Bleacher Report - Articles by A.J. Katz

Will It Be 40 Minutes Of Heaven or Hell For Connecticut Against Mizzou?

A.J. Katz — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:39:30 -0400

Let’s move on to this afternoon’s match up before I further alienate the Missouri supporters who happens to come across my last article.

It’s obvious that I consider UCONN/MIZZOU the unlikeliest of the Elite 8 match-ups. Because I’m stubborn, I once again will give the edge to UCONN.

I actually think after seeing Missouri pick apart what I believed to have been an impenetrable Memphis defense, the Tigers could match up well with UCONN in the back court.

If Tiller can put up similar numbers from the outside, and receive help from Zaire Taylor and Freshman Marcus Denmon, UCONN may have its hands full.

Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if Missouri’s tenacious defense would affects decision-making of UCONN’s young point guard Kemba Walker, as stoic as the Harlemite has appeared this season.

Yet, UCONN comes into this match-up with far more experience and a chip on its shoulder. Many, including myself and our president, felt Memphis was a shoe-in for the Final Four. But Connecticut has answered its critics, and them some.

Many questioned the team’s heart after choking in the past few tournaments, and doubted they could maintain their focus amid a recruiting scandal.

One could argue that the Huskies have played the most efficient basketball of any team in the tournament, dominating the opposition in their first three wins like no other team.

Louisville struggled in the first half against No. 16 Morehead State; Pitt struggled against Oklahoma State, an 8 seed; UNC struggled against what I believe was the strongest 8 seed this decade, LSU. UCONN is for real.

As impressive as First-Team Big 12 player DeMarre Carroll and 6’9’’ forward Leo Lyons looked on Thursday, they haven’t faced anyone like the 7’3’’ Tanzanian: Hasheem Thabeet.

While this contest may be competitive throughout much of the first half, I just don’t see Missouri achieving the success they did on Thursday.

UCONN saw what was done to Memphis, and I can assure you that Calhoun and his troops won’t take this ballclub lightly. You won't see any half-court shots made by the Tigers today.

Missouri played by far its best basketball of the season against Memphis on Thursday. There’s no doubt about that. They did not match up well on paper with the Tigers of C-USA, but still managed to pick them apart.

I just don’t see Missouri duplicating that effort later this afternoon. I doubted Missouri going into their Sweet 16 match-up, and I doubt them again coming into this one. 83-71, UCONN.

But maybe Mizzou fans should be happy…I’ve been wrong about these results more than in previous years.

Oh, the Madness of it all!

Enjoy the games.

Missouri Beats Memphis? It Must Be March Madness

A.J. Katz — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:19:23 -0400

Many have referred to this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as "bland," claiming it has lacked the dramatic, logic-defying upsets we’ve come to associate with March Madness.

This fact has some validity to it, and yet, my brackets have still suffered.

Though I turned only 23 last week, I consider myself an avid student of the sport's history. I've followed the programs and the coaches. I know the style of play many of the teams use, and how each matches up against others.

I have a basic grip on what's gone down both out-of-conference and in, how squads have fared on the road, and how successful teams have been against other tournament participants. I take these details into account when I make my bracket selections.

And as a result, I've done quite well in previous years' pools, winning two in high school and one in college.

I also take into account what most ardent fans consider to be basic axioms of achieving a strong bracket: Pick one, if not two, 12-seeds over fives; pick at least one 11 over a six, at least two nines over eights, and at least one 10 over a seven. I know that an average of two two-seeds have gotten to the Elite Eight this decade, and always keep in the back of my mind other basic facts like that.

So I followed all of those historical trends in making my bracket this season, and also provided for what I’ve watched on TV this season and the impression actually seeing temas in action left upon me.

Well, it appears I might have overanalyzed these matchups. After all, I currently stand in 20th place out of 61 participants in my office pool, and most of these people know little to nothing about the tournament’s participants.

I've gone off on this tangent because the success of one of this afternoon's participants, Missouri, symbolizes my frustration with much of what's transpired the past couple weeks.

I seem to pick the right seeds to move on, but the wrong teams. Allow me to expound upon why this particular three-seed reaching the Elite Eight boggles my mind.

First, let’s take the “eye test:" Missouri hasn't been relevant since Quin Synder's first couple of years in the early part of the decade. As a result, they flew under the radar for much of the season, even though the Big 12 had a pretty successful year on the whole.

I watched Mizzou a couple times this season, and wasn’t particularly blown away. Yes, Mike Anderson's "40 Minutes of Hell" style of play was well publicized, but it reaped few significant results while he coached UAB, aside from a 2006 home victory over Memphis.

Knowledge of that fact was apparently more important than I previously imagined.

Missouri went into the tournament as a No. 3, which was deserved after winning the Big 12 tournament, but was presented with what I saw was a difficult second-round matchup with Marquette (Dominic James' health notwithstanding at the point).

Still, the Tigers went on to win that game 58-57 in a highly controversial result that easily could have gone Marquette's way with a stronger officiating crew.

With that ugly performance, Missouri looked ready to be an afterthought for a streaking Memphis team. These other Tigers were team without a loss in 2009, a team that had just embarrassed a decent ACC squad in Maryland.

Though some may bash C-USA, the fact that a team can win that many games in conference without taking a night off is unbelievable. They aren't playing Ivy League teams, and this isn't the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference here, either. I believe that C-USA rivaled the Missouri Valley Conference this year, the conference the sports media likes to base the term “mid-major” on.

Memphis destroyed the Terps, who had played to their potential by throttling seventh-seeded Cal. And one could argue that Missouri's offensive performance hadn’t been much stronger than that of Maryland in its past few games.

I just didn't believe Missouri's swarming defensive style could disturb Memphis, a team with a starting lineup filled with physical specimens all 6’5” or taller and a coach who can prepare and motivate his team like few other generals in the game.

Yet Coach Cal and Co. could do little to stop Missouri, the same team that put up only 58 points on a Golden Eagles squad with a questionable track record of winning games because of their defense.

I’ll be frank. If you told me coming into the tournament that Missouri would defeat Memphis in the Sweet 16, I would have been shocked.

If you told me they’d win by putting up 102 on Memphis in the Sweet 16, I’d have you admitted to Riker’s Island.

If I'd filled out 10 brackets, I’d have chosen Memphis over Missouri every time. I was stunned; absolutely shell-shocked by Memphis’ inability play any sort of defense, and Missouri’s inability to miss shots—even from half court.

Mizzou played their best game of the year, and Memphis obviously wasn’t prepared for that performance.

Perhaps I need to reconsider just how much I know about this game. Or maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself.

Maybe the naysayers are wrong, and this hasn't been such a bland tournament. I mean, we do still call it "March Madness," and as Missouri has proven to me it's still the most extraordinary three weeks in American sport.

And the best part? We still have eight teams left.

Comparing Super Bowl XLIII with the 2007 World Series

A.J. Katz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:28:45 -0500

The 2008-2009 NFL regular season was a memorable one on a variety of fronts. It was an important year for the Quarterback position, a changing of the guard if you will. No. 4 gave us an encore in a darker shade of green, and with that may have signaled the arrival of his heir apparents named Cutler, Flacco, and Ryan.

We saw seasoned veterans like Michael Turner finally get their time in the spotlight, and the emergence of a future corp of stellar young running backs: Williams, Forte, Hightower, Lynch, and Peterson. Kurt Warner's return to the Summit gave us a highlight, while the self-destruction of Plaxico Burress was a popularly-documented low-light, unquestionably decimating the Giants' chances at a repeat.

2008 was indeed a season of ups and downs, delivering us the unexpected on a weekly basis. So it was only fitting then that two teams following highly different road maps both managed to find their way to Tampa, Florida in time for Super Bowl 43. The consistently stoic, blue-collar defensive-minded Pittsburgh Steelers, and the high-flying inferiority complex-possessing, Super Bowl neophyte Arizona Cardinals.

While Pittsburgh vs. Arizona won't necessarily cause Champagne bottles to pop up at NBC due to both regions' diminutive standing in the television market index, and lack of shared history, there's more to this battle than meets the eye. But instead of comparing the teams' current and past, I'll compare this historic match-up to another of relative recent history: The 2007 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies.

As a student of American sport and its history, I'm someone who enjoys finding comparisons between franchises across sporting lines. While it may not be completely accurate, I like to compare the Yankees and the Red Sox as to the Cowboys and the Steelers.

Both the Cowboys and the Yankees are the two most consistent franchises in their sport, while the Red Sox and Steelers have some of the most passionate fans in their's, while carrying a distinctive inferiority complex against their larger, "more important" urban rivals.

This is partly why I like to compare the Boston Red Sox franchise with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Steelers have had more success in their history, both clubs have rabid nationwide fanbases that few other organizations can rival.

While comparing the Cardinals with the Tampa Rays may be more accurate (and fitting due to the game's site) for all intents and purposes, let's compare the Arizona Cardinals with the Colorado Rockies. Both clubs are relatively young (let's erase the organization's pre-Arizona history for this case), and have had little to no success throughout their history.

Like the Rockies, the Cardinals have rolled into the playoffs on a scorching hot streak, and have continued their stellar play as the postseason has continued. The knock against the Rockies was their pitching, something that seemed to improve throughout their playoff run. The knock against the Cardinals was their defense, a facet of their team that has gotten more and more impressive as the playoffs have continued as well.

And like the "David" Rockies facing off against their Goliath, I unfortunately don't see this game being particularly close. While this match-up on paper doesn't appear to be the mismatch that Boston/Colorado was, I don't feel confident that the streaking Cardinals defense will be able to handle Big Ben in warmer pastures.

A healthy Hines Ward will add another deep threat to a venerable passing game, while a now-healthy Willie Parker and the Steeler offensive line should be able to have its way with the Cardinals front seven. I think the Steelers defense will hold the potent Arizona offense until three touchdowns, completely shutting down the running game, and making the Cardinals completely one-dimensional.

The Steelers will have seen the mistakes the Eagles made on defense, and Larry Fitzgerald will not be able to run free like he did two weeks ago. Giving Dick LeBeau and that personnel two weeks to prepare simply isn't fair.

While part of me wants to see the NFC and the underdog succeed in this one, I just don't see the stoic Steelers faltering. Like Boston/Colorado, the more illustriuous, experienced club will prevail over the young up and comers (although Warner has two SB appearances, the Steelers have more collective experience in the big game).

And I honestly don't believe this matchup will be all that close. Let's hope I'm wrong, but I'm going to go on a limb and call this one: Pittsburgh 34, Arizona 17.

Funny how sport repeats itself...

How To Fix the New York Mets in a Few Easy Steps

A.J. Katz — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:14:11 -0400

This isn’t going to be a particularly enjoyable column for me to write.

For a second-straight year, I’ve watched the New York Mets come “oh-so-close” to a playoff berth, while gagging on the 162nd game of the season to a team full of cocky misfits that take pride on giving the Mets their best effort, but apparently no one else. I’m speaking of “The Team with Few fans”: the Florida Marlins.

But I digress.

The Mets blew another shot to go to the postseason, not because of their insanely inefficient bullpen (which, if had performed even decently, would have handed the Mets the division weeks ago and saved me many trips back-and-forth to the liquor cabinet), but because of their inconsistent offense, an offense which fostered a trend of scoring early and putting the car in cruise control after their first at-bats.

This “inability to tack on runs,” compounded with a bullpen that had a propensity to throw meatballs during these close contests, lead to far too many losses and plenty of flustered, confused, and angry fans. This is not how fans and the front office wanted to close Shea Stadium. Sucks for us.

For a team with this much talent and such high expectations, this late-season mediocrity is astonishing. But maybe we should put it in perspective: As badly as the Mets played at the end of the season, at least they weren’t the Detroit Tigers.

Also, imagine if the Brewers had managed to get swept by Chicago to end the season. Their collapse would have been FAR worse than the Mets’. After all, they had the wild card seemingly wrapped up weeks ago and hadn’t made the postseason since 1982.

One could also argue that their '07 collapse rivaled that of the Mets. But they play in Packers and Badgers country, right? I always assumed that people in southern Wisconsin were all Cubs fans anyways. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Anyways, I have a number of routes that I believe the Mets can go during this most pivotal of offseasons for their beleaguered GM Omar Minaya. Let’s start with one of the team’s veteran leaders, the leader of a team that has failed to deliver in the clutch during the past two seasons: Carlos Delgado.

As much respect as I have for Delgado for essentially carrying this team on his back for the better part of the second half, I can’t help but to assume that he has a prominent influence over the mood in the Mets’ clubhouse.

As a leader of a ballclub that seems to get skittish during important games and high-pressure situations in particular, Delgado deserves a strong brunt of the blame. In order for this “collapse” to never happen again, it seems inevitable that the leader of this experience must be shopped. Besides, Carlos will be 37 next year, and God knows if he can light it up again like he did this summer.

So here’s proposal No. 1: Carlos Delgado, Fernando Martinez, Nick Evans, and a low-level prospect for Red Sox IF Kevin Youkilis.

Boston fans might think I’m nuts, but Martinez is arguably the cream of our crop, Delgado may prove to be a solid DH, and Evans can be a very solid fourth outfielder.

I like Kevin Youkilis for a variety of reasons: 1) He’s a fantastic hitter, who thrives in the clutch. 2) He destroys the Yankees. 3) He’s a capable first baseman, defensively. 4) He brings a passion, fire, and resolve to the ballpark on a daily basis, and has a winning attitude reminiscent of another Cincinnatian by the name of Paul O’Neill. 5) He’ll be 29 on opening day and is seven years younger than Delgado.

Who knows...Theo might take the bait. But I think it’s a worthwhile sacrifice for the Mets.

Proposal No. 2: Go after Milton Bradley as your left fielder.

We all know that Milton’s a little nuts. He’s had some emotional and psychological problems in the past. But hey, with Jerry Manuel’s low-key, Gandhi-infused approach, maybe Milton can be controlled. Because the stats don’t lie: Milton Bradley is one of baseball’s most underrated hitters and has improved each of his last four seasons.

This season, he was an All-Star, who hit .321 with 22 and 77, and sported a .436 OBP. He also has a nice arm in the outfield and should fill in nicely as a sixth hitter.

I really think Omar should consider this, and I just hope for the sake of Milton and Met fans that he starts off strong, because the Mets' fans will get on him if he doesn’t, and we all can figure out how he’ll react to that.

In terms of starters, proposal No. 3 is dependent on Oliver Perez. If we re-sign Ollie, I say make Jon Garland a priority. He would be a very solid middle-of-the-rotation right-hander, giving us a staff of Santana, Pelfrey, Perez, Garland, and possibly Niese.

If we don’t, I recommend going after Derek Lowe, quite diligently. Lowe has been one of the N.L.’s best during the second half, and his price-tag may shoot up even further, pending a strong performance in the playoffs.

Lowe might prove to be a valuable No. 2 and the type of stability the Mets need if Ollie jumps ship. But I really think that either Garland and/or Lowe should be considered by Omar this offseason. They’re both champions and would bring a winning attitude to the rotation.

The fourth proposal involves our horrendous bullpen and its biggest scapegoat: Aaron Heilman. Now, this is unfortunate because Aaron is one of the gentlemen on this club. I really do feel for him and wish he could regain his '06 form.

Unfortunately, I just don’t see that happening. But I do know that Oakland has coveted Mr. Heilman in the past. Why not consider Aaron Heilman and a mid-level prospect for Houston Street?

The UT product struggled this season, but he has shown flashes of greatness in his brief career. Plus, he’s only 25 and hasn’t even hit his prime yet. Street would be a fantastic candidate to set-up K-Rod (You had to have known he was gonna be in this discussion...)

A final proposal would have to be signing K-Rod. He is the best closer on the market, bar none, and the closer position is BY FAR this team’s most glaring need going into the offseason.

I don’t care if his fastball has “plummeted” from 98 to 94, unless Joe Nathan decides to leave Minnesota for the team he grew up supporting, K-Rod is our best bet, and we will need to throw him whatever money he desires. His stuff is still dirty, let’s face it.

We need to sign K-Rod, or memories of last year’s hideous bullpen antics will stay etched in the minds of fans and fellow players into next season. This is our most glaring need, and we need to sign him by any means possible.

These are just a few proposals that have been rolling through my head for the past 24 hours since the Mets found themselves eliminated from postseason play. I’m still shocked this day has come, as inconsistent as the bullpen and offense were.

I honestly still don’t believe that we’re worse than the Brewers and Dodgers...Maybe even the Phillies. But it appears that we are, and we’ll have to believe that going into the offseason.

At least we still got the Giants...

Wilson Chandler: The Boy from Benton Harbor

A.J. Katz — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:31:16 -0400

When Mike D'Antoni agreed to become the next head coach of the New York Knicks, he promised to bring a fast, furious, entertaining and effective style of basketball from the Arizona desert to the bright lights of New York City, and "The World's Most Famous Arena."

But in order for D'Antoni's up-and-down system to prove successful, it requires a specific type of player to perform in it—players who bring speed, athleticism, poise, passion, a consistent jump shot, and the ability to defend well in transition to the hardwood each game.

D'Antoni sees one Knick in particular whose game could reach new heights due to this system of play.

His name is Wilson Chandler, and he's got quite a backstory.

A 21-year-old native of Benton Harbor, Michigan, Chandler was the Knicks' first-round pick in 2007 after starring at DePaul University for two decorated seasons. He averaged 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots per game in his sophomore season on the Chicago campus before being drafted by the Knicks.

Chandler's original reaction at being drafted by the Knicks with the 23rd overall pick was one of pure jubilation:

"When Mr. Stern came up and called my name and said I was going to the Knicks at No. 23, it was one of the best moments of my life," said Chandler. "It was kind of a surprise. There were rumors going around, but I knew that until they called my name anything could happen."

A confident young man, Chandler appeared unfazed by the bright lights and added pressure of playing on the nation's biggest stage, as he mentioned minutes after being drafted.

"There's always pressure playing in New York," said Chandler. "I'm tough enough to handle it. I'm ready for the next level."

Chandler showed signs of effectiveness in his first season in the big city, averaging 7.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. But Coach D'Antoni has greater expectations of the 6'8", 230-pound forward as he enters his sophomore season.

"The other day at practice, Mike D'Antoni, unsolicited, raved about Chandler," writes New York Post Knicks beat writer Marc Berman on his blog. "He did so again after Monday's summer-league victory, in which Chandler scored 26 points with eight rebounds and two blocks. Chandler is the kind of versatile forward, explosive athlete, solid defender, and weakside shotblocker that D'Antoni craves."

Benton Harbor is located in the southwestern part of the Michigan, about 95 miles from Chicago. Detroit, on the other hand, is located at the opposite side of the state, a good three-hour drive from Chandler's stomping grounds.

As a result, like so many kids growing up in the 1980s and 90s, the No. 23 pick in the 2007 draft cites another No. 23 as his NBA idol. This may explain Chandler's exceptional leaping and closing ability around the rim, something that he undeniably took from watching Jordan.

"I grew up a Bulls fan," said Chandler. "My grandmother was a big Michael Jordan fan, and that's why I was a Bulls fan. She loved Michael Jordan."

From just a few minutes of conversation with Wilson, it's easy to conclude who his true inspiration is—his grandmother. In a Q&A with the Post's Steve Serby on draft night, Chandler sings her praises:

"My grandmother raised me very well and always taught me what was important," said Chandler. "She was a soft-spoken person. If I did something wrong, she'd get on me, especially about my grades."

Chandler's biological parents had their fair share of personal and economic struggles. In a city where 43 percent of residents live below the poverty line, the median annual household income barely sits above $17,400, and the only hotel in town is a truck stop, it's easy to see how one could fall into that trap.

Regardless of this fact, Wilson's parents saw great potential in their son, and felt that he might be able to thrive under the tutelage of his grandmother. In that regard, one may see his parents as noble in realizing that his grandmother was the proper person to raise for him for a better life. Chandler doesn't speak much about his parents, but revealed to Serby in that same post-draft interview:

"My mother and father are always around," said Chandler. "I never had any bad thoughts about them. I talked to my father (Thursday night) after the draft. He just told me, "Congratulations." They are happy for me. It's my dream."

But he affirms that his grandmother has been the driving force in his life.

"My grandmother's best advice for me was when she told me to be myself, no matter what," said Chandler. "Always be a good person, be respectful to everybody, and go with the flow."

A young man who appears to have his head on straight, Chandler is one of the most physically mature 21-year-olds one will ever encounter. He sports nineteen tattoos, many of which can be found on his super-human biceps.

One of his favorites is the "I am what I am" tattoo on his right bicep, which pays homage to his grandmother's advice to "be yourself," as well as the respect for the city that made him. Even Popeye would salute Chandler's toughness.

With the support of his grandmother, Chandler became a basketball phenom in his community. He received Michigan All-State mentions as a sophomore and junior, while averaging 22.4 points and 12 rebounds during his junior year at Benton Harbor High. He helped the Tigers to a 19-4 record, and was also named first team All-State.

As a senior, Chandler averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks per game. That year, Benton Harbor went undefeated during the regular season, finishing No. 1 in the state. Chandler was named Michigan's Mr. Basketball, paving the way for a prolific two-year stint at DePaul.

The story of Wilson Chandler has been one defined by hard work and the ability to persevere through adverse circumstances. Through it all, Chandler never lost sight of his dream:

"Growing up, you always wanted to play in the NBA," said Chandler. "It was everybody's dream when you watched your favorite players. And then you get into college and realize you have a chance to play in the NBA. You look forward to that, and it's a dream come true. And when you make it, you can't stop. You've just got to keep working hard."

"I didn't expect to play in the NBA," continued Chandler. "When I was younger I always wanted to be in the NBA, but I never thought that I would actually play. I was just a big fan. But in college I thought I had the chance."

Wilson Chandler has the upside that Coach D'Antoni wants. He's quick, has great mental and physical toughness, is a good passer, rebounds well, is a tremendous leaper and finisher around the basket, and defends well in transition. Chandler has the skill set to succeed in D'Antoni's system—it just needs to be harnessed.

Under D'Antoni's guidance, Wilson Chandler might just become the glue the Knicks need to shoot up the Eastern Conference standings and into the playoff hunt in 2009.

A tad optimistic? Maybe. But in this league, you never know.

My 2008 MLB All-Star Game Pregame Diary

A.J. Katz — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:13:37 -0400

Well, now that Jeannie Zelasko and her bizarre pants are off my television screen, let's get to the REAL pregame festivities...only on FOX.

For the next half hour, I'll be trying to give my best Bill Simmons impersonation, and offer my "First Annual MLB All-Star Game Pregame Diary."

Consider: the enormity of this event, its location in my home city of New York, and at the most important sporting venue in our country, as well as the fact that the NL is putting out arguably its strongest club in the past 10 years in hopes of breaking the recent AL all-star dominance. That makes this game significantly more important than ones in recent memory.

So, without further ado, let's go to one of the most informative and wittiest broadcasters in the business: Joe Buck.

7:55 PM

Television legend (and Bronx native) Regis Philbin introduces some of New York's finest athletes, entertainers, taxicab drivers, and policemen, as each group is shown reciting a line from Frank Sinatra's famous, "New York, New York." Doesn't get much cheesier than this...what else would you expect from FOX's producers.

8 PM

Joe Buck announces the NL All-Star team's bench, after giving props to legendary Yankees PA announcer Bob Shepard.

Some observations of the crowd's reaction to these players being announced: Alfonso Soriano gets a louder ovation than Lou Piniella, which was sort of curious to me.

David Wright and Billy Wagner get mostly boos, as expected. Nothing else out of the ordinary.

Now to the A.L. bench players/coaches: Yankees' manager Joe Girardi gets a nice ovation.

J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, and Jonathan Papelbon get booed lustily, as expected. Grady Sizemore gets a surprisingly nice ovation. Mariano Rivera gets a loud ovation, one that lasted the longest of any reserve announced.

8:11 PM

49 Hall-of-Famers are shown around the Yankee Stadium field, placed in the positions in which they roamed during their respective careers. Some of the best pitchers of the previous century are announced. Goose Gossage and Whitey Ford get the loudest ovation, not much of a shocker.

8:15 PM

Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee are introduced...the game's starting hurlers. Each shakes the hands of the Hall-of-Fame pitchers near the mound.

Next come the best first basemen in MLB history...capped off by Willie McCovey, who gets out of his wheelchair to greet the crowd. A great moment.

Kevin Youkilis gets lustily booed, as he's introduced after Lance Berkman.

Rod Carew, Bill Mazerowski, and Ryne Sandberg are introduced at second base. They're met and greeted by starting second basemen Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia.

Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Wade Boggs are announced at third base. Wade gets a nice ovation. All four legendary third basemen are met by starters Chipper Jones and Alex Rodriguez...A-Rod gets a nice ovation and hugs each HOFer.

The HOF shortstops are announced: Luis Aparicio, Ozzie Smith, Robin Yount, Ernie Banks, and Cal Ripken Jr. A great group of ballplayers right there. They're joined by starting shortstops Hanley Ramirez and Derek Jeter...the king of New York.

Chants of "Derek Jeter" emanate from the crowd in a great moment. Yes, I'm still a Mets fan.

Paul Molitor is announced...a HOFer who was inducted as a DH. He's greeted at second base by tonight's DHs: Albert Pujols and Milton Bradley.

Lou Brock, Billy Williams, and Mets legendary broadcaster and Pirates Hall-of-Famer Ralph Kiner are introduced in the left field. They're met by Ryan Braun and Manny Ramirez...who's booed heartily.

8:20 PM

Willie Mays is introduced in center field, and receives a loud ovation. Willie's reaction doesn't seem to be a particularly appreciative one. In fact, he doesn't seem to notice Josh Hamilton when he tries to greet the "Say Hey Kid" out in center.

Tony Gwynn, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Dave Winfield, Hank Aaron, and Reggie Jackson are announced in right field. This is easily the most recognizable and star-studded of the groups, and the crowd reacts that way.

Chants of "Reggie" echo from the rafters, as the HOFers are met by starting right fielders Matt Holliday and Ichiro. Hall of Fame managers Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda, and Dick Williams are announced behind the plate. They're joined by Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona, another victim of the boo-birds.

8:25 PM

Geovany Soto and Joe Mauer are announced as the starting catchers and are meet the HOF catchers in front of the plate...Gary Carter and of course, Yogi Berra. Chants of "Yogi" are heard loud and clear through my television set. Yogi receives the loudest ovation of the night it appears, perhaps louder than Jeter's.

8:30 PM

Cheryl Crow sings the National Anthem, guitar and all. Seems like a decent enough choice, and she delivers a soft and strong rendition of the anthem. She has kind of a tough time hitting a couple of the notes, but rebounds nicely at the end. The guitar didn't seem to add or take away from the performance to me. Not too bad.

8:32 PM

All of the Hall of Famers gather near the mound after greeting many of the current All-Stars.

8:33 PM

George Steinbrenner is brought in via golf cart to throw out the first pitch. Not an over-the-top ovation for The Boss, but he doesn't appear to be in particularly good health. It's no wonder you're always hearing Hank instead of George these days. He doesn't look too hot.

George is joined by the Yankee HOFers in attendance: Goose Gossage, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, and Whitey Ford. They each throw out the first pitch to the current Yankee All-Stars. Another well-thought-out moment.

Each of the Hall of Famers congregate around the mound after the first pitch. It was a cool pregame, but I'm not sure if it generated the momentous effect that FOX and Major League Baseball wanted. Maybe I'd be more overwhelmed if I were actually in the stadium.

Seeing so many of these living Hall-of-Famers come together for this event, seeing Willie McCovey get out of his wheelchair to greet the crowd, as well as the ovations received by Yogi, Derek, and Mariano, definitely affected me as an observer watching via TV.

I hope the pregame was appreciated more by the observers in the stadium.

The pageantry has ended, so let's get to the game!

Willie Randolph Is Gone: Who's Next?

A.J. Katz — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:43:01 -0400

At 3:15 AM EST this morning, the New York Mets wrote a brief press release in the dead of night, stating what every single person with a vested interest in the team (players, fans, upper management, trainers, team doctors, clubhouse workers, stadium vendors, beer men, Shea Stadium parking attendants, custodians, and Mr. Met) had been expecting to hear for days, weeks, maybe even months: Willie Randolph had coached his last game for the New York Mets.

The damage is finally complete. The waiting is over. The entire saga has worsened the play of the team to the point where they now blow late-inning leads like they're ordering pizza. The upper management of the Mets has had a track record of blasting its managers in the press over the years. Think about the Frank Cashen/Davy Johnson conflict that lagged on for much of the '80s, or the Steve Phillips and Bobby Valentine bust-up in the '90s.

Omar and Willie have been added to that list. The higher-ups in this organization have a proven track record of throwing each other under the bus. As much as the Wilpons are respected around the NY area and throughout baseball, they aren't the classiest humans to walk the planet.

I'll be honest: I haven't been the biggest Willie Randolph supporter over his tenure in Queens. As a native New Yorker who's extremely passionate about his Mets (as most Mets fans are), I never saw Willie emanate that same passion on the field. I never saw him get in his players' faces. I never saw him get in the face of an umpire, or kick some dirt around the infield.

He obviously came from the Joe Torre school of managing, keeping that poker face on while seated on the bench at all times. He tended to overuse his bullpen as well, another tactic I never got.

What happened to the Orel-Hershiser days of throwing 20 complete games and 10,000 innings a season? These starters are paid to pitch. Let them pitch. Let them decide the game. If the fans aren't smart enough to understand that, then screw them. You're the manager.

I just never felt that Willie had that ability to fire up this bunch. The collapse last year is a perfect example of that. It seemed that the Mets felt they had already clinched a spot in the postseason by early September, and decided to put themselves on cruise control.

Some of that blame should be put on the veterans, the Carlos Delgados and the Carlos Beltrans, who have played in this league long enough to understand how crucial every single game is.

But then again, it's tough to read how much those two really care about what's going on sometimes, as evidenced through their desire to ignore talking to the press, and have their white, English-speaking teammates like David Wright and Billy Wagner do the dirty work. They need to wake up, or they will continue to get rightfully booed by the fans.

The monumental collapse of last year should have signaled the fact that maybe Willie wasn't the right fit for this team. That his style of managing may prove more beneficial for a younger team, still learning to play the game the right way. When things go wrong, a more even-keeled manager might prove more beneficial when instructing his younger players, as opposed to a more volatile one.

Regardless of this fact, the timing of this decision was horrendous. If you have a problem with your manager, you fire him before the season, at the All-Star break, or at the season's conclusion. You don't fire him one-third of the way through the season, in the midst of a West-Coast road trip...especially after the team has just won a game.

But maybe that's the problem. This Mets team seems to want to turn it on and off when it sees fit...kind of like an inferior Detroit Pistons squad.

When they catch news that their manager might be fired the next day, they seem to want to play their absolute hardest in hopes of saving his job, and saving their own reputations. But when that news has gone away for a day or two, it seems like the same lackadaisical Mets return, blowing away big leads and slumping around in the dugout like a bunch of sad children.

Maybe Jerry Manuel will do the trick. He's a smart guy who's had valuable experience at the Major-League level with the ChiSox. He seems to know the game extremely well, and has a career managing record of over .500. He's gotten tossed out of more games than Willie, so it appears that maybe he's better at firing up his players, and he publicly appears to give a crap. But something's got to give.

Should Willie have been fired? Yeah. Should he have been fired last night? Nope. Should this ordeal have been handled differently? Absolutely.

With a team that has a psyche that's already as sensitive as the Mets', any little distraction will take them off their game. As bold, bellicose, and brazen as the Mets of the 80's were, these Mets appear to be the complete opposite. It's impossible to ignore the constant talk of firing their manager on the sports radio, the papers, and on ESPN had to have taken its toll on this team.

But the ordeal is over. I hope the Wilpons are happy. I hope Omar is happy that he's still with the club, because he played an extremely vital role in causing this poor play and last year's debacle. He brought these players here and assembled this roster and these personalities to mesh with one and other, but it hasn't happened. It was his job to build a championship contender, and he's failed at that so far.

But of course, when it comes to playing the blame game, these players are more to blame than Willie for this fiasco. Who should leave this ball club? Let's start with Billy Wagner, continue with Carlos Delgado, Joe Smith, Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez, and Pedro Martinez. Yeah, that should do it. Actually, every one should be put on notice. Any of them, excluding Wright, can be traded tomorrow.

It's up to these Mets to erase all doubt about any lingering effects from last year. They're paid to perform on the field. They're given these rich contracts because they've proven that they can produce in the past. It's time for them to do their jobs.

Don't ask any questions. Talk to the press. Put the blame on yourselves. Be a man. You play in, and represent, the greatest city in the world. Take some pride in that. As the cliché goes, there is no worse place to lose than New York, but there is no better place to win.

Luckily for the Mets, the season isn't over just yet. They're only six games behind first-place Philly. Can Jerry Manuel get the team out of this slump? Will the team put this all behind them, and concentrate on playing hard-nosed baseball, if not for the fans, or the management, but for each other...and maybe for their beleaguered ex-manager?

I don't really see it. I'm not sure anyone can get this team to wake up and play the baseball everyone's been waiting for them to play. What happened to the team that experts unanimously picked to represent the NL in the Fall Classic? As much as it nauseates me to say it, that team might play in a gorgeous new ballpark 100 miles south of Queens.

I really hope Omar and the Wilpons know what they're doing...because if progress isn't made as the season continues, it won't matter if they bring back Tommy Lasorda, they will be under more pressure from the media and their fans than they ever could have imagined.

The Mets are taking some bold steps right now...let's hope they pan out.

Good luck to Willie in his future endeavors.

Why New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul Should Be MVP

A.J. Katz — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:33:26 -0400

Let's face it, the 2007-2008 New Orleans Hornets have made for one of the most surprising stories in sports this year.

The emergence of Chris Paul, as everyone knows, has been and continues to be the key to this team's success.

In just his third professional season, CP3 has developed the ability to score from almost anywhere on the court. He has an exceptionally high basketball IQ, and an uncanny eye predicting plays before they happen.

He performs with ardent passion and, most importantly, Chris Paul puts his teammates in the best possible positions to succeed.

This last characteristic immediately evokes memories of Isiah Thomas, and is the definition of a true point guard. He is a leader who makes everyone around him look good.

Examples? Let's start out with number 30. One figured that David West looked the part. He is a big, strong, and physical player with a decent amount of athleticism and a consistent mid-range game.

Yet, thanks to Paul's efforts and the increasing attention given to him by other teams this season, West has improved his interior play. He has also benefited from having more chances to convert those open opportunities into points.

West has almost perfected the 17-foot jumper thanks to the attention teams give Paul everywhere on the court, and Peja out on the perimeter.

After all, Paul calls David the "17-foot assassin." But make no mistake, without Chris, it's doubtful that West would have made this meteoric rise from decent NBA power forward to bona fide Western Conference All-Star.

Tyson Chandler has undoubtedly benefited from CP3 as well. People always expected big things from Tyson, yet he still seemed to underachieve while in Chicago.

Coming out of high school, Chandler looked like a sure thing. He was 7'1", fast, strong, and played with a passionate fire not found in every high school athlete.

He had great hands and a great ability to box out almost any opponent and bring down the rebound. Like West, Chandler looked the part.

Yet upon first entering the league, teams found that Chandler wasn't much of an offensive threat. His jumper was mediocre at best, and he wasn't particularly physical, fleet of foot, or disciplined on defense.

As most know, Chandler had little success in Chicago. He still appeared to be a young kid trying to learn his way through professional basketball. He wasn't surrounded with many great players during those years either.

But like West, Chandler is now regarded as one of the league's premier centers. How did this happen? Well, he has matured quite a bit from his years in Chicago.

Chandler does still tend to argue with referees far more than he should, and he still lets his emotions get the best of him once in a while. But this is a far cry from the immature and overrated player that he once seemed to be.

A change of scenery had to have invigorated Chandler. He seems to thoroughly enjoy playing with this squad in New Orleans, and he seems to enjoy being around his teammates.

Every time I see him practicing on the court, talking to his coaches and to others in the organization (including the lowly intern that I am), he constantly sports a smile on his face, and seems upbeat about the forthcoming game.

Of course, winning helps everyone's mood. But it does seem as though Chandler is becoming more at peace with himself. Perhaps this comes simply from getting older and more comfortable with the landscape of professional basketball and the NBA.

But Tyson Chandler's success on the basketball court, like West's, has most benefited from the intelligent and unselfish play of Chris Paul, and the high-octane, up-tempo style of play enacted by coach Byron Scott. Chandler's Baby Bulls were more Wisconsin Badgers than North Carolina Tar Heels.

It's evident that this fast-paced style of play is more to Chandler's liking.

Relatively quick for a center, Chandler has the ability to get up and down the court quite well. He has benefited from the strong outlet passing of Chris Paul and a myriad of alley-oops from his star point guard.

He is near the top of the league in shooting percentage, even though his mid-range jumper is not much better than it was at the United Center.

Paul's ability to make Chandler's opportunities easy ones have made him look like an absolute stud, statistically. He is becoming more and more a player for whom teams need to seriously plan.

Quite a turn-around from the afterthought the opposition regarded Chandler to be in Chicago.

In case there was any doubt, Chris Paul is the backbone to this team. He is the primary reason why Tyson Chandler and David West are having career years, and he is the reason why Peja Stojakovic is once again among the league-leaders in three-point shooting percentage.

Paul is also the reason why bench contributors like Jannero Pargo and Julian Wright are having breakout seasons.

Paul may be small in stature, but he is far from diminutive in his influence over this ball club, his passion on the basketball court, and in his unselfish play. He has a drive to be perfect in all facets of the game, and even as a 22-year-old he demands the same from his teammates.

Let's face it, without everything Paul has brought to the table this season, the New Orleans Hornets would probably have a worse record than they had last year. A stronger and deeper Western Conference of a year ago wouldn't have made life any easier.

You know something significant is happening when the Hornets can shoot a combined 39 percent from the floor, have a star point guard shoot 6-19 from the floor and make a monumental four turnovers during a critical fourth quarter span, be down by 14 on the road against a solid Orlando Magic squad, and STILL FIND A WAY TO WIN!

Paul's influence and overall play this year has made everyone around him better, even when he is having mediocre games by his own personal standards.

Wins like last night's capture the essence of what this overachieving team is doing this season.

The Hornets are 51-22 with cellar-dwelling Miami and New York coming up in the next few days. After that, they square off against Golden State on ABC Sunday, then Dallas and Utah to name a few.

This team isn't guaranteed a top-four playoff seed yet, but if it can play like it did last night against a playoff team, and still win, I'd say the Hornets' chances are good.

But a deep playoff run? Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

With the exception of Boston, the Hornets have improved their stock like no other team.

A city has jumped on the proverbial bandwagon, and now games are regularly being sold out. Boston never had attendance problems, even when its teams were struggling.

With all respect to D-West, Chris Paul has no Paul Pierce. Boston plays in the East. As a result, Kevin Garnett is no more deserving of the MVP than is Chris Paul. He just has better talent around him, and plays inferior teams more frequently.

But more importantly, unlike Garnett, Kobe, or even LeBron, one can argue that 22-year-old Chris Paul has changed the way a whole city looks at basketball.

Now I wasn't here for the pre-Katrina Hornets years, and obviously not when Maravich led the New Orleans Jazz, but this city likes a winner. Before the Hornets began to win, the city really didn't support the team through its bad times.

At the advent of the season, attendance numbers for games often lingered in four digits. Now? Let's just say it's difficult to hear yourself think during Hornets' home games at the Hive.

Especially when the crowd is chanting, "MVP, MVP."

Hilltopper Basketball: Giving "Big Red" a Real Reason To Cheer

A.J. Katz — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:51:00 -0400

If you're a die-hard sports fan like me who watches a ton of TV, then the chances are pretty good that you've seen the ESPN and/or the Capital One commercials that often feature mascots partaking in ridiculous activities. The Virginia Cavalier, Wisconsin's Bucky Badger, the Stanford Tree, Syracuse's Otto Orange. And then there always seems to be that big red blob with the letters "W K U" etched on a belly similar in size and color to that of Peter Griffin.

While watching these commercials, have you ever asked yourself: "Who the hell is that, and what university does he or she represent?" If you're like me and have ample time on your Tuesday evenings to answer that question, then you would find out that the mascot's name is "Big Red" and it represents Western Kentucky University, the pride of the Sun Belt Conference.

Western Kentucky University? Yes, it exists...just ask Drake and San Diego.

Prior to the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament, I could potentially ask a sample of 50 contributors to the Bleacher Report where Western Kentucky University is located, and what conference it plays in. Chances are I could count the number of respondents who replied with "Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the Sun Belt Conference" on one, maybe two hands. And we're supposed to be experts. Yet I would bet that at least 75 percent of those same respondents would probably tell me they recognized Big Red and knew which university he represented.

Thanks to the exploits of the Western Kentucky University basketball team during the 2007-2008 season, and in the NCAA tournament more importantly, this institution of over 18,000 students located in the southwestern Kentucky community of Bowling Green, might just be living up to its tagline as a "Leading American University with an International Reach." People may begin to recognize WKU more for its basketball prowess than for its bizarre award-winning mascot, or for being the alma mater of Cleveland Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel.

Under 35-year-old Head Coach and WKU alum, Darrin Horn, the Hilltoppers have become this season's Gonzaga. And I'll happily admit that I chose them to play UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen this year, upsetting both Drake and UConn (the latter matchup obviously never came to fruition) in the first two rounds.

I've always been a believer that in order to have success in the NCAA tournament, you need to have solid experienced guard play, and a number of players who can light it up from the outside from any time. Western Kentucky had that coming into the tournament. They have an NBA prospect in 6'5 swingman Courtney Lee, who has the physique of a Joey Dorsey and the quickness of a Darren Collison (okay, maybe not that quick, but you get the point). They have an experienced and intelligent point guard in Senior Tyrone Brazelton, who managed to light up the scoreboard when teams would often swarm Lee, a solid two guard in A.J. Slaughter. They also feature another sharp shooter in Ty Rogers, who made one of the more remarkable game-ending shots in recent tournament memory against Drake, and two sizable big men in Jeremy Evans and D.J. Hagley who are monsters in the paint, and pride themselves on their defense foremost.

In checking out these first round matchups on Selection Sunday, I saw a team that, like Drake, had dominated its conference tournament, and seemed to be playing its best basketball at the advent of the NCAAs. But compared to Drake, who was having its best season in 35 years, and had the reputation of the entire Missouri Valley Conference on its shoulders, Western Kentucky really had none of that added pressure. One could argue that WKU's out of conference schedule was comparable to Drake's. WKU played Gonzaga and Tennessee very close on the road, losing by three and six points respectively. It dominated its conference competition, with the exception of fellow tourney member South Alabama.

A 12-5 matchup against a mid-major having to live up to the hype as a highly-ranked squad throughout the season was just what Coach Horn and his team wanted. When it’s this time of year, many coaches feel that its far more preferable for their team to fly under the radar and be perceived as an underdog, then to have all the pressure on them to deliver the goods that were expected all along.

After all, Drake was a team WKU matched up quite well against in terms of overall personnel and general style of play. Everyone talked about Drake's spectacular perimeter play, but no one seemed to mention WKU's guard talent, or its superior inside play. On paper, it should have been an incredibly high-scoring game, and the two teams would not disappoint.

The Hilltoppers carried the momentum of that miraculous finish against Drake (after dominating the first 36 minutes of regulation mind you), with an impressive wire-to-wire win over the University of San Diego. The Toreros were visibly bruised and battered after their hard-fought come-from-behind upset of the Connecticut Huskies, one of the most physical teams in college basketball. The Hilltoppers showed they could score over 100 points one day, and hold a team to 63 two days later.

I had a hunch that this squad was a versatile one that could win a ball game multiple ways, and it showed its ability to clamp down on the defensive end in its second round victory over UCSD.

Just as I predicted.

Yet as much as I love this Hilltoppers squad, they're about to run into a buzz-saw. UCLA is playing its own backyard, and although WKU might have the guard play to keep up with the Bruins for a half, it certainly doesn't have the size, depth or experience that the Bruins have.

I also picked the Bruins to win it all in a Bleacher Report article exactly one month ago, and I'm not straying from that prediction.

This matchup will be close for at least the first half, but UCLA should run away with this one in the last ten minutes, closing out with a 78-67 win.

UCLA will find a way to stifle WKU's studs on the perimeter, and force the Hilltoppers to beat them in the paint, which won't happen.

Nevertheless, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers should be proud of themselves for a solid season, and a memorable tournament run. One can bet that that the University has increased its "international reach" just a little farther with its basketball team's recent performance. But this being the NCAA tournament, who knows what will happen in this Sweet 16 matchup of 1 vs. 12. I've been wrong in plenty of my picks in this year's tournament, and I could blow this one too.

One thing I am certain of is that Big Red will be out and about in full force in Phoenix, sporting that WKU on his belly, and a constantly drunken and bewildered look on his face.

2008 NCAA Tournament: Betting on UCLA

A.J. Katz — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:17:19 -0500

Today is Feb. 27, 2008. March Madness begins in less than a month, and the regular season schedule is winding down to its final days before the heated conference tournaments begin. (No, you're not included Cornell.)

Parity in men's college basketball has increased exponentially in recent seasons. Some reasons for this? More and more kids seem to grow up playing basketball than ever before. Youth and travel leagues are increasing, and college recruiters seem to have increased and have more "connections" in different parts of the nation than ever before. If you are a star in your area, chances are a recruiter has heard of you and will bombard you with phone calls (or drunk texts at 4 a.m. if you're Kelvin Sampson).

Kids also seem to be growing bigger and stronger earlier in life. There absolutely may not be scientific or genetic proof behind that statement, but when I see 17-year-old boys looking like they should be on "The World's Strongest Man," I feel as if something has changed. Most importantly, the NBA has demanded that the young baller spend at least one year at a college or university before deciding whether they want to enter the NBA draft.

You combine the improved play of the game by children domestically and abroad, as well as improvements in coaching across the American basketball landscape, and the raucous environment that a university's home fans pass on to their beloved team during their home contests, and you have a recipe for parity across the college basketball landscape.

Simply put, it's becoming more acceptable for coaches to spew out basketball cliches, and truly believe what they're saying: "anyone can beat anyone on any given night," "they put their shoes on the same way that we do," "this might be the biggest game of your life." Hey, with the way this season has gone, who knows?

I can't tell you the number of teams who have fallen from their top 10 standing on a nightly basis. The number of "upsets" of top ten teams this season by teams either lower-ranked or unranked is astounding, and the number has to be some sort of record.

The Associated Press and ESPN top-25 rankings have become like a game of musical chairs being played on a scratched compact disc.

The only constant this season has been the No. 1 ranking, and that's been relinquished in recent days by Memphis and the Tennessee Vols, after UT earned the title for an impressive 29 hours after losing to Vandy on the road.

Where am I going with this? Picking a perfect bracket this year is going to be even more difficult than doing so in recent years. March Madness is something I looked forward to each season. In my pre-college years, my team was the Kentucky Wildcats, and I regularly chose them to get to the final four.

After deciding to go to a school in Tulane with no real positive tradition in basketball (aside from its point-shaving scandal in the late '80s that had the program suspended for two seasons), I was left with no real team to bet the house on.

Until this year.

The UCLA Bruins set the standard for college basketball under coaching legend John Wooden. Yet, it appears former-Pitt head coach Ben Howland has brought some wizardry of his own to Westwood in returning pride to UCLA basketball. This is the same program that won 88 consecutive games under Wooden and had a winning record for 54 consecutive seasons until 2002 and 11 National Championships. This year's Bruins team looks to me as if they can get the school No. 12, after coming oh-so-close in 2006 and 2007.

This year's team has flown under the radar once again. Playing their games on the West Coast and getting slightly less TV and press coverage than the Big East and Big Ten teams, UCLA probably doesn't mind. Their records have essentially mirrored those of North Carolina and Memphis - the two teams who have dominated the No. 1 spot this season- yet the Bruins only have owned the ranking for one week, and that was in the ESPN poll, not in the AP.

The Bruins currently sport a record of 24-3, good for No. 4 in the nation in both rankings. Yet, the way they have won has been impressive. A team that has been known for its stifling defense under defensive guru Howland, for the past couple for seasons, the Bruins have improved their offense dramatically this season and have often been able to win games in shootouts. The interior offensive numbers put up by freshman sensation Kevin Love have been staggering. The Oregon native leads the team with 17 and 11 per game. Love is complemented inside by Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Lorenzo Mata-Real, two veterans who pride themselves on their tough defense and are rebounding machines. The team also makes it a habit of not sending their opponent to the free-throw line. Sounds like a pretty good recipe for success to me.

To go along with their consistent inside play, the Bruins have some of the best guard play in the nation. As the saying goes, "3-point shooting and defense win championships." Well, the Bruins have both of those. Not every contender does. Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Russell Westbrook are all highly-regarded pro prospects, who are athletic freaks and play an unselfish brand of basketball. The point guard Collison, who has been to two Final Fours already, averages 14 points and four assists per contest. Veteran swingman Shipp also averages 14 per game and might be the most athletic player on the squad. Sophomore guard Westbrook averages 13 points and 5 assists per contest. He's also the team's most deadly 3-point shooter, to go along with the floor general Collison, and the freak Shipp who also can both stroke it from beyond the arc.

The Bruins have eight solid players who can rotate into the game at any time and give the team a lift. Depth is another factor that can help a team come tournament time.

Some people might think my pick of UCLA is a safe one. Ask how many of your buddies are picking the Bruins to go all the way. No, ask them what the team is ranked this season. Nine out of 10 probably won't know. Most probably will pick North Carolina, Memphis, Tennessee, Kansas, or Texas to win. And they aren't wrong in doing so. But the Bruins are hungry to get over the hump. They've been in the last two Final Fours, and came up short. They have the experience, the coaching, the offense, the defense, and the depth. And they have four very winnable games to close the regular season in Arizona State, Arizona, Stanford (which will be a fun one), and rival Cal.

For the aforementioned reasons, I have the most consistent program in the history of college basketball taking the title in one of the most chaotic, unpredictable, yet exciting seasons in the history of college basketball. Let's hope this trend of parity continues in future seasons.

But, for now, I'm taking the Bruins to bring No. 12 back to Westwood. This may be their best chance as their star freshman already is looking at condos in D-Wade's South Beach building for next year.

Where's the Love for the Hornets in New Orleans?

A.J. Katz — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:04:44 -0500

The Hornets are awesome.

It's plain and simple, really. They play a passionate, exciting brand of basketball loved by analysts and diehard NBA fans alike.

They are no longer "under the radar."

Everyone knows who Chris Paul is, and how quickly he has progressed into a top-five guard.

So why can't the team sell out its home arena on a nightly basis? Why hasn't "The Other City that Never Sleeps" taken to this team yet?

I think I may have some answers:

1. Population and Socio-Economic Circumstances

New Orleans is not a large city. Before Hurricane Katrina, the city had a population of slightly more than 600,000 residents. In 2006, one year after the tragedy, the city's population dwarfed to a mere 220,000 residents.

Think about that number for one second. I think Green Bay, Wisconsin might have almost as many residents and it has only one professional sports team—one that has had vast amounts of success in a place with nothing else to do besides watch football.

Try being able to support two professional sports teams in a city that got ravaged by the worst natural disaster in American history and has just lost almost 60 percent of its total population.

Today, New Orleans' population has increased to about 275,000 residents, making it the smallest market in the NBA.

Also, most of the team's potential fan base comes from outside the city.

Due to the fact that New Orleans has become a small city—one with a lower median household income than before the storm—attending NBA games on a regular basis is not easy for fans.

It is a fact that the Hornets have the cheapest season tickets in the NBA—yet when you play 41 home games a season, many coming at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday, you're not going to attract large crowds in a market where many people work jobs until at least 6 p.m. They then have to drive an hour to get to the arena and won't end up returning home until 11 p.m. The same is true with families.

You are not going to find a good deal of bachelors who call themselves full-time residents of New Orleans, unless you count broke college students of Tulane, Loyola, or LSU. Many of these people can't afford to bring their kids to the game on a school night or leave them at home until close to 11 p.m.

Essentially New Orleans' population—both the number and type of residents—is a major reason why the Hornets have been struggling so far despite their on-court success. There's only so much love to go around on the sporting landscape. These latter points will be expounded on later.

2. Lack of Tradition in the Region and Uncertainty About the Future

LSU is located in Baton Rouge, 65 miles from the New Orleans Arena. As a result, at least two-thirds of the houses in New Orleans sport purple and gold LSU flags outside their homes. Makes a whole lot of sense, eh?

LSU pride is pervasive around this city due to the success of the university's sports (football and baseball in particular). Also, at least 50 percent of New Orleans high school grads who are able to attend college end up choosing LSU because "it's close, has good sports, and isn't full of the carpetbaggers who attend Tulane."

The sports scene in the South has always been about football so it should come as no surprise that LSU football and the New Orleans Saints are the hot sells in this city. Heck, even the city's Arena League team the "Voodoo" sells out the same venue more often than the Hornets.

The Saints also decided to return to New Orleans months after Katrina. The Hornets did not. The Hornets were the newer team in New Orleans, and understanding that the city wouldn't be able to handle two sports teams for the time being, the city chose the Saints to return full-time.

The Hornets were banished to Oklahoma City. While the city welcomed new marquee additions like Drew Brees and Reggie Bush with open arms, the Hornets, who had only spent three previous seasons in New Orleans before Katrina hit, were regarded as afterthoughts.

Yes, the team saw solid crowds before the storm, but unlike the Saints, the Hornets were struggling and hadn't fully established themselves with the population. There was no real tradition there.

The New Orleans Hornets? At least the Saints were known for being the "Aints", had Archie Manning, and had their fans wear bags over their faces at numerous games. The Hornets had none of that.

I believe that no matter how many things the team has done in the community and on the court, it still hasn't fully regained the trust of this football-crazy city. Time will tell if the Hornets will begin to establish their own tradition and it all starts with winning.

Lastly, weekly rumors of the team leaving town don't help the franchise to attract new fans.

3. The City of Entertainment and Tourism: "A One Night Stand?"

New Orleans is full of things to do: Bourbon Street, Pat O'Briens, strip clubs, jazz clubs on Frenchman Street, Riverboat rides on the Mississippi, Beignets at Cafe du Monde, Harrah's Casino on Canal Street, Tipitina's Music Club uptown. God knows I'm forgetting the countless marvelous restaurants and other cauldrons of debauchery that can be explored in this effervescent city.

New Orleans is a tourist's paradise, chock full of crazy activities to partake in. Yes, the insanity has been tempered since the Hurricane, but this city has so many things to do.

Step away for a second, and think about this: New Orleans is known for being a haven for tourists, like Las Vegas, with a relatively small resident population. As a tourist what would you rather do? Go to the strip clubs on Bourbon Street, hit up the jazz clubs on Frenchmen, or go to an NBA basketball game? Ding Ding...If attending an NBA basketball game was the last thing you would choose on that list, congrats! The point is that you aren't alone in your beliefs. The problem for the Hornets is that there are too many tourists who would rather partake in these activities, and not enough full-time residents who are devoted to this team and its players.

Conclusion:

All three of those factors, on top of a cable dispute with Cox Sports TV that has refused to carry Hornets' home games to suburban residents of New Orleans living in the affluent North Shore who would like to see their "new" team play but can't afford to drive 45 minutes across Lake Pontchartrain every night to do so, problems have arisen, resulting in low attendance figures.

The New Orleans Hornets are a mystery to many New Orleanians who can't remember the last time they played a full season in their city because it happened before Hurricane Katrina.

For many, one life ended as a result of the storm and a new one began months after. They have completely forgotten the team that tried to represent New Orleans.

Thanks to recent national attention for the Hornets' superb play in overcoming these odds, and the announcement of the NBA All-Star Game (an event loved by all sports fans regardless of city locale or sporting preference), the Hornets attendance began to increase as the All-Star Break beckoned. Cox Sports (CST) even allows the majority middle and upper-middle class residents of the North Shore to view an increased amount of the games on TV.

As most marketers understand, the only way to reestablish a fanbase that has been all but lost and forgotten is to allow it to see the team from afar first. Then they can decide if they want to make the 23-mile trek across the lake to the Arena to see their new favorite team in person.

Like the city of New Orleans, the Hornets are rebuilding their franchise faster than expected. They went from 18-64 to 36-15 at the All-Star Break. For both the work is far from done, but with the recent surge in attendance for recent games, the future appears bright.

The last home game was against lowly Memphis. The first time these two teams met attendance at the arena was barely more than 9,000. The second time they met in New Orleans happened to be the Saturday before All-Star-Weekend. Attendance?

A sellout.

So my advice to the reader? Pay attention to this team. If you don't live in the area, take note of what the Hornets are doing against the odds.

If you do live here, get your lazy ass to the arena on Girod Street next to that other sporting venue you may have visited once or twice called the Superdome.

Bourbon Street is open 24 hours. The Hornets close at 9:30 p.m.

New Orleans Hornets: Where's the Love? Part Three

A.J. Katz — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:40:46 -0500

The Hornets are awesome. It's plain and simple, really. They play a passionate, exciting brand of basketball loved by analysts and diehard NBA fans alike.

So why can't the team sell out its home arena on a nightly basis? Why hasn't "The Other City that Never Sleeps" taken to this team yet?

I'll tell ya:

1. Population and Socio-economic circumstance

New Orleans is not a large city. Before Hurricane Katrina, the city had a population of slightly more than 600,000 residents. In 2006, one year after the tragedy, the city's population dwarfed to a mere 220,000 residents.

Think about that number for one second. I think Green Bay, Wisconsin might have almost as many residents and it has only one professional sports team—one that has had vast amounts of success in a place with nothing else to do besides watch football.

Try being able to support two professional sports teams in a city that got ravaged by the worst natural disaster in American history and has just lost almost 60 percent of its total population. Today, New Orleans' population has increased to about 275,000 residents, making it the smallest market in the NBA.

Also, most of the team's potential fanbase comes from outside the city.

Due to the fact that New Orleans has become a small city—one with a lower median household income than before the storm—attending NBA games on a regular basis is not easy for fans.

It is a fact that the Hornets have the cheapest season tickets in the NBA, yet when you play 41 home games a season, many coming at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday, you're not going to attract large crowds in a market where many people work jobs until at least 6 p.m. They then have to drive an hour to get to the arena and won't end up returning home until 11 p.m. The same is true with families.

You are not going to find a good deal of bachelors who call themselves full-time residents of New Orleans, unless you count broke college students of Tulane, Loyola, or LSU. Many of these people can't afford to bring their kids to the game on a school night or leave them at home until close to 11 p.m.

Essentially New Orleans' population—both the number and type of residents—is a major reason why the Hornets have been struggling so far despite their on-court success. There's only so much love to go around on the sporting landscape. These latter points will be expounded on later.

2. Lack of Tradition in the Region and Uncertainty About the Future

LSU is located in Baton Rouge, 65 miles from the New Orleans Arena. As a result, at least 2/3 of the houses in New Orleans sport purple and gold LSU flags outside their homes. Makes a whole lot of sense, eh?

LSU pride is pervasive around this city due to the success of the university's sports (football and baseball in particular). Also, at least 50 percent of New Orleans high school grads who are able to attend college end up choosing LSU because "it's close, has good sports, and isn't full of the carpetbaggers who attend Tulane."

The sports scene in the South has always been about football so it should come as no surprise that LSU football and the New Orleans Saints are the hot sells in this city. Heck, even the city's Arena League team the "Voodoo" sells out the same venue more often than the Hornets.

Yes, the team saw solid crowds before the storm, but unlike the Saints, the Hornets were struggling and hadn't fully established themselves with the population. There was no real tradition there.

The New Orleans Hornets? At least the Saints were known for being the "Aints", had Archie Manning, and had their fans wear bags over their faces at numerous games. The Hornets had none of that.

I believe that no matter how many things the team has done in the community and on the court, it still hasn't fully regained the trust of this football-crazy city. Time will tell if the Hornets will begin to establish their own tradition and it all starts with winning.

Lastly, weekly rumors of the team leaving town don't help the franchise to attract new fans.

3. The City of Entertainment and Tourism

New Orleans is full of things to do: Bourbon Street, Pat O'Briens, strip clubs, jazz clubs on Frenchman Street, Riverboat rides on the Mississippi, Beignets at Cafe du Monde, Harrah's Casino on Canal Street, Tipitina's Music Club uptown. God knows I'm forgetting the countless marvelous restaurants and other cauldrons of debauchery that can be explored in this effervescent city.

New Orleans is a tourist's paradise, chock full of crazy activities to partake in. Yes, the insanity has been tempered since the Hurricane, but this city has so many things to do.

Step away for a second, and think this: New Orleans is known for being a haven for tourists, like Las Vegas, with a relatively small resident population. As a tourist what would you rather do? Go to the strip clubs on Bourbon Street, hit up the jazz clubs on Frenchmen, or go to an NBA basketball game?

Ding Ding...If attending an NBA basketball game was the last thing you would choose on that list, congrats! The point is that you aren't alone in your beliefs. The problem for the Hornets is that there are too many tourists who would rather partake in these activities, and not enough full-time residents who are devoted to this team and its players.

Conclusion:

All three of those factors, on top of a cable dispute with Cox Communications TV that has refused to carry Hornets' home games to suburban residents of New Orleans living in the affluent North Shore who would like to see their "new" team play but can't afford to drive 45 minutes across Lake Pontchartrain every night to do so, problems have arisen, resulting in low attendance figures.

The New Orleans Hornets are a mystery to many New Orleanians who can't remember the last time they played a full season in their city because it happened before Hurricane Katrina.

For many, one life ended as a result of the storm and a new one began months after. They have completely forgotten the team that tried to represent New Orleans.

Thanks to recent national attention for the Hornets' superb play in overcoming these odds, and the announcement of the NBA All-Star Game (an event loved by all sports fans regardless of city locale or sporting preference), the Hornets attendance began to increase as the All-Star Break beckoned. Cox TV even allowed the majority middle and upper-middle class residents of the North Shore to view the games on TV.

As most marketers understand, the only way to reestablish a fanbase that has been all but lost and forgotten is to allow it to see the team from afar first. Then they can decide if they want to make the 23-mile trek across the lake to the Arena to see their new favorite team in person.

A sellout.

So my advice to the reader? Pay attention to this team. If you don't live in the area, take note of what the Hornets are doing against the odds.

If you do live here, get your lazy ass to the arena on Girod Street next to that other sporting venue you may have visited once or twice called the Superdome.

Bourbon Street is open 24 hours. The Hornets close at 9:30 p.m.

New Orleans Hornets: Where's the Love?, Part Two

A.J. Katz — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:23:13 -0500

So, now you know.

If you are a sports fan with a pulse, you watched TNT's highly-entertaining broadcast of the 57th Annual NBA All-Star Game hosted in the Crescent City of New Orleans, Louisiana.

You've looked at the standings for the first half of this season, and at the heading "Southwest Division," you have consistently seen the New Orleans Hornets as either the first or second team listed in that column.

You wonder how on earth that is possible, and why you haven't seen more of this team.

You saw 22-year-old Chris Paul during the NBA All-Star Game. You've recently heard Sports Center anchors Scott Van Pelt and Neil Everett gush about his game during highlights, but wondered how good this guy really was.

After all, he plays for the New Orleans Hornets, a team that has had no consistent home court for the past few seasons, and recently called two different cities "home."

He was the key piece in rebuilding the team that finished 18-64 three years ago. You saw his poise as a playmaker on the basketball court, with an incredible ability to penetrate and find the open man.

He had 16 points and 14 assists last night, and put up those stats in an All-Star Game facing the best competition in the world. 14 assists. Chris Paul puts up those numbers every single night.

But you wouldn't know that because the Hornets are never shown on ESPN. You also probably saw the articulate side of Chris Paul, greeting the international audience at center court before tipoff with an eloquence and confidence not found in many 22-year-olds, much less ones who also call themselves NBA All-Stars.

You also met David West, the Hornets' power forward who plays with an incredible amount of toughness and intensity each and every game, including the one played last night. You saw the way he fought for loose balls under the basket with comparative skyscrapers named Dwight Howard and Rasheed Wallace.

Remember Peja Stojakovic? Well he's on the Hornets too. You know how good a healthy Peja Stojakovic can be. You watched him when he starred with those great Sacramento Kings teams. Well, he's healthy and has benefited from the presence of Chris Paul and David West in becoming the three-point machine we all remember him to be years ago.

Tyson Chandler? "The Mistake in Chicago" has finally grown into the NBA's premier rebounder. He's become a monster. You'll find that out soon too.

So why do the Hornets still fail to draw decent crowds to their games? Never mind the sellouts, their average attendance mark is 12,500. That just shouldn't happen, and it isn't fair to the team, the franchise, and those who work to put out an exciting product for the city each and every night.

The Hornets have a fantastic team with skilled, intriguing players who play an exciting brand of up-and-down basketball, and with an intensity that would be praised by the city it represents if that city would only come out to see them.

Who wouldn't want to see that type of team play based on hustle, desire, and determination on a nightly basis? If there's any team in pro sports that lives up to its motto, it would be the Hornets:

"Passion, Purpose, Pride."

Yeah, I'd say so.

So, why can't the Hornets draw a consistently packed house? Some of my theories are common sense, and others are more complex. Read on so you can know...and act now.

The Eagle Has Landed: New York Mets Bring In Johan Santana

A.J. Katz — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:57:19 -0500

After months of speculation, rumors, and incessant examination of Matthew Cerrone's "MetsBlog" by the hour in search of updates on the neverending Johan Santana saga, it all finally ended today: January 29th, 2008.

The New York Mets attained the best pitcher in baseball this decade: Johan Santana.

The price? Well for now, it appears to have been a bargain: Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Delois Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey.

It appears to me that Guerra is the only player in this deal who has the potential to be a legitimate stud.

Gomez may be a solid ball player as well, but he was extremely inconsistent during his time in New York, and while he showed flashes of brillance on the basepaths, and pop in his bat, he didn't hit for a particularly high average. Switching from the grassy meadows of Flushing to the Minneapolis turf may help his speed-driven game, and turn those groundball outs at Shea into infield Texas Leaguers at the Metrodome.

I honestly don't see Kevin Mulvey or Phil Humber becoming any more than number-three starters during their Major League careers. But only time will tell, and there's a reason I'm not someone who evaluates talent for a living. I could be completely offbase in my predictions of these four ballplayers.

If I were a Twins fan, I wouldn't be particularly happy with the trade, but would understand the predicament that the front office was in. The team had a free agent pitcher that it could not afford, and one who wanted to play for a contender, but was stuck with a good baseball team that doesn't seem to have the resources to build itself into a great one.

GM Bill Smith and friends are hoping the four prospects they get from the Mets will play pivotal roles in making this Twins squad a playoff contender for years to come, but I don't particularly see that panning out right now, to be frank.

As a Mets fan, I am ecstatic at the moment. The Mets just acquired the best pitcher in baseball for four prospects who could be good major league players, but are virtual unknowns. Johan Santana is a proven commodity. Barring any injuries, you know he will give you a chance to win every single time he steps on the mound.

Having a shutdown starter like Santana also gives the team around him confidence, and will push them to perform to the best of their abilities. The Red Sox play better baseball when they know Josh Beckett is going to be on the hill. As in most sports, all of these guys are professionals, and although some are better than others, confidence plays a HUGE part in the long-term success of a team.

Acquiring a player with the name and pedigree of Johan Santana will make every single member of the Mets excited to return to work, step on the field, and win a world championship. I can't underscore this fact enough: Johan Santana's influence will not solely be seen through statistics.

This has to be a great day for all Mets fans. The incessant saga that we have been following for months has finally come to an end, and much to our surprise, we got our man...for once. Omar Minaya saved his job.

As great of a moment as this is though, it puts even more pressure on this club to compete. For this first time since the late 80s, one could argue that the team with the higher expectations and increased pressure to win immediately would have to be the Mets.

Brian Cashman and the front office of the Yankees have finally committed to building its club for the future, and from within. This is why they did not gamble away the house to attain Santana.

The Mets, on the other hand, had to. They endured a collapse of monumental proportions, and needed something to re-energize the players and its hungry fanbase. Plus, the team had a bunch of number-two starters, but didn't have that top-flight, shutdown starter that could go out every fifth day and give the ballclub at least seven solid innings.

As I said before, the effect of that cannot be measured statistically. You want to use your bullpen as little as possible, and this is something that will make Willie Randolph's job far easier...especially as someone who was oft criticized by a certain blogger for using his bullpen WAY too often.

Of course, I will be following this story in far more detail in the next two to three days as a final extension is finally hammered out between Johan and the Mets. Best of luck to the Twins. I hope our prospects end of being valuable additions to your major league roster one day—but hopefully not too valuable. There was a reason this process took so long. We held these guys in high regard, and hopefully they will deliver for you as long as its not during interleague play.

But for Met fans, this is a day to exhale and rejoice. Of course, Johan Santana will not single-handedly carry the Mets to the NL pennant, but as long as he is healthy, he will bring a phenomenal effort to the game every time he takes the mound. And best of all, Johan Santana will bring a confidence and a heightened swagger that this team, organization and fanbase DESPERATELY needs.

YA GOTTA BELIEVE!

Super Bowl XLII: There Are No Losers...Except the Giants

A.J. Katz — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:48:27 -0500

After another brief hiatus, I have once again returned to preach to the masses and continue the blog.

As one of the most grandiose and popular sporting events of the calendar year falls upon us, I felt this would be the appropriate time to speak about Super Bowl XLII, the 2008 edition of American football's championship game.

This year's matchup has a northeastern flavor. No it's not Yankees/Red Sox, Knicks/Celtics, or even Rangers/Bruins, but rather the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. Although these two franchises have long histories and are geographic neighbors, there has never really been a rivalry between the two squads. They have rarely been relevant at the same time.

In fact, up until this decade, the Patriots were typically one of the league's worst performing teams. Now they fall under the same category as the Steelers of the '70s, the 49ers of the '80s, and the Cowboys of the '90s. This year's Super Bowl, once again, gives the nation's most obnoxious, self-promoting, and self-centered region a chance to once again serve as the center of the world for one weekend.

Boston versus New York.

To us Northeasterns, it doesn't get much better than that. New Yorkers think of Bostonians as dirty, uncouth, loud-mouths with massive inferiority complexes. Bostonians think of New Yorkers as arrogant pussies who are mostly transplants and aren't as great as they believe they are. Recent sporting history would prove the last few words of that sentence to be the case, but in measuring other characteristics of each city, both are unique and intriguing cultural centers in their own right.

If the game itself and the extra-curricular theatrics that always come with the Super Bowl Package aren't entertaining enough for middle America, the back and forth banter between natives of these two rival cities should make up for any lack of actual sporting drama.

Now for my game-relevant thoughts about this matchup.

I am a Giants fan. I will make that be known at the outset. I always have been, and always will be. In fact, the Giants are my second favorite franchise in all of sports, behind the Mets, of course. As ecstatic as I am that my favorite football team has made it to the zenith of its sport, I am understandably quite shocked, and have properly failed to fully absorb the fact that the Giants made it to their championship game before the Mets made it to theirs.

I'll admit that I was one of Eli Manning's harshest and most outspoken critics for the duration of the regular season. After the fiasco at home against the Vikings, I said that even if the Giants had made it to the playoffs (which considering the amount of talent on the team, and the lack of quality in the NFC it would have been monumental had they not), that Eli should not come back next year as the team's quarterback. This is a team that is built to win now, with a demanding fanbase that expects its team to perform at the highest level. The feeling is that if you play for and represent the most important city in the country, the teams' results should mirror that eminence. Is that a fair statement or belief? Not necessarily, but being a lifelong New York sports fan, this is a sentiment that is popularly echoed and supported throughout the tri-state.

Yet, something happened to this team during the second half of the Week 16 road game in Buffalo that altered its destiny. The Giants were getting whipped by a Bills team that had far less talent than they, and nothing really to play for aside from the role of spoiler. The Giants had a ton to play for: their playoff fate was hanging in the balance. If they lost, they would need to defeat the perfect Patriots in order to make the playoffs as a wild-card road team. Great.

What exactly happened during that game, I'm not sure. Was it a combination of Kevin Gilbride's playcalling being properly carried out or improved? Was it an improvement in the play of the Giants' offensive line? Was it the increased focus of the team's wide receivers? Was it the weather, Ahmad Bradshaw, a healthy Brandon Jacobs, and a mediocre Bills defense? Did Tom Coughlin make a ridiculous halftime speech that would dwarf anything the writers at "Friday Night Lights" could ever concoct?

Whatever happened at halftime of that game, the Giants offense finally woke up, and started pouring it on the Bills, even with the atrocious weather that typically defines western New York in December. One of the most scrutinized teams in professional sports found itself amid the blustery conditions of a Buffalo winter. Fitting, don't ya think?

As we all know, the Giants continued their strong play from the second half of the Buffalo game that assured the team of a playoff spot. They seemed to gain a new confidence through succeeding in that blustery weather. They gave a solid effort in the final game of the season, and almost came out on top against the Patriots at home.

Contrary to popular belief, I actually felt that more confidence was gained after the difficult win in Buffalo than after the close loss against New England. It's difficult for any team to gain confidence after losing a game, and I don't buy the hype that they felt better about themselves after Week 17.

With a confident Eli Manning trusting his teammates and his playcallers, the Giants defied the odds by winning three consecutive road games. Throughout recent weeks, they have begun to look more and more like the Pittsburgh Steelers Championship squad from two years ago. A team with a young quarterback that brought a conservative gameplan to life, executing it to a "T", along with a multi-dimensional running game, a physical offensive line, and a hard-hitting defense.

As we all know, professional sports is full of parity. Of course, some teams are better than others, and some players are better than others; but how much better can they possibly be? All of these players and coaches are professionals after all. The name of the game is confidence, and this team now exudes plenty of it. This is a confident team that a confident city should be proud of.

With ALL of that being said, I still don't think the Giants will win the Super Bowl.

Kind of a letdown, eh?

To be perfectly frank, I believe that the Patriots are just too good at each and every position. It's tough for me to admit Boston's superiority in anything, but there is only so much confidence can do for one team, especially when its opponent is just as confident, has more talent at all of the key positions, and has failed to lose a single game. Lets face it, while the Giants are on a recent hot streak, the Patriots have been on a 5-month hot streak.

I love my Giants, and I would love for them to win the Super Bowl and shut up those obnoxious brutes from Boston, but you're giving this New England coaching staff two weeks to prepare for a quarterback who has made his fair share of bad on-the-field decisions over his brief NFL career. Brady was able to torch our secondary late in the teams' first meeting, and the Patriots offensive line was able to handle our vaunted D-Line. When you give Brady ample time to throw (as with almost any NFL starting quarterback), he will find ways to find open receivers and pick you apart. The offensive line is the key to that team, and unless our front four can manage to physically dominate their O-Line, I'm not sure if we can hold them under 30 points.

I compared these Giants two the Super Bowl winning Steelers of two years ago. Unfortunately, this Patriots team is the best in NFL history, and they would have defeated those Steelers in a dogfight. I believe the same will be the case with this game. It will be a close contest going into the fourth quarter, 24-20 in fact. Yet, I believe that the Pats will manage to find a way to torch the Giants secondary late in the 4th quarter as they did in the previous meeting, and close Super Bowl XLII out: 31-20.

I really hope I'm wrong, and I hope Harry Carson, LT, and Phil Simms, among others show up for this game. This squad needs all the luck and inspiration it can get. Where are Bill Buckner, Bucky Dent and Jim McMahon when you need them? GO BIG BLUE!

Tulane: Just a "Baseball School"?

A.J. Katz — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:32:47 -0500

When you ask the typical college-educated American what first comes to mind when Tulane University is mentioned in conversation, the majority of answers will undoubtedly include: New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, partying, "a good school."

The last two descriptions are two that Tulane students are proud of in particular. Sports aficionados under the age of forty who weren't around for the Green Wave's "golden years" in the SEC best know Tulane for their prominent baseball program under the leadership of coach Rick Jones.

College World Series appearances in 2000 and 2005, and the emergence of alumnus Micah Owings as a two-way threat on the mound and at the plate for the Arizona Diamondbacks, has bolstered Tulane's legitimacy as a baseball powerhouse on the national scene.

Yet, Tulane basketball is definitely not regarded in the same illustrious light as its Baseball brethren. Aside from a few successful squads in the early 80's, a NCAA tournament win over St. John's in '92, and a couple of NIT appearances in the mid 90's, Tulane basketball is most associated with a point-shaving scandal that rocked the program in 1985.

The scandal involved three of the team's best players, who received cocaine and money from a group of Tulane frat brothers as a thank you for purposely managing to cover the spread. The program was suspended for a few years, until being reintroduced under Perry Clark in 1991.

Tulane basketball has failed to reach the postseason since making a quick entrance and an even quicker exit in the NIT.

The Shawn Finney years (2000-2005) were difficult ones that saw a Tulane squad fail to keep pace with its Conference USA competitors like: Memphis, Marquette, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Charlotte among others. Tulane was a small private university with higher academic standards for its athletes than the aforementioned schools. This is one reason today why Tulane loses many of its recruits to the larger schools in the area and in the SEC: their grades and test scores just aren't in accord with Tulane's stringent academic standards.

When the Big East and the A-10 decided to expand their borders, C-USA fell deeper into the Mid-Major abyss, when all of the aforementioned powers aside from Memphis decided to flee the league formerly known as the Metro Conference. The inclusion of schools like UTEP, SMU, Marshall and Tulsa improved C-USA as a football conference, but weakened its credibility in the world of college basketball.

With the shift in the composition of C-USA, also came a long anticipated coaching change at Tulane.

Out went the former Kentucky assistant, Shawn Finney, and in came Dave Dickerson, the longtime assistant under the legendary Gary Williams at Maryland, and one of the most sought after assistants in college basketball.

Tulane was able to get a rare steal (pardon the pun) at the right time. Yet, just as Coach Dickerson began to assemble his new staff at Tulane, Katrina hit. Hurricane Katrina, as most people around the nation now understand, completely altered the city of New Orleans. It destroyed many of the neighborhoods around the city, the infrastructure, and exposed the flaws that many urban centers around the nation hope to hide from popular knowledge. It also affected the way outsiders viewed the city.

Popular media outlets attempted to portray the city as a war zone, a third world sort of place. This portrayal was false and extremely unfair. It also affected Tulane's ability to recruit.

A school with one of the strictest admission standards for student-athletes in the nation, Hurricane Katrina dealt another critical blow to the new regime of Tulane Basketball. This makes what Tulane is currently doing under Dave Dickerson all the more unbelievable.

Dickerson took a mediocre program going nowhere, guided them to a record of 17-12 in his second year at Tulane, and a fourth place finish in Conference USA. He recruited two of the best players in the state of Alabama in Johnny Mayhane and Asim McQueen, who are currently sophomores and have played pivotal roles in the team's current success. Dickerson also recruited the team's star point guard Kevin Sims, a first-team Mississippi High School performer.

The sophomore currently leads the team in assists, and has improved his ability to manage a game for the Green Wave. He has also cut down his turnovers significantly from last season, yet another reason why Tulane is turning heads this season.

The 2007-2008 Tulane Green Wave is lead by Seniors David Gomez, Matt Wheaton, and Donnie Stith. Gomez is the team's leader and leading scorer, averaging over 15 points per game.

Wheaton is the team's starting small forward, and one of its most clutch late-game performers. Stith is the team's leading shot blocker and one its best defenders. These three seniors endured the coaching change and the Hurricane in a matter of months. Their ability to lead and the mental toughness they have showed has undoubtedly been shaped by these events. Coach Dickerson has leaned on these three players as the season has gone on, and as the program continues to improve under him, he will look back and regard them as three of his most important players at Tulane.

Robinson Louisme is the team's Junior big man. Standing at only 6'8" yet over 260 pounds, Louisme is undersized as a center, but makes up for it in his bulk and toughness. He and the 6'7" Gomez are very talented players who make up for their lack of height at the 4 and 5 spots with an on-court intelligence and toughness that make them a tough match-up for any team, aside from maybe Memphis, who would give the Heat a good game this season.

6'7" Junior Daniel Puckett often starts at the 2 or the 3 spot, as he is a gifted shooter and defender with a high upside. Kevin Sims is the 5'10" sophomore who is often the fastest player on the court, who is a solid 3-point shooter and passer who has improved his game-managing skills. He needs to limit his propensity to turn the ball over, and needs to utilize his speed and ability to dish the rock to make up for his lack of size.

This Tulane team may not be as talented as Houston or Memphis, and doesn't have the size that UAB does, but it plays with a ton of toughness, passion and pride. Not to sound cliche, but this team goes out every night and works its collective butt off. Their style of play mirrors their coach, and ultimately the city and campus it plays for, even if the campus doesn't recognize them as much as it should.

The Tulane basketball team currently sports a record of 14-6, with a 4-2 C-USA record, one of those losses coming at home to UAB on a 3-pointer made with 1.6 seconds remaining in the game.

This Tulane doesn't have the traditional size that the ranked teams have, but it passes the ball well, shoots a high percentage from the charity stripe, and has a number of gifted outside shooters. They've had enough talent to stay in each one of the games they've competed in this season, and have beat a number of high profile teams along the way, including: Georgia, LSU, and Auburn, as well as a five-point loss to 24th ranked Saint Mary's.

Consistently underrated in C-USA due to their history and their lack of size, Tulane has a relatively forgiving home schedule, as they face Memphis, Houston and UCF at home, with only UTEP and UAB once more on the road.

This team has the potential to surprise many people and finish in the top three in the conference. Don't be surprised if the Green Wave continues their impressive play as the season wears on.

If the team continues to win, Memphis may face a surprisingly hostile reception at diminutive Fogelman Arena come February 20th.

Super Bowl XLII: A Blustery Affair

A.J. Katz — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:15:05 -0500

As one of the most grandiose and popular sporting events of the calendar year falls upon us, I felt now would be the appropriate time to speak about the Super Bowl, the zenith of professional football taking place for the 42nd consecutive year.

This year's matchup has a distinctly Northeastern flavor, much to the chagrin of the majority of Americans. No it's not Yankees/Red Sox, Knicks/Celtics, Rangers/Bruins, or even Revolution/Red Bulls, but rather the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.

Although they are two franchises that have long histories and are geographic neighbors, I can't recall there having been a rivalry between the two squads. They have rarely been relevant at the same time.

In fact, up until this decade, the Patriots were typically one of the league's worst performing teams. Now they fall under the same category as the Steelers of the 70's, the 49ers of the 80's, and the Cowboys of the 90's.

This year's Super Bowl once again gives the nation's most obnoxious, self-promoting and self-centered region a chance to once again serve as the center of the world for one weekend. Boston versus New York.

To us Northeasterners, it doesn't get much better than this. New Yorkers and Bostonians do not particularly like each other. New Yorkers think of Bostonians as dirty, uncouth, loud-mouths with massive inferiority complexes. Bostonians think of New Yorkers as arrogant pansies who are mostly transplants and aren't as great as they believe they are.

Recent sporting history would prove the last few words of that sentence to be the case, but in measuring other characteristics of each city, both are unique and intriguing cultural centers in their own right. If the game itself and the extracurricular theatrics that always come with the Super Bowl Package aren't entertaining enough for middle America, the back and forth banter between native fans of these two rival cities should make up for any lack of actual sporting drama.

Now for my game-relevant thoughts about this matchup.

This is a team that is built to win now, with a demanding fan base that expects its team to perform at the highest level. The feeling is that if you play for and represent the most important city in the country, the teams' results should mirror that eminence.

Is this a fair statement or belief?

Not necessarily, but being a lifelong New York sports fan, this is a sentiment that is popularly echoed and supported throughout the tri-state area.

Yet, something happened to this team during the second half of the Week 16 road game in Buffalo that altered it's destiny. The Giants were getting whipped by a Bills team that had far less talent than they, and nothing really to play for aside from the role of spoiler. The Giants had a ton to play for: their playoff fate was hanging in the balance. If they lost, they would need to defeat the perfect Patriots in order to make the playoffs as a wild card road team.

Great.

What exactly happened during that game, I'm not sure. Was it a combination of Kevin Gilbride's play calling being properly carried out or improved? Was it an improvement in the play of the Giants' offensive line? Was it the increased focus of the team's wide receivers? Was it the weather, Ahmad Bradshaw, a healthy Brandon Jacobs, and a mediocre Bills defense? Did Tom Coughlin make a ridiculous halftime speech that would dwarf anything the writers at "Friday Night Lights" could ever concoct?

Whatever happened at halftime of that game, the Giants offense finally woke up, and started pouring it on the Bills through the atrocious weather that typically defines Western New York in December. One of the most scrutinized teams in professional sports found itself amid the blustery conditions of a Buffalo winter. Fitting, dont ya think?

As we all know, the Giants continued their strong play from the second half of the Buffalo game that assured the team of a playoff spot. They seemed to gain a new confidence through succeeding through that blustery weather. They gave a solid effort in the final game of the season, and almost came out on top against the Patriots at home.

Contrary to popular belief, I actually felt that more confidence was gained after the difficult win in Buffalo, then after the close loss against New England. It's difficult for any team to gain confidence after losing a game, and I don't buy the hype that they felt better about themselves after Week 17.

A team with a young quarterback that brought a conservative game plan to life, executing it to a "T." A team with a multi-dimensional running game, a physical offensive line, and a hard-hitting defense.

Lets face it, while the Giants are on a recent hot streak, the Patriots have been on a five month hot streak. I love my Giants, and I would love for them to win the Super Bowl and shut up those obnoxious brutes from Boston, but you're giving this New England coaching staff two weeks to prepare for a quarterback who has made his fair share of bad on-the-field decisions over his brief NFL career.

Brady was able to torch our secondary late in the teams' first meeting, and the Patriots offensive line was able to handle our vaunted D-Line. When you give Brady ample time to throw (as with almost any NFL starting quarterback), he will find ways to find open receivers and pick you apart.

The offensive line is the key to that team, and unless our front four can manage to physically dominate their O-Line, I'm not sure if we can hold them under 30 points. I compared these Giants two the Super Bowl winning Steelers of two years ago.

Unfortunately, this Patriots team is the best in NFL history, and they would have defeated those Steelers in a dogfight. I believe the same will be the case with this game. It will be a close contest going into the fourth quarter, 24-20 in fact. Yet, I believe that the Pats will manage to find a way to torch the Giants secondary late in the 4th quarter as they did in the previous meeting, and close Super Bowl XLII out: 31-20.

I really hope I'm wrong, and Harry Carson, LT, and Phil Simms, among others show up for this one and work their magic. This squad needs all the luck and inspiration it can get. Where are Bill Buckner, Bucky Dent, and Jim McMahon when you need them?

Go Big Blue.