2nd ranked Hoosiers go down in Assembly Hall on senior night

Posted on March 6, 2013 by susan

2 Indiana lost to 14 Ohio State at home last night on senior night, 67 – 58.  Kind of a surprise to me, I expected Indiana to be up to the task in this game.  They not only had a full house to show their appreciation on senior night (great sign in crowd, “best team, best pants”, red and white striped warm ups); they also had the opportunity to win the Big Ten regular season title outright, something they have not done in twenty years.  They can still win a share of the regular season title but the door was open and they could not jog through it.  This occurred in large part because Ohio State just took the game from them.  Not only did the Buckeyes make numerous steals of the ball, they just seemed to play harder and want the game more.  Always an adventure in the Big Ten this year.  Used to be that the ACC was considered the best conference in college basketball.  They are certainly still one of the best (and with the additions coming next year, will be even better), but this year while there has been no dominant team, one could certainly argue there has been a dominant conference, The Big Ten.


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Duke says thank you and good bye to three seniors

Posted on March 5, 2013 by susan

3 Duke bid farewell on senior night at Cameron Indoor stadium to three huge stars, Ryan Kelly, Mason Plumlee, and Seth Curry.  All three were playing their final home game for the Dukies, and were big factors in a definitive victory over Virginia Tech, final score 85 – 57.  Kelly, playing in his second game back after an injury which kept him out for over half of the season game up one rebound shy of a double double, scoring 18 points with 9 rebounds.  Curry had 20 points and Plumlee finished with 14 points.  With Kelly back in the lineup, look for Duke to be very tough in the ACC Tournament, perhaps a Duke – Miami final for the Tournament title and also go deep in the journey to the tourney, destination Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA.

This was Duke’s 17th consecutive undefeated year in games played at home (Cameron Indoor)!  Tres impressive.


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Tuesday night basketball games to look forward to…

Posted on March 5, 2013 by admin

Tuesday night offers us a college basketball game and a NBA game of interest to tune into.  14 Ohio State travels to Indiana to take on the 2nd ranked Hoosiers.  Big Ten is awesome this year.  Would expect Indiana to prevail at home, but still, you never know!  Also, VT will face 3 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the Dukies home finale.

NBA will feature Kobe and the Lakers traveling to Oklahoma to take on OKC and Kevin Durant, and oh, yeah, that guy, Serge Ibaka.  After all the controversy concerning his “groin punch” on Clippers’ Blake Griffin, there have been some interesting comments coming out of the Lakers’ camp.  Kobe has been quoted as saying he would “punch him in the mouth”.  What?  No, come on Kobe, I have been blogging all season about how you were above all this craziness of grown men behaving badly.  Don’t let me down.  Remember, What would Kobe do?  Rise above it, man.!!!  Dwight Howard said he may just elect to wear a cup!  Well, if that doesn’t set the table for you as far as tonight’s match up, I don’t know what will!

Update: Ibaka fined $25k for “groin punch” on Blake Griffin.  Probably won’t put a big dent in his wallet.  Still, remember the Lakers come a calling tonight, and they have this guy who plays for them who calls himself  Metta World Peace, the artist formerly known as Ron Artest.  This could be really good!


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Pop Culture update…I am a card carrying member of JLaw fan club!

Posted on March 5, 2013 by admin

OK, I am gonna own up to it.  I am now officially a card carrying member of the Jennifer Lawrence fan club.  She is superb!  She is also very real and completely unfiltered and engaging.  Love her!  Watched the movie Winter’s Bone a few days ago, this was the film she received her first Oscar nomination for (last year).  She did not win that year, Meryl did, but she did win every Best Actress award in sight this year, including the Oscar, for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook.  Winter’s Bone was dark, gritty and was a outstanding performance by Jennifer.  Still, gotta say, her tremendous performance in in Silver Linings Playbook moved me.  OK, enough, I am starting to gush…


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Exhibition tennis in Madison Square Garden

Posted on March 5, 2013 by admin

Last night the Paribas Open Exhibition took place in Madison Square Garden featuring Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro.  Rafa was making his first appearance on a hard court after his serious knee injury.  He has been busy competing in South America on his beloved clay courts.  Del Potro won the match, 7 -6, 6-4.  This was, of course, an exhibition match.  There were some wild and crazy antics to go along with the “serious” tennis.  Still gotta say, Rafa looks like he is ready to compete at Indian Wells in a little over a week.  Great to see him back and cannot wait to see the big four at Indian Wells, 1 Djokovic, 2 Federer, 3 Murray and 4 Nadal.  (Remember, I love Roger Federer!)  Also, good to see del Potro making such inroads into being a threat to unseat one of the big four at a major event.  Interestingly, the commentators last evening made a rather bold prediction, that as good as Rafa is looking, they did not expect him to win his 8th French Open title.  They believe the man from Serbia (Djokovic) will take it from him.  Um…OK, first things first, let’s see how the big four look at Indian Wells, CA first (albeit on a hard court, not clay)!  The other evening’ s match was between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.  These two women are so close atop the WTA rankings, there is virtually no distance between them with Serena currently at #1 by the slimmest of margins.  Serena won this match, 6 -4, 6-3.  These two seem to have a very friendly rivalry (always refreshing to see) and there is talk of them doing some karaoke together.  Perhaps Victoria’s BF, LMFAO lead singer can give them some pointers!

In another Paribas Open exhibition match in Hong Kong, Radwanksa defeated Wozniacki 6 -4, 6-4.  In the battle of the “old guys” Johny Mac prevailed over Lendl.  Calm down, John, don’t yell at me, I am just calling it like I see it, “older guys” sound better?


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How about a bit of NBA drama?

Posted on March 4, 2013 by susan

After OKC’s Serge Ibaka received a flagrant one foul for his punch to the groin of the Clippers’ Blake Griffin, the LA Lakers are on high alert.  They will travel to OKC to face the Thunder on Tuesday night.  Kobe Bryant said that kind of play deserves a punch in the mouth (oh my, come on Kobe, I have blogged all season about you not engaging in this kind of ridiculous drama!).  Dwight Howard said in an interview he may just elect to wear a cup.  Let’s hope this game is entertaining tomorrow evening without any unnecessary fireworks!  Should be interesting…


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No upsets in college basketball on Monday

Posted on March 4, 2013 by susan

Monday evening’s college basketball games with ranked teams in action ended without drama (unusual for this season in CBB!)

4 Kansas over Texas Tech at home, 79 – 42.  8 Louisville over Cincinnati at home, 67 – 51.  Stay tuned…it is only Monday!


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College basketball games on Monday night, and more…

Posted on March 4, 2013 by admin

Monday night will feature the newly 4th ranked Kansas Jayhawks hosting Texas Tech.  Also, on ESPN at 7:00 pm EST, Cincinnati will visit 8 Louisville.

Will we have a upset, followed by students storming the court?  Probably not tonight since the ranked teams are the home teams.  Still, this brings up a very interesting and controversial topic which has received a lot of press and scrutiny after last week’s loss by Duke at UVA.  The Virginia students stormed the court to celebrate the victory over the Dukies.  After all, when just about anyone beats Duke, they storm the court.  Coach K has been very vocal with his criticism of these court storming escapades and expresses his concern for the safety of his players and staff.  Well, there are two sides to this story and both are very valid.  Yes, the safety of the players and staff of the team that has been beaten are important.  Coach K says he just want to make sure that in this scenarioss_gt_photo1, his team and coaching staff are allowed to get off the court safely before the jubilation spills onto the floor.  Certainly makes sense.  But, whether in basketball or football, this is a long standing tradition, when a top program or big rival goes down in defeat, students celebrate.  They storm the field, and/or the court.  This has been happening since the beginning of time.  I remember being at a GT vs. Auburn game in the early 2000’s when Auburn was preseason #1 and Georgia Tech behind freshman QB Reggie Ball (yes, Tech fans, Reggie had his good moments) defeated Auburn and the students not only stormed the field,  they tore down the goal posts and carried the south end goal posts clear across the field and out of the stadium to the Edge Center.  Hey, a few years back when Georgia Tech beat Clemson, I went out on the field to celebrate.  Yes, I did and I will post a pic.  It was special.  But I do know there are countless stories of people being injured in these kinds of wild and crazy celebrations.  So I ask all of you, what is the solution?  Do we try to put an end to something that likely cannot be contained?  Do we maybe do as Coach K suggests, and when it is a tightly contained area like a basketball court and a top team is going down, take them off the court early to ensure their safety?  Still not going to protect the students from all the craziness going on out on the court once the “party” begins, however.  Gee, what is the answer here?


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“Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!”

Posted on March 4, 2013 by susan

March 4, 1993, twenty years ago today, Jimmy Valvano received the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the ESPY Awards.  This marks the twentieth anniversary of what is without a doubt, one of the most moving and greatest speeches in the history of sports award shows, and perhaps life in general.  Jimmy V was literally on his deathbed, his body consumed with cancerous tumors, but he was determined to make the trip to receive his award and speak to those who had known and supported him in the world of sports.  He and his wife were accompanied on the plane trip by Coach K and his wife who recalled today on ESPN just how week and sick Jimmy V was, throwing up constantly.  He did not see how he would possibly be able to attend the event and make a speech.  But hey, we are talking about Jimmy V, a man whose foundation for cancer research has the motto made famous in that speech, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!”  Watching the replay today, I cried.  I remember watching it twenty years ago, and I cried.  If this does not move you, you need to check yourself, to say you are missing a sensitivity chip would be a gross understatement!  On that night, Jimmy V struggled to make it to the podium and then proceeded to announce that he would be ignoring the blinking green light letting him know his “time was up”.  Time was precious to him, as it should be in all our lives.  Life is precious and you never know when…anyhow, he went on to talk about the three keys to a successful and full day, 1) laugh (so important!), 2) think, and 3) be moved to tears (ie feel something that moves you).  Do those three things he said, and you have had a GREAT day!  How wise was Jimmy V!  He signed off by saying that while his body was ravaged by cancer, it would never destroy his mind, his heart and his soul.  They all live on even today.  Every time you see him say those now famous words, “don’t give up, don’t ever give up”, cry, smile and let it be a motto by which we all should aspire to live.  And also, give anything you can to support cancer research!


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Drumroll please…we have yet a new #1 in college basketball

Posted on March 4, 2013 by admin

In what has been an absolutely crazy year so far in college basketball, the latest AP Poll is out and we have a brand new #1.  Gonzaga has ascended to the top of the heap, at least for this week!  The AP Poll top ten is as follows: 1 Gonzaga, 2 Indiana, 3 Duke, 4 Kansas, 5 Georgetown, 6 Miami, 7 Michigan, 8 Louisville, 9 Kansas State, 10 Michigan State.  Florida, #8 last week fell to #11 after being upset at Tennessee.

USA Coaches Poll not out as of now.  Stay tuned…  Sorry folks, a bit late with this update:  1 Gonzaga, 2 Indiana, 3 Kansas (they sure have moved up after a rough stretch!), 4 Duke, 5 Georgetown, 6 Louisville, 7 Miami, 8 Michigan, 9 Florida and 10 Kansas State.


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