Pinch Me

I've been covering sports in a media capacity for the last 14 years of my life. Over that time, and the endless stream of media passes, rubber chicken buffet lines, press conferences and broadcasts, you develop the emotional response of a corpse. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's a part of the business. You have to be calm, unbiased and professional. It comes with all of the perks.

I love sports more than I can explain. The rush of energy you get when you see a back-door screen set perfectly, and you are waiting for the pass. The anticipation of watching a playoff hockey game and every shot could be the game winner. At a football game, knowing that a player is injured, but watching him split a defense. Or, on the links, a player coming off three bogeys who somehow swallows the butterflies to birdie the 72nd hole to win. It is all only possible in sports.

And then there was yesterday. No media responsibility in watching Butler play in the Elite Eight, hunched nervously in the corner of a bar, surrounded by Bulldog crazies. After he first two rounds of the tournament, my blue clothing came out of the closet. Hey, if the Horizon League staff could openly root for their lone representative, why not me?

What happened yesterday makes no sense. It won't when I go to bed tonight, it won't tomorrow, and it won't when I arrive to watch the Dawgs practice at Lucas Oil on Thursday. A team from a school with 4,000 students, tucked in mid-major obscurity with meager resources just doesn't make a Final Four. Or do they?

Is it possible that I am blinded by the story of Butler? Look at the makeup of the team: A sure-fire NBA player (Gordon Hayward) that can do everything. A gritty, polished post player (Matt Howard) that can handle almost anybody in the paint. An energetic, nasty PG (Ronald Nored) who can drive you crazy for spurts, but then you watch his defense and run out of virtuoso adjectives to describe his ability. A shooting guard (Shelvin Mack) that became a man in the NCAA Tourney, wanting to take the big shots... and hitting them. And the lone senior (Willie Veasley) who does everything asked of him in both heart and skill.

Strip away the name on the jersey, the story, the campus, and it makes sense. I am just honored to have been closely associated with the program for the last 10 seasons, but in that time, what happened yesterday becomes so much more meaningful.

After the shock wore off, I was overwhelmed with the emotion of it. Yes, I cried in a bar. I thought about the teams (2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008) that Butler had where we always wondered, "could this team do the unthinkable?" I thought of the countless players that built this system and program, who had to feel like they earned a piece of that net from Salt Lake City. Memories of frigid road trips to nowhere when the team couldn't schedule a meaningful home game. Those hours logged paid off last night.

It is the culmination of an entire era, ushered in by a coach who now oversees the entire department. And it's continued by a current coach who sacrificed everything to be a part of it. It's a Final Four for all of us who invested in that system and drank the Kool Aid. So, while there is a game to play on Saturday, this week is a celebration of Butler Basketball, its history and its legacy.

I need to stop typing... I'm getting emotional again.
For people who actually know what they are doing when they write, I suggest the following readings: Here, here, and here, for starters.

Sweetness

March Madness is the ultimate extended metaphor... It's like being somebody who is quitting smoking. You get a mad fix of nicotine in the first few days and then ween yourself off week by week, eventually quitting cold turkey by the beginning of April. Here we are in the round that counts. The novelty of last weekend (upsets, four games at once, how many times Verne Lundquist can incorporate the cackle laugh) is behind us and it's time to lace 'em up tighter and play some hoops.

I wanna roll with this extended metaphor concept. To me, the NCAA Tournament is a mirror image of the college experience. Every round is just another step in the maturation of a champion, weeding out the pretenders to identify the best. Think I am crazy? Let's compare:

First Round = Freshman Year

There is so much hoopla surrounding this time that your head spins. For some, it's the first time they have ever set foot there. There are people running around everywhere, crazy schedules to master, lots of new people watching you. Everything in your season/life to this point was building to this moment. Then, after the hoopla of just getting there settles in, you have to play/go to class. Everybody is bigger and better than where you came from. You're on your toes more often, but there are plenty of distractions to drag you away. Do you stay focussed or let the pretty girl distract you?

(The arbitrary drinking analogy: Beer is everywhere in college. You didn't know partying was this much fun or accessible. The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate basketball party for a college player. Chug responsibly!)

Second Round = Sophomore Year

You feel like you're in a rhythm and this phase is sort of lost in the shuffle of excitement. You are soooooo much better than those people who got left behind in the previous phase. But this time comes on you so fast. Bam! You spent so much energy focussed on the last one that this time frame feels a bit rushed. You're tired, but you expect good things to keep happening to you. This is also when a lot of talented people overlook the goal and slip up.

(Drinking Analogy: You feel like a seasoned pro. Your liver can withstand four beer bongs and 8 jager-bombs as an appetizer. All of it before you've turned 21. What? How can it be illegal to drink? I do it all the time in a consequence-free environment, you say. To the NCAA player, you got that first win and now you start to think it's no big deal. Winning will continue to happen.)

Sweet Sixteen = Junior Year (2nd Semester to be exact)

You've gotten the big milestone out of the way and have had the chance to relax a little bit, but the serious road ahead is very close on the horizon. You know that the party is behind you in some ways, so you have to really settle down and focus on what needs to get done to reach the end. But the lead up to this point has been so much fun, and the attention has been great. You wonder if you could just pause time and stay here for a while, avoiding the inevitable: pressure and the end.

(Drinking analogy: You can walk into any bar or liquor store and buy what you want. Where is the excitement in that? You've got young students begging you to buy for them and it gets annoying. Been there, done that. Same for the players... You've won twice, the aura is gone and it's more about the game now. Basketball is back to feeling more normal. You go to a new venue and encounter more interviews and pomp and circumstance, when you really just want to play)

Elite Eight = Senior Year

You've reached the end of a great journey, and if you survive this you make it to where it is all decided. You are on the stage by yourself for the first time, and will be judged purely on your own merits and success. It's amazing to think how long ago that opening day seems, and you think back to all of the people who didn't make it to this point, and how fortunate you were to make it and have the ability to overcome all obstacles. You are confident, but secretly nervous as hell to finish what you started and make it.

(Analogy: You drink wine for the first time not out of a box, and go to cocktail parties where people drink not to get drunk. Novel concept. You want to fit in and be viewed as the real deal. Ditto for the basketball teams. This is where you step up, show your maturity and prove you belong in the Final Four)

The Final Four = Grad School

This is a spot reserved only for the best of the best. You have proven yourself as worthy, but now take the next step to stand out as one of the elite. The people around you are more important (famous) and have come out of the walls to wish you well and push you to succeed. There is certain pressure to achieve, but for most it comes with the confidence and satisfaction of simply making it to this point, which is a huge measuring stick in their lives.

You can sort of make the same claim for the final game. It's just a different feel. Less hoopla, and more hoops.

So, to refresh: Tonight starts our junior year in college! If I am being really symbolic, my junior year of college saw Butler get snubbed (hosed, screwed, jobbed) from the NCAA Tourney and ended up losing in the second round of the NIT to.... wait for it..... Syracuse.

You just can't plan this stuff any better...

-Will

I've got 99 problems, but basketball aint one

Today is a day to relax a bit after marathons of college hoops, but yesterday (Friday) felt like we already started. Honestly, Thursday's first round games were tremendous. It was hard to really get into the games the way you would want on Friday, mainly because the afternoon was really boring. Closest game: Wisconsin winning ugly against Wofford. Most exciting: Probably Xavier over Minnesota in a battle of "Whose head is bigger than a basketball." I meant that figuratively.

Night games were just aight. Yes, I used the word aight. Why? Because I am going to the Jay-Z concert tonight. I brought this up while volunteering at a 5K race this morning and the shocked high school and college students working with me asked if I was joking. Twice. Okay, I'm lying... Three times. Then I asked, "Is an argyle sweater and sports jacket appropriate attire?" They had the sarcasm detector off. Seriously?! Do I look that old? I thought I was cool enough to pass for a Jay-Z show. He did songs with U2 and Coldplay. I could go to their shows.

I am digressing...

What we learned from Friday night games:

1) Gonzaga was underseeded

2) Georgia Tech and Wake are mirror image teams to me. More raw talent than almost every school, but the basketball exists for about 10 total minutes a game

3) Michigan State is vulnerable to really good teams from New Mexico (that information could still be useful; How awesome would that be if MSU played New Mexico in the final game - instant blog credibility)

4) The Cuse appear to be okay without the big fella

5) I think Ohio State has my favorite starting lineup in the country

6) I also think Ohio State has my least favorite bench in the country (kinda important)

[Editors Note: By bench, by no means am I referring to Thad Matta (love him), Brandon Miller (love is too weak of a word) and Club Trillion. They do not make a bench.

On to round two. Let the record show (I've let it be shown a million times to unimpressed people) that I went 28 for 32 in picking first round games, in a year where I didn't enter one pool with a prize waiting at the end. Sweet, nothing like sweet satisfaction that leaves your wallet as empty as the Big East Conference's NCAA take this year. (too easy)

Foreshadowing...

As I write this, Nova is making Saint Mary's look like, well, um... Robert Morris, only without some bad officiating. So, one Final Four team down the drain with 15 more games to go. So long 99.97% on ESPN.com.

Butler Nation seems to be a little nervous today, probably because Butler is now a favorite to make the Sweet 16. I just don't have the butterflies. I feel like a player should: Got the nerves out of the way after the first game and am ready to battle. Plus, call me old school, but I still think an NCAA Tourney win (1) is enough to make a successful season for a program at a school with less than 4,000 students, Bob Cratchet finances and average annual attendance less than 7,000. Let the good times roll...

Holla

- Will

Christmas Day 1

Yes, I just referred to the NCAA Tournament as Christmas, you got a problem with that? You might be able to name 5 sports days that can come close to yesterday and today in terms of hype and focussed eyes (Super Bowl, overlap World Series & NFL - this year Opening Day in MLB is the same day as the Final Four Championship, solid). After a wicked bout of food poisoning (I now understand why athletes look sharp after taking an IV), I was able to get to the games yesterday.

Out of the gate: A double OT thriller, one-point upset, buzzer beater big upset and a #2 seed almost pulling the strangulation. 16 games, about 12 hours, let's cover it in a completely subjective and mildly sarcastic way...

SOUTH #11 Old Dominion 51, #6 Notre Dame 50

I could have picked this one for anybody out there. Why? It would be too easy for me to say that ODU was a better team. Actually, that wouldn't have been easier, because I couldn't honestly say that. I just knew the Irish would lose. Why again? The Sports Gods wouldn't let them win. Yeah, I said it. Remember, it's "touchdown" Jesus, not "layup" Jesus, so there is no divine power. The Irish had no right to a 6 seed. None. CBS did a disservice to their bracket coverage by not having Seth Davis spontaneously combust when the seed was announced. How can a bubble team 3 weeks ago become a 6 seed?!? That's like a pitcher in baseball opening April, May, June and July with a 9-10 record and 5.12 ERA, close the season with two no-hitters and win the Cy Young. Could that happen? Nope. The defense rests. (Oh, and thank you Mike Brey for inventing a new offensive system that took scoring back into the 50s and made basketball less enjoyable to watch again)

WEST #7 BYU 99, #10 Florida 92 - double OT

Bracket was looking good early, especially when BYU realized that they were considerably more disciplined and fundamentally sound than the Gators in the second half and ran off a double-digit lead. Then, they crapped themselves. It really was a brilliant game. Great to watch. It was the double shot of espresso the tourney was looking for. Fredette was fantastic for BYU. Parsons and Boynton would answer. And then in the extra time, this little spark plug for the Cougars, Michael Lloyd Jr., made every play needed. Memo to the Gator defense, he's going to spin when he gets in the lane; wait for it. Oh, and my favorite announcing guffaw about yesterday: Dan Bonner, who must have called Lloyd a terrible FT shooter 100 times in overtime because he shot it 60% on the year. (He went 9-10 yesterday) Look, I've been there before doing games. You roll with the percentages. But, say it once and then let him live up to that percentage. Bonner was in disbelief that he kept making them. Actually kinda sad that an analyst in shocked when a scholarship athlete makes an unguarded, unforced 15-foot set shot, huh?

SOUTH #2 Villanova 73, #15 Robert Morris 70 - OT

That collective sound you just heard was the butt holes of millions of Americans unpuckering as their bracket stayed alive for another 48 hours, but looked to be no stronger than the stolen recycled paper from the office copier it was written on. I would like to say I saw a lot of this game, but to be honest the BYU-Florida game was just too good. That, and the nation's fascination with seeing a big upset completely bogged down the CBS online servers. The Big East was worried for an afternoon (wait, more to come). [Note: Kudos to CBS for continuing the free online streaming but adding a really nice touch this year: forced advertising. Make a game switch, gotta watch an ad. Game goes to commercial, you are stuck with it and all of the ads; brilliant web marketing]

Exhale - Honestly, no better 3-game stretch to start an NCAA Tournament that I can ever recall. In fact, I'll spend less words on most every other game because it was hard not to be spent simply by that appetizer. Only way it's better is if Robert Morris found a way to seal the deal.

WEST #13 Murray State 66, #4 Vanderbilt 65

It went in?!?! Really? Honestly, I have forgotten most everything about this game simply because of that mad scramble at the end. It was a great game. Vandy couldn't guard in the first half, and then couldn't make the big shot in the second half. All credit is due to the fighting Murrays, who just kept pushing. But that last play will always stick with me. How does your best player have the presence of mind to pass up the shot? Did he know there was enough time? And then Danero Thomas does the fade-away, flick/heave, gonna-get-laid shot of his life. True story: My Butler posse in San Jose texts 'Wow' as soon as the shot goes in. Since I am watching online, I get the text as the ball is leaving his hand, and it still didn't give away the ending. It could've missed and I still would have said "Wow." Lost in my mind during all of this: "So, wait, Butler could have a chance to play Murray State for a chance at the Sweet 16? Hmmm."

SOUTH #3 Baylor 68, #14 Sam Houston State 59

Not gonna lie, this is where I started to recharge the batteries a little bit. Butler was now 30 minutes away from tip. Besides, I am having a hard time believing this whole story at Baylor. Scott Drew is a Butler guy and a "great" recruiter (*cough*; I'm not sayin, just sayin, "It's Waco") but there is just something not sexy about this team yet. Watch them play. Extremely athletic, but they always look raw. I just don't see it. I could be wrong.

SOUTH #10 Saint Marys 80, #7 Richmond 71

The seeds should have been reversed in this game. NO WAY this is an upset. Too easy of a game to pick (I write as I scramble to my ESPN bracket to make sure I picked the Gaels). The West Coast Conference is good. Very good. Look at it this way. The state of California produces more basketball talent than most states in the Midwest. How many major conferences are in that region? One. The Midwest? Technically two, but easy access to others. The WCC can recruit at a Big 6 level when it comes to hoops. Oh, and this game was Basketball Gods 2.0. Saint Marys got the NCAA shaft last year. Somewhere, Paddy Mills is downing a Guinness. (What, he's not Irish?! How can he not be? Whatever, I just bought him a Guinness)

WEST #2 Kansas State 82, #15 North Texas 62

Thank you to the Wildcats for putting us in a time machine and recreating the tournament games from the late 80's. Villanova, take notes.

WEST #5 Butler 77, #12 UTEP 59

The lock for a first-round upset! Whoops. Look, I wasn't on my soap box before this one started screaming that the Dawgs were 18 points better. UTEP was a brutal matchup. Caracter was a man inside, and the officiating in the second half really helped in Butler's quest to neutralize him. Don't take that as a slight against Butler, because they gameplanned brilliantly at the half. Oh, and when did Shelvin Mack grow a huge pair of stones? Dude could always play in spurts, but he looked pissed off, and talked some mean smack. That garbage-time three he nutted in front of Culpepper was 1990 UNLV-esque. Balls! The most underestimated part of Butler's game all season: They play 40 minutes without a lapse. It really is a phenomenal to watch. They may go cold, or give up an open shot, but they never have a 5 minute stretch where a team can just gas them. UTEP still doesn't know what hit them in the second half.

EAST #1 Kentucky 100, #16 East Tennessee State 71

Century Club Warning?!?! Did anybody make it all the way without puking? Kentucky has got talent. Mad, mad, nasty, dirty talent.

MIDWEST #9 Northern Iowa 69, #8 UNLV 66

Great game that didn't get a lot of national airtime with what else was on (below), but another tremendous finish. Panthers can hold for close to the last shot, which they do in the most maddening flourish. Their point guard gets hounded 30 feet from the basket, loses his dribble multiple times, gets doubled at every opportunity, wets himself, conducts a full NFL combine workout, drains all of the clock, shot-puts a pass, and just when you think Northern Iowa is out of options, a cross-court pass to Ali Farokhmanesh leads to the game-winning trey. I have no skin in this game, but even I was screaming, "No, No, eeek, No, Shit, No, No, What Are You Doing, No, No, Where, No, YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" over that last 30 seconds.

MIDWEST #14 Ohio 97, #3 Georgetown 83

EAST #11 Washington 80, #6 Marquette 78

I am linking these two games together because they tell the same story, despite very different teams and games...

1) Oh how the mighty have fallen, right? Was the Big East really that good this year? Last year, they were mighty, I won't doubt that. But they also had Louisville with studs, Nova with post players, UCONN with leadership and a number of other reasons to like the '09 version of the 'best conference in basketball.' Both the Hoyas (lack of true ball handlers and shooters) and Marquette (consistency) had flaws and got exposed by teams playing their best basketball, which leads to...

2) These two games, in my mind, signify why the concept of tournament expansion should be shot dead in the water. Not because there aren't other good teams out there. But because every team already has an opportunity. It's called your conference tournament. Even the lowest seed (except in the Ivy League, sorry bookworms) has a chance to run the table and go dancing. It's what Ohio did as a 7-9 team out of the MAC. Now, they are a Cinderella darling. UW needed to beat Cal to earn a spot and they did. If the field was 96 teams, the Huskies are probably in regardless. This way, they come in with momentum. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, KEEP IT AT 64 TEAMS.

MIDWEST #1 Kansas 90, #16 Lehigh 74

Well, it wasn't pretty, but the Jayhawks just looked like they were going through the motions, don't you think? I am picking them to win it all, not for any of the following obvious reasons:

1) Outside of Wall and Cousins, no team can claim to have a better inside-outside PG, Center combo

2) Freakish versatility on the wing

3) Shown ability to win in tough spots

Nope, I am picking them to win because I was in their locker room when they lost out on a chance at the Final Four last year. I was interviewing Cole Aldrich as he was breaking down into tears, apologizing for no reason (they lost a tough game, simple as that). You could just see that they meant business coming back this season. Kentucky can't dig down deep and channel that experience. Neither can Syracuse or any other team out there. Oh, and where did that emotional loss happen? Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the Final Four this year. I just love this stuff.

Okay, I'll admit, I got a bit sleepy at this point (Give me a break; hospital less than 48 hours before) and these last few games got highlight treatment:

EAST #9 Wake Forest 81, #8 Texas 80

Remember when the Longhorns were #1 in the country?! Wow. That is actually more worthy of discussion than Ishmael's GW jumper. Wake oozes with Burger Boy level talent. But they were lucky to run into the most underachieving, fading team in the bracket. You can't even play the injury card, Texas. You are too deep to pull that out and have it stick.

EAST #3 New Mexico 62, #14 Montana 57

MIDWEST #6 Tennessee 62, #11 San Diego State 59

Close scores and, again, examples of why the modern NCAA Tournament is phenomenal. But, despite the close scores, neither top seed was feeling terribly scared. Too bad most of the East Coast and Midwest were too drunk or already passed out from the day that was. Hopefully Steve Alford will reward us with his red blazer over the weekend. Just don't loan it to Bruce Pearl. He'll sweat through it too fast, it will be maroon by the under 12:00 timeout.

Time to unwrap another day worth of presents!

-Will

Tourney Memories

I am back in the country after over a week off, and I am WAY too far behind in sports. Tiger is coming back at the Masters. Yawn. (Plenty of time to cover this story later, with enough references to balls, shafts, naked runs through hotels, etc.)

NBA. Double yawn, but I am glad to see my hometown Pacers quietly making a run at John Wall in tank town.

But, who are we kidding, it's NCAA Tourney time. Sunday was Christmas. Give me those brackets! Sponsored by our corporate partners, CocaCola, Pontiac and AT&T. Seriously, Greg Gumbel makes me believe that my life is sponsored by those companies for a few weeks. I am tackling my bracket last night, so expect a countdown of story lines tomorrow. How about Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Man, I did NOT see that coming tonight. Makes me totally rethink my bracket now.

But, my friends on the Horizon League Network (check it out; wave of the future) asked me to do a little piece on my favorite Butler basketball Tournament memory. It was too easy and led to a few words (I hope they didn't want one paragraph):

There was something special brewing with the 2000-01 Butler basketball team that season. Why special? Because the team just wasn't together to start the year. The program had been legitimized throughout much of the 90's, winning league titles, but never really making a splash on the national stage. They were the bridesmaid of mid-major basketball.

But by the 2000 NCAA Tournament, Butler's work had paid off. They were a pesky 12 seed. Had a linebacker (Mike Marshall) for a team leader and the middle Graves brother firing daggers from Switz City so effectively that Rivals could have reported a scholarship offer for AJ. He was only 15 at the time, but c'mon, by the time Andrew rolled around, the family's future was assured. That Butler team had Florida beat, both mentally and physically. This is a team that ended up runner up to Mateen "Willis Reed" Cleaves. And then Lavall Jordan missed two FTs, and Scott Robisch jumped 10 inches, when 11 would have done. I still hate Mike Miller.

This is a memory about 2001 though. Why? Because the 2000 performance deserved better. And the 2002 team got royally hosed (that's a different story). 2001, therefore, is all we have before Sweet 16 became the pinnacle (thank you, 2003). Why else? Because replacing Mike Marshall and Andrew Graves was like ripping Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell out of "Old School" and telling Luke Wilson to make a funny movie about going back to college. Butler had no identity entering that season. Thomas Jackson needed to run the show. Rylan Hainje needed to be the force, the heart, the soul. Jordan needed to make shots like his name would make you imagine. And then there were the sophomores that needed to mature: guys named Cornette, Archey and a transfer from SW Missouri State (Brandon Miller).

The 2001 team took its lumps in the early part of the schedule, but had glimpses of brilliance. They flirted with knocking off Arizona in their own tournament, had some lock-down defensive performances and then the most quiet beatdown (58-44) of a ranked team, knocking off top-10 Wisconsin (IN Wisconsin) on January 30th. If a top 10 team goes down without being on TV, does it make a sound? Not that night, but those around the program knew something special was brewing.

The MCC (The Horizon wasn't on the horizon yet; sorry, couldn't resist) Tournament provided little resistance, evidenced by the defensive masterpiece in the championship, 53-38 over a good Detroit team. Yep, 38 points. Rashad Phillips was a great player. Best PG of the last decade in the league, in my opinion. Lavall Jordan made him look like Bum Phillips. Title, trophy, unsettled business...

I've spent 200+ words talking about a memory and haven't even gotten to the actual game. Because I can't really describe it in detail. Why? It was a blur of perfection and jubilation. It was the perfect display of basketball. Butler (#10) beat Wake Forest (#7). Final score doesn't matter. Halftime score: 43-10

Every player hit 3's. They filled passing lanes. They made the Demon Deacons look uncomfortable everywhere. For all fans of mid-major basketball, it was exactly what we had all been waiting for. I remember high fiving fans during media timeouts (not professional) and I didn't care. It was as if all of Butler Nation finally exhaled and said, "This is what we knew was possible!"

I honestly consider that team, on that court, on that day to be the best assembled Butler basketball team ever. Not the greatest season, but I would take that lineup in the NCAA Tournament against any Butler team, ever. Any other basketball team (other than one littered with 5 future NBA players; Why did they draw Arizona?), I'd take the Dogs. Ironically, Dave Odom left Wake after that game, Skip Prosser stepped in and Thad Matta went to Xavier. 43-10 had a lot to do with that.

43-10. By a team that had never won a modern NCAA Tournament game. A mid-major. Welcome to basketball in the 21st Century.

We Talkin Bout Retirement

Lost in the shuffle of other sports stories this week (Tim Tebow jumped how high?!?! On water?!?!?!) was the possible end of an era. Yes, I am linking Allen Iverson to an era. AI will not be with the Sixers for the rest of the season, after crying with humility and happiness to return to Philly earlier this season.

I am not a person who generally supports the me-first mentality of some superstars and I can't stand the bravado and "street cred" that so many athletes get from seven-figure contracts mixed with the overcoming of a troubled past. Fame and fortune is a way out, not a means to glorify your past and get away with more.

In that regard, I should hold Iverson in the same category as Pacman Jones, Mike Vick, Stephen Jackson and others. By most interview accounts over the past 48 hours, he's been called a locker room distraction (cancer, by some), selfish and an ego-maniac. But for some reason, I am going to miss the AI of old and hope he gets a little respect in the future. Yes, I understand this is hypocritical of me, but something about him makes me empathize. Why? Here are my reasons...

#1 - He gave us this...

This is the most brilliant press conference of all time, hands down. Jim Mora's 'PLAYOFFS' have nothing on that. Neither does Dennis Green. Mike Gundy is just a 40-year-old man. And the entire career of Mike Tyson was good, but too crazy to really top the above clip. Why is it Youtube gold? Because it's funny, but it's real. Real, real son. Iverson was honestly flabbergasted by the questioning of practice. Because to him, practice was like a routine trip to the bathroom. You have to go, but you just sort of let nature takes its course and move on with your life. In this day and age of politically correct quotes and not opening yourself up, this was the epitome of what fans wanted to hear. I've heard him later say that he wishes he hadn't said those words in that press conference because of the attention it has brought him, but c'mon AI, that was real... which leads to number two...

#2 He loved to play ball

Okay, so the press conference above serves my own entertainment appetites, but AI officially earned my lifelong appreciation during the Olympic debacle of 2004. USA basketball was at its lowest point. Coming off the disaster at the World Championship in 2002 (no medal), the stage was even bigger in Greece. Go back and watch some of those games. Carmelo was so far down Larry Brown's bench, he could fish in the Aegean. Tim Duncan was planning his defection to the Virgin Islands. LeBron was still in diapers by NBA standards. And the US team made Sarunas Jasikevicius worthy of a hideous NBA deal with the Pacers. Ugh.

Then there was AI. He played with pride, hurt, and willed that team to a couple of close wins. He had no business being the leader on that roster, but somehow filled the void left by a bunch of teenagers and zipped-mouth post players. I actually haven't seen a clip of those games (Jerry Colangelo burned the tapes when he took over), but I'll always remember the only basketball pride I felt as an American was watching AI play in those games.

#3 Dude is tiny

Okay, so this isn't a great qualification, but deserves some merit. Anybody who knows me has no doubt heard the story of how I have been a centimeter shy of 6-feet since I was about 13-years-old. Wah Wah Wah. So, I have wannabe big man syndrome and have always thought of myself as tall. But, in reality, I am probably taller than half of my friends. What does this all mean?

The NBA is full of freaks. The top 1% of the population when it comes to height, length and athleticism. Iverson is one of probably 10 players in the last 15 years who is honestly smaller than me. I can't fathom an 82-game schedule plus the playoffs at his size when you have to be the sole offensive weapon for your team. Maybe the tattoos were to cover up the bruising. Maybe I actually have short-person syndrome too. Hmmm

I know, I know. Does Iverson really deserve this many words of praise? Maybe not. But, when I saw the news creep across the bottom line, I immediately thought that the end was here for him, and it made me sad. In the post-Jordan era of the NBA, scoring point guards became the flavor. AI started the trend, and rolled it into Starbury, Stevie Franchise, Baron Davis and others. Yikes! Outside of Baron, you can see why teams now favor Steve Nash and Chris Paul over the scoring type.

So long, AI. Feel free to take the next few practices off.

- Will

See You in Four Years

So the Winter Olympics are over. Now that I have had 12 hours to reflect on two week's worth of endless sports, I can confidently say that there are only two things to really talk about: Hockey and Curling. With all due respect to the U.S. Ski Team (Bode and Vonn proved they are good), 4-man bobsled (Honestly, somebody get the U.S. driver some baggy clothes), Evan Lysacek, Shaun White, Ohno, Nodar Kumaritashvili and Joannie Rochette, there are the two story lines to take away from Vancouver 2010...

First, the hockey. You can call it sour grapes all you want, but something is botched in the system where a team can get beat 5-3 in regulation, face the same team again, have to go to overtime to beat them and then be awarded the gold medal. I get it, those are the rules. But, can anybody honestly say that Canada has the better hockey team than the U.S.A. this morning?

Team Canada was the greatest team ever assembled on a hockey rink. Not my words. Yet, they looked like USA Basketball circa 1998-2006. A bunch of high-priced superstars with no concept of team play. Martin Brodeur had a five hole the size of a watermelon. It took a few games for the coaching to finally kick in, but disaster almost struck the land to the north. Here's what I take away from yesterday and the week of hockey:

1) Sidney Crosby can now drink and drive anywhere in Canada - It was only fitting that he was the one who got the last goal. Couldn't have scripted it any better. He is not Gretsky, but that one goal is equal to 500 NHL goals in terms of the Canadian reverence. Now, he needs to facilitate a trade to the Maple Leafs and he will immediately become Prime Minister.

2) Gary Bettman is an idiot - What does the commissioner of a sport still reeling from a lockout do to capitalize on the biggest hockey game of the last 30 years? He sticks a size 13 skate in his mouth to talk about how the Olympics "disrupts" the NHL season and they need to take a look for 2014 as it relates to player participation. Are you kidding me? This is like Heidi Montag somehow getting an invitation to be on Oprah, but turns it down because she has a pre-scheduled plastic surgery.

The past two weeks did more for the NHL with the casual fan than 5 years worth of Stanley Cup Game 7's could. You saw pure effort and great play. And, NBC was smart enough to promote their NHL Game of the Week for next Sunday. Would you have known and Blackhawks and Red Wings were playing? Not me.

In fact, I know the Blackhawks are playing well, but only really knew they had Hossa. Now that Patrick Kane (see below) is my boy, I am suddenly interested in regular season hockey.

3) Patrick Kane is my homeboy - I vaguely remember the hullabaloo when Kane and Jack Johnson were drafted high as American-born players. The past 8 days was their coming-out party. Kane was just so fast and great with the stick. Jack Johnson wanted to fight every player with a leaf on their sweater. The US is rarely an underdog, so pulling for the team was great, but for me, these two just stood out because they were young and new. No offense to Brian Rafalski and Chris Drury, who somehow became grizzled veterans overnight.

4) Ryan Miller has an unlimited open tab at my house - If they had gotten a shot of him shedding a tear after the loss, I would've cried with him. He deserved the "Chuck Howley" award. (Don't get it? Google away). The saddest part was that he saved every shot that he had a chance on the entire tournament, except the last one. Go Sabres, for one reason.

5) Hockey was the winner - Having the stage to yourself to close the Olympics certainly helps, but this is what everybody outside of Norway (where cross country skiing is like the NFL and English Premier League all rolled into one) will be talking about for four years. Somewhere, a marketing person is trying to stage an exhibition between the US and Canada in 2012. Gold mine.

Okay, on to curling. No winter sport got more tv time than curling. I don't have the stats to back that up, but am 99% confident in that assertion. The 'C' in CNBC has a new reflection. Here is why I think it is so popular

a) It is foreign and largely unaccessible to most making it the "freak show" of the Olympics, in a good way.

b) It is the common man sport of the Olympics, similar to bowling but without the redneck stereotypes because, well, Scandinavians are playing it too.

c) It looks so easy, yet you know it is hard

d) The women were surprisingly good looking. Short of soccer and the rare golfer, name another sport where the women are surprisingly hot.

But, for some reason, once you started to understand the strategy, you were hooked, and looking for your nearest curling club.

And then there is the "agony of defeat." The US Men's team lost their first three matches thanks to Bill Buckner aka John Shuster whiffing on his last toss. You had to feel for the guy. He's a bartender and Olympic athlete. Is there any more underfunded Olympic sport? I mean, aren't the other athletes permanently training in Colorado Springs, sleeping in oxygen tanks and eating engineered food? Our best curler is balancing ice time by pouring jagerbombs and lugging kegs. That's why we love curling. Because deep in our hearts, we not only feel for the people sliding down the ice, but secretly believe that we have an equal shot at the 2014 team.

Training starts today...

Will