Redeem Team

Son of a bitch! I was so ready to drop some UVA LaCrosse smack on everyone until they went Greg Norman at the Master’s and choked. It’s alright fellas, good season none the less. However, my homies on the baseball team picked me right back up by winning the ACC title. Boom. Now, if only football and basketball can follow suit and we’ll be riding high.

I love the NBA Playoffs. Every series has been so legit. If the series hasn’t been legit then I certainly don’t remember it. The Cavs and Magic series has been so hot. First of all, Superman went Shaq Diesel on the rim in game one causing an 8 minute delay, that was awesome. ‘Bron was on fire but couldn’t get any support from his teammates. Then there was game two. Unreal. I got goosebumps watching the replay of ‘Bron hitting that trey. BUCKETS! Game three is in action as we speak and currently I’m wondering if the Cavs have decided to show up and play. It’s early though. The Lakers and Nuggets has been good too. Denver should’ve won game one. It would be awesome to see a Kobe v. LeBron showdown but I’m definitely rooting for the Nuggets.

Speaking of Kobe v. LeBron, did anyone catch that special before game two of the Lakers and Nuggets series? I thought it was awesome. Working off that special, does anyone else notice the bond that Team USA has formed even though they all play for different teams. I feel like everyone that was a part of the “Redeem” team is so close and it’s like a brotherhood. I think that’s awesome. Quick poll question: Do I go with the yellow throwback LeBron jersey or the Team USA LeBron jersey? Personally, I think both are legit, I think with the Team USA jersey I can kill two birds with one stone, rep for ‘Bron while repping the USA. However, the yellow throwback is kinda nice too. While on the subject of jerseys I got a text from Gallagher last weekend stating he’s gonna purchase or at least attempt to purchase a Jesus Shuttlesworth jersey aka a #20 Celtics jersey with Shuttlesworth on the back. That would be soooooooooo hot. I like it Gallagher.

Continuing with things that are b-a-d, BAD:

Cold weather in April – So true. I felt like it was cold and rainy everyday here in Virginia. Where was the cruising weather? Why did it have to wait until late May?

Idiots at parties – Definitely bad. Nothing ruins a good party than when that “idiot” shows up with like 50 of his boys. No dude, don’t try and say you “know us.” That’s not going to work, so you and you’re boys are going to have to leave. I felt like this was so prevalent at Xavier.

Dallas Cowboys – Is there anything worse than “America’s Team?” No. Who appointed them America’s Team anyways? What a stupid phrase for such a stupid team. Take your Homo for Romo, Jerry Jones, and overall badness elsewhere. You guys suck and always underachieve.

Gum on your shoes – Definitely a night ruiner. Nothing like strapping on some new kicks and then immediately catching a bad break by walking through some fresh gum someone just disposed of.

Daytime TV – This is why DVR has been such a key invention. When you’re trying to get a nice post in during the day there is absolutely nothing to watch. Enter DVR, a life saver. You can watch episodes of Jeopardy, old Xavier games, old Ohio State games, I mean the list is endless. Daytime TV sucks.

The Cleveland Browns organization sucks too. They are running that entire franchise into the ground. Mangini is stupid. At least Braylon says he’s ready to roll this year. I want to see the Brady and Braylon connection. Thanks for trading my guy, The Soldier, Browns. He was only my favorite player.



War flippy floppys.
-'Killa

Or you could do it like the post office.

To steal a phrase used by every sportscaster around this time of year, "...and then there were four."  Here we are, the Final Four is set and the bill for Detroit is as follows, UCONN vs. Michigan State and Villanova vs. UNC.  

UCONN has looked like the most complete and dominant team so far in this tournament.  AJ Price and Jeff Adrien have gone to work and Stanley Robinson is an emerging star on this team.  UCONN has all the pieces to not only make it to the championship game but to win the entire thing.  They have a hall of fame coach, a stand out point guard, a dominant big man, and enough guys to get the job done on both the perimeter and down low.  Do not be so quick to count Michigan State out.  Tom Izzo is March.  In the past 11 years Michigan State has been to five Final Fours.  Whether you're down with Sparty or not that is an impressive feat.  State doesn't have the star power but they will compete.  Not only that you have to give an advantage to Michigan State in the fact that they will be playing in front of a home crowd.  However, even in front of a home crowd back in December, Michigan State got waxed by UNC at Ford Field.  I don't think past history will have anything to do with the outcome of the game.  I just think on paper UCONN is the much better team and I think they go on to win and make it into the championship game.  

I wish I would've paid attention to what I told myself and others back in October/November as college basketball was gearing up.  "I think UNC will win the whole thing this year.  Four guys decided to come back with the sole purpose of doing one thing.  Win the championship."  That's what I said about 6 months ago.  Of course I picked Pittsburgh to win the entire thing and that certainly is not the case.  If I could I would go back and change some things in my bracket.  Going into this tournament UNC was just not looking like they could do it.  But, let's face some facts.  With the return of Ty Lawson they look unbeatable.  They have just been throttling teams and everyone is getting involved.  UNC also has the pieces to win the title: Hall of Fame coach, point guard who is dynamic with the rock, strong post presence, and dudes who can burn the silk.  Again, do not be so quick to toss 'Nova to the street.  They were superior underdogs against Pat Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas back in the day and against all odds won the entire thing.  This year they will once again be underdogs.  You have to think 'Nova is going to be in the mix just by the way they have battled all tournament.  I like Scottie Reynolds and Dante Cunningham.  But I just don't know if 'Nova has what it takes to keep up with UNC.  In this case, 'Nova will be too small.  I think we're going to see a UCONN and UNC battle for a championship.

Cue up the circus music and start the coaching carousel.  Anthony Grant accepted the job at 'Bama, John Calipari is about to get paid mass straight at UK, and Tony Bennett is at UVA.  It was time for Grant to move on but I am not convinced that he is going to succeed at 'Bama.  John Calipari will get UK back into the top 25 but like my homie AB told me tonight, UK most likely doesn't make it back to the level it once was at during the Pitino and Tubby days.  The campus isn't really that big time for legit dudes these days and you have to bus to practice.  John Calipari will be successful at UK but maybe not to the level that the alumni would like to see.  I still think Gillespie got a raw deal there.  However, I will blame the search committee for hiring him in haste.  He may have not been the right choice for the job, but at least give the guy a chance to get his own people into his system and certainly don't fire a guy because he "doesn't get along with the administration."  Tony Bennett is at UVA.  Many people are probably like, "what the f?!"  They certainly have the right to be since the short list of candidates included: Tubby Smith, Jeff Capel, Anthony Grant, and Sean Miller.  Clearly Bennett's name was never in the mix.  But we don't always know what goes on behind closed doors.  Bennett is a defensive minded coach and has created the "pack line" defense.  For those of you unaware of "pack line" defense Xavier, Wake Forest, and other schools use the philosophy.  I love it and will use it if I ever become a coach.  The only glaring problem I see in this hire is that you're bringing a west coast guy to the east.  It will be tough for him to recruit early on.  But, I think eventually he gets the job done here.  UVA is going to have to be patient as the team is not quite ready to win right now.  It's going to take awhile before they are back and among the dudes at the top but the team can only go up and it starts right now with Bennett.

Sean Miller is staying put at Xavier.  I don't think we have anything to worry about for at least another season.  In my opinion and of course this is only opinion, I only see him leaving to very high level position in either the Big East and ACC.  Who's to say that he will leave?  But, if he does it is going to be a situation where the program is poised to win and win immediately.  As long as he is winning at Xavier I honestly don't see him leaving anytime soon.  You're going to see the program continue to grow.  Cintas Center is going to receive some changes over the next couple of years in terms of scoreboard technology.  Sean is going to continue to land high level homies.  I've been told that the two best players on the team didn't even play this year in Jordan Crawford and Mark "Cheekz" Lyons.  But, as long as Sean is there every player should strive to be like my man BJ Raymond.  BJ has left his legacy at Xavier.  He was the first recruit Sean landed as a head coach and look at the legacy he left.  That should say something about the talent Sean lands and the ability of him as a coach to get the best out of his players.  To me, as long as Sean is there, Sweet 16 should be expected every year if not better.  Keep up the great work Coach.  I got your back.

Eldrick is back.  He won his first tournament since going under the knife.  He was five shots down going into Sunday.  Of course he won in dramatic fashion with a crispy putt on 18 to seal the deal.  I don't follow golf as much as others do but I would say Tiger has to be a legitimate candidate to win "A Tradition Unlike Any Other" aka The Masters.  

Seth Curry is transferring to Duke.  That's pretty dumb Seth.

If the Cavs get home court throughout the playoffs they are going to slap face and win the title.  Is the NBA fixed?  Maybe.  I don't really look into it enough to say whether it is or not.  If you break it down the Cavs got Mo Williams for basically nothing and the Lakers for Pau Gasol for about the same price, nada.  I got 'Bron as MVP.  It may be biased it may not.  Regardless he's the man and nothing beats when "Flight number 23 is about to take off."

Unwar the guy who says, "just living the dream" when you ask him what's up?

--'Killa