A Little more like it

For a little less than a day I thought I'd lost my ability to pick games. Thank goodness for yesterday, where I went 13-3. Of course, all the great finishes and endings had to come late last night. It's the nature of the beast, nothing you can do about it. Other than enjoy it.

Oh, and since KG is back for the Celtics, a fine Friday night it was.

On to my picks for today--
Maryland vs. Memphis
Memphis better be awake for this game from the get-go, or they will lose, and it would be ugly. I still think that they have far too much talent for Maryland, but if the Terps show up like they did against Cal, anything can happen. I'm going with Memphis in a tight one, by less than 10.

LSU vs. North Carolina
LSU wins if there is no Ty Lawson, plain and simple. If Lawson plays, even for 15 minutes, the Tar Heels win, and by a good margin.

Texas vs. Duke
Texas could easily win this game, but they won't. I'm picking Duke by 15. Just my gut talking on this one.

Texas A&M vs. UConn
UConn by 20, and it won't be that close. Not with Coach Jim Calhoun back on the sidelines, they are going to take it to the Aggies.

Michigan vs. Oklahoma
I think Oklahoma will dominate the boards and win this game. But a bigger issue is what will happen to Blake Griffin? The kid (yes, he's just a kid) is amazing, and yet this season he has been punched in the nuts, elbowed in the head, punched, kicked and on Thursday he was flipped over in yet another classless attempt to goad him into a technical foul, or maybe even an ejection from the game. Too bad this isn't like hockey, where there would be a goon to just wreck shop on these clowns ruining a perfectly good game. I hated playing against people like this, and eventually, would just pop them. I've chipped teeth, had a busted nose, dislocated plenty of fingers and thumbs, snapped ankles, blown out a knee, but only when it was done with intent would I get pissed. How does Griffin not haul off and belt someone? And who punches someone in the nuts during a sporting event??? That stuff doesn't happen in MMA! No place for it on a basketball court. When he leaves after this season, I hope he puts it on the conferences, coaches and even the NCAA to clean up this crap.

Western Kentucky vs. Gonzaga
Well there, Hilltoppers from WKU, it was fun on Thursday, but your train stops here. Gonzaga is playing very well, and they have way too much talent. Here's what I'd like to throw out there-the starting 2 guard for the Gonzaga is from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. How did CU, CSU or even Air Force let this kid get out of state??? He was Mr. Basketball 2 years in a row. See, this is why those schools may make the tourney, but until they put money into those programs, they will not be big players, even in their own conference.

UCLA vs. Villanova
Eric Maynor, you almost did it. UCLA has no business being in this game, and it's a home game (in Philly) for 'Nova. America, get to know the name Scottie Reynolds, he's putting up 30 today.

Purdue vs. Washington
So, I've had to ask myself, is Washington just a really good team and I don't believe in them, is that why I pick against them, like all the time, this year? And that answer is a resounding "YES". So do I get off my own little train? Hell no, you dance with who brung ya. I'm going with Purdue, they shoot the ball far too well. Oh, and this game will be in the 50's, as both can play defense really well. Of course, now that I've stated that, it'll turn into a damn track meet.

Those are the picks, but something else just crossed my path, and I've got to write about it. I don't check my mail everyday, but who does, really? Yesterday was the day I decided to finally go and take care of that, after a couple of days. Lo and behold, there's my nemisis, Sports Illustrated. If you've read this for more than a week you know how much I loathe them pushing their liberal agenda. So I'm always weary opening the pages. And they finally did something right!! So, in the spirit of rewarding those who do something good-even though I haven't finished reading the whole issue-I'm so thankful they put this article about Minnesota high school hockey in there.
Can you possibly imagine being in high school and you play in a game with 15,000 people cheering for you? How awesome would that be? Sorry, I know I'm wordy and even I can't fathom that. I've always dreamed of filling out a 5,000 seat venue for stand up, but that's as far as it goes. 15,000 for a high school hockey game-that's outstanding on so many levels, and it will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Look, I honestly wouldn't know about this unless I knew someone who told me about all this beforehand. And I owe them an apology. I may have said some things during the tenure of our friendship that were dismissive, and I think I only made that mistake once, and it hasn't happened since. I was so wrong. Granted, it was about hockey, but I used to think I had to know everything. Turns out, if you're the smartest person in the room, you can't learn a whole bunch. Who knew? So every time that I've spoken, texted, IM'd, facebook'd, etc. with this person, it's been in the back of my mind. Hockey is HUGE in Minnesota, like hoops is big in Indiana, football in northern Ohio, and baseball in the Dominican. Mea Culpa. I should never have dismissed the notion that a sport could be bigger in different part of the country than where I'm from. Know what's huge where I'm from? Alcoholism and the idea that anything or anyone fantastic could be past Worcester. I'm living proof. My life got so much better after I left, when I left, and why I left that I can't ever really describe it. Damn tipping points....
The only thing that the SI story made me feel slightly, and I do mean slightly, is the kids from Edina. They made a pact in the 8th grade to play high school hockey, never leave to take on a better chance for themselves at junior nationals, etc. in order to go for a title together. You rarely see that at any level now. But it's really nice to know it's still out there. Look, we've got 5th graders being called fantastic prospects in basketball, how can that not warp a kid, and his family?
Maybe hockey's the last bastion of true team, team spirit, real fans. I've only known swearing and putting down someone as being a fan. I now know that you can actually clap for a great effort, and not in the slow-clapping douchebag way.
All I can say is this-add the Minnesota high school tourney to my list of things I want to see, along with a Rose Bowl, the Big East tourney (and that may happen next year, if I can ever get a job), the ACC tournament, and the College World Series.

Oh, and I'm gonna need a partner in crime to go watch these hockey games with me...gee, I wonder if I know anyone like that.....

Happy Saturday, I'm brewing up some Dunkin' Donuts coffee, so I'm looking forward to starting my day.