Firstly, John Wall.

I know. Before you crucify me and call him the future of the league, just relax. I think John Wall WILL BE a major game-changer. The problem is…he’t not there yet.

He can score; however, it is erratic. He can’t shoot the three-ball well yet, and the biggest reason Wall should have stayed longer in college is ball control. In the first five games of this year, Wall has had 4, 6, 4, 1 and 7 turnovers. He has had some good rebounding and assist totals, but you cannot give the ball away that much and be an elite point guard. That is also my knock on Russell Westbrook and I am a diehard OKC fan.

On a side note, I love the Dougie, but I didn’t love how Wall came in his first game and did it in his pre-game announcement. It showed me a lack of maturity. Win something first before you boogie, or Dougie, or whatever.

The second guy, who I think is much worse off than Wall, is DeMarcus Cousins.

Cousins has demanded a trade from the Sacramento Kings and has been reported to have had shouting matches with coach Paul Westphal.

According to Yahoo Sports, Westphal said, “…when a player continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.”

Cousins was ordered to stay away from the Kings’ Sunday game against the New Orleans David Sterns, I mean Hornets.

How bad is it that you are ordered to not even come to the game when you have some skill and power down low, but you are such a distraction that they don’t even want you in the building?

I can understand sending away guys past their prime who are more distracting than they are worth (Stephon Marbury), but when you are young and talented and still get benched maybe you should figure out that the team isn’t the problem; YOU ARE.

Cousins demanded a trade according to the Kings. Of course, Cousins’ agent denies it, but either way Cousins needs to grow up. The Kings say they won’t deal him, but do you keep him and destroy your locker room? You have some other options at the post position, so if you dealt him it wouldn’t be a tragic loss.

I don’t know if another year of school would have helped Cousins’ maturity, but I do know right now the Kings are taking a lot of painkillers for the headache that is DeMarcus Cousins.

Both of these guys are John Calipari-coached athletes. Does it reflect poorly on him and how he encourages one-and-dones to come play for him and just lets them run wild so he can win? I don’t know. Just something to think about.

I highly recommend this one on Mark Price, not only because I can appreciate a white guy in short shorts who can shoot, but mainly because of the ironically named song “Black Gold” providing the background music. Other classics are Charles Barkley as “The Warrior”, Larry Bird and his “Small Town” roots, and, of course, Michael Jordan taking our breath away.

But once NBA fans are done reminiscing with these terrific videos, what then? I mean, yeah, Google Image searches for “kurt rambis mustache” and “brian cardinal” are entertaining, but it’s not replacing watching actual basketball games.

That is why NBA fans need to direct their basketball-starved attention one level down to the college game. And for those NBA fans who are not too distraught by the lockout to acquiesce, here is a guide for which college basketball team each should follow based on his or her NBA allegiance.

Before we begin, let it be noted that you will not see Duke listed below for a reason: I cannot in good faith advise anyone to root for Duke. They already have a large “worldwide” fan base that is loud and haughty; they don’t need anyone else. In fact, I’ll advise all NBA fans to actively root against Duke. It’s actually quite fun, and for someone who doesn’t already have a college allegiance, joining the Duke Haters Club just may be more fun than attaching yourself to any particular college team anyway.

Now onto the assignments, based far less on geography than on, well, other relevant matters. (And don’t worry Kentucky fans, the comment section awaits your ire at the end of the post.)

Eastern Conference

Chicago Bulls: Xavier Musketeers

Bulls fans can appreciate good point guard play, especially guards who can put their teams on their backs to win big games, and there are few point guards in America – if any – that are as good at doing just that as Tu Holloway. In fact, he is probably the closest thing to Derrick Rose that there is in college basketball this year (and he’s not even that close, which just goes to show you how good Rose is/was.)

Miami Heat: Kentucky Wildcats

This one is easy. In fact, it’s probably the most obvious of all.

Image source: SportsBore.com

Not only do you have the LeBron-Worldwide Wes-John Calipari connection already in place, but after last year there is now a sensibility similarity between these two fan bases. Kentucky fans would sell what is left of their souls to win a national championship by any means necessary, and that is a feeling than Miami fans can probably now relate with.

Plus, Kentucky is a lot like the Heat in how they assemble their roster every year: just get the best recruits, throw them together with some decent coaching, and see what coalesces as the season goes on in hopes that it’s a contender come March. That’s exactly what the Heat did last year with their collection of the best free agents, coming up just short of winning it all…just like Calipari always does. (But hey, at least the Heat’s appearance in the Finals won’t be voided a few years from now!)

Boston Celtics: Michigan State Spartans

Obviously you can tell that geography is far from the most important factor here.

If you’re a Celtics fan, you already have a wardrobe full of green clothes that you can wear while watching Tom Izzo and the Spartans. So that’s a positive. Also, I think the Celtics and Spartans are in similar positions:

• Boston was thought to be a title contender going into last year, but now they are seen as an aging team starting to decline. How will Danny Ainge rebuild the roster moving forward? Can he keep Boston in contention as he does it?
• Similarly, after yet another Final 4 run two years ago, the great things were expected of the Spartans last year. They faltered, and as guys like Raymar Morgan, Kalin Lucas, and, after this year, Draymond Green depart, a new cast of characters will have to step up to keep the Spartans in contention. How will Tom Izzo rebuild the roster moving forward? Can he keep the Spartans in contention as he does it?

Jared Sliminger

As Kermit might say, it’s been easy being green over the past handful of years. It could be harder moving forward.

Orlando Magic: Ohio State Buckeyes

There just aren’t as many dominant back-to-the-basket big men in basketball anymore – college or pro. The Magic have one of them in Dwight Howard, and the best college post man is clearly second year Buckeye Jared Sullinger. Granted, Sullinger is much shorter and less athletic than the high-flying Howard, so the two don’t compare in terms of defensive impact and aerial antics, but we’ll take what we can get.

And hey, with Sullinger trimming down a ton during the offseason, he no longer looks like the complete opposite of Howard in terms of physique.

Also, Orlando is often good, even reaching the Finals a few years back, but they haven’t been able to break through to win a title. Ohio State fans not old enough to remember the days of Fred Taylor and Jerry Lucas can certainly relate with that.

Update: Robert Littal, an alum of the Ohio State University, makes a good point: “We should have been the Celtics since everyone hate THE OSU…Orlando is WEAK, who cares about the Magic.”

Atlanta Hawks: Baylor Bears

The Atlanta Hawks are a talented team that had a memorable postseason moment when it seemed like they were arriving (taking the Celtics to 7 games), but they typically underachieve and can be maddeningly inconsistent from game to game while playing an undisciplined style.

The Baylor Bears are a talented team that had a memorable postseason moment where it seemed like they were arriving (making it to the Elite 8), but they typically underachieve and and can be maddeningly inconsistent from game to game while playing an undisciplined style.

Oh, and both teams have head coaches with the last name Drew.

Yep, good fit.

New York Knicks: St. John’s Red Storm

The last time the Knicks were relevant and good, Pat Riley and his slicked-back hair were roaming the sidelines. Fans of St. John’s are hoping that their new slicked-back coach Steve Lavin can make them relevant again. He started off well last year with an experienced roster, but now we’ll have to see how he does as he builds it on his own. And since Knicks fans have suffered so much lately, I don’t want to pull them too far away from Madison Square Garden.

Philadelphia 76ers: UCLA Bruins

I really struggled with this one, so I’m glad that Chris Callaway came through with a perfect fit:

“The 76ers could be UCLA. Will Smith is now a part-owner of the Sixers, and in West Philadelphia he was born in raised. And after taking a cab – with a license plate that said “Fresh” and that had dice in the mirror – all the way from Philly to California, Will was able to sit on his throne as the Prince of Bel Air for six magical years, and 15 more in syndication.“

And, as Keith Mullett pointed out, the 76ers have former Bruins Jrue Holliday and Jason Kapono. So this one really would work out great.

And, as Chris later pointed out, MSF writer Drew Lange should change his first name to Jrue. (This last point really has nothing to do with anything, but it did make me laugh.)

Indiana Pacers: Indiana/Purdue/Notre Dame/Butler

Positioned right in the middle of one of the best cities for amateur sports in America, most Pacers fans already have strong college basketball allegiances to either Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, or Butler. They should just continue rooting for whatever college team they already like more than the Pacers. [hat tip to Jon Washburn]

Milwaukee Bucks: DePaul Blue Demons

Marquette would be the easy choice here, but let’s go with DePaul. Both were good back in the day, both have had a big tall guy lead them to a title (George Mikan, Lew Alcindor), but both have been largely irrelevant since then. Plus both play in a good sports town where no one really cares about them. [hat tip Chris Callaway]

Charlotte Bobcats: North Carolina State Wolfpack

First off, picture Sidney Lowe and his 25-55 ACC record in your mind and tell me he doesn’t seem like exactly the kind of guy Michael Jordan would hire to coach the Bobcats (in between putts on the 10th green).

Update: Of course, since Sidney Lowe no longer coaches the Wolfpack, which I had forgotten about in my haste to diss Michael Jordan’s GM skills, the joke really is on me here. Thanks to the commenter who pointed this out.

Also, while the Wolfpack was relatively competitive during Herb Sendek’s tenure (he won 9 or more conference games in four of his last five seasons there), this is a program that has reached one Sweet 16 since 1989 despite being situated in the hoops hotbed of North Carolina. Bobcats fans already know all about cheering for a Tobacco Road loser. This would be a seamless transition.

Detroit Pistons: Michigan Wolverines

Michigan State is already taken, but that’s okay. Struggling Pistons fans shouldn’t align themselves with the unranked Spartans – a program possibly on the decline – anyway; they should go with the Wolverines, a program that John Beilein seems to have on the upswing. Plus, the Pistons and Wolverines both won the title together back in 1989, so maybe they can get the Michigan Magic working together again.

New Jersey Nets: Northwestern Wildcats

Jay-Z is obviously the most famous of the Nets’ management team (with apologies to the Russian dude), so I would think that Nets fans can appreciate some good rap music. Thus, the only possible choice for Nets fans would be Northwestern, because then they’d be able to rockout with their lockout to a guy who is clearly on the way to being at Jay’s level. That’s right, Chet Haze.

Washington Wizards: Central Florida Knights

When this franchise was called the Bullets, it won a championship and four conference titles. Since it became the Wizards in 1997, it hasn’t won a damn thing, except a few fleeting moments of notoriety when Michael Jordan joined the team to play at about 25% of his former greatness. But maybe there is a way for a Jordan to make it up to Wizards fans.

Despite not being heavily recruited coming out of high school, Michael Jordan’s son Marcus has turned into a pretty good player at Central Florida. As a sophomore he averaged 15 points and led the Knights to 19 victories. Heading into his junior year, Jordan has the Knights on Andy Bottoms’ preseason watch list for mid-major teams.

One MJ never gave the Wizards the title they hoped he might, but perhaps another MJ can deliver one to Wiz fans who adopt the Knights. And with the Wizards located in the nation’s capitol, what better conference to win than Conference USA?

Toronto Raptors: Carleton University Rams

I was really at a loss for the Raptors, so I’m glad that Josh Tinley stepped up with the following suggestion: “I think Raptors fans should cheer on the Carleton University Ravens, who have won 7 of the last 9 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) National Championships. And they’re right there in Ontario.”

I honestly don’t know much about the Raptors other than that Vince Carter had some misadventures there and Chris Bosh recently left there. So Josh’s suggestion is as good as anything I can think of.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Root Against Kentucky

Last year, I’m not sure what got Cavs fans more excited: a Cavs win or a Heat loss. Maybe early in the season Cavs fans were pumped up by Cleveland victories, but once it became clear that the Cavs would end up being one of the worst NBA teams in recent memory, surely more satisfaction was taken by rooting against LeBron and the Heat. So why not apply that same thinking during the lockout?

Since LeBron and Coach Cal have their little Worldwide Wes-orchestrated love affair, and being that they are just so damn hatable anyway, Kentucky would make a perfect target for the sad, plaintive ire of Cavs fans.

Photo credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via Esquire.com

Full disclosure: I don’t like Kentucky. In case you hadn’t noticed.

Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs: Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas is similar to the Spurs in that we take their consistent excellence under Bill Self for granted – they are almost always in the top 5 and have won the Big 12 nine out of the last ten years. They also, like San Antonio, have had some disappointing postseasons lately, but enough championships in their recent and past history to where their fans can’t get too upset.

The Spurs are so consistently good that we take them for granted. Did you even remember that they were the #1 seed in the Western Conference last year? Even with an aging nucleus they still found a way to be great in the regular season, but they just don’t seem to have the juice to make deep playoff runs anymore. This experience of playoff disappointment would allow Spurs folks to easily assimilate into the Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk crowd.

On a possibly related note, I’d love to see Greg Popovich wear Bill Self’s magic pimp shirt.

Los Angeles Lakers: North Carolina Tar Heels

After stumbling around a bit after Dean Smith left, North Carolina is back to being the nation’s glamor team under Roy Williams. Sure, they had that little blip two years ago, and Williams’ first season in Chapel Hill was one to forget, but otherwise Williams has never won fewer than 29 games and has delivered two national titles and another Final 4 appearance in less than a decade. And when Carolina is good, few other college colors start popping up nationwide like Carolina blue, as the frontrunners flock to support MJ’s alma mater.

Los Angeles Lakers fans (minus our own KVB, of course) know all about being front-runners…but very, very, very successful front-runners who have come to expect greatness, which is why any Lakers fan who turns his or her attention to college basketball will surely flock to Chapel Hill. I mean, it’s not like they can root for Kobe or Pau’s college team. Lakers fans are only satisfied by titles, and Carolina is loaded up again for another title run.

Also, it will be a nice change of pace for Lakers fans to be able to root for a coach who can actually bend his knees.

Image source: Here

Dallas Mavericks: Indiana Hoosiers

I know that I already listed Indiana among the group of Hoosier State school that Pacers fans should cheer for, but hear me out and I think you’ll agree that Mavs fans should turn their attention to their owner’s alma mater if the lockout drags on.

Not only is there the Mark Cuban connection (he got rich in part because of a desire to listen to Indiana basketball games), but if Mavs fans squint real hard (and maybe take a little LSD…) they just might be able to pretend that Cody Zeller is Dirk Nowitzki. Hell, Indiana fans already are and Zeller hasn’t even played a game yet.

And if it’s strong LSD, Mavs fans can really let their imaginations run wild and pretend that watching Jordan Hulls and Zeller together is a reunion of Nash and Nowitzki.

Besides, Mavs fans owe it to Cuban to send the positive vibes emanating throughout Dallas because of the Mavs and Rangers up to Bloomington. He delivered the city an NBA title, now Big D can do its part of get the Hoosier basketball program back on track. And since Mavs fans know a little something about cheering for a really, really crappy team and then seeing slow growth through to a title, they can give Hoosier fans some much needed perspective after the last three years.

Oklahoma City Thunder: UCONN Huskies

Thunder fans have grown accustomed to seeing a long, lanky guy drain jumpers, especially clutch ones, from all over the court. After his performance in the NCAA Tournament last year, Jeremy Lamb looks like he might be able to do the same.

Denver Nuggets: Utah Utes

First off, fans of the Nuggets would surely want to stay out in the West Coast, so if nothing else rooting for Utah gives them that. However, there is an even better reason for this one, and I guarantee you won’t see coming. (And you may just wish it hadn’t…)

Who is the most famous coach in Utah history? Rick Majerus. And what do Majerus and the word “nuggets” have in common? Well, depending on just how immature you are, and what you consider “nuggets” to be a potential euphemism for, both of the following excerpts could apply:

During a game in 1999 Majerus gathered his team around him during a timeout and zeroed in on struggling center Nate Althoff. “You’ve got none of these,” Majerus growled, and then reached over and lightly backhanded Althoff’s groin. “You’ve got no nuts!”

…

What happened next still haunts me to this day. Majerus took the towel, pulled his pants down, and quickly took a dump into the towel, which he was holding under his ass. After he was done he used part of the towel to wipe, wrapped it up, and HANDED IT BACK TO THE MANAGER, and told him to throw it away. The kid looked like a deer in giant Rick Majerus headlights. The whole room was silent. Rick just pulled his pants up and went back to the scout, never once mentioning it or acting like anything out of the ordinary had occurred.”

If you’d like the full context for these excerpts, click here.

Also, I just want it noted that this is the third to last one of these I’m doing. So I’m running out of ideas. And considering how crappy the NBA lockout is for fans, an excerpt that included the phrase “took a dump” and that included a description of a skidmarked towel seemed extremely appropriate.

Portland Trailblazers: New Mexico Lobos

Trailblazers fans are known for being among the most passionate in the NBA, which makes Rose Garden Arena one of the toughest places to play. That is why Trailblazers fans would fit right in if they took a trip to The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, known for being one of the toughest and loudest places to play in America.

New Orleans Hornets: Louisville Cardinals

Hornets fans can cheer for Louisville because Peyton Siva is an exciting point guard. Sure, he’s nowhere near as good as CP3, but he’s one of the best in college basketball nonetheless. [hat tip to Jon Washburn]

For the uninitiated:

Also, people in New Orleans already are predisposed to like people named Peyton, so there’s that.

Plus, I’d add that Larry Johnson isn’t walking through that door. And Alonzo Mourning isn’t walking through that door. Nor is anyone else from the Hornets’ glory days in Charlotte. And surely Rick Pitino would be able to remind Hornets fans of this.

Memphis Grizzlies: VCU Rams

The Grizzlies were the surprise story of the 2011 NBA playoffs, an 8th seed that stunned a #1 seed and then made it all the way to a Game 7 against Oklahoma City. Similarly, VCU shocked the world by going from First Four to Final Four, knocking off #1 seeded Kansas along the way. With their underdog cheering powers combined, maybe, just maybe, Shaka Smart and the Rams can make another deep run.

Houston Rockets: Georgetown Hoyas

Georgetown would be a good fit for Rockets fans because the Hoyas just got into that massive fight with the Chinese. Here is the video if you’ve never seen it:

Houston fans might be so frustrated at Yao Ming’s injuries and unfulfilled potential that they might appreciate the audacity with which the Hoyas fought the Chinese. [hat tip to Jon Washburn]

Phoenix Suns: Wisconsin Badgers

Suns fans know all about watching a team dominated by the point guard, so watching the Jordan Taylor-led Badgers wouldn’t be so much different than watching Steve Nash lead their Suns. Except that it would. Because Wisconsin and Taylor play a much slower tempo than Nash and the Suns. I don’t think that would be such a bad thing though. It would expose Suns fans to a less frenetic style of basketball that they aren’t really used to watching.

Also, anytime they see a picture of Bo Ryan, they can pretend he’s making his scary faces in the general direction of Robert Sarver and feel a little bit better inside. And with this picture in particular, they can pretend he’s casting an evil spell on Sarver and the rest of the NBA owners.

Utah Jazz: BYU Cougars

Or they could just pay more attention to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

And we’ll just move right along.

Golden State Warriors: Belmont Bruins

Golden State, like the Suns, is another NBA franchise known for having a run-and-gun style that makes watching them fun. Warriors fans also seem to have a chip on their shoulder and enjoying being the underdog the slays the dragon, a la a few years when they knocked off the #1 seeded Dallas Mavericks. Who better, then, for Warriors fans to root for than Belmont and its high-scoring, guard-led, underdog attack?

Read Andy Bottoms’ preview of the 2011-12 Bruins. The way he describes their leading scorer Ian Clark, it makes him sound like a cross between Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis. Sounds like a guy Warriors fans can get behind, and with Belmont expected to be one of this year’s top mid-majors, perhaps Warriors fans can channel their upset energy from a few years ago and help propel the Bruins to March greatness.

Los Angeles Clippers: Texas Longhorns

As MSF’s Keith Mullett said, “Clippers fans could root for Texas since both always have loaded rosters and coaches who don’t know how to manage them.” I couldn’t have put it better myself.

Sacramento Kings: Sacred Heart Pioneers

Let’s be honest here: for the last several years, about the most excitement Kings fans have been able to have is the inevitable sophomoric chuckling that ensues from seeing “SAC” scroll across score tickers. With no lockout, that means no more SAC…but not if Kings fans adopt Sacred Heart as their college basketball team of choice. Plus, Sacred Heart sucks (11-18 last year), so Kings fans can just keep on expecting loss after loss, just like if the NBA season had started on time.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Butler Bulldogs

We’ll let the Timberwolves’ fans cheer for Butler. They deserve to watch a team make the most out of their talent because of good coaching and management…as opposed to…well…KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNNNN!!!!! [hat tip to Jon Washburn]

**********

And now it’s your turn. Surely your perspective on this will be different mine.

What are your ideas for which college teams certain NBA fan bases should adopt during the lockout?

The comment section awaits.

But no matchup has me more intrigued than the matchup between the #1 seed and the #4 seed in the East Region – Ohio State versus Kentucky.

That’s why I am kicking off my part of our Sweet 16 previews off with this matchup. No sense saving the best for last. The most compelling matchup comes first for me.

First, the basics.

Sweet 16 Preview: Ohio State v Kentucky Game Info

• Date: Friday, March 25th
• Tip Time: 9:45 ET
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
• Location: Newark, NJ
• Arena: The Prudential Center
• Point Spread: OSU -5
• Over-Under: 140
• RazorGator: Ohio State-Kentucky Sweet 16 Tickets – ($20 off on orders of $200 or more at RazorGator.com. Use code ORDR20RG.
• Vivid Seats: Ohio State-Kentucky Sweet 16 Tickets

If you have followed my NCAA Tournament predictions before, you know that I like to use objective data when assessing teams. This has worked out pretty well for single-game predictions, though not always when applied in a blanket way to an entire bracket. But hey – we’re past the point of predicting the whole bracket. Now it’s all single-game analysis, where we excel here at MSF.

So before we go any further, let’s quickly analyze some important metrics for this game, courtesy of the ESPN Bracket Predictor (which I am now using for the third straight year to give me an objective basis for comparing teams’ season-long body of work as a whole.)

As you can see, there are only two out of the 15 metrics measure where Kentucky has an edge: turnover % (Kentucky ranked 6th, Ohio State ranked 7th) and opponent’s effective FG percentage (Kentucky ranked 11th, Ohio State ranked 123rd). So if we are looking at this game strictly on the basis of these very predictive stats, the Buckeyes are the obvious choice.

This is an Ohio State team that scores more points per possession than any other team America, and only 11 others allow fewer points per possession to opponents. That is pretty impressive stuff. Combine it with the Buckeyes’ bevy of NBA-level talent – literally every player in their rotation is an NBA prospect – and how much they have destroyed their first two opponents (combined winning margin: 63 points) in this year’s NCAA Tournament, and it suggests to me that the common notion that “there is no dominant team this year” might just be a big bunch of malarkey.

Ohio State has lost two games all season. They lost at Wisconsin and at Purdue (back when Purdue was actually playing like a #1 seed), two of the toughest places to win in college basketball. In fact, neither team lost a home game to anyone else.

So can this dominant Thad Matta-led Ohio State team, which has not been beaten all season anywhere but in the most of hostile road environments, be beaten by a young, talented Coach Cal-led Kentucky team that was within a tiger stripe of being knocked out in the first round?

Yes.

However, this is not a game where Ohio State can play its best and Kentucky can play its best and the whims of the basketball’s bounces will decide the game. If the Buckeyes bring their A game, it’s over. Ohio State wins. Kentucky is talented, but they do not have the lethal blend of talent and experience that Ohio State has. So Kentucky needs Ohio State to be slightly of its game, and the Wildcats need to do some things to push the Buckeyes in the direction of a B, B+ performance.

If Ohio State plays at a B/B+ level and Kentucky plays up to its potential, which admittedly would not be any kind of miraculous occurrence, we’ll have a game. Here are three ways the Wildcats can do it.

1. Guard the MF’ing 3-point line!

In listening to analysis of the Buckeyes during this tournament, I have often heard that controlling Jared Sullinger is the key to stopping Ohio State. So I expected that in the rare instances this season when the Buckeyes have lost that Sullinger has been held in check. Has he?

Here are Sullinger’s numbers in Ohio State’s two losses:

• @ Wisconsin – 19 points on 7-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, 1 foul, 40 minutes played
• @ Purdue – 25 points on 9-14 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 4 fouls, 33 minutes played

For the season, Sullinger averaged 17.1 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game. In Ohio State’s two losses, he averaged 23 points and 8 rebounds. So it seems to me that even when the Buckeyes lose, Sullinger is going to get his.

In looking at the box score, however, one statistic jumped out. The Buckeyes went 3-9 from downtown against Wisconsin and 4-15 from downtown against Purdue. That’s 7-24 (29%) in the two losses for a team that averaged 8 made threes and 18.7 attempts per game (approximately 42.7%) in their 34 wins. In fact, had five more of the Buckeyes 25 field goals against Wisconsin had been three-pointers – giving them their average of 8 – they win the game 72-71 rather than lose it 71-67.

It seems pretty clear: Kentucky must defend the 3-point line, and the stats certainly seem to suggest that they can.

Look back at the stat images above. One of the most impressive numbers for Kentucky is their effective field goal percentage defense, which is a KenPom stat that gives 50% more credit for defending the three-point line as opposed to normal field goal percentage defense. This bodes well for the Wildcats if we agree that it is imperative that they must limit the number of good looks the Buckeyes get behind the line. They did it against Princeton (3-14) but not quite as well against West Virginia (7-19).

If Kentucky can hold the Buckeyes to 3-4 three point field goals made, Sullinger can put up his usual stats and the Wildcats should have a chance to win in the end.

2. Everyone else can be normal, but Brandon Knight has to be great

Again, I’m not sure I agree with the conventional wisdom. This time, it is the conventional wisdom about Kentucky big man Josh Harrellson.

I keep hearing the Harrellson is the key to Kentucky winning, but I just don’t buy it. Sure, he’s important, and he needs to make life tough on Jared Sullinger, but we have already established that Ohio State can be beaten when Sullinger gets his numbers. Here now is something else we can establish: beating Ohio State does not require a great game from the guys inside.

Here are the numbers for the big men in the two games Ohio State lost this year:

• @Wisconsin: Keaton Nankivil – 7 pts, 2 rbs; Jon Leuer – 12 pts, 6 rbs; Mike Bruesewitz – 12 pts, 2 rbs
• @Purdue: JaJuan Johnson – 13 pts, 6 rbs, 4-10 FGs

Wisconsin does not have a traditional low block center like a Harrellson or a Johnson, so the comparison there is incomplete. But it is telling that even the very good Jon Leuer had just 12 points and 6 rebounds in his team’s biggest regular season win of the year. More telling is JaJuan Johnson’s stat line. This is the Big Ten Player of the Year, so you would think he would have to be terrific to beat a team led by Jared Sullinger. He wasn’t. In fact, Sullinger almost doubled him up in points.

So how did Purdue and Wisconsin win then?

• @Wisconsin: Jordan Taylor: 27 points on 5-8 3FGs, 7 assists, 1 TO, 39 minutes
• @Purdue: E’Twaun Moore: 38 points on 13-18 FGs, 7-10 3FGs, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 38 minutes

Clearly, the Buckeyes lost because the best guard on the opposing team decided to put his team on his back and have a career day.

Brandon Knight, the floor is yours.

For Kentucky to beat Ohio State, Knight simply must be spectacular, and there does not appear to be any way around it. Sure, Harrellson needs to be solid and eat up space down low. And yes, Terrence Jones probably needs a double-double. And sure, Doron Lamb and Darius Miller are going to need to score more than the 9 combined points they scored against West Virginia. But the key is Knight.

In the Wildcats’ first tournament game, Knight infamously scored just one bucket. Luckily for he and the ‘Cats it was the most important bucket of the game and they moved on. But another 1-8 shooting night from Knight and it will be goodnight for Kentucky.

To his credit, the cerebral and mature freshman bounced back against West Virginia in the Round of 32 and poured in 30 points on 9-20 shooting. He only had four assists and he turned the ball over four times, but against the Buckeyes I don’t think that matters. Knight needs to play balls-to-wall, even if that means a few mistakes, and be the ultimate scoring catalyst for his team.

Based on how this year has gone for Ohio State, going up against such a guard is the only way they lose.

And now the final thing that needs to happen for Kentucky to beat Ohio State and advance to the Elite 8…

3. The game needs to be moved to Lexington

Uh oh. I don’t think even John Calipari, the greatest salesman in the history of college basketball, could pull this one off. (Not that I’d necessarily bet against him…)

Has Kentucky shown it can guard the three-point line well enough to contain Diebler and Co from downtown? Yes.

Has Brandon Knight shown Jordan Taylor- and E’Twaun Moore-like ability to have an out-of-this-world scoring day? Yes, he just did.

So Kentucky has a chance. They really do. But the other element of Ohio State’s losses this year is something Kentucky simply cannot recreate: home court advantage.

Not many teams go into Mackey Arena or the Kohl Center and come out alive. If those are the only two places you lose all year, you’re a pretty damn good team. Well, Ohio State is a pretty damn good team, and I think they are going to win Friday night.

Now, if this game were in Lexington, where Big Blue Nation could rowdy it up and Ashley Judd could clap-clap-clap from the stands and the ghost of Adolph Rupp could spin a few Jon Diebler threes out instead of in…well then maybe the ‘Cats could do what the Badgers and Boilermakers could do. But this game is not in Lexington; it’s in Newark. And so even if Kentucky does everything right – if they guard the 3 and Brandon Knight goes off – they won’t have the home court edge to knock Ohio State from their A- game down to a B+ or a B.

Thus, Thad Matta and the Buckeyes march on to the Elite 8 – but not easily. Every eventual national champion seems to have a dramatic, nail-biter game before they reach the Final 4. The Buckeyes haven’t had theirs yet. They will on Friday night, as both teams hit their season averages for points right on the money.

• Ohio State-Kentucky Prediction: Ohio State 77 – Kentucky 76
• Ohio State-Kentucky Spread Pick: Kentucky +5
• Ohio State-Kentucky Over/Under: 140 (keep in mind folks, for this game to go under the two teams would have to combined for 14 fewer points than their aggregate average.

**********

What do you think? Will the Buckeyes breeze? Will the Wildcats pull of a Sweet 16 upset? The comment section yours to agree with, disagree with, challenge, or expound on anything you just read. That’s how we do things here.

If you didn’t expect this Monday morning to filled with more unnecessary but inevitable LeBron James rumor mongering, well you just don’t understand the new world of sports media.

On Saturday, I looked at two of the most prominent rumors circulating in the aftermath of the Cavs Game 6 loss to the Celtics. I told you why you should dismiss one and pay attention to the other.

As we sit here on Monday morning, nothing has occurred to change the opinion expressed there one bit. Quite the contrary in fact. Reports this morning indicate I just might have been right on the money.

Here is what I wrote Saturday concerning the possibility that William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley and Leon Rose would shop LeBron James and John Calipari – both clients of Rose, who is purportedly a puppet of Wesley – as a package deal:

Is it reasonable to think that maybe, just maybe, on the heels of Rose and Wesley’s big move into representing coaches as well as players, that they might ask a little something of their two biggest clients?

It seems reasonable to me, and considering what LeBron and Cal would stand to gain in terms of money, power, and attention, it might not really seem like Wes/Rose are asking for much at all.

Now let’s bring this all back full circle: if LeBron and Cal are, in fact, any kind of package deal, what does it mean for LeBron’s future?

I think it means he ends up in Chicago.

Okay, so now it is Monday, a mere 48 hours after I wrote that. What makes me feel even more emboldened that this informed guesstimation on my part could be true?

How about this, from the Chicago Tribune on the LeBron-Calipari package deal:

League sources said Sunday that noted NBA power broker William Wesley continues to work back channels to sell John Calipari and James as a package deal to franchises such as the Bulls, Nets and Clippers with coaching vacancies and salary cap room.

Another league source confirmed that an unknown Calipari connection contacted Bulls management over the weekend. This not only once again renders the coach’s vows to remain at Kentucky hollow, it underscores the juggling act general manager Gar Forman and senior vice president John Paxson must navigate as they tackle a coaching search while planning for free agency, which begins July 1.

I can’t say that I was all that surprised to read this. If you’ve followed the careers of LeBron, Worldwide Wes, and Calipari, and especially how they’ve intersected recently, you probably aren’t surprised by this either.

There are also two other quick bits of information, which I found this morning, courtesy of @CavsWITNESS, that lend even more credence to the LeBron-to-Bulls possibility.

From Chicago’s Daily Herald paper, comes this on a reported phone call that LeBron placed to Bulls guard Derrick Rose immediately after the Cavs lost to the Celtics in Game 6:

Word is, James said he likes Rose’s game, likes his team and would welcome the chance to play together.

Before putting LeBron’s No. 6 Bulls jersey up for sale, keep in mind that it’s possible James made similar calls to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Maybe even Nets center Brook Lopez. But it has been made clear through various channels that James is very interested in joining the Bulls when he becomes a free agent on July 1.

So there’s that. By itself? Relatively meaningless. Combined with all of the other chatter that’s out there it is yet another sign that the Bulls will be serious players for LeBron’s services come July.

And then there is the following tweet from @WillBurge from 850 WKNR in Cleveland:

LeBron’s “team” seen wearin Bulls gear @ a Troy Smith event last nite. Brace yourself Cavs fan this is goin to b a wild month as expected

Again, by itself not a huge deal. As another element of a quickly developing LeBron-to-Bulls possibility though, it carries some weight.

So, in conclusion, we still know nothing more concrete than we did 48 hours ago, but we do have a whole lot more innuendo and rumor to bat around and have some fun with during this dark period between the Cavs’ final game and July 1st when the so-called poo hits the so-called fan.

All I’ll say is that if I were a betting man – which I’m not – I’d be placing my bets on the Bulls right now.

For what it’s worth, Jeff Van Gundy doesn’t think simply adding LeBron makes the Bulls an immediate championship favorite:

The former NBA head coach and current ESPN analyst says he believes that the Bulls will become much better, but not necessarily one of the NBA’s elite teams, by adding James.

“Any team that gets him along with Derrick Roseand [Joakim] Noah, you’re going to have a good team,” Van Gundy told ESPNChicago.com before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. “A lot depends on how much they have to give up to get him. If it’s a sign and trade, what other moves they’d make, but I would not think they would be a championship-caliber team right away. But I think they’ll be a top-3 or -4 team.”

It sure as hell gets them a lot closer than they are now though. I think any Bulls fan would take their chances.

Oh, and one more thing, to all of the Kentucky fans out there: when you sell your soul to the devil, you give him the ability to toy with it however he chooses to. I’m sure you all felt great after Calipari tweeted that he’ll be coaching at Kentucky next year. Believe it when you see it. And if he does leave, you deserve it.

**********

* – LeBron James and John Calipari photo credit: Lexpatriates

* – LeBron James in Bulls jersey: Photobucket

The first rumor was not necessarily new, it just started to gain new steam: basically that LeBron and current Kentucky coach John Calipari were going to be a package deal wherever LeBron ends up playing next season. The close association of both to William “Worldwise Wes” Wesley had turned this whisper into a low murmur some time ago.

The second rumor was new, and while it is significantly more sensational, scintillating, and salacious, it is much, much easier to simply dismiss as baseless Internet chatter. That rumor, if you have not heard it, is that LeBron found out before Game 5 that teammate Delonte West was sleeping with Gloria James, LeBron’s mother.

Since I remain fascinated by this story despite multiple proclamations that I’m sick of it, I decided to dig a bit more into both this morning. What I found didn’t really surprise me.

First, let’s toss the second story to the side.

Here is an excerpt from The Big Lead, where I saw the Delonte West-Gloria James story initally:

Rumor has it that LeBron found out before Game 4 which is where the entire series changed. Delonte West stopped playing as much and LeBron’s numbers fell of a cliff.

They go on to cite Delonte West’s diminishing minutes and LeBron’s diminishing performance as indicators that the rumor could have some validity. Obviously correlation does not necessarily equal causation (which I’m sure TBL would agree with), so nothing close to definitive can be drawn from a sourceless email and some thinly corroborating statistics. And, to be fair, they pass it along as nothing more than rumor and give it no legitimacy.

The Delonte West-Gloria James rumor was also posted on TerezOwens.com, which, on a somewhat unrelated note, definitely qualifies as the douchiest name for a sports rumor site I can imagine.

Why don’t I believe this rumor? Because I asked around and no one I trust gives it even a shred of credibility. I couldn’t tell you one way or the other with certainty, so I’ll go with the people I trust.

Daulerio summed up my feelings on it well with his post on the Delonte West is banging LeBron’s mom rumor at Deadspin:

Of course, this should all sound very familiar. This time, however, it’s the mother of the star player — a particularly dirty twist on the classic locker-room urban legend. Unfortunately, this one’s picked up steam and become an “exclusive” for one site, even though it probably has as much basis in reality as the one about Joe Horn and Willie Roaf’s wife, or Jeff McInnis and Phil Ford’s wife, or Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds’s girlfriend (or was that Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher’s girlfriend?).

But yes — this rumor is spreading all over the place, and just remember that it is most likely coming from a bunch of 4chanish wags preying on the vulnerability all those sad Cavs fans searching for answers right now.

So Cavs fans, until something credible is said about this rumor, I think it can be placed right beside your NBA Finals dreams: in the garbage.

Moving on…

The whispers-turned-murmurs regarding LeBron and my sworn enemy John Sleazapari (or is it Calisleazy?) are far more difficult to dismiss. In fact, I think they shouldn’t be dismissed, because I am starting to operate under the assumption that this will be a major factor come July when LeBron officially becomes a free agent.

First, here is very pertinent link to a July 2007 GQ article that connects a few of the Worldwise Wes dots if you are unfamiliar with famous and mysterious roundball power broker.

“Is This the Most Powerful Man in Sports?” — (GQ, July 2007)

“People who really know Wes,” says superagent David Falk, Wes’s longtime friend, “know that he’s one of the two or three most powerful people in the sport.”

…

Earlier in the week, when the Toronto Raptors were in town, I spotted LeBron’s agent, Leon Rose, a close friend of Wes’s from back in the Pro Shoes days. (Rose also happens to be Wes’s attorney.) Ten years ago, Rose’s client list consisted of the itinerant scrub Rick Brunson and a handful of foreign players. Then, in 2002, seemingly out of nowhere, Rose somehow bagged Dajuan Wagner and Allen Iverson. Soon after, he was hired by Richard Hamilton. And then, in 2005, he landed the most desired client in the world, LeBron James.

Rose is coy about his relationship with Wes, but according to many sources, it’s no coincidence that nearly all of Rose’s clients are Wes’s “nephews.”

…

As I stand outside the locker room last December, a Cavs media liaison grants me five minutes with LeBron for a postpractice chat. “Can you describe your relationship with Wes?” I ask. “Friend? Adviser? Both? What kind of advice does he provide? What services?”

He looks down at me and says softly, “He’s a great guy. I met him a few years back. He’s been a great role model to me. I can only say good things about him.”

“As a role model,” I ask, “what’s he in your ear about?”

He adjusts the giant silver earphones fixed above his temples and says, “That’s kind of personal information, honestly. What’s said, what goes on with, you know, our family, stays with our family. But as far as him being a good person—he’s always been good to me. He’s never asked me for anything. He’s always been trustworthy to me, and I respect him for that.”

…

When I talk to John Calipari, he says it makes sense that Wes would recommend Memphis to Derrick Rose. “It’s the right fit,” he tells me, and then adds, “Wes is a goodwill ambassador to our program.”

For most of you, this probably breaks no new ground. The Wes-Cal, Wes-LeBron, and Cal-LeBron relationships are well known.

Until now, however, they have just been friendships never explicitly intertwined professionally other than the stories of LeBron watching Kentucky games, Calipari watching Cavs games, and Calipari using his relationship with LeBron as a way to gain cred with recruits. For example, LeBron and John Wall have become friends.

The tea leaves are starting to point towards a more explicit intertwining of these relationships now.

The following is a post by user “Wine and Gold” at RealCavsFans.com. I’d think twice before just dismissing it as “some random forum post”. Even if you don’t know the user (and I don’t), their status on the board speaks volumes, and what he/she says makes logical sense:

I think of late, he’s also had some key people in his life ,,,in his ear poisoning his mind with alternatives.

I’ll put four names together … Leon Rose, Wes Wesley, John Calipari, Lebron James.

I believe parlayed w/ Lebron’s wavering low levels of confidence in Mike Brown, has come these factors in his life that have him mentally compromised.

The Lebron we’re seeing in this series is a Lebron James that no longer trusts, believes, nor buys into ANYTHING coming from our head coach.

The only person I’ve even hinted with in regards to what has been going on has been Jon/Va in a few texts a week or so back. I had heard via some Nike insiders that John Calipari was having strong interests in coming back to the NBA game, but only under the most positive of situations.

Obviously if I’m hearing these things, Lebron is getting them, and more from his people that surround him.

Please note two key, and I believe related issues. Wes Wesley is now an agent representing coaches. To believe he is now working for Calipari would be educated reasoning to say the least

Another key piece …high ranking recruits to Kentucky aren’t signing letters of intent any longer. They are signing something less binding, so that IF Calipari isn’t there any longer, they no longer are tied to that university.

If you are smart, you can begin to piece together a puzzle.

Regarding Calipari specifically, he recently tweeted:

I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year.

You are obviously free to believe him if you like. Jeff Eisenberg of The Dagger takes a far more objective view of this and says that Calipari’s statement leaves no wiggle room (he’s right) and should make Kentucky fans feel better, but not 100% secure.

Personally, if John Calipari told me 2+2 equaled 4, I’d be reaching for a calculator. I don’t know the man personally, but every time I hear him talk I feel like blurting out that I’m happy with my current automobile and am not interested in his used ones.

So I will believe that he’ll be the coach at Kentucky if I see him on the sidelines next season.

A day before Calipari’s tweet and Eisenberg’s subsequent article that I linked to above, Eisenberg had this to say:

It’s too soon to know for sure about either of those questions, but clearly some high-ranking basketball officials believe the answer to both may be yes. Two NBA general managers contacted ESPN.com’s Chad Ford within minutes of the Cavs’ loss to Boston on Thursday night to say that they expect LeBron to end up in Chicago and Calipari to be his coach. And a source close to Calipari told Yahoo! Sports that the Kentucky coach has “got to listen” if the Bulls and Cavaliers come calling as expected.

Former Adidas and Reebok chieftain Sonny Vaccaro echoed those thoughts in an interview with Chicago’s “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on Thursday, suggesting that he could see Calipari bolting for Chicago to coach LeBron and former pupil Derrick Rose.

I won’t excerpt from the stories linked in the above excerpt, but you can click to read more about what they had to say.

Granted, Eisenberg also says “Don’t sit around refreshing Calipari’s Twitter page waiting for such a direct denial because there’s a good chance one won’t come” the day before Calipari issued such a direct denial, but like I said, I don’t think it would stop Calipari from bolting if he found and NBA situation to his liking. So Calipari can tweet whatever he wants to and it won’t change my opinion of where he might end up next season.

Don’t forget that when Nick Saban was with the Dolphins he adamantly said he would not be coaching Alabama pretty soon before he…became the coach at Alabama. Trust head coaches at your own risk. I think only politicians and drug addicts lie more.

Okay, so let’s bring all of these pieces together now:

• William Wesley is a great friend/mentor/adviser to LeBron, introduced him to Jay-Z, etc.
• Leon Rose is LeBron’s agent.
• William Wesley and Leon Rose are close friends/associates.
• Leon Rose is John Calipari’s agent, his first coach client.
• John Calipari and LeBron James have become good friends.
• It could be reasonably said that LeBron is the most powerful single person in the NBA; it could also reasonably be said that Calipari is the most powerful single person in college basketball right now.
• As David Falk said to GQ in 2007, and as has been seconded by a chorus of others, William Wesley is one of the most powerful men in basketball, maybe even all of sports.

So what we have here are three of the most powerful people in the sports world on the precipice of something unprecedented in sports: being able to do dictate, literally, whatever circumstances they want.

• LeBron can hand pick his team and probably his coach wherever he goes.
• John Calipari can stay at one of the best jobs in college basketball and make lots of money OR make even more money and feed his massive ego trying to prove that he can coach in the NBA, assuming he gets the circumstances he wants.
• William Wesley and Leon Rose can prove their alpha status in the NBA and in the sports world by brokering the single most influential move of coach and player in sports history.

If you read the GQ article, the author highlights how often people say that they appreciate how Wesley “never asks for anything.” And that’s probably true. It makes perfect sense that rich, famous athletes who are constantly being hounded for something – money, time, attention, etc. – would gravitate towards a guy who has connections, can hook them up, and who doesn’t explicitly ask for anything in return.

Is it reasonable to think that maybe, just maybe, on the heels of Rose and Wesley’s big move into representing coaches as well as players, that they might ask a little something of their two biggest clients?

It seems reasonable to me, and considering what LeBron and Cal would stand to gain in terms of money, power, and attention, it might not really seem like Wes/Rose are asking for much at all.

Now let’s bring this all back full circle: if LeBron and Cal are, in fact, any kind of package deal, what does it mean for LeBron’s future?

I think it means he ends up in Chicago.

Calipari’s #1 choice would obviously be the Bulls because Derrick Rose is there. LeBron would be attracted to a situation where he could play with another true star, Rose, and an up-and-coming guy like Joakim Noah, who is like a more skilled version of Anderson Varajao. The Bulls would also have flexibility to add some other pieces to their roster.

Also, remember that LeBron is switching to #6 next season. Might that have been because he can’t wear his current #23 in the house that the original #23 built before they retired it in his honor?

I. Don’t. Know. And neither does anyone else. All I’m saying is that in the current maelstrom of rumor, innuendo, and scenarios flying left, right, and middle, this one, unfortunately, makes sense to me.

At this point, everyone is grasping for straws and trying to connect dots that may or may not prove to be connected. This is what the Cavs’ early exit has cursed us with: 6-7 weeks of relatively blind, mostly meaningless speculation. It doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting and fun, but it’s certainly impossible to draw any definitive conclusions.

What I think is important is to understand how to parse the multitudes of reports and rumors. What do you believe? What do you dismiss? What do you allow yourself to be intrigued by and dig a little deeper into?

If the rumor about Delonte West and LeBron’s mom had you intrigued – and I admit it made me stop and pause – my advice would be to ignore it until something legitimate pops up. If the rumor about LeBron and Coach Cal ending up at the same place intrigues you, well, for all of the reasons mentioned above, all I’m saying is that I find that one a lot easier to believe.

———-

On another note, I stumbled upon one more article today that I found interesting. It had specifically nothing to do with the two rumors above, but did seem to provide a little bit of insight into what might have gone wrong with LeBron and the Cavs during the series with the Celtics.

Protest Mode? The LeBron Mystery Deepends — (HoopsHype.com by Ronald Lazenby)

One longtime James associate says James seemed to get caught “in protest mode” in the terrible Game 5 120-88 blowout where he scored a mere 15 points on 3 of 14 shooting.

“I’ve seen him do it before,” said the associate, who has been closely involved with James since youth basketball. “If it’s a decision in a game, LeBron will veto it and do whatever he wants to do. I thought he went into protest mode. Something happened.”

The protest seemed to be set off by a coaching decision in the second quarter, perhaps a substitution.

“He was not even playing aggressive at all,” the associate said.

James’s trademark energy and leadership were absent, reminding the associate in particular of a sequence James’ rookie year where he grew unhappy with teammate Ricky Davis and withdrew emotionally from the proceedings.

In that instance, James disengaged and let Davis “self-destruct” without support. Other stars, Kobe Bryant in particular, have appeared to stage similar protests on occasion during their careers.

If nothing else, it’s food for thought I suppose.

I’m not familiar with the writer so I can’t vouch for his credibility or his source (but that could be more an indictment of him than me). I just thought this was interesting. It certainly makes sense, but again, correlation is not causation.

We’re all searching for answers as to what wrong with the Cavs in the playoffs. The fact of the matter is that we’ll probably never know for sure.

**********

* – LeBron and William Wesley photo credit: Waiting for Next Year

* – John Calipari photo credit: SportsFrog.com

* – LeBron and Gloria James photo credit: BonCherry.com

* – LeBron and John Calipari photo credit: StarsAreBlind.com

WTF?

Perhaps not so coincidentally, the three letters above represent the same WTF number of shots LeBron James made last night.

Really, WTF doesn’t even describe last night’s game. Cleveland and LeBron pretty much rolled over, on their home floor, in a must win game, in a performance that even the Atlanta Hawks would have considered soft.

Every sports news outlet from Bristol to Bangkok will be dissecting LeBron’s poor play last night and assessing what it may or may not mean for his future in Cleveland. I thought I’d throw my two cents in as well, although with a little bit of a difference perspective.

So, since everyone is reacting to last night’s “LeBracle” that made all of Quicken Loans Arena groan, boo, and exit early, we’re counting down the top 10 reactions for you this morning.

Here they are, along with a hastily made photo collage that I think pretty much sums up last night. (Memo to Mike Brown: when Jose Mesa is trying to kick you in the face – with the full support of the city of Cleveland, I might add – you know you have problems.)

Top 10 Reactions to the Quicken Groans LeBracle:

10. Even former Browns QB Derek Anderson thinks the Cleveland faithful deserved better and were justified in booing.

9. Kentucky coach John Calipari was apparently in the arena last night. After the game, not even Worldwide Wes himself could convince Calipari to add LeBron to his next recruiting class at Kentucky.

8. After the game John Starks called LeBron. He requested royalties the next time LeBron decides to imitate him in a big game. (Note: Legally, LeBron would not be required to pay John Starks royalties because he did not completely infringe on Starks’ patented big stage collapse. Starks, you see, at least went down shooting.)

7. While waddling dejectedly to their cars, multitudes of Cleveland fans sought solace by reminiscing about the less painful and crushing memories of Earnest Byner and Jose Mesa.

6. At halftime, Cleveland native Brady Quinn implored his new teammate Tim Tebow to use his powers of divine intervention to compel a Cavs comeback. Tebow responded that he would, as long as the Cavs showed up to play the second half. They never did.

5. Lost in all the disappointment and finger pointing over Prince James’ woefully underwhelming 3-14 shooting performance and overall lackluster play is the fact that LeBron did actually accomplish something amazing: he made Skip Bayless more impressed with himself.

4. Mike Brown was left speechless for the second time this series…

…wait, never mind, based on the sideline shots of Mike Brown, he is always speechless.

3. The game hasn’t even been over for 12 hours and already LeBron’s elbow is getting sick and tired of answering questions about LeBron. LeBron’s elbow even said that now his kids are asking him “what’s wrong with LeBron?”

The fact of the matter is that LeBron’s elbow said an MRI that had been scheduled for LeBron will no longer be necessary. So see? Nothing to worry about. (LeBron and the rest of the Cavs will, however, be undergoing EKG assessments at the behest of owner Dan Gilbert. He wants to make sure his players still have normal heart activity since they showed none on the floor last night.)

2. We now know why Jay-Z included these lyrics in his epic song “Empire State of Mind”:

Me I gotta plug a special and I got it made,
If Jesus payin LeBron, I’m paying Dwayne Wade,

Although I’m not sure Tim Tebow really wants LeBron on his team after last night’s performance, we can certainly understand why Jay-Z would rather have Wade and his ring. (Hey, DWade may have received a huge assist from the refs in getting his one ring, but at least he attacked the basket and took control of the game to put the refs in a position to hand him a title.)

And finally, the #1 reaction to last night’s Quicken Groans LeBracle:

1. All those New York fans clamoring for LeBron James to come to the Big Apple? They just had a harrowing realization: they already have LeBron, and his name is Javy Vazquez.

Don’t believe me? Read this quote:

“I just want him to be aggressive…knock somebody on their butt…You have to be mean. Go out there and show them we show up to play, show up to kick your guys’ [butts]. And believe me, that will take care of itself.”

No, that was not Mike Brown describing LeBron James after Game 5. That was White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen talking about Javy Vazquez when he pitched in Chicago. After failing under the pressure of the Windy City, then succeeding in the obscurity and absence of pressure in Atlanta last year, Vazquez is now back in New York shrinking on the big stage.

Is LeBron much better at basketball than Javy Vazquez is at baseball? Sure. But could you compare LeBron’s Game 5 performance to a typical Javy Vazquez big game start? Unfortunately, you absolutely can.

Sure you need another Javy, New York? Just sayin’…

(Deep breath.)

(Deep breath.)

(Deep breath.)

Okay.

Now that I have that out of my system, let me close with a little perspective.

Last night’s game was awful. In fact, it was beyond awful. If you’re a Cleveland fan, there is not one positive that you can take from last night’s game other than the knowledge that Shaq can still dunk when left wide open. Hooray.

But…

As bad as last night was, and as epically bad as LeBron James was in a really big spot, the series is not over yet.

Cleveland has already beaten Boston once in the Garden. And LeBron, despite how badly he played last night, has shown us in the past that he is capable of virtuoso performances in big spots. Remember his epic 4th quarter against Detroit a few years back? Remember his tremendous performance as recently as Game 3 in this series?

Though it doesn’t seem like it after last night, LeBron and the Cavs are still very capable of winning Game 6 and forcing a Game 7, although the championship experience, maturity, and momentum of the Celtics certainly will make it extremely difficult.

Difficult…but not impossible.

The unfortunate truth of the matter if you understand the sad history of sports in Cleveland is that if Game 5 does end up being LeBron’s final home game in his hometown, it ended about how it “should” have: in crushing disappointment.

In fact, because such a cursed, downtrodden city has placed so many hopes on this one person to deliver them from sports purgatory, it is almost cravenly predestined that it would end with those same cursed, downtrodden fans booing the man who was supposed to be their sports savior. I really hope that’s not the case, but still less than 12 hours removed from the filth I watched last night from the Cavs, it is really hard to see the silver lining right now.

On Thursday night it will be up to LeBron and the Cavs to burst through the storm clouds hovering over the city and their season to give fans a reason to keep hope alive.

Otherwise, another era of Cleveland sports will be doing its best Cuyahoga River impression…by going up in flames.

**********

Full Disclosure: I unfortunately listened to Mike & Mike this morning, and Mike Greenberg read something by someone that described last night’s game as a “LeBacle”. I thought “LeBracle” actually sounded better. I’d like to give credit where it is due for coining the idea for that phrase, but I’m not sure where it came from first. If you know, let me know so I can provide a link. Thanks.

Update: I think this was the article. And it’s a good one too, by John Hollinger.

* – LeBron James photo credit: David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images via ESPN.com

* – Javier Vazquez photo credit: Hawk Fantasy Sports

* – Skip Bayless photo credit: ImageShack

* – Mike Brown photo credit: BareNucks.com

* – Kevin Garnett photo credit: FunFunNewsNews.com

* – Earnest Byner photo credit: NYTimes.com

* – Jose Mesa photo credit: DayLife.com

* – LeBron James chalk photo credit: Free-Extras.com

There’s a John Calipari impersonator on Facebook, who sent this (100% fake) message to Marquis Teague, the five star point guard and recent commitment to Kentucky.

Teague’s response, though, is 100% honest and true. Which, to me, is hilarious. As fans of one of the last “honest” coaches in the NCAA, I thought some of you would get a kick out of it.

Click here to view the awesome Fake John Calipari message.

This should perk up the ears of the NCAA, no?

Kentucky’s victory, along with West Virginia’s second half dominance over Washington, sets up Saturday night’s marquee primetime Elite 8 matchup that will determine the East Regional representative in the Final Four.

As we know, every Kentucky victory is just one more that will ultimately have to be wiped from the books once John Calipari’s diabolical team-building methods are uncovered.  Will Big Blue Nation at least get enjoy their basketball house of cards for one more weekend? Or will the Huggy Bear and his Mountaineers travel west to Indianapolis for the Final Four?

Elite 8: #1 Kentucky v #2 West Virginia (East Region)

• Kentucky-West Virginia Date: Saturday, March 27
• Kentucky-West Virginia Tip Time: 7:05 ET
• Kentucky-West Virginia Location: The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY
• Kentucky-West Virginia Announcers: Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
• Kentucky-West Virginia Spread: Kentucky -4
• StubHub: Kentucky-West Virginia East Regional Final Tickets
• StubHub: East Regional Final Tickets

Follow the link to view the complete Elite 8 TV schedule or to see our preview for the Butler-Kansas State game, Michigan State-Tennessee game, or Baylor-Duke game.

Kentucky-West Virginia Preview

Next, let’s analyze this Elite 8 matchup.

[Note: If you followed our NCAA Tournament coverage here at MSF last year, you know that I published previews similar to this one for each game from the Sweet 16 on. Using statistical analysis from the ESPN Bracket Predictor, which is powered by TeamRankings.com, plus my own knowledge an intuition, I went 12-3 picking the 15 games that concluded the 2009 Tournament. The methodology is essentially the same this year; we'll see if the results are.]

Here is how the numbers break down between West Virginia and Kentucky:

Before I give you my thoughts on this game, tell us who you think will win:

Kentucky-West Virginia Analysis

These are the closest win odds we’ve seen, which makes sense considering this game pits a #1 seed from a major conference against a #2 seed from a major conference. Interestingly, the win odds show us that #2 seeds actually win 52% of the time when facing #1 seeds. I would not have guessed that. Outside of this statistics, Kentucky has 5% or 8% advantage in the other categories.

Offensively, we have two pretty efficient teams in this one. Kentucky holds a 3-2 advantage in the offensive categories but both teams are in the top 15 in the nation in points per possession. Kentucky is a better effective field goal percentage, West Virginia turns the ball over less, and both teams attack the offensive glass. In fact, both Kentucky and West Virginia are in the top 6 in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kentucky is outstanding. The Wildcats may be known for their high-flying offense, but they can lock teams down as well as anyone in the country. West Virginia was not a good defensive team early in the season, but as Bob Huggins said during his press conference last night, they have really improved defensively over the last 3-4 weeks. They’ll need to maintain every bit of that improvement if they want to contain John Wall and his henchmen.

As for rebounding, both teams are right around 29.5% when it comes to defensive rebounding, leading me to believe that neither team has a particular advantage on either the offensive or defensive glass. If one team can assert its dominance in this area, it could go a long way towards determining a winner.

When it comes to picking this game, regular readers of this site know that my heart will be completely on the side of West Virginia. I’ve hated Kentucky for as long as I can remember, and when they added Worldwide Wes as their coach — sorry, when they added John Calipari as their coach, it just took the hatred to entirely new levels.

That said, I have nothing against the Kentucky players. John Wall is as exciting, dynamic, and confident a player as I can remember in college basketball. He is fantastic and a joy to watch. DeMarcus Cousins has terrific skill for a guy his size.

And it’s not just those two. Eric Bledsoe may be the most underrated player in the America because of the huge shadows cast by Calipari, Wall, and Cousins. But is there a player anywhere who shoots with more confidence than Bledsoe? Oh, and then there’s Patrick Patterson, another very good all around player who has become underrated simply because there aren’t enough ratings to go around for all the highly rated players in Lexington.

This is what you expect when you bring in Worldwide Cal, and he certainly has delivered.

So while I will root against Kentucky with every fabric of my being, I certainly can appreciate the rare amalgamation of talent that Big Blue has assembled this year. It’s stunning. And for most teams that Kentucky plays, it is overwhelming. I do not, however, think that West Virginia will be overwhelmed.

What the Mountaineers will give up to Kentucky in explosive athletic ability and raw talent, they will make up for with experience, grit, and better free throw shooting, all of which can be tremendous assets in a one-and-done scenario. West Virginia will need to control tempo and reduce Kentucky’s transition opportunities, and their experience and toughness should help them do that.

Assuming West Virginia can keep the game close, this is a team that has the most important element necessary to win close games against good teams: a star with ice in his veins and skins on the wall. Da’Sean Butler is that star. He has made big shot after big shot this season and is the guy West Virginia looks to in key moments. Kentucky will undoubtedly look to make someone else beat them, but Butler is good enough to beat them anyway.

Kentucky-West Virginia Prediction: So with all that said, do I think West Virginia can actually come out of Saturday with a W and move on to Indianapolis? No, I do not. I hope I’m wrong, but Kentucky’s immense talent is just too intoxicating to pick against right now.

And while I will rip Calipari until the day he retires for being shady, sleazy, and lots of other negative “s” words, the man has proven that he can not only assemble freakishly talented basketball players, but that he can also get them to buy into playing defense as well.

Yes, much of Kentucky’s defensive prowess is a function of their players simply overwhelming opponents with athleticism, but many a good athlete and good offensive basketball player has been worthless on D. Give Calipari credit for leading a unit that plays both ends of the floor, despite the fact that four of them – four! – are likely lottery picks in this year’s NBA Draft.

West Virginia could do everything right and still lose this game. When you can say that, it’s to pick them. Talent doesn’t always win out in basketball, and especially not in college basketball…but it does win out most of the time. So I have to swallow some nasty medicine and pick the Wildcats to move on to the Final Four.

Kentucky 75 | West Virginia 68

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* – John Wall celebrating photo credit: KentuckySportsRadio.com

* – John Wall and Demarcus Cousins photo credit: NationofBlue.com

* – Bob Huggins gold suit photo credit: Digital Headbutt

Lacking any motivation to do serious bubble or conference tournament analysis, I decided to spend a half hour with Google Images and find some of the funniest pictures of college basketball coaches that were available.

The result is what follows, a pictorial celebration of the MAD in March Madness, featuring the coaches of the current top 16 teams in America, as well as five others thrown in for good (see: hilarious) measure.

There are captions…so it’s not like I totally shirked my responsibility for analysis…(and trust me, you’ll see plenty of serious analysis here once the tourney actually starts.)

[Note: Click on the thumbnail to enlarge; click again on the enlarged picture to shrink it and choose another.]

[View with PicLens]

12►

Make sure you click next for the right arrow or right here for the bonus picture. It’s the best one of them all.

Now that you’re done laughing at the most successful college basketball coaches in America, get ready for March Madness 2010. As always, should be a thrilling three weeks.

Or not…if you ask Jim Calhoun.

With that being the case, it seemed more than reasonable that we take a few moments to analyze the most important individuals for the upcoming month. No, I’m not talking about John Wall, Evan Turner, or any of the players; this is college basketball, where any talk of “most important individual” begins and ends with the coaches (who, by way of their massive egos and general self-aggrandizing propensities, wouldn’t have it any other way.)

Today’s discussion will center around one simple question: who is the best active coach in college basketball?

The way I see it, a case can really only be made for eight men to even be in the discussion. I’ll rank all eight, and then you can agree or disagree in the comment section.

As is always the case for discussions like this one, it is important to lay out some parameters and criteria. For example, it is hard to argue with Mike Krzyzewski’s overall resume, but he has not been nearly as successful recently as Roy Williams (until this year of course). And I don’t want this to simply be an overall resume comparison because that is neither fun nor wholly relevant to today.

So here is my criteria:

• I am the athletic director of School A, which plays in a big conference, has a strong basketball tradition, but has fallen on some relatively hard times.
• I can hire any coach currently coaching in college basketball.
• I will be judged in four years on how well the coach I chose did. If he wins a national championship, I automatically receive a contract extension. If he doesn’t then NCAA Tournament success, conference championships, and program reputation and integrity will be taken into account when determining my fate.

As previously mentioned, I see only eight coaches who can reasonably be included in this discussion. To provide a frame of reference and some important historical data points, here are my top 8 best active coaches in college basketball (listed in no particular order):

Best Active College Basketball Coaches By the Numbers

* – John Calipari has reached two Finals Fours (one with UMass, one with Memphis) but both were later vacated.
^ – Does not include 2009-10 season

[Note: guys who just missed the cut include: Ben Howland (no titles, current struggles); Jay Wright (not enough sustained success); Mark Few (no big conference experience, no titles); and some others. ***Note: See end of post for an addendum to this list.]

Now let’s rank ‘em, going in reverse order because it’s more fun that way.

8. John Calipari, Kentucky

Do I bring my personal biases against John Calipari to this debate? You betcha. But the facts are the facts: Calipari is the only coach out of these eight to never have won a title, and he has also never officially be to a Final Four because both times he went it was vacated.

So while Calipari (thanks to his Worldwide Wes ties) might be the best choice for a quick turnaround, he has not proven that he can lead a champion, and he certainly has not proven that he can build a basketball program in a way that will not get it into trouble down the road. I’ll pass.

7. Jim Calhoun, UCONN

Calhoun is a great coach and is among the small handful of active coaches (Donovan, Williams, Coach K) who have won two National Championships. However, with his current health problems and the accusations of impropriety at UCONN over the years (the story about Stanley Robinson that broke during last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Sweet 16 that was vacated from 1996), I’m a little wary of choosing Calhoun over the other names still there for the taking.

6. Billy Donovan, Florida

Donovan made this groups because he, like Calhoun, is among the very small handful of active coaches who have won two National Championships. Obviously a coach gets huge extra credit in any grading scale for achieving the ultimate goal multiple times. Donovan has also won better than 70% of his games and made another Final Four, so despite his team’s recent struggles, he cannot simply be chalked up as a two-year wonder. He did, however, ride one recruiting class to the majority of his success, so I’d like to see Donovan be a little bit more consistent before I’m ready to choose him over the other terrific names in this discussion.

5. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

As Boeheim’s career progresses, and as he passes legend after legend on the all-time victories list, he becomes more and more of a legend in his own right. Boeheim’s career numbers are staggering, and the fact that he has done it all while coaching at the same school since 1976 is even more staggering.

Critics of Boeheim will say that he has had three teams this decade make only the NIT and that he has also dealt with NCAA violations (1993). However, Boeheim has taken three teams all the way to the NCAA Championship game and is one Keith Smart jump shot away from having two titles.

It’s a tough call between Donovan and Boeheim, two coaches have proven they can take a program to the top but also that they are not immune from occasional dips. I’ll give Boeheim the edge because of his much more meaty resume and extra credit because of his program’s higher level of success over the last couple of years.

Now it gets really tough…

4. Mike Kryzewski, Duke

If we were ranking the best active college basketball coaches simply by overall resume, Coach K would obviously be #1. He has more wins, more Sweet 16s, more Final Fours, and more titles than any other active coach. Plus, he continues to field competitive teams on a year-in, year-out basis and do so without even a whiff of scandal or impropriety.

But here is my question about Coach K when it comes to comparing him to the others on this list based future results: is he still capable of building a national champion?

Coach K last won a title in 2001. Since then, he has made five Sweet 16s and a Final Four. This is obviously quite good. However, the last three seasons include only one Sweet 16 and an 11-loss 2007 that resulted in a 6th place finish in the ACC. While this year’s Duke team has flown under the radar nationally despite its solid 25-4 record, I don’t hear much talk about them as a title contender.

Obviously you can never go wrong having Mike Kryzewksi lead your basketball program, but I think the three remaining choices are all – at this stage in their respective careers – more optimum choices if we are looking at the hypothetical four year scenario laid out at the beginning of this post.

3. Tom Izzo, Michigan State

There are going to be Duke fans and others who will be incredulous that I have Izzo over Coach K. I understand that. Coach K’s career numbers clearly dwarf Izzo’s and if you go back to the beginning of this decade, there is very little separating them. I give Izzo the edge over Coach K, just like I gave Boeheim the edge over Donovan, because he has had more immediately recent success.

Yes, Izzo’s teams in 2006 and 2007 finished in the middle of the pack of a mediocre Big Ten and made early NCAA Tournament exits. However, those teams built the foundation for the Spartans’ Sweet 16 appearance in 2008 and their run to the NCAA title game in 2009. This year, Izzo once again has a team that, despite an up and down regular season, is seen by many as a threat to pull it all together at the right time and reach another Final Four.

And why not? Izzo’s five Final Four appearances in 15 seasons as a head coach is incredible. It is by far the best ratio of any active coach. Add to all of that his consistency (no NIT appearances since his second season in East Lansing) and the lack of any scandal surrounding his program, and in my mind he’s a better choice today, for the next four years, than Coach K would be.

Oh, and Izzo gets a tiny little bit of extra credit for the fact that the student section at the Breslin Center goes by the awesome, eponymous moniker “The Izzone”. You have to be a badass to have a student section named after you. (But you have to earned it with some sustained success and deep tourney runs, so the “Paint Crew” in West Lafayette still sucks.)

While I would take Izzo over Coach K, he is not quite as good a choice as these next two guys.

2. Roy Williams, North Carolina

Without the Tar Heels’ unexpected and precipitous plunge this season, it would be hard to keep Ol’ Roy out of the top spot. He left Lawrence with the reputation of a guy who “couldn’t win the big one” and has now ended all of that talk by delivering two National Championships to Chapel Hill since 2005. He has also made two Elite 8s and a third Final Four since taking over North Carolina. Additionally, we cannot forget that despite not being able to take Kansas all the way to a championship, he did make two Final Fours (including a title game appearance) during his last two seasons with the Jayhawks.

But what the hell is going on this season?

North Carolina, with a roster full of McDonald’s All-Americans, is 15-14, 4-10 in ACC play, and will miss the Big Dance without an unexpected victory in the ACC Tournament. It is hard to explain what has happened to the Tar Heels, and it has often seemed like even Williams has been at a loss. Still, results are results, and if we’re going to give Williams credit for his wins we must also hold his feet to the fire for a season that, by all accounts, should not be happening.

Williams has another top notch recruiting class coming in next season, led by the highly touted Harrison Barnes, so the expectation is that he and the Tar Heels won’t be down for long. And perhaps we all should have expected more of a drop off for Carolina with so many veterans departing from last year’s title team. If the Tar Heels struggle again next year, it’s reasonable to start worrying. Until then, Williams has earned a mulligan, especially considering the fact that he is one year removed from coaching one of the more dominant NCAA Tournament runs we’ve seen in a long time.

1. Bill Self, Kansas

It must be nice to be a Kansas basketball fan.

The rock-chockers were understandably upset when Roy Williams left after taking the Jayhawks to the title game in 2003, but since then his replacement has won at a ridiculous .824 clip while delivering three Elite 8 appearances and a national title. That he has his team poised for another deep tourney run this year, while Williams endures the toughest season of his career, is what gives Bill Self the edge and the title – at the moment - of best coach in college basketball today.

Self has won everywhere he has been and, like most coaches, needed the foundation of one of college basketball’s most storied traditions to reach his full potential and the promised land. While Self has only won one National Championship thus far, it is important to remember the primary criteria set forth at the beginning of this article. I set out looking for the coach that I’d want for the next four years. I could not find a better choice.

Kansas has lost only 20 games since the start of the 2006-07 season under Self and has not been eliminated before the Elite 8. He also won or tied for the Big 12 regular season title six out of his seven seasons (including this year) in Lawrence. With experience in the backcourt (Sherron Colllins), a terrific big man (Cole Aldrich), and an exciting freshman (Xavier Henry), plus many other talented players, Kansas is rightfully on the short list of NCAA Tournament favorites for this year.

His relative youth, consistency, recruiting prowess, tournament success, and conference dominance make Bill Self the choice. I cannot believe that I am bestowing such an honor on someone who was once the coach in Champaign, but it is hard to argue with his resume and potential.

Now it’s your turn. Chime in with your vote and use the comment section to voice your agreement or disagreement.

Update 3/3: Digg commenters brought up a few going points. Gary Williams should have at least been listed in the “just missed it” section. Also, as one commenter asked, where is Rick Pitino?

Pitino’s recent personal troubles notwithstanding, he has certainly proven to worthy of inclusion in this list. To give Pitino his due, I will copy/paste what was written at Digg, because it makes the case quite well…although I don’t agree that he would be a better choice than Self or Boeheim at this stage in all of their respective careers.

It’s complete insanity that Rick Pitino is not on this list.

He has been to the Final Four 5 times. He has taken 3 different teams to the Final Four (no one else has ever done that). He has guided his last two Louisville teams to the Elite Eight. Louisville won the regular season and conference championships last year in the Big East (in what many called the season for a conference ever). He has never had to abandon a Final Four (Calipari had had to do that twice). I would put him on this list ahead of Self, Calhoun, Boeheim and the completely insane Calipari. How could you ever pick a corrupt coach like Calipari to guide your program. If you don’t think that Kentucky is going to get nailed for this the illegality of the 2009 recruiting class… you’re naive. The man is a proven cheater.

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* – John Calipari photo credit: At The Box
* – Tom Izzo photo credit: SlamOnline.com
* – Roy Williams crouching photo credit: CoolSpotters.com
* – Bill Self shocked photo credit: CollegeInsider.com
* – Bill Self cutting down the nets photo credit: SI.com

The kid in question is named Deuce Bello, which is the kind of smooth, rhythmic, catchy name that a guy named Jerod Morris can only dream about.

Bello, who attends Westchester Country Day High School in North Carolina, and is only a junior, threw down a ridiculous between-the-legs dunk during a game, the video evidence of which you can see below.

Now for the bad news, at least for IU fans like me. Bello, who currently carries a grade of 94 by ESPN’s Scouts Inc., is apparently strongly considering walking through the blue grass of Lexington to play for John Calipari and the Wildcats.

That sucks.

Other schools apparently on Bello’s list include Clemson, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, and Tennessee.

Umm…how in the world could North Carolina and Duke not be listed here for a player in their own back yard with this kind of freakish athleticism? Not that I think Duke or Carolina need the help, but I’d certainly rather see Bello end up there than torturing Indiana for one or two years while playing at UK.

Regardless, it looks like we’re all in for a treat when this guy makes it to college. The dunk above isn’t the only one that has gotten Bello notoriety. Check out the double alley-oop below, which already has over 3 million views:

In high school I used to have a shirt that said “when a dunk is worth three points, I’ll start doing it.” And that’s true. But damn, it’d be nice to have those kind of hops for just one day. Deuce Bello, a tip of the cap to you. Please take it easy on my Hoosiers if you do end up playing for Coach Sleaze in Lexington.

Hat tip: Monday Hot Clicks

NFL:

• Chris Myers thinks the Lions’ defensive linemen are terrorists — (Detroit 4 Lyfe)
• Pat White gets knocked out by Ike Taylor — (Zoner Sports)
• How Lovie Smith’s Cover 2 went from smiley face to frowny face in two short years — (Not Qualified to Comment)
• What was that Emmitt Smith? 7-9? — (Dallas Sports Fans)
• Chris Johnson and Usain Bolt want to race eachother — (No Guts, No Glory)

College Basketball:

• College basketball time-outs = NASCAR pit stop — (Paneech)
• Did John Calipari yell at a Louisville player (0:19 mark) — (YouTube)

College Football:

• Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: A quest for perfection — (MoonDog)
• In Alabama, football is above the law — (Global Sports Fraternity)
• Advice for Tim Tebow: Retire Now (I disagree!) — (Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports)

NBA:

• Danny Ferry faces uncertain future in Cleveland — (Waiting for Next Year)
• Today in likely bogus NBA trade rumors – Kirk Hinrich for Caron Butler? — (Tremendous Upside Potential)

Soccer:

• Iranian soccer official loses job thanks to New Year’s email to Israel — (Sports Rubbish)

Non-Sports:

• Why Twitter Will Endure — (New York Times)
• Is Twitter (Already) the New Google? — (How-to-Blog.tv)
• How Getting Stingy Like a Scoundrel Will Make You Rich — (Illuminati)

What I did not realize until I woke up this morning was what Knight actually said during his speech, which is making the rounds this morning and rightfully so.

What did Bob Knight say? Basically he said exactly what I’ve been saying about John Calipari for years now.

“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,” he said. “You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”

To which I really have only one response:

The crux of Knight’s comments about Calipari is something that has been cited here at MSF more than one: that John Calipari is the only coach in the history of college basketball who has had two Final Fours vacated. The first was at UMASS involving Marcus Camby and the second was at Memphis involving Derrick Rose.

To be fair, Calipari has never been explicitly implicated for wrongdoing in any investigation by the NCAA. And to be realistic, Calipari is a megalomaniacal control freak (like all college head coaches) who most likely knows when his players use the restroom, let alone who is giving them side money or taking their SATs.

Am I speculating here? You betcha. But I am most certainly not the only one. And know that the Ethical Asshole, my beloved Coach Knight, has come out and said the exact same thing…well I feel just a little more confident.

Something tells me that Coach Knight probably privy to information that you and I are not, and I doubt that he would lambaste another high profile coach in public if there wasn’t a little fire to go along with all of the smoke that trails Calipari everywhere he goes.

We’ll see how things go Kentucky. So far, he’s delivered championship-level cheaters at every stop along his college basketball coaching tour. The Wildcats certainly are no stranger to bending (shattering?) the rules, so this may just be a match made in heaven.

It will be entertaining to see Calipari’s smug response. He’s smile his greasy smile, feign respect for Coach Knight and act like he’s almost flattered Coach was thinking about him, and then talk around the issues and say something about being focused on this year’s team. And then it will probably end there.

But we can all hold out hope that Bob Knight comes storming into Calipari’s next press conference like this, ready to kick Calipari’s ass.

Hmm…I guess Coach Knight isn’t the only one of Calipari’s peers who doesn’t like him. Probably just a coincidence.

Well done Coach Knight. Thanks for saying what a lot of the rest of us were thinking.

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* – John Calipari begging photo credit: Scott and Holman

* – Bob Knight coaching photo credit: Indy Sports Nation

* – American Beauty audio file courtesy of RossWalker.co.uk

In what could be called the John Calipari Rule, the Collegiate Commissioners Association issued a memo last week that immediately prohibits National Letters of Intent from being modified.

The CCAs action comes about as more highly rated prep basketball recruits had increasingly asked for amendments to the letters of intent.

While the amendments varied, most centered on a recruits ability to be let out of his commitment without penalty if the coach leaves the school for any reason.

Follow the link to read more about the “John Calipari Rule” that will now be in effect for national letters of intent…and why MoonDog is suggesting it be named after Mr. Ethics himself.

I listed out all of the current MLB pitchers that I consider to be aces. Here is the list:

• Roy Halladay
• C.C. Sabathia
• Josh Beckett
• John Smoltz
• Mark Buehrle
• Zack Greinke
• Justin Verlander
• John Lackey
• Cole Hamels
• Johan Santana
• Chris Carpenter
• Yovani Gallardo
• Roy Oswalt
• Carlos Zambrano
• Chad Billingsley
• Jake Peavy
• Brandon Webb
• Tim Lincecum

Of all the guys listed on there, the one that gave me the most trouble was Carlos Zambrano. Certainly he is a talented pitcher and has put up very good statistics over his career. But what made me pause when listing his name was Zambrano’s famous propensity to completely lose his cool, especially in big moments.

Well, the day after I posted the above list, Carlos Zambrano blew another gasket and not only embarrassed himself and his team, he was ejected in a big spot and will probably be suspended. The Cubs were leading 2-1 in the 7th inning at the time, and luckily for Zambrano his teammates bailed him out and held on for the 5-2 win. Still, with the Cubs struggling and their purported ace on the hill, you would like to think he could be counted on to keep his emotions in check and not be removed from the game for such a silly outburst.

Here is the video of the Carlos Zambrano ejection if you have not seen it yet:

While driving in to work today, Tim Kirkjian was on the radio and he was specifically asked if Carlos Zambrano was an ace, if his teammates trusted him. Kirkjian said that he talked to a former Cubs player who said he loved Carlos Zambrano, and obviously thought he was a great pitcher; but, that he would not trust him to control his emotions and put his team in a position to win in Game 7 of a playoff series or any other big game.

I defined an ace very much that way: a guy that the manager, teammates, and fans expects to put his team in a position to win every time he takes the hill, regardless of opponent or circumstance. It looks like I was wrong to include Carlos Zambrano on that list.

In other sports news…

The Memphis basketball program is facing some major trouble regarding possible impropriety in regards to the SAT test of a prominent member of the 2008 National Finalist team. Though his name is not officially included in the NCAA report, all of the speculation is surrounding former Tiger and current Bull Derrick Rose. Looks like John Calipari may have gotten out just in time. I wonder if he knew this was coming down and if that was any motivation to leave?

In other feel-good John Calipari news, his latest phenom recruit John Wall plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of breaking and entering. The charges don’t sound egregious by any means, but made all the more interesting as the stench of Calipari continues to envelop college basketball.

Zoner Sports has decided to make a list of the five coaches most likely to be “Sprewell’d”. Coaches from two of my favorite teams made the list: Lane Kiffin and Ozzie Guillen. And if Bob Knight were still coaching, he might have made the list too. What is it with me being a fan of teams with loose cannon coaches?

I wish I could shoot pool like this kid.

You can feel the court of public opinion starting to trend in Michael Vick’s favor. The latest and greatest to jump on the “give Vick a second chance” bandwagon is JM Van Horn at MoonDog Sports.

While they are waiting, the guys over at WFNY wonder if tonight’s game impacts LeBron’s future in Cleveland. If it does, all I can say is I hope the Cavs win. I do not want to see him playing anywhere else…but this series has definitely proven that he still needs more help. Robert Littal BSO likens the current version of LeBron James to MJ circa 1989. It is an apt comparison.

It’s Thursday and she’s hot, so why not?

The player ratings for the new Madden video game have been released. I wonder what LaDainian Tomlinson will think seeing himself at 94…but former backup Michael Turner at a 95. And does anyone else have a problem with Calvin Johnson being below Anquan Boldin and Roddy White? Those are both great receivers, but I think I’d rather have Johnson.

And that’s a wrap for this morning. Have a great day everyone.