Conference tourneys aren't the end all, but they are important

I was watching Around the Horn today, and I must disagree with some of the sentiment regarding the conference tournaments importance.  I listened to a few of the viewpoints and I have to say, I don't agree.  I think the Conference tournaments are important.  Are they extremely important?  Will I become ill and be forced to miss work so I can watch?  NO to both questions.  However, I will tune in and watch a few of the games in various conferences (i.e. that pique my curiosity), and I will definitely check the scores.  Why?  Because now is the time for people to dial in and start getting a sense as to who's peaking and who's fizzling.

I don't have to remind you that it's almost time for us to start completing our brackets, do I?  In a world of where everyone and their mother decides that they want their shot at the money in the bracket pool, people have to make intelligent decisions.  Sure there are the people that pick based on mascot, location, alma mater, seeds, coaches etc.  Another factor that needs to be considered is the strength of the conference.  I don't see anything distinctive or unique in many of the conferences that makes me want to take note.  Yes, it's no secret I think that the ACC is weak.  Further, even though I'm from the Midwest, I can't seem to get interested in the Big 10.  The SEC isn't my cup of tea, as all of the teams seems to blend in my brain.  Plus, I've already been there and done that when "Big Baby" Davis was playing for LSU, and it took me days to get the song, "Eye of the Tiger" out of my head.  What?  You like that song.  Well, I did also ~ UNTIL, I heard it a bajillion times played by school band in the span of only a few days. 

If you're a diehard fan of a team, I recommend you go to your team's conference tourney.  Do it once.  It's an experience.  I'm a Duke fan, and I remember when the ACC tournament was at the Verizon Center.  Duke beat GA Tech and won the ACC tourney that year.  I went to almost every session of that tournament.

The opening tip, of Duke v GA Tech, 2005 ACC Tourney

Duke, 2005 ACC Tournament Champs

As each team wins and loses, it's fun to see how the dynamic and team colors of the fans around the arena change.  If you're not a major booster of your alma mater or favorite team (e.g. Iron Duke), don't worry about tickets.  You can still get into the game.  As teams lose, their fans go home.  Most of the fans that are making a quick departure out of town, have ticket books for the remaining sessions and chances are they'll sell them to you for $100-200 to cut their losses and try to get some cash back (i.e. maybe for gas money and to cushion the blow of the loss).  Wait outside the arena and hold your finger in the air with how many tickets you need and chances are you'll be able to strike a deal.

Perhaps you're already in the arena, and have a upper level seats (YUCK, EWWWWW, GROSS) and in between games.  If you're not creepy, you can politely approach someone who's on his/her way out the door and ask for his/her ticket.  BE NICE!  The person's team just lost.  Chances are you can upgrade to a lower level ticket.

Alright - enough about the ticket hustle.  I can't give away all my secrets.

Conference tourneys.  I've been to the ACC and I've been to the SEC Tourney (i.e. 2006 in Nashville, when Florida won). 

Florida's Joakim Noah and LSU's "Big Baby" Davis together on the court, 2006 SEC Tourney

This year though, the Big East is more interesting.  Yes, the Big East is strong.  Yes, we all expect many teams from the conference to get into the brackets.  It's not a secret.  However, for this fan, who has yet to watch basketball be played at the Garden (i.e. I've only been there once and it was to see the NY Rangers play the Pittsburgh Penguins), this is the year I choose to check out the action.

Below is the Big East tourney schedule (and my quick 2 cents on the games already played):

Tuesday, March 9: First Round

No. 9 USF vs. No. 16 DePaul, Noon, (ESPN2) <---DON'T CARE
No. 12 UConn vs. No. 13 St. John's, 2PM (ESPN2) <---WOW, UConn got bounced.  I love it. 
No. 10 Seton Hall vs. No. 15 Providence 7PM (ESPNU) <--DON'T CARE
No. 11 Cincinnati vs. No. 14 Rutgers, 9PM (ESPNU) <-- Yeah, Cincin won!  I support Ohio teams.

Wednesday, March 10: Second Round
No. 8 Georgetown vs. 9/16 Winner, Noon (ESPN)
No. 5 Marquette vs. 12/13 Winner, 2PM (ESPN)
No. 7 Notre Dame vs 10/15 Winner, 7PM (ESPN)
No. 6 Louisville vs. 11/14 Winner, 9PM (ESPN)

Thursday, March 11: Third Round
No. 1 Syracuse vs. Georgetown-(9/16) Winner, Noon (ESPN)
No. 4 Villanova vs. Marquette-(12/13) Winner, 2PM (ESPN)
No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame-(10/15) Winner, 7PM (ESPN)
No. 3 West Virginia vs. Louisville-(11/14) Winner, 9PM (ESPN)

Friday, March 12: Semifinals
Semifinal 1, 7PM (ESPN)
Semifinal 2, 9PM (ESPN)

Saturday, March 12: Final
Championship Game, 9PM (ESPN)

I plan to be at the Garden on Friday night to take in the semifinals.  I would love to see 2 quality games.  I want to see more Big East action up close and personal.  I want to see the physicality of the players and see how Big East fans get down in one of the most famous, storied basketball venues.

Being from Ohio ~ with any luck, maybe the Dayton Flyers will continue to win and play in the A-10 Conference tourney in Atlantic City on Saturday, March 13.  If time is on my side, perhaps I can take in the A-10 action Semifinal Round Doubleheader, which starts at 1PM.  My only concern is that I have the Jay-Z concert later that night, and I need to make sure I'm in good position for a quality location by the stage...  That's right.  I have to keep it moving...

NY and NJ, keep an eye out for me ~ I'll be "on the move" this weekend...  I'll be the girl hustling a ticket with 1 finger in the air (i.e. and no, not that one).

That's all for now...  Oh wait... 


"It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight.  Risin' up to the challenge of our rival".  LOL.  I couldn't resist and now I bet it's stuck in YOUR head :-P


THE WIRK

Quick weekend wrap-up: Basketball, Tug of War, Hockey

OK - I'm all over the board on this one so I'll warn you now...  Here goes.  I'm doing larger "bullets" again in the interest of speed, bc my brain clicks faster than I type.

Friday ~ Basketball and Tug-of-War

• Went to the Nuggets v Wiz game...  Ilgauskas didn't play.  The Wizards won.  Those last 2 sentences are not related to each other ~ they're merely statements.  This is completely unexplainable, but my best guess is that the Nuggets were tired from beating the Cavs the night before in OT, so they inadvertently play down to the level of the Wizards...  AND since the Wizards are used to playing at such a low level, obviously they're better at playing that sort of game, so they won.  They lulled the Nuggets into a very weak game.  How weak?  I was more interested in chatting it up with the guy I was with and the nachos we were sharing, that I more or less didn't realize that it was half-time.  Further, I spent the entire 2nd half looking at George Karl and trying to see if he looked "sick".  He doesn't.  That's a good thing.  Incidentally, based on the pics I took, I think some of the Nuggets were more interested in posing for the pictures I was taking (i.e. we were sitting 3/4 rows behind the bench) OR maybe they just wanted some nachos... 
• So what is/are my point(s):
•  If I were the Lakers, I wouldn't be scared of the Nuggets. 
• Get the nachos w/cheese...

Kenyon Martin DOES resemble Method Man

• Went to friend's birthday celebration and ended up out with some friends.  Engaged in tug of war, when someone I know mistook my scarf for hers and RIPPED it out of my hands, after I told her it was MINE.  I can be a little feisty, sooooo this could've gotten ugly.  However, the situation was handled calmly by another friend at the venue. 
• So what is/are my point(s):
• Proper eyecare is important.  What is more important than one's vision?  Get your eyes checked regularly. 
• Duh. Though shall not steal. When I tell you something is MINE. It's MINE
• Don't rip anything out of anyone's hand.  People don't like this behavior.
• To paraphrase, Chris Rock, "If you say you're sorry, it'll be alright."  Muster the words.  Choke them out (i.e. the words, not the person) if you have to... 
• I never realized how appropriately named, "Tug of War" is...  Hmmm...

Saturday ~ Basketball

• Went to College Park, MD and watched the Georgia Tech  v  Maryland game.  On the way up there, one of the poeple in the car said that the line was Maryland -7.5.  He asked who I liked.  I told him I didn't like the number bc I didn't know what Maryland team would show up.  When pressed, I told him to take Tech.  He and his friend then told me I was "wrong".  Needless to say, I watched the end of that game closely.  Two amazing buzzer beaters ~ Maryland won.  BUT the difference in scores between GA Tech and Maryalnd was less than 7.5.
• So what is/are my point(s):
• Maryland had an amazing win, but consistently inconsistent teams are tough to follow and cheer for, bc you can't trust your eyes and predict the future. 
• Kid ~ wherever you are ~ I was RIGHT.
• Duke comes to town on March 3.  I was at the game last year, but will have to miss it this year.  With the ACC so weak it could be anyone's game, but I think Duke will win.  I mean, they SHOULD win...  Right!?!?

Sunday ~ Basketball and Hockey

• The Cavs played the Magic today (rematch of the Eastern Conf Finals)...  The Cavs lost and dropped 3 in a row.  3 in a row.  Not wins.  Losses.  They lost 3 in a row, and they haven't done that in 2 years (i.e. I think).  It's no secret how I feel about Danny Ferry, and the ridiculous trade that sent Zydrunas to Washington to hang out in my 'hood (i.e.  bc let's face it, that's what Zydrunas is doing).  I certainly don't see him puting on his #17 uni and running up and down the court.  The man is listed as INACTIVE.  As far as I'm concerned, Danny Ferry has single-handedly (ok, to be fair Ernie Grunfeld is equally to blame) imploded my favorite basketball team.  Anderson Varejao is now Shaq's back-up.  Are you serious?!?!  Am I the only one that can still hear the screams of 20,000 (TWENTY THOUSAND) people yelling "GIVE IT BACK" the minute Lebron passed Varejao the ball in the final seconds of that one playoff game (that I'm desperately trying to forget) during the NBA FINALS!?!?!  Everyone in today's game had a bajillion fouls (i.e.  that's a HUGE number, people) as they ineffectively tried to guard Dwight Howard.  Now I'm not saying Zydrunas is a defensive mastermind against Superman, "Part Deux", but at least he's not flopping around like a fish out of water like Varejao.  GIVE ME A BREAK.
• So what is/are my point(s):
• Ferry is absolutely terrible, and I hope the Cavs lose every single game (if Zydrunas doesn't make it back)... Then I hope he and Mike Brown lose their jobs... AND THEN I hope Lebron leaves Cleveland and wins a title... and when all that happens, I'll shout it to anyone that'll listen, that it was ALL Ferry's fault...
• Now before all you Cavs fans get in a tizzy, let me clarify this point above.  I LOVE THE CAVS.  I would NEVER have imploded the team, messed with the chemistry, and taken away a quality center when the alternative is some guy with a crazy perm who can't play basketball.  IF, (1) Zydrunas makes it back, (2) the Cavs don't go on some crazy losing streak (i.e. bc of this trade), (3) they make it to the Finals, and (4) win the NBA Championship, then I'll be the first person to tell Danny that I'm sorry and that I was wrong.  Until then, I'm scathing mad.
• It's not a coincidence that there's an "Anderson Varejao Sucks" facebook page.  We are 200 people strong.  I bet if I friend requested my mom, I could get her to join the group too...  Hmmm...
• I should start a moving company in Cleveland bc people are going to need my services.
• Hockey.  Yeah, it's on today also.  Russia already beat Czech Republic.  All I know is that the final score was 4-2 and that Ovi had a monster hit on Jagr...  Go Ovi!!!
• So what is/are my point(s):
• I get my news from facebook status feeds. 
• USA v Canada tonight around 7:30.  It's a little after 6PM.  I need to get moving...
• Basketball ~ Oh yeah.  Duke plays VA Tech tonight too... 
• So what is/are my point(s):
• Yawn...  I bet the people at Cameron Indoor wish they could watch the USA v Canada hockey game.
• Go Duke.  Sorry, I had to add that in.  My brother may have to support me when I get old.  And for you smarties out there ~ yes, I said "WHEN"  :-P

Man...  It's tough to be a Cavs fan now...

Oh, if you want to buy your OWN scarf...  Here's a link for your convenience...















THE WIRK