Serving notice: Has Butler outgrown the glass slipper?

Up until last year, Butler’s best performance in the NCAA tournament was a pair of Sweet 16 appearances in 2003 and 2007.  Then came last year when as a 5^th seed, the Bulldogs captured the hearts of a nation by making it all the way to the Championship game, only to fall short.

For the second year in a row, Butler will be back in the Final Four.  Their road wasn’t any easier this season.  They were an 8^th seed and squeaked past Old Dominion, then Pittsburgh in their first two games.  They took care of Wisconsin, and showed some mental toughness; overcoming a pair of 10 point deficits against Florida in the regional finals.  Different year, but the hustle is still the same.

The 2000 North Carolina team and the 1985 Villanova championship team were both 8^th seeds.  Other than that, 8-seeds don’t usually get that far.  Okay, so occasionally, they might knock off a 1-seed; but the Sweet 16 is, more often that not, where the fairy tale ends.  They’re not always a lock to make the regional final, let alone the Final Four.  Yet somehow, Butler found a way to do it.

In the 1990’s, Gonzaga was the darling everyone rooted for.  They eventually outgrew the glass slipper and have almost always not made it to the second weekend of play.  Nowadays, they are EXPECTED to make the tournament; regardless of whether or not they dominate the West Coast Conference (which they often do).  Are we going to expect the same with Butler?

Stevens' profile is only getting better by the day.

The Bulldogs have seen Gonzaga, matched and even exceeded the bar set by those Bulldogs.  Last year was seemed like that “once in a lifetime” deal, but they’re not quite done yet.  With the exception of Gordon Hayward and Willie Veasly, the core from last year’s team (Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored) are still holding it down.  Brad Stevens is also making a name for himself as one of the better young coaches in America.  It won’t be long before his name is on every athletic director’s shortlist.

Butler may or may not be able to maintain this kind of performance in seasons to come.  What we do know is that they won’t be taking anyone by surprise.



Diggin' the scene.

Notre Dame had yet to beat Tennessee in 20 previous meetings that spanned over 28 years.  There’s always a first time for everything, and that time was Monday night.  The Fighting Irish clinched the first Final Four berth after yet another impressive performance over the top seeded Volunteers.

Last Saturday, Notre Dame crushed Oklahoma not only with their size and experience, but also some bruising defense and perimeter shooting.  Having lost to the Sooners in overtime last year, Notre Dame made sure that the outcome of their contest would be decided early.

Against Tennessee, Skylar Diggins 24 points powered the Irish in an epic win for the program.  Natalie Novosel added 17 points and Becca Bruszewski a.k.a “The Bruiser”, who was a game time decision, chipped in with 13 points.

Notre Dame are headed to their first Final Four since 2001, when they won it all, and will face a familiar opponent; Connecticut.  This will be the fourth meeting this season, with the Huskies having won the previous three.  The Irish played them close in their first meeting in January, losing by three, but the Huskies got the better of them in the next two.

That’s all in the past, however, and you can expect Diggins and crew to give it all they’ve got this time around.  It also doesn’t hurt that they’ll be playing behind a partisan crowd, with the fixture being in Indianapolis.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said it best, while to trying fire up her team in the locker room during half time, “That team out there (Notre Dame), they're on a mission!!”

The Marshall Plan

There is no doubt that Carolina's return back to prominence is due to the emergence of Kendall Marshall.  Since he took over at starting point guard, the Tar Heels have gone from potential NIT team to regular season ACC Champions.

Following the end of the season in 2010, the Wear twins, Travis and David, transferred back home and Ed Davis left for the NBA.  Then Will Graves left the program and Larry Drew was soon to follow.  Sometimes it is possible to have addition by subtraction.  What happened next, is that the team only got better.  North Carolina is back on the scene and should this team stay together, bigger things lie ahead.

Felton & Lawson lead Carolina to National Titles

In just this decade alone, North Carolina has had two great floor leaders in Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson.  Felton was part of a great recruiting class that included Rashad McCants, David Noel and Sean May.  The Tar Heels were coming off an 8-20 season and from the moment these guys set foot on campus, you knew that things were going to change for the better.

During his first two seasons, Felton seemed to take a little backseat to McCants.  However when Felton became more of a leader, the team looked unbeatable.  With Felton running the floor and May dominating the low post, North Carolina beat Duke in the season finale to claim the ACC regular season title; first time since 1993 that they had won it outright.  The Tar Heels had only posted 1 win against Duke in their 9 previous meetings, and this was the win that saw them regain a foothold in a rivalry series that was starting to tip heavily towards the hated Blue Devils.

Ty Lawson came in after Carolina was one season removed from the National Championship.  The one thing that amazed me about Lawson was his blinding speed.  That made the Tar Heels one of the most dangerous fast-break teams in the country.  He could take it to the basket himself, or pass it to an open player for an assist.

While Hansbrough was the player most teams would try to single out during games, Lawson took on a bigger role during his junior season.  His improving jump shot and leadership made him an all around threat, making him the player that teams would rather try and defend.  Not that teams had any success stopping him, but now it became a matter of "pick your poison".  If you focused on Lawson, Hansbrough had free reign and vice versa.  If you focused on both of them, you had to account for Danny Green and Wayne Ellington.  Therefore it really wasn't much of a surprise when Carolina breezed through the NCAA tournament on their way to another national championship.

Since Kendall Marshall became the starter, he has been hailed by players and coaches alike for his "team first" approach.  Suddenly, Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and John Henson are starting to look a lot better by the day.  Henson is already a rebounding machine, but he's getting more points on offense, and Zeller is getting better looks at the basket if not easy layups.

While he is more of a "pass first" kind of guard, one can only wonder what happens when Marshall becomes more of a scoring threat.

The Will and the way.

After the first weekend of March Madness, I have to say that the player who has impressed me the most is Arizona's Derrick Williams.

Williams' block helped Arizona survive the 1st round

In a 4 day span where upsets were the order of the day, no player was more clutch for his team than Williams.  In a closely contested game against Memphis, he came up with the game saving block at the buzzer, preventing a potential first round upset.

As if that wasn't enough, he still had some magic saved as his late 3-point play helped the Wildcats get past Texas in the second round.  Arizona now moves on play Duke in Anaheim, CA - Pac 10 country - and you can expect Wildcat fans to pack the stands.

Williams, the reigning Player of the Year in the Pac 10, along with Solomon Hill, Lamont Jones and company, led Arizona to it's first regular season conference title since 2005.  They might have won the conference tournament too, but Isaiah Thomas and Washington had other ideas. 

The last time Arizona was seen in the NCAA tournament, the were on the receiving end of a 39 point drubbing by Louisville in the Sweet 16.  This is of course a much different team now.  I wouldn't be surprised if Arizona pulls an upset over Duke (Kyrie Irving or not) this week.  They have the size, speed and shoot very well from the perimeter.  The key of course, will be to keep the game close, otherwise Duke might as well run away with it.

That being said, I would love to see just how many more game winning plays Williams can pull out of his sleeves.

Big East or Big Missed?

At the start of March Madness, the Big East received a record 11 bids to the tournament; the most of any conference.  This enhanced its reputation as the best conference in collegiate basketball.

However after the first weekend of tournament play, only two teams remain; Connecticut (who went 9-9 in conference play during the regular season) and Marquette (who also had a similar record in the regular season).  They were both seeded 3rd and 11th respectively.

Among those missing in action are Pitt, the regular season champ, who got served by Butler in a strange series of events during the closing moments of the game.  I didn't watch a minute of the game, but I saw highlights of the last moments and it told me all I needed to know.  Also out are Notre Dame, who finished second in the regular season and also have the current Big East Player of the Year (Ben Hansbrough).  Louisville, one of the better defensive teams in the country got hit in the first round by Morehead State (since they are both Kentucky schools, and we all know that basketball is religion in that state, I'll let this one slide).

Hansbrough and the Irish ran into a staunch Seminoles' D

When you field that many teams in a tournament, you know that they were going to run into each other at some point.  Cincinnati was bounced by UConn, while Syracuse was sent packing by Marquette.  Somewhere, Dwayne Wade, Travis Diener and Steve Novak are smiling uncontrollably.  For those who remember, Wade along with Diener and Novak led Marquette (a member of Conference USA at the time) to the Final Four back in 2003.  They held off Pittsburgh (a 2-seed) before destroying top-seeded Kentucky in the Midwest regional finals (ruining my bracket); only to suffer a mauling at the hands of Kansas in the Final Four.

Following the weekend's events, there have been disses flying, dubbing the conference "The Big Least" and "overrated".  I'm not going to get into all of that.  In previous articles, I have hailed the Big East as the best conference, so don't expect me to change my tone and start bashing on them.  I do know that it's a brutal slate of games and come tournament time, these teams are all worn out and just ripe for an upset.

Since 1999 when UConn took the title, only 5 teams have made it to the Final Four; Syracuse (2003), UConn (2004, 2009), Georgetown (2007), Villanova (2009) and West Virginia (2010).  And like I said earlier, Marquette was a Conference-USA member when they made the Final Four in 2003, and so was Louisville (2005).  In 2009, when the conference fielded 8 teams, there was speculation that all of them could meet up in the regional finals; yet Villanova and Pittsburgh was the only conference matchup in that tournament.

Having said all that, would it be fair to label the conference as overrated, or do the teams save their best performances for that trip to the Madison Square Garden in early March?  Well, as long as they keep underperforming in the NCAA tournaments, the topic will always be up for debate.

Should Kemba Walker be considered for Player Of The Year?

I know that the Naismith Award has yet to be handed out, and I'm sure everyone out there has their own personal favourite.  I don't know exactly how highly regarded UConn's Kemba Walker has been this season; what with all the talk about BYU's Jimmer Fredette, Ohio State's Jared Sullinger and even Duke's Nolan Smith or Kyle Singler (really??).  So where exactly does Kemba Walker fit in?


Was Gary McGhee (far right) trying to get a better view?

UConn went 9-9 during the regular season in the Big East, and their chances of improving their seeding for the NCAA tournament relied on how they would perform in the tourney.  Now we all know that the Big East is arguably the best conference in college basketball.  Just look at the final regular season standings.  A team can win the regular season this year and get blown off the map in the next one.  Same thing happens in the conference tournament.  The conference is just brutal.

To lift the crown, they would have to win five games in five days.  I really didn't think it could be done, and I'm guessing I'm not alone either.  With Walker carrying this young team on his back, UConn defied the odds and took home a record tying 7th Big East title.  After easily dispatching DePaul and Georgetown, Walker delivered in close wins against Pittsburgh (1 seed), Syracuse (4 seed) and Louisville (a 3 seed that swept the Huskies in the regular season).  Along with the MVP award, Walker also set a record for points scored and minutes played.

Don't mess with The Jimmer!!

No disrespect to Jimmer Fredette or Nolan Smith, but I doubt that they could have led their teams through that gauntlet in the Big East.  Jimmer deserves all the plaudits that he has earned, and I won't knock him should he end up winning the Naismith Award. 

He leads the nation in scoring and helped BYU to a share of the regular season title.  BYU were on course for a probable #1 seed, but a couple losses down the line, most notably in the conference title game to San Diego State, saw those plans disappear.

What remains to be seen though, is how far the Cougars will advance in the tournament without the suspended Brandon Davies (who was 3rd on the team in scoring and 1st in rebounds).  With Davies on the squad, there was some rumble of a possible Final Four appearance.  Without him, I don't see BYU advancing past the Sweet 16 (but that's just my opinion, so don't dwell on it).  Jimmer Fredette might as well be Adam Morrison 2.o.


Can Smith and Duke repeat last year's performance?

When Nolan Smith arrived at Duke, he took a back seat to Greg Paulus who was running the point.  However when Paulus struggled, Smith was plugged into the starting lineup and his star has yet to wane since then.  In addition to being named Player of The Year in the ACC, Smith helped Duke to a 3rd straight conference tournament crown (where he was also named MVP). 

Smith has played big when his team needed it the most.  During a home game against North Carolina in February, he scored 22 second half points (he had 34 total points), helping Duke overcome a 16 point deficit en route to a 79-73 win.  Not only is he good jump shooter, but his ability to cut to the hoop for a layup, or draw defenders and pass to an open player (and we all know how Duke loves to cash in on those open looks from beyond the arc) makes him a really tough matchup.  It's safe to say that he's the best guard to have played for Duke since Jason Williams.  Yes, even better than Reddick!!

Without Jimmer Fredette, BYU could still put out a decent team.  Whether or not they make the tournament is up for debate.  Without Smith, Duke might have still made the tournament because they have one thing that a lot of people wish their schools had; Coach K.  Without Walker, UConn is NIT bound.  Feel free to disagree with me, but that's just the truth.

United on to the FA semis

Manchester United and Arsenal were both looking to end a couple of bad streaks.  United had lost 3 of their last 4 league games, including consecutive losses to Chelsea and Liverpool.  Arsenal lost in the League Cup final a couple of weeks ago, and had just been knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona; despite carrying a 2-1 advantage into the Nou Camp.

So it was quite clear that both these teams needed this win desperately.  United needed to halt their losing skid, while Arsenal were still in search of some silverware after a defensive hiccup late in the game gifted Birmingham the Carling Cup.  When all was said and done, it was Manchester United moving on, a 2-0 win keeping their treble hopes alive.


Fabio sliding in for the game's opening score.



I wanted to say that I was surprised when Sir Alex Ferguson named 7 defenders in his starting lineup; but after having seen his lineup selection over the years, you kind of get used to it.  It proved to be wise as the game wore on, when Arsenal launched an assault on the United goal late in the game; Edwin van der Sar was my man of the match.



Neither team fielded a particularly strong squad though; both teams missing players through injuries.  Arsenal probably came out on the worse end, as they'll have to do without Johan Djourou, who dislocated his shoulder and will be out for the rest of the season.  They are already short on goalkeepers after Wojciech Szczensy, the preferred starter, picked up an injury midweek against Barcelona.

On a positive note, it was nice to see both Aaron Ramsey and Luis Antonio Valencia back in action.  I remember Ramsey suffering a horrific injury last season, and can also remember Valencia breaking his ankle against Rangers in their Champions League opener.  You obviously fear for the worst, but glad that both players are back for their teams.

Arsenal, who still have a game in hand, currently trail United by 4 points in the league standings.  It will be interesting to see how they move on despite their injuries and whatnot.  United can relate, as they were hit by the injury bug that played a part in their missing out on a fourth straight league title last season.  If the Gunners can seek consolation in one thing, they only have one set of fixtures to worry about from here on out.

United still have to visit Ashburton Grove a.k.a Emirates Stadium, and we all know about their struggles in road games.  Hopefully, they'll have fixed some of their problems before their next game against Arsenal in May.

Palm Reader: Where will Carson Palmer end up next season?

Not too long ago, Carson Palmer said that he would be willing to walk away from football should the Cincinnati Bengals refuse to trade him; a request that team owner Mike Brown has previously denied.  Palmer has once again made it clear of his wish to no longer be a part of the franchise.

He recently put his house up for sale, and rumours have it that Seattle is his preferred destination; where he would be re-united with Pete Carroll, his coach at USC.  Palmer's agent also revealed that he (Palmer) has about $80 million saved up, and is prepared to live off that if need be.  Talk about waaaay too much information.  At least I know whom to hit up for a steak dinner.

In seven seasons as a starter, Palmer has the led the Bengals to two division titles.  The Bengals never advanced past the Wild Card round in either game.  Despite the addition of T.O., Cincinnati only managed a 4-12 record last season.  Palmer was throwing picks left and right, while Chad Ochocinco and T.O were publicly questioning the coaching staff's ability to prepare for games.

Speculation was rife that both Palmer and head coach Marvin Lewis would be gone in the off-season.  However as of now, both are scheduled to be back with team.  Palmer is due something in the neighbourhood of $ 11 million next season, but he's willing to walk away from it.  What does that tell us about the Bengals?

And should Palmer succeed in getting his release, does he still have what it takes to be a successful starter in the league?  Who knows what would have happened had he not been severely injured during that Wild Card game against Pittsburgh back in 2006.  He also had to miss majority of the 2008 season due to an injured elbow.

Obviously we have to see how these labour talks will play out.  Unless he goes to Seattle, I really doubt that he'll be starting for a team come opening day of next season.  That won't bother him at all; just as long as he's not in Cincinnati. 

2011: A Baylor Odyssey.

In a previous article, I already covered a budding star in Oklahoma freshman Aaryn Ellenberg (read "In Ellenberg we trust").  During Sunday afternoon's game between Baylor and OU, there was another star freshman on the court; Baylor guard Odyssey Sims.

When covering the Lady Bears, usually all the attention is turned - and understandably so - toward 6'8" Brittney Griner, who no doubt is a force to reckon with.  Defensively, teams have to find a way to account for her and Sunday was no exception.  Every time she touched the ball, there were no less than three defenders crowding her.  She still managed to put up 21 points, which is right about what she is averaging this season.

However, the star of the game was Odyssey Sims.  She scored 37 points including the go ahead jumper with 8.3 seconds left that turned out to be the game winner.  Baylor needed every single one of those points as they edged OU by a final score of 82-81.


Griner should dunk more often

When the Sooners were crowding Griner, the perimeter was left open and Baylor went 13 of 27 from the 3-point line.  Sims alone converted 9 of them, tying a school record.  She was coming of two sub par games (against Texas A&M and Kansas State) in which she was a combined 2-13 from the field.  Judging by the way she played, you could not have guessed it (unless you follow Baylor basketball, in which case you'd probably know a lot more than I do).


Her 14 points (13.8 if you're really keeping score) currently rank second on the team behind Griner (22 points).  If anything, Sunday's game served notice to those who thought that Baylor is composed of Brittney Griner and 4 other players (I am guilty as charged).  In an earlier season loss to Connecticut, Sims put up 17 points (second on the team behind Griner's 19) as Baylor nearly ended the Huskies winning streak (which at the time stood at 79).

Baylor, who made the national semis last season, will be a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament.  They are looking every bit like a team capable of bringing home another national title; their first since 2005.  Should Griner and Sims team up like they've done for most of the season, who's to say that it' can't happen?