Drinking The Forty

Travesty!

2008-05-02T07:31:00.005-06:00

With the NBA Playoffs going on, you would think that the Rookie of the Year Award would not be the most important thing on everyone's mind. You would be wrong. Hawks Coach Mike Woodson called the decision to give Kevin Durant the award a, "travesty and it's not right."

When asked whether he should be more focused on his playoff series with the Boston Celtics, Woodson deferred the question to special assistant Jim Mora, who said, "Playoffs? Don't talk to me about Playoffs. I'm worried about the Rookie of the Year Award."

Woodson then summed up his argument by pointing out that Horford averaged 10.1 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game while fighting for minutes with perennial all-stars Zaza Pachulia and Sheldon Williams. He also noted that unlike Durant's Sonics, the Hawks were in the playoffs. "Anytime a team can make the playoffs with a losing record, it means one of two things. Either your entire Conference is awful, or you have the rookie of the year on your team. I think it's obvious in this case, that it's the latter of the two."

Woodson says he looks forward to a quick and painless exit from the Playoffs in Game 6 so he can focus his attention on lobbying the NBA Offices and Commissioner David Stern for a recount.

Durant To Win Rookie of the Year

2008-04-30T17:52:00.003-06:00

According to several sources, Kevin Durant will be named the 2008 Rookie of the Year tomorrow. A great award for Durant, it comes as a surprise to just about no one. In a ROY battle that was hyped to be a season long duel between Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, it fizzled quite short, pretty much since Oden missed the entire season due to injury.

Without Oden, the 2008 rookie class looks rather pedestrian, as Al Horford, who had an impressive season for the Atlanta Hawks, finished second in the voting. Outside of Durant and Horford, the second and third selections overall, no one in the Top 10 probably even got a vote. Greg Oden (#1/POR), Mike Conley (#4/MEM), Jeff Green (#5/SEA), Yi Jianlian (#6/MIL), Corey Brewer (#7/MIN), Brandan Wright (#8/LAC), Joakim Noah (#9/CHI), and Spencer Hawes (#10/SAC) all either were limited in playing time or positive impacts with their teams.

Rather, the other rookie contenders came from out in left field. Luis Scola (HOU/28 yrs. old/2002 draft/2nd round, #57 by SAS), Thaddeus Young (#12/PHI), Carl Landry (HOU/2nd round, #31 by SEA), and Jamario Moon (TOR/UDFA). And can you even count Scola? Just because he was killing it in another country and not in this country doesn't mean he's a rookie. With the closest competition having no pre-season pub, it pretty much made it a contest between Durant and Horford. While Al Horford is a great player and has had a great season, he's not the type of player that is a certainty to put up the kind of numbers that will bring hardware and fan fare.

Which pretty much leaves Durant. While Durant still would have won the award by simply taking more shots than everyone else in the competition, Durant actually progressed a lot during the season, to the point that he actually deserved the award. He spent the first half of the season taking too many shots and too many bad shots. His defense was atrocious and he didn't do enough other things on the court.

While his defense still needs improvement, and his other areas of his game are still emerging, Durant played much better in the second half of the season. His shot selection and his shooting percentage both sky rocketed in the second half of the year. However, Durant probably locked up the award with the way he played in his last games as a Seattle SuperSonic. In a city that was having its basketball taken away from them, Durant played like a man that wanted to win games for his city. They may have been meaningless to the NBA, but to Durant and the city of Seattle, they were their Championship games. And Durant poured his heart and soul into winning them that Championship. He showed why many think he will one day be a star in this league.

In his final game for Seattle, on the road at Golden State, Durant had 42 points on 18-25 shooting (1-2 3P; 5-6 FT), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in a 126-121 victory. Two days before that, in his final game in Seattle, Durant scored twice in the final 45 seconds as the Sonics overcame a 6 point deficit in the final 3 minutes to defeat the Mavericks 99-95. Durant showed the kind of ability and passion that it takes to make a champion.

On the season Durant posted 20.3 ppg on 43% shooting. He had a dismal 28% 3P%, but posted a respectable 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, and nearly a steal and block per game. Durant earned the rookie of the year award and showed all the makings of the star that many believed he would be. He also made the best of a situation where he had minimal talent around him, smack dab in the middle of a strange quagmire of a city having its team stolen from them and shipped to Oklahoma City.

Trying to Save the Season With No Hits

2008-04-30T17:18:00.004-06:00

From the beginning of the season the Longhorns looked a little bit off. While they were ranked in the top 25 nationally and had a solid record, the Horns were playing inconsistent, uninspired baseball and didn't look promising going into conference play. The lackluster play finally turned into a full blown disaster as the Longhorns have been 11-11 since March 28th and have a un-Longhorn-esqe 10-11 conference record.

What was the absolute low point? Probably losing to UT-Arlington and UT-San Antonio during that 22-game stretch has to be near the top. A 3-6 record at home during conference play has been a point of embarrassment, but the worst moment probably goes to that 31-12 drumming at the hands of Missouri. (Yes, that's a baseball score.)

What has been the problem? Well the hitting hasn't been spectacular, but a .284/24/128 isn't far off 2007's .302 average during conference play. The defense has certainly been underwhelming, with 24 errors in 21 games. But one would definitely need to look at the pitching to find the source of the Longhorn's problems. A 6.34 team ERA in conference play is absolutely atrocious, especially compared to last year's 3.19 mark in conference play.

The biggest problem has been the Longhorns inability to find starting pitching. Though the entire staff hasn't exactly been anything other than a big problem. The ace of the staff, Austin Wood has been 1-1 with a 7.26 ERA in conference play, while Riley Boening (7.13) and Kenn Kasparek (6.16) haven't faired much better against the Big XII. Augie Garrido has been trying everything as Cole Green, Chance Ruffin, and Brandon Workman (7.01) have gotten chances to start as well. Green (2.81) and Ruffin (2.93) have been working out of the pen mostly, but the two freshman might have to be what carries this team down the stretch.

The Longhorns might be trying to turn the corner, as Kenn Kasparek threw a complete game no-hitter against Texas State yesterday, but the Longhorns will need to greatly improve as a staff if they hope to turn this season around. Texas has 7 games left and will need to show well to even hope for an at large birth into the NCAA Tournament. The way this season has been going, the safest bet looks to be that that Longhorns will be at home this post season. Which might not be a bad thing, as bad of a disaster as this season has been. But, there is still a hope if the Longhorns can sweep the Baylor (26-20) series and take that momentum into their three game season finale against #6 Texas A&M (38-7). Taking two out of three from the Aggies would put the Horns in good shape with a (33-19)(16-12) mark, and riding great momentum.

But, that is highly optimistic. It might be better off to hope that the Aggies don't drop 31 runs on us, and let this season ride off slowly into the sunset and out of our collective memory

Grading the Cowboys Draft

2008-04-29T16:42:00.011-06:00

This past weekend's draft was as crazy a draft as I've ever seen with a record 34 draft day trades. The Cowboys came in with two first rounders after acquiring the Browns first round pick last year allowing the Browns to draft Brady Quinn. Expectations were high in Big D and it looks like Jerry Jones and the Boy's answered the call. Two days after the draft I reflect back on the Cowboy's selections and assign grades to every pick....

First Round

Pick #22 - Felix Jones - Arkansas RB – There was no question after the releasing of Julius Jones as a free agent, that the Cowboy's would be looking to the draft to find the perfect compliment to bruising back Marion Barber III. His 4.4 speed is a major plus for Dallas as they look to keep defenses honest on the corners while still pounding Barber down the middle. His 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns at Arkansas show that he is able to produce in a two back system and doesn't mind sharing the load; in fact it may help in preserving both backs for the Cowboys. As a running back, he is fairly comparable to a Cadillac Williams who likes to bounce the ball to the outside with his first instinct. I think Jones will be an instant contributor in all facets for the Cowboys, most notably in kick returns. He is creative enough to vary his speed, set up the defender, execute a fake and then accelerate into the open. Jones should be an instant feature in the Cowboy's offense.

Pick grade – B - Good overall pick here, although I think Rashard Mendenhall was worth more of a look here. Also the first round worked out well with Jenkins at 25, but I couldn't figure out why they didn't wait for Jones at 28 since Mendenhall was still on the board and corners were more likely to be drafted.

Pick #25 - Mike Jenkins – South Florida CB – Immediately after getting their guy at RB, the Cowboys knew that their number one CB was still in reach and made a move up to get him at 25. Jenkins could very well be the best cover corner in this draft. Many fans will question this pick with the acquisition of Pacman Jones, but at this point we can't even be sure that Jones will be reinstated and even if he is, depth at corner has become a must-have for a successful NFL franchise. Jenkins has the perfect frame for a top corner and no one has questioned his 4.3 speed. He is undoubtedly best in press coverage and needs to work on run support in his first few mini-camps. Reports are saying that it's his leadership skills and work ethic may make him the best secondary prospect in the draft. I see him working as a first year nickelback and getting some reps in on CB late in games.

Pick grade – A+ - Ed Werder has reported for a couple of weeks now that Jenkins was the top CB on the Cowboy's big board and they ended up getting him with their second pick. CB depth was their biggest issue this offseason and Jones answered it in astounding fashion bringing in Pacman Jones and arguably the best CB in the draft. I'm not sure if there has been a better pick for the Boys in the last few drafts. You could say DeMarcus Ware, but I think that pick has only shown itself through his progress. This pick was smart and the best pick from the minute the card was turned in.

Second Round

Pick #61 - Martellus Bennett – Texas A&M TE – Personally I loved this pick. I felt like the receiving class was overrated and generally shallow and with the big names off the board, I don't feel like this pick would have warranted a receiver. Bennett is a huge bodied tight end who looks like an oversized WR. Regarded as the "most complete" prospect at his respective position in the 2008 NFL Draft, Bennett combines excellent size, strength and quickness to excel not only as a clutch mid-range receiver, but also as a devastating blocker. He started off at A&M as a two-sport athlete, earning a scholarship to play basketball as well as football. Speed seems to be the big red flag with Bennett, but I feel like his overall athleticism makes up for the lack of speed. With the trade of Anthony Fasano on Thursday, the Cowboys needed another tight end and they may have gotten an upgrade. Martellus is just too much of a beast not to be effective.

Pick grade – A – I thought this was a great pick. Yes, the Cowboys needed a receiver, but there just wasn't one to take here. I wouldn't have minded Limas Sweed or James Hardy, but they were both off the board. Instead, Jones grabbed a 6'6" tight end that could be a huge receiver like Antonio Gates. His immediate effectiveness will be his size and blocking ability.

Fourth Round

Pick #122 – Tashard Choice – Georgia Tech RB – I assume that with the pick of Jones in the first round, the Cowboys simply felt like Choice was the best available prospect and they still felt like a receiving prospect was a waste. Choice is a big back that runs hard and does not shy away from contact. He is very comparable to a LaMont Jordan or Tatum Bell in his running style. Injuries have consistently been an issue with Tashard and he'll need to work hard to stay fit and durable. Overall, I'd say he is more or less a big third down situational back that is more comparable to MB3 than complimentary to him.

Pick grade – B- – I didn't see this pick coming. I felt like it would have been more effective to grab a middle-level receiver here, a prospect on the offensive line or depth at DT, but apparently Cowboys fans are surprisingly ok with this pick. I guess I understand why they made this "Choice" here (yay for puns); with Julius Jones out and MB3 coming into a contract year, the Boys must have felt it best to get plenty of insurance at running back. If Barber goes down this year, this pick may look smarter as Felix Jones probably can't carry the load on his own.

Fifth Round

Pick #143 – Orlando Scandrick – Boise State CB – Scandrick is another one of those cornerbacks who make great plays on the ball. Very similar to the type of corner that Jenkins is in the way he goes after the ball and runs extremely well. Got a lot of experience at Boise State and will contribute immediately on special teams, in fact he was a special teams demon for the Broncos. The knock on Scandrick is his average tackling skills, again like Jenkins, but he makes up for it with his pass coverage. Had a number of off the field concerns, but if there is a team who obviously places potential over concern, it's the Dallas Cowboys.

Pick grade – B- - Without fully knowing what will happen with Pacman Jones, getting depth in the secondary was a good move for Dallas. If for some reason, Goodell does not reinstate Jones, or Jones is not as well conditioned as he once was, the Cowboys still needed to bolster cornerback depth. Scandrick is fairly similar to Jenkins and will make this team based on his special teams merit alone. Kiper projected him as a third round talent corner with some off the field red flags, so to get this guy in the fifth was a great value pick. I know we had other need areas, but I just feel like we will be pleasantly surprised with this pick.

Sixth Round

Pick 167 – Erik Walden – Middle Tennessee State DE – I'll be honest when I say that this was the only guy we drafted that I had never heard of and in this age's NFL draft that is not uncommon. Walden is a big bodied, relentless pass rusher who shattered MTSU's career sack record with 22.5 and is second in tackles for loss in MTSU's history. He is a finesse rusher and relies on quick feet and finesse moves over bull rushing. Pro scouts think that he can easily make the transition from end to outside backer in the 3-4 defense.

Pick grade – C – I don't know a lot about this kid, but it sounds like he has great potential and a big upside. I don't feel like a hybrid outside backer/end was our biggest need here. It may have been better to grab a lengthy WR prospect or a powerful DT to add some depth in the interior. In the same regard, I don't hate this pick, because I like big bodied speed rushers that can provide an outside rush and cause Eli & Donovan to make quick decisions.

OVERALL DRAFT GRADE – B+ If you would have asked me at the end of Day 1, I would have easily given the Cowboys and A for their selections. Grabbing both the running back they wanted and the supposed number one corner on their big board was a perfect one-two punch in the first round. Only Kansas City's ability to grab both Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert made for a better round one in my opinion. Both Jones and Jenkins will make immediate impacts for the defending NFC Champs (yes, not the Giants). Grabbing Martellus in the second may just prove to be a diamond in the rough for both the Cowboys and All-Star quarterback Tony Romo. Day 2 of the draft wasn't as productive as the first, but I think the Cowboys grabbed some role players with great upside. I did believe however that after not taking a receiver in the first two rounds to play opposite of T.O., that the Boys would inevitably take a chance on one in the later rounds. Receiver was one of three glaring needs coming into the draft and was the only one that the Cowboys didn't attack. They got two running backs and snagged two cover corners, but no young guys to play out wide. I also thought that if you were going to focus on defensive help that some depth at defensive tackle was more pressing than a 3-4 hybrid. If they can get help from free agency in Texas Tech WR Danny Amendola and Stanford WR Mark Bradford, then these late round picks look even better. Overall, it was a great draft for Dallas and was leaps and bounds better than last years draft weekend.

Top Coaching Jobs - #2

2008-04-29T06:59:00.005-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#2.) UCLA Bruins

UCLA is easily the most storied program in college basketball history. The records amassed under John Wooden, with players like Lou Alcindor and Bill Walton will never be touched again in college basketball. With ten national titles in a twelve year span, UCLA has forever etched their place in college basketball lore.

However, since 1975, the UCLA program had struggled only winning one national title, in 1995. The program struggled after the 1995 title, leading to Steve Lavin’s departure and a few seasons with a losing record, which had previously been unheard of for the Bruins. However, things started to change with the hire of Ben Howland, from Pittsburgh. Howland has restored the program to one of the elite in college basketball, as the Bruins have accomplished three straight Final Four appearances, an astonishing feat for today’s game.

Howland has re-energized the program with a dedication to defense and the ability to recruit top notch talent like Kevin Love, Darren Collison, and Jrue Holliday to Los Angeles. UCLA has remained atop what is a very competitive Pac-10. There have been many challengers, but no one has been able to unseat them from the top. With the history and prestige of the program, coupled with their renewed success, UCLA is back in the national limelight and it will allow them to continue to recruit. With a top notch location in UCLA, pro prospects heading to the NBA, and a cross town rivalry with USC starting to heat up, UCLA is in prime position to dominate the West Coast.

While it is tough to maintain a rabid fan base in such a sports saturated and red carpet dominated market, UCLA has a loyal group and as long as they remain successful will be able to pack the house. The glimmering lights of LA and Hollywood will play to Howland’s favor in recruiting players that want to prepare for the NBA while achieving the maximum exposure. While they are currently re-stocking their NBA talent, and have only become relevant again in the past five years, UCLA appears here to stay with a program that is made for the big time. With a great coach, a solid fan base, a storied program, and a great locale for recruiting, UCLA is firmly entrenched at number two on this list, and it may not be long before it reclaims its grasp on number one.

#3.) Kansas Jayhawks
#4.) Duke Blue Devils
#5.) Kentucky Wildcats
#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #3

2008-04-29T06:19:00.004-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#3.) Kansas Jayhawks

For starters, winning a National Championship is always helpful your program’s prestige. The win marked the third National title in the program’s long and storied history. Bill Self pushed the program over the top, doing something that seemed to be out of reach for several talented Jayhawk teams over the past decade.

Kansas has been at the top of the Big XII since the beginning of the program and is continually a player on the National stage. They bring in top players from Chicago to Texas and throughout the Midwest, and are a regular for ESPN’s late game on Big Monday broadcasts. They have also had top tier coaches in the past decade, adequately replacing Roy Williams with Illinois coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks have apparently found their man as Self refused courting by the Cowboys of Oklahoma State and the deep pockets of oil tycoon Boone Pickens. His decision to stay will allow Kansas to continue their success at the highest level.

As for the history of the Jayhawks’ program, you don’t have to look too hard. With Dr. James Naismith as a former head coach, your program is basketball. With 13 final four appearances and 10 NBA alumni currently in the league, such as Paul Pierce, Kirk Hinrich, and Drew Gooden, Kansas has gotten success from their players in college as well as at the next level. This has helped Kansas recruit successfully, and with their most recent championship, it looks like Kansas is in position to continue that success.

Kansas also has a loyal and rabid fan base that makes Allen Fieldhouse one of the toughest places to play in the country. Opposing teams (Texas for one comes to mind) have struggled mightily at the hands of Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. While their location in the middle of the Midwest might hurt their recruiting somewhat, this program has established itself as one of the tops in the country. Their ability to stabilize their coaching situation with Bill Self will only improve their stock going forward. That is why Kansas comes in at number three on our list.

#4.) Duke Blue Devils
#5.) Kentucky Wildcats
#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Mocking Down the Second Round

2008-04-25T14:40:00.010-06:00

With the draft only a day away, I couldnt help but to continue in my mockery and go for the second round. So here are picks 32-63 with my personal "I'm better than Mel Kiper" guarantee....

If you haven't seen my first round mock, you may want to start there first to get the gist of how far we've come. Check it out at: http://drinkingtheforty.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-final-mock-draftmaybe.html

32. Miami – Dan Connor, Penn State LB – This could easily be a QB like Chad Henne, but I think they can wait for him. With Zach Thomas in Dallas, the Fins need LB help.

33. St. Louis – Mario Manningham, Michigan WR – I could also see an OT like Sam Baker, but they lost Issac Bruce and Torry Holt is getting restless too.

34. Atlanta – Sam Baker, USC OT – They got a franchise QB in the first round, now they need to protect him. Could also be a DT like Trevor Laws.

35. Kansas City – Justin King, Penn State CB – Ty Law is gone and Patrick Surtain is old. CB makes sense here since they got line help on both sides already.

36. New York Jets – Andre Caldwell, Florida WR – The Jets can continue to bolster the offense with a big speedy receiver like Caldwell or Early Doucet. Could also be a secondary pick.

37. Atlanta – Trevor Laws, Notre Dame DT – Works out well for the Falcons since they missed out on Dorsey at #3.

38. Baltimore – Phillip Merling, Clemson DE – Merling is a steal in the second round and I think that Baltimore can wait till day 2 to grab a QB like Andre Woodson.

39. San Francisco – Lawrence Jackson, USC DE – I don’t think Jackson will ever last this long, but a pure pass rusher will help the Niners. Need an outside linebacker or offensive lineman, but Jackson is the best available here.

40. New Orleans – Pat Sims, Auburn DT – If the Saints miss out on moving up in the first round to snag a DT, they’ll still need one sooner or later. Sims is a run stuffer that could pan out in the NFL.

41. Buffalo – Jordy Nelson, Kansas St WR – It was too early to take a WR at #11, and maybe they’ll move down for Lito Sheppard. If not they still need a WR. Nelson is a big speedy receiver who has climbed the charts, but they may go with someone more athletic like Doucet or Earl Bennett.

42. Denver – Reggie Smith, Oklahoma S – Defensive tackle is also a concern, but I just don’t like the second tier group of tackles. John Lynch is getting older and Smith could be a young athletic spark on defense.

43. Carolina – Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas St S – Offensive tackle is supposedly a concern, but I think the resigning of Jordan Gross is heavily underrated. An upgrade at safety is a better move here.

44. Chicago – Joe Flacco, Delaware QB – Rex Grossman’s days are numbered in the Chicago. I think Flacco gets the nod here over Henne due to his arm strength that will favor him in the Windy City.

45. Detroit – Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma LB – The Lions got some offensive help in the first round and now need help in the heart of their defense. Lofton is an improvement at middle linebacker.

46. Cincinnati – Early Doucet, LSU WR - If the Bengals get Ellis in the first round, they’ll turn to either WR or OLB here. With the WR depth, I’m saying they take a big receiver like Doucet for some Ocho Cinco insurance.

47. Minnesota – Carl Nicks, Nebraska S With the acquisition of Jared Allen, the big concerns turn to the offensive line and secondary. I think the Vikings take the best available in Nicks. They’d be in big trouble if Bryant McKinnie goes down.

48. Atlanta – Patrick Lee, Auburn CB - Atlanta could have an entirely different team by the end of the second round, but I think they may trade on or two these picks. If not, they can look for someone to replace DeAngelo Hall.

49. Philadelphia – Duane Brown, Virginia Tech OT – The Eagles need some line help, made evident by their dismal performance against New York. Brown is still a very good OT in a deep class.

50. Arizona – Jamaal Charles, Texas RB - After skipping on a running back in round one, the Cards need some insurance on ol Edgerrin James. Jamaal Charles is a crazy fast compliment to James.

51. Washington – Donnie Avery, Houston WR – If the Redskins can’t make a deal for Chad Johnson, then receiver is still a need here. Donnie Avery is an underrated quick receiver from Houston who will surprise some folks.

52. Tampa Bay – Marcus Harrison, Arkansas DT – The Bucs addressed receiver and now they could use some depth or even replacements on the defensive line. Harrison could make a good compliment to Chris Hovan.

53. Pittsburgh – Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt WR - I never like the first two picks for a team to both be offensive linemen, so I think that the Steelers go with a young guy at WR to appease Big Ben who loved to throw to Plaxico in his irreplaceable rookie season.

54. Tennessee – Quentin Groves, Auburn DE – Tennessee needs some help on defense and Groves is a steal if he falls this far.

55. Seattle – Fred Davis, USC TE – The Hawks used their first round pick to replace Shaun Alexander and now they need a big tight end to assist the vertical game. Davis has fallen with pre-draft workouts, but his potential is so high, it’s a safe pick.

56. Green Bay – Josh Barrett, Arizona St S – This is a position that Green Bay could definitely use some help with. Depth in the secondary is a serious problem for the Packers.

57. Miami – Chad Henne, Michigan QB – Miami finally gets their quarterback late in the second round and it may surprisingly be well worth the wait.

58. Jacksonville – DaJuan Morgan, North Carolina St S – The Jags grabbed a great free safety in Reggie Nelson last year and now need a strong safety to play alongside him. Morgan may be one of the best safeties in this class.

59. Indianapolis – Ray Rice, Rutgers RB – The NFL is moving more toward a two back system and Addai could use a compliment back. Rice is a speedy small back who could take some pressure off of Addai.

60. Green Bay – Oniel Cousins, UTEP OT – The Packers could use some line depth to protect first year starter Aaron Rodgers. Cousins is a lot like Ryan Clady in size and technique.

61. Dallas – Terrence Wheatley, Colorado CB - If the Boys are confident that the league will reinstate Pacman then they will use their two first rounders elsewhere. Here they’ll try to grab some insurance in a second-tier corner. Could also be used for some offensive line help.

62. New England – Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech LB – The Patriots are aging quickly and could use some depth at linebacker. Adibi could learn from some of the leagues best.

63. New York Giants – Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M TE – I’m a conspiracy theorist who believes that Jeremy Shockey will be traded. If that happens, New York should be looking for another big dependable target for Eli Manning.

Eat your heart out McShay.....

Unlimited calling in the NBA...

2008-04-25T13:11:00.004-06:00

Kelvin Sampson to the Milwaukee Bucks?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3365899

Well the good new for Sampson is that he can make all the calls and text messages he wants to players. Unfortunately for him, though, by the time these guys get to the NBA, they're a little smarter and don't quite easily fall under an Assistant Coach's suave text spells... their agents already hold that position for them (more money please!!)

But really, does the Bucks organization not see that Sampson is a perpetual screw up? But hey, whatever, it'll be entertaining to sit around and wait to see what Sampson's next stupid move is.

Youtube Friday: Inspiration Edition

2008-04-25T08:40:00.002-06:00

It is clear whatever coach Augie Garrido is trying with this year's baseball team is not working. Texas baseball is truely struggling for the first time in nearly a decade, and just cannot seem to find any consistant answers to thier fielding, hitting or pitching problems. Texas turned what was supposed to be a season turning win against Baylor into another head scratcher as they proceeded to drop their next game against UT-SA 7-1. We are going to further explore the baseball team's short comings in a a later post, but today, I thought I would send them off to their weekend series at Kansas State with a little reminder of the good times. Enjoy.

Five Draft Day Trades/Acquisitions on Saturday

2008-04-24T15:29:00.006-06:00

Cowboys package picks to acquire WR Roy Williams from Detroit.
The Cowboys are in need of a young talented receiver to play opposite of the aging Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn. Patrick Clayton is a nice compliment to the system but is in no way the future of Dallas’ passing game. Williams, an Odessa native, has made it clear that he is unhappy in Detroit and would love to try his hand with another franchise. Where better than the great state of Texas where he is adored? After acquiring CB Pacman Jones yesterday, their round one priorities are at WR and RB. Packaging their two first round picks for Williams makes more sense to me than taking a chance on a mediocre receiver class. Williams is and was a much better prospect than even Devin Thomas at his best. Why take a chance on a young guy, when you could grab a guaranteed All-Pro and look for a speedy back in the second round to compliment MB3. Roy Williams plus a Ray Rice or Jamaal Charles trumps a James Hardy and a Felix Jones any day at the poker table.

Bills package picks to acquire CB Lito Shepard from Philly.
The Buffalo Bills secondary has never been the same since losing Nate Clements to free agency last year. Partner that with the injuries and disappointments in the Bills secondary depth behind Terrance McGee and it’s obvious that the Bills need another CB. They could take a chance on one of the talented draft prospects at pick #11, OR they could get an established playmaker in Sheppard and wait for a much-needed receiver in the second round. I think the Eagles would be glad to get an extra pick in the draft to grab a pass rusher and a WR and would benefit most from cutting ties with an unhappy, dominant personality. I mean it did work well for both parties when they cut ties with T.O.

Cincy finally wises up and sends WR Chad Johnson to the Redskins.
I still cannot fathom why the Bengals did not pull the trigger on this trade earlier this week. Does Marvin Lewis and Cincy’s front office really think they are going to benefit from “testing” Chad? If he says he isn’t going to play, I would not tempt Chad Johnson. For all you know, he could come in, sabotage a couple of games and still collect his paycheck. Ocho Cinco is crazy. Word is that the Redskins are making Johnson their number one priority for draft day and are reworking a deal that will give you even more benefits. Take the deal, part ways with Johnson, and be glad that you got rid of an on and off the field distraction. You still have T.J. and like previously stated, it worked so well for the Eagles. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

DE Jason Taylor dances his way onto one of the 1996 expansion teams.
The Dolphins are seriously attempting to get rid of the veteran as of Wednesday and I can’t understand why if they were going to make this move, they didn’t consider Chris Long or Vernon Ghoulston further? That being said, I’d love to see the Dolphin’s poster boy and Dancing with the Stars celeb in a different uniform. The team that is reportedly most interested is the Jacksonville Jaguars, but I could also see the Carolina Panthers make a move after the retirement of Mike Rucker. I again think that this move would be best for both parties. Taylor isn’t happy and seems to be becoming too Hollywood in Miami (I mean DWTS in your off-season, no wonder the Fins were 1-15). Get rid of him for a decently high draft pick and go after a second round talent in a deep DL draft like a Tommy Blake or Lawrence Jackson.

New Orleans makes a move up for a DT and then trades picks for TE Jeremy Shockey.
This may be the most far fetched hope for Saturday, but I do believe that the Saints are trying to move up as high as they can to grab one of the two dominant DT’s. Shockey has become obsolete in New York (they basically won SB without him) and really isn’t happy in NY anyway. Sending him to New Orleans would be a gift to Drew Brees. Brees excelled heavily when he played with the dominant Antonio Gates in San Diego and giving him an extra target makes all the sense for a NewO offense that sputter much of last season. Even if you walk away from this draft with one DT, Jeremy Shockey, and a 7th round CB, that’s a damn good draft if you ask me.

I would LOVE to wake up on Saturday and see all of these NFL draft pipe dreams come true and I think the Randy Moss acquisition last year gave us reason to believe that they all can, but if I take a step our of my Mel Kiper led fantasy world and back into reality I would say that we’ll be lucky to see more than one of these trades. I love to watch PTI on Thursdays and see them play percent odds on every topic in sports; being Thursday I’ll give it a go with these trade predictions.

Roy Williams to Dallas? Unfortunately only about 10%. Lito Sheppard to Buffalo? Slightly higher chance at 32%. Ocho Cinco to Washington? The pun-master in me wants to go 85%, but the Bengals are being stingy and stupid so I’m going to go 51%. I think all the money will get him there though, so thus the one percent over fifty percent. Jason Taylor moving? This is my virtual guarantee. 82% chance he’ll move to Jacksonville, Carolina, or the wildcard Redskins. Finally New O getting both a top tier DT and Jeremy Shockey? 0%. But I think they will get one of them, so I am going 60% Shockey/40% DT.

Take that Todd McShay…

God, I love draft season….

2008 NFL Mock Draft

2008-04-23T19:50:00.014-06:00

The 2008 NFL Draft is this Saturday, and since America loves Mock Drafts, we here at Drinking the Forty thought it was time to throw our hat in the ring. But then, we had an epiphany. What could possibly be better than an NFL Mock Draft?

Oh yes, that would be two NFL Mock Drafts. For the first, we turned to our NFL Correspondant (Yeah, we have an NFL Correspondant. I know, we're a big deal around here.) Mamba King to give us our DTF Mock Draft 1.0.

Take it away Mamba...

1. Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, OT, Michigan

Since the Dolphins held a press conference stating that they have signed Jake Long to a reported 5-year, $57.75 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, it’s safe to assume that he will be the first player to hear his name called shortly after the draft begins at 3:00pm on Saturday. Long is widely considered the top OT in the draft, and that happens to be one of the Dolphins biggest needs. The addition of Long fills a hole at a tackle spot and he is as safe a pick as there is in the draft.

2. St. Louis Rams – Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia

The Rams have been burned by some recent picks along the DL, but this pick has to be a defensive lineman if they don’t trade the pick away. The question is whether it will be Glenn Dorsey or Chris Long? The pick should be Long considering they picked Adam Carriker in the first round last year and seemed to like playing him inside, and their top two DE currently on the roster, Leonard Little and James Hall, are getting older and may be on their way out.

3. Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

It would seem reasonable for the Falcons to consider quarterback Matt Ryan at this spot since their quarterbacks are currently Chris Redman, Joey Harrington, and D.J. Shockley. However, Dorsey could possibly be the best player in the draft. He is one of the most decorated players to come out of college in recent memory. Not to mention he played a large portion of his senior season injured and still led his team to a national championship. He is a hard worker and the Falcons need a DT with Rod Coleman gone.

4. Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

Vernon Gholston could be the pick here, but the defense has been carrying the Raiders for a few years now. The offense probably needs more help. Does anyone really think that Huggy Bear’s son, Justin Fargas, should be carrying the load at RB? Also, Al Davis has a history of falling in love with fast players, and after McFadden ran a 4.33 at the combine he locked up a top 5 selection in this year’s draft. He could be the game-breaker that Oakland needs to make the Raiders offense matter again.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Branden Albert, OL, Virginia

This could be another spot where Matt Ryan might make sense, but the Chiefs will give Brodie Croyle another shot at leading the team next season. To make things easier on him, they will get him some help up front. Some may say this is too high for Albert, but the Chiefs need help along the OL after the recent retirements of perennial pro bowlers Willie Roaf and Will Shields. Remember, the Cardinals took Levi Brown at the fifth spot last year when many thought that was too high. Albert, who played both guard and tackle in college, most likely will line up a tackle in the NFL. The only reason he was moved in to play guard in college was because Virginia had D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

6. New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, OLB/DE, Ohio State

The Jets will be thrilled to get Gholston at this spot. He has the quickest first step off the line in the draft and he tied Jake Long for the most reps on the bench at the combine with 37 reps of 225lbs. He has had unbelievable workouts and looks like a pass rusher should. The knock on Gholston seems to be that he is inconsistent and that he takes plays off. However, if Eric Mangini and his staff can get more consistent play from Gholston, he will be a force rushing the passer.

7. New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

The Patriots would like to get Gholston, and Keith Rivers is also a possibility for the aging Patriots linebacker corps. However, the loss of Asante Samuel to the Eagles and Randall Gay to the Saints this off-season makes cornerback a need for this team. McKelvin is also a good returner which is always a plus.

8. Baltimore Ravens – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

With Matt Ryan still on the board, the Ravens won’t take long to make their pick. At this point, with Steve McNair retiring and Kyle Boller and Troy Smith the top two QBs on the roster, it seems like a good opportunity for Ryan to step in and become the QB that will be tied to new head coach John Harbaugh for years to come.

9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC

The Bengals desperately need help at DT and Sedrick Ellis will be just what the doctor ordered. He is not far behind Glenn Dorsey as the best DT in the draft. John Thornton and Bryan Robinson are getting older and Ellis will pair up nicely with Domata Peko.

10. New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State

Keith Rivers will be a strong possibility for the Saints here, but Rodgers-Cromartie has a lot of potential to develop into a top-notch corner. The Saints added Randall Gay in the offseason to go along with Mike McKenzie, but Jason David was a disappointment as a free agent signing last year so the Saints will be looking for another solid defensive back.

11. Buffalo Bills – Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State

The Bills need a WR and Devin Thomas is widely considered the top WR in the draft. It is probably a reach, but the Bills will take a shot with him in hopes that he can take some pressure off Lee Evans because Roscoe Parrish and Josh Reed haven’t been able to do so.

12. Denver Broncos – Keith Rivers, LB, USC

Keith Rivers very likely could go earlier considering his workouts were outstanding. The Broncos may have other more pressing needs and could consider OT Ryan Clady, but Rivers should be the pick even though they added LB Boss Bailey, Champ’s brother, through free agency. You can never have enough good linebackers.

13. Carolina Panthers – Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State

The Panthers need help on their OL and Clady is a good athlete that will be able to line up at tackle for the Panthers right away pairing him with Jordan Gross at the other tackle spot. Travelle Wharton, who played tackle last year, should move inside to guard.

14. Chicago Bears – Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois

The Bears suffered last year without Thomas Jones to take some of the load off Cedric Benson, who has had some injury concerns. They could consider taking an OL here, but Mendenhall is too good to pass up.

15. Detroit Lions – Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas

After releasing Kevin Jones, the Lions are left with Tatum Bell as their top running back. Jones could be the most explosive back in the draft. The only reason he wasn’t more productive in college is because he had to play in the same backfield as Darren McFadden.

16. Arizona Cardinals – Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida

The Cardinals could be moving Antrel Rolle to safety and they will need to add depth at corner. Jenkins runs a sub-4.4 and should get significant playing time right away in the Cardinals secondary.

17. Kansas City Chiefs – Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida

After trading Jared Allen to pick up this additional 1st round pick, the Chiefs will want to add one of the best pass rushers coming out in the draft. Harvey is a steal at this point and will fill in nicely for Allen.

18. Houston Texans – Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College

The Texans have been looking for a legitimate starting LT ever since the Tony Boselli experiment didn’t work in their expansion draft. Cherilus may finally be the long term answer at that position.

19. Philadelphia Eagles – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal

Aside from T.O., the Eagles have never had receivers for Donovan McNabb. DeSean Jackson’s speed makes him a game-breaker as a receiver and a return man. He is this year’s Ted Ginn, Jr.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Limas Sweed, WR, Texas

Limas Sweed is the best of the big WR in this class, and Jon Gruden would love to have a tall, young receiver on the other side of Joey Galloway. Michael Clayton has fallen off since his rookie year so the Bucs will not hesitate to pick Sweed at this spot since his wrist injury is now healed.

21. Washington Redskins – Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson

The Redskins have been looking for help across the DL for years. Merling is a solid DE that will eventually replace 12-year veteran Phillip Daniels on the opposite side of pass rush specialist Andre Carter.

22. Dallas Cowboys – Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

The Cowboys don’t have too many holes to fill when it comes to starters, but their depth is thin in a few areas. In particular, the DBs are thin after losing Jacques Reeves, who started 14 games last season, along with Nathan Jones and Keith Davis in free agency. Now they don’t have much behind starters Terrance Newman and Anthony Henry. They will grab Talib here despite the recent reports of his off-field issues.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt

The Steelers OL was very weak last season and Big Ben Roethlisberger took a beating. That was before they lost their best OL in Alan Faneca to free agency. Otah is another good tackle prospect in the draft and the Steelers will hope the hometown kid is still around.

24. Tennessee Titans – Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona

The Titans have a need at corner, and Cason is the best on the board at this point. He is a playmaker in the secondary that has the ability to take an interception all the way back at any time.

25. Seattle Seahawks – Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina

Kentwan Balmer is in the next tier of DT following Dorsey and Ellis. He will give the Seahawks some much needed help up front. The Seahawks could also be looking for a TE here, but they will most likely be able to pick one up later in the draft.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Calais Campbell, DE, Miami

The Jaguars have been rumored to be interested in trading for a good pass rusher, but they can stay right where they are in the draft and pick up Calais Campbell. His numbers fell from 2006, but the Jaguars will take him in hopes that he regains that form.

27. San Diego Chargers – Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

The Chargers have a very strong team, but the weakest part of the defense is probably at safety. Last year’s starters were Clinton Hart and Marlon McCree. That is why they will take the best safety in the draft, Kenny Phillips, with this pick.

28. Dallas Cowboys – Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt

This is another case of Dallas adding depth and possibly preparing for life after Flozell “The Hotel” Adams hangs it up. Dallas would also like to pick up a WR or a RB here, but Williams will be the best value.

29. San Francisco 49ers – Dan Connor, ILB, Penn State

The Niners picked up the top ILB in the draft last year when they selected Patrick Willis. Since they like to run a 3-4, they will do the same thing this year adding Dan Connor. Plus, the 49ers have had a recent history of adding players they already know from coaching at the Senior Bowl, such as Connor.

30. Green Bay Packers – Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech

Charles Woodson and Al Harris are both getting up there in age and they could use some depth behind them. Flowers isn’t the fastest CB, but he is a good football player that always seems to know where to be.

31. New York Giants – Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee

The Super Bowl Champions always have a hard time retaining all of their players through free agency. The Giants lost two of their starting LB, Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor, from the Super Bowl run. Picking up Mayo will fill a need, and he is versatile enough to play both inside and outside as he did at Tennessee.

32. Miami Dolphins – Quentin Groves, OLB/DE, Auburn

Ok, so technically this is a 2nd round pick. However, there are usually 32 picks in the 1st round, but the Patriots got caught trying to cheat their way to a Perfect Season and had to forfeit their 1st round pick. Therefore, the Dolphins get the 32nd pick and will be very happy to have the opportunity to pick Groves here. He is a young pass rusher that will have a great opportunity to work himself into the lineup.

Augustin Bids Farewell, Abrams Too?

2008-04-23T18:02:00.006-06:00

To the surprise of not many, DJ Augustin declared for the NBA draft today. While he has not hired an agent, it was done more on the precaution of injury, not for the possibility of choosing to return. While Augustin did not come as a surprise, it was the declaration of AJ Abrams that caused some concern for fans on the Forty Acres.

Abrams, too, did not hire an agent, and is a much safer bet to return to school for his senior season. Even Abrams admitted that he is using his free pass during his junior season, to test the process, and see where he ranks. While Abrams is a great shooter, his size and lack of all around game will hurt his draft status. It would be quite surprising if Abrams is not back in a Longhorn uniform for his senior season. However, it is not a forgone conclusion. Only a few short years ago, most thought that LaMarcus Aldridge would be drafted, and Daniel Gibson would return for his junior season, only to surprise everyone with his agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers. But, I will also say that Daniel Gibson was bigger and a more well rounded player than AJ Abrams at that point in time.

If Abrams does not return for his senior season it would be a huge blow to the Longhorns. Abrams will be relied on to be a perimeter scorer for the Longhorns, as well as someone who is expected to share ballhandling duties with Justin Mason and Dogus Balbay. Abrams early departure would cause all kinds of problems for the Longhorn backcourt and press Balbay and J'Covan Brown into larger roles than they currently would be expected to fill.

While I don't think that Augustin is completely ready for the NBA, I can't fault the decision to turn pro. Most think we will be a lottery pick, and many pundits have him falling at #11 to the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers would be a good fit, as it is an organization in transition, and if Augustin shows to a capable point guard, he will certainly get his chance to replace the off-court headache that is Jamaal Tinsley. The only drawback to going to Indiana for Augustin would certainly be the players around him. They certainly are in transition and are missing a few pieces. Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavey are the most quality pieces they have, with Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster as solid compliments. Jermaine O'Neal has been a disaster for the past three seasons and Jamaal Tinsley isn't far behind him. Augustin would probably get his opportunity to play and has a chance to become a successful pro, if he does stay in the draft. That's a lot of money, and a solid opportunity to grow in the Eastern Conference. That's why you can't fault DJ for leaving early and turning pro.

The two most intriguing questions to follow from here on out is whether AJ Abrams stays in the draft and what the Longhorns will do with DJ Augustin's scholarship. With the extra scholarship and a large opening at point guard and points, the Longhorns will be a player on the recruiting trail to fill the void with the pieces that are still available in the 2008 class. At the top of Barnes' wish list certainly has to be Devin Ebanks from Connecticut. At 6'8" and 185 pounds, he is a long, athletic, swingman that would fit nicely at Texas. He could play two or three, and ranks #11 on Rivals.com Top 150 list. Texas is competing with Memphis, Rutgers, and West Virginia for the small forward's services. If the Longhorns could land him it would be a huge sign for Barnes and give him another valuable offensive weapon for 2009. If Ebanks does decide to go elsewhere, the Longhorns would definitely turn their attention to Wesley Witherspoon, another 6'8", 185 pound point forward out of Georgia. Witherspoon, #34 on Rivals.com's list, is choosing between Colorado, Memphis, Virginia, and the Longhorns. Another player that may come into play with the open scholarship is SF Jeff Taylor (6'7"/197), out of New Mexico, who was interested in Texas before recently giving a soft verbal to Vanderbilt. If Texas can bring in one of these players, it will cushion the blow of losing Augustin and allow Texas to remain a player in 2009.

But if Texas loses AJ Abrams as well, it will cripple the Longhorns' title hopes in 2009. DJ Augustin was a great Longhorn and will be sorely missed, but it is the right time for him to move on. We'll have more later this week on his legacy at the Forty Acres. But here's to hoping AJ Abrams makes the right decision and comes back to lead the Texas Longhorns in 2009.

My Final Mock Draft...Maybe....

2008-04-23T16:29:00.006-06:00

So the NBA playoffs dont get good until well into May, baseball is not important until win game totals get to triple-digits, and no one watches Hockey below the Mason Dixon Line, so with that said there is only one thing that matters in sports...who will my Cowboys take with the 167th pick in the sixth round? And you thought I was talking about Danica Patrick breaking gender stereotypes? The following Mock Draft has gone through more changes than the enitre guest star history of Nip/Tuck with the latest change coming five seconds before posting it when the Cowboys announced the acquisition of PacMan Jones. I think it is finally polished enough for me to be confident in it. Let's just say, Todd McShay doesnt have shit on me. So without further ado....my final mock draft before the big day (purportedly)...

1. Miami – Jake Long, Michigan OT – With no real must-have standout phenoms in this year’s class, Parcells went with the surest thing and grabbed a cornerstone to start Miami’s renovation.

2. St Louis – Glenn Dorsey, LSU DT – Some analysts say that a D-End makes more sense here, but this much raw force in the middle, to me makes rushing the outside that much easier for the Rams.

3. Atlanta – Matt Ryan, Boston College QB – The quarterback position is just such a sexy pick in the draft and it isn’t like the Falcons have anyone of any merit to start the season with. The Birds may try to trade down to grab a QB, but I just think with Dorsey gone, Ryan goes this early due to such dominant workouts.

4. Oakland – Chris Long, Virginia DE – The fancy pick is McFadden, but the Oakland Raiders are already loaded with talented running backs. Al Davis needs to bolster a defensive line that lost Warren Sapp and how perfect would it be to go for the gritty son of Howie Long?

5. Kansas City – Vernon Ghoulston, Ohio State DE – Well the Chiefs cut ties with defensive bookend Justin Allen and thus must replace their top pass rusher. That being said, this pick comes down to pass rusher vs pass protector and I just feel like the best value pick is taking Ghoulston here and waiting until Minnesota’s pick to get a tackle.

6. New York Jets – Darren McFadden, Arkansas RB – The next Curtis Martin? The Jets would love it if McFadden falls all the way to six here and if Oakland skips on him like they should, then the Jets should get their man.

7. New England – Leodis McKelvin, Troy CB – I don’t think there is any doubt that the Patriots will shop this pick around. If no one bites, than the losses of Randall Gay and Asante Samuel mean that New England needs some help in the secondary. McKelvin is the best available and is a safer pick than Keith Rivers.

8. Baltimore – Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, Tennessee State CB - The Ravens would love to get a franchise quarterback here, but outside of Ryan, no other QB warrants this high of a pick. In turn, I think the Ravens look to improve their secondary with DRC.

9. Cincinnati – Sedrick Ellis, USC DT – A mass of a man at 6 feet 309lbs, Ellis will provide a scary, dominant presence inside for a struggling Cincinnati defense.

10. New Orleans – Keith Rivers, USC LB – There are a lot of rumors flaring that the Saints want to trade up to grab one of the huge DT’s, but I don’t know how much listening that will warrant. Thus, I say the Saints should grab the best defensive player available. Rivers can fill any linebacking hole the Saints seem to have.

11. Buffalo – Mike Jenkins, USF CB – The Bills biggest need may be at receiver but there may not be a WR that warrants discussion this high and with a deep WR class, the Bills can grab a quality prospect in the 2nd or 3rd round. With that being said, defensive back is also a need with the glaring hole that Nate Clements left and Jenkins may be the best after McKelvin and DRC.

12. Denver – Ryan Clady, Boise State OT – The Broncs need to bolster the offensive line and with Alberts launching himself up the board, Clady falls into Denver’s lap. Cutler’s old OT Chris Williams is also getting a look, but I think Clady is a more polished guarantee in the Broncos zone blocking scheme.

12. Carolina – Derrick Harvey, Florida DE – A team who initially want an offensive lineman may go with the talented DE Harvey in order to replace the retired Mike Rucker. There is still a good chance that the Panthers take Chris Williams or Jeff Otah, but I think Harvey fills an immediate void.

14. Chicago – Chris Williams, Vanderbilt OT – Its likely to be all offense in this year’s draft for da Bears and if they want to improve their running game, they’ll go with the run-blocking stalwart Chris Williams. Williams is one of the best run blockers after Jake Long and should be a starter in Chicago from day one.

15. Detroit – Rashad Mendenhall, Illinois RB – The Lions released Kevin Jones in the offseason and are left with a glaring hole in the backfield. There are needs on the offensive line and at linebacker, but I think that RB is more pressing and a more media-saavy pick.

16. Arizona – Taqib Alib, Kansas CB – The Cardinals need a running back, but with Mendenhall gone, I don’t think they take a chance on Stewart just yet. They can easily grab a Ray Rice or Jamaal Charles down the road. Here they need to improve on defense and Alib gives them a great option in the secondary.

17. Kansas City (from Minnesota) – Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh OT – The Jared Allen trade left a gaping hole on the defensive front and with that filled with pick 5, the Chiefs need to beefen up the offensive line. Otah is the best available offensive lineman left and could provide great assistance to the running game.

18. Houston – Kenny Phillips, Miami S – The Texans have bigger needs like offensive linemen and linebackers, but those positions are dry here. I look for the Texans to get some defensive help in the back seven. Phillips is one of those NFL-bred safeties from The U and may be worth a shot. RB wouldn’t surprise me here either.

19. Philadelphia – Devin Thomas, Michigan State WR – I’m not sure I even like a receiver here, but offensive line prospects are running slim and so Philly may wait until the second round to provide depth behind Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas. Take the best receiver and hope for the best.

20. Tampa Bay – DeSean Jackson, Cal WR – It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Bucs take a defensive player, but I think an explosive receiver/returner would excite the Jon Gruden offense. DeSean Jackson fits that mold and would bring speed to that short-pass oriented offense.

21. Washington – Calais Campbell, Miami DE – I keep juggling this pick between Campbell, Phillip Merling, and Kentawn Balmer, but because Campbell’s old line coach Joe Palmero is now the line coach in Washington, they’ll probably take an overrated Campbell.

22. Dallas – James Hardy, Indiana WR– The Cowboys secured PacMan Jones from Tennessee and now they can take care of their WR and RB concerns in the first round. I really hope the Boys will package thier picks and trade them for Roy Williams, if they don't they'll need a big, speedy, young reciever.

23. Pittsburgh – Gosder Cherilus, Boston College OT – The Steelers love dominant offensive line play and Cherilus is able to offer that play to the whistle tenacity for the black and gold.

24. Tennessee – Limas Sweed, Texas WR – Tennessee is in need of a big play receiver to compliment Vince Young and who better to provide that then VY’s favorite collegiate target Limas Sweed?

25. Seattle – Jonathan Stewart, Oregon RB – So everyone tends to think that this pick will be a tight end, but with the sudden release of Shaun Alexander, the Hawks need a superstar at tailback. That’s not Julius Jones. I think that Seattle takes a stretch on a guy who played on the west coast.

26. Jacksonville – Kentawn Balmer, North Carolina St DT – The Jaguars need help on the defensive line and though an end makes sense here too, a bigger need is opposite John Henderson in the middle.

27. San Diego – Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech CB – The Chargers don’t have a lot of needs, especially none that need first round money tossed around. That being said, they will probably look to trade down, if they can’t Flowers gives the Chargers a physical corner opposite Quentin Jammer.

28. Dallas – Felix Jones, Arkansas RB – The Boys will be looking for a compliment to Marion Barber early in this draft; personally I think they could do it in the second round with a Jamaal Charles or Steve Slaton. However, Mr. Arkansas Jerry Jones will most likely go after Felix. I think they should also consider Stewart here.

29. San Francisco – Malcom Kelley, Oklahoma WR – This is a make or break season for QB Alex Smith and that being said, I think Mike Martz will try to offer him one more big target to throw at. With Kelley dropping so suddenly, this could also be James Hardy.

30. Green Bay – Dustin Keller, Purdue TE – It seems like there is always a tight end in the first round these days and so I am going with Keller here. Fred Davis and Martellus Bennett could just as easily be picked as well. The Packers may also trade down or look at a CB like Justin King.

31. New York Giants – Jerrod Mayo, Tennessee LB – Mayo’s stock has been rising since the combine and his individual workout and I think the Super Bowl champs could use some help on the defensive side of the ball

Top Coaching Jobs - #4

2008-04-23T07:17:00.005-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#4.) Duke Blue Devils

The house that Coach K built. The Duke Blue Devils are loved by many and hated by everyone else. They have spent much of the last two decades as the center of the basketball universe, winning games and earning fans and enemies for their disciplined style and dedication on the defensive end.

With an .816 winning percentage over the past seven years, you can count on Duke to be relevant and be among the top 15 teams in the country. With three national titles to his credit Mike Krzyzewski will go down as one of the greatest coaches to ever grace the hardwood. With the floor already named after him, he has built this program into everything that it is today.

Duke is a nationally known and respected program and they spend about as much time on national television as Dick Vitale. That recognition allows Coach K to go into any home, coast to coast, to recruit top players. It is this constant influx of talent, along with Coach K’s coaching that keeps Duke on top year after year.

The history and legacy of the Blue Devils has been built over the last 20 years. Everyone remembers the Laettner shot, Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and JJ Redick. Duke has also developed one of the most recognizable and energetic fan bases in the Cameron Crazies. Cameron Indoor Arena is the hardest place to play in the country and the fans at Duke are the most recognizable in basketball.

While Duke’s rise has been all during the Krzyzewski era, it is a success that will surely be sustained after his tenure ends. This will be a program with the national notoriety, success, and fan base that any coach would want to come into. While their facilities are behind most, the tradition and recruiting ability are second to none. This is why Duke comes in at number four on our list.

#5.) Kentucky Wildcats
#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #5

2008-04-22T08:07:00.005-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#5.) Kentucky Wildcats

Another storied program that is in a period of transition. Things had started to come unraveled in Lexington under coach Tubby Smith, who grew tired of the extreme expectations of the Big Blue and saw the writing on the wall. With Smith heading to Minnesota, he left the Kentucky program depleted and in need of a minor rebuilding job.

After a disastrous hiring search, Kentucky was able to make a great hire in Texas A&M coach Billy Gillespie. He immediately came in and instilled his defensive minded, tough, winning attitude and was able to salvage what was a very sub-par Kentucky team. Under Gillespie you could see the transformation taking place during the season, as he began to put his imprint on the program.

Kentucky is a program where 20 wins and tournament appearances aren’t enough. Over the last seven seasons the Wildcats have posted 169 wins and a .728 winning percentage. But that wasn’t enough for Big Blue. One of the most demanding and rabid fan bases in all of college basketball, the Wildcat faithful expects Final Four appearances and National Titles.

Under Adolph Rupp, the Kentucky Wildcats became one of the most successful and storied programs in the game. That tradition grew even more under the championship teams of Rick Pitino. With seven championships and 13 final four appearances, Kentucky is one of the most historic programs in college basketball. They are nationally known and respected.

But in the last several years, recruiting has been down, and Kentucky has fallen behind Tennessee and Florida in the SEC. Kentucky hasn’t been able to maintain the level reached by Rick Pitino, and Tubby Smith became burned out with the expectations and pressure that this Kentucky job brings. Whether it is warranted or not, there’s the Derby and Wildcat basketball in Kentucky, and that’s it. The scrutiny and pressure that comes with this job is second to none, and Billy Gillespie will have to work hard to please his critics.

Gillespie has a style of basketball that wins in the NCAA Tournament and is a proven recruiter. He’s young and highly motivated and is probably the type of hire that could end up getting the Kentucky program back on top. While the Kentucky program has been down the past few years, it won’t stay there for long. And that’s why they come in on our list at number five.

#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #6

2008-04-18T07:18:00.005-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#6.) Indiana Hooisers

One of the crown jewels of college basketball, just ask any basketball person over 50 about the program and look out for the ensuing drool. Since Bob Knight was forced to go, the Indiana program has been in limbo. From the Mike Davis years to the giant black eye named Kelvin Sampson (that’s what you get for hiring a Sooner), the Indiana program has faced some rough times as of late.

But one thing that shows that this program is still among the tops in the sport is the way it has remained in the news and relevant despite its struggles. With major NCAA sanctions looming, (granted they won’t be as bad as Baylor, I guess that’s a perk of being a major player in your sport) the Hooisers were still able to land a major hire in Tom Crean of Marquette. The ability to go in and say, “Hey, you’ll probably have 0 returning starters, face several years of probation, and be expected to win immediately, but did we say we’re Indiana?” and get the coach to sign the dotted line, speaks volumes about the tradition, history, and relevance of this program.

While the .624 winning percentage over the last seven years is not where Indiana would like it, they have had a few seasons in contention in the Big Ten, including the improbable Mike Davis trip to the Final Four. But, what makes Indiana is the tradition and history. It’s the candy stripe pants, Assembly Hall, five national championships, and eight final fours. Whether they win or lose, they still will be Indiana, one of the most storied programs in basketball.

Indiana had been fighting their hardest to become relevant again, and took the shortcut named Kelvin Sampson to do it. Despite the NCAA sanctions, the relevance was achieved. Sampson was able to land a major recruit in Eric Gordon, and while he will be heading to the NBA, Indiana showed it is still capable of attracting the best players. Tom Crean’s success in Marquette will allow him to recruit anywhere in the Midwest, and coupled with the Indiana name, he should be able to become the leader in the region, which is important in keeping Chicago talent close to home.

While it may take two or three years to fully get the program back on track, Crean was the perfect hire to bring Indiana back to elite status in college basketball. It has been 21 years since the Hooisers cut down the nets, but with Tom Crean at the helm, the possibility isn’t that far off. And that is why the Indiana Hooisers come in at number six on our list.

#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

NBA Playoffs: Where Compelling First Round Matchups Happen

2008-04-17T09:27:00.003-06:00

Finally, the crazy NBA regular season has come to a close. It only took every single one for the 82 game season to figure out the playoff seedings in the Western Conference. And, despite all logic, an Eastern Conference playoff was also scheduled (Go Hawks?). Anyway, here's a quick glace at the matchups. A more indepth look at each one will be following soon.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Los Angeles Lakers (57-25)
#8 Denver Nuggest (50-32)

#4 Utah Jazz (54-28)
#5 Houston Rockets (55-27)*

#3 San Antonio Spurs (56-26)
#6 Phoenix Suns (55-27)

#2 New Orleans Hornets (56-26)
#7 Dallas Mavericks (51-31)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Celtics (66-16)
#8 Atlanta Hawks (37-45)

#4 Cleveland Caveliers (45-37)
#5 Washington Wizards (43-39)

#3 Orlando Magic (52-30)
#6 Toronto Raptors (41-41)

#2 Detroit Pistons (59-23)
#7 Philadelphi 76ers (40-42)

*Houston has home court advantage due to having a better record than the Jazz. But since Utah won the Northwest Division, the lowest seed they can be is #4.

Top Coaching Jobs - #7

2008-04-17T08:26:00.003-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#7.) Florida Gators

So how long does it actually take to create a top national program? Apparently it only takes two years, as long as you win the National Title both years and send four of your starting five into the NBA. Billy Donovan has taken his program to the next level thanks to 2006 and 2007, and has now created a top tier program that will be a contender for years to come.

After losing his entire championship team in 2007, Donovan still had a very successful 2008, playing with a young team of top recruits. Another influx of top recruits for the 2009 season and Donovan will have the Gators back at the top of the SEC and in the NCAA tournament. Donovan has built the basketball program into a powerhouse and taken it out of the shadow of the football program. While he will always be #2 to Urban Meyer, basketball has its own strong following in the swamp land.

While Florida’s success has been recent, the .759 winning percentage over the last seven years, and the two national titles cannot be argued with. Also, Florida’s ability to retain Donovan after a brief three day NBA coaching career, will allow them to build on their success. Coach K built Duke, and in ten years we will be talking about how Billy Donovan built Florida.

Florida is serious about their athletics and with the rise of teams like Tennessee, the Gators will be pushed to continue winning. The commitment to winning will always be in the athletic program and that will allow Donovan to maintain top facilities that will allow him to recruit. A tough place to play and a loyal and growing fan base will also aide the Gators into becoming a nationally recognized program.

The groundwork was laid by Billy Donovan over the past 10 years, and in 2006 and 2007 he reaped the success of his hard work. The program has reloaded after those championship seasons and should be a top contender for years to come. They have become the pride of the Deep South and it is why they come in at number seven.

#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #8

2008-04-16T10:04:00.006-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#8.) Michigan State Spartans

Over the past decade the Spartans have defined the gritty and tough style of the Big Ten. They always look unimpressive until the tournament rolls around and then they make a run. This is because of what Tom Izzo has been able to accomplish during his tenure in East Lansing.

With two national championships (1979, 2000) and six final four appearances, Michigan State has created a rich basketball tradition that Tom Izzo has restored and carried on. Over the past seven years, the Spartans have been near the top of the Big Ten each year, compiling 154 wins and a .667 winning percentage.

With eight former players currently in the NBA, Michigan State has created a tradition of top talent moving on to the next level. Also, the consistency of the program has allowed it to garner recognition across the country as an elite program.

While the school continues to try and reach the next level with their football program, the basketball program has remained the pride of the Spartans for the last decade. Tom Izzo is a regional icon in the Midwest, and it is a testament to the program that they have been able to keep him in the green and white. Michigan State is one of the toughest places to play and the Spartans enjoy fantastic fan support, and travel extremely well.

While recruiting is tough to such a northern, cold location, Michigan State is a player in the Midwest and much of the North. As long as Tom Izzo mans the sidelines, Michigan State will continue to overachieve and be in contention come March. It is with this success and future that Michigan State comes in at number eight.

#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

2008 NBA Mock Draft

2008-04-13T18:57:00.012-06:00

Ah yes. It's the end of the college basketball year, and that means everyone's favorite NCAA tradition is upon us: EARLY ENTRY IN THE THE NBA DRAFT!!! Your favorite college stars have not seen the inside of a class room since winter midterms and are ready to graduate from drunk, amateur college girls to the "professionals" that frequent NBA hotel lobbies. Sure, all year your top PG has "not thought about the NBA" and "loves college," but I am sure it was a coincidence that the first person he hugged after the Final Four was his agent. Whoops!

Anyway, here is our contribution to the plethora of NBA mock drafts. We have decided to base the picks more on need and production rather than the ever popular "upside," "intangibles," and "basketball IQ." I also realize, not all of these players have officially announce their intentions yet, but this is my best guess.

1. Miami Heat- Michael Beasley, Kansas State- Lets face it. Miami is terrible. They have a need at every position. Why not take the guy most everyone thinks is the best player available. Beasley may be a bit of a "tweener" in the pros, but Pat Riley has followed this guy around the country like Bill Walton following the Greatful Dead.

2. Seattle Supersonics- Derrick Rose, Memphis- Rose is easily the best PG in the draft (an honestly is probably the best player). Seattle has future superstar Kevin Durant and Rose would be a perfect guy to dish the ball to Durant, but also has the scoring ability to take some pressure off his shoulders.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves- OJ Mayo, USC- Everyone has known Mr. Mayo since he was in 6th grade. It is finally time for him to show his stuff on the NBA scene. He really came into his own as the USC season progressed and the T-wolves, while in need of a lot, are in desperate need of a shoot guard. Starting Marko Jaric in the Western Conference is just not going to cut it.

4. New York Knicks- Danilo Gallinari, Italy- Can anyone else wait until the Knicks make their first non-Isiah Thomas draft pick since Rolando Balkman? You just know Isiah has GOT to find a way to screw up even someone else's draft. I mean, He did cause an entire league to fold on his watch. Gallinari is easily the best Euro in the draft. He can provide the Knicks with a huge scoring threat from the SF position that Jarred Jefferies just can't give.

5. Memphis Grizzlies- Brook Lopez, Stanford- Time to replace Darko? Probably. With Milicic and Hakeem Warrick as starters the Griz are deficient in inside scoring and defense. Lopez is a polished 7 footer with some great offensive moves. He could be a nice compliment to Rudy Gay and Mike Miller's outside scoring.

6. Milwaukee Bucks- Donte Green, Syracuse- Okay. This one might be a stretch here, but Green provides a need for the Bucks; and that is someone beside Michael Redd that can fill up a score sheet. Green is long, athletic, and likes to shoot. He can provide the offensive threat that Desmond Mason can't give the Bucks. If they can get Yi to come back and be a scorer, the Bucks may actually have a decent offensive team.

7. LA Clippers- Jarred Bayless, Arizona- While Bayless might be caught between the 1 and 2 positions in the NBA, the Clippers definitely need a PG and Brevin Knight may no longer be the answer. Bayless is 6'3'' and has a very developed offensive game. But if Shawn Livingston can come back and pick up PG duties next year, Bayless could be moved to the SG position, sending Quinton Ross to the pine.

8. Charlotte *Hornets (see comments)- Eric Gordon, Indiana- Gordon is deceptively good since wearing sleeves under your jersey automatically makes you look 27% less athletic. But don't be fooled, Gordon is going to provide a nice offensive option to a team with out many, especially this year with Gerald Wallace missing time. Matt Carroll should not be getting more that 10 mins a game, much less starting for an NBA team. If Gordon can follow the example of Royal Ivey and lose the tee shirt, he might be taken more seriously in the NBA.

9. Chicago Bulls- Nicholas Batum, France- I actually like that Chicago picks up players from winning college programs. Okay, so it hasn't totally translated perfectly into the NBA yet, but I feel like it has potential. And do we really need any more French players in the league? (looking at you, Tony Parker). But, despite all this, Batum can put up points and give some relief to both Loul Deng and Drew Gooden. He is also athletic enough, even at 6'8'' to take over a spot from under performing Larry Hughes.

10. New Jersey Nets- Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN- This guy is a personal favorite of mine. I know he doesn't have completely polished offensive skills, but you have to love his aggressiveness and post defense. Fellow UCONN Huskie Josh Boone is not cutting it as an NBA center. Thabeet could easily turn into one of the best NBA defenders very soon into his pro career. They just don't make big men like this any more and teams need to jump on the chance while they can.

11. Indiana Pacers- Maurice Speights, Florida- I would just like to point out that not only is Jeff Foster the starting center for the Pacers, but they are also fielding 4 white starters in the NBA. Are you serious? Has Larry Bird secretly been pulling strings around there? While you might lose some size in the interior with Speights, the athleticism upgrade over Foster will pay dividends on the offensive and defensive ends.

12. Sacramento Kings- DJ Augustin, Texas- The Kings got rid of Mike Bibby and are in desperate need of a point guard. Augustin has a mature game with a developed outside shot. He can step and and pick up where Bibby left off. While Anthony Johnson can run an offense, DJ can provide points and a faster game pace. DJ is going to be a defensive liability for a while, but his positives outweigh his few negatives.

13. Portland Trailblazers- Darren Collison, UCLA- When the Trailblazers get Greg Oden back next year, they are going to be one of the youngest, most dangerous teams in the NBA. They have big time scoring, big time defense and adding a big time PG will put them over the edge and have them becoming a force in the West. Collison brings more athleticism that Steve Blake and may be the key to Portland's emergence next year.

14. Golden State Warriors- Darrell Arthur, Kansas- Golden State has the most potent and exciting offense in the league, but also one of the worst defenses. Getting Arthur, who can run the floor and shoot will not slow down their frenetic pace of play, while giving them some much needed interior defense. To me, this pick just makes too much sense not to work.

15. Phoenix Suns (From Atl)- D'Andre Jordan, Texas A&M- The nice thing about having a good team is that you don't need your young players to be good right away. Sweet! That's perfect for D'Andre Jordan, whose college coach called him "the most overrated player he has ever seen." But Shaq will be around a few more years, and honestly, Jordan has Andrew Bynum-like talent. Maybe some of the Suns veterans can whip him into shape and the Suns can end up with a 7'0'' center than can run with Steve Nash.

16. Toronto Raptors- Chase Buddinger, Arizona- The Raptors need a shooting guard and a small forward. Welcome, Mr. Buddinger. The 6'7'' combo guard has unlimited range and can take some of the scoring pressure off Chris Bosh and provide some outside 3 point ability the Raptors have lacked recently. Buddinger can create his own shot and is deadly enough to be one of the best outside shooters in the NBA.

17. Philadelphia 76ers- Kevin Love, UCLA- Love is a polarizing player. He is loved by much of the media, but his translation into the NBA game has been questioned. He needs to lose weight, he may be under sized and his offensive game may not translate well to the next level. But, The Sixers need a high energy guy, who will crash the boards and at the same time can develop a decent offensive game. And honestly, who's really clinging on to Reggie Evans?

18. Washington Wizards- Roy Hibbert, Georgetown- While Hibbert's game may have been a bit overrated at Georgetown, the Wizards need some inside presence. Hibbert has decent range and can be a defensive stopper. And lets be honest. He's 7'2''. There is always going to be a place on a NBA roster for a guy with that size and some ability to score.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers - James Harden, Arizona State- Here's another possible stretch. The Cavs desperately need someone to be a second big time scoring option to help out LeBron James (not that he can't drop 50 every night). Harden exploded onto the Pac 10 scene and might have garnered more hype if he hadn't been at Arizona State and the Pac-10 had so many great freshmen. I am going to go out on a limb and say if he decides to declare, the Cavs should take a chance on a guy who loves to shoot and has a big time developed offensive game.

20. Denver Nuggets- Ty Lawson, UNC- The Nuggets have superstars at every position, except for PG. Why not add a big name there too? Lawson may be the quickest PG in the draft and would go higher if he had not been injured so much this year. This would be a huge get for the Nuggets who are like every team that is fighting an uphill battle in the West.

21. New Jersey Nets (From Dallas)- Anthony Randolph, LSU- Despite the fact I have D'Andre Jordan going early to Phoenix, there is nothing I hate more in basketball than lazy big men who seem like they don't try. The poster-boy for this may be Mr. Randolph. I also hate the fact that there is always a team that will draft one of these guys. Oh well, I guess I will continue to be short and bitter. Randolph could be good in the NBA, but who the hell knows. Its up to him. If the Nets can score Randolph and Hasheem Thabeet in the same draft, they could have an incredibly powerful front court.

22. Orlando Magic- Tyler Smith, Tennessee- Smith may be a question mark because he is going to have to get used to playing on the wing in the NBA. But if he can improve his perimeter shot, he already has the ability to get to the rim and finish. Smith could start out as a nice change of pace from Turkoglu's outside shot and have more of a threat to get the ball to the basket.

23. Seattle Supersonics (From Pho)- Jason Thompson, Rider- While the Sonics won't get any more experience with this pick, they will be getting a mature college senior, that will be older than a lot of players already on the team. It seems weird saying a rookie may be able to provide some leadership, but this is a REALLY young team. He is a big player that can score inside and play decently well on defense. The Sonics really just need someone who can step in a play fairly quickly, and it seems like Thompson can be that kind of player.

24. Utah Jazz- JaVelle McGee, Nevada- I almost had McGee going to Seattle, but I thought that he may need more time to develop than Thompson. The Jazz can provide that time for McGee to mature. He's a 7 footer who's a great defender and a hard worker. That sounds pretty good for Jerry Sloan, right? He can work a little on his offense, but is a solid player who will fit nicely into Utah's system.

25. Houston Rockets- AJ Price, UCONN- The Rockets could go either small or big with this pick. I chose for them to target the PG position. While Rafer Alston is playing well this year, he is not the long term solution. There are still a bunch of questions about Yao, but he is in Houston to stay. Price really came on late in the year and proved to be a great scoring option from the point position. He really rebounded from a terrible freshman campaign to be one of the best guards in the Big East. The Rockets desperately need a consistent scoring PG. Will the Price be right?

26. Memphis Grizzlies (From LAL)- Tyler Hansbrough, UNC- Oh Psycho-T, what will the NBA do with you? What I can tell you is that he's going to get under the skin of a couple of NBA vets and end up getting punched a few times his rookie year. The Grizzlies need a fire on their team and this is the player to bring it. No one is sure exactly how his game will translate, but he was the NCAA player of the year and you know he will not fail for lack of trying. If nothing else, he'll provide some entertaining moments; something Memphis is lacking of.

27. San Antonio Spurs- Joe Alexander, West Virginia- The Spurs are getting old and boring (oh wait, they've been that since the early 90's). Alexander is an energy guy with a great offensive game. He long and tall and will immediately be the least obnoxious player on the team (looking at you, Manu). He fits the Spurs system as he seems mature and fundamentally sound. And if he can master the defensive flop, look out! San Antonio will have a new favorite son!

28. New Orleans Hornets- Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis- CDR is another polished player that can provide a contender with a player than can contribute immediately. He is mostly a slasher, but will also be a nice running mate for Chris Paul and his face paced offense. He can come in and be a decent defender. He will end up being an upgrade from Morris Peterson.

29. Detroit Pistons- Brandon Rush, Kansas- Detroit has a solid team already and Rush will be able to provide some depth ans size on the perimeter. He has basically been ready to declare himself for the NBA for 3 years, and now finally can since he is not injured. Rush can shoot from the outside, but will have to develop into a player that can get his own shot and be able to cope with tougher NBA defenders. But in the end, Rush will be successful for the Pistons, as he will be able to be brought along slow over a few years.

30. Boston Celtics- Richard Hendrix, Alabama- Question: What do you get the team that has 3 future NBA Hall of Famers? Answer: A tough, hard-nosed inside presence that will be an animal on the boards and do all the things asked of him by a veteran roster. Hendrix can provide the same game intensity as Garnett and is also a better athlete than Kendrick Perkins. Hendrix will be there to provide some important bench minutes and to keep the intensity high.

Top Coaching Jobs - #9

2008-04-11T08:43:00.007-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas. It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball?

We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#9.) Connecticut Huskies

Coming in at nine is another team that has made a name for themselves over the past two decades. Under Jim Calhoun, the Huskies have won two national titles (1999, 2004) and have built a program that is guaranteed to be in contention year in and year out in the competitive Big East Conference.

One of the most impressive feats of this UConn program is the caliber of player that Calhoun is consistently able to recruit up north, in Storrs, Connecticut. Thirteen former Huskies are still on NBA rosters, including Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton, and Rudy Gay. Calhoun has shown the ability to go anywhere in the country to recruit top players. This has allowed the program to remain competitive year in and year out, and make themselves known at a national level.

Over the past seven years, Connecticut has an impressive .756 winning percentage. While that kind of success will be difficult to match due to the expansion of the Big East into a basketball super conference, UConn will be in the upper echelon on an annual basis.

Despite the recent successes of the football program, Connecticut is still a basketball school. The top dog status of the program within the school helps with its success. It has a great fan base and is a difficult place to play. The success of the past decade of the program has also created an attitude of winning that will surely continue within the program whenever Calhoun decides to move on. However, that shouldn’t be for a while, and in the meantime the Huskies will continue to win and cement the legacy that Calhoun has created.

Connecticut is known nationally for being one of the elite programs in college basketball. They have a respected coach and continue to show the ability to recruit top talent north of the Mason-Dixon, and it’s for this reason that Connecticut will continue to remain relevant into the foreseeable future, and why they come in at number nine on our list.

#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #10

2008-04-10T08:41:00.007-06:00

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. And now Oklahoma State is about to make a run at Bill Self of Kansas. It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball?

We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Under Lute Olson, the Arizona Wildcats have achieved National recognition as a contender in the Pac-10. With four Final Four appearances and a National Title in 1997, Arizona has been successful on a national stage.

With a favorable climate and campus, and an attractive style of basketball, Arizona has remained a top draw for NBA caliber talent. With 10 former players currently on NBA rosters, such as Mike Bibby and Gilbert Arenas, to Chase Budinger and Jarryd Bayless, Arizona has and continues to attract top flight talent.

With Lute Olson coming of age and struggling with his divorce this past season, Arizona has in turn struggled the past few seasons. Despite some early exits from the tournament, the Wildcats have still recorded a respectable .696 winning percentage over the last seven seasons.

Arizona has a solid following and can be a challenging place to play. While they have only become relevant during the Lute Olson era, he has built a program that has the ability to stay after he has moved on. While that might not happen for a few years, the Wildcats can see the writing on the wall that change is in the near future.

With a prime location and a history of NBA placement, Arizona is a great program for any coach to turn into a national powerhouse. With the ability to recruit nationally and in California, the Wildcats should continue to be a force in college basketball, and that’s why they fall in at number ten.

Speaking of Coaching Trees

2008-04-08T06:57:00.002-06:00

Just as Ken McDonald was taking the reigns over at Western Kentucky, Frank Haith was suring up his position at the University of Miami. Haith signed a 5-year contract extension that will keep him with the Hurricanes through 2012-2013.

The extension was a reward for Miami's first tournament appearance since 2002, best ever finish in the ACC, first ever 1st team all-ACC player in Jack McClinton, a 14-2 home record, coupled with the highest home attendance in the past five years, and beating Duke never hurts.

Haith has been the head man at Miami for four seasons, compiling a 69-60 record.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3334027

Coaching Trees Bloom in the Spring

2008-04-07T19:53:00.006-06:00

The Rick Barnes coaching tree has now officially reached two, as assistant coach Ken McDonald was named the head coach of Western Kentucky, replacing Darrin Horn, who took over at South Carolina. McDonald, who has been with Barnes as a player and a coach, became the second coach to leave Barnes' staff, following Frank Haith who left for Miami, three years ago.

McDonald has had a long history with Barnes, first as a player at Providence, then for four years as an assistant on Barnes' Clemson staff. He then moved on to Western Kentucky as an assistant there for two years, before rejoining Barnes at Texas, where he spent the last four seasons.

Known as a good recruiter, McDonald will try to continue and build on the success that Horn experienced at Western Kentucky, building the program into a emerging mid-major. They peaked this season as they reached the Sweet 16, before a frantic comeback fell short against #1 seed UCLA. After that success as well as developing an NBA talent in Courtney Lee, Horn decided it was time to cash in and moved on to South Carolina.

McDonald inherits a program that has already established itself, but one that will have to endure a bit of a downturn next season. Western Kentucky will lose Courtney Lee and Tyrone Brazelton, their two best players from the past season. They also lose Ty Rogers, another starter and solid role player. The Hilltoppers also graduate three players off their bench. While McDonald loses a majority of his new team, they have some young talent and has some great momentum to recruit off of.

Texas will most likely fill McDonald's position from within. The front runner for the position is former Longhorn Chris Ogden who has been the video coordinator for the past two years. However, it is possible that Ogden could go with McDonald or that Barnes looks to fill the position from outside the program.

McDonald has the potential to be successful at Western Kentucky, and use the program in a similar manner as Darrin Horn. If he can continue to win over the next four or five years he should be able to move on to an even better program.

With the success of this past season, Frank Haith looks ready to turn the corner at Miami, and continue to improve in a conference looking for a consistent #3 and #4 team. With the shape of the Western Kentucky program, McDonald and Haith look ready to make the Barnes coaching tree a successful one.

Had to use that picture again somehow.

Don't Go D.J.

2008-04-03T14:10:00.006-06:00

Darryl Gerard Augustin Jr., listen to me. Do NOT go to the NBA. Bring your 6’0, 180lb frame back into the Erwin Center this instant and get ready for your Junior season. Unpack your uncanny passing ability, the ease in which you glide to the basket, and your defensive prowess and stay a while; well at least one more year. Stop giving “farewell-like” hugs to Damion and Connor. Stop telling ol’ Rick that you’re still deciding what is best for your future. Don’t listen to anyone who works for the Miami Heat, Seattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks, or New York Knicks. Just because you are more talented than their point guards, does not mean it’s your time to go. D.J., in short what I am trying to say is just sit down and stay a while. The NBA can wait.

After an Elite Eight embarrassment against the Memphis Tigers, the biggest question facing the Horns basketball program is no longer how to contain Derrick Rose, but instead its how to RETAIN D.J. Augustin. With the institution of the NBA’s one year in college rule and the subsequent rise of underclassmen declaring for the draft, the best recruiting jobs no longer center around obtaining the high profile freshmen, but instead retaining the high profile underclassmen that you are already building around. And with such high profile underclassmen like Rose, O.J. Mayo, and Michael Beasley almost certainly declaring for this season’s NBA draft, the best recruiting job in the nation may be up to Rick Barnes and his best attempt at keeping D.J. Augustin.

If D.J. were to return, it would undoubtedly give Texas another Top 10 team and conventional wisdom and a look back at recent history would offer enough evidence to label them as a front runner for the 2009 Final Four. If you look at teams like Billy Donovan’s upperclassmen laden Florida Gators who won back-to-back National Championships you can see that experience and depth by far trump the talents of green, edgy, pressured, one-and-done freshmen phenoms.

Just consider the stud freshmen of 2008 who were looked upon to change the face of a program: Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon, Jerryd Bayless, & Deandre Jordan were all enjoying the Sweet Sixteen from their apartment couches. The two notable freshmen who advanced to the Final Four, Derrick Rose of Memphis and Kevin Love of UCLA, are luckily surrounded by experience, maturity, and upperclassmen depth. Along with the Tigers and Bruins, the two other remaining teams, Kansas and UNC, follow the same deep, experienced mold. If Augustin returns to the Forty Acres, he gives the Horns that same dynamic.

Not only would the decision to stay benefit Coach Barnes, the team, and the fans, but it would be best served for D.J. as well. The need for average, undersized guards in the NBA is very small and at a generous 5’11”, 180lbs, Augustin definitely has room for his game to grow. His passing ability is on point, but his inconsistent shooting and suspect defensive play stand between him and the lottery. A projected late first round draft pick in this years NBA draft, D.J. could mover further into the lottery by giving NBA scouts one more brilliant season post Durant. If he can successfully put together another 20-and-6 a night season, continue to manage the floor, and lead the Horns into another deep tournament run, NBA scouts could be looking at the next Deron Williams or better yet Chris Paul.

You also have to believe that an Academic All-American like Augustin strongly believes in a quality education. With a 3.8 GPA, it’s assumable that Augustin would plan on finishing his degree. This task would prove far simpler if he lacked only one year of coursework; just ask ol VY. So coming back would not only drastically improve his draft stock, but also take a big chunk out of his degree stock as well. It’s like killing two birds with one big, round, orange, inflatable stone.

D.J., if you are reading this, then heed my advice. Stick around for one more year. Work on that jump shot and that GPA. Show NBA scouts that you really could be Steve Nash reincarnated. Sit still, win another Big XII championship, collect some more hardware, and get Texas that coveted National Championship we long for. The NBA can wait.

YouTube Thursday!

2008-04-03T07:51:00.000-06:00

So very true... So very true...

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining, Right?

2008-04-01T07:53:00.006-06:00

I feel like it only deserves one paragraph, so that's all I'm going to give it. I could go into it more, but it would only be a waste of time. Memphis was quicker, more athletic, longer, bigger, and played with infinitely more confidence. I think it was the first time I've seen anyone be quicker and more athletic than us, and it makes a world of difference when those quicker, more athletic people also happen to be freakishly long. There might have been some ways that we could have won that game, but I can't think of any other than Memphis playing much worse than that. It was a good season, the ending was kind of disappointing, but there's no reason to disect it and say if we had done this and this it would have been different, because I don't believe that to be true. We got taken behind the shed.

Instead I prefer to look to what this offseason spells for the Longhorns. With JD Lewis and Ian Mooney as the only graduating seniors on the roster, the future looks bright for the Horns. While Damion James had a breakout season and showed why he was so highly touted coming out of high school, he didn't have the kind of tournament and late season impact that he would have needed to elevate his draft status. Unless he's hoping to catch on somewhere in the 2nd round, he should be back next season.

The big question will be the status of DJ Augustin. Early in the season he looked like he was fighting for the top point guard in the draft status. Clearly, with a less than stellar tournament (14.25 ppg/6.5 apg/3.25 rpg/1.75 spg/2.5 TOpg/35% FG/39% 3P), he has lost that battle. What he gained in his outstanding Stanford game, he lost with his struggles in the Memphis game. He's behind Derrick Rose (Memphis) and Jerryd Bayliss (Arizona), and is still jockeying for position with Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook, and Ty Lawson, all of whom have improved their status with their tournament play. Most "experts" (people who have a website) have DJ as a late lottery selection to a mid-first rounder. It will be interesting to see how that changes as we get closer to the draft. But one thing his tournament performance did, was put his draft stock into question.

While most comparisons are to Steve Nash, and that's who DJ likens his game to the most, another player he always seems to remind me of is Deron Williams. And Williams used all for of his years at Illinois to become the player he is today. DJ could benefit from one or two more years in school to continue to learn the position and get to a point where he is in constant control on the floor. I wouldn't fault him or disagree if he decides to turn pro, but if he did decide to wait one more year he could encounter a weaker draft class and also set himself up for a better draft position.

Regardless of DJ's decision, Texas will have plenty of hope going into next season. A look at each position and their status for next year ('09 class in parenthesis):

Point Guard - Obviously, if DJ (Jr) returns, we're in great shape. But if he does go, look for Justin Mason (Jr) and AJ Abrams (Sr) to split time here. I would love to see AJ embrace this role and use his quickness as a scorer and a passer. There is no one that can stay in front of him if he's trying to get in the lane. Also, Justin Mason loses some of his effectiveness as a rebounder/all around hustler if he is burdened with the disciplined responsibilities of the point guard position. Dogus Balbay (Fr) will contend to be a backup at the point guard position, coming off an ACL injury this year. He's said to be extremely quick and a pass first point guard from Turkey. Also Harrison Smith (Jr) is a darkhorse candidate to contribute, but attitude and desire have kept him out of the rotation his first two years in the program.

Shooting Guard - AJ Abrams and Justin Mason will both be back with another year under their belts. Mason had a breakout last half of the season as he plays larger than his 6'2" height, and is the defensive stallwort of this team. He also is amazing on the boards and the confidence of what is a decent outside shot returned. He plays under control and is aggressive and smart in the lane. He underwent a transformation the last half of the season and it was a pleasure to watch. Also, incoming freshman J'Covan Brown is a highly touted scorer and will certainly get some minutes in his first season.

Small Forward - If DJ returns, Justin Mason will continue to see time in the three guard lineup. But if DJ moves on, look for Damion James (Jr) to return to his more natural position at small forward. It would give Texas a more traditional look and improve the rebounding and toughness immeadiately. James is about the only small forward we have on the roster as Gary Johnson (So) is more ably suited for power forward, but he could see some time there to allow the Longhorns to go very big inside.

Power Forward - This is where the Longhorns of 2009 will begin to look different. All the big men played well in the tournament and with their freshman campaign under their belts, they will be more involved offensively in 2009. Gary Johnson could start the season off as the starter, but if Dexter Pittman's tournament play was a sign of things to come, Connor Atchley (Sr) could slide into his more natural power forward position. Alexis Wangmene (So), Matt Hill who will return from injury (So), and Clint Chapman (So) will also be heavily involved in what will be an incredibly deep front line. Whoever makes the biggest strides during the offseason will likely move to the front of the line in the rotation. But every post will get his chance to prove himself.

Center - Connor Atchley will most likely start his senior campaign as the center, but Dexter Pittman (Jr) closed with an outstanding tournament and he could show up next season ready to be the anchor for this team offensively and defensively. Either way the front court will be in great shape as Clint Chapman and Matt Hill have the length to play center as well. Texas has the potential to dominate inside and be one of the most physical teams in the country next season.

This season was a great one as the Longhorns matured and improved throughout the year. The team was a little bit one-dimensional due to the youth of the front line forcing Damion and Connor to play out of position. But next season the Longhorns look primed to be a different team, that looks a little bit more like those teams that featured Brad Buckman, Brian Boddicker, James Thomas, and Jason Klotz, and a whole lot of physical play. If the Longhorns can incorporate their post game and allow Damion and Connor to play their more natural positions, DJ Augustin will either be running one of the deepest and most complete teams in the country, or AJ Abrams and Justin Mason will step in to run a team that could have a completely overhauled offensive strategy. Either way, it was an enjoyable experience to watch this team learn, grow, and succeed.

Key to Stanford Game...

2008-03-28T13:32:00.002-06:00

DAMIEN ANDERSON!! At least according the the "experts"

Damien Anderson

I am thinking Damion needs a new PR guy seeing as Sportscenter constantly calls him "Damion Jones" and Dick Vital has already called him "Damon Jones" in the Tournament.

Nice dunk, Mr. Jones

Picture of the Night

2008-03-27T23:05:00.003-06:00

I am still not exactly sure what that is. But it very well could be my favorite mascot. Is it a guy or a girl? We shall call it, Pat.

You keep doing what you do Pat. Don't let the man bring you down. You big, red.....thing.

16 to 1: Ranking the Sweet Sixteen

2008-03-27T10:57:00.001-06:00

16. Western Kentucky – So after I brag a tad bit about having WKU in my Sweet Sixteen, I’ll return to reality and hear the clock striking midnight on the Hilltopper’s ball. NBA prospect Courtney Lee and his WKU teammates will run into a dominant UCLA team and will have to leave their glass slippers at the door. This year’s George Mason has had their moments, Ty Rogers 3 at the buzzer and Tyrone Brazelton’s 33 point effort against Drake to name a couple, but the Bruins will just overpower and outman the Hilltoppers tomorrow night in Phoenix.

15. Villanova – Normally an expected player in the national picture, Nova had a frustrating regular season going just 9-9 in the Big East. No one expected a Sweet Sixteen run from this bunch, but this is why we play the games. Jay Wright and his star point guard Scottie Reynolds have the 12-seed Cats playing their best basketball of the season. Coming back from a 16 point deficit against Clemson illustrates both their strong defensive presence and their giant hearts. Nova will need a flawless appearance against red-hot Kansas, but will come up a bit shy of an Elite Eight berth.

14. Tennessee – You may think you are reading this wrong and that I clearly skipped over a couple of teams, but no one has played sloppier and less deserving in this tournament than the Volunteers. Bruce Pearl’s team let 15-seed American stick around until nearly 2 minutes left in the game and needed an overtime period and the hand of God to get by Butler. Factor in Lofton’s sketchy injury and the fact the Louisville has yet to face a challenge in this tournament and Tennessee will be in offseason by 10pm central time on Thursday.

13. Davidson - Stephen Curry may just be the best player in the country. Yes, I said it. Part of me is so confident in this kid that I want to pull out the upset card and match them up with North Carolina in the Elite Eight. However, the way he waits until the second half to play, may be too late for the strengths of Wisconsin’s guard play and steady defense. Bob McKillop will have his team more ready to play on Friday night than any other team and if Andrew Lovedale can play his biggest and best game, I think Davidson has a chance to do the unthinkable, but Wisconsin’s guards should get Lovedale in foul trouble early and just outmatch the talented Wildcats.

12. Washington State – Ol’ Wazzu has looked just as good as any team in the first two rounds and they’re doing it through that good old fashioned, bust your balls defense. Tony Bennett is becoming one of the premiere coaches in America (Indiana, pay attention) and with his duo of Kyle Weaver and Derrick Weaver; the Cougars have a chance to do something special. The way the Cougars shut down the Irish’s Luke Harangody give them some positive confidence this week against Tyler Hansbrough, but facing a team that is averaging over 100 points a game in the tournament may be the end of their winning by defense.

11. Stanford – Trent Johnson’s ejection from last weekend’s game against Marquette said one thing loudly if nothing else; the Cardinals aren’t playing around. The Lopez twins (Brooke and Robin), give Stanford the best two man post combination left in the tournament. Against a number of other matchups, I may say that the Cardinals have a shot, but they are a completely opposite team than Texas. Stanford does not have the speed to match Texas’ guards and will be run out of the “home” gym in Houston. Look for calls to go against them in Houston and we may see Johnson tossed again.

10. West Virginia – Bob Huggin’s team has been a pleasant surprise in this tournament and has played almost flawlessly in big wins over Arizona and that extremely overrated Duke team. I mean they simply devoured Duke and introduced the country to big man Joe Alexander. Alexander has shown NBA scouts his worthiness but its been his supporting cast (Joe Mazzulla, Darris Nichols, Da’sean Butler) that have the Mountaineers this far. Honestly I can’t believe that this team hasn’t been this dominant all year and I’ll admit that I’ve stupidly overlooked them all year. Not anymore. I think Xavier’s guard play is too good and the Musketeers are too fast for the Mountaineers, but watch out for Huggins on the recruiting trail.

9. Michigan State – I strongly considered ranking Michigan State ahead of Memphis because: 1. I believe the Tigers are heavily overrated and 2. There may be no better tournament coach than Tom Izzo. However, Memphis is undoubtedly faster and far more talented than the Spartans. This will be one of the closest matchups in the Sweet Sixteen and if Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan can keep the Spartans in the game until the end, free throw shooting may be the difference. Also, watch out for Kalin Lucas; he has played lights out toward the end of the year.

8. Xavier – After a first round near miss against red-hot Georgia, the Musketeers are back to the second weekend. The Musketeers will matchup well with West Virginia, a lot like the matched up against Purdue. Point Guard Drew Lavender is one of the hardest guards in America to guard and I think that may mean early foul trouble for the Mountaineers. If the Musketeers can keep the tempo to their liking, they will probably advance to the Elite Eight, only to hit a road block and against a more half court savvy UCLA.

7. Memphis – You may feel this is too low for the one-loss Conference USA champion, but as I said previously, the Tigers may be the most overrated team this season. The talent level is there. The record looks sexy. They have the names, players, and coaches to win a few games. The defense isn’t always there though and their free throw shooting is horrendous. They hadn’t truly been battle tested before last week since their loss to Tennessee. When these late round games are on the line, I don’t trust the Tigers. They’ll slip by MSU, but the guard play of Texas will not favor John Calipari’s squad.

6. Wisconsin – The Badgers are slowly becoming one of those elite teams in college basketball, improving year in and year out. Bo Ryan made sure that these Badgers remember the early exits they suffered in the last two tournament appearances. I think that this Wisconsin team may be the most overlooked team in the country and is one of the most balanced teams in the field. The Badgers play great defense and slowly extend leads on their opponent until they can slam the door on them. Look for Michael Flowers to put the clamps on the dynamic Stephen Curry and get the Badgers to the Elite Eight before being out manned by Kansas.

5. Kansas – Well you have to give the Jayhawks some credit; they got through the first two rounds without getting upset by a Bucknell or Bradley or some other B-college. Coach Bill Self has gotten over one hump, but he still has a large monkey on his back. These Jayhawks need to get into the Final Four to justify all that talent and depth. Kansas look to be able to out run and out gun any team left in their regional and may have the easiest road to San Antonio.

4. Texas – Is it finally Texas’ time in round ball? After quality years in all other major sports, its time for Rick Barnes and company to show that basketball isn’t a second tier sport in the Lone Star state. D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams combine for one of the best guard duos in the country. The key to Texas’ success is from behind the arc. The Horns have knocked down 23 three pointers in only two tournament games.With basically home court advantage the rest of the way, its Final Four time for the Horns.

3. Louisville – This is the only team in my final four rankings that will miss the actual Final Four. However, after seeing the Cardinals first two games, they are far more deserving of a two-seed than Georgetown and Duke and as we will see this weekend, Tennessee as well. Coach Rick Pitino is a heck of a tournament coach and knows how to get it done when everything is on the line. If the Cardinals can continue their stingy defense and make their free throws they may give North Carolina a run at it. The problem is those are hard things to do against North Carolina, especially so close to Chapel Hill.

2. UCLA – Such a close game against Texas A&M is a little deceiving because the Aggies matched-up so well with the Bruins. Such matchup problems may not be an issue again until the national championship game. Kevin Love is a force down low and Darren Collison adds the perfect compliment for an inside outside game. I’d say the Bruins are the most complete team from top to bottom as far as role players go. Reminds me a lot of last year’s Florida team.

1. North Carolina –Although I picked UCLA to win it al, there is no argument that North Carolina is the best team in the tournament to this point. The Tar Heels have scored more than 100 points in back to back tournament games and that’s after running through the ACC tournament as well. They are the hottest team in America. They are deep. They are balanced. They have experience. They have a great coach. They are battle tested. What more can you ask for in a run for a National Title. Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough give the Heels a dominant one-two punch that will be in San Antonio next week. I’ll be rooting for the Bruins, but expecting the Tar Heels.

Youtube Tuesday (On Wednesday).... On Thursday

2008-03-27T08:13:00.002-06:00

Well, I knew it. The minute I made "Youtube Tuesdays" into "Youtube Tuesdays (on Wednesday)" I would start posting them on Thursday. And I was right. I know myself entirely too well.

I will try and make up for it.

What to Make of the Cardinal

2008-03-27T07:09:00.004-06:00

What is so scary about one little red bird? Well if you look closer, Cardinal also means of prime importance, chief; principal. That sounds a little fiercer. But what happens when you double it and make them both 7 feet tall? Then you have an incredibly formidable Sweet 16 opponent.

In only a short time at Palo Alto, Trent Johnson has returned the Cardinal to the status it had achieved under Mike Montgomery before he foolishly tried to resurrect the Golden State Warriors. Despite what his regrettable ejection will tell you about Trent Johnson, the man will be considered a top coach before his time is said and done. He built a Nevada program and managed to bring in top talent with Nick Fazekas, and now has done the same at Stanford, with the likes of the Lopez Twins. He is a good coach and Stanford plays a disciplined, physical style of basketball. They don't turn the ball over and pound it inside, and they don't force the turnover, but play a suffocating defense built from the inside out that focuses on forcing a one and done for their opponents.

I suppose we should start where CBS will start, by fawning over Babbling Brook Lopez. What can you say? He's 7 feet tall, big and strong, great technique and understanding for the game, and a mean streak inside. Put all of those together and despite such a pretty name, you have an NBA Lottery pick. He's averaging 19 ppg, 8.1 rpg/ 2.1 bpg and shoots an excellent 78% from the charity stripe. What is more, is the poise and creativity he showed with his game winning shot against Marquette. He is the focal point of Stanford's offense. They get him the ball and he knows what to do with it.

However, we musn't forget that Babbling Brook has a twin, lord knows CBS won't. "MY GOD, THERE'S TWO OF THEM. AND THEY'RE TALL. OH MY. F-YOU, I"M BILLY PACKER!" Yes, we musn't forget Red-Breasted Robin Lopez. While he plays second fiddle to his brother, he is the wild card in every sense of the word. His play has been impressive over the past two months and he is more firery and more of a douche bag than his brother, as he showed in the Marquette game with his constant trash talking. But he has averaged 12.4 ppg over the past 2 months and he averages 5.7 rpg and 2.4 bpg. He also is the focal point on defense as he takes the harder assignments to cover for his brother. He shoots a respectable 65% from the free throw line and is an equally firery competitor, though not as polished as his brother. He will likely be a lottery pick if he decides to return to school for his junior season.

The X-Factor for the Cardinal is definitely Anthony Goods. The 6'3 junior is the perimeter scoring threat that has kept teams honest all season long. He averaged 10.3 ppg this season, shooting 35% from three and a respectable 70% from the free throw line. However, it is worth noting that he has shot 29% from three in the month of March averaging 7.1 ppg and is 29% from the field in the tournament. If the Longhorns can keep Goods from getting on track, then it makes this Stanford team much more one-dimensional.

A player that shouldn't hurt the Longhorns but very well could is the steady hand of point guard Mitch Johnson. The junior does a little bit of everything for the Cardinal averaging 6.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 5.1 apg. While he doesn't get involved offensively much he had an unbelievable 16 assists in the Marquette game burning the Eagles with 3 of 3 shooting from three point range. A 40% shooter from downtown he can hurt us if given the opportunity. The only apparent weakness for Johnson is his 66% clip from the free throw line which could come into play late in the game.

The rest of the Cardinal is an experienced, solid role playing group that rounds out this team with smart, solid play and good defense. 6'5 senior, Fred Washington (4.5 ppg/4.1 rpg/2.3 apg, 53% FT) rounds out the starting rotation. He's there for rebounding, passing, and defense as he didn't attempt a shot in the Marquette game, but has filled up the stat sheet in every other possible way.

The first man off the bench as of late has been Taj Finger. The 6'8 senior has made the most of his swan song with 17 points, 13 rebounds on 8 of 11 shooting in his two games. He will come in to spell the Lopez twins and has been deadly for the Cardinal off the bench. He is a smart saavy post player that will cause problems for our inexperienced bigs.

The face you'll see in the backcourt off the bench will be that of Southlake native Kenny Brown. The 6'1" junior is returning home and is a threat from deep shooting 38% from downtown. He is 6 of 8 in two games from deep in the tournament. If he is given time he can hurt the Horns from deep.

The man who has seen his playing time dwindle over the past month is athletic 6'8 junior swingman Lawerence Hill. He's averaged 8.7 ppg/4.9 rpg and shoots 37% from deep and 75% from the line. But with the emergence of Taj Finger his minutes have fallen off a bit in the past month. But he is obviously talented enough to cause damage from inside and out.

The Cardinal is a pretty straight forward team. They get consistent point guard play, attack inside and play great defense. It is a formula for success in the tournament. This is a junior and senior laden team that understands its support role for the Lopez twins. In the absence of Anthony Goods, the rest of the team has stepped up in a big way, getting this team to where they are now.

It is an interesting matchup for the Longhorns. While we will struggle inside against the Lopez twins, we have the bodies (Connor, Damo, Gary, Dex, Wangmene, Chapman) to bang inside with the Lopez's. We will need our young bench to play over their heads and big games on the defensive end from Gary, Dex and Alexis would be huge for our chances. But Texas has been an underrated team defensively all season. The biggest test will be keeping the bigs out of foul trouble and keeping Connor on the floor. It will also be imperative for the Longhorns to rebound the basketball and limit the second chance points for the Cardinal. We will also need to keep Anthony Goods from getting on track and limiting the role players from hurting us. Damion James will need to dominate inside as he is the most athletic player inside and Texas has the edge with their quickness on the perimeter and inside.

The more intreaguing matchup is how the Cardinal will defend Texas. After watching the Marquette game, the perimeter defense of Stanford lacks athleticism. (Well, the entire Stanford team lacks athleticism. They are not a team to get out and run. Texas can steal some points if they can attack in transition.) But, the Texas guards will cause all kinds of problems for the Standford backcourt. Jerel McNeal, Marquette's slashing two guard, scored 30 points and got into the lane at will. DJ Augustin's mid range game will be essential against the Cardinal as getting to the rack is not the best decision against the interior presence of the twins. If DJ can get on fire with his mid range jumpers and fade aways, he can easily score 20 and control the game. Justin Mason will also be important in driving to the lane, drawing the big men over and dishing for baskets. This will get our bigs involved offensively and will also get the Lopez twins out of position and into foul trouble. Texas will get in trouble if they try to go right at the Lopez's but can be effective off the drive and dish.

The biggest weakness that the Stanford defense showed in the Marquette game was their defense on the pick and roll, a staple of the Texas offense. Neither Babbling Brook or Red-Breasted Robin looked comfortable or willing to jump out to cut off the guard. Both seemed to stay closer to the basket and just wave at the guard coming over the pick. If they do this against Texas, AJ Abrams will continue to put up his 26 points that he did in the first two rounds of the tournament. DJ Augustin will also recognize the problems it causes the twins and wreak havoc using the pick and roll. It should also give Damion James and Connor Atchley ample opportunity to get open looks from long range. Expect Stanford to employ the zone a lot which will give AJ Abrams and company several opporunities to get open looks as well as break down the zone with the dribble.

I think Texas will have all kinds of problems with the Lopez twins, but I also think Stanford will have an equally difficult if not more difficult time defending the perimeter players of Texas. It will be a true test of execution and coaching. I'm nervous about this game, but I think if Texas comes out and shoots well they can win this game. Foul trouble will play a crucial role and if the refs call it tight that will only favor Stanford.

I don't like making predictions, but I like our chances in front of a home crowd. Well a semi-home crowd. More on that later.

Two Down..Four to Go...

2008-03-26T21:53:00.004-06:00

Well the good ol’ Orange and White are back where they belong, the Sweet Sixteen. The Horns will face off against the Stanford Cardinal in what may as well be a home game in Houston this Friday. A matchup of big guards vs. big men, both teams enter Friday’s game playing some of their best basketball. Before they lock “horns” this weekend, let’s look at how Texas got past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.

Austin Who?

Only four times in the history of the NCAA tournament has a 15-seed upset a 2-seed in the first round. The Horns never gave the Austin Peay Governors that chance to put their hand on tournament history. Texas came out of the gate firing as usual hopping out to an early 9-0 lead and pushed the gap to 34-14 with a little less than 3 minutes to go in the half. The Governors could never really recover from a 15 point halftime deficit and the Ohio Valley Champs were sent home with a 74-54 big-boy conference lesson.

Junior A.J. Abrams let the UT assault with 26 points including 18 from a 6-10 shooting day from behind the arc. Joining Abrams in double figures was Damion James, Connor Atchley, and Dexter Pittman. “Sexy” Dexy was the pleasant surprise of the first round win recording a double-double in only 16 minutes of play. Pittman shot 50% and grabbed 10 boards, but more importantly gave Texas a little more definition on the inside. With Gary Johnson being very questionable, this inside presence may pay dividends in up coming matchups with Stanford and a possible date with UCLA.

Weathering the Storm

A.J. Abrams is making quite a name for himself on the Forty Acres. And in Arkansas and Miami for that matter. After a 26 point performance on Friday, Abrams decided to continue the trend and drop in 26 again on Easter Sunday afternoon. Dropping another six 3-pointers, Abrams led a shooting barrage of 13 three’s and 44% shooting throughout the game. D.J. Augustin’s shooting touch was still nonexistent, but he rebounded from a sub-par six-point performance in the first round. Damion James and Conner Atchley joined Abrams and Augustin in double figures with 16 and 15 respectively.

Although Texas escaped with a 75-72 victory, the Miami Hurricanes made sure that it was anything but easy. Texas held a convincing lead for the first 35 minutes of play and with a 16-point lead with 4:15 left to play, the storm finally set in. The Canes cut the lead all the way down to two on the shoulders of four treys by Jack McClinton and Raymond Hicks. The game looked like it was in the bag when Abrams knocked down both free throws with 9 seconds to play, but Hicks hit a trey with 2 seconds to play and Miami sent D.J. to the line. The drama ensued when Augustin missed the front end, but Texas escaped with the victory after D.J. laid in the second one. In a game that was far less close than it seems, Miami may have delivered a blessing in disguise to the Horns, preparing them for future late game battles.

All in all, Texas had a typical first round weekend. The blowout. The near miss. The drama. The ticket to the Sweet Sixteen. Overall, Texas shot extremely well, cleaned up on the glass, and converted in the clutch. Expect big things in Houston this weekend when the Lopez twins meet the battle-tested Horns.

Sweet 16: East Region Preview

2008-03-26T15:49:00.003-06:00

Not a lot of surprises in the East Region, other than how easily UNC manhandled their opponents. Tennessee was brought to the brink by both American and Drake, but in the end all 4 top seeds have advanced to the Regional semi-finals.

#1 North Carolina v. #4 Washington State

As mentioned, the Tarheels just ran over their first 2 opponents, averaging 110 points and winning by an average of 40 points. While a Washington State upset may not be very likely, look for the Cougars to put up a much better fight than anyone UNC has faced yet. The Cougars pride themselves on the defensive end and they will have their hands full with Tyler Hansbrough and crew.
Washington State does bring in an experienced team as they start 3 seniors and 2 juniors.They have only given up a total of 81 points in their first two Tourney games and held a dangerous Notre Dame offense to only 41 points. This game is going to be close, but in the end North Carolina's athleticism will be able to outmatch the tough defense brought by Washington State. Just don't expect UNC to score over 90 points in this win.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 82, Washington State 74

#2 Tennessee v. #3 Louisville

This may be the most anticipated matchup of the Sweet 16. Louisville has been a streaking team ever since they returned David Padgett and Edgar Sosa from injury. Tennessee, on the other hand, is an explosive team that has seemed to be misfiring so far in the NCAAs. They were taken to the wire against both Drake and American while Louisville cruised over Boise State and Oklahoma.
Tennessee likes to run and gun on offense while setting up a suffocating defensive press. However, Louisville has solid guard play in Andre McGee and Jerry Smith. The Vols will need for Chris Lofton to be on from down town while Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism will have to keep the Cardinal's David Padgett and Earl Clark off the boards.
Both teams run out very athletic teams and both are lead by flashy, flamboyant coaches in Rick Patino and Bruce Pearl. I trust Rick Patino more than I do Pearl, and Louisville has been on the rise while Tennessee as not put together a great game in the Tourney. In the end Padgett, will be pivotal in the middle and Louisville will be able to keep the Volunteer 3-point shooters down just enough to pull out the win.

PREDICTION: Lousiville 88, Tennessee 84

Sweet 16: West Region Preview

2008-03-25T18:25:00.003-06:00

This years West Region has been filled with upsets and almost upsets. The highest seed no longer alive is #2 Duke. The Blue Devils survived a one point win over 15 seed Belmont only to lose to West Virginia in the 2nd round. Even top seed UCLA had to stop (or foul) a driving Donald Sloan in the last seconds to move on to the round of 16. But Western Kentucky and San Diego pulled off the biggest upsets of the bracket as the 12 & 13 seed both advanced to face each other in the 2nd round. In a bracket full of upsets, UCLA could get down to the Final Four without facing any higher than a #7 seed. That must be nice.

#1 UCLA v. #12 Western Kentucky

While this may not be as big a marquee matchup as if UCLA were facing UCONN, but Western Kentucky certainly comes into this matchup having already provided some huge drama in their first round game against the Drake Bulldogs. Ty Rogers hit a 30 foot jumper as the clock expired to lift the Hilltoppers to a 1 point win over the higher seeded Bulldogs.
UCLA comes in with an obvious talent advantage, but W. Kentucky's Courtney Lee is a bonafide NBA draft pick and Tyrone Brazelton dropped 33 points against Drake. This guard combo might give UCLA some troubles on the perimeter. But in this game, UCLA's superior talent is going to win out in the end. Even though A&M brought them down to the wire, the Bruin's defense was still present as they held the Aggies to 49 points. UCLA has big time scorers in Kevin Love, Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook. With UCLA's strong defense it just doesn't seem as if the Hilltoppers are going to be able to score enough points to beat the Bruins. Add the fact that the game is being played to a "home" crowd in Phoenix, AZ and you have all the makings of a UCLA trip to the Elite 8.

Predicition: UCLA 78, Western Kentucky 68

#3 Xavier v. #7 West Virginia

The West Virginia Mountaineers were able to beat a Duke team that had little perimeter defense and struggled to shoot the ball from the outside. Quite honestly, most would not even call that win much of an upset, as many thought Duke came into the Tourney with a lot of weaknesses. Xavier on the other hand was able to hold of strong pushes by both Georgia and Purdue to advance to face the Mountaineers.
Xavier is a pretty balanced team as they get great perimeter play from Drew Lavender, Stanley Burrell and C.J. Anderson. Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown provide a strong inside presence. But the Musketeers make their living on the defensive end as they are one of the strongest and most athletic teams on the defensive end. They are led by Burrell who is one of the best all around defenders in the nation. They are going to need all of their defensive efforts as Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff are big time scorers for the Mountaineers. Alexander has come out of almost no where this year to become a top scoring threat in the nation. But since Bob Huggins has taken over, there has been more focus on the defensive end to complement West Virginia's potent offensive threats. Look for Xavier to be just a little too athletic on the perimeter and too strong on the defensive end for West Virginia to handle. This will be a close game, but in the end the Musketeers will make the plays to get them into the Elite 8.

Predicition: Xavier 82, West Virginia 74

Tournament Notes

2008-03-25T18:16:00.007-06:00

Thoughts and observations from the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament...

East Region:

North Carolina - Teams don't get 100 put on them in the second round. The Tar Heels ran Arkansas out of the gym. They are defending and their offense looks unstoppable. For the first time all year the most talented team in the country is focused. Everyone should be very very scared. What's more is the way Lawson has looked and the fact that Hansbrough has only had to score 21 and 17 in the first two games. Can't wait to see if they run Washington State, a team that hangs their hat on defense, out of the gym.

Washington State - Speaking of the Cougars, a great under the radar performance. Coming off a year where they lost early with high expectations, they have played great defense and dominated two straight games, only no one noticed. 40 points and 41 points given up in a 31 point and 20 point win. This senior laden team is playing great basketball and has no expectations going into a game against the tournament favorites.

Louisville - Another team that went about their business this weekend. I think they will beat Tennessee handily. They handled Oklahoma like a second teir team. Well, Oklahoma is a second teir team, and great teams handle teams that shouldn't play with them. They play a great team game, and have one of the best coaches in the game on the bench.

Butler - They probably should have won that game, as Tennessee is a team just waiting for someone to beat them. I was disappointed with point guard Mike Green. I was expecting more from him and he seemed to play out of control and get himself into trouble driving to the basket all night long. AJ Graves played as advertised, but everytime Butler had a chance to make their move it seemed Green would get to the rack, draw three defenders and throw the ball up looking for the foul that never came.

Tennessee - They look about the same as the first time they were a #2 seed. A team waiting for someone to beat them. They struggled with American and they struggled against Butler. They rely on playing games at a frantic pace and good teams will slow them down and force them to play a half court game. In the half court game, you'll find a team that has no consistency out of the point guard position, has to be shooting well, and can't defend. Anything further than the Sweet 16 will be overachieving for this team.

Midwest Region:

Kansas - They have looked impressive and have handled all the challenges that have been thrown at them. They play good defense, and they get scoring from everyone on their roster. But all season they have played an easy schedule and struggled in close games (outside of the Big XII Championship game). The games are about to get serious and what will Kansas, a team that is notorious for collapsing, going to do in a close game with a lot on the line. Who gets the ball?

Villanova - This team continues to overachieve. They hung around in a tough conference and snuck into the tournament. Once they got there, they reminded everyone that you win with good defense and point guard play. Scottie Reynolds has been great in the tournament, and the Wildcats play with a physical intensity despite the fact that they're not great inside.

Wisconsin - I've seen the Badgers on TV a few times, and once in person against the Longhorns, and I will say two things. I have yet to be impressed by them, and I've yet to see them lose. This team plays ugly Big Ten basketball to perfection and Bo Ryan is one of the most unsung coaches in America. Which I guess its fitting at one of the most unsung schools in college basketball. They will beat Davidson and Stephen Curry will struggle. They play disciplined, physical, boring basketball. And they have a chance to knock of Kansas to get to the Final Four.

Georgetown - This is a team that didn't look impressive at any point this season. They played with teams they shouldn't have but they kept winning. Well they some how managed to blow an 18 point lead to a less talented team, and their season is over. Roy Hibbert was extremely disappointing for the second tournament in a row. He should have turned pro last season because I think is stock peaked last year.

West Region:

Duke - We should have seen it coming. They play high pressure defense and can't defend. They have no interior presence and rely on three pointers. Yet it's still weird to see Coach K teams lose early in the tournament. What was more disturbing is to see Coach K's expressions throughout the tournament. I know he had been sick, but he looked tired and understanding of his team's fate. Is the program suffering from the marketization and his team USA commitments?

Drake - It should be a rule that every mid-major should get screwed with 9 and 10 seeds for one or two years before we give them a five seed. It seems like mid-majors need tournament experience before they can handle something other than being the underdog. Everyone got our hopes up with this Drake team, and we were all let down.

Texas A&M - It was a underachieving and sometimes painful to watch season for the Aggies. Then the tournament roles around and they turn into a solid shooting team that has a great inside presence and plays tough defense. If they didn't choke from 10 minutes left until 4 minutes left in the UCLA game, they are thinking about the Final Four after pulling off the upset of the tournament. Even with that let down, they still got hosed. But after seeing that and the two Pac-10 tainted wins, I'm convinced John Wooden is working over the refs telepathically.

UCLA - I have not been impressed with this team the last two weeks. They got huge breaks in the Pac-10 Tournament and haven't looked that impressive in the Dance. They should have lost to A&M, but Collison and Love made insane plays down the stretch. The A&M game will either be their turning point that wakes them up and gets them to the Finals, or it will be the beginning of the end in a region that should be a cake walk. Shipp has fallen off the face of the earth and may be hurt now, and Mbah a' Moute isn't himself. I don't see how they can play with a North Carolina or Kansas.

South Region:

Memphis - Much like Tennessee, I dont' think they play the type of basketball that is condusive to winning the title. They rely on creating a hectic pace and getting out in transition. If you pack in defensively and force them to shoot and take care of the basketball I think they will crumble. They are more talented than Tennessee and have a better coach, but I still don't think they play the kind of basketball it takes to win championships. They will get their chance to prove me wrong as Michigan State will do all of those things and give Memphis their first test since the Tennessee game.

Michigan State - You have to give Tom Izzo credit. He has them focused for the right part of the season. They have played two good games in a row for the first time in a long time and they have the talent to play with Memphis. If Izzo can pull off the upset it will be one of his most impressive coaching jobs. If they do hang with Memphis it will be a physical game and Neitzel will torch Memphis from deep.

Pittsburgh - Pitt had a good point guard in Levance Fields, talent inside in Blair and Young, and a deep, physical team. It was a team that was primed to make a deep run in the tournament. Only they ran into a team with a better coach that had more experience in playing that grinding tough March style of basketball. An unlucky draw and an off night sent them home early.

Stanford - Trent Johnson is an idiot. To get tossed in the first half of an NCAA tournament game with a lead? Idiotic. Inexcusable. Especially when your assistant coach that takes over is going to bench your best two players for 5 minutes in the second half. I understand what he was doing. Both Lopez twins had 3 fouls, and he had an 8 point lead. Rest them from 11 minutes until the 8 minute timeout and then you have them fresh and not in grave foul trouble the rest of the way. Only when it went to 6:45 before he called a timeout and had watched the lead completely disappear did it become a horrible idea. They let Marquette back in the game and when you let a team back in the game that late, they're going to stay in it the rest of the way. Stanford should feel fortunate. And if Trent Johnson says he wouldnt' change a thing after that incident, then he's an even bigger idiot. Because no matter how good a coach Trent Johnson is, he doesn't help his team if he's not on the court. And no point made halfway through the first half is going to benefit your team over the 25 minutes that you're not going to be there.

Huston, We Have a Problem....

2008-03-25T15:50:00.004-06:00

What a way to start the season! With the sounds of Western Kentucky buzzer beaters and the sights of Stephan Curry dominance, you were probably way too distracted to realize that Major League baseball got under way this morning. The defending champion Boston Red Sox and the up and coming Oakland A’s got up a wee bit early to commence America’s favorite pastime on international soil.

One person who could care less about his bracket pool performance now is Oakland closer and University of Texas Alum Huston Street. The former college All-American and American League Rookie of the Year got a wake up call this morning in the form of a Brandon Moss 9th-inning, game-tying alarm clock bomb (although it may not be as bad as the wake-up call that fans had to endure with the game starting at 6:10 am eastern time). Moss, a rookie outfielder playing in the stead of a sore J.D. Drew, landed a shot over the right field wall on a 2-2 count to tie the game at 6 and send the game into extra innings where Street would further self-destruct.

In the 10th, manager Bob Geren stuck with Street and chose to intentionally walk “Big Papi” David Ortiz to get to the equally intimidating but cold Manny Ramirez. Boy did that backfire! With two runners on, Ramirez lifted a shot clear into centerfield that was so strong that Ramirez became statuesque at the plate believing he hit the 3-run shot. The ball was a few feet short and caromed off the centerfield wall, but it served the purpose as two runs came in to score and give the Sox a two run lead. Street was immediately pulled and although the Athletics gave the rowdy stadium one last hoorah in the bottom, the two run shot stood strong and gave the defending champs the 6-5 win.

Not quite the start that Oakland wanted out of their closer. Street will return to the states not only with his first blown save, but also his first full-out loss of the season. He finished with an abysmal 16.20 ERA on 3 hits, 3 earned runs, and 1 walk in only 1.2 innings pitched. Not quite the numbers you expect from a former rookie of the year. Not quite the numbers you expect from a guy who suffered only 5 blown saves all of last year, who was dealt only two losses, and who kept a respectable 2.28 ERA.

Don’t get me wrong, going against the Boston Red Sox (who looked like they win it all again) in the Tokyo Dome on March 25th to open the season is no easy task and I have no doubt that Huston Street will brush himself off and have another terrific season, but my high school coach used to tell me, “We want to start the race how we intend to finish it.”

Well here’s to hoping UT legend Huston Street will finish a lot better than he started….

Notes from the beach...

2008-03-25T12:33:00.003-06:00

Don't go to law school.

They'll make you take a 3-hr test on a Friday during March Madness that encompasses the entire Texas-Stanford game. The dv-r is set. If anyone even dares to attempt to ruin this for me, they will suffer. Long and drawn out suffering.

Personally, and I might be biased, but I think that if Texas can get by the match-up problems with the Lopez twins, they can get by anyone.

Also, let's all hope that the brown suit Rick Barnes pulled out during the Big XII championship game is locked up somewhere. I don't know what he was thinking and I really did not approve.

I'm really glad Gary Johnson is back in the game. His energy and play is crucial to a deep run in the tournament.

Can anyone else comprehend the ESPN poll about the NCAA tournament where 45.6% of respondents think Michigan State will win the championship? Now as a former pollster, I know there are a plethora of scientific issues with this free for all internet poll, but really? With 16 teams left in this tournament 45.6% think MSU will win? I wonder if the state of Michigan is just on a voting kick leftover from the presidential primaries... Do they realize that this time their votes don't actually count? Really, my mind is blown here.

Securing Home Court

2008-03-24T18:14:00.006-06:00

The Longhorns did what was expected of them in the first two rounds, making their way through Little Rock and securing home court advantage for as long as they stay in the tournament. Texas defeated #15 Austin Peay on Friday and #7 Miami (FL) on Sunday.

In both games the Longhorns came out of the gates very quickly and seized control of the game, jumping out to early leads and shooting well. The defensive pressure was intense in both games, and they were focused early. This was a great sign as most teams pick up the confidence to hang around and pull upsets in the first 10 minutes.

In both games, AJ Abrams led the way scoring, getting free and knocking down open looks. It almost seems like both Austin Peay and Miami (FL) didn't exactly understand that you can give Abrams any space. And with his quick release, any free space he will get off a clean shot. It will be interesting to see if Stanford makes the adjustment, because with the amount of time Abrams got in the first two rounds he will continue to put up spectacular shooting numbers.

Damion James and Connor Atchley also had great games in the first two rounds. Damion has been active on the boards and been aggressive around the rim. Connor's play was a breathe of fresh air as he got back on track shooting from three point range and played some solid defense, though he got in foul trouble in both games. Damion's performance against Miami was especially impressive as he pulled down 16 rebounds and added 16 points to the cause.

Justin Mason continued his spectacular play over the last month as he played great on the offensive and defensive end. He limited McClinton of Miami, who had 38 in round 1, much of the game, and in the process disrupted much of Miami's offense. Offensively he continued to drive and dish, slicing the defense and creating easy baskets for the Texas bigs. But most of all he once again is setting the tone for Texas' intensity, flying around the court and out hustling every other player on the court.

The other pleasant surprise was the play of Dexter Pittman who added solid minutes off the bench. In the Austin Peay game it helped that he was 5 inches and 50 pounds bigger than everyone else, but he continued his solid play in the Miami game. If Dex or any of the other big men continue to contribute it takes a ton of pressure off the starting lineup to stay out of foul trouble and carry the load. It was also a welcome sight to see Gary Johnson return to the floor after missing the last week with a strained calf muscle. Getting Johnson back into the rotation will become more and more important in the upcoming games.

For as well as Texas played, a few concerns came up after the first two games. For as well as the Longhorns came out and seized the momentum of the game in each of the first two games, they didn't put their opponents away. Against Austin Peay, they took the Governors out of their game, quickly erasing any hope of their upset. But after jumping out to a 15 point lead, it stayed there for much of the game, leaving Austin Peay at striking distance throughout. The same thing happened against Miami, as the Hurricanes stayed within about 13 points for most of the second half. Then our worst fears came true as Miami went on a run, seized momentum and almost stole a game they had no business being in.

The frantic comeback attempt made by Miami brought to light a concern that hadn't really reared its ugly head in the past month, but it apparently was still there. Texas' free throw shooting down the stretch was pretty much atrocious and will be a major concern from here on out. Atchley, James, and Augustin were all exposed at the line late in the game, and Mason missed 3 of 4 earlier in the game. Probably from here on out, Texas is going to find itself in close games, and free throw shooting down the stretch will be essential. And right now, AJ Abrams is the only one that anyone feels comfortable with on the line.

The interior defense was also a bit of a concern against Miami. The perimeter defense was solid, but early on, Miami's big men were able to score inside and cause problems for the Texas defense. It got a little bit better as the game went on, but with Stanford's twin towers on the horizon, Texas' interior defense will need to be nothing short of spectacular if Texas hopes to advance against the Cardinal. Connor Atchley desperately needs to stay out of foul trouble and Gary Johnson, Wangmene, Pittman, and Chapman need to play solid, consistent defense. Brook Lopez shoot free throws extremely well and if he gets too deep he will score. But if you can get him 8 or more feet from the basket he becomes a decidely less effective player. Texas players will need to out work him in the post.

I'm not sure if this last one is a concern, but with the play of Abrams and James in the first two games, DJ Augustin hasn't needed to do much. But it also makes me a little bit weary that he hasn't shot well, has made some poor decisions, and hasn't been extremely effective. He has played well, but I think that DJ will need to give even more to the Longhorns if they hope to advance. Especially with Stanford's size inside, DJ needs to be more judicious in when he goes to the basket and when he relies on his mid range game. DJ Augustin hasn't played like an All-American yet, and we need him to be an All-American if we hope to continue the march to San Antonio. And it would help if he didn't air ball any free throws.

All in all, Texas looked impressive in the opening weekend, except for five minutes against Miami. So let's say that things are looking good, and that was a pre-arranged agreement between Rick Barnes and his old friend Frank Haith.

Bring on the Cardinal.

Any Advice From Duke?

2008-03-21T06:50:00.003-06:00

Duke pulled their latest magic trick last night, angering a majority of the nation, as they escaped the 15 seed Belmont 71-70, with a last second layup. Duke shouldn't have won that game, and it's a shame that Belmont couldn't PICK UP THE MAN WITH THE BALL ON THE FAST BREAK!!!! It's only the first thing they teach you when defending the fast break, man! But that's another gripe for another day.

The bigger question is what we can learn from the Blue Devils after their run in with Belmont. I think they would tell you that you must watch out for a small conference, small school, with a bunch of white guys from Middle Tennessee, that just shoot threes. Oh well good, fortunately, what are the odds that we're going to run into another #15 seed with those credentials. Oh wait, where's Austin Peay from? Oh damn.

The Governors hail from somewhere in Middle Tennessee. I suppose I should know this since I now reside in Tennessee, but I was too lazy to look it up. Hopefully the Longhorns will not be too lazy to do their homework against Austin Peay. Hey! It's in Clarksville, TN. See Longhorns, we must not overlook any detail!

But when the Longhorns lineup today they will be looking across at a lineup that for once makes theirs look big. With a front line that stands 6'5", 6'5", and 6'4" you would think Texas has the ability to dominate inside. However, Drake Reed and Fernandez Lockett (Yes, I'm aware he has two last names) are physical and play above their small stature inside. Combined they're averaging 25.5 ppg and 12.5 rpg. Since Texas traditionally doesn't attack inside, they should be spared somewhat. But Texas needs to attack the lane and DJ Augustin has to take advantage of a lack of height inside to contest his drives. Also, Damion James should have a field day on the offensive and defensive boards, and Connor Atchley should be able to cause some problems defensively with his length inside.

So you are probably thinking, finally Texas can match up well with somebody. Well, that would be the case until you realize that outside of their 5'9" point guard Derek Wright (11.7 ppg/4.8 apg/41 % 3P) they have 6'5 guard Todd Babington, 6'5" swingman Kyle Duncan, and 6'3" gaurd Wes Channels coming off the bench. This could mean that AJ Abrams will be drawing an assignment against a taller guard, which fortunately he has only been dealing with that since the 2nd grade.

However, I have yet to address the number one concern with Austin Peay. They shoot threes. Alot of them. And they happen to make a lot of them too. Derek Wright and Todd Babington are the leading culprits shooting 41% and 38%, with Babington coming off a 9 of 14 3-point performance in the OVC championship game (The Ohio Valley Conference, fyi). But don't count out Kyle Duncan who will also shoot some threes at a rediculous 57% (42 of 71) and Channels also shoots a healthy 36% from three. If Texas leaves them open looks, lets them gain confidence, and get on a roll, this game could be close the entire way. And the longer the Horns do that, the longer Austin Peay will look an awful lot like Belmont.

Texas will probably have to rely on DJ Augustin, Damion James, and AJ Abrams for much of the game. Though any continued support from Justin Mason who has been amazing over the last ten games, offensively, defensively, and intangiably would be greatly appreciated. It would be nice to see Gary Johnson back and healthy and contributing after a lower leg injury sidelined him for all of the Big XII Touranment. But most importantly it would be nice to see a shread of confidence return to the shooting stroke of Connor Atchley. Unfortunately, unlike AJ Abrams, he won't keep jacking it if it isn't falling. Connor is a great weapon inside and out and it takes away an offensive weapon when his shot isn't falling.

What we need from the rest of the kids, is solid defense, hustle, and rebounding from Wangmene, Pittman, and Chapman. But as a whole, Texas needs to come focused, with intensity and put this game away before it even gets started. I wasn't really concerned about this game, until I watched the Duke game. I don't know if I should thank Duke for the wake up call, or hate Duke for making me nervous as hell for a 2 v 15 matchup.

I know.

I hate you Duke, you should have lost.

And it Begins.....

2008-03-19T19:59:00.002-06:00

The greatest 2 days of the year are upon us; the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. 32 games in a pair of days. To get it going hear are 2 classic "One Shining Moment" videos from 1989 and 1990.

1989
This year had Michigan beating Seton Hall in the Finals 80-79. Duke and Illinois rounded out the Final Four.

1990
This year UNLV slaughtered Duke 103-73 in the finals, while Arkansas and Georgia Tech were in the Final Four. Texas lost to Arkansas in the Elite 8 that year. One cool thing about this clip was the shot of Bo Kimble shooting the left-hand free throw in honor of Hank Gathers.

Youtube Tuesday (On Wednesday)

2008-03-19T08:06:00.004-06:00

I am starting to think this is going to be a theme. At the same time, if I make having Youtube Tuesdays a Wednesday thing, I am afraid i will forget and start putting it up on Thursday.

I need something to make me me fee better about the Rocket's loss last night...

If You Are Going to Own Someone, Make it a Top 10 Team

2008-03-13T07:00:00.004-06:00

This season has been nothing short of a roller coaster for the Lady Longhorns basketball program. In their first season under Gail Goestenkors, the Lady Longhorns spent much of the year hovering right around #25 in the country. Much of this ranking probably had to do with the reputation of the former Duke women's coach, as opposed to the talent on the floor for the Horns. This became more apparent as the Longhorns stumbled to a 7-9 conference mark, rebounding late in the season to even achieve that.

The only bright spot in conference play was probably a one point loss to the top-10 Baylor Bears in Waco, followed by a 10 point win over them in the return matchup in Austin. Well the domination of the Bears has continued as the Lady Longhorns throttled the Bears 76-61 in the quarterfinals of the Big XII Tournament last night, erasing a 16 point second half deficit. Baylor must have played the second half shorthanded or something as Texas outscored the Lady Bears 52-21 in the second half.

The victory makes things interesting for the Lady Longhorns. The Horns had some work to do to keep alive any hope of the NCAA tournament, but now at 21-11 with two victories over Baylor this season, and their continued run in the Big XII Tournament, the Horns may have played themselves safely into the field of 64. Things also are shaping up for them favorably for the rest of the tournament. The #1 and #2 seeds are both gone from the tournament, and the Longhorns facing #18 Oklahoma State, who they split the season series with tonight.

The Horns have now won 5 straight games, and their late push is securing a tournament resume. But any more wins they can find along the way will only improve their seeding in the tournament. They face Oklahoma State tonight, with the winner going on to face the winner of Iowa State (Tournament #8 seed) vs. #11 Texas A&M (Tournament #4 seed).

Youtube Tuesday (On Wednesday....Again)

2008-03-12T13:28:00.003-06:00

Glad that Tuesday thing isn't a hard deadline... I decided that this is going to be a Rocket Wednesday (I feel like if I come up with another day related theme, I am going to officially have to move to Bristol, Conn)

One of those NBA "Where [ ] Happens" commercials

This clip combines what Houstonians love the most: H-town Rap and the Rockets.

Let's all make fun of Dikembe Moutumbo!

YOU MAKE THE CALL!: Pre-Season Baseball Edition

2008-03-11T10:12:00.005-06:00

In today's edition of "You Make the Call!" we look at a couple of preseason injuries to Felix Pie of the Chicago Cubs and Kaz Matsui of the Houston Astros. Baseball has had it's share of "interesting injuries; from Sammy Sosa's sneeze to Clint Barmes and his deer meat, but these two latest may rank up there as most painful. It seems Kaz Matsui has come down with a case of the "Anal Fissures" while Felix Pie somehow managed to be sidelined with a "Testicular Torsion" (aka- twisted testicle). Let's now take a "deeper" look into Matsui's anus...

Anal Fissures: "An unnatural crack or tear in the anus skin. As a fissure, these tiny tears may show as bright red rectal bleeding and cause severe periodic pain after defecation.The tear usually extends from the anal opening and located posteriorly in the midline. This location is probably because of the relatively unsupported nature of the anal wall in that location."

Umm... In non-medical speak, I believe the term is "OH MY FUCKING GOD! THAT IS PAINFUL"

Testicular Torsion: "The spermatic chord that provides the blood supply to a testicle is twisted, cutting off the blood supply, often causing orchalgia. Prolonged testicular torsion will result in the death of the testicle and surrounding tissues."

Pretty sure they just mentioned "dead balls."

So whats the call? Wow. How do you even pick which one is worse, when both seem to be about as painful as they come. On one hand, Pie may lose a ball. But who really wants to tell people they have cracks in their ass that make them bleed? When Kaz buys his tampons will he use a cardboard applicator? Will Pie have to explain to baseball groupie why his doesn't look the same as, say, every other Cub the woman has slept with?

If I had to choose, i say Kaz wins. Look, losing a nut is no fun, but in the end you can get a prosthetic ball and no one is the wiser. It all still will work down there. But can you imagine the pain Matusi must feel when he sits down. Not to mention trying to take a dump. He'll have to carry around a dough nut seat in the locker room and on the bench. And who really wants to be the guy that bleeds out his ass? There is no honor in that and you can't even find girls that will get with you cause they feel bad for you.

NCAA Bubble Watch: 3/5/08

2008-03-05T16:24:00.004-06:00

Texas A&M (21-8, 7-7) v. Baylor (20-8, 8-6): This is easily the biggest game in the Big 12 this week. A&M has played themselves onto the bubble as they have lost 4 of their last 5. The Aggies RPI is 48 and only have a 74 strength of schedule rank. A&M finishes with Kansas, which makes this game a MUST win against the Bear. If Baylor can win tonight they will add a huge notch to what already is a pretty solid tournament resume.

(4) Tennessee (26-3, 12-2) v. Florida (21-8, 8-6): While Florida has won 21 games, the reigning back-to-back champs have a strength of schedule of 104 and are 60 in the RPI. The SEC is not as strong a conference as it usually is. Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi and Arkansas are all looking good for the tournament. It seems unlikely that the SEC will get 5 or more teams in the NCAAs. They really only have one solid win, over Vanderbilt. Florida may have to knock off Tennessee and Kentucky in their last two games to ensure a tournament bid.

Oklahoma (19-10, 7-7) v. Oklahoma State (16-12, 7-7): OU is looking good for the tournament right now. But it would be really nice to have a win over a solid OSU team to pad the resume. The COwboys have been hot of late as they are making a very late run at the post season. A win against the Sooner may put this marginal team near the front of the bubble teams. OSU really needs to win their last 2 games and maybe 1 or 2 in the Big 12 tournament, but a win over the Sooners will be a nice step forward.

South Florida (12-17, 3-13) v. Villanova (17-11, 7-9): Nova needs to finish 9-9 in the Big East and win some in the Big East tournament to make the Dance. That means a win over S. Florida and Providence are a must. Nova is definitely on the outside looking in. They are going to have to win tonight and hope for a great showing in the conference tournament to make it to March.

Central Florida (16-12, 9-5) v. Houston (21-7, 10-4): The Cougars are a very controversial team on the bubble. They have a great record but play in a really weak Conference USA. Their SOS is a unflattering 152 and a 60 RPI. Tom Penders and the Cougs beat Kentucky earlier in the year but lost to a hapless East Carolina team last game. UH is right on the cusp of the tournament, but need to finish really strong to get a look. With Memphis a lock and UAB looking okay, it is unlikely that CUSA will get 3 teams in the tournament.

Boston College (13-14, 4-10) v. Miami (FL) (20-8, 7-7): Right now the Hurricanes and former Texas assistant, Frank Haith, are looking really good for a NCAA bid. They got a big win over Virginia and have wins over Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke and Maryland. Unless Miami losses to both BC and Florida State to close the year, look for them to be in the Big Dance.

Syracuse (17-12, 7-9) v. Seton Hall (17-12, 7-9): Both of these teams are in serious trouble of missing the NCAAs. In fact, they most likely will not get in. The loser of this game is absolutely eliminated from consideration. Both have to win and and then have A LOT of work to in the Big East tournament. This game will go further in eliminating a candidate than it will in getting someone in the tournament.

Kentucky (16-11, 10-4) v. South Carolina (13-15, 5-9): It has been a tale of two seasons for Billie Clyde and the Wildcats. They have made up for a horrendous early schedule with a great conference record. Kentucky is most likely not getting in, especially with top player Patrick Patterson out for the season. If Kentucky has any hope they will have to win tonight and against Florida to end the season. A 18-11, 12-4 Wildcat team will have to get a long look from the NCAA selection committee. The fact that they are Kentucky won't hurt either.

Youtube Tuesday (On Wednesday)

2008-03-05T15:16:00.003-06:00

This is an oldie, but REALLY goodie. This was 1998. Texas' last year before the Rick Barnes Era, when Tom Penders was still at the helm of the "Runnin' Horns." This was also the last year that Texas did not make the NCAA Tournament. Ivan Wagner was a 6'1'' PG who was also known for his NCAA Championship in the high jump. As you can see, those track skills DO translate on to the basketball court.

Try not to look at the score. It was ugly. This clips also underscores the strides that Texas basketball have made under Rick Barnes.

Searching for the Winning Formula

2008-03-05T13:02:00.003-06:00

The baseball season is a very long road. Many teams end up playing over 60 games. So it is with that notion that Texas fans shouldn't be too worried from the poor showing in the Houston College Classic this past weekend. Augie Garrido has a massive freshman class coupled with several transfers and it is only a matter of time until he finds the right pieces.

Texas lost 5-4 to an unranked Tennessee Volunteers team, followed by a 10-4 beatdown loss handed to them by the non-conference rival #15 Rice Owls, and then escaped with a 8-7 (10 inn.) win against an equally mediocre Houston Cougars squad. All in all, it wasn't the showing you were hoping from, from a contender.

But looking at this year's squad, there is plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Sophomore transfer, 1B Brandon Belt has played as advertised hitting .405/1 HR/10 RBI early in the season. The big surprise is definitely freshman catcher Cameron Rupp, who has forced his way into the starting lineup, hitting .458/0/10 early in the season. His play has caused him to split time with junior Preston Clark, with one playing catcher and the other at DH. Also freshman Kevin Keyes (.429/0/1) has played well in his chances in LF. Other freshman have done well with their chances and could continue to get more opportunities, like Tant Shepherd, who was 4-5 and 2 doubles against the Islanders last night. These young players will be crucial to filling out the lineup.

Augie Garrido is also using this early season to sort through all his pitching options. While it seems Austin Wood, Cole Green, and Kenn Kasparek are his starters for now, freshman Brandon Workman and Chance Ruffin, and Sophomore Riley Boening have all gotten a weekday start. In all Augie has used 14 pitchers in 9 games this season. Out of the pen, Marcus Tackett (So; 5.1 IP/0.00 ERA), Stayton Thomas (Fr; 4.1/0.00), Casey Whitmer (So; 5.1/1.42), Workman (8.0/2.25), and Ruffin (5.2/0.00) have been the most impressive.

Also, Texas has been getting less than expected early on from some bats that were expected to carry the team this season. Jordan Danks (Jr; .257/1/6), Kyle Russell (Jr; .300/1/7), Preston Clark (Jr; .318/0/6), and Russell Moldenhauer (So; .273/0/7) have all started slowly, which shouldn't be the case for most of the season.

The two issues that should worry Augie the most are the top of the lineup and the starting pitching. Travis Tucker (Jr; .214/0/5) and transfer Michael Torres (Jr; .194/0/8) have struggled. Augie ball relies on the top of the lineup getting on base and making things happen. Despite the low average, Tucker does have an .489 on-base percentage and 7 stolen bases, but you would like to see a better average from both players. There are enough bats in this lineup that can drive runs in, if Texas can find consistent hitters at the top of the lineup.

The other issue is definitely the starting pitching. Texas has plenty of quality arms, but top of the line pitchers win come the postseason. Neither Austin Wood (Jr; 1-1/3.00), Cole Green (Fr; 0-0/4.22), and Kenn Kasparek (Jr; 1-1/5.40) have been overly impressive so far this season. Texas will face quality hitters in conference play and the postseason and Texas will need to find a #1 and #2 that is consistent and good. There are plenty of arms in the pen, but Augie will have his hands full trying to find the right roles for all the pitchers in his staff. There is a good chance that these three starters will not be the starters come season end.

Texas should continue to be inconsistent early in the season, but I would give them at least halfway through conference play before the inconsistent play should really signal any alarms. This team has the makings of a team that could gel late in the season and make their run at the right time. It wouldn't be the first time.

Post Game Points: Texas v. Nebraska

2008-03-05T12:32:00.004-06:00

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT... If you've watched this Texas team most of the year, you realize their winning and losing depends on on thing: Effort. When they come out to play, they win. When the effort is not there and the intensity is missing, they lose. Simple as that. Last night, Texas came out with medium effort and almost let a far inferior Cornhusker team fight back for a victory. This makes two games in a row Texas did not come out with a passion to win. Its a little worrisome given the high stakes of games the rest of the year. Texas is going to have to stop playing up or down to its competition. 40 mins of effort last night would have resulted in a 20 point win, not one that came down to a last minute 3 pointer and free throws.

BONEHEAD MOVE OF THE YEAR... Goes to Connor Atchley on his ill advised lob to Justin Mason at the end of the game. Texas had an inbounds pass with 12 seconds left and instead of handing the ball to AJ Abrams, Connor decided to loft a lame duck that fell 10 feet short of Justin Mason and right into the arms of Aleks Maric. If it were not for a great hustle play by Mason to knock the ball from Maric and then get fouled on the scramble, Nebraska would have had a last shot to win or tie the game. It was a horrible decision and even worse of a pass. It is not clear what was going through Connor's head, but i promise Barnes will not let that happen again.

CONNOR'S POST DEFENSE... Was not good. Granted, Maric has an inch and 50 pounds on him, but Connor gave up tons of position and basically let Maric score at will. If Nebraska had gone to him all night, he might have finished with 30 points. While Atchley has improved on the defensive end, his lack of strength has allowed many posts to get great position in the low post. Many times Connor has been able to recover with a great shot block, but when a player as big as Maric gets that kind of position, he is not going to be stopped. Next season Connor needs to show up 20 pounds heavier. Until then, Texas may have to employ more zone (as they did last night) when facing a dominant post presence.

GAME MVP... Was Justin Mason. That guy is seeming to really get his role on the team and is starting to excel in it. Mason is here for tough defense, hustle plays and hitting open threes. His stat line last night was 7 points (2-2 from the field), 7 rebounds, 4 assists and the two free throws that iced the game for Texas. He is starting to become what Royal Ivey was to the Longhorn teams a few years ago. A do everything player, who doesn't fill up the stat sheet, but contributes in big ways to the team. His take away from Maric with 12 seconds left isn't going to show up in the stats, but it saved Connor's ass and secured the win for Texas. Mason may be the key to a long post season run for Texas.

Longhorn Basketball 2008 vs. 2003: Who Would You Take?

2008-03-04T13:39:00.003-06:00

The 2008 Longhorns have a very short bench, and they are young and inexperienced at that. However, they were called on early in the season to fill the glaring hole in this Longhorns' starting lineup, and that was the front court.

After being exposed in the front court by Michigan State and Wisconsin, Texas needed production from their three bench bigs, Dexter Pittman (So.), Alexis Wangmene (Fr.), and Clint Chapman (Fr.). Needless to say, things didn't look too bright for the Horns. What has been impressive though, is how these three have continued to improve and have taken turns showing flashes of brilliance and come through in big spots for the Longhorns.

Dexter Pittman has continued to improve as the 300 lb, mass in the middle. He has shown the most comfort of any of the three offensively, and has played exceptionally well against Texas A&M, 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 20 minutes over two games against the Aggies. He also provides Texas its largest body inside, taking up space and clogging the lane.

Alexis Wangmene has probably made the largest strides of anyone on the Texas bench. The Cameroonian averages 2.4 ppg and 2.6 rpg in 10.4 mpg. He has played well of late scoring 5 pts, 7 reb, 2 blks in 16 minutes against Oklahoma and 5 pts, 5 reb, 2 blks in 21 minutes against Kansas State. He provides toughness and defensive awareness in the middle and continues to improve every time he's on the floor.

Clint Chapman, while not the heart throb Matt Hill is, probably due to the high socks, he is another solid big man off the Texas bench. He is solid defensively and attacks the boards hard. He hasn't quite made his mark like Pittman or Wangmene, but that's because he looks too much like Connor for his own good. Maybe he wears his socks high, so Barnes can remember who it is.

The last man off the bench that Barnes uses is JD Lewis. The junior college transfer is one of two seniors on the club and has provided the Longhorns with a decent ball handling option that hustles and is solid on the defensive end. He has been used to spell AJ and Mace, but mostly he is a nice three point option off the bench. He's shooting 50% from three this season and helps to open up driving lanes when he's out there.

Because of the heavy minutes logged by the Texas starters, the opportunities for the Longhorn bench have been limited this season. But in the opportunities that have been afforded them, they have stepped up and showed great promise. They have been sent in with the mission of not screwing things up, and they've managed to do that successfully. While they're not as diversified as the 2003 bench, they fill a major need of this team and have continued to improve all season long.

You know watching the first half of the season, watching us go 13-0, you knew there were holes inside. Those holes got exposed by Michigan State and Wisconsin, and it looked like it would limit our season. But you watch this team now, and you don't hide your head when you see Rick Barnes turning to his bench, and it's the depth they have provided that improves our chances come March.

Longhorn Basketball: 2003 v. 2008. Who Would You Take?

2008-03-04T08:29:00.006-06:00

Drinking the Forty is introducing you to a new series of posts that will lead us up to the Big 12 tournament. Recently (Petrucelli's Kid) and I (Royal With Cheese) began discussing which of the Texas Basketball teams was our favorite: The 2003 final four team, or the current 2008 version of the Longhorns. We have decided to break down the teams and discuss their strengths and weakness, finally arriving at which Longhorn team was the best (at least according to us). We will first discuss the bench players for the respective teams, then the 6th men and finally an individual comparison of each team's starters. By the way, it was pointed out by a friend of mine about how much a despise when ESPN does "Greatest Teams" comparisons leading up to various championship games. I spent a good 15 mins explaining why this is different and I was not being hypocritical. Whatever. I could explain it again, but I am not going to. Let's just take my word that this is totally different and in no way represents everything i hate about popular sports media. With that disclaimer, lets proceed to discuss the 2003 Texas Longhorn Bench.

THE BENCH

First, lets take a look at each player on Texas bench (excluding Boddicker as the 6th man) and their season statistics.

Deginald Erskin (Sr) 11.6 mpg/3.8 ppg/1.8 rpg/65% FT
Jason Klotz (So) 12.9 mpg/4.3 ppg/3.0 rpg/0.6 bpg/61 FT%
Terrell Ross (Sr) 9.9 mpg/1.5 ppg/1.2 apg/64% FT/22% 3P
Sydmill Harris (So) 16 mpg/6.2 ppg/77% FT/36% 3P

The biggest contributor off the bench was was shooting guard Sydmill Harris (If you hadn't already heard, his dad is a famous singer in The Netherlands. Just an FYI). Harris was a long ranger shooter, that could, at times, take his man to the basket. But Sydmill's role on this team was as an outside marksman. He hit over 35% from beyond the arc and was solid from the foul line. While Harris was not know for his shut down defense, he was 6'6'' and able to do a respectable job on the defensive end, when spelling Brandon Mouton and Royal Ivey.

In 2003, Jason Klotz was a big body for the Horns that was still coming into his own in the college basketball game. As a Junior and Senior, Klotz was a big part of what Texas did. But as a sophomore, Klotz was used to give James Thomas and freshman Brad Buckman a rest. While Klotz was not considered a liability, Barnes and Co would be glad not to have a big drop off in play while he patrolled the lane. Klotz's biggest contribution was his size on the defensive end. He was not much of a threat to score and rarely was involved in bog plays, but he did just enough in the paint to justify his 13 minutes a game. Looking at his stats, it would appear that Jason did not have a large impact on games, but most of his contributions didn't show up in the box score, as they were hustle plays and high energy.

Deginald Erksin and Terrell Ross were the lone two seniors on this Texas team and, ironically, had the least impact. That is not to be construed as me saying they were unimportant to the team. Deg Erksin was your ultimate "dirt guy" as he would come in to provide some high energy defense and a little inside offensive presence. Erksin could always be counted on to come up with a game altering hustle play or a key rebound. Erkin was a great player to have. He didn't make a lot of mistakes and was an ultimate team player. When getting to Final Four, you can't underestimate the roles of guys like Erksin.

Terrell Ross got maybe the least playing time of any sub, and was forgotten by many Texas fans. Ross looked a little like Brandon Mouton (and wore #23 while Mouton wore #3) , and I had a running joke with a friend that Barnes was always "accidentally" putting in Ross when he really meant for Mouton to get out on the floor. According to us, Ross would fold over his jersey so Barnes would only see the #3 and, with out realizing it, sub him in. Once Rick saw who was out there, Mouton would immediately be back into the game. This story may be lost in time and translation, but it provided us with a lot of personal entertainment during the year. We joked alot, but Ross provided some much needed rest for Mouton and Ivey. He was a solid defender, but not much on the offensive end.

Every team that advances far in the Tourney has great players, but it was Texas' solid bench contributions that enabled them to pull off close victories and big wins. While they may not have filled up the stat line, Each bench player filled a much needed role for Rick Barnes and the Texas team. I would stack these guys up against a lot of benches in 2003 and up until today.

Keys to the Game: Texas v. Texas Tech

2008-02-29T11:52:00.004-06:00

KEEP ON KEEPPING ON... Texas has won 8 in a row, and have been playing their best basketball since the early season wins against UCLA and Tennessee. It seems like a different player has stepped up each game and Texas has won in ever possible fashion. DJ has found his stroke again as he is averaging 23 points and shooting 53% from the field the last two games. Texas dominated Tech in their first matchup in Austin, as the Horns won 73-47. Texas has been playing even better than they were in the earlier matchup, so the Longhorns need to just keep pouring it on the falling Raiders.

KICK'EM WHILE THEIR DOWN... Texas Tech is coming in off a humiliating loss to Texas A&M on Wednesday. The Red Raiders were down by almost 40 most of the game and ended up losing 98-45. That's gotta hurt. Teams respond to games like this in one of two ways: Either they come out on fire and pull off an upset, or continue to be demoralized and let the season spiral downward. If Texas can come out and pound the Raiders early, they may not be able to muster up the will to put up a fight.

REST D.J.... This needs to be one of those games that Texas pulls out to a lead and lets Rick Barnes rest some of his starters. We all know that DJ has played almost every minute of the season, but even Justin Mason did not get to rest against Kansas State. I wouls love to see a heavy does of bench play in the 2nd half and give the Horns some much needed rest as the Big 12 tournament is fast approaching. For this to happen its all about the first half and getting out to a commanding lead. If Texas can go into the break up 15, DJ and Co maybe be resting the last 10 mins of the game.

NO TRAP GAME... I know, even in this article, I seem to be chalking up the Tech win as a foregone conclusion; but let's hope the team doesn't do the same. No game in the Big 12 is a gimme (just ask the last few teams that played Nebraska). While there is no reason Texas should come close to losing to Texas Tech, a #1 tourament seed is still on the line as is the out right Big 12 Championship. There is a lot to play for, and Texas Tech is never going to lay down for the Longhorns. Fight hard, hustle and play some defense and Texas should be walking out of Lubbock with a win.

PREDICTION: Texas 84, Texas Tech 70

Hopefully this is what the arena will look like by halftime...

Big XII Bubble Watch

2008-02-28T11:24:00.003-06:00

I think the Big XII is a little confused. Let me reiterate. You're supposed to win your games down the stretch to make the NCAA Tournament. It's been confusing as of late as the four bubble teams in the conference have been anything but solid down the stretch, as Nebraska and Oklahoma State play lights out basketball. The Big XII has gone from a conference that looked assured of 6 bids, and now thinks look like they could be anywhere from 3 to 6 bids, depending on how things shake out.

#5 Texas (24-4) (11-2) RPI: 3; SOS: 3
Remaining Games: @TTU, vs. NEB, vs. OSU
Things are looking up for the Horns securing a #1 seed for the tournament. Winning out, and making the Big XII Championship game would pretty much lock them into a #1 seed. Having won 8 straight, Texas is playing some of the best basketball in the country and boasts one of the toughest schedules.

#6 Kansas (25-3) (10-3) RPI: 8; SOS: 66
Remaining games: vs. KSU, vs. TTU, @ TAMU
If the Jayhawks don't find some life in the rematch against Kansas State, then this team is doomed. If they can finish the season winning at least 2 of their last 3 and doing as well as expected in the tournament, they will all but have a 2 seed locked up come March.

Kansas State (18-9) (8-5) RPI: 36; SOS: 17
Remaining games: @ KU, vs. COL, @ ISU
The Wildcats have lost 3 straight and things are falling apart quickly for their tournament hopes. It's hard to believe that the best player in the country would be out of the NCAAs, but Kansas State needs to win 2 of their last 3 to make themselves feel much better heading into the Big XII Tournament. Finishing third in the conference should get them in, but finishing third isn't as clear cut as it was two weeks ago. Granted, if they can beat Kansas, this is all moot.

Texas A&M (21-7) (7-6) RPI: 48; SOS: 73
Remaining games: @ OU, @ BU, vs. KU
The Aggies snapped an ugly 3 game losing streak by absolutely killing Texas Tech. But now the toughest three game stretch of anyone in the conference. They need to take at least 1 of the last 3 to leave themselves minimal work come Big XII Tournament time. If they could take 2 of the last 3, then A&M would be able to exhale and prepare for March.

Baylor (19-8) (7-6) RPI: 35; SOS: 42
Remaining games: vs. Mizzou, vs. TAMU, @ TTU
The Bears have won two straight to avoid a complete collapse at the end of the season, but they're not out of the woods yet. They need to take two out of their last three and probably win one in the tournament to make themselves feel safe. A win over Texas A&M would be huge for their resume. The RPI should help them come Selection Sunday.

Oklahoma (18-10) (6-7) RPI: 30; SOS: 8
Remaining games: vs. TAMU, @ OSU, vs. Mizzou
The Sooners did themselves no favors losing this weekend and then at Nebraska by no slight margin. Their RPI and strength of schedule keep them in the discussion, but this team is trying its best to be left out of the dance. If they can protect their home floor and win one in the conference tournament they should be in, though it would be nice if they could take all three. The season sweep of Baylor will help as well as wins over Gonzaga and WVU, but they have not played well since getting healthy, going 5-5 over their last 10.

The Race for the NIT:

Nebraska (17-9) (6-7) RPI: 100; SOS: 126
Despite being the second hottest team in the conference, I refuse to put them on the bubble. Let's just say they're getting close to being an NIT lock. The trip to Stillwater should be interesting as two of the hottest teams of late hook up.

Oklahoma State (15-12) (6-7) RPI: 86; SOS: 25
They've won 4 straight and could shatter Oklahoma's tournament hopes next week. They probably have done enough to earn themselves an appearence in the NIT.

Texas Tech (15-12) (6-7) RPI: 67; SOS: 6
The loss to Texas A&M was a bit of a surprise, or at least the margin. This Tech team has prided itself on its inconsistency all season, and will probably need to upset Texas, Kansas, or Baylor if it hopes to make the NIT field.

Missouri (15-13) (5-8) RPI: 100; SOS: 39
The two point loss to Oklahoma State probably did their post season hopes in unless they can steal a road game from OU or Baylor in the last week and a half. A valiant effort for a team that has played shorthanded for much of the year, but things like this tend to work themselves out in the end.

Get to Know Your Longhorns

2008-02-27T10:37:00.005-06:00

The 2007 baseball season, by most accounts, was a disappointment by Longhorn standards. At this point in time, anything less than Omaha is a down year for the Horns. But looking at 2007, it was an un-Augie like team. It lacked pitching depth and wasn't built for small ball.

Looking to 2008, the Longhorns have a lot of their roster turned over from last season. From the media standpoint, it means not much is expected from this Longhorn team, but that's just where they like to be. A team that is built more for small ball and pitching, this 2008 group could surprise some people.

So let's take a minute and introduce ourselves to this 2008 crew.

1. Travis Tucker, Jr. - 3B - A returning starter from 2007 (.307/1/34). Replaces Nick Peoples at the top of the lineup and hopes to build on a productive '07 season.

2. Michael Torres, Jr. - 2B - A transfer from USC. Didn't do much in limited opportunities there. Hopefully will be the prototypical #2 hitter for Augie, bunting and moving runners along.

3. Jordan Danks, Jr. - CF - A returning starter from 2007 (.332/4/38). Expected to be his breakthrough season from a power standpoint. 5 tool player that should go high in the MLB draft this year.

4. Kyle Russell, Jr. - RF - The reigning NCAA Home Run Champion and a surprise return to the Forty Acres after being drafted (.335/28/71). Needs the rest of the lineup to step up to help make sure he sees good pitches.

5. Preston Clark, Jr. - C - A returning starter from 2007 (.286/8/45). Should be ready to handle a young pitching staff after a year under his belt. Look for continued improvement from the bat.

6. Brandon Belt, So. - 1B - A transfer from San Jacento JC. At 6'5" 205, he could emerge as another power threat.

7. Russell Moldenhauer, So. - DH - A returning starter from 2007 (.278/6/32). Forced into duty due to a lack of depth, will need to hit to remain in the lineup.

8. Kevin Keyes, Fr. - LF - A 6'4" 225 freshman from Austin, TX. He is big, athletic outfielder that was drafted in the 25th round by the Rangers.

9. David Hernandez, So. - SS - A transfer from Fresno State. Will be more relied upon for his defense and leadership, but any contributions with the bat will be welcomed.

Pitching Staff:

1. Austin Wood, Jr. - LHP - The only returning pitcher from the 2007 staff that logged significant innings (8-1, 3.15). He will need to be the ace of the staff to take pressure off the younger arms in the staff.

2. Cole Green, Fr. - RHP - A freshman from Coppell, TX. Doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but knows how to pitch and will be given an opportunity in the rotation.

3. Kenn Kasparek, Jr. - RHP - Returning from injury after missing the 2007 season. He was reliable late in the 2006 season, and could be the surprise of the staff. At 6'10" he is imposing on the mound.

4. Brandon Workman, Fr. - RHP - A freshman out of Bowie, TX, Workman may well force himself into the rotation. A third round selection of the Phillies, he has great stuff and if he isn't a starter will definitely be one of the first calls to the pen.

5. Chance Ruffin, Fr. - RHP - A freshman from Austin, TX, he will see most of his work out of the pen, except for the occasional spot start.

6. Kyle Walker, Jr. - LHP - Saw limited action last year. Could be a reliable late inning arm.

The Rest:
Riley Boening, So. - LHP - 6'3" southpaw that will get a chance this season.
Keith Shinaberry, Jr. - LHP - Saw limited action last season.
Hunter Harris, So. - Saw limited action last season.
Marcus Tackett, So. - Transfer from Oral Roberts
Stayton Thomas, Fr. - Freshman from Corsicana, TX
Casey Whitmer, So. - Transfer from Florida State that pitched well over the summer.

The Longhorns are off to a quick start in 2008, taking 3 games from VCU and taking the first from UT-Pan-Am. The Longhorns will need to get production from the top and bottom of their order if they hope to contend this season. They will also need people to emerge from the depth of the pen and fill roles on the staff. If they can figure out who their three reliable starters are with a good closer and a few solid arms in between, this could be one of those Texas teams that is built for a run to Omaha.

Youtube Tuesday

2008-02-26T08:05:00.003-06:00

We're going to go funny today. This is from the Jimmy Kimmel Show. I haven't really watched that much of the show, but this is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It is titled, "F*cking Ben Affleck."

Post Game Points: Texas v. Kansas State

2008-02-25T22:54:00.005-06:00

ANOTHER UGLY WIN... No matter how Texas plays, they keep on winning. 13 turnovers, 10-22 from the foul line, AJ & Connor out the 1st half with fouls, broken noses and a poor shooting night for Damion James didn't keep the Horns from pulling off the huge win in Manhattan. This team has won inside, outside, pretty and ugly. One night it's DJ, then AJ then Connor and Damion. It seems like nothing can slow this team down the past 8 games. Three more winnable games for the Texas and they will bring home their first outright Big 12 Championship since 1999.

BLOWING BUBBLES... It looks like The Wildcats are about to play themselves right onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. They have now lost 3 straight to Texas, Baylor and Nebraska and face an impending 4th loss as they head into Lawrence to face Kansas on Saturday. Thats not to great considering the selection committee tends to look at your last 10-12 games to separate the last few in from the ones left out. If K State loses to Kansas, they are for sure going to have to beat Colorado and Iowa State to finish the year and then maybe have to win a game or 2 in the Big 12 tournament. One thing they have going for them is the "Beasley Factor" in that it is going to be hard for the committee to keep the most talented player in the country out of the NCAAs and into the NIT.

PHOENIX SUNS IN ATTENDANCE... ESPN made it a point to show Kevin McHale of T-Wolves and Steve Kerr of the Suns in attendance at tonight's game. Despite DJ's comments this week that he isn't going to the NBA, you can't tell me Phoenix was not there to look at DJ. I think Texas fans have learned enough from TJ, Kevin Durant and Vince Young to know that the "I will be back next year" is essentially a guarantee they will not. I think everyone is incredibly greatful we have had DJ for 2 years. I love DJ's game and he would be a perfect fit as the heir apparent yo Steve Nash and the Suns offense. I just wish players wouldn't get everyone's hopes up by saying the thing they think fans want to hear.

TEXAS' "X" FACTOR... Is Connor Atchley. He can be such a matchup problem for teams as his offensive game has really developed this year. He works the pick & roll so well with DJ. Connor can bring his man away from the basket, leaving a clear path to the rim for DJ. And Connor is becoming deadly from behind the arc as DJ is finding his open when teams trap him on the high pick & roll. Tonight Connor even hit what can only be described as the "least expected drive to the basket and running jump hook floater of the year." Add in his shot blocking ability and, as long as he stays out of foul trouble, Connor becomes a key man in a Longhorn run into March.

REMAINING SCHEDULE... @ Texas Tech: This game is winnable. Barned owns Tech and the Red Raiders just don't have the size or offensive fire power to stay with Texas. The game in Austin was a blow out, and I only expect the game to be about 5 points closer be cause the game is in Lubbock.
Nebraska: While the Cornhuskers are playing well as of late (wins over K State & A&M), I just don't see them coming into Austin and beating this Texas team. Texas may have some trouble with the 7'0'' Aleks Karic, but Nebraska simply does not have the overall team talent to pull off an upset road win.
Oklahoma State: I am glad Texas gets this game at home. The Cowboys are off wins over A&M and Kansas and PG Byron Eaton has been on fire the past few games. OK State alwasy plays Texas tough, but the Horns seem to pull off the wins in Austin. This is going to be a tough game, but the Cowboys don't have enough scorers around Eaton to win this Big 12 finally.

Keys to the Game: Texas v. Kansas State (a.k.a The "Weasley Wildcats")

2008-02-25T16:10:00.006-06:00

When I was thinking about today's write up, I was thinking about doing my usual "Keys to the Game," which typically includes several key points that may make a difference in the upcoming game. But when thinking about today's matchup against Kansas State, i could only think of 2 things: Walker & Beasley. That pretty much sums up the Wildcat's team and season. In an unbelievable feat, Walker (31) and Beasley (44) combined to score 75 of K State's 86 points in a nine point loss to Baylor.

So, when thinking about what Texas is up against tonight, thats about all I could come up with. So instead of concentrating on actual game keys, I have decided to make up a useless name for the 2008 Kansas State Wildcats. From hence forth, they will be known in my blog posts as the "Weasley Wildcats." This, of course, combines Walker and Beasley into one super human "omni-player" which will unilaterally take on any opponent in the Big 12 and beyond. This extra-human force will obviously be represented by:

For those of you unfamiliar, that's a Harry potter reference. Yeah, I went there...

PREDICTION: Texas 76, Kansas State 69 (Weasley Wildcats 60)

No More Mugging Down During Dinner

2008-02-25T14:42:00.004-06:00

Finally unexpecting Americans, stuffing their faces on Thanksgiving will be spared from that horrifying sight of seeing Texas A&M co-eds mugging down on National Television during meals. Now they'll wait till later that evening to feel sick to their stomachs.

Texas and Texas A&M will return their Thanksgiving Day rivalry to where it was a long time ago, and by a long time ago, before 1996. New Aggie Coach Mike Sherman, who remembers what it was like watching the first of the 115 Lone Star Rivalries when he was a teenager, is very excited. "I am very excited," Sherman said.

The game will be in primetime on ESPN, which apparently means ABC didn't want to carry the game anymore. I don't know why they didn't want to nationally televise a 9-3 team playing a 6-6 team every year. I just don't. Probably to make way for that new Thanksgiving Hannah Montana special*.

No word on whether Texas will horribly under achieve against the Aggies at night like they do during the day.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3264040

*May not actually be a Hannah Montana special.

Thank You Baylor, Oklahoma State....

2008-02-24T14:54:00.004-06:00

Sincerly,

Texas Basketball

With Baylor beating Kansas State and Oklahoma State upsetting Kansas, Texas sits very firmly atop the Big 12 Standings.

Big 12 Standings:
Texas 10-2 (23-4)
Kansas 9-3 (24-3)
Kansas State 8-4 (18-8)
Texas A&M 6-6 (20-7)

Texas is now 2 games ahead of the Kansas State Wildcats, who the Longhorns play on ESPN this Monday. Obviously Rick Barnes is not thinking this way, but Texas can still remain on top of the Big 12, even if they don't get out of Manhattan, KS with a victory. And it is now even more clear that Kansas State is not so much of a team as a two man, super duo, as Michael Beasley (44) and Bill Walker (31) scored 75 of K State's 86 points against the Bears.

Kansas also took a tumble, courtesy of Byron Eaton and OK State, as the Cowboys pulled off the biggest upset thus far in the Big 12 season. Kansas was, again, done in by their lack of outside shooting (2-11 from three) and a missing go to scorer and leader. While Kansas may be the most talented team in the country, they seem to be suffering from a lack of offensive leadership, as they do not have a "go to" scorer that they can consistently count on. Much like the Texas loss, Kansas was forced into a last second shot, to win the game. And much as before, it seemed that no one wanted to take the final shot.

Taking a look at Texas' upcoming schedule, they are all winnable.

Mon. @ Kansas State
Mar 1 @ Texas Tech
Mar 4 Nebraska
Mar 9 Oklahoma State

The Wildcats are still a tough matchup in Manhattan and Nebraska and OK State have played better of late. But there is no reason that Texas cannot win all of these games and take the Big 12 title out right. At the very least Texas can still go 3-1 and at worst share the title if Kansas can go undefeated the remainder of the season.

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 7 (Abridged Edition)

2008-02-22T15:30:00.004-06:00

The midweek games provided no shortage of excitement in the Big XII, as Texas returned the favor on Texas A&M with a big 27 point win in Austin. Then in a NCAA bubble matchup, Oklahoma successfully completed the season sweep of Baylor with a 92-91 OT win. The big surprise on Wednesday was Nebraska's win over Kansas State, who has been anything but stellar as of late.

Iowa State (14-12) (4-7) at Texas Tech (14-11) (5-6)
- Outside of a miracle shot from David Godbold, Texas Tech has been perfect at home this season. Look for their perimeter play and hot three point shooting of late to be too much for Iowa State and their inside attack led by Jiri Hubalek.

Prediction: Texas Tech 74, Iowa State 69

Oklahoma (18-8) (6-5) at #7 Texas (22-4) (9-2)
- Oklahoma has won three straight behind improved perimeter play and Blake Griffin. Griffin will cause fits for the Texas front line, but DJ Augustin and the Longhorns are playing great defense and are spreading the ball around on offense.

Prediction: #7 Texas 78, Oklahoma 70

#5 Kansas (24-2) (9-2) at Oklahoma State (13-12) (4-7)
- Kansas rebounded nicely from their game against Texas with a win over Colorado. Oklahoma State doesn't have enough offensive firepower to hang with the Jayhawks. The Cowboys will try to slow it down and keep it close, but not for that long.

Prediction: #5 Kansas 75, Oklahoma State 63

Nebraska (15-9) (4-7) at #22 Texas A&M (20-6) (6-5)
- Nebraska is coming off a great upset win over Kansas State, but Aleks Maric will have his hands full against a physical front line in College Station. Nebraska would need to win this game with their guards, and there in lies the problem.

Prediction: #22 Texas A&M 61, Nebraska 53

Colorado (10-15) (2-9) at Missouri (14-12) (4-7)
- Colorado hasn't been close in the last few tries and Missouri actually has a chance at the NIT. Colorado also just had to dismissed Xavier Silas, a starting guard. If Missouri can pressure and up the pace and get the ball inside, they shouldn't have any problems.

Prediction: Missouri 71, Colorado 59

#25 Kansas State (18-7) (8-3) at Baylor (17-8) (5-6)
- Baylor needs to stop the bleeding desperately. But considering they don't play defense, their front court is weak, and the Wildcats boast possibly the most talented front court tandem in the country, they didn't pick the best game to try to stop the bleeding. Kansas State hasn't played great basketball for the last week or two though.

Prediction: #25 Kansas State 89, Baylor 84

Last Week: 4-2
Overall: 27-9

Big XII Bubble Watch

2008-02-22T10:49:00.006-06:00

The Big XII race appears to be sorting itself out, as there is starting to be some seperation between the top 6 teams. The question still remains as to how many tournament teams the Big XII can muster. Oklahoma and Baylor remain the biggest question marks on the bubble as to whether the Big XII will get four, five, or six teams into the dance. The postseason outlook for the Big XII...

#5 Kansas (24-2) (9-2) RPI: 6; SOS: 58
W - vs. Arizona, at USC
L - at Kansas State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, at #22 Texas A&M
- Kansas should be able to win the rematch against Kansas State, as the Wildcats have been struggling as of late, and the Jayhawks should be able to contain the Aggies front line. This would give Kansas either the #1 or #2 seed heading into the Big XII tournament and have them at 29-2. While the record is impressive, they haven't played the most difficult of schedules and if they don't win the Big XII they might not garner a #1 seed.

#7 Texas (22-4) (9-2) RPI: 5; SOS: 3
W - vs. Tennessee, at UCLA, vs. St. Mary's, vs. Kansas
L - at Missouri
To Play: vs. Oklahoma, at. #25 Kansas State
- Texas seems in prime position to take the Big XII title. Though they will need to play their best on the road against Kansas State, a game that will test their front line. Texas has played a great schedule and has three wins against the top 6 teams in the country. If they can manage to win out and make it to the finals of the Big XII tournament, they could sneak into a #1 seed, but they profile best as a #2 seed. If they drop two of their last five, they would probably become one of the most dangerous #3 seeds in the tournament.

#25 Kansas State (18-7) (8-3) RPI: 29; SOS: 33
W - at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Kansas
L - vs. George Mason, at Xavier, at Missouri, at Texas Tech, at Nebraska
To Play: at Baylor, vs. Texas, at Kansas
- Losing to Missouri, Texas Tech, and Nebraska have really hurt Kansas State in conference play. They now have tough trips to Baylor and Kansas with a visit by Texas to close out the season. If Kansas State goes 2-3 the rest of the way, they should still be dancing, but a win over Baylor or Texas would help cement what has been a solid season for the Wildcats behind Michael Beasley. A 21-9 mark for the season could slot the Wildcats as a #5 or #6 seed that no one will want to play.

#22 Texas A&M (20-6) (6-5) RPI: 39; SOS: 80
W - at Ohio State, vs. Texas
L - at Texas Tech, at Kansas State, vs. Oklahoma State, at Texas
To Play: at Oklahoma, at Baylor, vs. #5 Kansas
- The Aggies have not made things easy on themselves with inconsistent play throughout the conference season. They have a tough stretch ahead of them and really need to take one or both of the OU and Baylor games. The Aggies need to win 3 of their last 5 to avoid going 8-8 in conference and putting themselves in a difficult position come tournament time. Even if the Aggies go 23-8, it might not be enough to make them a #6 seed in the tournament. And while this is an Aggies team that is built for close games in the post season, life as a #7 or #8 seed would make life extremely difficult.

Oklahoma (18-8) (6-5) RPI: 26; SOS: 13
W - vs. Arkansas, vs. Gonzaga, at West Virginia, Baylor twice
L - vs. Stephen F. Austin, at Kansas by 40, at Colorado
To Play: at #7 Texas, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- The Sooners have done well as of late and appear to be finally healthy heading down the stretch. They have impressive RPI and SOS numbers that should help them in front of the selection committee. They have been wildly inconsistent this season, looking very good at times, and at other times, far from it. They should win at least 3 of their final 5, which should be enough to get them in the dance, but a win over Texas A&M would be nice to solidify their place in the tournament. They should end up as a #8 or #9 seed in the dance, which would be a nice accomplishment for a young program under Jeff Capel.

Baylor (17-8) (5-6) RPI: 40; SOS: 38
W - at Notre Dame, at Texas A&M
L - vs. Arkansas, Oklahoma twice, at Oklahoma State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- Baylor has CBS executives worried. What once was easily the feel good story of the tournament has fallen on shaky times, as Baylor has free falled the past few weeks as it has forgotten how to play defense. While three easy games will help to turn things around, Baylor really needs to protect their home floor against either one or both of the games against KSU and A&M. A 20-10 record should let the Bears sneak in, but they really need one more big win to cement their resume and not have to rely on mediocre computer numbers. One or two wins in the Big XII tournament wouldn't hurt either.

The Race for the NIT:

Texas Tech (14-11) (5-6) RPI: 62; SOS: 6
- Tough games down the stretch with this Saturday vs. Iowa State as the only one that they will be favored to win. Great computer numbers, but will need to pull an upset somewhere down the stretch.

Missouri (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 86; SOS: 21
- The kindest closing schedule of the NIT hopefulls, with games vs. Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State looming. Missouri could do the unthinkable if they suspend half their team and then make the NIT. I will be rooting for them.

Oklahoma State (13-12) (4-7) RPI: 111; SOS: 37
- This may come down to the Bedlam Series for the Cowboys as they will probably need to beat Oklahoma at home along with Nebraska at home and Missouri on the road if they hope to have any chance at the NIT. With their sluggish computer numbers, they will need to have a winning record overall and close to .500 in conference.

Nebraska (15-9) (4-7) RPI: 133; SOS: 134
- While the win over Kansas State gave them life, the computer numbers remind you that those 15 wins came against lesser foes. They will need to do some work and get more than just the visit from Colorado. That means beating Oklahoma at home or OSU on the road. Or if they prefer to dream big, A&M or Texas on the road. The computer numbers and the conference record might leave the Huskers at home.

Iowa State (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 135; SOS: 66
- If Iowa State hopes to see a postseason of any sort they will have to do their work away from Ames. Kansas and Kansas State are the only remaining visits they have, but don't count them out as wins are possible at Texas Tech, Missouri, and Colorado. But it may take them two or all three of those road games to make it to the promised land that is the NIT.

Overkill?

2008-02-21T12:39:00.004-06:00

As Texas fans believe and an arguement can easily be made, the 2006 National Championship was one of the greatest college football games ever played. I mean is it that hard to agree with? I think we can all be in agreement on that.

But is it hands down the greatest game ever played? Well I don't know if I can call it the greatest game ever, I haven't happened to see all of them. Maybe we can ask Keith Jackson. You can argue all you want about it, but it's not like you are going to dedicate your life to proving that point.

Or are you....

http://rpongett.phpwebhosting.com/2006rosebowl.html

We applaud your efforts, and it's nice to see that the game will forever live on, but is it okay if we're still a little frightened? Seriously, it just keeps going...

Could Vince be Getting Some Help?

2008-02-20T08:47:00.003-06:00

Granted there is a long way to go with the NFL still to have the Pro Draft Combine, and mock drafts are, well, usually full of crap, but this is still fun to look at.

The Titans are still desperately in need of wide receivers, and it seems like the Tennessee Titans are trying to host the Texas Longhorns NFL reunion party, so who knows. But it would be a nice change to see this from Vince...

Instead of...

238-382 (62.3%) 2,546 yds, 9 TD, 17 INT

And looking out at your wide receivers and seeing Justin Gage and Roydell Williams.

Post Game Points: Texas v. Texas A&M

2008-02-19T15:56:00.004-06:00

TEAM DEFENSE... By Texas was amazing. Texas put together their best team defensive game of the year by holding the Aggies to 19% shooting in the first half and just 30% for the game. The Longhorn defense swarmed all night on the Aggie guards, disrupting the post entry passes and preventing open shots. Justin Mason seemed to be everywhere on the defensive end as he hounded dribblers and crashed the boards for rebounds. AJ seemed to play his best defense, since he matched up with Brandon Rush of Kansas, as he was in the face of Josh Carter all night causing Carter to go 3-11 from the field (1-5 3pts) and score just 11 points. Connor Atchley, Damion James and Dexter Pittman played some solid post defense as no Aggie big man scored in double figures and Texas recorded 12 blocks. The key to Texas' defense was effort and intensity; exactly the kind of defense that keeps teams playing in March.

JOSEPH JONES... Is broken. I don't know what exactly was the turning point, but it just feels like Jones has given up on basketball. There was a time when I feared him more than any other player on the floor. He always seemed to bring it against the Horns, hitting mid-range jumpers, pounding it inside and patrolling the lane on defense. Now, I sometimes forget he is out there. Last night, Jones went 1-7 from the floor and left the Erwin Center with 3 points. But the problems with Jones are not limited to one game against Texas. Jones is having the worst season of his four year career at A&M as he is averaging career lows in points, rebounds and FG%. As a sophomore, Jones seemed a lock to be a high pick in the NBA and some even speculated on his early exit to the pros. After this year, it will be a shock if Jones even gets a sniff from the NBA. Its sad to see. Even though he is an Aggie, I always like and feared him as an opponent.

JUSTIN MASON... Is the glue of this Texas team. I am convinced, more than ever, that Texas is going to go as far as Mason takes them. He may not put in a bunch of points, but he is a high energy guy that does the things that don't show up in the box score. Whether it be shutting down the opponents best perimeter player or hitting the boards, Mason is the most consistent defensive force the Texas has. Mason has also seemed to have overcome his offensive mini-slump and can be counted on to occasionally take the ball to the rim and hit a few open threes. If Texas can get Mason's usual defensive and rebounding efforts, along with 6-8 points a game, they will be a formidable matchup for any squad in the NCAAs.

DJ's EXHAUSTION... May have been over stated. Many have been saying that DJ's recent struggles have been due to his excessive playing time, and that his legs are just wearing down as the season progresses. Augustin seemed to put that talk to rest as he exploded for 27 points on 9-14 shooting, with 9 assists. DJ was hitting all the shots he seemed to be missing in the last 5 games and he looked much more confident taking the ball to the basket. I think we can safely say that DJ went through a mini-slump and is now turning the corner to regain his top point guard status. I think part of the problem was that DJ was putting to much pressure on himself and caused his struggles. Last night he looked more relaxed and confident as he knew when to drive, pull up for the shot or dish it to a teammate. If there was any doubt that DJ had the energy to finish the season was put to rest as DJ took a late game pass and blew by his defender to make a lay up and get fouled on the play. Of course, it also helped that Texas had a commanding lead the entire game and allowed DJ to get a little rest on the bench.

Youtube Tuesday

2008-02-19T14:00:00.004-06:00

Its time for a new weekly post called "Youtube Tuesday." The name is pretty self explanitory, as I will be posting various clips from youtube on a weekly basis. They may be old UT game highlights, player highlight reels, some funny sports video, or something totally of topic and random. i will try to keep it as interesting and fun as possible.

To start of the inaugural posting, I bring you this music video by the "Rammers" called "Ram it." This of course is the 1980 LA Rams singing, dancing and rapping (I use all three of those terms very loosely). Why, you ask, is this clip important to us? Well, for two reasons: One, it shows that white people must read their rap lyrics from a cue card. And, two, prominently featured #21 is non other than current Texas Aggie offensive coordinator, Nolan Cromwell. His dancing at the end of the video rivals, Elaine's "Little Kicks" on Seinfeld in the annuls of horrendous dancing moves.

Win of the Year

2008-02-19T07:59:00.002-06:00

Texas did everything right last night in their 77-50 win against #22 Texas A&M. DJ Augustin had a great game and everyone contributed as Texas dominated from the opening tip. It was a great win and Texas looked the best they have all season.

I'm sure Royal will have more on this game later, so I'll leave it to him, but an interesting thought on DJ's recent shooting slump that he seemed to have broken out of last night. During the slump Texas had to rely on AJ, Damo, Connor, Gary, and even Mason and the bench guys stepped up to play increased roles. It seems that even though Augustin regained his shooting touch he has a new found confidence in giving up the ball to his teammates that showed last night. Last night it seemed like DJ was just as big of a threat to pass the ball as he was to shoot the ball, which we haven't seen a lot of this year. His new found confidence to get his teammates the ball in scoring position, and their ability to contribute makes this Texas team dynamic and dangerous.

More on this later, but for now, enjoy a 27-point win over the Aggies. All together now...

POOR AGGIES!!!

Keys to the Game: Texas v. A&M

2008-02-18T14:10:00.005-06:00

DJ CONTRIBUTING.... It's no secret that Augustin has struggled shooting the past 5 games. Most likely, it has to do with the fact that he has played nearly every single minute this season. DJ's legs may be getting tired, and that is understandable. However, despite his poor shooting performance against Baylor, DJ may have been the offensive MVP with his game management and ball distribution. DJ still took the ball strong to the basket, but was able to dish the ball to an open Damion James or Gary Johnson. There is no way Texas could have won in Waco if it weren't for Augustin (late free-throws aside).

FREE-THROWS... Texas is not only going to have to get to the free-throw line often, but they are going to have to actually hit them. Texas has been better as a team from the foul line recently, but had a hiccup in Waco as DJ and AJ Abrams missed 3 FT in the last minute. In College Station, Texas only hit 11-21 from the foul line. Texas needs to take more than 20 FT tonight, and they are going to have to make more than 50%. Last A&M game, DJ had ZERO FTs. He is going to have to get to the hoop and draw fouls. A&M can be prone to fouls, so Texas needs to take advantage of this. Get the A&M big men in foul trouble and make your free-throws, and Texas has a lot better chance at winning this game.

BIG MEN PLAY... Damion, Gary, Dex, Connor and Alexis are going to be big parts of this game. At least 3 of these 5 are going to have to step up and have great games. Whether it be Damion & Gary crashing the boards and getting to the line, Connor from the outside, or Pittman pounding inside, there needs to be a presence felt from the Texas big men. Gary Johnson only played 4 minutes in the first A&M game, but he is obviously going to see many more minutes this time around. And Barnes was so disappointed in the way Damion played in College Station, that he kept him out of the starting line up for a few games. Something tells me James is going to be on fire tonight and be huge force for Texas.

CONTAIN JOSH CARTER... For the most part, Texas knows they might struggle containing the Aggie big men. De'Andre Jordan, Joe Jones and Brian Davis are going to be strong inside and outplay the Texas big men. So the area Texas needs to control is the shooting of Josh Carter. Carter has killed Texas teams in the past and dropped 19 on them earlier his year. You may see Texas in a lot of zone defense and they are going to have to close out and get a hand in Carter's face on the kick out pass from the post. They simply cannot allow him to stand and fire uncontested 3's all night. If Texas can contain Carter and the Aggie outside shooting, then Texas will have a much better chance at pulling off this critical home game.

JUST WIN... That's what Texas has been doing lately. It hasn't always been pretty. There have been bad starts, poor shooting, come backs, late game rallies and almost blown opportunities. But somehow Texas keeps on winning and have pulled off 5 straight wins and 8 of their last 9. Not lost in all of these wins, is the fact that Texas now controls its own destiny in competing for the Big 12 regular season title. They are tied in the loss column (8-2) with Kansas (9-2) and still have to face Kansas State (8-2). Texas has the tie-break over Kansas, and can knock out the Wildcats with a win in Manhattan. Texas' tough road to the Big 12 Championship starts tonight against the Aggies. If they can win tonight, the only real threat to derailing their title plans are the Kansas State Wildcats, on February 25th.

MY PREDICTION: TEXAS 72, A&M 71

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 6, Part 2

2008-02-15T11:08:00.004-06:00

Oklahoma (16-8) (4-5) at Texas Tech (13-10) (4-5)

- Both teams are fighting for their postseason life as Oklahoma desperately needs a win to keep their tournament hopes alive and Texas Tech needs the win to keep their NIT hopes a live. Oklahoma looked like they were in good position to be the sixth team to represent the Big XII, but after losing Blake Griffin to an injury, and then Longar-Longar, Oklahoma has played wildly inconsistent, losing their third straight in a devisating loss at Colorado. It was thought that Longar-Longar was out for the year, but apparently used an herbal remedy that had him back for the mid-week win over Iowa State. Oklahoma finally had their full lineup and got contributions from Tony Crocker and Austin Johnson and it showed in a good win against Iowa State. If Oklahoma doesn't have to rely on Blake Griffin on the offense end, this becomes a very dynamic basketball team. Texas Tech proved that even under new coach Pat Knight, they will be extremely tough to beat at home. The win over Kansas State was impressive as they got 30 points from Alan Voskuil? Really? The Oklahoma game will tell if it was just a one game outburst or if the Red Raiders have figured out how to get a full team contribution on the offensive end.

Prediction: Texas Tech 71, Oklahoma 65

#11 Texas (20-4) (7-2) at Baylor (17-6) (5-4)

- The Longhorns work is hardly over as they must recover quickly from their Big Monday win over #3 Kansas. They learned a lot about themselves in the Kansas game, and the biggest lesson is that this Texas team is going to win with their defense. If Texas plays hard on the defensive end, they can play with any team in the country. But Texas still has a few issues they need to resolve. DJ Augustin is still struggling to adjust to the way teams are defending him, and he is still stuck in a bad shooting slump. Texas will need DJ to get back to normal if they hope to win conference games on the road. Texas could also used more improved play out of the post. Connor Atchley and Damion James played great, but Texas still needs contributions out of Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and Alexis Wangmene. While Texas is winning games off their defense, Baylor is losing them from no defense. They are letting opponents score at will. If they defend even just a little bit, their offense is good enough that they will be able to get back to winning games. Offensively Baylor will continue to use their guards to attack. They have one of the deepest and most talented back courts in the country and they will get their points. However, Baylor needs to not forget about Kevin Rogers. Getting Rogers involved makes him more active on the boards as well and gives Baylor some more balanced scoring.

Prediction: #11 Texas 89, Baylor 86

Missouri (14-11) (4-6) at #18 Kansas State (17-6) (7-2)

- Missouri has done a remarkable job staying in the conference race and keeping their team together after all the suspensions. Keon Lawerence has stepped up and provided scoring in the absence of Stefon Hannah. But Missouri needs to keep getting contributions from every man on their roster to have any chance of competing. Kansas State has struggled with consistency since their win over Kansas. They have lost both games on the road to Missouri and Texas Tech. Kansas State is a young team and they need to realize that everyone will be coming out and playing their best games against them. Also, Michael Beasley and Bill Walker can't afford to have off nights. They need to carry their team night in and night out if they want to continue to be at the top of the Big XII.

Prediction: #18 Kansas State 85, Missouri 76

Surprises and Disappointments

2008-02-14T11:30:00.007-06:00

Each basketball season there are teams that seem to come out of nowhere and teams that start with high expectations and fall apart. Looking around the major conferences to see who has pleasently surprised and who has left us wanting more...

ACC
Surprise:
Duke (22-1)(10-0)
- Wait, when did that happen? Duke is good again? Sure, they weren't really not good at any point over the past few seasons, but you weren't worried about them winning National Titles. We definitely didn't savor the moment, because don't look now, but Duke might be the best team in the country. A one point loss to Pittsburgh is all that is keeping this team from being unbeaten. Apparently Coach K figured out how to balance Duke and Team USA, and threw in some Phoenix D'Antoni magic for good measure. They still maybe weak inside, but no one has been able to expose it, as Singler has fans around the country sick to their stomachs with his inside and outside play. Though the most frustrating has to be the transformation of Greg Paulus. For two years you could count on Paulus shrinking from the pressure and not coming through for the Dukies, then all of a sudden he looks like one of the best shooters in the country and becoming less likeable with every dead eye three. Duke is back. Shit.

Disappointment:
Teams not named Duke, North Carolina, Maryland, and Clemson
- The ACC might only get four teams into the Dance? Really? What happened to the premier basketball conference in America? Moved north to the Big East or west to the Pac-10, that's what happened. NC State took a major step backwards from last season along with Boston College. Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Miami, and Florida State still can't escape mediocrity. Virginia Tech didn't really stand a chance thanks to recruits bailing out after the shooting, and they're still making a noble effort. And Virginia? Who knows what happened to them. Sean Singletary might as well be playing one on five. This conference is not that competitive and not that deep. It has been slowly going this direction for a number of years, and I'm not sure if I would take them over the SEC.

Big XII
Surprise:
Baylor (17-6) (5-4)
- They have cooled off in the last week or so thanks to the fact that they don't play any defense, but the Bears have been a success story that will surely get played to death come tournament time. Scott Drew has done a noble job of turning around the Bears and giving fans of that program something to cheer about. It has been a difficult road, but Baylor now boasts one of the deepest backcourts in the country with five really talented guards. And the scary part? Outside of point guard Aaron Bruce, they will all be coming back next season.

Disapointment:
Oklahoma State (12-12) (3-7)
- This one reeks of nepotism as 800-win club Eddie Sutton's son, Sean has quickly unraveled all that his father built. Sutton still looks for his first conference road win in two seasons, and recruiting isn't going as well either. Maybe his dad didn't tell him the secret of going after players with questionable character. Either way, the Cowboys season has been a big disappoinment thus far, and Sutton might not get to stick around to see if he can turn it around.

Big East
Surprise:
Notre Dame (18-5) (8-3)
- In what is the deepest and toughest conference in America, Notre Dame has proven that they are up to the challenge in an area that they have struggled in recent years. Led by sophomore forward Luke Harangody (20.8 ppg/10.4 rpg) the Fighting Irish have surprised many by sitting in a third place tie in the conference. Mike Brey's teams have always been around the bubble come NCAA tournament time, but this season, they are one of the teams that will surprise some people come March.

Disappointment:
Villanova (14-9) (4-7)
- Expecting to build off of a successful freshman campaign by Scottie Reynolds, many expected Nova to continue to be a factor in the Big East. But conference season has been one big headache for Jay Wright's crew. A recent five game losing streak probably dashed the Wildcats tournament hopes. But if you lose to last place Rutgers and then get beat by 22 by Isaiah Thomas' other team St. John's, you don't deserve to be dancing in March.

Pac-10
Surprise:
Stanford (20-3) (9-2)
- Trent Johnson has done quite the turnaround job at Stanford as he has the program back at the top of the Pac-10 sooner than anyone expected. Sure it helps to have two 7 footers, but Johnson has the Cardinal exceeding all expectations. They have won seven straight and may be looking at an end of season trip to UCLA to decide the conference title.

Disappointment:
Washington State (18-5) (6-5)
- Not a complete disappointment and they are starting to turn things around, but much more was expected out of the Cougars. Most thought they would be neck and neck all season with UCLA and in the top 10 in the country. But following a stretch where they lost 4 of 5, the Cougars are three games out of the race for the conference title. They still have time to turn it around, but Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver have not lived up to preseason expectations.

SEC
Surprise:
Mississippi State (16-7) (7-2)
- The biggest surprise for the Bulldogs is definitely the 7-2 conference record. Not much was expected out of them out of a 9-5 out of conference mark, but the Bulldogs have turned it on and were unblemished before losses to Arkansas and Tennessee. Jamont Gordon has led the way for Mississippi State averaging 18.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 4.7 apg. But he's not alone as three other Bulldogs are scoring in double figures. Mississippi State has hit their stride and should be able to ride it into the tournament in March.

Disappointment:
Alabama (14-11) (3-7)
- The SEC conference season has not been kind to Alabama, as things have come unraveled. The season might cost coach Mark Gottfried his job as the Tide has stumbled their way to a 3-7 conference mark. Defensively the Crimson Tide have struggled, giving up over 72 points a game. They have a talented group coming in for next season, but there's no telling whether Coach Gottfried will be around to coach them.

Big Ten
Surprise:
Purdue (20-5) (11-1)
- The Boilermakers have surprised everyone this season. They have won 10 straight in conference including two wins over Wisconsin and one over Michigan State. Coach Matt Painter has his team playing solid Big Ten defense and is getting contributions from his entire team on the offensive end. With Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio State still left on the schedule, they are not in the clear yet, but they are definitely the favorite to win the Big Ten.

Disappointment:
Illinois (11-14) (3-9)
- The Illini came into the season with many expecting them to have a down season, but I don't think anyone expected this under Bruce Webber. It has been all downhill since losing Eric Gordon and Illinois is having an extremely difficult time rebounding on the recruiting trail. Things don't appear like they are going to improve anytime soon in Champaign, and the clock might start ticking on an extremely talented coach.

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 6, Part 1

2008-02-14T08:36:00.004-06:00

Upset specials across the Big XII, as the Longhorns started off the week with a Big Monday win over #3 Kansas. However, the excitement didn't stop as upsets were rampent in mid week action. Missouri won on the road in overtime against Nebraska and the part duex coaches showed some life as Texas Tech knocked off #18 Kansas State at home and Oklahoma State managed to steal one from Baylor at home. The upsets knocked Baylor out of the Big XII Championship race and brought the bottom a little closer to the top.

Colorado (10-13) (2-7) at #3 Kansas (23-2) (8-2)

- How do you win when your opponent takes 60 shots and you take 33? Make 66% of them and go to the free throw line 29 times. Colorado did just that in their upset win against Oklahoma last week. They also finally got some scoring from people not named Richard Roby. If Colorado can score in the 70s instead of the 50s, they have a chance to win because of their defense. But now, coming back to reality, they get to face Kansas, after a loss for the second time this season. It will probably end up much like the first time. After watching Kansas in the Texas game, they are the best team in the conference, by far. They are deep and talented and they play unselfish basketball. There are four things that could derail this team's season.

1.) PG Play - Russell Robinson and Sharron Collins have gotten outplayed in their two losses this season. These two need to combine to stop the opposing point guard from scoring and controlling the pace of the game. They didn't do it against Jacob Pullen or DJ Augustin.

2.) Go to player - Who do you go to when you need a basket? There is no one that stands head and shoulders above the rest as the guy who is going to take the last shot. It hurt them in the Texas game and it will continue to be a problem if they're not up 20.

3.) Too much perimeter - I was amazed how good everyone on Kansas is around the basket. It seemed like Texas worked on taking away the inside game in the second half and Kansas became more perimeter oriented. Kansas moves the ball too well and is too talented up front for anyone to stop them from getting to the basket.

4.) Out worked - Like any great team, they are prone to getting outworked by a good team. Kansas got outrebounded 23-12 in the second half, which is just unexcusable for a team as strong inside as Kansas. They are talented, but they need to come out and out work their opponents if they want to win the big games.

Prediction: #3 Kansas 77, Colorado 54

Oklahoma State (12-12) (3-7) at #16 Texas A&M (20-4) (6-3)

- The Cowboys are the prime example of the difficulty of winning conference road games. They haven't won any road games this season and it probably won't start Saturday. Oklahoma State got a big win over Baylor on Wednesday and are hoping to try and build any kind of momentum to save their season. Against the Aggies they will need to win the guard battle. Eaton, Harris, and Anderson have to be better offensively and defensively than Sloan, Kirk, and Carter. They also need Marcus Dove and Ibrahim Thomas to stay out of foul trouble against the big Aggie front line. Texas A&M has won five straight games after losing three straight. They have gotten back to their principals of defense and interior play and it has saved their season. The biggest advantage their front line gives them is the rebounding edge and taking away second chance points. The Aggies outrebounded Missouri 41-21 last week. If they can keep Joseph Jones out of foul trouble, which they only seem to do against Texas, then this A&M team is one of the toughest outs in the country.

Prediction: #16 Texas A&M 67, Oklahoma State 58

Nebraska (14-8) (3-6) at Iowa State (13-12) (3-7)

- A battle of bottom dwellers as neither team can get their season on track. Nebraska finally got a huge game from Aleks Maric, but no one else stepped up to help, and the Huskers lost again. Maric is a force inside, but all season he has failed to get any consistent help from the rest of the team. Iowa State has lost four straight and six of their last seven as they have come close, but can't get into the win column. Iowa State needs to get better guard play and should turn to Diante Garrett as their starting point guard. He may be a freshman but he can score and does more for the offense than Peterson. Iowa State also needs to attack inside. They have three forwards and a center in their lineup but still get away from attacking teams in the paint. They need to go at Maric and overwhelm him. They should have too much talent for this Nebraska team to handle.

Prediction: Iowa State 65, Nebraska 61

Last week: 5-1
Overall: 23-7

Did They Think to Cancel His Service?

2008-02-13T08:02:00.004-06:00

ESPN.com is reporting that Indiana could be facing more NCAA sanctions on top of the already self imposed sanctions that Indiana placed on themselves for hiring a dirtbag...err, I mean Kelvin Sampson.

Indiana was forced into self imposed sanctions last year when they discovered that Kelvin Sampson had made 577 impermissable phone calls from 2000-2006 at Oklahoma. While the phone calls were disturbing, Indiana later revealed that the biggest problem was that no one liked the SOB...okay, maybe not, but it's possible.

So Indiana trying to rebuild their program through the assistance of those that break the rules, my favorite way to return to glory, personally, but strict limitations on Sampson trying to avoid any trouble from the NCAA. This included making no off-campus trips, limited phone calls, and no three-way phone calls. Which really, I don't think any coach should be participating in any three-ways, well except maybe Larry Eustachy.

Well apparently the NCAA sent a letter to Indiana saying that their investigation turned up more wrong doings, and possible MAJOR (oh yes, major) violations by the Indiana program. Apparently as has been the case from 2000 until 2007, Kelvin Sampson has been doing whatever the hell he pleases. And though it apparently takes nine years, karma will eventually catch up to you.

Not that it helps Bruce Webber at all. Bad guys may get caught, but nice guys still finish last. But really, I think Indiana deserves anything that comes there way. They knew Sampson was a shady character, but they hired him anyways. They know that he consistently breaks the rules, and yet they still didn't monitor his activities. They knew he had to be breaking rules and violating his Indiana mandated probation. So Indiana deserves whatever penalties the NCAA hands down. But let us not get too carried away. Indiana is a storied, big time basketball program. I smell a slap on the wrist. (Insert Baylor fans thinking unbaptist thoughts towards the NCAA here).

Sampson will continue to break the rules wherever he goes because it helps him win, and helps him make more money. There are no real consequences that will ever be given to him, so why not break the rules. If Indiana gets fed up and fires him, some school desperate to win will take a chance on him. Translation: Some school will welcome his rule breaking tactics for a shot at winning.

But this whole incident begs the question, why didn't anyone just cancel his phone service, take away his cell phone, and ground him to his office? Oh, because then you wouldn't be 20-3 and have Eric Gordon. Now I get it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3243325

The Underdogs are Back

2008-02-12T14:56:00.000-06:00

Last night was a great game between two outstanding teams playing basketball at a high level. It was an exciting back and forth game to watch, and after watching the Longhorns in their previous five games, it was like seeing a different team out on the floor.

Lost in all of the post game write ups from the different outlets, is that the Longhorns got back to one thing that they thrived on early in the season; being the underdog. In their wins against Tennessee and #1 UCLA early in the season, Texas was the underdog. They thrived in that role, outhustling their opponents, playing intense defense, and attacking on offense.

After a 13-0 start, the nation started to take notice and all of a sudden, Texas became the favorite. They got outworked against Michigan State, Wisconsin, Missouri, A&M, several conference games they should not have won. But coming off several lackluster performances, DJ Augustin's game on a temporary leave of absence, and the Texas front line continuing to make opposing big men look like NBA first rounders, Texas was expected to get run out of the gym by a deep and talented Kansas team. And apparently that was what the Longhorns needed.

Texas executed an excellent game plan, played suffocating defense, and outhustled the Jayhawks in the second half to earn the victory. Connor Atchley's four blocks and post defense was by far his best performance of the season. AJ Abrams hounded Brandon Rush all night long holding him to 10 points and just three shot attempts in the second half. DJ Augustin, despite another horrendous shooting night, managed to hold Russell Robinson and Sharron Collins to a 2 of 12 shooting night and 4 points, making the point guard battle a draw. Gary Johnson, Justin Mason, and Damion James were everywhere the entire second half, hustling to every rebound, every lose ball, and playing outstanding defense and dominating the paint on offense. It was the second good performance for Johnson who looks like he is starting to get it. Mason continues to thrive as the utility man and has found his niche on offense and defense. And Damion James was the X-factor in the second half, creating all kinds of problems and out working every player on the floor.

Of all the things Texas did right last night, the biggest difference between this game and previous poor performances was Texas' attitude. They played this ball game like they were not the better team. They played like they needed to earn a victory and out play their opponents. They came in with a sense of urgency that allowed them to overcome the slow start that had plagued them the last few games, and they turned it up even more in the second half. Kansas is a phenominal team, that is deep and talented around the rim, but Texas wanted it more, and Texas went out there and outplayed them for it.

This is the Texas team that we saw go 13-0, and it was the whispers of Final Four that derailed that hunger. It was the realization of how could they could be that caused Texas to go out and play with an attitude that they were better than their opponents and could win by just going out and playing. But for one night, Texas got back to being the underdog, and the results were just the same as the 19 point rout of Tennessee and the road upset #1 UCLA. But it remains to be seen if they can carry that underdog attitude with them, when they are clearly not the underdog.

Keys to the Game: Texas v. Kansas

2008-02-11T14:10:00.000-06:00

1. FAST START... I know I have harped on this for the past few weeks, but its importance cannot be understated. The past four games, Texas has spotted their opponent a 10 point lead. They came back in three of those, but there is no way this team can come back against Kansas. AJ is going to have to start the game hot, and DJ is going to have to get back into his early season form. If Damion can establish his outside game early, that may clear the paint for a Gary, Dex or Conner to operate down low and give DJ a better path to the basket. Watch it. The first 5-7 minutes will decide this game.

2. INSIDE DEFENSE... Ok, we already know Texas has a problem with teams that have 2 decent big men. Well, Kansas has about 5 of them. Sacha Kahn and Darrell Arthur are going to give the horns all they can handle. Look to see Texas try to run out a bigger line up most of the game. I think the key comes down to stopping Arthur. He showed what he can do against teams with poor post defense as he lit up Baylor for 33 points. Dex, Wangmene, Connor and Clint are all going to be rotating on the KU big men, and if they can hold their own or just minimize the damage, Texas may have a shot.

3. PACE OF PLAY... Texas will not be able to run with Kansas. Period. KU is one of the fastest teams in the country and love to push the tempo. They put up 100 points against Baylor and are among the tops in the country in scoring offense. The key to Kansas' fast play is that their big men can get down the floor quickly. The slower Texas big men are going to have to chase Darrell Arthur all over the floor. Look for Texas to rotate big men frequently to keep them fresh and out of foul trouble. Also, the pace of play is going to be on the shoulders of DJ. Texas must get a quality shot every time down the floor. Bad missed and quick KU rebounds equal a blow out of the Horns. DJ is going to have to play with in himself. Make smart passes and take quality shots. Look for Texas to use the shot clock on most possessions. This is going to have to he a low scoring game in the 60s or 70s if Texas has a chance. If DJ plays like he did in Ames, its lights out for Texas.

4. AJ STAYING HOT... Abrams has been Texas' best player over the last 5 games. Kansas is going to score and Texas is going to have to come up with an answer. I can see Texas keeping it within 6-10 points most of the game, and a few clutch 3s from AJ might be enough to give Texas a chance to win the game in the final 2 minutes. AJ is going to have a much larger defender on him and is going to have to be very creative and use his screens well to get quality shots off all night.

5. JOHNSON & JAMES... Gary and Damion are Texas' two most gifted athletes and they are going to have to play out of their minds tonight. Damion has to have a good shooting night and look for his outside shot. He is going to have to be a monster on the defensive boards and use his athleticism to keep the KU big men off the offensive glass. Gary is going to have to establish a post presence on offense and convert shots around the basket. If Gary can step out and hit the 10 footer, Texas is going to be sitting pretty on offense. Mostly, Gary is going to have to be in position on defense and active on the glass. Again, I cannot stress enough how good Darrell Arthur and Kansas are. Keep them off the offensive glass, pull them away from the paint on defense and keep them from getting good post position on offense. Those are the keys to Texas coming away with a huge conference win.

PREDICTION: KU 88 Texas 74

Post Game Points: Texas v. Iowa State

2008-02-10T12:21:00.000-06:00

1. A CONFERENCE ROAD WIN... Is nothing to be upset about. When you're in conference play, your first goal is to win all your home games and be able to win a little more than half of your road games. And historically Texas has had a tough time winning at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. The fact is Texas played poorly and DJ Augustin had the worst game as a Horn and Texas was still able to win. AJ Abrams and Gary Johnson were able to step up and carry the horns to another 2nd half comeback. While the game was frustrating and unbearable to watch at times, lets just enjoy not losing for a minute before Kansas comes to town.

2. DJ AUGUSTIN... Continues to struggle getting good looks and hitting shots. There are several things that have concerned me recently with DJ. First, I am afraid teams have figured out how to neutralize him enough to disrupt the Texas offense. Iowa State had a great game plan which was to not let DJ have a path to the basket and then meet him at the rim with big man help to force a bad shot. DJ just didn't finish at the rim the way he was early in the year. That leads to the next concern, which is that DJ is not drawing the contact that he used to on his drives. One of DJ's biggest strengths was his ability to get to the rim and initiate the contact. Recently, his finishes around the rim have been fade aways and step backs. I am not sure if he is getting beat up, worried about injuries or if Barnes is worried about injuries. But I feel like DJ is losing one of his biggest assets in not forcing fouls and getting to the line.

3. GARY JOHNSON... Might be getting it. What a game for Gary. Great hustle, great post position and great defense. Johnson played 34 minutes and had his best game this season. Gary was able to establish a much needed inside presence as he got great post position and was able to finish around the basket (though a few more kind rolls on the rim and he could have scored 20). His defense, and especially his perimeter defense was exceptional. Gary switched on screens and was able to take his man back away from the basket and just seemed to be more comfortable, overall, on the defensive end. I think he is showing the player he can develop into as Big 12 play progresses. By tournament time Gary could be a 15 point 12 rebound guy in the starting lineup.

4. TEXAS STILL LOOKS... Infinitely beatable. Another slow start, another poor shooting game and another questionable performance by DJ. When I look at this team, I look at it in terms of how they would stack up in the NCAA Tournament at this moment. Right now.... Not good. if you go into March with shaky PG play, low % shooting and little inside presence, your chances look pretty grim. Somehow Texas is going to have to figure out how to start games actually hitting shots. Unless they do, they are susceptible to being run out of the gym by a hot shooting tourney team. We already know that Texas is going to struggle with teams with 2 bug guys inside (A&M). But the Horns are starting to have trouble with ANY big man, not just multiple big men. Lastly, DJ is going to have to figure a way to get his shooting % to at least 40-45 and that starts with better shot selection. Fewer fade aways and shots off one leg would be a nice start to that. If you're taking to the hoop, take it and finish it strong.

5. HERE COMES KANSAS..... Yikes...