Cinderella Proves Why NCAA Tourney is Best In Sports

I have to admit I was the first one to mock George Mason's admission into the NCAA Tournament. The Patriots had lost to Hofstra twice in 10 days, didn't win the CAA tournament, and 6 of their 7 losses were to non-NCAA tournament teams. They looked like a team destined for the NIT. But the Patriots had one thing on their side. Their athletic director was on the selection committee for the tournament. How he was able to convince his fellow committee members to give George Mason and at-large bid, as well as an 11 seed, I will never know. But now I am proud to say I was wrong. Hugely wrong. The Patriots has opitimized exactly why the NCAA Tournament is by far the greatest sporting event in sports. In 2 weeks, George Mason has defeated perennial national powers Michigan St, North Carolina, and possibly the most talented college basketball team in history, Connecticut. They also defeated a Witchita St. team which they narrowly defeated in BracketBuster Sunday by double-digits. The Patriots tallest players are only 6-7, yet their heart cannot be measured. GM made all of us believe that any team with heart and desire can beat anyone on any given day. Do you honestly think this would happen in any other sports tournament? I don't. The Super Bowl is usually lop-sided, the World Series almost always has a power in it, and hockey always has powers in it. Nothing could take away from George Mason's run to the Final Four but lets all hope Cinderella doesn't lose her glass slipper before it ends in a National Championship.

New Up to Date Predictions

Although I will stick with my sleeper teams and my cinderellas, I would like to change my final four now that the brackets are straightened out. (Previous picks before were based on Joe Lunardi's ESPN Bracketology bracket. In the Minneapolis region my pick is Boston College. Boston College is playing extremely well right now and their defense is outstanding. I believe their inside game will be too much for Villanova in the Sweet 16 game and therefore the Eagles will be flying high all the way to Indianapolis. My pick for the the D. C. region is Connecticut. The Huskies loss to Syracuse will ignite them and get them playing up to their potential. And the Huskies potential is limitless. Look for the Huskies to coast their way to the RCA Dome. In the Oakland region I am going with the Zags of Gonzaga. I believe Adam Morrison and the Zags are sick of second round exits, and the moustached man will not be stopped in the Tourney. Look for inspired play by the zags as they bark their way all the way to Indiana. In the Atlanta region my pick, and as much as i hate to say this is the Duke Blue Devils. The freshman are stepping up at the right time and Redick and Williams will flat out refuse to lose as the Blue Devils burrow their way to Indy.
Semis: Duke will defeat Gonzaga 75-65. Redick with 40 and Williams with 19 and 10.
Connecticut will edge Boston College 72-68.
Championship: UConn defeats Duke 82-74.

NCAA Tournament Predictions

As the NCAA Tournament approches, my excitement level rises to new heights. I have watched nearly every game that ESPN, CBS, and ABC had to offer this college basketball season. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the game and can hold a conversation with anyone. But when the brackets come out on Monday, I guarentee I will be no where near the winner's board. Do you ever notice that it's always the guy who never watched a game who wins the bracket. Or a female in your office who picks her teams strickly by the team's mascot? "Well, I like an Eagle better than a bear, I guess I will pick Boston College." Even though I know I won't win, here are my preditions for the NCAA Tournament:

Sleeper: Alabama or Arkansas. Both are highly athletic teams with awkward styles and personnel. Will give other teams match-up nightmares. Look for them to make the Sweet Sixteen.

Cinderella: San Diego St. or Bradley. Both are quality teams in good conferences. And both have not been highly scouted and could surprise some people in how good they actually are.

Final Four: Conneticut-The loss to Syracuse will wake them up and they will finally play up to their outstanding abilities. Texas- The Longhorns are playing their best when it counts and it will carry them far into the Tourney. West Virginia- Their unorthadox style will be unseen by NCAA opponents until they reach the Final 4. Also their region is filled with young, talented teams, without a lot of tourney experience, (see: Memphis, Kansas, North Carolina) and West Virginia has 5 seniors. Villanova - Villanova's region maybe one of the weakest with Illinois probably a 2 seed, Tennessee a team with no tourney experience, and Boston College the next best team, whom the Wildcats have already beat this season.

Champion: Connecticut- If U Conn plays up to its abilities no one will beat the Huskies. The loss to Syracuse was just what the doctor ordered, telling UConn they can't play 20 minutes of good basketball and expect to win. Jim Calhoun will pull them together and they will play outstanding. Look for the Huskies to be cutting down the net in early April.

Nothing's a Sure Thing in College B-Ball

Thanks, Michigan! Once again you proved the Wolverines are nothing but choke artists when it comes to must-wins at the end of the year. You start off something like 14-0 with mediocre non-conference opponents and then you shit the bed in the Big Ten. You have beaten Minnesota by 16 and 22 respectively during league play and you play horribly and lose to them in the Big Ten conference tournament. If I sound so angry at the Wolverines, it's not because I am a fan, but because I am a losing bettor because of them. I had Michigan by 4 points on www.bodog.com and lost $10 because of their lackluster play. But it just comes to show you that any team can be beaten in the conference tournaments. Look at Syracuse. They got rocked both times by Connecticut and because they played with much more emotion, they will join the field of 65. Long story short, any team, no matter how bad, can beat any team, on any given day!

Goodbye Kirby, We Will Miss You!

Today, March 6, 2006 the world lost one of its best: the legendary Kirby Puckett. I know I was crushed when Kirby retired, but I thought I had a while until I had to mourn his death. Kirby had meant so much to my life. And until today I must admit I hadn't thought of him in quite a while since seeing game 6 of the 1991 World Series on ESPN Classic. 3 of my close friends called me today and told me the grim news. Besides Brett Favre, I know of no other athlete who was so beloved by my group of friends. And that was including two die-hard Brewer fans whos favorite all-time player just happened to be Kirby. I will always remember his ever-present smile, his love for the game and his amazing catch and home run in game 6 of the 1991 series. But most of all I will remember how Kirby helped me and my father develop the type of relationship we have today. He is my best friend and means the most to me in the world, and our love for Kirby and the Twins started an on-going love affair with sports that still goes on today. It's days like these that make you realize life is so short. Kirby was only 44. If we can take anything from his early death, it is that anyone of any size can do anything they want to as long as they have heart. And that we should always go about life with a smile. Kirby, we will miss you, and someday when I go, I hope I will be able to play catch with you and see your smile.