Michigan haters: rooting for the Big Ten in the national title game?

April 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

michigan-national-title

Ah, the national title game of college basketball. The graduation ceremony of college hoops commences Monday night as the Michigan Wolverines take on the Louisville Cardinals. National title game tips on CBS around 8:30 CDT.

So as you watch the national title game, do you show allegiance to your conference brethren?

As your team is no longer playing, do you root for your conference rival on the bigger stage? Or do your natural rivalries still hold in the national title game?

Read through some interesting opinions of players, coaches and fans. And comment with your opinions and thoughts below.

Last night, I watched the Final Four with David Kmiecik, the finest college basketball mind you will ever find, and the man who gave me the idea/pushed me to start this website. Between the two of us you had two really big college hoops nerds: One Illini graduate (myself) and therefore a “Big Ten guy,” and one Marquette alum, therefore a “Big East guy.” Just like the Michigan vs. Syracuse battle to reach the national title game we were watching.

But it’s not always that simple.

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Tubby Smith Fired! No more Tubby Time in Minnesota

March 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

tubby-smith-minnesota

University of Minnesota Director of Athletics Norwood Teague announced minutes ago that Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith has been dismissed. A formal press conference will be held in about an hour. The Golden Gophers upset UCLA in an #11 seed over #6 game in the NCAA Tournament Friday night in Austin, TX. However, after winning in convincing fashion, Tubby Smith lost in convincing fashion to the #3 seed Florida Gators.

“Tubby has had a long and distinguished career and we feel it’s time for a fresh set of eyes for our student-athletes and our program in general,” Teague said in a prepared statement. “We are grateful to Tubby and his entire staff for their hard work and dedication to this University, our students and the entire Minnesota community. We wish Tubby, Donna and the entire staff well.”

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Link Bank: 2013 March Madness Edition

March 23, 2013 by 2 Comments

march-madness

It’s March madness! March madness is that wonderful time of year when anything can happen, and often does. The Illini have the largest group of fans down here in Austin BY FAR. Illinois does have the largest alumni base in the nation, remember. And rumor is Minnesota Golden Gophers fans are going to be pull for Illinois when they take on the Canes tomorrow night. I just got good quotes about conference teams cheerleading for other conference teams in the NCAA tournament. from Miami’s coach Jim Larranaga about that. And whether or not ACC teams and ACC fans do the same: rooting for their brethren in March Madness. Will have a separate post on it later.

-Here’s one example of that NOT happening however:

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Minnesota Golden Gophers: not a sexy upset pick over Florida

March 23, 2013 by 1 Comment

gophers-cheerleader

Are the Minnesota Golden Gophers a sexy upset pick in your bracket? And I don’t mean sexy like the cheerleaders pictured above and below, I mean sexy as in trendy. The Gophers were #2 in strength of schedule this college basketball season. #2! Only the Duke Blue Devils are better. The Gophers played last night like they were trying to save Tubby’s job. The Gophers (21-12) were granted a No. 11 seed and blew out No. 6 UCLA (25-10) 83-63  Friday night at the Frank Erwin Events Center in Austin, Texas.

It was a postseason game between two coaches (Tubby Smith and Ben Howland) who will find themselves on the hot seat next year. It reminded me a little of another UCLA postseason game in another sport versus another Big Ten team- the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl when the UCLA Bruins lost to the Illinois Fighting Illini (when both coaches Ron Zook and Rick Neuheisel) were both fired. That was the “somebody had to win” bowl. This was the “somebody had to win” invitational.

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2013 NCAA Tournament: South bracket breakdown

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

kansas-jayhawks-basketball

Warning: I will not be responsible if you copy this bracket and are out of your NCAA Tournament pool by Sunday.  However, if you do listen to my college basketball wisdom and win some money, I want 20% of the pot or at least a shout-out on your twitter or facebook page.

Kansas  earned the number one seed in the South Bracket and get a huge home court advantage playing their first two games in Kansas City.  Florida, Georgetown, and Michigan are the other top seed but there are a couple of dangerous teams lurking in this regional.

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Illini basketball buzzer beat Gophers; adding to BTT wins record

March 14, 2013 by 2 Comments

illini-basketball

Illinois has the most all-time Big Ten Tournament wins with 23 and the second-best all-time BTT winning percentage. With a Brandon Paul buzzer beater today, they added to that record. It was ugly, ugly 51-49 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, but it helps solidify the Illini basketball resume for the NCAAs. Brandon Paul was pretty much the entire team’s offense as he scored 25 including the dagger as time expired (watch video of it here). Illinois has reached/automatically qualified for the quarterfinals in every year of the tourney’s existence except last year.

The Illini have really struggled at the United Center lately. Prior to escaping with a win versus a very very bad Auburn team on December 29th, the Illini entered that contest having lost three in a row and five of six at the United Center, their supposed home away from home. But now the Illini have won two in a row at the UC. They’re beginning a new streak.

Illini basketball has won nine of their last ten BTT games played at the United Center. Today’s  and they’re also now 16-5 all-time in BTT games at the United Center.

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2013 Big Ten Tournament Predictions/Preview

March 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

big-ten

This could be the best Big Ten Tournament of all time. As it returns to its RIGHTFUL home, the United Center in Chicago, the league is as strong as it has ever been. So on paper it should be great. Indiana earned the season outright title for the first time since 1993 and the No. 1 seed for the first time in school history.

Ohio State, Michigan State and the Badgers also earned top-four seeds to secure first-round byes, as all four teams open play Friday. The tournament features 11 games over four days, beginning with four on Thursday. Six different programs have won the Big Ten Tournament. Michigan State and Ohio State have won the title three times. The Illini, Hawkeyes and Badgers have each won the championship twice, and Purdue has won the tournament once.

Chicago hosted the inaugural event in 1998. The Big Ten tournament averaged 18,882 fans per session when the event was last held at the UC in 2007. It set attendance records while in Chicago in 2001 with an average of 21,954 patrons per session. And just standing-room only tickets remain for this Big Ten Tournament.

So let’s get to my snarky preview/predictions

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A great day for Soldier Field Hockey

February 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Soldier Field Hockey

Since opening on October 9, 1924; Soldier Field hockey happened for the first time in its storied history. 52,000 lucky fans got the chance to be a part of the experience as CCHA rivals 12th-ranked Notre Dame and third-ranked Miami of Ohio began the festivities.

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Gophers basketball beats Badgers, mocks Wisconsin’s own victory dance (video)

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

gophers-basketball

If you have watch Tubby Smith dance passionately on your bucket list, now’s your chance to cross it off. As the unranked Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball team beat the #20 Wisconsin Badgers in over time 58-53 in OT (yes, even in overtime, some Big Ten scores are still in the 50s) they celebrated in the locker room. And the Gophers basketball victory dance looks like it was blatantly ripped off from the Badgers victory dance after they defeated the #3 Michigan Wolverines on a buzzer-beater.

Watch both and judge for yourself. Welcome to “Dancing with the Big Ten basketball Stars.” Big Ten hoops is crazy this year, with upsets galore and ranked teams beating up on each other.

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This March Madness bracket should be madder than ever

February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

brackets

Anyone who picks all #1 seeds in his March madness bracket this year needs to get his head checked. Indiana stayed at #1 in the polls despite losing to the unranked Illinois. Thus ended a stretch of five straight weeks in which the top ranked team went down. Now the #1 team in the country is just whoever hasn’t lost lately.

And if these trends hold, your march madness bracket will be busted early. Remember this when you’re ready to bet on march madness, anything goes this year.

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