NCAA College Basketball Preview 2011-2012

With the way things are right now, it seems that college basketball is going to be the only basketball for the fans this winter because the NBA can't solve their lockout. It's a real shame that the NBA won't be playing after having such a great year but college basketball never disappoints. This year will be no different with so much talent returning for a change. Sure, some players left prematurely (I'm talking to you Jereme Richmond) but others (Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes) decided to stay on campus at least one more year and it appears they made the correct decision. It only benefits the college game. Here's a quick look at several teams, players and games you will want to make sure you keep an eye on during the season.

The World of Wadley Top 5 College Basketball Preseason Rankings
1. North Carolina Tar Heels

Barnes

   It seems that every few years Roy Williams assembles a team that seems destined to win the national championship. A team so loaded that it looks like there's no way they couldn't win. He did it in 2005 and again in 2009 and now he has done it for 2011-12. When Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and John Henson announced they were coming back to campus it immediately made Carolina the favorite. Barnes had tremendous hype surrounding him during his freshman campaign and he lived up to it in the second half of the season. His 40 point outburst against Clemson in the ACC Tournament demonstrated his talent and he is also a clutch scorer. Starting with him in the frontcourt will be Henson and Zeller and both, when healthy, can also be All-Americans. Henson is extremely athletic and a defensive force with his shot-blocking ability. Zeller is a true post man who can run the floor.

   Despite all that, the most important piece to the championship puzzle could be sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall. After Larry Drew's departure in midseason Marshall got his chance and handed out 6.2 assists per game. It is imperative that he continues to develop as a point guard and continues to find the open man. Also, Carolina needs role players Dexter Strickland and Reggie Bullock to step up and contribute. Strickland can be the lockdown defender while Bullock, a former McDonald's All-American, can stretch defenses with his three point shooting. Freshmen James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston will also be thrown into the mix early and often. It's a loaded Tar Heels team and one that should be raising another banner.

2. Kentucky Wildcats

Jones

   Keeping with recent trends, UK will show off the nation's top recruiting class this season and will rely heavily on the freshmen. However, the difference this year will be the solid group of upperclassmen. Now that's not to say that Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb are wily vets (they are still only sophomores) but the surprise return of Jones may be what John Calipari needs to win a title. Granted, it was the Blue-White Scrimmage game but Jones dropped 52 points and afterwards declared he is a man on a mission.

   He, Lamb and Darius Miller will be joined by a trio of freshmen who could all compete for the Freshman of the Year award. Anthony Davis is the top recruit and a 6-10 center from Chicago. He leaped onto the scene after an enormous growth spurt but there are critics still. He is athletic but don't expect him to play back-to-the-basket. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is an athletic slasher who will provide scoring and rebounding and could become a threat inside and outside. Last but not least, there is Marquis Teague, younger brother of the Atlanta Hawks' Jeff Teague. Marquis is next in line in the the string of elite point guards under Calipari that includes Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Brandon Knight. The question for UK is the same one it has been for the past few years: Can they win while relying on so many freshmen?

3. Ohio State Buckeyes

Sullinger

   Few teams could lose the talent that the Buckeyes did and still be a top five team. Jon Diebler, David Lighty and Dallas Lauderdale all graduated but one man who was also expected to leave is back in Columbus. Jared Sullinger turned in an impressive freshman season, averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game which earned him National Freshman of the Year and first-team All-American. However, none of that matters to Sullinger who was projected to be the number one pick in the NBA Draft. What matters to him is that Ohio State didn't win it all and he is back to do just that.

   Helping the big fella out will be fellow sophomore stud, Aaron Craft. The point guard played nearly 30 minutes per game last year in the sixth man role but will be starting from day one this season. His numbers should improve his steady play at the point could determine which way the Buckeyes go this season. The lone senior on the roster is William Buford. With Diebler gone that only means more opportunities for Buford, who shot exceptionally well last year from deep (44.2 percent). Everyone knows what to expect from those three players but the major question mark for Ohio State is DeShaun Thomas. The forward didn't play many minutes last year but did produce when he got his chance. His continued improvement would be huge for OSU.

4. Connecticut Huskies

Lamb

   No more Kemba but that hardly means the cupboard is bare for the defending national champions. Loads of hype is swirling around sophomore wing Jeremy Lamb after he was impressive in the NCAAs but what he does as an encore will dictate the Huskies season. There have been players before Lamb who have had great tournaments but never produced like we thought they would the next year (think Durrell Summers). Lamb could bud into the star we expect or merely be another average player. He is still young and so are his teammates around him. Sophomore, Shabazz Napier, will run the point and needs to continue his steady play there. Roscoe Smith will be a bigger factor as a sophomore and his scoring (6.3 ppg) should rise.

   Inside the Huskies have two solid big men. Alex Oriakhi is back as a junior and he was the leading rebounder in the Big East last season. He also had three double-doubles in postseason play and the Huskies need him to be a factor in the points column. Andre Drummond, a freshman, will see plenty of time down in the post. Drummond was able to get into school early and he is a true back-to-the-basket player. His size coupled with Oriakhi is going to be tough to stop.

5. Duke Blue Devils

Mason Plumlee

   It will seem different watching a Duke game without first-team All-ACC players Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith on the floor but it was finally time for them to leave and pursue NBA careers. Also gone is the number one pick Kyrie Irving. Irving wowed the crowds when he played but seeing him in uniform was a rare sight. He left Durham after only playing ten games. Those three losses would kill most programs but not the Dukies and that is thanks to their solid recruiting class. Austin Rivers is the highlight and he will most likely start somewhere in the backcourt but where that is has yet to be determined. It appears that Coach K may have a logjam in the backcourt but some speculate Seth Curry will start at point guard with Rivers playing off the ball. Curry would be put in a position similar to the way Coach K used Jon Scheyer his senior year. Playing point means Curry wouldn't find his shot until late in the shot clock but Rivers is a player who demands the ball and he can create off the ball. Quinn Cook will also see minutes as a backup and Andre Dawkins will factor in as well.

   Inside the Blue Devils are set with the three Plumlees and Ryan Kelly. All four are good rebounders and Mason Plumlee led the team last year grabbing 8.4 per game. We know what we are getting from the post men on Duke but the backcourt still has some issues to sort out before we deem this team a national title contender.

3 Players to Watch in 2011-12

Tu Holloway, point guard, Xavier Musketeers

Here's a little man who can fill it up in a hurry. Holloway averaged 19.7 points per game as a junior while dishing out 5.4 assists and was named A-10 Player of the Year. Xavier has won or shared the A-10 regular season title for the last five seasons and it's easy to guess that a sixth one is coming behind the leadership of Holloway. His quickness and strength allow him to get to the hoop and he also finds himself on the free throw line quite a bit where he shot 87 percent last season. 

Perry Jones III, forward, Baylor Bears

That Jones is even still at Baylor is a huge surprise because he was a guaranteed top-10 pick in the NBA Draft. But he did return to campus and he hopes to improve on a season that didn't go as planned. Jones averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game but was suspended just hours before the Big 12 tournament because his mother accepted illegal loans. He will sit out the first five games this season so we will have to wait a few more weeks to see him but when he does step on the court make sure to take notice.

John Shurna, forward, Northwestern Wildcats
Seems odd for someone from a program with zero NCAA Tournament appearances to be on this list but Shurna is that good. He averaged 24.4 points per game through the first nine games last season before an ankle injury slowed him down. During the summer he tested the NBA waters and decided to come back to campus. His only goal now is to take the Wildcats to their first Big Dance.

Kabongo

10 Freshmen to Watch

Austin Rivers, guard, Duke Blue Devils

Anthony Davis, forward, Kentucky Wildcats

Marquis Teague, guard, Kentucky Wildcats

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, forward, Kentucky Wildcats

Brad Beal, guard, Florida Gators

Myck Kabongo, guard, Texas Longhorns

LeBryan Nash, forward, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Quincy Miller, forward, Baylor Bears
Rakeem Christmas, forward, Syracuse Orange
James McAdoo, forward, North Carolina Tar Heels

3 Regular Season Non-conference Games to Watch
North Carolina at Kentucky (December 3rd)
I honestly can not remember a more exciting non-conference game. These two teams will most likely be numbers 1 and 2 and Rupp Arena will be rocking. Viewers will literally be watching the next crop of NBA stars in this game.

Duke at Ohio State (November 29th)
Two top teams go head-to-head in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and this should be a tough, grind-it-out game. Sullinger won't have it easy in the frontcourt and Aaron Craft vs. Austin Rivers is an enticing backcourt matchup.

Cincinnati at Xavier (December 10th)
This is always a bitter crosstown rivalry but this year both teams should enter the game in the Top 25 and, most likely, undefeated. Talk about raising the stakes. Xavier has 7'0" Kenny Frease in the middle but Cincinnati features Yancy Gates, a true physical specimen.

There just isn't a better sport than college basketball and it all gets under way very soon. The first must-see game will be November 11th when Carolina takes on Michigan State in the Carrier Classic and as we all know the season will be filled with great games. Talking predictions, North Carolina will win the national championship for the third time since 2005, Jared Sullinger will win Player of the Year and Austin Rivers will be named National Freshman of the Year. Those are my thoughts and predictions now let me hear yours! Comment below.

Cards Cap Unbelievable Comeback For 11th World Series Title

Sports are made for fairy tale endings. We see it all the time in movies like Rudy, Remember the Titans and others, but sometimes it seems that there are no such endings in the real sports world. Hollywood can make a great fake fairy tale ending but none of that could come close to what took place in St. Louis late Friday night. The St. Louis Cardinals completed one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history, defeating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7 of the 107th World Series. The victory wrapped up the 11th World Series for the franchise and it's their second since the millenium hit.

Written off in August, the St. Louis Cardinals made a furious comeback in the final weeks of the regular season to overtake the Atlanta Braves and clinch the Wild Card on the final day of the season. What did that get them? A date in the NLDS with the MLB-best Philadelphia Phillies and their lights out pitching staff. Trailing 2-1 in the series and with their backs against the wall, the Cards pulled out two tight games in a row to win the series. By now, Chris Carpenter's legendary Game 5 pitching performance against Roy Halladay has found it's place in Cardinal baseball folklore and the win was easily the playoffs biggest upset. Division rival Milwaukee was standing in the way of the pennant but, again, St. Louis found a way to win. The offense averaged over seven runs a game in the series and it seemed like Tony La Russa almost averaged that many trips to the mound to change pitchers every game.

It's safe to say that the Cardinals were underdogs in the LDS and LCS and that didn't change in the Fall Classic. Texas lost last year's World Series to San Francisco but was back again with a powerful lineup and a bullpen that had been pitching extremely well. Many experts picked the Rangers in six games and the Cardinals seemed to just be a nice story but a team that was going to finally run out of October magic. Wrong. In one of the best World Series in a long time, the two teams went back and forth and four of the games were decided by two runs or less with only one game being decided by more than four runs. For the Cardinals it usually wasn't one of the stars who played the role of hero, but rather one of the role players. Allen Craig won Game 1 with a clutch pinch hit and nearly won Game 2 in the same way. Game 3 was a slugfest that became Albert Pujols' game to write his name into World Series record books. After dropping Games 4 and 5 the Cardinals once again found themselves with their backs against the wall.

A better script couldn't have been written. Relentless team battles back time and time again with the hometown kid hitting a clutch triple to tie it up. Then that same kid blasts the walkoff homerun a few innings later. Talk about a fairy tale ending. Trailing 7-4 in the eighth inning, Allen Craig hit a solo homer to cut the lead to two. At the time it seemed irrelevant but hindsight is always 20/20 and if Craig doesn't hit that home run than David Freese may not even get the chance to be a hero...for the first time. The Cardinals were down to their last strike but Freese's two run triple in the ninth tied it up and forced extras. Josh Hamilton promptly launched a two run homer to put Texas up by two again but St. Louis rallied one more time. This time Lance Berkman had the game-tying hit and that set the stage for Freese's 11th inning leadoff home run to dead center, sending the city of St. Louis into a frenzy. There would be a Game 7 in the World Series for the first time since 2002.

There was only a quick moment of doubt that the Cardinals would win Game 7. Texas took a two run lead in the top of the first but Freese erased it with a two run double in the bottom half of the frame. Allen Craig homered an inning later to give his team the lead and later on, leaped up to rob Nelson Cruz of a home run. Up four in the top of the ninth, Jason Motte delivered the pitch to David Murphy who hit a fly out to left. Craig twisted around before getting under the ball. He caught it, raised both arms in the air and hugged Jon Jay. On the infield Yadier Molina leaped into Motte's arms while Pujols and others ran to join the dog pile on the mound. They hugged, high-fived and put on their championship shirts and hats. The St. Louis Cardinals had, perhaps, just completed the greatest comeback story in the history of sport. Down 10.5 games with a month remaining, coming back in all three postseason series including the World Series where they were down to their final strike twice.

How did they do it? The stars performed well like they should have but the St. Louis Cardinals are not the World Series champions if it isn't for Freese, Craig and the bullpen. Craig wasn't even supposed to be in the lineup for Game 7 but he wound up hitting the go-ahead home run and taking away another. Freese made a critical error in Game 6 but made up for it with his two clutch hits. The bullpen was atrocious at times during the regular season but, with a few exceptions, was lights out in the postseason. La Russa wore a path to the mound, making 3-5 pitching changes a game and he made the right move almost every time.

There will always be talk about the baseball postseason struggling to get viewers on television and many will say it can't compete with the NFL. That might be true but here's what I know: America just witnessed one of the best postseasons any sport has ever offered. Baseball is a special game and what makes it special is hard to describe. Those who love it can relate and those who don't will never understand the true beauty of the game. The 107th World Series will go down as one of the all-time greats and one that truly showed the beauty of baseball.

The only sadness in my heart now is that the season is over. Start the countdown now: 100 days until Spring Training begins. Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning their 11th World Series title.

The Conference Landscape by 2020 (Mid-Majors)

The Big East is making more headlines for all the wrong reasons and this time it was for sending out invitations to five mid-major programs in an attempt to "replace" Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Here's the thing: the Big East can't replace those two schools. They were too deep in tradition with the conference and it doesn't matter who the conference adds, it simply won't be the same. We are now watching the Big East fall apart. Inviting mid-majors isn't the answer either. It goes back to my previous post about organizing teams by region. If the NCAA is okay with the deterioration of the traditional conferences than at least group teams by regions. That way there are still some classic rivalries and it promotes in-state matchups. I already posted about how the large schools should be grouped up (which you can read here:) but here is what should be done with the mid-majors. These are schools from conferences like the MAC, Valley and Mountain West.

New England Region
Temple Owls (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
St. Joseph's Hawks (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
LaSalle Explorers (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Duquesne Dukes (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Fordham Rams (Bronx, New York)
Buffalo Bulls (Buffalo, New York)
St. Bonaventure Bonnies (Olean, New York)
Massachusetts Minutemen (Amherst, Massachusetts)
Rhode Island Rams (Kingston, Rhode Island)
George Washington Colonials (Washington, D.C.)
10 Schools

South-Atlantic Region
Charlotte 49ers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
East Carolina Pirates (Greenville, North Carolina)
Richmond Spiders (Richmond, Virginia)
Marshall Thundering Herd (Huntington, West Virginia)
Central Florida Knights (Orlando, Florida)
Florida Atlantic Owls (Boca Ranton, Florida)
UAB Blazers (Birmingham, Alabama)
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (Hattiesburg, Mississippi)
Tulane Green Wave (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (Ruston, Louisiana)
10 Schools

Great Lakes Region
Western Michigan Broncos (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Central Michigan Chippewas (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan)
Eastern Michigan Eagles (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
Northern Illinois Huskies (DeKalb, Illinois)
Illinois State Redbirds (Normal, Illinois)
Southern Illinois Salukis (Carbondale, Illinois)
Bradley Braves (Peoria, Illinois)
Indiana State Sycamores (Terre Haute, Indiana)
Ball State Cardinals (Muncie, Indiana)
Evansville Purple Aces (Evansville, Indiana)
Butler Bulldogs (Indianapolis, Indiana)
11 Schools

Ohio Region
Xavier Musketeers (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dayton Flyers (Dayton, Ohio)
Akron Zips (Akron, Ohio)
Kent State Golden Flashes (Kent, Ohio)
Miami Redhawks (Miami, Ohio)
Ohio Bobcats (Athens, Ohio)
Bowling Green Falcons (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Toledo Rockets (Toledo, Ohio)
8 Schools

Midwest Region
St. Louis Billikens (St. Louis, Missouri)
Missouri State Bears (Springfield, Missouri)
UTEP Miners (El Paso, Texas)
Rice Owls (Houston, Texas)
Houston Cougars (Houston, Texas)
SMU Mustangs (Dallas, Texas)
Northern Iowa Panthers (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
Drake Bulldogs (Des Moines, Iowa)
Wichita State Shockers (Wichita, Kansas)
Creighton Blue Jays (Omaha, Nebraska)
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
11 Schools

West Region
New Mexico Lobos (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
New Mexico State Aggies (Las Cruces, New Mexico)
UNLV Runnin' Rebels (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Nevada Wolf Pack (Reno, Nevada)
Colorado State Rams (Fort Collins, Colorado)
Air Force Falcons (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
San Diego State Aztecs (San Diego, California)
San Jose State Spartans (San Jose, California)
Fresno State Bulldogs (Fresno, California)
St. Mary's Gaels (Moraga, California)
Idaho Vandals (Moscow, Idaho)
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Utah State Aggies (Logan, Utah)
Wyoming Cowboys (Laramie, Wyoming)
14 Schools

Like the large schools, the regions make the most sense. It promotes regional rivalries and in-state battles become more intense. They would hold a "region" tournament and the winner would get an  automatic bid to the big dance. For football it would stay the same as always. I hate the way the NCAA is headed and I just think if they went to this plan it would be so much better. Tradition is being lost and that's what makes college sports.

35 Random Sports Thoughts

I sit through quite a few college classes everyday and I'll admit that my mind sometimes drifts from the class subject. Usually it ends up on sports and I decided to write down the thoughts I have about sports. Here are the last 35 I've had. It's a random list and I just thought it would be a fun post and a good conversation starter. Feel free to comment!

1. There won't be another team win 72 games in the NBA. That Bulls team was incredible.

2. Nelson Cruz will be postseason MVP if he keeps this up and the Rangers win the Series.
3. The hiring of Theo Epstein means Cubs fans have a new savior. I remember the "In Dusty We Trusty" slogans and all that. We will see if Epstein and his new manager can do the job.
4. HOW DO YOU GO 100+ YEARS WITHOUT WINNING A WORLD SERIES?!?!
5. I think I'm starting to like Jay Cutler a little bit more...but I still hate his attitude.
6. The Cardinals look good and the bullpen is actually doing a great job.
7. Pujols will stay in St. Louis but Fielder is going to leave Milwaukee.
8. Nyjer Morgan is an idiot and is playing to his actual skill level this postseason. A.k.a not well.
9. The NBA is committing one of the biggest blunders ever with this lockout.
10. Can there be a charity game with NBA players at the Wigwam in Anderson, IN? (2nd largest high school gym in the nation)
11. Baylor may have the most athletic front line ever assembled this year.

12. The Packers are going to repeat as Super Bowl champs...hate to say it, but it's true.

13. Moneyball was a great movie. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill both did a phenomenal job.

14. How much of the new Walter Payton book is true? It's one of the saddest things I've ever read.

15. Catching Hell was the best ESPN film to date.
16. There will never be a player more competitive than Michael Jordan. Kobe has the same mentality but LeBron is so far off from those two.
17. I believe in the Detroit Lions but they will lose some games soon. Tough schedule coming up.
18. The Yankees and Red Sox panic too much. They are both fine...not too much work needs to be done with the rosters.
19. Thank the Lord the Marlins have a new stadium! Now the A's need to get their own and I'll feel better about MLB ballparks.

20. North Carolina is going to win the national championship in college basketball. Such a complete team.

21. Aaron Craft is a stud. Expect big things this year from the sophomore.
22. Tom Brady is in the top 5 quarterbacks of all-time.

23. U.S. Soccer may never reach the pinnacle fans are hoping for.

24. Mark Sanchez is overrated and so are the Jets.

25. The media loves certain teams and they get more coverage than they should (Jets, Cowboys, Heat)
26. Cardinals will win the World Series but no team will ever catch the Yankees in WS wins.
27. If Dwyane Wade had come to the Bulls then they would easily have won the title last year.
28. The Bulls are still in store for 2-3 more championships before Rose and Noah are done.

29. The Brooklyn Nets just sounds cool. Hopefully they can be competitive.

30. Alabama and LSU is going to be a must-see game for college football. It's the national championship game basically.

31. Boise State will probably never get their chance. If they do it will be this year. Alabama and LSU will beat each other and Oklahoma could lose in Big 12 play.

32. College conferences suck now. I hate it.

33. Hardly anybody can tackle in the NFL.

34. I wish basketball players had to stay in school for two years. Imagine Eddy Curry at DePaul or LeBron James at Ohio State...

35. Where the heck are guys like Eric Crouch, Jason White and Major Applewhite???

Even in the Postseason, Baseball Takes a Backseat

Baseball is, and will always be known, as America's past time because it is our country's oldest game that was invented here. It is a beautiful game played in cozy ballparks in big cities with players who defy our imagination with their skills. Players bash home runs over 400 feet and take swings that look like art. Pitchers wind up and deliver pitches that fool hitters and some are clocked over 100 miles per hour. Football is widely known as "America's Game." It is exclusive to America and is played in enormous stadiums with wild fans numbering in the 100,000s at times. It's a brutal sport and one where running backs trample over defensive players. Linebackers bolt into the backfield and blindside quarterbacks, knocking them to the turf in a violent collision. They are two sports that contrast greatly yet are related more closely than most think.

In the past fifty years football, especially the NFL has grown so large and grossed so much money that baseball has been second fiddle for years now. Still, some hold to the notion that baseball is America's past time. It is a classic game with few replays, rules that haven't changed in years and divisional rivalries that evoke emotion from fans all around the globe. However, the game is slow and there is so much dead time the games take over four hours sometimes. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are notorious for playing into the wee hours of night and fans should never expect to be out of the ballpark in under three hours unless Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox is pitching.

The NFL's popularity has grown tremendously and revolves around it's star power. Although they have hardly struggled in attendance, it has been obvious that the loss of Peyton Manning has been a small step back for the powerful league. Nonetheless, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have done a fine job making sure the league stays right where it's been. The NFL got a scare this summer though as the lockout nearly took away the season. It would have been a major blow for the entire season to have been lost but what sport would have benefited the most right now? Baseball. The MLB would have drawn more fans and this postseason would be even more wild. It's incredible to me that one sport can be in it's postseason but if it's Sunday then everybody could care less. I know a baseball game isn't as exciting as guys hitting each other but it's sad that nobody wants to sit down and watch a full game.

Baseball is a classic game while football is more modern. Fans left baseball in 1994 due to the strike and the NFL could have experienced that this year. They saved themselves and, unintentionally, buried baseball once again. The MLB postseason has seen good attendance but it will never be on the level the NFL is again. The NBA lockout has worsened but many say it doesn't matter because nobody pays attention to the basketball season until football is over. I think that's an over-exaggeration but it is a good point to a certain extent. There are football fans who can not focus on any other sport and it seems football fans are the only ones like that.

So the question is: Is baseball still America's past time? It depends who you ask. To me, yes but to most it is not and hasn't been for awhile. Some call for change in the game but the only thing I want to be changed is the time in between pitches and things like that. The game can be sped up which would hold fans' interest longer. Baseball is America's past time but to some it is like an old toy, pushed aside and forgotten for the newer, bigger, badder toy. There is no doubt that the NFL is going to continue to grow and what will the MLB do to keep pace?

Reaction to Catching Hell

ESPN Films continues to impress with it's recent line of documentaries and "Catching Hell," directed by Alex Gibney, could be the best yet. The two hour show discussed everything that went into that unfortunate night when Steve Bartman, like any fan would, reached for a foul ball that the Cubs' Moises Alou might have caught during the 8th inning of Game 6 in the 2003 NLCS. Alou didn't catch the ball and the Cubs' collapsed, giving up eight runs in the inning, and went on to lose Games 6 and 7. The Florida Marlins would beat the New York Yankees and Cubs' players, executives and fans were left to ponder what might have been. Gibney's film tugged at the heart and made me truly feel for Bartman, a man whose life has been ruined because of the unintentional incident. It was truly one of the saddest shows I have ever seen.

We all know what happened in that moment and the events that took place afterwards. However, what I didn't know was the immediate threats and chants that were made in Bartman's direction. Unless you were at Wrigley Field that night you can't understand how awful that scene must have been. I sat on the couch watching the segment of the film and I could feel anger swelling up in me. Some time during the madness the fans at "The Friendly Confines" forgot how to behave and they also didn't stop and think about what they would have done in Bartman's place. Any fan would have reached for the ball. Yet, the thousands who weren't in position to reach for it let a game become more than it ever should and Bartman was showered with beer, food and profanity laced tirades. And what did he do? He sat in his seat and didn't say a word. He was walked out of the park and people were able to see his face and scream at him, curse him and threaten to kill him. Kill him. That part stunned me. People actually stood there and yelled "Kill him!" and "Put a gun to his head!!" When does a game or a play become more than it should?

People have changed their opinions of the Bartman incident and some no longer put the blame on him. Others still see that play as the one that ruined the Cubs' chances for the NLCS. It was disgusting to watch the one fan who threw a beer on him sit there in his interview and smirk as he talked about what he did, not an ounce of remorse in his voice. Funny thing is, he would have done the exact same thing and I can guarantee that. It's instinct to reach for a foul ball and you don't consider the player coming at you or the situation in the game.

However, like the film said, we need a scapegoat. Somebody to point a finger at and somebody to pin the blame on. That play was shown so many times and it was easy to peg Bartman as the man at fault. I have always wondered how Alex Gonzalez feels about that. It was he who really started the mess on the field yet his error is forgotten. He literally would have been crucified in the same way Bill Buckner was but instead Bartman was thrown into the fire. The Cubs have nobody to blame but themselves for losing that series and I don't see why the fans didn't, and still can't, see that. Gonzalez made the error and then the pitching fell apart. They lost Game 6 because of it. Still, Game 7 was a new game and the Cubs even had the lead with Kerry Wood on the mound. They couldn't keep that lead and Bartman had nothing to do with that. But it was Bartman's fault to Cubs' fans and some of the media.

His life is ruined and there will never be another day of 'normal' for him. It's the saddest thing ever. Steve Bartman could never go back to a Cubs game with the way people treated him that night. I thought the best line in the film was at the end when Gibney said, "We're not waiting for fans to forgive Bartman. We're waiting for Bartman to forgive the fans." That is so true and I don't know if we will ever see that happen. To walk out of that stadium with your clothes drenched in beer and to hear people shout death threats and curse words in your face is something that seems unforgivable. And what was all of that for? One play in a Major League Baseball game. It seems fans are prone to blowing sports games and plays out of proportion.

After watching that film I don't know how anybody could still blame Bartman or even be mad at him for it. Gibney did a phenomenal job and his underlying message was a jab at the fans who were relentless in their venom towards Bartman on October 14th, 2003. The Cubs have yet to win a World Series and with the way the team looks now it seems that there isn't a championship coming anytime soon. However, a championship would be the best thing for this situation because once the trophy comes to Chicago the healing can begin. It's unfortunate that it's like that but it's the truth. Fans will not begin to forget Bartman until a championship is won. Time has lessened the anger towards Leon Durham and maybe the same can be said for Bartman, but neither man will be welcomed back to Chicago with open arms until the Cubs break the curse.

Fans have a tendency to put a little too much emotion into their favorite team's games and this is at the forefront of that discussion. Steve Bartman didn't want to interfere with Moises Alou but he did. And what does he have to show for it? A life that's been ruined because of thousands of pathetic "fans."

The Heartwrenching Story of Steve Bartman

Tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time ESPN will air "Catching Hell," it's newest installment in the recent boom of ESPN films. The film discusses Steve Bartman, the now infamous Chicago Cubs fan, and how he became the scapegoat for the Cubs' choke in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins. It was the Cubs best chance to go to the World Series in a long time, but instead the Marlins defeated the Yankees and partied down in South Beach. It bugs me to no end that Bartman is blamed for the Cubs collapse that year and I can't understand how people can really believe that. One man in one moment does not make the outcome for a seven-game, 67-inning series yet no one can talk about the 2003 NLCS without saying, "Oh yeah, the Bartman series."

The ball traveled up into the air down the left-field side. Obviously it was hit into foul territory but it appeared that the Cubs' Moises Alou might have a play on the ball. The ball came down, heading for the first row of seats in mid-left field, Alou leaped for the ball with his glove fully extended into the stands. As he did, three men lunged for the ball in hopes of catching a playoff foul ball. The fan in the middle, wearing a sweatshirt, ball cap and headphones reached for it, blocking Alou's glove from the ball. The ball richocheted off the fan's hands and fell to the concrete. Just a strike. Alou screamed and threw a fit while other Cubs stood stunned. Steve Stone said on the air, "If a fan just gets his hand out of the way, Moises makes the catch." That fan was Steve Bartman and Steve Bartman instantly became the most infamous fan in sports history.

There is the billy goat, the black cat and then Steve Bartman. All three have one thing in common: they are symbols of The Curse on the Chicago Cubs. A symbol is just one way to describe Bartman these days. Some say scapegoat while others tab him as a villain. He is a forgotten man in a physical sense because no one ever sees him in public but in the minds of sports fans, and especially Chicago fans, he will never be forgotten. How fair is that? Not fair at all but that's the way it is. Steve Bartman didn't make Alex Gonzalez commit an error a few plays later, nor did he make the Cubs lose Game 7 at Wrigley Field. He can not be blamed for the outcome of the series but, like the film will explain tonight, we all need someone to point a finger at.

Every fan in the general area made an attempt for that foul ball and no one can sit here and say today that they wouldn't have tried to grab it because they knew Alou might catch it. Yeah right. In the moment, any man on the face of the Earth would have attempted to catch that foul ball. Steve Bartman is no villain. He was simply being a normal fan. Who knows if Alou would have even caught the ball. It is sad that some fans still want to put the Cubs PLAYERS mistakes on a fan and, because of that, his life is ruined. He can never set foot in Wrigley Field again and he probably doesn't even consider it a possiblilty. That's the saddest thing I have ever witnessed in sports. I'm a die-hard Cardinals fan but I feel for this guy because he was a fan of the Cubs and that was taken away from him basically. I can not think of a more appropriate film title than "Catching Hell." Who knew, eight years later, we would still be talking about that moment?

Once again, the film will be on ESPN tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time and should be very interesting and really tug at viewers' emotions. To see previews go to Youtube or ESPN.com.

The November Classic??

A snowy World Series may be a more common sight if MLB decides to
keep the regular season at 162 games

The MLB playoff races are coming to a close and it is hard to tear your eyes away with the Wild Card races so tight. The St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are making a late postseason push while the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox try to hold them off. If the Cardinals win today they will close within one game of the Braves and St. Louis has a much more favorable schedule the rest of the way. However, by the time the regular season is over with it will be September 28th. The playoffs will begin in early October and the World Series may not conclude until October 27th. That's awfully late in the year and it could be an awfully cold Series if, say, the Yankees and Phillies go head-to-head. What's worse is that baseball is now talking about expanding the playoffs to include more teams (we are in the time of expansion you know) and if they do that then the regular season must be shortened.

Since 1961 the MLB has had a 162-game season, as opposed to the 154-game schedule they had prior to that. The Wild Card was introduced 1995 which allowed four teams per league to qualify for the playoffs and I am in full agreement with that move. It would be a shame if the Red Sox and Yankees could never play each other in the playoffs or a team like the Braves, who has had a great year but just happens to be in the same division as the Phillies, got left out of October baseball. The Wild Card teams have always been very successful and it's usually because they HAD to win at the end of the regular season so they come in hot. Now, Bud Selig and the Gang want to expand the playoffs to ten teams which means two Wild Cards in each league.

I will agree with the playoff expansion if, and only if, MLB realizes that it needs a shorter regular season. 162 games is a ton of games and players break down after awhile. Also, the Cubs and Astros don't need to still be playing right now. It's absurd and it just prolongs the agony of a terrible season. I recently read a column by Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski and he suggested that the schedule be shortened back to 154 games. I could not agree more with that. Obviously there would be disputes with the record book because, for a long time, players had eight more games to compile statistics. That's something that would have to be figured out but it's a no-brainer that the schedule must be shortened.

The game has changed over time. 15 wins is what 20 wins was back in the day. Saves and holds are more important than ever and 30 home runs is a common sight. What MLB can't be worried about is the statistics and numbers. Yes, with eight fewer games there probably won't be many 20-game winners and less home runs will be hit along with fewer RBIs. It's not about any of that though. Less games means the players will be better at the end of the year and that means more fans in the stands and better games televised nationally. Thus, MLB puts out a better product. Also, if the season stayed at 162 games and the playoff were expanded that would push the Fall Classic into November. That can't happen for two huge reasons. One would be the weather. The other, and most important, is that MLB couldn't compete with the NFL and the start of the NBA. The World Series hasn't been getting good ratings and the longer the baseball season drags on, the longer they must compete with the NFL. That's fighting a losing battle.

There has been no mention of shortening the schedule but the playoffs will be expanded for sure. Bud Selig has been highly criticized during his time in office but if he were to make this move it might go down as the best move during his tenure. It's better for the players. It's better for the fans and, most importantly, it's best for the game of baseball.

The Conference Landscape in 2020 (Maybe Earlier)

Raise your hand if you saw that Syracuse and Pittsburgh move coming. I don't think anybody did and what was most puzzling about it was that both schools cited "instability" in the Big East as their reason for departure. The reason there is instability in the Big East is because two of it's most important members just bailed out and two more are going to leave soon (possibly UConn?). The ACC, which wasn't involved in any expansion rumors, is now one step closer to being a super conference with 16 teams. The Big 12 is all but dead and the Big East is headed that way as well. The conference landscape has changed, and is changing, so much that I feel the NCAA needs to step in. Since rivalries, tradition and all that is important to collegiate athletics apparently don't matter anymore then let's at least make some sense out of this mess and arrange the teams by region. That way there will still be traditional border wars and in-state rivalries. Here is what I would take to the NCAA and propose. *=not an FBS football program

New England Region
Syracuse Orange (Syracuse, New York)
Connecticut Huskies (Storrs, Connecticut)
Pittsburgh Panthers (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Penn State Nittany Lions (State College, Pennsylvania)
Georgetown Hoyas (Washington, D.C.)*
Boston College Eagles (Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)
Maryland Terrapins (College Park, Maryland)
Villanova Wildcats (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)*
West Virginia Mountaineers (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Providence Friars (Providence, Rhode Island)*
St. John's Red Storm (New York, New York)*
Seton Hall Pirates (South Orange, New Jersey)*
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Piscataway, New Jersey)
8 Football Schools and 13 Basketball Schools

Atlantic Region
North Carolina Tar Heels (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Duke Blue Devils (Durham, North Carolina)
North Carolina State Wolfpack (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
South Carolina Gamecocks (Columbia, South Carolina)
Clemson Tigers (Clemson, South Carolina)
South Florida Bulls (Tampa Bay, Florida)
Virginia Cavaliers (Charlottesville, Virginia)
Virginia Tech Hokies (Blacksburg, Virginia)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlanta, Georgia)
10 Football and Basketball Schools

South Region
Alabama Crimson Tide (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
Auburn Tigers (Auburn, Alabama)
Florida Gators (Gainesville, Florida)
Florida State Seminoles (Tallahassee, Florida)
Miami Hurricanes (Miami, Florida)
Tennessee Volunteers (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Nashville, Tennessee)
Mississippi Rebels (Oxford, Mississippi)
Mississippi State Bulldogs (Starkville, Mississippi)
Arkansas Razorbacks (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Georgia Bulldogs (Athens, Georgia)
LSU Tigers (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
12 Football and Basketball Schools

Great Lakes Region
Illinois Fighting Illini (Champaign, Illinois)
Northwestern Wildcats (Evanston, Illinois)
Indiana Hoosiers (Bloomington, Indiana)
Purdue Boilermakers (West Lafayette, Indiana)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (South Bend, Indiana)
Ohio State Buckeyes (Columbus, Ohio)
Cincinnati Bearcats (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Michigan Wolverines (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Michigan State Spartans (East Lansing, Michigan)
Kentucky Wildcats (Lexington, Kentucky)
Louisville Cardinals (Louisville, Kentucky)
DePaul Blue Demons (Chicago, Illinois)*
Marquette Golden Eagles (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)*
Memphis Tigers (Memphis, Tennessee)
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Wisconsin Badgers (Madison, Wisconsin)
14 Football Schools and 16 Basketball Schools

Midwest Region
Iowa Hawkeyes (Iowa City, Iowa)
Iowa State Cyclones (Ames, Iowa)
Missouri Tigers (Columbia, Missouri)
Nebraska Cornhuskers (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Kansas Jayhawks (Lawrence, Kansas)
Kansas State Wildcats (Manhattan, Kansas)
Texas Longhorns (Austin, Texas)
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Lubbock, Texas)
Texas A&M Aggies (College Station, Texas)
Baylor Bears (Waco, Texas)
TCU Horned Frogs (Fort Worth, Texas)
Oklahoma Sooners (Norman, Oklahoma)
Oklahoma State Cowboys (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Colorado Buffaloes (Boulder, Colorado)
14 Football and Basketball Schools

West Region
USC Trojans (Los Angeles, California)
UCLA Bruins (Los Angeles, California)
Stanford Cardinal (Palo Alto, California)
California Golden Bears (Berkeley, California)
Oregon Ducks (Eugene, Oregon)
Oregon State Beavers (Corvallis, Oregon)
Washington Huskies (Seattle, Washington)
Washington State Cougars (Pullman, Washington)
Gonzaga Bulldogs (Spokane, Washington)*
Arizona Wildcats (Tucson, Arizona)
Arizona State Sun Devils (Tempe, Arizona)
BYU Cougars (Provo, Utah)
Utah Utes (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Boise State Broncos (Boise, Idaho)
13 Football Schools and 14 Basketball Schools

As you can see this makes the most geographical sense. There are border wars and in-state rivalries. For the regions that have three schools in the same state (Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Washington) I would like to see them play a round-robin sort of tournament every year for the state crown. That would bring fan interest almost like a bowl game in midseason. The number of schools in each conference works out best for basketball but for some football is even too. I can't say this will ever happen but with the way things are now in the NCAA, I almost feel this would be best. And that's a sad statement to make...