Ex-Friar coach Welsh resigns at Hofstra

Just a little over a month has passed by since Tim Welsh became the head coach at Hofstra, and already he has resigned.
Welsh is resigning in response to his DUI charge early Friday morning. Police found him basically asleep at a green light behind the wheel of his Lexus in Levittown!
HAHAHAHAHA!
Wow! I mean I think we've all driven around a little buzzed now and then. Definitely not a good choice, but that is something you expect from John Daly or Allen Iverson, not Tim freakin' Welsh!
Anyway, Welsh is actually a pretty decent coach, and I think Hofstra could have been a nice fit for him. They'll compete for as many NCAA bids as Providence will in the Big East. But, so much for that.
As a Rams fan and Friar-hater this thrills me to see this.
PC SUCKS!

Jesus. Out.

FIVE KENTUCKY PLAYERS HEADING TO DRAFT

Freshmen John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Eric Bledsoe and junior Pat Patterson are all set with amateur athletics and have declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. Along with a few seniors graduating, this leaves Kentucky with just five players coming back next year.

I knew this was going to happen and I shouldn't be too upset but I am. I hate this. And it isn't anyone's particular fault but it kills me that this is the type of stuff that is going to be happening as long this rule enforcing kids to wait a year is in place.

I made a comment about a week ago on someone's post asking "are John Calipari's Kentucky teams just going to be loaded with one year mercenaries every year?" Apparently he is on that path.

Hey, listen, I get it. If there wasn't a rule in place John Wall and Demarcus Cousins would've most likely been in the NBA. But they can't and they have to do something for a year so they might as well screw around at some college. Again, no one's fault. But isn't something imperatively wrong here? I don't about you DC fans, but I love college basketball and I hate to see it be a made a mockery of by this age rule. With every diaper dandy that takes off to the NBA, especially when they leave a Calipari coached squad, I feel like the integrity of the game, the heart of and soul of the game, whatever the stuff is that makes the NCAA tournament pure and fun, is simply winked at with a wry smile that says "what a joke." I don't know, it just gets under my skin a little bit.

Back to John Calipari. Hey, I don't mind the guy, but I'm not a big fan of his either. Let's set a few things straight: 1. He looks like an asshole. And people who look like assholes usually turn out be assholes and therefore have asshole tendencies. 2. He's a token college coach scumbag. UMASS and Memphis have had their best season's stripped away because of NCAA infractions that this clown apparently didn't know about. 3. Great recruiter, not a great coach. He's a car salesman who knows about basketball is the way I look at it. At the end of tough games against good teams when it matters, his team breaks down and loses.

I shouldn't be mad at John because the rules allow this stuff but it makes me feel better to rant on him. And, I think most people would agree, that this sucks. It shouldn't be like this. But it is what it is as someone once said, and that's the way it's going to be.

So, Kentucky fans, get ready! Because next year you're probably going to have a top five recruiting class and be ranked in the top ten to start the year! It's going to be sick! (Just don't get too attached to the players. Because after the season is over they are going to go in the NBA and make millions of dollars and crack jokes about what a waste of time it was playing in college)

You know who won't be leaving college anytime soon..The Undertaker. He just became 18-0 at Wrestlemania. One more and he'll do something the Patriots couldn't do.



-The Diesel

Baron does it again!

Jesus' take on last night's URI-UNC game.

UNC 68 - URI 67

Let me just start by saying this. I was very impressed with the efforts from the Rhody Rams in the last few games. Delroy James played like a man among boys throughout this tournament, making big play after big play, and even getting Raftery to draw comparisons to the great Sly Williams. Beating a good Nevada team and winning in Blacksburg in a hostile environment against VaTech was no small feat. That win against VaTech was arguably the best Ram performance of the Baron era. The Hokies were 19-1 at home going into that game, and both teams were playing to win. They came from behind and looked poised. But just when things were starting to turn for ol' friend Jim Baron, the same problems reared their ugly head.

Most of the readers (if not all) don't know this about me, but I grew up a mere stone's throw from Keaney Gym and was raised as a Ram season ticket holder. I attended Skinner's, Harrick's and DeGregorio's basketball camps (3 pt champ for my age group at Harrick's!). To say that I am a huge Ram fan would be an understatement. I remember vividly the days of Kenny Green, Jeff Kent, Andre Samuels, Antonio Reynolds-Dean, Abdul Fox, Preston Murphy, Cuttino Mobley, Tyson Wheeler, Zach "one man army" Marbury, Lamar Odom, Brian Woodward, Dustin Hellenga, Jimmy Baron and the current squad. I've seen a great number of NBA players make their way through Keaney Gym - Eddie Jones, Aaron McKie, David West, Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, Mike James, Yinka Dare!, Smush Parker and many others. Never, in all those years though have I been as frustrated as I am now.

I know it was the NIT (Not Invited) and maybe a lot of fans don't care, but that game last night would have been great for the program, and perhaps helped Baron get over the hump with that one marquee victory he has been looking for since he got to Kingston. His body of work is impressive enough, but it is when you look at specific games, and all the big wins they have choked away under his reign, that is just too much to stomach. Last night, we saw why Roy Williams is a different class of coach than Jim Baron. I didn't actually think the talent level was that much of a disparity. Cothran was getting to wherever he wanted on the court, Ulmer was as athletic a guy as there was out there, and James was at times the best player on the floor. With URI leading and the game waining down in regulation, Williams knew exactly what was going to happen and he had Baron in his crosshairs.

Having 4 timeouts to play with (too many college coaches waste these) he let his team play through a rough patch, and when it got close he threw that full-court pressure on the Rams, and Baron was caught with his pants down. How do you not have a go-to inbounds play against full-court pressure in a tight game?! They turned it over once that I remember, but had no effective possessions in the last two minutes. The free-throws didn't help, but his failure to draw up inbounds plays led to the wrong guys shooting FT's. It really is inexcusible, and just proves that Baron is not the X's and O's coach this team needs. I feel bad for the boys, who played pretty hard but didn't have a coach to get them in a position to be successful. I think Baron is a good motivator, and a decent recruiter (in the East esp) but just can't hack it in game-time adjustments.

Hopefully, this will be the last of the Jim Baron era. I don't wish the man any ill-will, as he did a lot to rebuild this program back to respectability following the debacle that was the DeGregorio era. In the end though, I think he has gotten us as far as he can. Let's get a young, dynamic personality in here. Someone who can steal a few recruits from the east coast dynamos and get this team back to the tournament with some consistency.

I'm Rhode Island born and Rhode Island bred...

Jesus.Out.

Chalk one up for ol' Jesus! - 1st Day Action (Updated)

Old Dominion knocked off Notre Dame, just as I predicted in the first 6-11 upset of the tourney. Luke Harangody struggled only scoring once in the whole game, and that basket came within the final 30 seconds. Weak sauce. He sucks. Notre Dame sucks. Go ODU!

Florida and BYU are in OT. I have Florida in this one. Jimmer Fredette has been great going to the hoop, but not so great from the perimeter. Boynton is on fire for the Gators, but may be gassed after checking Fredette all day. We'll see how it plays out. Updates to come.

*UPDATE #1*
WOW! First day action is off the hook. All you suckers at work, I feel bad. Florida and BYU was all knotted up at 81 when Fredette grabbed a long rebound off a missed 3 and looked to be pushing the ball hard the other way. Vernon Macklin of the Gators reached in and poked it away and Boynton grabbed it with 20 seconds left. After the timeout Florida couldn't get a look and the game went to double OT. Boynton fouled out in the 2nd OT with 27 points. Florida was broke from 3 without Boynton and BYU had a lot more energy in the extra period. getting to lose balls and forcing bad shots from the Gators. Fredette drained a big three to put BYU up 7 and pretty much nailed the coffin shut. Final score #7 BYU 99 - #10 FLA 92
*Note - As a youngster, Fredette was routinely taken to prison pick-up games by his older brother who thought he needed to play tougher. It worked. How do you get into prison pick-up games???!

Villanova was down most of the game against Robert Morris, the 15 seed, and cut the lead to 2 points with less than 4 minutes to play. It was all tied at 58 and 'Nova held for the last shot of regulation. Reynolds drove and took a bad shot which was deflected out of bounds. And with .9 on the clock the Wildcats got a great look on an alley-oop pass but missed. To OT we go! Villanova lead most of the OT and 3 RMU players fouled out. RMU kept it close, but Reynolds nailed a HUGE three with the shotclock running out and about a minute left to play in OT to put Nova up 4. Robert Morris than stole the ball after an inbounds pass and got a lay-up to cut it to 1. With a 3 point lead Reggie Redding pulled up on a clean break-away instead of taking the easy lay-up and missed the first free-throw. RMU then brought the ball down and made a 3 to again, cut it to 1! Reynolds calmly made 2 free throws to seal the victory for Villanova. This game was exciting!

More updates to come.

*UPDATE #2*
Well, I didn't pick it in my bracket but I mentioned it in my Cinderella post. Murray State knocks off Vanderbilt with a dramatic finish. Danero Thomas nailed a 15 ft J with the buzzer sounding to oust the Commodores. Vandy had the lead with just over 12 tics on the clock, and Murray State rushed a 3 but the ball went out of bounds off Vandy. Murray State got the final shot off and Thomas made it count.
Final Score : #13 Murray State 66 - #4 Vanderbilt 65.

Baylor defeated Sam Houston State in a pretty uneventful game. And Kansas State is destroying North Texas.

#7 Richmond is currently trailing #10 St Mary's. A team many analysts like, but one that Jesus did not believe in much. We'll see.

More updates after that game.

*UPDATE #3*
The Gaels of St Mary's held on to beat Richmond 80-71. Omar Sahman looks to be one of the stars of Round 1 as the big guy paced the Gaels with 29 pts and 12 reb.
#2 Kansas State beat #15 North Texas handedly, 82-62 and it really wasn't that close.

Bracket Busters! Jesus' tips for winning that office bracket pool.

So, you've got that office bracket, you've watched all the countless hours of Hubert Davis, Doug Gottleib, Bobby Knight, Digger Phelps and all the other goons over at ESPN telling you who is going to win, and you're all set to fill out that bracket to try and win the big bucks at the office this year. You think you know it all...wait. Forget what you've heard (most of it) and read this before you fill that sucker out.
There are plenty of articles out there that will give you lots of great info about filling out your bracket, but no one has time to sort through that much information...unless you're a bookie or a college basketball writer. So, let Jesus break it all down for you. I'll try to take all the good info from those articles in reference and compile it in one brief 10 step process. Here goes...

Rule #1) Upset-schmupset
There are far fewer upsets than the average college basketball fan, or rather the average filler-outer-of-bracket, thinks. We call it March Madness because it is "madness" how any team can win it all. For all the boo-hooing about college football, you could really argue that smaller schools have a better chance of winning there. Are there more big teams with a shot of winning in basketball? Sure, but TCU and Bosie State are NEVER winning this basketball tournament, and they both had legitimate chances (if things went their way) this season to get into that game. Granted, it is a tournament format, so technically every team gets "a chance", but who are we kidding? Lehigh is not winning their first game, let alone this tournament! I digress.
The 2009 tournament saw only 5 "upsets", second fewest ever to the 3 from 2007. (This would be upset meaning a gap of at least four seeds. 7-10, 8-9 games don't count.) Recent tournaments suggest a trend that upsets are becoming fewer and fewer. This year projects to be a slight uptick, due to the lack of standout teams. But, we thought that last year as well and only saw 5. 2008 was the year all four #1 seeds made the Final Four!
What does this all mean to you? Well, you have to really spot your upsets well and don't pick too many. Read further for more details on how to pick your upsets.

Rule #2) 12 seeds are golden!
Since 1999 12 seeds have beaten at least one 5 seed in every year but two. Last year, 3 of them were victorious and yours truly had all three pegged! One 12 seed is usually a decent bet to make the sweet 16 as well, like Arizona did last year.
The key to picking these games is not so much finding the right 12 seeds as it is finding the upset victims. When you get your bracket and sit down to watch all that analysis. Pay close attention to the 5 seeds. Are they pissed about not being ranked higher? Did they ride some kind of late season run to the 5 seed? Look for ACC and Big 10 teams, and the occasional Big East squad to do the choking. Those teams who think they should have been seeded higher are not ready to play and ripe for the pickin'. (My round 1 upset picks will be listed at the bottom of this column.)

Rule #3) Wish upon a star!
This tournament is all set up for a star to lead his team deep into the tourney. Seemingly every year we have a few teams who are led to at least a couple wins by their star players. Carmelo Anthony, Michael Beasley, Scottie Reynolds, Levance Fields, Danny Manning just to name a few, have put their squads on their backs and taken them for magical rides. In fact, this tourney is so star driven that every team except two since 1979 has had at least one McDonald's All-American on their squad. Of 1-3 seeds this year, only West Virginia and Baylor do not sport a Mickey D's on their roster. Look for those teams to be bounced. Plus, Huggins is a choke-artist.
Notable star-quality players to watch (and possibly carry their teams):
Kentucky - John Wall (duh) and DeMarcus Cousins. (Patterson is also a former McD's All-Am.)
Kansas - Sherron Collins
Villanova - Scottie Reynolds
Duke - Kyle Singler (gay) John Scheyer (gayer)
Oklahoma State - James Anderson
Tennessee - Scottie Hopson
Georgetown - Vernon Macklin and Greg Monroe (not a McD's alum, but a stud no doubt.)
Michigan State - Kalin Lucas
Ohio State - Evan Turner (super-stud)

Rule #4) Don't forget about coach
To me, it is just as important who is coaching the team as who is on the floor during March Madness. Many coaches have a track record, and if you're going to let your money ride on an unproven coach in March you may want to think twice. Here are some of the choke artists:
Bob Huggins (West Virginia) - Yes, he's made the Final Four once, almost 20 years ago. His resume is FILLED with first and second round exits...12 to be exact.
Rick Barnes (Texas) - In seven of his ten years at Texas, the Longhorns went on to lose to a lower seed in the NCAA Tournament. Choked up a win over Duke last year.
Mike Krewsherweski (Duke) - I don't know how to spell his name, and I don't care. He did most of his winning in the 90s and it is 2010. His recent tournaments have not been excellent, marred by many early exits. Granted, this years team seems legit, though the ACC was pretty weak. Time will tell.
Bruce Pearl (Tennessee) - Not really a choker, per se, but never made it past Sweet 16. Don't expect this to be the year.

Here are some of the really good ones:
Billy Donovan (Florida) - .759 tournament win percentage (best active)
Jay Wright (Villanova) - 4 sweet 16s, 2 elite 8s and one final four. not bad.
Bill Self (Kansas) - Used to be a guy on the other list, but recent tournaments have lost that rep.
Rick Pitino (Louisville) - Three different schools in the Final Four. Proceed with caution though, this L'Ville team is not that stellar. I smell an early exit.
Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) - 25 tourney appearance and 13 Sweet 16s. Consistent.
Tom Izzo (Michigan State) - This guy always gets his team deep. Any four year player under this guy has reached a Final Four. Wow.

Rule #5) On guard!
This is a guard's tournament. Sure, some big men have taken their team deep, but I'll give you 30 seconds to name me a big man who has led his team all the way without having a great guard on his team...didn't think so.
Scottie Reynolds led his team to the Final Four last year with his stellar play, and Hansbrough might have been the big name, but that was Lawson's team. Bottom line, without a great ball-handler who can put up big assist-to-turnover numbers your team is not getting anywhere. Good teams without stellar guard play this year:
West Virginia
Georgetown
Ohio State (swing-man, Evan Turner could be good enough to overcome this. We'll see.)
Purdue
Look for these teams to make a relatively early exit, since they have no great guards to rely on. When the going gets tough you need that steady PG to keep the train rollin'.

Rule #6) A bracket is not won in a day
Sounds simple, but it is SO true. Last year, I missed only one first round game, but came up way short in the next two rounds which obviously killed my bracket. The first round has the most potential upset games, but is round two and the sweet sixteen where the big money gets made. Since 1985 there have been 600 second rd 2 and sweet 16 games played, and 402 have been potential upsets. Of those 402 there have been 94 upset wins. That's 23%! Not bad. However, it's not as bad as it might look for high seeds. Top 3 seeds are 231-19 against 1st rd dark horses. In other words wait til the later rounds to pick you upsets of top teams. The last 1-3 seed to lose in the first rd was Iowa State in 2006. Don't count on a 1-3 seed losing in round 1. But there may be a few to go down in rd two and the sweet 16. A 2-7 matchup in round 2 is a good place to look for an upset.


Rule #7) Don't bet against #1
This is kind of a continuation of the last rule, but #1 seeds are not good picks to lose until later in the tournament. Obviously, they've never lost to a #16 in round 1 and that will continue this year. And in rd 2 they are 29-9 and 43-3 against 8 and 9 seeds respectively. In the Sweet 16 they are 21-9 vs 4 seeds and 22-5 vs 5 seeds, and 13-0 vs 12 seeds. Basically, #1 seeds dominate the first three rounds. If you pick against them early you could be burned out of a lot of potential bracket points, so don't do it. Unless it is Duke. They will probably be the first 1 to lose to a 16. (J/K)


Rule #8) Cover your ears!
Don't listen to all the pundits and so-called experts out there who will tell you how to fill out your bracket. Most of those clowns don't watch nearly as much basketball as they'd like you to believe and their brackets are usually toast after two or three rounds because they ignore rules like the ones I have proposed here. Do your own research. Don't let Digger and his fancy hi-liter color coordination make you pick New Mexico instead of Marquette if that's what you'd like. Those guys at ESPN are to busy sexually harassing women to know what is going on. If you follow any of them, make sure it is the super nerdy ones like Andy Katz and guys who never played or coached. They do the most research and are pretty unbiased. (You know Digger's picking Notre Dame to go deep!)

Rule #9) Vegas knows
The people setting the lines in Vegas aren't making money hand over fist for no reason. They know what they're talking about. If you get to a game where you're just not sure what to do (8-9 games, 7-10 games) go with the Vegas favorite. They're usually right and do more research than anyone. For the record, it is not always the higher seed as some might think. I believe last year even had Arizona as the favorite in the 12-5 game in which they were victorious. And I can remember several 7-10 games in recent memory where the 10 was favored. So check those lines!

Rule #10) When all else fails...go with the chick method
Cool cities, favorite schools and mascots, etc. This is how girls (even my mom) fill out brackets, and you know what? They usually do pretty well. The Sports Guy made this method famous by posting his wife's weekly football picks a couple years ago, and she did better than he did! My mom's bracket is usually pretty good, until she gets to the end and she has Boston College in the Final Four (because "she likes Al Skinner"). Anyway, this method involves picking games like Clemson/Missouri in this way: "Well, they're both Tigers, so that won't work. Clemson is in South Carolina, which is nice this time of year, so those boys are probably in good moods. Missouri can be kind of cold, and I bet it is pretty boring. They might be drinking a lot. They'll be sluggish. I'll go with Clemson." Eesh! What a way to fill it out. But you'll be pissed when your girlfriend nails that 1st round upset you never saw coming because "a Gator would beat a Cougar any day!"

That's all folks. Happy Bracket picking. This is the greatest and least productive work-week in America. Offices all over the country will be on virtual vacation. Enjoy it, and may your brackets look good til the end, so you don't give up.

My 1st rd upset picks, after first glance at the bracket:

1 Duke vs 16 play-in winner. Just kidding. But, fuck the Dukies.

For real:
Old Dominion over Notre Dame
UTEP over Butler

My first look, really looks like the first round won't see many upsets. The 2nd could have more though. I'll have updates later this week.


I will be updating this after further research before Thursday's games.

Big Day in NCAAB

Both Kentucky and Kansas fell for the second time today. The Jayhawks were upset by Oklahoma State, which should crank up URI's win over the Cowboys a bit more, even though it was early in the season. (More on that in a minute.) Personally, I've been rooting for OSU all year so that win holds up. Kentucky went down at the hands of Bruce Pearl's Tennessee Vols and that awful orange jacket he wears.

Sherron Collins poured in 22 for the Jayhawks, but also turned the ball over a season-high six times. 101 of the Jayhawks previous 102 opponents had been held under 50%, but the Cowboys shot over 60%! James Anderson, who leads the conference in scoring dropped 27 to lead the Cowboys to victory.


As for Kentucky, they were trailing much of the game by a fairly wide margin, and managed to cut the deficit from 19 to tie it up late in the game. Kentucky was an ice-cold 2-22 from three. Wall had 19 and Cousins chipped in 15, but it wasn't enough. What looked like a snoozer of a game to begin with, turned into the game of the week as Tennessee turned it up late behind J.P. Prince who got 6 of his 20 in the final 90 seconds of the game.


In all likely hood, these two will still be #1 seeds barring any further slip-ups the rest of the way. I think Kansas will be the consensus #1 heading into the tourney, and Kentucky should be a #1 as well. These two teams are stacked, although Kentucky is very young. Kansas on the other hand has some championship pedigree and should be a good bet to get back to the Final Four.

Rhode Island fuckin' choked and lost to a bad 13-14 St Bonaventure on the road. Jim Baron really needs to lose his job. I don't know if the team quits on him, he is incapable of making adjustments or a combination of both, but it is ridiculous. And I think most Rhode Islanders are pretty sick of watching the rerun every year. Things are looking up for ASU and Cal who should be fighting for a 2nd PAC-10 spot as some of these A-10 teams stumble.

Texas A&M put a thumping on Texas. The Longhorns seem to be falling apart at the seams in typical Rick Barnes fashion, except usually he drags everyone along to the 2nd rd. This year it would seem they are getting an early start on the disappointment.

It's almost March, baby! And things are getting interesting!

Oh no! Hummel done for year

Purdue's hopes for a number 1 seed, and most likely their chances at making the Final Four might have just been flattened. Star forward, and jack-of-all-trades, Robbie Hummel tore his ACL Wednesday night against Minnesota. The Boilermakers squeaked out a win over the Gophers, 59-58, but things don't look bright right now for the #3 team in the country.

Hummel drove into the lane and mostly untouched his right leg buckled underneath him as he crumpled to the floor. An MRI on Thursday revealed the torn ACL.

Purdue was on the track to being a #1 seed, after losses by Villanova opened the door for them. But, that train has most likely been derailed with Hummel's injury. I wouldn't rule out Purdue to still win the Big 10, though Ohio State and Michigan State (maybe even Wisconsin?) will have something to say about that. JaJuan Johnson is a stud and will try to pick up some of the slack left by Hummel. But that is a lot of slack, as Hummel was the emotional leader of the team and contributed big numbers in every category.

They face Michigan State at home on Sunday which will be a big test to their ability to step up in the absence of their fallen star.

Jesus' Weekly NCAAB Update

Last week's team of choice was Purdue, and following a win over Illinois and vaulting to #3 in the rankings I am still drinking the Boilermaker kool-aid. However, this weeks flavor of the week is definitely the UConn Huskies. The Huskies have finally begun playing the way they were expected to heading into this season. They've really responded to Coach Calhoun's tongue lashing a couple weeks ago with big wins over Villanova and now, West Virginia. Two top 10 teams! UConn has played their way back onto the bubble, and are looking good heading into the final few games of Big East play.
Joe Lunardi's bracketology has them as one of the first four teams out, (before yesterday's win) but Jesus believes otherwise. They have three tough games remaining, though that could work in their favor. "Look at the last 10 games," the tourney committee always says. Well, UConn's last 10 are against RPI top 70 with the exception of Rutgers and DePaul and Notre Dame, including Villanova, WVU and Syracuse- all top 10 teams! They'll probably need to win some games in the Big East tourney but I like the way they're playing. Breakneck pace and relentless on the glass at both ends.

In other top 25 news Ohio State beat Michigan State in a very entertaining game, and Evan Turner has supplanted himself as one of the very best players in the country. Those kind of go-to players can always carry a team to a few wins in the Big Dance. (Be on the lookout for Jesus' Bracketbuster tips for the office pool in the coming weeks.)

New Mexico...repeat...New Mexico, has entered the top 10. They only have three losses, and could be one of those Cinderella teams come March. Right now, they're one of the hottest teams in all the land.

Villanova has lost three of their last five games and opened the door for either Purdue or Kansas State or Duke (gulp) to grab the fourth #1 seed.

Butler continues to climb the ranks despite much smiting from Jesus.

And URI really fucked their chances at top 25, but is still on the bubble after an insufferable loss to St Louis led by walrus-man Rick Majerus.

Northern Iowa still sits at #24 and in Lunardi's most recent bracketology are faced up with...wait for it...the Rhode Island Runnin' Rams in a 6-11 match-up. Good! Maybe Rhode Island can resuscitate their dying season and stick it to this lame-ass team. It will all hinge on beating Charlotte on 3/3 and UMass on 3/6.

Here's a look at the top 25, with the last result and next game.
(record, points accumulated and previous ranking)

1. Kansas (61)
Last game: vs Oklahoma, W 81-68 (2/22)
Next game: Oklahoma St. (2/27) 26-1 1621 1

2. Kentucky (4)
Last game: at Vanderbilt, W 58-56 (2/20)
Next game: South Carolina (2/25) 26-1 1559 2

3. Purdue
Last game: vs Illinois, W 75-65 (2/20)
Next game: Minnesota (2/24) 23-3 1470 4

4. Syracuse
Last game: at Georgetown, W 75-71 (2/18)
Next game: Providence (2/23) 25-2 1455 5

5. Duke
Last game: vs Virginia Tech, W 67-55 (2/21)
Next game: Tulsa (2/25) 23-4 1323 6

6. Kansas St.
Last game: at Oklahoma, W 83-68 (2/20)
Next game: Texas Tech (2/23) 22-4 1302 7

7. Villanova
Last game: at Pittsburgh, L 65-70 (2/21)
Next game: South Florida (2/24) 22-4 1189 3

8. West Virginia
Last game: at Connecticut, L 62-73 (2/22)
Next game: Cincinnati (2/27) 21-6 1183 8

9. Ohio St.
Last game: at Michigan St., W 74-67 (2/21)
Next game: Penn St. (2/24) 21-7 1097 9

10. New Mexico
Last game: vs Air Force, W 59-56 (2/20)
Next game: Colorado St. (2/23) 25-3 997 12

11. Georgetown
Last game: vs Syracuse, L 71-75 (2/18)
Next game: Louisville (2/23) 18-7 846 10

12. Pittsburgh
Last game: vs Villanova, W 70-65 (2/21)
Next game: Notre Dame (2/24) 21-6 806 19

13. BYU
Last game: at Wyoming, W 85-63 (2/20)
Next game: San Diego St. (2/24) 25-3 795 16

14. Michigan St.
Last game: vs Ohio St., L 67-74 (2/21)
Next game: Purdue (2/28) 21-7 794 11

15. Butler
Last game: vs Siena, W 70-53 (2/20)
Next game: Valparaiso (2/26) 25-4 673 18

16. Vanderbilt
Last game: vs Kentucky, L 56-58 (2/20)
Next game: Georgia (2/25) 20-6 599 17

17. Wisconsin
Last game: vs Northwestern, W 70-63 (2/21)
Next game: Indiana (2/25) 20-7 528 14

18. Gonzaga
Last game: at Pepperdine, W 72-54 (2/20)
Next game: Santa Clara (2/25) 22-5 506 13

19. Tennessee
Last game: at South Carolina, W 63-55 (2/20)
Next game: Florida (2/23) 20-6 480 20

20. Temple
Last game: at St. Joseph's, W 75-67 (2/20)
Next game: Dayton (2/24) 22-5 452 21

21. Texas
Last game: at Texas Tech, W 71-67 (2/20)
Next game: Oklahoma St. (2/24) 21-6 445 15

22. Texas A&M
Last game: at Iowa St., W 60-56 (2/20)
Next game: Baylor (2/24) 19-7 225 24

23. Richmond
Last game: vs Geo. Washington, W 74-70 (2/20)
Next game: Xavier (2/28) 22-6 202 25

24. Baylor
Last game: at Oklahoma St., L 75-82 (2/20)
Next game: Texas A&M (2/24) 20-6 147 22

25. Northern Iowa
Last game: vs Old Dominion, W 71-62 (2/19)
Next game: Evansville (2/23) 24-3 128 NR

Connecticut wants back in!

UConn 83 - Villanova 75

Coach Calhoun was disgusted with his team after last week's lack-luster effort against Cincinnati in his return to the bench, saying, "I’m really incredibly disappointed with the performance. I’m embarrassed by it, quite frankly.” He would go on to say that it was probably his worst moment in 24 years at UConn, and you could see that he felt like his team quit on him, though he wouldn't admit it.

Surely, he laid into his boys over the weekend and it paid dividends tonight as they scored a huge win over the #3 Villanova Wildcats in Philadelphia.

Villanova, it would seem, took Connecticut a little too lightly and got caught with their pants down, so to speak. Kemba Walker scored 29 to lead the Huskies, while Scottie Reynolds tallied 18 for the Wildcats. This is not a bad Connecticut team, just an underachieving one, and they proved how talented they are tonight in a big upset win. Coming into the season, this game might not have been such a huge upset, but Connecticut and Villanova have been going in opposite directions since December.

Some analysts were writing off UConn (and rightly so) over the weekend, even going as far as to predict an NIT tourney with UNC, UConn and UCLA! Holy shit. In my opinion, UConn can still play their way back in, but it will take a lot. Remaining games are at Rutgers, West Virginia at home, followed by at Notre Dame and at USF. I think they'd have to win out, and wins over WVU and Louisville would be huge when added to quality wins over Texas and Villanova. Of course they could still lose maybe one of those games and make it in with a strong Big East tourney showing. They sit at 5-8 in conference play right now. Yes, the Big East is tough, but that looks real bad. It will be interesting to see how long this fire Calhoun lit under their ass burns. Husky fans sure hope it lasts at least a few more games.

Either way, I'm glad to see Coach Calhoun back on the bench in Storrs. I was beginning to get a bit worried. He does have an extension from UConn on his desk, but has yet to sign it. It should be an interesting story to follow.

Jesus' NCAA Breakdown

Sure, my sons, it is me at a football game, but I do like Purdue's basketball team...a lot. In fact, they're my darkhorse to take a #1 seed away from whoever slips-up in the final weeks, most likely either Syracuse or Villanova. Kansas and Kentucky are virtual locks at this point.
I give to you now, my break-down of the rest of the field. Enjoy and be merry. Don't forget to pray to me if you're hoping for a little extra something for your favorite team this spring.

AP TOP 25 (#1 votes, record, points accumulated and previous ranking)
1. Kansas (62) 24-1 1,622 1
Two easy wins last week, and the toughest part of their conference season is behind them, with only a March 3rd game against K-State remaining as a real challenge.
This Week: 2/15 at Texas A&M (18-6), 2/20 vs. Colorado (11-13)

2. Kentucky (3) 24-1 1,557 3
Big game later this week at Vandy. Could be an upset, but likely a close, entertaining match-up.
This Week: 2/16 at Mississippi State (18-7), 2/20 at Vanderbilt (19-5)

3. Villanova 22-2 1,482 4
Playing well, but will need to finish strong in Big East to shore up that #1 seed in March. Tough test at Pittsburgh this coming Sunday.
This Week: 2/15 vs. Connecticut (14-11), 2/21 at Pittsburgh (19-6)

4. Purdue 21-3 1,403 6
If the Big East doesn't get two #1 seeds it will be because Purdue sneaks in and steals one. I was very dubious of this team in November, but they've since grown on me. Very athletic and JaJuan Johnson is one of the best players in the country, and has that NBA body and skill set scouts will be drooling over after this season.
This Week: 2/17 at Ohio State (20-6), 2/20 vs. Illinois (17-9)

5. Syracuse 24-2 1,389 2
Upset of the week was 'Cuse falling at home to Louisville. I definitely didn't see that one coming, but it is another testament to the toughness of the Big East conference. A strong finish and a good run in the conf. tourney and Syracuse should still get a #1 seed. At G'Town this week should be a great match-up.
This Week: 2/18 at Georgetown (18-6)

6. Duke 21-4 1,278 8
I hate Duke! But...they're pretty good. This is probably the best Dukie team in recent years. I still won't pick 'em to go far in March.
This Week: 2/17 at Miami (FL) (17-8), 2/21 vs. Virginia Tech (20-4)

7. Kansas State 20-4 1,239 9
This is another team that some analysts like to steal a #1 seed. To do that they'll have to win out, including an upset in the late-season match-up against in-state rival, Kansas. (How many more hyphens can I get in this analysis? None.)
This Week: 2/17 vs. Nebraska (13-12), 2/20 at Oklahoma (13-11)

8. West Virginia 19-5 1,101 5
Tough week last week with two losses, caused a drop of three spots. The Mountaineers need to get it together this week and take it out on some lowly Big East foes.
This Week: 2/17 at Providence (12-13), 2/20 vs. Seton Hall (14-9)

9. Ohio State 20-6 1,068 13
Like their football team...they're pretty good, but I don't really care. That said, they could easily lose two games this week.
This Week: 2/17 vs. Purdue (21-3), 2/21 at Michigan State (20-6)

10. Georgetown 18-6 966 7
Loss to Rutgers is inexcusable. That will not look good come tourney time and cost them a seed or two depending on how they finish. Only one game this week, so they need to bring it against Syracuse.
This Week: 2/18 vs. Syracuse (24-2)

11. Michigan State 20-6 906 10
Kalin Lucas played last week but didn't have the same bounce in his step. Hope fully for Sparty's sake he's fully recovered. They'll need him against THE OSU.
This Week: 2/16 at Indiana (9-15), 2/21 vs. Ohio State (20-6)

12. New Mexico 23-3 888 15
Wow. There is no way that New Mexico is this good. Top 12? Yea right. Looks like an easy week for them. We shall see.
This Week: 2/17 vs. Wyoming (9-16), 2/20 vs. Air Force (9-15)

13. Gonzaga 21-4 830 16
Zags are rolling and the white-boy is ballin'! Matt Bouldin looks like he should be playin' hacky-sack out on the campus square, not leading a top 15 team in scoring.
This Week: 2/18 at Loyola Marymount (13-13), 2/20 at Pepperdine (7-19)

14. Wisconsin 19-6 697 11
Underrated sports story of the week: The Fighting Illinis snapped Wisconsin's 18 game home winning streak, and 51 game home win streak against unranked conference opponents! Of course it was Illinois...they're the first team to beat Bo Ryan's Badgers 3 times in Madison during his tenure at Wisconsin. Two cupcakes this week, though Illinois should have been a cupcake.
This Week: 2/18 at Minnesota (14-10), 2/21 vs. Northwestern (17-8)

15. Texas 20-5 674 14
Showed signs of life by beating Nebraska by 40 points. Need to keep it going as they head toward the Big 12 tourney.
This Week: 2/17 at Missouri (18-7), 2/20 at Texas Tech (16-8)

16. Brigham Young 23-3 669 17
Not much competition for the stormin' Mormons in the Mountain West. Should get two W's this week.
This Week: 2/17 at Colorado State (15-9), 2/20 at Wyoming (9-16)

17. Vanderbilt 19-5 529 22
Beat Tennessee last week, and looking better as season progresses. Kind of like Purdue, they're growing on me. I still hate that court though.
This Week: 2/18 at Mississippi (17-7), 2/20 vs. Kentucky (24-1)

18. Butler 23-4 527 18
Ooh! Three crappy wins in the Horizon league and they're in the Top 20! No way, they're better than Pittsburgh and Temple. Whatever.
This Week: 2/17 vs. Illinois-Chicago (6-19), 2/20 vs. Siena (22-5)

19. Pittsburgh 19-6 398 25
Playing well of late, looking for a big win vs their in-state Big East foe, Villanova. Should be a great game this Sunday! It would behoove them though, to not overlook Marquette.
This Week: 2/18 at Marquette (16-8), 2/21 vs. Villanova (22-2)

20. Tennessee 18-6 381 12
Need to rebound from two losses last week. I hope they don't. Bruce Pearl rubs me the wrong way, and I don't think they're that good.
This Week: 2/17 vs. Georgia (11-12), 2/20 at South Carolina (14-10)

21. Temple 20-5 347 21
Freakin' stomped on Rhode Island from the tip-off. It was ugly the whole way for the Rams, and Temple is trying to prove they're the class of the A-10 while everyone else will fight for 2nd place. Need to keep the mojo going with two easy wins this week.
This Week: 2/17 at St. Bonaventure (10-13), 2/20 at Saint Joseph's (9-16)

22. Baylor 19-5 316 24
Two wins last week and two more this week will do wonders for the Bears from Baylor. Personally, I hope OK State kills 'em so that URI win keeps looking better and better.
This Week: 2/16 vs. Texas Tech (16-8), 2/20 at Oklahoma State (17-7)

23. Wake Forest 18-5 286 NR
Wake Forest takes on VaTech who is the sleeper in the ACC this year, and don't be surprised if they make a little run and upset some teams in the conference tournament. Wake will want to try and squash those hopes this week before moving on to the Tar Heels.
This Week: 2/16 at Virginia Tech (20-4), 2/20 at North Carolina State (14-12)

24. Texas A&M 18-6 231 NR
An underappreciated Big 12 team, this team could make some noise as the Big 12 winds down. A HUGE win over Kansas could do a lot to get that started. (But don't count on it.)
This Week: 2/15 vs. Kansas (24-1), 2/20 at Iowa State (13-12)

25. Richmond 20-6 101 NR
A little love for the Richmond Spiders who have probably the most quality wins in the A-10. Fordham sucks. Can we get them out of the A-10 please? And G-Dub is struggling this year, so Richmond should have a nice week.
This Week: 2/17 vs. Fordham (2-21), 2/20 vs. George Washington (13-10)

Others Receiving Votes
Northern Iowa 74, Virginia Tech 59, UTEP 46, Illinois 29, Marquette 12, Mississippi State 5, UNLV 5, Old Dominion 4, Cornell 2, Georgia Tech 1, Maryland 1, San Diego State 1, Xavier 1.

Dropped From Rankings
Northern Iowa 19, Georgia Tech 20, UNLV 23.

Jesus' NCAA Basketball Update

Let's get right down to it. Got an awesome week of college basketball coming up, with some must-see games. Now that football is all done it's time to start researching your picks for March Madness! UNC-Duke is this week for those who get a boner for that sort of thing. Kansas killed Texas last night, and the score is not indicative of the game. It was worse than that. 'Nova and 'Cuse both look to stake claim to the top ranking. Here's the breakdown...Jesus Cristo style.

AP Top 25 (#1 votes, record, points accumulated, previous ranking)
1. Kansas (55) 22-1 1,613 1
This Week: Def. Texas 80-68 (2/8), 2/13 vs. Iowa State (13-10)
Kansas again, sits atop the NCAA basketball world after successfully disposing of Nebraska and Colorado last week. They followed that up with a nice win over Texas on the road last night and will battle Iowa State on their home floor later this week.

2. Syracuse (8) 23-1 1,553 3
This Week: 2/10 vs. Connecticut (14-9), 2/14 vs. Louisville (15-8)
Syracuse has been rolling of late and looks to keep that going this week with two tough home games against a struggling, but talented, UConn team, and Louisville. It is doubtful that even two wins would supplant Kansas as #1 unless Kansas should lose against Iowa State. Don't bet on that.

3. Kentucky (2) 22-1 1,514 4
This Week: 2/9 vs. Alabama (13-10), 2/13 vs. Tennessee (18-4)
Kentucky faces Alabama and Tennessee at home. Look for the Vols to put up a fight, but I don't expect Kentucky to falter. DeMarcus Cousins is looking like a hell of a player lately, and Eric Bledsoe has been balling as well, in the shadow of John Wall.

4. Villanova 20-2 1,366 2
This Week: Def. West Virginia 82-75 (2/8), 2/13 vs. Providence (12-11)
Villanova defeated West Virginia last night in what should have been the first game of a tremendous Monday night double-header. Then Texas went and laid a stinker against Kansas and ruined the whole night! Anyway...good win for 'Nova, and they'll take on Big East foe, Providence later this week. More on Providence in a second.

5. West Virginia 19-3 1,361 6
This Week: Lost to Villanova 82-75 (2/8), 2/12 at Pittsburgh (18-6)
This could be a tough week for Huggy Bear and the Mountaineers. After their home-crowd was chastised for their behavior last week against L'ville and Pittsburgh they seemed a little timid last night, and lacked that awesome atmosphere. Look for the Pitt Zoo crew or whatever to be laying on thick when WVU visits Pitt this week.

6. Purdue 19-3 1,301 8
This Week: 2/9 at Michigan State (19-5), 2/13 vs. Iowa (8-16)
Michigan State may be without star guard Kalin Lucas so Purdue should be able to take that one, and Iowa...who cares. Purdue could move into the top 5 next week, if some things go their way.

7. Georgetown 17-5 1,211 7
This Week: 2/9 at Providence (12-11), 2/14 at Rutgers (11-12)
G'town lost to South Florida in a classic example of oversight, looking forward to the big Villanova game. They did manage a nice home win against 'Nova so the USF loss didn't hurt too bad in the rankings anyway.
Here's my upset pick of the week...definitely going out on a limb here, but I predict PC will beat Georgetown. Providence always pulls off a big home upset over a highly ranked Big East opponent, and my pick is Georgetown. The Dunk is usually rockin' pretty good when they get a big team in there and G'town certainly qualifies. PC has not had a great season, but they do have some talent. I hope I'm wrong, because they are like the Yankees to me...but we shall see tonight.

8. Duke 19-4 1,142 10
This Week: 2/10 at North Carolina (13-10), 2/13 vs. Maryland (16-6)
College basketball's "greatest rivalry" gets going again this week when Duke takes on an underachieving UNC squad at Chapel Hill. Records don't really matter when these two get together and the Dean Dome will be boppin' on Wednesday night. I hope UNC kills them, even though I hate UNC and Roy Williams. I hate Duke more. That's right...Jesus hates Duke!

9. Kansas State 19-4 1,139 10
This Week: 2/13 vs. Colorado (11-12)
One game...Colorado at home. Should win.

10. Michigan State 19-5 968 5
This Week: 2/9 vs. Purdue (19-3), 2/13 at Penn State (8-15)
Following two Big10 losses last week, they'll look to rebound against Purdue and Penn State.

11. Wisconsin 18-5 871 16
This Week: 2/9 vs. Illinois (16-8), 2/13 vs. Indiana (9-13)
Swept the Michigan schools last week, which is always a feat, and take on the Illini and Hoosiers, both having down years. Wisconsin may very well crack the top 10 if a couple teams above slip up.

12. Tennessee 18-4 850 14
This Week: 2/9 at Vanderbilt (17-5), 2/13 at Kentucky (22-1)
How are the Vols this high??? It's good. To Be. A Tenn-ess-ee Vol.
They'll have to prove worthy with a couple tough games this week. Don't expect a repeat of the previous Kentucky game. I suspect the Wildcats will lay a beat down.

13. Ohio State 18-6 845 13
This Week: 2/10 at Indiana (9-13), 2/14 at Illinois (16-8)
*Snoring* Who cares?

14. Texas 19-4 789 9
This Week: Lost to Kansas 80-68 (2/8), 2/13 vs. Nebraska (13-10)
This team is struggling and needs about a 40 point blowout over Nebraska to get back on track. Pittman needs to play more. I think they may be lacking a true PG with play making abilities. Or maybe Sherron Collins just makes everyone else look awful.

15. New Mexico 21-3 725 15
This Week: 2/10 at UNLV (19-4), 2/13 at Utah (10-12)
UNLV is a pretty tough game for the Lobos this week. I actually saw a UNLV/UNM battle once. It was a pretty heated battle, and The Pit at UNM is one of the coolest arenas in NCAAB. That said. I don't care.

16. Gonzaga 19-4 693 17
This Week: 2/11 vs. Saint Mary's (21-3), 2/13 vs. San Diego (9-16)
St. Mary's is always a heated battle as they are usually the one team in conference to challenge Gonzaga consistently. San Diego is a nice campus...not such a nice basketball team.

17. Brigham Young 22-3 532 12
This Week: 2/13 vs. Air Force (9-13)
Mormons. Ballin'. Jesus does not like BYU either. Though they'll prove a tough out in March.

18. Butler 20-4 422 23
This Week: Def. Loyola (IL) 62-47 (2/8), 2/11 at Youngstown State (8-15), 2/13 at Cleveland State (12-12)
Don't even get me started with these next two teams. You can't tell me that Butler is really a top 20 team. Who have they beaten lately? I hope they get waxed in the first rd this year.

19. Northern Iowa 21-2 298 24
This Week: 2/10 at Drake (11-14), 2/13 at Bradley (12-11)
Are we still going with this shit? Top 20 now?! C'mon man. Big deal...two losses. They haven't played anyone.

20. Georgia Tech 17-6 269 21
This Week: 2/10 at Miami (FL) (16-7), 2/13 at Wake Forest (16-5)
This team is kinda scary. They can be very excellent when they're on, but kinda disappointing when they're off their game and prone to a bad loss. Two tough road games this week. Might be dropping out of top 25 come next Monday.

21. Temple 19-5 223 19
This Week: 2/13 vs. Rhode Island (19-3)
Only one game this week, which spells trouble for URI. Lots of time to practice and game-plan. Still haven't seen them play in person, but I hear they're quite good. I still have my doubts.

22. Vanderbilt 17-5 222 18
This Week: 2/9 vs. Tennessee (18-4), 2/13 vs. LSU (9-14)
Loss to UG is not good, but a nice win over TENN could erase some doubts about Vandy. Two home games on that weird court where coaches are on the baseline. WTF?!

23. UNLV 19-4 209 NR
This Week: 2/10 vs. New Mexico (21-3), 2/13 at San Diego State (16-7)
Whatever. Not interesting.

24. Baylor 17-5 202 20
This Week: 2/10 at Nebraska (13-10), 2/13 vs. Missouri (17-6)
Baylor is really Top 25? Ok. Should beat NEB if that's the case and they get the Tigers at home. We'll see next week. I bet they drop out.

25. Pittsburgh 17-6 149 22
This Week: Def. Robert Morris 77-53 (2/8), 2/12 vs. West Virginia (19-4)
Lost last week to Mountaineers and got shit thrown at them from the stands. They play them again this week in a can't-miss-rematch of two good Big East teams.

Others Receiving Votes
Texas A&M 115, Cornell 114, Wake Forest 109, Maryland 69, Charlotte 48, UTEP 33, Mississippi 30, Rhode Island 30, Saint Mary's 18, Siena 18, Illinois 16, Florida State 15, Virginia Tech 11, Marquette 10, UAB 7, Wichita State 5, Richmond 5, Missouri 3, South Florida 2.

Dropped From Rankings
Mississippi 25.

Games To Watch This Week In NCAAB

Tuesday night two Big 10 powers take to the court as #6 Purdue takes on Ohio State. The Boilermakers have been an early season consideration for a #1 seed, though we're a long way from that point. They look to avenge their loss to Wisconsin at home against a good Buckeyes squad.

#2 Kentucky Wildcats (16-0) take on Billy Donovan's Florida squad in Gainesville tonight. Florida is coming off a road loss to Vanderbilt this weekend, and is a sexy upset pick in this game to be the first team to beat Kentucky. (For the record, I'm not on that wagon. I think Wall and Cousins have big games and tear the Gators apart with points in the paint.)

Wednesday features a handful of big games.

Rhode Island takes on St Joe's at home on Wednesday, in a game they'll need to win if they hope to separate from the rest of the pack in the A-10. I've seen one projection that has them as a 6 seed in the tourney, but if they can't beat the middle-tier and even a few upper-tier A-10 teams that is not happening.

Also on Wednesday, Cincinnati takes on St John's in a game of under-the-radar Big East teams. Both these squads could make their way into March Madness with a few big wins in the conference.

Hump day's big battle features #16 Pittsburgh taking on #13 UConn in a battle of upper-echelon Big East teams. UConn has been a bit up-and-down, coming off a loss to Georgetown. They don't seem to really have a go-to scorer and Jerome Dyson hasn't really stepped up the way many have hoped for this season. His averages look good, but he hasn't stepped up in big moments when the Huskies need him.

If Brown vs. Yale tickles your funny bone that will be on Friday.

Be back with a look-see of the weekend games on Friday.

-TomTom

Coach by Day...Superhero by Night?

According to a firsthand witness Jessica Banks from Wellesley, MA; at approximately 8:30 PM ET on Sunday July 12th, at the restaurant Sonsie in Boston, MA, an aggravated 'homeless' looking male began shouting into the restaurant's open terrace dining area for a brief time before losing his match and being shooed away by what appeared to be a restaurant manager.

The focus of this article however focuses on a particular customer very close in proximity to the event; Head Coach for the Syracuse University Orange Men's Basketball Team, Jim Boeheim. According to Banks, Coach Boeheim was accompanied by three others in a Rolls Royce wielding a large diamond wrist watch and a flat ring sporting another diamond with the number "3" on it upon entry to the terrace dining section of the restaurant.

At an identified time into the dinner, the 'homeless' male began his shouting match into the restaurant. The male continued yelling, "Are you threatening me?! Are you threatening me?!" in a very ungrammatical, irate fashion. Other customers sat quietly and "awkwardly" as the male allegedly, according to Banks, seemed to be directing his rant at someone specific.

Being in such close proximity to the aggressive male, Boeheim then turned slightly toward Banks and a friend who where sitting at the neighboring table. In between Boeheim's knees was a "huge" black pistol with what appeared to be light, laser or site on top. "It looked like it weighed 5 lbs," said Banks. Boeheim kept the gun low, out of sight and "about to cock it".

Upon the male retreating to his shopping cart by the curb and walking away, the restaurant manager went straight to Boeheim's table, apologized, and made him aware that someone is patrolling the surrounding sidewalks. Boeheim tucked his concealed weapon back into his "bermuda shorts".

Possibly in humor or potentially serious, Boeheim turned to the other male at his table and said, "I was about to put two in him..." The male responds, "...yeah thats cool just don't shoot me."

A potentially hazardous situation for a Hall of Fame coach. Jim Boeheim has been coaching the Syracuse Orange for 33 seasons including 25 NCAA appearances, winning seven Big East Regular Season Championships, five Big East Tournament Championships, and three trips the National Championship Game with one victory in 2003. Boeheim also ranks third all-time in career wins with a 799-288 wins to loss ratio (.735) and served as an Assistant Coach for the 2008 United States Men's National Basketball Team in the Summer Olympics that won gold.

Jim Boeheim is by no doubt one of the best basketball coaches of all-time. We as fans can only be thankful that he did not have to use necessary force. It is clear that there have been more than a few gun related incidents involving sports figures and although Boeheim used correct judgment, refrained and appeared to only use it in self-defense, the 'what-if' always remains. Strictly as a precedent, we can refer to one of the most notable mistakes that has occurred in the past year, Plaxico Burress, and from there make opinions of our own.

-Scott Beer
DuelingCouches.com

Source: Jessica Banks & unnamed 2nd witness

(DuelingCouches.com is guaranteeing to be the only known source and the first to publish this story. All credits must be published and sourced appropriately.)

*Below is a photo taken by Jessica Banks via camera phone before the incident:

Home Court Advantage

At first glance on TV, the Vanderbilt Commodore's home basketball court looks anything but normal. The first time I saw the court earlier this season, I didn't like it. I thought it looked like a highschool, it was odd, confusing and I imagined if I was a fan there, I would be upset about my seat no matter where I was. Then last night during the #1 ranked Tennessee game, which #14 Vandy won 72-69, I realized that the players and the coaches aren't on the side line like a normal court. The benches are located on the baselines, underneath and to the right of the baskets. Its insane that not only does an away team have to come in and play a tough SEC game and listen to 14,316 Commodore fans but, the away players and coaches need to adjust to the fact that the plays are being called from the baseline, not the sideline. Given, for half the game the offense will be down by it's own bench but thats still further from the point guard than when the coach is closer to half court on a normal court. I know that the format of the court doesn't make that much of a difference in the game play but it is awkward, it is an adjustment and its one thing that sticks in the mind of an away team pulling them away from thinking about basketball. Vandy, their used to it. Its nothing different and their is no adjustment needed. Thats a nice, true, home court advantage.

-SB Posts