Gate Crashers - No, not those knuckleheads!

Week Two of the Bog Poll sees two unfamiliar names dangerously near the top of the Bog Poll. Two names but one school, so that would be William and Mary, which jumped from unranked to #3, largely on the strength of a major upset at Wake Forest. Now I know Wake was only picked sixth in the ACC preseason poll, but winning in Winston Salem makes this doubly impressive. Richmond also had a very good week beating Missouri and Mississippi State in the South Padre Island Invitational, but the 6-1 Spiders only rose to #4 because their lone loss is to ... William and Mary.

The Hoyas claim the top spot based on their undefeated record, a mark that will be much more impressive if they keep it against the likes of Butler and Washington over the next few weeks (no offense to Mount Saint Mary's tonight). VCU advances to #2 with medium wins against Nevada and at Hampton.

Slots five thru ten are a big blob of meh starting with the Terps, who need to get Greivis Vasquez on track and soon. If they do, memories of their Maui struggles will fade like a rainbow, but right now Greivis is shooting 33% from the field and 26% from three, not good numbers from the guy who leads your team in field goal attempts. ODU went to the same tournament as Richmond but came away with two losses, not exactly legitimizing their status as champions of the 2009 Collegeinsider.com postseason tournament. Virginia Tech blew a chance to move up with a lackluster output against Temple, losing 61-50 after trailing 27-17 at the half. Perhaps of even greater concern, the Hokies needed overtime to beat Delaware the following night.

Morgan beat the bad big name (2-4 Arkansas) but stumbled against an average App. State squad. Still, the Bears are averaging more than 80 ppg with leading scorer Reggie Holmes at 23.7. Might have to go see him in person. GW got starry-eyed in the presence of the president and spotted Oregon State a 14-0 lead, but the Colonials might have to be taken seriously this year, for a change. And Virginia clung to its ten spot by beating Cleveland State, but the Cavs will have to hold off challenges from outliers George Mason, James Madison, Loyola and the Mount.

11/30/09
1. Georgetown (4-0)
Hoyas' position atop this poll about as secure as a White House State Dinner.
2. VCU (4-1)
Larry Sanders has 14 blocks this seasons, three more than the Redskins' starting left tackle.
3. Willam and Mary (4-2)
Wake Forest students so upset by Demon Deacons' loss, they take to the streets and burn massive bales of tobacco.
4. Richmond (6-1)
Spiders win the South Padre Island Invitational; Chris Mooney celebrates by taking his top off in the postgame press confrence.
5. Maryland (4-2)
Terps score some Maui Owie on their trip to the Hawaiian Islands.
6. Old Dominion (4-2)
Monarchs drop two at South Padre Island. I said two, not trou.
7. Virginia Tech (4-1)
Hokies split a pair in Philly, get booed by Eagles' fans.
8. Morgan State (4-2)
If you had Morgan beating Arkansas and losing to Appalachian State this week, you are really wasting your time reading this poll.
9. GW (4-1)
Colonials get their first loss of the season, Obama get his first clear win in just over a year.
10. Virginia (4-2)
Cavaliers win the consolation game in the Cancun Challenge, a contest that strangely did not require the consumption of any tequila.

Guess who's back? Bog is back!

Getting a "better late than never start," the Bog Poll, orchestrated by Dan Steinberg, makes its return to the Washington Post today. As always, I'll be participating until I get bored with it. For the uninitiated, the poll ranks the 27 Division I men's basketball teams in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Not surprisingly, Georgetown and Maryland are often near the top, but participating in the process has given me a new appreciation for schools like VCU and Morgan State. I also find myself watching UMBC-Loyola games with more enthusiasm than you'd think possible.

With the season underway, we find several teams still undefeated. Morgan's one loss came is a reasonably close game at Louisville and VCU bounced back from a bad loss at Western Michigan with a thorough beating of Oklahoma at home, so both of those teams stay ahead of some of the undefeated. Virginia and GW return from exile and, after a year where VMI and Liberty were a steady presence, the Big South has fallen hard (although Radford could climb in).

Without further ado:

1. Maryland (3-0)
Opened with a win against Charleston Southern. Will have to prove themselves in a tough stretch that includes Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Panama Limited.
2. Old Dominion (4-0)
Monarchs' leading scorer Gerald Lee is from Uusikaupunki, Finland, which is also the home of the Bonk Museum. Bonk Business is a fictional corporation that has produced amazing inventions such as bilateral wave transformation and the gnagg booster.
3. Georgetown (3-0)
John Thompson III coaching against Fran Dunphy in a game where the teams totalled fewer than 100 points. Was that Georgetown-Temple in 2009 or an ESPN 30-30 study of recent Ivy League Basketball history?
4. Morgan State (3-1)
Very disappointed in Todd Bozeman. Sure the Bears are 3-1, but no blog posts since March 6? And the only Todd Bozeman I can find on Twitter is a guy named Todd who lives in Bozeman, Montana? What happened to Coach Wired 2.0?
5. VCU (2-1)
Rams fans hoping that The Larry Sanders show doesn't jump the shark in its third season.
6. Virginia Tech (2-0)
Hokies beat Brown by 14 and UNC Greensboro by 13, but Tech fans know that buzzer beaters and last second losses await just as certainly as castrated turkey jokes at Thanksgiving.
7. GW (3-0)
Colonials at 3-0? Time for the Post to start sniffing around GW's recruiting trail.
8. Virginia (3-1)
"Cavaliers, this is the Bog Poll. Bog Poll, meet the Cavaliers. It's been a few years, so I'll let you two get reacquainted."
9. Richmond (3-1)
Spiders must have been looking past William and Mary to their matchup with perennial college basketball powerhouse, the Chattanooga Mocs.
10. George Mason (3-2)
Patriots drop two out of three in Puerto Rico, Jim Larranaga blames team's insistence on seeing a midnight screening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Turkey in the Bog

Hoyas fend off the Drexel Dragons to stay unbeaten and unchallenged atop the poll this week, but their upcoming trip to the Old Spice Classic could get interesting, especially if they cross paths with the Terps. Maryland barely escaped Vermont, and Virginia seems to have filled the void left by Sean Singletary's departure. Rankings get pretty tricky after that, but I'll keep VATech up on quality losses (Xavier and Seton Hall), and Mason below VCU because of a bad loss to Hampton, despite two decent road wins (Vermont and East Carolina). Sort of a pick 'em after that, but Mount stays after an idle week and VMI still riding on the win at Kentucky, but they need to start getting some D1 wins to stay in the top 10. Lots of teams waiting in the wings, including GW, Navy, ODU, UMBC, and James Madison. Trying to sort them out is more sleep-inducing than second helpings on Thursday.

1. Georgetown (2-0)
Hoyas chase the Dragons out of Verizon Center.
2. Maryland (3-0)
Overtime win against the Catamounts means free Vermont Teddy Bears for all fans in attendance at Comcast Center.
3. Virginia (3-0)
Sylven Landesberg is now my second favorite Landesberg, behind Steve Landesberg - whose portrayal of Detective Arthur Dietrich on "Barney Miller" remains unparallelled in television history.
4. Virginia Tech (3-2)
Three straight wins followed by two straight losses - another proud tradition of Hokie basketball.
5. VCU (2-1)
VCU's loss at Rhode Island featured hot Ram-on-Ram action.
6. George Mason (3-1)
Patriots lose to Hampton Pirates, beat East Carolina Pirates, have yet to face Seton Hall Pirates, Somali Pirates, Pirates of Penzance, or Johnny Depp.
7. Mt. St. Mary's (1-1)
Mount legend Jim Phelan went into the College Basketball Hall of Fame Sunday with Billy Packer, Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale. The acceptance speeches are still going on.
8. American (3-1)
AU running new offensive scheme, "Dude, where's Garrison Carr?"
9. VMI (3-1)
Keydets' leading scorers are identical twin brothers, Travis and Chavis Holmes, the best Holmes ballers since Baskerville.
10. Towson (2-1)
Because there needs to be a sports story from Towson that doesn't contain the phrase "record-setting Olympic swimmer."

Bog Poll - Return of the Hoya

Okay, so college basketball starts this week, and that means it's time for a new Bog Poll. Last year, Georgetown went wire-to-wire as my top-ranked team. The competition was so weak not even a second round NCAA Tournament upset by Davidson could knock the Hoyas off the Number One perch. Yes, five other teams in the Poll made the NCAA and a bunch more went to the NIT and CBI but none were able to win consistently enough to throw a scare into Georgetown. So for now, the men from the Hilltop are still in the top spot.

Lots of questions follow the Hoyas. Can Virginia Tech's youngsters improve enough to offset the loss of Deron Washington? Can the CAA get two or even three teams to the NCAA Tournament, after missing last year's Big Dance? Are American, Mount St. Mary's, and UMBC one-year wonders? Can Virginia and Maryland avoid the ACC basement? Will the MEAC or the Patriot Leaague have more teams in my Top 10? My friends, only time will tell.

1. Georgetown
Obviously, Jeremiah Rivers was the player to be named later in the Patrick Ewing Junior transfer.
2. Virginia Tech
The Hokies basketball team will be better than the football team? Ha! Good one. Next you'll try to convince me that the state voted for a Democrat in the presidential election.
3. VCU
Jamal Schuler is not walking through that door! Will Fameni is not walking through that door! Eric Maynor is not walking ... what? Wait a sec' ... Okay, Eric Maynor is back - apparently his petition for a 15th season of eligibility was approved.
4. George Mason
Patriots' most promising newcomer is a 7-footer- their mascot.
5. UMBC
Jay Greene averages fewer turnovers per game than Jason Campbell.
6. American
Can someone please explain to me why American Eagle Outfitters is not the official outfitter of the American Eagles?
7. Maryland
Terps' three and four-guard offenses more effective than their don't-guard defense.
8. Mount St. Marys
Mount St. Mary's hasn't been ranked this high since the Princeton Review published the "Top 10 Colleges Your Parents Don't Know Are Party Schools."
9. ODU
Gerald Lee's signature dunk at the end of a fast break is known as the Finnish finish.
10. Morgan State
It's a Bear market, right?

Bog Poll Boils and Bubbles

We are coming down to the end of the Bog Poll, so I will have to find something else to write about, but more importantly, soon we will have final rankings. Over at Big Stein's place, the Terp lovers have Maryland ahead of VIrginia Tech, even though they have nearly the same record and the Hokies have beaten the Terps twice. For me, it's more interesting that Norfolk State lost to South Carolina State over the weekend, and fell out of the poll. I actually watched the end of this game on TV, and SCSU needs to work on its endgame, i.e. making free throws, inbounds plays, boxing out on defense. Speaking of endgame, the 7-10 teams below are really on a tear right now. Almost no way Georgetown won't finish the season #1, VCU is solid at #2, and UMBC has won its way to #3. The Hokies shoved Maryland out of the way and George Mason made it easy to keep the Terps at #5 with the bracketbuster loss to Ohio. Another week of 1-1 for the Patriots and we could see them passed by any or all of American, Morgan, Loyola, or Old Dominion. Lots of postseason action for the Top 10 will keep the rankings bubbling for a few more weeks at least.

1. Georgetown
Over the weekend, Rich Chvotkin filled in for Georgetown’s wrestling announcer: “Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin! Hoyas pin!”
2. VCU
Rams thought they were going to Akon, not Akron, took out their anger on the Zips.
3. UMBC
Retrievers are Baltimore’s first 20-game winner since Jim Palmer.
4. Virginia Tech
Vomit jokes will be harder for Dorenzo Hudson to get rid of than … than …well, than the smell of puke.
5. Maryland
Greivis Vasquez still struggling with English idiom, said he meant to challenge Hudson to “throw down right now.”
6. George Mason
With at-large prospects fading, Patriots counting on endorsements from NCAA Selection Committee super delegates.
7. American
Eagles hold Army to 40 points; Black Knights’ coach blames inferior body armor.
8. Morgan State
Bears’ successful season spurs growth of the school’s fundraising committee, the Morgan Donors.
9. Loyola
Davis Love > UC-Davis > Mac Davis
10. Old Dominion
Great week for Blaine Taylor. His team won its fifth straight, and he won the CAA Academy Awards pool, ending Pat Kennedy’s dominant four-year reign.

Remember the Spartans?

Hottest team in the Bog Poll has to be the UMBC Retrievers with six straight wins, and American University gets special mention for five in a row, but the award for the out-of-nowhere, given-up-for-dead-on-the-side-of-the-road, stick-a-fork-in-them (they're-done), comeback story has to go to the Norfolk State Spartans, who have won eight of their last nine and are tied for first place in the MEAC with Morgan State. Yes, they lost to Longwood and Prairie View, and Richmond is their only nonconference win over a .500 team, but the Spartans have had their act together in conference play and have made the MEAC into a three-team race. Welcome to the Bog Poll, Norfolk State!

In other news, Georgetown steals another win and loses on the road again (to Syracuse), but splits or worse by everyone else in the Top Five keeps the Hoyas at the top spot. Greivis Vasquez' three-point shooting brings the Terps back against Florida State, but I don't think Maryland can count on that from him every game. VCU stumbles at home against ODU, and the CAA finds itself dining at the one-bid table. UMBC is in the driver's seat in the America East but has three of its last four on the road including trips to the second and third place teams. George Mason is strong enough for second in the CAA but got swept by UNC Wilmington and ill likely see them in the league semis. Virginia Tech's only win in the top two-thirds of the ACC is against Maryland more than a month ago. American has been hot, but the Eagles' most recent loss was to second-place Navy and they head to Annapolis for the grudge match next week. Morgan doesn't get the same chance for redemption against Norfolk State, so Bog Poll bragging rights (and an NCAA bid) will have to wait until the conference tournament. And Loyola finally jumps back in the Top 10 for the first time since Week One. Still some decent teams hanging in the wings: Richmond, Hampton, William and Mary. And some pitiful ones: Virginia.

1. Georgetown
Rich Chvotkin’s play-by-play call from the Villanova game now a part of NPR’s “This I Believe” series.
2. Maryland
Terps lose at Duke, Dick Vitale blames Kelvin Sampson.
3. VCU
Rams maintain ranking in Bog Poll, but Anthony Grant slips from #1 spot on South Carolina AD’s speed dial.
4. UMBC
Enraged by the choice of Uno the beagle as Best in Show at Westminster, Retrievers vow to track and kill every opponent in the America East.
5. George Mason
Being named Homecoming King is little comfort to Will Thomas after losing to UNC Wilmington.
6. Virginia Tech
Hokies beat Virginia on February 2, which makes their record ½-3 in their last four contests.
7. American
Eagles’ dominance of the Patriot League reportedly began shortly after Jeff Jones and his wife attended a party at the home of Jose Canseco.
8. Morgan State
Todd Bozeman promotes a Morganic basketball lifestyle as the cornerstone of his team’s success and the future health of the planet.
9. Loyola
After Greyhounds struggle at Niagara again, Jimmy Patsos decides to play next year’s game on the Canadian side.
10. Norfolk State
Spartans follow 2-8 start with 11-2 run. Let’s just hope they can stay on their meds for the rest of the season.

The Bog Poll Comes in on Little Cat Feet

These Terps look familiar, don't they? Not the individual players - I think it's safe to say we haven't seen anyone quite like Greivis Vasquez or Bambale Osby before. And not just the style of play - that is pretty typical of a Gary Williams team. No, I am referring to the arc of the season, the plot line, as it were. I have no stats to back this up, but I am willing to bet that over time, Williams' teams have had great second half records that almost always come on the heels of disappointing second quarters (or Decembers or whatever you want to call it). One of the voter's in Big Stein's poll described Maryland's bad stretch as nauseatingly familiar and not made better by the probability that they would come through and hit their stride, which is exactly what has happened. Watching them win against NC State the other night impressed me almost as much as the win at UNC and more than the "gallant" home loss to Duke. If Vasquez can eliminate the poor second-half decisions (launching a three with a lead and 10 seconds on the shot clock, taking a steal downcourt for a missed layup instead of pulling back and running some clock), then the Terps could be a Final Four team. Seriously. They have corrected the defensive lapses that led to career performances by opposing guards and Osby and James Gist are more than most teams can handle inside. But keep your eyes on Vasquez to see where this team is truly headed.

In the poll, Maryland is closing fast on Georgetown, leaving the various Virginia teams behind. VCU has to finish strong to have a shot at an at-large bid if they lose in the CAA Tournament, Virginia Tech drops two spots with two straight ACC losses, but Mason can't pass them with a CAA split last week. UMBC is catching up with a win over Mr. Tony's Binghamton Bearcats, but they'd better keep the wisdom of Satchel Paige in mind because the Morgan State Bears are hotter than Amy Winehouse's hair dryer right now. William and Mary looks like a decent spoiler bet in the CAA and American is looking more phoenix than eagle, with a sudden resurgence. As for Virginia, well it doesn't look very good for the Wahoos right now, does it?

1. Georgetown
Rick Pitino changes from a white suit to a black suit at halftime, and his team goes from losing by eight to winning by eight. After the game, Al Sharpton calls a press conference and demands an apology.
2. Maryland
When the Terps’ dramatic turnaround season is made into a feature film, I’ve got Dennis Hopper playing Gary Williams, John Leguizamo as Greivis Vasquez, but for Bambale Osby, I keep getting stuck on ‘70s TV stars. Lawrence Hilton Jacobs? The guy who played Coolidge on the White Shadow? How about a little help here?
3. VCU
Rams win at Georgia State and Delaware, which is about the same as winning at Delaware State and Georgia, I think.
4. Virginia Tech
I keep reading that Seth Greenberg got an extension, but you have to get more than one if you are trying to get rid of the bald look, Coach.
5. George Mason
Following GMU’s loss at Old Dominion, Jim Larranaga announces that his team has suspended its campaign for an at-large bid.
6. UMBC
In his pregame pep talk, Binghamton alumnus Tony Kornheiser asked the team to win one for his ailing comrade, Michael Wilbon, but, apparently, the Bearcats prefer Around the Horn to PTI.
7. William & Mary
William and Mary’s leading scorer against Northeastern made three field goals, but the Tribe’s failure to recognize the Huskies’ zone-blitz packages doomed their three-game win streak.
8. Morgan State
Seven-game win streak has the Bears’ swag approaching Kanye West level, the Defcon One of arrogance.
9. American
First place in the Patriot League! Tenleytown hasn’t been this excited since the Red Line was extended to Shady Grove.
10. Virginia
Cavaliers are staring into the abyss, a pit of hopelessness more bitter than the heart of Jim Fassel.

Super Bowl Bog Poll

Actually, I got nothing on the Super Bowl, except that we were almost going to be on a plane at kickoff. See, the Doc has a conference this weekend in Orlando, and we are taking the kids so they can do the Disney/Universal thing, and when she originally booked the flight, take off was at just about kickoff. Seeing as how my sons would rather go to an Orlando Magic game than Magic Kingdom, this could not stand. So we changed our flight arrangements and should be safely parked in front of the TV for the big game on Sunday. As far as a prediction, boy, it's hard for me to muster up any tender feelings for either team. Give me a 10-9 borefest of a defensive battle with Brady failing on fourth down to end the game on his knees wishing he had accepted the marriage proposal from the reporter at Media Day.

As far as the poll, Georgetown absolutely stole the game in West Virginia, a brazen act considering the Mountaineers are usually the larcenous party on their home court. VCU still strong atop the CAA, but losing to Mason last night will hurt them in next week's rankings. Virginia Tech is a tough, ugly team with an ugly record, but the Hokies have every right to their spot in the poll. Mason dropped a bad one to UNCW, Maryland should have beaten Duke, and Virginia could find itself cozying up to Morgan State at the bottom of the poll next week if the Cavaliers lose at Maryland. Very likely to see two MEAC teams next week and Richmond has its work cut out against URI coming up.

1. Georgetown
I haven’t seen such an obvious Patrick Ewing goaltending call since the 1982 National Championship game against North Carolina.
2. VCU
Rams have won their last five games against Drexel, making them the best Dragonslayers since Peter MacNicol.
3. Virginia Tech
After the Hokies win in overtime at Boston College, the first question to Seth Greenberg from the Boston media is whether he has any information on the status of Tom Brady’s ankle.
4. Maryland
Not surprisingly, Landon Millbourne is the Terrapins’ team champion in Milles Bournes, the internationally acclaimed French card game of road racing.
5. George Mason
Patriots lose to a UNC-Wilmington team led by two guys named Vlad and Chad, who also host a drive-time morning radio show that is the #1 Arbitron-rated program in the Greater Cape Fear media market.
6. Virginia
Virginia correctly went to a box-and-one defense in overtime against Georgia Tech, but mistakenly guarded Matt Causey with the “one” instead of the “box.”
7. UMBC
Retrievers get their Alpha Dog swag back against Boston University, marking the Case Gym as their territory in a 62-40 win.
8. Hampton
Pirates have righted the ship that strayed off course in December, set sail for March Madness.
9. Richmond
Richmond forward Oumar Sylla is a terror in the lane, but he was tiwce as effective with his high school teammate, Joe Charybdis.
10. William & Mary
Contrary to widely held belief, William and Mary’s Kaplan Arena is not named for standardized testing guru Stanley Kaplan, but rather, Gabe Kaplan, who won the arena in a high-stakes poker game from College President, Gene Nichol.

New Year, New Bog Poll

Happy New Year, and if the greeting is almost two days late, well, hey, so is this week's Bog Poll, which by the way Big Stein didn't even run this week. But I promised limericks, so limericks ye shall have:

1. Georgetown
Final Four looks to be within reach
For the Hoyas again if they each
Learn how best to convert
At a rate like Hibbert
Best we’ve seen since the baskets held peach?

2. Virginia
The jumpshot of Sean Singletary
Can at times his entire team carry
But if no one else helps
The Cavs look like whelps
Worse than Swordfish sans Halle Berry

3. VCU
VCU can’t wait for more madness
So Maynor can show off his badness
And they hope to repeat
The improbable feat
That filled the Duke fans’ hearts with sadness

4. George Mason
The team from the city of Fairfax
Made the nation’s media make tracks
To their Final Four game
Which brought them much more fame
Than their namesake’s assault on stamp tax


5. Virginia Tech
It’s sad that a once brilliant Hokie
Is serving hard time in the pokey
But the basketball team
Is still living the dream
Let’s give them a break, okey–dokey?

6. James Madison
The Dukes’ fans might get the sensation
They’ll get a Big Dance invitation
Their win total is high
But a bad RPI
Will end their joyous celebration

7. UMBC
Some people might call the Retrievers
Scrappy, gutty overachievers
But come tournament time
Bet a nickel and dime
They’ll turn doubters into believers

8. American
There once was a team called the Eagles
Opponents kicked them like Jeff Feagles
But one night at Comcast
The offense turned full blast
And made the Terps heel just like beagles

9. Maryland
There once was a team coached by Gary
Whose perimeter shooting was scary
If a player named Greivis
Keeps acting mischievous
In March they’ll be in the library

10. Morgan State
For a team that has not ever been
To the Tournament for a quick spin
’08 could be the year
They break into a cheer
I just hope they avoid the play-in

Bog Poll

A little late on this week's poll, but there's all the Christmas shopping and, hey, I'm working without a kitchen here (more on that tomorrow, maybe). Anyway, Georgetown just keeps winning, VCU still hasn't done enough to pass Virginia (beating Longwood certainly doesn't do it), and lots of idle teams this week. ODU makes the big leap with a solid win over Virginia Tech, knocking the Hokies down a few pegs, Maryland would have slipped further with a home loss to Ohio if anyone around them had won, and UMBC hasn't beaten a Division I opponent since the beginning of the month.

1. Georgetown
Hoyas beat Radford, the Highlanders’ worst loss since Highlander: Endgame, a largely unsuccessful attempt to blend the television and movie series. Repeat broadcast of this game will be shown all month on Sci-Fi Channel.
2. Virginia
Least impressive #2 since Rob Lowe replaced Robert Wagner in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
3. VCU
Kirill Pishchalnikov asked his teammates to call him Kalashnikov, but he has to make at least one three-pointer before they will acquiesce.
4. George Mason
Patriots beg Jim Larranaga to take them to go see I Am Legend during the week off, but Coach L is more of an Alvin and the Chipmunks kind of guy.
5. Old Dominion
Monarch forward Gerald Lee’s hometown of Uusikaupunki, Finland, dates back to 1721, but its name translates as New City. Those crazy Finns!
6. James Madison
Dukes’ idle week gives them badly needed free time to find the perfect gift for oh-so-hard-to-shop-for Coach Dan Keener.
7. Maryland
Terps’ home loss to Ohio University is the biggest win for the visiting Bobcats since Gary “Shaq of the MAAC” Trent owned the Athens hardwood.
8. Morgan State
With a season-high 13 points against LaSalle, senior forward Karanvir Aujla is making a name for himself. Not a name you can pronounce or spell, but a name nonetheless.
9. Virginia Tech
Hokies quest for a road win about as successful as Quest for Fire.
10. UMBC
With three straight Division I losses, Retrievers just keeping this seat warm for Mount St. Mary’s.

Bog Poll Week 5

Yawn, Georgetown is still Number 1. Very difficult dilemma coming up for me in a few weeks when the Hoyas play at #2 Memphis. As much as I'd like to see Georgetown lose and fall out of the top spot just for a little variety, there is no one I'd like to see lose more than Memphis coach John Calipari. Maybe the Hoyas will help me out and fall on their faces against Radford on Saturday. Yeah. And maybe the Ravens won't become the Dolphins first win of the season this Sunday.

Virginia stays at #2 with a close home loss to Syracuse because George Mason and UMBC also split their games. VCU jumps to #3 on the strength of three straight wins with Maryland right behind. James Madison needs to beat somebody, anybody, in the top 100 to legitimize its 6-1 record. After that, it's the usual pick 'em with Virginia Tech, Morgan State and Old Dominion getting the nod. American, Loyola, Towson and Hampton also receiving votes.

GW? You can lose by 30 at #2 UCLA, and your ranking won't suffer much, but Virginia Tech is one of the worst teams in the ACC and the Colonials looked awful. Then again, they were a perfect lead-in to the Ravens' game.

1. Georgetown
Kent Benson and Quinn Buckner will have the champagne on ice for the Hoyas’ game at Memphis on December 22.
2. Virginia
Only an endorsement from Oprah keeps the Cavaliers from falling to #3.
3. VCU
Rams cut Richmond’s scoring from 30 in the first half to 15 in the second. Mathematicians throughout the state capital debate whether the Spiders would have scored 0 or 7.5 in a hypothetical overtime.
4. Maryland
Greivis Vasquez and Gary Williams – Proud graduates of the Bart Scott School of Etiquette and Composure.
5. George Mason
Patriots lose to the Kent State Golden Flashes, which were known as the Silver Foxes from 1920-26, and for one day in 1970, the Muzzle Flashes.
6. UMBC
Loss at Wichita State hurts the Retrievers’ ranking but not as much as a win at Goucher.
7. James Madison
Dukes continue their merciless rampage through the bottom tenth of the RPI.
8. Virginia Tech
Hokies beat GW 68-36, GW beat UMES 78-39, so UMES would be 71-point underdogs against Virginia Tech, if my math is correct .
9. Morgan State
Bears almost ready for long winter nap, also known as the MEAC regular season.
10. Old Dominion
UNC, Louisville, Georgetown, UMES … One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong, can you tell which thing is not like the other, by the time I finish my song?

The Poll Must Go On

What a lousy sports weekend. After a week to prepare, GW gets crushed at home by Xavier. Ditto for the Wizards against Portland, but at least they can blame Jamison's injury. And the Pro Bowl was "played." Look for the NFl to boost ratings by adding a "Pros vs. Joes" angle next year, like the Grammys with Justin Timberlake last night. (No, I didn't watch the show, but here's what I thought of last year). So, it's Monday, and the Poll never sleeps, unless it drank way too much sangria the night before, but that, my friends, that is a different post, hopefully to come later in the day.

So, Georgetown stays on a roll and stays on top, upsetting Marquette for its seventh straight win. Virginia Tech dumps 12 feet of New York style blizzard on UVA's hot streak, and VCU's air of invulnerability dissipates like, well, air. Maryland's NCAA hopes are upgraded from critical to serious, and Old Dominion looks like it could give the selection committee another CAA headache this March. GW "foggy" bottoms out, and is very close to joining the also-rans at the bottom of the poll.

1. Georgetown
Hoyas dismantle Marquette, located in Milwaukee, pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."
2. Virginia Tech
A.D. Vassallo outscores J.R. Reynolds 22-21 in Tech’s win over UVA, sets sights on B.A Walker for Bog Poll “Initials for Name” Top Scorer honors.
3. Virginia
Cavaliers’ 57 points against Virginia Tech their lowest total of the year, but only two fewer than they scored against Puerto Rico-Mayaguez.
4. VCU
Team distracted by possibility that Anthony Grant could be the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter.
5. Maryland
Terps hand Duke their fourth straight loss. Cameron Crazies download couch-burning how-to’s from terptalk.com.
6. Old Dominion
Old Dominion suddenly more fun than King’s Dominion.
7. GW
Xavier shows GW the meaning of strict Jesuit discipline.
8. William and Mary
The Number 8 spot is traditionally reserved for the third-best CAA team in the Bog Poll.
9. Loyola
Greyhounds lose to Fairfield twice in one week, thereby placing themselves on Bog Poll double-secret probation.
10. George Mason
Patriots clinging to the Number 10 spot like Wile E. Coyote clinging to a tree branch on the side of a cliff.

Super Poll

Okay, it's Tuesday and I know what you're thinking. "Where is the college basketball poll? I mean, how am I supposed to get through my week without knowing how FitzFacts ranks the Top 10 men's Division I college basketball teams in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.?" Come on, I'm sure you had enough Super Bowl stuff to get you through yesterday, but since you asked (although it would have been nice if you'd said, "Please"), here's what I got:

Georgetown wins at Madison Square Garden and moves into the top spot. Admittedly St. John's is not what it used to be, but it is still better than St. Peter's, St. Bonaventure, St. Joe's (I think), both St. Francises, and Mount Saint Mary's. Virginia is hotter than the back of Joe Biden's neck and shoots up to second (Anybody with me on predicting a second-tier ACC finish for Duke? Could very easily happen.) The next four teams all lost at least one game last week. Old Dominion is suddenly trying to challenge the top tier, and the bottom three haven't changed much. Big Stein has them almost the same as I do:

1. Georgetown
JTIII credits trans fat-free pregame meal at Marriott Marquis Hotel for Hoyas’ victory at St. John’s.
2. Virginia
Dave Leitao must convince Cavaliers not to look past upcoming games at Maryland and Virginia Tech in anticipation of hated foe Longwood next week.
3. VCU
Hofstra leaves the gun, takes the cannoli, and ends Rams 10-game win streak.
4. Virginia Tech
Boston police department’s antiterrorist unit confiscates Seth Greenberg’s clipboard, citing suspicious drawings that resemble the basketball court located inside BC’s Conte Forum.
5. GW
Karl Hobbs asks official for a technical at St. Louis but doesn’t get that call either.
6. Maryland
Mike Jones held scoreless in win at Wake Forest as Demon Deacons confuse him by blitzing safeties and dropping down linemen into coverage.
7. Old Dominion
ODU players shake off chants of “O –D-US! O-D-US!” from clever George Mason fans, win fifth straight.
8. George Mason
Life comes at you fast, Jim Larranaga.
9. Loyola
Jimmy Patsos forced to defend himself against charges of making "Marist" remarks in postgame press conference.
10. Towson
If the Tigers keep this up, they’ll play themselves right out of the draft lottery.

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…

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.

Tiger Trouble in Towson

The Wizards won on a dramatic Gilbert Arenas three-pointer, the Colonials opened their A-10 schedule with a win over lackluster Fordham, so what did I do last night? Took my boys a battle of two Local Poll Top Ten teams - Virginia Commonwealth and Towson University; the Doc, having had quite enough of the recent sports bonanza that the holidays brought, scheduled a massage. So, after the fellas finished swim practice, we scooted across campus to the Towson Center. Thanks to my friend D-Fly, we had some quality seats a few rows behind the Towson bench, which we settled into just as the opening tip went up.

A typical "students-on-break" crowd scattered comfortably around the arena, including a surprisingly large contingent of the Towson Pep Band; alas, no sign of the national champion dance team. Several other cliches of the college basketball crowd were present, including the large, loud and increasingly profane fan a few rows behind us and the "wacky student who is not nearly as amusing as he thinks he is," in front of us.

Early on, the visiting Rams showed why they have risen as high as #3 in my rankings, with a bruising interior defense and challenging fullcourt pressure that took advantage of the limited availability of Towson point guard C. C. Williams, who has played only 11 minutes in the last two games because of illness. When Towson was able to get the ball across midcourt, they relied on leading scorer Gary Neal and also got a couple threes from sophomore Tim Crossin. The Rams also struggled to hang onto the ball, committing 10 first half turnovers, but solid contributions from their second unit resulted in a 25-20 halftime lead. As the teams jogged to the locker rooms, Cursing Fan exhorted Towson coach Pat Kennedy to "Wake their asses up!"

The Rams' first-year head coach Anthony Grant, a Billy Donovan protege (how old does that make you feel?), wisely focused his defensive strategy on Neal, the only Towson player who averages double figures in scoring (24 ppg). At 6-5, 200, Neal is the Arenas of the CAA, complete with Agent Zero's range, confidence and conscience. The Ram defense did everything they could to discourage him and his teammates, closing in on any Tiger who challenged the lane. "Better be plenty of ice in the training room," I remarked as several bodies collided near the basket, again.

At the half, we beat the rush to the concession stand and fueled up with some hotdogs and pretzels; and I set out to find the athletic director from VCU, a college friend of my brother's. He was seated near the team bench just in front of a vocal group that had travelled from Richmond, including their own "Wacky Student" in a Rams jersey and headband. Who knew you could buy such items?

At the start of the second half, Towson continued to settle for long jumpers and VCU began to pull away a little, stretching the lead to eight on the shoulders of their balanced, three-guard attack. But after the first media timeout, the Tigers' Tommy Breaux sent TU's Wacky Student into paroxysms with an ESPN-worthy block and dunk, and when Neal followed with a three, the Tigers had captured the momentum, but not the lead. As the clocked ticked toward the 12:00 mark, Kennedy subbed Neal out, figuring to rest his star through the upcoming timeout. In Neal's absence, either VCU relaxed or the Tigers stepped up because the next three Towson possessions resulted in baskets from inside ten feet, and when Neal returned, his team led by three.

But the Rams were not ready to roll over. They continued to pressure the ball and crash the offensive boards. Close games as are often decided by free throws, and this one could have been, except that nobody made them; VCU missed five straight in the last two minutes and Towson's Dennard Abraham managed only 1-2 with a chance to boost the lead to three with 19 seconds left. Down by two, Jesse Pellot-Rosa drove baseline, drew a foul and tied the game by finally making two from the line. Overtime.

We hustled down for a quick bathroom break, where I saw the VCU AD. "What do you think?" he asked. "Tough way to make a living," I replied. "And both teams could use a free throw coach."

Overtime could not have started better for Towson as Neal chucked in a trey and was fouled, but he missed the freebie. The Tigers clung to the lead thanks to some clutch shooting by Neal and Dennard, whose free throw pushed the margin to four with less than a minute. But then VCU drew a foul and made two, forced a bad pass by Neal and scored again to tie it. Neal could not escape the VCU defense on the last possession and Rocky Coleman's shot went awry.

Double overtime! Wacky Student was aghast! Cursing Fan had long since abandoned creativity and launched a continuous assault of cluster F-bombs. I called the Doc, "We're going to be home a little late."

Again the OT began with a Towson three, this one from Crossin, but Pellot-Rosa drew Breaux's fifth foul on the next possession. Kennedy chose to go small with freshman Rodney Spruill, but youth was not served. Spruill missed a shot, mishandled a bad pass from Coleman and fouled Pellot Rosa, not exactly the spark his coach was looking for. By the time senior forward Winstonn Tubbs came in for him, VCU had grabbed the lead. Towson took it right back as Neal scored twice to go up three, but VCU caught them celebrating and Walker knocked down a quick three to tie it with 1:47 left. Neal answered with a "No, no, no, Yes!" trey of his own, but the Rams again drove for a quick score. Towson milked the clock but failed to get a good shot and Walker drained another three to put the Rams ahead 82-80.

On the final possession, Neal worked himself free at the top of the key with about eight seconds left. He fought through a double team, elevated into the lane ... and short-armed the jumper, didn't even draw iron. Maybe he was expecting more contact, there had certainly been plenty as he initiated his drive, but VCU grabbed the airball, and made the ensuing free throws to ice the game.

Neal finished with 36 points, including six threes, but VCU's defense, depth, and mental toughhness proved to be too much for the hosts. The Rams are 5-0 on the road this year (1-2 at neutral sites) and they seem to have figured out how to get that extra effort it takes to get the job done. Towson has a tremendous asset in Neal and some nice complimentary players, but when Breaux fouled out, VCU penetrated easily. The Rams and Drexel look like the teams to beat in the CAA, but Towson should be in the second tier with Hofstra, Old Dominion, and William and Mary (suddenly the league's hottest team). Not that I anticipate a change in the FitzFacts subtitle, but living only 15 minutes away, I'm hoping to see a few more Towson games this year. I'll keep you posted.

New Year, New Poll

Maryland takes two easy ones to stay on top. Georgetown moves up by beating Coach K protege Tommy Amaker (Somebody give me a won-loss percentage of former Coach K assistants. That would be Amaker, Quin Snyder and Mike Brey. Who else am I missing? Other than Brey, have any of them gotten it done?). Everybody else loses and falls down or even out. I'm done with Navy for a while; you can beat up on D3 teams but can't handle the big tough Ivy League? Shove off, sailor. And AU, I want U to want AU, but come on, Longwood? You might as well have lost to Bushwood, with that tremendous Smails-Webb backcourt. I hope to get a live look at Towson-VCU tomorrow and GW later this month. Check my votes against the final tally over at Big Stein's place:

1. Maryland
Terps beat Siena, who was picked fourth in the Crayola Conference behind Periwinkle, Goldenrod and perennial powerhouse Raw Umber.
2. Georgetown
Hoyas lead the entire way in a solid win at Michigan. Wolverine Band plays “Detroit Rock City” instead of “Hail to the Victors” to honor Gerald Ford’s lifelong membership in the Kiss Army.
3. VCU
My Team of Destiny reverts to a George McFly Team of Density, falling at Appalachian State, the poll’s bizarro UAB.
4. GW
Air Force Academy’s strategy of making shots while not allowing the Colonials to do the same seems unfair to GW fans, but is remarkably effective.
5. Virginia Tech
Hokies lose at Marshall, because well, maybe you’ve heard, they are Marshall. Just ask them. What, you have a better explanation?
6. Virginia
Cavaliers get back on the winning track by applying a little topical ointment of victory, aka American University.
7. Old Dominion
Readers’ choice: ODU can’t get the drop on Winthrop. Monarchs flop against Winthrop. ODU can’t stop Winthrop. Old Dominion fails to top Winthrop. Monarchs efforts plop versus Winthrop.
8. George Mason
Congratulations if you guessed that the Patriots would split their two games against Drexel and Mississippi State last week, but don’t even try to convince me that you were right on the win and the loss.
9. Towson
Tigers put up 40 in each half of Winston-Salem’s 13th straight loss. The Rams have played only four home games this season with losses at Fresno State, Auburn, Georgetown and Kansas. Special thanks go to schedule consultant Fang Mitchell.
10. William and Mary
The Tribe make their first entry into the Top 10 because Navy lost a second Ivy League game, which is an automatic three-week suspension.

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