Those Catholic basketball players in San Diego done did some shit that would make Dr. Dre proud. If you didn't hear the news then allow us to lay out what happened in lyrical form...
The sun went down when we hit Old Town on our way to F Street, with Mary Jane in da back seat Checkin our rearview, cause broke homies they will do jack moves, attack fools b-ballers smack fools Tried to set us up for that Zaga game Fuck around and we could give up a minus 17 thang but USD don't represent no losin points My man Brandon Johnson hit dat three to flush da joint so on, and so on, our bets let us roll on We be slangin that weed so we can get our stroll on Didn't nobody wanna be in da mix; now everybody be at our games cause they know we got da fuckin fix Shave dat point? Shave dat point? That's how we make coin and you know you want to join, fool But we ain't slippin with da dollas we kickin While our book keep rakin and Gaslamp hoes keep fakin we'll be Rollin back up Linda Vista, With everybody sayin
What does Ted Forstmann, Vegas and Rachel Newman-Baker have in common?
So let's get this straight. President of powerful talent agency company makes deal to represent college basketball coaches? Check. Also makes deal for licensing and marketing of college basketball? Check. Then turns around and starts betting on college basketball games to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars? Check. So the NCAA Director of Agent, Gambling and Amateurism tells the public she intends to do nothing? Check.
But she then turns around and bans a poor kid from Turkey from playing for Kentucky because he made a couple of bones playing for his national team? Oh, we got that checked.
We were sitting here talking about all the crazy things that usually happen when we pack up and head out to Sin City for either the NCAA Tourney or Selection Sunday. But now with Gabby on the East Coast and a baby coming we were wondering when the next Vegas trip would be. While Gabby just likes to drink and restaurant hop, the rest of us like to actually gamble. That is what Vegas was made for, right?
Plus it's another great way to pass the time before college hoops starts.
UPDATE: Gabby just said he doesn't see himself being in Vegas anytime before 2012. Forget it then, isn't that when Hollywood says the world's gonna end?
(Editor's note: This is part of an ongoing series focusing on the betting side of NCAA basketball. We never said that we were pure souls and we love to venture to Vegas during March. But our lawya wants us to say "for entertainment purposes only". There, we said it. Happy?)
Why: Word has it that both Paulus and Henderson will be on the court together for a spell in some type of hybrid guard role. If that is true, this alone would negate any affect Hansbrough could have on the game. But if not, don't expect Ty Lawson to step it up. It is pretty well known he has trouble with ball screen switches and Duke has been ramping those up as of late. Which leaves Wayne Ellington and Ed Davis for the Tar Heels against Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer for the Blue Devils. Yikes. This can only lead to one thing...
University of Arizona sophomore forward Jamelle Horne was asked at the press conference if Wednesday’s victory over San Diego State carried any special meaning for him.
"You know, we even had a little wager on the game. So I’ll be going out to dinner, and my dinner will be paid for," Horne said.
Fuck me! Fisher, you better do something about this shit or else we are gonna be the laughing stock of the college basketball world just like our football team is.
*sigh* In other news...
Bettie Page dead? *double sigh* This has turned out to be a sad day indeed. We usually end posts on Friday with "Happy Friday" but that seems inappropriate today.
After correctly picking all four of this year's finalists, the LRMC method has now identified 30 of the last 36 Final Four participants (83 percent accuracy over the past nine years of NCAA tournaments) as one of the top two teams in their region. Over the same nine-year stretch, the seedings and polls have correctly identified only 23, and the RPI identified 21.
Ah, but what about bubble teams and the X factor? And no inhuman box of wires can factor in the madness of a team so jacked to be there in the first place that they slay the Goliath!
LRMC seems to have a particular knack for predicting good bubble teams and identifying the top teams. In addition to correctly picking the Final Four, LRMC also correctly identified several over-rated and under-rated teams as potential upsets. First-round losers Drake (5-seed, LRMC #30), Vanderbilt (4-seed, LRMC #38), and Connecticut (4-seed, LRMC #26), as well as second-round loser Georgetown (2-seed, LRMC #12), were all picked by LRMC as significantly over-rated teams.
So pick yourself up a LRMC and then go to Vegas. Prosper!
Hello Dave... I see you had Texas in the Final Four. Human mistake.
From "Unitas": That's it....you are done. Stick a fork in you. The timer has sounded. You are finished.
How else can you describe a team that has been addressed by the most overrated mouth in the United States, Jesse Jackson.
I thought Memphis had a shot. They were playing very good basketball. If I were Calipari, I would demand equal time. Please, oh please, let Jesse talk to the other three teams, too.
It's the only shot we have!
Take care
From "jacobthedog": that's a confusing post...i think his point is that unitas is gay, maybe gay with jackson???
America, FUCK YEAH!
Finally, we bring you this:
We like this video not because of the sappy montage of the four teams who made it to the Final Four this year, oh no. We like it because the slide show is set to Europe's "The Final Countdown"!!!!! Classic 80s glam metal, you know you love it.
(Editor's note: This will be part of a limited series focusing on the betting side of NCAA basketball. I've never said that I was a pure soul and I love to venture to Vegas during March. But our lawya wants us to say "for entertainment purposes only". There, I said it. Happy?)
Stanford vs. UCLA Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA 11:00 PM ET, Thursday, March 6 at 8 pm PST
The brothers Lopez will keep this close so the "smart" choice would be to take Stanford and the points a la Tony "Two Tone" T:
But we're not "smart". We are balls to the wall no holds barred certifiably crazy. Like a fox.
Take Stanford moneyline.
That's right, straight up.
"What?!" you may ask (or scream). UCLA at home has too much Love (as in Kevin) for the Cardinals to handle? Maybe, but hang with us for a second...
Stanford is looking to close out the season with a high seed possibility. Plus they just finished beating down Washington State and will be taking that momentum to Pauley Pavilion. What is UCLA known for? Down in the paint scoring. And you think they are gonna have their way with Stanford's presence? Not happening. UCLA really has nothing to play for at this point already locking up a 1 or 2 seed. Stanford NEEDS this win and they know it. Expect it to be close but I think the Cardinals will pull it out in the end.
When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen's "off with her head!" - Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit
That pretty much sums up the blogpoll for this week...
1) North Carolina 2) Memphis 3) UCLA 4) Tennessee 5) Kansas 6) Duke 7) Texas 8) Stanford 9) Xavier 10) Louisville 11) Wisconsin 12) Georgetown 13) UConn 14) Purdue 15) Notre Dame 16) Butler 17) Vanderbilt 18) Indiana 19) Michigan St. 20) Marquette 21) Washington St. 22) Drake 23) Clemson 24) Gonzaga 25) Mississippi St.
Comments - Really. Check out last week's poll. A complete scramble for this week. No less than 4 teams received first place votes. Drake slammed down 9 points. 6 teams either moved down or moved up 3 or more points?!
All I can say is this will make for an interesting two weeks. Stay tuned here for another edition of Bettor's Corner tomorrow. No, it doesn't matter that I was wrong last week!
(Editor's note: This will be part of a limited series focusing on the betting side of NCAA basketball. I've never said that I was a pure soul and I love to venture to Vegas during March. But our lawya wants us to say "for entertainment purposes only". There, I said it. Happy?)
My first instinct was to take the Sun Devils moneyline. ASU has been on a tear as of late with strong wins against Arizona and Stanford and looked strong enough to take on the rebounding Cougars. Until I realized that the Cougars are playing them at home. Scratch that. That would be a huge upset if ASU won, but we don't want to make financial decisions based on that, do we? If we did, we just might end up working in a smelly bathroom for tips an hour before our flight home. However, look at the points they are giving for ASU. 10? You kidding me? 10?!?. Now lets look at the past couple of games they have had against solid opponents:
Washington State - L:55-56 ... at Arizona - W:59-54 Stanford - W:72-68
Yeah, these guys can PWND!
So, my Talisker Decision would be to take ASU and the points. Expect a low close scoring Big East style game. Happy hunting!
Watched UNC vs. Georgia Tech last night. Great game where the Tar Heels were on the verge of getting their first loss. Georgia Tech had two, count them, TWO chances to make the game winning shot (at that point it was UNC 83 - GT 82 with about 10 seconds left and Georgia Tech had the ball).
They missed both, even after Zack Peacock got his OWN rebound and tried another shot for the Yellow Jackets.
Zach, Zach, Zach...
I felt like giving them an honorary Blogpoll vote but now have changed my mind. A top 25 team would have closed that game with a chance like that. No, CHANCES like that (as in PLURAL).
Ok, so here is the deal. I have decided to liveblog from Vegas this Saturday for the Duke/Clemson game. I will have the digital camera so I will be completely set up to bring you some pics and video from Vegas real time (example - If at halftime I go to the casino floor and see some hot, half dressed drunk gal playing slots I'm gonna snap it and post it immediately. Same with possible video). Hey, I'm even doing some show prep now to make sure things go smoothly!
HOWEVER - The liveblog might not happen if one of the following occurs:
1) I'm too drunk to type 2) I'm playing craps or blackjack at the time and I'm winning 3) I'm following another game in the sports book at the time and "my" team is winning
I was kinda shocked to find out that Oregon stymied the Lopez brothers. I mean, once they were both back and at full strength Stanford seemed to leap into top 25 contention.
And Oregon is very VERY inconsistent at times.
Yeah, I would have lost money on that in Vegas. Speaking of Vegas that is where I, Mr. "Blackjack Ladyfingers" will be this weekend. And you know what that means:
Did someone say "party"? And yes, I do dance like her when in Vegas. Very lame.
Nothing beats college hoops and the sports book. Might liveblog from there if I am not too drunk. Or maybe I SHOULD liveblog when I'm drunk. That would make for good trainwreck theater.
UA freshman guard Laval Lucas-Perry quit the Arizona men's basketball team Monday, announcing he has decided to transfer to another school. He's undecided on where that will be.
His father, Laval Perry, did not return a call for comment.
Don't even tell me he left for another reason.
Nice article about how San Diego State now controls the MWC. Yes, we actually do...
Surprise, surprise.
Still doesn't mean that we will get into the big dance. But nice nonetheless. And an excuse to post an SDSU cheerleader photo (like I really need one).
That is where the smart money is. I mean the casinos. The sports books. They are smarter than us. If they weren't, they would be broke, the odds makers would be fired, living on the charity of the nickel slots at Binion's.
Dear God please, the Ohio State line didn't work, I HAVE to pay RENT!
One of my favorite things to do is checking the Vegas odds on college hoops. Just as another POV mind you. And I saw this...
Mississippi State at #53 and Davidson at #64. Both teams are on the blogpoll top 25. What does that mean exactly. Nothing. It just says that Vegas thinks we are wrong. And that makes me nervous.
Oh. Hold on. My lawya wants to say something.
Disclaimer: March To Madness would never condone college sports betting nor would use Vegas odds in his own blogpoll ballot unless stated explicitly in any said post at any said time and for any said reason until rescinded or altered by March To Madness. Void in Nebraska.
Finally some sanity! The Sporting Network has it's Pac-10 preview out and puts the Trojans in a realistic view, placing them to finish 8th in conference.
Three double-digit scorers are gone from last year's squad, as Nick Young, Lodrick Stewart and Gabe Pruitt combined for 43.8 ppg. Replacing that production will be tough.
But heck, O.J. Mayo will be exciting to watch, huh? Especially come March when he is picking his nose on the sofa.
They also have Arizona finishing 4th. But they always choke come March.
Gabby - Former Sports Illustrated.com contributor and all around college hoops addict Gabby is our editor-in-chief and so called "visionary".
The Gang - Associated tag alongs and suck ups who provide any support necessary for El Jefe.
We're just folks with the dream of enjoying every bit of college basketball possible. Don't expect in-depth analysis or serious picks. We just do color commentary on the wonderful thing that is the madness of NCAA Men's Basketball.
