This is a blog primarily dedicated to sports, but I will also talk about what is on my mind once in awhile. Also, two of my good friends, Paul and Alex, have an MLB blog. You guys should all go check it out at http://715sports.blogspot.com/
Tomorrow, Wisconsin plays Iowa for the first time since 2010, a Wisconsin 31-30 victory in Iowa City. The teams will be in the same division starting next season, so the rivalry will not be taking any breaks in the near future. Iowa comes into the game at 5-3 at 2-2 in the conference, while Wisconsin is 5-2* and 3-1 in conference play. Perhaps the most remembered game in Wisconsin history was also a game against Iowa. For this flashback, we travel back in time to 1999 where Wisconsin smelled the roses in a rout.
Just about a month and a half before the nation would be thinking about the Y2K bug, Wisconsin hosted Iowa with the Big Ten title on the line after Michigan had won at Penn State. History was also at stake, as eventual Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne entered the game 99 yards away from the Division I record for most rushing yards in a career. It was a sunny November day, a perfect picture of what was about to happen at Camp Randall.
The Badgers were a heavy favorite, as Iowa was 1-8 and was held to 11 points or less in five of those games. Wisconsin had a high-powered offense, led by Dayne and his mammoth offensive line. Junior wide receiver Chris Chambers was the main threat in the passing game. He was being thrown the ball by Big Ten Freshman of the Year Brooks Bollinger.
After a sluggish 2-2 start, which included an embarrassing loss at Cincinnati, Bollinger became the starting quarterback after an injury to Scott Kavanagh. He never looked back as he helped the Badgers win the final eight games of the season, including Wisconsin's second straight Rose Bowl.
There was such a buzz around not just the city of Madison, but the entire state of Wisconsin leading up to the game. At the game, the fans were given white towels with "33" on them, eagerly anticipating the moment when Dayne breaks the record.
The game itself was a blowout, as Wisconsin steamrolled the Hawkeyes 41-3 to win its first back-to-back conference championships in more than a century. The game's signature moment happened in the latter stages of the second quarter, as a 31-yard run put Dayne into the record book. It was a classic Dayne run. It had some speed, some agility and some power. The run broke the previous record by Ricky Williams, who had broken the record the previous year.
With the Iowa defense focused on Dayne for much of the day, Bollinger broke out in a big way. He threw for 144 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Chambers, and added 113 yards on the ground and a score. But even with the defense focused on Dayne, he still rushed 27 times for 216 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Dayne had his number retired on Camp Randall Stadium's upper deck facade, in addition to Wisconsin celebrating another Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth.
Wisconsin went onto win the Rose Bowl once again, defeating Stanford 17-9. A number of days and nights at Camp Randall try to beat this one, but they always fall short. With everything at stake in the game, this one is definitely a day for the ages for Wisconsin fans.
Wisconsin has another tough test this week as the Northwestern Wildcats come into Camp Randall Stadium to play the 3-2 Badgers. Wisconsin is coming off a bye and Northwestern is coming off a 40-30 loss in Evanston against Ohio State. The Badgers should have most of their players available, including Melvin Gordon, Kenzel Doe, Dallas Lewallen and Jacob Pedersen. For this flashback, I go back in time to the last time these two teams met in 2010 when J.J. Watt and the Badgers dominated Northwestern en route to a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth.
It was Thankgiving weekend 2010 and three teams were trying to reach the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten representative. The day before, Boise State kicker Kyle Brotzman missed two makeable field goals, one at the end of regulation and one in overtime, as Colin Kaepernick and Nevada won in overtime 34-31 to cost Boise State a berth in the Rose Bowl. In the Big Ten, all eyes would be on Madison, Columbus and State College. Wisconsin had the inside track to go to the Rose Bowl. It had to win and have Ohio State win against Michigan or Michigan State lose at Penn State.
Wisconsin had the edge in BCS ranking, which is what the BCS would go by if it were to end in a 3-way tie. The Badgers lone loss that season was at Michigan State in the Big Ten opener 34-24, so if Wisconsin were to tie with Michigan State, the Spartans would have the edge. However, Wisconsin held the edge over Ohio State after the Badgers dominated No. 1 Ohio State 31-18 in Madison. The Buckeyes and Spartans did not play each other. Completely confusing, I know.
Both Michigan State and Ohio State played at noon EST, so Wisconsin would know its fate by the time it kicked off at 3:30. Wisconsin went back and forth between who to cheer for. At first, the Badgers cheered for Michigan and Penn State, but after Michigan State jumped out to a big lead, Badgers fans had to cheer for the Buckeyes.
Michigan State had to hold on against Penn State 28-22 and Ohio State drilled Michigan 37-7, so Wisconsin knew what it had to do. A win more than likely meant a Rose Bowl berth. It was nationally televised on ABC and the No. 7 Badgers were ready for the spotlight.
Wisconsin came into the game with a three-headed monster at running back in junior John Clay, sophomore Montee Ball and Big Ten Freshman of the Year James White. Wisconsin had a potent offense that ended up scoring at least 70 points on three occasions and more than 30 nine times (I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Before 2010, the Badgers had not scored 70 points in any one game in their modern era.
On this day, junior defensive end J.J. Watt would be a one-man wrecking crew on defense. He had seven tackles with three being for loss, a sack, forced two fumbles, had a quarterback hit that resulted in an interception and blocked an extra point.
Wisconsin also showed how potent its offense could be, marching down the field and scoring on a Ball 32-yard touchdown run on the game's opening possession. Ball ran for 178 yards on 20 carries and scored four times, setting the stage for his magical junior campaign.
On just the second Northwestern play, senior safety Jay Valai intercepted an Evan Watkins pass. After a Wisconsin punt, the Badgers once again forced a turnover, as Watt forced a fumble that was recovered by Tyler Dippel. The turnover set up another Ball touchdown and the Badgers led 14-0. The lead would be 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Then the touchdown parade started. Seven touchdowns were scored with five of those being scored by the home team. Scott Tolzien threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter alone, including a pair to Nick Toon. However, the lone person to score a touchdown that quarter who is still on either team is Northwestern running back Venric Mark, who returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Wisconsin closed out the scoring on a Tolzien 11-yard pass to Toon with 14 seconds to play before halftime to give Wisconsin the 49-17 lead at intermission.
The third quarter provided much of the same, as Ball and White each scored a touchdown to put the Badgers ahead 63-17 before Northwestern scored one final time. The scoring was capped by an interception return by safety Aaron Henry to give the Badgers the 70-23 dominating victory. It also was the first time Wisconsin had won the conference title since 1999.
Wisconsin outgained Northwestern by nearly a 2-to-1 margin and forced an astounding seven Wildcat turnovers. Wisconsin had more rushing yards (329) than Northwestern had total yads (284). It was a dominating performance by Wisconsin, as it reached the 70-point mark for the third time on the season.
This game should not be as easy for Wisconsin, as the Wildcats come in with one of the league's most potent offenses. With Wisconsin struggling against the pass and Northwestern struggling to stop anything, it should be a high scoring game. It should provide some fireworks and be a wildly entertaining game Saturday evening.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are used to being heavy underdogs, especially this year. Jacksonville has only scored 51 points the entire season, while the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos scored at least that much.....in each of the past two games. Jacksonville comes into this week at 0-5, losing every game by double digits with three of them coming by at least 26. Denver, on the other hand, comes in at 5-0, winning four of them by double figures and has scored 230 points on the season. Denver comes in as a 28-point favorite, which would be the largest point spread in NFL history if it holds.
In the franchise's second year, Jacksonville made the playoffs. Led by quarterback Mark Brunell, Jacksonville made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. At their bye week, the Jaguars had a record of 3-6, but the Jaguars rebounded to win six of their final seven to reach the playoffs. All six of those wins came by one possession. That included a win on the last week of the season against the 3-12 Atlanta Falcons, in which Jacksonville needed to win to reach the playoffs. Atlanta had a 30-yard field goal attempt to take the lead with less than a minute to go by one of the all-time great kickers. Morten Andersen's kick sailed wide left and Jacksonville moved onto the playoffs.
Denver steamrolled through the AFC on its way to a 13-3 record. The Broncos won the division so early that they rested players down the stretch. They started out 12-1, but John Elway missed game 14 due to injury and Denver was destroyed by Green Bay 41-6. With starters being rested, Denver lost the last game to San Diego 16-10. Going into the playoffs, all of their players would be healthy. They thought the divisonal round game would be a tune-up.
Jacksonville came into the Wild Card round as huge underdogs against the Buffalo Bills, led by future Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. The latter claimed he did not know anybody on Jacksonville's team. He certainly would know the name of Jacksonville's runing back Natrone Means by the end of the game. Means rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown to lead the Jaguars, but the game would come down to a kick. Jacksonville's string of good luck continued. Second year kicker Mike Hollis nailed a 45-yard field goal that hit off the upright and went through. Top seeded Denver was next.
In the Rocky Mountain News the day of the game, they were called the "Jagwads." Denver Post columnist Woody Paige gave the Jaguars some bulletin board material, asking "Can we get a legitimate NFL team in here next Sunday?" He also made a remark about "How can people get worked up to play somebody called Jacksonville with a bunch of nobodies?"
Those comments fueled the Jaguars, as Jacksonville prepared to pull one of the biggest upsets in playoff history. Denver came in as 17.5-point favorites over the upstart Jaguars. Nobody gave the team from Florida any chance of coming into Mile High and picking up the win.
The first quarter went as most people thought, with Denver scoring two touchdowns, but missed the first extra point and missed the two point conversion on the second touchdown and Denver led 12-0 after one. But Jacksonville fought back in quarter two and the Jaguars took a 13-12 lead at halftime.
With Jacksonville leading 23-20, the Jaguars had one of the biggest plays in their history to put the game away. Brunell, who they had acquired from Green Bay the previous year in a draft day trade, threw a perfect 15-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith down the left sideline to give Jacksonville a 30-23 lead with 3:39 left in the game. Denver would score one final time, but the onside kick was recovered by the Jaguars and Jacksonville won the game 30-27 to advance to New England and the AFC Championship game.
Jacksonville lost at New England 20-6 the following week, but that does not take away from the magnitude of this win and what it did for the franchise. One can only hope the Jaguars can feel this way again in the coming seasons.
Before Scott Tolzien and Russell Wilson made it cool for Wisconsin quarterbacks to wear No. 16 and before Jeff Duckworth could make his mark as a one shot wonder, a little-known quarterback came from the bench to lead the Badgers to one of the biggest wins in school history in 2003.
Matt Schabert, a heralded recruit from Larkin HS in Illinois, expected to be a contributor at Wisconsin. Schabert was a regional All-America choice by SuperPrep. He was a consensus all-state pick his senior season and graduated with the fourth most passing yards and third most passing touchdowns in state history. He decided to go to Wisconsin and join high school teammate Travann Hayes.
He reshirted in 2000 with Wisconsin already set at quarterback with sophomore Brooks Bollinger. He saw his first action as a freshman in Wisconsin's 42-28 loss to Michigan State. His first pass was a 70-yard touchdown to star wide receiver Lee Evans and went onto go 10-of-18 for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. When Bollinger graduated in 2002, Schabert lost the starting job in camp to favorite, senior Jim Sorgi. The senior had played in a number of games in his first three years in Madison and no one was surprised when he beat out Schabert for the starting nod.
As a junior, Shabert saw limited action through the first six games, playing in just two, going just 2-of-6 for 17 yards.
That all changed on the night of Oct. 11, 2003, as he etched his name into Wisconsin Badger history.
What started as a warm, humid day in Madison turned into a rainstorm by the time the ball was kicked off as No. 22 Wisconsin welcomed the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes into Camp Randall. Ohio State was the defending national champions and proud owners of a 19-game winning streak. The Buckeyes returned several key contributors from the championship team, including quarterback Craig Krenzel, wide receiver Michael Jenkins and cornerback Chris Gamble.
Gone was star running back Maurice Clarett, who had a battle with the NFL as he wanted to put his name into the draft, but was not yet three years removed from high school. Clarett not only did not make it in the NFL, but has had repeated run-ins with the law.
Ohio State was undefeated at 5-0, and coming off a bye week. It had been tested early in the season, winning three by one score, including a 44-38 victory against North Carolina State in triple overtime. Wisconsin, on the other hand, had its share of struggles, specifically on the defensive side of the football. After an impressive 24-17 comeback win at West Virginia, Wisconsin came home and struggled to beat Akron and had an embarrassing 23-5 loss to UNLV. The Badgers then rebounded to win three straight, including two straight to start the Big Ten season to enter the titanic matchup at 5-1. Wisconsin was also looking for revenge after Ohio State came into Camp Randall Stadium and beat Wisconsin 19-14 on its way to the championship in 2002.
The weekend itself had great matchups. A big conference matchup between Michigan and Minnesota was moved to that Friday to avoid a potential conflict with the Minnesota Twins, and Michigan outscored Minnesota 31-7 in the fourth quarter to cap a miraculous comeback and win 38-35. There were two matchups between top ten teams (Miami/Florida State and Oklahoma/Texas) and Georgia played Tennessee in Knoxville.
On a rainy night, Wisconsin was looking to once again, end a long winning streak. In 1995, Wisconsin ended Penn State's 20-game winning streak with a 17-9 win in State College. It had to try to break Ohio State's steak, though, without standout running back Anthony Davis, who was recovering from a fractured eye socket.
After reaching the Ohio State 32-yard line on its opening possession, Wisconsin had to punt, sandwiched in between two three and outs by the Buckeyes. On its second possession, Wisconsin scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Booker Stanley to put the Badgers on the board first.
Midway through the second period, the usually sure-handed Jim Leonhard muffed a punt, which led to an Ohio State field goal and the Badgers led 7-3 at the end of the half.
In the third quarter, Wisconsin faced a fourth down and two at its own 9-yard line. Ohio State was looking to get great field position, but R.J. Morse boomed a punt to Gamble, who muffed the punt and Wisconsin recovered it at the 39-yard line of the Buckeyes.
After a first down, Stanley was stopped for a loss of five on two carries to face a third down and 15 from the Ohio State 28.
On the play, Sorgi found no one open, so he decided to take off. Sorgi ran down to the 20-yard line to force a field goal.
After the play, with Sorgi still on the ground, there was a pile-up, which included a number of players from each team, including Donovan Raiola and A.J. Hawk. Ohio State linebacker Robert Reynolds grabbed Sorgi's throat, which bruised his vocal cords. Sorgi had a hard time breathing and was not able to talk, so he could not call plays. He was not able to come back into the game, so enter the backup quarterback. Enter Schabert.
Mike Allen made the field goal to put the Badgers back on top by a touchdown, but Wisconsin had to hold on for dear life knowing it had a backup quaterback in the game.
The defense did just that, holding Ohio State without a touchdown for nearly 54 minutes of the game. But Ohio State woke up seemingly just in time. Krenzel found Drew Carter for a 46-yard pass down inside the Wisconsin 10. Two plays later, Krenzel found Jenkins to tie up the game. And suddenly, Schabert needed to win the game instead of just not lose it.
Wisconsin started the next possession on its own 20-yard line line. After gaining one yard on first down, it was time for Schabert to make a play. In two possessions since entering the game, Schabert had thrown just two passes.
The play call was "56 Jerk." All-American wide receiver Lee Evans had not caught one pass all night. Earlier in the season, offensive coordinator Brian White called that same play. After a big fourth down stop against Akron, preserving a 34-31 lead, White called that same play. Backed up to his own one, Sorgi went back to pass in his end zone and threw it to Evans, who caught it in stride and raced to the end zone for a 99-yard touchdown.
Evans was matched up against Gamble, a fellow future first round pick and had been shut out. Gamble expected Wisconsin to play it conservatively, and expected Wisconsin to throw it short to try to move the ball. The last thing he thought Wisconsin would do is throw it deep. And White knew it.
Schabert came up to the line of scrimmage and Ohio State showed blitz. Ohio State brought pressure, but Wisconsin picked up the blitz. Evans went on an out route and Gamble jumped the route, only to have Evans blow right past him. Schabert threw a nice pass to the wide open Evans, who caught it and ran the rest of the way for the 79-yard touchdown giving the Badgers a 17-10 lead with 5:20 left.
On the ensuing possession, Ohio State drove into Wisconsin territory, but a holding penalty pushed it back and was forced to punt.
Forced with a third and two from its own 14-yard line, Wisconsin needed a play to keep the drive alive. Schabert's number was called once again.
Ohio State stacked the box to stop Stanley, but White called Schabert's number. He ran a bootleg and the Buckeye defense was fooled. He ran five yards for the first down.
Two plays later, Stanley rushed for 24 yards to seal the game and to give Wisconsin its first win against a top five team since a 12-7 win in Columbus against No. 3 Ohio State in November 1985.
In 2005, Wisconsin color commentator Mike Lucas had a book published entitled "The Top 25 Moments in Camp Randall History" and this moment ranked No. 8 in the storied history of Wisconsin football.
Unfortunately, Wisconsin and Schabert could not continue the momentum. Schabert struggled in his only start, a 16-7 loss at Northwestern and struggled even more in the loss to Iowa to end the year, once again in relief of Sorgi. He just completed four passes in 11 attempts for just 49 yards and threw three interceptions against the Hawkeyes. As a team, Wisconsin lost three straight by a combined 15 points and five of its last six to end the season after the big win against Ohio State. It was a disappointing end to a once promising season.
The following year, as a senior, Schabert was beaten out for the starting job by sophomore John Stocco and he transferred to Eastern Illinois, where he played his final season.
He may not have had the career he was hoping for, but the impact Schabert has had on Wisconsin football is still felt today.
With the Arizona State fiasco behind us, it is time to turn our attention to the Purdue Boilermakers, as they come into Camp Randall Stadium with a 1-2 record. Purdue lost a heartbreaking 31-24 game to rival Notre Dame in West Lafayette this past Saturday. Purdue is off to a rough start once again, which is becoming all too familiar for Purdue fans. That downward spiral for Purdue started on an October night nine years ago.
It was October 2004. George Bush was a few weeks from defeating John Kerry in the election, "Goodies" by Ciara and Petey Pablo was the Billboard No. 1 song and the Boston Red Sox would win their first World Series in 86 years later that month. Purdue was also looking for a championship, led by Heisman front-runner Kyle Orton. The Boilermakers had built on the momentum from the 2003 team that went 9-4 as they won the first five games of 2004 by an average of more than 28 points per game.
College Gameday was in town to see No. 5 Purdue host No. 10 Wisconsin under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium. It was a battle between the great offense and the great defense. Purdue came into the game averaging more than 500 yards of offense and more than 41 points per game.Wisconsin, on the other hand, came into the game allowing just 6.5 points per game, which led the nation.
It was a defensive struggle early on, as Wisconsin scored first on a touchdown run by Anthony Davis late in the second quarter to give the Badgers the 7-0 lead going into halftime. But Purdue scored 17 unanswered points, including what most people thought was the dagger, a 6-yard touchdown run by Orton to give Purdue a 17-7 lead midway through the final quarter.
Sophomore quarterback John Stocco then led the Badgers back, a 73-yard touchdown drive, which ended with a Stocco pass to Booker Stanley to cut the deficit to three with 5:29 left. After the kickoff, Purdue moved the chains twice and was looking to do so one more time to bury the Badgers.
Purdue faced a third down and two at its own 38-yard line. Wisconsin desperately needed that one stop to help get the offense back on the field to give it a chance to win.
The offense didn't need to go back on the field. The defense did the scoring for them.
On the critical play of the game, Orton rolled out to the right and tried to pick up the first down with his legs. He reached the 40, which was a first down, but was flipped up into the air by Wisconsin cornerback Scott Starks. Orton, holding the ball in the wrong arm, had the ball knocked out of his grasp by safety Robert Brooks. Starks, who was on the ground, quickly got up to his feet and picked up the loose ball and raced 40 yards for the touchdown to give the Badgers the lead.
Obviously, with a play of this magnitude would get reviewed, especially since it was close. Purdue's fans and coaching staff pleaded with the replay officials to call him down. But after looking for a number of minutes, the replay booth decided that the play would stand. In an unlikely turn of events, it would be Wisconsin that had the lead 20-17 with less than three minutes to play.
Unfortunately for the Badgers, all Purdue had to do was kick a field goal after the extra point was blocked. Purdue also still had the early season Heisman front-runner in Orton. For a quick strike offense like the Boilermakers, 2:36 was more than enough time for Orton's offense to move down the field and recapture the lead.
On the ensuing drive, Purdue started on its own 13-yard line. Fifteen plays and 62 yards later, the Boilermakers faced a fourth down at the 25-yard line of Wisconsin. Coming onto the field was junior kicker Ben Jones to attempt a field goal to send the game into overtime. A year earlier, Jones made four field goals, including the game-winner in Purdue's 26-23 victory in Madison.
But this time, the kicker was not so fortunate, as Jones' kick sailed wide right and the Badgers took a knee and ran the clock out to survive a 20-17 thriller.
The Starks fumble return will not soon be forgotten in Madison........or by Boilermaker backers. The touchdown is one of the signature moments (and there were many) of Barry Alvarez's tenure at Wisconsin. For Purdue, on the other hand, it went on a downward spiral that season after the game and the program has yet to recover and we're nine years removed from it.
That game started a four game losing streak for the Boilermakers, never scoring more than 21 points in any game. Purdue limped to a 7-5 record and a Sun Bowl loss to Arizona State, a far cry from the team that started the season 5-0 and ranked No. 5. For a team that had Rose Bowl aspirations, the season turned out to be a total disappointment.
After that game, Purdue went on a tailspin that the program has yet to recover from. The Boilermakers are 40-59 with a miserable 2-23 record against the top 25 since that game. Purdue has made four bowl appearances (not including the one in 2004 due to its hot start), but those bowls were the Champs Sports Bowl, Heart of Dallas Bowl and the Little Cesars Bowl twice (one was when it was still named the Motor City Bowl). The conference record of 28-41 has been less than stellar as well.
Since that night in 2004, Purdue has also made two coaching changes. From Joe Tiller to Danny Hope and now from Hope to Darrell Hazell, Purdue still has not been able to get off the mat. This is Hazell's first year, so he has time, but it is clear he has his work cut out for him.
In this day and age, the NBA is littered with arrogant punks like Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum and thugs like J.R. Smith. The "good" guys are few and far between, but Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant takes it to a different level. He gave a million of his own money to help the the relief efforts after a tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma.
But the cool thing is, Durant did not do it for publicity like a lot of athletes have done, but he did it because that is just who he is. If you know anything about him, what he is doing to help the relief efforts of this tornado is not surprising at all. It would be more surprising if he didn't try to help out.
This is not the first time he has done such a thing. In 2010, he donated $100,000 to the Athlete Relief Fund for Haiti. He is a generous player and this will not be the last time he will make a generous donation to help in relief efforts.
With all of these players out getting in trouble with the law or getting high on a consistent basis, it certainly is nice to have a player as unselfish off the court as he is on it like Durant. If I had a child, I would love it if he said Durant was his role model.
It will be hard to describe the greatness of Pat Summerall in just one article, but I will try. For people who group in my era, the 1990s, Summerall basically WAS the NFL. The tandem of him and John Madden is arguably the most famous announcing duo in not just NFL history, but sports history. When you woke up on Sunday mornings and come home from church and turn on the television set, if you heard Summerall, you knew it was a big game.
Summerall announced 16 Super Bowls, 26 Masters Tournaments and 21 U.S. Opens. He and Madden announced eight Super Bowls together, including five while with CBS. The final Super Bowl the tandem announced was one of the most memorable in NFL history, a New England Patriots 20-17 upset over the the heavily favored St. Louis Rams. Of those Super Bowls he announced, he and Madden called Super Bowl XXXI, a victory for the Green Bay Packers against the Patriots.
Summerall and Madden went together like peanut butter and jelly. Upon hearing about Summerall's death, Madden called his longtime friend and announcing partner 'The Voice of Football.' It is hard to argue with him. He was the Keith Jackson of the NFL.
Jackson announced college football for 41 seasons for ABC, including 16 Sugar Bowls and 15 Rose Bowls. He also was credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl, 'The Granddaddy of them all.' Coincidentally, Jackson's final game was also a memorable one, as Vince Young led the Texas Longhorns to an upset win over Southern California, ending the 34-game winning streak of the Trojans.
Both Summerall and Jackson have more than just that in common, though. They both had that calm announcing voice that made you want to tune in. It was like "Edward R. Murrow reporting on World War II." They both did not need to go over the top to be noticed like Gus Johnson. They both had their style and both were darn good at it.
As a fan of the Packers, I have very fond memories of Summerall announcing games, as the Packers were just beginning their dominance when Summerall and Madden switched over to FOX following the 1993 season. It does not seem like that long ago when he announced the Packers/Patriots Super Bowl. I still can hear Summerall's call of Desmond Howard's 99-yard kickoff return in my head.
For fans of the 90s and even the 80s, if you think of the NFL, one of the first things you think of, right along with the 49ers, Packers and Cowboys, is the tandem of Summerall and Madden. They worked brilliantly together and we can only hope a tandem half as good as that one will emerge in the future.
There has been talk about whether Brittney Griner, one of the most dominant women's college basketball players of all-time, should try to go into the NBA. That would be an absolute joke if an NBA team picked Griner in this June's NBA Draft. The only reason a team would pick Griner is to try and sell more seats because of the media circus that would go on by the team that drafts her.
Griner, who averaged 23.6 points and nine rebounds per game, led her Baylor Lady Bears to three straight No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Baylor won the championship during the 2011-12 season with a perfect 40-0 record. Her Bears had a record of 135-15 in Griner's four years and went 108-5 in the last three.
But that is women's basketball, where Griner towers over the competition. In the NBA, or even boys high school or men's college basketball, she would not have that advantage. The tallest opposition for Griner is shorter than the shortest NBA center.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has recently stated he may draft Griner. But that just be to get people talking. After all, this isn't the first time Cuban has been involved in controversy.
At 6-8, she would not only not have the size advantage, but she also would have be at a disadvantage in terms of strength, speed and quickness. In women's college basketball, she would have a natural position of center because she is naturally just bigger than everyone else. However, in the NBA, she would have to play small forward. The problem with that is the fact that she does not have the quickness to do that. Imagine her trying to defend LeBron James or Kevin Durant, or even reserves like Chase Budinger or Matt Barnes.She would stand no chance. None at all.
If she were to be a power forward, the big men would have an easy time getting into the paint against her. She would not stand a chance against players like Reggie Evans, let alone players like Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge. There is just too big of a strength differential.
She also would have a hard time getting past defenders and getting to the rim as well. In women's college basketball, her shots stand little chance of being blocked. In the NBA, if she were to not reach the paint, she would have to do a mid-range shot or try to do a hook shot, and players like Dwight Howard and Serge Ibaka would eat that shot for dinner.
Not to discount what she has done in women's college basketball because she is perhaps the greatest women's college basketball player ever, but she just does not stand a chance in the NBA. The players are too big, too fast and too strong. She would not be able to compete. It would be a mistake for any team to draft her. She would not even be able to compete in the NBA Developmental League. She has the potential to be one of the greatest WNBA players, though.
Last season, Indiana head coach Tom Crean handed out rings to all the members of the Hoosiers commemorating their turnaround season. They finished 27-9 and won two games in the NCAA Tournament before being bounced in the Sweet 16 by the eventual National Champion, Kentucky Wildcats. On the rings, they featured wins over No. 1 Kentucky, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Michigan State.
This year, Indiana, despite being a No. 1 seed and the heavy favorite to go to Atlanta, was upset in the Sweet 16 by Syracuse. But Crean was so proud of his players that he once again has had rings made in honor of their accomplishments. They will have "No. 1" on them, commemorating the Hoosiers being No. 1 in the country 10 weeks this season in the Associated Press rankings. They will also have a Michigan State logo on them with a line through it because of Indiana's impressive two wins over the Spartans on the year.
"Last year, we announced to the world that Indiana basketball is back," Crean said. "Now, this second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance announces to the world that Indiana basketball is really, really back."
When reporters asked Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim what he thought of the rings, Boeheim thought the rings should show Indiana big man Cody Zeller getting his shot blocked against his Orange in Indiana's loss to Syracuse in the Sweet 16.
"Did Zeller even score any points that game," Boeheim asked. All I remember about that game is Zeller getting his shot rejected every single time he shot it. I asked my assistants if we had signed Dikembe Mutombo."
In addition to the rings, Indiana will be selling "Back-to-back" Sweet 16 T-shirts. All proceeds will be set aside for the 2013-14 Sweet 16 rings, assuming the Hoosiers get back there.
"This probably is not the end of giving out rings," Crean said. "I am just so proud of this group of players that they deserve everything given to them."
Crean went onto say there will most certainly be rings given out to the Hoosier team that finally beats the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers have not lost to Indiana since the 2006-07 season and Crean has yet to beat Wisconsin as the coach of the Hoosiers.
"I cannot wait to hand out those rings," Crean said. "Unfortunately, we might have to wait another 10 years for that to happen."
With the season over for the Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team, it is time to reflect back on a season in which Green Bay overcame a slow start to finish with an 18-16 overall record and make it to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. The strong end to the season could signal a sign of things to come for next year's Phoenix squad, as it returns everyone but Brennan Cougill and adds transfer Alfonzo McKinnie.
Best performance: Keifer Sykes, at Valparaiso, March 9
Sykes started the season with a 31-point performance against Chicago State. Valparaiso is no Chicago State and the Horizon League Tournament is more important than a non-conference game. Sykes almost willed the Phoenix to an upset victory over Horizon League champion. He matched his career high with those 31 points, while going 11-of-20 from the field. He did not just score, though, as he hauled in five rebounds and dished out six assists while also picking up two steals. But Sykes and Green Bay was left thinking "What might have been" after Valpo's Ryan Broekhoff hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer and Valpo made the NCAA Tournament.
Honorable mention:Keifer Sykes, vs. Chicago State; Sykes scored 31 points on 7-of-14 shooting and shot 19 free throws, making 17 in Green Bay's 72-67 season-opening victory.
Best unexpected performance: Jordan Fouse, vs. Cleveland State, Jan. 19
Fouse is known for stuffing the stat sheet without scoring a ton, but against Cleveland State, he showed he can score a bit too. He scored a career-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds and had four assists and three steals in leading Green Bay to a 77-50 victory over Cleveland State, capping a four game winning streak.
Honorable mention:Sultan Muhammad vs. Illinois-Springfield, Muhammad scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting in an 84-43 win; Cole Stefan at Loyola, Stefan went 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point territory. He scored 13 points in all and added five rebounds in Green Bay's 73-65 win.
Best game: Green Bay vs. Marquette, Dec. 19
The Phoenix hosted Marquette for the first time at the Resch Center. Green Bay was coming in at 3-7 and had lost seven of its last eight. The lone senior, Brennan Cougill, also sat out the game. The good news was that it was 2-1 at home and it would be fired up playing against the eventual Big East co-champions. Green Bay started out strong, having a 25-16 lead with five minutes left in the first half. But the Golden Eagles dominated the final five minutes, going on a 15-2 run before a jumper by Kam Cerroni ended the half, as Green Bay trailed by two at halftime. The game was close throughout the second half, as the biggest lead of the half was just four points. With 35 seconds left and Green Bay ahead by a single point, Marquette's Vander Blue missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Marquette secured the offensive rebound. The Golden Eagles wound down the clock on the last possession and had an open shot with three seconds left. But Jake Thomas missed the 3-pointer in the corner and Alec Brown secured the rebound. Brown was fouled and made one free throw and Marquette's last ditch effort missed and the Phoenix secured the upset 49-47.
Honorable mention: Green Bay vs. UIC, 64-63; Green Bay at Cleveland State, 66-59
Best play: Sultan Muhammad's game-winner vs. UIC, March 8
In a close game throughout, Green Bay took a six point lead with six minutes left. But Hayden Humes took over for UIC, going on a personal 7-0 run to take the lead 59-58 with three minutes left. With the game tied at 61, Keifer Sykes fouled Gary Talton on a jump shot. Talton made both free throws to put UIC up 63-61. On the final possession, Sykes dribbled the ball up the court. He dribbled past halfcourt and found an open Sultan Muhammad on the right wing. Muhammad buried the 3-pointer, giving the Phoenix the 64-63 win to advance and play Valparaiso the following day.
Honorable mention: Sykes' one-handed jam vs. Chicago State, Jordan Fouse's basket and foul vs. Milwaukee in Horizon League Tournament
Best moment: Green Bay upsetting Marquette, Dec. 19
Ever since I became a student at Green Bay, this was the game I really wanted to go to. As a Phoenix fan/student and also a Badgers fan, I hate Marquette with a passion. This was my last game as a student, so there would be nothing better than to go out on a high note and see the Phoenix upset one of my least favorite teams. The last few minutes, my legs were shaking the entire time. On the final possession, Marquette had an open shot with Jake Thomas, which would have won the game. When Thomas put the shot up, my heart was in my throat because I thought that shot was going in. When it didn't, I was so pumped up. It was the most fun I have had watching a basketball game ever. I don't know if any game will top it. What a way to end my collegiate career. A snowstorm hit the following day, forcing me to not be able to move back until Dec. 21 when I could have gone home after graduation because all my finals were completed. I also lost my voice during the game. It was all well worth it.
Honorable mention:Sultan Muhammad's game-winning 3-pointer vs. UIC, Alec Brown joins 1,000-point club with dunk at Milwaukee
In 2007, it was Randy Moss. In 2010 it was Marshawn Lynch. In 2013 it was Steven Jackson. Every year, a lot of Green Bay Packers fans are up in arms over General Manager Ted Thompson's inactivity during free agency.
After Green Bay failed to sign running back Steven Jackson, fans on Twitter were fuming. Fans were calling for his firing. It was a little extreme for a running back who will be 30 by the time the season rolls around. Fans should know Thompson does not actually spend a lot of money during free agency. But every year, Green Bay still wins. Over the past four seasons, Thompson has compiled a 47-17 regular season record along with a 5-3 postseason record, including a Super Bowl win.
Signing big name free agents rarely works, just ask the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. What happened with big time free agent Albert Haynesworth and his $100 million contract? That marriage lasted just two seasons and he seemed to stop caring after his big payday. Philadelphia made big free agent signings in 2011 of former Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and highly coveted cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha as well as traded for another cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That team was called the "Dream Team" by quarterback Vince Young, who was all signed as a free agent that offseason. Well, all of those players are no longer with the Eagles and that dream turned into a nightmare after a 12-20 record in these last two seasons. If a team makes a poor free agent signing, it cripples a franchise and it takes them a few years to recover from it.
People wanted the Packers to sign Jackson as well as re-signing wide receiver Greg Jennings. I would have loved for that to happen, but there is a thing called a salary cap. At this moment, the Packers are comfortably below the salary cap. However, all that cap will be used up when they sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is a free agent after 2014, and linebacker Clay Matthews to hefty new contracts. That does not even include defensive tackle B.J. Raji and James Jones, who are also free agents after next season. There was absolutely no way Thompson would be able to re-sign all of them as well as sign Jackson. Would you sacrifice re-signing Matthews or Raji to re-sign Jennings and sign Jackson? I didn't think so.
Thompson has a proven track record and has proven to make the right decisions more often than not. Green Bay is in the mix for former New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw. If he signs, great, but if not, I am not worried. Thompson knows what he is doing and I would not trade him for any other GM in the league. No matter what happens, the Packers will be fine.
Before Bo Ryan became the coach at Wisconsin, the Badgers had only seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Since he got to Wisconsin, the Badgers have made the NCAA Tournament all 12 years. In those 11 prior years, the tournament has provided thrills for the Badgers which has seen five Sweet 16 appearances and an Elite 8. Here is my list for the top 10 Wisconsin moments from the NCAA Tournament under Bo Ryan.
10. Mike Bruesewitz hits a crucial 3-pointer vs. Kansas State, 2011
After a steal by Jordan Taylor with less than two minutes to play and the game tied at 64, Taylor dribbled up the court and found an open teammate. That teammate was Bruesewitz on the right wing who buried a 3-pointer to put the Badgers in front for good, 64-61. Wisconsin never relinquished the lead as it went to the Sweet 16 with the victory. More from this game coming up.
9. Wisconsin comes back from big deficit to beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2007
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored the first 10 points of the game and took a 25-7 lead with 5:29 left in the first half. Wisconsin ended the first half on a 12-2, led by Alando Tucker's eight points in the run. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took a 12-point lead, 40-28, early in the second half, but Wisconsin went on a 24-8 run to take a 52-48 lead with a little less than nine minutes left. Wisconsin scored 57 in the second half and pulled away down the stretch as the Badgers avoided the upset with a 76-63 win against the Islanders. Wisconsin would fall two days later to UNLV.
8. Jared Berggren's deflects away Vanderbilt in the final seconds, 2012
With Wisconsin leading by three with 1.3 seconds left, Vanderbilt had one last chance, having to go the length of the court for the tie. Lance Goulbourne looked and tried a long pass, but Berggren got his paw in the way and deflected the ball in the air and celebrated the big 60-57 win in the round of 32 No. 4/5 matchup.
7. Jason Bohannon's crucial 3-pointer vs. Florida State, 2009
With Wisconsin trailing by one point with less than a minute left and the shot clock winding down, Joe Krabbenhoft drove down the lane, but was cut off and passed it to an open Bohannon at the top of the key. Bohannon launched a deep 3-pointer and nailed it to take a 52-50 lead. That set the stage for one of the best tournament finishes under Ryan. More from this game coming up later.
6. Wisconsin comes back vs. North Carolina State, 2005
Wisconsin struggled in the first half against the Wolfpack and trailed by as many as 10 points before trailing 30-21 at halftime. Wisconsin started the first half on a 26-7 run to turn a nine point deficit into a 10-point lead. Alando Tucker scored 12 points in that run, which included an eight point run of his own to help the Badgers build a 47-37 lead. North Carolina State cut the lead to four points, but could get no closer as Wisconsin won the Sweet 16 matchup 65-56 to set up a showdown against North Carolina in the Elite 8.
5. Jon Leuer shoots Wisconsin to victory vs. Wofford, 2010
With less than a half minute left and No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 13 Wofford tied at 49, Wisconsin had the ball and needed a basket. After an offensive rebound by Keaton Nankivil, the Badgers nearly used the entire shot clock as Leuer was open on the baseline and nailed the open jumper to give Wisconsin the 51-49 lead. Wofford turned the ball over on the next possession and Leuer stepped to the line and calmly sank two free throws to give Wisconsin the 53-49 win.
4. Taylor blocks Pullen, 2011
With Wisconsin leading the Kansas State Wildcats 66-63 late in the game, Kansas State star Jacob Pullen pulled up for a 3-pointer to try to tie the game. Taylor fouled Pullen on the shot and sent him to the line for three free throws to try to tie the game. Pullen made two of the three free throws. Taylor made two free throws on the other end, setting up the same scenario. Pullen scored 38 on the night and would certainly get the ball. Taylor knew he would draw the assignment of guarding Kansas State's best player. Pullen received a handoff and tried a 3-pointer from the left wing. Taylor tried to contest the 3-pointer again. This time, Taylor got all ball and the ball floated down to Josh Gasser, who was fouled. He made both and Wisconsin went onto the Sweet 16 with a 70-65 win over the Wildcats.
3. Chambliss to Tucker, 2005
This is the only moment from a losing effort. Wisconsin was a heavy underdog against the eventual National Champion North Carolina Tar Heels. Wisconsin played right with the Heels and used an 11-0 run to tie the game going into halftime. North Carolina tried to pull away multiple times in the second half, but every time North Carolina made a run, Wisconsin answered. Late in the game, Wisconsin trailed by five. Senior transfer Sharif Chambliss executed a beautiful alley-oop to Alando Tucker to pull the Badgers within three points. Wisconsin would get no closer and would lose 88-82, but Tucker's alley-oop is one of the signature tournament plays in Ryan's tenure.
2. Hughes quiets Florida State, 2009
I told you there would be more from this game. Here it is. Florida State controlled the entire first half, leading 31-19 at the break. After Wisconsin took a 10-4 lead, the Seminoles ended the half on a 27-9 run to go into halftime with all the momentum. But Wisconsin stormed out of recess with a 13-0 run, led by sophomore Keaton Nankivil, who scored eight in the run, including a pair of 3-pointers. Florida State would take a 7-point lead on multiple occasion in the second half, but Wisconsin responded each time. After the Bohannon 3-pointer, Florida State star Toney Douglas made a pair of free throws. Freshman Jordan Taylor missed a wide open 3-pointer at the buzzer and the game went into overtime. Wisconsin trailed by one point with 8.3 seconds to play. Tim Jarmusz inbounded it to Hughes and he went to work. The junior point guard drove into the lane and put up a tough shot. He hit it going glass, with a foul on top of it as Douglas grabbed Hughes' jersey. Wisconsin was the lowest seed ever under Ryan in 2008-09, but Hughes made sure it would create some magic before it was eliminated.
1. Owens caps the comeback, 2003
Wisconsin, led by Devin Harris and Kirk Penney, had won its first outright conference title in 56 years. The Badgers struggled with No. 12 Weber State before moving on. Before the second round game against Tulsa, people did not think Freddie Owens would play as he sprained his ankle in the win over Weber State. But play he did, and he sure made a significant impact. Wisconsin was down 13, 58-45 with 4:08 to play. CBS thought the game was over, so it switched to a different game. Wisconsin would go on an 11-0 run to cut it to 58-56. After a Tulsa basket, Harris scored on a layup to cut it to two. Tulsa would turn it over on a shot clock violation on its next possession to set the stage for the thrilling conclusion. With 12.1 seconds left, Harris took the ball up the court. He drove the lane and Tulsa's defense surrounded him. He found an open Owens in the corner. Owens drilled the 3-pointer with one second left and Wisconsin won 61-60 in one of the more improbable comebacks for Wisconsin in recent memory.
The first thing that I noticed when the brackets came out is that the Midwest region is brutal. The top overall seed, the Louisville Cardinals, seemingly stole the No. 1 seed from the Indiana Hoosiers. A week or two ago, not many people had Louisville as a No. 1 seed let alone the top overall seed. Indiana had the top seed in the Indianapolis region all but wrapped up. That was until Louisville went on a hot streak and blew through the Big East conference tournament and Indiana was upset in the semifinals in the Big Ten Tournament by Wisconsin.
In addition to the top overall seed and arguably the hottest team in the country in Louisville, perhaps the best of the No. 2 seeds in the Duke Blue Devils. Before the upset loss to Maryland in the ACC Tournament, Duke had won every game it had played with Mason Plumlee in the lineup. Plumlee is back and I expect the Blue Devils to put the loss to Maryland behind them. The Michigan State Spartans are the No. 3 seed and they may be the best No. 3 seed as well. Michigan State finished a game behind Indiana in the Big Ten standings. Michigan State has the toughness and low post presence to go far in the tournament. And don't ever count out Tom Izzo's bunch come tournament time. St. Louis, the No. 4 seed, is a great team, who swept Butler in three games and beat Virginia Commonwealth twice, including the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game. The Billikens are coming in having won 15 their last 16 games.
Oregon has a gripe about their seeding. It is a No. 12, having swept UCLA and having a road win over UNLV and another win over Arizona. Oregon won the Pac 12 Tournament as well. This seeding made no sense to me, especially with teams like San Diego State, Oklahoma and Colorado receiving higher seeds than the Ducks.
I have yet another matchup between Louisville and Michigan State in the regional final with Louisville winning. It would be the second consecutive season and the third in the last five. The teams have split those two tournament meetings.
To me, the weakest region is the East. Indiana may have lucked out by not being placed in the Midwest region. The Hoosiers are placed in the region with perhaps the weakest of the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in Miami and Marquette. If Marquette gets past Butler and Miami into the Elite 8, it could set up a matchup between Indiana and coach Tom Crean against his former team, Marquette. I think Indiana should breeze into the Final Four.
As much as Michigan State and Louisville have met, Wisconsin and Kansas State could meet once again in the tournament. It would be the third time it has met since the 2008 tournament and second in three years. Both prior times the teams have met in the tournament, it has been in the round of 32. And it would meet once again in that round should the teams meet this year.
After the top two in the South region, the teams fall down considerably. Kansas and Georgetown are a worthy top two, but Florida struggles mightily away from home. The Gators also struggles in close games and there are bound to be some in the tournament. Florida has lost four of its past six road and neutral site games. I do not see Florida getting past the Sweet 16. This region has a Kansas/Georgetown Elite 8 matchup written all over it.
This tournament is sure to provide thrills, just like every other tournament. Now, it is time to just sit back and relax and enjoy the greatest two sporting days of the year.
When people talk about NCAA Player of the Year candidates, the two names that always come up are Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Michigan's Trey Burke. But the name that is brought up, but as an afterthought after Oladpo and Burke is Georgetown's Otto Porter. He is the player who should win not only Big East Player of the Year, but NCAA Player of the Year as well.
Porter is having a remarkable year for the Hoyas. This super sophomore was not being talked about as an option for NCAA Player of the Year for most of the year, but he had his coming out party Feb. 23 at No. 8 Syracuse in Georgetown's 57-46 victory. Against the Orange, he scored a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting and added six rebounds and five steals, while playing all 40 minutes. He followed that up with a 22-point effort in a big overtime win at Connecticut. He has led the Hoyas to big wins over Syracuse (twice), Louisville and at Notre Dame and now he has them on the verge of possibly being a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
He was the only player from Georgetown selected to either the All-Big East first or second teams. Michigan and Indiana both had two players named to the All-Big Ten first team. He has come up big in the biggest games. He has scored at least 15 points in six of the seven games Georgetown has played against ranked opponents. In the game he did not reach 15, he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds and dished out a career high-tying seven assists. He shoots 50 percent and 44 percent from behind the 3-point line. He also averages 7.5 rebounds per game and nearly three assists per game. His 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game lead the team. He is the go-to guy for the Hoyas and is by far the biggest scoring threat on the team and has almost single-handedly helped lead this team to a Big East title and possible No. 1 seed.
The Big Ten Player of the Year went to Burke, even though he missed a crucial free throw down the stretch against Oladipo's Indiana Hoosiers that would have given Michigan a share of the Big Ten championship.
Oladipo may be hurt by the fact that one of the preseason favorites to win the Player of the Year is on his team in big man Cody Zeller. Oladipo is averaging nearly 14 points per game while shooting a whopping 61 percent from the floor and earning recognition as the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year. Zeller, on the other hand, is averaging nearly 17 points per game to go along with more than eight rebounds per game. With Zeller being a preseason All-American, more attention goes to him, which gives Oladipo a chance to make plays without having to be double teamed like Zeller is constantly down in the post. Oladipo does not have those "wow" stats. He just consistently gets it done and is a worthy choice for the award, if he, in fact, does win it.
Like Oladipo, Burke also has plenty of talent surrounding him, led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who was an All-Big Ten first team selection. But when it comes down to it, when the game is on the line, Burke is the man who has the ball in his hands. That may not always be a good thing, though, as Burke has missed huge shots, either from the field or the free throw line, late in losses to Wisconsin, Ohio State and Indiana. Burke, however, did lead his team to a victory against rival Michigan State with a steal a steal and dunk with 22 seconds left to give the Wolverines the team the lead before sealing the game with a steal with two seconds left. He also took over late at Purdue, willing his team to a much-needed victory. Burke was second in the conference in scoring, only trailing Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas. Burke has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games, and the only game he didn't was an 18-point effort at Penn State. In addition to his scoring, he was also 11th nationally and No. 1 in assists per game. But I cannot overlook Burke's struggles late in the games that could have costed his team a Big Ten championship, especially missing the front end of a 1-and-1 against Indiana this past Sunday that came back to haunt Michigan. The Wolverines also finished tied for fourth in the conference and will have to play on the first day of the conference tournament Thursday in a rematch with Penn State.
My guess is Oladipo will win the NCAA Player of the Year, even though Burke won the Big Ten Player of the Year. But do not sleep on Porter. If I was given a vote, he would have it. Nobody thought the Hoyas would be in contention for a No. 1 seed and here they are in March, vying for the fourth No. 1 seed behind Duke, Gonzaga and Indiana.
Well, it was a week that had it all, which saw a last-second shot, some great plays and some unbelievably bad basketball (thanks, Badgers). For this week's best of the week, one game will make an appearance more than once and deservedly so. Here is the best of the week:
Best performance: Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves vs. Washington
Rubio did not have the best shooting night, just making four of his 15 shots, but he made the clutch plays when it counted, including forcing a turnover in the last minute of the game and tipping it to J.J. Barea for a layup that sealed the game. Even though he only made four shots, he scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists as well. Once again, he provided spark with his quick hands, having six steals and seven rebounds. Once Rubio can improve his shot, which he was not able to do over the offseason due to the ACL injury, he will be an unstoppable force for the Wolves moving forward.
Honorable mention:Jordan Fouse, Phoenix vs. Milwaukee; Fouse scored 12 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and having three blocks and three steals in Green Bay's 62-46 win against Milwaukee.
Best unexpected performance: Charlie Coyle, Wild vs. Edmonton
Coyle tallied a goal and an assist in the Wild's 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers, including the eventual game-winning goal in the third period. With the Wild tied after two periods 1-1, Coyle assisted along with Jared Spurgeon on a goal by Mikko Koivu just nine seconds into the third period to put Minnesota in front 2-1. Coyle's goal made it 3-1 and Minnesota took home the victory. For Coyle, it was his second goal and is trying to provide a spark with the first line of Koivu, Dany Heatley and Zach Parise sputtering at the moment.
Honorable mention:Alexey Shved, Timberwolves vs. Miami; Shved scored 13 points, including a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points before the Wolves fell 97-81.
Best game: Phoenix vs. UIC
There was no other game that came close. The game was close basically throughout. Green Bay had a 10-point lead early in the second half, but a quick 5-0 run by UIC cut the Phoenix lead to five and completed the run at 14-4 to tie the game at 43-43 at the under 12 media timeout. Green Bay kept trying to pull away, taking five point leads on two separate occasions and a six point lead on a 3-pointer by Keifer Sykes to put Green Bay up 58-52 with six minutes to play. But then the Phoenix went cold, scoring just one point in a four minute stretch to let UIC back into the game. Hayden Humes, who scored 23 on the night, had an individual 7-0 run to put UIC up 59-58. After a Brown free throw tied it up, the teams traded baskets and Jordan Fouse was at the free throw line with 44 seconds left. He missed both free throws and UIC had a chance to take the lead. The Flames did just that as Gary Talton was fouled on a jump shot. He made both to set the stage for the thrilling ending. Sykes dribbled it across half court and found an open Sultan Muhammad, who buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1.7 seconds left. The half court heave at the buzzer was wide left and Green Bay advanced to tonight's semifinal game against Valparaiso.
Honorable mention:Minnesota Wild; 4-2 win vs. Edmonton
Best play: Sultan Muhammad's game-winner vs. UIC
Well, I already went over this play above, but it was so good, it needed to be relived again. With Green Bay down 63-61 after two free throws by Gary Talton, Green Bay looked to point guard Keifer Sykes to make a play. While Sykes dribbled the ball up the court, Phoenix coach Brian Wardle is begging for a timeout call. Wardle was never granted a timeout, as no refs saw him calling for one. It's a good thing too, as Sykes found Muhammad on the right wing, who knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Phoenix the thrilling 64-63 win to move onto the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament where it will play top-seeded Valparaiso tonight. The game will be televised live on ESPNU at 8:30 EST.
Honorable mention:Ricky Rubio's crazy layup vs. Washington, switching hands mid-air and making the layup in Minnesota's 87-82 victory; Derrick Williams and-one vs. Washington, Rubio passed the ball to a cutting Williams, who was hacked on the arm and flipped the ball up and it went in in Minnesota's win over the Wizards.
Best moment: Sultan Muhammad......once again
This is the third straight time this play has been mentioned, but it never gets old. Muhammad's big 3-pointer put the Phoenix into the semifinals in the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since 2009 when it had a double bye before losing to Cleveland State. Muhammad will have to come up even bigger if the Phoenix wants to knock off top-seeded Valparaiso. The Crusaders swept the season series, winning both by double digits.
Honorable mention: J.J. Barea/Ray Allen skirmish, Barea was not amused by Allen's flopping
In this edition of Flashback Friday, the Wisconsin Badgers had a chance to win the outright Big Ten championship with a win in Evanston against the Northwestern Wildcats, who were 1-16 in conference. Nobody really gave Wisconsin much of a chance to do much in the 2007-08 season after losing arguably its two best players in Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor to graduation. The Badgers struggled early in the season, getting blown out at Duke and suffering a rare home loss to in-state rival Marquette, which left Wisconsin fans scratching their heads. The season turned around with a trip to Austin, Texas. After leading scorer, point guard Trevon Hughes was injured the day before the game, Wisconsin rebounded with an improbable win to set the table for a great ride in the Big Ten season. Wisconsin came into the Northwestern game 15-2 in conference and was looking to complete its incredible season with an outright conference title.
Wisconsin already clinched at least a share of the conference crown with a 77-41 win over Penn State March 5. Even though Northwestern struggled, it had some talent on the team, led by Kevin Coble.
Brian Butch was having none of that, though, as he scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, both were game highs and Wisconsin won 65-52.
Northwestern made it interesting throughout much of the first half, as a layup by Michael Thompson cut the Wisconsin lead to 21-20 with five and a half minutes to play in the first half. After that, though, Wisconsin went to work. Butch and Jason Bohannon each scored four points and Northwestern was held scoreless for the rest of the half after the Thompson layup and Wisconsin went into halftime ahead 29-20.
After two free throws by Northwestern's Nikola Baran cut it to 37-29, Marcus Landry went on a personal 8-0 run, including two 3-pointers, to put the game away. Northwestern would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way and Wisconsin won to clinch its first outright conference title since 2003.
Along with Butch's 20 and 14, two other Badgers scored in double figures, Landry with 12 and Jason Bohannon with 15. Joe Krabbenhoft once again stuffed the stat sheet for the Badgers, scoring nine points and added six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
The Badgers finished the regular season 26-4 and 16-2 in Big Ten play, with the only two losses coming to the Purdue Boilermakers. Wisconsin won all three games in the Big Ten Tournament to win it and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers won their first two games by double digits against Josh Akognon and Cal State Fullerton and then Michael Beasley and Kansas State. But then they ran into a buzzsaw named Stephen Curry in the Sweet 16 and the Badgers fell to Curry's Davidson Wildcats 73-56 to end the season 31-5.
There are six teams left. I went 2-1 in my first round predictions and came only a few points from going undefeated. This time, the tournament moves to Valparaiso, as the Crusaders are the top seed in the tournament.Valparaiso is considered the favorite with the home court behind it as well as five starters in the starting lineup. Here are my predictions for the next two rounds:
Quarterfinals
No. 5 UIC vs. No. 4 Green Bay
Green Bay made its way to the second round with a 62-46 victory against Milwaukee Tuesday night. The Phoenix did not play very well, shooting just 34 percent, but it was good enough to knock off Milwaukee. However, if it does not shoot better against UIC, the Flames will be moving on. UIC started the game on a 30-6 run against Cleveland State in the first round and coasted to an 82-59 victory. The teams split the two regular season games, with each team winning at home. The Phoenix posted a 53-47 victory in Green Bay, and UIC overcame a late second half deficit to beat Green Bay 60-57 in Chicago. Gary Talton only averaged 10.5 points against the Phoenix in the two meetings, so he needs to get going if the Flames want to win. Hayden Humes and Josh Crittle scored 33 points combined in UIC's victory this year over Green Bay. Alec Brown will need to slow Crittle down. In the first meeting, Brown scored 21 of the team's 53 points, while Sykes scored 18 in the second meeting. Both will need to be on their game to beat the Flames tomorrow night.
Prediction: Green Bay 57, UIC 51
No. 6 Youngstown State vs. No. 3 Wright State
Youngstown State won yet another thriller against Loyola when D.J. Cole banked in a last-second shot and the Penguins earned a 62-60 victory over the visiting Ramblers. Youngstown State beat Loyola three times on the season by a combined five points. Next up is Wright State, who earned a bye in the first round. The teams met in the last game of the season and Wright State ran away with it 72-45 in Dayton last weekend. Once again, all indications are that Youngstown State leading scorer Kendrick Perry will miss this game, which would be a huge blow to the Penguins chances. Wright State has arguably the best defense in the conference and for a team already struggling to score in Youngstown State without Perry, it would be that much harder to win.
Prediction: Wright State 64, Youngstown State 48
Semifinals
No. 4 Green Bay at No. 1 Valparaiso
The Phoenix had a chance to lock up the No. 3 seed and a first round bye, assuring itself of not having to face Valparaiso until the championship game. But all of that went away when Valparaiso came into Green Bay and rode the hot shooting of Matt Kenney, who scored 23 points on 7-of-7 shooting and 6-of-6 from 3-point range, and won 75-56, forcing Green Bay to play Milwaukee Tuesday night. I don't expect Matt Kenney to shoot like that again, but on the flip side, Ryan Broekhoff has shot just 33 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range in the two meetings against Green Bay so far this year. The seven points he scored in the regular season finale was his first game in single digits since having just eight points at Nebraska Nov. 15. Sykes and Brown need to play their best to have a chance. But with five seniors starting, I think the veteran Crusaders are too much.
Prediction: Valparaiso 70, Green Bay 58
No. 3 Wright State vs. No. 2 Detroit
Detroit is a weird team to figure out. One game it can go out and win at Valparaiso or clobber Youngstown State and UIC by more than 40, but then can also lose to Cleveland State, which finished eighth in the conference. It will be a matchup of good offense against good defense. Wright State leads the Horizon League in scoring defense, while Detroit leads the conference in scoring offense, led by Horizon League Player of the Year Ray McCallum. Wright State is last in the conference in scoring offense, but Detroit is last in the conference in scoring defense. Detroit and Wright State split their meetings in the regular season, with both teams winning on the road. When Detroit plays up to its potential, it is the best team in the conference, in my opinion. Detroit knows it is do or die time and the Titans come out on top, setting up a rematch of last year's Horizon League Tournament championship game.
Coming off an emotional loss to Miami Monday night when they only dressed nine players, the Minnesota Timberwolves will look to end a six game losing streak when John Wall and the Washington Wizards come to the Target Center. The Wizards won the first meeting in January 114-101 at the Verizon Center. Washington is coming off a 90-87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams are struggling this year, and need to start winning now if either team wants to make a run at the playoffs. Here are the keys to end the six game losing streak for Minnesota:
1) Contain the rookie
Washington's Bradley Beal, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, has real come on strong recently. He has scored at least 20 points in five of his past nine games, including a 29-point effort last Friday against New York. It will be a struggle for Luke Ridnour and Alexey Shved to guard Beal. If Beal has a great game, it will be tough to beat the Wizards unless Minnesota has an unexpected great game from outside of Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams.
2) Win the rebounding battle
Washington's tandem of big men, Nene and Emeka Okafor, is a good pair and Minnesota's duo of Williams and Greg Stiemsma will have to at least match the Wizards' duo. Williams and Stiemsma are both not very good rebounders and in Williams' case, Okafor has a definite size advantage. It will be a tough matchup for Williams. Minnesota will have to rebound as a team. Rubio is a good rebounder for a point guard and will be even more important on the glass tonight.
3) The bench needs to produce
Last game against Miami, the bench shot just 34 percent. J.J. Barea is really struggling, and that was even before his altercation with Ray Allen. He shot just 1-for-11 against Miami. Alexey Shved actually had a nice game against the Heat, scoring 13, but that was his first game of more than five points since Feb. 22 against Oklahoma City. Minnesota needs Shved to produce more if it wants to be within striking distance for a playoff berth when Chase Budinger and Kevin Love return.
After falling flat on its face in the regular season finale against Valparaiso, the Phoenix must play tonight as the No. 4 seed against the No. 9 seed Milwaukee Panthers. Green Bay won the two regular season meetings by a combined 37 points. Green Bay comes into the game 16-14 overall and finished the conference schedule with a record of 10-6, while Milwaukee finished 8-23 overall and 3-13 in Horizon League play. The winner of tonight's game at the Resch Center will play the winner of No. 5 UIC and No. 8 Cleveland State Friday in Valparaiso. Here are some of the keys to beating Milwaukee tonigh:
1) What can Brown do for you?
I sound like a broken record, but Alec Brown needs to get the ball this game. Brown has dominated the Panthers in the two meetings, averaging 25.5 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the two contests during the regular season. He shot an impressive 63 percent to score the 51 points in the two games, and 71 percent from 3-point range. Alec Brown should be the focal point of the offense and Milwaukee has no one who can slow Brown down. Milwaukee also struggled on the glass, finishing last in the Horizon League in rebounding. If Brown can get going with his scoring and getting second chance points due to his rebounds and putbacks, Milwaukee has little shot of moving onto the next round.
2) Slow down Milwaukee's back court
Milwaukee had a down season this year, but its back court of Paris Gulley and Jordan Aaron are capable of going off at any time. Both players average nearly 15 points per game and Aaron, a junior college transfer, was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team yesterday. Aaron has scored 34 on one occasion and scored 28 in Milwaukee's 95-88 double overtime victory at IUPUI Feb. 23. Gulley, on the other hand, has scored in double figures in each of Milwaukee's past eight games. He has struggled from the field as of late, including going 6-of-17 against Green Bay last week, but he has shown he has the ability to get to the free throw line as evidenced by shooting 16 free throws in a 71-53 victory over Loyola last month. If these guards get hot, anything can happen, especially in a one-and-done scenario.
3) Dominate the glass
There is no reason Green Bay should not be able to do this, as Milwaukee is dead last in the league in rebounding by a wide margin, while Green Bay is first. The Phoenix has three players in the top eight in rebounding, led by Jordan Fouse, who led the league with 7.6 rebounds per game. In the battle against Milwaukee at Milwaukee, the Panthers kept the rebounding edge somewhat close, only losing 39-33, but in the rematch at the Resch, the Phoenix dominated the battle of the boards 35-21. Three players in that game had eight rebounds, which was three more than Demetrius Harris, who led the Panthers in that category. Green Bay should, not only win the rebounding battle, but dominate it. If it does like I think it will, it will be a long day for the Panthers, who have only won one game away from Milwaukee this season.
Prediction: PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, that was a Rocky reference) Seriously, though, Green Bay 76, Milwaukee 60
The Horizon League Tournament starts tomorrow with three games to decide who moves on and who goes home. With Green Bay's loss and Wright State's win, the Phoenix will be the No. 4 seed and face last placed Milwaukee at 7 CST tomorrow. UIC will be the No. 4 seed and face No. 8 Cleveland State and No. 6 Youngstown State will host No. 7 Loyola. The byes in order of conference finish are Valparaiso, Detroit and Wright State.
No. 9 Milwaukee at No. 4 Green Bay
In a lot of ways, the two games they faced each other were alike. Green Bay took a narrow lead into halftime and took control of the game in the second half to win going away. These teams met last Tuesday in Green Bay with the Phoenix winning 78-61. I don't expect the Phoenix to drop this one, either. Green Bay is too talented for the Panthers. Alec Brown has dominated them in both meetings this year and unless Milwaukee finds a way to slow him down, I expect another double digit Green Bay victory.
Prediction: Green Bay 76, Milwaukee 60
No. 8 Cleveland State at No. 5 UIC
Cleveland State swept the season series from UIC, winning both games by double digits. Both teams have been struggling in conference play recently, as Cleveland State has lost five of its last six conference games, while UIC has lost five of its last seven conference games. Having been swept by the Vikings in the regular season, UIC will come out motivated, especially playing in front of the home fans. I think Bryn Forbes will keep Cleveland State in it, but UIC, playing at home, will come out on top.
Prediction: UIC 68, Cleveland State 60
No. 7 Loyola at No. 6 Youngstown State
Youngstown State won both meetings this year by a combined three points. However, Youngstown State had leading scorer Kendrick Perry in of those meetings. The Penguins showed how little fire power they have without Perry in the lineup against Wright State. Ben Averkamp needs to have a big day for Loyola and I think he will to lead the Ramblers to the road victory.
Prediction: Loyola 61, Youngstown State 54
With these predictions, I have UIC playing Green Bay and Loyola playing Wright State on Friday in Valparaiso. Let's see how these prediction fare tomorrow night.
