Coach of the Year Award has two candidates this season

The race for Player of the Year is a tight battle between viable candidates like John Wall, Wesley Johnson, and Evan Turner. Every voter would have a justifiable reason for picking any of these 3 fine players, which makes it hard to speculate who will walk away with the hardwood. The Coach of The Year award should not be as difficult. In the opinion of the T and 2, voters have a choice between Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon. There should be no other names even acknowledged on the ballots.

Boeheim has soured people on occasion this season, as he continues to talk about expansion of the NCAA Tournament, but when it comes to coaching his 26-2 team, he’s done a great job. The ESPN USA Preseason poll had the Orange slated #25, and the AP Poll didn’t even rank Boeheim’s boys to start the season. Entering the season you couldn’t really argue that Syracuse had lost some talent from the previous year. Cuse’ lost sharpshooter/trash-talker Eric Devendorf , powerful inside forward Paul Harris, and a kid named Jonny Flynn….we’re sure you know about him. It’s obvious this season that Boeheim put those losses in his rear view mirror, and hasn’t look back since. Taking the Gene Hackman “coach who I’ve got” motto, Boeheim has flourished with “who he’s got”. Who he’s got is superstar transfer Wesley Johnson, improved Rick Johnson, Andy Rautins, and returning from injury Scoop Jardine, a formidable squad to make a run deep in the tourney; and given the way Boeheim has meshed with this unit expect that deep run.

Pittsburgh has been a Big East powerhouse virtually the last decade. Winning two titles in 08 and 03, is a feat in itself, but appearing in 7 of the last 9 Big East Championship games…yes 7.. shows just how much of a mainstay Pitt is in America’s toughest conference. This season was likely to be the year Pitt would have no shot at continuing it’s dominance. In fact it’d be a stretch to even think Pitt could make the Semi-finals of such a loaded conference, given how much Pitt had lost. Departures of NBA bound Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, point guard Levance Fields, and forward Tyrell Biggs, left Dixon in a hole entering the new decade. Such a hole that Pitt was left off the AP and ESPN/ USA preseason polls. How does Jamie Dixon respond ? By channeling Chris “all he does is catch touchdown passes” Carter, and became Jamie “all he does is win basketball games’ Dixon. The name isn’t a stretch. He currently possesses a 77.9 winning percentage to date (184-52), which includes two 30 win seasons, two Sweet Sixteen’s, and an Elite Eight. This year’s squad is 21-7, in a large part to the improvement of Brad Wanamaker, Jermaine Dixon, Gilbert Brown and Ashton Gibbs who Dixon used as role players last year. It’s clear that giving them quality minutes last year has paid off dividends.

So why are Boeheim and Dixon the clear cut favorites ? Aside from terrific records in a year where many didn’t expect it, each of these coaches has showed that developing a system, convincing players to buy into it, recruiting kids who will stay for four years, and having a passion for your team is a respectable way of coaching…and as Boeheim and Dixon have clearly shown…winning.

It’s unfair to say that the players aren’t a factor in the programs success, but it should be noted that no matter what twelve players suit up for Boeheim and Dixon, they’ll find a way to win.

So you can root for the coaches with constant recruiting violations of “one and done players” who bounce from one school to the next just to collect a bigger paycheck if you want, but at least your cap to Dixon and Boeheim because they do it the right way.

Duke and Purdue on a collision course ? They should hope so.

#1 seeds seem to be shaping up towards the end of February. Kansas and Kentucky seem to be locked into a 1 seed barring an utter collapse in their Conference Tournaments, and Syracuse controls it’s own destiny now that Villanova and West Virginia have faded from the top line.

The last 1 spot is a toss up between Purdue and Duke. As the T and 2 sees it, it’s the best case scenario for both teams.

Based on the logic that the weakest #1 seed plays the toughest #2 seed, Duke and Purdue would likely be slated in the same region. The similarities between the two teams gives each a great chance to win the game because they will be playing a team similar to themselves. Purdue is not the quickest team in the nation, and none of Duke’s significant contributors has ever been mistaken for a track star so the speed of the game will favor each team. While both the Blue Devils and Boilermakers can defend, they are not lock down defensive teams which will allow Duke to shoot the three (their  favorite thing to do on offense since Reagan was in office), and Purdue to move the ball inside for Robbie Hummel.

Ultimately what it comes down to is this. Regardless of who gets the #1 seed, Duke and Purdue should be hoping to be in the same region, because the T and 2 doesn’t seem either of them with a better matchup against any other #1 or #2 seed. Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse are in a league of their own and Sports Illustrtated’s Andy Glockner’s other current #2 seeds are Kansas State, West Virginia and Villanova. Each is loaded with big athletic players who will smother Duke or Purdue all over the court. So Boilermaker and Blue Devils fans have every right to root for that #1 seed, but you should root harder that the team you edge out is in your bracket.

Maryland will be dancing in March

The T and 2 talked about Maryland’s tourney hopes last week, and after Saturday’s win over Georgia Tech on a remarkable 2 buzzer beaters (Gary Williams called timeout just seconds before Grevias Vasquez threw one in from halfourt, only to come out of the timeout and see Cliff Tucker drill a three to win) Maryland may be in much better shape. A huge win on Wednesday vs. Clemson just about sealed the deal for Maryland as an at-large team. Even more impressive is that a win over Virginia Tech on Saturday keeps Maryland in the running to win the ACC regular season title over Duke, if they can knock them off next Wednesday.

No Turtle Power for Maryland because of weak ACC

Isn’t it kind of odd that a 20-7 team with a 10-3 conference record in a major conference, who’s still in the running to win the league title is on the bubble ? It’s odd because the ACC is simply that weak this year. Currently the conference has only 1 ranked team (Duke). The conference will (unfairly) likely get 5-6 teams into the tourney, but the T and 2 likes only 2 to see the Sweet Sixteen, Duke and Maryland. The latter a  team I feel is highly underrated.

Northern Iowa may now forced to win Missouri Valley

#25 Northern Iowa lost to #226 (kenpom.com) Evansville Tuesday night 55-54. A severe hit to the squad’s bubble chances and every other team on the bubble. With the loss, Northern Iowa may now have to win the Missouri Valley Conference Title to make the field of 65. Every bubble team should be rooting for that because if the selection committee decides Northern Iowa is at-large worthy, that’s one-less spot that bubble teams will be vying for.

Blowing Bubbles

Every year around the end of February, “the bubble” is heard everywhere, and rightfully so. It’s the time of the year where it grows or shrinks by the day and sometimes by the hour. T and 2 has begun to evaluate just how big or small it could get, and who you should be rooting for to win conference tourneys. As mentioned above, Northern Iowa winning the conference tourney adds an at-large bid because it’s likely that they would steal one if they didn’t receive the at-large. The same goes for teams in the major conferences. Remember two years ago when Georgia came out of nowhere and stole the SEC title after playing two games in the same day like an AAU team ? The fact that Georgia won the tourney eliminated an at-large bid because there was no shot they would have received one otherwise. Basically, for the major conferences a team who has already proven to a lock to get into the NCAA tournament needs to win the the conference title.

So how many spots are available for bubble teams ? The T and 2 can help figure it out.

Based on SI’s Andy Glockener’s bracket. The ACC, Big East, and Big 12 will each get 7 teams into the NCAA Tournament. Given that three of those 21 teams(one from each conference) wins their respective tournament, the field shrinks from 65 to 62 after penciling in those three conference’s (ACC,BE,Big 12) automatic qualifiers. Then 62 becomes 44 after adding in those 18 teams with at-large spots.

The Big Ten, Atlantic Ten, and SEC are predicted to each get 5 teams into the tourney. Given that each conference champion is already one of the 5 predicted in, the field shrinks from 44 to 41. Then pencil in the other 12 teams as at large bids and you have 32.

( See how a team like (9-18) Iowa winning the Big Ten Championship could shrink a bid ? It only gets worse if that happens in multiple conferences. )

The Mountain West has 4 teams dancing according to Glockner, which shrinks to bubble to 28 given that one of those four wins.

In addition to “locks” winning from each of the major conferences, some mid-major’s are key to the bubble picture as well.

Butler (Horizon), Gonzaga (West Coast), in addition to Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley) all must win the conference title, because they essentially play in one-bid leagues. Taking the field down to 25 available spots left.

Butler,Gonzaga,and Northern Iowa are the three teams who essentially control the bubble. If they lose in the conference tournament (Butler, and Gonzaga especially), it knocks out another bubble team because Gonzaga or Butler will now be in the field as an at-large team (as we mentioned with Iowa above). This could be a devastating hit to a team like Louisville who’s currently sitting on the bubble.

Utah State (Western Athletic), Cornell (Ivy), Old Dominion (Colonial Athletic), Siena (Metro Atlantic Athletic ) winning, helps every team on the bubble because it makes each of these four teams an automatic qualifier instead of a bubble team. Which leaves 21 spots left.

Conference USA is a race between UTEP and UAB, but it’s in bubble teams best interest in UTEP locks up the title and keeps it a one-bid league. Leaving 20 spots left.

Now subtract the 16 conferences(Great West, SWAC, NEC, MEAC, Big South, Patriot, A.EAST, Summit, Southland, Atlantic Sun, Sun Belt, Ohio Valley, Big Sky, Southern, Big West, and Mid American) that will only get an automatic bid no matter what and you have 4 spots available.

Subtract the last automatic qualifier the Pac 10 champion, and you have 3 at-large bids still left on the table.

It’s debatable if 7 Big Twelve teams, and 5 A-10 teams will actually get into the NCAA tournament so the overall # of bids left may grow to 5-6 , but you get the picture…it’s a tight race for the last few spots. The only real way to seperate yourself from the pack ? Take Jamie Dixon’s approach and “just win basketball games” .

Efficiency separates contenders and pretenders

A quick look at the Pomeroy Efficency Ratings of the Top Ten teams in the ESPN/USA today poll :

Kansas OE-2 DE- 3
Kentucky OE-21 DE-9
Purdue OE- 23 DE-6
Syracuse OE-9 DE-13
Duke- OE- 1 DE-11
Kansas State OE-10 DE-22
Villanova- OE-3 DE-67
West Virginia OE-5 DE-32
Ohio State OE-14 DE-17
New Mexico OE-27 DE- 73

Kansas, Syracuse, Duke and Ohio State look like teams capable of a title, and Villanova, and New Mexico look like teams to be cautious about when filling out  the brackets.

Rivalry Week Signals Shift of Focus For Sports Fans

For all you football fanatics out there,  make sure you savor the Super Bowl, because as of this morning, it’s time to focus on hoops.  Despite the endless analysis, highlights and “breakdown” sessions  ESPN may have shoved down your throat last week, you should be beside yourself about the slew of college basketball games coming up over the next seven days. Rivalry Week, as it’s become known, is easily the best single week of the regular season. It’s like the best appetizer on the menu. You make sure you order it. Things start on tonight on ESPN’s  Big Monday when Kansas(1)  travels to Texas (10) and Villanova (2) travels to West Virginia(6).

Kansas, in my opinion, is the best team in the country right now.  Granted, they won in OT last week at Kansas State on the heels of an absurd decision by Wildcats’ head coach Frank Martin; (with just a few seconds difference between the shot clock and game clock, Martin chose not to foul Kansas, instead letting the possession play out), and they barely beat the Colorado “praying for the NIT” Buffaloes by six in overtime.  While these wins aren’t pretty…they are wins, and they are wins that will be similar to how Bill Self’s squad will need to win in March;  wins where you get the one stop you need at the end of the game, or a win where you don’t play well but gut it out.  This factor has now become the icing on the cake as to why I think Kansas will be champions.  They have the skill (Collins, Henry, Aldrich),  the coach (Self) and the X factor: Efficiency.  Another gutty win vs Texas would only cement the fact that they have the final piece of the puzzle, a will to dominate  an opponent when it matters most. Look for Kansas,  who still has to win a trap game vs Nebraska on Saturday,  to trump Texas as they continue to separate themselves from the pack.

The Pick:Rock Chalk Jayhawk

#6 West Virginia vs. #2 ‘Nova- The best way to describe West Virginia is to think of an Adam Sandler movie after 2002. You know he’s always been great in the past, and the trailer for the new flick looks decent, but you know there’s a possibility to be completely let down. (i.e. 50 First Dates, Longest Yard, Funny People).  Enter Bob “sweat suits on the sidelines” Huggins and West Virginia.  The Mountaineers are 18-3 (7-2), with losses to Big Ten power # 7 Purdue, a hiccup to 16-7 Notre Dame, and a 1 point loss to #4 22-1 Syracuse. WVU also gets the T and 2 love because they rank at 4 and 24 in O and D efficiency respectively. Now while West Virginia has some impressive numbers, the amount of quality wins WVU has is what alarms us. Yes, the Mounties did beat #18 Ohio State, and 16-6 Texas Tech isn’t shabby, but they have just one quality Big East win(Pitt).  WVU begins a brutal stretch on Monday vs Nova, and still has a trip to Pitt, Georgetown and a trip to Nova on the schedule. It will be these four games where we find out how legit the Mountaineers really are. An 0-4 skid and you can dismiss them as a Final Four team, a 4-0 mark means we’d better watch. My prediction is 3-1, starting with a win on Monday.  Youngster Daryl “Truck” Bryant will have his hands full defensively with Scottie Reynolds, but the eyes of Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones should light up against Nova’s “inferior interior” duo of Antonio Pena and Taylor King.  Simple rule for WVU: hold Reynolds to less then 20, feed the post and you’ll likely hear the student section singing  “…take me home country roads” when the game is over. I truly believe WVU is the team to exceed all expectations right now, starting Monday…that’s if their fans can stop throwing things on the court.

The pick: WVU

Tuesday continues with #7 Purdue vs #5 Michigan State. – Kalin Lucas missed Saturday’s tilt vs Illinois and is questionable for the showdown with Purdue. With Izzo’s squad missing Lucas’ 15.6 ppg, look for E’Twaun Moore to have a field day and surging Purdue to capitalize. The Boilermakers have won six in a row after dropping three to Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Northwestern in mid January. It should be noted that because these teams play in the “put you to sleep it’s such slowly paced” Big Ten, the first team to 50 points might win.

Pick: Purdue

Wednesday is The Game. Duke vs Carolina.  As a Duke fan, it’s a holiday for me.  Look forward to it all year.  This year would make a naïve Duke fan extremely happy given the fact that Carolina is struggling to win anything recently.  The Tar Heels have fallen to a dismal 2-5 in the “not as tough as people think really is this year “ ACC, and 13-9 on the year. Things are so bad, Joe Lunardi is predicting Roy Williams is NIT bound. While hearing things like this should make Duke fans giddy, “Crazies” know that Duke is a Jeckyl and Hyde team in February.  Thursday’s thrashing of #19 Georgia Tech (pardon me Counting Crowes) “gives reason to believe” that Duke has finally turned a corner. However, this is Duke-Carolina, and anything can happen.  A win over a top ten rival is just what UNC needs to boost its resume. I’m hoping that’s not the case. Look for Scheyer and Singler to stroke it early and often.

The Pick : Duke

Saturday #14 Tennessee vs #3 Kentucky- Very simple. This is where the rest of the nation finds out what I already know. Tennessee is not as good as people think. Yes, Bruce Pearl did beat John “no Final Fours” Calipari two years ago when Memphis was undefeated, yes Tennessee took down Kansas this year, and Yes Tennessee has decent talent, but in no way shape or form do I see them winning Saturday night.

The pick: Kentucky in a rout, and inside twelve minutes left the announcers start talking about John Wall’s potential “at the next level”.   Are they not allowed to say “NBA”?

Notre Dame’s horrific losses to Rutgers and Loyola Marymount may have been the final straw to end the Irish NCAA hopes this year, but don’t blame Luke Harangody for not trying to work a miracle. The workhorse scored 37 and grabbed 14 boards in a win Thursday vs Cincy. The senior is averaging 24.2 ppg and 9.7 rpg.  It may be a good thing that the nation has quietly forgotten about “Gody”, because he seems to be holding a grudge and it’s helping the squad.

Bigger Not Better in NCAA Tournament

Is it just me or is anyone else rooting for Syracuse to land a #1 seed then lose to a #16 because Jim Boehiem keeps advocating a 96 team tournament ?

Big East Basketball Still On Top

Still wondering which conference is the toughest in America?   Joe Lunardi’s most recent Bracketology has seven Big East Teams getting bids, and three listed as “first four out”. One conference- 10 of the best 68 teams in the country. Good luck coaches.

Pitt Basketball In Good Hands

It seemed pretty clear entering this season that Pitt would be “rebuilding” after losing a veteran core of Levance Fields, Dejuan Blair, Sam Young, & Tyrell Biggs that was seconds away from the Final Four. It would be hard to blame the Panthers for a mediocre season after losing so many talented players; although it seems as if Jamie Dixon, 2009 Naismith Coach of the Year, had other ideas. Off to a 13-2 (3-0) start behind 17.2 PPG from sophomore Ashton Gibbs  and another 12.2 from junior Brad Wanamaker’s , the #20 Panthers are quietly becoming a force in the Big East, and the nation.

Recently seeded as high as four in ESPN’s Bracketology, the Panthers certainly have the resume to back it.  Aside from an inexplicable loss to 7-8 Indiana, Pitt’s only other misstep is to #1 Texas.

Tonight’s game at #15 UCONN could be the most important of the season thus far. A win over the Huskies would solidify them as an elite team in the nation’s toughest conference. Dixon’s crew has made a case to put them in that discussion with a road win over then #5 Syracuse, but taking down another Top 25 conference foe would end any doubts that they are for real. Don’t think the experienced Pitt leader doesn’t know how much this win would mean for his team in the long run. Look for a tough battle between Ashton Gibbs and Kemba Walker in Storrs tonight.

Something to think about if Pitt does win tonight, though, is whether it’s out of the question to name Jamie Dixon Coach of The Year so far .  How many coaches could lose so much talent from an Elite Eight team, and be 14-2 and 4-0 in the Big East ? So far, just one.  Jamie Dixon.

Time for Purdue Basketball To Sink Or Swim

While Pitt was expected to struggle this season, Purdue was touted as a team on the rise. Seems as if the Boilmakers are reading their own press clippings, as they’ve stumbled to a 2-2 start in Big Ten Conference play. Back to back losses toWisconsin, and Ohio State put Matt Painter’s team in an interesting situation as they travel to overachieving 13-2 Northwestern and an Illinois squad currently sitting atop the conference .   We’ll know soon enough if Purdue is a contender or pretender based on the next two contests.

T&Two NCAA Bracket Busters to Watch

Northern Iowa 15-1 (Missouri Valley) – The veteran team already has a win over pre season top 25 Siena.

Louisiana Tech (16-1) (Western Athletic) – 4-0 in conference play, and wins over Houston and Nevada as resume boosters.

Cornell (14-3) (Ivy)- A recent five point loss at Kansas put them on the national radar. Wins over St. John’s, Davidson, Alabama, LaSalle, and UMass show they’re capable of excelling against the  big conferences.

Crucial Stretch For Duke Basketball

Duke enters a critical section of its schedule that could go a long way to deciding if  the Blue Devils can end their five year stretch without a  Final Four appearances . The annual mid-January/early February trek through the ACC has literally been Hell for the Devils. Taking a look at recent years : In 2009-, they were 18-1 on  Jan 28th.  A loss to Wake Forest started a skid that saw  four  losses in a six game span  through Feb. 15th.  The 2007 season found Coach K’s boys at 18-3 before a Feb 1st home loss to Virginia started a four game skein.  Duke went 4-8 from that point to finish the season, including first round losses in both the  ACC and NCAA tourneys.

Coach K has been quick to remind Blue Devil faithful that this year’s team is much older, and bigger than teams of the past. It will be seen very shortly if the 13-2 Dukies will use their age and experience during a stretch of games including Wake Forest, Clemson, and Georgetown in the next few week

Big Fish in a Small Pond

Hats off to Appalachian State’s Donald Sims, who torched Davidson for 44 points last week.

Games to Watch This Week

Wednesday – Pitt @ UCONN- Typical Big East dogfight. Don’t rule out anything amazing…not even  six overtimes.
Thursday- Cal @ Washington State-Preseason top ten Cal is quickly slipping, and needs a win to resurrect its tourney hopes.

Saturday – Syracuse @ West Virginia.  Georgia Tech vs North Carolina.

Head Scratcher of the Week

Got an email from Chris Beermann that informed me that he recently attended a COLLEGE game, where a coach :

• -Asked for a timeout while the other team was dribbling  the ball
• -Asked the ref “if he could have the foul on #11”, instead of  his leading scorer who had just picked up his third personal foul.

It’s not surprising that Chris also informed me that the coach’s team lost.

New York Jets Both Lucky and Good

The Jets went into Cincinnati last Saturday having spent as much time defending their Wild Card position as they had preparing for the game, itself.  Blasted for having punched their ticket through the generosity of the Bengals and Indianapolis Colts; two teams with nothing to play for that had virtually rolled over and played dead for Gang Green in the season’s final two games, the Jets took the field with a little something more at stake than just a playoff game.  They wanted to prove they belonged.

And prove it they did, behind Mark Sanchez’s best contest of the season.  They sent the Bengals home for the winter in a performance that, while not as dominating as the previous week’s, saw them control every facet of the game from start to finish.  Head Coach Rex Ryan had raised more than a few eyebrows with some of his pre game statements; like calling his Jets the Super Bowl favorites, but his charges made him look like a prophet, for the first round at least, and have some thinking that maybe Ryan is crazy like a fox.

While the Jets are still the longest of long shots, there is a budding sense among players and fans alike that something special could actually happen.  Cursed for most of their existence by some of the most excruciating losses and disappointments the NFL has seen, these Jets have actually had the breaks go their way over the last month.  Their late season matchups with Indy and Cincy could not have been better timed, the myriad of teams that needed to lose in order for the Jets to advance did just that, there could not have been a better first round matchup than the one they drew with the Bengals and, finally, Baltimore’s rout of New England brought a second round tilt with San Diego; a daunting foe, indeed, but a far more favorable opponent than Peyton Manning and the Colts.  Are these guys really the Jets?

The one thing Big Rexy and his boys need to guard against, however, is the idea that they’re now playing with house money; as if last week’s win validated a successful season and whatever happens next doesn’t matter.  While each of those points is true, to a degree, the NFL offers a very small window for teams chasing a title.  No matter how young, no matter how talented, franchises can never be sure how many opportunities they’ll get for championship glory.  The Jets should know this better than any as their Super Bowl drought is longer than every team but the Detroit Lions and is marred by missed field goals, snapped Achilles tendons and muddy fields.  Ryan has given every indication that he’ll keep his foot on the gas pedal and his team’s confidence seems to be growing because of it.  Now, let’s see how much of the newfound good fortune they can transport to San Diego.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

In the aftermath of the Jets’ first round victory came the post game comments of SNY commentator Adam Schein and WFAN host Mike Francesa.  Schein, on the SNY post game show Saturday night, came down very hard on punter Steve Weatherford, who was held out of the game due to illness, according to the team.  Schein, who gives no impression of ever having worn a football helmet, questioned Weatherford’s character; stating that the illness had better be serious.  The Jets would later reveal that Weatherford had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, something he’ll need to have surgically corrected in the off season.

That revelation did nothing to dissuade Francesa, who went down the same path Sunday morning, only to be corrected by a colleague.  That he was unaware that the punter’s condition had been made public the night before is not surprising as his indifference is exceeded only by his arrogance.  Each of these gas bags missed what was obvious to most: that since Weatherford was, in fact, on the sideline and in uniform, his condition must have been very serious for the Jets to hold him out of the game.  But, hey, why let the facts get in the way of sounding like a big, tough ballplayer?

NCAA Basketball Shill Vitale Loses Credibility

After thirty years, it’s time for ESPN’s lead hypocrite, Dick Vitale, to pack up his self-proclaimed “one eyed ziggy” act and go away forever.  While it’s always been difficult to stomach the superfluous nonsense he spews during his network’s broadcasts, he now regularly ignores and, in fact, rewrites the history of the coaches and programs whose fannies he chooses to smooch.

During Tuesday’s matchup of Florida and Kentucky, Vitale went into a rant about Mark McGwire, repeating what he’d said that morning on “Mike and Mike”.  He used the term “cheater” numerous times, referring to how sick he was of the steroid mess in baseball and how he sought refuge by talking up the game between the Wildcats and Gators.  A game that, incidentally, featured one of the college game’s more infamous cheaters, John Calipari, who’d been identified as such just weeks before by Vitale’s ESPN colleague, Bob Knight.  Not surprisingly, Vitale chose to ignore the issue. Not only was much of the telecast filled with Vitale’s praise for Calipari’s coaching ability, a graphic soon popped up naming the Kentucky coach as Vitale’s selection as Coach of the Year through this point in the season.  Finally, he mentioned that Calipari is attempting to become only the second coach to take three teams to the Final Four.  A complete rewriting of the facts, actually, as both of Calipari’s previous trips to the Championship round with UMass and Memphis have been vacated due to NCAA infractions.  According to the NCAA’s own records, Calipari’s never been to a Final Four.  I guess Vitale didn’t get the news.  Regardless, until he’s told by ESPN to take his ball and go home; something that, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to be imminent, any game that he works will be an extremely difficult and annoying listen.

New Jersey Devils Star Toils in Virtual Anonymity

If Devils’ goalie  Martin Brodeur  had been as dominant over the course of his career in any other sport or for any other New York area team, there’d already be a statue of him standing in front of a stadium.

New York Knicks Haunted in Oklahoma

During their two day stay in Oklahoma City, New York Knicks forwards Eddy Curry and Jared Jefferies complained that they were unable to sleep due to the fact that their hotel, The Skirvin, is haunted by ghosts.   I’ll leave you to your own punchlines.

Mark McGwire’s Weak Apology Does Settle One Score

Why would we have expected anything different from Mark McGwire?  Why would we think that, unlike all of the other steroid cheats who have come forward, sort of, that he’d be the one to completely open up about his own use?  Sorry, wasn’t going to happen.  Despite the earnest attempts of MLB Network’s Bob Costas to guide him to the full disclosure necessary for forgiveness, McGwire resisted throughout.  As a result, he looked like someone who came forward only because it was a requirement for his employment with the St. Louis Cardinals.  However, despite the fact that we learned very little that we didn’t already suspect, McGwire inadvertently settled one major debate about himself.

Forget his ridiculous assertions that the steroids were low dosage, that they did nothing to improve his performance or that he always wanted to come forward about his use of PED’s. It’s all nonsense.  Focus, instead, on his admission that, due to his frustration with chronic injury, he decided against retirement and started using steroids in 1996 to help him overcome his physical woes and get back on the field. By that very statement, he is also confirming that in no way does he deserve to be considered for the Hall of Fame.

Prior to the ’96 season, McGwire had posted 220 HR and 657 RBI over his first ten seasons; a far cry from consideration for the Hall.  He had appeared in just 74 games over the previous two seasons, prompting his thoughts of retirement.  In 1996, however, McGwire embarked on a four year slugfest that saw him launch an inhuman 245 home runs. So, if we connect the dots, what McGwire actually told Costas was that, had it not been for steroids, he’d have retired with the 220 dingers that would have left him off of every voter’s ballot.

Baseball is a game in which cheating has long been revered.  Hitters cork their bats while teams grow the grass high to aid slow infielders and water down the dirt to foil basestealers.  The 1951 Giants won a pennant aided by an employee in the scoreboard stealing the other team’s signs, journeyman pitcher Mike Scott won a Cy Young by scuffing the ball and spitballer Gaylord Perry has a plaque in Cooperstown.  Oddly, fans and players alike look at these indiscretions with a kind of twisted admiration.  To that end, baseball got exactly what it asked for with these steroid cheats.  I just wish they’d have a little more respect for our intelligence when they come forward and not hand us the ridiculous crap that we saw from McGwire on Monday.

Major League MVP?

That Derek Jeter is enjoying perhaps the finest season of his Hall of Fame career comes as no surprise to those who believed he should have always been the Yankees’ leadoff man.  Why it took so long to insert him into the top spot remains a mystery, especially since he was always the choice to bat first in most of the post season games played during the dynasty of the late 90’s.  Regardless, he’s there now and is one of the main reasons the Bombers seem poised for another World Series run.  What Jeter is not, however, is a serious candidate for the American League MVP award, as Minnesota’s Joe Mauer should be the unanimous choice.

Over the last two seasons, we’ve seen deserving, small-market candidates like Justin Morneau and Matt Holliday robbed of the award as voters focused on the more highly publicized exploits of Dustin Pedroia and Jimmy Rollins.  To shun Mauer, though, would be a monumental oversight, as his incredible performance at the plate may be second only to the job he’s done behind it.  Never has a catcher so prodigiously combined such excellent defense with as lofty a batting average.  That he’s also on pace for 30 HR and 100 RBI despite missing a month to injury only adds to the resume.

So, celebrate Jeter’s season as one of his best and settle in for a long playoff run.  Just don’t go overboard when Awards Season rolls around.

A New Yankees Closer?

Is Joe Torre a Cheap Seats reader?  Maybe not, but he was my hero for a day last week when he used his closer (and best available pitcher) Jonathan Broxton to face the middle of the Cubs’ batting order in the 8th inning.  George Sherrill finished the game by facing the bottom of Chicago’s lineup in the ninth.  Finally, a manager chose not to drink the Tony LaRussa kool-aid.

After the game, Torre faced questions about whether Broxton would be upset that he wasn’t credited with a save.  A sticky point, actually, as saves are the basis for a closer’s salary level.  “We’re not as concerned about who gets the stat, as the only stat that’s important is that ‘W’ on the left-hand side”, said Torre.  “If somebody gets offended by pitching to the 3-4-5 hitters in the eighth inning, they’re not the person I think they are.”

Regular readers are well aware of where I stand on how closers are used.  I do acknowledge, however, that, as long as the current statistical situation exists, bullpen stoppers will insist on being in position to get the save.  So, how about a rule change that puts the onus on the official scorer to assign the save?  After all, in facing the meat of the order, hadn’t Broxton done more to preserve the lead than Sherrill?  A similar rule already exists to cover situations where a starter does not go the mandatory five innings for a win.  In such cases, the win is assigned by the scorer to the reliever determined to be the most deserving; not necesarily the first man out of the pen.  Well, maybe that’s too much to ask in one column.  I’ll have to be satisfied with a little progress and hope for more.

NY Jets’ Worst Kept Secret

Jets’ Head Coach Rex Ryan revealed the worst kept secret in New York when he named Mark Sanchez his starting quarterback this week.  Considering all the Jets gave up to acquire Sanchez; two picks, three players and $50 million, there was no way Ryan could hand the car keys to Kellen Clemens.

Sanchez has a world of talent and all of the tools to become a star in the NFL.  It just won’t happen overnight.  So, with the Jets likely facing, at best, a 1-3 start to their season, here’s hoping Jets’ brass and fans have the patience to allow the rookie all the mistakes necessary to learn the league and achieve that lofty status.

Mets and the ER

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the emergency room, Oliver Perez and Johan Santana become the latest members of the Mets’ casualty list.  If you’re scoring at home, that’s four starting pitchers, one reliever and the number one, four and five hitters down for the season.  In addition, every opening day starter has had at least one stint on the disabled list.  So, how, exactly, can manager Jerry Manuel be held responsible for a lost season?   Love him or hate him, you can’t decide on him till next year.

Michael Vick

….appeared in a Newport News, Va. courtroom yesterday morning to address the details of his Chapter 11 filing and then returned to Philadelphia in time for the Eagles’ exhibition game last night.  In doing so, he might be the first person transported to and from his own bankruptcy hearing on a private jet.

Little League World Series Coverage

As I do every August, I’ve enjoyed the Little League World Series from Williamsport, Pa.; this year’s version, especially, as it featured the Mid-Atlantic champs from Staten Island.  And, as I also do each year, I’ve resisted the urge to throw a shoe at my television every time ESPN/ABC commentator Orel Hershiser tries to minimize the commitment, skill and aptitude of these accomplished Little Leaguers.

Hershiser would have us believe that the actual playing of the tournament games is almost an inconvenience to these kids; that the swimming pool, food and video games offered to the players in their living quarters, (“the Grove” as Orel endlessly reminds us), are the main reasons they’ve come to Williamsport.  Pitcher gives up a home run?  “He’ll forget about it in a minute once he starts playing video games back at the Grove”.  Second baseman makes a crucial error?  “He’ll be fine once he has some pizza and gets in the pool.”

Now, I have five children of my own and have coached a few hundred others so no one need educate me on the qualities of resilience possessed by a child.  However, to promote the idea that these players don’t really care all that much about their own performance is to disrespect the hours of practice and sacrifice they’ve endured to get to this level.  As a matter of fact, Hershiser’s very presence contradicts his own theory.  His employer pays big bucks for the exclusive rights to broadcast the event.  Would that be the case if, as Hershiser asserts, the outcome didn’t really matter to its participants?

When I was sixteen, I relieved our ace pitcher in the eighth inning of a championship game that would eventually go eleven.  In the top of the eleventh, the opposing catcher, big kid named Perez, took me deep on the longest ball I’d ever seen hit, costing us the title.  Today, thirty one years later, I just wrote that sentence with clenched teeth.  I rebounded, enjoyed the rest of my summer and came back the next season but never got to a point where I wasn’t upset when I thought about it.  I just thought about it less as time went on.   However, it still bothers me now because it mattered so much then.  Just as it matters so much to these Little Leaguers and, I suspect, just as it mattered to Hershiser when he was young.

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We often hear talk in the sports world of the “window of opportunity”.  With salary caps and free agency now the order of the day, sports teams must take advantage of the circumstances that allow them to assemble as much affordable talent as possible because, eventually, they will not be able to pay all of their stars.  For the Mets, the window seemed wide open in 2006.  After years of mismanagement created by the Wilpons’ affinity for soliciting every opinion in the building, Minaya, as the single voice, was able to assemble a strong mix of young and veteran talent that looked as good as any in the NL.  Then Yadier Molina’s homer in Game Seven of the NLCS sent the Mets home and two straight late season collapses gave evidence the window was closing.  But Minaya recruited J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez last winter to help fix the team’s biggest problem and the faithful were, once again, filled with optimism.  That is, until the ambulance was backed up to the players’ exit.

Injuries abounded as five members of the team’s Opening Day lineup went down along with two starting pitchers and a reliever.  Compounding the problem was the misdiagnosis of Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran.  Reyes was originally treated for a calf problem that turned out to be a hamstring while Beltran received a cortisone shot for a bone bruise that actually doubled in size as he continued to play on it.  This week, John Maine will receive a second opinion on a shoulder injury that has kept him out much longer than originally expected.  These incidents have all served to call into question the competence of the team’s medical staff.

The bloated disabled list has also exposed a lack of depth in the minor leagues where the organization is not only absent the major league ready prospects that could bring help by way of a trade but has seen its top affiliates wallow near the bottom of the standings. These failings apparently took their toll on the head of player development, Tony Bernazard, whose often erratic and bizarre behavior has been well chronicled over the last two weeks.  All of which culminated in Minaya’s now infamous performance on Monday.

First of all, why was there a need for a question and answer session with the media over the firing of a relatively lower level administrator?  I’m not sure that even the most astute fan can identify the player development guy for his or her favorite ballclub.  But, in the Wilpon’s world where, once again, no chain of command seems to exist, everyone has the ear of the owners, even a Tony Bernazard.  Secondly, if it was decided that a press conference was actually in order, why wasn’t Jeff Wilpon at the microphone?  The fact that Bernazard was let go for cause made the issue organizational and not departmental.  And, finally, what did Minaya accomplish in his attack on Daily News beat writer, Adam Rubin, other than exposing himself as mean spirited and vindictive?   That Wilpon spent Tuesday apologizing for his GM’s behavior and lamenting the embarrassment Minaya had caused both him and his dad, Fred, is an indication that even they have had enough.

The news isn’t all bad, however.  The team’s two young stars, Reyes and David Wright, are signed for three more years.  Two of the game’s best, Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez, anchor the pitching staff while, in Beltran, the Amazins’ have the game’s best centerfielder.  But fences must be mended, especially with Beltran, who is reported to be furious with the organization over the original diagnosis of his injury.  He’ll be looking for a new contract next year, one that should be given him based on his terrific production since joining the club.  The GM that negotiates that contract should be the face of the franchise, the guy whose been given the keys by ownership to build a winner by whatever means he sees fit.  Over the last few weeks we’ve learned that that person can no longer be Omar Minaya.  The question is, have the Wilpons figured it out yet?

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USA Today writer, Christine Brennan, in response to ESPN reporter Erin Andrews being secretly videotaped in her hotel room, stuck her foot squarely in her mouth with this little gem that she shared on Twitter. “Women sports journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house. There are tons of nuts out there.” Then, in trying to explain away the faux pas, went on television Monday and stuck the other foot in even deeper. “If you trade off your sex appeal, if you trade off your looks, eventually you’re going to lose those.  She doesn’t deserve what happened to her but part of the schtick, seems to me, is being a little bit out there in a way that then you are encouraging the complete nutcase to drill a hole in your room.” Nice. Last week, when I pointed out that the dogs abused by Michael Vick had more advocates than women abused by other NFL players, I caught some crap from a few people who thought that women shouldn’t need advocacy; that they can speak for themselves and call on their own strength to leave their abuser.  Thank you, Ms. Brennan, for reinforcing my point.  Erin Andrews is a competent professional who covers a wide range of sports.  She may not be a probing, investigative reporter but she performs well within her own arena.  To say that she trades off her sex appeal and looks is as insulting as it is mean.  Yet, her ability is not the issue here.  Even if she was a bumbling, talking hairdo doing her sideline reports in a Hooters outfit, she does not deserve the violation of privacy that she suffered in that hotel room.  To even insinuate that she somehow contributed to it is, well, playing to the frat house.

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So, Bud Selig is considering the reinstatement of Pete Rose to Major League Baseball.  Who cares?  Just do it already and let Rose take his chances with a veteran’s committee not all that happy with the hit king’s legacy of lies.  That Rose tries to somehow contest the fact that he bet on baseball after having accepted a lifetime ban for it is one of the more brazen stances I’ve ever seen.  Ironically, had he admitted his offenses, he more than likely would have been reinstated long ago and would already be enshrined in Cooperstown.  But, as long as he’s arrogant enough to think he can deny his way into the Hall, he’ll make his induction that much tougher.

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Any word on those Yankee fans that gave the team up for dead back in April and then, again, in June?  I’ve been tuning into sports radio hoping they’d turn up but, as yet, have been unsuccessful.  I’m figuring the next place I’ll see them will be on Broadway during the ticker tape parade.

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Even though the draft coverage is tediously long, it is informative enough to give those fans that don’t follow the college game an idea of the types of players coming to their teams.  A far cry from the way the draft used to be run with fans lined up on the street outside a midtown hotel hoping to get one of the available seats.  Many, like my buddies and me who cut class to be there, were turned away.  And give Mel Kiper some of the credit he deserves.  He took a hobby and turned it into a million dollar job.  The only thing missing from the marathon coverage is a Kiper scorecard.  He gets to stand on a soapbox all day and criticize GM’s and entire scouting departments without fear of his own miscues being revealed to the viewers.  Every once in awhile give us a glimpse at how Mel’s past picks worked out.

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With the sixth selection, the Jets are said to be considering RB Darren McFadden from Arkansas.  An electric playmaker to be sure but didn’t they just throw a boatload of money at RB Thomas Jones last year?  Then, in the off-season, they managed to address weaknesses on both the offensive and defensive lines. How about giving Jones a chance to run behind these high priced linemen and using the pick to establish the best young secondary in the league?  Last time I Iooked, the Jets were still in the same division as Tom Brady and Randy Moss.  They unearthed a hidden gem three years ago when they drafted ball hawking safety Kerry Rhodes and made a great pick last year, moving up to grab cornerback Darrelle Revis who enjoyed a sensational rookie year.  Wouldn’t another shutdown cornerback on the other side make the defensive line more effective and allow Holmes the freedom to play centerfield in the deep secondary?  Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini; you know where to reach me.

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Like father, like son?  Now we find out that, according to Yankees’ co- owner, Hank Streinbrenner, he never signed off on Joba Chamberlain’s move to the bullpen.  “I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now,” Steinbrenner told the New York Times. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.”  Funny how quickly Brian Cashman, who has been the General Manager through four World Series titles and thirteen straight post-season appearances, became an idiot.  You’d think that after watching Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy get knocked around early in the season Steinbrenner would understand the practicality of protecting young arms.  I guess not.  Do you think that Hank has already reminded Cashman that the GM was the one who staunchly opposed a trade for Johan Santana?
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Last Saturday, Mets vs. Phillies.  Bottom of the 8th inning, Mets up 4-2 and facing a bases loaded jam with one out.  FOX broadcaster, Tim McCarver, made what has become the unquestioned MLB logic, observing that the Mets’ Aaron Heilman would have to wriggle out of the sticky situation himself, as it was too early to go to closer Billy Wagner.  Huh?  How did it ever become logical to have anyone other than the best pitcher available handling a game’s most critical situation?  A quick glance at the record books shows that from 1978 through 1984, Hall of Fame reliever, Goose Gossage, averaged over 100 IP per season and had at least 10 wins four times.  Gossage was no stranger to multiple inning appearances and was often brought into tie games, something managers never do with their closers today.  Mariano Rivera, regarded in many circles as the best reliever ever, has never had more than 80 IP or 7 wins since becoming the Yankee stopper.  It seems that since Tony LaRussa had success with this system in Oakland twenty years ago, managers are more concerned with having their instincts challenged than the consequences of simply following the herd.
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Is there any single position in all of sports that is more important than a hot goalie in the NHL playoffs?  Every year, no matter how the teams are seeded, upsets are the norm, generally because the weaker team’s goaltender goes on an insane streak where he stops everything sent his way.  The Rangers, Avalanche and Stars have already knocked off higher seeds while three other series were going to a Game 7 as we went to press.  Which begs the question; if one player can make such a difference in the way teams match up with each other, why does the regular season have to be so long?  At any rate, while it hasn’t been quite as long between cups as the last two, Ranger fans are well aware that 1994 was a long time ago.  Here’s hoping the Broadway Blues keep the Garden hopping well into May.