Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Eight is enough for 24...

With no extended beltway schools in action (thank you Virginia Tech for playing honorably in the NIT), all of my college hoop focus turned towards my alma mater. Unfortunately the Sweet Sixteen left a sour taste-- and a 63-59 loss to Butler.

What happened? Eighteen turnovers. Butler gave SU fits offensively all evening-- and scored 23 points off Orange miscues. Syracuse outshot-- and outrebounded the Bulldogs while denying Butler effectively from three point range... but kept on making mistakes. There were those who claimed the officials were poor-- calling a game that went against the Orange's physical mindset and played towards Butler's style of basketball. Problem was, SU didn't play well enough to win. And although they came close (up 54-50 with the ball and 4 minutes left)... Butler just played better. Some times it just happens that way. March can be one mean mistress sometimes.

The loss ended what became one of the more pleasantly surprising seasons I've seen... one that I'll easily rank in the top four SUrprising seasons since I've started following the Orange. In no particular order--

1--1986-87... fresh off a second round NCAA loss in the Carrier Dome to David Robinson and Navy, the Orangemen lose superstar guard Pearl Washington to the NBA. Rebuilding year? Hardly. Sherman Douglas steps up, Derrick Coleman is as good as advertised, Rony Seikaly looks interested- and the senior tandem of Greg Monroe and Howard Triche provide leadership that guides a young nucleus to the national title game.

2--1991-92... burdened with NCAA investigations plus the departure of Billy Owens and Leron Ellis to the NBA, time to rebuild. I mean-- you're starting Mike Hopkins... not so fast sir--Lawrence Moten comes in and produces from day one-- Dave Johnson finally adjusts to his new name and number (the swingman wore #23 and was called David before switching to #4 and Dave)... and SU is hot early (18-3) before fading...but then bounces back to win the Big East Tournament.

3-- 1995-96... Lawrence Moten and Luke Jackson graduated... while Michael Lloyd was deemed ineligible. Could hometown hero Lazarus Sims run the point? All the way to the National title game.

4-- this winter... three early departures (Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris) would surely cripple what was a team that caught fire in the Big East Tournament. But the scrappy leftovers rallied together and the infusion of Wes Johnson to the lineup turned a pretender into a contender-- one that claimed a #1 ranking and won the Big East regular season title outright for the first time since 1991.

Does this lessen the sting of coming up two steps shy of a Final Four? I'll leave that up to my Orange brethren (and sistren). I just hope they recognize what an incredible ride this was.

Alma Mater Update-- despite the result, a great time had by all at the Sign of the Whale to wrap up our second season of basketball watching (as fate would have it I never witnessed an NCAA win at the Rhino Pumphouse in Georgetown--and I watched games there from 2005 to 2008). The MVP goes to my buddy's girlfriend Meredith who held a bowl of chicken wings for us to eat while standing up. No sauce spillage anywhere (although there was a piece of celery dropped). To further accentuate the fact that the season is over, the McDonald's on M Street stopped selling Shamrock Shakes. Minty goodness and title hopes hibernate again.


Commonwealth Common Sense-- Virginia Tech signed coach Seth Greenberg to an extension- the Baron of Blacksburg well deserving of his reward... as he's made the Hokies relevant in the ACC... a tough out instead of a league laughingstock. While Virginia is under its second rebuilding phase in the last decade-- the Hokies have a firm foundation that will result in NCAA trips in the future.


Clock winding down-- Fox has cancelled 24... although I think Jack Bauer went into Fox execs and told them under no uncertain terms he would not be back for another season. Eight seasons of shooting, shouting, ridiculous plot points and mountain lions...the show changed the landscape of TV in its own way. With eight seasons in the books, I guess we could play it out like an elite eight...:

Season #1 vs Season #8-- Mandy blows up a plane, Nina kills Teri and Palmer shuns Sherry against Freddie Prinze Jr? No contest. Season 1 advances.

Season #2 vs Season #7-- Jack's road to redemption begins by using a hacksaw... although last year was compelling (like the DC switch), CTU's dual doofus middle managers George Mason and Ryan Chappelle put this one over the top.

Season #3 vs Season #6-- clearly the two worst years get bracketed together. Kim's boyfriend has his arm chopped off while Jack's father kills his brother. Even with Ricky Schroeder and CTU 90210, the Bauer family foibles takes the cake.

Season #4 vs Season #5-- toughest matchup... one had the key quote "earlier today Jack and Audrey were planning their life together-- now he's killed her husband and probably will have to torture her brother", while the other has Jack telling some punk "the only reason you're still conscious is I don't feel like carrying you". Knock me out, Kiefer.

Semis-- #5 won an Emmy for the show and Kiefer... plus had him on a slow boat to China at the end. #1 set up everything... including bad life decisions by Kim (lets go to a furniture store at midnight!). #2 takes a hacksaw to #6 in the most unmerciful way.

Finals-- #2 wins over #5 in a close call; Jack literally died in this one and stuck his hand in a corpse to boot; plus Sarah Wynter as Kate Warner trumps Kim Raver as Audrey.