The ACC for better or worse has always revolved around tobacco road. The Tournament never even thought about leaving the state until the mid-70's... and from the conference's inception it was all about North Carolina, Duke and NC State. There was "one brief shining moment" when it appeared as if anybody could win-- from 1984 to 96 six schools won postseason tournaments and even Clemson was able to win the regular season title once. But since 1997 a Blue Curtain has fallen over the ACC-- even sending Wake Forest and NC State back to business class. Duke and North Carolina have won 14 of the last 15 ACC Tournaments (Maryland 2004 the exception) and one of the two schools has had the top seed every year since 2003 (thank you Wake Forest). This year it appeared as though Florida State might make its way to the grownups' table with victories in Chapel Hill and at Cameron-- but back to back losses have the Seminoles safely in the second-tier. Miami won in Durham only to fall in College Park the same month. NC State was once 7-3 in the league and had a 20 point lead at Duke-- before a four game losing streak punctuated by a loss to Clemson. Virginia and Virginia Tech came oh-so-close to beating North Carolina and Duke last Saturday-- only to remind us that close isn't an operative word come March. Pax Duke-Heel-ica.
#11 Georgetown (22-6, 12-5) solidified its status as a #3 seed in both CBS and ESPN's bracket models... although a loss at #8 Marquette plus a quick exit from the Big East Tournament may pull them back one line. The Hoyas' 59-41 thumping of Notre Dame was the team's sixth Big East win where they held their opponent in the 40's... and Coach John Thompson III's team also held Rutgers to 50. If they can keep the defensive intensity... this is a team that will be very dangerous in the coming weeks. Likely Big East Seed: after a loss at Marquette and a Notre Dame victory over Providence... the Hoyas are a #4... with potential quarterfinal opponents ranging from South Florida to Louisville-- or if there's an upset; Rutgers or Pitt. Take the under in all circumstances.
Alma Mater Update-- another game where the Orange looked great in stretches and head-scratching in others. Another game that looked like a potential blowout but wound up being a one-possession nailbiter. For a team that's ranked #2 in the nation, the Orange haven't had back to back double digit wins since mid-January... and while that's largely a byproduct of a tough Big East schedule, it's not reassuring when you're looking for a Tournament team on a roll. A number one seed is all but assured-- the 2010 team lost its regular season finale and Big East Quarterfinal game and stayed a #1-- West Virginia and UConn appear to be the dangerous first opponent in Madison Square Garden. Double down on the Sign of the Whale Wings-- it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Maryland (16-12, 6-8) had their dreams of a .500 ACC season take a major hit with a 63-61 loss at Georgia Tech. While the second half fade wasn't as bad as it was the previous weekend in Charlottesville... shooting 7 for 30 is no way to win -- even against a Yellowjacket team that scored 37 points against Clemson the previous week. It isn't helpful when you rank 324th in assists and point guard PeShon Howard's done for the year. Can they upset North Carolina in Chapel Hill and stun Virginia to wrap up the season? Reality says a split is the best case scenario and a #8 seed in the ACCs-- with Virginia Tech or Wake Forest the likely first round opponent.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Two chances to put the dominion on the map... two tough losses for Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers' 54-51 loss to North Carolina puts a winning league mark in doubt-- with Florida State coming to Charlottesville and a trip to College Park wrapping up the regular season. Still- ESPN and CBS have the Cavaliers as a #8 seed in the NCAAs. In Mike Scott we trust. The Hokies' 70-65 overtime loss to Duke was the perfect snapshot of a disappointing season: 12 of Virginia Tech's 14 league games have been decided by five points or less, and unfortunately VT is 4-8 in those games.
George Mason (23-8, 14-4) moved itself off the at-large bubble with an 89-77 loss at VCU. The Patriots actually shot 53 percent from the field but 20 turnovers proved costly. As the #3 seed in the CAA coach Paul Hewitt's team will play the winner of Georgia State and Hofstra in the quarterfinals. They beat Georgia State by 3 at home and swept Hofstra (10 point win at home, 5 point win away). Even if they beat VCU in the semifinals, it appears as though GMU needs to win the conference tournament to make the big dance.
George Washington (10-18, 5-9) inched closer to an Atlantic Ten tournament berth with a 56-51 win over Duquesne... David Pellom continuing his February frenzy with a third straight double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds). In order to lock up the #12 seed, the Colonials need a victory over 18 game winners LaSalle or Dayton... or the winner of Rhode Island-Fordham to lose their regular season finale. Backing in never seemed so good.
Maryland Womens' Window-- the Terps head to Greensboro and the ACC Tournament as the #3 seed thanks to a 65-50 thumping of North Carolina State. Alyssa Thomas takes first team all ACC honors... Tianna Hawkins is named second team while Laurin Mincy and Lynetta Kizer receive honorable mention. They'll face #6 Virginia or 11th seed Boston College in Friday's Quarterfinals-- with a couple of keys in order to be successful this weekend: 1-Hawkins and Alicia DeVaughn need to stay out of foul trouble... the Terrapin bigs can't be productive on the pine-- and the seven player rotation is easily exposed when they are. 2-possessions must be productive... the offense can't be turning the ball over or taking bad shots against the ACC's elite. That might fly against BC or Virginia, but not against Miami or Duke.
American (19-10, 10-4) wrapped up the regular season with a 76-69 win over Lafayette. A nice bounceback game from Charles Hinkle (25 points after being held to 3 by Bucknell) secures the #3 seed and a Patriot League Quarterfinal meeting with Army. The Eagles swept the Black Knights, taking the most recent meeting 74-50 at West Point (shooting 60% from the field).
Howard (9-20, 6-10) saw their regular season wrap up with a 63-46 loss at Delaware State... a rough offensive effort where the Bison hit 33% of their shots and 1-of-12 three pointers while turning the ball over 16 times. Pending Florida A&M's final game, the Bison enter next week's MEAC Tournament as either the 9th or 10th seed. While a first round win wouldn't be out of the question, competing with #1 Savannah State or 2nd seed Norfolk State (both 20 game winners this winter) appears to be a much taller task.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Shakeup in the Standings...
The final weeks of college basketball's regular season mean a handful of things... but most importantly the arrival of the Shamrock Shake. McDonald's minty green goodness is here for a limited time-- and isn't available at all locations. You pick your sports correctly, and you've got yourself a winning month (or longer). You make the wrong move-- and find yourself shaking your head going home shakeless. Somewhere there's a parallel between a peppermint milkshake and the local college basketball scene, right?
Georgetown was ambushed by an incredible shooting display Tuesday... as Seton Hall senior Jordan Theodore torched the Hoyas for 29 points on 8 of 11 shooting (5-5 from three point range). Cause for concern: while one player can go off every so often, the entire Pirate team hit 61% from the field. The The Hoyas face a difficult final week with games against #20 Notre Dame and #10 Marquette.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange remain atop the Big East and at 28-1 are off to the best start in school history. While SU owns an eight game winning streak, each game has felt like somewhat of a struggle-- the most recent a 56-48 win over South Florida (before ACC aficionados rail about the sloppy play, lets talk about how more than one of their games has finished in the 40's this winter). So I continue to watch and buy into this team and wonder when or if the other shoe will drop. Sadly it often does... whether it's Rhode Island in 1988... Villanova in the 1991 Big East quarters, or Georgetown in 2000 and 2009... things often end in the most harrowing manner. Regardless, I'm off to enjoy a 44- Wing Salute at Sign of the Whale with the usual cast of characters in place.
Maryland owns the tiebreaker with Clemson for 7th in the ACC after its most impressive win of the season-- a 75-70 come from behind victory over Miami was a nice bounce-back from their 71-44 loss at Virginia. Life without Pe'Shon Howard continues with natural shooting guard Terrell Stoglin and freshman Nick Faust sharing point guard responsibilities... and while nobody will confuse the pair for Steve Blake, they managed things much better against the Hurricanes than against the Cavaliers. Can the Terps get to .500 in the ACC? They need to beat Georgia Tech (2-11 in conference play)... and then defeat either North Carolina (in Chapel Hill-- next) or Virginia (at Comcast...hmm...).
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Virginia has another chance at a statement game... will they be loud or silent against #7 North Carolina? The Cavaliers led the Tarheels in the secnod half before allowing a 22-6 run. Right now UVa has the #4 spot... meaning a first round bye is within their reach. Virginia Tech's 9th after their loss to Virginia... and how heartbreaking has this season been? Eleven of their thirteen ACC games have been decided by less than five points... and the Hokies going 4-7 instead of 7-4 removes any bubble talk.
George Mason-- well, the streak couldn't last forever. The Patriots fell 85-82 at Northeastern thanks to 21 turnovers and a less than stellar night by Ryan Pearson (after consecutive double doubles, the senior was held to 3 of 12 shooting by the Huskies). Saturday's game with VCU determines the Patriots' CAA seed-- win and they're #2... lose and they slip to 3rd. Did they bring Doc Nix down to Richmond?
George Washington tries to end a 1-7 slide when Duquesne drops by the Smith Center... a victory plus losses by Fordham and Rhode Island wrap up a berth in the Atlantic Ten tournament. Once again, GW is led by Tony Taylor and how the senior guard plays dictates how well the Colonials fare. The expanding middle class of the conference means the potential #5 seed could be just about anybody from UMass to Dayton-- as one game separates 3rd from 8th place.
Maryland Womens' Window-- right or wrong, North Carolina and Duke are the signature programs of the ACC. And beating both in the same week the way this team did remains huge. Fans at Comcast Center had a thriller in a 63-61 win over the Blue Devils-- thanks to Alyssa Thomas' game-sealing block as time expired--as the Terps rallied from 12 points down in the first half. Senior night saw a smackdown in the form of an 84-64 rout of the Tarheels... as the Terrapins jumped out to a 32-10 lead behind the play of Anjale Barrett, Lynetta Kizer and Kim Rodgers in their final regular season home game. Now the Terps have a tight turnaround on their hands with a Sunday visit to North Carolina State. A win or a Georgia Tech loss wraps up the #3 seed in the ACC Tournament.
American missed a chance to move into a tie for the Patriot League lead... falling 55-50 at home to Bucknell. Offensive rebounds hurt the Eagles-- as did just three points from Charles Hinkle. AU wraps up the #3 seed with a win over Lafayette in its regular season finale.
Howard has caught a little February fire-- defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore 53-51 Monday... the team's fifth win in seven games after winning four of its first 21. The Bison visit Delaware State Saturday-- a win keeps them in contention for 7th place in the MEAC while a loss could eventually slide them down to 11th.
Georgetown was ambushed by an incredible shooting display Tuesday... as Seton Hall senior Jordan Theodore torched the Hoyas for 29 points on 8 of 11 shooting (5-5 from three point range). Cause for concern: while one player can go off every so often, the entire Pirate team hit 61% from the field. The The Hoyas face a difficult final week with games against #20 Notre Dame and #10 Marquette.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange remain atop the Big East and at 28-1 are off to the best start in school history. While SU owns an eight game winning streak, each game has felt like somewhat of a struggle-- the most recent a 56-48 win over South Florida (before ACC aficionados rail about the sloppy play, lets talk about how more than one of their games has finished in the 40's this winter). So I continue to watch and buy into this team and wonder when or if the other shoe will drop. Sadly it often does... whether it's Rhode Island in 1988... Villanova in the 1991 Big East quarters, or Georgetown in 2000 and 2009... things often end in the most harrowing manner. Regardless, I'm off to enjoy a 44- Wing Salute at Sign of the Whale with the usual cast of characters in place.
Maryland owns the tiebreaker with Clemson for 7th in the ACC after its most impressive win of the season-- a 75-70 come from behind victory over Miami was a nice bounce-back from their 71-44 loss at Virginia. Life without Pe'Shon Howard continues with natural shooting guard Terrell Stoglin and freshman Nick Faust sharing point guard responsibilities... and while nobody will confuse the pair for Steve Blake, they managed things much better against the Hurricanes than against the Cavaliers. Can the Terps get to .500 in the ACC? They need to beat Georgia Tech (2-11 in conference play)... and then defeat either North Carolina (in Chapel Hill-- next) or Virginia (at Comcast...hmm...).
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Virginia has another chance at a statement game... will they be loud or silent against #7 North Carolina? The Cavaliers led the Tarheels in the secnod half before allowing a 22-6 run. Right now UVa has the #4 spot... meaning a first round bye is within their reach. Virginia Tech's 9th after their loss to Virginia... and how heartbreaking has this season been? Eleven of their thirteen ACC games have been decided by less than five points... and the Hokies going 4-7 instead of 7-4 removes any bubble talk.
George Mason-- well, the streak couldn't last forever. The Patriots fell 85-82 at Northeastern thanks to 21 turnovers and a less than stellar night by Ryan Pearson (after consecutive double doubles, the senior was held to 3 of 12 shooting by the Huskies). Saturday's game with VCU determines the Patriots' CAA seed-- win and they're #2... lose and they slip to 3rd. Did they bring Doc Nix down to Richmond?
George Washington tries to end a 1-7 slide when Duquesne drops by the Smith Center... a victory plus losses by Fordham and Rhode Island wrap up a berth in the Atlantic Ten tournament. Once again, GW is led by Tony Taylor and how the senior guard plays dictates how well the Colonials fare. The expanding middle class of the conference means the potential #5 seed could be just about anybody from UMass to Dayton-- as one game separates 3rd from 8th place.
Maryland Womens' Window-- right or wrong, North Carolina and Duke are the signature programs of the ACC. And beating both in the same week the way this team did remains huge. Fans at Comcast Center had a thriller in a 63-61 win over the Blue Devils-- thanks to Alyssa Thomas' game-sealing block as time expired--as the Terps rallied from 12 points down in the first half. Senior night saw a smackdown in the form of an 84-64 rout of the Tarheels... as the Terrapins jumped out to a 32-10 lead behind the play of Anjale Barrett, Lynetta Kizer and Kim Rodgers in their final regular season home game. Now the Terps have a tight turnaround on their hands with a Sunday visit to North Carolina State. A win or a Georgia Tech loss wraps up the #3 seed in the ACC Tournament.
American missed a chance to move into a tie for the Patriot League lead... falling 55-50 at home to Bucknell. Offensive rebounds hurt the Eagles-- as did just three points from Charles Hinkle. AU wraps up the #3 seed with a win over Lafayette in its regular season finale.
Howard has caught a little February fire-- defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore 53-51 Monday... the team's fifth win in seven games after winning four of its first 21. The Bison visit Delaware State Saturday-- a win keeps them in contention for 7th place in the MEAC while a loss could eventually slide them down to 11th.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Presidential Priorities...
Happy Presidents' Day Weekend! Although it does kind of feel claustrophobic and a little unfair. Just one holiday for 43 people? For accounting purposes I'm counting Cleveland once-- although Taft is often counted twice due to excessive weight. How do you breach the subject with the really good ones? It's like lettering in track-- only to realize that everybody who put on a uniform got the same honor... regardless of performance or attendance. "Lincoln-- you freed the slaves and kept the nation together... you get 2.36% of today." Did Benjamin Harrison have the same impact as George Washington? Does James Buchanan merit equal billing with Franklin Roosevelt? A nation that celebrates excellence but lumps disastrous terms with nation-saving leadership is one that's lost its way.
Solution: create an official Presidents' Day Weekend. Let's be honest- most take off Friday anyways... and separating the wheat from the chaff not only acknowledges greatness... but also gives "the other guys" a half-day in the spotlight Friday. Honoring ten "Super Presidents" on Monday then gives those who deserve a whole day their due. But how do we determine a "Super President"?
1-- like stamps... they have to be deceased (sorry Bill)...
2-- Mount Rushmore-- if you are chiseled into the side of a hill-- you qualify. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt-- welcome to the club.
3-- Currency is consideration, but no slam-dunk. So just because Grant is on the $50, doesn't mean he's in (far from it). FDR, Wilson and Jackson make the cut though.
4-- Veterans Committee-- alternating underrated chief executives from the 19th and 20th centuries for a "special spot". Example: Polk this year, Truman next year, Cleveland in 2014, Eisenhower in 2015. You get the idea.
5-- Partisan Picks-- in throwing a bone to both parties...Reagan and Kennedy make the list. Makes sense: Republicans are still looking for the next Reagan and Democrats are still searching for the next JFK.
So enjoy the holiday weekend... and celebrate the mediocre with the great. Because often it's the Hoovers that make the FDRs necessary.
Solution: create an official Presidents' Day Weekend. Let's be honest- most take off Friday anyways... and separating the wheat from the chaff not only acknowledges greatness... but also gives "the other guys" a half-day in the spotlight Friday. Honoring ten "Super Presidents" on Monday then gives those who deserve a whole day their due. But how do we determine a "Super President"?
1-- like stamps... they have to be deceased (sorry Bill)...
2-- Mount Rushmore-- if you are chiseled into the side of a hill-- you qualify. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt-- welcome to the club.
3-- Currency is consideration, but no slam-dunk. So just because Grant is on the $50, doesn't mean he's in (far from it). FDR, Wilson and Jackson make the cut though.
4-- Veterans Committee-- alternating underrated chief executives from the 19th and 20th centuries for a "special spot". Example: Polk this year, Truman next year, Cleveland in 2014, Eisenhower in 2015. You get the idea.
5-- Partisan Picks-- in throwing a bone to both parties...Reagan and Kennedy make the list. Makes sense: Republicans are still looking for the next Reagan and Democrats are still searching for the next JFK.
So enjoy the holiday weekend... and celebrate the mediocre with the great. Because often it's the Hoovers that make the FDRs necessary.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Hearts will never be practical...
Happy Valentine's Day... a celebration of love and hopes and dreams that every so often ends in a less than awesome manner. A day where a line is drawn in the sand between couples and singles. A day where what ifs become never weres. As the Wizard told the Tin Man, "Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable." Over the next few weeks, plenty of hearts (and bubbles) will be broken as the line between finding an NCAA Tournament partner and being single in the NIT (or worse) will be drawn... with a few still hoping for that one big thing.
Georgetown (19-5, 9-4) bounced back from a tough overtime loss at Syracuse by gutting out another matinee victory over a Big East Bruiser. The 71-61 win over St. John's saw a nice buffet effort from Nate Lubick: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. The Hoyas owned the glass again...and shot 61% in the second half. The team's ability to generate half-court opportunities-- like they did in rallying to tie #2 Syracuse at the end of regulation-- bode well for March. Call their chocolate box more than half-full.
Alma Mater Update-- before I get into the latest pair of cardiac conclusions... let me set the record straight: bad weather and traffic prevented me from going to The Sign of the Whale for the Syracuse-Georgetown game last week. I am not a turncoat nor Benedict Arnold nor Brutus nor Nina from 24. But let me also say that the BLAZING HOT WINGS at the Greene Turtle are beyond napalmish. The key is knocking back two or three to get your mouth accustomed to the fury-- and loading up with bleu cheese dressing. That said, the Orange are fortunate to have held on in overtime against Georgetown and in regulation against Louisville (let the record show that Rick Pitino's white suits are a tonsorial turnover in and of themselves). And like true love, its tough to view this team objectively. Kris Joseph scores 29 against the Hoyas and only 7 against the Cardinals. The defense gives up way too many offensive boards. Halfcourt can be a nightmare. But they can turn you over like nobody else (4th in the nation in steals) and nobody runs the lanes better than this oh-so-deep Orange squad. So this chocolate box is all filled with really cool flavors (coconut, tangerine, cherry, walnut).
Favorite Couples I-- nobody lives in a vacuum. And our perception of life and love is built upon what we've grown up watching. The first couple I openly rooted for was Han Solo and Princess Leia-- their bickering during Star Wars injected spice into a dry script, and their fatalistic get-together in Empire provided one of the best exchanges EVER ("I love you"-"I know). Sadly, there had to be a Return of the Jedi where their relationship was reduced to she mopes, he mopes... and even the rehashing of the money line. Lesson learned? Sometimes it's cool to call it a day after the carbon freezing.
Maryland (14-10, 4-6) isn't in the class of North Carolina or Duke-- although coach Mark Turgeon's team can stay with the Tar Heels and Blue Devils for stretches, they just don't have the talent or depth to go toe to toe for 40 minutes. And that talent and depth goes from half full to half empty with guard Pe'Shon Howard's torn ACL. The Terrapin point guard wasn't a stats dynamo but was essential to the team's ACC success-- he logged 30 minutes or more in all but one of the team's conference games. Howard's loss means more minutes for Nick Faust and Mychal Parker-- and the duo combined for almost half of the Terps' points in the 73-55 loss at Duke. Unfortunately three-point shooting (1-14) and rebounding issues (outboarded 48-33 by the Blue Devils) reared their ugly heads as well. Now with six games remaining the Terps have just two matchups against teams with losing ACC records: Boston College and Georgia Tech are a combined 5-16 in league play. Other than that? Trips to #5 North Carolina and #22 Virginia plus home games against the Cavaliers and surprising Miami. Chocolate Box Status-- loaded with flavors you're not digging, but you'll eat them anyway.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Yes, Virginia... there is a second half. The Cavaliers led North Carolina by 3-- IN CHAPEL HILL-- before the Tar Heels went on a 22-5 run that spelled the Cavaliers' 64 loss in 70 tries at UNC. Mike Scott scored 18 points... but the rest of the team shot 11 of 38. Revenge may be a dish served early and often over the next few weeks... as UVa plays three teams they've already lost to this winter-- UNC, Florida State and Virginia Tech. Hopefully the Cavs and Hokies will each score more than 47 points in the rematch. Virginia Tech's chocolate box was accidentally dropped in the early ACC season (with 5 losses by 5 points or less)...and then stepped on with double digit losses to Duke and Miami. Three games against ranked opponents in the next two weeks could revive a run to the NIT (at 14-11, it's time to be honest Hokie fans) or bury this bunch. When does spring football start?
Favorite Couples II-- "Dallas" was a family saga filled with conflict between old cattle and new oil as well as good brother Bobby against evil brother JR. One casualty of the show was the marriage of Bobby and Pam... a couple that if you watched the show you enjoyed their affection for one another amidst a landscape of dysfunctional pairings- from JR and Sue Ellen to Mitch and Lucy. The whole original premise of the show was how a Ewing married a Barnes and there was no way they'd last. Even after scheming from seemingly every character over four plus seasons tore them apart... you couldn't help but root for the duo. Mark Graison? Jenna Wade? We recognized the real deal and it was Bobby and Pam. They finally got back together much to our delight. Until Katherine Wentworth ran Bobby over with her car (yes, in my mind Dallas ended that day. NO DREAM SEASON). Lesson learned-- if you're not in a car, get off the damn driveway!
George Mason (21-6, 13-2)-- get ready for two games over two weeks (with maybe a third in the CAA Tournament) with VCU that should be incredible. While the case could be made that they're playing for second place (neither has been able to defeat Drexel this season)... the late season home and home will feature two solid teams in the at-large discussion with outstanding forwards: Ryan Pearson (18ppg, 9rpg, 37% from 3) has placed the Patriots on his back on more than one occasion while Bradford Burgess after a midseason slump (6 of 7 games scoring in single digits) appears to have picked up steam (46 points and 11 of 20 from three point range over the last two games). Get to the Patriot Center early on Valentine's Day- one can only wonder what sort of love songs Doc Nix and the Green Machine will be belting out. Chocolate Box- filled with awesome candies you don't want to share.
George Washington (9-16, 4-7) -- the Colonials ended a five game slide by beating Richmond 69-67... as Dwayne Smith has come alive this month (three straight games in double figures after scoring in double figures three times in GW's first 22 games of the season). That's nice relief for Tony Taylor; being a point guard who's often the #1 option means you get double teamed, hacked and downright mugged with numbing regularity. The Colonials have a one and a half game lead for 12th place in the Atlantic Ten-- and of their five remaining regular season games have just one matchup against a school currently with a losing league record (Charlotte- a team they beat by 8 in Foggy Bottom last month). Chocolate Box???? A different kind of bubble-- you open this one and wind up with celery and carrots-- plus raisins (Nature's Candy?!?).
Maryland Womens' Window-- the Terps are a very good team. They rallied against a tough Georgia Tech squad in Atlanta to complete a season sweep of the Yellowjackets. They blasted a subpar Clemson team on the road (Clemson on the road is never easy; just getting there is a logistical nightmare). But Sunday the Terrapins turned the ball over 21 times against #6 Miami- and missed 10 free throws in a 76-74 loss to the Hurricanes. Maryland remains #8 in the newest polls... and has three tough games ahead with a trip to Virginia plus home tilts against Duke and North Carolina. The margin between very good and great is minor... the margin between great and phenomenally incredible is even smaller. This team is close. Two keys down the stretch will be the play of Laurin Mincy and Anjale Barrett.
Favorite Couples III-- Sam and Diane. Who didn't like "Cheers"? I gravitated towards the show during its first season when Carla convinced a drunk Diane that Sam fathered one of her kids. I was hooked when Diane told Sam she'd never believe anything he said and Sam responded "then I think I'm falling in love with you". I recognized the chemistry the two had-- despite being so wrong for one another they were so right. Sam telling Diane "I think you're neat"-- when prompted why he liked her. Their combustible relationship leading to despair in season three (Sam back on the bottle, Diane in an assylum). More than one almost reconciliation... and their near-marriage followed by Sam saying "Have a Good Life". Lesson Learned-- do not pick up recently dumped English Lit Teaching Assistants in Boston bars. Don't even offer them "employment".
American (16-9, 7-3) saw its midseason momentum take a break with a 59-52 loss at Holy Cross; shooting 32% while being outrebounded by ten dooming the Eagles. While Charles Hinkle is able to score even when not shooting well... Troy Brewer has had troubles being a solid second option lately-- take away the game against Lehigh and the senior is on a 7 for 28 shooting slump in his last four games. AU closes the regular season with games against Navy and Army before battling Patriot League leading Bucknell; the Eagles' regular season finale against Lafayette could be for second place and home court for two rounds in the conference tournament. Chocolate Box-- a mixed bag. Be wary of what you choose-- and no "taking one bite but then placing back in the box!"
Howard (7-19, 4-9) fell at home Monday night to Bethune-Cookman 73-67... before the defeat the Bison took three of their previous four games. Two of their three remaining regular season games are against the MEAC's upper echelon, so another double digit conference loss season appears likely. One wonders about the future-- as senior Greg Andrews is the only player averaging more than 10 points a game on this roster. Hopefully Kevin Nickelberry's second true recruiting class will pay dividends. Chocolate Box--return to sender.
Danny Departs-- breaking up is definitely hard to do. Maryland football loses its face-- as junior Danny O'Brien transfers after a difficult 2011 season. The 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year lost his starting job last fall-- and then broke his upper arm against Notre Dame. When did a future so bright suddenly have an expiration date? I look at the West Virginia game-- he threw a pick-six and a fourth quarter INT in the red zone. For the first time since he came to College Park, Danny could look at a game and say "I LOST THIS ONE". Confidence is a tricky thing for anyone of any age, let alone a college student trying to succeed in a new offensive system (after learning the old one for basically two and a half years). The nightmare 2-10 season saw injury added to insult when he broke his arm. I wish the classy kid well-- and know he'll be successful down the road in whatever he decides to do.
Favorite Couples IV-- "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" features Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet playing doomed couple Joel and Clementine. They break up badly (to paraphrase Bryan Brown from "Cocktail": everything ends badly... otherwise it wouldn't end) and she decides to erase her memories of the affair. He finds out and wants to do the same... but halfway through the process realizes that amidst all the madness and hurt there are actually really good memories he wants to hang onto. He tucks away one. They meet again-- and then learn they each erased the other. Do they start again on a similar road that probably ends the way the previous one did? She tells him she'll get bored of him and feel trapped while he'll find things he doesn't like about here. He replies "Okay". Lesson Learned-- I forget... but it has to be something important.
Georgetown (19-5, 9-4) bounced back from a tough overtime loss at Syracuse by gutting out another matinee victory over a Big East Bruiser. The 71-61 win over St. John's saw a nice buffet effort from Nate Lubick: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. The Hoyas owned the glass again...and shot 61% in the second half. The team's ability to generate half-court opportunities-- like they did in rallying to tie #2 Syracuse at the end of regulation-- bode well for March. Call their chocolate box more than half-full.
Alma Mater Update-- before I get into the latest pair of cardiac conclusions... let me set the record straight: bad weather and traffic prevented me from going to The Sign of the Whale for the Syracuse-Georgetown game last week. I am not a turncoat nor Benedict Arnold nor Brutus nor Nina from 24. But let me also say that the BLAZING HOT WINGS at the Greene Turtle are beyond napalmish. The key is knocking back two or three to get your mouth accustomed to the fury-- and loading up with bleu cheese dressing. That said, the Orange are fortunate to have held on in overtime against Georgetown and in regulation against Louisville (let the record show that Rick Pitino's white suits are a tonsorial turnover in and of themselves). And like true love, its tough to view this team objectively. Kris Joseph scores 29 against the Hoyas and only 7 against the Cardinals. The defense gives up way too many offensive boards. Halfcourt can be a nightmare. But they can turn you over like nobody else (4th in the nation in steals) and nobody runs the lanes better than this oh-so-deep Orange squad. So this chocolate box is all filled with really cool flavors (coconut, tangerine, cherry, walnut).
Favorite Couples I-- nobody lives in a vacuum. And our perception of life and love is built upon what we've grown up watching. The first couple I openly rooted for was Han Solo and Princess Leia-- their bickering during Star Wars injected spice into a dry script, and their fatalistic get-together in Empire provided one of the best exchanges EVER ("I love you"-"I know). Sadly, there had to be a Return of the Jedi where their relationship was reduced to she mopes, he mopes... and even the rehashing of the money line. Lesson learned? Sometimes it's cool to call it a day after the carbon freezing.
Maryland (14-10, 4-6) isn't in the class of North Carolina or Duke-- although coach Mark Turgeon's team can stay with the Tar Heels and Blue Devils for stretches, they just don't have the talent or depth to go toe to toe for 40 minutes. And that talent and depth goes from half full to half empty with guard Pe'Shon Howard's torn ACL. The Terrapin point guard wasn't a stats dynamo but was essential to the team's ACC success-- he logged 30 minutes or more in all but one of the team's conference games. Howard's loss means more minutes for Nick Faust and Mychal Parker-- and the duo combined for almost half of the Terps' points in the 73-55 loss at Duke. Unfortunately three-point shooting (1-14) and rebounding issues (outboarded 48-33 by the Blue Devils) reared their ugly heads as well. Now with six games remaining the Terps have just two matchups against teams with losing ACC records: Boston College and Georgia Tech are a combined 5-16 in league play. Other than that? Trips to #5 North Carolina and #22 Virginia plus home games against the Cavaliers and surprising Miami. Chocolate Box Status-- loaded with flavors you're not digging, but you'll eat them anyway.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Yes, Virginia... there is a second half. The Cavaliers led North Carolina by 3-- IN CHAPEL HILL-- before the Tar Heels went on a 22-5 run that spelled the Cavaliers' 64 loss in 70 tries at UNC. Mike Scott scored 18 points... but the rest of the team shot 11 of 38. Revenge may be a dish served early and often over the next few weeks... as UVa plays three teams they've already lost to this winter-- UNC, Florida State and Virginia Tech. Hopefully the Cavs and Hokies will each score more than 47 points in the rematch. Virginia Tech's chocolate box was accidentally dropped in the early ACC season (with 5 losses by 5 points or less)...and then stepped on with double digit losses to Duke and Miami. Three games against ranked opponents in the next two weeks could revive a run to the NIT (at 14-11, it's time to be honest Hokie fans) or bury this bunch. When does spring football start?
Favorite Couples II-- "Dallas" was a family saga filled with conflict between old cattle and new oil as well as good brother Bobby against evil brother JR. One casualty of the show was the marriage of Bobby and Pam... a couple that if you watched the show you enjoyed their affection for one another amidst a landscape of dysfunctional pairings- from JR and Sue Ellen to Mitch and Lucy. The whole original premise of the show was how a Ewing married a Barnes and there was no way they'd last. Even after scheming from seemingly every character over four plus seasons tore them apart... you couldn't help but root for the duo. Mark Graison? Jenna Wade? We recognized the real deal and it was Bobby and Pam. They finally got back together much to our delight. Until Katherine Wentworth ran Bobby over with her car (yes, in my mind Dallas ended that day. NO DREAM SEASON). Lesson learned-- if you're not in a car, get off the damn driveway!
George Mason (21-6, 13-2)-- get ready for two games over two weeks (with maybe a third in the CAA Tournament) with VCU that should be incredible. While the case could be made that they're playing for second place (neither has been able to defeat Drexel this season)... the late season home and home will feature two solid teams in the at-large discussion with outstanding forwards: Ryan Pearson (18ppg, 9rpg, 37% from 3) has placed the Patriots on his back on more than one occasion while Bradford Burgess after a midseason slump (6 of 7 games scoring in single digits) appears to have picked up steam (46 points and 11 of 20 from three point range over the last two games). Get to the Patriot Center early on Valentine's Day- one can only wonder what sort of love songs Doc Nix and the Green Machine will be belting out. Chocolate Box- filled with awesome candies you don't want to share.
George Washington (9-16, 4-7) -- the Colonials ended a five game slide by beating Richmond 69-67... as Dwayne Smith has come alive this month (three straight games in double figures after scoring in double figures three times in GW's first 22 games of the season). That's nice relief for Tony Taylor; being a point guard who's often the #1 option means you get double teamed, hacked and downright mugged with numbing regularity. The Colonials have a one and a half game lead for 12th place in the Atlantic Ten-- and of their five remaining regular season games have just one matchup against a school currently with a losing league record (Charlotte- a team they beat by 8 in Foggy Bottom last month). Chocolate Box???? A different kind of bubble-- you open this one and wind up with celery and carrots-- plus raisins (Nature's Candy?!?).
Maryland Womens' Window-- the Terps are a very good team. They rallied against a tough Georgia Tech squad in Atlanta to complete a season sweep of the Yellowjackets. They blasted a subpar Clemson team on the road (Clemson on the road is never easy; just getting there is a logistical nightmare). But Sunday the Terrapins turned the ball over 21 times against #6 Miami- and missed 10 free throws in a 76-74 loss to the Hurricanes. Maryland remains #8 in the newest polls... and has three tough games ahead with a trip to Virginia plus home tilts against Duke and North Carolina. The margin between very good and great is minor... the margin between great and phenomenally incredible is even smaller. This team is close. Two keys down the stretch will be the play of Laurin Mincy and Anjale Barrett.
Favorite Couples III-- Sam and Diane. Who didn't like "Cheers"? I gravitated towards the show during its first season when Carla convinced a drunk Diane that Sam fathered one of her kids. I was hooked when Diane told Sam she'd never believe anything he said and Sam responded "then I think I'm falling in love with you". I recognized the chemistry the two had-- despite being so wrong for one another they were so right. Sam telling Diane "I think you're neat"-- when prompted why he liked her. Their combustible relationship leading to despair in season three (Sam back on the bottle, Diane in an assylum). More than one almost reconciliation... and their near-marriage followed by Sam saying "Have a Good Life". Lesson Learned-- do not pick up recently dumped English Lit Teaching Assistants in Boston bars. Don't even offer them "employment".
American (16-9, 7-3) saw its midseason momentum take a break with a 59-52 loss at Holy Cross; shooting 32% while being outrebounded by ten dooming the Eagles. While Charles Hinkle is able to score even when not shooting well... Troy Brewer has had troubles being a solid second option lately-- take away the game against Lehigh and the senior is on a 7 for 28 shooting slump in his last four games. AU closes the regular season with games against Navy and Army before battling Patriot League leading Bucknell; the Eagles' regular season finale against Lafayette could be for second place and home court for two rounds in the conference tournament. Chocolate Box-- a mixed bag. Be wary of what you choose-- and no "taking one bite but then placing back in the box!"
Howard (7-19, 4-9) fell at home Monday night to Bethune-Cookman 73-67... before the defeat the Bison took three of their previous four games. Two of their three remaining regular season games are against the MEAC's upper echelon, so another double digit conference loss season appears likely. One wonders about the future-- as senior Greg Andrews is the only player averaging more than 10 points a game on this roster. Hopefully Kevin Nickelberry's second true recruiting class will pay dividends. Chocolate Box--return to sender.
Danny Departs-- breaking up is definitely hard to do. Maryland football loses its face-- as junior Danny O'Brien transfers after a difficult 2011 season. The 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year lost his starting job last fall-- and then broke his upper arm against Notre Dame. When did a future so bright suddenly have an expiration date? I look at the West Virginia game-- he threw a pick-six and a fourth quarter INT in the red zone. For the first time since he came to College Park, Danny could look at a game and say "I LOST THIS ONE". Confidence is a tricky thing for anyone of any age, let alone a college student trying to succeed in a new offensive system (after learning the old one for basically two and a half years). The nightmare 2-10 season saw injury added to insult when he broke his arm. I wish the classy kid well-- and know he'll be successful down the road in whatever he decides to do.
Favorite Couples IV-- "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" features Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet playing doomed couple Joel and Clementine. They break up badly (to paraphrase Bryan Brown from "Cocktail": everything ends badly... otherwise it wouldn't end) and she decides to erase her memories of the affair. He finds out and wants to do the same... but halfway through the process realizes that amidst all the madness and hurt there are actually really good memories he wants to hang onto. He tucks away one. They meet again-- and then learn they each erased the other. Do they start again on a similar road that probably ends the way the previous one did? She tells him she'll get bored of him and feel trapped while he'll find things he doesn't like about here. He replies "Okay". Lesson Learned-- I forget... but it has to be something important.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- scoring ends at 40?
While college hoops heats up into "February Frenzy", aka "Moving Month", aka "Cliched Alliterative Phrase Here"... I've been wondering what has happened with the preponderance of 40-somethings. Now, I have more than a few friends in their forties... and I have no issue about reaching 40-- but when a Division I college basketball team from a major conference can't get to 50 points in the shot-clock era there's something wrong. I thought getting to 50 was like the SAT's-- sign your name... roll out the balls and get a half century. Maybe college basketball is converting to the ACT. Damn that test! Even the ACC isn't immune-- witness Virginia Tech's 47-45 win over Virginia a few Sunday's ago. I want to think "Doug Flutie to Gerald Phelan" when I hear 47-45, not "1 for 14 from three point range". The Big Ten had a 37-33 game recently-- and sadly with Nebraska in the league we could see more depressed scores (technically it would be a recession though).
Georgetown (18-4, 8-3) has held consecutive opponents to less than 50 points... limiting South Florida to 20% shooting in the first half (although the game began at 11am-- even the kids on HANG TIME! had issues shooting on Saturday mornings). The Hoyas have a nice 8-man rotation that features a rebounding bulldog in Otto Porter (four double digit efforts in league play)... a clutch shooter in Hollis Thompson (last second baskets his specialty) and a center who can pass (Henry Sims leads the team in assists). Lost in the shuffle may be Jason Clark- who leads the team in scoring and rebounds well for a guard. With this bunch they head to Syracuse to face the #2 team in the nation.
Alma Mater Update-- while the Orange have Fab Melo back and I answered more than a few "somebody finally weaved the basket for him" texts... many questions come about entering Wednesday's war with the hated Hoyas (not me-- I am super objective as always about everything... the exception being Ray Pruitt's singing). Can the vaunted 2-3 zone contain the Princeton Offense (I remember raining threes at Verizon a few years ago)? Will the Orange be able to run a semi-cognizant halfcourt offense (not the one featuring two passes, bad one on one moves and a last second off-balance jumper that misses)? And where will I watch the game? I've been enlisted as a helmsman in the SU Alumni Group of DC's gatherings at Sign of Whale. I even have my "Ishmael Card" for discounts (sadly, no such card actually exists. Major missing the boat there SOTW) and have tried to get the bar to put a "44 Wing Salute" on the menu. But this week a few friends (one of which has been named "Nice Guy of the Year" three times in the last decade) are organizing a gamewatching event down the street from where I live. No car. No metro. I've been asking both places to send bleu cheese dressing samples for comparison.
Maryland (13-8, 3-5) had a chance to upset then #5 North Carolina... and actually led the Tarheels by nine in the second half before foul trouble handcuffed coach Mark Turgeon's rotation... UNC started to own the offensive glass and Harrison Barnes knocked down enough long-range jumpers to bury the Terps 83-74. Lost in the loss was improved play by Nick Faust off the bench (taking the ball to the rim instead of shooting bad jumpers) as well as the fine effort from Alex Len (holding his own against fellow 7-footer Tyler Zeller) off the pine. Halfway through the ACC season, Terps fans are wondering if they can get to .500 in the conference; they can, but have little margin for error. Home games against Georgia Tech and Boston College have to be slam-dunks. They have to steal one away from Virginia (who lost at home to Va. Tech) and if they beat Clemson Tuesday night (Tigers are tied with the Terps at 3-5 in the league)... that would give them seven wins, meaning the eighth has to come from topping Duke in Cameron (stop laughing), UNC at Chapel Hill (please get back in your seat), sweeping Virginia (Kippy and Buffy aren't laughing for some reason) or topping a Miami team in College Park-- the same Hurricanes the Terps took to double overtime in the Sunshine State. But they have to begin with a Clemson team that torched #17 Florida State by 20 and was within 3 possessions in all 5 of their league losses. Maybe sweeping the Cavaliers may just be the way to go.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Virginia lost a chance to move into the ACC's penthouse... instead the 58-55 loss at Florida State means the Cavaliers are in a three-way scrum for 4th place in the league with North Carolina State and Miami. The Seminoles defense of Mike Scott further underscored the fact that UVa needs another scorer-- Scott was held to 3 shots after halftime and every run was truncated by the fact their big gun wasn't firing. They'll need more than one gun for this Saturday's showdown with North Carolina. Virginia Tech got a season-saving win over Clemson and enters the second half with confidence that maybe they've turned the corner- but 2-6 is a tough ACC hole to climb out of.
George Mason (19-6, 11-2) bounced back from a tough loss at Delaware to defeat Old Dominion 54-50 (despite shooting 28% from the field)... moving into a tie for first place tie of the CAA. First year Patriots coach Paul Hewitt hopes February doesn't turn into a Ram... as Mason meets VCU twice over the regular season's last four games while Drexel watches from the wings.
George Washington (8-15, 3-6) are fighting for a spot in the Atlantic Ten tournament (only 12 of the 14 schools in the Atlantic 10 go-- irony aside) after a fourth straight loss... after close games that could have gone either way at Fordham and against Xavier the bottom dropped out in an 86-75 loss to UMass. And GW is done playing with bottom-feeders Fordham and Rhode Island: 5 of their 7 remaining A-10 foes have winning league records (but that have beaten Richmond and Charlotte- the two other schools).
Maryland Womens' Window-- after routing Boston College 86-44, the Terps struggled at Georgia Tech (a team they've always had trouble with)... before prevailing 64-56. The double-whammy of Tianna Hawkins (23 points and 9 rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (23 points and 5 assists) set the tone for a team which remainder shot under 25% for the game. Terps took this one because they owned the glass-- outrebounding the Yellowjackets by 15... while holding GT to under 40% for the night. With six ACC games remaining Maryland's tied for third with North Carolina... two games behind Miami and three games behind league-leading Duke. The Terps play all three of these teams-- in College Park-- over the next three weeks. Get your popcorn.
American (15-8, 6-2) remains in the thick of the Patriot League race thanks to a Charles Hinkle three pointer with 33 seconds left that gave the Eagles a 59-58 win over Colgate. Unfortunately, Hinkle was the only AU player to score in double figures-- and while that might work against the 7th place Raiders... it might not be as effective against Bucknell and Lehigh (or even Lafayette). Good news for Eagle fans-- four of the remaining six regular season games are at Bender Arena. Bad news for Shamrock Shake fans-- my sources tell me the McDonald's next to the arena has been shut down... just before the minty green goodness makes its annual appearance near Nebraska Ave. For shame!
Howard (6-18, 3-8) after ending an eight game losing streak has all of a sudden taken two of three... the latest a 54-46 victory over Morgan State (sadly, even the MEAC isn't immune for scores in the 40's). Freshman Prince Okoroh scored 14 points for the Bison... who held the Bears to 30% shooting and held an 18 rebound advantage. With five games left, coach Kevin Nickelberry's team's already equalled last year's victory total.
Georgetown (18-4, 8-3) has held consecutive opponents to less than 50 points... limiting South Florida to 20% shooting in the first half (although the game began at 11am-- even the kids on HANG TIME! had issues shooting on Saturday mornings). The Hoyas have a nice 8-man rotation that features a rebounding bulldog in Otto Porter (four double digit efforts in league play)... a clutch shooter in Hollis Thompson (last second baskets his specialty) and a center who can pass (Henry Sims leads the team in assists). Lost in the shuffle may be Jason Clark- who leads the team in scoring and rebounds well for a guard. With this bunch they head to Syracuse to face the #2 team in the nation.
Alma Mater Update-- while the Orange have Fab Melo back and I answered more than a few "somebody finally weaved the basket for him" texts... many questions come about entering Wednesday's war with the hated Hoyas (not me-- I am super objective as always about everything... the exception being Ray Pruitt's singing). Can the vaunted 2-3 zone contain the Princeton Offense (I remember raining threes at Verizon a few years ago)? Will the Orange be able to run a semi-cognizant halfcourt offense (not the one featuring two passes, bad one on one moves and a last second off-balance jumper that misses)? And where will I watch the game? I've been enlisted as a helmsman in the SU Alumni Group of DC's gatherings at Sign of Whale. I even have my "Ishmael Card" for discounts (sadly, no such card actually exists. Major missing the boat there SOTW) and have tried to get the bar to put a "44 Wing Salute" on the menu. But this week a few friends (one of which has been named "Nice Guy of the Year" three times in the last decade) are organizing a gamewatching event down the street from where I live. No car. No metro. I've been asking both places to send bleu cheese dressing samples for comparison.
Maryland (13-8, 3-5) had a chance to upset then #5 North Carolina... and actually led the Tarheels by nine in the second half before foul trouble handcuffed coach Mark Turgeon's rotation... UNC started to own the offensive glass and Harrison Barnes knocked down enough long-range jumpers to bury the Terps 83-74. Lost in the loss was improved play by Nick Faust off the bench (taking the ball to the rim instead of shooting bad jumpers) as well as the fine effort from Alex Len (holding his own against fellow 7-footer Tyler Zeller) off the pine. Halfway through the ACC season, Terps fans are wondering if they can get to .500 in the conference; they can, but have little margin for error. Home games against Georgia Tech and Boston College have to be slam-dunks. They have to steal one away from Virginia (who lost at home to Va. Tech) and if they beat Clemson Tuesday night (Tigers are tied with the Terps at 3-5 in the league)... that would give them seven wins, meaning the eighth has to come from topping Duke in Cameron (stop laughing), UNC at Chapel Hill (please get back in your seat), sweeping Virginia (Kippy and Buffy aren't laughing for some reason) or topping a Miami team in College Park-- the same Hurricanes the Terps took to double overtime in the Sunshine State. But they have to begin with a Clemson team that torched #17 Florida State by 20 and was within 3 possessions in all 5 of their league losses. Maybe sweeping the Cavaliers may just be the way to go.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- Virginia lost a chance to move into the ACC's penthouse... instead the 58-55 loss at Florida State means the Cavaliers are in a three-way scrum for 4th place in the league with North Carolina State and Miami. The Seminoles defense of Mike Scott further underscored the fact that UVa needs another scorer-- Scott was held to 3 shots after halftime and every run was truncated by the fact their big gun wasn't firing. They'll need more than one gun for this Saturday's showdown with North Carolina. Virginia Tech got a season-saving win over Clemson and enters the second half with confidence that maybe they've turned the corner- but 2-6 is a tough ACC hole to climb out of.
George Mason (19-6, 11-2) bounced back from a tough loss at Delaware to defeat Old Dominion 54-50 (despite shooting 28% from the field)... moving into a tie for first place tie of the CAA. First year Patriots coach Paul Hewitt hopes February doesn't turn into a Ram... as Mason meets VCU twice over the regular season's last four games while Drexel watches from the wings.
George Washington (8-15, 3-6) are fighting for a spot in the Atlantic Ten tournament (only 12 of the 14 schools in the Atlantic 10 go-- irony aside) after a fourth straight loss... after close games that could have gone either way at Fordham and against Xavier the bottom dropped out in an 86-75 loss to UMass. And GW is done playing with bottom-feeders Fordham and Rhode Island: 5 of their 7 remaining A-10 foes have winning league records (but that have beaten Richmond and Charlotte- the two other schools).
Maryland Womens' Window-- after routing Boston College 86-44, the Terps struggled at Georgia Tech (a team they've always had trouble with)... before prevailing 64-56. The double-whammy of Tianna Hawkins (23 points and 9 rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (23 points and 5 assists) set the tone for a team which remainder shot under 25% for the game. Terps took this one because they owned the glass-- outrebounding the Yellowjackets by 15... while holding GT to under 40% for the night. With six ACC games remaining Maryland's tied for third with North Carolina... two games behind Miami and three games behind league-leading Duke. The Terps play all three of these teams-- in College Park-- over the next three weeks. Get your popcorn.
American (15-8, 6-2) remains in the thick of the Patriot League race thanks to a Charles Hinkle three pointer with 33 seconds left that gave the Eagles a 59-58 win over Colgate. Unfortunately, Hinkle was the only AU player to score in double figures-- and while that might work against the 7th place Raiders... it might not be as effective against Bucknell and Lehigh (or even Lafayette). Good news for Eagle fans-- four of the remaining six regular season games are at Bender Arena. Bad news for Shamrock Shake fans-- my sources tell me the McDonald's next to the arena has been shut down... just before the minty green goodness makes its annual appearance near Nebraska Ave. For shame!
Howard (6-18, 3-8) after ending an eight game losing streak has all of a sudden taken two of three... the latest a 54-46 victory over Morgan State (sadly, even the MEAC isn't immune for scores in the 40's). Freshman Prince Okoroh scored 14 points for the Bison... who held the Bears to 30% shooting and held an 18 rebound advantage. With five games left, coach Kevin Nickelberry's team's already equalled last year's victory total.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Bowl Sunday-- bring on the wing dip...
The NFL season began with an offensive extravaganza in Green Bay-- and ends with a showdown for the ages in Indianapolis. Can the New York Giants continue their incredible run from 7-7 to title game? Can New England avenge its midseason loss to the G-Men... and would a win even make a dent in their loss four years ago? Plus, what will one eat during the big game?
Friendly Fans-- the Boston-New York dynamic takes another turn as the Big Apple battles Beantown for the title. It's not Yankees-Red Sox... Celtics-Knicks or even Pats-Jets... but there are enough fans to make the hatred year-round. I feel for the Jets fan... who has to choose between the team that's dominated his division or the old school bluebloods who've looked down their noses at the AFL upstarts for a half century. Jets fans are pulling for a measles outbreak in the stadium.
Havin' a Good Time-- I've been going to the same SB party the last few years... usually hosted by the guy who asks you every fifteen minutes if you're having a good time. As the evening progresses he has more beverages and you're being asked every five minutes if you're having a good time. This year it's not at his house-- but he'll still be asking me if I'm having a good time.
Neutral Site? Technically Indianapolis is a neutral city-- but the city of the Colts justifiably hates Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots for knocking them out of the playoffs repeatedly. The city that embraced Peyton Manning naturally would love to see little brother Eli hand the hated Pats another Super Bowl defeat.
Buffalo Wing Dip-- my friend Doug's wife makes this incredible dip with chicken puree... Tabasco and cream cheese. Topped with cheddar, this intestinal monstrosity looks ridiculously nasty-- but is ridiculously delicious. If it were socially acceptable to eat the dip with a spoon, I would.
Halftime a step back?-- I thought the NFL was finally moving into the 21st century by having the Black Eyed Peas performing last year... and now we're given Madonna-- perhaps 15 years too late. I'm not saying Beyonce or Franz Ferdinand... but maybe someone born after the first Super Bowl was played? I thought that John Mellencamp would be a good compromise in Indianapolis... just like I thought the Eagles would have been a decent halftime act in North Dallas.
Butter Bars-- Once one recovers from the Buffalo Wing Dip... Doug's wife also makes these butter bars that consist of 47% butter... 36% shortening and 20% sugar. I know the math doesn't work out-- but after about five of them you'd understand.
Rematches and Rematches-- this isn't the first time there's been a rematch of a regular season game in the Super Bowl... it actually happened four years ago when the Giants reversed the regular season result between the two teams. With the divisional rotation now (crossover games now once every four years) the chance of interconference matchups is a little less than it was from 1978-2001. All three New York Giant Super Bowl wins had them defeating the team they met in the regular season. The Patriots are 1-2 in Super Bowl rematches... falling to the '85 Bears and '07 Giants while topping St. Louis after the 2001 season. This is also a rematch of Super Bowl XLII... if you haven't heard the 100 or so times it's been mentioned.
The Actual Game-- at first glance it appears the New York Giants have the edge... their strengths (high flying wide receivers) able to take better advantage of the Patriots' weaknesses (31st ranked defense) than vice versa (Brady against a bigtime pass rush). But it's tough to get up for a team that resembles the kid with the 1400 SAT's who didn't study all semester. And it's tough to go against a team with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady both on a mission. And it's tough to discount the Pats winning this one for the late Myra Kraft. New England 26, NY Giants 21.
Friendly Fans-- the Boston-New York dynamic takes another turn as the Big Apple battles Beantown for the title. It's not Yankees-Red Sox... Celtics-Knicks or even Pats-Jets... but there are enough fans to make the hatred year-round. I feel for the Jets fan... who has to choose between the team that's dominated his division or the old school bluebloods who've looked down their noses at the AFL upstarts for a half century. Jets fans are pulling for a measles outbreak in the stadium.
Havin' a Good Time-- I've been going to the same SB party the last few years... usually hosted by the guy who asks you every fifteen minutes if you're having a good time. As the evening progresses he has more beverages and you're being asked every five minutes if you're having a good time. This year it's not at his house-- but he'll still be asking me if I'm having a good time.
Neutral Site? Technically Indianapolis is a neutral city-- but the city of the Colts justifiably hates Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots for knocking them out of the playoffs repeatedly. The city that embraced Peyton Manning naturally would love to see little brother Eli hand the hated Pats another Super Bowl defeat.
Buffalo Wing Dip-- my friend Doug's wife makes this incredible dip with chicken puree... Tabasco and cream cheese. Topped with cheddar, this intestinal monstrosity looks ridiculously nasty-- but is ridiculously delicious. If it were socially acceptable to eat the dip with a spoon, I would.
Halftime a step back?-- I thought the NFL was finally moving into the 21st century by having the Black Eyed Peas performing last year... and now we're given Madonna-- perhaps 15 years too late. I'm not saying Beyonce or Franz Ferdinand... but maybe someone born after the first Super Bowl was played? I thought that John Mellencamp would be a good compromise in Indianapolis... just like I thought the Eagles would have been a decent halftime act in North Dallas.
Butter Bars-- Once one recovers from the Buffalo Wing Dip... Doug's wife also makes these butter bars that consist of 47% butter... 36% shortening and 20% sugar. I know the math doesn't work out-- but after about five of them you'd understand.
Rematches and Rematches-- this isn't the first time there's been a rematch of a regular season game in the Super Bowl... it actually happened four years ago when the Giants reversed the regular season result between the two teams. With the divisional rotation now (crossover games now once every four years) the chance of interconference matchups is a little less than it was from 1978-2001. All three New York Giant Super Bowl wins had them defeating the team they met in the regular season. The Patriots are 1-2 in Super Bowl rematches... falling to the '85 Bears and '07 Giants while topping St. Louis after the 2001 season. This is also a rematch of Super Bowl XLII... if you haven't heard the 100 or so times it's been mentioned.
The Actual Game-- at first glance it appears the New York Giants have the edge... their strengths (high flying wide receivers) able to take better advantage of the Patriots' weaknesses (31st ranked defense) than vice versa (Brady against a bigtime pass rush). But it's tough to get up for a team that resembles the kid with the 1400 SAT's who didn't study all semester. And it's tough to go against a team with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady both on a mission. And it's tough to discount the Pats winning this one for the late Myra Kraft. New England 26, NY Giants 21.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- Where do we go from here?
College basketball's version of "Show Me Month" wraps up with with a few area schools on track for the tournament... others wondering where exactly their ceiling is... and a few hoping the floor isn't as low as it appears.
Georgetown (16-4, 6-3) continues to sail through the rough seas of Big East play-- slipping on the road at previously-on-the-mat Pitt 72-60. The Hoyas don't necessarily live by the three-- but in all three Big East losses Georgetown has struggled from outside the arc (14% against West Virginia, 31% against Cincinnati and 29% against Pitt). And things don't get any easier for coach John Thompson III's team: consecutive games against UConn, South Florida and Syracuse loom before the schedule lightens up.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse escapes a nail-biter with West Virginia... a non-goaltending call allowing the Orange to edge West Virginia 63-61. The team tries to find its way minus center Fab Melo... in his three game absence... SU's been outrebounded by double digits twice and barely outrebounded Cincinnati (36-35). And in the Big East there's always that tight turnaround/2 losses in 3 days possibility-- even if you're playing well. And then there's the Bernie Fine elephant in the room.
Maryland (13-7, 3-3) got a necessary win over Virginia Tech at home (73-69)... ending a three game losing streak and improving to 3-3 in the ACC. Terrell Stoglin proves to be the primary producer (21 of 28 points coming after halftime against the Hokies) while Sean Mosley comes up huge when it matters (5 free throws in the last 70 seconds of regulation). How healthy and more importantly how productive will Alex Len get during the upcoming stretch of four games out of six on the road? There are wins to be had against the ACC's underbelly... but you have to win on the road- and the Terps haven't done that yet this winter.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- a tale of two campuses: it's definitely the best of times in Charlottesville as Virginia is off to a 5-2 start in league play...Mike Scott a major force (23 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Clemson) for the Cavaliers. What remains to be seen is how they'll do against a very tough back end of the schedule—from here on UVa plays both North Carolina and Florida State twice. Virginia Tech plays Duke twice and has two more games against teams currently ranked—and the Hokies are 1-5 in league play with four losses coming by four points or less. This smacks of Virginia a few years ago during Sean Singletary’s senior season—when the close losses mounted early against a talented team before everything collapsed.
George Mason (18-5, 10-1) takes a six game winning streak to Delaware February 1st… and an at-large berth is not out of the conversation for the Patriots. Coach Paul Hewitt’s team still has to play VCU twice and Old Dominion once—and faces Lamar in the Bracket Buster.
George Washington (8-13, 3-4) remains offensively challenged (301st in scoring) and unable to win in the Atlantic 10 away from the Smith Center (0-4). And up next for coach Mike Lonergan: three straight games against A-10 contenders Xavier, UMass and Temple. February might get rather cold in Foggy Bottom.
Maryland Womens' Window-- a tough loss at Duke is one thing; slipping to Virginia Tech at home is another thing. Alyssa Thomas' thumb injury turned a tight rotation tighter-- and the question over the second month of conference play is how a bench long on quality but short on quantity (Lynetta Kizer and Brene Moseley provide punch off the pine—but that’s it).
American (14-8, 5-2) is halfway through Patriot League play and has only lost to the two schools ahead of it in the standings (Bucknell and Lehigh). Charles Hinkle has taken the mantle of primary point producer… as he and Troy Brewer are both shooting higher than 40% from three point range. Sadly, my sources in and around the program report the McDonald’s at Bender Arena is being shut down. Where can I get my Shamrock Shakes come March?
Howard (5-17, 2-7) snapped an eight game losing streak by beating South Carolina State 82 to 76… Brandon Ford led a balanced attack with 14 points. Can the Bison put a few W’s together with 4-16 Maryland-Eastern Shore and 5-14 Morgan State on deck?
Georgetown (16-4, 6-3) continues to sail through the rough seas of Big East play-- slipping on the road at previously-on-the-mat Pitt 72-60. The Hoyas don't necessarily live by the three-- but in all three Big East losses Georgetown has struggled from outside the arc (14% against West Virginia, 31% against Cincinnati and 29% against Pitt). And things don't get any easier for coach John Thompson III's team: consecutive games against UConn, South Florida and Syracuse loom before the schedule lightens up.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse escapes a nail-biter with West Virginia... a non-goaltending call allowing the Orange to edge West Virginia 63-61. The team tries to find its way minus center Fab Melo... in his three game absence... SU's been outrebounded by double digits twice and barely outrebounded Cincinnati (36-35). And in the Big East there's always that tight turnaround/2 losses in 3 days possibility-- even if you're playing well. And then there's the Bernie Fine elephant in the room.
Maryland (13-7, 3-3) got a necessary win over Virginia Tech at home (73-69)... ending a three game losing streak and improving to 3-3 in the ACC. Terrell Stoglin proves to be the primary producer (21 of 28 points coming after halftime against the Hokies) while Sean Mosley comes up huge when it matters (5 free throws in the last 70 seconds of regulation). How healthy and more importantly how productive will Alex Len get during the upcoming stretch of four games out of six on the road? There are wins to be had against the ACC's underbelly... but you have to win on the road- and the Terps haven't done that yet this winter.
Cruising the Commonwealth-- a tale of two campuses: it's definitely the best of times in Charlottesville as Virginia is off to a 5-2 start in league play...Mike Scott a major force (23 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Clemson) for the Cavaliers. What remains to be seen is how they'll do against a very tough back end of the schedule—from here on UVa plays both North Carolina and Florida State twice. Virginia Tech plays Duke twice and has two more games against teams currently ranked—and the Hokies are 1-5 in league play with four losses coming by four points or less. This smacks of Virginia a few years ago during Sean Singletary’s senior season—when the close losses mounted early against a talented team before everything collapsed.
George Mason (18-5, 10-1) takes a six game winning streak to Delaware February 1st… and an at-large berth is not out of the conversation for the Patriots. Coach Paul Hewitt’s team still has to play VCU twice and Old Dominion once—and faces Lamar in the Bracket Buster.
George Washington (8-13, 3-4) remains offensively challenged (301st in scoring) and unable to win in the Atlantic 10 away from the Smith Center (0-4). And up next for coach Mike Lonergan: three straight games against A-10 contenders Xavier, UMass and Temple. February might get rather cold in Foggy Bottom.
Maryland Womens' Window-- a tough loss at Duke is one thing; slipping to Virginia Tech at home is another thing. Alyssa Thomas' thumb injury turned a tight rotation tighter-- and the question over the second month of conference play is how a bench long on quality but short on quantity (Lynetta Kizer and Brene Moseley provide punch off the pine—but that’s it).
American (14-8, 5-2) is halfway through Patriot League play and has only lost to the two schools ahead of it in the standings (Bucknell and Lehigh). Charles Hinkle has taken the mantle of primary point producer… as he and Troy Brewer are both shooting higher than 40% from three point range. Sadly, my sources in and around the program report the McDonald’s at Bender Arena is being shut down. Where can I get my Shamrock Shakes come March?
Howard (5-17, 2-7) snapped an eight game losing streak by beating South Carolina State 82 to 76… Brandon Ford led a balanced attack with 14 points. Can the Bison put a few W’s together with 4-16 Maryland-Eastern Shore and 5-14 Morgan State on deck?
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