Conference Tournaments ARE Meaningful

GoneGator    College Basketball    

Doug Gottleib needs to do his homework before opening his mouth.

For three days, I’ve listened to this ESPN college basketball “analyst” rationalize an early exit by a potential No. 1 seed as having no bearing on their NCAA seeding or their national title hopes.

First he rationalized No. 2-ranked Pittsburgh’s loss to West Virginia in the Big East quarterfinals. Then No. 3 UConn’s loss to Syracuse in the same round. Now, No. 1 North Carolina’s loss to Florida State in the ACC semifinals.

In fact, Gottleib suggested that it might be a good thing that those teams lost so they can be more rested as they enter the NCAA Tournament.

That struck me as wrong-headed, so I did some research and discovered that the road to the national championship followed a familiar route in recent years.

The last five NCAA champions:

• 2008: Kansas Jayhawks. Warmed up by winning the Big 12 Tournament.
• 2007: Florida Gators. After winning the SEC Tournament.
• 2006: Florida. Won the SEC Tournament.
• 2005: North Carolina Tar Heels. Lost in ACC Tournament semifinals.
• 2004: Connecticut Huskies. Won the Big East Tournament.

So, four of the past five NCAA champions also won their conference tournament. And I’d bet that any of those teams would agree that the experience they gained winning their conference tourneys — by winning three games in three days — better prepared them for the grind of the Big Dance.

Doug, are you paying attention?

Finally, there’s the most important reason conference tournaments matter. If you win one, you get to raise a championship banner over your home court that will be there forever.

I don’t recall banners being raised very often for earning a No. 1 seed.

Petri Dish Politics: It’s What’s for Dinner

GoneGator    Economy, Florida Gators, Politics     Barack Obama, Florida Gators, population control

It’s been too long since my last blog post, but several things have been beating me down. Illness. Economic meltdown. Winter blues. So rather than focus on a single subject, I’m gonna hit you with some recent ruminations.

A verbal drive-by, if you will, in a nod to my pal Miss Andrea.

Let’s start with the Florida Gators. Right now, I’m watching them get their asses beat in Gainesville by the hated Tennessee Volunteers. Just as I feared, the Gators’ weak early-season slate (their strength of schedule ranks 101st in Division I) has left them totally unprepared for the intensity of the stretch run. And it’s looking more likely that a second straight NIT bid awaits.

As the Gators struggle, President Barack Obama is backing his campaign rhetoric with action in the form of ambitious plans and proposals that at once inspire and scare the shit out of me.

I firmly support his three-pronged strategy to reform our health care system, foster energy independence and a green economy, and ensure that Americans are the most educated population in the world. But I just can’t see how he’ll pay for it without raising taxes across the board.

So a theory hit me today (one that relies upon the Dems holding onto power for 12-16 years): Obama and the Democrats are gambling on this “new new deal” being a runaway success, delivering myriad benefits of undeniable value to society. Affordable health care. Better roads and bridges. Cleaner, cheaper energy. Reformed entitlements. World-class education.

If that becomes our reality, the majority will come to happily rely upon the feds for essential services. Then when they stick us with the bill by raising taxes, we might not mind as much.

Dems may deny it, but we are headed down a more socialist road. And perhaps that is necessary as our nation’s population grows too large to be supported by a purely capitalist system.

That provides a nice segue to some thoughts on population control. Genesis 1:28 (yes, I’m quoting the good book) commands us to “be fruitful and multiply,” but when those words were written I doubt anyone imagined a world of 6.8 billion souls. There are simply too many people inhabiting the planet, and they’ve stretched the world’s resources to the breaking point.

We must make population control a priority. Nothing would go further toward solving the world’s crises.

Having a large family in this day and age is one of the most selfish acts I can imagine. That’s why it infuriates me to hear news of the birth of quadruplets, quints, and now even octuplets. What are these people thinking? If you need in virto fertilization to have a child, perhaps nature — or your God, if you believe in such — is making its own attempt at population control.

In an op-ed piece last year in the Roanoke Times, Robert F. Boyd wrote:

“What kind of world will we have if we are crowded together like a colony of rats? Are we no better than the planet’s ‘lower’ animals? If not, we too may suffer the fate of overpopulation, famine and possibly extinction.”

The answer is not a Chinese-style limit on offspring. I do not believe couples should be denied their right to have a family, if that’s what they desire and they are able.

But they must have a plan. And that requires sex education (sorry GOP) and an altruistic world view. (You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.)

Consider your motivation to have a child and your ability to care for one. Think about the impact on the lives of others. No matter what you decide, practice birth control.

And please — put down the damn tubes and Petri dishes. If you can’t conceive naturally and still must have a child, there are plenty of unwanted children waiting to be adopted.

Lane Kiffin’s Bones Will Be Urban’s Bread

Lev Davidovich Wuerffel    College Football     Florida Gators, Lane Kiffin, Tennessee, Urban Meyer

Oh, Lane, you just don’t know what you’re getting into, do you? If you don’t know, Mr. Kiffin is the new coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, who must have been mighty impressed by that 5-15 record he posted as coach of the Oakland Raiders.

Mr. Kiffin surely thinks he has brass balls: he’s got a hot model wife, he’s coach of a major program at 33, his dad is the great Monty Kiffin, formulator of the Tampa 2 defense and now his defensive coordinator. When ol’ Lane was hired at UT, at his first press conference he barked about looking forward to singing “Rocky Top” all night after beating Florida. Well, you know, I’m sure Urban Meyer didn’t sweat that one too much; after all, a new coach needs to fire up the faithful a bit. But Meyer’s a pretty intense and bitter motherfucker, and I suspect Urban filed that one away to wave like a red cape in front of Tim Tebow on September 19, the day the Gators hook up with the Vols in the Swamp. But still, no real biggie.

But that wasn’t enough for Lane. This morning, in front of a crowd of UT boosters, he suggested that a phone call that Meyer made during the open contact period of recruiting to former Gator commitment Nu’Keese Richardson while Keese was visiting with UT coaches was a recruiting violation. (It’s not). Quoth Lane: “I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn’t get him.”

After being called out by UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley for stating a falsehood and slandering Meyer, and after being formally reprimanded by SEC kingpin Mike Slive, Kiffin apologized this evening.

But the damage has been done.

A little advice from a Gator, Lane: don’t fuck with Urban. He’s going to want to beat you badly enough without you poking at him. But I’m guessing that you just rocketed to the top of his list of things to do. And I can picture Timmy and Brandon Spikes pushing each other through bench press reps or stadium repeats by hollering your name at one another. Seriously, dude, you just entered the SEC East: the nastiest shark tank of hyper-driven little fascist coaches ever assembled. Spurrier, Richt, and Meyer are just waiting to torch your ass, and Rich Brooks and Bobby Johnson aren’t slouches. And keep in mind that the Great Satan, Nick Saban, and his ridiculous recruiting classes, are on your annual schedule, too.

I’m sure your players will appreciate your big mouth when Tebow is still throwing deep routes with 90 seconds left in a 73-3 game. And one last suggestion: keep Nu’Keese off the field if you want him to be available past his second college game.

No Respect for SEC Hoops as Gators Hide

GoneGator    College Basketball, Florida Gators     Billy Donovan, Jeremy Foley, Nick Calathes

I’m not sure what to make of the fact that as conference play began in earnest this week, the SEC was getting absolutely no respect (at least on the men’s side).

This week’s AP poll featured only one SEC team: Tennessee, hanging on at No. 24 (and certainly out of next week’s poll after its blowout loss to Kentucky at home last night). The coaches’ poll was completely void of SEC schools. And it’s hard for anyone down South to complain.

Oh, where have you gone, Florida Gators?

Remember them, the back-to-back NCAA champions in 2006 and ’07? As of this writing, Florida may have the league’s best overall record at 14-2, but it doesn’t have a signature victory (unless you want to count a road win at UWashington back in November). The Gators lost their highest profile games — to Syracuse (89-83) and Florida State (57-55).

Florida is a long way from getting any sort of Top 25 consideration.

And for that, I blame Billy Donovan and Florida A.D. Jeremy Foley. God love ‘em, but they did the program no favors this season by lining up a pathetically weak pre-conference schedule for the second year in a row.

A pattycake slate made sense last season, after losing all five starters from its national-title teams. But this year? With so many players returning from a team that made it to the 2008 NIT Final Four, there was little reason for the Gators to crawl into the season like a bunch of newbies. Donovan should have set them up with plenty of challenges to toughen them for an NCAA run in 2009.

I mean, really … Southern Utah? Florida Gulf Coast? Stetson? Longwood? Couldn’t the Gators have replaced a couple of those games with major-conference matchups on national TV?

The only way Nick Calathes and Co. are going to learn what it takes to win championships is to compete against championship-caliber teams. They did little of that leading up to this SEC season. As things stand, I believe the Gators need to win 11 or 12 regular-season conference games to earn NCAA Tournament at-large consideration. In a down year for the SEC, that certainly is achievable.

And if Florida doesn’t make the Big Dance this year?

Fans mights start wishing Donovan had not left the Orlando Magic at the altar.

… It’s Great To Be A Florida Gator!

GoneGator    College Football, Florida Gators    

Ahmad Black’s steal of an interception. Riley Cooper in his swan song before heading to pro baseball. Percy Harvin at only 90 percent(!). Aaron Hernandez on shuttle passes. Big-game receiver David Nelson. Tim Tebow being Tim Tebow. And the SEC’s BEST DEFENSE. Gators rule yet again! Thank you Urban Meyer!

… Screw You Sooners! Gators Over Oklahoma

GoneGator    College Football, Florida Gators, Prognostication    

I’ve consulted with friends, family, seers, and most importantly my rabbit hound Big Boy, and have concluded that Florida will win big tonight over Oklahoma. Let’s call it a 10-point margin with an O/U of 75. Go Gators!

Getting Serious About College Basketball

GoneGator    College Basketball, Florida Gators    

I just bit the bullet and ordered ESPN Full Court so I can see every Florida Gators game the rest of the season. I think today’s win over N.C. State is going to be a turning point, and I don’t want to miss what comes next.

Is Tyrod Taylor Following in Marcus Vick’s Footsteps?

GoneGator    College Football     Frank Beamer, Jim Weaver, Marcus Vick, Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech sophomore QB Tyrod Taylor is an unquestionable talent. But he’s also an undeniable prick on the field, witnessed at least three times during the Orange Bowl:

• after a sideline run when he pushed the ball in his tackler’s face;
• at the end of his touchdown run when he tucked his hand behind his helmet as he pushed the ball across the goal line, dancing inside the pylon; and
• during a post-game celebration pose — leaning back, arms crossed, head bobbing.

Those were not isolated incidents. Throughout his two seasons, Tyrod — the supposed team-first player — has shown an oh-so-subtle flair for taunts and showboating in almost every game in which he appears. Subtle, because he taunts in a hit-and-run style that can go unnoticed. Methinks he gets away with it because of his innocent, baby face — and his 13-2 record as a starter.

But the Hokies should be embarrassed. And no one moreso than coach Frank Beamer.

What happened to Beamer’s get-tough policy? In the wake of the infamous Marcus Vick chest stomp in 2005 and other incidents that were tarnishing the Hokies’ program, Beamer announced before the 2006 season a set of escalating penalties for unsportsmanlike play.

And don’t forget this quote from Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver in January 2006 after he (not Beamer) dismissed Vick from the program:

“Additionally, let me make it clear, to everyone, that Virginia Tech, myself and Head Coach Frank Beamer; will never put a single player above the integrity of this program or this great University. We owe that much to the players of the past who have helped put Virginia Tech on the map, and to the thousands of Tech fans who take pride in this program.”

But Beamer and Weaver seem to be turning a blind eye to Tyrod’s antics.

(Or am I the only one who sees this? Refs did not throw a flag on either of the Orange Bowl incidents I saw, TV commentators said nothing, and Hokie fans I know are silent.)

Evidently, Beamer either cannot discipline Taylor, or is afraid to. And because of that, I’m convinced that sooner or later, Tyrod is going to have his chest-stomping moment and prove himself to be just another Hampton Roads punk like the Vick brothers before him.

Tyrod, prove me wrong. Stop the posing and the taunting. Don’t waste your talent. Just play ball.

And Frank, grow a pair and do something about this before Taylor revives unfair talk of VT being Thug U.

Bowl Preseason Wasn’t Pretty

GoneGator    College Football, Prognostication    

The bowl “preseason” was not kind to me — I correctly picked the winner in only 3 of 8 games (though I am quite proud of my Notre Dame pick). The real games start today with both FSU and Miami trying to kick off their 2009 campaigns in style. I hope they do; I picked them both.

Let’s Go Bowling!

GoneGator    College Football, Prognostication, Uncategorized    

I know you’ve been anxiously anticipating my bowl picks, so without further delay, here they are — with the bowls’ older, traditional names where at all possible. Screw the sponsors.