-Tiger just announced today that he will be returning for the Masters in April. Dont look now, but it looks as if the road to recovery runs through Augusta, GA. Amen Corner will have an extra special meaning to Tiger this year.
- The top story of the week of course is the NCAA tournament. Selection Sunday was definitely intriguing to watch. I do have one major problem with the field of 64. How in the name of bracketology did Mississippi State not make the Dance? Anybody who watched the conference tournaments found out how good Miss St was, taking #2 Kentucky into overtime, only to lose on a freakish John Wall 3 pointer. I mean honestly, how do Florida or Minnesota get in ahead of Miss St? Florida got bounced out of the SEC tournament, and Minnesota, while they did make it to the Big 10 tourney championship game got rocked by almost 30 points by Ohio State. Anybody who watched Miss St- Kentucky knew the Bulldogs deserved to be in the tournament. Even Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the game "We shouldn't have won this game, we got lucky. If we are the #2 team in the country, then what are [Miss St]? They are really good." I know all the bracketologists out there are going to say that Miss St had to win to get in, and I get that at some level. BUT to play Kentucky that close, and not get in, while Florida and Minnesota both get in after lackluster performances in their last games, I think is a travesty. Miss St gave it all they had to win that game, and senior center Jarvis Varnado played like a man possessed. Varnardo will make it big in the NBA as a shot blocker- wait and thank me later for that knowledge.
- Looking at the actual bracket match-ups though, there are some very intriguing games.
- Tenn - San Diego St: which Tenn team will show up? The one that beat Kentucky or got blown out by Kentucky? SDSU isnt a slouch either, they can definitely play.
- OK State - GA tech: first team in foul trouble loses. James Anderson has to step up for Okie St.
- Butler - UTEP: UTEP is everyones cinderella, but Butler has won 20 straight games and has a ton of tournament tested players.
- Vandy - Murray St: Vandy is balanced, but has limped into the dance while 30 win Murray St comes in with confidence and some great wins.
- Texas - Wake: Texas has struggled with injuries all year, while Wake hasnt played a complete game since January.
- Temple - Cornell: Temple is good. Are they really worthy of a 5 seed? Cornell will test that. The Big Red are lights out shooters and scrappy defenders.
- Wisc - Wofford: Wisconsin's methodic pace has either been great or been their downfall in past tournaments. Wofford will get out and run and try to put the Badgers on their heels.
- Purdue - Siena: Purdue's Robbie Hummel is out for the year, and the Boilermakers looked pretty anemic in the Big 10 tournament, while Siena are known as fiesty underdogs looking for a slugfest.
- I see Syracuse winning it all, IF Arinze Onuaku is healthy by the Sweet 16. I think their zone defense will be too tough to beat, especially for teams who havent seen it before. Its like trying to prepare for Nebraska's old option offense, too tough to simulate. My final 4 will most likely be chalk. As of right now I have Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, and Duke. I am honestly trying to see a way that Duke doesnt get to the Final 4, but their bracket is so easy that a caveman could win it. Notre Dame would probably give Duke the best game out of anyone in the region.
- My sleeper teams are: Okie State, Xavier, San Diego St., Tennessee, UTEP, Texas, Cornell, Notre Dame, Siena, Louisville, and New Mexico. You may say: "But Nick, those all seem like really good teams, and some of them are higher seeds, how could they be sleepers?" Because they have either underachieved, not gotten due recognition, or are just now hitting their stride quietly. Look out for New Mexico, Steve Alford has that team playing well. They have size and athletic ability for days. West Virgina better be ready.
- Can someone tell me if Baylor is really good or if they are messing with me? I cant decide.
- In my last blog, I argued that conference tournaments were worthless for those #1 seed locks. Syracuse proved me wrong. If they would have won the Big East conference tournament they would have been the number 2 overall seed and been playing at home for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games. Eric Jones, you were right. On a different note, how much fun is the Big East tournament to watch. It seems like instant classics are born there every year. What a couple of games by Da'Sean Butler of West Virginia. My all-conference tournament team is: Evan Turner, Ohio St; Da'Sean Butler, WVU; Jarvis Varnardo, Miss St; Anthony Johnson, Montana; John Scheyer, Duke.
- The Nebraska women suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday to Texas A&M. While I wish they could have remained undefeated, there is a method to the madness here. Coni Yori said before the Big 12 conference tournament that it would be tough for her team to win 3 games in 3 days due to the physical style and fast pace that her team plays at. Without saying it, she wanted her team to rest up for the NCAA tournament. While I believe in carrying momentum in to the big dance, I think by resting her team and giving them a loss to think about for the first time all season, she may have given them the motivation to be able to challenge UCONN. They would not play the Huskies until the Championship game if they both make it. The Lady Huskers deserve the #3 overall seed they received today. They have a tough region, but every team will have to win some tough games to win it all. Go Big Red.
- Surprisingly the Nebraska men showed some heart in the Big 12 conference tournament, by beating Mizzou by 15 in the first round and then giving Texas A&M all they could handle in round 2. I liked seeing the zone defense the Huskers displayed against A&M. They forced the A&M shooters into a lot of bad shots and could have won that game. Lets hope next season they show the fire they did in KC last week.
- Quarterback Brady Quinn was traded to my Denver Broncos on Sunday. Let the Broncos questionable off-season moves begin. Next up, Brandon Marshall.
- A UEFA Champions League update. How impressive were Manchester United and Arsenal last week. Wow. Wayne Rooney is on fire too, as much as it pains me to say. I have to laugh at Real Madrid being bounced out by Olympic Lyon last week as well. The Yankees of club soccer spent 300 million euros to improve the squad last year and got bounced at the same stage of the Champions League as last year. This just proves that putting together a bunch of talented players does not make a team. My beloved Chelsea got bounced out of the round of 16 by Inter Milan today. 3 problems with this: Chelsea should have had at least 2 penalty shots in the first half, only to have the referee look the other way. The overall refereeing in the 2 games against Inter was horrendous. This game should not have happened in the round of 16 in the first place. Going into the Champions League, both of these squads were number 1 type seeds. For them to meet in the round of 16 is a joke, and proves once again that UEFA doesnt like Chelsea. There is no way that their random selection of teams landed Chelsea and Inter together. UEFA wanted to give Chelsea the toughest road to Madrid as possible and succeeded. Call me a Chelsea homer all you want, but looking back at Chelsea's match ups the past 5 years that, you cant tell me that the match ups are random. UEFA is a joke. And yes, Im a very pissed off Chelsea fan at the moment, but I thought this before this season's champions league began. Im glad Mourinho showed class during this series, Im sure it was nice for him to beat Chelsea. He should still be the manager. Go Blues.
- If you have not been watching ESPN's 30 for 30 movie series, you are missing out. This weekend's movie was about Reggie Miller and the nasty Knicks-Pacers rivalry of the mid-1990's. There was so much fighting back then, it made basketball look like a hockey game. All of the movies have been a great watch, but this one was ultimately entertaining. The NBA needs more blood feuds like the Pacers and Knicks had, it would make the regular season worth watching.
- Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli was suspended the entire 2010 season for stealing a laptop from a fraternity house on campus. In total, that makes 8 off-season arrests for the Oregon football team. What a bonehead move. Masoli was a pre-season Heisman candidate, and 2010 was supposed to be the year of the Duck in college football. Ill settle for it being the Year of the Husker.
-Part 2 of Ndamukong Rising: http://inside.nike.com/blo
- Former Husker I-back Quentin Castille is entering the NFL supplemental draft after a less than stellar 2009 season with Northwestern Louisiana University. Good luck Q, you are going to need it.
- The guy who video-taped Erin Andrews nude through a hotel peep-hole got 30 months in prison. Im sure he wont have to gather so much technology to do that in prison as the bars are wide enough to see through.
- Daily Show Clip of the Week: John Stewart makes fun of Glenn Beck after the Eric Massa interview went nowhere: http://www.thedailyshow.co
- Quote of the week: "It appears as if Glenn Beck has come up with his new sign off phrase, every show he can now say 'I have wasted an hour of your time and I apologize for that, see you tomorrow." - John Stewart
- Song of week: Shoot Down the Stars, Gym Class Heroes
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