Very Mad March

Very Mad March

 

Who is the best team in the Big Ten?  Even better, who is the best team in all of college basketball?  These questions have perplexed the minds of many this college basketball season.  With no clear-cut number one team as in years past, March Madness should live up to its name.  However there is one conference which continually produces far more top 25 teams than any other conference: the Big Ten.

Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, the list can go on and on.  This powerhouse conference has proved to be the best in college basketball in 2013, but is having so many good teams in a single league a good or a bad thing for the conference?  Take Michigan’s schedule for example.  In a span of ten days, they played three top ten teams: 3 Indiana, 10 Ohio State, and 8 Michigan State.  And don’t think Michigan is the only team to have to go through a dangerous stretch like that.  Wisconsin played three top 15 teams in seven days, Illinois played four top 25 teams in fourteen days, and Minnesota played three top 15 teams in eight days.  Almost every team in the Big Ten has, or will have to face the gauntlet of ranked teams coming after them.

As for the question of whether or not this is good for the Big Ten, I would have to say that in the long run it is an extremely good thing.  They may be knocking each other around in the rankings now, but the regular season rankings mean nothing except for seeds when it comes to the NCAA Tournament.  A mere seeding is nothing compared to the improvement and experience gained from the competition faced in Big Ten regular season play.  Teams in weaker conferences, say third-ranked Gonzaga playing in the WCC for example, are used to playing against teams like Portland and Loyola Marymount, while Big Ten teams are used to playing in games with Indiana and Michigan State.  While Gonzaga may get a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament, they lack the experience of playing against elite opponents day in and day out like a fifth-seeded Wisconsin.

From a financial perspective it is definitely a good thing for the conference.  The Big Ten Tournament from March 14-March 17 in Chicago has already sold out three weeks in advance.  This is the first time the tournament has been sold out prior to its start since it was created in 1998.  The fans obviously love it, the money is rolling in, and the teams will be well suited to make a run in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.  If Big Ten regular season play is any indication for the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament, we are sure to be in for a treat when March Madness rolls around.

Teams to Beat in 2012-2013

The idea that every player in the Lakers’ starting lineup has gone to the All-Star Game is pretty scary for the Western Conference.  The sign-and-trade deal between the Lakers and the Suns left Steve Nash, 38, packing his bags and heading to Los Angeles.  The three year, $27 million deal will likely be Nash’s last contract.  This is also the last legitimate shot Nash has at winning his coveted NBA Title.

Along with the Lakers, there are also several serious Finals contenders in the West.  A young Thunder team and an aging Spurs squad have shots to make it to the Finals.  With the Spurs losing their window of opportunity, the Thunder are just beginning to blossom.

In the East, there are several teams that could make it to the Finals.  A new and improved Brooklyn Nets proved they are serious challengers to the Heat, Celtics, and Bulls by acquiring Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks.  The Nets needed a pure scorer like Joe Johnson to rely on.  If they were to get Dwight Howard from the Magic, the Nets would have a “Big Three” of their own.

The Boston Celtics have had a great offseason.  Their draft couldn’t have worked out better.  Getting Fab Melo and Jared Sullinger in consecutive picks will add to their subpar group of big men.  The Celtics are also close to signing Jason Terry to a 3 year, $15 million deal.  This may turn Ray Allen away, but they get a cheaper option with Terry.

Of course there are still some variables left to sort out.  Depending on whoever lands some prized players such as Dwight Howard, Ray Allen, and Eric Gordon will determine a lot.  There are other signings and trades that will definitely impact the outcome of this season.  However things develop this offseason, you can be sure that it will be another great year in the NBA.

Back To The Basics

Yeah, yeah, New Orleans got the number one pick.  Surprisingly, that is not their number one priority this offseason, Eric Gordon is.  Eric Gordon is by far the most important player to this team, averaging 20.6 points per game; five points more than anyone else.  Although he only played nine games this year due to arthroscopic knee surgery, he has proven his excellence with the Los Angeles Clippers in his first three years.  He is a very strong, powerful guard with a great jump shot.  You can’t compare many people to Chris Paul, but Eric Gordon is the fill in for Paul in New Orleans.  If they were to lose Gordon, they would lack the player to put up points night after night.  Not saying that Anthony Davis and the number one pick isn’t important, but Davis cannot come in and completely take over the game as a rookie like Jordan or Magic could do.  It is hard for any big man to come in and take over the game just like that.  He is going to need somebody to come and take some of the load, and not many point guards in the NBA are more explosive and high powered than Eric Gordon.

There are going to be a lot of people in the hunt for Eric Gordon this offseason, including the Knicks, 76ers, Suns, Trail Blazers, and probably the biggest contender, Gordon’s hometown Pacers.  That is why it would suit the Hornets best to sign Gordon early, even if they have to give up a little money.  The value of having Gordon secured early is huge because you don’t have to worry about other teams taking him.  Then you can focus on getting Davis and your other draft picks signed.  Gordon is one of the most underappreciated players in the NBA.  His quiet scoring and ability to break down the defense and get into the paint is what he brings to the table, which is necessary for any team, let alone a struggling team that is about ready to draft one of the most valued college players in the draft since Derrick Rose.  Davis will definitely be huge this season for the Hornets, but if they want to win games this season, resigning Eric Gordon is a must.

2012 Indy 500 Recap: Too Much Passing?

  

What another great day at the Speedway!  Record-setting heat, remembrance of Dan Wheldon, and a fair share of celebrities were presented to us at this year’s 500.  Some compelling, must-watch stories brewed through the month of May: Honda vs. Chevy, the unproductive Lotus engines, only 33 cars listing in the race, and hometown heroes Bryan Clauson and Ed Carpenter.  There was the good and the bad, the pretty and the ugly.  But one thing that definitely stood out was the new IR12 Dallara chassis and the 2.2-liter turbocharged engine.

Since 2007, IndyCar has used the IR07 Dallara chassis and a 3.5-liter V8 engine.  This year, they unveiled the new chassis and engine.  These new body styles have claimed to be safer, and carry more down force.  Ironically, these styles were debuted just seven months after Dan Wheldon’s tragic death in the season finale of the IndyCar series last year in Las Vegas.  The negatives, however, were very prevalent in Sunday’s race.
Along with the record-setting heat, there were also a record-setting number of lead changes in the race (30).  The slingshot (a term used for drafting a car until the straightaway, then using the momentum to pass them on the inside) was in full effect, shooting drivers in front of each other all race.  Near the end, however, was when it was most obvious.  Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti ran one and two at lap 189.  They then proceeded to pass each other each lap until lap 198 when Takuma Sato passed Dixon for second place.  Sato then went for the pass on Franchitti on turn 1 of lap 200, and crashed into the wall, ending the race in caution.  Many are speculating if Dixon and Franchitti exchanged the lead on purpose to conserve fuel, and pull away from the pack, then run a two-car race the last two or three laps.  It was so easy to pull the slingshot and pass the leader that it seemed nobody wanted first place until the very last lap because they knew if they were in second, they could slingshot the leader for the victory.  You could almost calculate it backwards once Dixon and Franchitti began passing each other on lap 189 and determine who was going to win the race.

All of this passing is made possible by the new Dallara chassis, which lets a lot of air out of the back (see picture, left).  The amount of air in the back makes drafting and passing so easy, that nobody wanted to lead the race, so drivers let others pass in order to move to second place.  At the beginning of the race, James Hinchcliffe was leading, then fell down to third, after his crew ordered him to do so.  This kind of lead changing is unacceptable, and is not entertaining to fans.  We want true, skilled passing.  Not a slingshot on the back straightaway every time.  IndyCar should and will take a look at this, and see what changes they can make for the circuit next year, specifically the Indy 500.