Bowlen: Cutler will be traded.

From DenverBroncos.com

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos President and CEO Pat Bowlen today released the following statement:

"Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last 10 days, both by Head Coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been unsuccessful.

A conversation with his agent earlier today clearly communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos.

We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded.”


More as this develops.

--Max Caster

Fantasy Basketball Update: After Day 1

Wilt Chamberneezy: 6

Son of Dad: 4

- Jordan holds the advantage in FG%, 3PTM, REB, and TO

- Star Watch: Dwayne Wade 42 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl (WC)

                        Devin Harris 10 pt, 4 reb, 3 ast (SoD)

Stay Tuned....

-Matt Soldano

Sheffield Released -- New York to Call?

From the Detroit News:

In a stunning move, because they will eat the $14 million they owe him for 2009, the Tigers have released designated hitter Gary Sheffield.

Sheffield, who said he was enjoying this spring camp and looking forward to the season because he was not experiencing pain in his troublesome shoulders, could not have seen his release coming.

But he was called into manager Jim Leyland's office before 9 a.m. Tuesday and was given the news.

Sheffield, 40, played in 114 games last season, hitting .225 with 19 home runs and 57 RBI. He missed portions of the season with a sore right shoulder and strained left oblique.

Despite his injuries, Sheffield can play an effective role with a reduced workload. Coming off the bench as a pinch hitter, similar to what Ruben Sierra successfully did for the Yankees in 2003 and 2004, would not only solve Sheffield's recurrent injuries, it would add a much needed bat to the Yankees bench.

The bench currently consists of Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Cody Ransom (when Alex Rodriguez returns from his injury), Jose Molina and probably Angel Berroa. There is no hitter that gives the team an excellent shot to drive in runs. Sheffield is the type of player that can do that.

This brings up the question: 'Which bench player must be dropped from the 40-man Roster?' The most obvious constant is Molina, who is arguably the best backup catcher in the game. The next to stay is Ransom, who can fill in at every position in the infield. Swisher shows his value through his abilities to switch hit and play corner outfield & 1st base.

The two left are Berroa, a 30-year old infielder whose best years reek of mediocrity, and Melky Cabrera, the 23-year old outfield phenom who is coming off of one of the most disappointing years in baseball history. Last season, he hit .249 -- about 25 points off of his career average -- with a .301 on-base percentage, leading him to 8 homeruns and 37 RBIs. Cabrera would eventually split time with Brett Gardner in center for the remainder of the season.

Regardless of Cabrera's standout Spring Training, Yankees Manager Joe Giriardi announced that Gardner would replace Cabrera as the squad's starting centerfielder.

While Berroa is significantly worse than Cabrera at the plate, he will be needed as a defensive replacement until Alex Rodriguez returns. So right now, it seems more sensible to ship Melky Cabrera elsewhere.

Cabrera could be used as trade bait, as teams could always use a 23-year old veteran centerfielder with a great arm and tons of upside.

Yes, Gary Sheffield is 40-years old and is not an effective fielder anymore, but his bat is enticing. He sits at 499 career homeruns, one shy of a great milestone, and has chip on his shoulder to prove that he can still be a solid major leaguer. While the average age of the Yankees roster would rise even higher, so would the offensive production.

Sheffield could be a phenominal addition to the Yankees. They need to recreate Ruben Sierra's pinch hitter role, an aspect that hasn't been prominent since the last time they made the World Series. And now that this goal is accessible, the steps needed to achieve it should be taken.

Just food for thought.

UPDATE: Two early candidates to land Sheffield are Philadelphia, which just released OF Geoff Jenkins, or Sheffield's hometown Tampa Bay Rays.

--The Yankees put Relief Pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo on its 40-man roster, sending relievers Dan Giese, Alfredo Aceves and Brett Tomko to AAA. I don't have an issue with the other two, but Dan Giese is a major league talent and proved it last season. He is an above average long reliever who can make spot starts. Too many times, Giese cleaned up messes left by starters and did an exceptional job relieving Joba Chamberlain when he was on a strict pitch count.

--Max Caster

Bobby Knight plays The Guitar Hero

Here's a funny commercial for the new 'Guitar Hero' game, featuring Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, Mike Krzyzewski & Roy Williams.



Another hilarious sports commercial, however, not as great as the Patrick Ewing Snickers commercial.

--Max Caster

The Nets get 'Bucked' up

Currently out of an attainable playoff spot, the New Jersey Nets find themselves in the same position two nights in a row. They lose two winnable games, first, Sunday against a Minnesota team that was on a 7-game skid, and most recently, tonight, when they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 107-78. New Jersey shot a collective 37% from the floor and only connected on 3 of their 16 3-point attempts. Chris Douglas-Roberts hit one of those 3-pointers, helping him become the Nets' leading scorer, with 14 on the night. Yi Jianlian made the other two. He ended with 11.

The Nets' 'Big Three' could hardly get any offense going. Devin Harris, in his third game back from his shoulder injury, finished with 10 points on 27% shooting. Vince Carter could only muster 9 points and Brook Lopez put up just 6 field goal attempts in the loss. Lopez, however, did grab 10 rebounds.

The Milwaukee offense proved to be too much for New Jersey tonight. Former Net Richard Jefferson led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds in only 29 minutes. Jefferson was unflappable, going 8-of-12 from the field, including 4 makes from downtown, and 9-of-10 from the foul line. Charlie Villanueva was close behind with 20 points of his own.

The Bucks were able to move the ball much more efficiently than the Nets; evidenced by the disparity in assists. Milwaukee amassed 27 assists in the contest, compared to New Jersey's 15. Adding to his already standout year, Ramon Sessions had a game-high 8 dishes. New Jersey was also careless with the ball, allowing the Bucks to steal the rock 12 times.

In addition to their bevy of other problems, New Jersey played poor defense in the paint, giving up open dunks to Villanueva and Joe Alexander in the 1st half.

This game marks New Jersey's final game in March; a month in which the team went 4-12 in midst of a playoff push. They will play again on Wednesday when they welcome in the diminished Detroit Pistons.

The look says it all, as Vince Carter and Devin Harris watch their team fall 107-78 to Milwaukee. (AP Photo)

--Not many positives to pull from this game, if any. The only one I will feature is Chris Douglas-Roberts' 14 points to lead the Nets. Once again, I like his game a great deal. He is reminiscent of John Salmons or Richard Hamilton. But, the majority of CDR's minutes came in the 2nd half when the game was well out of hand. I don't know if his performance can be fairly gauged when he flourished at a time when the Bucks were not playing 100% on defense.

Regardless, hang your hats on this one, Nets fans. CDR is a guy who can penetrate and spot up effectively. This is your 2-guard of the future.

As for the loss overall, don't pin this one on some questionable calls against the Nets and the unparalleled Milwaukee momentum that followed. Blame the loss on everybody having a dismal shooting night at the same time. Carter is better than 3-of-11. Lopez is better than what he displayed. Harris is obviously better, being the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.

Honestly, I believe the Nets have lost their golden opportunity at the postseason with the month of March. They'll have to back in and hope Chicago and Charlotte, two hot, talented teams, fall apart while winning the majority of their upcoming games.

In the closing weeks of the season, New Jersey plays against Orlando and Boston. Fortunately, the other 6 remaining contests are winnable. Game include the Knicks, Bulls, Charlotte, Philadelphia and two against the Pistons. Look for this team to get back on track and finish strong. While the playoffs are the ultimate goal, appearing promising at the end of the season is more realistic and accessible.

--In another NBA note: Dwight Howard has become the youngest player to reach 5,000 career rebounds, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain, who did it at 25 years and 128 days. Howard, 23 years and 112 days, smited the record by over two years.

Dwight Howard has easily cemented himself as a top 5 NBA player with this season. He has also made himself the most dominant low-post big man, overtaking Duncan, O'Neal, and Yao.

--Finally, listen to this story I told on 'Over the Ropes' this past Saturday night.

Yeah...

--Max Caster

Wardrobe or Facial Hair: What Gives?

About three weeks ago my good friend, Jordan Lauterbach and I were discussing the WCWP Fantasy Basketball league. Jordan has been on the top of the league since about week two and has had a steady cushion for the entire season. I have always been around third or fourth place but about 20 games behind Jordan. Me being commissioner of the league and host of the station's only professional basketball show, I believed I was the early favorite to win it all. However, Mr. Lauterbach has persevered through injuries hindering Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer and rode Devin Harris (who he picked in the 10th round) all the way to a regular season championship. So after a bit of trash talking from both sides, both parties came to an agreement on a wager that should settle the beef once and for all.

Wilt Chamberneezy (Team Soldano) and Son of Dad (Team Lauterbach) meet in the semi-finals which begin today and go up all the way until next Monday (April 6th). If I beat Jordan and advance to the finals, Jordan must do "The Edge", his radio show, in his bath robe and mocassins, a combo he wears almost every night before he says his beddy-byes. Don't worry, there is a web-cam so everyone can see Jordan in his glory. If Jordan wins, I will be forced to shave off my little goatee I have in the works that I have been working on for oh, so long.

The stakes are high, the teams are ready to tip off and the scores will be updated daily right here.

-Matt Soldano

Updated WCWP Pool Standings

Here are the latest standings in the WCWP Pool Standings. This past weekend killed many people and it showed...

1. Jason Comack = 99 points

2. Nick Malone = 81 points (Done)

3. Jordan Lauterbach = 80 points

4. Janine = 79 points

5. Matt Soldano = 76 points

Bob Soldano = 76 points (Done)

6. Jesse Lauterbach = 73 points (Done)

7. Dan Cox = 69 points (Done)

8. Anthony DeFranco = 66 points (Done)

Mike Tramontozzi = 66 points (Done)

9. Dave Soldano = 65 points (Done)

With 28 points left on the board (12 for the Final Four, 16 for national champ) it is now a 2 person race. If Michigan State beats UConn, Jason Comack will automatically be crowned champion, no matter the outcome of the championship. Comack will also win if Connecticut defeats North Carolina in the champ. game. However, if North Carolina defeats UConn, Janine wins.

For the other nine participants, we will have to wait till next March...

Stay tuned...

-Matt Soldano

Position Scarcity

Fantasy baseball is right around the corner and about to begin. Like myself I'm sure that many of you are excited for the upcoming season to finally begin so we may not only waste hours upon hours watching baseball, but also do so by playing fantasy baseball. I've been a baseball fan my whole life, but truly started understanding the game 8 years ago and this will be my second year doing fantasy baseball. I'm only giving you this insight about me so you can understand where I'm coming from. Sorry if I'm boring you at this point. This blog is to get some understanding and maybe some input on the whole position scarcity situation that plays into effect when looking at this topic. My first year I had put very little thought into the idea. I ended up winning my league though, but it probably had a lot to do with luck. I had drafted Dustin Pedroia 77th, Kevin Youkilis 97th, Jhonny Peralta 164, and at catcher I had drafted Ivan Rodriguez whom I dropped later to pick up Geovany Soto from the FA and a few other great players that aren't regarding this topic.

So this leads me to wonder how important position scarcity really is if you can grab players in such late rounds whom end up having great years. Last year our draft was done by the computer, but this year it was a live draft. It happened on February 21 and so that may have been why people were drafted at the places where they were, so keep that in mind. This year I completely went the other way around though in my thinking of position scarcity. My first pick was Josh Hamilton at #11, I needed the best hitter I could get for my first pick not so much regarding position. Mind you if I had a higher pick I might have thought differently. Next I went with a risky pick at #18 with Chase Utley. Ian Kinsler had been taken, but I still would have went with Utley. I could have had any pitcher at this point, but I may have been paying attention to position scarcity too much. Still not a bad pick. And with my 3rd pick at number 39 I went with Russel Martin. Sorry if I'm boring you, but I figured I would let you know whom I went with this year.

I tend to be obsessed with the idea. You look at the drop off after Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, and Jimmy Rollins and it's quite big. Just like with Chase Utley and Ian Kinsler. I mean all these guys you could legitimately pick in the first round. While you can pick up so many first basemen or outfielders in the later rounds and certainly pitchers with the thinking that you never know who will do well there. Look who came out as the best pitchers last season, Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum. I mean who would have thought Cliff Lee would be the best pitcher in the AL last season? While Jake Peavy was chosen in the 2nd round of my draft last year. Here is another interesting thing about my draft last season regarding Lee, he wasn't even drafted out of 190 players. Right there should tell you how important pitching is when doing a draft. My opinion on this whole situation here is that you should worry about position more so than not. The only thing I can say to oppose this idea is to not pick someone simply because you lost out on someone else, wait till it's the appropriate time to pick that person. Last season there were 12 first basemen who hit 29 home runs and in the outfield there were 23 players who had 25 or more. While at catcher nobody hit more then 23, at second base you had two people who hit above 21, and at shortstop you had four hitters who had above 16. I'm using home runs because it can contribute in four different areas and is a category in which I think is the most important of all. At least when it comes to fantasy value in head to head leagues. Hoping I changed some minds or at least made you maybe rethink about the question regarding position scarcity.

Corey Sobel - Talkin Baseball

Updated WCWP Standings

Here are the updated standings...with Pitt losing it hurt a ton of people.  Janine is the dark-horse in the pack right now. 

1. Jason Comack = 83 points

2. Jordan Lauterbach = 80 points

3. Bob Soldano = 76 points

4. Nick Malone = 73 points

5. Janine = 71 points

6. Dan Cox = 69 points

7. Matt Soldano = 68 points

8. Mike Tramontozzi = 66 points

   Anthony DeFranco = 66 points

9. Dave Soldano = 65 points

   Jesse Lauterbach = 65 points

-Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament Blog - The Toe Is Fine

Before we get into how awesome UNC looked on Friday, here are the updated WCWP Pool Standings:

1. Jason Comack = 75 points

2. Nick Malone = 73 points

3. Jordan Lauterbach = 72 points

4. Janine = 71 points

5. Dan Cox = 69 points

6. Matt Soldano = 68 points

   Bob Soldano = 68 points

7. Anthony DeFranco = 66 points

   Mike Tramontozzi = 66 points

8. Jesse Lauterbach = 65 points

   Dave Soldano = 65 points

What a win by the North Carolina Tar Heels.  The #1 seed in the South ousted 4 seeded Gonzaga 98-77.  Ty Lawson was once again the main story line as he scored 19 points on 7 of 9 shooting, all while dishing out 9 assists and turning over the ball once.  And this is what I got from Mike T. all week..."You worried about that toe?"  "Roy said it's been regressing..."  I think we can put all of this hysteria to bed now that Lawson has come out and put together two brilliant performances.  Tyler Hansbrough led the game in scoring with 24 points.  Jeremy Pargo led the Zags in scoring with 16.  Carolina will now face Oklahoma in the Elite 8 after the Sooners cruised to a victory against Syracuse.

In the only respectable game of the evening #2 seeded Michigan State defeated #3 seeded Kansas 67-62.  In other words, there will be a new champ in college basketball this year. Sheron Collins for Kansas and Goran Suton for the Spartans each scored 20 points.  With the win, Michigan State will play top seed Louisville on Sunday, who looked mighty impressive with their 39 point victory against Anthony Defranco's beloved Arizona Wildcats.

-Matt Soldano

New Yankee Stadium Already Cursed

Forget the curse of 'The Bambino'. Forget the lingering thoughts of the 2004 ALCS. This is far worse.

Former New York Knicks president, GM and sexual deviant Isiah Thomas will be a part of the new Yankee stadium. How? His popcorn 'Dale & Thomas' will be sold by vendors at 'The House that George built.'

Way to bring a winning attitude into your new, state of the art ballpark.

However, apparently his popcorn is incredibly good. If I come across some -- and I guarantee this won't be via an expensive ticket in the new stadium -- I will try it. I've heard nothing but positive about his popcorn. Ironically, I've heard nothing but negative about Thomas' ability to run a franchise.

I'm sure us Yankee fans will have a riot with this one...

--I like how the Knicks can't beat Sacramento, New Jersey or the LA Clippers, but they can pull out a 10-point victory over the Hornets. It all comes down to the guys hitting their shots, and everyone was on fire tonight.

And Eddy Curry was supposed to come back. If everyone was draining threes, why not give Eddy a crack at it?

-And I'd like to give a shout-out to our own Mike Tramantozzi who's had a tough week. First, the CW Post Pioneers basketball team falls to Findlay in the Elite 8 of the Div. II Tourney. He had to call that contest in, apparently, dangerous Springfield, Mass. while he was ill. And now his Syracuse Orange get walloped by Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.



It's okay, Mike. There's always baseball season. Yankees look good. So does Zillo...



...HERE COMES THE PAIN!!!

--Max Caster

NCAA Tournament Blog - #3 Seeds Roll

Matt Soldano back with a review of the tournament games and of course your updated WCWP Pool Standings.

1. Jason Comack = 63 points

2. Nick Malone = 61 points

3. Janine = 59 points

4. Anthony DeFranco = 58 points

5. Dan Cox = 57 points

6. Matt Soldano = 56 points

   Jordan Lauterbach = 56 points

   Bob Soldano = 56 points

7. Mike Tramontozzi = 54 points

8. Jesse Lauterbach = 53 points

   Dave Soldano = 53 points

Now onto the games:

Missouri by far has been the most impressive team I have seen in the tournament so far.  The Tigers defeated Memphis 102-91 earlier in the night to advance to the Elite 8.  Any time you reach the century mark against a team that only gives up 57 points per game, you know your doing something right offensively.  Mizzou is so great at playing pressure defense and when they get the ball, push it up the court quickly and make great passes.  DeMarre Caroll had a nice game for Missouri scoring 17 points and pulling down 6 boards and dishing out 6 assists. The real star however, was guard J.T. Tiller who poured in a career high 25 points.  Memphis was led by Tyreke Evans who scored a career high as well, 33 points.  Mizzou led 64-40 at one point but Memphis charged back with a comeback that eventually decreased the deficit to six. However, Memphis' inability to knock down free throws killed them in the end.  They shot just 18-32 from the line.  Missouri did not shoot much better going 30-45.  

Villanova kept it close with Duke through the first 20 minutes as they went into the break up 26-23.  However, they blew the doors off of the Blue Devils outscoring them 51-31 in the 2nd half.  This game was absolutely dominated by the Wildcats as they outrebounded Duke 45-31 and held the ACC Champs to just 28% shooting.  Nova's defense held the Big Three of Duke (Henderson, Scheyer, and Singler) to just 9-43 from the field.  Dante Cunningham recorded a double double for Villanova with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Mike and I will be back tomorrow for more Sweet 16 action.

-Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament blog- Big East Domination Part 2

Mike T here, and the NCAA Tournament re-started tonight the way it ended last Sunday- with the Big East winning. Both top-seeded UConn and Pitt got tough games from their opponents, but both prevailed to move to the Elite Eight.

In Arizona, the Huskies got 15 points and 15 rebounds from Hasheem Thabeet, and they held Purdue leading scorer Robbie Hummel to just 2 second half points en route to a 72-60 victory. Purdue's defense did hold the Huskies in check until the end, and even forced 13 UConn turnovers, but they were destroyed on the board (42-31). UConn will move onto the West regional final on Saturday against either (2) Memphis or (3) Missouri.

In Boston, the East region's top seed needed 5 huge points from LeVance Fields in the final minute to escape with a 60-55 victory over (4) Xavier. Fields' three with 50 seconds lefr gave Pitt the lead for good at 55-54. The Pitt defense held Xavier to 7-29 shooting in the second half, and overcame a 37-29 halftime deficit. Pitt will face either (2) Duke or (3) Villanova on Saturday in the East regional final.

Matt Soldano will be back after the 9:00 games to recap them, and update the WCWP Pool standings. So come back for that

- Mike T

Miss Us?

With the return of college basketball comes the return of Mike Tramontozzi and myself.  Mike will be reviewing the Purdue/UConn game and the Xavier/Pittsburgh game.  Then, I'll be taking you through the Mizzou/Memphis game and Nova/Duke.  

Most importantly, the updated standings of the WCWP Pool will be posted later tonight so do not miss out on the fun.

-Matt Soldano

UCM WIN 86-77

UCM leads 78-73- 58 seconds to go

UCM takes 76-73. Gannon looks tired.

UCM takes 78-73 lead- With 58 seconds left

Gannon leads 70-68 with 4:35 left

CMU hits three to cut it to 64-57. Gannon calls timeout.

PIONEERS SIGHTING. THE PIONEERS ARE IN THE BUILDING.....

Back to the game: UCM hits three and its a 64-60 Gannon lead. So much for fading in the second half.

UCM is FOULED...AND ONE. Free throw goes down and its 64-63 Gannon.

Gannon takes 68-64 lead after a basket by Stoczynski.

Gannon hits two to die game at 68.

Cory Knight drives in paint and hits to give Gannon a 70-68 lead

Gannon Leads UCM 57-48- 11:11 to go in game

Gannon takes 49-41 lead 5 minutes into first half.

CMU rushes a lot of shots

Tyler Stoczynski knocks down three pointer the give Gannon ten point lead. He then sinks two foul shots to put Gannon up 54-42.

Unreleated note: Nice media spread here in Springfield. I dug the Pene ala Vodka, wasnt too crazy about the olive bread though. Regular bread is underated. I mean who doesn't like plain bread, its a win win situation.

Back to the game- Teams trade threes as Gannon takes a 57-48 lead.

38-32 Gannon leads at the half

Sanijay Watts leads CMU with 10 points. The mules are no doubt a typical running team. The hit you hard and fast, but run out of gas quickly. That could be a big key for the second half. Gannon seams to be willing to wait until CMU runs out of gas and then take over. I think Gannon has the edge, as well as the lead. Without early foul trouble from Gannon, this could easily be a fifteen point lead. However, many of those fouls apppear to be fouls of over-agression. CMU is stuck at the 7 of 10 mark from the line. Gannon has calmed down on that front.

Gannon is led by Joe Lindsey. Lindsey is 3-5 from the field and 3-3 from the line. Overall, Gannon is 6-6 from the line. They are also shooting 58 percent from the field. Thats tough to beat. Foul trouble and the fact that Gannon is 2-5 from three point range is why CMU is still in this one.

Watch out for Tyler Stocynski in the second half. He is half way to a double double with 5 points and 5 boards.

The teams are on the court for second half warm ups.

Heres another Findlay stat as we are almost an hour away from the pre-game show....

All five of their starters average over ten points and three of their starters average close to 7 rebounds...this should be a great one.

But first, the second half of Gannon/ Central Missouri (CMU)

Gannon leads UCM 38-32 with 23 seconds to go- 1st half

Gannon draws within one at the four minute mark. The patient style of play finally seams to be working.

Gannon takes lead at 3:30 mark. Offensive foul on CMU. It's their fifth. Gannon still has nine.

As of 2:43 mark, Gannon has shot 1 foul shot. As I write this, George Johnson sinks second free throw for Gannon increase lead to 34-30. CMU is still 7-10 from the line.

Joe Lindsey (Gannon) makes both ends of a 1 and 1 to give Gannon six point lead.

CMU fouls Gannon again. The foul count is now 9-8 CMU. The score is now 38-32 Gannon

CMU is now in the bonus after another offensive foul.

CMU leads Gannon 30-25- 6:09 first half

- Gannon already has six team fouls, with 11 29 to go in first half.

- Gannon big man Kyle Goldcamp has to sit down after drawing second foul midway through first half. Its another offensive one. That seams to be a them tonight.

- Joe Lindsey (gannon) completes four point play to give Gannon 23-19 lead in first half (9:16 left)

- Gannon's foul trouble is keeping CMU in the game. CMU is shooting 7-10 from the line. They hit anouther foul shot to tie it at 25.

CMU takes lead as De'Andre Byrd hits three. its 28-25.

- CMU's goes up 30-25 after Zach Redel hits turn around layup

Gannon and UCM tied at 15- 11:57 left in first half

- CMU starts the game off with a three pointer

- Gannon falls behind 7-4, but takes lead 8-7 with 17 mins left. The opening minute jitters for Gannon seam to be gone.

- CMU plays an athletic style. They fly around the court. Gannon seams to be more of a plodding, run out the shot clock type team. Its an interesting contrast. Play of game so far: an out of bounds save by CMU in which their point guard leaped across the baseline to save an errant shot.

CMU has not missed a foul shot yet.

Tyler Stoczynski ties game at 11 with big three pointer. He has five quick points.

- CMU gets called for offensive foul after Gannon makes it 13-11

- Gannon three goes off the side of the back board and leads to easy transition points for CMU.

-After tying game at 15, gannon is called for an offensive foul

Live from the Mass Mutual center...Its the official pre-game Pioneer Live Blog

Jordan Lauterbach here. Currently I'm sitting on the floor of the Mass Mutual center in Springfield, Massachusetts awaiting the tip of the Gannon/ Central Missouri State. Still got about 2 and a half hours until Pioneers pre-game so I see no better way to get ready for the broadcast then live blogging the first game. Why should you care? The reason is simple.

The Winner of this game plays the winner of the Post/ Findlay game later tonight. The scout in me is naturally intrigued. The teams are now on the floor. For a crowd that populates only about an eighth of the arena, it is a lot louder then I expected. This could be the fact that both bands are playing different songs simultaneously. This sounds as bad as you may imagine.

While we have a moment, here's a fun stat about the Pioneers opponent, the Findlay Oilers. They stand at 33-0, but have lost a game this season....It was a scrimage with Xavier in which they lost by three. Where have you heard of Xavier you ask?....They are only playing in the NCAA D1 Sweet Sixteen...Yeah, Findlay's pretty good.

The teams are now set for opening tip...Back at the 15 minute mark with more...

JL

Gallinari Considering Surgery

From the New York Post:

While the Knicks' past was on display last night during Legends Night, their future rookie Danilo Gallinari flew back from Italy, leaning toward having season-ending surgery.

According to a person familiar with the situation, Gallinari is expected to have what's being classified as "minor surgery" on his back to alleviate the pain resulting from a bulging disc, which would end his rookie season. The person said the surgical procedure would be much less invasive than standard disc surgeries. It only involves a small shaving down of a nerve on which a disc is pressing. Gallinari would be back for July's Las Vegas Summer League.

The Knicks did not announce anything on Gallinari last night. Donnie Walsh said he would meet with Gallinari today and said no final decision will be made until the meeting.


Hopefully, Gallinari gets the surgery. As much as I love seeing him on the court, a comeback at this point is not worth it. If the plan is to aim for an improvement next year leading into 2010 and the supposed 'Summer of LeBron', Gallo must be 100% healed from this injury for those goals to be reached.

By the way, just so nobody forgets, Danilo Gallinari was one of New York's most effective players. Playing at just 60% of his full health, 'The Rooster' shot 44% from the field, 44% from 3-point range, and 96% from the foul line, in a limited role that entaled standing behind the arc. Even with a bad back, Gallo was still able to get into the paint and display his array of crossovers and fancy shots.

--Max Caster

Knicks Cough Up a Lung on Legends' Night

On a night to honor its legends, the New York Knicks reverted back to their old ways. After holding the lead for the majority of the game, New York relinquished its hold on the Orlando Magic, allowing them to cruise to a 106-102 win. Orlando, the third best team in the Eastern Conference, finally went ahead with 3:51 left in the game after trailing since the first quarter.

On paper, New York played evenly with and, in some instances, better than the Magic. The Knicks garnered the same amount of rebounds, including more on the offensive glass, and converted more field goals, including 3-pointers. However, the one major disparity between the two teams was free throw shooting. They shot 63.6% on 21-of-33 shooting from the line; the main culprit being Chris Wilcox. Despite the immeasurable amount of energy he bring to the court, all eyes could not be diverted from his 0-of-6 night from the line.

David Lee had trouble penetrating the Orlando defense early, but finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

The man who gave Lee the blues, Dwight Howard, ended with 29 points and 14 boards to lead the Magic. It was his bucket that finally gave Orlando the lead late in the 4th quarter.



**Once again, it's the lack of a closer -- a Mariano, if you will. Nate Robinson has seemingly assumed that role, but fades in and out constantly. David Lee, while the team's best player, is not an offensive juggernaut. Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington, Chris Duhon, Larry Hughes: All solid players but all are streaky scorers.

One player who executed well from the floor was Chris Wilcox. He finished with 8 points on 4-of-6 shooting and a horrid 0-of-6 from the foul line. Despite his troubles shooting free throws, he displayed what no other Knick had tonight. Chris Wilcox showed "fire and desire", as the great Walt Frazier would say. He appeared to be the only player, for the whole game, to provide any significant and consistent amount of energy. On a team of outcasts, role players and capricious scorers, Chris Wilcox needs more playing time. His presence can only energize his teammates, and energy is needed if Mike D'Antoni is still shooting for the playoffs.



**Speaking of D'Antoni's goals, his hopeful mark of 40 wins is still attainable. However, a win-out is needed to do so. At 28-42 -- now, with this recent loss, unable to finish the year over .500 -- the Knicks have 12 games left. Remaining games include New Orleans on Friday, and at Utah & Denver next week. Hell, I don't think they'll make it out of Wednesday night with a win, as Mardy Collins will be back with a vengeance when the LA Clippers roll into the Garden.

Sorry Mike, it's not happening.



**The Knicks just signed D-League standout Courtney Sims to a 10-Day contract. Since New York is handing out so many deals to the minor leaguers, a lot of you must be asking why they haven't extended an offer to fan favorite Patrick Ewing Jr. Well, according to Patrick Ewing Sr. in a conversation with Newsday's Alan Hahn, P.E. Jr. suffered an MCL sprain and is currently out.



**I found this on ESPN Fantasy:

Gallinari is expected to rejoin the Knicks for Monday night's game against the Magic, after consulting with specialists in Italy about his on-going back issues, Newsday reports.

Spin: Doctors in Italy found the same thing everyone else has -- Gallinari has a bulging disc. It has yet to be determined whether Gallinari will undergo surgery. If he opts not to have surgery, there is a chance Gallinari will play again this season.

Please tell Gallo to shut it down. He is too valuable and the season is long gone. Any additional play could aggrevate his back even more. Even if the Knicks do make the playoffs, it will be a short addendum to the season, as they will most likely play the Cleveland LeBrons or the Boston Celtics. While Gallinari can help the team right now, -- even at 60% health -- there is truly no point.



**On a much more upbeat note, the Knicks organization honored legends from each decade of the franchise's existence. Carl Braun for the 1940's, Richie Guerin represented the 50's, 'The Captain' Willis Reed was the 60's, the loquacious, vivacious Walt 'Clyde' Frazier was there for the '70's, the 80's were displayed through Bernard King, and the 90's were headed by current Magic assistant Patrick Ewing.

This brings up the question: 'Who will represent the turn of the century when 2009 passes?'

The early choice is Allan Houston, but what about big-shot-makers like Latrell Sprewell or Jamal Crawford? Maybe current players like Nate Robinson or David Lee? Possibly even Tim Thomas, who was 'so nice, you had to see him twice' in this decade.


--Max Caster

NCAA Tournament Blog - Tight Finishes

Here are the updated WCWP Pool Standings Through Two Rounds:

1. Jason Comack = 51 pts

   Janine = 51 pts

2. Anthony DeFranco = 50 pts

3. Dan Cox = 49 pts

   Nick Malone = 49 pts

4. Jordan Lauterbach = 48 pts

5. Mike Tramontozzi = 46 pts

6. Jesse Lauterbach = 45 pts

7. Matt Soldano = 44 pts

   Bob Soldano = 44 pts

8. Dave Soldano = 41 points

Onto the games:

3 seeded Missouri soured Dominic James epic return from a foot injury to defeat Marquette 83-79.  Mizzou led by 16 at one point in the first half by the Eagles stormed back with a comeback thanks to Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews combined 54 points.  However, Lazar Hayward's bone head play with 5.5 seconds left to play where he stepped onto the court as he tried to toss in the in-bounds pass blew the game. 

Michigan State avoided a second round upset to USC as they won 74-69.  DeMar DeRozan had 18 points for USC but they did not get a great performance from Taj Gibson.  Gibson, who went perfect from the field in the game against BC had just 3 points and fouled out in 23 minutes.  

Top seed Louisville avoided a big time scare from 9th seed Siena as they advance by the score of 79-72.  Edwin Ubiles had 24 points and 8 boards for Siena but the real star of the game was Terrence Williams.  The standout Cardinal had 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Mike and I are off until Thursday...until then, stay safe kids.

- Matt Soldano

Giants Offered Hixon for Edwards

According to the Orange and Brown Report (Scout.com), the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns have held potential trade discussions about wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

Giants' sources allegedly informed the OBR that the two teams had tossed around a few potential deals (New York initiated contact) including a trade of their extra picks acquired from New Orleans in the deal for Jeremy Shockey (second and fifth).

Cleveland apparently countered with a deal asking for those picks plus wide receiver Steve Smith, which Big Blue abruptly turned down. However, they did inform the Browns they'd do the deal if Domenick Hixon or Mario Manningham were accepted in Smith's place.

Since then, talks have faded away but may resurface as the NFL Draft nears.

Note: Despite other rumors, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka was never mentioned in talks between Cleveland and New York.


I wouldn't have given up Steve Smith, but Hixon and Manningham are interesting. While people are unsure about Manningham, Hixon showed a great deal of promise last season. It's strange that the Giants would try to trade him after such an outstanding season. But, to get Edwards, it may be worth it.


--Max Caster

NCAA Tournament blog- Big East Domination

Mike T here with the recap of the "early" games today, and there was a Big East flavor to it with Syracuse and Pittsburgh moving on to their respective regionals.

In the South region, the third seeded Orange stifled (6) Arizona St and their star James Harden en route to a 78-67 victory. Jonny Flynn had 11 points and 7 assists for the Cuse, and guard Eric Devendorf led the way with 21. The Orange trademark 2-3 zone held the Sun Devils to 40% shooting (Arizona St came into the game shooting 48% on the year), and held Harden to just 10 points. The Orange will move on to face 2nd seeded Oklahoma in the regional semifinal in Memphis.

In the East however, (1) Pitt had alot of trouble with (8) Oklahoma St, and a LaVance Fields three at the buzzer saved Pitt from being down 3 at halftime. Sam Young led all scorers with 32 points, and DeJuan Blair had another double double. Obi Muonelo led the Cowboys with 19 points, and Okla St shot 43% from downtown for the game. Pitt will move on to Boston to face (4) Xavier in the regional semifinals.

The Big East now has 5 teams in the Sweet 16 (7 if Louisville and Marquette can win later today)

Onto the other games:

- As mentioned above, (4) Xavier overcame a 2 point halftime deficit to defeat (12) Wisconsin 60-49. The Musketeers used a 13-4 2nd half run to put the game away, and they held the Badgers to a paltry 29% shooting for the game. BJ Raymond led Xavier with 15 points, while Marcus Landry had a double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Badgers. Xavier will move on and face (1) Pitt in the regional semi up in Boston.

- In the Midwest region, (4) Kansas got a triple double from Cole Aldrich and routed (11) Dayton 60-43. Aldrich had 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks for the first triple double in the NCAA tournament since Dwyane Wade had one (in the same building, the Metrodome in Minneapolis) in 2003 against Kentucky. The Jayhawks held Dayton to a horrid 22% shooting clip for the game. Kansas will move on and face either Michigan St or USC in the regional semi in Indianapolis next week.

- Also in the Midwest, (12) Arizona defeated (13) Cleveland St 71-57 to move onto Indianapolis for the regional semis. Nick Wise had 21 for the Wildcats, who have now made the Sweet 16 for the 12th time since 1988. They will face either (1) Louisville or (9) Siena next week.

Thats it for me today, Matt Soldano will be around after the last 3 games with his thoughts and an update on the WCWP Pool standings.

- Mike T

NCAA Tournament Blog - Duke and Gonzaga Hold On

Of course, let's start this of by updating the standings of the WCWP Pool.  

1. Anthony DeFranco = 38 pts

2. Jason Comack = 37 pts

   Nick Malone = 37 pts

   Janine = 37 pts

3. Mike Tramontozzi = 36 pts

   Jordan Lauterbach = 36 pts

4. Dan Cox = 35 pts

5. Bob Soldano = 34 pts

6. Jesse Lauterbach = 33 pts

7. Matt Soldano = 32 pts

8. Dave Soldano = 31 pts

Now onto a brief review of the later games today:

Starting with the late games the two seed Duke Blue Devils held on against the Texas Longhorns 74-69.  Gerald Henderson led all scorers with 24 points for Duke but the real difference was the lack of execution from the line for the Horns.  They shot just 16-25 and had Mike T. pulling out his hair.  Duke will meet Villanova in the Sweet 16.

Jeremy Pargo got the game winning lay-up to go with .9 seconds left to go in regulation to defeat Western Kentucky 81-79.  The Hilltoppers tied the game up on a tip-in but failed to get back on defense.  The refs however missed WKU's head coach pleading for a time out as the Zaga raced up the court on their final possession.  

Zaga will now face North Carolina in the Sweet 16 as the Tar Heels survived a second half run by the LSU Tigers.  In the end, Ty Lawson bad toe and all were too much as UNC won 84-70. Lawson scored 21 of his 23 points in the 2nd half and also dished out six assists.  Marcus Thornton had 25 for LSU.

Oklahoma defeated Michigan 73-63 to advance to the round of 16.  Blake Griffin had 33 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Sooners.  Standout Wolverine Manny Harris struggled all game long scoring just 11 points and fouling out in 21 minutes.  Oklahoma will play the Cuse-Arizona State winner.

Finally, Purdue defeated Washington in another thriller 76-74.  Purdue went into the half up 11 points but Jon Brockman led the Huskies back in it.  He finished the game with 20 points and 18 rebounds but Purdue was able to hold on in the end.  They now will face UConn in the next round.

Mike and I are back tomorrow for more college basketball fun!

-Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament blog- Yawn...

Mike T here, and boy were the 3 "afternoon" games were all blowouts. I alsmost fell asleep at one point.

One was shocking, as (3) Villanova blew out (6)UCLA 89-69 in the 2nd round of the East region. But then again, Villanova was the higher seed so was it really a shocker?

In the West region, (1) UConn got their coach, Jim Calhoun back, then proceeded to whoop on (9) Texas A&M 92-66 to move on to the Sweet 16.

Also out West, (2) Memphis rebounded from a surprisingly close game in the first round to beat down (10) Maryland 89-70. Tyreke Evans had 11 points in the first 5 minutes for Memphis, and finished with 19 for John Calipari.

And thats it for me everyone. Matt Soldano will take you the rest of the way, giving his thoughts on the 5:00 games and the 2 8:00 games. He will also update the standings of the WCWP pool.

- Mike T

CDR has Great Game -- Great Career to Follow

This past week, a potential star emerged in the Metropolitan Area. Chris Douglas-Roberts has played incredibly after he was forced to step in for the injured Devin Harris. While the task of replacing the Eastern Conference's best point guard is daunting, Douglas-Roberts has taken his new, more involved role in stride.

For the second game in a row, CDR has set his professional career-high; beginning with 14 points against the New York Knicks on Wednesday. While that contest was well in hand, it was promising to see Douglas-Roberts perform so well in the first home game New Jersey faced without Harris, who suffered a sprained left shoulder and strained deltoid in last Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He effectively displayed his versatility by adding 7 assists and 3 steals.

Last night's game, however, was incredibly more impressive than the one he played against the Knicks. Against the Miami Heat, the employer of the NBA's leading scorer Dwayne Wade, Chris Douglas-Roberts helped lead the Nets down the stretch to a 96-88 victory. He scored 18 points, including the game-sealing three-pointer. CDR shot efficiently, going 5-of-6 from the field, converting his one attempt from downtown, and making all 7 of his free throws.

His recent performances, along with his 6'7", 200lbs. stature, has led me to believe that Douglas-Roberts will be a significant piece for New Jersey, going forward. With Vince Carter apparently on the outs, Douglas-Roberts can eventually fill in and duplicate his offense. For now, he should be the 6th man, even when Devin Harris returns to the lineup and even if the Nets make the playoffs.

His skill and size is reminiscent of John Salmons. Salmons, this year, is averaging over 18.5 points a game; solidifying himself as a second tier scorer in the NBA. Douglas-Roberts can easily put up those scoring statistics and put himself in the same group as Salmons. That production, in conjunction with Harris, and Fellow Rookie Brook Lopez, can be the building blocks to restore the New Jersey Nets franchise.

Here is CDR's post-game interview with NBA TV.

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Congrats, Jordan. You went out on a limb and picked all of the number 1 seeds to win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, thus winning our little wager. Great job going outside the box, JL. I applaud you...

Jordan Lauterbach a.k.a. Mr. J.L. (File Photo)

--Max Caster

NCAA Tournament Blog - Two Overtimes and An Upset

Before we talk about the night cap of games on Friday here are the updated WCWP Pool Standings as of right now.  (# of Sweet 16 Teams Left)*****

1. Jason Comack = 27 pts (14)

2. Anthony DeFranco = 24 pts (15)

   Matt Soldano = 24 pts (14)

   Mike Tramontozzi = 24 pts (14)

3. Janine = 23 pts (15)

   Nick Malone = 23 pts (14)

4. Jordan Lauterbach = 22 pts (14)

5. Jesse Lauterbach = 21 pts (14)

   Dave Soldano = 21 pts (12)

6. Bob Soldano = 20 pts(14)

7. Dan Cox = 19 pts (15)

Remember 2nd round = 2pts, sweet 16 = 4 pts elite 8 = 8pts, final four = 12 pts and champ = 18 pts

Now onto the games.  Let's start with the upset:

13th seeded Cleveland State beat-down the 4th seed Wake Forest 84-69 as the Vikings seem to be shaping the mold as the first true Cinderella of this year's dance.  Cedric Jackson led CSU to the victory with an all around great game scoring 19 points 7 rebounds and 8 assists.  They won this game being all around efficient shooting 48% from the field, 40% from downtown and turning the ball over six times.  Wake Forest seems to have been the most overrated team going into the tournament.

Now onto the overtime games:  

The Wisconsin Badgers secured another 12-5 upset (the third of the tournament!) beating the Seminoles of Florida State 61-59 in overtime.  Toney Douglas led all scorers with 26 for FSU.  Trevon Hughes scored a clutch three point play at the end of the overtime to secure the win.

What's better than one overtime? Two overtimes! And we saw Siena defeat Ohio State 74-72. Ronald Moore was a stud for Sienna when they needed it most as he hit a 3 with 3.9 seconds left in the game to seal the victory.  He also hit one at the end of the first overtime.  He finished the game with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Finally Michigan State defeated Robert Morris 77-62. Spartans had a balance scoring attack with 5 players in double figures.

Well that does it for the first round.  More tomorrow from Mike and I.  

-Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament blog- No candy bar

Sorry Max, you will not be getting a candy bar this year. All four #1 seeds are clear and through to the 2nd round. The final one came as Louisville handled Morehead St 74-54. Samardo Samuels led the Cardinals with 15 points and 7 rebounds, and the Midwest region's #1 seed is on to the 2nd round.



Onto the other games:



- (12) Arizona made a statement to the people who said they didnt belong in the tourney with an 84-71 victory over (5) Utah in the Midwest region. Even though winning a game doesnt mean you belonged (they still dont) Nick Wise made sure the Wildcats moved on with 23 points and huge shots when Utah tried to make a comeback in the 2nd half.



- (4) Xavier had no problem with (13) Portland St, winning 77-59 in the East region. The Musketeers outscored Portland St by 11 in the 2nd half, and cruised to the 2nd round. CJ Anderson led Xavier with 14 points and 3 assists. Xavier will move on and face either Florida St or Wisconsin in round 2.



- (10) USC continued to play lights out basketball, blowing out (7)Boston College 72-55. Taj Gibson, Dwight Lewis and Demar Derozan combined for 62 of those points, and Gibson was a perfect 10 for 10 from the field. USC has now won 6 straight games, and will move on to round 2 in the midwest region, most likely setting up a matchup with #2 Michigan St.

Matt Soldano will once again take you through the 9:00 games, as well as an update of the WCWP Pool standings. I will see everyone tomorrow for the early session, which starts at 1pm with (6) UCLA vs (3) Villanova in the East region.

- Mike T

NCAA Tournament Blog - Coming Up Short

Max almost won his candy bar! Matt Soldano, here recapping the late afternoon action of the NCAA tournament.  16th seeded East Tennessee State almost upset number 1 seeded Pittsburgh which would have made Jordan Lauterbach's wallet a little lighter in weight.  However, Pitt proved to obviously be the more talented team and made all the big plays at the end as they won 72-62.  DeJuan Blair led all scorers with 27 points and 15 rebounds.  Sam Young also recorded a double double for the Panthers with 14 points and 13 boards.  ETSU struggled to score consistently near the end of the game and it showed as they shot just 30% for the game. However, it says something about your team, if you lose to arguably the best team in the country by 10 points and shoot just 30%.  Or maybe it says something about Pitt?

11th seeded Dayton defeated 6th seeded West Virginia 68-60 in a game that really breaks my bracket (I had WVU in the Elite 8).  The Mountaineers were crippled by Alex Ruoff in foul trouble and the inability to make 3's (they shot just 5-21).  DaSean Butler scored just 12 points on 4-12 shooting.  Truck Bryant led the Mountaineers with 21 points.  The real star of the game was Chris Wright for Dayton as he scored 27 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

6th seeded Arizona State beat 11th seeded Temple 66-57 to advance to play Syracuse.  Talk about hype that did not come through, the Dionte Christmas vs. James Harden matchup was non-existant, and it wasn't Santa's fault.  Christmas scored 29 points and was the only Owl who was an offensive threat.   Harden shot just 1-8 from the floor and scored 9 points.  If it was not for Jeff Pendergraph and Derek Glasser who each scored 22 points, the Sun Devils would be going home.

Finally, Missouri defeated the Big Red of Cornell 78-59 in what was a ball game after the first 20 minutes.  The Tigers led by 4 at halftime but were led by Leo Lyons in the 2nd half who led the game with 23 points and 11 rebounds.  Cornell was led by Randy Wittman who scored 18 for the game.

Check back after the 7 o clock games for Mike T's wonderful analysis (hopefully he does it) and then I'll be back for the late games and updated WCWP Pool Standings!!!!

-Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament blog- Orange Crush

Mike T here with the NCAA Tournament blog, recapping the 12:00 games on the second day of the first round.

Syracuse, the 3 seed in the South region, had little trouble with Stephen F. Austin, winning 59-44 and advancing to the 2nd round. Paul Harris led the Orange with 16 rebounds, and Jonny Flynn had 16 pts and 7 assists. The Orange controlled from the opening tip, jumping out to a 20-4 run. The 2-3 zone held the Lumberjacks to just 25% shooting from the field, and SFA shot under 10% from the three point arc.

The win was the first for the Orange since the 2nd round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, the year after they won the Championship.

Onto the rest of the games:

- (8) Oklahoma St survived a second half rally from (9) Tennessee and left the University of Dayton arena with a 77-75 victory in the East region. Byron Eaton's three point play with 7 seconds left gave the Cowboys their margin of victory. Tyler Smith led Tennessee (and all scorers) with 21 points.

- (3) Kansas was threatened by (14) North Dakota St, but in the end the defending champs gutted out an 84-74 victory. Sharron Collins socred 32 points for Kansas, but Ben Woodside led all scorers with 37 points for the Bison, who lost in their first year of Division I play. Kansas will move on to the 2nd round of the Midwest region.

- (6) Marquette squeaked out a victory over (11) Utah St 58-57, and Lazar Hayward led the Golden Eagles with 26 points. Marquette hit 10 straight free throws at the end, and Utah St hit a three at the buzzer for the margin of victory. Jared Quayle led Utah St with 18 points. Marquette will move on to the 2nd round of the West region.

Matt Soldano will be back to give you the updates on the 2:00 games, while I will recap everyone on the 7:00 games. Once again, Matt will have the graveyard shift working the night games, so stay tuned for all that.

-Mike T

"Zeke" of the Week

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Isiah Thomas says he has been doing OK, helping the New York Knicks prepare for the NBA draft, since police responded to an accidental overdose at his home last October.


That is the best news out of Knicks camp I've heard in a while. I know he liked Eric Gordon in the 2008 Draft and Gordon could have been a nice fit for New York. Obviously, Isiah was wrong about that one (ROOSTER!!!). But this is the same guy who drafted David Lee, Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler; three of the Knicks' most important pieces going forward. He also selected two guys who are doing well for themselves in LA, in Mardy Collins and Trevor Ariza. The eye for young talent is there. Let the man do his thing.

----------

With Danilo Gallinari out, presumably, for the rest of the season and Quentin Richardson playing worse than ever, the Knicks are in need of a shooter. Lucky for them, they have someone on the bench who can do that. His name: Demetris Nichols.

Nichols is a sharpshooter and used his skills to average 20.3 points in the D-League, along with 4.7 rebounds. He is a lean and spry 6'8", 215lbs, as compared to Quentin Richardson's hefty stature of 6'6", 235lbs. He is more of an athlete than Q-Rich right now. Richardson is a liability and cannot run effectively in Mike D'Antoni's system. His shot has been off and he has been unable to bring the ball into the paint.

Nichols gives the Knicks more potential for production than Quentin Richardson does. Give him a shot.


--Max Caster

NCAA Tournament Blog - It's Not Easy Being Green

Before I recap today's actions here are the WCWP Pool Standings through Day One:

1. Matt Soldano - 14 pts

    Jason Comack - 14 

    Anthony DeFranco - 14 

    Mike Tramontozzi - 14 

2. Janine - 13 pts

3. Nick "Stone" Malone - 12 pts

4. Jordan Lauterbach - 11 pts

    Jesse Lauterbach - 11 

    Dan Cox - 11

5. Dave Soldano - 10 pts

    Bob Soldano - 10 

    

Wow, what a first night of college hoops.  The day was full of drama-filled action with a few Cinderella's up late but were unable to hold on.  Akron, American, Cal State Northridge were all beating their opponents (Gonzaga, Villanova, Memphis) in the 2nd half but in the end could not hold on.  One of the teams however, that did not challenge their opponent was Binghamton.  Yes, I did pick them, mostly cause I have family affiliation up there but they really let me down.  

The Bearcats started off in a physical manner...literally.  They had 7 fouls in roughly four and a half minutes which helped Duke get off to a quick start.  However, Bing cut it close as they trimmed the deficit to 37-31 but then ended up going into halftime down 11.  In the 2nd half it was all Duke as they led much of it in the 20's.  D.J. Rivera led all scorers with 20 points.  One of the biggest differences?  Free throw disparity: Binghamton: 1-5 Duke: 21-25.  (And Duke doesn't get all the calls....)

Moving on we had the game of the night where 6th seeded UCLA defeated everyone's sweetheart in 11th seeded VCU.  This game featured two of the best point guards in the game with Darren Collison and Eric Maynor.  Collison scored just 10 points but played great perimeter D (as seen on Maynor's last second misfire to try and win the game) and Maynor scored 21 points 6 rebounds and 7 assists in his final collegiate game.  This sets up a great matchup between Nova and UCLA in the second round.

Western Kentucky survived a major late scare from Illinois (but of course since there in the Big 10 they couldn't pull it out).  With the win, we have our very first 12-5 upset in the Tourney. WKU committed turnover after turnover which caused the Illini to climb out of a 68-51.  The final score? 76-72.  

Finally, Oklahoma cruised past 15th seeded Morgan State 82-54.  Blake Griffin dominated with 28 points and 13 rebounds while point guard Willie Warren chipped in with 16.  The Sooners shot 60% from the field while Morgan St. was held to just 28%.  

Make sure you check back on Friday for continuing coverage of the NCAA Tournament.  Mike T, and I will be blogging throughout the day with our impressions of the rest of the first round. Enjoy!

NCAA Tournament Blog - No Lawson, No Problem

Matt Soldano here recapping the second quarter of today's March Madness festivities.  In the four games in action throughout the mid-afternoon, North Carolina really caught my eye.

With Ty Lawson sitting out for another game with a toe injury, the Tar Heels took down Radford, 101-58.  This game was never in question as Carolina led by 19 going into halftime as they controlled the game on each side of the ball.  Wayne Ellington scored a career high in the tourney 25 points and also grabbed 9 rebounds.  Tyler Hansbrough scored 22 points but struggled from the field shooting 5-15.  However, he did break J.J. Redick's record for most ACC points (one that can be questioned, but nonetheless, congratulations TH).  As Mike noted earlier, UNC now gets LSU after the Tigers defeated Butler.

Speaking of games being out of question, I don't think you can question UConn being a one seed now after Memphis struggled and the Huskies thrashed Chattanooga 103-47.  Connecticut went on a 46-5 run in this game! Let me say that again.  46-5!!!!  Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price, and Stanley Robinson all scored over 20 points for the Huskies.  Their defense was STELLAR as they held Chattanooga to just 25% shooting for the day.  If there is one thing that the Huskies cannot be happy about it would be their free throw shooting.  Shooting 59% from the line will not get it done in later rounds.  Lastly, let's wish Coach Calhoun a speedy recovery so he can get back on the Huskies sidelines.

5th seed Purdue held off 12th seeded Northern Iowa 61-56.  This was a battle of defense as both teams struggled to knock down shots on a consistent basis.  Northern Iowa built some runs together when they were down 8-10 points but were never able to fully execute.  E'Twuan Moore led all scorers as he dropped 17 for the Boilermakers.  Purdue is playing at their best right now.

Finally, Maryland came through with a 10-7 upset as they defeated California 84-71.  The Terps used a 50 point second half to build their lead and put this game out of reach with about 3 minutes to go.  Grievis Vazquez continues to play like a stud for Maryland as he scored a game-high 27 points.  

Make sure to check back to the blog at the end of the 7 o' clock games as Mike T. breaks down all those games.  Then, I work the graveyard shift writing about all the late games to end Day One.  In that post, I will have recorded the updated standings for the WCWP Bracket Pool.  You won't wanna miss it.

Cheers,

Matt Soldano

NCAA Tournament blog- Memphis survives

Mike T here with my thoughts on the NCAA Tournament, with 3 games starting at/around 12 noon to kick off the Tourney. The biggest storyline: Memphis had to go on a 20-6 run in the final four minutes to beat 15th seeded Cal- St Northridge 71-60 in the West region.

The Tigers came out and watched stars Tyreke Evans and Robert Dozier barely play in the first half because of foul trouble. Add in the great play of Northridge, which had 5 players in double figures, and you were sweating if you were John Calipari. However, one man came and saved the day (and alot of brackets): Roburt Sallie.

Sallie, a 6-5 sophomore, dropped 35 points on the Matadors, almost tripling his previous career high of 13. Sallie shot 10/15 from downtown and gave you the type of performance that helps you get through the tournament.

Thoughts on the other games:

- (8) LSU held off (9) Butler 75-71 to move on in the East Region. Not to be outdone by Sallie, LSU guard Marcus Thornton scored 30 points to help the Tigers advance. They will play either North Carolina or Radford on Saturday. Matt Howard led Butler with 22 points.

- (9) Texas A&M had no problems with (8) BYU, winning 79-66 to advance to the 2nd round of the West region. Bryan Davis led the Aggies with 21 points, and Donald Sloan added 14 for A&M. This game was a rematch of last year's opening round game, when the 9th seeded Aggies again beat the 8th seeded Cougars 67-62.

Matt Soldano will take over for the 2:00 games (including UConn and UNC beginning their runs), and I will be back to update you after the first portion of the night session. Matt will then take over for the 9:00 games (and also update you on the standings of our WCWP NCAA Tourney pool). So check back here all day for our thoughts on the Tourney.

- Mike T

It's Not Unusual

Thomas Jones did not show up to the first day of Jets offseason conditioning.

According to the NY Daily News, Jones is "believed" to want a new contract. It isn't surprising if he does. Jones led the AFC in rushing last season and has only two years left on his deal, with just a $900K salary in '09. Jones turns 31 in August, though, and the Jets are more likely to extend Leon Washington. They could also draft Jones' eventual replacement in April.

From Rotoworld



Hinting at a new contract is definately not the most asinine thing Thomas Jones could do after the year he had in 2008. He carried the ball 290 times for 1,312 yards (4.5 yds/carry) and 13 touchdowns, and added 2 receiving touchdowns to become the holder of the Jets' single-season touchdown record.

Jones is coming off of his best season, however, he is 30 years old, going on 31. I know he doesn't have a great deal of wear on him, despite his age, but I would never give a player at his age more than a 2-year deal -- maybe 3.

I would suggest that New York Jets management solves the problem by giving Thomas Jones more money and incentives, but not more years. If that can't be reached, the team will be in a sticky situation, similar to the Pete Kendall catastrophe. The situation becomes a decision between the lesser of two evils: letting Jones go, thus making the team exponentially worse, or giving him a new deal; possibly taking on the task of employing a deteriorating player and opening the door for more players to request new contracts.



I'll keep my eye on this one.





*Video semi-unrelated*


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To make this year's NCAA Tournament more interesting, Jordan Lauterbach and I have made a little wager. If a 16 seed upsets a number 1, Jordan will owe me a candy bar. If that fails to occur, I will owe Jordan some candy. He has already named his candy of choice; selecting the noble Twix® bar.


Let's go Morehead State!

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The Knicks' loss against the Nets was the most disgusting thing I've seen since Morehead St. vs. Alabama St. I actually turned it off and I never turn a Knicks game off.

More on this tomorrow on The Sportswire.

--Max Caster

March Madness!!!!!!! WCWP Pool

This year at WCWP I have decided to conduct a March Madness pool between my fellow friends. Make sure to check back after every day and every round for the updated standings.

And in the midst of all the competitive banter to see who's bracket is the best, enjoy all the madness that makes up this wonderful month. Who will be this year's Cinderella? Will Jordan owe Max a candy bar? Can all four number one seeds make it to the Final Four for the second year in a row? We'll just have to wait and see for what surely will be an exciting few weeks.

I know I'm ready...

-Matt Soldano

Video: Gallinari vs. The LeBrons

As you should know by now, Rookie Phenom Danilo Gallinari has flown to his native Italy to have another inspection on his ailing back. Due to his persistent back pain, Gallinari will most likely have surgery and could very well be shut down for the rest of the season. Hopefully we don't remember Gallinari's rookie season by this last performance against the Cavaliers:



I have a feeling that Gallo's lack of minutes in that game is due to his back.


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It's halftime at tonight's Knicks-Nets matchup, and Chris Douglas-Roberts has come up big for New Jersey; scoring 8 points. If he keeps it up, I'll be impressed.


Also, I hate the Knicks' green St. Patty's Day uniforms. Whenever I look up, I confuse the teams and find myself cheering for New Jersey.

Maybe that's what I want.... Or maybe I just need to put my glasses back on.

--Max Caster

The Leon Bible

Broncos Quarterback Jay Cutler wants out of Denver so badly that he put the 7,500 square foot home he bought in 2006 up for sale. His inability to see eye to eye with new Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels -- even after a meeting, meant to clear up the situation -- has caused him to demand a trade. Over the past few days, Cutler has stuck to his guns; refusing to report to a team meeting and vocally expressing his displeasure with the circumstances. Cutler's outspokenness and stubbornness will influence the Broncos to trade him.

Viewing this situation as a Jets fan is intriguing, and the chance of acquiring Cutler is enticing. As a proponent of Brett Ratliff, I would much rather see Jay Cutler under center for New York. Cutler is as young as Ratliff, has NFL experience as a starter and is already a top 10 quarterback in the league. While I believe Ratliff can reach that same level of play, Cutler is already established.

The optimal deal for getting Cutler would be for the Jets to give up the 17th overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. As of now, the selection is up in the air, in terms of position. Quarterback has been talked about. The Jets are scheduled to hold private workouts for USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez and Kansas State's Josh Freeman. Wide Receiver is another need, with North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks and local favorite Kenny Britt of Rutgers due to be on the board in the late 1st round. Those are the only two glaring needs for the Jets (other than punter).

If they could swing the first pick for Cutler, it would still leave the opportunity to select 2nd round talent at wide receiver, such as Rames Barden from Cal Poly.

However, Josh McDaniels stated "Other teams have called but we're not interested in getting draft picks for Jay.", seemingly ruling out the possibility of a trade for Cutler without giving up an impact player.

One possibility being floated around is a three-team deal involving Denver, New York and the Arizona Cardinals. This rumored trade would see Cutler going to the Jets, former first round pick and current Arizona backup QB Matt Leinart go to Denver along with the Jets' first round pick, and Arizona receiving the Broncos' second round selection and New York running back and Pro Bowl kick returner Leon Washington.

When negotiations reach the juncture of trading Leon Washington, that's where I turn sour on the deal. Washington is, without a doubt, the most explosive and dangerous weapon on the Jets offense -- arguably the entire team, when his kick return prowess is factored in. Last season, he carried the ball 76 times; not nearly enough for a player of his caliber. Through the underutilization, he still managed to amass 448 yards (5.9 yards a carry) and a career-high 6 touchdowns.

The presumed reason for his lack of carries was Eric Mangini's hold over the offense. Mangini, in order to appease Brett Favre, took over Brian Schottenheimer's play-calling duties to make the offense more pass-oriented. This switch in methods led to Washington receiving less carries on the ground; a place that he excelled in.

While the move to a pass-heavy offense took away from Washington's carries, he got a great amount of touches through the air. 47 receptions for 355 yards and 2 touchdowns is impressive, but he was still in need of touches. Washington cemented himself as the team's most explosive weapon, and still received amount of inadequate opportunities to make plays on offense. With the departure of Mangini, Washington will get more touches, thus making him even more effective.

If Leon Washington is subtracted from the offense, it will become less threatening and less efficient, even with Cutler on the team. While he can be a difference maker, a unique difference maker would be lost, and the offense would lose a key element, ultimately making it worse.

In addition to his incredible offensive ability, Leon Washington is also a top 3 kick returner in the league. Last year he was 10th in kick return yards with 1,231, 10th in yards per return with 25.6 and brought one kickoff to the house; numbers good enough to get him a nod to the 2008 Pro Bowl. He should have made the all-star game in 2007, when he filled in for Justin Miller, and proceeded to score 3 return touchdowns.

If Washington is dealt, there is no player currently on New York's roster nor in free agency that can duplicate his production. He is the perfect running back to spell Thomas Jones, and is integral to Jones' season if the 10-year veteran is to have his second-straight career year. Washington is the perfect change-of-pace coming off the bench; similar to Knicks' 6th Man Nate Robinson. Like Washington, Robinson can inject a much needed shot of energy into any game in just about any situation and for that, is priceless to the Knicks. Washington holds that same type of role on his team, making him as valuable to the Jets as Nate Robinson is to his team.

While a top 10 -- arguably top 5 -- quarterback is extremely valuable, Leon Washington has just as much value because he has proven that he can work well in Schottenheimer's offense and Mike Westhoff's special teams unit. Why take him out of two equations in favor of a player who is unknown to this system of play?

The Jets have two quarterback who are privy to Schottenheimer's system, and while Ratliff is not a proven player, like Cutler, he has the potential and skill set to reach that level, and if he is surrounded by this current Jets team, Ratliff can be launced to an above average status among NFL quarterbacks.

I know that I have lambasted the Knicks about waiting for 2010 and the possibility of signing LeBron James or Dwayne Wade, instead of building up a formittable team to compete now, and I have killed the Yankees for not signing Manny Ramirez and distancing themselves from the field. On paper, not getting Cutler seems like a similar thing that I have criticized teams for. But the acquisition of Cutler would be more than negated by a Leon Washington departure. If the Jets stick with what they have, they have a great chance at being better than they would be if they had brought Jay Cutler in.

Allow me to clarify once more. I definately want Jay Cutler in a New York Jets uniform, but not if that means a player as useful and significant as Leon Washington has to go.

--Max Caster

Big East Digest- Final showdown

Ok everyone, Mike T here with the moment we all have been waiting for: The final of the Big East Tournament. And what a tourney it has been. Before I get to the picks, I have to talk a bit about the epic game that was Syracuse/UConn:

- I was at the game, sitting in Section 420 behind the UConn bench, and I have to tell you it was the greatest game I have ever been to. There were a group of Cuse fans that me and my cousin (who goes to Syracuse) sat with, and we had a ball. There were also UConn fans around us, and it made for a great atmosphere. We went nuts when Devendorf hit the 3 in regulation, only to feel like it was over after they ruled it came after the clock expired.

- 6 OTs later, and after not getting to sleep by 3am, I cant complain about what I witnessed.

Onto the pick:

9pm- (1) Louisville vs. (6) Syracuse

- They cant possibly have anything left in the tank do they? After 4 halves and a combined 7 OTs in the last 2 games, Jim Boeheim's kids have to be gassed...Right?

- If they were going to be tired, wouldnt they have showed it last night? I have a feeling that the Orange have one more gear left for this game. Louisville has won 2 games without great performances from Terrence Williams. However, Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels have been huge in the paint, and Jerry Smith hit some huge threes.

The Pick: I had Louisville at the beginning of the tourney, and actually had them beating Pitt in the Finals. Pitt didnt make it, and instead they have to face OT- tested Orange. Louisville will be the safe pick, and trendy pick, but I think the Orange are going to pull this one out and set themselves up for at the worst a 3 seed, pushing towards a 2.

record: 16-2

- Mike T

Donte Greene Pranks Bobby Jackson

Sacramento Kings Rookie Donte Greene pranked Veteran Bobby Jackson by pouring a mixture of dog food and condiments on his white Mercedes. This was in retaliation to Jackson filling Rookie Jason Thompson's car with popcorn a few months back.

Here is the aftermath:

And here is the prank that started it all.

--Max Caster

Big East Digest: The Final Countdown

The Semi-Finals are tonight.

I have Louisville over Villanova and Syracuse beating West Virginia.

More tomorrow. Fleetwood Mac at Nassau Coliseum tonight.

-Mike T.

The Great Debate: Duhon vs. Robinson

Many questions have surfaced around the recent play of Chris Duhon. As the point guard of the Knicks -- or any other team, for that matter -- Duhon is expected to distribute the ball and create fluidity among his teammates. He has undoubtedly not been able to do that since the closing days of February. He has continued to commit costly turnovers and has become a liability for the Knicks.

It recently came out that Duhon has been playing through injuries to his back and ankle; reducing his speed and flexibility on the court. This is not only evidenced by his diminished passing expertise, but by the steals he has suddenly failed to accumulate. Before February, Duhon averaged a solid and valuable 1.3 steals a game. Since then he has averaged 0.3 steals each contest; moving his season average to a less than desirable 0.9.

Nate Robinson has become the Knicks' best scorer since the three games before the All-Star break. Robinson has proven that he is capable of being the great scorer for New York, and that the team can function with the ball being passed through his hands on every possession.

In addition to scoring, Robinson can pass. But the key word is 'can'. He hardly feeds the rest of the players, which is a detriment to the Knicks team. He needs to realize that it's not okay to drive in the paint 95 percent of the time he has the ball. While he does make a lot of his shots or get fouled, the ones that he misses are poor attempts. What makes his misses so maddening is that they can definately be avoided. Too many times I've seen him run past Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler who would have an open look for a three-point shot or to get into the paint. Robinson has denied the ball to David Lee, a player who is 7th in the NBA in field goal percentage, and decided to take it himself.

I'll admit that Nate Robinson is a great basketball player and a phenominal athlete, but his style of play is not team oriented, and that's not what you want from a point guard. He needs to alter his game for the greater good of getting his teammates more touches. And if Chris Duhon is hurt or continues to play poor basketball, Robinson needs to do that in order for the Knicks to succeed and finish the year strong with a playoff berth.


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Video: Danilo Gallinari vs. the Bucks




This was bad on paper. 0-of-5 from the field, 0-of-3 from downtown, 2 points and 1 steal in 16 minutes. On his first shot, there was a great deal of contact and a foul should have been called. The officials were off their game on Tuesday. Play-by-Play Man Mike Breen was not shy about pointing that out on the TV broadcast.

On his second shot, Nate Robinson gave Gallo the ball at the right time, but Luc Richard Mbah a Moute rolled off the screen extremely well and stuck him.

His third attempt was rushed by the shot clock. His fourth was rushed by himself. And the fifth was a good shot, but just didn't find the bottom of the net.

Everyone has an off night. Even the best.


More Video: Danilo Gallinari vs. the Pistons



This was better. 8 points on 2-of-3 shooting, all coming from behind the arc. Also, 1 steal. Breen pointed out how on The Rooster's first shot attempt, he wasn't negatively influenced at all by his poor shooting night against the Bucks. On top of that, he hit the shot. That's a sign of good things to come.


--Max Caster

Best Commercial Ever!

I was watching Sportscenter when I found this gem featuring New York Knicks Great Patrick Ewing:



This had me and my brother rolling for a while.

Special effects did a nice job pasting on his '94 flat top.


--Roderick Boone wrote in Newsday, on Wednesday, that Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni is looking to shorten his rotation. Boone stated that Quentin Richardson would be the odd man out; with his minutes already disappearing, mainly due to his lack of speed & athleticism and suddenly poor shot. However, Q-Rich could have just thrust himself out of the doghouse with his late-game heroics against Detroit tonight. He went 1-of-3 from three-point range, but his one make was huge, and could improve his standing with D'Antoni. If that happens, Danilo Gallinari would most likely see the brunt of the shortened rotation. Fortunately, I think Richardson will continue to slug up and down the court and shoot himself right back into a bench spot.


--By the way, the Golden State Warriors put Point Guard Marcus Williams on waivers and the team they beat on Wednesday night could really use him. The New Jersey Nets lost to Golden State 116-112 in Oakland, CA; mainly due to an abundance of inconsistent scorers. Marcus Williams definately has some skill and can add depth and production to a short guard rotation. Backing up Devin Harris is Keyon Dooling, who is doing a bang up job. But after Dooling come Chris Douglas-Roberts and Maurice Ager. Between the two, they average about 11 minutes per game. Williams could also take minutes away from Bobby Simmons. I know Williams isn't great but he can help.

Boy, the Nets are just one big time player away from being a contender, given that Vince Carter sticks around. The trifecta of Carter, Devin Harris and Brook Lopez is daunting, but lacks total dominance. I'm intrigued by this team going forward. They show more immediate promise than the Knicks.


Now go back to reading about the Big East Tourney.


--Max Caster

Big East Digest- on to the Quarters

Hello once again, Mike T with the Big East digest. The 2nd round is now over, and (shockingly) it will be the top 8 seeds playing. Explain again why we needed to invite everyone? Oh well. Here are some thoughts on day 2 before the picks- where I cleaned house and went 4-0 (talk about on fire):

- DePaul played their heart out against Providence, even holding a lead over halfway through the 2nd half. Dar Tucker and Will Walker combined for 61 points, unfortunately the rest of their team scored 13. Still, nice showing though for the Blue Demons.

- So I give St Johns some love last night, and thought they could keep the game with Marquette close, and then they score 10 points in the first half. Jeez.

- The Syracuse- Seton Hall game had alot of chippiness in it, thanks to Arinze Onuaku and John Garcia. The score was 46-44 Syracuse when the fighting started. The final score? 89-74 Syracuse. And the final score doesnt show how badly the Orange blew out Seton Hall in the final 15 minutes. Guess the fighting woke up Syracuse.

Alright onto the picks:

Noon- (8) Providence vs. (1) Louisville
- This game is interesting because the Friars actually had a lead down in Louisville earlier in the year. However, Rick Pitino's Cardinals are playing at a totally different level. A win by Providence will certainly seal their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. I just dont see it happening, not with Earl Clark and Terrence Williams playing at such a high level. Louisville will win a surprisingly entertaining game and move on to face either Villanova or Marquette.

2pm- (5) Marquette vs. (4) Villanova
- Marquette finally got a win without Dominic James, and their big 3 combined for 48 points. If I were a Marquette fan I would have to be pleasantly surprised with how well the team played considering Jerel McNeil had only 11 points. Villanova is a team that is maybe not the most talented in the Big East, and the fact that they are ranked #13 is a testament to Jay Wright as a coach. He will get his players ready to play for this one, and I think they will outplay Marquette in what should be a great game. According to me, Villanova will move on to face Louisville in the semifinals.

7pm- (7) West Virginia vs. (2) Pittsburgh
- West Virginia blew the doors off Notre Dame in the 2nd round, and Alex Ruoff had a huge game after going scoreless in his final home game, a loss to Louisville. Already in the tourney, both teams can play the game without worrying about the effects of its outcome. Pitt is playing real well right now, and I think they will win a hard fought battle with their rivals from Morgantown. Pitt will move on to face either Syracuse or UConn.

9pm- (6) Syracuse vs. (3) UConn
- 2 hated rivals, in the primetime spot in the Worlds Mosr Famous Arena. It has all the makings of a good one. Add in the fact that Syracuse has won 6 out of 7, and you basically cant go wrong. UConn has struggled with Pitt, who gave the Huskies 2 of their 3 losses. However the last time the 2 teams played, UConn had Jerome Dyson, now they dont. They are clearly a different team without him, and Hasheem Thabeet is completely different when you put a big body on him (see: DeJuan Blair). In the first upset of the tourney, Syracuse will defeat UConn. According to me, the Orange will move on to face Pitt in the semis.

So after 2 days of alright basketball, the games- and the atmosphere- will pick up. I will be back tomorrow night with the recap. Until then, enjoy it everyone.

record: 11-1

- Mike T