NCAA Basketball Championship Thoughts

I don't have a lot to say regarding the National Championship game between Baylor and Gonzaga, so I'll try to keep it brief.

For what Scott Drew has been able to do since 2003, he revived Baylor. To get their first championship is something the school should be proud. They played very well on both sides of the ball. Shooting the three pointer at the right time. Physical defense, which did get them into a little trouble with one fouling out. But the result were a lot of steals and blocks. Offensive rebounds that made a difference. They were dominant from the start and it showed.

While refs dictated their championship loss in 2017, Gonzaga got outplayed in this one. Hesitation to shoot, especially in the second half. Going cold on free throws. Missing a lot of three point shots. They looked sloppy. Even when it got down to single digit deficits, too many turnovers and poor passes. They hit a wall and couldn't recover at any point. I'm not sure if the team will have an opportunity any time soon to get back to the championship game.

I've seen worse games. Mediocre game overall, but a couple times where it felt like a ball game was present. 

Slap Shots, Lay Ups, Five Irons

Hard to believe, but we are turning a new leaf. Barring any potential consequences from protesters and rioters, normalcy could be coming very soon. Or at least, a different form of it. That's why we're seeing multiple sports mark their return, and it doesn't involve baseball.

A while back, the NHL set up a 24 team playoff format. But they are still taking the quarantine matter very seriously. The work to test everyone out every day and plan out the games is a work in progress. There is still the matter of getting the arenas open, not allowing fans in, and a few other things. The playoffs should last a good while and if I had to guess, end in August.

The NBA is still in the process of getting stuff ready, but should have games going this summer. Its plan is to start games at the end of July. They do lose some games (assuming) because of a new season starting at the beginning of December. All but Portland was ready to resume the season via voting. There are 22 teams involved in the restart and they are given eight regular season games. Potential playoff implications could occur. It's all going to be in Orlando, Florida. These guys are ready to finish what they started. Even if it means losing a little bit for next year, anything to end the season and crown a champion.

Golf is slowly coming back. At least some tours are marking their return this month. Obviously, there will be a lot of testing. No fans, of course. But it continues to fill the void that people have wanted for the last three months. All three sports, really. Even if its for a small amount of time, these players are anticipating the time to compete in these tournaments and bring viewers a few hours of entertainment. Anything to turn their mind off of reality.

It's unfortunate the greedy players of the MLB are holding back baseball's season. But no worry. The summer is going to melt away the worry of it with the return of basketball and hockey. And golf is just the tip of the iceberg. It's only a matter of making sure no huge spikes. Otherwise, game on.

2019 NCAA Men's National Championship Prediction

A year without North Carolina teams should be very refreshing for the NCAA. To look at this, I gotta say it's going to be some big underdogs for Saturday's Final Four. Michigan State beating Duke was a stunner. Auburn getting past Kentucky was a shocker. But nothing compares to Texas Tech playing defense down the stretch and shutting down Gonzaga. By the way, Auburn and Texas Tech are going to their first ever final four appearances. Not even Charles Barkley made it that far 30 plus years ago.

I see Texas Tech and Virginia going for the championship next Monday. I buy into that defense for Texas Tech. They know when to clamp down and not bend during the critical moments of the second half. That's how the victory against Gonzaga and also Michigan were. Nothing against Auburn, but the health of some of their players is a pressing concern. Losing a player with a torn ACL is one thing, but some of these guys against Kentucky will be sore for a little bit.

Virginia plays high scoring basketball, but they are not a selfish group. It's a balanced team that can make shots count and can put together a solid defense. However, they had to earn their victory against Purdue. Yes, it was a win, but they barely survived it to force overtime. And why I think it's them against Texas Tech for my prediction is that both can put up solid games scoring. However, these defenses could provide an entertaining two hours of basketball.

Anything can happen, though. But my take is Virginia and Texas Tech winning to advance to the championship and Texas Tech winning it all. It's going to be a fun weekend for all four teams involved.

College Sports Boring? Maybe

Another year, another Alabama college football team in the National Championship. The mere thought of them in the big game again might just be where people get sick of it. But it is also a ratings grabber since they are not always invincible. On the one hand, they do make the sport boring, but there is more excitement in the world of college football.

As far as regular season stuff goes, even the best get beaten. Duke in men's college basketball always has those years where they find themselves losing at least a handful of games and a number of times in the March Madness. There is always the upset that occurs and it drives it to even bigger excitement and intensity. That gut wrenching feeling knowing the impossible can happen and it is a feeling that can drive you to a health problem because of the outcome.

I think the problem lies when it comes to the championship games. That's where people get frustrated at any sport, pro or college or high school. Regardless, it drives viewers and fans away from that. Now, Alabama may be hated, but they get ratings. It's not like Uconn women's basketball where their dominance hurts ratings. Having games like the one against Clemson two years ago is a testament to people living it up in the hatred of Alabama. Look at the North Carolina teams for men's basketball. There is a hate for Duke, North Carolina and NC State. However, it's not like they are the only ones winning championships, and that is what I think helps that sport.

There is probably more sports that have the same problems, but it's much more noticeable in the examples I mentioned. Whether it's boring depends on where the season is and how the tournaments and playoffs go. It might get boring during that time, but never forget that excitement can come from other teams. And that is the drive that makes people enjoy college sports.

Uncle Drew Review

It's been over a week since Uncle Drew came out and with it still somewhat in my mind from seeing it last week, here is my take on it. Before this, it was a series of commercials for Pepsi who did produce this film with Kyrie Irving being the spokesman portraying the 75 year old character. I didn't see an ad for this until around its debut in theaters. I'll tell you this. Your expectations will be either exceeding or disappointing you.

The premise is this guy putting a team together to compete in a street basketball tournament in hopes of winning 100 thousand dollars. In the midst of this, he loses his team to a high school rival played by Nick Kroll and is kicked out of his house by his girlfriend. Desperation comes in as he searches for anybody that can play for him and one day he sees Uncle Drew and sees the talent. Ultimately, it becomes a search for his former teammates from way back in the 60s and to show the new generation a thing or two about how to play basketball.

You wouldn't think it would be truly funny, but it is. Especially with them casting Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, Lisa Leslie, and of course Irving. It's a weird group to consider, but they show themselves that they can be hilarious but also show the skills that they have had for a long time, even after retiring from pro basketball. Some expense comes at some of the nods of their careers, and it's subtle.

It gets its plot across at a good pace and doesn't come off as a rushed product compared to some of these projects involving sports stars. A little slow in the middle of the film, but the basketball scenes come off authentic despite these athletes in tons of makeup and made to look 75. Overall, it's a good film that you wouldn't think would be good, but it is. Hilarious all around, try and find it before it leaves theaters.

Score: 7 out of 10

NCAA Basketball Scandal 2018

I don't think it comes as a surprise whenever we hear about the latest scandals when it comes to NCAA sports. Basketball seems to keep rearing its head into controversy. And again, it happened. Reports from Yahoo Sports detail names of players and teams that accepted money, something the FBI has looked into. It's been something that has been targeted the last few years, which includes several schools getting rid of coaches like Louisville's Rick Pitino and several getting arrested.

Some of the teams on the list are not too shocking, but the amount on it are astonishing. An example is John Calipari's Kentucky team. The head coach has always found himself in some sanctioning incident. It happened at UMass in the mid 90s and Memphis in the 2000s. Other teams include a number of ones in the South, and that includes Duke and North Carolina. Denials have already come in place from coaches and members of the colleges mentioned in the report.

That being said, I wouldn't put too much stock into Yahoo Sports. They aren't exactly the brightest when it comes to creating stories. It comes off as too much fluff, regardless of what they covering. Hatred for Chris Chase was pretty common back then because of the way he did stories on sports, and unfortunately, that is why he is at Fox Sports now. But overall, I would say the site is about as useless as Inside Edition when it comes to stories.

It wouldn't surprise me if Calapari gets sanctioned and if a few teams get probation for a few years. Some are going to get wins vacated and the NCAA will probably have to think things over not just for basketball but for their entire sports league. Playing devil's advocate, it seems like a huge waste of resources for the FBI. There's bigger things to worry about than some college basketball recruiting scandal.

Someone's getting ousted, and I think we will find out after the National Championship game in April.

NCAA Bribery

It's not a surprise the NCAA is a corrupt group. What they view as good and bad is a joke at times and you wonder how they an be inconsistent. This will probably be something that is talked about from now until April next year. A handful of assistant coaches and an Adidas executive have been charged with corruption and a couple other charges such as fraud. This is a federal thing as the FBI is involved and questions will have to be answered.

Out of the teams involved include Louisville, who have just fired Rick Pitino, the college basketball coach. That team was in serious trouble for their sex scandal. This could kill their program. Other teams include Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Oklahoma State and Southern California. Basically, what Adidas wanted to do as the articles are reporting is getting kids to take money for deals and go to a specific college and help the basketball team win.

This is in a long line of incidents throughout college sports, whether good intentions or not. The NCAA can keep putting in sanctions and what not, but it's not going to stop. I think this is going to be a really bad black eye and it's going to hurt college basketball, both guys and girls. Something has to change. What needs to be done, I don't know. If the FBI and the feds want to enforce stuff, they are going to have to look at everything. From the higher ups in the NCAA organization to the teams, they need to be very thorough. Sports have been such a bigger deal in the last 30 to 40 years. Television has impacted it. Sponsors want in on the pie like Wendy's and Dr. Pepper. Money attracts a lot of things.

Unfortunately, college sports has become a corporate product. CBS, Turner Sports, and ESPN are riding on some of the same teams to stay excited for. Although the teams involved in this bribery scandal are not teams you think of for college basketball, it could leave others wondering if teams like Kentucky, Duke, and Oregon have done any of the stuff the accused are being accused of. The NCAA has a long way to go to fix its image.

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Recap 2017

For most people, a championship game of any sport is great when it moves with a great flow. It has plays that become unforgettable, and feels clean for the most part. An effort is put up on both sides and there is confidence to be in the clutch and make those plays count. I did not see any of that with last night's NCAA Championship game between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the North Carolina Tar Heels. That game has got to be one of the worst games I have ever seen of any sport. For me, this rivals the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos Super Bowl game and a Monday Night Football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens in 2011, though those two games were for different reasons.

I'll try to keep it short, but that first half was okay. There was some mediocre shooting, but there was a flow to it. North Carolina should have been up and had more than 32 points at halftime. So many in and outs, one would wonder if they could get a shot off that would swish into the basket at certain points of the game. The refs called it a little tight, but they let that first half go and allowed both teams to play through without responding to a bunch of ticky tacky fouls. You would think with the second half there would be a little more effort, but that never happened.

When one team was cold, the other was hot and vice versa for those first five minutes of the second half. Gonzaga played very poorly. They couldn't make a shot to save their life, yet they were still in it until the final minute. North Carolina was extremely poor in three point shooting the entire game, and it showed with only a few actually going in late in the half. What killed this game, however, was the referees. It got so tight that by the time there was 10 minutes left in the game, there was nearly 20 fouls. Some fouls had to be called, but there was quite a bit of ticky tacky calls that it ruined the flow. Even the CBS announcers noticed the frustration of fans and mentioned the foul calling a few times. An NBA game has a better flow than this, even when there are a lot of fouls with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

I went to a JV basketball game at my high school around either 2009 or 2010. By the time that game was finished, there had been nearly or at 50 fouls committed by both sides. Roughly 45-50 fouls were called for this championship game. About 30 were in that second half alone. The refs are going to be roasted and rightfully so. When you have NBA veterans criticizing them for the numerous calls, you know you screwed up. I can't think of any time in any sport where refs or umpires dictated a game by being so tight that anything can be called.

The NFL has endured a lot of criticism about refs and their poor calls. It can be said as well for the NBA depending on certain situations. For MLB, it depends on the umpire and if they have notoriety like Joe West. This NCAA Championship game outrivals a lot of the poor calls in those three sports and a lot of other sports. I'll end by saying that while these referees are human, they should not be the X factor to a game. Changes have to be made to ensure things like this last night (or tonight, depending on the time region), don't happen again. These referees are going to catch a lot of hell from now until November when the next season approaches.

Rest, A Sports Ultimate Decision

I am reminded of a line that actor James Gammon said in the movie Major League. The scene is his character, manager Lou Brown whining to the Cleveland Indians owner about not having proper equipment to keep his players 100 percent and saying even the best players get wear and tear. That popped into my head following another NBA resting on national television. Once again, the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to rest it's main three. It's LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin and Love. Facing the Los Angeles Clippers, they got blown out, losing by 30 points.

Just like other times, complaints have been made. Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone and Clippers coach Doc Rivers have chimed in on it and believe this shouldn't be happening even though he has done it to give some of his best players rest. It all goes back to when San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did that on a televised game. It did not sit well with then NBA commissioner David Stern. That and getting fined quite a bit of money. Since then, it has happened a number of times with various teams. Golden State, Miami, and several others. Ultimately, commissioner Adam Silver has to do something before things get worse.

Rivers suggested that the league try to do something with back to back games, which is what the Cavaliers had facing the Lakers on Sunday night after the Clippers. That being said, I'm not sure if that will fix the problem. If it was one or two of these guys, that would be understandable. People pay for expensive tickets to watch them or settle for a game on ABC, ESPN, or TNT to see their favorite team squabble with their opponent. That's where leagues get their money and their ratings. You want to see James play. You want to see Irving or Klay Thompson or Russell Westbrook or whatever big star on those nights. Unfortunately, the best teams are usually the ones getting the night games on those networks. I would say at least 10 to 12 teams are going to regularly be seen with a few stragglers if they are in contention for a spot in the playoffs.

I think we're in a new era of sports where starting in every game is pretty much forgotten in the four major sports except for the NFL with some quarterbacks being the Cal Ripken's of their sport. They have the right to complain, but people need to realize basketball is a lot more physically demanding than you think. One wrong move and you can possibly twist an ankle or have a severe injury. The NHL may start a few weeks earlier than the NBA, but it's roughly the same scheduling period. Wear and tear gets the best of all the players. Even the goalies. By the end of a game, they're hoping to get into an ice tub or try to relieve any pain from getting checked into the walls. Major League Baseball is trying to give teams more days off as they go on with their 162 game schedule. Wear and tear and overuse of players is pretty common before a few days of rest are given before getting back to their duties.

I'm not sure if there is a viable solution that can be fixed. Maybe if the NBA could lessen their focus on Cleveland, San Antonio, and a few others for ABC and TNT games, then there wouldn't be all his hoopla on resting players. There's no easy suggestion and solution to this whole thing. You got the fans on one side and the players on the other. One would hope of a way to listen to the fans and figure a way to show it to the players so that both sides can be happy without any aggravation.

Long story short, it's going to take some time. Not to mention some of the big name players are in the late stretches of their careers. Adam Silver has to be very careful with how he plans it out if he is involved.

Tecmo Super NBA Basketball (Sega Genesis)

The NBA season is dwindling down with less than 20 games to go for just about every team. Let's take a look at Tecmo Super NBA Basketball. Originally, it was released for the NES in the fall of 1992. During 1993, 16-bit versions with Super added in it were brought in. For the SNES, it was early in the year while the Sega Genesis received their version in the fall. It stands out among a line up of basketball titles and has a smoother and fun playability compared to the early EA Sports efforts. It's not going to replace NBA Live, but it holds its own.

All three versions were not made in house by Tecmo. Instead, it went to Sculptured Software, who had a hand with other licensed games such as Tecmo Bowl on Game Boy, The Simpsons, and Super Star Wars. What is given is a lower difficulty compared to Super Bowl, but retains a lot of the things that made the NFL offering have a lot of depth. Three modes of play are given to the player. Rumble with a pre-season match-up against any team you want. Second is the season mode, where you have the choice to do anything, which will be explained very soon. Last is the All-Star mode, which features the best of both conferences.

In Tecmo Super Bowl, one could play in many ways. Super NBA retained that idea. If you wanted to coach in any mode, you could. Watching a game was something to do, especially when it was on the NES back then as well. Or you can play a four quarter game. In the season, you can play as multiple teams and you can affect the outcome of a season. It is based on the 1993-94 season rather than 92-93 or the Nintendo versions of 91-92. You want someone to lose, you can pick that team and make sure they don't smell playoffs. Overall they played to the strengths of previous Tecmo sports games.

Heading onto a new territory of 16-bit, the graphics are good. The models of the players are fair, but provide a bit smoother animation compared to early Genesis sports games. Cut scenes and crowds are of the typical Tecmo flair. Still images of players are a nice bonus and the court is passable. With the audio, it's music is not something I'd associate with basketball, but the vibe makes it feel like you should put in the extra effort to beat other teams.  There isn't too many sound effects and the crowd is a step up from other sports offerings. Voicing is a bit clearer as you can hear the pronunciations considering the Genesis sound chips.

At it's disposal, there are 27 teams to choose from and both All-Star teams. You get 12 players per team, and the rosters reflect who was around for the 1992-93 season. In the 90s, deadlines were strict on cartridge systems, so a few players have been changed to position and team such as the late Reggie Lewis. It will be obvious that it doesn't have very player on it as they did not put in rookies from for the 1993-94 season. Like Super Bowl, they all have varying features that they either excel at or struggle badly in.

Controlling players on the Genesis is simple. With the ball, you can shoot with the B button and pass with A. You can call plays with C and the directional pad. Passing is giving the ball to a player that has an arrow indicator above him. Without the ball, A is like passing, but with switching players. Jumping is used with B, and C attempts to steal the ball from the opponents. There is a feature by using B and C to intentionally foul a player.

The tip-off is very hard, but the match-ups play mostly like an actual NBA game. Rules are relegated to clock violations and whether the ball goes out of bounds. Fouls are given for things like charging or shoving one to the ground. Six fouls on one guy and he is done. Foul in the act of shooting and free throws are given. Goal tending can also occur, though that is pretty rare. Fatigue is a given. You will be constantly putting in fresher players off the bench, so picking the best strategy of players may be vital against some of those tougher teams like the Chicago Bulls.

Getting deeper into the season mode, you can play a full 82 game season that is directly based on the 1993-94 season as mentioned earlier. There are two other schedules that shortened to either 41 or 26 games. Similar to Super Bowl, you can skip the season and head directly into the playoffs. However, not everything is fine and dandy. Injuries can happen to anybody at any time. On the bright side, it does play to the idea that they will be healthy in short time.

Options are a little slim, but there is enough. On the court, you can pause to call time outs, substitute players and watch a small replay of the game in action. In the menus, you can pick a speed selection to move very fast or slow. Pre-season mode allows a difficulty mode. Season mode doesn't have that, but it seems to be on the hardest. To be fair it depends on the team you play during the season. Also included are turning music on and off and picking minutes per quarter. The team data allows one to pick their starters, check out their stats, and look at the playbook. Each team is offered a variety of plays and you have to choose a select few before playing a game.

I would say there's only a few flaws with Super NBA Basketball. The animations are nice, but it is difficult to notice whether you still have the ball and get stolen and vice versa. There is barely any time to react, especially if you wind up going out of bounds or have a backcourt violation. At times, there is slowdown, but it doesn't ruin the game. It is noticeable, though. Typically, it comes when all the players get up close together.

Would I recommend this game? Yes. It is uncommon, but shouldn't set you back much. Tecmo Super NBA Basketball gives you that playability that wasn't seen until NBA Live and moves at a good place. Check it out. You're not going to be sorely disappointed.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

The shock of death, Part 2

In the world of sports, there are quite a bit of players who go into the realms of possible can't miss guys that could potentially net a championship. In basketball, there is that heartbreak of hearing what happens and that story has occurred a few times with the Boston Celtics. However, college basketball suffered a huge loss in 1990 with Hank Gathers. Despite a heart condition problem, he was a big deal for Loyola Marymount and the team was a wrecking crew that year. However, during a game in the West Coast Conference Tournament, he would collapse on the court and never regain consciousness again.

There is always that concern. You see it with not just sports, but things that issue warnings about having a heart problem. A big example is roller coasters. Going at a high rate of speed and screaming, that's obvious. The risk of playing with a condition goes beyond heart stuff. Current Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, playing for the Portland Pilots the night Gathers collapsed, has had the dilemma the last few years with Chris Bosh. Bosh has been one of the big players since coming into the league in 2003. Since 2014, he has had issues with blood clots, and the Heat have been very cautious with him not playing. No doubt in my mind, Spoelstra is scared of what could happen to Bosh. The last thing he would want is something that was similar to what he saw in 1990. That stuff could bring back a lot of bad memories.

If you want the textbook definition of pure bad luck, the Boston Celtics can say they've had things go south. During their hey day in the early to mid 80s, their first choice in the 1986 draft was a Maryland player by the name of Len Bias. Some were saying he was just as good, if not better, than Michael Jordan. A few days after being drafted, he wound up overdosing on cocaine. This was not just a shock to the NBA and basketball. Politicians were getting in on this, leading to various laws targeting cocaine and drug users, cracking down on it and sending many to jail for a long time. It had a big effect that is still there to this day. You see it in shows like Cops where people try to smuggle stuff with various ways and failing.

The 90s saw a change in the Celtics. A number of 80s superstars were on their way out the door. Larry Bird retired following the 1991-92 season. Guys like Robert Parish and Kevin McHale were in their twilight years. Their leading man was Reggie Lewis, who had been with the team since being drafted in 1987. Lewis had some of the same issues that Gathers had, but started showing these problems in the 1993 playoffs.  The first game they had, he wound up collapsing and didn't play for the rest of the series (Boston would lose the series). After a few months, Lewis would eventually pass away from heart issues. I don't know if it had anything to do with what happened to Bias, but the suspicion was cocaine or some other drugs killed him, but there was no evidence to say there was anything inside him. Lewis was their future. Despite the honors and tributes, Boston would struggle for almost a decade before achieving success in the early 2000s.

Lewis' death was not the only shocking thing. Prior to that, the New Jersey Nets suffered a big shock with Drazen Petrovic. A Croatian who spent a few years in European basketball, he would make his debut in 1989 with Portland and be traded to the Nets during the 90-91 season. The next season, the team would improve to getting 40 wins and a quick playoff appearance, losing in the first round. For the 1992-93 campaign, they had a new coach in Detroit Piston legend Chuck Daly. With the younger players of Kenny Anderson and Derrick Coleman combined with some big veterans such as Petrovic and Sam Bowie, the Nets put up a winning record. It was enough to get in the playoffs, but exited again in the first round.

Petrovic would spend time in Croatia with their basketball team, wondering what he could potentially do for the 1993-94 season. He had given thought about leaving the Nets and going back to playing in Europe, where he had been given some offers from teams in Greece. On the Autobahn in Germany, he would unfortunately meet his demise. A semi-truck heading in the opposite direction on a rainy afternoon swerved to avoid a car. It would wind up in the other lane, and the driver got out. He attempted to warn cars of stopping, but it was too late. The car that carried Petrovic and two women, one who was starting to know him, crashed into that truck. He was sleeping at the time and was instantly killed, due to not wearing a seatbelt. Much like Lewis, this was such an utter shock. He was a worldwide phenom who excelled in both Europe and the NBA. The Nets looked like they were on the up and up. It's that kind of story where you realize that life can be taken without warning, regardless of age. The world lost a player in June 1993 that meant something to several regions and his legacy still lives on today.

With basketball heartbreak, this warrants a part 3, focusing on a couple more sports. Stop by Saturday for more on the deaths I consider the most shocking.