So, the 68 teams were finally selected yesterday for the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament. As usual, there were teams selected as at-large picks which people did not agree with. Some schools with terrific records were left out. First of all, it's not a perfect process. After the 31 conference tournament winners are put in as automatic qualifiers, there are 37 spots left for selection bids. These picks are the big topic of conversation between fans, players, coaches, and media.
There are trends within the teams who qualified by winning their conference or were chosen by a ten member selection committee. More than half of the 37 at-large teams come from the six BCS football conferences. There is a strange thing about this designation. First, most basketball broadcasters and some writers do not use the words "BCS" to describe those leagues. They are referred to as "power" or "major" conferences. The Big Ten, Big East, ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Pac-12 make up those six. The BCS conferences collected 26 of the 37 non-automatic bids. The other 25 conferences picked up 11, this is actually a huge improvement from four in 2009. If you watch college basketball, you know there are a lot of good teams outside the BCS leagues.
For instance, the Colonial Athletic Association had two at-large NCAA teams make the Final Four in the last six seasons, George Mason in 2006 and VCU in 2011. The Butler Bulldogs, Horizon League tournament champions in 2010 and 2011, made the national championship game in those back-to-back years. The Memphis Tigers from Conference USA advanced to the title game in 2008 before losing a close game in overtime to Kansas from the Big 12. Unfortunately, the CAA and Horizon League get only its tournament champion in most years. Conference USA is a little more respected, especially this year, if you include all the teams the big, bad Big East took away in 2004-05.
The Big East has nine teams in this year's 68 team field, 8 if you exclude Louisville as conference tournament champion. Four of those schools (Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and South Florida) used to play in former Conference USA. There are 16 members in the conference, that's more than the ones in the NBA and NHL. Those two professional winter sports divide their 30 teams into two 15-team East and West conferences. There are NBA and NHL teams as far east as Massachusetts and west as California. The Big East's geographic locations stretch east-to-west only from Rhode Island, near Massachusetts, to Illinois. That's a big difference.
It was nice to see the Pac-12 get only 1 at-large selection besides their tourney champ Colorado. The University of Washington, located in Seattle, won the regular-season standings championship but did not get picked. That was a good move by the committee for once. Washington was a bad team which finished, 14 wins and four losses, first in the worst conference known to man. Okay, not that bad but the Huskies were only 7-6 against non Pac-12 teams. According to Eamonn Brennan of ESPN, the Pac-12 had one win and 29 losses versus teams outside their conference and ranked in the top 50 in the RPI index. They were awful facing good teams. There is one question, how did California get picked? Is there a rule saying the NCAA must choose one non-automatic from each BCS conference?
There are other teams with great stats. Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated wrote via Twitter that Marshall had four victories over teams with a 50 or lower RPI rating. Basically, it means the lesser the RPI, the better the team. Think about it, the Pac-12 as a twelve team conference had one win over a top 50 non-conference team while Marshall's Thundering Herd from Conference USA had two in both non-conference and conference play. They played at Syracuse of the Big East, number one in the RPI rankings, and lost by only six points, 62-56.
CBS Sports.com gives a breakdown of a team's wins and losses with the opponent's RPI rating alongside. According to the report, nine of Marshall's thirteen losses came against teams calculated 60 or higher. Six of Marshall's twenty wins were over top-60 rated teams. That's better than some at-large teams who were selected (California from Pac-12, South Florida from Big East, Virginia from ACC) for the NCAA Tournament.
The only good thing about Division 1's basketball championship is it's a 68-team playoff. In football, The FBS or Football Bowl Subdivision, uses the BCS or Bowl Championship Series. The BCS is a ten-team format featuring a two-team playoff with eight teams playing exhibition contests known as bowl games. It could be worse.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The ending of Manning in Indy
So, after more than 13 years, four-time NFL MVP quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts are no longer together. This is the NFL’s version of a divorce. The Colts released Manning from his current contract days before he was suppose to receive $28 million dollars in bonus money and a club-controlled contract extension. Manning’s scheduled bonus was if he stayed on the active roster.
Unfortunately, there was a problem. Manning missed the entire 2011-12 season. Indianapolis finished with a 2-14 record without him. In the previous nine seasons, Peyton led the Colts to the playoffs each year including a Super Bowl victory in 2006-07 and another Super Bowl appearance in 2009-10. There were three things which lead to this separation, injury, age, and money.
The Colts had the worst record in the National Football League this season because their best player was literally on the sidelines. Manning had a surgical procedure done on his neck in May 2011 while the NFL was in a lockout. According to reports, Peyton was suffering from a bulging disc. He could do rehab work on his own but could not go to the Colts team facility for further examination. This was true for any player on any team, not just Manning.
However, it did set up a peculiar situation regarding his physical rebuilding. He and the team could not get the best estimate on whether he could play in 2011-12. After the lockout ended in late July, Manning could have formal conversations with Indianapolis again since League owners and players had signed a new CBA contract. All 30 teams conducted training camps but Manning was not on the field for any of the Colts practices.
His healing was slower than expected and the team had no legitimate replacement at quarterback. Indianapolis went into the regular season with no Manning and lost to Houston. The Colts announced right after the game that Manning had gone under the knife again. Peyton had surgery this time to fill in the gaps in his vertebrae.
According to Stephania Bell, a licensed physical therapist and health analyst at ESPN, doctors took the fractured disc material out of Manning’s body and put in a bone graft and metal plate in its place. It’s difficult to write and explain as a non-expert in health. However, it was easy to understand as a football fan, one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks was off the field for continuing neck problems.
Manning and the Colts faced another problem, age. Peyton will be 36 years old later in March. The old is the most important part. He had started every game for the prior 13 seasons before 2011. That was a streak of 208 consecutive contests from 1998-2010. Indianapolis won 150 of those ballgames, that is a astronomical 72 percent clip. Nevertheless, the large amount of games over more than a decade had its consequences.
Constantly, defensive linemen would hit Manning to the ground when he would drop back to pass. Unlike the New Orleans Saints alleged bounty-hunting hits, most times Manning was drilled hard but cleanly. Also, he threw the ball at least 30 times per game on most weeks. Manning has thrown for nearly 55,00 yards in terms of completed passes, 54,828 yards to be exact. He has also completed nearly 4,700 passes. That is a lot of strain on the shoulder and neck from throwing the football.
Finally, the biggest problem in this conflict is money. It was ironic that neither Manning nor Colts owner Jim Irsay mentioned it during their joint news conference on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Indianapolis Colts saved at least $28 million dollars and maybe more depending upon the specific contract details. What we know outside the roster bonus is the Colts did away with a five-year deal that they signed last season.
It was a dumb deal by both sides considering Manning was going to have surgery before he would play in 2011. They should have worked out a smaller set of years and money for a still effective but aging QB. It’s sad that Peyton Manning can’t finish his NFL career as an Indianapolis Colt. Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Super Bowl was played last month, is the Colts new football home because of Peyton and the team’s success.
Unfortunately, there was a problem. Manning missed the entire 2011-12 season. Indianapolis finished with a 2-14 record without him. In the previous nine seasons, Peyton led the Colts to the playoffs each year including a Super Bowl victory in 2006-07 and another Super Bowl appearance in 2009-10. There were three things which lead to this separation, injury, age, and money.
The Colts had the worst record in the National Football League this season because their best player was literally on the sidelines. Manning had a surgical procedure done on his neck in May 2011 while the NFL was in a lockout. According to reports, Peyton was suffering from a bulging disc. He could do rehab work on his own but could not go to the Colts team facility for further examination. This was true for any player on any team, not just Manning.
However, it did set up a peculiar situation regarding his physical rebuilding. He and the team could not get the best estimate on whether he could play in 2011-12. After the lockout ended in late July, Manning could have formal conversations with Indianapolis again since League owners and players had signed a new CBA contract. All 30 teams conducted training camps but Manning was not on the field for any of the Colts practices.
His healing was slower than expected and the team had no legitimate replacement at quarterback. Indianapolis went into the regular season with no Manning and lost to Houston. The Colts announced right after the game that Manning had gone under the knife again. Peyton had surgery this time to fill in the gaps in his vertebrae.
According to Stephania Bell, a licensed physical therapist and health analyst at ESPN, doctors took the fractured disc material out of Manning’s body and put in a bone graft and metal plate in its place. It’s difficult to write and explain as a non-expert in health. However, it was easy to understand as a football fan, one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks was off the field for continuing neck problems.
Manning and the Colts faced another problem, age. Peyton will be 36 years old later in March. The old is the most important part. He had started every game for the prior 13 seasons before 2011. That was a streak of 208 consecutive contests from 1998-2010. Indianapolis won 150 of those ballgames, that is a astronomical 72 percent clip. Nevertheless, the large amount of games over more than a decade had its consequences.
Constantly, defensive linemen would hit Manning to the ground when he would drop back to pass. Unlike the New Orleans Saints alleged bounty-hunting hits, most times Manning was drilled hard but cleanly. Also, he threw the ball at least 30 times per game on most weeks. Manning has thrown for nearly 55,00 yards in terms of completed passes, 54,828 yards to be exact. He has also completed nearly 4,700 passes. That is a lot of strain on the shoulder and neck from throwing the football.
Finally, the biggest problem in this conflict is money. It was ironic that neither Manning nor Colts owner Jim Irsay mentioned it during their joint news conference on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Indianapolis Colts saved at least $28 million dollars and maybe more depending upon the specific contract details. What we know outside the roster bonus is the Colts did away with a five-year deal that they signed last season.
It was a dumb deal by both sides considering Manning was going to have surgery before he would play in 2011. They should have worked out a smaller set of years and money for a still effective but aging QB. It’s sad that Peyton Manning can’t finish his NFL career as an Indianapolis Colt. Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Super Bowl was played last month, is the Colts new football home because of Peyton and the team’s success.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Kobe answers all concussion questions on hoops hardwood but questions remain
For someone who suffered a concussion on Sunday, Kobe Bryant did not show any clumsiness or forgetfulness as he remembered how to play basketball at an All-Star level. Kobe scored 31 points, dished out 8 assists, and grabbed 7 rebounds in the L.A. Lakers 104-85 victory over Minnesota late last night. Bryant wore a mask ala Richard “Rip” Hamilton to protect his broken nose. The Lakers never trailed and led by as many as 27 points.
Los Angeles actually got some good performances from players not named Kobe Bryant. Andrew Bynum decided to be a inside factor for the Lakers. When L.A. gets 13 points and more important 13 rebounds from Bynum, it makes them a more balanced team.. Pao Gasol who was rumored as trade-bait a week ago put in 15 points. They got a break when Timberwolves forward Kevin Love could not play due to the flu. Love is one of the top rebounders in the league. The Lakers outscored the T-Wolves 54 to 40 with regard to points in the paint. Basically, those are baskets scored from inside the painted free throw line.
That’s all good but the Lakers still are a one-man show. It was very risky to clear Bryant for action only three days after getting a head injury. Bryant is by far the best player for Los Angeles. He was their lone All-Star representative. We trust the Lakers judgment a little more because Kobe saw two separate specialists, nasal expert Dr. John Rehm and neurologist Dr. Vern Williams.. Bryant went for a CT scan Sunday night, a checkup from Dr. Rehm on Monday, and an MRI and visit to Dr. Williams on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kobe was tested by Williams in four different procedures. He took a neurological exam which is basically a head analysis to make sure he was not seeing things or misinterpreting information. Then, Williams made Bryant pass a baseline exercise to test his head movements. After that, Kobe performed two physical workouts through riding a stationary bicycle and running up a treadmill. Finally, he actually played hoops, albeit 2-on-2 with trainers watching. At last, about an hour before tip-off, Bryant was given permission to play in Wednesday’s game.
Dr. Williams’ statements to the media seemed reassuring but were concerning. He said about Kobe, “he's been asymptomatic, or symptom-free, as well today. Although he's had a somewhat accelerated step-wise return to play, he has satisfied, to our satisfaction, a step-wise return to play". The second sentence stood out because of Bryant’s “accelerated step-wise return to play”. It’s understandable why Kobe would want to play as soon as possible. The Lakers are much better with him in the starting lineup. However, what happens if he’s hit in the head with the same velocity again? Does he get a bad reaction in the brain?
Sidney Crosby of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins was knocked out of action in January 2011 after a blindside hit by David Steckel of the Washington Capitals. Crosby did not play the rest of 2010-11 season, he returned three months into the 2011-12 season in December 2011. Sidney collided with one of his own teammates and has not played since for a second time in two seasons.
Kobe Bryant admitted, as reported by Dr. Williams to media yesterday, that he was experiencing bad headaches. He told Williams in their Tuesday meeting that he also had trouble with bright lights and loud noises. Watching highlights of last night’s game, Kobe was the same player we’ve seen since 1996-97 except he was wearing a plastic mask. Maybe he likes “The Mask” with Jim Carrey or “Phantom of the Opera”. Bryant went out on the basketball stage and delivered a great performance. Hopefully, the doctor’s diagnosis is correct allowing more Kobe basketball shows like last night..
Los Angeles actually got some good performances from players not named Kobe Bryant. Andrew Bynum decided to be a inside factor for the Lakers. When L.A. gets 13 points and more important 13 rebounds from Bynum, it makes them a more balanced team.. Pao Gasol who was rumored as trade-bait a week ago put in 15 points. They got a break when Timberwolves forward Kevin Love could not play due to the flu. Love is one of the top rebounders in the league. The Lakers outscored the T-Wolves 54 to 40 with regard to points in the paint. Basically, those are baskets scored from inside the painted free throw line.
That’s all good but the Lakers still are a one-man show. It was very risky to clear Bryant for action only three days after getting a head injury. Bryant is by far the best player for Los Angeles. He was their lone All-Star representative. We trust the Lakers judgment a little more because Kobe saw two separate specialists, nasal expert Dr. John Rehm and neurologist Dr. Vern Williams.. Bryant went for a CT scan Sunday night, a checkup from Dr. Rehm on Monday, and an MRI and visit to Dr. Williams on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kobe was tested by Williams in four different procedures. He took a neurological exam which is basically a head analysis to make sure he was not seeing things or misinterpreting information. Then, Williams made Bryant pass a baseline exercise to test his head movements. After that, Kobe performed two physical workouts through riding a stationary bicycle and running up a treadmill. Finally, he actually played hoops, albeit 2-on-2 with trainers watching. At last, about an hour before tip-off, Bryant was given permission to play in Wednesday’s game.
Dr. Williams’ statements to the media seemed reassuring but were concerning. He said about Kobe, “he's been asymptomatic, or symptom-free, as well today. Although he's had a somewhat accelerated step-wise return to play, he has satisfied, to our satisfaction, a step-wise return to play". The second sentence stood out because of Bryant’s “accelerated step-wise return to play”. It’s understandable why Kobe would want to play as soon as possible. The Lakers are much better with him in the starting lineup. However, what happens if he’s hit in the head with the same velocity again? Does he get a bad reaction in the brain?
Sidney Crosby of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins was knocked out of action in January 2011 after a blindside hit by David Steckel of the Washington Capitals. Crosby did not play the rest of 2010-11 season, he returned three months into the 2011-12 season in December 2011. Sidney collided with one of his own teammates and has not played since for a second time in two seasons.
Kobe Bryant admitted, as reported by Dr. Williams to media yesterday, that he was experiencing bad headaches. He told Williams in their Tuesday meeting that he also had trouble with bright lights and loud noises. Watching highlights of last night’s game, Kobe was the same player we’ve seen since 1996-97 except he was wearing a plastic mask. Maybe he likes “The Mask” with Jim Carrey or “Phantom of the Opera”. Bryant went out on the basketball stage and delivered a great performance. Hopefully, the doctor’s diagnosis is correct allowing more Kobe basketball shows like last night..
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