Have at it, folks.

Florida pulled out a thriiler Saturday against the Old Ball Coach and the USC Gamecocks.

The game probably cost Florida a lot of credibility in the BCS picture thanks to voters who don’t appreciate the coaching clinic Spurrier put on in the Swamp, but the game was a great chess match. Bottom line is no one else needs to know how huge this win is… Florida fans know, and we can deal with other folks’ right to be wrong.

Such is SEC football, where every game is a war and every win is worth celebrating.

Check this YouTube vid to share in the experience of The Block.

Details here. 

isn’t it rather uncomfortable playing baseball while wearing a belt?

I often like the commentaries of Sports Illustrated’s Frank Deford.  But he’s got this odd tic that just drives me up the wall.  Take his latest column, prompted, I’m guessing, by the complaint that Tiger Woods was being unpatriotic for rooting against American Andy Roddick and for the Swiss Roger Federer in the U.S. Open final.  There - as he has done several times - Deford lambastes Americans for being a “a narrow, jingoistic sports country.”  You see, he’s upset that we don’t appreciate “‘furriners” and pay attention only to sports where Americans are dominant.

Gosh, that’s shocking.  Do you mean that people prefer their own, in general?  That people pay more attention to the goings-on of their own countrymen (and women) than others’?  I’d bet that if we got Mr. Deford in a room and had a bit of time to, er, “interrogate” him (Sen. McCain notwithstanding) we’d figure out pretty quickly that his distaste for the preferences of the people that allow him to pursue a pretty nice life as a sportswriter and commentator runs right along with distaste for what he sees as our “current American tendency toward arrogance and imperiousness” in the world at large.  In other words, those know-nothing red-staters are boobs in sport and politics, don’t ya’ know?

Perhaps more to the point, maybe the explanation for his phenomenon is a bit simpler - maybe the sorts of sports he would like us to take an interest in just aren’t all that interesting to Americans.  Deford made this sort of complaint previously when Americans, in his view, were only paying attention to the Tour de France because an American, Lance Armstrong, was winning.  Well, why else would anyone watch hours upon hours of a cycling race?  “Well, Jacque, the strange beast known as the peloton has continued to move along all together now for five straight days - but, my, isn’t that a lovely thatched roof on that shed and, look, some excitement now, the French along the roads look like they’re trying to surrender to the German cyclist!”  (Sorry, lost control a bit there…)  Ditto goes for soccer - er, excuse me, “football” - European basketball and don’t forget 24-hour Le Mans racing!  You’ll be at the edge of your seats for that one!

Finally, who says we don’t root for foreigners or take interest in them?  Sergio Garcia is one of the most popular players on tour; people love Ernie Els.  If Vijay Singh weren’t such a prickly fellow, he’d be a bigger hit than he is.  I’ve even heard tell that there a few - just a few - players born outside of the US that are pretty popular among American baseball fans.  I mean, c’mon, didn’t we root for the Red Sox in the World Series a few years go - what’s more foreign than Boston?
(Oh, and as an aside, the only thing more silly than complaining that Tiger Woods was rooting for Federer is believing that it actually had anything to do with their “friendship.”  Yep, all those pictures inside the locker room didn’t have anything to do with the fact that their both Nike guys or that they have the same agent.  Nope - theirs is just a mutual admiration society, that’s it…)

I knew yesterday morning that the fuss over ABC’s 9-11 film was going to end up being overblown.  As I checked out with emergency baby supplies at Target, the elderly female cashier smiled and asked me if I’d be “watching the Mannings tonight?”

Based on the ratings, it looks like the Mannings were the overwhelming choice of viewers.  I was one of them.  For what it’s worth, Peyton is substantially better than little brother Eli at this point, but the Giants have a heckuva running game.  It’s hard to believe they lost given the way they were imposing their will on the ground.

Congratulations to the Columbus, Georgia, team on becoming the Little League U.S. Champions today.  The team plays Japan for the world championship tomorrow at 3:30.

Wow.

Looks like the College World Series is just another installment of the ACC Tournament.  Go Tigers!

For beating South Carolina and making it to the College World Series.

The President of the University of North Dakota takes the NCAA to the proverbial woodshed because the NCAA decided in its infinite wisdom that having the “Fighting Sioux” as a nickname was so awful that UND would have to change it or not be able to participate in NCAA events.  I’m guessing that if UND had won, say, a few more big money games like some other schools, they wouldn’t be in so much trouble.  I don’t have a clue as to what sort of legal remedies might be available, but here’s hopin’ the NCAA loses…

I always wondered how soccer hooligans spent their government checks. 

A big Hotty Toddy to the Rebs for laying the smack down on Vanderbilt to win the SEC baseball championship.  If only our football team could do so well…

Yeah, I know.  In the South football is king.   But for me, baseball is still the sport.  I’m a huge college baseball fan and a season ticket holder for my alma mater.  Even though I could do without the DH and the ping of aluminum bats, there is still something pure about college baseball.  Very few kids even have full scholarships–they are playing because they love the game.  And what a game it is. 

This weekend Clemson won the ACC Baseball Tournament.  Now it is time for the NCAA Regional and then Super-Regionals.  Then off to Omaha.  The tournament and Omaha make college baseball.  It’s a lesson college football should learn by scrapping the BCS. 

No doubt you’ve seen the news about the various scandals regarding hazing incidents on college campuses that have now popped up all over the web and embarrassed any number of administrators (and, hopefully, participants).  Jason Whitlock over at ESPN.com thinks all this “scandal” is really a bunch of ado about nuthin’.  As he says, it’s just “another step forward in the gender equality movement, a natural and positive byproduct of Title IX.”  You see, now that we’ve embraced egalitarianism, we shouldn’t be surprised - actually, we should celebrate - that women can now feel free to act like pigs just in the way men have always acted.

Well, and forgive me if I’ve missed Jason’s ironic subtext, that’s right, but in the entirely wrong direction.  Yep, these sorts of hazing incidents do reflect, I think, the broader sense that men and women are the same and that whatever men can (and do) do, women can do as well.  But like so many things in our culture, that’s just come to mean that women can degrade and destroy themselves in ways once reserved for men.  Now they, too, can engage in the bawdiest behavior without fear of social opprobrium, they too can sacrifice everything else to the god of career success, they too can “liberate” themselves from the strictures of social and moral constructs, and they too can embrace lives of “quiet desparation.”  Lovely world we have here.

If you’re a football fan at all, and you don’t read Gregg Easterbrook’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback column, then you are missing out.

 In this week’s edition, Easterbrook critiques every team.  I particularly like his take on Tennessee. 

Norm Chow throws out his famous 300-play playbook and installs the new Vince Young offense. In the new offense, “Spread 26 motion shallow Y-curl X-dig blast” is replaced by “Pass right.” 

Then, check out his takedown of self-appointed draft guru Mel Kiper: 

These things said, part of the fun of Kiper is watching him be all over the map. This year he issued five mock drafts, each contradicting the one before. Mel had the Dolphins going first for Winston Justice, or Ashton Youboty, or Donte Whitner, or Antonio Cromartie; they actually used their first selection on Jason Allen. “If Justice is available, he has got to be the call for Miami,” Mel foresaw; Justice was available and was not the call.

Kiper had the Bucs going first for Cromartie, or Marcus McNeill, or Chad Greenway; they actually used their first-rounder on Davin Joseph. Kiper had Dallas investing its first choice on Jason Allen, or Chad Jackson, or Manny Lawson; the Cowboys chose Bobby Carpenter. Kiper had DeAngelo Williams going as high as 10th or as low as 22nd, being picked by Arizona or New England or Denver; Williams went 27th to Carolina. Kiper had Tamba Hali going as high as 12th to Cleveland or as low as the second round; he went 20th to Kansas City. On March 6, Kiper predicted Oakland would use the seventh overall choice on quarterback Jay Cutler; on March 27, Kiper said “it would be odd” if Oakland used its first pick on a quarterback. (Oakland passed on Cutler.) With its first pick, Jacksonville “could go one of two ways, Thomas Howard or Deuce Lutui.” Both were available when Jax picked, and the team went a third way. At various points, Mel had the Chargers taking Tye Hill or Justice or Jonathan Joseph or Santonio Holmes; San Diego took Cromartie. At various points Kiper predicted the Eagles would take Justice or Holmes or Jackson or Ernie Sims or Greenway; they took Brodrick Bunkley. Surely if any one of his multiple forecasts for any of these teams had been correct, Mel would have claimed to have predicted it!

 

 

Kiper’s player comments are similarly all over the map. Davin Joseph was chosen in the first round; two months before the draft, Mel said Joseph “has a chance to be a second-round pick.” Mark Anderson: “He could be a second-round pick.” Anderson went in the fifth round. A month before the draft, Kiper called Kellen Clemens “a late-round possibility.” Then Kiper forecast Clemens as a second-round choice. As Clemons was chosen in the second round, by Jersey/B (aka the Jets), Kiper said, “That’s a little high for Clemens, considering Brodie Croyle is still available.” In his own final mock, Mel had Clemens going before Croyle. When Detroit took Daniel Bullocks early in round two, Kiper said, “That’s where I thought for him, early round two.” In all his mock drafts, Mel had Bullocks going either late round two or below the second round. Kiper predicted of Denver’s first choice, “They could get a wide receiver or running back. Their key area is defensive end.” Denver used its first choice on a quarterback. The Panthers, Kiper said, “would be hard-pressed to pass on Mercedes Lewis.” They passed on Mercedes Lewis. For the Titans to choose Matt Leinart would be “a no-brainer.” The Titans passed on Leinart. Of course there are hundreds of prospects, and Kiper was exactly right about some of their destinations: he forecast Nick Mangold to the Jets with the 29th selection, for example. But Kiper makes draft predictions the way Kobe Bryant takes shots: they both launch so many that one or two have to fall. My favorite Kiperism this year? When Donte Whitner went eighth overall, Mel said, “That’s about right. I had him going 16th to Miami, but that’s still about right.” Kiper did have Whitner going 16th to Miami — in a January mock. The day before the draft, he forecast Whitner to Cincinnati at the 24th slot. Kiper couldn’t keep his own predictions straight. And who could blame him?

  Hillarious.  Easterbrook’s recent book (The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse) is quite thoughtful and provoking, except when he attempts to be a policymaker.

East v. West!

Hollywood v. the Bible Belt!

Tradition v. New Blood!

I know this isn’t the Tournament final most folks were anticipating, but we do have my Florida Gators taking on the storied UCLA Bruins for the 2006 NCAA Tournament Championship tonight in Indy. I’m making a shameless plea for support from the SA faithful. After dispatching George Mason, Florida took on the role of Tournament villain, but now we need some good vibes to push us past UCLA.

Let’s bring a basketball championship to the South! Go Gators!

For what it’s worth: Gators 71 - Bruins 59

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….yes, almost time for opening day in baseball. My fantasy baseball team is geared up and ready for action. Apropos such, comes this interesting excerpt of the book “Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball’s Lunatic Fringe,” in Friday’s WSJ (link should/may work for nonsuscribers). I passed the link on to a couple of friends on Friday and one guy bought the book and is already half-way finished. Looks good, especially if you love baseball. The intro for the excerpt reads:

Baseball, more than any other sport, is a game of numbers. As more major-league teams turn to scientists and mathematicians to help evaluate ballplayers, this notion has never been more fashionable.

But are algorithms and computer models really better than observation and gut instinct?

During the 2004 season, our sports columnist, Sam Walker, went on a 10-month baseball pilgrimage to seek an answer. He embedded himself in dugouts and clubhouses and interviewed hundreds of ballplayers, scouts and executives. His goal: To use this knowledge to outwit some of baseball’s most talented analysts in the world’s toughest fantasy-baseball league.

Good stuff.

Congrats to my Florida Gators and the Tigers of LSU for storming their way into the 2006 Final Four. Florida will face this year’s Cinderella, George Mason, in the early game Saturday. LSU will tackle the UCLA Bruins in the late game.

(3) Florida v. (11) GMU
Despite GMU’s miracle run, I think it’s midnight for the princess when Florida’s depth, defense, and up-tempo game begin to wear on a GMU team with no bench scoring to speak of. Florida wins a game very similar to the Villanova game, 73-62.

(2) UCLA v. (4) LSU
UCLA is playing very high-energy basketball right now. They refused to give up against a Gonzaga team that had them dead in the water and overwhelmed a perhaps overrated but scrappy Memphis squad. LSU has been slugging it out on the way to the Final Four, and Big Baby Glen Davis is finally living up to his baby-Shaq billing. Florida plays a game very similar to UCLA, and Florida beat LSU twice this season. I hope LSU wins, but I suspect UCLA might be a touch too fast for the Tigers. Geaux Tigers, but I think the Bruins win 77-76.

Here’s hoping for an all-SEC final!

With its overtime win against UConn, the George Mason Patriots are heading to the Final Four, the first No. 11-seed to do so since LSU’s trip in 1986.

To mark the occasion, NRO has posted John Miller’s recent profile of Mason’s fine law school, here.

I don’t know about you, but my NCAA Tournament bracket is just about busted.  Bradley beating Kansas? George Mason? Montana? And isn’t Florida supposed to lose in the first round?  Clearly a Rovian conspiracy to distract from the President’s political troubles….

Until this:

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey rallied behind Barry Bonds on Wednesday, saying allegations that the superstar slugger had long used steroids were part of a long campaign against him tinged with racism.

…

“I don’t think it would be this big a deal if McGwire was still playing and was in the same shoes chasing that record,” he said of McGwire, who is white. “I don’t think they would be spending all this time to dig all this dirt up on him.”

Me: Where was Willie when McGwire was trashed for days, months even, by the national media after his appearance before the Senate committee? Contrary to what he believes, I’m pretty sure they spent quite a bit of time “digging up dirt” on the ol’ white boy.

Anyone familiar with the quote, “perception is reality?”

If you haven’t already, read excerpts on CNNSI from Game of Shadows by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams.  Sounds like the government has the goods on Barry Bonds.  Barry, you have forever tarnished your name. Nice work.

The great Kirby Puckett has passed away.

but I must tip my hat to the fanaticism reflected in this NRO essay by a die-hard Tar Heel.  Now that’s a fan!

Most of you have probably heard this story over the past few days, but I’m not quite sure you’ve had the privilege of seeing the video footage of autistic teen, Jason McElwain draining three-pointers like he was T-Mac instead of J-Mac.

Here’s a portion of the story:

McElwain, who’s autistic, was added to the roster by coach Jim Johnson so he could be given a jersey and get to sit on the bench in the team’s last game of the year.

Johnson hoped the situation would even enable him to get McElwain onto the floor a little playing time.

He got the chance, with Greece Athena up by double-digits with four minutes go to.

And, in his first action of the year, McElwain missed his first two shots, but then sank six three-pointers and another shot (video), for a total of 20 points in three minutes.

Me: I just finished watching it for the 3rd time and darn it, if I don’t keep getting dirt in my eyes…!

BTW, there are couple of different videos on the page that I linked to - make sure to check them both out.

I can remember when the NBA All-Star game was a great event. Certainly a can’t miss venture in the days of three stations and no remote control.

That is no longer the case. The game goes on, but with less interest than ever. Something more is needed to make things interesting and no, I’m not talking about gambling.

A friend of mine has come up with the answer. Click here to check it out if you are any kind of sports fan at all.

Athletes need to stay away from Campbell Soup. I offer you the record:

Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan carries the Campbell Soup banner. She is assaulted by a lackey of Tonya Harding and gets ripped off for the gold medal at the Olympics.

Reggie White of the Green Bay Packers stars in the first “Me and My Mom” commercials for Campbell’s. He becomes embroiled in controversy over remarks given to the Wisconsin legislature, loses the soup deals, and dies young.

Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles replaces White in the “Me and My Mom” series. He has a terrible performance in the Super Bowl, gets cancer in the form of Terrell Owens, and ends up on the sidelines with injuries.

I’ve heard Jerome Bettis was shooting one with his mom in Detroit . . .

I am pulling for the Seahawks, but I predict the Steelers will wiin 31-29. 

ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd is my morning sports talk guy in Athens, Georgia. Readers may recall my having complained about him in the forum before. The last time he raised my ire it was with his utterly inane commentary on religion. This time it is his critical blast at fantasy sports.

Yes, I confess that I am a regular participant in fantasy football leagues each year. With that disclosure, I proceed.

It seems the good Mr. Cowherd is frustrated by the existence of fantasy sports. He spent several minutes today bemoaning the way fantasy sports have polluted real sports with an obsession with statistics and individual achievement over team goals. Furthermore, he noted, fantasy sports focus our attention on something other than the drama of sport.

On many of these points, I must concede. It is true that fantasy sports divert attention from the wins and losses and focus them on touchdowns, yards amassed, fumbles, sacks, etc. The New England Patriots, for instance, have not been of tremendous interest to fantasy sports lovers because the team lacks great statistical performers. He is right. We fantasy football types choose to persist, though, because our derivative sport is simply too much fun.

What is my complaint with Mr. Cowherd, then? File this one under consider the source. Cowherd stands up for the purity of sport, the drama of the game against the fantasy football sideshow. On the other hand, he spends a large fraction of each week’s broadcasts talking about betting on football. Much attention is paid to who will beat the spread and who will fail to cover. This is what “big boys” do, according to Cowherd.

What I’d like to know is how it is superior to root for the Browns to lose by no more than three points than it is to hope Peyton Manning will throw for one more touchdown in the last thirty seconds of the game?