Alright folks, we're back in action (well, I'm back, John's been in action all weekend). The break, if you must know, was due a party-planning/throwing heavy weekend. Also, this is more of a random note, but I think I may start taking Tuesdays off of the Daily And-1, then I'm more likely to post on the weekends, and besides, the Tuesday morning posts are pretty weak as it is. So, on Mondays I'll be sure to preview Monday and Tuesday games, and the Wednesday recap will be slightly more extensive. Now, onto business.
1) Changing Seeds - As the second to last weekend of basketball is upon us, several teams were playing their way up or down the seeding ladder. Ohio State beat (Butch-less) Wisconsin by 2 in Columbus to allegedly wrap up a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (flip-flopping with Wisc), I'd say that this is the case assuming they make it further than the Badgers in the Big 10 tourney, however, the Badgers can still make a case that they deserve the seed by winning out.
Edit: Andy Katz writes that the Buckeyes are finally where they thought they'd be preseason, an affirmed #1 in the nation. Also among the other "#1" seeds, some slip sliding went on both close to home (UNC loses @ MD, Florida loses @ LSU). (Warning rationalization ahead) Because so many of the top seeds have lost recently, and no one has seemed terrifically impressive, I'd venture a guess to say that the #1 seeds haven't actually changed due to an overall weak field, but thats just me. Edit: Looks like Joe Lunardi agrees, sort of, the Heels are obviously 1D and the Gators 2A (he has them paired in the East in his latest B-tology), I'm a bit biased, but I'd take either team for the title over OSU AND Wisconsin, but what have you done for me lately, also, Joe and I agree Florida's loss was worse than UNC's. Ok, onto tier 2 of teams changing positions, there were a couple of impressive teams, Georgetown beating Pitt and Vandy holding off a resilient UK side, Vandy may have played their way into a top-4 seed (and out of the dreaded 5-12 game), and is G'town a #2 seed? (Lunardi says yes) Put it this way, whether a 2 or a 3, they're in my Elite 8. Our favorite cool hand Luke balled out as ND upset Marquette, and a certain team from Niketown has earned the right to not be called "OverratedU", for 2 whole blog posts (while more importantly grabbing onto a fast sinking seed in the tourney). Several other results from the weekend, Byron's OverratedU (the hard luck Sooners) lost at home to Texas, Air Force slipped up against TCU (these smaller teams, Butler/AFA/Gonzaga can't afford these losses, it hurts their seeding too much). Also, 'Bama and OverratedSU (0-6 on the road for the year) continue to back their respective ways out of the tourney.
Tickets Punched - Maryland (sadly) Edit: Marck Schlabach agrees with me, funny that about 2 weeks ago I linked to a Baltimore article lamenting Gary's wasted recruited oppurtunity coming off the NCAA Championship 4 yrs ago, SIU (for a top 4 seed), and Texas (they can improve their seed by hanging in for their next 2 games, A&M and @KU, but even if they blow them, they're in)
2) NFL/Panthers News - Combine/Meat Market News, Fox's opinion on the team Herald and Charlotte Observer and tons of Mock Drafts, Edit: Jared Zabransky is getting a bit of press and PFR debates the "Workout Warrior"
And-1) MLB Camps - things are heating up down south, Cactus, Grapfruit, Bonds, Manny, MO Rivera, and even Bartolo Colon
(Everything in italics above was added just after lunch, wanted to tack on the Monday morning articles and comment on Lunardi's moves)
SCHEDULE
LOCAL
Maryland 89 UNC 87 it really hurts to outrebounded by such a poor rebounding team, though i'm personally not a fan of a 14-5 foul edge to Maryland with 3 mins to go in the 1st half. (PS: Still #1 in KP land, anyone know how to change Craig Littlepage's homepage? KP Blog)
UNC @ GT 3/1
Dook @ UNC 3/4
Ladies
UNC 96 Wake Forest 47
Duke 67 UNC 62
UNC vs. BC/VT Winner 3/2 (ACC Tourney)
Bobcats 102 76ers 87
Raptors 93 Bobcats 76
@ LA Clippers Mon
@ Sacto Kings Wed
West coast trip (6 games) starts for the Bobcats this week, look for them to increase their stakes in the Greg Oden lotto as they (probably) go 1-5, sorry for the pessimism.
NOTABLES
mon
KU @ OU - can the Sooners step up, unfortunately unlikely
G'Town @ 'Cuse - Hoyas continue their romp through the Big East
Gonzaga @ San Diego - can the 'Zags hold onto a good seed?
tues
Mich St @ UM
KSt @ OkSt - 51 @ 69, thats right, ESPN's faaaaavorite team is #69
WVU @ Pitt - can Pitt right the ship, I mean, they're still a good team
Florida @ Tenn - I almost feel sorry for the Vols
1 comment:
There is a good Gregg Doyel article (oxymoron?) on the problem of the polls saying Ohio State and Wisconsin were the best two teams in the country on Sunday. However, given that Flordia lost to LSU, even I can't figure out how the hell that happened, we mailed it in over the last 5 minutes at Maryland and lost, maybe they were the two best teams in the country.
http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/10021803
John and I discussed the problem of Big 10 (11) basketball yesterday: they don't score. Watching their conference games is like watching the very beginning of the Oscars or any other major awards show: you hope that someone comes up and says/does something outrageous or hilarious because otherwise you are bored stiff waiting for the important categories to be announced later.
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