glad I missed it...

UM 52
UofI 54

blah...

Enough is Enough

I had to laugh when I saw SportsCenter's teaser last night that read, "Rondo's Big Night".  Usually, this type of headline is reserved for, say, a 40 pt explosion, maybe a 12 point in 2 minute outburst, or how about a buzzer beater to win the game...Nope.  In this case it was a monster game of 11 pts, 11 assts, and 10 rebs.  Wow!!!!!!!!!  Amazing!!!!!!  Puuhhh-leeeaaaassseee.   Further, I noticed that ESPN also had a side by side column comparing Rose to Rondo...as if this is still a debate, especially with Rose coming off a beat-down of Derron Williams and Chris Paul.  (There was an adjacent poll which Rose dominated with 77%)  Rondo supporters point to his assisst totals and how he "runs his team".  This phrase is just an excuse for the fact that he doesn't need to do much other than find one of his three hall of fame teammates.  The bottom line is Rose can do everything Rondo does, but Rondo does maybe a tenth of what Rose does on a nightly basis.  If Rose only needed to score 8 pts a game and find his open teammates I think he'd be able to assume that role in his sleep.  Oh yeah, Rose also isn't the biggest wimp in the league.  Next time you see Rondo take on a screen without falling to the ground in agony, let me know.

A little 'D' from D-Rose

Apparently Derrick (and the rest of the Bulls) can play a little D.  Last two games Derron Williams and Chris Paul combined stats:

8-23, 26pts, 7 TOs

PODCAST: Uniqueness of Wisconsin sports and College Hoops with Ryan Blanco

I'll say it, I'm Jealous!

I have to aknowledge it.  Wisconsin has the premium Big Ten sports environment right now...and I'm jealous.  In addition to having top notch football and basketball programs, lunatic fans, and a dedicated athletic department they have something that none of the other tradtional Big Ten powers have: realistic expectations.  It's really the best of both worlds, and it's something that essentially boils down to the culture and history of the university.  Michigan fans are spoiled.  Ohio State fans are spoiled (and obnoxious).  Wisconsin fans legitimately and sincerely can say that a season is a success without necessarily winning a Big Ten championship.  I guess this is due to the fact that their sports renaissance has been relatively recent.  This attitude matters for reasons other than sustaining the long term physical and mental health of their fans.  It has to help the athletes.  It seems that the lack of extraordinary year-in year-out expectations would limit the pressure.  Maybe the ceiling for Wisconsin athletics doesn't quite equal that of their Michigan and Ohio State counterparts but you wouldn't know that based on the last decade which has included a final four and multiple Rose Bowls.  Are they too drunk on brats and miller lite to know any better?   If it's at the expense of Ohio State then who am I to complain.

As the seconds wind down on Ohio State's undefeated hoops season, I can only think that Madison is the Mecca of the Big Ten...at least as of February 2011. 

Roll Out The Barrel

Wisconsin is trying to defeat #1 Ohio State for the second time this year.  The first?  The Badgers defeated then #1 OSU on the grid iron earlier this year.  Has one team every beaten the same school when they were ranked #1 in two different sports in the same year?  I doubt it.  kinda cool

Who says $30,000 + per year isn't worth it.......GO BLUE !!

AND WITH FOUR YEARS OF GRADUATE SCHOOL AT UOFM....

Packers....damn.

I wasn't exactly sure who I was going to be rooting for going into the super bowl.  It was gonna be one of those games where I had to see how I felt once the game started.  As it turns out I guess I ended up rooting for the Steelers. But that can't be...can it?  I mean, their QB is a rapist for God's sake.  Even though I'm a lifetime Bears fan I haven't developed a hard core hatred for the Packers (but it's growing). I think I was rooting for the Steelers simply because of how frustratingly close the Bears came to being in the super bowl.  Should I just be satisfied and happy that the Bears were 30 yards away from possibly being in the super bowl with Caleb Hanie as our QB?  Or, should I be pissed off and annoyed that the Bears were only 30 yards away from possibly being in the Super Bowl with Caleb Hanie at QB?  The Bears lost to the super bowl champs with their 3rd string QB.  Hopefully this bodes well for the Beloved, but I see this draft as maybe one of the most important in recent Bears history.  The Packers, as nauseating as it is to admit, are here to stay, and the Bears need to hit a home run in the draft in order to stay with them.  Offensive Linemen please?  Angleo, you're up...

A few other observations:

*even with a broken collar bone, Charles Woodson still looks like a stud
*A-Rod...wow.  I don't think we'll forget Cameron Diaz feeding you popcorn on live television anytime soon
*The best advice for picking the super bowl winner at the start of the playoffs is going with the team with the best 'unit', whether that's offensive or defensive.  I mentioned this earlier when the Bears started looking like a legitimite contender due to their defensive performances near the end of the season.  Trying to be objective, it seems like the Packers offense and Pats offense were 1 and 1a heading into the playoffs.  It's a pretty good way to widdle down to an eventual champ.
*The Packers in matter of 2 yrs go from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers.  Really annoying.
*Christina Aguillera forgetting the words?  c'mon man!  Isn't that the music equivalent of, say, Ichiro running to third instead of first?  Ok fine, maybe like forgetting how many outs there are, but still....

PODCAST: super bowl food, Big Ben, college hoops

Davis prefers meatballs over chili, and has never heard of matzah ball soup...welcome to downstate Indiana.

Feel Good Moment....I couldn't resist

Stories about professional athletes doing something wrong always make the headlines: Roethlisberger, Vick, Tiger, etc.  Frequently however, when athletes bring a smile to someone's face off the field of play it goes un-noticed or ignored.  DeSean Jackson, WR for the Eagles, made a surprise appearance on The View and it's a must-see.  If watching the kid's tearful reaction as his favorite player walks out doesn't cause goose-bumps, well....

(Back story:  13 yr old gets brutally bullied and beaten by 7 other kids, and the kids later post it on YouTube.  The victim appears on The View to discuss bullying and his favorite player surprises him)