The Redskins Nickname Must Go

Last Friday (the 15th), in a judicial decision that hinged on a legal technicality, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., upheld the right of the local pro football team to keep its unconscionable nickname, "The Redskins". Coincidentally, the day before (Thursday May 14th) the North Dakota Board of Higher Education voted unanimously to do away with the University of North Dakota's "Fighting Sioux" nickname by October 1, 2009 deeming it both "hostile and abusive". Anybody see a problem with this? Because I do.

Obviously this is a little bit of an apples to oranges comparison being that the Redskins are in the NFL and that much of the resistance to UND's Fighting Sioux nickname came from the NCAA and specific tribes.

Now, as a University of North Dakota student I am obviously very biased in my views on the Sioux nickname. And I will admit that i was a bit crushed when I heard the nickname was going to be eliminated completely. However, I am going to put my feelings for that aside here. My complaint with the Redskins nickname is a completely separate entity in my mind.

In clinging to the most racially offensive moniker held by a major U.S. professional sports team ever the franchise continues to offend some Native Americans and boggle my mind. How can more people not be offended? Imagine trying to explain “Redskins” to a foreign visitor or someone from the future? Especially when people get so worked up over nicknames like "Fighting Illini", "Fighting Sioux", "the Warriors", and "the Savages". This is a nickname that affects and should anger not just one or two tribes in a small state. This is a nickname that puts down ALL Native Americans in the US. Every time I say or hear "Redskins" I am baffled as to why there isn't more widespread outrage.

You can spare me the speech on how the name is actually a tribute to Native Americans, or how other allegedly similar groups (think Vikings) achieve mascot status. You can skip the talk about the importance of the team name to its fans or the tradition that would be compromised were it to be changed. Why? Because I've lived it! Granted I'm not a Native American but I go to a university with a very rich athletic tradition that is losing a nickname that it has served honorably.

Like I said, I fully comprehend the differences in the situation. The Redskins are a professional football team and a privately owned organization. They also do not fall under the jurisdiction of the NCAA. Despite these differences the nickname is unbelievably racist and offensive to an entire race of people. What if an NFL team "honored" our country's African-American population by being named the Brownskins? I've thought it for a long time and given the ironic timing of these court rulings I've got to put this out there: The Redskins nickname flat out needs to go.

Let Vick Be

They're finally letting Mike Vick out of prison this week, but he still won't be a free man. After he's let out of prison he will be highly monitored by federal officials and will be placed on house arrest for two months...

Is this not insane? Come on. Give the man a break! He's long over payed his dues. The man has gone through all of this long enough. He's been in jail what? Two years? This was also Vick's first arrest as an NFL player.

There are an average of 43 arrests per year among NFL players, and about 21 of those are violent crimes, crimes against other human beings. A lot of these guys serve a few games suspension and/or community service and are back on the field a few weeks later.

Mike Vick, a guy who has been scrutinized and slammed by the media and animal right groups (PETA) repeatedly, deserves forgiveness. In my opinion, dog fighting is not that serious of a crime. (Yeah I said it.) There are far worse crimes in this country that you can commit.

OJ Simpson walked away a free man after one of the worst court hearings ever. Ray Lewis was charged with murder nine years ago. Look at him now. Pac Man Jones was given unlimited chances after all of the garbage he pulled. I honestly feel Vick would've been better off hurting another human being over a dog. That's just how society is now days. And look at Vick now, two years of jail and all the crap he had to go with and now he will be highly monitored after he steps out of jail, when is enough enough?

He has paid his due to society and lost the richest contract in NFL history. It's not even about dog fighting anymore, it's how much we can screw Mike Vick and how broke we can make him. It's sickening how people are these days. There are a lot worse things he could have done, but people are ripping him a part and will no longer look at him the same because of it.

Yeah, he did deserve some punishment obviously, a fine, a few game suspension and a month of jail time would have been ideal. Him being kicked out of the league was unnecessary and stupid. I hope he is back playing in the league, the sport that made his early career. Mike Vick deserves to be back in the NFL!

Order Restored to MNF

It is official. MNF just got a hole lot more football-relevant and tolerable for me next year. Tony Kornheiser has been replaced on MNF by former Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden! The network said Monday that Gruden will be in the booth with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski when the show starts its 40th season this fall.

What a relief! I like Tony Kornheiser alright for PTI but he was absolutely horrible on MNF. ESPN tried for something different with him and it just didn't work out. He just tried way too hard to be funny, in my opinion, and lacked the football knowledge that I crave when I tune into watch a football game on a Monday night.

When asked about his dismissal Kornheiser responded, "If I could handpick a replacement of a football guy, I would cast a net and drag in Jon Gruden. He is the two things you most want — smart and funny — and has the two things I don't — good hair and a tan." Vintage Kornheiser.

All in all I'm not writing this to bash Kornheiser like many will. It is all personal taste, I'm sure some people loved him on MNF. I was not one of those people. I'm writing this because I am extremely excited to see a new face in Jon Gruden in the MNF booth. It's got me even more excited for Packers vs. Vikings on October 5th!

Just make a decision already!

The nations top two high school basketball prospects John Wall and Lance Stephenson have yet to make a decision on their college careers. The late signing period runs from April 15-May 20, so they now have 5 days to make a decision. Time is ticking boys!

This really irks me, these two fine young men have been recruited vastly for the past few years. Why is it taking this long to make a decision? With all due respect to these kids, but they need to just make a decision already!

All of this has been drug on long enough. You just can't keep coaches, recruiters and colleges on their toes this long. I'm sorry that it comes down to this, but I have no other reason than to believe that these guys just want to be in the spotlight. More specifically John Wall.

Wall goes on interview after interview telling multiple sides to his decision. One week he liked Kentucky, then Duke, the next was UNC, believe it or not he was interested in North Carolina Central at one point. And now all of a sudden he loves Miami... Come on Mr. Wall, enough with the games. Just make a decision already.

This is so ridiculous, I just cannot take it anymore and the NCAA is partially to blame. I do not think these kids need a little more than a month to decide. A lot of colleges give you until mid-April to accept admission for regular students. Why should it be any different for the athletes?

The NCAA should reduce it to one week. April 15-22 should be the late signing period for college basketball. This won't keep the coaches waiting so they can get on with their lives and job instead of lurking around waiting and waiting.

I know that this is a tough decision and some refer to it as a business decision. But from the looks of it, it seems more like monkey business. John Wall is just taking advantage of the system and dragging out this process to remain in the spotlight as long as he can. Because once he picks a school, the media will only make a big deal about it for a day or two and the spotlight will end.

I hope the NCAA looks in to this because it's something that should be fixed and kids shouldn't exasperate the decision.

2009 College Football Preseason Rankings

Time to break out the early 2009 College Football Preseason Rankings!

1. Florida- The defending national champs return QB Tim Tebow, the Pouncey Twins on the line, and Jeff Demps, Emmanuel Moody, and Chris Rainey on the offensive end. The defense will be the best in the nation. The top 22 defensive players are ALL back, including LB Brandon Spikes and FS Major Wright.

2. Texas- The offense is virtually all back lead by QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley. The defense has some holes, but that's what D-Coordinator Will Muschamp is for.

3. Oklahoma- Heisman winner Sam Bradford is back along with RB stud DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Look for the defense to be even better with 9 starters back.

4. Alabama- The defense returns 9 starters and the offense returns RB Mark Ingram and one of the best WRs in the nation in Julio Jones.

5. USC- USC returns a lot of talent. They will have 10 starters back on offense, but will need a QB to step up. The defense will need to reload, but they have backups that can step up.

6. Mississippi- They return loads of talent and depth. QB Jevan Snead has the potential to be one of the best in the country.

7. Virginia Tech- The Hokies looked impressive in their Orange Bowl win. They're ready to make another national title run with QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Darren Evans and 7 returning starters on defense.

8. Ohio St.- The Buckeyes should be the favorite in the Big Ten. QB Terrelle Pryor is really going to be something. He could have a huge break out year.

9. LSU- You really think Les Miles will have another down year? Think again... QB Jordan Jefferson is coming along well and veteran RB Charles Scott is a bruiser in the backfield.

10. Oklahoma State- The Pokes had one of the most potent offenses in the country last season and QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Dez Bryant remain intact. The defense will be more experienced.

Just missed the cut:
Utah, Oregon, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Boise St., Penn St., TCU, and Oregon St.

NHL Playoffs 1st Round Predictions

I realize that the playoffs actually started last night but I had a big test at 8 AM this morning. So, a little belated, (and taking last night's 4 games into consideration) here are my 1st round predictions!

WESTERN CONFERENCE

DUCKS-SHARKS
While the Anaheim Ducks are currently on a hot streak, they barely made the playoffs. The San Jose Sharks, on the other hand, won the Presidents' Trophy for being the team with the best regular season record in the 2008-09 season. Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller has been impressive at times, but nothing he has faced in his career will prepare him for the pressure of the playoffs. San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov has plenty of playoff experience under his belt, and that should make the difference.
PREDICTION: Sharks in 5.

BLUE JACKETS-RED WINGS
Honestly, I'd love to see the Red Wings lose this one. But realistically, it's just not going to happen. The Columbus Blue Jackets are making their first-ever playoff appearance in their nine-year existence, and like I said with the Ducks vs. Sharks series, playoff experience is going to reign supreme. Detroit has legions of players who can run up the scoreboard and Columbus has, well, Rick Nash. That's about it. Oh, and congratulations to rookie goalie Steve Mason. The guy had a great year.
PREDICTION: Wings in 5.

BLUES-CANUCKS
The Blues had the most momentum of all teams heading into the playoffs and after being eliminated from contention three years in a row, the motivation level of St. Louis to win is high. And I would love to pick them in 7 games here (I'm a BIG TJ Oshie fan). However, down 1-0 at this point and playing a nearly-equally hot Canucks team. To Luongo is so tough in net in crunch time. I think the Sedin brothers and Co. will have enough to move on. However, look for the Blues to make a deep run next year!
PREDICTION: Canucks in 7.

FLAMES-BLACKHAWKS
Speaking about not making the playoffs for … years, how about the Chicago Blackhawks? The Blackhawks, despite their youthfulness, have been sharp all season. They finished very hot with two wins over the Red Wings to cap off their season and put the icing on the cake. The Calgary Flames were leading the Northwestern Division, but then went south in the standings. Yes, the 'Hawks' youth is a concern for me but Look for Captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to step up and get them through the first round as the Flames take another downward dip here.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks in 6.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CANADIENS-BRUINS
The Boston Bruins vs. the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs? Sounds familiar and bound to be a classic, right? Wrong. This year's rendition of the Canadiens were disappointing to say the least and they barely held on for the eighth playoff spot. And this year's Bruins are much, much better than the No. 8-seeded version that beat the No. 1-seeded Canadiens the last time around. Boston plays much too well as a team and they have the star power to go deep. I smell a sweep!
PREDICTION: Bruins in 4.

RANGERS-CAPITALS
The New York Rangers started off the season great and looked like they were going to have a great year. That quickly proved to be false. The Rangers, like the Canadiens, nearly failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even with knowing the Rangers are up 1-0 on the Caps right now, I have no problem saying that it won't be long before Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals send them out. Dont' be surprised if this serves as the wake-up call this Capitals team needs and they beat them the next 4 straight. I'll give it 6 games just to be safe.
PREDICTION: Capitals in 6.

HURRICANES-DEVILS
The New Jersey Devils' season will come down to whether the Marty Brodeur who wins shows up or the one who loses makes the appearances when games matter most. And if the Carolina Hurricanes, who came out on the top half of a 2-1 decision against the Devils on March 28 during a recent nine-game win streak, have any say, the bad Marty will show up. Also the Hurricanes are very under-rated at home. However, I think the good Marty Brodeur shows up enough to move the Devils forward. This will be a great series to watch!
PREDICTION: Devils in seven.

FLYERS-PENGUINS
The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers meet in the playoffs, again. And in my opinion, the two teams are as evenly matched as ever. Don't believe me? Check the standings (99 points apiece). While it's tough to separate the two, the Penguins have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And the Flyers don't have two names to equalize the equation. Still, the series will go deep. But the star power will prevail here for the Pens!
PREDICTION: Penguins in seven.

RIP Harry Kalas

One of the best voices in all of the MLB, Harry Kalas passed away Monday, April 13, 2009.

Kalas was the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies and NFL Films. He had some very unique calls and his voice brought excitement, joy, and refreshment to the game of baseball.

Harry Kalas, you will be missed.

Tribute to Harry Kalas:

2009-2010 College Basketball Preseason Rankings

To me it's never too early to speculate about next season. Sure, we don't know who is officially in and out of the draft yet, but that's what revisions are for... I'll try my best.

Preseason Top 25:

1. Michigan St.- Sure they lose Suton and Walton, but Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, and Raymar Morgan are back. Look for the in-coming 6-10 recruits to make an impact.

2. Kansas- It looks as all five starters will return, add in some solid recruits that could potentially include Xavier Henry or Lance Stephenson.

3. Syracuse- The Orange will likely return everybody. Johnny Flynn will arguably be the best PG in the country.

4. Duke- They become a title threat again if Gerald Henderson returns. Look for frosh Mason Plumlee to finally give them a valuable inside presence.

5. Purdue- Will Purdue be 2009's Spartans? The 2010 Final Four is in home state Indianapolis and return 7 of their top 8 scorers.

6. Villanova- Nova will once again have a dominant backcourt lead by Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher.

7. North Carolina- This will be a totally different Heel team but there will still be plenty of talent.

8. Texas- The Longhorns were a PG away from being an elite team, Florida transfer Jai Lucas should help fill that void.

9. West Virginia- If Devin Ebanks returns they will be one of the best in the Big East. Da'Sean Butler, Darryl Bryant, Joel Mazzula, and Kevin Jones are back.

10. Kentucky- The Cats are on the rise once again with John Calipari taking over. Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson will likely return. Add-in recruit DeMarcus Cousins too.

11. Connecticut- Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson will be back. A decent recruiting class is coming in as well to help fill some voids.

12. Clemson- 3 of the top 4 scorers are back including ACC POY Trevor Booker. Plus star recruit Milton Jennings should help.

13. Wake Forest- Wake could go from a top 15 team to nothing. They already lost James Johnson, but look for Jeff Teague and Al-Farouq Aminu to return.

14. Louisville- They lose Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, but still have plenty in the stable. Samardo Samuels should have a breakout year.

15. Butler- This past season was supposed to be a rebuilding year after losing a lot. All five starters are back.

16. Illinois- With another year of experience under sophomores Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, and Mike Tisdales' belts, they'll improve.

17. Xavier- Sure, they lose salty veterans CJ Anderson and BJ Raymond, but they'll reload with Derrick Brown (assuming he stays), Dante Jackson, Terrence Holloway, and IU transfer Jordan Crawford.

18. Washington- Look for Isaiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter to keep the Huskies atop the Pac 10.

19. Gonzaga- The Zags will reload with Demetri Goodson, Matt Bouldin, Stephen Gray and potentially Austin Daye all back.

20. Siena- A nice nucleus (5 of Top 6 scorers) returns for the Saints.

21. Ohio St.- The Buckeyes will be good and I mean that.

22. Tennessee- the Vols had some problems last year, but there's still too much talent to go around.

23. Minnesota- Keep an eye on the Gophers. Royce White is a top recruit who will make the Gophers a top contender in the Big Ten.

24. Dayton- I will probably have this team higher in my next rankings. The Flyers are flat-out athletic and talented.

25. California- This will be a senior-laden team that has been scratching the surface waiting to break open. Next year will be that year...

Just missed the cut:
Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas A&M, Oklahoma St., Michigan, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Mississippi St., Florida, Georgetown, Creighton, UNLV, UCLA, Oakland

2009 College Basketball National Championship Prediction

North Carolina vs Michigan St.
The Spartans have done the unthinkable. They were a pretty inconsistent team at times this season but turned on their game in March. Give credit to MSU coach Tom Izzo, he always has his team ready to play in the Big Dance. Defense, rebounding, and offensive efficiency have gotten them over the top.

Michigan St. will get to play in front of their home faithful in Detroit. With 40K+ Spartan fans in attendance to watch MSU try to win a fourth national championship, will that spark them to the top? Well they have to first beat the UNC Tar Heels, who demolished them by 32 back in December.

3 Reasons why UNC will win:

1. Ty Lawson
Lawson is the best PG in the nation and he's what makes this Heel offense go. He is such a great distributor and is so good in the open court with the ball in his hands. If Lawson is on his game and MSU lets the Heels get easy buckets in transition, it could be a long night for the green and white.

2. Offensive Firepower
The Tar Heels have arguably the best offense in the country. They're so good in transition and that's when they're at their best. This is where the Spartans need to make their shots and rebound in order to keep the Heels at bay.

3. Perimeter Shooting
When Danny Green, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson are making their shots from the outside (like we saw vs. Villanova) this team is unbeatable. The Spartans do not wont to see these 3 guys making most of their shots from the arc.

3 Reasons why Michigan St. will win:

1. Tom Izzo
Izzo is one of the top coaches in the country. He always has his team playing their best ball during the tourney and he's one of the best strategists out there. You know he will have a pretty good gameplan to stop the Heels.

2. Defense/Rebounding
The Spartans have one of the best defenses out there and are one of the best rebounding teams in the nation. We saw them clamp down on UConn, making them earn their shots and not giving them too many extra opportunities. If they can guard the perimeter against UNC and not give them extra scoring opportunities, they will have a great shot to win this game.

3. Raymar Morgan
This team pretty much comes and goes as Morgan does. Morgan had 18 points vs. UConn and it is a must that he play well vs. the North Carolina. They're a tough team to beat when he's getting it done. As we know the Heels' aren't that dominate on the defensive side, they tend to give up a good amount of points at times and if Morgan's on, he's another component they'll need to keep in check.

Prediction:
This should be a close game. The home court advantage and momentum of Michigan St. will be a factor. It all depends on who is hot and who's not tonight. I can guarantee it will be a complete different game then from the first time they met. But UNC has been on a mission this whole season, Hansbrough, Lawson, and Ellington all came back to get a ring. Which is why I like the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels firepower and talent alone will get it done. But expect a very close game that will be decided at the buzzer.

Crybaby Cutler Gets His Wish

I hate when this kind of stuff happens. A young guy fails to realize that sports are a business for some people, and throws a hissy-fit. He acted like an 12 year-old and got his way. If I were the Denver Broncos there is no doubt that I would have exiled him to Detroit. None-the-less he goes to a contender in the Chicago Bears. In return the Broncos get the 2 first round picks they wanted, and Kyle Orton's neckbeard.

What does it mean? Well it means that for the first time in a VERY LONG TIME the Chicago Bears have a good, young, franchise QB. And he's got weapons around him: Desmond Clark, Greg Olson, Matt Forte, Devin Hester, Brandon Lloyd, and a good O-Line. Throw in a supporting Bears' defense that we come to expect every year and I don't see how the Bears aren't now the front-runner to win the NFC North.

Now I hope they don't for two reasons. Reason 1: I've been a Packers fan my whole life. Reason 2: He bitched his way into this and made way too big of a deal out of nothing and I would hate for this to work out well for him. Regardless of his pissing and moaning however, the kids got an arm and plays hard. The Bears are looking pretty good to me. Your thoughts on how the Cutler-trade shakes up the NFC North?

NHL Captains Everywhere Beware!

Former UND Fighting Sioux hockey player TJ Oshie is earning a new nickname with the St. Louis Blues - "The captain assassin." Why you ask? Oshie has been dishing out big hits on opponents' captains in the last week. Both Columbus captain Rick Nash and Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown learned first hand. Actually, Nash got destroyed two nights in a row, the ladder being my favorite.

Oshie's been receiving more and more national attention as of late as he helps push the Blues into the playoff picture. TSN's Bob McKenzie wrote a short piece on how Oshie is a phenom in the league.

A few weeks ago it looked like the young St. Louis Blues' season was over. Now they are sitting 8th in the West poised to make the playoffs. A lot of this is due to the surge made by their great young talent, i.e. TJ Oshie, Patrick Berglund, David Perron, and Erik Johnson. Notably Oshie's 13 G, 23 A, for a total of 36 pts and a +16! The Blues are young and hot. I feel like you can expect them to just squeak into the playoffs this year. They return all their young talent and get some key veterans back from injury next year and I believe they will be a force in the West in 2-3 years and a lot of fun to watch!

CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS:

Oshie's Highlight Reel Goal at home against the Canucks

Oshie Big Hit on Columbus Captain Rick Nash - Night 1

Oshie Big Hit on Columbus Captain Rick Nash - Night 2

Oshie Hits LA Kings Captain Dustin Brown

Advice to John Calipari: Take the UK job!

The word is John Calipari and Kentucky are in talks and discussing a potential 8 year/$35 million contract.

Well Mr. Calipari, this is your opportunity. This is what you've been waiting for your whole coaching career! You now have an opportunity to coach for what is IMO, the best coaching job in all of college basketball. I can tell from seeing interviews and you on ESPN over the years, that this job is made for you.

The Kentucky job is what most and every college coach should dream about. Kentucky has some of the best facilities, pay, fan base, and history in all of college basketball.

If you turn down this offer, it will come back to bite you. But I personally doubt you will.

I know you've been working on building Memphis and you've come a long way with it. But this is your opportunity to take a job with such a history-rich program back to where it belongs. This is your ticket to the Hall of Fame coach!

John Calipari is the best man for this job. He is one hell of a recruiter, he's done a very good job making Memphis a household name in College Basketball. But I cannot stress enough how big of a deal this job is.

Like I've said, Kentucky is the best college program in all of College Basketball. It is the winningest program ever, tied for 4th in Final Four appearances, 2nd in total national championships... what is there not to like?

If Calipari takes this job, the SEC and everybody else (including UNC, Duke, Kansas, UConn, Michigan St, etc.) need to watch out! Calipari is a terrific coach and if you give him the resources that Kentucky has, he'll have this program back to where it once was.

Sweet 16 Predictions: Friday Edition

Kansas vs. Michigan St.
A rematch of two teams that met in the regular season where the Spartans dominated; the game was never really close and the Kansas young guns were exposed, but look for a closer result this time. Kansas has been an up and down team lately. They shot very well from the field (50%) against a pesky North Dakota State team in the first round and then defeated Dayton in the 2nd round in a less than stellar performance. Tom Izzo always has his team ready in the tournament and he should have a terrific game plan for the Jayhawks. The guard play for the Spartans matches up very well with Kansas. Kalin Lucas showed Sherron Collins up in East Lansing last time with 22 points. If Collins and Cole Aldrich don't get any help from their teammates, Kansas will not be defending their national championship.

The Pick: Michigan St.- Look for Michigan State's depth and ability to control Aldrich to be the difference in the game.

Louisville vs. Arizona
What a ride it's been for Arizona. Going from a bubble team to a Sweet Sixteen team. Although some may be surprised the Wildcats are this far, I am not. They have 3 very good players in Nic Wise, Chase Budinger, and Jordan Hill. Also, they've been the better team in both of their match-ups. The Utah win wasn't really an "upset" and the Wildcats were flat out better than Cleveland St. Zona will have a tougher time vs. a Louisville team that loves to pressure and some gives tough matchups. Louisville is one of the most athletic teams out there with Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, also Samardo Samuels is a tough draw down low. Louisville's guard depth could be a problem as well for Zona. I don't know if the Cats have enough depth to overcome the Cards.

The Pick: Louisville- I like Rick Pitino over Russ Pennell coaching wise and Zona relies way too much on their "big three".

North Carolina vs. Gonzaga
This is a very intriguing matchup. Gonzaga matches up fairly well with UNC. They could give some tough match-ups on the perimeter with Austin Daye, Micah Downs, and Steven Gray size wise. UNC has the edge down low even with the Zags' Josh Heytvelt. Gonzaga just isn't tough enough down-low and their frontline would prefer to play on the outside mostly. Defense could be a problem for the Zags' as they will face the best offense in the nation. If Ty Lawson is healthy for UNC they should win, but they could have some trouble defensively with Gonzagas size. But other than that, Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson down low along with Wayne Ellington and Danny Green on the outside should be too much.

The Pick: UNC- Too much firepower for the Heels' and the Zags just aren't tough enough.

Syracuse vs. Oklahoma
Another intriguing match-up. I am interested to see how Blake Griffin does against the Syracuse zone. If Cuse is able to not let OU dominate down low, they will win this game. It will be a tall task though. Johnny Flynn will have a big advantage over Willie Warren and Austin Johnson at point.

The Pick: Oklahoma- Too much Blake Griffin down low.

March is here!

March is finally here, probably my favorite month of the year. We all know what that means, MARCH MADNESS BABY!

In honor of the month of March and March Madness, here's some clips to get you pumped up...

Our thoughts and prayers are with Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper

NFL players Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper along with 2 others are reported missing at sea after a fishing trip. Both have been gone for about a day and there are still no traces of them.

The Coast Guard has been searching all day Sunday and will continue all throughout the night and into Monday morning.

Smith is a starting defensive end for the Detroit Lions and Cooper is a LB for the Oakland Raiders.

TSF is asking to keep these guys in your thoughts prayers and we hope that they will be found alive soon.

I Love the Vikings

So, just in case you are a first-time or simply casual reader I will clear the air right now. Any one who knows anything about me or my sports/interest, or has read much of my work on TSF knows that I hate the Vikings. So when I title a post, "I Love the Vikings". Please don't get the wrong idea.

I love the Vikings because of how pathetic they are. To be quite honest the Vikings scare me. The last 3 seasons they have entered into the season with a pretty scary-looking team. I love them because they almost always choke or underachieve. They have a great window of opportunity here with a star-studded defense and the best young RB in the league in his prime. As a life-long Packers fan this scares me. It is common knowledge to NFL fans everywhere that the Vikings are a QB and a upper-tier WR away from being insanely good. In fact, with a new QB and WR I would almost guarantee the Vikes to be favorites to at least go to the Superbowl.

So, when I saw on ESPN's front page headlines, "Report: Vikings Near Deal for Texans QB" I got scared. I thought maybe someone struck some sense into Mr. Wilf/Mr. Childress. I thought the Vikings realized their window was closing and they were making a play at Matt Schaub. Then I clicked on the link and had all my thoughts on the Vikings reaffirmed. Nope, they were going after SAGE ROSENFELS! I immediately had a vision of him diving for that 1st down against the Colts with the lead last year and fumbling away the game (PICTURED ABOVE). I literally laughed out loud.

Granted he may be a small upgrade because Jackson is complete dogcrap and Ferotte is old and injury prone, and not good at headbutting. But if you're going to upgrade why not truly upgrade!? Sage Rosenfels is basically a younger version of Ferotte and a lifelong back-up. Hell, he's even backed-up Ferotte before! He might be a small upgrade but he is certainly not the answer and as a Packers fan I find it so entertaining to watch the Vikings chase after the answers to their problems in such a ridiculous way. I also love when my friends who are Viking's fans can't stand their own team and their way of doing things. So go ahead Minnesota. Use that 4th Round pick on Sage Rosenfels so you can have 3 2nd-string QBs on your roster and we'll watch you underachieve again next season.

Bracket Talk: 2/23

We're gonna talk some bracketology today and some thoughts about NCAA Tournament teams.

Final Four Projections (As of today):

Pittsburgh Panthers
Why they'll make it:
They're coming off an impressive road win vs. UConn. They play strong, physical defense. They have depth and experience to go along with solid guard play with DeJuan Blair and Sam Young in the frontcourt.

Why they won't make it:
Every single Final Four team ever, has been a strong 3-point shooting team. Pittsburgh isn't very consistent from deep. When they're on from the outside, they are a damn good team. When they're not, they can be exposed. If they're not hitting their threes against a top power conference team in the Big Dance, they'll be done for.

North Carolina Tar Heels
Why they'll make it:
UNC is dangerous. They have a lot of talent and good experience. This team made it to last years Final Four and that should help with this years tourney run. They have the best frontcourt depth in the nation now with Tyler Zeller back. Ty Lawson is arguably the best PG in the country and Wayne Ellington is their strike-dead shooter. Depth is lacking, but they have enough to get over the hump.

Why they won't make it:
UNC's overall depth will be tested deep in the tournament. It isn't nearly as deep as last years team, but once they run into an equally talented team with better quality depth (Like Kansas in the Final Four last year) they'll lose. Defense is a concern as well. Perimeter defense needs to be shored up.

Connecticut Huskies
Why they'll make it
They're extremely talented and have great depth. One of the best defenses in the country and they pose match-up problems for a lot of teams; not many can bang down low with Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien is long and physical, and AJ Price is a quick and great decision-making point man. They won't give you many extra scoring opportunities because they're the best rebounding team out there.

Why they won't make it:
The loss of Jerome Dyson. UConn looked destined for the Final Four before Dyson went down with a torn MCL. Now they'll need Kemba Walker and Craig Austrie to step up and provide some scoring help. This hurt their depth quite a bit and it may have screwed up their scheme.

Memphis Tigers
Why they'll make it
Memphis is talented and experienced. Plus, they play exceptional defense. They're physical and they'll get in your face. Tyreke Evans is not your typical PG.; He can dominate you at any time. Their frontcourt can play with anybody with Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier. Experience will help them as well.

Why they won't make it:
Offense can be stagnant at times. Once they go up against a team that is just as strong defensively and match-up with them individually, they could have some trouble putting up points. Also, as in every year, lack of competition in C-USA will hurt them.

Final Four Sleepers:
Villanova
Watch out for the Wildcats. They're experienced and have some good guard depth. Dante Cunningham is the most improved big in the nation. Plus, they can shoot it from deep and make you pay for your mistakes.

Marquette
Another team with great guard play. Their guards have been around awhile and they can shoot as well. They're not very big, but their defense and quickness will help make up for that.

Arizona St.
Don't sleep on the Sun Devils. They may not be very deep, but they have a stellar 1-2 punch with James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. Plus, the defense is pretty strong.

Michigan St.
If Raymar Morgan stays healthy and can regain his oldself, the Spartans will be dangerous. Izzo always gets the best out of his teams in March.

Purdue
The Boilermakers haven't done much without Robbie Hummel, but if he can stay healthy they're a real threat. They nearly made the Elite 8 last year with virtually the same squad. They're talented, versatile, long, and athletic.

Xavier
This team has been there done that. They made it to the Elite 8 last year and the 2nd round two years ago. They have 3 starters back from those two teams and the depth is even better.

Overall Sleepers
Siena
They have everybody back from last years 2nd round team. They'll be dangerous after playing a tough schedule.

Creighton
The Jays are a well-known squad and they play in a good enough league to give them some competition for the tourney. They shoot the 3-ball well and they also defend well too.

UNLV
The Rebs have been inconsistent lately, but they're experienced. Wink Adams may be one of the most underappreciated guards out there. They're a well-coached squad and their top players have been there before.

West Virginia
WVA returns a lot of players from last years Elite 8 team. Bob Huggins is a terrific coach and WVA always seems to give match-up problems to teams in the tournament. This team is battle-tested and they can hang with anybody.

South Carolina
SC could sneak up on some people. They're one of the fastest teams in the country and they like to get out and run when they can. Devan Downey is a top-notch guard and has the ability to catch fire from the outside.

Stephen F. Austin
This is a well-balanced team overall. They have scorers and play tough, physical defense.

North Dakota State
This is probably the most experienced team in the country with 4 fifth-year senior starters. They've played in some big games and have gotten some big wins. They can score and they rank pretty high in some offensive statistics nationally. Ben Woodside is a very good guard for them.

Western Kentucky
They play in a formidable league and they lost in the Sweet 16 last season. Some of those players are back, including AJ Slaughter. This team is dangerous from the outside.

A-Rod truly is A-Fraud

I don't know if anyone else caught A-Rod's press conference yesterday but it had to have been the biggest crock of crap I've ever seen. The man read off of a piece of paper for crying out loud! About the only thing he had going for him was the fact that he didn't look Orange this time...Watch this in case you missed it:

Like I said the guy read off of a piece of paper, which was probably prepared by his crisis management specialist. And there weren't even follow-up questions allowed. WHAT A JOKE!

A-Roid constantly mentions that he was so young and naive and etc. This is such a joke. Does he really expect us to believe that he let his cousin inject him with something he didn't even know what it was!? Injecting himself with a mystery substance that he didn't know the effects it would have or even how exactly to use it? He's stupid, but not that stupid. I also really liked how he said the reason why he didn't disclose on his cousin right away was that he first called him and talked about it. Yeah that's called deciding on the story they were going to tell. Just seems wrong to me.

And how about that address to his teammates? That horrendous 37 second pause was nearly unbearable. I would almost guarantee that he practiced that act in front of the mirror for the last couple days. This man is the T.O. of Major League Baseball. He wants us to judge his legacy from this day forward. All i have to say is good luck with that because I am not impressed and I don't think that many people bought into what A-Roid said in the interview.

Duke-UNC Week

It's that time again. One of the weeks that I look forward to most (other than March Madness) in College Basketball. I'm not a big fan of either team, but I love it when these two meet on the hardwood. It is always a battle and this is the best rivalry in ALL of sports.



2003


1998: #2 UNC vs. #1 Duke


2008


2000


Predictions:
I like UNC over Duke in this one. Duke does not have an answer down low for Tyler Hansborough. UNC will be one for this game, but they need to step up their defense, especially their perimeter defense and not let Dukes' shooters go off. But in the end I think UNC has a little too ,uch fire power. Danny Green, Wayne Ellington, and Tyler Hansbrough will be the difference.

Here Come the Bison

After an 18-5 start in their first season eligible in Division 1, the North Dakota State Bison are looking to do the unthinkable.

It was back in the fall of 2004, where four scrawny freshmen showed up on the campus of NDSU in Fargo. They all decided to come play basketball for the school, who had just decided the season before that it would make a jump to Division 1.

Tim Miles, the coach for the Bison at the time, encouraged the four frosh to redshirt; suggesting that they would get one shot at glory in their 5th-year seasons, a shot at the NCAA Tournament.

A lot of people thought Mr. Miles was crazy, but now four years later the Bison are leading the Summit Conference with a 12-1 record and 18-5 overall.

They also could become the first team to make the Big Dance in their first season eligible as Division 1 members in nearly three decades.

NDSU is lead by a small 5-11 point guard in Ben Woodside. Some experts go as far as to say that he is one of the best PGs in the country. He has a knack for getting to the rim and is currently 9th in the nation in scoring, averaging 23 ppg. Not to mention he is also 5th in assists, with 7 apg.

Woodside gained national attention after scoring 60 points in a game on December 12 vs. Stephen F. Austin University. He tied the NCAA record for most free throws made in one game with 30, which was previously held by "Pistol" Pete Maravich.

Not to mention Ben scored 49 of his points in a 23 minute span. Quite impressive.

The Bison have won 10 games in a row, including 12 of their last 13. They've looked impressive in late January and here in February with quality wins over Summit Conference stalwarts Oakland 81-71 and IUPUI 91-69.

NDSU is also lead by two of their other 5th-year seniors in Brett Winkelman and Mike Nelson. Winkelman, is an undersized post player at 6-6, who leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 rpg and at one point this season was averaging a double-double.

Nelson, meanwhile is their shooting specialist. He has a knack for hitting down 3 point shots and is also their best defender.

NDSU is primed to make a run at the NCAA Tournament, starting with the Summit Conference tournament in nearby Sioux Falls, SD (March 7-10). The Bison will be bringing loads of fans to the Sioux Falls Arena and will be hungry for 3 wins that can get them to where many other teams have been dreaming of for years.