The Miami Dolphins have signed former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes to a one year $5.5 million contract. The former Pro Bowl corner was the top free agent left on the market and fills a big hole for the Dolphins. While Grimes is coming off of significant injuries (a ruptured Achilles last season and a torn ACL the season before), he is still a vast upgrade from anything that Miami had on the roster. This move frees Miami up to a number of moves in the draft. We still have several holes that need to be plugged before the start of the season, and with five picks in the first three rounds, we have the ability to fill said holes. How exactly does Miami approach the draft? Do they draft another corner at the 12th selection? Do they draft an explosive play-maker? Do they trade up and draft one of the top three offensive linemen? I have a different approach to the draft that I think would be the best thing for the franchise.
Miami has five picks in the first three rounds, having one first, two seconds, and two thirds. What I think that Miami should do with the first round pick is select a wide receiver. Wide receiver has been a point of emphasis for Jeff Ireland (Miami GM) this off-season, bringing in Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson, tight end Dustin Keller and re-signing Brian Hartline. While it would appear that we should be done with this position, I would argue that you can't pass on an opportunity to draft someone with the play-making ability that Tavon Austin possesses. He not only could be lined up on the outside or in the slot as a wide receiver, but he also has the ability to line up in the backfield as a running back that we can swing the ball out to or run screens with. He would fill the void that is left by the departure of Reggie Bush, and I think that he would actually be a better fit in that position than Bush was.
After selecting Austin, I would suggest that Miami puts a package together, trading their second selection in both the second and third round, and possibly a selection in the fifth round, to trade back up into the late part of the first round. I feel like Minnesota would be a prime target for this trade as they have two first round picks with the Seattle trade for Percy Harvin. Once they are back in the first round, this would be where they address their need for a corner opposite Grimes. I would like to see them select either Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jordan Poyer, or Jamar Taylor here. Twenty-fifth may be a bit of a reach for Poyer, so the pick would likely be Wreh-Wilson if he's still on the board or Taylor. Either one of them would be a good fit for the scheme that Miami would like to run and would be a vast improvement over anything we have on the roster opposite Grimes.
With our remaining pick in the second round, I would like to see Miami select Terron Armstead, the offensive lineman from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Armstead is an offensive tackle with Division 1 talent, yet he chose to go to a Division II school in order to be allowed to also participate in track & field. Armstead has all the tools and skills to be a first round pick. The only knocks on Armstead are the competition he faced at a lesser school and the fact that he could be stronger in his lower body. He can have a tendency to be vulnerable to a bull-rush. If Miami is lucky enough to have Armstead still be on the board in the third round, this would be an excellent selection for us, as his lower body strength is something that can be addressed in our strength and conditioning programs. It would also allow us to get a first round talent without having to pay him first round money, which gives us more freedom to make moves in future years.
Finally, with our remaining third round pick, I would like to see Miami go after the running back from Michigan State, La'Veon Bell. The junior had a great season last year, running for 1793 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is a large back and would provide Miami with a great compliment to Lamar Miller. At 6'1" and 230lbs, he has the size to carry the load, but is also shifty enough to avoid hits if he has to. Unlike Armstead, he put up his numbers against top-flight competition in the Big Ten. The knocks on Bell are that he sometimes runs "too tall" (meaning he has a tendency to not get his shoulders down and protect himself) and exposes himself to unnecessary hits down low. He has also shown a tendency to struggle with pass protection, but both of these issues could be worked on with practice.
So, there you have it, what I think would be the perfect draft scenario for Miami in the first three rounds of the upcoming draft. We'll see if things go this well; I kind of doubt it. But with the off-season that Miami has had so far, I have a reason to be hopeful.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Bye Bye Birdie
Matt Flynn appears to be on his way out of Seattle, just one season after the failed experiment to bring him to the organization. Before the start of last season the Seattle Seahawks signed Flynn to a three year, $19.5 million contract, ostensibly to be the QB of the future for the franchise. Then, as insurance, they drafted Russell Wilson III, to be his backup. Wilson ended up beating out Flynn in training camp and the rest is history. Now Flynn will be on to his third team in as many seasons and there seems to be four logical places for Flynn to end up: Oakland, Jacksonville, Buffalo, or Arizona.
Oakland seems to be the most likely suitor at this point. They are desperate to get out from under the huge cap hit that Carson Palmer is going to be this season, and Palmer has thus far been unwilling to restructure. Palmer is under contract for $13 million this season and there is no way that Oakland, as frivolous as they have been in past seasons, is going to pay that much for a 33 year old QB so obviously on the down slope of his career. Flynn would seem like a logical replacement for Palmer. He's younger than Palmer by six years, so he is in the prime of his career and has several good years left. Oakland, however, does not have much talent to surround Flynn. Their best player, Darren McFadden, is also one of, if not the most, injury-prone players in the NFL. Factors like this may mean that Flynn may not be so willing to continue his career as a Raider.
Jacksonville would appear to be another good fit for Flynn. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville's new head coach, was the defensive coordinator with Flynn in Seattle. Jacksonville also has considerably more talent to surround Flynn with, having one of the league's best running backs in Maurice Jones Drew and a couple talented young wide receivers: Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts. The Jags, however, are reportedly not interested in acquiring Flynn, as they already have former first round draft choice Blaine Gabbart and capable but limited Chad Henne on their roster. If a former coach doesn't want Flynn, I'd be surprised to see the Jacksonville front office overrule him.
Buffalo is another team who is in desperate need of someone at the QB position. Earlier this month the Bills released their starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in a move to save some salary cap room. With the loss of Fitzpatrick, the Bills have a gaping hole on a team that has a lot of talent. They have two very strong running backs in the oft-injured Fred Jackson and the electric C.J. Spiller. They also have an extremely talented, yet problematic, receiver in Stevie Johnson. On the surface, this seems like a great fit for Flynn. Unfortunately for Flynn (and fortunately for the Dolphins fan in me), I really don't see Buffalo being willing to bring on Flynn's salary if they weren't willing to put up the money for Fitzpatrick.
Arizona, the last possibility, seems to be the most far-fetched to me. They have a very large need at the position and have a decent amount of talent around him, namely in arguably the best receiver in the league, Larry Fitzgerald. The downside to the Cardinals is mainly their offensive line. Anyone who watched a Cardinals game last season could see that they have the worst line in the NFL. I can't imagine that Flynn would be thrilled to go to a team with such a porous line, especially when you consider that they also have a relative paucity at running back as well. I doubt that the lure of Fitzgerald alone would be enough to entice Flynn. That being said, Flynn is still under contract with Seattle and may not have any say in the Cardinals if they put up the best offer for him.
Wherever Flynn ends up, a trade will be a win for everyone involved. The team who gets Flynn will have significantly upgraded their QB situation. Seattle will pick up draft picks that will off-set the trade they made with Minnesota for Percy Harvin. And most of all, Flynn will finally get a shot at being a starter in the NFL, something he has been after since he left the Green Bay Packers.
Oakland seems to be the most likely suitor at this point. They are desperate to get out from under the huge cap hit that Carson Palmer is going to be this season, and Palmer has thus far been unwilling to restructure. Palmer is under contract for $13 million this season and there is no way that Oakland, as frivolous as they have been in past seasons, is going to pay that much for a 33 year old QB so obviously on the down slope of his career. Flynn would seem like a logical replacement for Palmer. He's younger than Palmer by six years, so he is in the prime of his career and has several good years left. Oakland, however, does not have much talent to surround Flynn. Their best player, Darren McFadden, is also one of, if not the most, injury-prone players in the NFL. Factors like this may mean that Flynn may not be so willing to continue his career as a Raider.
Jacksonville would appear to be another good fit for Flynn. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville's new head coach, was the defensive coordinator with Flynn in Seattle. Jacksonville also has considerably more talent to surround Flynn with, having one of the league's best running backs in Maurice Jones Drew and a couple talented young wide receivers: Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts. The Jags, however, are reportedly not interested in acquiring Flynn, as they already have former first round draft choice Blaine Gabbart and capable but limited Chad Henne on their roster. If a former coach doesn't want Flynn, I'd be surprised to see the Jacksonville front office overrule him.
Buffalo is another team who is in desperate need of someone at the QB position. Earlier this month the Bills released their starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in a move to save some salary cap room. With the loss of Fitzpatrick, the Bills have a gaping hole on a team that has a lot of talent. They have two very strong running backs in the oft-injured Fred Jackson and the electric C.J. Spiller. They also have an extremely talented, yet problematic, receiver in Stevie Johnson. On the surface, this seems like a great fit for Flynn. Unfortunately for Flynn (and fortunately for the Dolphins fan in me), I really don't see Buffalo being willing to bring on Flynn's salary if they weren't willing to put up the money for Fitzpatrick.
Arizona, the last possibility, seems to be the most far-fetched to me. They have a very large need at the position and have a decent amount of talent around him, namely in arguably the best receiver in the league, Larry Fitzgerald. The downside to the Cardinals is mainly their offensive line. Anyone who watched a Cardinals game last season could see that they have the worst line in the NFL. I can't imagine that Flynn would be thrilled to go to a team with such a porous line, especially when you consider that they also have a relative paucity at running back as well. I doubt that the lure of Fitzgerald alone would be enough to entice Flynn. That being said, Flynn is still under contract with Seattle and may not have any say in the Cardinals if they put up the best offer for him.
Wherever Flynn ends up, a trade will be a win for everyone involved. The team who gets Flynn will have significantly upgraded their QB situation. Seattle will pick up draft picks that will off-set the trade they made with Minnesota for Percy Harvin. And most of all, Flynn will finally get a shot at being a starter in the NFL, something he has been after since he left the Green Bay Packers.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Cinderella
Florida Gulf Coast plays in their very first Sweet 16 tonight versus the Florida Gators. FGCU was founded in 1991, and their basketball program is only in it's second year of eligibility. They have what is, most likely, one of the five smallest recruiting budgets in the entire nation. Almost no one outside of Fort Meyers had even heard of the university prior to their run in this year's tournament. They are the first team since the 1987 Florida Gators to win two games in their first ever NCAA tournament. They are also the lowest seeded team ever to make the Sweet 16. FGCU is severely over-matched in this game and their Cinderella story will likely come to an end at the hands of their cross-state "rival". Whether the story ends tonight or not though is largely irrelevant. FGCU has already made a name for themselves and have given us what may be the most unbelievable story in the history of the NCAA, if not all of sports. How did this team make it so far, and why are they such a phenomenon?
They play a style of basketball that is incredibly fun to watch. They are playing very loose and carefree, even dancing on the sidelines during successful stretches of games. Head coach Andy Enfield has the team playing a very fast-paced, team oriented offense that the nation has fallen in love with. The team has managed to have ten dunks in their first two games (though from watching the games it seems like even more than that) and their sophomore point guard, Brett Comer, is tied for the second most assists ever in a tournament's first two games. They have also outscored their opponents by 27 points in the transition game. This team loves to get up and down the floor, and they have a flair for the theatrics that has won over nearly everyone who has watched them play, regardless of how badly their success has destroyed the brackets of pretty much everyone.
How does such a small school make it this far? By challenging themselves. The FGCU squad played a brutal non-conference schedule in the interest of making money for their university. These games were supposed to be walk-over, "cupcake" games for the larger schools that they faced. But they actually performed very well in these games, beating a Miami squad that went on to a very convincing ACC regular season and conference tournament title. They also played a hard fought game against another second seeded team, Duke, before ultimately being overpowered and losing. Additionally, they played so-called money games against Virginia Commonwealth University and Iowa State University, both of which made the NCAA tournament. These games not only provided the athletic program with much needed money, but they exposed the team to what it's like to play with the upper echelon teams, and showed them that they weren't all that far behind these teams. Their schedule gave them confidence, and that confidence is showing in a big way.
With a starting five consisting of three sophomores (one a red-shirt), one junior, and one senior, even if their magical run ends tonight, I have a feeling we have not heard the last of this FGCU team. Let me be the first to say that I'm rooting for them in tonight's game and for them to make an equally impressive run in the years to come.
They play a style of basketball that is incredibly fun to watch. They are playing very loose and carefree, even dancing on the sidelines during successful stretches of games. Head coach Andy Enfield has the team playing a very fast-paced, team oriented offense that the nation has fallen in love with. The team has managed to have ten dunks in their first two games (though from watching the games it seems like even more than that) and their sophomore point guard, Brett Comer, is tied for the second most assists ever in a tournament's first two games. They have also outscored their opponents by 27 points in the transition game. This team loves to get up and down the floor, and they have a flair for the theatrics that has won over nearly everyone who has watched them play, regardless of how badly their success has destroyed the brackets of pretty much everyone.
How does such a small school make it this far? By challenging themselves. The FGCU squad played a brutal non-conference schedule in the interest of making money for their university. These games were supposed to be walk-over, "cupcake" games for the larger schools that they faced. But they actually performed very well in these games, beating a Miami squad that went on to a very convincing ACC regular season and conference tournament title. They also played a hard fought game against another second seeded team, Duke, before ultimately being overpowered and losing. Additionally, they played so-called money games against Virginia Commonwealth University and Iowa State University, both of which made the NCAA tournament. These games not only provided the athletic program with much needed money, but they exposed the team to what it's like to play with the upper echelon teams, and showed them that they weren't all that far behind these teams. Their schedule gave them confidence, and that confidence is showing in a big way.
With a starting five consisting of three sophomores (one a red-shirt), one junior, and one senior, even if their magical run ends tonight, I have a feeling we have not heard the last of this FGCU team. Let me be the first to say that I'm rooting for them in tonight's game and for them to make an equally impressive run in the years to come.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A Change for the...Better?
For the first time since the 1997 season the Miami Dolphins are changing their logo. Not so coincidentally, the Miami Dolphins are mired in the worst stretch of their existence. This is the logo that Dan Marino retired under. This is the logo that represented the team in our 1-15 season. With this logo, the Dolphins have missed the playoffs ten times (including each of the last four seasons) and finished last in the division three times. While I understand the franchises desire to distance themselves from this awful period in our history, I could not be more disappointed with what the brass has decided to go with.
The previous logo was my favorite in the franchise's history. Yes, it looks a lot like a cartoon caricature of a dolphin. No, it's not very intimidating. In fact, it may be the least intimidating logo in the entire NFL. That being said, I have always absolutely loved the design of it. I feel like it was a huge improvement over the previous logo, and the new direction we're going with is a drastic step back stylistically. The posture of the dolphin does not fit with how dolphins naturally jump a majority of the time (that is, with their tail down. Go ahead, Google it. I'll wait). The colors are just wrong for the franchise; while Navy Blue is an official color, I don't think there is a single person that associates that color with the team, and I think it's a mistake to add it to the underbelly of the dolphin. On the positive side, I do enjoy that they chose to get rid of the helmet on the dolphin. I always thought that the helmet was a silly and unnecessary feature.
The new uniforms have yet to be unveiled, but a few people across several fan forums have taken a stab at what they might look like. If what the majority of them have come up with is correct, I'm not a fan of these either. Both of these jerseys (home and away) seem to have used the orange as almost an after thought in the coloration. It seems to be more of an accent color than an official color, and that bothers me to the core. The orange has always been one of the two primary colors. In addition to being essentially an accent color, the orange of the sleeves is an entirely different shade from the orange shown in the sneakers. This further reinforces orange being an afterthought and shows a blatant disregard for the essence of the Miami Dolphin color scheme. Now, at first glance, it would appear that our team colors are aqua and white. While the need for change is apparent and understandable, both the official logo and these possible new uniforms are going about it in completely the wrong way.
On a rare occasion, I may consult my lovely fiancee', like when fashion and sports intercept (on that note, do not get her started on the Dallas Cowboys' "sea-foam green" uniforms). My fiancee' suggests that they add orange to the shin-guards and belt to further emphasize the orange is a primary color, adding balance to the uniform as a whole.
Here is a link to the new logo, let me know what you all think: http://www.miamidolphins.com/ (the new logo appears in the top-left corner)
As for the possible uniforms, this is what most people are assuming (credit for the photo goes to Jt0323 from www.thephins.com/forums)
The previous logo was my favorite in the franchise's history. Yes, it looks a lot like a cartoon caricature of a dolphin. No, it's not very intimidating. In fact, it may be the least intimidating logo in the entire NFL. That being said, I have always absolutely loved the design of it. I feel like it was a huge improvement over the previous logo, and the new direction we're going with is a drastic step back stylistically. The posture of the dolphin does not fit with how dolphins naturally jump a majority of the time (that is, with their tail down. Go ahead, Google it. I'll wait). The colors are just wrong for the franchise; while Navy Blue is an official color, I don't think there is a single person that associates that color with the team, and I think it's a mistake to add it to the underbelly of the dolphin. On the positive side, I do enjoy that they chose to get rid of the helmet on the dolphin. I always thought that the helmet was a silly and unnecessary feature.
The new uniforms have yet to be unveiled, but a few people across several fan forums have taken a stab at what they might look like. If what the majority of them have come up with is correct, I'm not a fan of these either. Both of these jerseys (home and away) seem to have used the orange as almost an after thought in the coloration. It seems to be more of an accent color than an official color, and that bothers me to the core. The orange has always been one of the two primary colors. In addition to being essentially an accent color, the orange of the sleeves is an entirely different shade from the orange shown in the sneakers. This further reinforces orange being an afterthought and shows a blatant disregard for the essence of the Miami Dolphin color scheme. Now, at first glance, it would appear that our team colors are aqua and white. While the need for change is apparent and understandable, both the official logo and these possible new uniforms are going about it in completely the wrong way.
On a rare occasion, I may consult my lovely fiancee', like when fashion and sports intercept (on that note, do not get her started on the Dallas Cowboys' "sea-foam green" uniforms). My fiancee' suggests that they add orange to the shin-guards and belt to further emphasize the orange is a primary color, adding balance to the uniform as a whole.
Here is a link to the new logo, let me know what you all think: http://www.miamidolphins.com/ (the new logo appears in the top-left corner)
As for the possible uniforms, this is what most people are assuming (credit for the photo goes to Jt0323 from www.thephins.com/forums)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Not-So-Imaginary Pro Day
Manti Te'o had his Pro Day today (unlike his "girlfriend", this one was real). After a lackluster performance at the NFL Combine, his hopes were high that he could redeem himself today and solidify himself as a first round draft pick. He was especially hoping that he could erase the memories of both a poor 40-yard dash time as well as his abysmal performance in the biggest game of his life. I did not see the Pro Day, but from what I have gathered, he failed.
Te'o ran a slightly faster 40 time in today's workout, but not enough to warrant him being a first round pick. He ran a 4.82 at the Combine. While he improved his time at the pro day to a 4.71, that is still well under what you would like to see from your first round linebacker. Every linebacker drafted in the first round since 2010 has run below a 4.7 in this drill*. While the dash is by no means the standard benchmark of a great linebacker, it is one of the most heavily weighted drills that the scouts use to evaluate their talent. In today's NFL, where speed is at such a premium, I don't think you can afford to have a "slow" player as the anchor of your defense.
As if the stand-out from Notre Dame's combine performance wasn't poor enough, there's also the issue of his game tape. Most of the tape on Te'o is phenomenal. If you ignore his final game, I don't think that anyone would question whether or not Te'o is a sure-fire first round talent. However, you cannot ignore that game, as it was the biggest game of his life. It was against the closest thing that college football has to an NFL team (the Alabama Crimson Tide, coached by former NFL head coach Nick Saban). While the name Nick Saban makes any Miami Dolphins fan cringe, we have to acknowledge that he's run one phenomenal program down there at Alabama, and in the National Championship game, they made Te'o look silly. Chance Warmack (another first round talent) made Te'o look like a freshmen with the way he dominated him. Te'o certainly helped Warmack out too by consistently attacking the wrong shoulder, allowing himself to be driven quite easily away from the play.
All this leads me to believe, despite what all the prognosticators think (Mike Mayock, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper all have Te'o safely in the first round), that Te'o is not worthy of a first round selection. Any team who does so would be making a colossal error, along the lines of when the Denver Broncos selected Tim Tebow in the first round, all but destroying any chances he had of learning the game, developing his talents and fixing his flaws. I hope Miami isn't the team to take their chances on Te'o.
*Complete stats can be found at www.espn.com
Te'o ran a slightly faster 40 time in today's workout, but not enough to warrant him being a first round pick. He ran a 4.82 at the Combine. While he improved his time at the pro day to a 4.71, that is still well under what you would like to see from your first round linebacker. Every linebacker drafted in the first round since 2010 has run below a 4.7 in this drill*. While the dash is by no means the standard benchmark of a great linebacker, it is one of the most heavily weighted drills that the scouts use to evaluate their talent. In today's NFL, where speed is at such a premium, I don't think you can afford to have a "slow" player as the anchor of your defense.
As if the stand-out from Notre Dame's combine performance wasn't poor enough, there's also the issue of his game tape. Most of the tape on Te'o is phenomenal. If you ignore his final game, I don't think that anyone would question whether or not Te'o is a sure-fire first round talent. However, you cannot ignore that game, as it was the biggest game of his life. It was against the closest thing that college football has to an NFL team (the Alabama Crimson Tide, coached by former NFL head coach Nick Saban). While the name Nick Saban makes any Miami Dolphins fan cringe, we have to acknowledge that he's run one phenomenal program down there at Alabama, and in the National Championship game, they made Te'o look silly. Chance Warmack (another first round talent) made Te'o look like a freshmen with the way he dominated him. Te'o certainly helped Warmack out too by consistently attacking the wrong shoulder, allowing himself to be driven quite easily away from the play.
All this leads me to believe, despite what all the prognosticators think (Mike Mayock, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper all have Te'o safely in the first round), that Te'o is not worthy of a first round selection. Any team who does so would be making a colossal error, along the lines of when the Denver Broncos selected Tim Tebow in the first round, all but destroying any chances he had of learning the game, developing his talents and fixing his flaws. I hope Miami isn't the team to take their chances on Te'o.
*Complete stats can be found at www.espn.com
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Mea Culpa...Sort Of.
When I woke up this morning, I fully intended to write this post apologizing to the Big Ten for underestimating them. I have been saying for awhile that the Big Ten was over-rated by many coming into this NCAA Tournament. To the conference's credit, they have only lost one game thus far and have four teams in the Sweet 16, with another three games yet to be played.
Seven teams in the Sweet 16 is impressive for any conference, but I'm not ready to say that I was wrong just yet. When you look at their games, Michigan had a tough test against a relatively unknown (to most anyway) South Dakota State team, lead by their phenomenal shooter Nate Wolters. Minnesota came up against a UCLA team who had lost their best player to a broken foot on the final play of their conference semifinal. Indiana was a number one seed, so they were all but guaranteed to advance. Illinois played a tough game against a good Colorado team, so I will give them some credit there. I was not expecting that win, as Colorado had a better RPI and conference record, and I was wrong there. Ohio State was a second seed, which should be an automatic though it hasn't been in recent years. That being said, I don't think they deserve much credit for beating Iona. Wisconsin DID lose their match against an Ole Miss team that was one of the last teams to make it into the tournament. Michigan State is a tough team led by an all-time great coach in Tom Izzo, and no one should be surprised any time they make a run in the NCAA tournament.
Indiana and Ohio State won their games today to advance to the Sweet 16, but both of them should have lost. To their credit, they didn't, but both of them should have. In the case of Indiana, it took a gutty performance from their star player Victor Oladipo in the final minutes of the game to overcome a Temple team who just looked better than them today. Indiana had no answer for Khalif Wyatt, who went for 31 points for the second consecutive game. In the case of Ohio State, I did not see the game myself, but from everything I've heard and read, they had help from the refs. There were many moving screens by the Buckeyes that were not called (no surprise, Iowa State never gets the benefit of the doubt in these situations), and there was a blown call down at the end. All this, and Ohio State still needed a three pointer with 0.02 seconds left to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
We'll have to see what the outcomes of the Kansas/UNC, Minnesota/Florida, and Illinois/Miami games are, and I may change my stance, especially if Illinois is able to pull off the upset over Miami. But so far, statistically speaking I was wrong, but if you actually look at the games, I really don't think so.
Seven teams in the Sweet 16 is impressive for any conference, but I'm not ready to say that I was wrong just yet. When you look at their games, Michigan had a tough test against a relatively unknown (to most anyway) South Dakota State team, lead by their phenomenal shooter Nate Wolters. Minnesota came up against a UCLA team who had lost their best player to a broken foot on the final play of their conference semifinal. Indiana was a number one seed, so they were all but guaranteed to advance. Illinois played a tough game against a good Colorado team, so I will give them some credit there. I was not expecting that win, as Colorado had a better RPI and conference record, and I was wrong there. Ohio State was a second seed, which should be an automatic though it hasn't been in recent years. That being said, I don't think they deserve much credit for beating Iona. Wisconsin DID lose their match against an Ole Miss team that was one of the last teams to make it into the tournament. Michigan State is a tough team led by an all-time great coach in Tom Izzo, and no one should be surprised any time they make a run in the NCAA tournament.
Indiana and Ohio State won their games today to advance to the Sweet 16, but both of them should have lost. To their credit, they didn't, but both of them should have. In the case of Indiana, it took a gutty performance from their star player Victor Oladipo in the final minutes of the game to overcome a Temple team who just looked better than them today. Indiana had no answer for Khalif Wyatt, who went for 31 points for the second consecutive game. In the case of Ohio State, I did not see the game myself, but from everything I've heard and read, they had help from the refs. There were many moving screens by the Buckeyes that were not called (no surprise, Iowa State never gets the benefit of the doubt in these situations), and there was a blown call down at the end. All this, and Ohio State still needed a three pointer with 0.02 seconds left to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
We'll have to see what the outcomes of the Kansas/UNC, Minnesota/Florida, and Illinois/Miami games are, and I may change my stance, especially if Illinois is able to pull off the upset over Miami. But so far, statistically speaking I was wrong, but if you actually look at the games, I really don't think so.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Have Mercy
As many of you already know, I watch the NCAA tournament pretty religiously. It's my favorite time of the year (yes, I rank it even above the Super Bowl). There's nothing better to me than filling out a bracket then sitting down in front of a TV screen and laptop to watch every single game. That being said, a couple of games this year have me wondering if we can, in the words of Jesse Katsopolis, have mercy.
The first blow-out loss of the season was a short handed Akron team versus VCU. Prior to the conference tournament Akron had their best player suspended, then as if that wasn't enough, the team was decimated by a flu bug just hours before their first round match-up. These two factor led to the Zips being handed a crushing 46 point loss. The Zips actually managed to lose by more point than they were able to score (42).
The same could be said for our next unfortunate team, the Montana Grizzlies. They ran up against a devastating Syracuse team, coming off of a heartbreaking loss in their conference championship game to the overall number one seed Louisville Cardinals. The Montana team didn't have the bad luck of being riddled by illness, they were just severely over-matched and could only muster 34 points to Syracuse's 81.
These two games have forced me to ask, can we institute some sort of "mercy rule" in these games? At some point, shouldn't we say that enough is enough and let these schools leave with some sort of dignity? The NCAA tournament is supposed to be a point of pride for these schools, something they can brag about during their next recruiting season. But how proud can you really be coming off of being blown-out by nearly 50 points? And this isn't even mentioning the 68 point victory for the UConn women in their first round match in the NCAA Women's tournament.
The first blow-out loss of the season was a short handed Akron team versus VCU. Prior to the conference tournament Akron had their best player suspended, then as if that wasn't enough, the team was decimated by a flu bug just hours before their first round match-up. These two factor led to the Zips being handed a crushing 46 point loss. The Zips actually managed to lose by more point than they were able to score (42).
The same could be said for our next unfortunate team, the Montana Grizzlies. They ran up against a devastating Syracuse team, coming off of a heartbreaking loss in their conference championship game to the overall number one seed Louisville Cardinals. The Montana team didn't have the bad luck of being riddled by illness, they were just severely over-matched and could only muster 34 points to Syracuse's 81.
These two games have forced me to ask, can we institute some sort of "mercy rule" in these games? At some point, shouldn't we say that enough is enough and let these schools leave with some sort of dignity? The NCAA tournament is supposed to be a point of pride for these schools, something they can brag about during their next recruiting season. But how proud can you really be coming off of being blown-out by nearly 50 points? And this isn't even mentioning the 68 point victory for the UConn women in their first round match in the NCAA Women's tournament.
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