BUCKET BRACKETS 103: Best Defense Ever?

Johnny J

The Syracuse Orange were the first team to punch their ticket to the Final Four next weekend in Atlanta by beating Marquette 55-39. The Golden Eagles defeated the Orange back in February 74 -71, but Saturday was all Syracuse. The 2-3 zone swarmed all over Marquette  as they coughed up the ball 13 times. Both teams shot poorly from the field: Syracuse just 38% and Marquette a measly 23%. They shot 12%from behind the arc going 3-25.

"They cover ground really good. You've got to get the ball in the middle, you've got to play inside out, you've got to get to the free-throw line and wear them down with the 3-pointer when you can,"said Marquette's junior guard, Vander Blue. "They're really good at what they do in that zone." Blue went 3-15 from the floor.

Syracuse makes their fourth Final Four appearance, the last time was in 2003, when they won the National Champion. Led by a guy you may know, by the name of Carmelo Anthony. So what's better than having Anthony's jersey retired this year? Wait, wait--what's better than saying good bye to the Big East Conference and saying hello to the Atlantic Coast Conference? I'l tell you what; it's bringing home a Championship trophy and switching conferences at the same time. Hello ACC! Welcome the University of Syracuse, 2013 Champions!

"You want to go out with a win," said junior forward C.J. Fair.

Barack Obama was in attendance as well as Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III. I guess Obama had to see the team that beat his team up-close in person (he had Indiana winning it all).  Not a bad way to leave the nation's capital, brushing off your shoulders.

Syracuse played an up and down season all year long. The first part of the season they went 18-1.  They looked like a dominant Big East team that couldn't be slowed down. They finally did in the second half, going 5-7 against teams in the Big East. They played so bad down the stretch, that they had to open the Big East tournament against Seton Hall. Usually a good team in the conference gets a first round bye to let the weaker teams battle it out. Yes, Syracuse was considered a weak team late in the season. They overcame adversity by making it past three teams to reach the Big East Championship. They lost it by 17 to Louisville.

I have no idea how you lose 7 out of 12 games and still be a ranked team. Syracuse were ranked 19th at the end of the season, which helped them secure a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Somebody must have known something I didn't because they turned it on after that loss to Louisville, winning three straight to reach the Final Four.

The Orange are making more rounds than the Blue Man Group!

Also reaching the Final Four is Wichita St.  A team that has reached the Final Four for the first time since 1956. Since my bracket is totally ruined, I wouldn't mind seeing Syracuse and Louisville in the Championship game. A rematch and a farewell gift. The battle of the Big East for one last time! With Louisville all ready punching their ticket to the Final Four, that scenario is one step closer to becoming a reality.

More NCAA content is available here. 

SUPER BOWL CAN'T COME QUICK ENOUGH: Deaths, Bounties, and Soft Play

From a noted champion, I just want the Super Bowl
to begin all ready!

Felipe M

We asked our panel to weigh-in on the rough week the NFL experienced last week.

Sean Payton has been reinstated by the NFL.  Did Roger Goodell make his point to the rest of the NFL as far as bounties go?

Never a dull moment in the NFL as it appeared another ho-hum week that led its way to the annual Pro Bowl turned ugly.  First, Payton was once again, allowed to join the New Orleans Saints and immediately went to work at the Senior Bowl where he could be seen scouting the fresh talent and rubbing elbows with all of the coaches and front office personnel, sharing notes and thoughts on players and perhaps chronicled the events of his life in the past year or so during his suspension.  That wasn't so bad.  That’s actually a good thing to see a coach do his job.

It got worse when it was announced that Junior Seau’s family would sue the NFL after posthumous tests showed that the former player was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). 

Concurrently, a new study last week showed chronic brain damage among living, retired NFL players.  The players' brains seemed to "deteriorate" faster than a human being who did not participate in football.  

Then NFL hitman, Bernard Pollard stated that not only will the NFL die out in about 30 years, but he expects there to be a death of a player on the field. The player who is getting a reputation for being the Patriot Killer, also stated that fellow players are getting tired of being fined for hits and tackles that have become illegal in today’s NFL.  Many fans and pundits are all ready viewing a world where America’s most talented athletes will think twice about the prospects of playing football for a living and participate in other, safer sports.

Finally, putting on the final blow on the NFL this week, President Barack Obama also made a statement about not having his hypothetical son play the sport and would like the league to “reduce some of the violence.”

So what was the subject about again?  Oh yeah: so did Goodell make his point about the bounties?  Our panel doesn't think so:

• “No he did not.  Payton should have been kicked out of Football along with Greg Williams.”—Johnny J (A bit extreme, but definitely would have gotten every head coach’s attention to the matter—Ed).
• “Goodell wasted his/our time.  Bounties are nothing new and are here to stay. They simply got caught.”—Dan P (Remember, every old, crusty, former player came out of the cornfields to tell the whole world how they use to set up bounties all of the time back in the medieval days of the NFL and that Goodell was just making the game too soft.  And then those same players continued to go after the NFL vicariously through their lawyers—Ed).
• “No, because just like the NCAA, all Roger Goodell does is punish problems instead of getting at the core issue of the violations.  Rather than creating a fair shake for everyone (i.e. alter the extreme violent nature of the game), Goodell wants to look as if he cares about the players safety.  Similar to any two-bit, prison warden who follows the old prison mantra--"rule, not rehabilitate.”—Donny R

These are some harsh, critical words for the NFL’s commissioner.  But to his credit “some” progress, could be said, was made with these unprecedented punishments handed to the Saints’ organization.  There has to be some optimism that some of the dark, ugly habits of professional players and their equally disgusting coaches’ behaviors were somewhat eradicated.  It’s hard to believe that most of the locker rooms will revert back to implementing a bounty system after they saw what happened to the Saints. 

Or it could be argued that a lot of locker rooms will lay low for a while and come back with modifications and even more subtlety than before.  I believe, however, that C. McLain sums it up best:

“I’d put money on it that Goodell definitely did make his point.”

Special emphasis on the word, money.

More on the NFL can be retrieved, here.