Dancin' in March, Foolin' Around in April, and Why the Hell is it still cold on the East Coast? P.S. Mock Draft! posted by Amari Harris

They call it March Madness.  Rather simple concept isn’t it.  I’ve recently seen imitations of the title:  March Mania, March Music Madness but the gist of the thing is that March is a crazy month…especially in the world of sports.
At center stage, you have the annual NCAA basketball tournament.  Technically there are two tournaments, but I’m talking about the Big Dance, not the homecoming dance (sorry feminist).  Already, madness is around us.  Not only did the city of Richmond put two teams in the Sweet 16 but the team with the lowest expectations, VCU, is now in the Final Four with just as good a chance as anybody of being National Champion.  If you thought the city burned in the 19th century you just wait until Rams bring a National Title to the newly anointed Hoops Capital of the World.  But madness also has its downside…
This damn March.  Did you know there is a lockout in the NFL?  The one thing nobody wanted to happen has happened in March 2011 and there is truly no end in sight.  Both sides are mudslinging and fibbing (yes I said fibbing), and they are putting the NFL season in jeopardy.  At first, I must admit that I was on the side of the players.  My rebel heart always wants the underdog to win the fight but the newly found lawyer in me decided to address the arguments of the other side.  
If the Roger Gooddell and the NFL are telling the truth about what they offered to the players, it seems like a fair deal.  Both sides can legitimately get what they want, but the players and D. Smith must understand that the NFL owners have the a bit of a bargaining advantage because they have the money to outlast the players in a lockout scenario, and employ a fantastic legal team.  
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ncaa tourney feb 22 posted by john howard

Kansas got closer to locking up a one seed.  They beat Oklahoma soundly last night.  As for the Sooners, it has gotten so bad that the coach is threatening scholarships.  OUch!

The big game of the night was UConn beating West Virginia.  WV is fighting for a top seed and last night didn't help.  They may now be a 3 or 4 seed if the selection were today.  UConn took a big step towards getting in. I think they are still out of the field as of right now since their conference record is still below 500.  They have always been a tourney favorite.  I look for them to keep building on that win.  I say now they are not in. I predict that they will get in.

The 1992 Duke Blue Devils Were the Best College Basketball Team Ever posted by Colin Linneweber

The 2010 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament will commence in three weeks and the Final Four is scheduled to begin on April 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Below are the five best teams to win a national championship over the course of the past quarter century.  

1)      The 1991-1992 Duke University Blue Devils- Duke trounced the University of Michigan Wolverines 71-51 in Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis to capture their second consecutive national championship. 

Duke (34-2, 12-2 ACC), who became the first squad to win successive crowns since UCLA in 1973, was led by All-American’s Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill.  

Hurley, the NCAA all-time leader in assists with 1076, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. 

The Blue Devils, who began the season ranked number one, embarrassed Michigan’s famed “Fab-Five” and cemented their place as the best men’s college basketball team since 1985.  

2)      The 1989-1990 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels- The Rebels (35-5, 16-2 Big West) pulverized Duke 103-73 to win the national championship at McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado. 

UNLV, the number two ranked team to begin the season, featured future NBA Draft Lottery picks Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony. 

Additionally, the Rebels started spectacular shooting guard Anderson Hunt. 

Hunt scored 29 points against the Blue Devils to be named Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament by the Associated Press. 

It's better to support a cheater than it is to root for a man like Bobby Knight posted by Colin Linneweber

Reprehensible former college basketball coach “The General” Robert Montgomery Knight attended a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame last week and he seized the event to chastise current University of Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari.

Knight, 69, who captured three NCAA Division I men’s college basketball championships at Indiana University and has recorded more victories than any coach in history, urged the governing body’s administration to more closely monitor players academic marks who are competing in postseason games.

“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,” said Knight, who was fired by the Hoosiers in 2000 for committing a litany of deplorable actions both on and off of the court.

“We’ve got a coach at Kentucky (John Calipari), who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”

After Calipari left the Universities of Massachusetts and Memphis respectively, both schools were sanctioned by the NCAA for violations that were committed during his tenures.

“I get up to go to mass this morning and there’s like 100 text messages and I’m like what in the world happened?” said Calipari, 50, who signed an eight-year contract with incentives worth $31.65 million to lead the Wildcats last April.

“And I get word and what I can tell you is I’m a big fan, respect him as a basketball coach, always have.”

Joy at Florida International basketball team Loss Focused on Isiah Thomas posted by Bryan Rose

I don't usually take joy in the misfortune of others especially when it is centered around a group of college kids that just want to play basketball, but when I read that Isiah Thomas' Florida International University basketball team was beaten this week by NAIA Northwood, I had to smile.

I like everyone else was left scratching my head with the hiring of Thomas by FIU last summer. The destroyer of the CBA, the demolisher of the Knicks and yet here is a school willing to give complete control of their basketball program over to him. Maybe the school thought his high-profile name would draw recruits, give some publicity to their institution other than being known for that massive on field brawl with Miami a few years back in football.

It has been a tough month for Thomas, I will give him that. Magic Johnson came out and bashed him in his book and now his team can't even win their first exhibition game against a team that is not even in the NCAA. 

But FIU is reaping what they sowed and if they think that Thomas is going to lead them to the promise land (the NCAA Tournament) they need to look back at the road of destruction he has left behind him. The owners of the CBA teams that he left in financial ruins, the once proud Knicks team that is a laughing stock of the NBA and has been for years. 

FIU should cut their losses, get rid of Thomas now before he can do anymore damage. If they don't and as the season wears on, I am sure this Thomas led team will give us lots to talk about as we watch this dismantler of programs take down FIU.

NCAA Basketball Season Beginning Will Hopefully Down Play Off Season Woes posted by Bryan Rose

This off-season for college basketball fans was one of the toughest in recent memory. Scandals, coaches in trouble and basketball teams fighting football teams all marred the sport.

Probably biggest of these scandals to me was the Rick Pitino scandal where he was allegedly being blackmailed by a former lover with whom he allegedly had an extra-marital affair. Pitino was always one of those guys who seemed to do everything right, at the college level at least, and when he became front page news, it was a real shock to many.

The other scandals, Billy Gillispie's drunk driving trial, the Kansas Jayhawk basketball team (the No. 1 team in the nation in the polls) fighting the Kansas football team along with a score of other issues made us wonder what was going in this sport that we love.

But for all the drama and questioning the off season brought, with the start of the season just days away, it will give fans a chance to put some of those issues on the back burner. If there is one thing that we know about college basketball and its fans, is that we can put aside all debate when the games start up again.

Every year, when the NCAA tournament brackets come out, we debate who should have not been in and who should be in but when the games start in earnest on that Thursday, all that stops and we focus on what is important, the game being played. While the events of the summer are much more serious than those of who made the tournament and who didn't make the tournament, the bottom line is as fans, we can put aside the turmoil of the summer and enjoy the sport we love.

The World Would Be A Better Place If More Dick Vitale's Were In It & Derek Jeter is Number One posted by Colin Linneweber

The World Would Be A Better Place If More Dick Vitale's Were In It

Famed ESPN college basketball sportscaster Dick Vitale has decided to pay the costs of a cemetery plot for a high school student who was inexplicably murdered last week outside of Southeast High in Bradenton, Fla.

According to authorities, Daniel Floyd Williams, 18, approached a vehicle idled in the school’s parking lot with four girls inside of it and asked for one of the females to give him a Lewinsky.

The girls flatly denied Williams’ lewd request for fellatio. Williams momentarily retreated before he walked back, pulled out a gun and fired four shots at the car. Jasmine Thompson, a 17-year-old cheerleader who planned to study criminal law in college, was struck by one of the bullets and she died almost instantly from her wound.

“Here’s a 17-year-old girl, Jasmine Thompson, who really did nothing wrong in her life except for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Vitale, 70, told the New York Daily News last week.

Vitale, a resident of nearby Lakewood Ranch who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last September, continued.

“A senseless killing. As a dad and somebody who has five grandchildren, to have so close to home something like that happen, it just shakes you.”

Vitale said he is not acting in such a generous manner to gain positive publicity. The legendary New Jersey high school basketball coach, and onetime leader of the Detroit Pistons, stated he was informed that Thompson’s family would have trouble financing the funeral arrangements.

The World Would Be A Better Place If More Dick Vitale's Were In It posted by Colin Linneweber

Famed ESPN college basketball sportscaster Dick Vitale has decided to pay the costs of a cemetery plot for a high school student who was inexplicably murdered last week outside of Southeast High in Bradenton, Fla.

According to authorities, Daniel Floyd Williams, 18, approached a vehicle idled in the school’s parking lot with four girls inside of it and asked for one of the females to give him a Lewinsky.

The girls flatly denied Williams’ lewd request for fellatio. Williams momentarily retreated before he walked back, pulled out a gun and fired four shots at the car.

Jasmine Thompson, a 17-year-old cheerleader who planned to study criminal law in college, was struck by one of the bullets and she died almost instantly from her wound.

“Here’s a 17-year-old girl, Jasmine Thompson, who really did nothing wrong in her life except for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Vitale, 70, told the New York Daily News last week.

Vitale, a resident of nearby Lakewood Ranch who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last September, continued.

“A senseless killing. As a dad and somebody who has five grandchildren, to have so close to home something like that happen, it just shakes you.”

Vitale said he is not acting in such a generous manner to gain positive publicity.

The legendary New Jersey basketball coach, and onetime leader of the Detroit Pistons, stated he was informed that Thompson’s family would have trouble financing the funeral arrangements.

“I don’t need the publicity,” said Vitale. “From what I understand, the costs of the funeral would make it tough on the family. The state will take care of a good portion. I’m simply going to take care of the cemetery plot, about 1500.”

Centsports Is Sweet posted by Chad

So, rumor has it online sports betting used to be really sweet; I heard pinnaclesports was an excellent, reputable site until the US cracked down on this alleged integrity issue.  An article I read points to a 1999 study that over $380 billion is illegally wagered on betting.  Now, I am not an advocate of; well, if society does it.. then it must be right.  Because usually, I think people are pretty stupid, especially society.  However, this seems harmless to me because the money can be used in so many ways.  Think of all the tax money and money, in general, the state and the US can collect, insane.  Anyway, it appears sports betting is only allowed in several states where it was legal before a certain law was passed.
BUT WAIT!  There is still a way for you to bet!  centsports.com and it is sweet.  There aren't props or a ton of other options.. but it is free betting.  It's a simple concept; advertisers pay your profit.  You view some ads maybe click on a few of them and then you can make and win some bets.  You start at .10 and have to work your way up from there.  It can be a real challenge, and you can do up to 5 game parlays; there are some early bonus options to boost your account size.  You'd have to read more of the rules to see how they try to limit you a little bit, which makes sense.. I'm sure they don't want to be making $550,000 payouts on a daily basis. 
There are a lot of betting options, soccer leagues galore, the WNBA (I giggle everytime), NFL, MLB, college sports, NHL, MMA, tennis, Nascar are all available for wagers.  Thankfully, I have no clue about MMA, tennis, or soccer yet I routinely throw wagers down on them and lose, draining my bank account.  I believe they would call me a degenerate in Vegas.  This is part of the reason I'm sure I have never made it passed the magnificent account total of.... $5.50!  TA DA!  Sweet.  I know.  Guess where I am at after 1 year of this.  .10!  The starting point.  Thanks to the Marlins loss last night or I would have hit a 5 team parlay.  Back to the drawing board.

UK Wildcats ready to rock! posted by Mickey Weaver

Its been since the 95-96 season since the Universtiy of Kentucky has gone into a season with such high expectations.  That year UK had more than a few eventual NBA players on its roster and went on to win their 6th NCAA Championship, which to be honest, would have been a huge disappointment if they had not won. Going into the 2009-2010 season, UK has almost those same expectations.  If it was just the return of PF Patrick Patterson, the potential rise of promising sophomore SF/SG Darius Miller and the incoming freshman of PG Eric Bledsoe and C Daniel Orton, it would be safe to say UK was in for a good season.  However, with the huge commitment of C/PF DeMarcus Cousins and more importantly, due to Patterson's return, is that of John Calipari's landing of the number one rated PG John Wall, UK is preparing for a year for the ages.

John Calipari may have a hard time topping his first season at UK.  Calipari stated that it may take a few years before UK would reach its full potential under his guidance. With Patterson likely leaving for the NBA after this season, and the potential for Wall and Cousins to do the same, it will be a challange for Calipari to match this coming freshman year at UK.  The good news is that if there is any coach out there who can recruit top young talent and coach them to success, it is Calipari. Combine that with UK's storied history, it spells championship.  If not this year, then soon.

No. 2 Mizzou looks to rebound from upset (AP)

Frank Haith said it best the day Missouri rose to No. 2. No one big victory would define the team, nor would one tough loss. The coach could not have anticipated those words to be tested so soon with one of the school's most impressive victories in recent seasons followed by an excruciating setback. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Miami extends Larranaga's deal into 2019 (AP)

Jim Larranaga has received a three-year extension from Miami, keeping him under contract at the school through April 30, 2019. The school announced the deal Friday. Larranaga is 11-7 so far in his first season with the Hurricanes. In a release distributed by the school, Larranaga says he is thrilled about the "extension and the commitment it shows to our program." Larranaga is on pace for... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Gonzaga extends dominance over Portland (AP)

Gary Bell Jr. had 18 points, Elias Harris added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Gonzaga beat Portland 74-62 Thursday night for its 18th straight win in the series. Robert Scare added 16 points on 5 of 5 shooting for the Bulldogs (17-3, 7-1 West Coast), who won their fourth straight game. Kevin Pangos had 12 points. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Nebraska earns first Big Ten road win (AP)

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From Yahoo! Sports

Michigan G Akunne out 6 to 8 weeks (AP)

Michigan guard Eso Akunne is expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks following surgery onhis left foot. The team announced Akunne's status Thursday, a day before the scheduled operation. Akunne will have a screw inserted into his left foot to help stabilize an injury to his fifth metatarsal. Akunne, a junior, has played 48 minutes in 12 games this season for the 20th-ranked Wolverines. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports