My Beloved 105 Bloggees:
I hope these blogs have enhanced your viewing of March Madness. Writing them has helped me become more aware of a school's personnel, especially teams in the South. It is loke going to a concert by a group and knowing most of their songs....much more enjoyable.
The Gators try to advance to the Sweet Sixteen in their 1:45 CDT matchup with UCLA on CBS. The Bruins are quite large, especially at center with freshman 6' 10 305 lb Josh Smith http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/88/885708.jpg . Some tell me there is no way he is not 350 lbs. I almost got to see him in a 4-team high school tournament at Samford about 15 months ago that featured Winter Park, (FL) High School's Austin Rivers (Doc's son and former Gator commit) and uncommitted Alabama player of the year, Huntsville Butler's Trevor Lacey, but Smith was injured and did not participate with his Kentwood(WA) high school team.
By the way, that was a fantastic holiday tourney with the winner being the number one team in the country, Houston (TX) Yates who averaged over 100 points a game. Great job by bloggee Sean, the "Mr. Sunshine" http://abc.go.com/shows/mr-sunshine of Samford, for bringing that tournament to the Pete Hanna Center. Sean is too focused on his Tar Heels to accept kudos at this time, I am sure. NEXT
To watch Billy Donovan's press conference from Friday previewing the UCLA game, click on http://www.gatorvision.tv/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=760950&db_oem_id=6500 . (Bloggee Chip # 1 has pointed out that Billy uses the phrase "very, very" in nearly every press conference.....watch the beginning of this one and you will see it happen a few times). For bloggee Kevin # 1's insightful article on the tight relationship between the Gators two starting guards, Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, click on http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20110318/ARTICLES/110319347/1136?Title=Guards-Boynton-Walker-have-become-like-brothers NEXT
It's time once again for You Make Me Feel Old. Do you remember the 1996 Chicago Bulls championship team with seldom-used Jack Haley, a reserve blue-collar forward who was best known for being bad-boy Dennis Rodman's good friend on the team. He is introduced in the following clip at the 1:00 mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjuMhqw_9U
Well, his son, also Jack Haley http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/haley_jack00.html , is a benchwarmer for Florida's next opponent, UCLA. Is it safe to say that many of you join me in saying, " Little Jack Haley, You Make Me Feel Old". NEXT
It is not easy to see your team lose in the first game of the NCAA tournament. What is difficult is to get blown out by 30. I can see many of our bloggees who are Tennessee fans nodding their heads after the Vols 75 - 45 loss to Michigan http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201103180357 . Scotty Hopson was 1 for 7, Melvin Goins was 0 for 4 and Brian Williams was 1 for 3......a poor shooting performance by this Vols triumvirate....in fact, the entire team shot 32.6 % and were outrebounded 32 - 23. There is talk some players quit on Pearl.
The bottom line is if you have a college coach guilty of being in a scandal, cut your losses. The distraction doesn't go away. Even if you win, there is a time when you will lose and the questions will once again keep coming. Ask Mike Dubose, former football coach at Alabama, who had a brief reprieve from "secretarygate" when he won the SEC Championship. Don't worry, the next year he was gone.
Even though both Tennessee and Louisville made it to the NCAA's this year, Bruce Pearl (who I have met and like) and Rick Pitino must be let go now. Like I mentioned in the previous blog, recruiting will be affected, as will the performance of their teams. This year's NCAA tournament is good evidence of that. NEXT
Alabama fans must have been squirming watching Georgia (a team they beat twice in a week this month) lose to Washington 68 - 65 http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201103180630 . The Huskies' quick point guard, Isaiah Thomas, put on a clinic with his speed and overall game, going 6 for 14 and a clutch 7 for 7 from the charity stripe for 19 points. In addition, he had some key defensive plays including tipping a desperation pass marring an eventual last-second shot by the Dogs. Tide Nation probably is thinking that they would have been a better matchup against Washington with the Crimson's own speedy point guard, freshman sensation Trevor Releford.
You do have to give Washington credit for their balance, 8 players scored at least 6 points, while Georgia just had 4, with junior Trey Thompkins leading the way with a double-double......26 points on 11 for 14 shooting along with 11 rebounds. Can you say, "will leave early for the NBA". NEXT
FSU, like many teams, made me look bad. Their smothering defense was too much for my pick. Texas A & M 57 - 50 http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201103180587 . The Seminoles Chris Singleton did play for the first time since he broke his foot on February 12th. He provided an emotional spark off the bench, but had a tough time getting into the flow with just 5 points and 4 fouls.
However, with FSU's "syrup on waffles" defense, I would be a bit nervous if I were their next opponent, Notre Dame. Bloggee Joe, that is probably good news for you being an Irish fan because my predictions have been worse than awful. I should probably stick to commenting on the past instead of the future in these blogs. NEXT
One thing I did nail was that Georgetown would be one and done. Point guard Chris Wright's return to the Hoyas was ineffective, not surprisingly. He was just 3 for 13 including 0 for 6 deep and had an ill-advised technical foul assessed against him in the 74 - 56 loss to VCU http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201103180229 .
The Rams were led by Brandon Rozzell's hot hand, 8 for 13, including 6 for 10 from the perimeter for 26 points. The big key was the play of point guard, Joey Rodriguez, who had 7 assists and was a perfect 9 for 9 from the free throw line on his way to 17 points (but he did shoot 3 for 9 from the field). Bloggee Howard pointed out to me that Rodriguez was the point guard on the 2006 -2007 state champions, Lake Howell High School in the Orlando area, that also featured former Gator Nick Calathes and current Gator and SEC player of the year, Chandler Parsons. Watch this old high school clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKFwRXFxUWY .
VCU now must play Purdue. They need to do a better job on the boards to compete with the Boilermakers. Against Georgetown the Rams were beaten on the glass 33 - 23. I did hear as the game was winding down on Friday, the VCU fans were yelling "Jay Bilas" in unison as a result of ESPN's Bilas constantly blasting the Selection Committee's choice of the Rams to participate in March Madness. NEXT
Tu,Tu, Tu. You let me down, all-BB (Barry's Blog) Tu Holloway. Your Xavier Muskateers fell to the Marquette Golden Eagles 66 - 55 and your 1 for 8 shooting with 5 turnovers did not help http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201103180682 .
They might take away my blogger license for hyping you so much, even though you were the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year.
Marquette's defense was impressive. You also have to love their coach, the hoarse and ebullient (there is that Gator education at work) Buzz Williams. Here is hoarse Buzz after a victory earlier in the season. http://larrybrownsports.com/college-basketball/buzz-williams-marquette-hoarse-video/55370 THAT'S IT.
Enjoy....don't forget that there are a number of games on Sunday night.... in the past years when the tourney was just on CBS, all play on Sunday would end with 60 Minutes....this blog might catch you right at the intermission of the KY-WVA game for some halftime entertainment,
Barry
Barry
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