Southern Mississippi forward shows school spirit with haircut

22 Feb
2012
by in General, NCAA Sports

When Southern Mississippi forward Jonathan Mills visited his favorite barbershop near campus earlier this month, his only instructions for the man cutting his hair was to give him a design that would show his school spirit.

"I trusted him," Mills said. "I've seen him work before, so I wasn't worried about him messing me up."

Barely 15 minutes later, barber Chris Williams handed Mills a mirror and showed him the graphics pictured above etched into the back of his head. There's an intricate Golden Eagles logo, Mills' No. 24 jersey number and of course, the letters USM.

[ Pat Forde: The resurrection of Larry Eustachy ]

The haircut has earned Mills plenty of attention since he got it. Fans and fellow students have approached him on campus or around town to snap a picture of it or simply to take a closer look.

"Everybody likes it," Mills said. "My teammates love it, the fans love it, everyone who supports us loves it."

All the fuss has come as a surprise to Mills since this isn't the first time he's gotten designs shaved onto his head. In high school, Mills had everything from stars to his initials to his jersey number etched into his haircut.

Whether it's his haircut or his play, Mills has done his part in generating enthusiasm for Southern Mississippi basketball this season. The undersized forward has averaged 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds and scored at least 14 points in each of his team's past four games, helping lead the Golden Eagles (22-5, 9-3) to a share of first place in Conference USA.

"A lot of people are more enthusiastic for basketball this season than years past," Mills said. "Everyone wants to support a winner. Nobody wants to support a loser."

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Even Cashman’s Yankees go all in on Jeremy Lin

21 Feb
2012
by in Fantasy Baseball, General

TAMPA — Like the rest of New York City's sports fans, Brian Cashman has gone Linsane for Jeremy Lin. And he's more than simply entertained by the unexpected rise of the New York Knicks new point guard. Cashman, who spoke with ESPN Radio's Michael Kay on Monday, wants to apply the story of Lin's success to the New York Yankees.

"It transcends the sports world," Cashman said.

The players have been watching, too. Joba Chamberlain has said Linsanity reminds him of the hype during his own rookie season. CC Sabathia has seen a bunch of Knicks games at Madison Square Garden. Top pitching prospect Dellin Betances, who stands 6-foot-8 and played high school basketball in Brooklyn, chatted excitedly with visitors in the Yankees clubhouse about Lin's most recent games.

As Yankees' GM, Cashman wants the team's fringe players to learn from Lin, too:

"I invoked his name today in front of everyone when we had our team meeting with our pitchers and catchers," Cashman told Kay's audience. "You always try to point to, 'Why can't this be you?' You say, 'Hey, look what's going on in New York with Linsanity.' We have a number of players in camp that want to be something. They believe they can impact this club."

Cashman really said "Linsanity" (which makes it OK for everyone else to say, as far as I'm concerned).

Chamberlain fondly recalled the 2007 and 2008 seasons, when everyone in the Bronx learned about "The Joba Rules."

"Your first impression is your most lasting impression," Chamberlain told the Stew. "It's one of those things where you understand that you'll be remembered forever. Especially in New York and everything that comes along with it."

Chamberlain said he mostly enjoyed the attention but added that Lin needs to avoid getting swept up in it.

"It's tough, because you've got to learn to say 'no' at times, learn when it's your time to go to work and to shut everything else off," Chamberlain said. "He's done a great job of handling it so far. He plays the game the right way and I love watching the intensity he brings every day to the court."

That's the part of the story Cashman wants his players to focus on. The Yankees version of Lin in 2011 — not necessarily in terms of hype, but production — was right-hander Ivan Nova:

"We have 34 pitchers and eight catchers currently in camp. And part of my speech to the whole team was [about] Nova last year. Did anybody think he was going to be a 16-game winner, pitch in the front of our rotation and in one of our playoff games?

"[Lin is] an example of hope for a lot of people. For different forms and fashions."

For Lin, Chamberlain said, it's also a welcome responsibility. Part of his relating to Lin being a Chinese/Taiwanese American has to do with Chamberlain's own Native American family background. Not many with Chamberlain's roots have pitched in the majors.

"There's more to it than just playing basketball," Chamberlain said. "There's a lot of relating to him as a person and his heritage that he's carrying. It's one of those things where you're humbled by it and honored because there's a lot of people looking up to you and the way you've carried yourself."

Spring Training has arrived! Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage The Stew on Facebook for your fill of Grapefruit and Cactus!

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Gilbert Arenas talks about his NBA exile, everything else

20 Feb
2012
by in Fantasy Basketball, General

For the first time in many years, an NBA season has unfolded with very little attention paid to enigmatic guard Gilbert Arenas. From his early days in Golden State to his peculiar form of stardom in Washington to his unfortunate gun charges to his ineffectiveness in Orlando, Arenas has given basketball fans plenty to think about. Now, after being amnestied by the Magic in December, Arenas is sitting at home waiting for another opportunity.

There are signs that chance might come soon — the Lakers are rumored to be interested. For now, though, he has time to reflect on his career and look towards the future. He talked about those issues, plus a whole lot else, in a wide-ranging, essential interview with Sam Amick for SI.com:

When I got amnestied, I could've just taken the money and just left, and just basically said, "Hey, you guys did me a favor. I don't want to be crucified anymore." As much as I've done for fans and for people, it sucks the way the world works. You can do a hundred things for people, but you do one bad mistake and everyone crucifies you and that's all they want to remember. They don't want to remember I gave my own money to the [Washington] D.C. school district and built up the D.C. school district. They don't want to remember none of that. They just want to remember, "Oh, I single-handedly destroyed the Washington Wizards franchise." It sucks, but that's the way it is.

So I decided I'm not here to prove anybody wrong anymore. I'm just here to prove myself right. I'm not here to chase the money, to chase stats. Now what you have is a basketball player who's ready to play, and that's what people don't understand. Like on Sept. 1, when I shut my Twitter down, this is the first time you're hearing from me, because I let everything go. Who I am is what you don't hear. When you don't hear me, I'm living my life -- quiet, I don't get in trouble, don't drink, don't smoke. But if you ask anybody else, I'm just this -- what would they call me? -- problem child. Somebody who gets in trouble all the time.

I don't pay attention anymore. But right now, you have a basketball player. I work out two times a day, every day. I watch tape. I play basketball. If I don't play in the NBA, I'm playing at the YMCA and I'm just as happy.

He also spoke about what happened with Javaris Crittenton in the Wizards' locker room two years ago:

I've never talked about it, and I felt like this: The reason I never talked about it was because if [the media] couldn't do your own research to find out the truth, then why should I do it for you? It was like, "If you don't care, I don't care."

OK, I owed my teammate [Javaris Crittenton] money and I pulled a gun on him? OK, does that even make sense, like I owed you money but I'm pulling a gun on you?

SI.com: Do people ever just bring it up on the street when you're out and about? How often are you hit with it?

Arenas: No. People come up to me and have a conversation with me, especially at the YMCA, where I do spin class in the mornings. You have people who want to talk to you to see what kind of person you are, and then you have people saying, "Oh, you don't seem like what they made you out to be."

Before that incident, I was the people's champion, God's gift to all fans, gave fans everything. If I never go back to the NBA, I had a great career. I've hit big shots. I've had my moments. Hey, everyone can't win a championship, but I had fun. I got to play the game that I always dreamed of, and I did it more than I expected it. That's how I look at it now.

Arenas comes across as remarkably zen about the past few years and his NBA career as a whole, to the point where it feels like he could never play again and be perfectly happy with his life. That might be a put-on — he's always been keenly aware of his public image — but it also suggests that he's thinking about the rest of his life in the right way. He has never let his exploits on the basketball court define who he is as a person. If that means he'll spend time riding go-karts (seriously, that's in here), then so be it.

The interview doesn't paint a perfect picture of Arenas; for one thing, he seems flippant towards his felony gun charge, which would be bizarre even if the incident were less sensational than the media reports indicated. But there are few NBA players of the past 25 years who could give an interview this honest and forthcoming. At his peak, Arenas stood out because he was a genuine personality in a league where most superstars appear micromanaged. He's no less fascinating in repose.

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Bracket Big Board: Iona one of five true mid-majors to fear

20 Feb
2012
by in General

The Bracket Big Board takes into consideration past returns, current performance and expected future gains in determining who should be included among the field of 68 (31 automatic and 37 at-large bids). Essentially, the Bracket Big Board is a cheat sheet designed for amateur bracketologists if they were filling out a Tourney Pick 'Em '12 entry today (SIGN UP NOW!). The Triple-B, the second-most accurate bracket predictor among macro-sites over the past four years, is updated every Monday until the dance card is unveiled March 11.

Wonder. Amazement. Complete insanity. That's what the ides of March produced last year.

Eleven months ago, madness enveloped the college basketball world. Unpredictable runs by mid-major darlings Butler and VCU left brackets bloodied and egos bruised. A trail of defeated favorites — Kansas, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Wisconsin — were left in the underdogs' wake.

For self-proclaimed bracket gurus the carnage was humbling.  Out of the roughly three million participants in Yahoo!'s tourney game, only a librarian from Salem, Ore. predicted the improbable Final Four field accurately. And she accomplished the feat with a rather quirky method.

In roughly three weeks, when Pick 'Em participants scrawl names on bracket lines, mid-majors will be taken more seriously.

They should.

The once ocean-wide gap separating Bigs from Littles has shrunk considerably in recent years. On a player-by-player basis power schools still boast more talent, but the constant turnover at the high-major level combined with excellent coaching and competitive non-conference schedules on smaller campuses have accelerated mid-major performance. As a result, perceived whipping boys have stepped onto the court prepared and unintimidated, even when the lights are brightest.

Typically laden with a wealth of upperclassman compared to Goliaths, Davids have overcome weighty odds with chemistry and savvy, a prime example of the sum being greater than the parts. No surprise, nowadays experience is not only the best teacher, but also a great predictor of overall success. From the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram:

"Nobody has those big difference-makers for four years anymore," said St. Mary's head coach Randy Bennett. "And you don't need 60 players in basketball. You really need three or four difference-makers, and three or four other good players, and you can be really good."

"The feeling you've been through it, you have that confidence, that experience," Bennett said. "That's huge."

This year, a number of Cinderellas are awaiting a pumpkin carriage to take them to the sport's pinnacle. A couple could live out the dream.

Excluding marquee mid-majors, teams well-known to even casual fans (e.g. Wichita St, Creighton,  Murray St. and Harvard), and mislabeled "Little Guys" from the Atlantic 10 (Temple, St. Louis and Xavier), West Coast (Gonzaga, St. Mary's and BYU) and Mountain West (New Mexico, UNLV and San Diego St.) conferences, here are five true mighty mites that could wreck brackets come March:

Iona Gaels
Conference: Metro Athletic
Record: 22-6
Why dangerous? It's possible the Gaels might struggle in a matchup with a group of wily octogenarians. Largely due to their pressing nature, they are abominable on defense ranking north of 200 in effective field-goal percentage allowed and 172nd in defensive rebound percentage. Contesting shots isn't their game. However, Iona more than makes up for it on the opposite end. The nation's premier point guard, Scott Machado, has dropped more dimes than the U.S. Mint. He averages a DI-best 10.1 assists per game. His ability to command and create combined with projected NBA pick Michael Glover's muscle inside gives the Gales quite the 1-2 punch. Off guard Lamont Jones, who dropped 43 on Canisius earlier this month, can also fill it up. On the season, Iona has netted 54.7 percent of its shots inside the arc, the sixth-best tally in the country. Equally formidable from three (38.4%) and cautious with the rock (26th in offensive TO%), it definitely doesn't lack polish offensively. With noteworthy wins against Maryland, St. Joe's and most recently Nevada along with a near-miss versus Purdue in a neutral setting, the Gaels are an experienced, uptempo team that has the potential to win a game or two in the Big Dance, provided it nails down the automatic berth.

Long Beach St. 49ers
Conference: Big West
Record: 19-7
Why dangerous? Of all the schools on this list, The Beach is the one no Big Boy wants to face. Seasoned, explosive and unfazed, the Niners are a real Western gem. Dan Monson, similar to what Fran McCaffery did with Siena back in '09, challenged his upperclassman by scheduling a stretch of murderous non-conference road games. Though its wins against Pittsburgh and Xavier aren't nearly as impressive now as they were in November/December, The Beach's staunch competitiveness at San Diego St., North Carolina and Kansas has it well-prepared for post-season play. The team's leading scorer, Casper Ware, can absolutely ball. He's exceeded 20 points in a game eight times, including a 38-point explosion at Pacific Feb. 8. Lengthy guard Larry Anderson and double-double machine T.J. Robinson (12.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg) are also quite potent offensively. Long Beach isn't the stiffest on defense, ranking 96th in adjusted D efficiency, but it's brutal early season slate, unblemished Big West record and wealth of experience could propel it into the second weekend. And don't expect the 49ers' heart-wrenching last-second loss at Creighton Saturday to slow them down. This is a club bound to strike it rich come March.

VCU Rams
Conference: Colonial
Record: 23-6
Why dangerous? Compared to last season, the Rams are less talented, experienced and battle-tested. Bradford Burgess is the only remaining starter from 2011's magical Final Four team. And the Rams' only "standout" victory this year was an overtime W by the slimmest of margins at Akron. Still, VCU shouldn't be overlooked. Shaka Smart, arguably the brightest young coach currently in college basketball, is a master motivator who squeezes every ounce from his kids, particularly defensively. Opponents have turned the rock over 27-percent of the time against them, the third-highest mark in Division I. Overall, they've surrendered just 0.92 points per possession, which ranks 32nd nationally. Unfortunately, inconsistency on offense has often ruled the day. Burgess, the club's leading scoring, is a well-rounded player, but in order for the Colonial kings to make another deep tourney run, paint patroller Juvonte Reddic needs to avoid whistles. More importantly, they must consistently dial it up from long-distance like they did against Northern Iowa Friday (8 threes made). On the season, VCU has shot just 33.3 percent from three. Their 77-68 disposing of the Panthers in BracketBusters is a step in the right direction, but without a signature win, the Rams must take the CAA tourney crown if they want to 'Dougie' again.

Middle Tennessee St. Blue Raiders
Conference: Sun Belt
Record: 24-4
Why dangerous? In recent memory, the Sun Belt representative has burned a few headline programs in the early rounds of the NCAA tournament. Western Kentucky, for example, advanced at least one bracket line in 2008 and 2009. The Blue Raiders haven't danced since the days "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" rocked cinema megaplexes (1989). That year they hung 97 points in a 13-over-4 toppling of Florida St. MTSU's seeding and outcome could be eerily similar if it emerges unscathed in the Sun Belt tourney. Keep in mind it crushed UCLA on the road in mid-November, took down Mississippi in December and nearly pulled the upset at Vanderbilt last month. Turnovers and rebounding are major issues for Kermit Davis' team. But very sound defensively (29th nationally in D efficiency) and solid inside the arc (53.1 2PT%), it certainly is capable of competing with smallish high-major clubs. If long-bomber Raymond Cintron can get hot at the right time, opening up opportunities for LaRon Dendy near the bucket, the Blue Raiders will be hard to bounce.

Belmont Bruins
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Record: 21-7
Why Dangerous? The tiny university in Nashville, best known for its influence on the music industry, may sing a celebratory song come mid-March. Very early this season, the 'other' Bruins nearly pulled off an unthinkable upset against Duke at Cameron Indoor, losing by a measly point. With notable wins against aforementioned Middle Tennessee St. and Marshall, the A-Sun standout is no slouch. Belmont is rather meek defensively. It ranks below average in several key categories — effective-field goal D, defensive rebounding percentage and block percentage. However, similar to Iona, it's a force to reckon with on the offensive end. On paper, the Bruins are the seventh-best scoring club in the land averaging an impressive 1.18 points per possession. Guard Drew Hanlen, one of the nation's deadliest sharpshooters, has proven especially good. On the year, he's netted nearly 49-percent from the arc, including seven trey bombs at Lipscomb Feb. 3. Also equipped with suitable size and balanced scoring, Belmont is very capable of rising from the depths of obscurity. Competitive against Wisconsin in Round 2 last year, it could scare the bejesus out of another well-known opponent this time around, assuming it punches its ticket in the A-Sun tourney.

Others to fear: Nevada, Oral Roberts, Davidson, Akron and Butler


--

Here are the movers and shakers on this week's Triple-B:

*For games played through Sunday, February 19
*RPI data provided by Rivals
*T50 = Record versus RPI top-50
*BL = Bad losses (dropped games to opponents with a 100+ RPI)
*Orange teams are rising, blue falling

On the Bubble: Oregon (19-8), Arizona (19-9), Illinois (16-11), Minnesota (17-10), St. Joe's (18-10), South Florida (17-10), Colorado (18-8), Drexel (23-5), Loyola Marymount (18-10), UCF (19-7)

Dropped Out: Illinois, Arizona, Cleveland St.

Conference Breakdown: American East (1), ACC (5), Atlantic Sun (1), Atlantic 10 (3), Big 12 (6), Big East (9), Big Sky (1), Big South (1), Big Ten (7), Big West (1), Colonial (1), Conference USA (2), Horizon (1), Ivy (1), Metro (1), Mid-American (1), Mid-Eastern (1), Missouri Valley (2), Mountain West (3), Northeast (1), Ohio Valley (1), Pac-12 (2), Patriot (1), SEC (5), Southern (1), Southland (1), SWAC (1), Summit (1), Sun Belt (1), West Coast (3), WAC (1)

Follow Bradley Brackets on Twitter @YahooNoise

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Breakfast Buffet: Maryland gets creative to end impasse with Georgetown

20 Feb
2012
by in General, NCAA Sports

1. Frustrated that he has been unable to cajole Georgetown into agreeing to a series with Maryland in men's basketball, second-year Terrapins athletic director Kevin Anderson is trying a new approach to reviving the natural rivalry. Anderson and Maryland's coaches have agreed not to schedule Georgetown in any sport until the Hoyas agree to a men's basketball matchup. "I'm trying to understand why they won't even talk to us about playing men's basketball," Anderson told the Washington Post. "If they give me a good reason, we'll look at this again and re-evaluate where we are."

2. No bubble team in the nation will be more heavily debated in the coming weeks than South Florida, which defeated Pittsburgh 56-47 on Sunday to notch its fourth straight win and to improve to 10-4 in the Big East. The black mark against the Bulls is their lack of quality wins, but Stan Heath made the same argument in favor of his team Sunday that he did in my conversation with him last week. "Ten wins in this conference is 10 wins in this conference," Heath told the Tampa Times. "That's a hell of a deal."

3. For a basketball player who grew up in the heart of ACC country in Winston Salem, N.C., Miami center Reggie Johnson had an unusual childhood hero: WWE wrestler The Rock. Johnson no longer imitates all The Rock's trademark moves on a teddy bear in his front yard the way he did as a kid, but his passion for wrestling apparently hasn't waned. "It just blows my mind that he loves wrestling. I can't believe it," Miami guard Malcolm Grant told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "And he knows that it's not real. He still goes crazy for it."

4. Even though the dismissal of guard Kelsey Barlow left Purdue shorthanded in a 76-62 loss to Michigan State on Sunday, here's one way you can tell Boilermakers coach Matt Painter made the right decision. Asked about the loss of Barlow by the Indianapolis Star, fellow Purdue guard Ryne Smith said tersely, "addition by subtraction." Painter was more measured, explaining, "When something happens and you have to part ways with a kid, it doesn't make you feel good. It doesn't because I feel like I failed, also."

5. Great piece from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Brady McCollough on Pittsburgh point guard Tray Woodall's path from a troubled childhood to major college basketball. Woodall had to sell drugs as a 12-year-old in order to feed and clothe himself, but the advice of father figure George Fontan and St. Anthony's High coach Bob Hurley helped turn his life around.

Auburn basketball doesn't provide many memorable moments, so it's worth highlighting this one from the Tigers' upset victory over enigmatic Mississippi State on Saturday night. Varez Ward makes a sweet no-look feed to Kenny Gabriel, who absorbs heavy contact and still finishes with a strong reverse jam.

"I really do. They seem to be playing their best basketball right now. To me, that's the most important thing. In our conference, you hope a team that's playing better in January and February would be rewarded." -- Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon on whether South Florida deserves an NCAA tournament bid. The Bulls defeated the Panthers in Pittsburgh on Sunday. (The Tampa Tribune)

• UConn at Villanova, 7 p.m. EST

• Baylor at Texas, 9 p.m. EST

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Allen Iverson gets a sizable offer from a soccer team

19 Feb
2012
by in Fantasy Basketball, General

NBA legend Allen Iverson is in the middle of considerable financial disaster right now, currently holding such little cash that a judge has ordered his wages garnished to pay back a jewelry debt of more than $850,000. The guy needs money as fast as possible, and for Iverson that means getting a basketball job. Yahoo!'s own Adrian Wojnarowski reported two weeks ago that Iverson has an offer to play in Puerto Rico, and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com cites sources claiming he'd spend some time in the D-League if it meant a chance at an NBA job.

Iverson is clearly looking for an answer (pardon the pun) to both his financial woes and diminished standing in the sporting world. And while desperate times call for desperate measures, some offers are just too ridiculous to consider. For instance, an indoor soccer club has now extended a not-insubstantial offer to Iverson. Here's the official press release from the Rochester Lancers (via EOB):

The Rochester Lancers, of the MISL's top level of pro indoor soccer, today announced a contract offer to former NBA star, Allen Iverson.

The Rochester Lancers host two remaining regular season home games to conclude their season.  The offer stands at $20,000 per game, with a bonus of $5,000 per goal scored, win bonuses, and merchandise bonuses.  There are over 12 goals scored on average per game.

"Allen Iverson is one of the premier athletes of our time," said Rich Randall, Vice President of the Rochester Lancers.  "With his athleticism and competitive hunger, I think he can be a great fit with our team and fans as we make an important playoff push, while also driving interest to an exciting, growing sport."

If accepted, the Lancers have also offered to host his friends and family through the duration of his stay.  With the per-game pay and bonuses, this offer will come close to the offer (per game) set by Turkish basketball team, Besiktas and ultimately keeping him the United States.

It's hard not to be a little curious about Iverson as a soccer player. For years, observers have speculated that, based on his elite quickness and toughness, he could have been one of the best soccer players of all time if he'd devoted himself to it from birth in the manner of athletes in other parts of the world.

Still, let's call this offer what it is: a publicity grab by a team in a minor sports league looking to get as much attention as possible. There's no way they can expect Iverson to take this deal. Disregard all the talk about helping Iverson stay in the United States or hosting his friends — the Lancers are exploiting a great athlete's name recognition and dire circumstances in the hope of getting some extra money.

Iverson is far from a perfect person, and any consideration of his financial situation has to accept that he frittered away more than $150 million in salary (and more in endorsements) over the course of his NBA career. Yet there's a difference between giving a thorough explanation for why someone's in trouble and reveling in that misfortune. Love him or hate him, Iverson is one of the most important athletes of the past 25 years. It's genuinely sad to see someone who once held so much sway over the NBA reduced to a punchline. It's fine not to feel compassion for him. But, at the very least, please don't treat him like an object of derision. He deserves better than that.

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Ranking Saturday’s four best last-second game winners

19 Feb
2012
by in General, NCAA Sports

It wasn't the best Saturday of college basketball we've seen this season, but it did feature plenty of last-second drama. Here's a look at the four best last-second game-winning shots from Saturday's slate.

1. It took two Trevin Harris three-pointers in the final 15 seconds of overtime on Saturday night for Pacific to escape with a 66-64 victory over Idaho State. First Harris sank a shot to tie the game at 63. Then after Idaho State's Melvin Morgan hit 1 of 2 free throws with 4.9 seconds left, the Pacific sophomore took a pass from teammate Andrew Bock and sank a contested running three off one foot as time expired to give the Tigers the win.

2. To remain within striking distance of first-place Harvard in the Ivy League, Penn needed to avoid a loss at struggling Columbia. The Quakers made it more difficult than it needed to be but survived thanks to a memorable last-second basket in overtime. Instead of inbounding to star Zack Rosen to let him go for a game winner, Miles Cartwright threw a lob to Fran Dougherty coming off a Rosen screen for a game-winning alley-oop with 0.5 seconds to go.

3. Doug McDermott may have scored 36 points in Creighton's 81-79 victory over Long Beach State, but it was teammate Antoine Young who delivered the Bluejays' most memorable basket. With the score tied, Young used a ball screen to get into the lane, pulled up from seven feet when he encountered resistance and sank the go-ahead fallaway jumper with three tenths of a second left.

4. Seth Greenberg inserted Dorenzo Hudson into the game with 3.5 seconds to go to make the inbound pass, but it turned out the fifth-year senior got to take the winning shot as well. When Georgia Tech trapped Jarrell Eddie in the corner, he threw a desperate pass to Hudson, who spotted up on the right wing and sank a fadeaway three as time expired to give the Hokies a 74-73 win. Considering how Virginia Tech blew a nine point lead in 73 seconds the previous game against Florida State, the Hokies were probably due some good fortune.

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N.C. State legends Gugliotta, Corchiani ejected from Saturday’s game

18 Feb
2012
by in General, NCAA Sports

Only six minutes remained in Florida State's convincing 76-62 victory over North Carolina State on Saturday when referee Karl Hess did something even longtime basketball fans had never seen before.

He ejected two of the greatest players in the history of N.C. State's program.

At the request of the notoriously prickly Hess, security at the RBC Center ordered former NBA forward Tom Gugliotta and former NCAA career assists record holder Chris Corchiani to vacate their courtside seats. Gugliotta and Corchiani argued with Hess for a few seconds before leaving with chants of "ref you suck" from the N.C. State student section echoing in the background.

It's unclear exactly what the two ex-N.C. State stars said to draw Hess' ire since the referee declined comment to the Associated Press after the game. Corchiani tweeted that he and Gugliotta merely told the referees they were "having a bad game" and there was "no profanity" involved.

Said Corchiani: "Karl"rabbit ears" Hess didn't like the fact Googs and I told him he was having a bad day, inconsistent, and telling the truth."

When fans get ejected from a game, it's usually because they instigate a fight, throw objects onto the playing surface or create a disturbance by cussing or threatening a referee or member of the opposing team. If indeed neither Corchiani nor Gugliotta did any of those things, then Hess' actions were way out of line.

[ Related: UConn hoops players start blaming each other as spiral continues ]

N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow issued a statement Saturday night that suggested she wasn't at all pleased by the removal of her school's two former stars.

"Throughout this afternoon and evening, I have been seeking clarification from the ACC office regarding the reason for the ejection of two fans today during our men's basketball game against Florida State," Yow said. "I have spoken to commissioner John Swofford and Karl Hicks, associate commissioner for basketball operations, regarding our concerns and our need for clarification as to why this occurred. We expect fair treatment of our fans at State athletic events."

What's most odd about the incident is that the boxscore doesn't suggest the calls tilted in Florida State's favor. The host Wolfpack shot 10 more free throws than the Seminoles, not that it helped them remain competitive in a game that they trailed by double figures the entire second half.

Lost in the controversy surrounding the ejection of Gugliotta and Corchiani is that N.C. State's NCAA tournament hopes grow dimmer with every loss.

Back-to-back losses to Duke and Florida State leave the Wolfpack still in search of a win against any of the ACC's four Top 25 teams. Unless N.C. State beats rival North Carolina on Tuesday night, it's difficult to see the Wolfpack remaining in the at-large hunt.

(Thanks, Eye on College Basketball)

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Knicks sign ex-Nugget Smith, cut Balkman (AP)

17 Feb
2012
by in Fantasy Basketball, General
The New York Knicks signed J.R. Smith on Friday, hoping his 3-point shooting can improve one of their biggest weaknesses. The timing may be risky with the Knicks playing their best basketball of the season, but the Knicks think Smith will be worth the risk. "We just felt that it was an opportunity to acquire a very good basketball player and to help us in a way that I think we're in need...
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Video: ‘The Big Bang Theory’ tries basketball

17 Feb
2012
by in Fantasy Basketball, General

If you're a comedy nerd, you probably spend your Thursday night's watching shows like NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and Adult Swim's "Delocated." If you like jokes, and more casual brand of laughs, then you're probably more into "The Big Bang Theory," the CBS ratings juggernaut about a group of big-time science nerds and the pretty blonde woman who lives in their apartment building. I'm not a regular viewer, but I've come to learn that most of the series' jokes involve the nerds not understanding basic human interactions, or trying to date the pretty blonde woman and failing. Basically, it's a goofy show about a bunch of stereotypes.

None of those assumptions, though, could prepare me for the clip above. On this week's episode, titled "The Rothman Disintegration," Sheldon (two-time Emmy winner Jim Parsons) and his antagonist Barry Kripke (usually funny person John Ross Bowie) face off in a basketball game to five points to decide who will get a really sweet office in their totally nerdy science lab. They are terrible, but terrible in a way that suggests they have massive physical limitations rather than just a misunderstanding of the game of basketball. I thought we got past these kinds of jokes in 1984, when "Revenge of the Nerds" proved that nerds can be just as cool as jocks in their own special way. Apparently I was wrong.

Plus, in the Jeremy Lin era, the whole ordeal comes across as remarkably tone-deaf. Don't they know that Harvard kids are good at basketball now?

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