NCAA Basketball Tournament: March is Cruel

Iowa State found out Sunday, March can become a cruel time.

The Cyclones were one play away from forcing overtime against Ohio State. They were maybe 1-2 plays from snatching the victory. Buckeye point guard Aaron Craft took care of all those possibilities when he drilled a three-pointer with less than one second remaining.

The Cyclones were done. Finished. Over. It was time to turn to the “What ifs.”

Iowa State entered the game as a real underdog to No. 2 seeded Ohio State. Cyclone fans knew their team had an excellent change however for an upset. Mid-way through the second half, it looked like Ohio State was going to deliver the knockout punch. The Buckeyes held a double digit lead, but then Iowa State marched back to set up a thrilling, but painful finish for Cyclone followers.

The thrill and agony are what makes March Madness special. All experience it, but ultimately only one team stands. Ohio State continues the thrill into the Sweet 16. Iowa State takes their agony back to Ames, Iowa.

It’s March.

NCAA Basketball Tournament: Iowa State Dominates

It was a total surprise.

The surprise wasn’t that Iowa State defeated Notre Dame in a No. 10 vs. No. 7 match-up. The surprise was how it happened.

Usually these closely seeded teams play close games. Not Friday night in Dayton, Ohio. The Cyclones started fast and attacked the Fighting Irish. The game was over early in the second half. You kept thinking Notre Dame would mount a second-half run. There was none. Iowa State cleared its bench and provided playing time for little-used reserves. Notre Dame played looked like something hit them but they weren’t sure what.

There was another surprise in this game—HOW the Cyclones dominated. Iowa State is known for its three-point shooting. On this night, the Cyclones decided to move the ball inside and take it straight to the Fight Irish. They threw in some three-pointers for good measure. The strategy worked and worked well.

Simply put, Iowa State possessed better athletes than Notre Dame.

The Cyclones move on to play Ohio State in Round 3. This should be an interesting game. The Buckeyes have the athletes to match Iowa State. But if the Buckeyes noticed, Iowa State is an outstanding No. 10 seed.

As one sportscaster likes to say, “This is going to be fun.”

College Basketball Race Wide Open

The last of the mighty fell in college basketball over the weekend.

Duke and Michigan were both undefeated heading into the weekend. Both suffered losses on the road. Duke lost to NC State and Ohio State beat Michigan.

This proves again the absence of an elite team in college basketball this season. Last year, Kentucky was crowned the king before the fact and the Wildcats didn’t disappoint. This season there has been contenders (Indiana Gonzaga, Michigan, Duke), but no WOW team.

March Madness could be especially exciting. Any one of the above mentioned four teams could earn the title or maybe a sleeper squad. Can you say UCLA or North Carolina State? How about Creighton or Wichita State?

Obviously a team needs talent, but getting hot in March and getting some good fortunate could result in a crown with several teams so evenly matched.

Who is your favorite to win the NCAA tournament? Who is your sleeper?

Thumbs Up for This College Football Trend

The college football season has entered the mid-point and it appears defending champion Alabama is the favorite.

But I applaud the Crimson Tide for another thing: playing Michigan in the opening game of the season.

Why do I bring up college football scheduling? Because the tide (no pun intended) is turning.

Alabama and Michigan are just two of many schools who will beef up schedules in the future. It’s all in response to the upcoming national championship playoff series. Teams will desire “named” opponents to further their postseason resume.

Yes, school will continue to play cupcakes but it won’t pad a team’s resume like in the past. Schools wanted to gain easy wins to remain high in the national rankings and BCS (Bowl Championship Series) standings. However, the BCS will die when the playoff system actually begins, so quality wins will mean more.

I imagine teams not in the national chase will continue to play a weaker non-conference schedule so that they can gain bowl eligibility—currently six wins.

But overall, the college football fan will win. There will actually be more interesting non-conference games. Alumni will actually pay for some interesting matchups instead of spending money on its team playing No Name State.

Texas and Ohio State recently announced a series. Look for more big-time college teams to join the scheduling party. This is one party I wish to watch.

Big Ten Conference Race

If you are looking for the cream in the Big Ten Conference this football season, look no farther than the Legends Division.

The Legends could have the Big Ten’s best teams. College football preview guru Phil Steele predicts Nebraska will win the division with Michigan and Michigan State in the two and three positions respectively. Steele believes both Michigan schools could contend for a divisional championship. That’s how evenly matched the three teams look.

The Leaders division is a different story. Wisconsin should win the division easily. In a regular year, Ohio State would challenge but the Buckeyes are ineligible for the title in 2012. That leaves the challengers as Illinois, Purdue, Penn State and Indiana. Can you say weak division? The most excitement could become the battle for fifth place between Penn State and Indiana. With all the problems at Penn State with conflict and player departures, the Hoosiers may have an opportunity to escape last place.

I think the Big Ten has two teams that could make noise on the national stage.

Nebraska finished just 9-4 last season, but the Huskers return seven players each on offense and defense. Nebraska has four difficult conference games with two of those at home. Wisconsin and Michigan come to Lincoln, but the Huskers must travel to Ohio State and Michigan.

Michigan will not contend for a national title, but could place a roadblock in another team’s quest. The Wolverines oppose Alabama in the opener in Arlington, Texas. Michigan has a brutal schedule including true road games at Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State. Its in-state battle with Michigan State is at home.

Who do you like in the Big Ten Conference this season?

Pity This Team's Fans

University of Indiana football doesn’t exactly strike fear in the eyes of its opponents. The Hoosiers are well known for their futility in winning games and their doormat status in the Big Ten Conference.

The last time Indiana participated in a bowl game was 2007. You guessed it: the Hoosiers lost 49-33 to Oklahoma State.

With mediocrity comes apathy. With apathy sometimes comes change. Change is the byword for the coaching job at Indiana. Kevin Wilson is the current guy in charge. In Wilson’s first year (2011), the Hoosier’s lone victory was over FCS (Football Champion Series) South Carolina State. Eleven times Indiana was a loser.

Wilson came to Indiana from Oklahoma. He wanted to bring some of that top-mindedness to Bloomington. But some of the Indiana players didn’t like that style. Consequently, those players are no longer with the team.

The good news is that Indiana’s chances for more victories in 2012 are pretty good. The bad news does anyone care?

The Hoosiers four non-conference games are winnable. They are home against Indiana State and Ball State and away at UMASS and Navy. The Big Ten slate will be rugged as always. Even in their home games (Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin), it is difficult to find a potential victory.

Wilson desires progress in 2012. Will there be enough progress to interest Indiana fans? That is the real question.

Everybody is Cheering for the Northwestern Wildcats

The Northwestern men’s basketball team has never been to the NCAA tournament. I repeat: never!

Sure the Wildcats have had some close calls, but you know what they say about close.

So you can see why everyone is supporting Northwestern’s cause to land that first NCAA bid. People want this underdog to do it.

The Wildcats had a great opportunity last night to grab a signature win against Ohio State and blew it. The Buckeyes won 75-73. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 17-12 overall and 7-10 in the Big Ten Conference. This ‘bubble’ team is working itself off the bubble.

Northwestern is now in serious trouble. It desperately needs a win at Iowa Saturday and a long run in the Big Ten tournament. Anything less could spell the initials NIT (National Invitational Tournament) rather NCAA.

The Wildcats face tough odds. They have been down the road before. They hope the scenery is different this time.

College Basketball Race is Wide Open

The college basketball rankings and the Republican Party have a lot in common lately: they are both in flux.

The college basketball polls took a major reshuffling Monday because of upsets over the weekend. Syracuse lost its No. 1 slot falling at Notre Dame. Two other top-10 teams, Baylor and Duke, both lost at home. Kentucky and Missouri are now No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in both major polls. The question is for how long?

Murray State is the only undefeated team left in the nation. Pollsters are still not giving the mid-major a lot of respect as the Racers are ranked No. 9 and No. 11. Murray State has a chance to remain undefeated in the regular season, but watch out in the postseason.

There are several teams in the hunt for the national title with no clear favorite. Syracuse seems to get some major love, but will a weakened Big East Conference harm the Orange in a title run? How about Kentucky? Possibly. How about Ohio State? Maybe. Duke? Go ahead and insert your team here.

Missouri is an interesting team. But does it have the staying power. That team is extremely quick, shoots well and plays solid defense. The rub is the Tigers only feature seven scholarship players. Will they run out of gas and/or foul out in tight games.

It’s safe to stay only one thing when we get to March. Murray State will not win the national title. March is shaping up to be quite fun. I think this year it will definitely live up to the March Madness term.

The NCAA Slaps Ohio State

The NCAA placed a big ‘ole lump of coal in Ohio State’s Christmas stocking Tuesday.

The Buckeyes were placed on probation through the 2014-2015 academic year. Ohio State will lose three football scholarships per year and also will not play in a 2012 bowl game.

Depending upon who you listen to either Ohio State was punished too severely or the Buckeyes were fortune the infractions weren’t worse.

The laughable version was Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith. He said that Ohio State was disappointed with severity of the NCAA decision but was not going to appeal it. Frankly, Smith should be thankful he still has his job. Another thankful person regarding job security should be President Gordon Gee. I’m quite surprised these guys continue in their jobs.

Ohio State did the crime and it should do the time. Many were wondering if the NCAA would come down hard on one of its treasured athletic programs and I think the NCAA made a statement. How strong a statement will probably be determined in the future.

Will the sanctions hurt Ohio State? Losing one bowl game should have minimal consequences. Losing three scholarships per season should hurt a bit, but it basically means Ohio State will not be able to stockpile players as much as it did in the past.

I’m glad the NCAA came down on Ohio State. Cheating should not be tolerated. Hopefully the NCAA will continue to punish wrongdoers. It’s the right way to clean up college athletics.

No Surprise: Urban Meyer Returns to Coaching

Urban Meyer missed his view from a college football sideline. Ohio State had an opening and a need for a stable, proven hire. The Urban Meyer-Ohio State marriage became official Monday.

Walking away from Florida after the 2010 season, many questioned how long Meyer would remain an unemployment football coach. Despite some health issues, Meyer was only in his 40s.

Meyer says his health is good now and wanted to get back into the coaching profession. He was a color commentator for ESPN during the 2011 season.

Meyer took the job before the NCAA announced sanctions on Ohio State. Both parties must be comfortable in facing the potential penalties.

Meyer is obviously going to make lots of money. The pressure will be tremendous, however. Ohio State always has high expectations. The expectations will become even higher now. People want to forget all the problems of the coach Jim Tressel era. Remember this is Ohio State. The Buckeyes expect to win and win big regardless of sanctions.

But you have to wonder if Meyer made the right decision. Will his health go sour again under the pressure of being a type of savior? In the past, he encountered heart issues. This job will put that condition to an extreme test.

College Basketball Junkie

OIf you are a college basketball junkie, these 24 hours are for you. ESPN’s Tip-Off Marathon is in full swing.

I count 10 games today on the ESPN networks starting at 5 a.m. in the central time zone. Of course there were games before during the late-night and early morning hours. For example, Northern Iowa played in California and had a 1 a.m. Iowa starting time. Whew. Was the postgame meal dinner or breakfast?

I am looking forward to the Baylor-San Diego State game at 1 p.m. central. Baylor has restocked its roster and it will be interesting to see how the new messes with the old.

Most people will look to the night action. Duke and Michigan State is one game, while Florida-Ohio State is another. The last major draw is Kentucky-Kansas. I wonder while these teams aren’t playing a 2 o’clock in the morning. I know why and so do you. It’s all about television sets and ratings.

Usually it takes me a while to warm up to the college basketball season. I’m coming off the baseball season and football is still in high gear. But if it is ESPN’s desire to tempt me, the network is doing a good job.

Enjoy the basketball junkies.

Watching College Football

Another full list of college football today (Saturday). I read that there are still 13 unbeaten teams heading into today’s action. This might take time to slice that number.

Don’t know why, but I think the TV games are a little weak for Oct. 15. I plan on looking in on Baylor-Texas A&M. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is one of the most exciting players in the game this season. He is electric.

I am also planning to watch a little Oklahoma State-Texas action. Not too many people outside of the Texas family would mind if the Longhorns receive a major whipping.

Iowa-Northwestern also holds some interest. The Wildcats have been a major pain in Iowa’s side in recent years. It seems Iowa loses its focus when its plays Northwestern. Focus shouldn’t be a problem this season because the Hawkeyes badly need a victory.

I don’t understand ABC’s fascination with Ohio State this year. The Buckeyes aren’t that good. Maybe Ohio State is the football counterpart of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Maybe ABC is really airing the game because of ranked Illinois.

Enjoy the games whatever ones you watch.

More Trouble With the Ohio State Buckeyes

Shame, shame on Ohio State. When will this mess ever end?

The NCAA suspended three Buckeye football players this week for accepting payments regarding summer work. It seems the players received more money than the actual amount of hours worked. Hmm. I bet it wasn’t $2 or $3 dollars more either.

I have lost track of the number of football players at Ohio State with off the field issues. Could the water boy or the cheerleaders be next?

What is Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith doing in all this besides carefully crafting media spin? And where is Ohio State President Gordon Gee? His silence is deafening. And how about the NCAA? It suspends the players for one whole game (this week against Nebraska). Big deal.

Both Ohio State and the NCAA have work to do in cleaning up this football nightmare. It’s gone too long and too far.

Russell Wilson Proves Anew He is a Winner

I must admit it was pretty hard seeing Russell Wilson in the motion “W” helmet last night representing the Wisconsin football team.

I followed the guy for three years at North Carolina State. But as they stay, “Life goes on.”

Wilson is an impact player and I knew he would perform extremely well at Wisconsin. He gave Badger fans a taste last night. Wilson threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another (46 yards) in Wisconsin’s destruction of UNLV. Wilson went 10-for-13 passing and totaled 62 yards on two carries. It was a typical Wilson performance really.

The laughable part was reading Internet message boards later. Some people think Wilson needs to prove his ability against a proven team. They weren’t impressed with Wilson against an outmanned opponent.

Believe me folks Wilson will perform against the big boys. He’s a former All-ACC quarterback and won’t become fazed facing the likes of Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan State or Penn State.

Badger fans were giddy over the summer when they learned Wilson was coming to their team. Last night, the rest of the teams on Wisconsin’s schedule realized why they weren’t so giddy.

Texas A&M Soap Opera

Seriously, isn’t this Texas A&M ordeal just like a soap opera?

Rumors were wild over the weekend the Aggies were indeed leaving the Big 12 Conference for the Southeastern (SEC) Conference. But as it turns out, there was a major problem. Like a guy calling up a gal for a date, the SEC said no thanks to Texas A&M.

Some believe the SEC may invite the Aggies in the future, but for now the SEC is staying with its 12 members.

This is shaping up to become a major public relations problem for Texas A&M. The Aggies obviously want out of the Big 12 and the SEC won’t welcome them with a lovely flowers and a huge paycheck.

Texas A&M must now heal some burned bridges with its Big 12 brethren. I seriously doubt if it can repair the trust issue however. And maybe the Aggies don’t really care. They may choose to bide their time until a potential SEC offer comes.

Meanwhile, the Big 12’s future is in doubt. It’s a mess. As one sports commentator said, the difference between the Big 12 schools and the Big Ten schools is that the Big 12 teams are only looking out for themselves. Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten are looking out for the bottom teams like Indiana and Minnesota (equal revenue), whereas teams such as Texas and Texas A&M want to become the center of its universe.

In its current state, the Big 12 may become a true feeder league for other conferences. If that happens, you can turn out the lights on the league.

Ohio State's Window Dressing

The Ohio State football program and the entire athletic department have a huge problem. And if they keep making decisions like last week, the toxic environment will not improve anytime soon.

Ohio State decided to forfeit his victories during the 2010 season. Big deal. Who cares?Did the Buckeyes think they would appease the NCAA with this action?

I have written in the past that forfeiting previous seasons’ games make no real sense. The opposing teams and fans don’t care. People will always look at the record as it was before the forfeit. You think some team will take solace from getting destroyed and then starting bragging that it really won the game? Yeah right.

If the Buckeyes really wanted to “man-up” they would have forfeited 2011 home games, limited scholarships and agreed to not appear on television for one year.

But like the little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Ohio State frankly is hoping for mercy from the NCAA. It obviously thinks forfeiting meaningless games will help. I beg to differ.

I sense the NCAA will beg to differ too. And I hope the organization will come down hard on the Buckeyes. Cheating is cheating and the NCAA needs to make a strong statement. If the NCAA doesn’t bite Ohio State hard, why is there an NCAA?

Fairness requires major sanctions and fairness needs action.

Paying College Athletes

There has been plenty of discussion in recent weeks about paying college athletes. I think the mess with Ohio State and the situation with Cam Newton at Auburn helped fuel the talk.

The Big Ten Conference mentioned the subject. The ‘ole ball coach, Steve Spurrier, also gave his two cents. Some think if players are paid however, the power conferences will have a huge advantage because of their major resources.

In a sense, college players are already paid. They receive scholarships in the form of room and broad. We also know some players garner extra benefits from those who (boosters) want to buck the system.

Would paying players stop this under the table stuff? I doubt it. You would have to offer some kids plenty of legal money to stop that practice. And frankly, that will not happen.

I’m a sports traditionalist so I haven’t ever been too keen on paying players. But maybe a small monthly stipend all universities/colleges could afford would be okay.

This to pay or not to pay debate will linger for a long, long time. Maybe the NCAA powers should focus on cleaning up the infractions in college sports and then this pay issue might take care of itself.

Do you think college athletes should be paid?

Terrelle Pryor Makes Good Choice

Sorry about the lack of posting last week. I was in Wisconsin and then I fell ill during my time there.

Feeling ill might characterize the state of Ohio State fans. But consider the good news Buckeye fans. Things can only become better.

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor made a good decision last week and resigned from the program. Pryor was set to miss the first five games of his senior season anyway due to the famous tattoo incident. With more controversy swirling regarding his association with car dealers, Pryor declared an ‘uncle.” He decided to explore opportunities at the next level.

How that will play out is anybody’s guess, but it’s a good thing for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are like a player with a badly injured knee. Instead of trying to continue to play with many distractions, Ohio State is the now the beneficiary of a surgery. First coach Jim Tressel resigned and now Pryor. The healing may take a long time, but the necessary steps have occurred.

By the way Buckeye fans, there is still an outstanding quarterback available for one season. Russell Wilson could make fans forgot about strife off the field with his play on the field.

The problem is that Wilson will probably have many suitors. I can guarantee that if he ended up at Wisconsin, Ohio State and other Big Ten Conference schools won’t enjoy it.

Ohio State's Jim Tressel Gone: Who's Next to Fall for Buckeyes?

It’s seems there is plenty of blame to go around Columbus, Ohio these days. After Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel resigned on Monday, you wonder if there are other dominoes ready to fall.

Reports are now out about an independent investigation regarding Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. It seems Pryor has allegedly had several relationships with car dealers in the past and has allegedly driven various cars. Pryor, a senior this fall, is in definite hot water and you wonder if he will compete at all this fall. He is already suspended for the first five games due to the famous tattoo incident that raised its ugly head late 2010.

Some are calling for the heads of Ohio State President Gordon Gee and athletic director Gene Smith. Both men seemed in full support of Tressel until his announcement yesterday. Many thought the two Ohio State leaders should have fired Tressel long ago.

My gut feeling is Gee will keep his job. He is well respected in the academic community and is credited with taking The Ohio State University to greater heights. Gee created controversy during last football season however, when he accused the TCU football program of playing little sisters of the poor. He later apologized. Maybe the guy should stick solely to academics and fundraising.

Smith might not survive this mess. I suspect the media will continue to pound on Smith for his direction during this unprecedented time in Ohio State athletics. He is the boss and the boss is looking bad.

Of course, we haven’t heard the final report from the NCAA. If that thing is really ugly, the Buckeyes may want to clean house.

Ohio State's Jim Tressel Does the Right Thing

The famous sweater vest is leaving Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel announced today (Memorial Day) that he is quitting his job.

Tressel, who modeled a sweater vest often on the sidelines, made a good call resigning. From tattoos to lying, Tressel’s tenure the last year has been one big controversy. I’m surprised he didn’t hang it up long before now.

Tressel has been dodging so many bullets you thought he was in a gangster movie. The problem was this was no fake movie, but real life. Tressel has made some serious mistakes and he has paid for them and will probably continue to pay for them. Lying about his lack of knowledge about player activities was his biggest sin. The CEO at one of the biggest college football factories in the country should have known covering up would get him thrown out of the game.

But people do make mistakes and sometimes serious ones. Tressel will move on and somebody will hire him again. He has been too successful in the college ranks to retire the sweater vest forever.

This does beg one question, however. The NCAA will penalize Ohio State for the football infractions. Did the Buckeyes part ways with Tressel to lessen the potential penalties? From my corner, it obviously smells like it.

***********************************************************************
MY PERSONAL THANK-YOU. On this Memorial Day, I give a large shout out to the men and women of our military. Their sacrifices help keep America free. Thank you for all you do.