"Super 16" College Basketball Poll (February 24, 2008)

Yes, that was Sharon product and Boston College alum Bruce Pearl defeating former UMass coach John Calipari last night to take Tennessee to the top of the college basketball world. Now I doubt that Pearl would leave Tennessee -- what he has built there in the last three years is simply amazing -- and I also doubt that Al Skinner's job is on the line at BC but you at least have to ask this question: Would Boston College spend the money to buyout Skinner's contract and go after Pearl? It is strictly a hypothetical but if BC wants to claim it is a national power in basketball, then they may have to look into the cost of getting Bruce Pearl on their bench. Anyways, onto the "Super 16" where the ranking reflect what teams I believe will contend for the national championship. 1. Memphis (26-1) Last Poll: 1 Regardless of last night's loss, the Tigers are still my choice to win the national championship. The one thing that I see being a problem for Memphis -- and it certainly played an important role last night -- is their dreadful free throw shooting. 2. Tennessee (25-2) LP: 6 This should be the year that the Tennessee men join Pat Summitt's team in the Final Four. Winning at Memphis -- with All-American Chris Lofton not playing his best game -- shows me this team can go the distance. If JP Prince can bring it off the bench in March like he did last night, the Vols are going to be a tough draw for anyone. 3. UCLA (24-3) LP: 2 We know UCLA is a Final Four caliber team after making it to the championship game in 2006 and the semifinal's in 2007 so the question is, can Kevin Love get the Bruins over the hump? 4. Connecticut (21-6) LP: 11 Jim Calhoun knows how to get a team ready for March. This team is starting to peak, yesterday's loss doesn't change that. 5. North Carolina (25-2) LP: 7 6. Duke (23-3) LP: 5 7. Kansas (24-3) LP: 4 8. Xavier (23-4) LP: Unranked 9. Texas (23-4) LP: 12 10. Stanford (21-4) LP: 10 11. Louisville (21-6) LP: 14 12. Michigan State (22-5) LP: 15 13. Butler (25-3) LP: 8 14. Indiana (23-4) LP: 3 15. Georgetown (22-4) LP: 9 16. Kentucky (15-10) LP: 16 Drop Outs: Kansas State

Random Thoughts (February 22, 2008)

I was going to post a new "Super 16" college hoops poll but I will wait until early next week for two important reasons. First off, I feel the need to wait until the No. 1 v. No. 2 showdown of Memphis hosting Tennessee tomorrow night before making any judgements. Also, the messy situation at Indiana over what to do with Kelvin Sampson has me nervous that the Hoosiers, one of my Final Four picks, could be doomed... Dale Arnold at WEEI finally has his wish, sort of. Way back when I was commuting to Bridgewater State five times a week, I listened to Arnold's mid-day show on 'EEI and when the Pats were searching for Pete Carroll's replacement, ol' Ned Flanders himself publicly cried out for Dom Capers. Well Dale, you got your man. Capers was reportedly hired as the Patriots secondary coach yesterday. I bet the folks at the Maine Diner were happy as well... Many NBA trades have gone down in the past few weeks. Of the teams that received "big names" in return, I categorize them as such: WINNERS: Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs The Lakers grabbed Pau Gasol for nearly nothing, vaulting them into contenders in the West. The Spurs, quietly lurking as they usually do in the regular season, picked up Kurt Thomas from Seattle. CONFUSED: Phoenix Suns From what I hear, the market for the disgruntled Shawn Marion was almost non-existant so dealing him for Shaq may not be too crazy. As much as I love Shaq, I don't see the fit for him in Phoenix. In the short term he might get them out of the West but it's no sure thing. Long term, Shaq has a lot of money coming his way and the weight must be wearing down his joints. LOSERS: Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas was the most settled team in the West, they were serious contenders before the flurry of trades hit the NBA. Moving the promising -- and experienced -- Devin Harris for the aging Jason Kidd looks to me to be a panic move. If they don't win now with their 53-year-old point guard, what's the future look like? Cleveland is a loser in all of this in my estimation solely because I think that in the crunch, teams will be able to double team LeBron with almost no consequences. Ben Wallace's tank is on empty, plain and simple. As of right now, I'll go with a Lakers-Celtics Finals... Manny Ramirez looks healthy and happy. American League pitchers beware...

Random Thoughts (February 15, 2008)

Chad Finn makes a very interesting point on his fantastic blog, Touching All The Bases, about the mystery surrounding the contract situation for Red Sox manager Terry Francona. Finn, who doesn't take credit for the theory either, states that lack of news on a well deserved contract extension for Tito might never come because he may be content to walk away from baseball when his current deal runs out after 2009. This theory is not too crazy to dismiss. First, Francona has well documented health problems so maybe he just wants to get out before he is forced out of the game for reasons beyond his control. Second, Francona seems like such a laid-back guy that the intensity (insanity) of the Boston fans and media might just be not what he wants to deal with after winning two World Series championships in his first four years on the Boston bench. Finally -- and maybe the most telling point in trying to figure out the future of Terry Francona -- is that the Red Sox highly regarded pitching coach, John Farrell, turned down the opportunity to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates and did not interview for the Yankees managerial job when Joe Torre left New York this offseason. Could Farrell be Francona's successor? It would seem to be a wise choice if, and only if, Francona no longer wants the job. Tito takes his share of garbage from the 4th Estate and from the Boston fans but in all honesty, is there anyone else you want managing the Red Sox other than the man who brought them to the promised land twice in four years? I would only endorse Farrell as manager if Terry Francona comes out and states, with no hesitation, that he just does not want to manage the Red Sox... All-Pro linebacker Zach Thomas was cut loose by Bill Parcells and the Miami Dolphis. It goes without saying that he would look nice in Foxboro... America, the greatest country in the world, has its share of problems. The situation in Iraq is a disaster, half the nation doesn't have health care, and our public school system needs assistance. However, these serious issues have not stopped our trusted representatives in Congress from wasting time -- and tax dollars -- on trying to figure out when Bill Belichick taped his opponents or from investigating Roger Clemens' steroid abuse. I'm glad the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives are doing such important work... The news that Indiana men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson might be fired during the season for once again breaking serious recruiting rules definitely changes my Final Four picks. I'm sticking with Memphis, UCLA and Kansas but for now my fourth team has to be (this kills me to say it) Duke. Without a doubt those are the four best college basketball teams playing as of today... One more not on Indiana and Sampson. I know there is a better chance of me buying a Mercury Morris jersey off of eBay but wouldn't the perfect replacement be the greatest college coach of all-time? No, not John Wooden or Adolph Rupp, I'm talking about Bobby Knight. We all know that Knight is an angry old man that was forced out of Indiana seven years ago by a liberal wimp -- and current NCAA president -- Myles Brand. Knight also recently left Texas Tech -- where he was coaching in college basketball's version of Purgatory -- because he claimed he lacked the passion required to continue coaching. But he would be the perfect man to lead DJ White, Eric Gordon and the Hoosiers to a national championship, the perfect story of redemption. For all of Knight's faults he never, ever cheated. The NCAA never came snooping around to look at Knight's recruiting practices. He ran a clean program where his players went to class, played defense and won hundreds of basketball games. If you were not capable of living up to his standards, you either left school (All-American Isiah Thomas after his sophomore year) or were forced to leave (All-Big Ten performer Mike Giomi). If Sampson is fired during the season and Knight wants the job -- which would be questionable after the way IU treated him on his way out -- then it should be his job. Knight could lead Indiana to a Final Four and possibly the national championship and then retire as the head basketball coach of Indiana, the way it should be... Some early, pre-Spring Training, baseball predictions: AL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Red Sox AL Cy Young: Jon Lackey, Angels AL Rookie of the Year: Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox AL Manager of the Year: John Gibbons, Blue Jays ALCS: Red Sox over Blue Jays NL MVP: David Wright, Mets NL Cy Young: Pedro Martinez, Mets NL Rookie of the Year: Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs NL Manager of the Year: Joe Torre, Dodgers NLCS: Cubs over Mets World Series: Cubs over Red Sox

College Hoop Poll (February 10, 2008)

Now that the NFL season is over -- once again, congratulations to the Giants and Eli Manning -- and the NBA (and NHL) are at their mid-points and baseball has not yet started, college basketball is in the spotlight. If you have been following the sport at all, you know that is a good thing. Today, I am going to unveil my first college hoops poll, the teams I think that are the best in the nation. For the time being, the poll will be known as the "Super 16" because I still behave like an 16-year-old and because I can't think of a better name. The reason I chose 16? Well, I don't want to admit to acting any younger than 16. The top four teams in the poll represent who I think will make the Final Four. 1. Memphis (23-0) The Tigers are well coached by John Calipari, have a spectacular point guard in freshman Derrick Rose, have an All-American scorer on the wing in Chris Douglas-Roberts, are solid inside with Joey Dorsey and have a good supporting cast, led by Lynn Tech alumni Antonio Anderson. The one problem for Memphis could be the weak competition they face in Conference USA. 2. UCLA (21-2) Watch the Bruins freshman center Kevin Love for a few minutes and you will think you are watching Bill Walton. The 6-11 Love is a force inside, can face the basket, plays sound defense, rebounds with passion and throws the best outlet pass in basketball. Love could put the Bruins, who have made the Final Four the last two seasons only to lose to eventual national champion Florida, over the top in 2008. 3. Indiana (19-3) The Hoosiers have the perfect mix to make a run to the Final Four. Senior big man DJ White dominates inside and freshman sensation Eric Gordon is capable of exploding every night. Fellow freshman Jordan Crawford is another nice piece for Indiana. 4. Kansas (23-1) Kansas is loaded inside and outside and have a very good coach, Bill Self. The biggest issue for Kansas is history. Can they overcome their past failures in March? We won't know for another six weeks. 5. Duke (21-1) The only reason I keep Duke out of the Final Four is their reliance on perimeter shooting. If any of Duke's shooters -- DeMarcus Nelson, Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson, Greg Paulus, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith -- go cold, Coach K will be heading to the golf course early once again. The Blue Devils have one player taller than 6-8, and that is injured 7-1 sophomore center Brian Zoubek. 6. Tennessee (21-2) Bruce Pearl's teams always play with intensity and senior guard Chris Lofton could carry the Vols for six games if he is hot. 7. North Carolina (21-2) I am a huge UNC fan but I don't think that Roy Williams uptempo style -- run to perfection by Ty Lawson -- fits the style of his best player, Tyler Hansbrough. It is not an issue in the regular season but as we saw in last year's loss to Georgetown in the Elite Eight, it is an issue in the closing minutes of big games. 8. Butler (21-2) The factor that is talked about the least in the era of players turning professional at such a young age is the ability of the small schools to build a team of talented, tough, smart four-year players. Butler has a star in A.J. Graves, who is helped by fellow seniors Mike Green, Pete Campbell and Julian Betko. The foursome make up four of Butler's top five scorers. 9. Georgetown (19-3) If Jeff Green had returned for his senior year instead of leaving for the NBA, the Hoyas would be my pick to win the national championship. They have a great group of players but lack that one guy who can carry them when they need it most. I had them higher on this list before last night's loss at Louisville, a game that stressed the need for a go-to guy in D.C. 10. Stanford (20-3) Sophomore twin post players, Brook and Robin Lopez, make Stanford tough inside and junior guard Anthony Goods brings it every night. Surviving the Pac-10 (UCLA, Washington State, USC, Arizona, Arizona State) will have them ready for March. 11. UConn (18-5) Jim Calhoun has the Huskies playing great and I think their best basketball is in front of them. 7-3 sophomore center Hasheem Thabeet is finally becoming a force for UConn, allowing the rest of the team to play their roles. AJ Price is playing well at the point. 12. Texas (19-4) Many people doubted Texas' ability to compete nationally after Kevin Durant left for the NBA. However, DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams have made them a tough team to beat. 13. Kansas State (17-5) Maybe I'm crazy for putting so much emphasis on freshman and sophomores in these rankings but great players are great players. K-State relies on freshman Michael Beasley and sophomore Bill Walker, two of the most explosive players in college. 14. Louisville (18-6) The Cardinals struggled early with injuries but now that big man David Padgett is healthy, Louisville is capable of making a strong run. Also, Rick Pitino may still be considered scum in Boston but his name is gold in the NCAA Tournament (1996 Championship at Kentucky, Final Four runs with Providence, Kentucky and Louisville). 15. Michigan State (20-3) Like Pitino, Tom Izzo knows how to win in March. With Drew Nietzel leading the Spartans, the guys in green from East Lansing could be a surprise team. 16. Kentucky (12-9) The Wildcats aren't a lock to make the Tournament but if they get in, Billy Gillespie's team could be dangerous with Ramel Bradley and Patrick Patterson.

What The F???

I am in shock right now. The Patriots -- 18-0, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick -- lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants, 17-14. This ranks up there with Truman over Dewey, Jets over Colts, Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson and Patriots over Rams. The Pats had no business losing to the Giants, yet they did. New York proved the oldest football cliche in the books to be true. Any given Sunday ... didn't think I'd be writing those three words right now. The Giants won because their defense (Steve Spagnuolo take a bow and the Redskins job) outplayed the Patriots offense, especially the Pats offensive line. Featuring All-Pro Matt Light as well as Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen and Stephen Neal (who left with an injury), the Pats were embarrassed up front. Tom Brady never had time to get set on a consistent basis, save for their penultimate drive when he marched them downfield for the go-ahead score. Then Eli Manning -- he's not Peyton, he's waaaaaay better -- responded in Brady-like fashion. He survived a near Asante Samuel interception (which will haunt me for the rest of my life) and was saved by an amazing David Tyree grab to find Plaxico "Joe Namath" Burress for the winning score. New York takes the Lombardi Trophy and they fully deserve it. I just finished reading the book "The GM" about former Giant general manager Ernie Accorsi. At his final team meeting last season, after the Giants were eliminated in the playoffs, Accorsi told his men that he knew there was a championshipin his lockerroom. He was right. Tom Coughlin, a former BC head man, has his day in the sun, deservingly so. The man who was forced to put up with histrionics of Tiki Barber for three years gets a World Championship with Tiki in the TV booth. Fitting for both men. It's a tough time to be a Patriot fan right now but we'll survive. Tom Brady still calls New England home, Belichick calls the plays and there is the talent -- and the anger -- to bounce back in 2008. They might not be 19-0 but they still were a great team who gave me many great memories in 2007. I know there are more to come. The one thing that truly kills me from tonight is the broadcast production that FOX presented to America. Did we really need to see big brother Peyton's reaction to every play made by Eli. We get it, they're brothers. As I mentioned above, Eli is the better of the two. He might not audible on every down and makes a million fewer commercials but he led his team against a superior Patriots team and produced when it mattered most. Peyton, you have not done that yet. Eli's Super Bowl MVP trophy is not a "Lifetime Achievement Award" as yours was last year, he earned it by driving in the face of history with America watching his every motion. Whatever. If you have made it this far, thanks for letting me vent my frustrations. It sucks to see your team drive for perfection when everyone -- including the U.S. Senate -- was against them. But, as I sais above, they'll be back. No doubt, they'll be back.

Missing Ralph; Football Picks

My grandfather passed away a few days ago. It has been a tough time for my entire family because he was such a huge part of all our lives. Ralph Perry was a man who taught me many things, things that don't have to be stated in this space. Well, except for one thing. He loved to pick winners after the games were played. It didn't matter what the event was. Boxing matches, the Final Four, the Super Bowl or the World Series. When I was a kid, Ralph loved to point out that he always picked the winner. It was not until I reached high school that I realized I never got his prediction until after the games were already played. It became a running joke in our family, you had to talk to Ralph before the game to get his prediction, often in writing so he couldn't back out of it. Last Saturday in the hospital, I made a point to ask Ralph for his Super Bowl prediction. He laughed and said he thought the Giants would keep it close ... and that the Patriots would win by two touchdowns. There is no way I'll go against Ralph on this one. Like I said before, he was always right. Patriots - 38 Giants - 24. I'll miss you Ralph.