I have a great Elite Eight story to tell you, but I know you want me to get right to my picks. I went 7-1 in my Sweet Sixteen picks, losing with Louisville — a team I am picking against again Sunday. I went 8-for-8 last year in the Sweet Sixteen, and my Twitter followers and Chris Sheridan want me to take that 15-1 record and try to make it 19-1. So I’ll get right to the picks … and then the story.
The NCAA Committee really deserves to take a bow with the matchups, storylines and drama they helped provide in picking the field this year. After a very compelling and topsy-turvy first two rounds, now it’s what I like to call “big boy time.” After coaching in a few NCAA tourneys and closely following countless others, one thing I’ve learned through the years is that at this point, it’s usually safe to expect the chalk to advance. We will forever have upsets
The NCAA Tournament has been fantastic on so many levels, but what really moves the meter among NBA fans is the question of who has been improving their draft stock. Coach Bobby Gonzalez, who turned the NCAA world on its head a couple times when coaching in the big dance, has been watching almost every game. (He is a columnist now, so click here for his archive as you listen. When you get a guy likes Gonzo on the radio and start picking
With the NBA draft coming up, it is kind of fun to remember back to my draft day in 1981. It’s like going through your wedding album years later. But instead of the burgundy tuxedo and ruffled shirt, its 1980s hair and wide ties. Going into my senior year at Syracuse, I was a relatively unknown player. I had played behind All-American center Roosevelt Bouie and had just played my first season as the starter. Scouting was primitive by today’s standards.
College football, it seems, is in a realm unto itself among sports. It evokes pride and intense passion—particularly among fans. The passion for college football is evident in sheer numbers. Don’t believe me? Let the attendance of the big game between Michigan and Notre Dame tell the tale. [Read more…]
The big sports news story on Wednesday had nothing to do with basketball, yet it has become the hot topic among NBA athletes. Thursday has seen many players weighing in on the Manti Te’o story. While there may be ongoing investigations seeking to determine the truth of the matter, it has not stopped people on the internet from throwing around their opinions—many of which are negative. Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant spoke out on Te’o’s behalf to ask his tweeps to
The two biggest names in this game we love remain Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. And as free agency slows to a crawl after three frenetic weeks, the basketball world’s focus is on Barcelona, Spain, where Bryant, James and the rest of Team USA practiced and held court with the international media, one day before their “friendly” vs. Argentina on Sunday. In terms of popularity, Bryant is the unquestioned king. His jersey is the top seller internationally, while James is third, trailing Derrick Rose.