Duke beats UConn

If I had to make a list of college basketball teams I hate, it would go:

1. UNC
2. Tyler Hansbrough
3. UConn
4. Maryland
5. Villanova

So watching Duke take care of UConn today to win the pre-season NIT was enjoyable, to say the least. However, I almost come out of this game a bit discouraged for a few reasons:

a) Apparently, Coach K read my last post begging him to use more than 7 players this year. He responded by...basically playing only 7 players in this game. Ok K, you won this game with 7 players, but I am 100% guaranteeing you that if you continue to use this strategy, Duke is not making it past the Sweet 16 again this year. You have 10 incredibly talented players, for the love of God, use them.

b) Another typical Duke problem reared its ugly head again today. The team doesn't know how to put teams away. They were up by 20, completely in control, and let UConn come back into the game. And this was a UConn team that played terribly on offense today. Duke just looked awful offensively in the last 10 minutes or so. A better opponent would have come all the way back.

c) Whatever those ugly designs are on the back of the uniforms, get rid of them, please.

But hey, a Duke over UConn win is a Duke over UConn win, and all in all, a great start to the season.

Duke Season Preview

I figured everyone was anxiously anticipating a write up about their favorite college basketball team, the Duke Blue Devils, so I will deliver. Yes, the season has already started, but unlike college football, the first few months of college basketball really don't matter.

Duke is currently 4-0 and ranked 7th in the AP poll. They have dominated their first few opponents, winning by an average score of 94-59. You can say they haven't really played anyone so far, but they have beaten Coastal Carolina (alma mater of Tyler Thigpen, so they must be good at all sports), Charlotte (typically a very solid team and has made the tourney several times recently), and Radford (predicted to win the Big South conference, pretty much the SEC of college basketball).

Ok, maybe I'm stretching here a bit, but the Dookies have looked good so far, and unlike any Duke team I've seen in years, they have a ton of size. They have seven players that go 6'8 or taller, which is unheard of for this team. Duke has been killed by their lack of size in recent seasons, but that shouldn't be an issue this year.

Another aspect of this year's team which has been lacking in previous season is depth. Right now, Duke goes 10 players deep. I say right now, because Coach K has been known to play a lot of players early in the season, then ends up sticking with they same seven guys late in the year. Coach K, if you're reading this, and I know you most likely are, PLEASE stick with the 10 man rotation this year. You will be a better team for it, I promise.

The Christian Laettner/Grant Hill/Shane Battier/Jay Williams/J.J Redick of this year's team is Kyle Singler, a 6'8 Junior. The preseason ACC Player of the Year is undoubtedly "The Man" on this year's team. So far, he's averaging 18.3 points, 6.5 boards, and 3 assists per game. Because of the team's new found size, he'll no longer be forced to play power forward, and looks much more comfortable in his natural small forward position. The team will go as he goes.

The X-Factor (I hate using X-factor, but oh well) of this year's team will be Junior guard Nolan Smith. Smith missed the first couple games, but has looked great in the last two games, averaging 22 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. He's not a pure point guard, but he's easily the best playmaker the team has this year. Duke doesn't have the backcourt depth that they've had in previous year, so Smith's play will be key.

The other key player on this year's team is Senior guard Jon Scheyer. Although Scheyer is bulit like a 2 guard, the team played much better with him running the point last season. He'll assume that role this season, and his outside shooting and passing abilities will be vital to the team's success.

Two freshmen will also play big roles for Duke this season. Ryan Kelly has a game similar to Singler, but he's taller and probably even a better outside shooter. Andre Dawkins is a guard who is not afraid to put up a 3 at anytime, and he has been a pleasant surprise early in the season.

All in all, this Duke team has some very exciting potential. They're definitely a different Duke team than we've seen in recent years, and that should be for the better. With North Carolina looking a bit lost without my favorite guy, Psycho T, you have to say Duke is the favorite to win the ACC right now. Now all they have to do is get past the Sweet 16.

NFL at Mid-Season

This is a real post, it will not include Vince from Slap Chop or Tyler Hansbrough.

Halfway through the season, and here's what we know for sure:

1) There are a lot of really bad teams. Like a lot. How this is possible in a league with a salary cap and a billion scouts and personnel per team is beyond me. I think the Florida Tuskers from the UFL could beat the Browns this year. If Roger Goodell wants to help the league, he'll start by firing Eric Mangini and Tom Cable himself.
2) There are a few pretty good teams. The Colts and the Saints seem like good teams, but I don't necessarily think they're great. Maybe we were all spoiled by the Patriots a couple years ago, but I just don't see that dominant team this year. It's still pretty wide open in my view. I could see the Saints, Colts, Patriots, Steelers, Vikings, Cowboys, Giants, and sure, the Eagles as possible Super Bowl contenders.
3) Andy Reid still doesn't know how time works in football. Sigh.

Awesome. Here's how I see the rest of the season playing out, starting with awards:

Mid-Season MVP: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
I mostly say this so my coffee table doesn't get mysteriously flipped over. Like last year, the MVP race will most likely come down to Brees and Peyton Manning. Manning is certainly deserving. He's been incredible despite a lack of experienced receivers besides Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, and a non-existent running game. However, Brees has been the predominant reason why the Saints, a historically terrible franchise, are undefeated and the current NFC favorites.

Mid-Season Rookie of the Year: Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
It's not often that a third round wide receiver wins Rookie of the Year, but it's not often that a third round wide receiver has been the best receiver on a defending Super Bowl champion team. Percy Harvin is also very much in the running for this award.

Mid-Season Coach of the Year: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
You can certainly make a strong argument for Josh McDaniels, who looked like he was gonna get fired by the Broncos before even coaching a game, who now has his team at 6-2. But the Saints' success has been the story of the season so far, and Payton has to be the front runner for this award.

Most surprising team of the mid-season: Denver Broncos
The Broncos offseason was an all out disaster. They parted ways with their franchise QB, Jay Cutler. They made some very questionable picks in the draft and Josh McDaniels seemingly couldn't do anything right. However, they're 6-2 at the midway point and in first place in the AFC West. They've come down to Earth a bit, but they're still very much in it. The Bengals are the runner-up.

Most dissapointing team of the mid-season: Tennessee Titans
I predicted a dissapointing season for the Titans from the get go, but not quite this bad. They've won two straight games under Vince Young, sure, but there's no way they get past 5-6 wins this year. A huge let down for a team that had the league's best record last season. And there was that 59-0 lost to the Patriots.

How I see it finishing out:

NFC
1: New Orleans Saints (14-2)
2: Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
3: Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
4: Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
5: Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
6: New York Giants (10-6)

AFC
1: Indianapolis Colts (13-3)
2: New England Patriots (12-4)
3: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
4: Denver Broncos (10-6)
5: Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
6: Baltimore Ravens (9-7)

Playoffs:

Giants over Cowboys Eagles over Cardinals Steelers over Ravens Broncos over Bengals

Saints over Giants Vikings over Eagles Colts over Broncos Patriots over Steelers

Saints over Vikings Patriots over Colts

Super Bowl XLIV: Patriots over Saints

NBA Predictions yaaaaaaaay

In case you didn't notice, and in all likelihood you probably didn't, the NBA season started last week. So for all zero of you who care, here are my predictions for the upcoming season...

Eastern Conference

Atlantic
1. Boston (1)
2. Toronto (4)
3. Philadelphia (8)
4. New Jersey (13)
5. New York (14)

Central
1. Cleveland (3)
2. Chicago (5)
3. Indiana (10)
4. Detroit (11)
5. Milwaukee (15)

Southeast
1. Orlando (2)
2. Atlanta (6)
3. Miami (7)
4. Washington (9)
5. Charlotte (12)

Western Conference

Northwest
1. Utah (3)
2. Denver (4)
3. Portland (5)
4. Oklahoma City (9)
5. Minnesota (14)

Pacific
1. LA Lakers (1)
2. Phoenix (7)
3. Golden State (11)
4. LA Clippers (13)
5. Sacramento (15)

Southwest
1. San Antonio (2)
2. Dallas (6)
3. New Orleans (8)
4. Houston (10)
5. Memphis (12)

Playoffs
Boston over Philadelphia Orlando over Miami Cleveland over Atlanta Chicago over Toronto
LA Lakers over New Orleans San Antonio over Phoenix Dallas over Utah Portland over Denver

Boston over Chicago Cleveland over Orlando LA Lakers over Dallas San Antonio over Portland

Cleveland over Boston San Antonio over LA Lakers

San Antonio over Cleveland