Live NCAA Blog

Ugh. Woke up late due to St. Patrick's festivities. Have to do half of my office pool brackets by hand. On the flip side, listening to the much improved Jay Bilas. It has begun. All times are Central, by the way.

(11:44) Trying to figure out why Kansas City gets Notre Dame/Old Dominion. What control group decided this was better than BYU/Florida?

(11:47) Tim Abromaitis. The Greek God of Drunken Three Point Shooting.

(11:52) I saw roughly 6 guys at the bar last night dressed like Notre Dame's mascot. And I think no matter what game CBS was showing, I'd be mad at it. How can you not glance at those scores and wonder?

(11:57) Old Dominion playing awful. Not sure what this team does so well. Then again, I could say the same about Notre Dame. Neither of these teams winning their Round Two game.

(12:09) Four team parlay: Tennessee -3.5, Baylor -550, Butler -2, Michigan St. -1400. Somehow, only game I'm worried about is Michigan St.

(12:11) ROBERT MORRIS?!?!?!?! Jay Wright decided not to start Scottie Reynolds AND Corey Fisher. He surely has cash on the Robert Morris money line.

(12:21) About time to order a pizza. When you order online, there is a section labeled "Special Directions". I'm going to write "Pick up 30 pack of Bud Light. Big tip." It's worth a shot, right? If Villanova loses, I will need all 30 of those (I have KU over Nova in my Championship).

(12:36) Pizza ordered. It's much harder juggling a live blog, Tweet Deck, 3 Facebook chats and 3 box scores at one time, while watching the games. Even though I didn't pick Old Dominion to win (a lot of people did), I am rooting for them. Remember when Luke Harangody was good?

(12:50) There is a 15-2 upset in the making, and the winner of two of the past four Championships currently losing, but CBS gives me the Notre Dame game. Fantastic.

(1:05) OK. Pizza guy couldn't find my apartment and turned around, Villanova is still losing and I have no beer. Oh, and I'm hungover. What God did I piss off? The mighty Abromaitis?

(1:15) I admit, I haven't followed Notre Dame at all this season, but what's with Harangody? He doesn't even score until 12.6 seconds left in the game? This used to be a Player of the Year candidate.

(1:18) ODU just swished two free throws right after Bilas said "Old Dominion isn't a very goood free throw shooting team." Not that Jay is wrong, but any time you mention how bad/good a team is shooting free throws, the opposite will always happen.

(1:20) One game done, one "upset". Old Dominion wins.

(1:30) BYU is choking, as is Villanova. I might go 0-3 to start this tournament. I hate sports sometimes. However, if Robert Morris wins and Duke doesn't make the Final Four in what will be the easiest region in NCAA tournament history, you can pencil Coach K in as Phil Jackson's replacement in L.A.

(1:37) ESPN's GameCast isn't working. Yeah, the BYU/Florida game is great, but the Nova game matters more.

(1:40) That final possession by Florida is why I had them losing. A backhanded NC State tip-in to win the game? How did Billy Donovan win 2 titles?

(1:43) I was hoping Urban Meyer showed up to hang with his old Mormon peeps. By the way, if BYU pulls this out, they might not get a single rebound during the KSU game.

(1:50) CBS didn't switch to the Villanova game until 25.4 seconds left. You payed 6 billion dollars to show BYU? Really?

(1:57) Looks like BYU and Nova are gonna win. Now 2-1 instead of 0-3. Still, my pick of Nova in the Finals looks really awful right now. Also, how good of a start is this? One game goes into double OT and one game is currently in OT.

(2:11) So, a 62% free throw shooter passes up a wide open dunk/layup (closest defender was at the top of the key) to dribble around and waste clock. Clanks first free throw. That might be the dumbest play we see in the tournament.

(2:15) Bill Rafferty talking about Robert Morris: "They only lost on the scoreboard". Yeah, the only thing that matters.

(2:20) You're not cool by referring to Robert Morris as "Bobby" or "Bob" Morris. You are, in fact, a tool.

(3:09) Looks like Kansas State is going to supply the first rout of the tournament. And I live in Kansas, so I have to watch the whole thing. It's insane that Time Warner can't get a package for the NCAAs. Even then, they would probably switch to BYU post game analysis.

(3:30) Did not realize Bill Simmons was doing this exact same thing today. I'm not even going to try to compete. Have fun. I need to pay more attention to the games anyways.

96 Problems, But This Ain't One

I'm not going to rant about how bad of an idea to expand the NCAA tournament to 96 teams is. Everyone - and I mean everyone - thinks it's awful. So let's just leave it there. What I want to focus on, and what I feel is the important subtext here, is what this idea and the ideas that come after mean for the future of sports.

Cesar Chavez said, "Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed." The social change in this context is the pursuit of television money. It is the hamster that spins the wheel. Everything you see, from Bob Knight struggling through broadcasts to TBS butchering baseball playoffs, is the result of a very lucrative piece of paper. And of course, this is what is pushing the 96 team bracket.

The only thing sports fans don't want more than this is the BCS. Well, guess what: the BCS is here to stay. And the tournament expansion will be here soon. We have to live with it, just like we had to live with over expansion in all the major sports.

If there were less teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB and (most importantly) the NHL, the games would be better. More teams means a more diluted playing field. The 12th man in a 20 team league sees significant playing time in a 30 team league. It's simple math, it hurts the sport. But we've accepted it. When's the last time you had a heated discussion about getting rid of the Raptors, Marlins or Jaguars?

I suspect we will get used to 96. Remember, the tournament wasn't always 64 teams. I guarantee you that teams like Kansas, North Carolina and Duke would have more banners if the postseason was more limited. Look at how it has progressed over the years:

• 1939–1950: eight teams
• 1951–1952: 16 teams
• 1953–1974: varied between 22 and 25 teams
• 1975–1978: 32 teams
• 1979: 40 teams
• 1980–1982: 48 teams
• 1983: 52 teams (four play-in games before the tournament)
• 1984: 53 teams (five play-in games before the tournament)
• 1985–2000: 64 teams
• 2001—present: 65 teams

The famous North Carolina State championship wasn't even in the 64 team era. UCLA's Wooden years? That's the 22-25 team era. The 64 we know and love isn't a staple, just a transitional period. The bigger the sport gets, the bigger the field.

We will learn to love it. Especially the first time #82 gets to a Elite Eight. Then you can expect the field to expand to 128. And we'll have this same argument over and over again. Is it for the right reasons? No. Will it matter in the long run? To quote Chavez once more, "There is no turning back".

When High Standards Equal Wins

I will admit that I'm not too aware of what the fan bases are like in any towns not named Kansas City or Lawrence. Perhaps those who follow the Tarheels, Longhorns and Bruins act the same way as those who follow the Jayhawks. All I know is from my own experiences, so with that being said, this is what I know: criticism breeds winning.

Last night's domination of Kansas over Texas was just that - a domination - unless you happen to be in Jayhawk country. Nationally, it would seem as if KU had just cemented their sixth straight Big 12 title and is now waiting for April to begin. But locally, you only hear one thing from the fans: Kansas has a lot of work to do.

This might seem a little out of place if you don't follow the team every day. Because when you compare them to your favorite team, no matter who that might be, then the Jayhawks come off as being better. But in Kansas, you have only one team to compare them to: themselves. When you do that, then you are never satisfied.

All I hear day after day is how Sherron Collins has too much on his plate or Cole Aldrich isn't playing very well or Marcus Morris needs to stay out of foul trouble or that Xavier Henry is a disappointment or Tyshawn Taylor makes too many mistakes or how Brady Morningstar is offensively challenged. You know what the reality is? Every single one of those players is better than the guy he's matched up against in most of the games they play. I dread every time Markieff Morris comes onto the court, but that's only because he isn't as good as the other KU players. He's still better than your sixth or seventh man.

You can find a flaw in any championship team, especially when you know them like the back of your hand. The truth is they rank in the top ten in most of the statistical categories that matter, and they've lost one - count 'em, one - game all season long, which was a road game against a ranked team early in the season. They are undefeated in the conference with the highest RPI. They have three NBA draft picks. They have a shoe-in Hall of Fame coach. They have veteran leadership. What more do you want?

Kansas fans want perfection, just like Bill Self does. No, perfection isn't possible. But when K-State beat Texas while their two top players struggled, at home, it was seen as the biggest win of the year. When Kansas beats Texas with their two top players struggling, on the road, in dominating fashion? We pick out the negatives. That's the difference.

But when you do that, when you demand perfection and are never happy, it's hard for the players to think any other way. These players know that somehow, some way, being 22-1 and the #1 team in the country doesn't satisfy their fans, so it shouldn't satisfy them.

It's why certain teams always rise to the top, and why those teams can still have a chip on their shoulder. It's also why other teams should fear the Kansas Jayhawks. Yes, we're good, but guess what: we're only getting better.

The Return: March Madness Style

To all the sports fans and the unemployed, sorry about the long layoff, but J Fish Sports is back. And what better time to return then during the best sporting event of the year? So let's jump right into it.

There's been a lot of talk about a majority of people going chalk or close to it in their brackets. I, for one, have three #1 seeds in my Final Four, which is something I try very hard not to do. But it's been obvious all season long that there are a handful of really good teams, and everybody else is mediocre at best. Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Memphis, Tennessee and Texas make up the elite. I would be shocked if one of these teams doesn't win the whole thing.

You might notice I didn't put Duke in there. Did you happen to see how they Steve McQueened their way out of Round One? I have never seen such a highly touted team, in such a highly touted conference, who does nothing but shoot threes for forty minutes. Seriously, ALL THEY DO IS SHOOT THREES! I have them out by the weekend. Plus, will somebody explain to me why Coach K is so great? Seems to me that he is good at recruiting perimeter perusing white kids who can shoot, and then tells them to just shoot every trip down the court. When is the whole "coaching" thing come into play?

Well, Day One was extremely uninteresting, so hopefully things will pick up. And by pick up, I mean a bunch of upsets that completely ruin by bracket and kill any chances I had for bragging rights. Cause really, isn't that what March is all about?

Bob Knight: A Dying Breed

If I ever have kids, chances are Bob Knight will not be coaching basketball by the time they reach college. Unfortunately, the chances are even slimmer that there will be any coach like him. This saddens me, because if my kid ever plays college ball (and believe me, I'll try), he's exactly the kind of coach I would want my son to learn from. But if it weren't for his history of championships, Knight probably wouldn't even be coaching now.

In today's world, discipline is illegal. You can't scream at kids, you can't hit them in the back of the head, and you surely can't lock them into a choke hold. Not that I condone choke holds, something no teacher should ever do, but I also do not condone defining a career around it. And that's what coach Knight's legacy has become; physical abuse. I have no doubts that the reason he has not taken Texas Tech to the top of the Big 12 is because of this.

Students need to be coddled and protected, and parents aren't going to send their kids off to a school where they will be under the care of someone with Knight's history. Also, students with big-time talent feel that they are too good to get the kind of treatment Knight will be giving. With this combination, recruiting at Texas Tech has to be harder than the coach could have realized.

And that makes his win Wednesday night over #9 Texas A&M even that more amazing. It was the 900th time his team has came out the victor, the most all-time for men's D-1 basketball. Even though he has proven to be one of the greatest coaches ever, not even his records can overcome the stigma of being a hardass. Parents and their kids are afraid of men like Bob Knight. I couldn't think of anyone else I would want my children to look up to more, and if you have children, I would hope that you feel the same way. Because coach Knight is, above all else, a winner.

What Is A Good Loss? The Ultimate Guide

Following Wednesday night's thrilling game between #1 North Carolina and Davidson, most college basketball experts were quick to point out how the almost-upset was good for the Tarheels. The first thing that popped in my mind was: WHAT? Which got me to thinking that there needs to be a guide to what is a good loss, a bad loss, a good win and a bad win. Well here it is:

#1-10 team vs an unranked-unknown

Good Loss: The only way, and I stress only way, a top ten team can lose against an unranked-unknown (UU) opponent is if the loss is on the road, and the opponent shoots an unprecedented percentage of shots made, especially from 3-point range. I can't even find an example, since most top ten teams don't go on the road to UU schools.

Bad Loss: Just about any other situation, especially if the game is a defensive struggle. Any top ten team should be better at defense than a UU. Example.

Good Win: Any win where the UU was never in contention. Example.

Bad Win: Any win where a top ten team struggles to win against a UU and the UU didn't shoot amazingly well. Any close game at home. Example.

#11-25 team vs UU

Good Loss: Any loss where the UU rains threes, but it has to be on the road. The non-top ten teams have to prove themselves, and securing their home court is a part of that. Example.

Bad Loss: Any home game, or any game where the UU didn't shoot especially well. Plus, any loss that's more than ten points. Example.

Good Win: Any win over 10 points, or any win where the UU shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Win: Any win under 10 points where the UU shot under 50%. Example.

Unranked vs UU

Good Loss: Only against a UU that rained threes, and it must be within 10 points. These teams have no room to lose games. Example.

Bad Loss: Any game where the UU didn't shoot extremely well, or any home game. Example.

Good Win: Any win over 10 points, or any win where the UU shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Win: Any win within 10 points where the UU shot under 50%. Example.

#1-10 vs Unranked

Good Loss: Only if on the road, in conference or in a tournament, within 10 points, where the opponent shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Loss: Any loss at home, or any loss of more than 10 points. Example.

Good Win: Any win of more than 10 points, or any road win where the unranked opponent shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Win: Any win under 10 points where the unranked opponent shot under 50%, or any win under 10 points at home. Example.

#11-25 vs unranked

Good Loss: Any road game where the unranked opponent would become ranked after the win, within 10 points, or the opponent shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Loss: Any home game, any blowout, even if the opponent would end up becoming ranked. Example.

Good Win: Any road win if the opponent would have become ranked, any win of more than 10 points, or any win where the opponent shot over 50%. Example.

Bad Win: Any win within 10 points where the opponent did not shoot over 50%, any overtime win at home. Example.

Unranked vs #1-25

Good Loss: Only if loss was close, unless the unranked team blew a big lead. Example.

Bad Loss: Any blowout. Example.

Good Win: Any win. Example.

Bad Win: None.

* A 10 point win means that it was always a 10 point game, not a close game that ended up a 10 point win because of desperation fouls.

November Madness

Forget football and the NBA, college basketball is here. And in case you're one of those people who believes that the college basketball season starts in February, how about this for some drama: Grand Valley State 85, Michigan State 82; Findlay 70, Ohio State 68; Gardner-Webb 84, Kentucky 68.

Parody isn't a strong enough word to describe what has already gone down in the NCAAs this year. In football, you have Michigan losing to Appalachian State and Kansas ranked #4, and now basketball is getting into the mix. Nobody is safe. What this means in the long run is two things: good teams start the season thinking they can beat anybody, and you shouldn't put money on your tournament bracket. Actually, the latter is always true. But this year seems to be different as far as the level of talent is concerned. Fact is, football and basketball are huge sports, and the talent pool breaks the confines of the traditional schools.

This is how you know that everything is upside down: as a Kansas fan, I am confident of the football team and sketchy about the basketball team. Even if I was 100 years old, that feeling would still be new. It all comes down to one thing, which is having a go-to guy that can rise above an upset. Kansas has that in football (Reesing on offense and Talib on defense), but not so much in basketball (Chalmers? Rush? Robinson? Collins?). That's why so many people are picking Memphis as NCAA basketball champions; they have a legitimate go-to guy in Derrick Rose, even if he is a Freshman. Same thing goes with North Carolina and Tyler Hansbrough.

Teams might get you upsets, but superstars are going to win you championships. Unfortunately, this goes against everything we've ever believed in. But with Grade-A players expanding all the way to Division II, it's reality. What this could mean is that players going from high school to the NBA might actually be a good thing, since it would rob schools of getting that superstar and completely open up the chances for any school to win it all. Good God.