I hesitate to give anyone credit for how the schedule has played out, but whether it be by luck or by design, the college hoops slate has been terrific in the first week of post-football action.
Bottoms Line College Basketball Stock Watch
January 28, 2012 By 1 Comment
March Madness 2012 can’t get here soon enough for me, although last Saturday’s action brought plenty of madness on its own.
Interestingly enough though, finding teams for this week’s stock watch was tough because so many teams appear to be locked into win-one, lose-one mode.
NCAA Hoops Crash Course: Big East
February 4, 2011 By 1 Comment
So far I’ve plowed through the Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12, but it’s time to take on the mammoth Big East.
There’s no arguing that the 16-team behemoth is the nation’s toughest, deepest, and most talented conference. Thanks to the high quality of play and the weakest set of bubble teams I can recall, the Big East has a better than legit shot at landing a record 11 teams in the Big Dance.
With 11 squads to review, there’s no time to waste.
Report: Brian Kelly to be Named Head Football Coach at Notre Dame
December 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
According to ESPN Brian Kelly will be the new head football coach at Notre Dame.
Two sources have told ESPN writer Chris Mortensen that Kelly has accepted the offer and will announce at the team banquet later today that he has taken the job.
Charlie Weis Fired as Notre Dame Head Football Coach
November 30, 2009 By 4 Comments
What we all expected has now apparently come to fruition.
According to ESPN reports, and first reported by the New York Daily News, Charlie Weis has officially be relieved of his duties as Notre Dame head football coach.
Let the speculation for his successor officially begin.
Yes, Charlie Weis’ Tenure as Notre Dame Head Coach Can Get Worse
October 2, 2009 By 1 Comment
Despite the “decided schematic advantage” that he has brought to South Bend (best seen here and here), Charlie Weis’ tenure at Notre Dame has not gone quite as well as he and the Notre Dame faithful had hoped.
Let’s see, there was that 3-8 record in 2007 that featured losses to Air Force and Navy, and then last season’s 7-6 mark that was highlighted by a loss to Syracuse (a football program on such solid footing that it turned to a former Duke basketball player to play quarterback this year).
The putrid aftertaste of this 10-14 two-year span is most notably seen in this encouraging billboard that a group of ex-Irish football players bought in South Bend before this season started.
But just when you thought that things could not get worse in South Bend, that Weis’ seat could not possibly get hotter, there is this: Notre Dame’s 207-game sellout streak, which dates back all the way to 1973 (around the same time that this photo was taken), is in jeopardy of being broken this weekend.
Update: Well that didn’t take long. The sellout streak is alive, according to ESPN. I’d like to think we had something to do with it…but I know we didn’t.
Notre Dame-Purdue Preview, Analysis, & Prediction
September 24, 2009 By 1 Comment
Will Notre Dame’s offense still be able to produce after losing Michael Floyd for the season?
What!? Purdue lost to Northern Illinois!? Are they really that bad?
These are some very good questions, questions that need to be answered and that will be answered — at least in part — this coming Saturday.
Notre Dame at Purdue
- Purdue-Notre Dame date: Saturday, September 26th
- Purdue-Notre Dame time: 8:00 ET
- Purdue-Notre Dame TV: ESPN
- Purdue-Notre Dame Point Spread: Notre Dame -8.5
Notre Dame took a heavy blow after learning that their #1 receiver, Michael Floyd, will miss the rest of the season due to a broken left collarbone. Floyd was near the top in the nation, averaging 160 yards per game, before getting injured. This now means Golden Tate will get double covered every game for the rest of the season.
Jimmy Clausen, who might not even start on Saturday due to turf toe, will have to look for Duval Kamara, Robby Parris, or some other receiver to step it up and make some catches.
Otherwise the Irish’s offense is in for a long day.
As for the Irish’s defense, it has been terrible the last two weeks. If they play on Saturday like they have played the last two weeks, there will be trouble for Notre Dame and head coach Charlie Weis. The offense won’t be as productive because of the loss of Floyd, and because of Clausen’s injured toe. Clausen wants to play Saturday and Weis beleives he will, but even if Clausen does play, he will have to adjust his ball delivery. Clausen has stated that the toe hurts, and that he had to make an adjustment.
All that could mean bad news for the BCS hopeful Irish. They desperately need the defense to play a good game because the offense won’t be as good as in previous weeks.
One thing for the Irish to be positive about is that their opponent lost to Northern Illinois last weekend.
Surprising as it might seem, Purdue did lose to Northern Illinois 28-21. Purdue, a semi-mediocre team, looked like a D-II team last Saturday. Purdue isn’t a great team by any means, but no one expected them to lose that game either. Their passing game was non-existent, throwing for only 188 yards. They did rush for a little over 120 yards with 2 TDs, but that will hardly cover up the fact that Purdue just isn’t that good of a team this year.
Don’t expect a Purdue upset Saturday night. Even though the Irish are without Floyd, and Heisman hopeful Clausen is injured with turf toe, Notre Dame will be able to move the ball down the field and easily beat the Boilermakers on their home turf.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Hand Nevada a Beating
September 7, 2009 By 3 Comments
Charlie Weis and his team must feel really great right now after shutting out Nevada, 35-0. It was a right step on the road to recovery for the Notre Dame football team.
All areas of the team were spot on. The defense was fast and shut down both the running and the passing game. The offense was unstoppable. Notre Dame ran away with the game early, and once they had it they never looked back.
Jimmy Clausen had a Heisman-caliber game, throwing for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns. The ball came out out of his hand like a bullet and was always incredibly accurate as well.
Sure, it wasn’t a top 25 team they played in South Bend on Saturday, but a game like that should improve Clausen’s confidence in the pocket and the overall confidence of the offense. It was a great day for the junior QB and hopefully we will see more games like that from him.
It was just a blast to watch this game. Being a Notre Dame fan I had seen some bad football being played by the Irish over the past 2 years, and this game was basically a vacation from all that bad football. For once this team looked like the old Fighting Irish I knew and loved.
It was a big win against a small school, but it seemed like it was a huge win against a huge team. You could see the happiness on the players’, coaches’, and fans’ faces. This is a win the team needed. To start off a season like that, after playing so poorly the past couple of seasons, must be a big relief. Hopefully it is also a sign that this team can do big things this year.
Next week the Irish play against rival Michigan. It is another big game and comes against a team that is in the same position Notre Dame is, only worse. Both teams will want a W, so expect a hard fought football game. You can check out the game on September 12 at 2:30cst.
**********
* – Jimmy Clausen photo credit: AP via BoDog Beat
College Basketball: Big East Tournament Preview and History
March 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A few weeks back we published our 2009 Big Ten Conference Mens Basketball Tournament Preview, which included a look at the past champions for young tournament. Last we took a look at the 2009 ACC Conference Mens Basketball Tournament and its longer and much more storied history.
Today, we are taking a look at the 2009 Big East Conference Mens Basketball Tournament, as well as the tournament history. This year, the Big East Tournament will feature all 16 teams in the conference for the first time. And with 2009 stalwarts like UCONN, Louisville, and Pitt at the top of the class, plus teams like Notre Dame, Cincinnati, and Georgetown hoping to make enough noise to earn a bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament, the 2009 Big East Tournament should be the most exciting of them all.
Here is your quick preview of the 2009 Big East Tournament:
- What: 30th Big East Conference Mens Basketball Tournament
- Dates: March 10-March 14
- Site: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- Official website: Big East Conference
- StubHub Tickets: 2009 Big East Basketball Tournament Tickets
- StubHub Tickets: 2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets
This year’s Big East Tournament actually spans the entire week, beginning on Tuesday with the first round games and then lasting all the way until Saturday night’s championship game. Below, you fill find the daily schedule for the 2009 Big East Tournament. You can also follow the link to get a printable 2009 Big East Tournament bracket.
2009 Big East Tournament Matchups and TV Schedule
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tues, March 10 | #16 DePaul def. #9 Cincinnati 67-57 | 12:00 ET | BIGEAST.tv |
| 2 | Tues, March 10 | #13 St. John's def. #12 Georgetown 64-59 | 2:00 ET | BIGEAST.tv |
| 3 | Tues, March 10 | #10 Notre Dame def. #15 Rutgers 61-50 | 7:00 ET | BIGEAST.tv |
| 4 | Tues, March 10 | #11 Seton Hall def. #14 USF 68-54 | 9:00 ET | BIGEAST.tv |
| 5 | Wed, March 11 | #8 Providence def #16 DePaul 83-74 | 12:00 ET | ESPN |
| 6 | Wed, March 11 | #5 Marquette def. #13 St. John's 74-45 | 2:00 ET | ESPN |
| 7 | Wed, March 11 | #7 West Virginia def. #10 Notre Dame 74-62 | 7:00 ET | ESPN |
| 8 | Wed, March 11 | #6 Syracuse def. #11 Seton Hall 89-74 | 9:00 ET | ESPN |
| 9 | Thu, March 12 | #1 Louisville def. #8 Providence 73-55 | 12:00 ET | ESPN |
| 10 | Thu, March 12 | #4 Villanova def. #5 Marquette 76-75 | 2:00 ET | ESPN |
| 11 | Thu, March 12 | #7 West Virginia def. #2 Pittsburgh 74-60 | 7:00 ET | ESPN |
| 12 | Thu, March 12 | #6 Syracuse def. #3 UConn 127-177* | 9:00 ET | ESPN |
| *6 overtime periods | ||||
| 13 | Fri, March 13 | #1 Louisville def. #4 Villanova 69-55 | 7:00 ET | ESPN |
| 14 | Fri, March 13 | #6 Syracuse def. #7 West Virginia 74-69 | 9:00 ET | ESPN |
| 15 | Sat, March 14 | #1 Louisville v #6 Syracuse | 9:00 ET | ESPN |
Go to the official Big East Conference Mens Basketball website and look to the right sidebar to get the updated standings if you want to know who is currently seeded where. The Big East tournament always seems to be one of the most exciting and dramatic conference tournaments each year. Some team always seems to come out of nowhere (like the Gerry McNamara-led Orangemen from a few years ago, for example) to compete for a title, and there are often #1 seeds and NCAA Tournament bubble berths on the line.
This year is no different.
In fact, UCONN, PITT, and Louisville all have pretty legitimate claims to #1 seeds this season. Based on what happens in the Big East tournament, and in the rest of the games around the country still to be played before Selection Sunday, we could see three #1 seeds from the Big East. They almost certainly will get two. Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and look at the history of the Big East Tournament, including past champions and MVPs.
Big East Tournament History: Past Champions and MVPs
| Date | Big East Champion | Score | Runner-Up | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Georgetown | 87-81 | Syracuse | Craig Shelton, Georgetown |
| 1981 | Syracuse | 83-80* | Villanova | Leo Rautins, Syracuse |
| 1982 | Georgetown | 72-54 | Villanova | Eric Floyd, Georgetown |
| 1983 | St. John's | 85-77 | Boston College | Chris Mullin, St. John's |
| 1984 | Georgetown | 82-71* | Syracuse | Patrick Ewing, Georgetown |
| 1985 | Georgetown | 92-80 | St. John's | Patrick Ewing, Georgetown |
| 1986 | St. John's | 70-69 | Syracuse | Dwayne Washington, Syracuse |
| 1987 | Georgetown | 69-59 | Syracuse | Reggie Williams, Georgetown |
| 1988 | Syracuse | 85-68 | Villanova | Sherman Douglas, Syracuse |
| 1989 | Georgetown | 88-79 | Syracuse | Charles Smith, Georgetown |
| 1990 | Connecticut | 78-65 | Syracuse | Chris Smith, UCONN |
| 1991 | Seton Hall | 74-62 | Georgetown | Oliver Taylor, Seton Hall |
| 1992 | Syracuse | 56-54 | Georgetown | Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown |
| 1993 | Seton Hall | 103-70 | Syracuse | Terry Dehere, Seton Hall |
| 1994 | Providence | 74-64 | Georgetown | Michael Smith, Providence |
| 1995 | Villanova | 94-78 | Connecticut | Kerry Kittles, Villanova |
| 1996 | Connecticut | 75-74 | Georgetown | Victor Page, Georgetown |
| 1997 | Boston College | 70-58 | Villanova | Scoonie Penn, Boston College |
| 1998 | Connecticut | 69-64 | Syracuse | Khalid El-Amin, UCONN |
| 1999 | Connecticut | 82-63 | St. John's | Kevin Freeman, UCONN |
| 2000 | St. John's | 80-70 | Connecticut | Bootsy Thonton, St. John's |
| 2001 | Boston College | 79-57 | Pittsburgh | Troy Bell, Boston College |
| 2002 | Connecticut | 74-65* | Pittsburgh | Caron Butler, UCONN |
| 2003 | Pittsburgh | 74-56 | Connecticut | Julius Page, Pittsburgh |
| 2004 | Connecticut | 61-58 | Pittsburgh | Ben Gordon, UCONN |
| 2005 | Syracuse | 68-59 | West Virginia | Hakim Warrick, Syracuse |
| 2006 | Syracuse | 65-61 | Pittsburgh | Gerry McNamara, Syracuse |
| 2007 | Georgeton | 65-42 | Pittsburgh | Jeff Green, Georgetown |
| 2008 | Pittsburgh | 74-65 | Georgetown | Sam Young, Pittsburgh |
| 2009 | Louisville | 76-66 | Syracuse | Jonny Flynn, Syracuse |
| 2010 | West Virginia | 60-58 | Georgetown | Da'Sean Butler, WVU |
| 2011 | Connecticut | 69-66 | Louisville | Kemba Walker, UCONN |
Note: Every Big East Tournament since 1983 has been played at the site of this year’s tournament, Madison Square Garden in New York. The other venues were:
- 1980: Providence Civic Center – Providence, RI
- 1981: Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
- 1982: Hartford Civic Center – Hartford, CT
From a Midwest perspective (since we are Midwest Sports Fans after all), this year’s Big East Tournament is huge for Notre Dame. As I write this, the Fighting Irish are 7-10 in the conference, 16-13 overall, and clinging to their last slim hope of an NCAA Tournament bid despite another outstanding season from Luke Harangody. I’ve heard a lot of the college basketball talking heads predicting the Irish as a dark horse for this year’s Big East Tournament. If they can shoot well, it certainly is not outside the realm of possibility. However, they will have to win games on five consecutive days to make it a reality.
Maybe they can do it, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
As for Louisville and Marquette, they can obviously improve their NCAA Tournament seeding with a good showing. However, going deep into the tournament does have its drawbacks, as playing 3 or 4 days in a row right before the NCAA tournament could create some fatigue late in the season. I heard some of the ESPN analysts discussing this last night. The way I see it though, the tournament ends on Saturday and the first NCAA tourney game would not be until the next Thursday. That should be plenty of time to rest up for any team that has play 3, 4, or even 5 games to win the Big East Tournament title.
Either way, it is going to be a great week of basketball in the Big East and around the country. Enjoy the games, and get ready for one of the most glorious days of the year: Selection Sunday, now less than two weeks away!
Gruden out at Tampa Bay, likes Notre Dame Victory March
January 17, 2009 By 3 Comments
Jon Gruden was hit from his blindside Friday when the Glazer family gave him the pink slip as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s too early to determine what precipitated this stunning development, weeks after the conclusion of the regular season, although the fact that the Buccaneers faded drastically down the stretch and fumbled away a wild card berth they seemingly had in their grasp a few weeks earlier might have had something to do with it. But this has “power struggle” written all over it.
Also being shown the door was general manager Bruce Allen, the son of the legendary George Allen. Allen and Gruden worked together in Oakland and after Gruden was “traded†to Tampa Bay, he suggested to the Glazers that they hire Allen as the Bucs’ GM after the 2003 season.
Gruden won a Super Bowl during his first season at the helm in Tampa Bay and that made him the youngest coach ever to win the Super Bowl. Gruden’s Bucs beat his former team, the Raiders, in San Diego in that game.
What’s next for Gruden? Radio personalities and chat rooms in St. Louis are already clamoring for Rams GM Billy Devaney to inquire about Gruden as the team’s next head coach.
If Devaney were to pick up the phone and call up Gruden’s agent Bob LaMonte (who also happens to represent Steve Spagnuolo, a finalist in St. Louis), I have a hunch that Gruden and LaMonte might say, “Thanks, but no thanks.â€
Why? I have two words for you.
Notre Dame.
If the Fighting Irish don’t improve drastically under Charlie Weis’ watch in 2009, you can bet Gruden’s name comes up as a candidate, so it makes sense for Gruden to take a year off. Gruden’s father Jim was an assistant coach under Dan Devine at Notre Dame in the 1970s and Jon Gruden is fond of his formative years spent in South Bend, Ind.
Gruden once told Playboy magazine in an 2003 interview: “I lost my virginity to the Notre Dame fight song,” he said. Playboy asked, “There was a band?” Gruden replied, “No, not even music. But it was in my mind.”
As for Gruden’s replacement in Tampa? The Glazer family must have someone in mind to make this drastic of a move this late in the game. Raheem Morris, only 32 years of age and recently elevated to defensive coordinator, is thought to be a rising star in the coaching ranks and could be tabbed to keep some continuity.
Another possibility is Mike Shanahan. Since Allen was also fired, the Bucs could also give Shanahan the final say in all football matters and allow him to bring in his own general manager or personnel man.
