It's getting to the end of the college season, which I'm sure some of you are mourning like me, while others are just glad their boyfriends aren't going to be watching this March Madness crap anymore.
Both games feature regular season rematches from December. Kansas continued their dominance on their home court and handled Ohio State last time around, but the Buckeyes were without Jared Sullinger, a late scratch in the game.
While Ohio State was expected to dominate the Big Ten and compete for the title this year, Kansas was thought to be in a rebuilding process - at least for them. Many projects had Kansas finishing behind Baylor and Missouri in the Big 12.
Louisville +8.5 vs. Kentucky
Kentucky downed Louisville by 7 on New Year's Eve, but were up by double digits much of the latter part of the game. As the cliche goes, these teams are a shell of what they were. Kentucky's young guns are much more seasoned, while Louisville has developed into one of the best defenses in college basketball.
At this point in the tourney, when you're betting some of these Final Four teams throughout the tourney and riding them to profit, it becomes difficult to bet against them. For me, the team that fits this bill the best is Louisville, a squad I have backed from the Round of 32 into the Elite Eight.
Despite the bet being a squarish (very public/popular) bet, I refreshed my phone in delight as Louisville covered the spread by a bucket over New Mexico on St. Patrick's Day. Five days later, I was delighted to see the Cardinals as 5 to 5.5 point underdogs versus Michigan State, the top seed in the region with a coach (Tom Izzo) who has a reputation for great coaching in March Madness.
After Louisville's convincing win there, they had to face the Florida Gators, who many sharp bettors thought had the better chance to advance to the Final Four thanks to more scoring options. It was looking that way for the first 33-34 minutes of the game, with Florida storming out of the gate with an insane shooting display. They led much of the game, mainly in the 7-10 point range, but a late rally by Louisville led -----> this guy <------ to celebrate to a third consecutive gambling win for me on Louisville.
In all, this Cardinals run netted me $800, so you can see why I may have a soft spot for them tonight against Kentucky, who I picked to win the tourney when the brackets came out. As any gambler knows though, you have to take emotion out of the equation and you have to ignore who may or may not have won you money. With Kentucky tourney games, I went 1-1 (bet on them against Indiana, against their spread versus Baylor).
This is no way to analyze a game, but stuff I must keep in mind before making an emotional type of bet on the games. I do think this is going to be a hard-fought rivalry type of game. Their December 31st matchup featured 50+ fouls, which hopefully won't get quite that high today (for fear of the referees making themselves part of the game).
Kentucky has the superior talent, while Louisville has the better team defense. I expect this to be the Civil War that everyone is dubbing it. Rick Pitino prepares his teams well after long layoffs between games, which will be one of the reasons this game stays so close. Like their last game, I say Kentucky wins, but Louisville covers.
Kentucky 67, Louisville 61 (Betting Louisville +8.5)
Kansas +2.5 vs. Ohio State
I don't have as much of a feel on the other game. The scary thing about Kansas so far is that they haven't really played that great yet despite making the Final Four. The Jayhawks escaped with a win over Purdue and could never put away North Carolina State in the regional semifinals. They were going back and forth versus UNC before saving their best three-minute span of tourney basketball for the last three minutes and eventually running away from the Tar Heels.
Ohio State has confused some bettors this year, with people not sure what they are going to get out of the Buckeyes. Come tourney time, and the Buckeyes started taking care of business. Like Kansas, they downed a 1-seed to advance to the Final Four, thanks to a strong second half performance.
While Kansas won by 11 the last time around, I'd definitely say that the absence of Sullinger was the main reason to such a convincing victory. If I decide to bet this game, I'm leaning on taking Ohio State - just not sure how convinced I am that Kansas isn't going to show its talent a little more than they have so far in the tourney.
Ohio State 74, Kansas 70
Enjoy the games everyone.
3/29/2012
Dating Myself
Ever since I was about 4 or 5 years old and starting my life-long love of sports statistics, I have been a man skilled in remembering many numbers and dates. Nevermind the uselessness of 98% of them. Does anyone really need to know every single World Series, Super Bowl & NBA Finals since he was a kid? (Now that I've mentioned this, I almost expect to get called out on this and to fail at the task).
As far as recent and upcoming dates go, there's several dates that I'll never forget. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, most dates don't mean much. March 20th was the 6 month mark of when an amazing relationship started in my life. April 1st is the 6th month mark of when one ended.
Of course, that date will mark 6 months since we put the old pup Buddy down. It's hard to believe that 6 months has passed since then. I'd say getting through this time has been made easier with the relationship I started just 10 days before that. Every now and then, I'll go by his container of ashes and dog collar and think about all the good times me and the old man had. I'll hold the collar up to our other dog Pixie, who will sniff and lick the collar as if it were his ears, per her usual daily tradition of cleaning them.
Also coming up next month is another tragic anniversary: the passing of my Grandma Bolek last April 27th. Again, like Buddy, doesn't feel like it's been that long since it happened...but such is the story of life, especially as we get older. I haven't visited the cemetary since the day of the funeral, so I think a trip up there will be in order soon. Also, I need to round up the Bolek troops again to try hanging out a little more - need to honor the memory of Grandma a little more.
With the bad dates in life, there's a balance of good to look forward to. June 30th will be my brother's bachelor party (with the concept of whirlyball, casino and a party bus the working idea so far - need to get this set pronto), followed by his wedding to his beautiful fiance Amber on July 7th, a date that may have Amber wondering if she should keep her last name instead of inheriting ours. I am honored to be the Best Man for the wedding and hope that I can create a good speech and a good time at the party the week before.
Also, for those who don't know, in between that time is July 1st, a date that will mark a milestone for this 29 year old. I will have officially moved out of my parent's house for the first time since I was in school at U of I in Champaign! Time to take off the diapers and put on some boxers (and have the girlfriend clean them....kidding Jen- kinda). I'm looking forward to seeing what the city has to offer while moving in with a g/f for the first time ever. Right now, looking to move to the South Loop area. It will be a good lesson in money management and other aspects of life as I learn to adjust to a different setting. Great thing about my current job is that all I need is Internet and a phone and I can work anywhere. Point - me.
There's some other dates coming up to look forward to, but the ones above are the ones clearest in mind. It's a fitting time to mention dates and numbers as the baseball season approaches, for it was baseball where I learned a lot about how to compute numbers in my head with ease. Consider it a blessing and a curse for being a Mathlete.
I'm sure I'll have more dates pop up on my radar as significant dates as the year passes on. For now, I am looking forward to most of these (everything aside from the death anniversaries) to see what the future will hold as 2012 progresses.
As far as recent and upcoming dates go, there's several dates that I'll never forget. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, most dates don't mean much. March 20th was the 6 month mark of when an amazing relationship started in my life. April 1st is the 6th month mark of when one ended.
Of course, that date will mark 6 months since we put the old pup Buddy down. It's hard to believe that 6 months has passed since then. I'd say getting through this time has been made easier with the relationship I started just 10 days before that. Every now and then, I'll go by his container of ashes and dog collar and think about all the good times me and the old man had. I'll hold the collar up to our other dog Pixie, who will sniff and lick the collar as if it were his ears, per her usual daily tradition of cleaning them.
Also coming up next month is another tragic anniversary: the passing of my Grandma Bolek last April 27th. Again, like Buddy, doesn't feel like it's been that long since it happened...but such is the story of life, especially as we get older. I haven't visited the cemetary since the day of the funeral, so I think a trip up there will be in order soon. Also, I need to round up the Bolek troops again to try hanging out a little more - need to honor the memory of Grandma a little more.
With the bad dates in life, there's a balance of good to look forward to. June 30th will be my brother's bachelor party (with the concept of whirlyball, casino and a party bus the working idea so far - need to get this set pronto), followed by his wedding to his beautiful fiance Amber on July 7th, a date that may have Amber wondering if she should keep her last name instead of inheriting ours. I am honored to be the Best Man for the wedding and hope that I can create a good speech and a good time at the party the week before.
Also, for those who don't know, in between that time is July 1st, a date that will mark a milestone for this 29 year old. I will have officially moved out of my parent's house for the first time since I was in school at U of I in Champaign! Time to take off the diapers and put on some boxers (and have the girlfriend clean them....kidding Jen- kinda). I'm looking forward to seeing what the city has to offer while moving in with a g/f for the first time ever. Right now, looking to move to the South Loop area. It will be a good lesson in money management and other aspects of life as I learn to adjust to a different setting. Great thing about my current job is that all I need is Internet and a phone and I can work anywhere. Point - me.
There's some other dates coming up to look forward to, but the ones above are the ones clearest in mind. It's a fitting time to mention dates and numbers as the baseball season approaches, for it was baseball where I learned a lot about how to compute numbers in my head with ease. Consider it a blessing and a curse for being a Mathlete.
I'm sure I'll have more dates pop up on my radar as significant dates as the year passes on. For now, I am looking forward to most of these (everything aside from the death anniversaries) to see what the future will hold as 2012 progresses.
3/23/2012
An Open Letter to Cubs/White Sox Baseball Fans
Dear Baseball Fan,
I figure this is about as good of a time as any to write this, with our baseball squads nearing the start of their seasons in the Windy City. Over the years, I have developed a strong dislike to the ignorant comments from both White Sox and Cubs fans that has resulted in arguments that bring mankind back to the Stone Age. It has come time for me to express my distaste of everything that is stupid with our "rivalry".
Unhappy with me putting the word "rivalry" in quotes? I don't look at the two teams as true rivals--the Sox and Cubs are rivals 6 times a year in my eyes. Otherwise, as a White Sox fan, I couldn't care less what the Cubs do. In fact, in their other interleague games, I am rooting for the Cubs. This applies more now with the extra Wild Card in play - the more losses our divisional opponents and other AL squads lose, the better for the Sox. Most prognosticators have the Sox nowhere near the playoffs, so rooting for the Cubs in those situations may seem pointless, but I'll take my chances with the North Siders whooping up on our AL brethren.
There's a few bullet points that strike me at the heart of my annoyance with Cubs & Sox fans - on both sides - that I will address below.
I do not have any envy relating to them either. I don't care that they sell out their games, that people like to go to their games more than the Cell. In my eyes, they have nothing I really envy - with the exception of Theo Epstein, who I believe will turn the team around, starting with the building of their minor league system. I do think the Cubs will win a World Series in our lifetimes, and the parade for it will probably dwarf the crowd that the White Sox championship brought to the streets.
I wish the Cubs well in 2012 and beyond and want to express this so that maybe, just maybe, some of these pointless, inane arguments about an opponent who really only affects your team's season 6 times out of 162 can die down somewhat.
If we are going to have arguments, let's make them fact-based and not attacking stupid things like one's sexuality, social class or stadium. Also, White Sox fans - no Cubs Suck chants when walking down the ramp WHEN WE AREN'T PLAYING THE CUBS!
I won't be holding my breath for peaceful relations between White Sox and Cubs fans, but all I can do is hope. And share these words. I hope you got this far and see what I'm getting at.
Enjoy the 2012 season everyone.
Sincerely,
A White Sox Fan
I figure this is about as good of a time as any to write this, with our baseball squads nearing the start of their seasons in the Windy City. Over the years, I have developed a strong dislike to the ignorant comments from both White Sox and Cubs fans that has resulted in arguments that bring mankind back to the Stone Age. It has come time for me to express my distaste of everything that is stupid with our "rivalry".
Unhappy with me putting the word "rivalry" in quotes? I don't look at the two teams as true rivals--the Sox and Cubs are rivals 6 times a year in my eyes. Otherwise, as a White Sox fan, I couldn't care less what the Cubs do. In fact, in their other interleague games, I am rooting for the Cubs. This applies more now with the extra Wild Card in play - the more losses our divisional opponents and other AL squads lose, the better for the Sox. Most prognosticators have the Sox nowhere near the playoffs, so rooting for the Cubs in those situations may seem pointless, but I'll take my chances with the North Siders whooping up on our AL brethren.
There's a few bullet points that strike me at the heart of my annoyance with Cubs & Sox fans - on both sides - that I will address below.
- World Series - This is always the topic that gets brought up in Windy City baseball arguments stemming from the past seven offseasons. Yes - the White Sox took home the city's first baseball title in almost 90 years as they rode through October 2005 with relative ease. But to keep bringing it up in arguments with Cubs fans makes it sound like we won several titles in a 4-5 year period when we have only won a single playoff game since then. The titleless drought since then leaves Chicago with one title in the past 95 years. Almost 200 seasons worth of baseball (combining the two teams) and only one title to show for it. When it comes to the title argument, I say to Sox fans: Let It Go.
The devil on the shoulders says, "Well, we did win a World Series in our lifetimes, so you can't hold it against us for being proud of that." True - that is something we have that Cubs fans cannot say at this point. For the North Side fans who say that our title was seven years ago - you are correct, and I applaud you for your math skills. But it did happen.
I saw a Facebook post from one Cubs fan to another that seemed awfully touchy to an ad made by Comcast SportsNet that mocked a video game commercial about a Cubs fan who was happy he led his team to a World Series title. For those who haven't seen the parody video, you can check it out here. Sox fan or not, I find it to be an efficient parody of the commercial, which itself was well-designed. I don't understand why you can't enjoy both ads without being sensitive about either end of it (no matter your fandom).
We need to find a way to balance all of this - where White Sox fans can be proud of their title from the recent past without (a) being annoying about it, (b) tossing it into an argument to prove that the White Sox are somehow better and (c) Cubs fans being pissy about the mere mention of it when it comes up. - Gay vs. White Trash Bashing - If you go to a Cubs/Sox game, you're bound to see your share of a-hole wearing "Wrigley Field: The World's Biggest Gay Bar" or "Ozzie Mows My Lawn". Odds are high that the people wearing these shirts are the ones who eventually get kicked out of the park for excessive drunkeness that leads to fights where Cubs fans' sexuality & White Sox White Trash status become the main arguing points.
Yes - I'm sure there's plenty of White Trash fans in the South Side fan base, just as I'm sure there's gays and lesbians who consider themselves Cubs fans. Perhaps I am over-analyzing this and giving the general public not enough credit, but why do we need to resort to attacking fan base's perceived social standing or sexuality preference, as if they have anything to do with baseball? If we're going to argue Cubs versus Sox, let's argue stats and head-to-head matchups instead. - Parks: Half Empty/Half Falling Apart - I love when I hear Cubs fans comment on the attendance of both teams, as if that really plays a role in making your team better. I admit that it can be disappointing to see the stadium half empty in the thick of summer, especially when the team is still in a pennant race. However, for fans like myself, what a half-empty stadium really means is a much better chance to attend games in person for face-value or close to it. I don't think the Cubs drew as many fans last year as they have in past years, but in the past 20 years, a bad Cubs season will easily outdraw a bad (sometimes even a good or really good) Sox season. Good for them, but that's not a point to argue to make your team sound better.
On the other hand, even though the stadium is in dire need of a remodeling, Wrigley Field stands as the beacon of Chicago Baseball parks. The White Sox blew a great chance when designing the new stadium, which opened in 1991. It was the last of stadiums built that was by most standards, a fairly average-looking stadium. Every stadium since the designing of our park, starting with Camden Yards in Baltimore, has been an outstanding park worthy of sellouts and bringing your family to (at least the ones I've visited). We have nothing to brag about with US Cellular Field - anyone who has visited at least one of the new stadiums (new being newer than the Cell) knows what I am talking about. Wrigley has the better atmosphere outside the stadium and the better stadium when it comes to historical significance.
I do not have any envy relating to them either. I don't care that they sell out their games, that people like to go to their games more than the Cell. In my eyes, they have nothing I really envy - with the exception of Theo Epstein, who I believe will turn the team around, starting with the building of their minor league system. I do think the Cubs will win a World Series in our lifetimes, and the parade for it will probably dwarf the crowd that the White Sox championship brought to the streets.
I wish the Cubs well in 2012 and beyond and want to express this so that maybe, just maybe, some of these pointless, inane arguments about an opponent who really only affects your team's season 6 times out of 162 can die down somewhat.
If we are going to have arguments, let's make them fact-based and not attacking stupid things like one's sexuality, social class or stadium. Also, White Sox fans - no Cubs Suck chants when walking down the ramp WHEN WE AREN'T PLAYING THE CUBS!
I won't be holding my breath for peaceful relations between White Sox and Cubs fans, but all I can do is hope. And share these words. I hope you got this far and see what I'm getting at.
Enjoy the 2012 season everyone.
Sincerely,
A White Sox Fan
3/21/2012
Bracket Update & Other Sport Shorts
Boy, it's been a slow sports week, hasn't it? Hard to believe that the Peyton Manning signing to Denver is not even top 3 news this week. This Saints fiasco along with Tebow being traded to the Jets, then not, then supposedly being able to "choose" the Jets over the Jaguars after all, has made for an interesting start to the week. And notice....this is all NFL news - a season that doesn't even start for another six months.
The important news first:
Bracket challenge (Brian vs. Jen - Winner Winner gets Dinner Dinner)
Once again, it looks like I picked the wrong upsets for the 18th year in a row. To date, I think the best upset I ever picked in a Round 1 was San Diego over Uconn in 2008. I tried a 14 over 3 (St. Bonnies shat all over themselves at the end, going for two 2s while down 3 with less than 6 seconds left), 12 over 5 (S Florida worked, but I hardly call that an upset), but most of them ended up failing. I only had 8 of 16 Sweet 16 teams right, with the biggest seed I picked correctly left being Xavier as a 10.
Meanwhile, the lady has a one point lead on me (37 to 36), with her edging me by 1 point in the first round and also landing just 8 of 16 Sweet 16 squads. Her championship team (Kansas) was trailing much of the game against Purdue, but they managed to squeak out a win and advance to play the lowest seed remaining in the tourney, facing the #11 seeded NC St on Friday night.
Luckily, ALL of my Final Four teams are alive (Louisville, Ohio St, Kentucky, UNC), so I have a good chance to get this dinner from the girlfriend. She lost two of her Final Four, with Murray State & Vanderbilt falling within an hour of each other this past Saturday (she has Kansas & Kentucky left). I'll have to pick something good for her to make - perhaps one of her BBQ chicken pizzas (mmmmmm). I have a great shot of winning this if I can land 2 or 3 of my Final teams and Kanas doesn't win it all. I'd love to win this bracket challenge so I don't have to eat these words. I'd rather eat a homemade pizza to be honest.
NFL News Galore!
I must say the week didn't start out the way I wanted it for the Niners. Peyton Manning decided he'd rather end his career in Mile High than go to a team that was two muffed punts away from a Super Bowl last year. I don't give a crap about Alex Smith's confidence coming from this. With this being a business, I don't have any sympathy for these guy's feelings. He had a chance to sign with other teams, but didn't, so here we are. He has a new contract with the Niners (3 years I believe, I don't feel like looking it up), which I believe gives us a chance for outs each year in case he regresses back to 2005-2010 Alex Smith. Colin Kaepernick remains the back-up. I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do sooner rather than later - I think he will start 2013 as the man behind center. He may even get an extended look at points this year if Smith shows off his old form. Remember, Smith has been benched for the likes of Troy Smith and T.J. Sullivan, among others, so it wouldn't shock me if Harbaugh took a good look at CK for a chance to start at some point in 2012.
Coming from the Manning news, Tebow was traded to the Jets (along w/ a draft pick) for a couple of picks. I don't consider this a major move for any of these teams' futures, only more of a distraction for the Jets. I follow an NFL beat writer from NY on Twitter (Bart Hubbuch), who was losing his mind with all the NFL news going on today - and only half of it had to do with his city. Many people who root for Tebow root for him irrationally. By that, it's not so much perfomance-based as it is what he represents - a supposed underdog who leads his team to victory. I won't even bring up the religion angle (ok, I just did, screw that), as that plays a big part in his cultish following, who for some reason thinks he is a capable NFL QB. I admire his work ethic and his attitude, but I give him a 1% chance of ever being a great quarterback consistently. I give Alex Smith 5%, so that tells you what I think of each of them.
The Saints' aftermath of BountyGate was done in true Roger Goddell fashion, in the form of a year-long suspension for the coach, indefinite suspension for the hitman orchestrator Gregg Williams & the loss of draft picks for the Saints the next couple years, among other things. No player suspensions have come of this year, but there will be. Current and former Saints are shocked, with Drew Brees speaking highly of Sean Payton and wanting more information as to why the punishment was so steep. Apparently, Brees has been living under a rock all these weeks since the story broke. Lord knows Brees would be asking for the league to lay similar suspensions and punishments on another team (say the Falcons) if they were found to have a bounty on him. He doesn't give a crap only because it was his team bending the rules.
Speaking of Brees, any chance this debacle makes him leave New Orleans? I'm not sure how competitive the team will be this year - I expect this to be a HUGE distraction this year. And you know referees are going to be flag-happy this year against the Saints, with any hint of late hits getting a fast yellow hanky on the ground. I know Brees is franchised right now, but it makes me highly question his length of stay in the Big Easy.
Baseball is Back (Almost)
If you haven't already looked at my 2012 Baseball Preview, I suggest you get reading it RIGHT NOW RIGHT HERE. I am looking forward to baseball returning, if only for the consistent nice weather - although this weather right now resembles it right now.
I just finished my first fantasy baseball draft, having the last pick of a 10-team draft. I drafted former teammates Ryan Braun & Prince Fielder with the first picks. Some other highlights include getting a pair of aces with my next two picks (Lincecum & Felix Hernandez) and me drafting both ends of the Mariners-Yankees trade from the offseason (Michael Pineda, Jesus Montero). If you really want my whole team analysis, I'll be glad to provide it to you. I also drafted a couple of White Sox (Brent Morel & Matt Thornton), which usually ends up happening even though I'd prefer to keep my homerism out of these drafts. I did absolutely no draft study on this, so we'll see how this year turns out.
Until next time, peace out my folks.
The important news first:
Bracket challenge (Brian vs. Jen - Winner Winner gets Dinner Dinner)
Once again, it looks like I picked the wrong upsets for the 18th year in a row. To date, I think the best upset I ever picked in a Round 1 was San Diego over Uconn in 2008. I tried a 14 over 3 (St. Bonnies shat all over themselves at the end, going for two 2s while down 3 with less than 6 seconds left), 12 over 5 (S Florida worked, but I hardly call that an upset), but most of them ended up failing. I only had 8 of 16 Sweet 16 teams right, with the biggest seed I picked correctly left being Xavier as a 10.
Meanwhile, the lady has a one point lead on me (37 to 36), with her edging me by 1 point in the first round and also landing just 8 of 16 Sweet 16 squads. Her championship team (Kansas) was trailing much of the game against Purdue, but they managed to squeak out a win and advance to play the lowest seed remaining in the tourney, facing the #11 seeded NC St on Friday night.
Luckily, ALL of my Final Four teams are alive (Louisville, Ohio St, Kentucky, UNC), so I have a good chance to get this dinner from the girlfriend. She lost two of her Final Four, with Murray State & Vanderbilt falling within an hour of each other this past Saturday (she has Kansas & Kentucky left). I'll have to pick something good for her to make - perhaps one of her BBQ chicken pizzas (mmmmmm). I have a great shot of winning this if I can land 2 or 3 of my Final teams and Kanas doesn't win it all. I'd love to win this bracket challenge so I don't have to eat these words. I'd rather eat a homemade pizza to be honest.
NFL News Galore!
I must say the week didn't start out the way I wanted it for the Niners. Peyton Manning decided he'd rather end his career in Mile High than go to a team that was two muffed punts away from a Super Bowl last year. I don't give a crap about Alex Smith's confidence coming from this. With this being a business, I don't have any sympathy for these guy's feelings. He had a chance to sign with other teams, but didn't, so here we are. He has a new contract with the Niners (3 years I believe, I don't feel like looking it up), which I believe gives us a chance for outs each year in case he regresses back to 2005-2010 Alex Smith. Colin Kaepernick remains the back-up. I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do sooner rather than later - I think he will start 2013 as the man behind center. He may even get an extended look at points this year if Smith shows off his old form. Remember, Smith has been benched for the likes of Troy Smith and T.J. Sullivan, among others, so it wouldn't shock me if Harbaugh took a good look at CK for a chance to start at some point in 2012.
Coming from the Manning news, Tebow was traded to the Jets (along w/ a draft pick) for a couple of picks. I don't consider this a major move for any of these teams' futures, only more of a distraction for the Jets. I follow an NFL beat writer from NY on Twitter (Bart Hubbuch), who was losing his mind with all the NFL news going on today - and only half of it had to do with his city. Many people who root for Tebow root for him irrationally. By that, it's not so much perfomance-based as it is what he represents - a supposed underdog who leads his team to victory. I won't even bring up the religion angle (ok, I just did, screw that), as that plays a big part in his cultish following, who for some reason thinks he is a capable NFL QB. I admire his work ethic and his attitude, but I give him a 1% chance of ever being a great quarterback consistently. I give Alex Smith 5%, so that tells you what I think of each of them.
The Saints' aftermath of BountyGate was done in true Roger Goddell fashion, in the form of a year-long suspension for the coach, indefinite suspension for the hitman orchestrator Gregg Williams & the loss of draft picks for the Saints the next couple years, among other things. No player suspensions have come of this year, but there will be. Current and former Saints are shocked, with Drew Brees speaking highly of Sean Payton and wanting more information as to why the punishment was so steep. Apparently, Brees has been living under a rock all these weeks since the story broke. Lord knows Brees would be asking for the league to lay similar suspensions and punishments on another team (say the Falcons) if they were found to have a bounty on him. He doesn't give a crap only because it was his team bending the rules.
Speaking of Brees, any chance this debacle makes him leave New Orleans? I'm not sure how competitive the team will be this year - I expect this to be a HUGE distraction this year. And you know referees are going to be flag-happy this year against the Saints, with any hint of late hits getting a fast yellow hanky on the ground. I know Brees is franchised right now, but it makes me highly question his length of stay in the Big Easy.
Baseball is Back (Almost)
If you haven't already looked at my 2012 Baseball Preview, I suggest you get reading it RIGHT NOW RIGHT HERE. I am looking forward to baseball returning, if only for the consistent nice weather - although this weather right now resembles it right now.
I just finished my first fantasy baseball draft, having the last pick of a 10-team draft. I drafted former teammates Ryan Braun & Prince Fielder with the first picks. Some other highlights include getting a pair of aces with my next two picks (Lincecum & Felix Hernandez) and me drafting both ends of the Mariners-Yankees trade from the offseason (Michael Pineda, Jesus Montero). If you really want my whole team analysis, I'll be glad to provide it to you. I also drafted a couple of White Sox (Brent Morel & Matt Thornton), which usually ends up happening even though I'd prefer to keep my homerism out of these drafts. I did absolutely no draft study on this, so we'll see how this year turns out.
Until next time, peace out my folks.
3/14/2012
March Madness Interview w/ the Lady - A n00b to the Bracket Scene
Since I'll be too distracted to do it tomorrow (and since nobody is stupid enough to copy my picks), I decided I'd post me & Jen's picks tonight.
If you read the blog last night, you're likely one of many who is filling out a March Madness bracket. My girlfriend & I are no exceptions. Except for Jen, this is her cherry experience with filling one out - for me, I've been filling these out since my pre-teen years.
All the more reason to see who will win the bracket challenge. As you will see in the interview below with the lady, a bet was agreed to regarding the tourney.
8. Would you have ever done this without me?______________________________________________
My Bracket
Jen's Bracket
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If you read the blog last night, you're likely one of many who is filling out a March Madness bracket. My girlfriend & I are no exceptions. Except for Jen, this is her cherry experience with filling one out - for me, I've been filling these out since my pre-teen years.
All the more reason to see who will win the bracket challenge. As you will see in the interview below with the lady, a bet was agreed to regarding the tourney.
16a.Is this the first
time you’ve ever filled out a March Madness bracket?
16b. Yes______________________________________________________
1. How long did it
take for you to fill out your bracket?________________________
16. It took about 10
or 15 minutes—reading the matchups and making my decision.
8. Would you have ever done this without me?______________________________________________
9. I probably would
have eventually because other people do it. People have asked me to be a part
of it before, but I’ve just never done it because there is always a bet
involved.
5. How many college
basketball games have you watched this year? In your life?
12. Only when I’m
around you. I’ve watched more NBA than college (in my life). Never really
watched college.
4. What was your
strategy with making these picks, if any?
13. I read those
picks in the paper (Chicago Sun Times) that I filled my bracket out of. I
looked at the matchups, looked at the middle column in the paper about best
Cinderella, best player, etc. But mostly, I went with my gut.
6. Why did you pick
Kansas to win it all?
11. Sometimes, when
everybody is talking about one team, I like to think an underdog or an upset
can happen. Even though everybody seems to think Kentucky is the best
contender, I’m gonna go with Kansas.
14a. Will filling out
this bracket make you watch these games at all?
14b. If not watch the
game, definitely pay attention to the highlights on SportsCenter.
3. Are you prepared
to watch some of these games with me?
14. Yeah, sure.
Especially when it gets down to the Elite Eight or Final Four…if my bracket is
still together at that point (laughs).
7. Are you willing to
make any sort of friendly wager with this? If so, what?
10. We can do a
dinner thing, sure. You’re gonna take me out.
2. Will you be happy
when this tournament is over?
15. Yes, especially
when I win.
My Bracket
Jen's Bracket
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3/13/2012
March Fadness: You're Not Cool Unless You Fill Out a Bracket
Around this time of year, it's actually more shocking when you come across a person who hasn't filled out a March Madness bracket of some sort.
It's not just the hardcore basketball fans that enter office tourneys or engage in side bets with their friends. In fact, it seems like it's about this time when many people are watching their first glimpses of college basketball this year.
With my social group, it is no different. I set up a bracket group on Yahoo, which you are welcome to join here - http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/group/31988 . It's free to join, so no risk involved.
Many of the members in the group of 19 so far do not watch a lick of college basketball, and I'd be willing to bet that one of them is going to win this group challenge. It happens across offices everywhere - someone who fills out their alum school to go far or picks a team based on its name or mascot can be the person who collects the first place prize.
I'm getting into the spirit of things by posting my bracket versus my g/f Jen's. Like many of you, she'd rather just avoid watching basketball altogether, but I forced her to fill out a bracket for the purposes of a blog - she's such a good sport*.
*She wasn't forced to do anything - She'd beat me up if I forced her to do anything**
**She'd never beat me....I don't think.
We don't have a bet at the moment, but perhaps dinner (her making it versus me taking her out for it - my cooking skills are limited to the grill and microwave) could be made.
I'll post some of the highlights of our brackets (My picks subject to change - I will repost if I change anything below):
First round Upsets - i.e. 11 over 6 and above (I'll ignore the 7/10, 8/9 matchups)
Brian: Long Beach St., St. Bonnies, Texas, Winner of Cal/USF
Jen: Belmont, NC State
Any #1 seeds eliminated before Sweet 16?
Brian: no
Jen: no
Double digit seeds selected to Sweet 16:
Brian: 4
Jen: 1
Top 2 seeds left in Elite 8 (out of 8):
Brian: 5
Jen: 5
Final Four
Brian: Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio St, UNC
Jen: Kentucky, Murray St, Vandy, Kansas
Championship Game...(to be posted Thursday)
In the interests of people wanting to copy all of our picks because they are so awesome (and also because my picks might not be final), I will release our full brackets later (Thursday morning) and re-post them in the blog here.
We will see if watching basketball every weekend (i.e. me) matters or if you'd be better off just completely ignoring it and asking your boyfriend to change the channel when he turns it on in your company (i.e - Jen).
Enjoy the games, and let me know if you want to join the money part of our bracket. So far, there are 5 people in the $20/entry pool. If we get 7/8 or more, I'll make a 2nd and perhaps a 3rd place prize. I'd be happy to donate my $20 to you.
It's not just the hardcore basketball fans that enter office tourneys or engage in side bets with their friends. In fact, it seems like it's about this time when many people are watching their first glimpses of college basketball this year.
With my social group, it is no different. I set up a bracket group on Yahoo, which you are welcome to join here - http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/group/31988 . It's free to join, so no risk involved.
Many of the members in the group of 19 so far do not watch a lick of college basketball, and I'd be willing to bet that one of them is going to win this group challenge. It happens across offices everywhere - someone who fills out their alum school to go far or picks a team based on its name or mascot can be the person who collects the first place prize.
I'm getting into the spirit of things by posting my bracket versus my g/f Jen's. Like many of you, she'd rather just avoid watching basketball altogether, but I forced her to fill out a bracket for the purposes of a blog - she's such a good sport*.
*She wasn't forced to do anything - She'd beat me up if I forced her to do anything**
**She'd never beat me....I don't think.
We don't have a bet at the moment, but perhaps dinner (her making it versus me taking her out for it - my cooking skills are limited to the grill and microwave) could be made.
I'll post some of the highlights of our brackets (My picks subject to change - I will repost if I change anything below):
First round Upsets - i.e. 11 over 6 and above (I'll ignore the 7/10, 8/9 matchups)
Brian: Long Beach St., St. Bonnies, Texas, Winner of Cal/USF
Jen: Belmont, NC State
Any #1 seeds eliminated before Sweet 16?
Brian: no
Jen: no
Double digit seeds selected to Sweet 16:
Brian: 4
Jen: 1
Top 2 seeds left in Elite 8 (out of 8):
Brian: 5
Jen: 5
Final Four
Brian: Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio St, UNC
Jen: Kentucky, Murray St, Vandy, Kansas
Championship Game...(to be posted Thursday)
In the interests of people wanting to copy all of our picks because they are so awesome (and also because my picks might not be final), I will release our full brackets later (Thursday morning) and re-post them in the blog here.
We will see if watching basketball every weekend (i.e. me) matters or if you'd be better off just completely ignoring it and asking your boyfriend to change the channel when he turns it on in your company (i.e - Jen).
Enjoy the games, and let me know if you want to join the money part of our bracket. So far, there are 5 people in the $20/entry pool. If we get 7/8 or more, I'll make a 2nd and perhaps a 3rd place prize. I'd be happy to donate my $20 to you.
3/02/2012
It Doesn't Matter What's Right...
...It's only wrong if you get caught.
I always come back to this Tool lyric (title + opening graf) when a story about someone blatantly bends or breaks the rules/laws which govern them. This story now applies to the New Orleans Saints, who went from a laughingstock of a franchise to one that became instantly loved and rooting on by the general public as it won its first ever Super Bowl a couple years back.
Now, they're heading back to the gutter after being found guilty of putting bounties on injuring players on opposing teams the past three seasons under the coordination of Gregg Williams. What makes it even more disgusting is that everyone in the organization (from the owner all the way through the coaching ranks of the team) knew about the program.
There's several questions that I'm wondering about in the aftermath of this:
Speaking of Brady, this "Bountygate" story has amazing parallels to the Spygate scandal that cannot be ignored. Some are coincidence, others are just fascinating:
The jury remains out on how the general public will treat the Saints story - whether they will embrace the team under the notion that "this is something every team does" or whether a chorus of boos will meet them at opposing stadiums for years to come.
I hope that fans don't give the Saints a pass for what I consider a far bigger scandal than Spygate, considering the backdrop of the NFL the past few years has centered around player safety.
I expect Goddell to lay the hammer down - now will the public?
I always come back to this Tool lyric (title + opening graf) when a story about someone blatantly bends or breaks the rules/laws which govern them. This story now applies to the New Orleans Saints, who went from a laughingstock of a franchise to one that became instantly loved and rooting on by the general public as it won its first ever Super Bowl a couple years back.
Now, they're heading back to the gutter after being found guilty of putting bounties on injuring players on opposing teams the past three seasons under the coordination of Gregg Williams. What makes it even more disgusting is that everyone in the organization (from the owner all the way through the coaching ranks of the team) knew about the program.
There's several questions that I'm wondering about in the aftermath of this:
- What will the punishment be for this? The Patriots were fined $250K and Belichick was fined the maximum $500K for what happened with Spygate, which involved the illegal taping of NY Jets practices to pick up defensive signals. I think the maximum amount should apply to the Saints - that is if Commissioner Goodell wants to send a strong message amid the Player Safety Era of football. I'd throw in fines for the owner and the coaches, some suspensions (for coaches involved) & taking away a couple of first round picks the next couple years.
- Who will be punished? I think Gregg Williams (the defensive coordinator at the time) will get most of the heat, but punishment should go to all parties involved. The punishment mentioned in the previous point would hold everyone responsible for the bounty fiasco.
- Will fans hate the Saints now? Remember when everyone was rooting on the Saints a couple Februaries ago only years after a hurricane nearly decapitated their entire city? Now that this story is out there, I find it hard to believe people will have the same love for this team that they once did. Whether players were directly involved with it or not is a moot point - I could see people booing Brees much like they boo Brady, but probably not to the same extent.
Speaking of Brady, this "Bountygate" story has amazing parallels to the Spygate scandal that cannot be ignored. Some are coincidence, others are just fascinating:
- Both stories started with underdog championship teams being cheered by America following a tragedy. It's hard to believe being so many years removed from it, but there was a point in time where people actually liked the Patriots, who were two touchdown underdogs against the St. Louis Rams, considered "The Greatest Show On Turf". It was the first Super Bowl played after 9-11, so it was only fitting that a team named "The Patriots" would be represented. They even started a trend of teams being announced as one as they ran through the tunnel as One. You know the rest - the start of the Patriots dynasty, with much of the public enjoying the huge upset.
Likewise, the Saints were a couple years removed from the destruction of their hometown to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which forced them to play at LSU's stadium for a season. Once the stadium was ready to host games again, a new man under center (Drew Brees) gave the 'Aints their first legitimate shot at success. They lost to the Bears in the 2007 NFC Championship game but took the next step three years later en route to their first Super Bowl win. - Both teams were knowingly breaking the rules. If you read all the quotes from Gregg Williams, he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he didn't give a crap. He only cares now BECAUSE HE GOT CAUGHT! If they never got caught, you'd never hear a peep of an "apology" from him. Belichick knew what he was doing was wrong, got caught, and thus, paid a heavy fine for it. I expect the same for the Saints.
- Both teams were knowingly breaking rules that many other teams break. Again, if you read quotes about both stories from football insiders (media, players, coaches), you'll know that what the Patriots and Saints did was not just isolated to their teams. They just happened to be the ones with tangible evidence against them for the league to pursue action against them. Players are tweeting about the NFL's release of this story with a collective "This happens everywhere". Similarly, Jimmy Johnson (former Cowboys coach) has been on record saying that many coaches take film on opposing team's defensive signals, making Spygate as much (or as little) of a secret as the bounty scandal.
- Both team's head coaches had a role in the scandal. Belichick's role may have been more pronounced, but Payton knew about the bounty system that was in place. You can't absolve blame from him just because he wasn't the person who designed the scheme - he was an accessory to an NFL crime the likes which haven't been seen since Spygate. After the Spygate scandal, much of the general public turned their once-liking of the Patriots into complete loathing, which continues to this day.
The one advantage that Payton has over Belichick is the bands of media people that love him. Belichick always comes off as a hooded robot in press conferences, trying to talk up every opponent like they are the 1985 Bears; whereas Payton seems to come of as a personable guy. Perhaps this works to his advantage and he doesn't take a huge PR hit like Belichick and the Pats did.
The jury remains out on how the general public will treat the Saints story - whether they will embrace the team under the notion that "this is something every team does" or whether a chorus of boos will meet them at opposing stadiums for years to come.
I hope that fans don't give the Saints a pass for what I consider a far bigger scandal than Spygate, considering the backdrop of the NFL the past few years has centered around player safety.
I expect Goddell to lay the hammer down - now will the public?
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