Throw Me a F@#%!&G Bone Basil

A college basketball stud himself,
not even Sheed could believe what he saw
on Monday night in Houston.

For those of you that wasted a few minutes of your cornucopia lives to read my last blog post Why Butler Will Win, which can be found here, then please forgive me. I basically went out on a limb, forgot to pack the parachute, stumbled around more than Brittney Griner in the paint, and took a bigger fall then the Lords of the SMU football program that was slapped with more violations than Rasheed Wallace has T's in his career. 

To my credit, I at least covered my ass more than Lindsay Lohan has in the recent years by stating that March Madness had crept into early April.  I think that might be the understatement of the year when looking at the Butler team that showed up, err didn't, at Reliant Stadium on Monday night.  I think Uncle Vince said it best: 

But to be fair, I don't even think that clip does justice to just what the hell happened in what Fant called a Wisconsin Valley Conference high school game.  I was gathering reflections from some friends and one friend said that it was like watching your first movie with your parents and a pair of breasts flashes across the screen.  The moment is brutally awkward, painful to describe, yet somehow there is that temptation to rewind and see if what happened was actually real.  Not only does that describe the National Championship game, but Butler's sloppy play were the breasts on the television set. 

In the end, there are no words to explain 18.8% shooting from the field besides a little bad luck. Brad Stevens himself couldn't find the right words from any dictionary to describe 12 of 64 on the biggest stage. I wanted to blame the rims and the defense to UConn, which deserves a salutory golf clap, but I think it's best if we just recognize what Butler has done to the college basketball scene over the last two years.  A lot of credit must go out to Brad Stevens and his staff for taking their $1.7M budget and finding a way to be better than the teams that have the misfortune to play them.  For all the mid-majors and little guys in the world, I hope Brad Stevens finds it in him to stick around at Butler for a few more years and then move on to greener pastures (maybe Indiana?) where he can build his legacy and feel good story. 

I have a feeling Butler won't be in the doghouse for long...

-Pat

Why UConn Wins

I told Pat that I would write the rebuttal to why the Connecticut Huskies will cut down the nets tonight in Houston, but as the day progresses, it's hard for me to cheer for UConn. I love Kemba Walker, but that's about it. I cannot stand Jim Calhoun and my hatred for Geno Auriemma carries over to the men's team.  I still think the Huskies will win tonight, but your boy Chuckie T will not be cheering for them.  I like to see the Big East take it, but I am a sucker for the feel good story. So here are the three reasons or ways that UConn can beat the Butler Bulldogs.



1.) Kemba, Kemba, Kemba- Of course, we are looking for comparisons for Kemba Walker, and no one is allowing him to just be Kemba. Is this one of the best 10 game span we have ever seen? Absolutely, but why do we have to say it reminds me of Pervis Ellison or Danny Manning? It's something that grinds me with the media sometimes.  Big East fans are not shocked at the things Walker does on the court. He made plays all season no matter who was guarding him during the year so I am not worried about Ronald Nored locking him up tonight. Not to mention, Walker is better when giving the ball to Jeremy Lamb or Alex Oriaki.  I told you that all throughout the tournament, and it took a couple big games from Lamb for people to believe me about the significance of the other Huskies.

2.) Keep Matt Howard Off The Glass and Court- I don't know if I can remember a player like Howard who is always attacking the glass and somehow finding the ball in his hands. He is guaranteed a double-double therefore it's imperative that UConn finds Howard on every rebound. When Butler gets those second-chance opportunities, they never lose. The other thing about Howard is he always finds himself in foul trouble, and Butler is an entirely different team when he is not on the court.  If I am UConn, I attack inside to start off the game and try to get a quick 2 fouls on Howard.

3.) Push The Ball- I don't know if there is a better player in the nation than Kemba in transition. If he controls the pace, Butler could be in big trouble. I like UConn much better running up and down the court than UConn playing in the half court letting Butler assembled their tough defense . Butler had some troubles with VCU's fast pace style of offense, same thing happened when Butler played Florida.  The Huskies need to find ways to sprint out whenever they get the defensive rebound.

I will take UConn 67-64, with Kemba hitting a three with under 10 seconds left. If I am a Butler fan, the last thing I want to see tonight is Mr. Walker have the ball in his hands with the shot clock turned off because there is no doubt that the ball is going in. If you need an example...

-Charlie.

Why Butler Wins

Well folks, the month of March has come and gone. However, just because we are forced to turn the page on the kitchen calendar, doesn't mean that March Madness hasn't crawled into the early part of April.  The madness continued on Sunday night when both #1 seeds in the NCAA Women's D1 Final Four lost.  The other thing that ruffled some feathers with Wisconsinites was the three-game sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds.  Granted it was the first series against the reigning NL Central Champs, I don't think anyone was expecting an 0-3 start burdened by sloppy defense, bullpen troubles, and an besides Rickie Weeks, an offense that lacked any early April fireworks.  Let's hope that Miller Park gets the Crew back on track with a seven-game homestand against the Braves and Cubs.

The big ticket event of the day though is none other than the 2011 Men's NCAA Basketball Championship game.  Charlie and I had a little discussion about who we thought would win and it led us to preview the game in a different light.  I believe that the Butler Bulldogs will avenge last year's heartbreaking, buzzer-beating loss on Monday night.  Charlie envisions Kemba and the Huskies playing the role of "East Coast Villain."

Without further ado, here are my three keys to why Butler will be barking as the National Champs on Monday night:

1)  Ronald Nored vs. Kemba Walker: Ronald Nored didn't have glittering offensive statistics against VCU, but his defense is as good, if not better than his counterpart.  In the VCU game, Brandon Rozzell was the victim of Nored's torrid defense. Not coincidentally, Nored virtually shadowed Rozzell as each player slated 29 minutes in the contest.  Consider that Rozzell was the only other player on VCU besides Jamie Skeen to score in double-digits in the Kansas game, shooting 4 of 8 from the field including 4 of 7 from three.  Nored chased Rozzell all over and never gave him an open look in the semifinal.  Rozzell shot 1 of 5 from the field and 0-3 from beyond the arc limiting him to two points and warranting Virginia police to issue a missing persons report.  That being said, I think Nored can match Walker on the defensive side of the ball. Don't get me wrong, Walker will get his points, but he'll have to work harder than he has up to this point in the tournament.  I see Walker taking a lot of shots with less success and forcing up some shots when it comes to crunch time.  I think Walker goes 7-24 from the field, 2-8 from long range, and mirrors the last two games going 5 for 6 at the free throw line.  That gives him 21 points, but means that he took 6 to 7 shots more this game rather than getting the ball to his teammates.

2) Player X: I also think Butler will win because they tend to spread the ball around more on offense.  Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard are the unquestioned leading scorers for the Bulldogs.  The key here is that in every game of the tournament besides the Pitt game, Butler had double figures from Mack, Howard, and Player X. Against ODU, it was Andrew Smith.  When Mack struggled against Wisconsin, it was Shawn Vanzant that stepped up.  With a Final Four berth on the line, Khyle Marshall came off the bench for Butler and contributed 10 points and 7 offensive rebounds. In the clash on Saturday against VCU, Shawn Vanzant again stepped up, but it was the 8 consecutive points from Zach Hahn that willed Butler during a crucial stretch of the game.  I'll continue with the theme of being bold, even with the fear of looking like a amateur (which I am) and say that I expect Vanzant to be Player X for Butler on Monday with 13 points.

3) Brad Stevens: For all the experience that Jim Calhoun has in his vault, recent success sides with Stevens and his Butler squad. I won't give you the whole script because we know how close this team came last year to winning the whole thing against arguably a better Duke team.  With a staggering 117-24 record already amassed in 4 years at Butler, Stevens has also become the youngest coach to reach back-to-back National Championship games at the age of 33.  I think the edge goes to Butler here because the players emulate and relate more to their younger coach than UConn does with their coach.  Stevens is a new-age of coaches that has taken more to statistical analysis than just your X's and O's system.  An article I read earlier noted that Stevens and his coaching staff will know where they want to force each UConn player and under what circumstance based on analysis that covers the entire season, highlighted by trends in postseason play. 

Therefore, trying to stay as far away from cliche as I can, I think this is the "underdog's" chance to bring home the National Title on Monday night.  I think Shelvin Mack will also have his struggles especially if Kemba Walker is the man guarding him, but for the three reasons above, I believe that Butler wins this one in the final minute, 68-64.

-Pat

Final Four Picks

I planned on doing this long, extensive post about the Final Four but then it dawned on me that everyone has heard the stories about each team. We know these squads like the back of our hand in the day and age of the world we live in. Instead, I am going to deliver my points in a couple sentences with hopes not to ramble to either look like a champion, or an idiot by the end of night.



11) VCU v. 8) Butler: It's kind of useless to put the seeds in there, but hey, it's what the cool kids are doing. I think this will be a better game than people expect to be because I am sure casual fans *cough Brett Boyer cough* see this as an ESPN BracketBuster.  No power conference tend to turn people off. It's like being at the bar with a bunch of fairly attractive people, no one is really that hot, it's perfect way to sum this battle. VCU has played out their mind in the past two weeks, but at some point that magic will run out. The clock strikes midnight for the Rams as Butler will play them strong on defense, which will translate into a victory. Butler 71-65

4.) Kentucky v. 3.) Connecticut: The purists of the game have a difficult time watching this one. It's two of the most unethical coaches in college basketball going up against one another for a shot at the National Championship. It's like watching a fight between Bernie Madoff and Rod Blagojevich (yes I had to look that up) and you really don't care who wins because you do not want the other to succeed.  For me, I just see it as basketball and there will always be shitty people no matter what industry you are in.  Even though the Wildcats can earn me some money with a win plus my mancrush on Josh Harrellson, I have a hard time seeing them pull through. People don't nearly give Kemba Walker enough credit for his defense and I think that will shine as he shuts down Brandon Knight, Kentucky's x-factor. UCONN 75-67

-Charlie.

The New VCU Fight Song

OOGA SHAKA OOGA SHAKA.  Just an awesome song and even more reason to cheer for VCU this weekend. Love it. New poll coming out tomorrow of what team you will root for, and trust me my vote is for the Rams. 

-Charlie.

This Day In History

Marquette punched its ticket to the Final Four in 2003 with Dwyane Wade's triple double to beat top-seeded Kentucky. I remember having an indoor football game that afternoon so I watched most of the game at small sports bar outside of Brookfield with my parents.  We don't have to talk about what happened in the Final Four. To this day, my favorite Marquette team.

-Charlie.

March Madness: More Special Than Ever

2011 has been special for me as a sports fan.  I know we have only enjoyed three months of professional and college sports. But I have been on a Dazed and Confused-like high with how great my personal sports life has been. It does sound selfish, and there are people in Seattle, Cleveland, and Salt Lake who all disagree with me. Trust me, I have had those years, but I hope people are lucky enough to experience something this special. Also this would all come to a crashing halt if the Milwaukee Brewers lose 85 games.

March Madness has brought another joy like the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badger football did earlier this year. It's not at the same level, but still I have never been so locked into the NCAA tournament. Without question, the new format of games on different channels has allowed people to know these teams better. What if I only got to know VCU in the Elite Eight?  I think my level of  appreciation is much lower than it is today. Instead, I am hoping he wins the whole effin' thing like he said before the Kansas game because I actually know his character by watching him rather than reading a profile of Smart in a prominent newspaper. I still read those profiles because I want to absorb as much as I can about one storyline.  

There is no doubt about it that Twitter has further this process for me.  Various sportswriters who are at the game, or watching the game from their couch like I am is absolutely fantastic. I feel that I am sitting at the sports bar watching the game with Seth Davis, Jay Bilas, Michael Smith, Bomani Jones, and Jason McIntyre (The Big Lead) amongst others who I follow. It's awesome to see if I'm thinking the same thing they are, or they fill me in with stats plus other things going on at the game. When Marquette went to the Sweet 16, I hit refresh like a mad man for the next couple of hours to see what others had to say about them. Right now, there is nothing better than getting a rapid reaction from a game I just watched.

CBS executives probably have the same catatonic look like the girl from The Ring has about the ratings for VCU-Butler. But I do not care in the slightest. I talked to Eric on the phone a bit yesterday, and he said "you know we all love Cinderella, but once it gets to the Elite Eight, we want to see the good teams play for it all." While I agree somewhat, I still love the chance for a school like VCU to have a chance to win it all. VCU winning it all makes March Madness that much better. Additionally, it might be the best underdog story we as sports fans could see in any level. I will always root for that story over seeing two snakes winning, and sure that guy from Indianapolis wouldn't be bad story either. 

March is always special, but this one will always be remembered. 

-Charlie.

Elite Eight Picks

Tomorrow, the first two Final Four tickets will be punched. A lot of interesting story lines and I hope for good games. Generally, the Elite Eight tends to bring second-tier games compared to the ones we have had in the past weeks. I hope for the best especially since the Law of Gus will be in effect.

8.) Butler v. 2.) Florida- Common sense would tell you take Butler because they always find a way to win. One thing that is beginning bother me is the consistent praise by the national media like they are the little brother of the NCAA.

Nope, they are a top 20 program and expectations should be set. Matt Howard isn't stopped by anybody and it seems Andrew Smith will be okay to play Saturday. I see Chandler Parsons being a huge matchup disaster for the Bulldogs because Howard will have to go inside against Alex Tyus who will also be a problem.  I think the guards are pretty even both sides, but Parsons ends up being the difference. UF 70-65

5.) Arizona v. 3.) Connecticut- Deron out of Jersey made a mention how this Wildcat team reminds him of the 1997 team who were not expected to win it all (MY GOD THAT'S MILES SIMON'S MUSIC!!!!). He is right and honestly, anything is possible for the Cats. Derrick Williams is unbelievable and it's hard to bet against guy who is named Mo-Mo Jones. The question is will the Wildcats have an answer for Mr. Walker? Kemba has made everyone look silly in the last 8 games. Kemba needs to keep Jeremy Lamb in the mix if  they want to win this one. But I think this will be a classic. Williams is unguardable right now, I haven't seen enough defensively from Alex Oriakhi to put money on him. The Cats take it late in the second half UA 82-79

-Charlie.

The Times....They are a Changing

I used to absolutely despise the first two rounds of March Madness. I didn't like the little school upsets when I didn't feel they deserved to be there in the first place. I couldn't, and still can't, stand the constant-yelling, over-hyped Gus Johnson. The quality of basketball pales in comparison to the NBA, and the hype never matched up with the experience of watching the NCAA tournament.

That's just the way I felt. Like it or leave it, you can't change it.

This year, things have changed.

I found myself engaged more so than previous years. The "every game is on a channel" could not have worked better. They staggered the games. When one game ended, you could flip to another channel where the first 36 minutes of dryness was skipped, leaving only 4 tense, juicy minutes. Maybe this feeling manifested itself solely to spite Eric's irrational idea that one game on one channel was somehow better for watching the tournament. But, the important thing is, I found myself actually getting excited to watch the first two rounds.

I still couldn't stand Gus Johnson. Luckily, I had control over the remote, and the mute button worked perfectly. I was back in Mequon for most of the games, and Gus is viewed as a nuisance in Wisconsin's greatest city. He isn't the absurd, divine, god of the microphone that some of my roommates worship him as. The overwhelming hatred of Gus was trumped by my favorite new addition to the NCAA tournament family.

Sir Charles Barkley has made me want to watch the tournament again. Actually, Sir Charles Barkley has made me want to watch the 15 minutes before and after every game. His quotes throughout the tournament has left my friends and I laughing. Here are a couple good ones: "TruTV, please stop showing Speed 2 after the game" to "Leverage is a good show (rolls his eyes)" to my personal favorite "I hope they get this game over quick so I can get the hell out of here." The producer finally let Ernie work with Kenny and Charles, and I couldn't be happier. This is why TNT gets such good ratings. Sir Charles Barkley is AWESOME!

Charles and Kenny work magic when they are on the screen. Greg Anthony and Gumbel always look a combination of pissed/scared at what they are going to say. It is clear that Anthony does not like working with Sir Charles. Whoever thought that this experiment would be a failure is out of their minds. The producer should take a lesson from the TNT producer and throw his arms behind his head, kick his feet back, and say "do what you want fellas."

We are moving on the elite 8 with North Carolina still having a shot to get me 10 dollars from Colin. My bracket is shot to hell along with almost every other sad dope in America. But, I would have to label this tournament a success. As long as every game is on, Gus is muted, and Charles is shown every hour or so, count me in forever.

Friday Picks (Southwest and East)

Well we went 2 for 4 last night, obviously hoping for better this evening. I'm really not that nervous about the big one, more so excited for it to start. Tacos and Miller Lite are awaiting me after I let the Sno Tap nation in on who I am picking tonight, which is also very exciting.

Southwest


12.) Richmond v. 1.)Kansas: Can someone explain to me why ESPN and others act like this one will be even close? I have seen 1 v. 12 matchups before, and they go a little something like this... the 12 seeded team will give a strong effort for the first 10 minutes playing their asses off and then run out of gas faster than Kristie Alley's treadmill workout. The Spiders do have some good talent in Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson, yet they lack size underneath. The Morris Twins will drain this team, and win in convincing fashion. KU 87-71 

11.) VCU v. 10) Florida State: I guess Shaka Smart needs to stop playing the tapes of all the naysayers because that's long gone. He created the Havoc defense, which I personally love and think most high schools if talented should adopt as their primary system. Florida State has a ton of size, but they fail to score the ball plus they turn the ball over too much. I like the Rams because of their defense and their ability to score. I think they win going away for the third straight game. VCU 71-57 

East
11.) Marquette v. 2.) North Carolina:  Whoa nelly, I have been ready for this game since Sunday night. From everything I've read and heard, the Warriors seem pretty loose and ready to play against the Tar Heels. I really hope Darius Johnson-Odom, a Carolina kid doesn't do too much in the beginning of the game. Marquette needs to be strong on the perimeter or else it will be a long day for the Warriors with Carolina's ability to shoot threes. The Tar Heels have great size, and they need to attack right away down low with Tyler Zeller/Gumby Henson.  I got called out last week for being a biased homer, so why ruin tradition?  MU 79-76 

4.) Kentucky v. 1.) Ohio State- I am eagerly excited for this game because I feel the Buckeyes will get exposed if they do not scorch the earth from three.  Ohio State cannot matchup with both Josh Harrelson and Terrence Jones at the 4 and5. I am assuming that Jared Sullinger will take Harrelson leaving Dallas Lauderdale on Jones, which is more of a mismatch than a war between US and Bangladesh. If last night was the Derrick Williams show, tonight could be Jones'. Also I feel Brandon Knight can tire out Aaron Craft very quickly. The only thing I worry about is Ohio State coming out strong, and Kentucky not responding. The Cats win with a Jones' tip-in at the buzzer.  UK 84-83 

-Charlie.

Somebody Get Geno a Happy Meal

University of Connecticut head women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma can't seem to keep his trap shut. He's back at his same whiny shenanigans that he was in the news for when his team broke the NCAA record for consecutive wins.

This time it comes after his team advanced to the Sweet 16 last night with a victory over Purdue in front of a half-full (or, as Geno looks at it, half-empty) arena in Storrs, CT. In his post-game press conference he sarcastically suggested that they should offer free-parking or more giveaways to get fans to watch his team.

"I guess we need to win more," Auriemma said. Here's a thought, maybe it's just that no one likes to watch unathletic people try to play basketball. Maybe if they dunked the ball more, there would be more people in the stands?

In the fans' defense, they probably just figured a team that has won 112 of its last 113 games, would automatically cruise into the Sweet 16 and were trying to beat the weather and get to Philadelphia ahead of time. Obviously it doesn't effect his players as much as it effects him.

-Mitch

Eric Is The Duke Prophet

I never like saying Eric is right about anything.  But if I don't tell him directly, Eric makes damn sure you know he was right by reminding you 10 times in the first 15 minutes of seeing him. As I begin to talk about the Duke Blue Devils, everything Eric said here came to fruition in the final 4 minutes of the Duke-Michigan game on Sunday afternoon. The chemistry seemed to be lackluster, and the Blue Devils looked out of sorts. I blame Coach K for a decision that I hope is not the future for this team in next week.

During the final two minutes, Coach K gave Kyrie Irving the keys to the offense even though it has been Nolan Smith's ride for most of the year. It's like if my parents gave my car to my younger sister because she is the better driver of the kids in the family. This might be true, but it still doesn't warrant taking something away that rightfully belongs to the other person. I could sense the team had some confusion having the offense run through another player not named Nolan Smith. Even the biggest Duke Fan has to recongize the newfound problems with Duke's late game possessions.

I felt the Blue Devils lacked any sort of motion in their offense, and it had a lot to do with Irving not splitting the 1-3-1 zone. I agree he opens up chances on the perimeter, but only goes so far when facing a zone.  I am not saying Irving doesn't deserve to be on the court, I would just rather have Smith running the point and Irving being the off-guard. It seems like a logical decision that Coach K would make, instead of his Rick Barnas-like choice to let Irving control the team.

The best thing about Duke's near meltdown (remember Michigan ended the game on a 13-2 run) is this will probably not happen for the remainder of the tournament. Kyle Singler and Smith missing free throws like they did was uncharacteristic, and I hope when Duke faces another close game, the offense will be all about Smith, not Irving.

-Charlie.

No Defense In Chapel Hill




Don't let the blocks fool you. 

In the past moth, I pumped up the North Carolina Tar Heels like a promoter for Wrestlemania.  I liked the Tar Heels' chances to go deep in the NCAA Tournament, but after this weekend games, I am starting to have second thoughts. No, it's not because they are playing my team, but it has to do with their lack of defense.  They allowed a ton of points against LIU and gave up 83 in a victory against Washington. I am starting to wonder if the Tar Heels have some sizable holes on defense.

People make a big deal about John Henson's defensive presence. I understand this guy has a sick wingspan (7'4) and Henson makes a difference inside versus teams because he can block virtually anything.  He reminds me a bit of Hakim Warrick at Syracuse. But explain to me why Washington grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and outrebounded the Tar Heels as a whole?  I have an answer for you... Tyler Zeller. He refuses to take charges, something Henson is not great at either. He always goes for the flashy play, which sometimes works but can also burn a team. Zeller also will not get physical like his counterpart Henson does each time down the court. Zeller getting exposed as a defensive liability sometime during the NCAA Tournament is something to watch for in the coming weeks. The other thing about the Henson-Zeller duo is they both lack any girth, both very skinny. I could blow on both of them and they would fall down.

Both teams played no defense whatsoever, and it basically became a scoring contest. The Tar Heels definitely have the skills to score 80 a game with the ability to score at all five positions. But at some point, teams who put all their eggs in their offensive basket run out of luck.  There is not one guy on Carolina, I would call a defensive stopper. Not even Mr. Henson. The Heels want a track meet every time, and if teams buy into that pace, no one will beat them. But if a squad slows them down, the Tar Heels' year is over.

-Charlie.

An Ode To Kemba

The Connecticut Huskies burst on to the scene this year at the Maui Invitational because no one predicted the Huskies would be very good this year, rather people saw them as an average team who might slide into the NCAA Tournament. I really cannot blame people for thinking that way. Last year, Kemba Walker looked like a ball hog who forced bad shots all the time was the star of their team. I can remember begging Kemba to shoot the ball. This year has been a completely other story.  Walker made an Optimus-Prime like transformation into one of the best players in college basketball and I am convinced he will be a good pro for years to come. 

Walker plays his own forty minutes of hell by barely spending any time on the bench. It stunned me that the Huskies punched Bucknell in the mouth. Walker's motor is unbelievable unlike anyone in college basketball. Walker gives a team everything they want, and then some. Kemba is a lot of like Kobe Bryant in this small sense (NO WAY am i comparing these teams, no way.. just pointing it out). When he gets people involved and does not shoot over 21-23 times, UConn will win the basketball game. Some of the worst performances by the Huskies this year have been when Kemba does not try to get Jeremy Lamb or Alex Oriakhi involved in the game.

There is not a player who has more confidence and swagger than Walker. While Jimmer Fredette has some onions, no one's are bigger than Kemba. I remember watching an overtime game with Marquette-UConn, and could not have been more scared this season. I just waited for Kemba to shake and bake with a teardrop at the buzzer to seal a win for the Huskies. Thankfully, it didn't happen, but every time you play Walker, there is that fear. I am thankful for that college basketball delivers guys like Kemba. You can refer to him by first name and everyone knows who are talking about.

-Charlie.

Pearl No Longer Welcome in Knoxville; Stevens In?

No more of this.

University of Tennessee head men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl has reportedly been informed of his termination. The university hasn't officially announced anything yet but the firing is apparently imminent.

The final decision came down ultimately to fire Pearl to save Tennessee's program. Pearl was constantly under the attention of the NCAA and had already been suspended for the first eight SEC games on Tennessee's schedule this year because he lied to NCAA investigators about his backyard barbecue in which high school juniors attended.








The university was afraid of the NCAA putting the hammer down on the program if Pearl had stayed on for another year in Knoxville.

That's kind of fishy because Tennessee officials backed Pearl all throughout the year, then near the end of the season they retracted some of their praise and support. This culminated when Tennessee A.D. Mike Hamilton went on a Tennessee radio station and said the "jury was still out" on whether Pearl would return.

Pearl is widely popular in the state of Tennessee for several reasons. He was very involved in the community and he did arguably one of the coolest things a D-1 basketball coach has ever done. He went to a woman's game a few years back. Pearl was also very successful during his tenure at Tennessee, leading the Vols to NCAA tournament appearances in all six seasons with the program. Reports say there was a support rally for Pearl yesterday in Knoxville.

Do I think Pearl will be back coaching? Absolutely. But, I think he will need to spend a few years as an assistant or as an analyst for one of the many sports outlets in this country. As for a replacement, Butler's Brad Stevens his rumored to be a leading candidate.

I think Stevens should go for it if offered. He's a great coach and his stock might not get any higher than it is right now. When Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard are gone, how good will Butler be?

-Mitch

Guess Who's Back?

I remember watching the Butler Bulldogs in January/February and did not think much of them.  I also paid attention to them getting bounced twice by UW-Milwaukee. Furthermore, I laughed when the Dawgs got an 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, I had to put on the clown suit when Butler ended up in the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last five years.



I got the feeling we were in for something special on Saturday night when the Bulldogs hit a multitude of threes in the first half. It was a recipe for an upset with Jamie Dixon's inability to coach in March, and Brad Stevens being the proverbial Gordan Bombay of the college basketball world. A rising star who has built a name for himself in post season play. Butler's whole team outhustled Pittsburgh down to the last play of the game.

While Shelvin Mack made a dumb shit play on Gilbert Brown,  Nasir Robinson made the one we will all remember.  Matt Howard awareness that Robinson's hack would be a foul at any other point of the game was a great show of his basketball IQ. I commend the refs for making the right call no matter how little time was left. Also, Dixon should have told his players to stay away from the free throw line because nothing good could come from trying to rebound a Gilbert Brown miss.

Howard and Mack were both unsung heroes in last year's Final Four run.  People forgot those guys because Gordon Hayward was that good of a college player. Howard seems to be everywhere on the court whenever Butler plays. He can step out and hit the three then crash for the offensive rebound. Howard is the type of player coaches say, 'I want 5 Matt Howards.'  Some might argue Mack had a hand into Butler's struggles with performances like 1 of 9, and a couple 1 of 7s from three point land.  Mack does not see a three he doesn't like, sometimes that's a bad thing, but in the NCAA Tournament, that can be the difference.  Mack is the spark plug that opposing teams do not want started up in the post season.

Anyway you cut it, Butler has become the new Gonzaga. They are the mid-major you will now look for in the four regions and hope to God, you do not see them with your favorite team. No one has figured this team out and until they do, Butler will be a real problem.

-Charlie.

How Sweet It Is!

Like 1977 all over again!  The Warriors are dancing!

Beware of the Cougars

If you haven't noticed yet, I am trying to do a write up of most of the Sweet 16.  The reason? Well, I am not on a sweet Spring Break, only working a little bit, and this will be my school work for the week. Once again, you are welcome America.  Let's talk about everyone's favorite Mormons...

Like Thursday, the BYU Cougars were playing during the Wisconsin Badger game.  I watched the games with Badger fans therefore I missed Jimmer time twice. I am disappointed like a Mormon who cannot experience Bourbon Street, but from everything I have read, the Cougars are here to stay.  Some felt that Gonzaga would give BYU some problems with Robert Sacre and their large front line.  The Cougars proved they can out shoot anybody in the nation, and definitely could find themselves booking a trip to Houston.



Jimmer Fredette had a ho-hum 34 points with 7 threes last night. He is only one of five players who had 30-plus points in their first two games in the NCAA Tournament. Who is really worried about his defense right now?  I feel the people who wrote off BYU forgot how much Jimmer relishes being a part of the big stage.  Jimmer loves being the main actor in this NCAA Tournament movie. He knows people live and die on every shot he takes in March. If you disagree, then explain how both of his games have been worthy of the CBS billing, or how BYU-SDSU rated the highest out of the three games on a CBS Tripleheader Saturday. Everyone loves Jimmer, and CBS does it best to showcase his talents.  Every time he has the ball I and thousand others want him shooting the three.  

The thing that made BYU scary last night, more so than other nights without Brandon Davies, was the multiple scorers not named Jimmer.  Three others players scored in double figures for the Cougars. It showed me that if Jimmer has an off night, there will be people  who can step up maybe not at Jimmer's level, but can do enough to keep BYU in the game.  Who knows what the story will be against Florida, but all I remember is these two teams going to double overtime last year in a great game. In that very game, Jimmer had 37.  I expect a classic out of New Orleans.

-Charlie.

Gator Boys 3.0?

Before I start, I know the Wausau contingent will appreciate that video more than anyone else who reads this blog post.  The Florida Gators are back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since they won the back-to-back National Championships. People seemed to forget about the recent success coach Billy Donovan has had in the month of March when filling out their brackets this year. But they are back in the Sweet 16, ready to make some noise.



Erving Walker caused at least 5 heart attacks in Gainesville yesterday with a bunch of ill-advised shots that somehow fell in for him. Walker who cannot be taller than 5'5 took big shoots against the trees of the Bruins, and hit a big balls three to seal the game versus UCLA.  In my opinion, his confidence reminded me like Nate Robinson, which is probably the easiest comparison to make, but it's true.  Walker is the type of guy I would like to have on my team, but at the same time, I would nominate him as the top candidate to cost the Gators a chance at th National Championship.  

The Gators also got great energy from freshman Patric Young.  He made some great plays inside on the defense, and I liked what he did on the offensive end.  Him and Alex Tyus could be a real problem for the BYU Cougars next Thursday.

-Charlie.

The Big Blue Knight



Brandon Knight's play could be the difference
in a deep run for the Cats.

 I worried about putting John Calipari's teams very far in the NCAA Tournament. They always seem to have all the talent but never come through in March. This year, I liked the way the Kentucky Wildcats finished the season and I took them to the Final Four.  The last two games though, I have been biting a towel like Jerry Tarkanian once did, but the Wildcats found a way to get it done.

I will admit I have not watched that much of Kentucky this season so it really surprised how good Brandon Knight played on Saturday. The times I have watched him this season, he didn't impressed as a scorer. Especially after having one basket (the game-winner) on Thursday.  Today, he dropped 30 on West Virginia to advance them to the Sweet 16 awaiting the winner of Ohio State/George Mason.  Knight slashed into the lane and hit big threes all game long. Not always is a point guard a problem in all parts of the game. Also Knight was easily the fastest player on the court allowing him to push the tempo of the game.

Something that cannot be forgotten is how good the Wildcats played on defense in the second half.  The Mountaineers had 41 in the first half, and only 22 in the second. I thought they used the same sort of techniques Marquette did against the Mountaineers in the Big East quarterfinal. The Wildcats sunk into the lane letting them shoot ill-advised shots all game long. Additionally, I could not understand why Bob Huggins felt the need to bring Johnnie West into a late-game situation when he had not played all game long. It was very Mike Dunleavly-esqe.  I also did not like keeping Casey Mitchell out there who I think would have shot from Orlando if they allowed him too.  Huggins lost the Mountaineers the game down the stretch. 

I am not convinced my Final Four pick will live up to my aspirations, but if Terrence Jones can figure out how to get going in this tournament... look out. Knight and Jones will be a great combination that most teams will not have an answer for in the coming weeks.

-Charlie.