Alright, my darlings, I think it's time that I contribute something more than rugged handsomeness to this fine blog, and I put my trip to Home Depot on hold so my Friday evening schedule opened up.
Rick “Hyperbole” Pitino was back to his old tricks, claiming that UofL is capable of winning without T-Will or Earl Clark, but has to have Andre McGee. That's what Pitino said after his Cards got more of a test than they expected from Morehead State. Personally, I think this is just Pitino trying to validate when he described Andre McGee as a better shooting Brevin Knight after McGee signed with UofL. He also described Terrence Williams (it was before he changed his name to T-Will) as a more athletic Dominique Wilkins (D-Wilk?). I kid because I care, Rick, and I am not going to question any tactic Pitino uses in March. The Cards look tough, and I don't think anyone in their region can match their talent and athleticism.
Are dark green jerseys reserved exclusively for mid-majors? North Dakota State, Siena, Cleveland State, Portland State, and Binghamtom are all rocking road green unis for the tourney. And don’t try to church up the Big Ten and say Michigan State wears green. There has only been one NCAA champion from the Big Ten since the 1989, which means that most of the players in this tournament have only been alive to see one Big Ten team win the tourney (Michigan State in 2000). Ergo, the Big Ten equals mid-major for purposes of this post.
In regards to Big Ten futility, the Western Kentucky win over Illinois was the most predictable upset in the history of 5-12 matchups. The Hilltoppers’ victory proved once again that teams that score only 33 points in a game during the regular season never cause any trouble in March.
I’m just really excited that there is a Taco Bell arena. I can just imagine Portland State coach Ken Bone (the one who looks like an older version of Kenneth from 30 Rock), really firing his team up before taking the court. “Come on guys! It’s the NCAA Tournament! We’ve worked all season, and now here we are…Taco Bell Arena!!”
Kansas’s Rock-Chalk chant (incantation?) is the gold standard for creepy school chants. I can’t imagine how much of a lead they have on the runner-up in that category, but the Jayhawks can sleep easy knowing they’ll at least be able to defend that title. That commercial with the Kansas students scares me way more than the “Haunting in Connecticut” one. Speaking of commercials, it just doesn’t feel like March Madness without a good Nash Bridges promo.
USC played great in the second half against Boston College. Taj Gibson was the headliner , with 24 points on 10-10 shooting, but DeMar DeRozan and his four capital letters contributed a solid 18 and 9. DeRozan didn’t live up to his high billing for much of the regular season, but came alive in the Pac-10 tourney. Every year I like to look for the Antonio McDyess of the tourney…the guy who can put together two or three amazing performances, and skyrocket his draft stock. DeRozan may be the torch bearer this season. If so, Michigan State (or Robert Morris) may have its (or his) hands full on Sunday.
I should probably liven up this post with a couple of pictures, but I think Coach K would prefer that all of us spend a little bit of time reflecting on the economy.
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If you're looking for an Antonio McDyess-type breakout tourney performer, I might suggest Purdue's JaJuan Johnson. Within the Big Ten, Johnson is a known commodity, but, since no one watches the Big Ten outside of the midwest, I'd be willing to bet his play has been a revelation for the rest of the country. While I think DeRozan has more upside and is more likely to be taken in the lottery this year, it's hard not to like the Boilermakers' springy shot-blocker.
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