Just a few weeks ago I wrote about how our Milwaukee Bucks were ready to make a push to get into the playoffs and even possibly contend for as high the fifth seed overall. Well, let's just say that they have made me look like I should try my luck at picking winning lottery numbers next with the prediction roll I am on.
Coming off a 98-94 victory at home against Indiana, the Bucks find themselves in sole possession of the fifth playoff spot in the East. They have rattled off six straight and nine of their last ten, including impressive victories over Boston and Utah (Cleveland minus LeBron doesn't count as impressive).
The Bucks are taking advantage of the softer part of their schedule and protecting their home court. They are now 23-9 at home and have not lost a game at the Bradley Center since February 17th.
The Bucks will now go on their final west coast trip with three games versus the Clippers, Kings, and Nuggets before they return for a nice five-game homestand. Looking at the schedule there is no reason why the Bucks cannot continue this hot streak that they are on. They are really playing hard and most importantly playing as a team.
Suddenly the Bucks are starting to get a little national recognition as well. Brandon Jennings has been getting attention all year long. Now people are starting to notice center Andrew Bogut. In fact, Bogut was name Eastern Conference Player of the Week today. There are even whispers out there for Most Improved Player of the Year. Now the six-game winning streak has gotten the attention of many analysts as well. Hopefully they can start to gain the attention of their hometown fans. Attendance hasn't exactly been off the charts (besides the Cleveland game), despite the fact of all the recent success.
The way things are going now there is no doubt in my mind that we will see people packing the Bradley Center in April with a renewed love for their NBA franchise. So it is time to hop onto the fear the deer bandwagon because it something this organization surely has earned.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Bracket Talk
The NCAA Tournament bracket was just announced and to me it seemed like the committee did a very good job. The four No. 1 seeds are exactly who we thought it would be, even though some thought Ohio State might have had a chance after winning the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
I really didn't see many surprises this year. Usually you can sit there and make a strong case for teams that are on the bubble and get left out. But this season all the teams that were on the bubble just weren't good enough to make strong arguments.
The quality at the end of the field just wasn't as good as in years past. Watching Dick Vitale campaigning for Virginia Tech was an absolute joke in my mind. The Hokies finished 23-8 this season, 10-6 in the ACC. An extremely down year for the ACC at that. Their non-conference strength of schedule was 339--yes you read that correctly. Their overall strength of schedule is 162. Are we seriously arguing for this team?
Illinois and Mississippi State were the next two teams analysts were trying to make some arguments for. But just look at the resumes of these teams and they have no reason to blame anyone but themselves. Illini head coach Bruce Weber even came on air and put the blame on himself and his team. At least he understands the situation.
On a local note, I was shocked to see Marquette get a six seed (but extremely happy of course). I was really expecting them to be an eight or a nine. The committee obviously has high regard for the brutal Big East Conference. Their matchup with Washington should be a good one. The Huskies are not a very big team and rely heavily on Quincy Pondexter (19.8 ppg, 7.5rpg) and Isaiah Thomas (17.1ppg, 4.1rpg). New Mexico would be their second round opponent if no upsets occur. New Mexico is probably one of the most unknown top ten teams in recent memory. The Lobos are also not known for their size. They like to get up and down the court and shoot the three ball. So that could be a very exciting possible second round matchup.
Wisconsin got a four seed which was pretty much expected. They matchup with Wofford in the first round with a possible meeting with Temple in round two. The Owls like to grind it out. They play good defense and shoot the three well. Wisconsin has no problem playing a slow tempo game and their size could prove to be the difference here. Also note that Temple will surely have their hands full with Cornell. The Big Red can really shoot the ball. They were 43.4 percent from downtown this season. An extremely fundamental team that will not make mistakes and could beat almost anybody on a given night (they played Kansas right down to the wire this year). Either way Wisconsin fans should like their chances to reach the Sweet 16.
It seems like most people really think this could be the most wide open field in a long time. In some ways I agree and in some I do not. I really think that the gap between the "really good teams" and "just good teams" is larger than in years past. On the other hand, I can see plenty of upsets occurring in the first round and maybe even in the second round. But at the end of the day, it will be one of the top teams cutting down the nets on April 5th. With parity at a high in college basketball this year, the top teams will prevail. Now all you have to do is decide which top team will it be. Good luck.
I really didn't see many surprises this year. Usually you can sit there and make a strong case for teams that are on the bubble and get left out. But this season all the teams that were on the bubble just weren't good enough to make strong arguments.
The quality at the end of the field just wasn't as good as in years past. Watching Dick Vitale campaigning for Virginia Tech was an absolute joke in my mind. The Hokies finished 23-8 this season, 10-6 in the ACC. An extremely down year for the ACC at that. Their non-conference strength of schedule was 339--yes you read that correctly. Their overall strength of schedule is 162. Are we seriously arguing for this team?
Illinois and Mississippi State were the next two teams analysts were trying to make some arguments for. But just look at the resumes of these teams and they have no reason to blame anyone but themselves. Illini head coach Bruce Weber even came on air and put the blame on himself and his team. At least he understands the situation.
On a local note, I was shocked to see Marquette get a six seed (but extremely happy of course). I was really expecting them to be an eight or a nine. The committee obviously has high regard for the brutal Big East Conference. Their matchup with Washington should be a good one. The Huskies are not a very big team and rely heavily on Quincy Pondexter (19.8 ppg, 7.5rpg) and Isaiah Thomas (17.1ppg, 4.1rpg). New Mexico would be their second round opponent if no upsets occur. New Mexico is probably one of the most unknown top ten teams in recent memory. The Lobos are also not known for their size. They like to get up and down the court and shoot the three ball. So that could be a very exciting possible second round matchup.
Wisconsin got a four seed which was pretty much expected. They matchup with Wofford in the first round with a possible meeting with Temple in round two. The Owls like to grind it out. They play good defense and shoot the three well. Wisconsin has no problem playing a slow tempo game and their size could prove to be the difference here. Also note that Temple will surely have their hands full with Cornell. The Big Red can really shoot the ball. They were 43.4 percent from downtown this season. An extremely fundamental team that will not make mistakes and could beat almost anybody on a given night (they played Kansas right down to the wire this year). Either way Wisconsin fans should like their chances to reach the Sweet 16.
It seems like most people really think this could be the most wide open field in a long time. In some ways I agree and in some I do not. I really think that the gap between the "really good teams" and "just good teams" is larger than in years past. On the other hand, I can see plenty of upsets occurring in the first round and maybe even in the second round. But at the end of the day, it will be one of the top teams cutting down the nets on April 5th. With parity at a high in college basketball this year, the top teams will prevail. Now all you have to do is decide which top team will it be. Good luck.
Marquette Finally Gets Some Respect
It's about time.
While watching the NCAA Tournament selection show this afternoon, I was a bit nervous. It wasn't because Marquette was on the bubble. Their blow-out win against Louisville erased any doubt in my mind that they would be in. I was nervous because I was sure that they would be an eight or a nine seed. In that case, if they win in the opening round, there is no way that they are capable of beating a No. 1 seed in the round of 32.
Then Greg Gumbel announced that the Golden Eagles were a six seed. You had to pick my jaw up off the ground. It's not that I didn't think they deserved it. They do. I was just shocked that, finally, someone gave this team a little respect.
All season, everyone has counted the Golden Eagles out. The negativity came from all angles - the fans, the media, and the rest of the Big East. The conversation surrounding Marquette has gone something like this: They could be a good, little team, BUT . . . fill in the blank. Everyone made excuses as to why they would fail. They lost the Big Three. They don't have a big man. They are too inexperienced. Nobody wanted to give the Golden Eagles a chance. MU was picked by the coaches to finish 12th in the Big East. That's not even NIT-worthy! Buzz Williams and his team took those low expectations and buried them. They didn't just bury those low expectations, they shocked the Big East world with an 11-7 record in conference play--good enough for fifth place and a first day bye in the Big East Tournament.
Still, they got no respect. Not once all season did Marquette earn a single vote in the coaches poll. The highest they got in the AP poll was 31st. I always found myself asking what this team needed to do to get noticed. They only lost one more game than last year's team, which was ranked virtually all season. The won eight of nine Big East games at one point. In their five losses against ranked opponents, they lost by a grand total of 18 points. That's just over three points a game. They proved they could run with the big dogs and still no one noticed.
The bracketologists didn't notice either. For the past week, they had MU seeded as low as No. 10 seed and as high as an eight. In most cases, the eight seed was only because they beat Villanova in the Big East Tournament.
However, the selection committee noticed. The members didn't measure the height of Marquette's players. They didn't look to see how many freshmen and sophomores are on the team. They didn't check the names on the backs of the jerseys to see if there was a James, McNeal, or Matthews. They looked at Marquette's entire body of work and they deemed it worthy of a six seed. They finally gave this team the respect it deserves. It's too bad it took so long.
Mark Tauscher-A Short Term Fix Yet There Is Nothing Wrong With That
I will admit I do pine for Ted Thompson to come out and say that I am willing to build a legitimate offensive line around Aaron Rodgers. Until then, all Rodgers will ever be is a stat guy. Good enough to put up great numbers even while he is running for life but he will never truly be a winner until he has a solid, anchored offensive line.
At the same time, this is probably the worst offseason for Ted Thompson to put together a quick fix on the offensive line. All the good free agents are restricted so Thompson has made the smart moves by re-signing Chad Clifton and now bringing back Mark Tauscher.
It is no secret, the o-line played better once Tauscher came back. With no real alternatives, Thompson made a smart move by bringing the two stalwarts. At the same time, he is taking another gamble that father time will not catch up on these two and that these two can play at a high level for another year. Considering both have been banged up worse than a car wreck over their careers, that is a pretty big gamble.
Let's face it, bringing back Clifton and Tauscher is a short-term fix to a long-term problem. That is why in the draft Thompson needs to be thinking offensive line anytime the best player available comes around when it is his time to pick.
The outside still has another year left in it but it needs some talented youth to eventually replace the aging Tauscher and Clifton. Again, do you really trust Allen Barbre to improve enough to be considered the future? Is T.J. Lang worthy of a starting spot or a spot in the rotation? The interior is nothing but average so Ted Thompson needs to make sure this year's draft is focused on reinforcing the offensive trenches because eventually good, old warriors like Clifton and Tauscher can not protect the fort for forever.
They need help on the inside and they are not getting any help from father time. Those two factors usually lead to your franchise quarterback running for his life most of the season. If that is case, Rodgers will be spending more time with his estate attorneys than holding Super Bowl trophies.
At the same time, this is probably the worst offseason for Ted Thompson to put together a quick fix on the offensive line. All the good free agents are restricted so Thompson has made the smart moves by re-signing Chad Clifton and now bringing back Mark Tauscher.
It is no secret, the o-line played better once Tauscher came back. With no real alternatives, Thompson made a smart move by bringing the two stalwarts. At the same time, he is taking another gamble that father time will not catch up on these two and that these two can play at a high level for another year. Considering both have been banged up worse than a car wreck over their careers, that is a pretty big gamble.
Let's face it, bringing back Clifton and Tauscher is a short-term fix to a long-term problem. That is why in the draft Thompson needs to be thinking offensive line anytime the best player available comes around when it is his time to pick.
The outside still has another year left in it but it needs some talented youth to eventually replace the aging Tauscher and Clifton. Again, do you really trust Allen Barbre to improve enough to be considered the future? Is T.J. Lang worthy of a starting spot or a spot in the rotation? The interior is nothing but average so Ted Thompson needs to make sure this year's draft is focused on reinforcing the offensive trenches because eventually good, old warriors like Clifton and Tauscher can not protect the fort for forever.
They need help on the inside and they are not getting any help from father time. Those two factors usually lead to your franchise quarterback running for his life most of the season. If that is case, Rodgers will be spending more time with his estate attorneys than holding Super Bowl trophies.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Just A Hunch On How Wisconsin & Marquette Will Do In The Big Dance
The brackets are set to come out Sunday, so until we know the official matchups, it is hard to say how either will do in the NCAA Tournament. In terms of what these teams can do, a Sweet 16 run for either is not out of the realm of possibility--although the odds are in Wisconsin's favor. Then again, both could be one and done with the clanking of missed shots like we saw out of both teams last night.
Wisconsin will go to the Sweet 16 if they can get some motion in their offense. The biggest issue the Badgers have had all year on the offensive end is too much standing around. That is when Bucky runs into too many problems and forces too much on Trevon Hughes to create or Jason Bohannon to chuck up a poor shot. If everyone is active and moving, then the sky is the limit for Wisconsin.
The Badgers have the backcourt to get to the second weekend. Hughes can hit from deep and create for others and himself. If Bohannon is going off for 20 or more, Wisconsin is pretty much guaranteed a win. Plus, Jon Leuer should be getting back into game shape around this time which could make Wisconsin a very tough out.
If they choose to sit around and just watch Hughes or Jordan Taylor dribble, then Wisconsin is in trouble. Right now, if they can get a five seed, Bucky has a good shot of making the Sweet 16.
Marquette's case is not as easy as Wisconsin. Number one, the margin for error is much smaller. Not having size will make it difficult for the Golden Eagles to go any farther in the tournament than the Sweet 16. Then again, this was supposed to be the 12th-best team in the Big East, so just making the tournament is a huge accomplishment in itself.
The Golden Eagles do have six guys that can shoot and if at least four of them are hitting the outside shot, you got to like Marquette's chances of finally making a Sweet 16 since Dwyane Wade left town. At the same time, it will come down matchups for Marquette. Georgetown finally exposed Marquette's size issue and if another team plays copycat, Marquette could be in for a one and done.
Plus, the Golden Eagles seeding will be key. As an eight or nine seed, Marquette has the talent to win round one. Marquette is battle tested in the close game departments and usually one of those eight vs. nine seed games are very tight battles. I like MU's chances in a tight game then.
They do not have the ability to beat a number one seed in round two. The margin for error is just too small for Marquette to pull off that type of upset. You can just see Cole Aldrich having a career night if he had to play Marquette. I know Marquette hast stopped some bigs before this season but we are talking about asking Marquette to stop the best of the best in March. That is not an easy task no matter how hard MU has fought this season.
The Golden Eagles would have to play the perfect game and the number one seed would have to be absolutely awful for Marquette to pull off that shocker. If Marquette is say an 11 or 12 seed, I like their chances of finally making a Sweet 16 because the Golden Eagle have shown they can beat a three or four seed type team.
It will all come down to the matchups that both teams get. Until Sunday night, we will not know who Marquette or Wisconsin will be facing but both have the chance to make some noise in the big dance. Then again, both have the chance to only get one waltz in and have to sit the rest of dance out.
Wisconsin will go to the Sweet 16 if they can get some motion in their offense. The biggest issue the Badgers have had all year on the offensive end is too much standing around. That is when Bucky runs into too many problems and forces too much on Trevon Hughes to create or Jason Bohannon to chuck up a poor shot. If everyone is active and moving, then the sky is the limit for Wisconsin.
The Badgers have the backcourt to get to the second weekend. Hughes can hit from deep and create for others and himself. If Bohannon is going off for 20 or more, Wisconsin is pretty much guaranteed a win. Plus, Jon Leuer should be getting back into game shape around this time which could make Wisconsin a very tough out.
If they choose to sit around and just watch Hughes or Jordan Taylor dribble, then Wisconsin is in trouble. Right now, if they can get a five seed, Bucky has a good shot of making the Sweet 16.
Marquette's case is not as easy as Wisconsin. Number one, the margin for error is much smaller. Not having size will make it difficult for the Golden Eagles to go any farther in the tournament than the Sweet 16. Then again, this was supposed to be the 12th-best team in the Big East, so just making the tournament is a huge accomplishment in itself.
The Golden Eagles do have six guys that can shoot and if at least four of them are hitting the outside shot, you got to like Marquette's chances of finally making a Sweet 16 since Dwyane Wade left town. At the same time, it will come down matchups for Marquette. Georgetown finally exposed Marquette's size issue and if another team plays copycat, Marquette could be in for a one and done.
Plus, the Golden Eagles seeding will be key. As an eight or nine seed, Marquette has the talent to win round one. Marquette is battle tested in the close game departments and usually one of those eight vs. nine seed games are very tight battles. I like MU's chances in a tight game then.
They do not have the ability to beat a number one seed in round two. The margin for error is just too small for Marquette to pull off that type of upset. You can just see Cole Aldrich having a career night if he had to play Marquette. I know Marquette hast stopped some bigs before this season but we are talking about asking Marquette to stop the best of the best in March. That is not an easy task no matter how hard MU has fought this season.
The Golden Eagles would have to play the perfect game and the number one seed would have to be absolutely awful for Marquette to pull off that shocker. If Marquette is say an 11 or 12 seed, I like their chances of finally making a Sweet 16 because the Golden Eagle have shown they can beat a three or four seed type team.
It will all come down to the matchups that both teams get. Until Sunday night, we will not know who Marquette or Wisconsin will be facing but both have the chance to make some noise in the big dance. Then again, both have the chance to only get one waltz in and have to sit the rest of dance out.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Dealing With The Stress And Anxiety Of Watching Marquette Games
Watching Marquette games these days is enough to shave off about five years off of a person's life. All these close games, nail-biting wins, heartbreaking losses kind of makes you wonder if getting your blood pressure checked should be a daily routine if you are Marquette fan.
So how does one cope with these close ones? Well, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV so I tried to do some research on the subject. In terms of research, all WebMD would give me is your basic how to deal with stress tips. In fact, that is pretty much every result I got from Google. Not relying on alcohol seems like easy enough advice to follow but it is tough to resist ordering up a beer when Marquette is down three with two minutes to go.
Also, my doctor just said I need to seek psychiatric help instead of looking for tips so I got no help there.
What I do have are just a few tips that I have found useful when it comes to surviving Marquette games while making sure I do not develop high blood pressure at the same time. Again, I am not a doctor, just a person trying to survive all the drama this season has had without skyrocketing my cholesterol....
1) Watch the game on tape delay, i.e. God bless DVR. Let the game tip but do not start watching until about a half hour after tip. That way you can avoid the commercials but also give yourself a nice window to either eventually catch up to live action or always be behind in the action. If you are always behind in the action, you can always fast forward to the heartbreak moment or the game-winning shot without having to deal with all the drama in between.
2) When Marquette steps to the free-throw line in crunch time, do not go "oh gosh here we go again." Just do not think about it. You can not control if Jimmy Butler is going to make it or not and if you try to think you can, you may give yourself an ulcer.
3) Stop pining for Marquette to recruit to a big man. They are going to have win with what they have now. Buzz recruiting a 6'10" center down the road is not going to help the situation right now. So saying all Marquette needs is a big man to win this game is just going to help develop migraine.
4) Do not blame the refs but feel free to vent if you think they miss a call. Seriously you can not blame the refs if they do not blow the whistle on what you think is a traveling call. Again, it is something beyond your control. At the same time, it is nice way to release some anger when you think the ref is blind to miss an obvious over-the-back call. It is a good way to release some anger.
5) When all else fails, turn off the TV, cellphones, computer and do something else while just catching the highlights to get your game fix. Unless Marquette is playing Providence at home or North Florida, every game is going to be close (unless Georgetown shows up and swats away every shot like tonight) so just catching the highlights is about the best way to deal with the stress.
So how does one cope with these close ones? Well, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV so I tried to do some research on the subject. In terms of research, all WebMD would give me is your basic how to deal with stress tips. In fact, that is pretty much every result I got from Google. Not relying on alcohol seems like easy enough advice to follow but it is tough to resist ordering up a beer when Marquette is down three with two minutes to go.
Also, my doctor just said I need to seek psychiatric help instead of looking for tips so I got no help there.
What I do have are just a few tips that I have found useful when it comes to surviving Marquette games while making sure I do not develop high blood pressure at the same time. Again, I am not a doctor, just a person trying to survive all the drama this season has had without skyrocketing my cholesterol....
1) Watch the game on tape delay, i.e. God bless DVR. Let the game tip but do not start watching until about a half hour after tip. That way you can avoid the commercials but also give yourself a nice window to either eventually catch up to live action or always be behind in the action. If you are always behind in the action, you can always fast forward to the heartbreak moment or the game-winning shot without having to deal with all the drama in between.
2) When Marquette steps to the free-throw line in crunch time, do not go "oh gosh here we go again." Just do not think about it. You can not control if Jimmy Butler is going to make it or not and if you try to think you can, you may give yourself an ulcer.
3) Stop pining for Marquette to recruit to a big man. They are going to have win with what they have now. Buzz recruiting a 6'10" center down the road is not going to help the situation right now. So saying all Marquette needs is a big man to win this game is just going to help develop migraine.
4) Do not blame the refs but feel free to vent if you think they miss a call. Seriously you can not blame the refs if they do not blow the whistle on what you think is a traveling call. Again, it is something beyond your control. At the same time, it is nice way to release some anger when you think the ref is blind to miss an obvious over-the-back call. It is a good way to release some anger.
5) When all else fails, turn off the TV, cellphones, computer and do something else while just catching the highlights to get your game fix. Unless Marquette is playing Providence at home or North Florida, every game is going to be close (unless Georgetown shows up and swats away every shot like tonight) so just catching the highlights is about the best way to deal with the stress.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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