Friday, May 2, 2008
The amazing Ottumwa High School girls golf team
Hello one, hello all. "The Bruce" is back, and it's time to give credit where credit is due. As of Thursday's (5/1) tie-breaker victory over Ames in the Ottumwa Invitational at Ottumwa Country Club, the OHS girls golf team has won 20 consecutive matches, dating back to an undefeated state championship run in 2007.
20 straight? That's right, 20 straight! My mission today is to make sure that anyone reading this post has a firm grasp on how amazing that winning streak really is.
Ottumwa competes at the highest level in the state of Iowa, Class 4A high school athletics. Therefore, it's not as though the Bulldogs are marching through the "Little Sisters of the Poor" or "Fox Valley" (as my friend Coach Stan Rupe would say). No, in actuality, OHS is consistently beating the best that the state has to offer. We're talking all sorts of teams from around the Hawkeye State, including the Des Moines metro area. Already, this season, the Bulldogs have taken down two state title hopefuls in Ankeny and Ames. To win 20 straight matches against this kind of competition is simply remarkable. And, keep in mind, Ottumwa went undefeated in 2007 to begin the winning streak that is still alive as of the time this post is written.
Another way to put this in perspective is to compare the streak to other sports at the high school. Imagine if Tom Kopatich's Bulldogs, who always had tons of success, had ever won 20 games in-a-row. That would be at least one undefeated state championship season and most of another. As fired up as folks in southeast Iowa are every fall about Bulldog football, this sort of streak would have been the talk of the town for months if not years, no question.
What if Stan Rupe's OHS girls basketball squad or Mike Holmes' OHS boys basketball team had ripped off 20 straight victories last season. Again, if that was the case, you're most-likely looking at a state championship run and one of the best 4A teams assembled around the state in the last 5 to 10 years. In 2003-2004, the OHS boys basketball team, led by Holmes, advanced to the Class 4A Final Four. The team had an incredible season and stirred excitement around Ottumwa unlike anything seen for a long, long while. But, consider this: The team's final record included 19 wins. Of course, that is a phenomenal win total. But, in the case of the OHS girls golf squad, we're talking about 20 wins, in-a-row. Wow.
The level of play of Betsy Anderson, Katie Maher, Hailey Sheldahl, Paige Wetrich, Sarah Paulson, and Kristin Paulson is something unmatched in OHS history. On top of this talented group of players, OHS girls golf is led by one of the up-and-coming young coaches in the state, Dusty Stewart. What has Stewart done recently? Oh, well, nothing more than be named the 2007 Class 4A Coach of the Year.
I'm going to go way out on a limb here. I know, I know. Right now you're saying, "Geez, Brian, how can you afford to be such a risk-taker?" Well, anyway, my prediction is that the 2008 OHS girls golf squad runs the table again this year, and in doing so earns its second consecutive Class 4A state championship.
So, do yourself a favor. Take a look at the OHS spring sports schedule, match up some free time with an OHS girls golf meet, and go enjoy yourself. You'll not only see some great golf being played, you'll see the high school's sports record book being rewritten.
20 straight? That's right, 20 straight! My mission today is to make sure that anyone reading this post has a firm grasp on how amazing that winning streak really is.
Ottumwa competes at the highest level in the state of Iowa, Class 4A high school athletics. Therefore, it's not as though the Bulldogs are marching through the "Little Sisters of the Poor" or "Fox Valley" (as my friend Coach Stan Rupe would say). No, in actuality, OHS is consistently beating the best that the state has to offer. We're talking all sorts of teams from around the Hawkeye State, including the Des Moines metro area. Already, this season, the Bulldogs have taken down two state title hopefuls in Ankeny and Ames. To win 20 straight matches against this kind of competition is simply remarkable. And, keep in mind, Ottumwa went undefeated in 2007 to begin the winning streak that is still alive as of the time this post is written.
Another way to put this in perspective is to compare the streak to other sports at the high school. Imagine if Tom Kopatich's Bulldogs, who always had tons of success, had ever won 20 games in-a-row. That would be at least one undefeated state championship season and most of another. As fired up as folks in southeast Iowa are every fall about Bulldog football, this sort of streak would have been the talk of the town for months if not years, no question.
What if Stan Rupe's OHS girls basketball squad or Mike Holmes' OHS boys basketball team had ripped off 20 straight victories last season. Again, if that was the case, you're most-likely looking at a state championship run and one of the best 4A teams assembled around the state in the last 5 to 10 years. In 2003-2004, the OHS boys basketball team, led by Holmes, advanced to the Class 4A Final Four. The team had an incredible season and stirred excitement around Ottumwa unlike anything seen for a long, long while. But, consider this: The team's final record included 19 wins. Of course, that is a phenomenal win total. But, in the case of the OHS girls golf squad, we're talking about 20 wins, in-a-row. Wow.
The level of play of Betsy Anderson, Katie Maher, Hailey Sheldahl, Paige Wetrich, Sarah Paulson, and Kristin Paulson is something unmatched in OHS history. On top of this talented group of players, OHS girls golf is led by one of the up-and-coming young coaches in the state, Dusty Stewart. What has Stewart done recently? Oh, well, nothing more than be named the 2007 Class 4A Coach of the Year.
I'm going to go way out on a limb here. I know, I know. Right now you're saying, "Geez, Brian, how can you afford to be such a risk-taker?" Well, anyway, my prediction is that the 2008 OHS girls golf squad runs the table again this year, and in doing so earns its second consecutive Class 4A state championship.
So, do yourself a favor. Take a look at the OHS spring sports schedule, match up some free time with an OHS girls golf meet, and go enjoy yourself. You'll not only see some great golf being played, you'll see the high school's sports record book being rewritten.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The many different levels of men's Division I basketball
I'll tell you what's really annoying and unbelievably frustrating...........Losing your favorite basketball coach to a "more prestigious" or "bigger" program. :(
Recently, I've been struck by that phenomenon twice, with Tom Crean leaving Marquette (my beloved alma mater) for Bloomington, Indiana and Hoosier country, and Keno Davis bolting Des Moines for Providence, Rhode Island.
From the standpoint of coaching being a profession, I, of course, understand why coaches would leave one post in order to make more money and be on a bigger stage somewhere else. In the state of Wisconsin, Tom Crean, despite rebuilding the Marquette program to a yearly level of national relevance, was always second fiddle to Bo Ryan at the University of Wisconsin. Plus, Crean could only make so much money at a private, Catholic institution such as Marquette, while a public institution such as Indiana could and would offer him plenty more.
Meanwhile, with Keno Davis' move to take over the Friars at Providence, again, this makes perfect sense in terms of a business decision. He moves from a Missouri Valley Conference program to a Big East program, and moves from fairly low six figures to seven figures per year. Obviously, good for you from that aspect.
But, and I suppose this post is nothing more than a gripe, but I'm tired of schools and programs that I support being nothing more than feeder schools for bigger programs. Tom Crean does a great job at Marquette, turning the Golden Eagles into a yearly Top 25 team, but as soon as big, bad Indiana finds itself in a lurch, they pick the great coach away from the "little guy" by offering him more prestige and cash.
In the case of Drake, the school hadn't seen really good basketball for at least 30 years. Keno Davis, along with his hard-working players and staff, works a miracle in 2007-2008, and boom, Providence comes calling and Drake supporters are left hoping they can continue on with their recent rise to national awareness.
Personally, I wish more coaches established a personal connection with a school and simply decided to stay because of their relationship with the place, the people in the program, the fan base, etc. I understand coaches' job changes from the business aspect, but I don't understand them at all from a personal aspect.
For example, Tom Crean could have stayed at Marquette forever, been a local folk hero for taking Marquette to the Final Four in 2003 and the tournament almost every year, and continued to make at least one million dollars every year for the rest of his life. Honestly, what's the difference between millions of dollars. To me, if I'm a millionaire, then I'm a millionaire. It's not like I would feel disenchanted making only one million as compared to three million. It's still way more money per year than you would ever need with which to live comfortably.
Also, I ask this question: How in the world can a major Division I program such as Marquette, in the Big East Conference, still be a feeder school for another program? That honestly makes me quite angry. Truth be told, at this stage in history, Marquette's program is at a far higher level than Indiana's is. Granted, Indiana basketball has a great aura surrounding it due to past success, national championships, Bobby Knight, etc. But I'm talking about 2008 and beyond, not 1976, 1981, and 1987.
Anyway, as you can tell, I'm ticked off and frustrated. I don't like losing my coaches to "better" and "bigger" programs, and I truly wish that there was more loyalty from coaches in college basketball.
Get back at me on this subject. I want to hear some different viewpoints.
"The Bruce"
Recently, I've been struck by that phenomenon twice, with Tom Crean leaving Marquette (my beloved alma mater) for Bloomington, Indiana and Hoosier country, and Keno Davis bolting Des Moines for Providence, Rhode Island.
From the standpoint of coaching being a profession, I, of course, understand why coaches would leave one post in order to make more money and be on a bigger stage somewhere else. In the state of Wisconsin, Tom Crean, despite rebuilding the Marquette program to a yearly level of national relevance, was always second fiddle to Bo Ryan at the University of Wisconsin. Plus, Crean could only make so much money at a private, Catholic institution such as Marquette, while a public institution such as Indiana could and would offer him plenty more.
Meanwhile, with Keno Davis' move to take over the Friars at Providence, again, this makes perfect sense in terms of a business decision. He moves from a Missouri Valley Conference program to a Big East program, and moves from fairly low six figures to seven figures per year. Obviously, good for you from that aspect.
But, and I suppose this post is nothing more than a gripe, but I'm tired of schools and programs that I support being nothing more than feeder schools for bigger programs. Tom Crean does a great job at Marquette, turning the Golden Eagles into a yearly Top 25 team, but as soon as big, bad Indiana finds itself in a lurch, they pick the great coach away from the "little guy" by offering him more prestige and cash.
In the case of Drake, the school hadn't seen really good basketball for at least 30 years. Keno Davis, along with his hard-working players and staff, works a miracle in 2007-2008, and boom, Providence comes calling and Drake supporters are left hoping they can continue on with their recent rise to national awareness.
Personally, I wish more coaches established a personal connection with a school and simply decided to stay because of their relationship with the place, the people in the program, the fan base, etc. I understand coaches' job changes from the business aspect, but I don't understand them at all from a personal aspect.
For example, Tom Crean could have stayed at Marquette forever, been a local folk hero for taking Marquette to the Final Four in 2003 and the tournament almost every year, and continued to make at least one million dollars every year for the rest of his life. Honestly, what's the difference between millions of dollars. To me, if I'm a millionaire, then I'm a millionaire. It's not like I would feel disenchanted making only one million as compared to three million. It's still way more money per year than you would ever need with which to live comfortably.
Also, I ask this question: How in the world can a major Division I program such as Marquette, in the Big East Conference, still be a feeder school for another program? That honestly makes me quite angry. Truth be told, at this stage in history, Marquette's program is at a far higher level than Indiana's is. Granted, Indiana basketball has a great aura surrounding it due to past success, national championships, Bobby Knight, etc. But I'm talking about 2008 and beyond, not 1976, 1981, and 1987.
Anyway, as you can tell, I'm ticked off and frustrated. I don't like losing my coaches to "better" and "bigger" programs, and I truly wish that there was more loyalty from coaches in college basketball.
Get back at me on this subject. I want to hear some different viewpoints.
"The Bruce"
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
"Beat the Bruce" and the NCAA Tournament
Well, the NCAA Tournament wrapped up on Monday night in San Antonio with the Kansas Jayhawks knocking off the Memphis Tigers, 75-68 in overtime, for the national championship. The Jayhawks brought the title back home to Lawrence for the first time since 1988, when Danny Manning and the Miracles defeated Oklahoma 83-79 in the title game at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.
The drama-filled championship game finished off yet another outstanding NCAA Tournament, which does nothing but continue to grow in importance and popularity.
This year at Ottumwa Radio, we tried something new with our "Beat the Bruce" bracket challenge. We were hopeful that plenty of individuals would sign up for the online bracket challenge, and truly thought it could be an exciting and enjoyable feature on our website.
We were not disappointed. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the level of genuine excitement that many people had for the "Beat the Bruce" challenge, from friends of mine around the country, people we're familiar with around southeast Iowa, and faithful listeners that we haven't yet met personally. It was awesome!
Now, I must say, "The Bruce's" early round picks didn't go as planned, and believe me, I heard plenty of heat about the exact number of people that were "beating the Bruce" when I sat in 160th place after the first weekend of The Big Dance. But, I am proud to say that I correctly picked 3 of the 4 Final Four teams (would have had all four if Xavier hadn't laid an egg in the Elite 8 versus UCLA), picked the championship game teams, and picked my beloved Jayhawks to win it all. In the end, I finished 16th, and only 15 people "Beat the Bruce." Not bad, my friends, not bad.
But, any accomplishments I had pale in comparison to what I will refer to as "The Top Three." Finishing first was an Ottumwa grade-schooler, Tristan Boyer. T-dubs topped the list of 224 bracketologists and defeated the second place finisher by 13 points. T-dubs "smack" talk says nothing other than "Hey....I'm just a kid." Yes, it may be true that he will only be in 7th grade next school year, but T-dubs came up with one heck of a memorable performance in our bracket challenge! Congratulations buddy!
Finishing second was none other than local high school student and sports genius Emery Songer. Emery entered the exact same bracket in the Ottumwa High School pool and on the Fox Sports website. His OHS bracket earned him money in the end, and at one point, his Fox Sports bracket was 15th-best in the entire state of Iowa. The thing that has to be pointed out about Emery's bracket is the fact that he correctly picked Davidson to advance to the Elite Eight and lose to Kansas. UNBELIEVABLE! I mean, let's be real. I knew Davidson was an excellent team and thus I picked them to defeat Gonzaga in the first round, and then lose to Georgetown in the second round. Not Emery. The local sports whiz accurately predicted the Wildcats' historic run to the Elite Eight. Incredible. Nicely done, my friend, nicely done. Second place with over 600 accumulated points. Excellent.
And rounding out "The Top Three" was one of "The Bruce's" best friends, Kristine Kelly, who resides in the Kansas City metro area. To all of those macho sports dudes out there who think that there isn't a female alive than can possibly know as much as you do about sports: Kristine proves you wrong. First off, just look at her username on "Beat the Bruce": Sherron Collins is my basketball boyfriend. Now, you have to know a ton about sports to name your bracket after the Kansas Jayhawks backup point guard. You also have to know a lot about basketball to finish third out of 224 contestants. Don't talk to me about luck. Kristine has the skills to pay the bills (and now she has a Motorola Blue Tooth hands-free cell phone speaker as well)! Ms. Kelly's triumphant result in "Beat the Bruce" capped off an incredible March Madness season for the KU graduate and lifelong Kansas basketball fan, as she was in Lawrence to witness her 'Hawks defeat UNC and Memphis to earn the national title for the first time since 1988, as well as entering her same "Beat the Bruce" bracket at work in K.C. and taking home money there as well. "Sherron Collins is my basketball boyfriend" came up big, just like the real-life Sherron "Big Hustle" Collins and his Jayhawk brethren did in San Antonio. Awesome job Kristine!
That's it for now, friends. Thanks for all of the interest in and excitement for "Beat the Bruce," and I truly hope you enjoyed the 2008 edition of The Big Dance as much as I did.
I'll check in with you again soon.
OUT.
"The Bruce"
The drama-filled championship game finished off yet another outstanding NCAA Tournament, which does nothing but continue to grow in importance and popularity.
This year at Ottumwa Radio, we tried something new with our "Beat the Bruce" bracket challenge. We were hopeful that plenty of individuals would sign up for the online bracket challenge, and truly thought it could be an exciting and enjoyable feature on our website.
We were not disappointed. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the level of genuine excitement that many people had for the "Beat the Bruce" challenge, from friends of mine around the country, people we're familiar with around southeast Iowa, and faithful listeners that we haven't yet met personally. It was awesome!
Now, I must say, "The Bruce's" early round picks didn't go as planned, and believe me, I heard plenty of heat about the exact number of people that were "beating the Bruce" when I sat in 160th place after the first weekend of The Big Dance. But, I am proud to say that I correctly picked 3 of the 4 Final Four teams (would have had all four if Xavier hadn't laid an egg in the Elite 8 versus UCLA), picked the championship game teams, and picked my beloved Jayhawks to win it all. In the end, I finished 16th, and only 15 people "Beat the Bruce." Not bad, my friends, not bad.
But, any accomplishments I had pale in comparison to what I will refer to as "The Top Three." Finishing first was an Ottumwa grade-schooler, Tristan Boyer. T-dubs topped the list of 224 bracketologists and defeated the second place finisher by 13 points. T-dubs "smack" talk says nothing other than "Hey....I'm just a kid." Yes, it may be true that he will only be in 7th grade next school year, but T-dubs came up with one heck of a memorable performance in our bracket challenge! Congratulations buddy!
Finishing second was none other than local high school student and sports genius Emery Songer. Emery entered the exact same bracket in the Ottumwa High School pool and on the Fox Sports website. His OHS bracket earned him money in the end, and at one point, his Fox Sports bracket was 15th-best in the entire state of Iowa. The thing that has to be pointed out about Emery's bracket is the fact that he correctly picked Davidson to advance to the Elite Eight and lose to Kansas. UNBELIEVABLE! I mean, let's be real. I knew Davidson was an excellent team and thus I picked them to defeat Gonzaga in the first round, and then lose to Georgetown in the second round. Not Emery. The local sports whiz accurately predicted the Wildcats' historic run to the Elite Eight. Incredible. Nicely done, my friend, nicely done. Second place with over 600 accumulated points. Excellent.
And rounding out "The Top Three" was one of "The Bruce's" best friends, Kristine Kelly, who resides in the Kansas City metro area. To all of those macho sports dudes out there who think that there isn't a female alive than can possibly know as much as you do about sports: Kristine proves you wrong. First off, just look at her username on "Beat the Bruce": Sherron Collins is my basketball boyfriend. Now, you have to know a ton about sports to name your bracket after the Kansas Jayhawks backup point guard. You also have to know a lot about basketball to finish third out of 224 contestants. Don't talk to me about luck. Kristine has the skills to pay the bills (and now she has a Motorola Blue Tooth hands-free cell phone speaker as well)! Ms. Kelly's triumphant result in "Beat the Bruce" capped off an incredible March Madness season for the KU graduate and lifelong Kansas basketball fan, as she was in Lawrence to witness her 'Hawks defeat UNC and Memphis to earn the national title for the first time since 1988, as well as entering her same "Beat the Bruce" bracket at work in K.C. and taking home money there as well. "Sherron Collins is my basketball boyfriend" came up big, just like the real-life Sherron "Big Hustle" Collins and his Jayhawk brethren did in San Antonio. Awesome job Kristine!
That's it for now, friends. Thanks for all of the interest in and excitement for "Beat the Bruce," and I truly hope you enjoyed the 2008 edition of The Big Dance as much as I did.
I'll check in with you again soon.
OUT.
"The Bruce"
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Three first round "must-see" games in The Big Dance
As I write this post on Tuesday evening (3/18) at about 5:45, we're all just a few hours away from the start of "The Madness." The best 3 weeks in sports, otherwise known as the NCAA Tournament, tips off tonight in Dayton with the "play-in" game, pitting two No. 16 seeds who will battle it out for the right to be bludgeoned by overall No. 1 seed North Carolina on Friday.
Now, if you're a total sports nut like me, you'll even watch the "play-in" game with vested interest. I still think that one of these days, even though No. 16 seeds are 0-92 all-time versus No. 1 seeds, one of these "little guys" will knock off Goliath and make tournament history. So, I'm going to watch Coppin State take on Mount St. Mary's and hope the winner can shock the world by defeating North Carolina. Of course, either of the two teams will lose to the Tar Heels by at least 30 points, but we can always dream the big dreams.
Looking toward the first round, let's focus on three "must-sees":
1. Omaha, Nebraska- Midwest Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 6:10 PM tip-off- (6) USC (21-11)vs. (11) Kansas State (20-11)
This game possesses national intrigue. Why? The answer is simple. Star power. It's the Wildcats' Michael Beasley, a Player of the Year candidate (it's a two-horse race between "The Beas" and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough) vs. the Trojans' O.J. Mayo. Freshman versus freshman. Blue-chipper versus blue-chipper. Plus, you throw in K-State's Bill Walker, and you have three guys on the floor who all have great shots at becoming contributors if not standouts at the NBA level. Beasley averages 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. In a word, ridiculous. Walker scores 15.8 per game. Meanwhile, O.J. Mayo is averaging 20.8 ppg. Also, as Iowans know, USC head coach Tim Floyd used to be the head man at Iowa State, taking the Cyclones as far as the Sweet 16. His coaching ability is unquestioned. With those around the Hawkeye State being so familiar with him, this adds yet another facet to an already entertaining match-up. Again, you'll hate yourself for quite a while if you don't carve some time out of your Thursday night to take this one in.
2. Raleigh, North Carolina- Midwest Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:25 AM tip-off- (7) Gonzaga (25-7) vs. (10) Davidson (26-6)
The nation's perennial tourney "darling" versus "this year's George Mason." The Bulldogs had another fine season under one of the nation's best coaches, Mark Few. They won the West Coast Conference regular season crown with a 13-1 record, finishing one game ahead of outstanding St. Mary's in the league race. But, their opponent really takes this game's buzz to the next level. The Davidson Wildcats have won 24 consecutive games coming in, and went toe to toe with two of the nation's big boys early in the season without so much as batting an eye. On November 14th at now No. 1 North Carolina's "Dean Dome," Davidson hounded, irritated, and frustrated the Tar Heels on their home floor before finally falling 72-68 in a hotly contested battle. Then, on December 1st, the Wildcats marched into Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the now No. 9 vaunted Duke Blue Devils, and stayed with Coach K's team the entire way before finally coming up just short, 79-73. As Dickie V would say, "This team can flat out play." Don't be surprised if Davidson beats Gonzaga and gives Big East regular season champion Georgetown a war before finally succumbing in the second round.
3. Tampa, Florida- West Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:30 AM tip-off- (5) Drake (28-4) vs. (12) Western Kentucky (27-6)
First-year head coach Keno Davis and his Drake Bulldogs continue to rake in awards after their amazing 2007-2008 run that culminated in a 28-4 record, the first MVC regular season crown since 1971, the school's first-ever MVC Tournament crown, and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1971. Davis has already won a couple different coaching honors and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award. Adam Emmenecker and Josh Young are first-team All-MVC picks, etc., etc. Incredible stuff from a team that was picked during the preseason to finish 9th in a 10-team league race and just last year experienced its first winning season in the last 20. So, Cinderella very well may have been a Bulldog, but that Bulldog will have a tough customer on his hands in the first round. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 27-6 and took home the regular season and tourney titles in the Sun Belt Conference. Coach Darrin Horn is one of the nation's best "unknown coaches," and Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg) and Tyrone Brazelton (13.3 ppg) combine to comprise one of the nation's best one-two punches, that nobody knows about. A stern test for the boys from Des Moines, and you hope their outstanding coaching, leadership (primarily from Emmenecker), and skill (specifically speaking of Josh Young (15.8 ppg) and Leonard Houston (14.0 ppg)) will enable them to prevail, but that is anything but a foregone conclusion against the tourney's best 12-seed. If you're a true basketball junkie, especially residing anywhere in the state of Iowa, you know you'll be locked in on this hardwood battle.
4. (YES, I KNOW THAT I SAID THREE, BUT I LIED)- Anaheim, California- South Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 1:30 PM tip-off- (6) Marquette (24-9) vs. (11) Kentucky (18-12)
Why do you have to be interested in this match-up, you ask? I'll tell you why. It includes my beloved alma mater, Marquette University. That's more than enough of a good reason, on top of the fact that because the game involves my alma mater, I've given you nothing less than a "must-watch" order. On top of those reasons, I assume that you'd like to see the Golden Eagles win their first of six in-a-row on the way to the school's second national championship (1977, God love ya Al McGuire!). Truthfully, I'm trying to be considerate here. I'm granting you the opportunity to remember and be a part of history!
Enjoy the Tournament one and all. This is nothing less than the avid sports fan's second coming of Christmas.
For more than you ever wanted to know about the 2008 NCAA Tournament, turn to CBS Sports via http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/.
Now, if you're a total sports nut like me, you'll even watch the "play-in" game with vested interest. I still think that one of these days, even though No. 16 seeds are 0-92 all-time versus No. 1 seeds, one of these "little guys" will knock off Goliath and make tournament history. So, I'm going to watch Coppin State take on Mount St. Mary's and hope the winner can shock the world by defeating North Carolina. Of course, either of the two teams will lose to the Tar Heels by at least 30 points, but we can always dream the big dreams.
Looking toward the first round, let's focus on three "must-sees":
1. Omaha, Nebraska- Midwest Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 6:10 PM tip-off- (6) USC (21-11)vs. (11) Kansas State (20-11)
This game possesses national intrigue. Why? The answer is simple. Star power. It's the Wildcats' Michael Beasley, a Player of the Year candidate (it's a two-horse race between "The Beas" and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough) vs. the Trojans' O.J. Mayo. Freshman versus freshman. Blue-chipper versus blue-chipper. Plus, you throw in K-State's Bill Walker, and you have three guys on the floor who all have great shots at becoming contributors if not standouts at the NBA level. Beasley averages 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. In a word, ridiculous. Walker scores 15.8 per game. Meanwhile, O.J. Mayo is averaging 20.8 ppg. Also, as Iowans know, USC head coach Tim Floyd used to be the head man at Iowa State, taking the Cyclones as far as the Sweet 16. His coaching ability is unquestioned. With those around the Hawkeye State being so familiar with him, this adds yet another facet to an already entertaining match-up. Again, you'll hate yourself for quite a while if you don't carve some time out of your Thursday night to take this one in.
2. Raleigh, North Carolina- Midwest Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:25 AM tip-off- (7) Gonzaga (25-7) vs. (10) Davidson (26-6)
The nation's perennial tourney "darling" versus "this year's George Mason." The Bulldogs had another fine season under one of the nation's best coaches, Mark Few. They won the West Coast Conference regular season crown with a 13-1 record, finishing one game ahead of outstanding St. Mary's in the league race. But, their opponent really takes this game's buzz to the next level. The Davidson Wildcats have won 24 consecutive games coming in, and went toe to toe with two of the nation's big boys early in the season without so much as batting an eye. On November 14th at now No. 1 North Carolina's "Dean Dome," Davidson hounded, irritated, and frustrated the Tar Heels on their home floor before finally falling 72-68 in a hotly contested battle. Then, on December 1st, the Wildcats marched into Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the now No. 9 vaunted Duke Blue Devils, and stayed with Coach K's team the entire way before finally coming up just short, 79-73. As Dickie V would say, "This team can flat out play." Don't be surprised if Davidson beats Gonzaga and gives Big East regular season champion Georgetown a war before finally succumbing in the second round.
3. Tampa, Florida- West Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:30 AM tip-off- (5) Drake (28-4) vs. (12) Western Kentucky (27-6)
First-year head coach Keno Davis and his Drake Bulldogs continue to rake in awards after their amazing 2007-2008 run that culminated in a 28-4 record, the first MVC regular season crown since 1971, the school's first-ever MVC Tournament crown, and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1971. Davis has already won a couple different coaching honors and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award. Adam Emmenecker and Josh Young are first-team All-MVC picks, etc., etc. Incredible stuff from a team that was picked during the preseason to finish 9th in a 10-team league race and just last year experienced its first winning season in the last 20. So, Cinderella very well may have been a Bulldog, but that Bulldog will have a tough customer on his hands in the first round. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 27-6 and took home the regular season and tourney titles in the Sun Belt Conference. Coach Darrin Horn is one of the nation's best "unknown coaches," and Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg) and Tyrone Brazelton (13.3 ppg) combine to comprise one of the nation's best one-two punches, that nobody knows about. A stern test for the boys from Des Moines, and you hope their outstanding coaching, leadership (primarily from Emmenecker), and skill (specifically speaking of Josh Young (15.8 ppg) and Leonard Houston (14.0 ppg)) will enable them to prevail, but that is anything but a foregone conclusion against the tourney's best 12-seed. If you're a true basketball junkie, especially residing anywhere in the state of Iowa, you know you'll be locked in on this hardwood battle.
4. (YES, I KNOW THAT I SAID THREE, BUT I LIED)- Anaheim, California- South Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 1:30 PM tip-off- (6) Marquette (24-9) vs. (11) Kentucky (18-12)
Why do you have to be interested in this match-up, you ask? I'll tell you why. It includes my beloved alma mater, Marquette University. That's more than enough of a good reason, on top of the fact that because the game involves my alma mater, I've given you nothing less than a "must-watch" order. On top of those reasons, I assume that you'd like to see the Golden Eagles win their first of six in-a-row on the way to the school's second national championship (1977, God love ya Al McGuire!). Truthfully, I'm trying to be considerate here. I'm granting you the opportunity to remember and be a part of history!
Enjoy the Tournament one and all. This is nothing less than the avid sports fan's second coming of Christmas.
For more than you ever wanted to know about the 2008 NCAA Tournament, turn to CBS Sports via http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
A-May-zing! Eric May beats Iowa City West and Harlan during Dubuque Wahlert's 3A State Championship season
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008- Wahlert at home trailing Iowa City West when Eric May's buzzer-beating 3-pointer wins it for the Golden Eagles in regulation.
Saturday, March 8th, 2008- May does it again, but this time it gives Wahlert a three-point win over Harlan in regulation in the 3A State Championship Game at Wells Fargo Arena. (Wahlert called timeout with 0:02 left on the 4th quarter clock after Harlan's steal and lay-in tied it at 67 all.) (Video courtesy IHSSN)
For a tighter angle of the play, click on this link:
http://youtube.com:80/watch?v=ohEWsvDTZAg
One of the best endings, if not THE best ending to a state championship game I've ever seen or heard of in U.S. history. I'm absolutely amazed that SportsCenter hasn't picked up on this yet. They should. And, what makes it even more amazing is that it's sort of a trend for Eric May, since as you see in the video from 01/22/08, he'd already done something very similar earlier in the year. Incredible stuff from a player and a team that seem to be able to perform the best and focus the most when it matters the most.
And, to cap it off, we tracked down Tim Lary, the Sports Director at KDTH, "The Voice of the Tri-States," in Dubuque. Tim had the play-by-play call of May's buzzer-beater during his coverage of the State Championship game as The Voice of Dubuque High School sports. Thanks very much for the audio, Tim. (See below for the audio link.)
Amazing stuff. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The NBA is a sport of overpaid prima donnas and isn't a team game. But, I love it!
Oh boy. After looking back at the title I just created, I can just hear one of my good friends, a local basketball coach, shrieking out loud in his office as he reads it. Ah yes, the magic of the blog. It can make people love you, it can make people hate you, it can make people agree with you, and it can most certainly make people wonder what in the heck you're thinking about.
Here's the deal with the NBA. It's not a team sport. Actually, it pretty poorly played basketball. You have an absolutely ridiculous 24-second shot clock that is there for no other purpose than to make sure that scores are high and excitement abounds. Teams can't play any zone defense and can't double-team opponents, which, once again, gears the game towards one-one-one play and fans' excitement.
You don't see five or six passes, a great cross-screen on the low blocks, and beautiful entry pass to set up a strong move and a kiss off the glass for two. You see Allen Iverson go between his legs 5 consecutive times, put a "killer crossover" on a defender (better known in the rule book as "carrying" the basketball, otherwise known as a turnover), and cut to the hoop for a ridiculous reverse layup when a simple right knee-high form layup would have done just fine.
The NBA isn't about team basketball. The NBA isn't about good defense (until teams actually start caring when the playoffs begin). The NBA is about bringing fans to the gates with outstanding individual plays and high-flying action. So, for the traditional basketball fan who accepts no other form of basketball than the team game, and won't so much as watch anything else, the NBA is clearly not for them. College basketball would be that person's bag.
All this being said, though, I really enjoy watching NBA games. Don't get me wrong, college basketball, for my money, is the best basketball you'll find anywhere, with team play, great defense, 100% effort all of the time, etc. But, I still love the NBA. I know it's a league filled with a bunch of overpaid prima donnas, but I'll tell you one thing, those guys can flat out play.
I love watching NBA games because you are watching the best basketball players in the world and many of the world's greatest athletes battle it out on a nightly basis. You get to see guys do things athletically on a regular basis that 99% of the population can only dream about doing. So, no, it's not a team game. It's about individuals and exciting the fans. It's about a silly 24-second shot clock and final scores of 125-112. But, it's also about watching incredible athletes play basketball, and I'm all about that.
For more on the NBA, check out www.nba.com.
My goodness, I can just see my good friend, the local basketball coach, slamming his keyboard down in disgust of what his favorite local sports broadcaster just wrote. :)
Here's the deal with the NBA. It's not a team sport. Actually, it pretty poorly played basketball. You have an absolutely ridiculous 24-second shot clock that is there for no other purpose than to make sure that scores are high and excitement abounds. Teams can't play any zone defense and can't double-team opponents, which, once again, gears the game towards one-one-one play and fans' excitement.
You don't see five or six passes, a great cross-screen on the low blocks, and beautiful entry pass to set up a strong move and a kiss off the glass for two. You see Allen Iverson go between his legs 5 consecutive times, put a "killer crossover" on a defender (better known in the rule book as "carrying" the basketball, otherwise known as a turnover), and cut to the hoop for a ridiculous reverse layup when a simple right knee-high form layup would have done just fine.
The NBA isn't about team basketball. The NBA isn't about good defense (until teams actually start caring when the playoffs begin). The NBA is about bringing fans to the gates with outstanding individual plays and high-flying action. So, for the traditional basketball fan who accepts no other form of basketball than the team game, and won't so much as watch anything else, the NBA is clearly not for them. College basketball would be that person's bag.
All this being said, though, I really enjoy watching NBA games. Don't get me wrong, college basketball, for my money, is the best basketball you'll find anywhere, with team play, great defense, 100% effort all of the time, etc. But, I still love the NBA. I know it's a league filled with a bunch of overpaid prima donnas, but I'll tell you one thing, those guys can flat out play.
I love watching NBA games because you are watching the best basketball players in the world and many of the world's greatest athletes battle it out on a nightly basis. You get to see guys do things athletically on a regular basis that 99% of the population can only dream about doing. So, no, it's not a team game. It's about individuals and exciting the fans. It's about a silly 24-second shot clock and final scores of 125-112. But, it's also about watching incredible athletes play basketball, and I'm all about that.
For more on the NBA, check out www.nba.com.
My goodness, I can just see my good friend, the local basketball coach, slamming his keyboard down in disgust of what his favorite local sports broadcaster just wrote. :)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Can't wait for baseball season? Give Iowa Minor League Baseball a try this Spring and Summer!
If you're like me, you have just about had enough of Mother Nature and her silly tricks this Winter. It has been snowing, icing, and freezing since early November 2007, and it's just about time to move on. I, like you, long for warmer temperatures, more sunlight, and longer days.
And, when I start thinking like this, I start dreaming about green grass, roasted peanuts, giant souvenir cups filled with the soft drink of my choice, warm breezes, and the crack of the bat. That's right sports fans, baseball season is only about one month away!
When you start putting together plans to head out to the old ballpark this Spring and Summer, keep Iowa Minor League Baseball in the forefront of your mind. Yes, no question, the occasional trip to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to watch the big boys in action is always a great use of an extended weekend, but when you want to watch a ballgame and be able to get back home for work the next day, staying in Iowa is the answer for you. Plus, there's just nothing like the allure of Minor League Baseball, watching young professional ballplayers with big dreams to make it to places like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago one day.
The Minor League game and experience are great because of the lack of frills and unnecessary extras you sometimes encounter at Major League ballparks. The Minor League experience is about one thing, baseball. The experience has to do with watching the game and studying the game that is being played in front of you, not about everything that surrounds the game.
On top of the beautiful simplicity of the set-up, you'll experience old-school prices and a touching hometown feel.
For instance, at Community Field in Burlington, Iowa, home of the Kansas City Royals' Low Class A affiliate, the Burlington Bees, you head up to the concession stand, order a Coke, and they hand you a 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. No fancy stadium cup. No 40-ounce stadium mug and straw for $4.50. Just a plastic, 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. Love it! Also, the price will be about $1.00 to $1.50, as compared to the $4.00 you'd pay at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City or the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis for a similarly-sized beverage. Bottom line, you take $5.00 to the concession stand, you come back with plenty of products. You get your money's worth, and that's all that you can ask for. And, you're not just getting your money's worth in terms of concessions, but also the product on the field. Next time you're at a Minor League game, study the actual game being played. It's great baseball, and many times, like in the Midwest League (where the Bees play), it's very well-pitched baseball. For baseball purists who like the low-scoring game where intracacies of the game become important to push across hard-to-come-by runs (like myself), this is great baseball to watch.
Now, onto the touching hometown feel of Minor League Baseball. Again, using Burlington, Iowa as an example, when you're at Community Field you'll run into a local legend by the name of Bobby. Bobby is a gentlemen who attends each and every game, stands near the the first base line box seats, and dances to the stadium music in-between half innings. Bobby is totally harmless and very entertaining, but will get a little miffed if anyone tries to dance with him and steal the spotlight. So, do yourself a favor, just let Bobby have the spotlight and enjoy the dancing. Again, only in Minor League Baseball.
Also, Minor League GMs will regularly have some sort of crazy promotion to draw crowds, such as "pick your seat night," "80s night," etc. Teams will also typically have fun little trivia segments and competition giveaways between half-innings. Minor League Baseball is all about the fun.
So, this Spring and Summer before you run out of state to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to catch a game, why not head to Burlington, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. Believe me, you'll thank me for it later.
Check out these four team sites:
Burlington Bees (K.C. Royals Low Class A affiliate, Burlington, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t420
Quad Cities River Bandits (St. Louis Cardinals Low Class A affiliate, Davenport, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t565
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Anaheim Angels Low Class A affiliate, Cedar Rapids, IA):
http://www.kernels.com/
Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate, Des Moines, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t451
Have a great time experiencing Minor League Baseball! I sure have and will continue to, I can tell you that for sure. And, don't forget to respond to this blog by posting a response and/or e-mailing me with your thoughts at bbruce@ottumwaradio.com. Look forward to hearing from you!
"The Bruce"
And, when I start thinking like this, I start dreaming about green grass, roasted peanuts, giant souvenir cups filled with the soft drink of my choice, warm breezes, and the crack of the bat. That's right sports fans, baseball season is only about one month away!
When you start putting together plans to head out to the old ballpark this Spring and Summer, keep Iowa Minor League Baseball in the forefront of your mind. Yes, no question, the occasional trip to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to watch the big boys in action is always a great use of an extended weekend, but when you want to watch a ballgame and be able to get back home for work the next day, staying in Iowa is the answer for you. Plus, there's just nothing like the allure of Minor League Baseball, watching young professional ballplayers with big dreams to make it to places like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago one day.
The Minor League game and experience are great because of the lack of frills and unnecessary extras you sometimes encounter at Major League ballparks. The Minor League experience is about one thing, baseball. The experience has to do with watching the game and studying the game that is being played in front of you, not about everything that surrounds the game.
On top of the beautiful simplicity of the set-up, you'll experience old-school prices and a touching hometown feel.
For instance, at Community Field in Burlington, Iowa, home of the Kansas City Royals' Low Class A affiliate, the Burlington Bees, you head up to the concession stand, order a Coke, and they hand you a 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. No fancy stadium cup. No 40-ounce stadium mug and straw for $4.50. Just a plastic, 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. Love it! Also, the price will be about $1.00 to $1.50, as compared to the $4.00 you'd pay at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City or the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis for a similarly-sized beverage. Bottom line, you take $5.00 to the concession stand, you come back with plenty of products. You get your money's worth, and that's all that you can ask for. And, you're not just getting your money's worth in terms of concessions, but also the product on the field. Next time you're at a Minor League game, study the actual game being played. It's great baseball, and many times, like in the Midwest League (where the Bees play), it's very well-pitched baseball. For baseball purists who like the low-scoring game where intracacies of the game become important to push across hard-to-come-by runs (like myself), this is great baseball to watch.
Now, onto the touching hometown feel of Minor League Baseball. Again, using Burlington, Iowa as an example, when you're at Community Field you'll run into a local legend by the name of Bobby. Bobby is a gentlemen who attends each and every game, stands near the the first base line box seats, and dances to the stadium music in-between half innings. Bobby is totally harmless and very entertaining, but will get a little miffed if anyone tries to dance with him and steal the spotlight. So, do yourself a favor, just let Bobby have the spotlight and enjoy the dancing. Again, only in Minor League Baseball.
Also, Minor League GMs will regularly have some sort of crazy promotion to draw crowds, such as "pick your seat night," "80s night," etc. Teams will also typically have fun little trivia segments and competition giveaways between half-innings. Minor League Baseball is all about the fun.
So, this Spring and Summer before you run out of state to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to catch a game, why not head to Burlington, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. Believe me, you'll thank me for it later.
Check out these four team sites:
Burlington Bees (K.C. Royals Low Class A affiliate, Burlington, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t420
Quad Cities River Bandits (St. Louis Cardinals Low Class A affiliate, Davenport, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t565
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Anaheim Angels Low Class A affiliate, Cedar Rapids, IA):
http://www.kernels.com/
Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate, Des Moines, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t451
Have a great time experiencing Minor League Baseball! I sure have and will continue to, I can tell you that for sure. And, don't forget to respond to this blog by posting a response and/or e-mailing me with your thoughts at bbruce@ottumwaradio.com. Look forward to hearing from you!
"The Bruce"
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