UConn looks really good right now.
Stanley Robinson completely came out of his shell during the 6 OT game and has scored in double digits in each of the last four games. He had 4 double digit point games all season before that.
Connecticut had to deal with the trouble circulating around the team about recruiting violations and rumors of the possible retirement of Jim Calhoun and they still came out and dominated.
I like Purdue though. All five of their starters will be back next year. Their three best players (Hummel, Johnson and Moore) will be juniors next season. With the Big Ten as bad as it is, these guys should be a serious national title contender next year.
--------------------------
Missouri presents an interesting matchup for UConn. Mike Anderson brings the 40 Minutes of Hell style he learned from Nolan Richardson and used to make a run with UAB in 2004.
They didn't just beat Memphis, they slaughtered them. Memphis has great athletes but they couldn't keep up.
Did you see those two shots Marcus Denmon made at the end of the first half? The first one went off the glass but was only a 2-pointer because his foot was on the line. The next time Denmon left no doubt, nailing a 70-footer.
--------------------------
Villanova also blowing out Duke. They kept it close in the first half scoring only 26 points, but nearly doubled that output putting up 51.
Duke shot only 27% and 19% from the 3-point line.
--------------------------
And finally the game of the night, Pittsburgh over Xavier.
Last week I said they were a flawed team that could be beaten, but I also said I liked them because of Levance Fields and his ability to get a basket when they need it.
And did he ever deliver. Onions! That was one of the biggest shots of the tournament so far. 56 seconds left, down 2. If he misses that, likely best case scenario they get it back with 20 - 25 seconds still down by 2.
And then before Xavier can do anything he steals the ball and pretty much seals the game with a layup.
And in case anyone was wondering, he definitely needed to take that layup. If he pulls it out he only kills about 5 or 10 extra seconds before he gets fouled. And he could miss a free throw. Smart play, great player. And the Big East is guaranteed at least one spot in the Final Four.
If Kansas and Louisville win the Big East and Big XII will have 7 of the 8 teams left.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
From Jobless to Topless
Another groundbreaking economic investigation from the Associated Press.
I present it here in its entirety because it's good reading:
More women needing cash go from jobless to topless
By Karen Hawkins, Associated Press Writer
From jobless to topless: As economy worsens, more women give strip clubs, adult films a try
CHICAGO (AP) -- As a bartender and trainer at a national restaurant chain, Rebecca Brown earned a couple thousand dollars in a really good week. Now, as a dancer at Chicago's Pink Monkey gentleman's club, she makes almost that much in one good night.
The tough job market is prompting a growing number of women across the country to dance in strip clubs, appear in adult movies or pose for magazines like Hustler.
Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they're seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured.
"You're seeing a lot more beautiful women who are eligible to do so many other things," said Gus Poulos, general manager of New York City's Sin City gentleman's club. He said he got 85 responses in just one day to a recent job posting on Craigslist.
The transition to the nightclub scene isn't always a smooth one -- from learning to dance in five-inch heels to dealing with the jeers of some customers.
Some performers said they were initially so nervous that only alcohol could calm their nerves.
"It is like giving a speech, but instead of imagining everyone naked, you're the one who's naked," Brown, 29, said.
Eva Stone, a 25-year-old dancer at the Pink Monkey, said dealing with occasional verbal abuse from patrons requires "a thick skin."
Makers of adult films cautioned that women shouldn't rush into the decision to make adult movies without considering the effect on their lives.
"Once you decide to be an adult actress, it impacts your relationship with everyone," said Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of adult film giant Vivid Entertainment Group. "Once you make an adult film, it never goes away."
The women at the Pink Monkey say dancing at a strip club might not have been their first career choice, but they entered the business with their eyes wide open. The job gives them more control and flexibility than sitting in a cubicle, and "it's easy, it's fun and all of us girls ... look out for each other," Brown said.
In this economy, "desperate measures are becoming far more acceptable," said Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist who's had clients who worked in adult entertainment.
For some, dancing is temporary, a way to pay for college loans or other bills. Others say they've found their niche.
Dancers at the upscale Rick's Caberet clubs in New York City and Miami can make $100,000 to $300,000 a year -- in cash -- even with the economic downturn, club spokesman Allan Priaulx said.
Priaulx said 20 to 30 women a week are applying for jobs at the New York club, double the number of a year ago.
Still, analysts say, the industry isn't immune to the economic recession. Business is down an estimated 30 percent across all segments, including adult films, gentleman's clubs, magazines and novelty shops, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, an adult entertainment company that has a widely distributed trade publication and an award show.
"In the past, people have said this industry is recession-proof," said Eric Wold, director of research for financial services firm Merriman Curhan Ford. "I definitely don't see that; maybe recession-resistant."
Strip club dancers and managers said they're drawing in the same number of customers, but fewer high rollers.
"They're not getting the big spenders," said Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Association of Club Executives, a trade group for adult nightclubs. "They're not getting the guys who come in and drop $3,000 to $4,000 a night anymore."
Still, the clubs' operating structure leaves them with low overhead and profit margins of up to 50 percent, Wold said.
Dancers are independent contractors, paying clubs a nightly flat fee depending on how long they work. At the Pink Monkey, for example, dancers who arrive at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday pay a $40 "house fee," while women who don't arrive until midnight pay $90. And they keep their tips.
Wold and others say it's almost impossible to estimate the size of the adult entertainment industry because few companies are publicly traded. He does pay close attention to three that are: Lakewood, Colo.-based VCG Holding and Houston-based Rick's Caberet, which own clubs, and New Frontier Media, a Boulder, Colo.-based adult film producer and distributor.
All three are profitable.
Rick's Caberet had $60 million in revenue in its 2008 fiscal year, up from $32 million the year before, Wold said, and he estimates VCG will have $57 million for last year, compared with $40.5 million in FY2007. New Frontier Media generates more than $400 million in consumer buying a year.
Larry Flynt, whose half-billion dollar Hustler empire publishes magazines, produces and distributes films and operates a casino, said he's continued to do well. But he doesn't expect those who are solely in the film business to survive.
"A lot of the small studios are out of business now, there's no doubt about that," Flynt said.
Adult magazines also are struggling along with the larger publishing industry, and have to cut pages like everyone else.
But the economic realities aren't keeping jobseekers away.
Vivid Entertainment's Hirsch said the number of women in his business has doubled in the last couple years, with roughly 800 working as adult actresses. "It is more competitive than I've seen it in 25 years," he said.
That doesn't mean all the newcomers are planning on lengthy careers in the industry.
Stone, who has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, took up dancing four years ago to help pay her student loans. She plans to go to graduate school this year to pursue a master's in education.
Brown, meanwhile, has a ready answer for those critical of her career choice.
"I have job security," she said.
I present it here in its entirety because it's good reading:
More women needing cash go from jobless to topless
By Karen Hawkins, Associated Press Writer
From jobless to topless: As economy worsens, more women give strip clubs, adult films a try
CHICAGO (AP) -- As a bartender and trainer at a national restaurant chain, Rebecca Brown earned a couple thousand dollars in a really good week. Now, as a dancer at Chicago's Pink Monkey gentleman's club, she makes almost that much in one good night.
The tough job market is prompting a growing number of women across the country to dance in strip clubs, appear in adult movies or pose for magazines like Hustler.
Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they're seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured.
"You're seeing a lot more beautiful women who are eligible to do so many other things," said Gus Poulos, general manager of New York City's Sin City gentleman's club. He said he got 85 responses in just one day to a recent job posting on Craigslist.
The transition to the nightclub scene isn't always a smooth one -- from learning to dance in five-inch heels to dealing with the jeers of some customers.
Some performers said they were initially so nervous that only alcohol could calm their nerves.
"It is like giving a speech, but instead of imagining everyone naked, you're the one who's naked," Brown, 29, said.
Eva Stone, a 25-year-old dancer at the Pink Monkey, said dealing with occasional verbal abuse from patrons requires "a thick skin."
Makers of adult films cautioned that women shouldn't rush into the decision to make adult movies without considering the effect on their lives.
"Once you decide to be an adult actress, it impacts your relationship with everyone," said Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of adult film giant Vivid Entertainment Group. "Once you make an adult film, it never goes away."
The women at the Pink Monkey say dancing at a strip club might not have been their first career choice, but they entered the business with their eyes wide open. The job gives them more control and flexibility than sitting in a cubicle, and "it's easy, it's fun and all of us girls ... look out for each other," Brown said.
In this economy, "desperate measures are becoming far more acceptable," said Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist who's had clients who worked in adult entertainment.
For some, dancing is temporary, a way to pay for college loans or other bills. Others say they've found their niche.
Dancers at the upscale Rick's Caberet clubs in New York City and Miami can make $100,000 to $300,000 a year -- in cash -- even with the economic downturn, club spokesman Allan Priaulx said.
Priaulx said 20 to 30 women a week are applying for jobs at the New York club, double the number of a year ago.
Still, analysts say, the industry isn't immune to the economic recession. Business is down an estimated 30 percent across all segments, including adult films, gentleman's clubs, magazines and novelty shops, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, an adult entertainment company that has a widely distributed trade publication and an award show.
"In the past, people have said this industry is recession-proof," said Eric Wold, director of research for financial services firm Merriman Curhan Ford. "I definitely don't see that; maybe recession-resistant."
Strip club dancers and managers said they're drawing in the same number of customers, but fewer high rollers.
"They're not getting the big spenders," said Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Association of Club Executives, a trade group for adult nightclubs. "They're not getting the guys who come in and drop $3,000 to $4,000 a night anymore."
Still, the clubs' operating structure leaves them with low overhead and profit margins of up to 50 percent, Wold said.
Dancers are independent contractors, paying clubs a nightly flat fee depending on how long they work. At the Pink Monkey, for example, dancers who arrive at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday pay a $40 "house fee," while women who don't arrive until midnight pay $90. And they keep their tips.
Wold and others say it's almost impossible to estimate the size of the adult entertainment industry because few companies are publicly traded. He does pay close attention to three that are: Lakewood, Colo.-based VCG Holding and Houston-based Rick's Caberet, which own clubs, and New Frontier Media, a Boulder, Colo.-based adult film producer and distributor.
All three are profitable.
Rick's Caberet had $60 million in revenue in its 2008 fiscal year, up from $32 million the year before, Wold said, and he estimates VCG will have $57 million for last year, compared with $40.5 million in FY2007. New Frontier Media generates more than $400 million in consumer buying a year.
Larry Flynt, whose half-billion dollar Hustler empire publishes magazines, produces and distributes films and operates a casino, said he's continued to do well. But he doesn't expect those who are solely in the film business to survive.
"A lot of the small studios are out of business now, there's no doubt about that," Flynt said.
Adult magazines also are struggling along with the larger publishing industry, and have to cut pages like everyone else.
But the economic realities aren't keeping jobseekers away.
Vivid Entertainment's Hirsch said the number of women in his business has doubled in the last couple years, with roughly 800 working as adult actresses. "It is more competitive than I've seen it in 25 years," he said.
That doesn't mean all the newcomers are planning on lengthy careers in the industry.
Stone, who has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, took up dancing four years ago to help pay her student loans. She plans to go to graduate school this year to pursue a master's in education.
Brown, meanwhile, has a ready answer for those critical of her career choice.
"I have job security," she said.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Song of the Week
"Danger" - Blahzay Blahzay
The song that escalated the East Coast-West Coast rap fued, is also the inspiration for "The Cuse is in the House."
The song that escalated the East Coast-West Coast rap fued, is also the inspiration for "The Cuse is in the House."
Let's Hope We Can Get a Repeat of This
One of my favorite moments in Syracuse basketball history, the postgame interview after SU beat Kansas to go to the Final Four in 1996.
Featuring Cuse in the House and the Al Maguire Dance.
And yes that is Donovan McNabb making faces over Boeheim's shoulder.
Featuring Cuse in the House and the Al Maguire Dance.
And yes that is Donovan McNabb making faces over Boeheim's shoulder.
Journalism Isn't Dying, It's Changing
Interesting, if somewhat cursory look at the problems in the news media. I for one am not worried. There will always be a place for good stories well told. And for every idiot that likes biased, made-up crap from blogs, there are still plenty of others who want to read and watch well-researched, fair, smartly presented stories.
The state of journalism is bleak, but an annual study of the industry suggests all hope should not be lost.
While the business model of many news organizations appears to be fracturing, there's little indication that consumers are losing interest in news, says the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Its sixth annual State of the News Media survey was released on Sunday.
Four newspaper companies have sought bankruptcy protection in recent months, and the Rocky Mountain News in Denver stopped publication.
Yet The New York Times and Washington Post have bigger audiences than ever, when online readership is taken into account, said Tom Rosenstiel, project director. Traffic to the top 50 online news sites rose by 27 percent in 2008, the report said.
"This is not an industry that is dying," Rosenstiel said. "This is an industry that is in disorientation."
Local television news also is in trouble. Revenues fell by 7 percent in 2008, which is eye-opening considering it was an election year and stations typically see an influx in political advertising.
Besides the Internet, cable news was a sector that flourished, due in large part to its focus on the presidential election, the report said.
Newspapers have failed to figure out how to make their Web sites profitable, Rosenstiel said. They're slow to realize that people aren't going to pay for content in the way they do for traditional newspapers.
But there are still things that can be tried, he said. They could try something modeled after the cable industry, where a fee to news producers is built into a customer's monthly fee for Internet service. They could set up online "malls" for local merchants or create specialized services for information that some in their communities might pay for.
Partnerships have been born because of the tough financial times, such as local television affiliates of NBC and Fox sharing video for breaking news events, the report said.
With layoffs prevalent, power is shifting to individual journalists away from institutions, he said.
Journalists are trying different ways of getting their work out, with Web sites such as MinnPost for arts coverage in Minneapolis. Globalpost.com pays a small fee to keep journalists working across the world.
"The news audience is out there and is in some way growing," Rosenstiel said. "If the industry cannot find a way to monetize that, it may be that individual journalists and others will."
The state of journalism is bleak, but an annual study of the industry suggests all hope should not be lost.
While the business model of many news organizations appears to be fracturing, there's little indication that consumers are losing interest in news, says the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Its sixth annual State of the News Media survey was released on Sunday.
Four newspaper companies have sought bankruptcy protection in recent months, and the Rocky Mountain News in Denver stopped publication.
Yet The New York Times and Washington Post have bigger audiences than ever, when online readership is taken into account, said Tom Rosenstiel, project director. Traffic to the top 50 online news sites rose by 27 percent in 2008, the report said.
"This is not an industry that is dying," Rosenstiel said. "This is an industry that is in disorientation."
Local television news also is in trouble. Revenues fell by 7 percent in 2008, which is eye-opening considering it was an election year and stations typically see an influx in political advertising.
Besides the Internet, cable news was a sector that flourished, due in large part to its focus on the presidential election, the report said.
Newspapers have failed to figure out how to make their Web sites profitable, Rosenstiel said. They're slow to realize that people aren't going to pay for content in the way they do for traditional newspapers.
But there are still things that can be tried, he said. They could try something modeled after the cable industry, where a fee to news producers is built into a customer's monthly fee for Internet service. They could set up online "malls" for local merchants or create specialized services for information that some in their communities might pay for.
Partnerships have been born because of the tough financial times, such as local television affiliates of NBC and Fox sharing video for breaking news events, the report said.
With layoffs prevalent, power is shifting to individual journalists away from institutions, he said.
Journalists are trying different ways of getting their work out, with Web sites such as MinnPost for arts coverage in Minneapolis. Globalpost.com pays a small fee to keep journalists working across the world.
"The news audience is out there and is in some way growing," Rosenstiel said. "If the industry cannot find a way to monetize that, it may be that individual journalists and others will."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Oy Is This a Putz
Jackie Mason is coming under fire for calling President Obama a schvartza (there is no correct spelling, Yiddish is a spoken language not a written one), during his standup.
Mason is one of my favorite comedians, thanks to years of having him forcefed to me by Papa Poop. Also Master Bates used to have this toy that when you pressed a button it would cycle through some of Jackie's best phrases like "he's a schmuck -- the biggest" and "oy is this a putz."
I don't really think there's a problem with schvartza, it literally means black and most old jews use it all the time, not in a demeaning way. Plus, he's a comedian and black comedians due much worse, as Mason pointed out.
Mason said, "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartza' was used. It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself."
Mason is one of my favorite comedians, thanks to years of having him forcefed to me by Papa Poop. Also Master Bates used to have this toy that when you pressed a button it would cycle through some of Jackie's best phrases like "he's a schmuck -- the biggest" and "oy is this a putz."
I don't really think there's a problem with schvartza, it literally means black and most old jews use it all the time, not in a demeaning way. Plus, he's a comedian and black comedians due much worse, as Mason pointed out.
Mason said, "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartza' was used. It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself."
I Love the Most Hated Man in America
I love Eric Devendorf, always have. He's a good player, but he has that toughness and edge to him that I like. On a team of talented guys, Devendorf is the one who provides the energy and makes the big plays when needed, as evidenced by his performance against Arizona State. Yes, he makes bad decisions at times when he tries to play too fast, so I understand why SU fans may dislike him.
He looks like a gangster and acts arrogant at times, so I understand why other fans may dislike.
And maybe that's why I love him.
Here's Pat Forde from espn.com:
Eric Devendorf knows what you, the general public, are thinking.
"They probably think I'm an a-hole, man," the Syracuse shooting guard said with a smile on his face. "I know they do. I know everybody thinks I'm an a-hole."
He knows that because he hears it in every opposing gym, and he can read about it online as well. One sports blog, The Big Lead, compiled a list of the five most hated players in this NCAA tournament, and Devendorf was No. 1, followed by Tyler Hansbrough, Greg Paulus, Hasheem Thabeet and Jon Scheyer.
"That's pretty good company right there," Devendorf said, laughing, after shooting Arizona State out of the NCAA tournament, 78-67.
The fact that four of the five are white guys is an interesting sociological discussion for another day. For today, we're only concerned with the guy who tops the list, how he got there and how long he'll be around to irritate America in this tournament.
If being The Villain of College Basketball bothers Devendorf, he hides it well. But once you get past the endless ink, the ant-line beard, the smirk, the occasional potty mouth and an altercation with a girl that nearly cost him the season, everybody's a-hole insists he's an a-OK guy.
"I don't know if it's because of the tattoos or my competitive spirit," Devendorf said. "But sometimes people can get the wrong idea about a person. Off the court I'm a whole different person.
"I'm a good dude, man. I'm a down-to-earth dude."
Would everyone understand that if they spent a day with you, Eric?
"They spend a day with me, man, they'd have some fun."
Fun would not describe Syracuse student Kimberly Smith's encounter with Devendorf on Nov. 1, 2008, near campus. That's when Devendorf allegedly struck her in the jaw with an open hand (Smith's lawyer later said Devendorf did not hit her, and his client's version of the events was misconstrued on the police report). That incident got the Bay City, Mich., native briefly suspended and nearly ended his season.
Devendorf said he acted in self-defense toward Smith, who was the aggressor in an altercation after she got out of her car. Problem was, Devendorf already was on probation with the university for harming another student last spring, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
So the school's judicial board recommended suspending him in December for the remainder of the academic year, which runs through May. But Devendorf was reinstated on appeal after missing two games, a decision that has direct correlation to Syracuse's presence in the Sweet 16 and trip to Memphis this week to play Oklahoma.
Last time the Orange played in Memphis was December. Devendorf missed that game against John Calipari's Tigers while suspended. During that time, he was at a crossroads, relying on support from his parents and his AAU coach, Will Smith of the Michigan Hurricanes.
For a kid whose life had revolved around basketball since he was 9 years old, the thought of losing it was terrifying.
(Check out the caption for this picture.)
"I feed off playing basketball," Devendorf said. "I tried to stay upbeat, even though it wasn't an upbeat situation at all. I wanted to be positive, but at times I was negative. So many things were going through my mind at that time.
"I had a lot of thinking to do and had to straighten some things out. I had to be smarter about who I'm around, surround myself with the right people."
Now the father of a 9-month-old daughter, Devendorf said he's conscious of trying to be a better role model. On the court, he's played model basketball for Syracuse -- averaging a team-high 19.2 points in six postseason contests. His consecutive 3-pointers ended Arizona State's last chance to rally and upset the Orange at American Airlines Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Given the divide between Devendorf's value to his team and his popularity outside of upstate New York, he's the classic guy you love to have on your side and love to rip when he's not. Think Bill Romanowski here.
"They don't understand him or know who he is," said former teammate Gerry McNamara. "They think they do but they're wrong. He's the best teammate I ever played with. He would do anything for this team."
In some ways, McNamara and Devendorf are the same guy: stone-cold shooters who excel in the clutch and succeed at a high level in part on moxie and swagger. But McNamara's the guy who shows up in Madison Square Garden to watch his old team in an argyle sweater. Devendorf is the guy who looks like he's a rougher version of fellow Michigan product Eminem.
It was Devendorf who reportedly was told, during his freshman year, to watch his mouth on the court by none other than Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. It was Devendorf who celebrated his apparent game-winning shot over Connecticut -- the shot was disallowed, sparking a famous six overtimes -- by jumping on the Madison Square Garden press table and screaming an F-bomb into the stands, according to those in the vicinity. And as far as we know, McNamara was never dragged in front of the school judicial board.
So the hate finds Devendorf in every gym. Whatever the reason, it's up to him to deal with it.
"The world is messed up already, and they want to hate someone who plays basketball?" he asked rhetorically.
Sure they do. Since Devendorf is unlikely to sway public opinion to his side, there is only one response.
"We keep winning and people will get madder and madder," he said.
Four more wins would shut them up for good, and give The A-Hole of College Basketball the last laugh.
He looks like a gangster and acts arrogant at times, so I understand why other fans may dislike.
And maybe that's why I love him.
Here's Pat Forde from espn.com:
Eric Devendorf knows what you, the general public, are thinking.
"They probably think I'm an a-hole, man," the Syracuse shooting guard said with a smile on his face. "I know they do. I know everybody thinks I'm an a-hole."
He knows that because he hears it in every opposing gym, and he can read about it online as well. One sports blog, The Big Lead, compiled a list of the five most hated players in this NCAA tournament, and Devendorf was No. 1, followed by Tyler Hansbrough, Greg Paulus, Hasheem Thabeet and Jon Scheyer.
"That's pretty good company right there," Devendorf said, laughing, after shooting Arizona State out of the NCAA tournament, 78-67.
The fact that four of the five are white guys is an interesting sociological discussion for another day. For today, we're only concerned with the guy who tops the list, how he got there and how long he'll be around to irritate America in this tournament.
If being The Villain of College Basketball bothers Devendorf, he hides it well. But once you get past the endless ink, the ant-line beard, the smirk, the occasional potty mouth and an altercation with a girl that nearly cost him the season, everybody's a-hole insists he's an a-OK guy.
"I don't know if it's because of the tattoos or my competitive spirit," Devendorf said. "But sometimes people can get the wrong idea about a person. Off the court I'm a whole different person.
"I'm a good dude, man. I'm a down-to-earth dude."
Would everyone understand that if they spent a day with you, Eric?
"They spend a day with me, man, they'd have some fun."
Fun would not describe Syracuse student Kimberly Smith's encounter with Devendorf on Nov. 1, 2008, near campus. That's when Devendorf allegedly struck her in the jaw with an open hand (Smith's lawyer later said Devendorf did not hit her, and his client's version of the events was misconstrued on the police report). That incident got the Bay City, Mich., native briefly suspended and nearly ended his season.
Devendorf said he acted in self-defense toward Smith, who was the aggressor in an altercation after she got out of her car. Problem was, Devendorf already was on probation with the university for harming another student last spring, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
So the school's judicial board recommended suspending him in December for the remainder of the academic year, which runs through May. But Devendorf was reinstated on appeal after missing two games, a decision that has direct correlation to Syracuse's presence in the Sweet 16 and trip to Memphis this week to play Oklahoma.
Last time the Orange played in Memphis was December. Devendorf missed that game against John Calipari's Tigers while suspended. During that time, he was at a crossroads, relying on support from his parents and his AAU coach, Will Smith of the Michigan Hurricanes.
For a kid whose life had revolved around basketball since he was 9 years old, the thought of losing it was terrifying.
(Check out the caption for this picture.)
"I feed off playing basketball," Devendorf said. "I tried to stay upbeat, even though it wasn't an upbeat situation at all. I wanted to be positive, but at times I was negative. So many things were going through my mind at that time.
"I had a lot of thinking to do and had to straighten some things out. I had to be smarter about who I'm around, surround myself with the right people."
Now the father of a 9-month-old daughter, Devendorf said he's conscious of trying to be a better role model. On the court, he's played model basketball for Syracuse -- averaging a team-high 19.2 points in six postseason contests. His consecutive 3-pointers ended Arizona State's last chance to rally and upset the Orange at American Airlines Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Given the divide between Devendorf's value to his team and his popularity outside of upstate New York, he's the classic guy you love to have on your side and love to rip when he's not. Think Bill Romanowski here.
"They don't understand him or know who he is," said former teammate Gerry McNamara. "They think they do but they're wrong. He's the best teammate I ever played with. He would do anything for this team."
In some ways, McNamara and Devendorf are the same guy: stone-cold shooters who excel in the clutch and succeed at a high level in part on moxie and swagger. But McNamara's the guy who shows up in Madison Square Garden to watch his old team in an argyle sweater. Devendorf is the guy who looks like he's a rougher version of fellow Michigan product Eminem.
It was Devendorf who reportedly was told, during his freshman year, to watch his mouth on the court by none other than Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. It was Devendorf who celebrated his apparent game-winning shot over Connecticut -- the shot was disallowed, sparking a famous six overtimes -- by jumping on the Madison Square Garden press table and screaming an F-bomb into the stands, according to those in the vicinity. And as far as we know, McNamara was never dragged in front of the school judicial board.
So the hate finds Devendorf in every gym. Whatever the reason, it's up to him to deal with it.
"The world is messed up already, and they want to hate someone who plays basketball?" he asked rhetorically.
Sure they do. Since Devendorf is unlikely to sway public opinion to his side, there is only one response.
"We keep winning and people will get madder and madder," he said.
Four more wins would shut them up for good, and give The A-Hole of College Basketball the last laugh.
Home Court Advantage
There has been a lot of uproar about Villanova playing its NCAA Tournament games in Philadelphia, allowable because they only played three games during the season at the Wachovia Center.
While it is unfair -- especially because of the perception -- I downplayed the real impact of the home-court in the tournament, and felt vindicated when the crowd was solidly behind American as they jumped out to a huge lead on Villanova, before blowing the lead and losing.
Action on the women's side though may prove the importance of this advantage.
There were two major second round upsets, #7 Rutgers over #2 Auburn and #9 Michigan State over #1 Duke. Both underdogs were playing at home, and after the game Michigan State's Coach (not Tom Izzo) said the home fans made a huge difference.
We should also point out that San Diego State got smoked by Stanford in San Diego and Gonzaga lost to Pittsburgh in Seattle, though both results were expected.
Who knows how much it really matters.
While it is unfair -- especially because of the perception -- I downplayed the real impact of the home-court in the tournament, and felt vindicated when the crowd was solidly behind American as they jumped out to a huge lead on Villanova, before blowing the lead and losing.
Action on the women's side though may prove the importance of this advantage.
There were two major second round upsets, #7 Rutgers over #2 Auburn and #9 Michigan State over #1 Duke. Both underdogs were playing at home, and after the game Michigan State's Coach (not Tom Izzo) said the home fans made a huge difference.
We should also point out that San Diego State got smoked by Stanford in San Diego and Gonzaga lost to Pittsburgh in Seattle, though both results were expected.
Who knows how much it really matters.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Diesel-Trey Experiment
With Mrs. Poop and Chase away (and Alison in Isreal) I decided to take Diesel to Billy's house for a weekend of college basketball.
The experiment worked out better than I expected, but not as well as I hoped.
After a couple hours of frantic play, they finally settled down and allowed us to enjoy the Friday games. Eventually they both lied down, and it was nice, except every minute or so they'd go nuts over some noise outside, like a car door slamming or a cotton ball falling.
But when it was time to go to bed, they pined for each other, Diesel was whining, Trey was scratching, and I hardly slept.
So I decided to leave a day early, so I could get some rest.
Diesel got some rest too, he literally did not move from dinner (5:30) on Saturday night, until I took him out at midnight.
But we did get a couple good pictures before we left.
The experiment worked out better than I expected, but not as well as I hoped.
After a couple hours of frantic play, they finally settled down and allowed us to enjoy the Friday games. Eventually they both lied down, and it was nice, except every minute or so they'd go nuts over some noise outside, like a car door slamming or a cotton ball falling.
But when it was time to go to bed, they pined for each other, Diesel was whining, Trey was scratching, and I hardly slept.
So I decided to leave a day early, so I could get some rest.
Diesel got some rest too, he literally did not move from dinner (5:30) on Saturday night, until I took him out at midnight.
But we did get a couple good pictures before we left.
March Madness - Sunday Thoughts
Another great run of late games. A pretty nondescript middle part of the day with Xavier, Kansas and Arizona winning fairly easily.
Then things got interesting. Pittsburgh is a flawed team. They can be had. I’ve never liked them in previous years and I didn’t pick them this year even though this is by far their best edition. DeJuan Blair disappears, especially if you get him in foul trouble. He’s a monster on the boards (six offensive rebounds) but Levance Fields and Sam Young are both more important to the team’s success.
Fields is such a heady player too. Did you see that fluke free throw where everyone thought it was two shots and he snuck in for the rebound? The one thing I do like about Pittsburgh, this edition can score the ball much better when they need to than previous Pitt teams.
Michigan State is an ugly team, but they get the job done. They rebound, move the ball (20 assists on 22 baskets) and they play tough defense.
The Marquette-Missouri game was incredibly interesting. What a shame to see Dominic James like that. I almost wish he had stayed on the bench, not that he embarrassed himself, but he just couldn’t do anything.
I don’t want to hear anything about the pinch shooter rule. The guy they brought in (Kim English) shoots worse from the line (68%) than the guy he replaced (J.T. Tiller, 75%)
Marquette also has no complaint about the baseline violation. Hayward clearly stepped on the line. Tough way to lose a ball game though.
And you can’t help but feel badly for Jems and a game Siena Saints team. Most underdogs when they get down by 7 (55-48) pack it in, but Siena stormed back on a 15-4 run to take a 4-point lead with 5:30 to go. But Louisville, led by the incredible Terrence Williams, who can score if he wants to, turned it on and put them away.
For al the talk about parity this year, the top 12 teams are all in the Sweet 16. First time that has ever happened. The last two tournaments have been two of the most chalk ever.
One thing the pundits got right was the Big East is awesome. First conference to ever get 5 teams in the Sweet 16. But the real test will be to meet or exceed 1985’s 3 Big East teams.
Then things got interesting. Pittsburgh is a flawed team. They can be had. I’ve never liked them in previous years and I didn’t pick them this year even though this is by far their best edition. DeJuan Blair disappears, especially if you get him in foul trouble. He’s a monster on the boards (six offensive rebounds) but Levance Fields and Sam Young are both more important to the team’s success.
Fields is such a heady player too. Did you see that fluke free throw where everyone thought it was two shots and he snuck in for the rebound? The one thing I do like about Pittsburgh, this edition can score the ball much better when they need to than previous Pitt teams.
Michigan State is an ugly team, but they get the job done. They rebound, move the ball (20 assists on 22 baskets) and they play tough defense.
The Marquette-Missouri game was incredibly interesting. What a shame to see Dominic James like that. I almost wish he had stayed on the bench, not that he embarrassed himself, but he just couldn’t do anything.
I don’t want to hear anything about the pinch shooter rule. The guy they brought in (Kim English) shoots worse from the line (68%) than the guy he replaced (J.T. Tiller, 75%)
Marquette also has no complaint about the baseline violation. Hayward clearly stepped on the line. Tough way to lose a ball game though.
And you can’t help but feel badly for Jems and a game Siena Saints team. Most underdogs when they get down by 7 (55-48) pack it in, but Siena stormed back on a 15-4 run to take a 4-point lead with 5:30 to go. But Louisville, led by the incredible Terrence Williams, who can score if he wants to, turned it on and put them away.
For al the talk about parity this year, the top 12 teams are all in the Sweet 16. First time that has ever happened. The last two tournaments have been two of the most chalk ever.
One thing the pundits got right was the Big East is awesome. First conference to ever get 5 teams in the Sweet 16. But the real test will be to meet or exceed 1985’s 3 Big East teams.
There's No Sex in the Champagne Room, There's Job Interviews in the Champagne Room, But No Sex
The Foxy Lady in Providence is where I went for my bachelor party.
Nearly 200 potential exotic dancers, DJs, bartenders, bouncers, managers and waitresses attended a first-ever job fair yesterday at the Foxy Lady gentlemen’s club.
In January, with revenues off by 15 percent, Thomas Tsoumas, the nightclub’s co-owner, cut drink prices in half. As a result, traffic increased and 30 more staff are needed at that club and two others in Massachusetts.
“We’re as recession-proof a business as there is, but when it rains everyone gets wet,” said Tsoumas, 68. “We dropped our prices to what they were when we opened in 1979. Now, a beer or a mixed drink cost about $2.75 and business is up again.
With an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, the naked truth is that Rhode Island’s economy is among the worst in the nation. As a result, potential employees lined up early and were brought into one of several makeshift interview rooms including the Champagne VIP Lounge, the All-Nude Solid Gold Room and the Private Dance Cabana.
Chamika Chandler, a stay-at-home mom from Cranston, R.I., said she’s an aspiring designer who creates exotic dancewear and hopes to get a start in the club as a bartender.
“If I can get my foot in the door tending bar, maybe I’ll get a chance to show my designs to the dancers,” said the redhead in a short green and blue dress.
Chandler has been job hunting for months, but has found that applicants need lots of experience. “I figured I had nothing to lose at the Foxy Lady,” she said. “I’m sure there are a lot of uptight girls that wouldn’t consider a strip club, so here I am.”
Diana Hatch, a 30-year-old single mother from Woonsocket, R.I., was there to fill one of the waitress spots. The Rhode Island College student was one of a handful of hopefuls with nightclub training.
“I worked as a waitress at a gentleman’s club in Texas, and I know what the job entails,” she said.
Steven Mangum, 29, was one of the first to arrive for the job fair. The Providence resident and ex-con wants a job - any job.
“I’ll sweep floors if they want me to,” he said. “I got bills to pay and I recently got out of jail so having a job is important to me.”
Nathaniel Grist, who works at the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center, said he’s hoping to land a part-time and summer gig at the Foxy Lady.
“I was a DJ at my college radio station, and I’m trying to get more experience,” he said.
Asked if he had any concerns about working in a place where women remove their clothes, he said, “This is just another place to work, you go in and do your job.”
While most of the applicants were in their late teens and 20s, not everyone fit that demographic.
Karen Bradner, a 50-something office worker from Taunton, who has been unemployed for a year, also filled out an application.
“Today was my first and only time in a strip club,” she said. “And I wasn’t there to be a stripper or a waitress. I was hoping to get an office job, but there are no openings. It’s really dead out there job-wise. I hope things turn around soon.”
Nearly 200 potential exotic dancers, DJs, bartenders, bouncers, managers and waitresses attended a first-ever job fair yesterday at the Foxy Lady gentlemen’s club.
In January, with revenues off by 15 percent, Thomas Tsoumas, the nightclub’s co-owner, cut drink prices in half. As a result, traffic increased and 30 more staff are needed at that club and two others in Massachusetts.
“We’re as recession-proof a business as there is, but when it rains everyone gets wet,” said Tsoumas, 68. “We dropped our prices to what they were when we opened in 1979. Now, a beer or a mixed drink cost about $2.75 and business is up again.
With an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, the naked truth is that Rhode Island’s economy is among the worst in the nation. As a result, potential employees lined up early and were brought into one of several makeshift interview rooms including the Champagne VIP Lounge, the All-Nude Solid Gold Room and the Private Dance Cabana.
Chamika Chandler, a stay-at-home mom from Cranston, R.I., said she’s an aspiring designer who creates exotic dancewear and hopes to get a start in the club as a bartender.
“If I can get my foot in the door tending bar, maybe I’ll get a chance to show my designs to the dancers,” said the redhead in a short green and blue dress.
Chandler has been job hunting for months, but has found that applicants need lots of experience. “I figured I had nothing to lose at the Foxy Lady,” she said. “I’m sure there are a lot of uptight girls that wouldn’t consider a strip club, so here I am.”
Diana Hatch, a 30-year-old single mother from Woonsocket, R.I., was there to fill one of the waitress spots. The Rhode Island College student was one of a handful of hopefuls with nightclub training.
“I worked as a waitress at a gentleman’s club in Texas, and I know what the job entails,” she said.
Steven Mangum, 29, was one of the first to arrive for the job fair. The Providence resident and ex-con wants a job - any job.
“I’ll sweep floors if they want me to,” he said. “I got bills to pay and I recently got out of jail so having a job is important to me.”
Nathaniel Grist, who works at the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center, said he’s hoping to land a part-time and summer gig at the Foxy Lady.
“I was a DJ at my college radio station, and I’m trying to get more experience,” he said.
Asked if he had any concerns about working in a place where women remove their clothes, he said, “This is just another place to work, you go in and do your job.”
While most of the applicants were in their late teens and 20s, not everyone fit that demographic.
Karen Bradner, a 50-something office worker from Taunton, who has been unemployed for a year, also filled out an application.
“Today was my first and only time in a strip club,” she said. “And I wasn’t there to be a stripper or a waitress. I was hoping to get an office job, but there are no openings. It’s really dead out there job-wise. I hope things turn around soon.”
Sunday, March 22, 2009
These Girls Went to Devendorf's House Last Night Because They Wanted To Be With a Winner
Arizona State may have hotter chicks but Syracuse has a better basketball team.
Syracuse vs. Arizona State
Syracuse 78 Arizona State 67
Huge win for the Orange. They played great. I was most impressed with how they handled it when Arizona State cut the lead to four. They were patient and got two straight good shots. And Devendorf nailed two daggers to put the game away.
Let's go Orange, let's see what happens against Blake Griffin.
1:00 2nd half
The defense is forcing them to waste too much time. 12 point lead with 1 minute to go, that has to be more than 99% to win from here. Make the free throws and move on.
2:14 2nd half
Now this all comes down to free throw shooting. And SU is the worst free throw shooting team in the 64 team field. It's skewed because Jackson and Onuaku are so bad and shoot a lot of free throws. But the same was true of Memphis last year but Rose and CDR were both 70% shooters who cost them the national title with missed free throws.
2:17 2nd half
This is really the first time Syracuse has ever played a Pac-10 team in the tournament? Really? That's very surprising.
2:48 2nd half
Why is Jackson handling the ball? That's a great strategy to foul him. They can't rest both him and Onuaku at the same time. And he hit them both! Jackson has been huge in this game.
3:21 2nd half
Tough call because Boateng was still moving and so far under the basket but I think it was a charge.
3:39 2nd half
I recently read somewhere that if u have a lead of one point per minute remaining you have an 85% chance of winning. Up 11 with less than 4, those odds have to be like 95%. But if any team can lose this game, or at least make it close, it's this team.
4:00 2nd half
Devendorf is on fire!
4:50 2nd half
See that's what they need to do. Take your time but don't kill the whole clock, work until you get a good shot.
5:20 2nd half
I don't like the kill-the-clock offense but SU just played two possessions a little too fast. And both times it was bad decisions by Flynn. He gave it to Jackson too far from the basket. Onuaku's foul trouble won't be a huge deal because he can't play the last 2 minutes with a lead anyway because he shoots so bad on free throws.
6:15 2nd half
Huge 3 by Rautins!
6:30 2nd half
The lead is 4, let's see what Boeheim draws up now that SU desperately needs a basket.
6:30 2nd half
The lead is down to 7 and we're about 2 minutes away from Boeheim shutting down the SU offense. SU is still playing good defense and forcing them into long possessions, but they're hitting everything.
10:19 2nd half
The foul trouble caught up to ASU first with Jeff Pendergraph fouling out. He was open every time against the zone. But this game is being tightly called so Onuaku and Jackson could be next.
14:02 2nd half
This is why I love Jonny Flynn. Things might have started to go astray, he drove and got fouled, then stole theball and got fouled. And both times he made the free throws. That's leadership.
16:47 2nd half
Uh oh, foul trouble for Jackson and Onuaku. Jackson especially has been the difference for SU so far. Without him on the floor SU could be in trouble. And there he goes getting 2 more points. Never thought I'd say he'd be a crucial player.
19:00 2nd half
I know Boeheim isn't a big fan of halftime adjustments, but telling the guys to start turning the ball over more really doesn't make any sense.
Halftime
Great 1st half. They gave up a little at the end by allowing two open 3s and taking a couple ill-advised shots of their own. But so far so good. Boeheim needs to emphasize closing out on the shooters and playing offense from the inside out. They have no answer for Onuaku and Jackson inside. Get the ball into them and let them kick it out to Rautins and Devendorf for 3.
1:11 1st half
I guess I should have warned Flynn about Kuksiks.
2:39 1st half
Devendorf and Rautins are on fire. The defense is swarming. They're getting out on the fast break. This first half is a like a dream so far. Let's pray they can keep it up.
4:10 1st half
They just showed ASU has taken 14 3s and only 5 2s. As long as SU challenges those shots I think that ratio favors the Orange.
5:55 1st half
You don't want Rautins jacking a 25-footer on a fast break but if he's on fire, it's a high percentage shot. Add that with the guards continuing to get the ball down low, Arizona State doesn't know whom to guard.
7:06 1st half
James Harden is closer to 40 years old than 20.
8:10 1st half
SU already has more 3s made in this game than in the first round game against Stephen F. Austin. I love Rautins as a zone-killer. Shooters are streaky so I was hopeful his bad first game will translate into a great second game.
9:28 1st half
Glad to see Kristof is over his diarrhea.
10:51 1st half
The worst part about the zone is that you allow so many offensive rebounds. And the best time to take a 3 is off an offensive rebound. ASU missed both but Devendorf didn't even challenge the second one.
12:59 left 1st half
Beautiful drive and layup by Flynn. SU needs to get out and fast break against this team.
15:21 1st half
Great start by the Orange. they have a huge size advantage in this game and they are getting the ball in down low to Onuaku and Jackson who have six points combined so far.
Arizona State wants to play slow and get the zone to move. They got a couple baskets but so far SU is plaing pretty good defense.
Huge win for the Orange. They played great. I was most impressed with how they handled it when Arizona State cut the lead to four. They were patient and got two straight good shots. And Devendorf nailed two daggers to put the game away.
Let's go Orange, let's see what happens against Blake Griffin.
1:00 2nd half
The defense is forcing them to waste too much time. 12 point lead with 1 minute to go, that has to be more than 99% to win from here. Make the free throws and move on.
2:14 2nd half
Now this all comes down to free throw shooting. And SU is the worst free throw shooting team in the 64 team field. It's skewed because Jackson and Onuaku are so bad and shoot a lot of free throws. But the same was true of Memphis last year but Rose and CDR were both 70% shooters who cost them the national title with missed free throws.
2:17 2nd half
This is really the first time Syracuse has ever played a Pac-10 team in the tournament? Really? That's very surprising.
2:48 2nd half
Why is Jackson handling the ball? That's a great strategy to foul him. They can't rest both him and Onuaku at the same time. And he hit them both! Jackson has been huge in this game.
3:21 2nd half
Tough call because Boateng was still moving and so far under the basket but I think it was a charge.
3:39 2nd half
I recently read somewhere that if u have a lead of one point per minute remaining you have an 85% chance of winning. Up 11 with less than 4, those odds have to be like 95%. But if any team can lose this game, or at least make it close, it's this team.
4:00 2nd half
Devendorf is on fire!
4:50 2nd half
See that's what they need to do. Take your time but don't kill the whole clock, work until you get a good shot.
5:20 2nd half
I don't like the kill-the-clock offense but SU just played two possessions a little too fast. And both times it was bad decisions by Flynn. He gave it to Jackson too far from the basket. Onuaku's foul trouble won't be a huge deal because he can't play the last 2 minutes with a lead anyway because he shoots so bad on free throws.
6:15 2nd half
Huge 3 by Rautins!
6:30 2nd half
The lead is 4, let's see what Boeheim draws up now that SU desperately needs a basket.
6:30 2nd half
The lead is down to 7 and we're about 2 minutes away from Boeheim shutting down the SU offense. SU is still playing good defense and forcing them into long possessions, but they're hitting everything.
10:19 2nd half
The foul trouble caught up to ASU first with Jeff Pendergraph fouling out. He was open every time against the zone. But this game is being tightly called so Onuaku and Jackson could be next.
14:02 2nd half
This is why I love Jonny Flynn. Things might have started to go astray, he drove and got fouled, then stole theball and got fouled. And both times he made the free throws. That's leadership.
16:47 2nd half
Uh oh, foul trouble for Jackson and Onuaku. Jackson especially has been the difference for SU so far. Without him on the floor SU could be in trouble. And there he goes getting 2 more points. Never thought I'd say he'd be a crucial player.
19:00 2nd half
I know Boeheim isn't a big fan of halftime adjustments, but telling the guys to start turning the ball over more really doesn't make any sense.
Halftime
Great 1st half. They gave up a little at the end by allowing two open 3s and taking a couple ill-advised shots of their own. But so far so good. Boeheim needs to emphasize closing out on the shooters and playing offense from the inside out. They have no answer for Onuaku and Jackson inside. Get the ball into them and let them kick it out to Rautins and Devendorf for 3.
1:11 1st half
I guess I should have warned Flynn about Kuksiks.
2:39 1st half
Devendorf and Rautins are on fire. The defense is swarming. They're getting out on the fast break. This first half is a like a dream so far. Let's pray they can keep it up.
4:10 1st half
They just showed ASU has taken 14 3s and only 5 2s. As long as SU challenges those shots I think that ratio favors the Orange.
5:55 1st half
You don't want Rautins jacking a 25-footer on a fast break but if he's on fire, it's a high percentage shot. Add that with the guards continuing to get the ball down low, Arizona State doesn't know whom to guard.
7:06 1st half
James Harden is closer to 40 years old than 20.
8:10 1st half
SU already has more 3s made in this game than in the first round game against Stephen F. Austin. I love Rautins as a zone-killer. Shooters are streaky so I was hopeful his bad first game will translate into a great second game.
9:28 1st half
Glad to see Kristof is over his diarrhea.
10:51 1st half
The worst part about the zone is that you allow so many offensive rebounds. And the best time to take a 3 is off an offensive rebound. ASU missed both but Devendorf didn't even challenge the second one.
12:59 left 1st half
Beautiful drive and layup by Flynn. SU needs to get out and fast break against this team.
15:21 1st half
Great start by the Orange. they have a huge size advantage in this game and they are getting the ball in down low to Onuaku and Jackson who have six points combined so far.
Arizona State wants to play slow and get the zone to move. They got a couple baskets but so far SU is plaing pretty good defense.
I Hope He Takes My Advice
Here's the transcript of the brief Facebook chat I had with Jonny Flynn last night.
OK, so he wasn't exactly forthcoming but it was nice of him to answer me at all. Flynn has been awesome but he has been playing so many minutes that I hope he listened to me and went to bed early. And on the thing about Glasser too. James Harden has a good midrange game so he'll try to get inside the zone and kick it out for jumpers.
OK, so he wasn't exactly forthcoming but it was nice of him to answer me at all. Flynn has been awesome but he has been playing so many minutes that I hope he listened to me and went to bed early. And on the thing about Glasser too. James Harden has a good midrange game so he'll try to get inside the zone and kick it out for jumpers.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March Madness - Saturday Thoughts
Two more thrilling games to cap the night.
I was rooting for Texas, because I hate Duke. But those fuckin Blue Devils got every freakin loose ball. Maybe they outhustled Texas or just lucky but Texas should have had more chances to win that game but they just couldn't grab a rebound.
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That Gonzaga Western Kentucky game is my favorite of the tournament so far. Very well-played, tons of shot making and a frantic finish. As much as coaches like to overdo it that game is Exhibit A why you don't call a timeout in a situation like that. Gonzaga was able to sprint up the court before WKU could get their defense set.
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I hope Orlando Mendez-Valdez is this year's Stephen Curry. But I hope for his sake he's not next year's Stephen Curry. Instead of LeBron James, Eduardo Najera could show up at all his games.
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If this were the 1950s they wouldn't show Blake Griffin's parents on TV.
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If you didn't know why so much was being made out of Ty Lawson's injury and how important he is to North Carolina, well, now you know.
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Washington's comeback falls short because they didn't spread the floor. They were driving and getting into the lane and screwing up Purdue's defense, but no one was set up at the 3-point line to get the pass from Thomas. They also couldn't get a stop which didn't help.
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Usually they talk so much about tempo, but Washington is pushing the tempo and still getting killed by Purdue. 54 is a pretty good full game total in the Big 10 and Pursue still has 10 minutes left.
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If you were friends with Lorenzo Romar would you call him LoRo or ZoRo?
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If you watch essentially the same program for 3 days straight, 12 hours a day you will see the same commercial a lot. The guy dressed up like a pregnant lady sneaking nachos into a game is dumb. But Bill and Jeff love the Axe commercial with the excessively perspiring underarms.
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Anyone notice how quick CBS is being with adding baskets to the score at the bottom? I noticed a couple times they gave a team credit for a free throw while it was still in the air, then they had to take the point off when it missed.
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After blowouts by Villanova, Memphis and UConn we finally got some good games.
I was rooting for Texas, because I hate Duke. But those fuckin Blue Devils got every freakin loose ball. Maybe they outhustled Texas or just lucky but Texas should have had more chances to win that game but they just couldn't grab a rebound.
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That Gonzaga Western Kentucky game is my favorite of the tournament so far. Very well-played, tons of shot making and a frantic finish. As much as coaches like to overdo it that game is Exhibit A why you don't call a timeout in a situation like that. Gonzaga was able to sprint up the court before WKU could get their defense set.
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I hope Orlando Mendez-Valdez is this year's Stephen Curry. But I hope for his sake he's not next year's Stephen Curry. Instead of LeBron James, Eduardo Najera could show up at all his games.
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If this were the 1950s they wouldn't show Blake Griffin's parents on TV.
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If you didn't know why so much was being made out of Ty Lawson's injury and how important he is to North Carolina, well, now you know.
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Washington's comeback falls short because they didn't spread the floor. They were driving and getting into the lane and screwing up Purdue's defense, but no one was set up at the 3-point line to get the pass from Thomas. They also couldn't get a stop which didn't help.
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Usually they talk so much about tempo, but Washington is pushing the tempo and still getting killed by Purdue. 54 is a pretty good full game total in the Big 10 and Pursue still has 10 minutes left.
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If you were friends with Lorenzo Romar would you call him LoRo or ZoRo?
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If you watch essentially the same program for 3 days straight, 12 hours a day you will see the same commercial a lot. The guy dressed up like a pregnant lady sneaking nachos into a game is dumb. But Bill and Jeff love the Axe commercial with the excessively perspiring underarms.
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Anyone notice how quick CBS is being with adding baskets to the score at the bottom? I noticed a couple times they gave a team credit for a free throw while it was still in the air, then they had to take the point off when it missed.
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After blowouts by Villanova, Memphis and UConn we finally got some good games.
Typical Penn State Fans
Horseman stopped by to watch some games with Bill and me. When he was leaving we had the dogs on the leashes in the front yard. Jeff was looking at them as he was backing out of the driveway. A woman driving by could see Jeff wasn't paying attention and honked him before she got anywhere near him.
Then she rolled down her window and yelled "he didn't even look."
As she drove away we saw a Penn State bumper sticker on her car.
Then she rolled down her window and yelled "he didn't even look."
As she drove away we saw a Penn State bumper sticker on her car.
Friday, March 20, 2009
March Madness - Friday Thoughts
A great finish to a great two days of action. We'll still hear a lot of complaints because these games were too late for a lot of people to stay up, but what a finish. And two more days of games before its over for the weekend.
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Looks like we saved the best for last in the first round. There's the biggest upset of the first round, Cleveland State over Wake Forest. And also not one but two overtime games.
Siena's Ronald Moore showing some onions (!) to send the game into the second overtime. And Ronald Moore with moore onions (garden variety), hitting another huge 3. Siena wins in the first round for the second straight year, and Jems is going nuts.
And Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes hitting a circus shot to win it for Wisconsin. Despite a great game by Toney Douglas Wisconsin rallied for the win. The third 12 to beat a 5 this year. The first time in 25 years of 64 team fields that has ever happened.
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Anyone else noticing how empty the arenas have been for these early rounds? Is it the economy? I never remember arenas being so empty all the time. I'll be curious if we see a lot of empty seats next weekend too.
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Right now Pizza Parlor Derek is chanting "I want Morehead!" And yes, that's his joke not mine.
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Ready to start the night session, the end of the first round is already here.
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I told you an 11 always beats a 6 and a 12 always beats a 5. It's like the sun coming up in the East. And speaking of the East, the Big East falls to 5-1 with only Louisville left, so we can safely make that 6-1 in the opening round.
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Pittsburgh wins by 10, but they didn't play a smart game. Nor did ETSU for that matter. Too many threes, and a lot of missed free throws as well.
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Derek Glasser's free throws help Arizona State lock up a win over Temple. A Jew brings down the Temple.
Next up for Arizona State the Syracuse Orange.
Let's see if Syracuse can stop James Harden. He had a terrible game, I don't expect a repeat of that performance.
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OK, I said I didn't like those Christmas puns, but if Dionte Christmas experiences the premature ejaculation do you think his girlfriend says "Christmas came early?"
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Everyone says a 16 is going to beat a 1 eventually. I'm not convinced but Pitt is letting ETSU hang in here. I still expect them to win by 20.
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I am so happy Jim Nantz is not doing this Temple game. Imagine how many gay puns he would have done with Dionte Christmas.
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Marquette holds on for a 1-point victory. Too bad Utah State's 3-point shooters fouled out, they got a good look but missed it.
There's almost always an 11 over a 6. Now it's either Dayton over West Virginia or Temple over Arizona State. Or maybe there just won't be many 1st round upsets this year.
----------------------------------
Incredible bank shot 3 by Utah State to cut the lead to 2.
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We're finally get some great finishes, awesome crossover by Eaton to give Oklahoma State the win.
----------------------------------
North Dakota State is playing a good game but two things need to happen for an upset of that magnitude to occur. The underdog has to be hot, and the favorite has to be playing badly and turning it over. Kansas is playing well enough to hold them off. Especially Sherron Collins.
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Let me set the scene for you. I am at Billy's house and Diesel and Trey are going nuts. They will not stop jumping all over each other. So there is a lot of barking, and a lot of howling. And every 15 minutes an alarm goes off. Billy is currently having an opthamological issue and needs to put in eye drops every 15 minutes.
We've got two laptops plus the big screen TV, so if we could ever get the dogs to lie down we'd be in March Madness heaven.
I think the dogs will calm down enough to let me post some thoughts on today's games.
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Looks like we saved the best for last in the first round. There's the biggest upset of the first round, Cleveland State over Wake Forest. And also not one but two overtime games.
Siena's Ronald Moore showing some onions (!) to send the game into the second overtime. And Ronald Moore with moore onions (garden variety), hitting another huge 3. Siena wins in the first round for the second straight year, and Jems is going nuts.
And Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes hitting a circus shot to win it for Wisconsin. Despite a great game by Toney Douglas Wisconsin rallied for the win. The third 12 to beat a 5 this year. The first time in 25 years of 64 team fields that has ever happened.
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Anyone else noticing how empty the arenas have been for these early rounds? Is it the economy? I never remember arenas being so empty all the time. I'll be curious if we see a lot of empty seats next weekend too.
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Right now Pizza Parlor Derek is chanting "I want Morehead!" And yes, that's his joke not mine.
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Ready to start the night session, the end of the first round is already here.
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I told you an 11 always beats a 6 and a 12 always beats a 5. It's like the sun coming up in the East. And speaking of the East, the Big East falls to 5-1 with only Louisville left, so we can safely make that 6-1 in the opening round.
----------------------------------
Pittsburgh wins by 10, but they didn't play a smart game. Nor did ETSU for that matter. Too many threes, and a lot of missed free throws as well.
----------------------------------
Derek Glasser's free throws help Arizona State lock up a win over Temple. A Jew brings down the Temple.
Next up for Arizona State the Syracuse Orange.
Let's see if Syracuse can stop James Harden. He had a terrible game, I don't expect a repeat of that performance.
----------------------------------
OK, I said I didn't like those Christmas puns, but if Dionte Christmas experiences the premature ejaculation do you think his girlfriend says "Christmas came early?"
----------------------------------
Everyone says a 16 is going to beat a 1 eventually. I'm not convinced but Pitt is letting ETSU hang in here. I still expect them to win by 20.
----------------------------------
I am so happy Jim Nantz is not doing this Temple game. Imagine how many gay puns he would have done with Dionte Christmas.
----------------------------------
Marquette holds on for a 1-point victory. Too bad Utah State's 3-point shooters fouled out, they got a good look but missed it.
There's almost always an 11 over a 6. Now it's either Dayton over West Virginia or Temple over Arizona State. Or maybe there just won't be many 1st round upsets this year.
----------------------------------
Incredible bank shot 3 by Utah State to cut the lead to 2.
----------------------------------
We're finally get some great finishes, awesome crossover by Eaton to give Oklahoma State the win.
----------------------------------
North Dakota State is playing a good game but two things need to happen for an upset of that magnitude to occur. The underdog has to be hot, and the favorite has to be playing badly and turning it over. Kansas is playing well enough to hold them off. Especially Sherron Collins.
----------------------------------
Let me set the scene for you. I am at Billy's house and Diesel and Trey are going nuts. They will not stop jumping all over each other. So there is a lot of barking, and a lot of howling. And every 15 minutes an alarm goes off. Billy is currently having an opthamological issue and needs to put in eye drops every 15 minutes.
We've got two laptops plus the big screen TV, so if we could ever get the dogs to lie down we'd be in March Madness heaven.
I think the dogs will calm down enough to let me post some thoughts on today's games.
Syracuse vs. Stephen F. Austin
Syracuse is playing great, dominating from the opening whistle.
They are getting the ball inside which is what they have to against smaller teams.
Also the perimeter defense is very impressive. Sometimes teams can kill SU from the outside. SFA missed their first 15 3-point attempts before finally hitting one.
But SU wasn't much better from downtown, shooting 2 for 16 with Rautins going 0 for 6. But I don't worry about him, I'm sure he'll bounce back with a better performance in the next game.
Also, SU got very sloppy with the ball, especially in the second half, turning it over 21 times in total.
But you can't be too upset with the way they played. They came out and took a big lead and really never let them back into it. A great easy first round victory.
They are getting the ball inside which is what they have to against smaller teams.
Also the perimeter defense is very impressive. Sometimes teams can kill SU from the outside. SFA missed their first 15 3-point attempts before finally hitting one.
But SU wasn't much better from downtown, shooting 2 for 16 with Rautins going 0 for 6. But I don't worry about him, I'm sure he'll bounce back with a better performance in the next game.
Also, SU got very sloppy with the ball, especially in the second half, turning it over 21 times in total.
But you can't be too upset with the way they played. They came out and took a big lead and really never let them back into it. A great easy first round victory.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March Madness - Thursday Thoughts
Note: I'll update this throughout the day with thoughts, newest on top.
A pretty tame day, and I'm sure a lot of people will complain about the lack of exciting games and upsets. This was a mild start, as the one upset (Western Kentucky over Illinois) was fairly obvious to a lot of people.
Here's hoping for a better day tomorrow starting with a Syracuse win.
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So UCLA holds off VCU in what has to be the game of the day. A lot of people were looking for the upset here but UCLA did enough to win.
----------------------------------
Blake Griffin does a pretty good tuck and roll. How the hell did he allow himself to be lifted off the ground like that.
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When underdogs pull of huge upsets they got nuts from 3-point range. That's what American did in the first half. But Villanova turned it on and outscored them 49-26.
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Similar thrust from Gonzaga, 31-6 run to bury Akron and turn a double-digit deficit into a double-digit lead.
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Texas's AJ Abrams went off. Over a span of 5 minutes in the second half Texas went on a 15-5 run, all 15 points were Abrams' 3s, on 5 attempts.
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Big win for Michigan. Remember when they used to be an elite basketball program? Clutch 3-point play by Manny Harris ended Clemson's comeback bid.
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There's a guy on Akron Humpty Hitchens, so named because he loved the "Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground. They played the song and Tim Brando said "reminds me of my wedding night." I hope he was kidding.
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I have no idea why so many people were picking Mississippi State over Washington. When they made the pick they said Mississippi State was a hot team because they won the SEC. Now the announcers just said they were worn out from their run in the SEC Tournament. They'll say the same thing about Syracuse when they lose.
Washington is a really good team though. I actually have them beating Connecticut. A 1 seed usually loses and I love the other 3 with their matchups.
----------------------------------
UNC and UConn looked great. I guess they don't need Calhoun and Lawson as much as everyone said.
----------------------------------
I lost my first upset pick. Northern Iowa kept getting to within 6 but Purdue kept fighting them off. Still not impressed with the Big 10.
----------------------------------
If Hasheem Thabeet were a baseball player, a switch-hitter, when they brought in a lefty to face him, Tim McCarver would say they are "turning Thabeet around."
----------------------------------
Everyone's upset special is starting - Northern Iowa vs. Purdue.
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Jim Calhoun is sick and in the hospital. He will not coach today and who knows about future UConn games. He's had cancer so many times, who knows what's wrong.
----------------------------------
Good slate of opening games:
LSU 75 Butler 71 - LSU jumped out to an early lead and Butler came back but could never get over the hump. I love this kid Matt Howard, and he has 2 years left.
Memphis 81 Cal-State Northridge 70 - Much closer than the final score indicates. They really put a scare in Memphis, but Memphis turned it on when they got really scared. This has to raise questions about them as a final 4 team though.
Texas A&M 79 BYU 66 - ATM got up early and never let go.
60 games, left, 13 more today, and so far I got all three right.
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Ok, we can all relax now, Memphis finally took this game over with superior size adn speed. And they started hitting shots. There will be no monumental upset.
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62-59 Northridge, 8:33 to go. When it was 55-55 I was going to write that Memphis would still win by 10. Then Northridge scored 6 in a row. This can happen. Memphis is not playing defense on the dribbler and they are chucking up too many threes. If they don't change their gameplan they could destroy every office pool in the country.
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March Madness on Demand is awesome. For years I've been frustrated when CBS sticks with a game just because they decided to show it first. I have no rooting interest in LSU-Butler, even though it's close I'd much rather watch Memphis-Cal State Northridge.
If Northridge pulls it off it would be the 2nd biggest first round upset in history. When Arizona, South Carolina and Iowa State lost as #2s they weren't real contenders. Memphis is, and Syracuse was back in 1991, that was bigger because it was the first time.
A pretty tame day, and I'm sure a lot of people will complain about the lack of exciting games and upsets. This was a mild start, as the one upset (Western Kentucky over Illinois) was fairly obvious to a lot of people.
Here's hoping for a better day tomorrow starting with a Syracuse win.
----------------------------------
So UCLA holds off VCU in what has to be the game of the day. A lot of people were looking for the upset here but UCLA did enough to win.
----------------------------------
Blake Griffin does a pretty good tuck and roll. How the hell did he allow himself to be lifted off the ground like that.
----------------------------------
When underdogs pull of huge upsets they got nuts from 3-point range. That's what American did in the first half. But Villanova turned it on and outscored them 49-26.
----------------------------------
Similar thrust from Gonzaga, 31-6 run to bury Akron and turn a double-digit deficit into a double-digit lead.
----------------------------------
Texas's AJ Abrams went off. Over a span of 5 minutes in the second half Texas went on a 15-5 run, all 15 points were Abrams' 3s, on 5 attempts.
----------------------------------
Big win for Michigan. Remember when they used to be an elite basketball program? Clutch 3-point play by Manny Harris ended Clemson's comeback bid.
----------------------------------
There's a guy on Akron Humpty Hitchens, so named because he loved the "Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground. They played the song and Tim Brando said "reminds me of my wedding night." I hope he was kidding.
----------------------------------
I have no idea why so many people were picking Mississippi State over Washington. When they made the pick they said Mississippi State was a hot team because they won the SEC. Now the announcers just said they were worn out from their run in the SEC Tournament. They'll say the same thing about Syracuse when they lose.
Washington is a really good team though. I actually have them beating Connecticut. A 1 seed usually loses and I love the other 3 with their matchups.
----------------------------------
UNC and UConn looked great. I guess they don't need Calhoun and Lawson as much as everyone said.
----------------------------------
I lost my first upset pick. Northern Iowa kept getting to within 6 but Purdue kept fighting them off. Still not impressed with the Big 10.
----------------------------------
If Hasheem Thabeet were a baseball player, a switch-hitter, when they brought in a lefty to face him, Tim McCarver would say they are "turning Thabeet around."
----------------------------------
Everyone's upset special is starting - Northern Iowa vs. Purdue.
----------------------------------
Jim Calhoun is sick and in the hospital. He will not coach today and who knows about future UConn games. He's had cancer so many times, who knows what's wrong.
----------------------------------
Good slate of opening games:
LSU 75 Butler 71 - LSU jumped out to an early lead and Butler came back but could never get over the hump. I love this kid Matt Howard, and he has 2 years left.
Memphis 81 Cal-State Northridge 70 - Much closer than the final score indicates. They really put a scare in Memphis, but Memphis turned it on when they got really scared. This has to raise questions about them as a final 4 team though.
Texas A&M 79 BYU 66 - ATM got up early and never let go.
60 games, left, 13 more today, and so far I got all three right.
----------------------------------
Ok, we can all relax now, Memphis finally took this game over with superior size adn speed. And they started hitting shots. There will be no monumental upset.
----------------------------------
62-59 Northridge, 8:33 to go. When it was 55-55 I was going to write that Memphis would still win by 10. Then Northridge scored 6 in a row. This can happen. Memphis is not playing defense on the dribbler and they are chucking up too many threes. If they don't change their gameplan they could destroy every office pool in the country.
----------------------------------
March Madness on Demand is awesome. For years I've been frustrated when CBS sticks with a game just because they decided to show it first. I have no rooting interest in LSU-Butler, even though it's close I'd much rather watch Memphis-Cal State Northridge.
If Northridge pulls it off it would be the 2nd biggest first round upset in history. When Arizona, South Carolina and Iowa State lost as #2s they weren't real contenders. Memphis is, and Syracuse was back in 1991, that was bigger because it was the first time.
Mask Taps Out
The co-founder of the MMA-inspired clothing line Tapout, a gentleman named Mask (ok, his real name is Charles Lewis) was killing in an horrific auto accident.
Mask's $300,000 Ferrari jumped the curb and hit a lightpole so hard, that the car was literally torn in half.
A policeman nearby saw Mask's car and a Porsche driving very fast and he saw the cars spin out of control, probably after colliding.
The other driver sped off and was caught a few blocks away and arrested for drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.
The woman in the car with Mask sustained serious injuries and is still in the hospital.
Mask's $300,000 Ferrari jumped the curb and hit a lightpole so hard, that the car was literally torn in half.
A policeman nearby saw Mask's car and a Porsche driving very fast and he saw the cars spin out of control, probably after colliding.
The other driver sped off and was caught a few blocks away and arrested for drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.
The woman in the car with Mask sustained serious injuries and is still in the hospital.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I Just Can't Quit Bill Simmons
When Bill Simmons was first hired by ESPN, he was awesome. He thought, talked and acted exactly like us and he wrote the way we would write if we had an ESPN column.
Somewhere though, he lost his way, he became just like every other douchebag writer and sports personality, being overly critical, never backing his opinions up with facts and in Simmons's case, beating every joke into the ground. Did you know Isiah Thomas was a bad general manager?
And even worse, his mailbags which were once the highlight of his writing just became full of letters from Simmons wannabes hitting on the same themes (every GM sucks, stupid things ruin movies and moustaches rule). But like I said, I can't quit Simmons so I did read his latest mailbag and found a couple things that made my laugh and remember why I used to read him so religiously before he started writing books, feuding with ESPN and posting once a month.
First he said Red and Andy from Shawshank Redemption had the best bro-mance in history. So true. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand.
And then there was this gem, even though the heavy lifting was done by the letter-writer here, it's still hysterical:
Q: Can you think of the sports equivalent of the spouses of buddies whose Facebook friend-request you accepted who constantly update their status on the topic of taking care of their kids? Like "Jenn is watching her little ones nap" and "Sarah is playing 'Bob the Builder' with her kids! Yay!" As a 28-year-old unmarried man, it's not that I don't appreciate females or motherhood, it's just that I don't care. For the same reason that I don't update my status with "Kully just put on jock itch cream."
-- Kully, Guangzhou, China
SG: Wouldn't the sports equivalent be like ending up with an undesirable throw-in for an NBA trade (aka Marcus Banks)? The more interesting angle for me is how Twitter and Facebook reflect where our writing is going thanks to the Internet. In 15 years, writing went from "reflecting on what happened and putting together some coherent thoughts" to "reflecting on what happened as quickly as possible" to "reflecting on what's happening as it's happening" to "here are my half-baked thoughts about absolutely anything and I'm not even going to attempt to entertain you," or as I like to call it, Twitter/Facebook Syndrome. Do my friends REALLY CARE if I send out an update, "Bill is flying on an airplane finishing a mailbag right now?" (Which is true, by the way.) I just don't think they would. I certainly wouldn't. That's why I refuse to use Twitter.
As for Facebook, I don't mind getting status updates and snapshots of what my friends' lives are like -- even if "Bob the Builder" is prominently involved -- as long as they aren't posting 10 times a day or writing something uncomfortable about their spouse/boyfriend like "(Girl's name) is … trying to remember the last time she looked at her husband without wanting to punch him in the face" or "(Girl's name) is … just going to keep eating, it's not like I have sex anymore." Keep me out of your personal business, please. Other than that, the comedy of status updates can be off the charts. Like my college classmate who sends out status updates so overwhelmingly mundane and weird that my buddies and I forward them to each other, then add fake responses like, "(Guy's name) … snapped and killed a drifter tonight" and "(Guy's name) … would hang myself if the ceilings in my apartment weren't too short." It kills us. We can't get enough of it. We have been doing it for four solid months. And really, that's what Facebook is all about -- looking at photos of your friend's kids or any reunion or party, making fun of people you never liked and searching for old hook-ups and deciding whether you regret the hook-up or not. That's really it. All in all, I like Facebook.
Somewhere though, he lost his way, he became just like every other douchebag writer and sports personality, being overly critical, never backing his opinions up with facts and in Simmons's case, beating every joke into the ground. Did you know Isiah Thomas was a bad general manager?
And even worse, his mailbags which were once the highlight of his writing just became full of letters from Simmons wannabes hitting on the same themes (every GM sucks, stupid things ruin movies and moustaches rule). But like I said, I can't quit Simmons so I did read his latest mailbag and found a couple things that made my laugh and remember why I used to read him so religiously before he started writing books, feuding with ESPN and posting once a month.
First he said Red and Andy from Shawshank Redemption had the best bro-mance in history. So true. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand.
And then there was this gem, even though the heavy lifting was done by the letter-writer here, it's still hysterical:
Q: Can you think of the sports equivalent of the spouses of buddies whose Facebook friend-request you accepted who constantly update their status on the topic of taking care of their kids? Like "Jenn is watching her little ones nap" and "Sarah is playing 'Bob the Builder' with her kids! Yay!" As a 28-year-old unmarried man, it's not that I don't appreciate females or motherhood, it's just that I don't care. For the same reason that I don't update my status with "Kully just put on jock itch cream."
-- Kully, Guangzhou, China
SG: Wouldn't the sports equivalent be like ending up with an undesirable throw-in for an NBA trade (aka Marcus Banks)? The more interesting angle for me is how Twitter and Facebook reflect where our writing is going thanks to the Internet. In 15 years, writing went from "reflecting on what happened and putting together some coherent thoughts" to "reflecting on what happened as quickly as possible" to "reflecting on what's happening as it's happening" to "here are my half-baked thoughts about absolutely anything and I'm not even going to attempt to entertain you," or as I like to call it, Twitter/Facebook Syndrome. Do my friends REALLY CARE if I send out an update, "Bill is flying on an airplane finishing a mailbag right now?" (Which is true, by the way.) I just don't think they would. I certainly wouldn't. That's why I refuse to use Twitter.
As for Facebook, I don't mind getting status updates and snapshots of what my friends' lives are like -- even if "Bob the Builder" is prominently involved -- as long as they aren't posting 10 times a day or writing something uncomfortable about their spouse/boyfriend like "(Girl's name) is … trying to remember the last time she looked at her husband without wanting to punch him in the face" or "(Girl's name) is … just going to keep eating, it's not like I have sex anymore." Keep me out of your personal business, please. Other than that, the comedy of status updates can be off the charts. Like my college classmate who sends out status updates so overwhelmingly mundane and weird that my buddies and I forward them to each other, then add fake responses like, "(Guy's name) … snapped and killed a drifter tonight" and "(Guy's name) … would hang myself if the ceilings in my apartment weren't too short." It kills us. We can't get enough of it. We have been doing it for four solid months. And really, that's what Facebook is all about -- looking at photos of your friend's kids or any reunion or party, making fun of people you never liked and searching for old hook-ups and deciding whether you regret the hook-up or not. That's really it. All in all, I like Facebook.
Song of the Week
"Mad" - Ne-Yo
I loved this guy when I heard "So Sick" since then he's done a parade of decent but very "pop" songs, finally something with a little more R&B flavor.
I loved this guy when I heard "So Sick" since then he's done a parade of decent but very "pop" songs, finally something with a little more R&B flavor.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Three Seed
Syracuse earned a 3-seed with its impressive run in the Big East Tournament.
The last time SU was a 3-seed a freshman named Carmelo Anthony led them to the National Championship.
The last two times they went to the Big East Final they lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
I don't think Stephen F. Austin is much of a threat (though an upset is possible) and I even think SU should beat Arizona State (even though James Harden is pretty good).
That would leave a Sweet 16 matchup against Oklahoma. I think SU will get eaten alive by Blake Griffin especially because our interior players are undisciplined defenders prone to foul trouble. But a lot of people are saying there's a chance Oklahoma will get knocked off before then.
If somehow SU got through that game, a matchup in the Regional Final against North Carolina would surely be their downfall.
But you never know what's going to happen, so you just have to watch.
SU plays at 12:15 on Friday afternoon and should they win the round two game will be Sunday at noon, the only game in that time slot so the whole nation will be getting our game.
The last time SU was a 3-seed a freshman named Carmelo Anthony led them to the National Championship.
The last two times they went to the Big East Final they lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
I don't think Stephen F. Austin is much of a threat (though an upset is possible) and I even think SU should beat Arizona State (even though James Harden is pretty good).
That would leave a Sweet 16 matchup against Oklahoma. I think SU will get eaten alive by Blake Griffin especially because our interior players are undisciplined defenders prone to foul trouble. But a lot of people are saying there's a chance Oklahoma will get knocked off before then.
If somehow SU got through that game, a matchup in the Regional Final against North Carolina would surely be their downfall.
But you never know what's going to happen, so you just have to watch.
SU plays at 12:15 on Friday afternoon and should they win the round two game will be Sunday at noon, the only game in that time slot so the whole nation will be getting our game.
They Need to Pair This Guy With Sully
Southwest Airlines could charge extra for flights flown by Sully Sullenberger with this guy as the flight attendant.
Rapping the announcements, pretty impressive. Rapping the announcements without sounding cheesy and with a bunch of white people giving a ragged beat, now that's impressive.
Rapping the announcements, pretty impressive. Rapping the announcements without sounding cheesy and with a bunch of white people giving a ragged beat, now that's impressive.
Do Not Post About Your Job On Facebook
But if you do, make sure you spell everything correctly.
The Philadelphia Eagles fired a stadium emploee, Dan Leone after his status update said "Dan is fucking devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!"
Leone was upset about the Eagles allowing his favorite player Brian Dawkins to sign with the Broncos.
Leone who works the gate on gamedays was fired by phone a few days after that status update.
I wonder if the Eagles had a policy saying team employees could not be publicly critical of the organization. If so, his comments are reasonable cause for dismissal. Even if they didn't it should have been reasonably assumed that this behavior would not be appreciated.
The Philadelphia Eagles fired a stadium emploee, Dan Leone after his status update said "Dan is fucking devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!"
Leone was upset about the Eagles allowing his favorite player Brian Dawkins to sign with the Broncos.
Leone who works the gate on gamedays was fired by phone a few days after that status update.
I wonder if the Eagles had a policy saying team employees could not be publicly critical of the organization. If so, his comments are reasonable cause for dismissal. Even if they didn't it should have been reasonably assumed that this behavior would not be appreciated.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Jimmy Fallon's Take on the 6 Overtime Game
Jimmy Fallon sucks and this skit is hardly amusing but I will do anything to keep the memory of that incredible Syracuse - UConn six overtime game on my mind.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Song That Won't Die
Usually songs, no matter how popular, have their initial popularity, then fade away to be enjoyed with the occassional radio airplay or when you dig up that old CD or on a TV show or movie to evoke a certain time period.
But "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey seems to be the one song that refuses to go away. I admit it's a pretty good song, but I wouldn't consider it an all-time great. In fact that highest it got on the Billboard chart when it was released in 1981 was #9. But for some reason the song keeps making a comeback
The 2005 Chicago White Sox adopted it as their theme song after singing it at a karaoke bar, and even had Steve Perry sing it with them at their championship parade.
And most famously the song was used for the controversial but memorable final scene of "The Sopranos." After which I made it the Song of the Week and the video I used (one of the few SOTW that hasn't been taken down) has gotten more than 10 million views on youtube.
Now a dance artist named George Lamond has remixed the song with a cool beat, giving it life for a few more years.
But "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey seems to be the one song that refuses to go away. I admit it's a pretty good song, but I wouldn't consider it an all-time great. In fact that highest it got on the Billboard chart when it was released in 1981 was #9. But for some reason the song keeps making a comeback
The 2005 Chicago White Sox adopted it as their theme song after singing it at a karaoke bar, and even had Steve Perry sing it with them at their championship parade.
And most famously the song was used for the controversial but memorable final scene of "The Sopranos." After which I made it the Song of the Week and the video I used (one of the few SOTW that hasn't been taken down) has gotten more than 10 million views on youtube.
Now a dance artist named George Lamond has remixed the song with a cool beat, giving it life for a few more years.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
It's March Madness, the NCAA Tournament and that means its time for the Poop's annual bracket challenge. Go to espn.com's tournament challenge, search for a group called "The Poop," make your picks before the tournament starts Thursday at noon and talk some trash in the comments section.
It's easy really.
Brackets for wives and children are acceptable, but you can only get credit for the picks made under your name.
The winner will be the recipient of a laudatory post like the one Beers received last year.
It's easy really.
Brackets for wives and children are acceptable, but you can only get credit for the picks made under your name.
The winner will be the recipient of a laudatory post like the one Beers received last year.
Hooves + Linoleum = Hilarity
Few things I've seen in my life amuse me more than the few times I've seen deer run into a store.
Poor deer, they never can get their footing on those slippery floors.
Poor deer, they never can get their footing on those slippery floors.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Sextuple OT
The most amazing, improbable, heart-stopping, exhilarating victory in Syracuse history. Sure there have been bigger games, and more important victories, but 6 overtimes -- nothing like that.
A team I have derided all season as not knowing how to win fended off five "game points" coming from behind in each of the first five overtimes (without ever holding a lead), pushing UConn to the breaking point, then finally breaking them in the sixth OT.
Without Onuaku, Ongenaet, Jackson and Devendorf, Paul Harris and Jonny Flynn carried Kris Joseph and a walk-on named Justin Thomas (with a little help from Andy Rautins) to a victory over the 4th ranked team in the country.
The big key here for SU was the free throw shooting. Flynn and Harris combined to make 29 of 30 from the line.
Rautins (as he usally does) contributing a couple big plays, including the 3-pointer 10 seconds into the 6th overtime to give SU its first lead in any of the OTs.
I still don't have high hopes for this team in the NCAA tournament, and expect them to have tired legs tonight against West Virginia, but they showed me something in this game about their heart and guts.
And even if this season results in another first round flameout (like the one after Gerry McNamamara's amazing Big East run in 2006), this game will go down as one of the most memorable in SU history.
And to think, it almost didn't happen. If the timekeeper starts the clock .2 of a second later, Devendorf wins the game with a 3 at the buzzer. In regulation.
A team I have derided all season as not knowing how to win fended off five "game points" coming from behind in each of the first five overtimes (without ever holding a lead), pushing UConn to the breaking point, then finally breaking them in the sixth OT.
Without Onuaku, Ongenaet, Jackson and Devendorf, Paul Harris and Jonny Flynn carried Kris Joseph and a walk-on named Justin Thomas (with a little help from Andy Rautins) to a victory over the 4th ranked team in the country.
The big key here for SU was the free throw shooting. Flynn and Harris combined to make 29 of 30 from the line.
Rautins (as he usally does) contributing a couple big plays, including the 3-pointer 10 seconds into the 6th overtime to give SU its first lead in any of the OTs.
I still don't have high hopes for this team in the NCAA tournament, and expect them to have tired legs tonight against West Virginia, but they showed me something in this game about their heart and guts.
And even if this season results in another first round flameout (like the one after Gerry McNamamara's amazing Big East run in 2006), this game will go down as one of the most memorable in SU history.
And to think, it almost didn't happen. If the timekeeper starts the clock .2 of a second later, Devendorf wins the game with a 3 at the buzzer. In regulation.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Getting Chippy
Syracuse blowing out another bad team, this time it was Seton Hall in the second round of the Big East Tournament.
SU was leading by only 2, 46-44 with 16 minutes left in the second half when someone unsportsmanlike conduct by Seton Hall lit a fire under their ass.
It all started with a gangsta swat by Arinze Onuaku on a shot by John Garcia. Garcia then yapped in Onuaku's face, and Arinze responded by clapping with his huge hands right in Garcia's face. When Garcia shoved them away, the refs teed up both players.
Ten seconds later Kristof Ongenaet was fouled hard from behind on a breakaway by Brandon Walters.
Eric Devendorf got in the middle to separate them, Eugene Harvey put his hand on Devendorf's face and shoved him.
I thought SU players show considerable restraint in both incidents.
And living well is the best revenge as SU went on a 15-3 run, turning the game into a blowout.
SU was leading by only 2, 46-44 with 16 minutes left in the second half when someone unsportsmanlike conduct by Seton Hall lit a fire under their ass.
It all started with a gangsta swat by Arinze Onuaku on a shot by John Garcia. Garcia then yapped in Onuaku's face, and Arinze responded by clapping with his huge hands right in Garcia's face. When Garcia shoved them away, the refs teed up both players.
Ten seconds later Kristof Ongenaet was fouled hard from behind on a breakaway by Brandon Walters.
Eric Devendorf got in the middle to separate them, Eugene Harvey put his hand on Devendorf's face and shoved him.
I thought SU players show considerable restraint in both incidents.
And living well is the best revenge as SU went on a 15-3 run, turning the game into a blowout.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Song of the Week
"Til I Collapse" - Eminem
You are almost guaranteed to hear this song as walk-in music for at least one fighter on every MMA card.
And it makes me reflect on the career of Eminem (which seems pretty much over now).
And I always come back to the same conclusion, the guy had tremoundous potential to be the realest MC with the strongest lyrics but he chose to sell out and go pop.
But you can tell the guy had deep thoughts and when he let his deepest thoughts come out in his music that's when he was at his best.
"Music is like magic
there’s a certain feeling you get
when your real and you spit
and people are feeling your shit.
This is your moment
and every single minute you spend
trying to hold onto it
cause you may never get it again."
Note: there is no official video for this song
You are almost guaranteed to hear this song as walk-in music for at least one fighter on every MMA card.
And it makes me reflect on the career of Eminem (which seems pretty much over now).
And I always come back to the same conclusion, the guy had tremoundous potential to be the realest MC with the strongest lyrics but he chose to sell out and go pop.
But you can tell the guy had deep thoughts and when he let his deepest thoughts come out in his music that's when he was at his best.
"Music is like magic
there’s a certain feeling you get
when your real and you spit
and people are feeling your shit.
This is your moment
and every single minute you spend
trying to hold onto it
cause you may never get it again."
Note: there is no official video for this song
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jessica Biel's Ass
Jessica Biel made an awesome guest appearance on Saturday Night Live this week, presumably to keep an eye on her boyfriend Justin Timberlake. Gay-T appears on SNL pretty much every week, probably because he is gay with Andy Samberg.
Anyway, Samberg was playing annoying comic book heroine Kathy, JT was her boyfriend, that is until Biel walked in playing Jessica Rabbit.
That costume started the biggest debate in the history of the internet.
Is that ass real? There is a lot you can do with costume, and I agree she is sticking her ass our as she walks, but she has to be padding that thing.
I mean in these pictures her ass is big and round (in a good way) but nothing like that. I have to assume she's using performance enhancing substances.
Anyway, Samberg was playing annoying comic book heroine Kathy, JT was her boyfriend, that is until Biel walked in playing Jessica Rabbit.
That costume started the biggest debate in the history of the internet.
Is that ass real? There is a lot you can do with costume, and I agree she is sticking her ass our as she walks, but she has to be padding that thing.
I mean in these pictures her ass is big and round (in a good way) but nothing like that. I have to assume she's using performance enhancing substances.
I'll Take Good Looks Over a Sense of Humor Any Day
People (mosty women) often say they prefer sense of humor in a potential mate, as compared to good looks. Well now Vanity Fair has spoofed one of their more famous recent covers by anointing Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Jason Segel as the new Legends of Comedy.
But presented with the evidence I'd still take Keira Knightley and a humorless Scarett Johansson any day of the week.
But presented with the evidence I'd still take Keira Knightley and a humorless Scarett Johansson any day of the week.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Fort Malia and Fort Sasha
When Mrs. Poop was a little girl, her father built Fort Kate for her in the backyard, which was basically a really cool homemade swingset.
It even had rings, which Mrs. Poop was using to do a skin the cat, when she fell and broke her arm.
Eventually, Fort Kate had to be taken down (I think it was a drainage issue).
But Mrs. Poop did get a little jealous when she saw the gift Malia and Sasha Obama got from their daddy.
A huge new swingset (no rings, too dangerous) on the South Lawn of the White House so the President can look out the windows of the Oval Office (which he once mistook for doors) and see his girls playing in the yard.
It even had rings, which Mrs. Poop was using to do a skin the cat, when she fell and broke her arm.
Eventually, Fort Kate had to be taken down (I think it was a drainage issue).
But Mrs. Poop did get a little jealous when she saw the gift Malia and Sasha Obama got from their daddy.
A huge new swingset (no rings, too dangerous) on the South Lawn of the White House so the President can look out the windows of the Oval Office (which he once mistook for doors) and see his girls playing in the yard.
Something to Think About As We Spring Ahead
Many of you are trudging into work this morning after getting one fewer hour of split and enjoying a weekend that was 2 percent shorter than every other weekend.
But at least you are not Tom Seaver.
A few years ago before he was mercilessly let go as Mets TV analyst, Tom Terrific a great story about the havoc "spring ahead" wreaked on his life.
In a measure of good planning, Seaver set his hotel room clock forward one hour before he went to bed. Little did he know that the clock would automatically reset itself at 2 am.
So when he woke up he thought he was an hour late, so he ran through the hotel lobby to catch the team bus. When he did, he thought he missed it, but he was actually an hour early.
I hope laughing at Tom Seaver will help you get through your "Spring Ahead" blues this morning.
But at least you are not Tom Seaver.
A few years ago before he was mercilessly let go as Mets TV analyst, Tom Terrific a great story about the havoc "spring ahead" wreaked on his life.
In a measure of good planning, Seaver set his hotel room clock forward one hour before he went to bed. Little did he know that the clock would automatically reset itself at 2 am.
So when he woke up he thought he was an hour late, so he ran through the hotel lobby to catch the team bus. When he did, he thought he missed it, but he was actually an hour early.
I hope laughing at Tom Seaver will help you get through your "Spring Ahead" blues this morning.
How Did It Get To the 12th Floor?
I'm sitting quietly at my desk when all the sudden I hear a blood-curdling shriek. A girl I work with is standing in the lobby area of our floor shouting "roach, roach!"
Sure enough, there was a huge roach (at least 2 inches long) moseying along the tile floor. After a few minutes of laughter and a cell phone picture, I chased the roach into a conference room and caught it under a cup.
But when I tried to slid a paper under the cup, the roach ran away.
Fast little guy.
The elevators in my building are notoriously confusing. You select your floor outside the elevator and it tells you which elevator to take. When you get in, you don't press a button, you just wait to be lifted (or lowered) to your destination.
How did a cockroach figure that out?
Sure enough, there was a huge roach (at least 2 inches long) moseying along the tile floor. After a few minutes of laughter and a cell phone picture, I chased the roach into a conference room and caught it under a cup.
But when I tried to slid a paper under the cup, the roach ran away.
Fast little guy.
The elevators in my building are notoriously confusing. You select your floor outside the elevator and it tells you which elevator to take. When you get in, you don't press a button, you just wait to be lifted (or lowered) to your destination.
How did a cockroach figure that out?
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Idol Chatter
The top 12 is set so I guess it's time to weigh in with my thoughts.
First let's deal with the Adam Lambert issue. The kid had a real chance. He could have taken his androgynous Clay Aiken-Annie Lenox thing to the top. But with these gay kiss and drag queen photos he's got no shot. Say what you want but people just don't like gay dudes. Look at every vote on gay marriage. People hate homos. And he coulda been a contender.
Most of the girls in the top 12 suck, except for 1 (I'll get to her later) so they will quickly be weeded out. But there are a couple of intriguing guys, most notably the two sympathy cases.
Scott MacIntyre makes me want to cry every time he sings. Fact is, the guy is awesome. He could be the white Stevie Wonder, or the blind Ray Charles, that's how good this guy is. But I'm just not sure this is his way to break into the industry. Especially because no one in his family wants to tell him "look bro, I can see, and your hair looks awful."
Then there's Danny Gokey who is everyone's odds-on favorite to win this thing. Not only can the guy really sing, but he has a dead wife (and not the O.J. Simpson kind either, she died during surgery, reportedly to treat a lifelong heart condition) which pulls on Mrs. Poop's heartstrings.
But sympathy will only take you so far in this contest. And with so many dudes being so good, I could easily see 5 vs. 1 in the final 6, they may cancel each other out.
And that is why Lil Rounds is going to win. Now lots of other great black women have been the best singers in their season (LaToya, LaKisha, Mandisa, Melinda) and got voted off because they weren't likable. But I don't see that problem with Lil. I listened to her performance of (former SOTW) "Be Without You" twice when I watched the show and five more times while I was writing this.
First let's deal with the Adam Lambert issue. The kid had a real chance. He could have taken his androgynous Clay Aiken-Annie Lenox thing to the top. But with these gay kiss and drag queen photos he's got no shot. Say what you want but people just don't like gay dudes. Look at every vote on gay marriage. People hate homos. And he coulda been a contender.
Most of the girls in the top 12 suck, except for 1 (I'll get to her later) so they will quickly be weeded out. But there are a couple of intriguing guys, most notably the two sympathy cases.
Scott MacIntyre makes me want to cry every time he sings. Fact is, the guy is awesome. He could be the white Stevie Wonder, or the blind Ray Charles, that's how good this guy is. But I'm just not sure this is his way to break into the industry. Especially because no one in his family wants to tell him "look bro, I can see, and your hair looks awful."
Then there's Danny Gokey who is everyone's odds-on favorite to win this thing. Not only can the guy really sing, but he has a dead wife (and not the O.J. Simpson kind either, she died during surgery, reportedly to treat a lifelong heart condition) which pulls on Mrs. Poop's heartstrings.
But sympathy will only take you so far in this contest. And with so many dudes being so good, I could easily see 5 vs. 1 in the final 6, they may cancel each other out.
And that is why Lil Rounds is going to win. Now lots of other great black women have been the best singers in their season (LaToya, LaKisha, Mandisa, Melinda) and got voted off because they weren't likable. But I don't see that problem with Lil. I listened to her performance of (former SOTW) "Be Without You" twice when I watched the show and five more times while I was writing this.
We Can't Even Have Salt?
A group of Jesus loving nutbags has had enough of this shit. Jews have monopolized the salt industry for far too long. For too many years Jews have pushed their agenda through Kosher salt. But those days are over. As a way to end years of oppression, some dumbass is now selling Christian Blessed Salt, which will be blessed by an Episcopalian priest. Because you really can't trust those rabbis.
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