Mile High Musings

I say a lot, but I never really say anything. So, that said, let's chat.

-- I went to Copper Mountain Resort today and it was awesome. The mountains are exciting. I may or may not have a bruised body in the morning, but who cares? If one is presented with the opportunity to come kick it like tae bo in the Rocky Mountains, one should do it.

-- Blizzards are more annoying than your 6-year-old cousin who wants to play you in Madden every 10 minutes at Thanksgiving...not that that has ever happened to me.

-- I like lime-flavored tortilla chips. They are delicious.

-- I'm bored with the NFL. Is there any way we can change the format so the NFC just doesn't count? The best part of this little blurb is that because I said the previous sentence, an NFC team will probably win the Super Bowl. That's just how it goes.

-- Turf toe? Out for the season? Really? Only in the SEC, where tough guys go for manicures and facials. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2709812

-- Next up on UConn's softer-than-a-too-ripe-banana schedule? Grandma State. This time around? Coppin State. Wow! The Huskies are 11-0 and No. 9 in the country?!?!?! We'll see how they do when they play teams that don't recruit small children and elderly folks who enjoy throwing feces. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263610041

-- Whatever happened to Tyson Wheeler, Antonio Reynolds-Dean and Luther Clay?http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263610195

-- The Steelers are out of the playoffs. What a buzzkill after winning the Super Bowl. It's like winning the first World Series in 86 years then getting swept by the worst World Series Champ in the history of baseball the next season. Oh wait, the second-worst World Series Champ in the history of baseball. Who is the worst? Did ya watch the Major League Baseball playoffs this year?

-- Ultimately, I blame the entire season on Bill Cowher and the rigidity of the NFL coach's mindset. Why can't you start Charlie Batch? Oh, because Ben Roethlisberger is the "Franchise QB." But when the franchise quarterback puts his head through a windshield on a dumbass joy ride through downtown Pittsburgh, throws 55 interceptions a game (none of which ever seemed to be acceptable picks), had an emergency appendectomy in the middle of the season and rarely appeared comfortable in most games, you might want to start considering your alternatives. Plus, Charlie Batch was cool, calm and collected in his appearances, and no one ever said that when Roethlisberger was completely healthy he would have to battle Batch for the job.

Oh well, I'm just glad I didn't have to spend the season as a Steelers fan -- rough times were had by all. It was unfortunate in a city that loves its football and supports its team through thick and thin. You would think Bill Cowher would respect that loyalty and give the fans a winner instead of a stubborn season plagued by mediocrity.

-- P.S. Willie Parker is a stud, but you didn't need me to tell you that, did you?

-- Barry Zito belongs in the National League.

-- If the Yankees trade Randy Johnson, and that's a big "if," who will deliver a sweet 15-15 record with a 5.50 ERA? What will the Yankee fans do?!?!

-- In response to the sarcasm stated in the previous blurb -- Carl Pavano? Jaret Wright? The options are there -- who will deliver?

-- If I had a vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame...pause for laughter...I would probably go with Harold Baines, Jay Buhner, Scott Brosius, definitely Dante Bichette, Wally Joyner of course and last, but certainly not least, Bret Saberhagen.

(But really -- Tony Gwynn, Jim Rice, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson, Goose Gossage, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Lee Smith)


I guess that's it for today. I'm stuck in a mountain cottage with a blizzard fast approaching and only five days of freedom left. Wish me luck.

Blizzard of '06: Day Two

One would think Denver would be prepared for 25-35 inches of snow, yet there has been zero plowing in our driveway and complex, so I've been trapped here. But it worked out, I can watch more basketball with less guilt. No more, "Go outside and get some exercise" babbling from the elders in this brothel (just kidding).

-- Oklahoma State 95, Pitt 89, in double overtime. I'll bet you a Thomas Jefferson two-dollar bill that you will hear people say, "They didn't hit their free throws" or "They didn't close down Boggan," but this game could've gone either way. The Panthers had chances to pull away and chances to clinch a win, but credit OK State, it battled back and went stride for stride.

Is Pitt still good? Yes, it is still a very good team. But it needs to start winning games that matter soon, or I'll be off the bandwagon. I've marked off Dayton as a tough game for Pitt. And don't look now, but the Big East schedule lurks nearer and nearer with each passing day.

-- Somewhere, former Celtic great Vitaly Potapenko is smiling. How did he convince his family that going to Wright State was the right choice? American basketball players can't even convince their families that Wright State is the right choice. But I guess when your other option is service in the Soviet army, basketball anywhere within the United States is a better option. Can you believe the Ukraine Train made 36-million dollars from the NBA as of this year? And he even left early from Wright State! Make sure you also check out the hilarious "Hall of Fame Probability" stat on his basketball-reference page:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/potapvi01.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263552750

-- It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins might move after all. Who could come up with a more terrible idea than the NHL letting Pittsburgh lose its team? That's like letting Toys 'R' Us move out of the Neverland Ranch. What, too soon?

-- Duke finally won a meaningful game. I take back everything I said last night...Not. (Tell me you've seen Borat.)

-- Remember when Utah was good at basketball? Keith Van Horn? Andre Miller? Rick Majerus?

http://sports-att.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=263550077

-- Wasn't Virginia ranked at some point this season? Where is Mayaguez, Puerto Rico?

http://sports-att.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=263552503

-- The SEC is AWESOME!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263550238

-- Chalk one up for Christmas AND the Big East.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263550087

-- Remember when URI beat Murray State in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament en route to an Elite Eight appearance and a choke-job that will forever live in infamy? No? Well still, look at Murray State now. I bet Mark Gottfried is glad he's at Alabama, now he doesn't even have to work to be overrated!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263550093

-- Go ahead, ESPN, keep trying to convince us that Marquette's loss to North Dakota State is a quality one. I can only assume Southwest State (Minnesota) is in the southwestern part of the state? Right next to the gigantic sign that says, "IF YOU LOSE TO NORTH DAKOTA STATE, YOU ARE TERRIBLE."

http://sports-att.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=263552449

-- What a perfect matchup for the Christmas season! God is the real winner in this one, folks.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263552628

-- Good to see former Pitt assistant Barry Rohrssen is doing well at Manhattan. Look at St. Francis, NY's record.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263552597

-- Speaking of Manhattan, how is Bobby Gonzalez doing at Seton Hall?

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263552550

No, that's not a quality loss. The only quality losses against ACC teams are against UNC, Duke, Georgia Tech and maybe Florida State on a good night. Yes, I'm saying Boston College, Maryland, Clemson and Virginia are not good -- deal with it.


So that wraps up a late night update from your boy in the Mile High City. Hope you enjoyed it. I know I did. And next time you see Vitaly Potapenko, ask him what he's done with the six-million dollars he made in 2005. Tell 'em Jeff sent ya.

Quick Hits from the High Post

When I made the mistake of venturing in the snow mounting from the Blizzard of '06, my pants soaked faster than a 6-year-old kid's when they first meet Santa at the mall. And that's fast. But the snow reached thigh-level, making my trip to buy soda seem less and less worth it with each step. Needless to say, I got the soda -- and drank it, too. And might I say, it was delicious.

Anyway, there are a few things I wanted to talk about, and then I have some really important engagements with late-night TV and potentially some Madden.

-- The Nuggets made out like bandits in acquiring Allen Iverson. Here is the deal:

'6ers get:
Andre Miller
Joe Smith
Two first-round draft picks

Nuggs get:
Allen Iverson
Ivan McFarlin

Were you laughing when you read Joe Smith's name, too? I had completely forgotten he was in the league, AND I LIVE IN DENVER! Anyway, I think the Nuggets immediately become contenders with Iverson in the lineup, as if anyone needed to tell you that. And with 'Melo out from the "brawl" -- during which 'Melo slapped, and I mean bitch-slapped, Mardy Collins then ran away from this stick figure apparently named Jared Jeffries -- Iverson will provide scoring and leadership.

When 'Melo comes back, watch out. If, and this is a big, huge, gigantic "if," the Nuggets can stay healthy, they will be tough to beat down the stretch.

When I think Ivan McFarlin, I think Oklahoma State, and what better segue into the big matchup in college hoops tomorrow (Thursday) night is there?

(There might be one, but for the sake of the argument, there isn't one right now.)

-- No. 7 Pitt takes on No. 15 Oklahoma State (remember, only weird people use ESPN/USA Today rankings -- these are AP) at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2. The Panthers will have a good size advantage, but the Cowboys are less than an hour from home, and apparently that makes all the difference in how Pitt plays.

This is another huge test for the Panthers -- coming off a tough road loss, playing another tough team on the road, etc. But the tip time suggests Pitt might actually be ready to play. Keep an eye on Mario Boggan for OK State. The Cowboys don't get too much press, but they are a good squad, and Boggan is a big reason for that -- pun intended. Boggan and JamesOn Curry are the players to watch when OK State has the pill. But I think the size of Pitt's frontcourt, mixed in with the depth of the Panthers, will help Pitt win.

-- Speaking of rankings, is Duke really ranked No. 6 in both polls? With its marquee win coming against...Georgetown? Really? That's the No. 6 team in the country? I mean sure, beating Holy Cross by 12 in Durham or UNC-Greensboro by 27 in Durham probably propelled them to that ranking, but let's be serious -- No. 6? Can anyone tell me a single player in that lineup outside of McRoberts that would start for any of the other top-10 teams (excluding Wichita State)? Didn't think so.

Heckler from the crowd: DeMarcus Nelson, you idiot!

Me: DeMarcus Nelson would start for Florida, Ohio State, North Carolina, UCLA or Pitt? Yeah, and Ivan McFarlin is the reason the Nuggets will win the NBA championship. What is this, the Dick Vitale Top 25?

-- Gonzaga-Duke is also on tomorrow (Thursday) night at 9 p.m. EST. You know what game should be preceding that in Madison Square Garden as part of the Aeropastle Classic? Pitt-South Carolina. Instead, the Panthers are in Oklahoma City because the Gamecocks wimped out. Go figure.

-- The Celtics have won five of six, and Al Jefferson looks great. Tony Allen -- speaking of Oklahoma State -- is another guy who has been playing very well of late. The Celts have a shot at winning the Atlantic Division with a young lineup, as long as Jefferson and Ryan Gomes stay healthy to keep the inside-outside balance strong. I mean, winning the Atlantic Division would be like beating your 93-year-old grandpa at ping-pong, but who's counting? You'd still have a "W" under your belt, right? Right.


-- That's it for today. I'll probably comment on the Pitt-OK State game after its completion, so I'll talk to you guys soon. If I don't, happy holidays from your favorite secular blogger.

Pitt-Wisconsin

Props to Wisconsin for playing their best possible game against the No. 2-ranked Pitt. The Panthers didn't play all that badly, Wisconsin just took advantage of the home crowd and shot the lights out. The Badgers look legit, and Alando Tucker might be the best wing player in the nation.

I've now seen Corey Brewer, Jarrius Jackson, JamesOn Curry, Daequan Cook, Mustafa Shakur and Wayne Ellington play, and Tucker is the best. He is the strongest of all of them, and he establishes himself inside, outside and in transition.

Things that went wrong for the Panthers? Well, the man-to-man defense is in trouble. When Pitt basketball is forced into zone defense, there is something wrong. Wisconsin presented problems in matchups for Pitt, stretching Gray and Kendall away from the basket with (randomly on-fire) Brian Butch while Tucker was too big for any of Pitt's wing players and too quick for Sam Young.

In the meantime, I think Pitt can rebound. It needs to keep working on working out the kinks of the other eight scorers. Ronald Ramon showed absolutely no fear in creating and taking his shots. I liked the tenacity of Antonio Graves and Mike Cook as well, and Levance Fields worked hard at the end of the game trying to get Pitt back into it.

Still, the Panthers aren't going to have it any easier on the 21st, when they travel to Oklahoma City to play Oklahoma State. Pitt fans, don't fret, the Panthers are still the best team in the Big East and they will be OK faster than you can say Carl Krauser plays basketball in Germany.

Peace.

Welcome Back

Hello everyone, welcome back to a much-anticipated installment of the Hoops Diaries. It's been a while -- Thanksgiving break was about three weeks ago -- but to be completely honest, not a whole lot has changed. UCLA, Pitt and UNC are still the teams to beat in college hoops, with a glop of tantalizing teams like Ohio State, Kansas, Florida and LSU right behind them. Then we have the teams we want to like, but the mainstream mindset that they are "mid-majors" keeps up thinking, "Hmm, maybe it's still too early..." Think Gonzaga, Butler and Wichita State. I'd be willing to bet that Gonzaga or Wichita State could give any of the teams I mentioned above a run for their money...oh, wait, Gonzaga beat UNC and Wichita State beat LSU in Baton Rouge.

Anyway, tomorrow (today) is a huge day for college basketball:

#2 Pitt is at #7 Wisconsin (more on that later) at noon on ESPN
#4 Ohio State is at surprisingly tough Cincinnati at 3:45 on CBS
#16 Gonzaga is at Georgia at 5 on ESPN2
Purdue is at #18 Butler at 1
Creighton is at Fresno State at 10
Indiana State at Missouri State is at 8:05
Kentucky-Louisville is on at 1:30 on CBS
Texas Tech is at Arkansas at 2 on ESPN

- Pitt-Wisconsin is the marquee matchup on this list, for obvious reasons. Look for a few things: 1) Aaron Gray is supposedly showing flu-like symptoms and has a fever -- if he isn't capable of playing 25-33 minutes, Pitt might be in trouble; 2) Pitt on the road, with a tip-off at 11 a.m. local time can only spell disaster; 3) Who is going to guard Alando Tucker?

Anyway, this is going to be fun -- Pitt can really establish itself and shut the critics up with a win, or they can prove the experts correct and slide down the rankings. Wisconsin is physical, talented and extremely tough at home, so Pitt winning this game would be monumental. I don't want to make predictions because I don't know how Gray is feeling, so I will stay out. In the meantime, check out ESPN.com for a nice feature on Levon Kendall.

- Cincinnati is turning out to be a tough program. Mick Cronin is a very capable coach who works hard on his kids to get the best out of them. A win over Ohio State would thrust Cincy into the Big East schedule with boat loads of confidence, and a W might also help the ol' resume if the Bearcats come knocking on the tournament's door in March.

- Georgia is widely considered a tough high-major team with the ability to ruffle some feathers among the SEC elite. The Bulldogs have a chance to make their voices heard when they host Gonzaga in the Battle of the Bulldogs. Keep an eye on this game if you can, it could show a lot about both teams. That is, if you didn't see Gonzaga handle UNC.

- Purdue at Butler will be a great showdown. Purdue is a team that could break into the top five or so of the Big Ten and make a strong case for a tournament bid. The Boilermakers are the Big Ten's version of Georgia and Cincinnati -- a team with a coach that gets the best out of his players and has his guys ready to compete. This is another good test of Butler, as well, as it gives us another chance to see them against primetime opponents.

- Creighton at Fresno State could be a preview of a 7-10, 8-9 first round game in March. Both teams are talented and hungry to make noise out of "mid-major" conferences. These guys are physical and well-coached, and that means this game will be one to watch.

- Indiana State at Missouri State is a key game in the MVC. Missouri State might have a shot to get into the tournament after it was snubbed last March. Winning big conference games like this one will help them get there. Of course, beating Wisconsin and losing to Oklahoma State by three points also helps. Keep an eye on their stud, Blake Ahearn, who has been around for a while and is an established threat in the MVC. Indiana State just beat Butler, but they also lost to Middle Tennessee State and Ball State, so they can go either way. Nonetheless, this will be a sweet MVC showdown.

- Kentucky-Louisville should be fun. It's a rivalry game, so regardless of Louisville being one of the most overrated, and in my opinion, worst teams in the Big East, it should be a decent game on CBS. Kentucky is a perennial 9 seed at this point, so I guess watching the Wildcats isn't so bad.

- Texas Tech-Arkansas has a nice ring to it. The Razorbacks are a team, much like Georgia, with the ability and talent to make some noise in the SEC. This is a chance for them to get a good win against a tough opponent. The Red Raiders are always fun to watch with Bobby Knight on the sideline, and they have a special talent in Jarrius Jackson, who I still can't see enough.

All in all, it's going to be a great day for basketball. I see no reason why I will be peeled from the TV at any point tomorrow (today). Anyway, talk to you guys soon.