GATOR-AID

Here come the Gators!
(photo courtesy of Sharon P. Mancia)

Johnny J

With "Selection Sunday" three weeks away, top schools in the nation are hoping they can become a #1 seed.  The benefits are obvious, as in any sport: it's the easiest road to the championship. One of those schools, whom I believe has a good chance at becoming a #1 seed are the Florida Gators. With a bad loss on their resume to the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Gators would need to blow them out of the waters to show that loss was a fluke. What better way to welcome the Razorbacks to the murky, swampy waters of Florida.?  Thankfully, for the Gators, they did indeed avenged their double-digit loss, by death-rolling the Razorbacks down and putting a 17-point bite into their backs.

"I'm not Coach Donovan. He says it's not a revenge (game), but I wanted to get them back. Everyone on that team wanted to get them back because the way they acted after they beat us was a little ridiculous," said PF/C Patric Young. "But, you know, I guess that's what happens when someone beats the Florida Gators. When we get wins, it's not that much publicized, but when we lose everyone wants to know about it. We just really wanted to get that win tonight."

You might remember coach Billy Donovan: the guy who had signed a contract with the Orlando Magic, and then quickly changed his mind and cried his way out of the contract to go back to coaching college. Yeah that guy! I guess coaching the NBA wasn't for him, but he definitely knows the college game as his 8th-ranked Gators are on the move and sitting two games in front of Alabama in the SEC.

The Gators are 22-4 and 12-2 in their division, with four games to play and one, huge matchup against the Alabama Crison Tide on March 2nd.  The Gators are in good position to finish at the top of the SEC. I believe if they win out the rest of the season and win out their conference tournament, the Gators are going to be a #1 seed for March Madness and with a team that ranks high in points, field goal percentage and assist, the Gators can make noise when the madness starts.

Led by junior Pactric Young, the Gators are a good inside-outside team. They have players who can move around in the paint and when they're in trouble they kick it out to someone around the three-point line. They have a team that that shoots 39% from beyond the arc. Young, however, brings the low-post game. He is quick, he is strong and he brings defense, along with his athleticism. He averages almost two blocks a game and has a total of 44 blocks so far on the season. He leads the team in rebounding at 6.5 per game and he is fourth in scoring, averaging 10.3 points per game.

"It's not like Patric's not getting the ball. You know what? As big and as strong as he is, there's no reason why he shouldn't demand the ball every single time when he gets down inside," Donovan said. "Now, are there times our guys miss him? Yes. Is there times he should get the ball and he doesn't get it? Yes. But there's also -- like tonight, my daughter could have thrown the ball inside to him tonight. He was open. He made himself available and he wanted it and he had a presence."

When selection sunday arrives, the Gators will have the committee's attention. The SEC may not be a powerhouse conference in college basketball (only Florida ranks in the top 30 in RPI--Ed), but if you take a look at their resume they have some quality wins. They beat Wisconsin by 18, Marquette by 33, Mizzou by 31, Kentucky by 17, and in-state rival, Florida St. by 25. I would even look at the loss to then #8th ranked Arizona as a good, hard-fought loss: they lost by one at Arizona. They have a great resume. Now lets see how the SEC tournament plays out. Watch out for those Gators!

More NCAA content is available here. 

THE GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK: The Name Says It All

One of the coolest ballparks in the MLB. 

The Cincinnati Reds were awarded the 2015 All-Star Game last week.  So we asked our sports panel If they have ever been to the Great American Ballpark; what did they think of that stadium?  If not, would they ever consider going there to see their favorite team play against the Reds?  Here is what they said.

"Yes, I would go just to check out the stadium. If I went to see the Seattle Mariners, I might be able to lay-down in the seats due to vacancy"--Johnny J

"Chicks dig the long ball: see Todd Frazier in 2012 hit a home run by throwing his bat at a pitch."--Dan P

"If Pathological Hate covers my expenses, I'll drink at any ballpark."--Donny R

"No. The only thing great in OHIO left for South Beach years ago."--C. McLain

In response to Donny, "nice try."  

And from what I hear, Ohio can be a pretty boring place and I really didn't take advantage of checking out the tourist sites in Cincinnati, but the ballpark is simply majestic.  I absolutely loved it when I went there in 2009 when the Chicago Cubs were finishing up their series against the Reds.  Driving there was another story.

See, it's about a 5 hour drive from Chicago to Cincinnati.  Even worse, one must drive through I-65 through Indiana.  If anybody out there wants to see a total wasteland, go ahead and drive through I-65 in Indiana.  Simply depressing.  There were more stalled, abandoned cars on the side of the road than houses adjacent to the freeway.  

One would think that once you get to Indianapolis, things would get better in terms of city views and signs of life--it's not.  Indianapolis, when driving right through its heart, is just as depressing as I-65.  There are all of these small to medium, old, rustic, buildings that can be spotted from the freeway.  It was like going back in time 30 years--no, it was more like being in a set of a movie where the setting takes place in the 1970s.  And then--BOOM!  The enormously, gigantic Lucas Oil Stadium appears on the horizon.  It just simply, in a comical way, overwhelms and blankets the rest of the city.  It truly is a magnificent sight to see, but it's funny that when driving on the highway, the "House that Peyton Built" becomes the default largest artificial structure in town.  

In terms of the scenic view, things get better once you get closer to Ohio as rolling hills and deciduous woodlands fill the surrounding landscape on I-74/I-465.  I love road trips, but the idea of driving back to Cincinnati kind of makes me cringe, simply because one would have to drive through Indiana.  Nevertheless, the destination is a major reward in itself.

Cubs vs Reds; June 7, 2009--"The Rubber Match"

Located nearby Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, and adjacent to the Ohio River, the ballpark is simply an architectural beauty.  Yes, it has a theme park feel to it, but that's ok. The aesthetics more than make up for it. 

It feels like a theme park because the day I went, there were these video game trucks that were set up just outside the ballpark.  Technically, there's this area by the Ohio River where its still part of the ballpark, but it's outside the view of the field.  There's a food court, the video game trucks for the kids who were bored by the game, and for an extra fee, you can pay an admission fee to check out the Reds Hall of Fame. 

Portions of the center field stands is shaped like a riverboat and I believe that structure doubles up as an exclusive restaurant to certain ticketholders.  In right field, there's an area where fans can go to cool off.  About 30-40 fans can fit underneath the "cooling area" as cool, mists of water sprinkle down on people standing underneath the water apparatus.  

You cannot walk around the entire concourse of the park as certain areas are only accessible for fans designated at those seats.  However, you're never too far from a view of the city.  We were sitting in the centerfield bleachers and as I was getting hot dogs and beer, I could get a great view of the Ohio River: I can even see Kentucky from my vantage point.

That's the other thing I didn't realize: Cincinnati is kind of "redneck-y" due to its location on the Ohio-Kentucky border.  As a minority citizen, when I hear people scream out "yee-haw!" I kind of start to panic.  But we were not once harassed by any of the locals and they proved to be friendly.  Then again, I would say 30-40% of Cubs' fans made up the attendance figures on that day so we were well represented.  

Overall, I definitely wouldn't mind going back to Cincinnati to catch a Cubs/White Sox game.  I hate the idea of driving back through Indiana, but The Great American Ballpark lived up to its reputation.

Cubs won 6-3 as Alfonso Soriano the game-winning homerun.
The Cubs would add two more insurance runs before
closing out the Reds. 

All pictures courtesy of Ed Mancia. 

For more on the Reds, click here. 

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEVELOPMENT vs ONE & DONE

Johnny J

(Johnny is a die-hard UNC fan, but he's not liking the new landscape that some schools have manicured in today's NCAA and he explains his reasoning in this article).
   
North Carolina basketball has been known to win championships because of  good recruiting and players willing to stay in school and willing to be developed in college. So when a prestigious school like the Tar Heels have a reputation to protect as a great basketball school, what happens when other schools seem more desirable for top recruits to attend?

Kids coming out of high school are looking at how to get into the pro game as quickly as possible and one coach is bringing in these kids with the idea of "One and Done," (For those that don't know, it's the idea of a basketball player attending the required one year of college before bolting to start his/her professional career--Ed) is ok at Kentucky. Schools like North Carolina who mark their reputation on developing kids may soon be scratched off their list.

"If you're a player that wants to win and that's looking to get on to the next level, Kentucky is the place." explained Derrick Rose, "Getting guys to the next level; [Calipari's] resume speaks for itself." Rose is just one of many players who was coached by John Calipari and later went on to become the number 1 pick overall in the 2008 draft.

Other players that Calipari has coached only to see them leave after one year of college ball are:

• Derrick Rose,# 1 pick overall  & rookie of the year in 2009. ( 1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• Tyreke Evans. 5th pick overall & rookie of the year in 2010. (1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• John Wall, # 1 pick overall & rookie of the year in 2011. (1 year at Kentucky)
• DeMarcus Cousins, 5th overall pick in 2010. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Enes Kanter, 3rd overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Brandon Knight, 8th overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Anthony Davis # 1 overall pick in 2012) ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 2nd pick overall in 2012. ( 1 year at Kentucky)

With a reputation of getting college players drafted in the top 10 of the NBA Draft, how can a school like North Carolina compete? I mean their record this year speaks for itself. The Tar Heels started the season ranked 11th in the nation, but with 3 losses in 7 games, (two to non-ranked opponents) the Heels dropped out of the top-25 and are currently sitting at 13-5. With a win last night over Georgia Tech, the Heels are 3-2 in there Atlantic Coast Conference.

There is a reason for the recent down-fall for the way North Carolina is playing. They lost four good key players to the draft last year, all of them being 1st round picks:

• Kendall Marshall (Soph)  
• Harrison Barnes (Soph)  
• Ty Zeller (Sr) 
• John Henson (Jr.)

The last time North Carolina Won the NCAA Championship was back in the 2009-10 season when they had a team that played with each other for 3-4 years. Players such as:

• Ty Lawson (Jr.) 
• Tyler Hansbrough ( Sr.) 
• Wayne Ellington (Jr.) 
• Danny Green (Sr.)

All of them are still playing in the NBA today, but schools like North Carolina need students to stay more than one year to help build a high-caliber team. A school like Kentucky is thriving off of "One and Done" and even won the NCAA Championship as recently as last year using this paradigm. They're getting the best recruits for that same reason. Freshman center Nerlens Noel from Kentucky is already projected to go # 4 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft and his draft stock can go up or down depending on how he plays this season.  Schools that need kids to develop, need to jump on board if they want to continue having some dominance in the NCAA, or they won't last long as a top-ranked, basketball school.

Personally, as much as "One and Done" sounds good for a program and player, I still prefer to be a fan of a program that wants to recruit players that want to be developed and leave a legacy behind in college. I want my program to win as much as possible and get better in the process. Recruits need to learn that they are able to do that at a good school and with a good coach. I also want to see players who want to graduate with their classmates. People sometimes leave and come back to finish school, but I don't understand why these players wouldn't want to get it out the way early on in their life! What happens if a particular player does get drafted, but ends up riding the pine in the NBA because his game is not fully developed?  Or if said player does want to go back and finish his degree, but for whatever reason, the opportunity is no longer there for him to go back to school?  If I were a player, my thought process would be, "the NBA will always be there and I will declare myself draft eligible when I'm good and ready!"

North Carolina is my favorite team and it hurts to see them not be considered as a top-25 ranked team so far this season. I'm hoping things will change-- for the long-run. I like schools that develop players, but these schools need to get the message out: " One and Done" is not always the best way! 

Patience plays a big part in everything that we do as people. I appreciate schools who try to improve young ball players' lives and to become better men and not just solely develop their basketball skills and talents. Sometimes, choosing the long path is the better decision as opposed to the short one.

(As of today's publishing of this article, UNC holds a 13-5 overall record, 3-2 in the ACC and their next game is at #18th ranked NC State.  UNC is the #13th best scoring team in the nation and #1 in rebounding.  Plenty of basketball left for UNC to right the ship...

...Kentucky, on the other hand, holds a 12-6 overall record, 3-2 in the SEC with their next game coming up against unranked LSU.  Kentucky is ranked #35 and #31 in points per game and rebounding in the country.  Perhaps "One and Done" is finally catching up to Calipari--Ed)

For more on basketball, click here.