football team. The Gators star was arrested just days before the SEC Championship game against Alabama for driving while intoxicated. Florida will battle undefeated Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.

The Longhorns will have a National Champikonship on the line, and they don't want to take their chances without kick returner D.J. Monroe. Monroe returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns this season, and like Dunlap, also was charged with a DUI. Give Mack Brown a little bit of credit for punishing Monroe a multiple-game suspension (three games to be exact). But, doesn't the timing of all of this seem a bit odd?

Florida is winning. A lot. That's the reason why no one has said much about the now 26 Gators' players to be arrested during Urban Meyer's five-year tenure, or the fact that Meyer is about as strict as at dealing out punishments as a kindergarten teacher. For a DUI and trying to gouge an opponent's eye out, Dunlap and teammate Brandon Spikes were suspended for a combined 1 1/2 games.

What a joke.

College coaches are supposed to be the molders of young men. Yet all they learn from these slaps-on-the-wrist is that the star players will play - no matter what.

I just became a really big Cincinnati fan.

The Song Remains the Same

2009-12-18T19:02:00.005-05:00

Hey, the Colts are still undefeated!

This time Peyton Manning hit ~~Pierre Garcon~~ ~~Dallas Clark~~ Reggie Wayne with a game-winning touchdown pass and a ~~Clint Session~~ ~~Jerraud Powers~~ ~~Gary Brackett~~ Jacob Lacey interception sealed a ~~27-23~~ ~~35-34~~ ~~17-15~~ 35-31 come-from-behind win over the ~~Dolphins~~ ~~Patriots~~ ~~Ravens~~ Jaguars.

~~Miami~~ ~~Houston~~ ~~New England~~ ~~Baltimore~~ Jacksonville looked to be in control of the game early, but that didn't prevent the Colts from rallying for another win.

The victory was the Colts' seventh fourth-quarter comeback of the season (NFL record), their 23rd straight regular season win (NFL record), and their 115th win of the decade (NFL record).

And the beat goes on.

Reggie's Heroics hit Big Screen

2009-12-15T19:33:00.003-05:00

It's about time someone made a movie about Reggie Miller's heroics.

The documentary titled "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks" will premiere at Conseco Fieldhouse at the end of February. Reggie himself will be there to host the event. The film focuses on the Pacers-Knicks rivalry from 1993-95, and specifically on the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals series.

I have memories of that series from the "other" perspective. To this day, the worst sports moment of my life was Patrick Ewing's missed finger-roll in Game 7 of that series. However all these years later, it's tough not to look back on that rivalry with a smile. The contrast of the two fanbases (big city vs. midwest), the pure hatred between the players (specifically Starks vs. Reggie), the sound of a raucous crowd at the old Market Square Arena or at a packed Garden - it truly was a spectacle. Sure it wasn't Celtics/Lakers and it also wasn't always the most visually appealing basketball to watch, but from a pure emotion standpoint, Pacers-Knicks was one of the great rivalries in NBA history.

I'm looking forward to the film, even if it does conjure up some ~~bad~~ repressed memories. It was an exciting time regardless of which team you supported. Hopefully the Pacers will someday matter as much to the people of Indianapolis as they did then.

The Great Wall

2009-12-12T11:09:00.002-05:00

China may have theirs, but John Calipari has his:

Wall is the likely #1 pick in the NBA Draft, and has certainly lived up to the lofty expectations of every basketball recruiting site known to man. While I'm not the biggest Calipari fan (see my reaction of his hire), I can't argue that Kentucky isn't a legit National Championship contender with Wall at the point.

We'll see if the Hoosiers can slow him down this afternoon.

Kelly Green

2009-12-10T21:24:00.013-05:00

After all the talk about relevancy and whether the football program will ever return to prominence, at least one thing is certain for Notre Dame - they got their #1 choice for head coach.

Brian Kelly agreed to take the reigns of the Irish on Thursday afternoon, news that has since been confirmed by Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick.

Sure it's not Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops; both of which were pipe dreams. It's also not a guy with any Super Bowl rings like Brian Billick, Jon Gruden, or (gasp!) Charlie Weis. Though not the sexiest candidate, Kelly fit into a lot of the criteria of the kind of coach Notre Dame needed to hire:

A COACH WITH ATTITUDE
Weis could be a jerk, but after a very abrasive first two years on the job, it seemed that he did a complete reversal. After being humbled during the 3-9 campaign in 2007, Weis seemed to coddle his players more, trying to be their friend instead of their coach. At least he showed some emotion - it was hard to detect a pulse with either Willingham or Davie on the sidelines.

Not to reach too far into the cliché bin, but Kelly does have some of that fire that Notre Dame hasn't seen since the days of Lou Holtz. Also, instead of coming off like a cocky jerk, Kelly's attitude comes off in a more favorable, old-school kind of way. Players, alumni, and the media all seem to eat it up.

A COACH THAT WON'T TRY TO CHANGE EVERYTHING
The reason why Rich Rodriguez has failed so far at Michigan is because he came in and blew everything up. He shifted from Michigan's physical, beat-you-in-the-trenches style of football which made them one of the country's most consistent winners, into a spread-attack. He went as far as running off Ryan Mallett, one of college football's great young quarterbacks, just because Mallett didn't fit his "style". The Wolverines would've been better served skipping the last two seasons, considering the overhaul of athletes that a drastic change of offensive philosophy requires.

Kelly already runs a West-Coast-esq offense at Cincinnati, similar to what Notre Dame has had in the decade since they ditched the option following the Davie era. Sure it has a few twists (i.e. primarily going no-huddle), but that should suit former five-star recruit Dayne Crist as well as future NFLers Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph just fine. Scoring points has never been a problem for Kelly's football teams.

A PROVEN, CONSISTENT WINNER ON THE COLLEGE LEVEL
What is the one common trait that Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis all shared? None of them had experience as a consistent winner as a college football head coach. Davie was a career-assistant during stints at Pittsburgh, Tulane, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame. As for Weis, the closest he ever got to the college game was his seat in the student section at Notre Dame Stadium in the late 70's. The only coach that had any experience at all was Willingham, who enjoyed a pedestrian 44-36-1 record in seven years at Stanford. That resume was bloated by a fluke Rose Bowl appearance in 1999 with an 8-4 football team.
.

One fluke Rose Bowl didn't qualify Ty for a job like this

None of those coaches had the track record of Brian Kelly, who has gone 171-52-1 in 19 years as a college head coach. That includes a pair of Division-II National Championships at Grand Valley State (2002-03), a MAC Championship (2006) in a short three-year stint at Central Michigan, plus three 10+ win seasons, two Big East Titles (two BCS bowls), and a 34-6 overall record at Cincinnati. Another thing about Kelly is that the programs that he has coached have stayed at a high level. Grand Valley State has capture two more D-II Titles (2005-06) and a 36-2 record in the last three seasons. Ditto for Central Michigan, who has won back-to-back MAC titles and gone to bowl games in every year since Kelly's departure.

A COACH THAT CAN DEVELOP TALENT
Maybe the only good thing Charlie Weis did for Notre Dame was proving that top-level talent could still be drawn to South Bend. But, once they got to campus, none of them seemed to get better (see: Young, Sam). Willingham, who spent a majority of his time on the golf course, was one of the worst recruiters in Notre Dame history. Davie rode Holtz's coattails as long as he could, but eventually his bland personality turned prospects away.

Kelly hasn't exactly set the recruiting world ablaze, but he has proven to be a great developer of talent. Not a single member of Cincinnati's current senior class was rated higher than a two-star prospect. To put that in perspective, every single starter for Notre Dame this season was at least a three-star recruit. There are only three scholarship players that were rated as two-stars on their entire roster. I'd still rather have a 34-6 record with kids that didn't have all the accolades, rather than a 35-27 mark with star-studded recruiting classes.

Hiring Brian Kelly may not have been a grand slam, but at the very least he has to be a bases-clearing double for the Irish. He could fail, just like his predecessors did, but it's far more likely he finds success. Immediate results may not come like they did with both Willingham and Weis, but sustained success is what Notre Dame is looking for.

They may have finally found it.

When it rains...

2009-12-08T12:16:00.003-05:00

...it pours.

That means no Granger over a stretch that includes games against the Spurs, Magic, Celtics, Hawks, and Heat. I was hopeful at the start of the season that the Pacers could contend for the 7th or 8th seed in the East - but with the way they've looked so far coupled with Granger's heel issue, the playoffs look like a pipe dream at this point.

Country Crock

2009-12-05T23:59:00.003-05:00

13 points.
202 total yards.
0.5 yards-per-carry (38 rush, 18 yds)

Can you tell me with a straight face that TCU, Cincinnati, or Boise State couldn't hang with Texas?

Screw the BCS.

Side note: Did Colt McCoy lock up the Heisman with his awesome 0 pass TD, 3 INT performance? If he takes it home, the award will reach an all-time low.

Freudian Slip

2009-12-02T09:38:00.004-05:00

If you missed it earlier this week, Danica Patrick confirmed her intention to stay in the IndyCar Series with Andretti Autosport. Though Patrick gave no update on her rumored NASCAR plans, her official website may have unintentionally leaked that info.

According to Yahoo! NASCAR writer Jay Busbee, a frontpage photo that appeared on the site had Danica with logos for both JR Motorsports (Dale Jr.'s racing team that Patrick is rumored to have signed with) as well as the Nationwide Series logo on her neon-green fire suit.
.

The picture was pulled minutes later.

See ya, Chuck

2009-11-30T20:59:00.004-05:00

There were many different emotions I was expecting to feel when the ax finally dropped on Charlie Weis.

Sadness wasn't one of them.

I'm not sad because I thought Weis should've been retained, or that he didn't get a fair shot to return Notre Dame football to prominence. I'm sad because I remember how hopeful I was during the 2005 season - a season that included an unexpected rise to national prominence.

I remember how the Irish steamrolled their way through Pittsburgh in the opener and out-toughed Michigan in Ann Arbor (a true rarity). I remember when ESPN's Ron Franklin told Holly Rowe, "It's 49-21 sweetheart" (at 2:31) during the blowout of Purdue, the near 45 seconds that I thought Notre Dame had upset then-#1 USC when the clock read 0:00, and the BCS-bowl clinching come-from-behind victory at Stanford in the regular season finale. I also recall the excitement of the summer of 2006 from the cover of Sports Illustrated to Tom Zbikowski's TKO at the Garden.

Unfortunately, it's been all downhill form there.

It sounds silly to equate it to the end of a relationship, but I can't think of an analogy that is more applicable. Even though firing Weis was the right thing to do, and Notre Dame fans should be hopeful for the future, it's tough to see something (and somebody) that you wanted to succeed ultimately fail.

If there is only one thing that Charlie Weis accomplished during his tenure, it's that he proved that blue-chip talent can still be attracted to dreary South Bend. The academic standards and cold weather excuses that were heard during the last days of the Tyrone Willingham era are dead and buried. The talent has and will continue to come to Notre Dame. The main responsibility of the next head coach is to develop that talent - something that unfortunately Weis never did.

So farewell, Charlie. Hopefully that "decided schematic advantage" aids you in your future endeavors.

Was There Any Doubt?

2009-11-29T21:25:00.005-05:00

When the Texans jumped out to a 17-0 lead, I was only 85% sure (as opposed to 100%) that the Colts were going to win the game. It was the fifth-straight time the Colts trailed in the fourth quarter and rallied for the win. With this team, there isn't ever any doubt.

The game was a bit different than the past two, because the Colts really outplayed the Texans after falling into the early hole. Indy set the tone for the second-half domination by coming out with a nine-play 80-yard drive aided by an awful 43-yard interference call on a pass that would've been uncatchable for Manute Bol. A quick TD early in the fourth and a Clint Session pick-six iced it for the Colts.

As you saw with Houston (again), teams continue to crumble against this Colts team. Whether it be costly turnovers, conservative play-calling, or ridiculous gambles, opponents seem to find a way to keep the Colts around - and that's never a good idea.

If there's one word I can define this Colts team as, it's confident. They are one of the few teams in the NFL that regardless of the circumstances, their confidence is unwavering. Confident leading. Confident trailing. Confident through rain, sleet, snow, or being chased by Elin Nordegren with a nine-iron after Thanksgiving dinner.

Like I said in August, the Colts' regular season is like sitting in a four-month waiting room. With the #1 seed in the AFC all but assured, the next five weeks are virtually meaningless.

We'll see if the Colts can carry that same confidence when it matters.

Boilers Impress

2009-11-24T20:36:00.007-05:00

If college basketball season hadn't officially arrived in my mind going into this week, it certainly has now. Purdue's 73-72 win over Tennessee in a terrific Paradise Jam Final made me realize just how much I missed college hoops.

A couple of thoughts:

- E'Twaun Moore earned MVP honors for the Tournament which was capped by a 22-point performance against the Vols. I really thought Moore regressed last year after a pretty solid freshman season. The most talented player from the heralded 2007 recruiting class is a big key to Purdue's success this season. Hopefully he doesn't pull the disappearing acts he had at times last year.

- When watching Kelsey Barlow at Cathedral, I didn't think he was a BCS-level basketball player. There's no doubt that the kid was athletically gifted, but I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt for his chances of playing at the Big Ten level. It's only been four games, but it's pretty obvious I was really, really wrong.

- Is there a play in Chris Kramer's career that better defines him than the slide-across-the-floor-on-your-chest-for-ten-feet-while-slapping-at-the-ball play that forced a UT turnover in the 2nd half?

- Patrick Bade - by the way future game announcers, it's pronounced Bay-Dee - only scored two points before fouling out, but his importance didn't show up in the stat-line. The former Franklin Central star gave the Boilers meaningful minutes with JaJuan Johnson dealing with foul trouble. As long as he can give them minutes, he'll be valuable, regardless of what the box score says.

- Anyone else feel like Bruce Pearl will someday have a Sampson-like exit? There's something about that guy that seems slimy.

- D.J. Byrd picked up three fouls in four minutes. I thought he was the most polished of Purdue's freshman class but it appears he may be the one that needs the most seasoning.

- It's never too early to start looking at the NCAA Tournament resume and this win over Tennessee was one of Purdue's two opportunities at a marquee non-league win. Their other chance will come against West Virginia in January.

Them's the Breaks?

2009-11-22T21:48:00.007-05:00

A funny thing happened to me while running errands on Sunday afternoon. Listening to the radio broadcast of the Colts' 17-15 win over the Ravens, I heard Bob Lamey say that the Colts "just weren't catching any breaks". A 9-0 team not catching any breaks?

Maybe Bob forgot about Kris Brown's field goal miss from 42 yards (after connecting from 56 earlier in the game) that would've sent the game into overtime. Maybe he forgot about Bill Belichick inexplicably going for it on 4th-and-2 from his own 28-yard line with a six point lead.

Seemingly on cue, Billy Cundiff, who connected on five field goals in the game, missed a 30-yarder that would've given the Ravens an 18-17 lead. Where was the bad luck on that one?

Any Colts' fan that complains about "not catching any breaks" should be slapped in the face. Do yourself a favor and ask a Jets' fan about "not catching any breaks". See what that person says (or does) to you. Even better: ask a Browns' fan.

This is a team that's 10-0. They've been to the playoffs each of the last in each of the last eight seasons (I already counted this year). They've won the division five of those years and are on-pace to win their sixth. This is also a team that has won a franchise-record 19 regular season games in a row, and 51 of their last 64 dating back to 2005. To put that in prespective, the Browns, Lions, and Buccaneers will all likely lose more games this year than the Colts have in the past half-decade.

"Not catching any breaks". Pfft. The regular season is a four-month vacation for Colts' fans.

Messin' with Drive-Thrus

2009-11-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

Apparently the state of Utah doesn't have a sense of humor.

In Salt Lake City, four teens were cited for rapping at a McDonald's drive-thru and then leaving without ordering anything. McDonald's workers got the license plate number off of their vehicle and then called police. Cops then dispatched the SWAT team cited the teens in the parking lot of a high school volleyball game near the restaurant where the incident occurred.

Really, Utah cops and McDonald's employees? How about a sense of humor.

No wonder Utah sucks.

Belichick a Robot?

2009-11-17T19:50:00.004-05:00

Could that grungy hooded sweater that Bill Belichick wears be hiding an interior filled with circuit breakers and motor oil? Some are suggesting that's the only reasonable explanation for Belichick's reckless 4th-and-2 gamble which ended up dooming the Patriots in a 35-34 come-from-ahead loss to the rival Colts.

An NFL-decision-making computer designed by an Indiana University professor called Zeus predicted that going for it in that scenario yielded a higher win probability than punting the ball to the Colts. Belichick has been widely criticized for the call, which gave the Colts the football back on the Patriots' 29-yard line with over two minutes left.

I don't care what a computer says. A mathematical formula would see no differentiation in a 4th-and-2 on the opponent's 9-yard line in the second quarter leading 17-0 over the Browns at home, and a 4th-and-2 on your own 28-yard line with a six-point lead against the Colts (#1 scoring defense in the NFL) on the road. There's obviously a difference in those two scenarios.

It was the wrong decision and there's nothing that can convince me otherwise. Peyton Manning may be greatest quarterback in the NFL, but you have to make him and the Colts beat you. By serving it up on a tee and giving Indy the ball back nine yards away from the Red Zone, you've reduced your win probability from about 55% to 3% (that's not an actual calculation, just a guess). For example, if your team is up one on the Lakers with four seconds left, do you foul Kobe Bryant because you're afraid that he's going to make the game-winning shot? Of course not. You make him make a play. If he beats you, you live with it.

By going for it on 4th-and-2, Belichick put the pressure on his team. By punting instead, he would've put the pressure on Peyton and the Colts.

Showdown Saturday

2009-11-14T09:47:00.006-05:00

It's not every year that we enter mid-November with a majority of Indiana college teams entering cruical matchups. However, that is certainly the case today. Both IU and Purdue will look to keep their bowl hopes alive, Notre Dame will try to save their season, Butler attempts to stay unbeaten, and the Monon Bell rivalry is renewed in Greencastle.

Purdue (4-6, 3-3) vs. Michigan State (5-5, 3-3)
I,had written off the Boilers' bowl chances after a 1-5 start, but you have to give them credit for what they've been able to do since. Purdue reminds me a lot of the 2001 Indiana team that started 0-5, but finished 5-1 (including a 4-4 in Big Ten mark) on their way to a 5-6 record. They were much better than their record would indicate, and I think the same can be said about Purdue. Historically, the Boilers have been prone to the letdown game after a big win, but this time I think they hold on.
Shots Pick: PURDUE (+3) 28, Michigan State 24

Indiana (4-6, 1-5) at #19 Penn State (8-2, 4-2)
The Hoosiers have to be kicking themselves for blowing that 28-3 lead at Northwestern. If they had held on there, this game would basically be a throw-away with a bowl berth riding on the Old Oaken Bucket Game in the season finale. The Nittany Lions have been underwhelming to say the least this season. They were smacked around at home in their only two big games, including a loss to Iowa and last week's embarrassing performance against Ohio State. IU has been competitive, but it's hard to see them winning at a place they've never won, against a team they've never beaten.
Shots pick: Penn State 42, INDIANA (+25) 20

Notre Dame (6-3) at Pittsburgh (9-1)
What should've been a big showdown and a test of Notre Dame's progress under Charlie Weis, is now nothing more than a spoiler game for the Irish. Thanks to last week's loss to Navy, the best Notre Dame can hope for is the Gator Bowl or potentially the Cotton Bowl, while Pittsburgh - still very much alive for a Big East title - could build some momentum heading into a crucial back-to-back against West Virginia and Cincinnati. After giving up 348 rushing yards to the Midshipmen last week, look for Pitt tailback Dion Lewis to have a big day.
Shots pick: PITTSBRUGH (-7) 31, Notre Dame 21

Butler (9-0, 6-0) at Jacksonvile (5-4, 4-2) - the unbeaten Bulldogs need a win to keep pace with co-leader Drake (6-0) who visits Dayton this afternoon. Two Bulldogs' wins would set up a psuedo Pioneer Football League title game next week when Butler hosts Drake.

Wabash (8-1) at DePauw (7-1) - without question the fiercest football rivalry in the entire state is renewed this afternoon from Greencastle. Wabash (8-1) needs a win to boost their chances for an at-large berth in the Division III playoffs, while DePauw, who has already secured a postseason spot, will look for their third straight victory against their archrival. The all-time series is dead even at 53-53-9.

Rodento Drive

2009-11-12T07:31:00.009-05:00

The new Lucas Oil Stadium has wowed fans with big windows, a beautiful brick facade, and several new amenities. However, apparently what's out-of-sight of the patrons is becoming a problem.

Health inspectors cited over 500 food/safety violations including discoveries of ~~mouse~~ ~~mice~~ meese ~~poop~~ feces. Investigators found the droppings in kitchen and storage areas, including an oven, along with many live mice in the area. The Health Department is sending more people out this weekend to determine just how big of a problem they have at Lucas Oil Stadium. Supposedly, they're going to set up mouse traps and see how many they kill. Awesome.

Considering I've eaten media food at Lucas Oil Stadium on at least eight different occasions during various events, I'm not feeling great about this news. I had a chili dog there last week. If there is a food where mouse droppings would hardly be noticeable, wouldn't it be chili? (Pauses to throw up).

There's a hot dog stand for $3 under the bridge on East Street leading into the stadium. It's shady. The last two times I've walked by it, there's been a guy with like three teeth on a rusty bike doing circles around the stand, and another homeless guy sitting on a milk cart singing show tunes five feet away. Sure that's dirty, but at least I know that it's dirty. I'm not misplacing my trust. It's not a mouse crap chili dog on a plate with parsley on the side, and a sparking water to drink.

I won't touch even a potato chip at Lucas Oil anymore.

Colts' Midseason Report Card

2009-11-09T21:57:00.008-05:00

We have reached the halfway mark of the 2009 season, and the Colts are 8-0 (yawn). However, even with teams that are undefeated, there are always areas to criticize..

Colts overall ranks: Total Offense 6^th (27.1 ppg), Total Defense 2^nd (13.5 ppg)

RUSH OFFENSE: D+ Rank: 29^th (85.4 ypg)

Say what you want about their paltry overall production, but the rush offense has been an upgrade over the nightmare of 2008. The Colts are averaging 3.7 ypc, which is up from their 3.4 ypc last season. Addai’s yards-per-carry is identical to last season, but it feels like he’s running better. This rush offense only has to be better than terrible, and so far it’s just been bad, not terrible.

PASS OFFENSE: A Rank: 1^st (302 ypg)

Peyton Manning has once again been spectacular and the Colts have gotten great contributions from both Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. Dallas Clark has taken his game to a new level production-wise, and Reggie Wayne is still playing on a Pro Bowl level despite seeing consistent double-teams

RUSH DEFENSE: B- Rank: 14^th (108.1 ypg)

If you take out the 239-yard game in Miami, the Colts are giving up only 89 yards per game on the ground which would rank them third in all of football. I know you can’t take that game out, but it warrants mentioning. Indy has been burned on some big plays and some long runs, but overall, I think the Run D has been pretty solid. It’s by no means great, but it’s leaps and bounds better than what we saw from this unit earlier in the decade.

PASS DEFENSE: A Rank: 9^th (195.3)

While they may rank 9^th in yards given up per game, the Colts have only yielded an NFL-best four touchdown passes through eight games. This is one of the premiere units in the league once again, and has been for years. Considering all the injuries in the secondary, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not they’re able to keep up this pace.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C Rank: 24^th in KR, 27^th in PR (5.1 ypa)

Where have you gone Clarence Verdin? I’d give them an A for kick/punt coverage and an F for kick/punt returns. This return game is a joke (Jamie Silva? Seriously?) and always has been. Matt Stover (6/6 FG, 8/8 XP) has filled in nicely for Adam Vinatieri and Pat McAfee (43.7 avg, 11 TB) has impressed as a rookie.

COACHING: A

What can you say? Jim Caldwell is 8-0 and that’s a better start than I thought he was going to have. Larry Coyer has done a wonderful job with an injury-riddled defense. There’s some improvement in the Special Teams under Ray Rychleski. Howard Mudd, Tom Moore, Clyde Christensen are all doing great jobs as per usual. The Colts are lucky to have such a great staff.

That'll do, Pig

2009-11-08T22:19:00.003-05:00

How many words does a thesaurus list for "inexcusable"?

I thought after 24 hours, I'd be better able to gather my thoughts, but I'm going to need an extension. It takes more than a day to properly describe what consecutive home losses to Navy means for the Notre Dame football program.

Hooray Championships!

2009-11-05T22:07:00.004-05:00

So the New York Yankees are Champions of baseball again. While I never take any of my favorite teams winning championships for granted, it's tough to get super-excited about a team with a $200 million+ payroll dismantling the rest of baseball.

The real importance and legacy of 2009 is that it put several postseason failures (most notably this one) and many failed free-agent signees officially behind the Yankees.

Normally, a nine-year gap between titles wouldn't be considered a "drought", but so much has happened in my life since the last time the Yankees called themselves champions.

Since October of 2000, I have:

- Graduated high school.

- Watched the Knicks actually win a playoff game.

- Been on-campus for Indiana's 2002 run to the National Title game.

- Believed Tyrone Willingham was a savior.

- Graduated college.

- Screamed for Tyrone Willingham to be fired.

- Lived in six different permanent addresses.

- Held five different jobs.

- Received four speeding tickets coming from or going to South Bend, Indiana.

- Completed three different radio internships.

- Dated two chicks from the state of New Jersey.

- And hosted a radio show.

It feels like a lot longer than nine years.