I see you, Noah.
Kevin Durant won the NBA's H.O.R.S.E. tourney yesterday, something I totally missed. For his troubles, he won a trophy (plaque?) with a mini pony on it. I need to get one of these made for the person who submits the best future MPotD.
Picture ripped directly from Deadspin this morning. Not even ashamed about it.
Congrats to NC State senior Ben McCauley for scoring his 1,000th career point in tonight's thrilling 84-81 OT win over Miami. Hope that's something to scream about.
Ben was a few years younger than me in high school. Always nice to see a fellow grad from that tiny school make some noise.
He was good at ping-pong.
So check it. It's the new year, which means football is finishing up and 90% of my blog content will be leaving me within the month. So this is about the time my mind starts shifting to hockey and Pitt basketball.
The Penguins suck fiercely right now, so I wanna take a look at what Pitt's doing. And boy, my timing couldn't be better.
Pitt is about to assume its first #1 overall ranking in school history. That's right, the team that's been playing for over 100 years with especially ridiculous teams over the last 10 or so is finally about to stand atop the nation. Yeah, it's no national championship, but who can argue with a number 1 ranking halfway through the regular season?
We've gotten close like 14 different times it feels like, only to lose some meaningless game that pushes us closer to the lower rankings. This time, Pitt took care of business BEFORE UNC shat the bed. And by took care of business, I mean held Georgetown to 54 points in a 16 point win over the other Big East power.
Since Pitt is about to get some national exposure over the unbeaten record and top ranking, I feel its time to say it right now:
IF YOU'RE A PITT FAN, STOP MENTIONING HOW TEAMS IN YEARS PAST COULDN'T GET PAST THE SWEET SIXTEEN!
Really, that argument makes about as much sense as saying the Chargers are gonna beat the Steelers on Sunday because San Diego beat Pittsburgh in the playoffs in 94. Look, Pitt has had a bitch of a time in March, seemingly struggling to get past the round of 16. I'll be the first to tell you all about tourney loss after tourney loss, but not now. Not as if it pertains to THIS Pitt team. Dejuan Blair and Sam Young had nothing to do with the 02 Sweet 16 loss.
To become a true elite team, the loser stigma needs to go out the door with the cake non-conference schedule. Someone is always complaining about Pitt, whether it be about the tourney losses or that the team seems to always play gravy opponents at home to start the season. Well, the non-conference schedule is over, pushed away by clutch wins over Rutgers and G-town. And Pitt has used the always-there defense (Rutgers posted a Pitt-opponent season record 72 points) to compliment 3 guys averaging double figures.
So just as Pitt quieted the critics regarding their easy early-season schedule, so too must this team quiet the idiots who probably picked Pitt to go far in a number of past tourneys. And it starts with the fans leaving the past, and never using the former failures to justify any future struggles.
Jerome What?
Jerome "The Bus" What?
I'll admit, Ray Allen has always been one of my favorite NBAers. This just ups his coolness in my eyes.
A TMZ photog hounded Ray after leaving a club in L.A. Said photog didn't know Jerome Bettis' last name, causing Allen and his crew to stop what they were doing and harass the ignorant paparazzi. Bennis? Bennett?
Ray was on my shit list recently. As much as I hate Boston, I was cool with watching both Ray and KG win a ring (PP, too). Despite my love for the individuals, they still helped Boston's ego expansion (if that's even possible at this point) with the championship. But the main thing...I'll still bust out NBA 2K7 on the 360 just to play with Seattle. Ray, Rashard Lewis, Chris Wilcox, Squatch. I tried last night and Ray Allen let me down. Big time. Like 2-12 on threes or some Larry Hughes-type nonsense. I swore a lot.
Luckily for Ray, he was caught on video defending Steelers legend Bettis. I shall forget the brick after brick simply for this two minute long glimpse into Allen's life.
Thank you, TMZ. You have restored my faith in Ray Allen.
Yes, you read that right. I did just compare a tiny local basketball team to an NFL squad. If you can call the Arizona Cardinals an NFL squad, that is.
Recently, I heard that Arizona had picked up former Steeler Clark Haggans. I loved Clark Haggans. Completely respect everything he brought to our organization, but there wasn't cap space to sign him, and LaMarr Woodley is waiting in the wings.
So he went to Arizona, which is basically the football equivalent of Pittsbugh's basketball team...the Xplosion. In that I mean that local castoffs are forced to play for these teams when there is no other option.
First, the Xplosion. Not only did the team boast local star (WV is close enough to be called local) Kevis Pittsnogle last season, but this year added former Pitt "greats" John DeGroat, Antonio Graves and Carl Krauser. Krauser was even mentioned to be an NBA prospect. That turned out beautifully.
The Cardinals subscribe to a similar theory, mainly because their coach used to work in the Steel City. After taking the Arizona job, Whisenhunt added Jerame Tuman, Sean Morey...and now Haggans. This is in addition to local kid Steve Breaston and Pitt standout Larry Fitzgerald.
Haggans played the free agency field...and was unable to garner an offer. Honestly, its a crime...and Arizona just got a good LB on the cheap. By signing Haggans, though, Arizona adds to their Xplosion-esque mentality of signing the Pittsburgh kids out of familiarity. Nothing against Tuman or Morey...but I doubt that they had multiple offers on the table at the onset of their signing with the Cards.
However...only best wishes go to Clark Haggans. And to the Xplosion...what...the Xplosion were just eliminated from the playoffs? That's more than the Cards can claim, though.
Bobby Knight, of all people, has decided to give a little St. Patty's Day gift to wishful-thinking Yinzers. While many an ESPN analyst went safe and picked a plethora of 1 seeds to reach the Final Four, Mr. Knight went against the grain and picked the red-hot Pitt Panthers.
And not just to reach the Final Four. He has Jamie Dixon's squad winning it all.
Holy shit.
Now, "expert" opinions on matters such as March Madness mean absolutely nothing. It baffles me how guys can make a career out of made-up words like "Bracketology." Just because some talking head picks a certain team to win a certain game...it doesn't mean its going to happen. However, it blew my mind that someone...anyone...picked the Panthers to win it all.
I mean...that used to be MY deal.
I was the asshole who picked Pitt to win it all every year, because I didn't want to be the douche who picks against his hometown team in the year that they win it all. How bad does that make you look when you picked some bullshit SEC school just because they had the flashy record/conference. I'd always pencil Pitt into the final, just to avoid circumstances such as these.
That changed last year, when I rode Acie Law's Texas A&M squad to another upsetting bracket.
And this year, I picked my field before this Bobby Knight news came out. I don't waste time analyzing matchups and all that noise. Like I said, there's no way to pinpoint what teams are going to get upset. I had my bracket filled out immediately after the field was released. I have no idea who North Carolina is playing in their first round game (the winner of a play-in game between two eventual losers), but I know the Tar Heels are moving on. I keep it simple, and stick with what I think is going to happen.
With that being said...I have Pitt losing in the Sweet 16. Didn't see that coming, didja? As good as the team has looked in the Big East Tourney, and as much as I want them (and have faith that they can) win it all, I can't be that asshole again.
My Final Four: NC, Kansas, Texas, UCLA.
Final: UCLA: 86, NC: 80.
But I hope Bobby Knight is dead-on. Click the below link to see my bracket.
PSaMP's Bracket. [Deadspin Pants Party Group via ESPN] (Can only be viewed after March 20th)
P.S. I have UConn losing in the first round. Because I can't stand Calhoun, and San Diego looks pretty athletic.
UPDATE: My bracket is below. I use the same bracket everywhere, and this one is from Facebook. Click to make it bigger.
Big ups to my blogging friend BP at AA for the video.
I hope you happened to catch Pitt's win over Syracuse yesterday. I didn't catch the entire game, but I turned it on as we were down 11 with about 2 and a half minutes remaining. Turns out, Pitt ended the game on an 18-2 run. Ridiculous.
That makes 3 crazy finishes for Pitt this season. Syracuse, Duke and West Virginia. Those videos are below.
Now, if only we could, you know, grab an early lead and put teams away. That'd be great.
Yes, I know I'm not really a basketball blog, but I did start PSaMP during March Madness last season, and Pitt basketball has always been a blessing/curse.
I'm always excited, because Jamie Dixon always puts out a strong team. However, they always (and I can say always) fold when the tourney comes around, and I'm constantly left screaming at the T.V.
However, super frosh Gilbert Brown is genuinely making me pumped for the young season. He's reminding me of Julius Page, only better. These vids illustrate that point.
Sorry if you're turned off by my straying from the Buccos/Stillers/Pens. Aside from Passion football, Pitt basketball lives as the city's fourth team in my mind.
So this is the real reason I opened the PSaMP MySpace page. I needed to signup if I wanted to post videos from MySpace directly to PSaMP. I don't do the whole MySpace thing, but these videos were only available on MySpace. My dilemma, signup or don't post these amazing videos.
This chronicles the greatness that is Lance Jeter. These are old, if you live in and around Pittsburgh. But if not, then you need to see these. Doubt About It first reminded me about this game with their excellent post on the state of basketball in the Steel City. I wasn't at the game first hand, but I did witness the spectacle live on tv. Aliquippa vs. Beaver Falls for the 2005 WPIAL Class AA Title. The game went 3 overtimes. Superstud Lance Jeter buries the tying 3 at the end of the 4th quarter.
Then he wins it in the 3rd overtime...
Its only two years old, but the game is legendary around these parts. We may not ever see the likes of the NBA in Pittsburgh ever again, but I'll take this instead.
With a defender in his face...
