That's the question every Division I major conference basketball coach whose team is not in the NCAA Tournament is asking right now after watching the freshman torch the Maryland Terrapins for 30 points in a valiant losing effort this afternon. Unfortunately for the assistant coaches, their bosses are also asking the inevitable followup, "Why is he at Davidson University?"
And it's a pretty good question. Every March, America learns the name of a very good player who escaped its notice all year because he doesn't play in one of the power conferences. Usually, he is a senior who was overlooked by the big names because he wasn't a high school star or he was injured or he was an academic or discipline risk. But Curry is a freshman and was a two-time All-State player at Charlotte Christian in North Carolina, where they do pay attention to basketball. And I don't think too many players with academic issues slip past the admissions office at Davidson.
Here's the best part though. His dad is Dell Curry, one of the best players in Virginia Tech history who had a solid career in the NBA. And yet none of the traditional powers could find a spot for this kid who did a pretty good Mike Bibby impression today. So, all you assistant coaches, in the words of Ricky Ricardo, "You got some 'splainin' to do."
Maryland, to its credit, took care of business in the second half today. Curry had five quick points to start the period, but D.J. Strawberry, with assists from Hayes and Vasquez, kept him in check as the Terps asserted themselves at both ends of the floor. Vasquez did a great job running the offensive show and Bambale Osby had several and-one opportunities in relief of Ibekwe, who was in foul trouble. The Wildcats had little offense other than three-point shots and the pace of the game took the legs out from under their long-range attempts.
Bottom line: excellent adjustment by Gary Willliams and his defense, and good leadership from Strawberry, Vasquez and Osby, but the Terps need to take better care of the ball (22 turnovers) to get to the Sweet 16.
Showing posts with label Terps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terps. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Terps in Trouble
Halftime, Maryland leads 44-43, and you would think this game is being played at the pace the Terps prefer, but Davidson seems very comfortable as well. The Wildcats are beating Maryland's press and have at least three guys on the floor who can shoot the three; they are 7-19. DJ Strawberry is carrying too much of the load on offense. Jones has two threes, but he took a long time to get going. Strawberry needs to find Stephen Curry, and guard him from end-to-end on every possession. Curry has the conscience and range of Gilbert Arenas. All five Maryland starters have two fouls. Will Gary Williams back off the press or will Maryland be able to wear out Davidson? Great start to the tourney, more later.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Little Song, A Little Big Dance
Alright, what did I say we were going to do today? Oscars, AI, and NCAA Tournament. Okay, here we go, in reverse order.
College Basketball
Pinewood Joe (see below) wants to know if Maryland will get into the Tournament this year. Well, it's certainly easier to say yes after the win over Florida State last night, but they still have to finish well. The Terps are now 21-7, 7-6 in the ACC, with games remaining at Duke, and home against UNC and NC State. If they only win the NC State game, they'll need at least one win in the ACC Tourney to make sure. In that scenario, they would still be only 6-4 over their last 10 with their best road wins this year being at Illinois and Clemson, neither of whom is a lock to get in either.
Before the ACC fans start to bluster about how strong the conference is, let's take a look at the Illini: 20-9, tied for fourth with an 8-6 mark in the Big 10 (home of #1 Ohio State and #2 Wisconsin). Yes, they lost at Xavier, but they didn't let anyone as bad as Miiami beat them at home, and they have won five of their last six, just like Maryland. Illinois also lost at Arizona, who is 17-9 and sixth in the Pac-10 but had an out of conference schedule that also included UNC, Louisville, UNLV, Virginia and Memphis.
Or how about Notre Dame, which gave Maryland its first loss of the season? The Big East has five teams in the Top 25, including West Virginia, currently in seventh place in the conference standings. The Fighting Irish are tied for fourth with a 9-5 league record, 21-6 overall, with a loss at lowly South Florida but wins at Georgetown and at home against #5 Alabama.
The point is, you can't take five or six teams from all the big conferences. The Mountain West has three teams with 21 or more wins and the CAA has four teams with 20, and after George Mason's run to the Final Four, you cannot discount the lesser conferences so easily and limit them to only one bid.
If that sounds complicated, that's the point. Maryland is in pretty good shape, but they still need to win some games in the next two weeks .
Idol
Okay switching over to American Idol. For once,and hopefully this is the only time this will ever happen, I agree with Ryan Seacrest, who told us on Tuesday night, "If five hours of American Idol this week isn't enough for you, perhaps you should seek professional help." I have only caught bits and pieces, so I'm not ready to handicap or predict who will be sent packing tonight, but I do have one observation/question? Who is helping these people choose the songs? Knights in White Satin is a great tune if you have the backing of a full symphony orchestra and a gospel choir and even better if the audience is in the 50+ age demographic, but of all the songs you could pick .... And it's not as if that was an aberration. Last night, one of the girls sang Eric Carmen's All By Myself, which I hadn't heard in at least 30 years, and the only reason I remember it is because there was a girl in our neighborhood who used to cry every time she heard it. I cry also, but I think for different reasons. I learned today that Celine Dion has also performed this song recently, just another reason to hate it. Like I said, I haven't seen everyone, but my favorites so far are Lakisha, Chris Sligh and the Beat Box guy. If he hangs around a few more weeks, maybe I will learn his name.
Oscars
With any luck, I'll have a full preview tomorrow before noon but for now, here's a little Oscar trivia for you, courtesy of my new friend Kevin: If Forest Whitaker wins for his performance in The Last King of Scotland, he will be the third member of the cast of Fast Times at Ridgemont High to receive a Best Actor or Actress Award. Who are the other two? The Godfather has four (Brando, Duvall, Keaton, Pacino), so one could argue that Fast Times is nearly its cinematic equal. One could, but one wouldn't.
College Basketball
Pinewood Joe (see below) wants to know if Maryland will get into the Tournament this year. Well, it's certainly easier to say yes after the win over Florida State last night, but they still have to finish well. The Terps are now 21-7, 7-6 in the ACC, with games remaining at Duke, and home against UNC and NC State. If they only win the NC State game, they'll need at least one win in the ACC Tourney to make sure. In that scenario, they would still be only 6-4 over their last 10 with their best road wins this year being at Illinois and Clemson, neither of whom is a lock to get in either.
Before the ACC fans start to bluster about how strong the conference is, let's take a look at the Illini: 20-9, tied for fourth with an 8-6 mark in the Big 10 (home of #1 Ohio State and #2 Wisconsin). Yes, they lost at Xavier, but they didn't let anyone as bad as Miiami beat them at home, and they have won five of their last six, just like Maryland. Illinois also lost at Arizona, who is 17-9 and sixth in the Pac-10 but had an out of conference schedule that also included UNC, Louisville, UNLV, Virginia and Memphis.
Or how about Notre Dame, which gave Maryland its first loss of the season? The Big East has five teams in the Top 25, including West Virginia, currently in seventh place in the conference standings. The Fighting Irish are tied for fourth with a 9-5 league record, 21-6 overall, with a loss at lowly South Florida but wins at Georgetown and at home against #5 Alabama.
The point is, you can't take five or six teams from all the big conferences. The Mountain West has three teams with 21 or more wins and the CAA has four teams with 20, and after George Mason's run to the Final Four, you cannot discount the lesser conferences so easily and limit them to only one bid.
If that sounds complicated, that's the point. Maryland is in pretty good shape, but they still need to win some games in the next two weeks .
Idol
Okay switching over to American Idol. For once,and hopefully this is the only time this will ever happen, I agree with Ryan Seacrest, who told us on Tuesday night, "If five hours of American Idol this week isn't enough for you, perhaps you should seek professional help." I have only caught bits and pieces, so I'm not ready to handicap or predict who will be sent packing tonight, but I do have one observation/question? Who is helping these people choose the songs? Knights in White Satin is a great tune if you have the backing of a full symphony orchestra and a gospel choir and even better if the audience is in the 50+ age demographic, but of all the songs you could pick .... And it's not as if that was an aberration. Last night, one of the girls sang Eric Carmen's All By Myself, which I hadn't heard in at least 30 years, and the only reason I remember it is because there was a girl in our neighborhood who used to cry every time she heard it. I cry also, but I think for different reasons. I learned today that Celine Dion has also performed this song recently, just another reason to hate it. Like I said, I haven't seen everyone, but my favorites so far are Lakisha, Chris Sligh and the Beat Box guy. If he hangs around a few more weeks, maybe I will learn his name.
Oscars
With any luck, I'll have a full preview tomorrow before noon but for now, here's a little Oscar trivia for you, courtesy of my new friend Kevin: If Forest Whitaker wins for his performance in The Last King of Scotland, he will be the third member of the cast of Fast Times at Ridgemont High to receive a Best Actor or Actress Award. Who are the other two? The Godfather has four (Brando, Duvall, Keaton, Pacino), so one could argue that Fast Times is nearly its cinematic equal. One could, but one wouldn't.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Super Poll
Happy Super Bowl week, everybody! Seriously , when is the federal government going to make it official and declare the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday a national holiday? We could call it Vice Recovery Monday or Sleepitoffday. There could be sales and everything, just like Memorial Day and Presidents' Day, which honor, you know, something. Anyway, today is just another Monday here at FitzFacts, so here is your local hoops Top 10:
1. VCU
“Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents. No phone, no pool no pets, I ain’t got no cigarettes.”
2. Georgetown
Hoyas beat Cincinnati. Shockingly, no Bengals are arrested.
3. Virginia Tech
Seth Greenberg implores Blacksburg community for better Tech support, gets voice mail.
4. GW
Colonials take first place in A-10 with win at Rhode Island. Karl Hobbs praises team bus driver for “overachieving” on quick post-game drive to the airport.
5. Virginia
J.R. Reynolds harder to defend than George Bush’s Iraq policy.
6. Maryland
End of Terps’ two-game losing streak coincides with CBS’ decision to cancel “Armed and Famous.” Coincidence? Umm, yes, that’s why I said coincides.
7. Old Dominion
Monarchs put together their fifth two-game win streak of the season. Two more and they can get a free latte at Starbucks.
8. George Mason
Patriots saving themselves for March.
9. Loyola
Greyhounds whip winless Iona for the second time this season. Also steal the Gaels’ lunch money and dip their pigtails in ink when the referees are not looking. 10. American
Welcome back to the Top 10, AU Eagles! Now, about that fifth place in the Patriot League…
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Poll Vault
The title of today's post refers to the big leap made by Virginia Tech to the Number One spot in my local hoops poll. I don't know what's gotten into the Hokies, but they are ripping through the Atlantic Coast Conference like it's football, not basketball, season. Imagine the horror down on Tobacco Road when they see Boston College tied with Virginia Tech atop the ACC standings. Maryland did exactly what I thought they would this week, and Georgetown is finding wins hard to come by without Marc Egerson in the Really Big East. If the Hoyas don't get it together soon, they will get lost in that league and find themselves in the NIT. GW's out-of-conference losses don't look as bad as some thought, but the Colonials probably still have to win the A-10 to get a bid. After the success George Mason had last year, the committee will be under pressure to take at least two CAA teams, and they will have plenty to choose from. Big Stein won't post the official results until later today, but my poll was done yesterday, so here it is.
1. Virginia Tech
Dick Vitale’s head explodes as Hokies follow win at Duke with upset of North Carolina. Virginia Tech now 5-0 against teams in the state of North Carolina. Seth Greenberg left messages with Davidson, Elon and Guilford last week to see if they have any open dates left this season.
2. VCU
Rams have won four of five since Anthony Grant moved Wil Fameni from the starting lineup to a reserve role. So you could say they have benefited from Fameni relief efforts.
3. Maryland
Hope you like theme park rides, Terps fans, because it’s gonna be a season full of thrills, spills, and chills (also mad skillz, platinum grillz, Strawberry fils and, um, Beverly Sills).
4. Georgetown
JTIII presents plan to Georgetown administration that requests a “surge” of additional scholarships
5. GW
Colonials rebound from a loss at UMass by beating St. Bonaventure, which is named for a 13th century theologian nicknamed Doctor Seraphicus by his contemporaries for his heavenly three-point shooting touch.
6. Old Dominion
Monarchs players “agree to disagree” about the Rosie-Trump-Barbara feud in time to win two of three last week.
7. Virginia
Cavaliers’ self-esteem level lower than the GEICO caveman’s right now.
8. Loyola
Greyhounds coach Jimmy Patsos making good on his New Year’s resolution to win every game in 2007.
9. George Mason
Jim Larranaga finally finishes returning all his messages from last March, decides to start coaching again.
10. William and Mary
The Hottest Team in the CAA (W&M) met the CAA Team of Destiny (VCU) and Destiny prevailed. Then William and Mary played Delaware and lost its second straight. Still better than AU or Navy, though.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hoopsy Daisy!
GW
The Colonials cut a 17-point second half deficit to one, but were never able to take the lead in a 91-84 loss at UMass last night. This wasn't one I expected them to win, and they showed strong resolve in making several runs at the Minutemen down the stretch. The hosts's interior tandem of Stephane Lasme (23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 blocks) and Rashaun Freeman (21, 7) dominated, but it was the unexpected outside prowess of Etienne Brower that opened up the paint for the big guys. Brower, who missed the first seven games of the season with an ankle injury, knocked down two treys in the first six minutes last night. On the plus side, Carl Elliott (19 points, 6 rebounds) and Maureece Rice (30, 7) made lots of clutch shots to keep it close, and GW got good minutes from Cheyenne Moore and Damian Hollis. As I have been saying for a while, check back with me at the end of the month for a more in-depth evaluation of this team.
Terps
As I have also been saying for a while, after ripping through the bottom quartile of the RPI recently, Maryland stumbled badly at home last night against Miami. Unlike Iona, Miami has actually won a game this season. Unlike Mount Saint Mary's, Miami decided to play defense against Mike Jones. And unlike Siena, Miami has players who are just as big, quick and skilled as Maryland's. Still, this is not the end of the world for the Terps. In fact, Gary Williams will use this loss to great effect in motivating his team, especially his young guards. But no amount of coaching is going to add bulk to Ekene Ibekwe and James Gist or quickness to Will Bowers. Could be ugly when Tyler Hansbrough gets ahold of these guys. Fortunately, the Terps match up much better with Clemson, who comes to town this weekend. Look for Maryland to catch the Tigers looking ahead to UNC and pull the upset to beat Duke out of the ACC cellar.
Wizards
Some stat maven is going to have to look up the last time Washington won when Gibert Arenas scored only 21 points, but balanced scoring effort put the Wiz over the Bulls 113-103 at Verizon Center last night. Caron Butler continued his hot streak with a team-high 26 points and Antonio Daniels had his highest scoring total of the year with 15 off the bench. In a game that pitted one of the league's highest scoring offense against one of its stingiest defenses, the Wiz won out, bouncing back nicely from Sunday's loss to the Raptors. Over at Hoops Addict, Ryan thinks that Marty Burns ranked Washington too high at #3 (I disagree) and loves that Slam Online posted Carmelo Anthony's iPod playlist (I am befuddled).
Tomorrow
If you're lucky, I'll have a full recap of tonight's George Mason vs. Towson game. How could you want anything more than an up-close look at two teams battling it out for for sixth place in a midmajor college basketball conference?
The Colonials cut a 17-point second half deficit to one, but were never able to take the lead in a 91-84 loss at UMass last night. This wasn't one I expected them to win, and they showed strong resolve in making several runs at the Minutemen down the stretch. The hosts's interior tandem of Stephane Lasme (23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 blocks) and Rashaun Freeman (21, 7) dominated, but it was the unexpected outside prowess of Etienne Brower that opened up the paint for the big guys. Brower, who missed the first seven games of the season with an ankle injury, knocked down two treys in the first six minutes last night. On the plus side, Carl Elliott (19 points, 6 rebounds) and Maureece Rice (30, 7) made lots of clutch shots to keep it close, and GW got good minutes from Cheyenne Moore and Damian Hollis. As I have been saying for a while, check back with me at the end of the month for a more in-depth evaluation of this team.
Terps
As I have also been saying for a while, after ripping through the bottom quartile of the RPI recently, Maryland stumbled badly at home last night against Miami. Unlike Iona, Miami has actually won a game this season. Unlike Mount Saint Mary's, Miami decided to play defense against Mike Jones. And unlike Siena, Miami has players who are just as big, quick and skilled as Maryland's. Still, this is not the end of the world for the Terps. In fact, Gary Williams will use this loss to great effect in motivating his team, especially his young guards. But no amount of coaching is going to add bulk to Ekene Ibekwe and James Gist or quickness to Will Bowers. Could be ugly when Tyler Hansbrough gets ahold of these guys. Fortunately, the Terps match up much better with Clemson, who comes to town this weekend. Look for Maryland to catch the Tigers looking ahead to UNC and pull the upset to beat Duke out of the ACC cellar.
Wizards
Some stat maven is going to have to look up the last time Washington won when Gibert Arenas scored only 21 points, but balanced scoring effort put the Wiz over the Bulls 113-103 at Verizon Center last night. Caron Butler continued his hot streak with a team-high 26 points and Antonio Daniels had his highest scoring total of the year with 15 off the bench. In a game that pitted one of the league's highest scoring offense against one of its stingiest defenses, the Wiz won out, bouncing back nicely from Sunday's loss to the Raptors. Over at Hoops Addict, Ryan thinks that Marty Burns ranked Washington too high at #3 (I disagree) and loves that Slam Online posted Carmelo Anthony's iPod playlist (I am befuddled).
Tomorrow
If you're lucky, I'll have a full recap of tonight's George Mason vs. Towson game. How could you want anything more than an up-close look at two teams battling it out for for sixth place in a midmajor college basketball conference?
Friday, December 29, 2006
Friday Finale
Well, it's the end of the year, but more importantly it's the end of the week, so let's take a look at some recent events:
Colonials
First, one of the objects of my subtitular obsession. GW lost, 66-52, to a better team last night, the Air Force Academy. I listened to the first half driving the family home from the Maryland-Mount St. Mary's game (more on that later), and the powerful Washington Post Radio signal (AM 1500) stayed with me almost to my driveway, more than an hour from the Foggy Bottom campus. Nice upgrade there. The Colonials were trailing the sharp-shooting Falcons early, but by the time my sleeping kids had been transferred from Suburban to bed, GW had fought back and taken a 31-30 halftime lead.
Through the magic of the Internet, I watched the second half on a CSTV live video feed, listened to the Post Radio via the website, and checked in on the GWHoops chat room (Hey, I'm obsessed, remember?). Unfortunately, the audio and video were out of synch, so my little digital sports sensory festival was not quite perfect, but still, it's pretty amazing to think that all this is possible. More unfortunately, the Colonials were also off kilter and could not get untracked offensively in the second half.
After surrendering eight first half turnovers - they average just 10 per game - the Falcons settled down and and locked up GW for nearly five minutes as they retook the lead with a 10-0 run. The Colonials rallied to within four after Karl Hobbs called a second timeout, but Air Force applied the clamps for another three minutes, built the lead back to nine, and GW never threatened again. Air Force runs the "Princeton" offense effectively, which usually means that a second half lead becomes a death march of wide open three-pointers and late in the shot clock backdoor layups. GW is a team that you can never give up on, but once the Falcons found their comfort zone, it was all over.
The Colonials should regain their footing tonight against Colgate, but the only remaining non-con opponent is Marshall. Despite Duquesne's shocking OT win against BC last night, the Atlantic 10 looks like a one-bid league this year. That bid could be GW's, but there will be some bumps along the way. Hobbs has to incorporate Cheyenne Moore into the mix without sacrificing the impressive development of Rob Diggs and the potential flashed by Travis King and Damian Hollis. Should be fun to watch.
Wizards
At 16-12, the Wizards are in first place in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference and could have the second-best record in the conference with a win tonight. Go back and read that sentence again. When I predicted that Washington would get to .500 by the New Year, I never dreamed they would be brushing up against .600. Gilbert Arenas has been simply unbelievable, Caron Butler has been a beast, Antawn Jamison has decided to rebound as well as score, and Brendan Haywood(!) has shaken off the shackles of his detractors and brought legitimate inside game. The only thing more shocking than Washington's record in December (11-3 so far) is Comcast's decision to show the last two games on tape delay while putting the Caps on live. And tomorrow's game against Milwaukee is not televised at all? Looks like it's back to the video feed for me.
Terps
I made my first trip to the Comcast Center last night to watch Maryland dismember Mount St. Marys. On the Terps' first possession, Mike Jones got free on the left wing and made a three. The next possession, the Mount defense sagged on an inbounds play and Jones was wide open for another three from the same spot. He did the same thing on the next three possessions, from the exact same spot! Meanwhile, the Mounties had only mustered one free throw. It wasn't ever much of a contest but it's always fun for me to watch my kids enjoy a game. The arena is quite impressive, with some nice tributes to great moments in Maryland history sprinkled around the concourse.
I don't think I'll ever be a Terps fan, but I do enjoy watching them play. This team definitely has the talent to get to the Final Four, but they could just as easily bomb out in the early rounds of the tournament. If Gary Williams can play his freshman point guard combo right, there is no reason they can't challenge UNC for the ACC title.
Ravens
The Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl. I don't see why anything else needs to be said. Yes, San Diego has a record-breaking tailback, but Baltimore's defense dismantles and demoralizes, and the offense is good enough. And they are getting all kinds of motivation from being overlooked by the national media. Maybe I'll have more on this after the regualr season, but, I'm telling you right now, book it.
Movies
Night at the Museum
Four thumbs up from my family for this one. Creative and amusing for adults and kiddies and should be a bonanza for the Museum of Natural History. Obviously, if you are allergic to Ben Stiller's array of double-takes and his three facial displays of shock, surprise, and disbelief, you want to avoid this one, although only one of his usual coconspirators makes an appearance (shocking that Will Ferrell did not get a cameo). Also, I am a little tired of the "let's prove to the preteen kid that his divorced Dad isn't a loser" plotline, but there was enough other distraction to make this one work.
Charlotte's Web
From down south, my brother makes a strong buy recomendation for this classic, despite my earlier trepidations. He is something of an aficionado, with at least two candidates for Ferndom in his clan and multiple out-loud readings. I guess I will reconsider, as I can only hope that it is "radiant," "humble," and "some movie."
Rocky Balboa
Like most people, I lost track of Rocky somewhere between IV and V, but head on over to Bill Simmons to get an authoritative read of this latest installment. As he often does, Simmons captures the mindset of the average American male approaching middle age on matters of sports and pop culture, even if he had the Ravens as only the sixth best team in the NFL going into last weekend.
Noteable Deaths
James Brown
The body of the Godfather of Soul lay in state at the Apollo Theater this week as mourners paid their respects. How cool is that? U.S. politicians get the Capitol, Russians get the Kremlin, and the pope gets St. Peter's, I would take the Apollo every time, given the choice.
Gerald Ford
Here we have a guy who was a great college football player who turned down the NFl for a life of public service. I know the money was nowhere near what it is now, but some reason, this makes me think of Pat Tillman, and the awesome sacrifice he made when he chose armed combat in Afghanistan over professional football.
Ralph Stebbins
Don't recognize the name? In April, 2005, the former well-digger won a $208 million Mega Millions jackpot. He and his wife quit their jobs and bought an RV. He died of a heart attack last Saturday. He was 43. Won't stop me from buying a ticket when the jackpot is more than $50 million.
Fini
So have a Happy New Year! We'll be watching the ball drop and a lot of football, but FitzFacts will return sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed reading this year as much as I enjoyed writing.
Colonials
First, one of the objects of my subtitular obsession. GW lost, 66-52, to a better team last night, the Air Force Academy. I listened to the first half driving the family home from the Maryland-Mount St. Mary's game (more on that later), and the powerful Washington Post Radio signal (AM 1500) stayed with me almost to my driveway, more than an hour from the Foggy Bottom campus. Nice upgrade there. The Colonials were trailing the sharp-shooting Falcons early, but by the time my sleeping kids had been transferred from Suburban to bed, GW had fought back and taken a 31-30 halftime lead.
Through the magic of the Internet, I watched the second half on a CSTV live video feed, listened to the Post Radio via the website, and checked in on the GWHoops chat room (Hey, I'm obsessed, remember?). Unfortunately, the audio and video were out of synch, so my little digital sports sensory festival was not quite perfect, but still, it's pretty amazing to think that all this is possible. More unfortunately, the Colonials were also off kilter and could not get untracked offensively in the second half.
After surrendering eight first half turnovers - they average just 10 per game - the Falcons settled down and and locked up GW for nearly five minutes as they retook the lead with a 10-0 run. The Colonials rallied to within four after Karl Hobbs called a second timeout, but Air Force applied the clamps for another three minutes, built the lead back to nine, and GW never threatened again. Air Force runs the "Princeton" offense effectively, which usually means that a second half lead becomes a death march of wide open three-pointers and late in the shot clock backdoor layups. GW is a team that you can never give up on, but once the Falcons found their comfort zone, it was all over.
The Colonials should regain their footing tonight against Colgate, but the only remaining non-con opponent is Marshall. Despite Duquesne's shocking OT win against BC last night, the Atlantic 10 looks like a one-bid league this year. That bid could be GW's, but there will be some bumps along the way. Hobbs has to incorporate Cheyenne Moore into the mix without sacrificing the impressive development of Rob Diggs and the potential flashed by Travis King and Damian Hollis. Should be fun to watch.
Wizards
At 16-12, the Wizards are in first place in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference and could have the second-best record in the conference with a win tonight. Go back and read that sentence again. When I predicted that Washington would get to .500 by the New Year, I never dreamed they would be brushing up against .600. Gilbert Arenas has been simply unbelievable, Caron Butler has been a beast, Antawn Jamison has decided to rebound as well as score, and Brendan Haywood(!) has shaken off the shackles of his detractors and brought legitimate inside game. The only thing more shocking than Washington's record in December (11-3 so far) is Comcast's decision to show the last two games on tape delay while putting the Caps on live. And tomorrow's game against Milwaukee is not televised at all? Looks like it's back to the video feed for me.
Terps
I made my first trip to the Comcast Center last night to watch Maryland dismember Mount St. Marys. On the Terps' first possession, Mike Jones got free on the left wing and made a three. The next possession, the Mount defense sagged on an inbounds play and Jones was wide open for another three from the same spot. He did the same thing on the next three possessions, from the exact same spot! Meanwhile, the Mounties had only mustered one free throw. It wasn't ever much of a contest but it's always fun for me to watch my kids enjoy a game. The arena is quite impressive, with some nice tributes to great moments in Maryland history sprinkled around the concourse.
I don't think I'll ever be a Terps fan, but I do enjoy watching them play. This team definitely has the talent to get to the Final Four, but they could just as easily bomb out in the early rounds of the tournament. If Gary Williams can play his freshman point guard combo right, there is no reason they can't challenge UNC for the ACC title.
Ravens
The Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl. I don't see why anything else needs to be said. Yes, San Diego has a record-breaking tailback, but Baltimore's defense dismantles and demoralizes, and the offense is good enough. And they are getting all kinds of motivation from being overlooked by the national media. Maybe I'll have more on this after the regualr season, but, I'm telling you right now, book it.
Movies
Night at the Museum
Four thumbs up from my family for this one. Creative and amusing for adults and kiddies and should be a bonanza for the Museum of Natural History. Obviously, if you are allergic to Ben Stiller's array of double-takes and his three facial displays of shock, surprise, and disbelief, you want to avoid this one, although only one of his usual coconspirators makes an appearance (shocking that Will Ferrell did not get a cameo). Also, I am a little tired of the "let's prove to the preteen kid that his divorced Dad isn't a loser" plotline, but there was enough other distraction to make this one work.
Charlotte's Web
From down south, my brother makes a strong buy recomendation for this classic, despite my earlier trepidations. He is something of an aficionado, with at least two candidates for Ferndom in his clan and multiple out-loud readings. I guess I will reconsider, as I can only hope that it is "radiant," "humble," and "some movie."
Rocky Balboa
Like most people, I lost track of Rocky somewhere between IV and V, but head on over to Bill Simmons to get an authoritative read of this latest installment. As he often does, Simmons captures the mindset of the average American male approaching middle age on matters of sports and pop culture, even if he had the Ravens as only the sixth best team in the NFL going into last weekend.
Noteable Deaths
James Brown
The body of the Godfather of Soul lay in state at the Apollo Theater this week as mourners paid their respects. How cool is that? U.S. politicians get the Capitol, Russians get the Kremlin, and the pope gets St. Peter's, I would take the Apollo every time, given the choice.
Gerald Ford
Here we have a guy who was a great college football player who turned down the NFl for a life of public service. I know the money was nowhere near what it is now, but some reason, this makes me think of Pat Tillman, and the awesome sacrifice he made when he chose armed combat in Afghanistan over professional football.
Ralph Stebbins
Don't recognize the name? In April, 2005, the former well-digger won a $208 million Mega Millions jackpot. He and his wife quit their jobs and bought an RV. He died of a heart attack last Saturday. He was 43. Won't stop me from buying a ticket when the jackpot is more than $50 million.
Fini
So have a Happy New Year! We'll be watching the ball drop and a lot of football, but FitzFacts will return sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed reading this year as much as I enjoyed writing.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Cavaliers come tumbling down
For my final local college basketball poll of 2006, Virginia falls dramatically from the top spot. With two losses in Puerto Rico, the Hoos have to win several ACC games in the New Year to get a sniff of the Top Five. GW has a huge chance to impress tonight against Air Force. I'll be listening to that one on the way home from a presumed blowout of Mount Saint Mary's by the Terps. I plan to see Towson against VCU next week, and if the Rams look as good in person as they have on paper and in brief highlights, they could stay in the mix with the big guys all season. I thought American looked pretty good for a half against Maryland; the Eagles keep it up and they will move ahead of Navy soon
Big Stein has posted a sans-comments poll, last time I checked. My complete thoughts are below:
1. Maryland
Gary Williams now 1-1 against former employers. Could be tough to win the series with Ohio State as the rubber match.
2. Virginia Tech
Hokies finally get a road win after Seth Greenberg points out the obvious similarities between South Orange, NJ, and Blacksburg, VA.
3. VCU
Boasting the poll’s longest active win streak of seven games, VCU applies to upgrade its status from “Team of Probably” to “Team of Destiny.”
4. GW
All’s quiet at Foggy Bottom as Karl Hobbs tries to work his way back onto the media’s “Nice” list.
5. Georgetown
Hoyas now 5-1 this month. JTIII demands that Sports Information Office reprint schedule to show all games as slated for December.
6. Old Dominion
Monarchs get a win against poll whipping boy UAB; Blazers now 0-3 against poll members including Radford.
7. Virginia
Dave Leitao dismayed to learn that his “All-Inclusive” resort package only includes one win. Gotta read the fine print, coach.
8. Navy
Mids rip another Division III opponent (Washington College) before falling to Hoyas. So when is Feinstein going to write a book about Navy’s domination of its DIII opponents?
9. American
Strong first half against Maryland convinces Jeff Jones that he made the right move leaving Charlottesville for Tenley Circle.
10. George Mason
Patriots reenter poll with win over Holy Cross, but must beat Drexel, the best Dragons not in Eragon, this week to stay
Big Stein has posted a sans-comments poll, last time I checked. My complete thoughts are below:
1. Maryland
Gary Williams now 1-1 against former employers. Could be tough to win the series with Ohio State as the rubber match.
2. Virginia Tech
Hokies finally get a road win after Seth Greenberg points out the obvious similarities between South Orange, NJ, and Blacksburg, VA.
3. VCU
Boasting the poll’s longest active win streak of seven games, VCU applies to upgrade its status from “Team of Probably” to “Team of Destiny.”
4. GW
All’s quiet at Foggy Bottom as Karl Hobbs tries to work his way back onto the media’s “Nice” list.
5. Georgetown
Hoyas now 5-1 this month. JTIII demands that Sports Information Office reprint schedule to show all games as slated for December.
6. Old Dominion
Monarchs get a win against poll whipping boy UAB; Blazers now 0-3 against poll members including Radford.
7. Virginia
Dave Leitao dismayed to learn that his “All-Inclusive” resort package only includes one win. Gotta read the fine print, coach.
8. Navy
Mids rip another Division III opponent (Washington College) before falling to Hoyas. So when is Feinstein going to write a book about Navy’s domination of its DIII opponents?
9. American
Strong first half against Maryland convinces Jeff Jones that he made the right move leaving Charlottesville for Tenley Circle.
10. George Mason
Patriots reenter poll with win over Holy Cross, but must beat Drexel, the best Dragons not in Eragon, this week to stay
Monday, December 18, 2006
You Get a Line, I'll Get a Poll
For the third straight week, Monday is Poll Day. Despite a deluge of Gilbert data, Big Stein has posted the poll. As you can see from his intro, he doesn't like the credit I gave to VA Tech and VCU for playing and beating decent teams. I still think 1-2 are very close but a quantum leap from 3-7, which are also very close. It gets pretty ugly near the bottom of the poll, but I refuse to vote for George Mason until they get over .500. Here are my rankings and comments:
1. Virginia
Cavs starting backcourt averages a triple double. It’s a completely meaningless stat, but I expect to hear it on the next Raycom broadcast anyway.
2. Maryland
Terps put up 56 points in first half of 101-50 win over UMKC, much to the dismay of Gary Williams’ tailor and drycleaner.
3. Virginia Tech
Washington Redskins management pressures Comcast to suspend Zabian Dowdell from future Hokie broadcasts because his name sounds a lot like Steve Czaban.
4.VCU
VCU jumps three spots in my ranking because they beat a team that has been to the NCAA Tournament in the last 20 years.
5. GW
Colonials beat UMBC last week after beating UMES earlier this season. Karl Hobbs asks GW Mathematics Department to submit proof that BC + ES = CP.
6. Georgetown
After the Hoyas beat Winston Salem, Roy Hibbert is rushed to the National Aquarium in Baltimore to save two seals from choking to death.
7. Old Dominion
Monarchs’ leading scorer Valdas Vasylius looks like a shoo-in to join Arvydas Sabonis, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Sarunas Jasukevicius, and Darius Songaila on the All-Time All-Lithuania Team, but don’t tell Ramunas “The Lithuanian Scottie Pippen” Siskauskas.
8. Navy
Navy scored 65 points in a win over Division III Delaware Valley College last week. In losses to Moravian, Lebanon Valley, DeSales, Franklin & Marshall, Lincoln University, and Vassar this season, Delaware Valley has given up an average of 98 points. And yet, somehow the Midshipmen moved up a spot in my rankings.
9. American
As part of a dramatic marketing makeover, AU hires John Mellencamp to write a new school fight song.
10. Towson
$30 million to renovate the Towson Center? What, is the University President moving in?
Monday, December 11, 2006
Polling for Dollars
Despite the title of this post, I'm not getting paid for my opinions regarding the DC/MD/VA Division I hoops hierarchy. In that spirit, Virginia moves to my Number 1 spot without playing a game this week. I had the Cavs a very close second behind Maryland last week, and the Terps loss at BC - after beating Fordham - makes them a very close second behind UVa. Stepping down a bit, teams 3-7 are bunched pretty closely. GW blew a big lead against USC (more on that later), but they don't have a bad loss and they have the best win - over Va. Tech. Yes, ODU winning at Georgetown is nice, but they just lost at Tech. Georgetown slips ahead of ODU, but just barely; the Hoyas still don't have an impressive win. VCU has to get credit for three road wins, but a bad early loss at Toledo hurts. Liberty jumps in with the best winning percentage of all 27 eligible teams. Navy drops a spot after losing at home to Penn, and Towson knocks AU out because the Eagles lost to Yale.
Check Big Stein's Bog to see how my picks compare:
Check Big Stein's Bog to see how my picks compare:
1. Virginia
Cavaliers take 13 days off. Dave Leitao’s hairline suspiciously lower on his forehead when he returns from “recruiting trip.”
2. Maryland
Beat Fordham and lost to BC. Gary Williams withdraws petition for exemption for Terps to join new basketball superconference, The Big Jesuit.
3. GW
Colonials’ loss at Southern Cal eliminates them from BCS consideration.
4. Virginia Tech
Coleman Collins is the Hokies’ best basketball player with two last names since Dell Curry.
5. Georgetown
Beat Oral Roberts who beat Kansas who beat USC who beat GW, which is the alma mater of Alec Baldwin, who was in “She’s Having a Baby” with Kevin Bacon. Yes!
6. Old Dominion
Branding firm recommended changing name to New and Improved Dominion, but University’s legal counsel advised against, citing truth in advertising statutes.
7. VCU
Wins at Albany and Richmond boost their RPI in the all-important “wins at state capitals” category. Better be careful against perennial powers Montpelier and Carson City.
8. Liberty
Larry Blair is the Flames leading scorer, Moe Barry has yet to play a minute this season, but Curly and Shemp were both suspended for a “disciplinary reasons.”
9. Navy
Invokes the oft-used “Penn and Princeton” exemption clause to avoid automatic expulsion from the Top 10 for losing to an Ivy League Team. American University lobbies unsuccessfully to add Yale to the list.
10. Towson
With Temple and Georgetown on the schedule this week, it could be a while before we see Pat’s Cats crack the Top 10 again.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Poll Positions
Alright folks, you're in trouble now. As of yesterday I am a voter in the Washington Post's Local Top 11 Poll (insert gleeful cackle at the thought of my new powers of influence and persuasion). The brainchild of Post reporter and blogger Dan Steinberg, the poll ranks the top 10 Division I college basketball teams in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. There are about 60 voters, and even some actual journalists. Here's the link to the poll and another link with more "pithy comments."
My rankings were pretty close to the final results. Here's how I voted:
My rankings were pretty close to the final results. Here's how I voted:
1. Maryland
Fear the Turnover! McAlarney leads Notre Dame comeback. South Bend area headline writers rejoice. "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" copyright holders contact their attorneys. Gary Williams switches from Verizon DSL to Comcast Digital Cable.
2. Virginia
Cavaliers beat NC State. ACC's regular season now officially longer than NHL's.
3. Old Dominion
Monarchs are 3-0 against poll-eligible teams, and currently in first place for the coveted Steinberg Cup.
4. GW
Colonials get their first win over an opponent not found in the bakery aisle. Carl Elliott is cooler than the other side of a cucumber pillow.
5. Georgetown
Hoyas lead at halftime but lose at Duke. As the Blue Devils go on an 8-0 run to take command, Dick Vitale informs us that Greg Oden likes pancakes.
6. Virginia Tech
Seth Greenberg wants to bring in a specialist to help his team to develop killer instinct, but can't get Marcus Vick to return his calls.
7. VCU
Rams win at Houston 102-84, spoiling the Cougars celebration of Benny Anders Day.
8. Navy
Annapolis hasn't seen this kind of two-sport success since the days of Robinson and McCallum.
9. George Mason
Patriots' bandwagon crashes and burns returning home from Verizon Center, tying up traffic on 95 for two days. In postgame press conference, Jim Larranaga asks, "Hey, where'd everybody go?" To paraphrase the great Zero Mostel, "There's no shame in losing to Bucknell, but there's no great honor either."
10. Coppin State
With losses at Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Tennessee, Kansas State, Missouri, and Iowa, the Golden Eagles are the best, and highest-grossing, 2-6 team in the country
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