Monday, March 28, 2011
Huskers, Jayhawks, Williams Hold Serve
--After a series-opening win in Lubbock against Texas Tech Friday, Nebraska got back to its last-place Big 12 form by dropping the next two games. Of course, the loss was blamed on one of their players being injured. Always something....but that's the way it has to be if a team is going to defend its turf---the Big 12 cellar.
--Is there a bigger underachiever in college basketball the last 25 years than Kansas? The Chokehawks added to their impressive dossier of tank jobs Sunday, after being dominated by Virgnia Commonwealth. KU shot 36% from the field, 10% from downtown (2/21), and 53% (15/28) from the free throw line. If those aren't choke-type numbers, we don't know what are!
Once again, KU's shitty guard play killed them. Josh Selby was awful, and Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar were overmatched--like Kansas' white guards seem to be in every field of 64. The Morris brothers are rugged garbage-type players, but hardly enough to overcome the fact that the rest of the team is not very good.
Don't fret KU fans, baseball season is warming up and you can always finish ahead of Nebraska.
--Speaking of Kansas tank jobs, Roy Williams took his annual tourney dump--this time courtesy of John Calipari. UNC made a late run, but since they can't shoot, had no real chance to win. Calipari vs. Williams is like a lion toying with a yak before the kill. We're just not sure Williams is as smart as the yak when it comes to his floor leadership.
--Finally, hopefully the fact that BOTH VCU and Butler made the Final Four tips off the country to how bad college basketball has become. Division I is watered down. Many of the tournament games are unwatchable, and anyone who calls Butler & VCU Cinderellas is clueless. In fact, watching games from the Mountain West and West Coast Conference have been better than most of the BCS conference games for three years: they still use fundamental skills and play team basketball.
Well that's all for now.....enjoy your week......PYB may be a bit inconsistent in the near future, as we are TAKING OUR TALENTS TO DALLAS for a new job. Can't wait for the fall to have a front-row seat to gather fodder for trashing Tony Romo & the Cowgirls....
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Rick Reilly Sucks....
Exhibit 999 of Rick Reilly's complete lack of sports knowledge...Link here. Apparently losing one game means you suck and he knows more than Russell Westbrook about NBA talent. FUCK. YOU.
Sunday Stew
PYB offers you a bunch of random shit this fine Sunday morning:
1. The Cubs screw up another transaction. The unders for the season are 81.5. Get on it now while you can.....We sense another 2-9 start ahead....
2. Billy Donovan pulls a Doc Sadler, as he screws up chances to win against Butler in both regulation and overtime by not drawing a play. The regulation possession was particularly embarrassing, as the last 25 seconds consisted of dribbling 30 feet from the hoop until the five-second mark then a couple dribbles followed by a contested three. Brick city.
The fact that the Gators even let Butler back in the game after dominating inside on the way to a 51-40 lead was bad enough. Florida owned the games first 30 minutes, but continued lapses let the savvy, experienced Bulldogs claw back to tie and eventually win despite being severely outmatched athletically and missing countless free throws. And somehow, Butler keeps getting calls like the front of their jerseys have "Duke" sewn on them.
3. UConn continues to defy the odds by beating Arizona in the best 65-63 game we've seen in some time. Had Derrick Williams not been saddled by foul trouble, the Cats win that game.
4. After a blowout win in Lubbock Friday night, it looks like Mike Anderson got his squad back to form on Saturday with a loss.
5. Don't look now, but Alex Gordon is batting .367 with a .717 slugging percentage this spring in Arizona. Fools gold or his long-awaited emergence as a legit MLB player?
6. If you have no life and want to rehash last season's terrible finish and next season's QB situation in Lincoln, feel free to read the latest preview by the Omaha World-Herald.
7. And finally, our picks for Sunday's Elite Eight games:
Kansas -11 over VCU:
VCU doesn't deserve to be in the tournament, despite getting this far. Perfect for the mighty Jayhawks......beat up on weak sisters all the way to the Final Four where they'll wait to choke this year. So, seriously, all you have to do to get to the national semifinals these days is beat a mediocre Illinois team and three NIT-level teams that wouldn't sniff the tourney if playing in a BCS confefence? Wow.
UNC +1.5 over Kentucky:
We are basing this solely on talent. But, we also can see Roy Williams tanking yet another game he should win....especially when going against a far superior floor general in John Calipari. Stay tuned.
Enjoy your Sunday.....PYB....
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Marching On...
Well PYB went 3-1 last night, with the only slip up being the SDSU pick over UConn. The Huskies still won't fad, and we'll see if they have one more win in them Saturday against an impressive Arizona squad. The fact that we hit three games in one night is amazing, and we'll try to continue the trend tonite. A quick recap of last night's action is below, followed by tonight's fearless prognostications:
BYU vs. Florida:
The Gators couldn't close out the Cougars in regulation, screwing bettors who had BYU at +3 as they trounced Jimmer & Co. in OT. Anyone who says Fredette is overrated is a fucking fool, as he has every skill in the book to get to the rack and 30-foot range from outside. Apparently, the fact that he's not as quick as Rajon Rondo and may not make the NBA Hall of Fam is disconcerting to some.
But anyone who watches his game and his ability to handle the ball with either hand and finish on quicker and bigger defenders has to be impressed. He has 10 times the game that JJ Redick had in college, and Redick has been a nice NBA player. Bottom line: quit hating on white guards. In the end, though, the Gators depth of athleticism wore BYU out, and Fredette's fantastic career in Provo was finished.
SDSU vs. UConn:
We were totally impressed with SDSU's rebounding, athleticism and ability to finish buckets at the goal. If they could shoot the ball at all from outside, they win by 15 points. Seven for 22 from three won't get it done against a hot Big East team. Still, they are a legitimate Top 10 team and ran into a buzzsaw last nite, so to speak.
Arizona vs. Duke:
The Cats were just too athletic and too good for Duke, who was installed as a #1 seed and 10-point favorite almost entirely based on their tradition. Zona has been the best team in the tournament to date.
Wisconsin vs. Butler:
The Bulldogs bottle blasted the Badgers. No further words a required for this typical Wisconsin effort. Unwatchable, brutal, you choose the adjective.
Now for FRIDAY'S picks:
UNC -4.5 over Marquette:
PYB loves Marquette. Scrappy. Rugged. Tireless. Fearless. They've grinded it out in two wins, but we think it stops here. If Roy Williams can stay out of the way, Carolina's superior talent and size will win out in the end.
Ohio State -6 over Kentucky:
The Buckeyes have been the nations most consistent and best team all year.
Richmond +10 over Kansas:
Kansas got its one blowout win over Illinois. It's meltdown time for the Jayhawks.
VCU vs. Florida State:
No clue. Why are they playing an NIT game during the Sweet 16? OK, good joke. Anyway, we'll take VCU just for the fuck of it, but the odds of picking this game correctly are slim to none.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Marching On....
--Before PYB gets to some March Madness business, let's take time to congratulate Mike Anderson on making the state PROUD! He's led his warriors to a six-game win streak and a 16-7 record by battling to big wins over North Dakota and 1-13 Northern Colorado. Obviously, a couple household names in Omaha at the College World Series.
Should be good preparation for the Big 12 slate, as they start with Texas Tech in Lubbock on Friday. Considering NU hasn't been able to beat Sam Houston and Texas State, this weekend's trip should be a breeze!
--The Sweet 16 kicks off tonite, and here are our picks. If we continue our picking ways from last weekend, just take the opposite of these and get rich:
Florida -2.5 over BYU--Gators sucked in SEC final, so obviously rolling in the Dance.
Butler +3.5 over Wisconsin--PYB hasn't correctly picked a UW game, EVER. Beware.
SDSU Pick over UConn--We vow to keep picking against Huskies until they don't cover. We've missed five straight games doing so. Would anyone have guessed that Steve Fisher has been the Aztecs' head coach since 1999? Not us.
Arizona +9 over Duke--Is Duke good enough to cover nine against anyone right now? Of course, if you bet against them, it's a 30-point win over the Mildcats. If you take the Blue Devils, they win by one on a last-second bullshit call.
--In a final note, we finished watching "The Fab Five" on DVR last nite, and it was a mildly interesting show plagued by a ton of sensationalism. Did they bring a new attitude and excitement to the game and attract young people? Absolutely. Did they transform college basketball by bringing it into the hip hop era with baggy shorts and bald heads? Um, NO. Did they polarize a nation that was picking between black and white? Hell no.
Michael Jordan started the trends, and The Five did it because all the other young kids were doing it---even high school kids. We graduated in 1992, we know. Guest appearances and music tracks from Public Enemy and Ice Cube were fun, but unnecessary. Just another example of the "Worldwide Leader" overhyping a show filled with revisionist history. So in the end, it was more fluff than substance and Chris Webber looked like a pussy once again for not participating in the show and for not staying another year to win a title.
Maybe they did start a trend then---valuing money over wins and competitive pride--a trend that has ruined college sports across the board. Bling bling, bitches.
Stay tuned for Friday's picks tomorrow.....
PYB
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What's That You Say?
The New York Knicks aren't better with bitchy Carmelo? Last night's come-from-ahead loss against Boston has the Bricks at 7-9 in Melo's tenure in the Big Apple, and has NYK dangling perilously at 35-35 and the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. New York was up 14 points at halftime against aging Boston, and got shitcanned by ten points, 96-86.
That's what happens when teams change three of their starting five players 70 percent of the way through the season. Sure, they need more time to jell. But these results are the product of larger issues. But still, the Knicks will be a bitch of a team to play in the first round for a #1 seed!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Pic of the Day--Creepy Jim Nantz
We follow this creepy picture of creepy Jim Nantz with a Yahoo! link to a great recap of this weekend's television coverage. It mirrors PYB's thoughts to a T, and saves us a good 45 minutes typing our own thoughts. Day One back in the work force after a four-day bender is never easy....what else did you expect???
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Dust in the Wind
Nice fucking day by the Cornhusker contingent yesterday in Kansas.
--First, the NU basketball team has multiple players mention Madison Square Garden while talking about the NIT tournament. Apparently, they forgot that teams must score points, play defense, and be tough to win three games against very good competition on the road to get to MSG. So, are kids so soft these days that one big win and talk that they are on the outside of the NCAA bubble gets them overconfident. Sad, indeed.
Wichita State absolutely bottle blasted and ass-raped these pathetic Huskers, who gave about as much resistance to the Shockers as a single mom of three gives to a rich guy trying to get into her pants. Where is the drive, the fire, the anger? Hard fouls, nope. Attitude, nope. Competitive instinct to not take it up the ass on national television with a high-ranking ESPN announcing duo on hand.....nope. A 76-49 loss that wasn't that close....yep. Pussy JB Diaz didn't start and fat Andre Almeida didn't play...sore knee from carrying around his 380-pound carcass.
Hopefully, at least, all the bandwagon NU fans watched the game and heard what a real crowd sounds like. The 7300 at Koch Arena last night sounded more like 12,000. The 12,000 at the Devaney Center sounds more like 9000. Better crowd, better talent, better team. C U Next Tuesday, Skers.
Second, Mike Anderson led his team to a come-from-ahead loss in Manhattan. Up 5-0, Anderson must have chipped in some of his finest worst to lead NU to a 6-5 loss. So PYB continues to be vindicated, knowing all too well that the Huskers would post another pathetic campaign in 2011. Losing to team like Kansas State is just foreshadowing of another last-place Big 12 finish.
The Huskers are who we thought they were, and Tom Osborne continues to let Anderson off the hook!
On that note, enjoy March Madness. Hopefully you're skipping work or at least cutting out early. We will be...it's an annual tradition since we discovered sports bars, degenerate gambling and green pitchers of beer in 1995.
And forgive any extended hiatus this weekend, as hangovers will be prevalent and all extra time will be devoted to handicapping another watered-down, shitty field of 64!!! Top O' the Mornin' To Ya!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Emperor Stern
Great column on David Stern and his rigging of the NBA. Anyone else wondering why the Tim Donaghy book went away with barely a whimper?
Anyone want to bet on a Lakers v. Celtics rematch this June?
Also, a great read about Carmelo Anthony's shortcomings here. PYB had planned to elaborate, but due to recent time constraints, took the easy way out by posting the link only.
Need further proof? Just look at last night, as the Knicks racked up another bad loss at Indiana and 'Melo let the public know his dissatisfaction with Jared Jeffries (sp?).
Monday, March 14, 2011
The NIT.....Nebraska's Density....
March Madness has begun, and Nebraska is in its rightful place--The NIT. The Huskers have gone there more than any other team has gone before!
The game at Wichita State should be their last of this season. NU has cashed it in, not necessarily on purpose, but they have nothing left and their 1-4 finish proves it. So does their pathetic effort against Oklahoma State. Warm up your sports book accounts, hammer the Shockers, and make some dough....
There is some consolation in the fact that CU got fucked during the whole NCAA process. Basically, there was no way in hell NU was going to make the field. The assumed shortcoming of the Buff was their non-conference schedule being near the nations worst, but how can a schedule that includes at Georgia (tourney team), at Harvard (32 RPI or something), Oregon State, Colorado State, New Mexico and at Indiana be near the bottom of 345 teams? Sham.
Other early bracket thoughts, as we rush to work this fine Monday morning:
--Nova will get bounced early, after finishing the season 5-10 in its last 15.
--Kentucky could easily lose to its first-round foe, Princeton.
--North Carolina was the worst 2-seed ever, until Florida got a 2 seed later during the selection.
--Duke gets another bunny bracket, and gets to play in its home state. Michigan or Tennessee would be the Devils' second-round opponent. How else would those schools get eight and nine seeds, if not only to pave the way for Coach K's overrated band of non-spread-covering stiffs?
--Missouri will lose first round.
--Bet against UConn in any game the Huskies play next week.
--San Diego State is a very good team that will probably lose early, before everyone knows how good they really are.
--Who will Kansas lose to next week? Boston, UNLV or Illinois? And why is everyone treating them like they're a next-level squad. They're the ChokeHawks. It's their destiny.
--Louisville and Morehead State are both in Kentucky, but they're flying to Denver to play? So much for the 'playing locally' theory provided by the NCAA after 9/11, unless of course, you're Duke.
--Notre Dame has a legitimate Final Four shot. That said, they'll lose second round.
--Upset alert for Kansas State vs. Utah State. The Aggies were 30-3 and got a 12 seed.
--Florida could barely score against Kentucky Sunday, looked AWFUL, and got rewarded with a two seed. Huh?
Have fun......the first play-in game tipped off 10 minutes ago....we think....
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sell Out
--Even for someone who doesn't care about the University of No Opportunity, this is an embarrassing sell out move. UN-Omaha is dropping football. Expensive sport, but still a weak move. Then dropping wrestling, a sport in which it just won its third consecutive national championship? If this doesn't prove (again) that college athletics is circling the shitter, then nothing will.
And all this for the chance to be D-I in a conference that plays its conference championship basketball game in mid-February? Well that, and for hockey. PYB calls it a sad day indeed when 10,000 scums who show up to buy beer determine the fate of a college athletic department. There are plenty of beer-slamming blue-collar scumbags in Omaha. Maybe it's the perfect fit.
--FYI, PYB is done eating crow after NU's series win last weekend against UCLA. Mike Anderson has led his team to two whimpering losses to start (and lose) this weekend's series against Fresno State, as his boys went scoreless and struck out just 14 times Saturday.
The Huskers' pitching has been brilliant, and Matt Freeman went another seven innings while relinquishing just one run. So, as always, the offense (or complete lack thereof) is the problem. Not even Darin Erstad can save this band of creampuff hitters.
Filtering out all the bullshit wins, NU is 2-4 so far against real teams. In those six games, they've scored 14 runs--less than 2.5 per game. If you add in the games against Sam Houston State, they are 2-6 and have scored 24 runs--three per game. Either way, terrible, embarrassing.....you pick the word.
To Tom Osborne, it means Anderson keeps coming back....again....and again....and again...for another last place conference finish. Never mind that attendance figure of 3700, either.
--Wake us up when it's September, please.....
--Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks on winning the Big 12 basketball tournament. In typical Jayhawk fashion, they got a lucky, zebra-aided win in their first game and then continued their reign in Kansas City as Big 12 bullies. It will be great to watch them lose early next week, as the non-Big 12 referees won't be there to protect them and the noose gets tighter with each missed three-pointer. We see and read this same shit every year.
--UConn wins five games in five days to win the Big East championship. Absolutely amazing, and it cost PYB money in each of the last three days. We figured that one day they'd have to fizzle out. Didn't happen, and ESPN got its wish as Kemba Walker starred the whole weekend---the execs at the Devil had to have multiple orgasms nearly the size of when the Red Sox, Lebron James or Tiger Woods are winning.
Just make sure to bet against the Huskies next week in the field of 60-whatever....does anyone remember Syracuse a couple years back?
Only four days until the Madness begins....
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tourney Time
Due to exhaustion, PYB refuses to delve deeper into Nebraska's latest conference basketball tournament flop. This year's installment of the Big 12 bracket in Kansas City is going just as expected through two days, as we take you through a quick-hit tour:
Wednesday
Oklahoma State vs. Nebraska--NU didn't guard the three, allowing one of the worst shooting teams in the country to get a big early lead, and made its 14th first-round exit in 20 years. Hope NIT preparations are going well. PYB pick: OSU money line +155. Cha-ching.
Iowa State vs. Colorado--CU nearly pissed away their NCAA tourney chances, but in the end, ISU pissed away the game but still covered. PYB pick: ISU +6. Cha-ching.
Oklahoma vs. Baylor--OU romped the shitty Bears 84-67, as Baylor has been plagued by lack of focus and poor shot selection all season. OU is not as bad as advertised. Now BU gets to hope for a decent seed and a crowd of more than 2500 in the NIT. PYB pick: OU +7. Cha-ching.
Texas Tech vs. Missouri--The Tigers are HORRID away from Columbia. TT isn't that bad, or is at least athletic. PYB pick: TT +10. Cha-ching.
Thursday
Oklahoma State vs. Kansas--KU cemented its status as the biggest hoops underachiever in the last 30 years, nearly laying an egg in a 63-62 win over a very mediocre Cowboy team. The Jayhawks are a perennial lightweight, who will now probably win the B12 tournament before exiting stage left next week in the round of 32. PYB Pick: No play. Refuse to bet KU games.
Colorado vs. Kansas State--The Buffs beats the Mildcats for the third time this season, all while getting an outrageous +7.5 points. KSU's bugaboos from earlier this season arose once again, and CU clinched its spot in the dance next week. PYB pick: CU +7.5. Cha-ching.
OU vs. Texas--The Sooners showed that they can really be a bad team one day after a big win. UT screwed around long enough before running out to a 74-54 win. PYB didn't trust either team for shit. PYB Pick: No play.
Missouri vs. Texas A&M--Let's get this straight. A team that won one road game this year was favored by 3 over a team with a good coach and some discipline? This one was obvious, no points needed. See ya Tigers, have fun losing in the first round next week. PYB Pick: Texas A&M money line. Cha-ching.
Friday
Colorado vs. Kansas--The Buffs will be playing for the third straight day. KU will get the calls but will have an outrageously high line. And they can't cover big spreads with regularity because they aren't very good. How will CU react knowing they're in the field of 60-whatever-it-is-now? Lots of questions, we have no answer. PYB pick: No play. (We don't bet KU games, remember?)
Texas A&M vs. Texas--Not sure what to make of this game, but Texas is still ripe for a couple more tourney flops this spring. Put the line at 6.5 or more, and we're riding the Aggies. It's always fun to have money against the Horns and watch Rick Barnes get outfoxed yet again.
Have fun this weekend! The Big East tourney is a good betting proposition too, with easy winners abound yesterday. However, real-life work duties call and today's preview is OVER!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Boom Goes the Dynamite II
In celebration of the return of PYB's NBA Power Rankings, we offer you a video that reminds us all of Boom Goes the Dynamite, courtesy of Deadspin. That's really, really, hhmmm, quite outstanding.....
And now for the rankings....thanks to AZ Buckeye.
1. Spurs - They have had the best record in the league all year. I have not been sold on them but they keep winning.
2. Celtics - This is a team made for a playoff run. Even though they are little long in the tooth they will get a day or two between games in the playoffs. I would be surprised if they do not represent the East in the finals this year.
3. Mavericks - All the talk about D Rose for MVP, I scoff at. Dirk is my MVP. When he was out with injury this year Dallas struggled big time.
4. Lakers - Look who is playing sick ball right now. Kobe and his bunch have been on fire. Will be going for a 3 peat if they keep playing like this.
5. Bulls - This team finally has all their pieces together for the stretch run. They been outstanding as of late.
6. Thunder - Still playing solid ball but it seems the KD has been struggling a little with the jump shot. Is he wearing down?
7. Magic - Big comeback win over a reeling Heat team, but follow it up with a loss at home to the Bulls. Can't quite figure these cats out.
8. Nuggets - Love what this team has done since they traded Carmelo. They have the deepest bench in the league. They are going to be a tough out in the playoffs.
9. Blazers - Best pickup at the trade deadline was Gerald Wallace. He actually plays D. Look out Western Conference.
10. Heat - This team is in serious trouble. They are struggling at home, getting blown out on the road. Chris Bosh is who we thought he was...HE SUCKS!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Columbus Crooks
--Two games. Two god damn games? Jim Tressel exposed himself as a crook with his cover-up in the Suckeye memorabilia scandal, and THE Ohio State administration furthered that image by suspending the coach for just two games....both against meaningless competition. Did they allow Tressel to coach in the Sugar Bowl as long as he committed to come back in 2011? Hopefully, the corrupt NCAA has something stronger in store for the darling Buckeye program.
Of course, Tressel had a cover-up reason as to why he didn't divulge the fact that he knew of the violation: he was scared for his players. Scared of what tattoo shop owner Edward Rife would do to them, as his name had been mentioned in drug trafficking conversations. Also afraid, apparently, to tell his players to quit prancing around in their studio gangster style, with the one-eye eye black and fake-assed-thug tattoos as they STEAMROLL Akron 20-14 for another STATEMENT victory in Columbus. There are a lot of 'I's to dot in illicit activity....
--Tuesday's spring press conference was a lot of talk about nothing, but there were some telling statements if you are inclined to read between the lines:
Tim Beck, who obviously meant that Shawn Twatson was too stupid to remember the following:
--“It’s a pretty simple game. If something’s working, you just keep running it until it doesn’t work anymore, and you go to the next play.”
Bo Pelini, obviously saying Twatson and Barney Cotton couldn't devise a blocking scheme that would be fit for Lincoln Southeast High School:
“It’s not what we were doing on the line. It’s how we were doing it. I thought we misblocked some things. I don’t want to start pointing the finger at Wats or anything, but I thought we needed to clean some things up, simplify some things so the players can play fast and aggressive. I don’t know that we always did that."
--PYB also likes that fact that two WINNING offensive line coaches were brought in in John Garrison and Brenden Stai. At the worst, they will diminish the negative impact that Cotton has on the line's peformance. At best, they will instill the attitude, footwork, technique and mobility that trademarked the lines of the 1980s and 1990s and has been missing since 1997. Here's to fucking hoping.
--Finally this morning, good luck to Doc Sadler & his squad as they chase their 20th win of 2011-12. Regardless of how the season ends, 20 is huge. It will be tough, as they tip off early (11:30am) in a mostly empty arena in Kansas City against Okie State. But if they can do it, the Huskers at least give themselves a shot against a KU team they almost beat in Lawrence and a slim chance at an NCAA bid.
First things first, however, as we learned NU can piss the bed with the best of them. This stunning compilation of stats from their last three losses shows just how badly they wet themselves at the free throw line. Ouch.
--PS: Doug Gottlieb is a punk bitch. Now starting rumors about Sadler leaving for the open Texas Tech job. This is Gottlieb's second unwarranted jab at NU in recent years, after the Cookie Miller 'punk' flap. The guy knows the game and was fine as an analyst for a few seasons, but now he's more concerned with making bullshit statements to garner attention to his radio show, his brand and his image in the ESPN studio. PYB thinks a man with such a history of felony fraud might tread more lightly.
Side note: why on earth did Doc run Miller out of town? At least he had the heart that NU hasn't seen until Lance Jeter provided some this year. And would Sadler kill to have Ade Dagunduro this season?
Anyway, good luck in KC....we'll see the lucky winners at March Madness next week.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
On a Tuesday....
On a Tuesday....
--So PYB will temporarily have to eat crow, as Mike Anderson's warriors took two of three games for preseason #1 UCLA last weekend. The Huskers moved up to 29th in the latest Collegiate Baseball rankings. The Bruins plummeted from 5th to 13th, and likely aren't that good if they lost two in Lincoln.
--What brings back worse memories for NU basketball fans than continued meltdowns when the team has a chance to get over the hump to make the NCAA Tournament? The conference tournament, of course! In the 19 seasons since the 1991-92 campaign, NU has lost in the first round 13 fucking times. Those flops have been filled with flat performances, last-second losses, gut punches....the whole shebang.
PYB remembers being down 13-2 in most those games, as the Huskers usually can't hit the rim for a good 13 minutes of regulation, as another season slowly fizzles to an end. Another early tip time on Wednesday probably won't help things. Hope we're wrong! Just in case you wondered, the OWH's Lee Barfknecht continues his inexplicable ISU man crush as he predicts the Cyclones to take down KSU in Round 1.
--The fact that the Big East might get 11 teams in the tournament is a joke. Bottom line, Marquette is 18-13. If they wanted to get in the Dance so badly, they should have won more games. The first round at MSG does start today, and we'll be 'working from the home office,' gambling on every game, trying to dig our yearly financial hole before the real tournament begins next Thursday.
--On a shinier note, now every knows Jim Tressel is a crook. Since Ohio State is an NCAA darling, these sanctions won't be laid down for years just like the USC/Reggie Bush saga. So if they're finally forced to axe him, when does Bo Pinelli go to Columbus? Or maybe he'll just be forced to sit out the first five games of the 2025 season instead.
--Tom Brady: Joking around, bottle blasted, or just gay? Click here.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Men vs. The Boys
Friday night's NBA action went a long way in showing us who the pretenders and true contenders are as the playoffs rapidly near.
Miami Heat
One night after blowing a 24-point lead at home against tissue-soft Orlando, the Heat got bottle blasted by league-best San Antonio 125-95. Tony Parker made a surprise return for the Spurs, and torched Miami's defense with drive and kicks that allowed Matt Bonner to hit six of seven wide-open three pointers.
To top it off, Erick Dampier cemented his legacy as one of the league's largest stiffs by hitting Parker with a needless Flagrant 2 foul and an ejection. Dampier left with zero points. Following the game, Dwyane Wade and Lebron James both openly questioned their ability to win on the Spurs' home court saying they've always gotten drubbed at the Alamo. Even if it's true, admitting so seals their fate as also rans.
Orlando Magic
One night after their 24-point comeback at Miami, Orlando showed us all why they are pretenders, as they were thoroughly dominated by the contender Chicago Bulls from tip to buzzer. Dwight Howard gave us another example of why he'll never be a winner, swinging the ball at league-nice-guy Kyle Korver after another player fouled him. That was Howard's 16th technical, warranting a mandatory one-game suspension.
Can you say STUDIO....GANGSTA!?
New York Knicks
The Bricks came out and lost, AGAIN, to the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was their first loss to the Cadavers at MSG this season, as at least the first two bonks came in Cleveland. Carmelo Anthony was worried more about hyping the crowd with fake enthusiasm and forgot to win the game. Sorry Knick fans, you deserve better. Anthony makes Amare Stoudemire look like a winner.
So the night left us with all hype, no substance losers like James, Anthony, Stoudemire, Howard and Bosh. And then reminded everyone how grit, teamwork and defense conquers all as winners like Parker, Tim Duncan, Bonner, Korver, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant came to play without the hype, battled injuries, made shots and got big wins.
Score one for the good guys. We will, as we watch ESPN work on spin control as all their darlings are proving their true lack of worth.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Weekend Preview
--Novel concept by UCLA coach John Savage.....think Mike Anderson is listening? Doubtful.
--If anyone knows how the Husker basketball team will play tomorrow in Boulder, let us know. We can see anything from a win to a 30-point loss. PYB will be dropping some dough on CU, to either cash in on a blowout or buy NU a win over CU.
--Speaking of wagers, can anyone tell who we had our money on last night in the Orlando vs. Miami game? The Heat blew a 24-point second half lead by surrendering a 40-9 run. Lebron James hogged the ball in crunch time, and failed again....and the Heat lost again. So much for beating the Bulls' 72-10 mark. The things that fail them late in games are the things that win championships: defense, an offensive post presence, and an offensive identity on critical late-game possessions.
--This study is a crock of shit. Seven percent of NCAA football players have 'been in trouble with the law.' Big deal. PYB says the regular college population would check in at AT LEAST seven percent, if anything like alcohol or marijuana offenses are counted. Thanks to the blowhards that published this, we get to listen to every overreactionist talking head on ESPN rant about this for four days before forgetting about it entirely.
--Finally, it's surprising to watch Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg sell his soul in his first season leading the Cyclones. Yesterday, former Michigan State guard Korie Lucious announced he was heading to Ames after getting booted by Tom Izzo in East Lansing.
Lucious is another in the long string of questionable transfers Hoiberg has accrued in less than a year in his position. It's not likely he'll receive the same scrutiny another coach would if things go awry with one of these combustible malcontents, considering he's the hometown kid coming back to save the program. But it's still a big gamble--a gamble that would have crucified many coaches before the players stepped on the court in a regular-season game.
Here's hoping The Mayor knows how to keep his constituents happy with limited minutes and a team concept.
--Nice alternate viewpoint on BYU's "honor code."
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tigers Can't Travel
If a game is so shitty that the home team has nine points halway through the first half, then the other team who is supposedly the 22nd-best in the nation folds and gives up a double-digit lead to a team that couldn't blow out most high school girls teams......did it really happen?
PYB watched as NU and Missouri locked horns in a classic pillow fight. NU flopped around for 16 minutes to start the game, before somehow racking up 27 points in the first stanza after the Tigers relinquished an eight-point lead.
In the second, Mizzou came out completely uninterested. How do we know? Well we watched with half-interest ourselves, trying to justify why we were even watching, and realized that any team that allows Brandon Ubel to grab eight rebounds in one half of basketball obviously isn't much into the game.
Lance Jeter had another good game with 16 points, seven boards and seven assists. JB Diaz also chipped in with 14 points and accomplished an amazing feat for a 6' 11" player, as he snared ZERO rebounds. Diaz continually got pushed away from the basket and has really digressed on the defensive glass this year. In the last two games, he has ONE total defensive rebound.....and somehow NINE offensive. Oh well, don't sweat the details.
Toney McCray, despite looking as if he were on ice skates and blindfolded half the time, went three for seven from three-point land and led NU to a second straight good performance from outside, as the Huskers went five for 13. Continued shootiing like that could really help during the last few games. Do we expect it to continue? HELL NO!
McCray's uncoordinated and unaware ways brought up a great question that we posed to some of our constituents during the game via text message: Historically, who has been more embarrassingly uncoordinated: Nebraska wide receivers or Nebraska basketball players?
McCray travels nearly every time he touches the ball and is like a turnover time bomb. He ranks near the top of the list of flopping fish in NU's annals, up there with the likes of Aleks Maric, Andy Markowski, Richard van Poelgeest and Jason Dourisseau.
Brandon Richardson continued his roller coaster ride, going MIA for much of the game with only four points but added five assists. One was a key dish to Diaz on a fast break to keep the Tigers at bay.
So, NU wins. Remarkable....NO. But it is win 19 and Doc Sadler has a chance for 20 on Saturday in Boulder. We expect the Huskers to get blasted, as CU has glimmering NCAA hopes themselves. But stranger things have happened. Let's just table the Big Dance scenario talks for now, as we have seen how the pressure affect this Husker group.
For now, just enjoy win 19, hope for a good Big 12 tournament seed and laugh at the picture of the scum at the Devaney Center last night....courtesy of AMG.
Then try to forget that Mizzou was ranked 22nd in the country. If they really are number 22, college hoops is in worse shape than anyone knows.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Randomness
PYB chimes in with some random links that we've received, as we clean out our mailbox and thank the submitters for their support. We type this as Nebraska has seven points 10 minutes into its game against Mizzou and we wonder if they'll lose by 30.
Bruce Go Boom...Courtesy of The Diggler.
Interesting commentary about Barry Bonds' nuts....Courtesy of Little Johnny Elway.
Some pictures from Pebble Beach and Spyglass from a golf trip last summer....Courtesy of Hubcap.
Tuesday March 1
--How the hell does Troy Murphy get the right to try to gravy train a ring in Karl-Malone style? He's put up decent numbers but has been an afterthought for most of his NBA career.
And it looks like never-winner Mike Bibby will be doing the same thing, as he allegedly will join the Miami Heat. So first the last puzzle piece needed to lock up the NBA title was Mike Miller, now maybe Murphy and Bibby??? You mean Eddie House wasn't enough?
--Can you feel it? That's the sound of the UNK Lopers rumbling down I-80 for their epic matchup tomorrow with Mike Anderson's Nebraska baseball team. Something has to give in this contest, as NU's 'vaunted' offense is averaging more than seven runs a game against terrible competition. Even better, the Huskers average four runs in their three losses--all against lower-level Division I teams. Thanks Mike.
--Tonight is Nebraska's last home game of the 2010-11 season, and despite their flop in the last two games, this team deserves a full house and a raucous, sellout crowd. Will they get it? Surely not, as all the bandwagon jumpers have begun beating off to the thought of the spring game just six weeks away. Throw in the fact that Braylon Heard allegedly cleared eligibility for the 80th time, and you've got attendance of 8500 pasty racists....max.
NU still has a chance at 20 wins, which would be a monumental achievement for a team that finished Big 12 play 2-14 last year. Remember our lesson, don't sweat the details or the style of how it happens, just take a big-picture approach at the end of the season. Twenty wins is solid, regardless of the non-conference schedule. They will have to build on that next year, which will be tough given the fact that Lance Jeter will be gone. He played football at Cincinnati.
--Also glad to see that the Texas Longhorns are melting down once again, albeit a little bit later than last season. UT has lost three of four games, with the only win coming 76-53 at home against lowly Iowa State. Outside of that, they were dominated in Lincoln by Nebraska, blew a 23-point lead at Colorado, and then were owned by Frank Martin's Kansas State Wildcats last night on Big Monday. PYB is sticking to its prediction of a second-round NCAA exit for the Horns, especially considering Rick Barnes' lack of prowess as a floor coach. Roy Williams would be proud.
--And finally, is anyone else as shocked as we are to see that Ricky Henry tanked at the NFL Combine?
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