Word on the Tweet – April 13, 2011

Freak injuries, playoff jockeying, legal battles, and ordinary drama are all a part of the sports landscape in April. Twitter bombs are BLOWING UP. Players, coaches, and owners are all sending private, stealth communications among one another. Once again, The Daily Hat Trick has leveraged its confidential sources to bring those Tweets to you.


University of Connecticut guard Kemba Walker, who announced his intention to enter the 2011 NBA Draft:

I’m going pro! #ImRiiichBitch #SeeYaSuckas

UConn Alumni Association:

Don’t forget your alma-mater when you’re making the BIG BUCKS$!! #FundRaising @KembasPride RT: I’m going pro!

Walker:

To quote a great #UConn mentor, @CoachCalhoun, “Not a dime back!” #Outti5000 @HuskiesHarvest RT: Don’t forget your alma-mater when you’re making the BIG BUCKS$!!

Alumni Association:

@CoachCalhoun Coach, could you have a word with Kemba? I don’t think he has quite grasped the concept of alumni endowments, yet. #MoneyGrab

Coach Calhoun:

You’re not that stupid, are you? #ITaughtHimWell @HuskiesHarvest RT: @CoachCalhoun Coach, could you have a word with Kemba? I don’t think he has quite grasped the concept of alumni endowments, yet.

Kemba Walker, a chip off the old block. "NOT A DIME BACK!" 1

Los Angeles Lakers Center Andrew Bynum, who was injured…AGAIN…on Tuesday night by hyper extending his knee:

@LakersFans I know what you’re thinking. #GroundhogDay #DejaVu #NotAgain


Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who may miss up to two months with a broken arm after sliding HEAD FIRST into a home plate collision (Hamilton has missed at least 60 games in two of the three prior seasons):

@RangersFans I know what you’re thinking. #GroundhogDay #DejaVu #NotAgain #INeedADrink

Rangers 3rd base coach Dave Anderson, who sent Hamilton home:

@DrugFreeJosh I know what you’re thinking. #IReallyWasPayingAttention

Rangers Assistant Hitting Coach Johnny Narron, who is also Hamilton’s accountability partner in Hamilton’s drug rehab:

Uhhhhhh…you mean you need a drink of ginger ale, right? #FallOffTheWagon @DrugFreeJosh RT: @RangersFans I know what you’re thinking. #GroundhogDay #DejaVu #NotAgain #INeedADrink

Hamilton: "Barkeep! Ginger Ale!! The strong stuff not that diet crap! And make it a DOUBLE!" 2

Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona, after losing to the Tampa Bay Rays, dropping the media-anointed, future 2011 AL East Champion Red Sox to 2-9:

Anyone know where I can get a copy of “Don’t Jump!”? #Overrated

Manny Ramirez’s inspirational advice:

@TitoJunior When the going gets tough, QUIT! #MannyBeingManny

Send Tito a copy, please. 5

Tennessee Titans receiver Kenny Britt, who was arrested this week for his role in a car chase with police:

@JimmieJohnson48 Got any openings on your team? #LockedOut #Suspension

Maybe Britt was auditioning for this team until the NFL ends its lockout. 3

Former President Bill Clinton with some advice to Barry Bonds in his perjury trial:

@HomeRunKing Make sure your lawyer asks the judge what the definition of “is” is. #SexualRelations #MonicaLewinsky #PaulaJones #HillaryStillDoesntGiveMeAny

Bonds should have gotten some coaching before testifying. 4

Don't forget tot vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with the Daily Hat Trick, or submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.


1) Image from sbnation.com
2) Image from sportressofblogitude.com
3) Image from speedtv.com
4) Image from adinnerguest.com
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Two Teams Remaining…One Shining Moment

Tonight, April 4, 2011, there will be a new champion crowned in NCAA Men’s college basketball. Many sports talk hosts have expressed the opinion that the NCAA Tournament is the overall event in sports. The NFL Playoffs aside, I share that opinion.

It is the only event which, over the years, I observe casual fans, many of whom watched absolutely no college basketball during the regular season, take an interest in a sporting event. To me, it feels like nearly every man (and many women) in every office everywhere in America fills out a bracket and takes an interest in five young men, on the court, which they had never heard of prior to March, sometimes for schools that the office place bracketologist could not locate on a U.S. map.

One team is a traditional Goliath, the Connecticut Huskies. The other is a traditional David, the Butler Bulldogs. Both teams have both underdog and favorite-like characteristics.


Butler University – Arriving in a Bus Like Everyone Else, not a Pumpkin Carriage

The Bulldogs were last year’s national runner up, losing to Duke after Butler’s Gordon Heyward’s potential game winning three point shot at the buzzer bounced off of the back of the rim. It is easy to cast Butler into the “Cinderella” or “underdog” role by focusing on the name on the front of the jersey and the number next to that name in the bracket seeding. When looking at the actual accomplishments on paper, however, I do not think Butler, on the court, looks like the “little guy”.

Look at every instance, in the past, in which a team reached the Final Four in consecutive years, let alone the championship game, prior to 2011. Would you describe ANY of those teams as “Cinderellas” or “little guys”? Michigan Sate in 2010? North Carolina (the champion) in 2009? UCLA and Florida (a repeat champion) in 2008? Kansas in 2003? Maryland (the champion) in 2002? Defending champion Michigan State in 2001? Tournament champion Michigan State in 2000? Wow! Butler sure is joining a bunch of “Little Engines That Could” in this century!

Here are a couple of other "little guys",  just like Butler. 2

The notion that any of the aforementioned repeat Final Four participants were longshot underdogs is absurd. Yet, if you go to Google.com, and type in “Butler University ci,” the words “Cinderella” and “Cinderella story” populate in the auto-complete field. In 2011, that does not add up. Butler is back to take what they think is theirs: a championship that narrowly escaped their grasp last season.


University of Connecticut – An Underdog with a Cape

UConn: The "Underdog" 3

The University of Connecticut is in its fourth Final Four and its third title game, playing for a chance at its third National Championship. Its Head Coach, Jim Calhoun, is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. The UConn basketball programs, both men’s and women’s, have been among the elite college hoops programs over the last 20 years. WHY oh WHY should the Huskies have to soil their hands with such lowly creatures as the Butler Bulldogs???

Connecticut finished in 9th place in the highly competitive Big East conference during the regular season. They won five consecutive games in five days in the Big East Tournament to win the conference tournament and catapult up to a #3 seed in the West Region of the NCAA tournament. Connecticut’s run earned the Huskies a higher seed than Georgetown, West Virginia, St. John’s, Cincinnati, and Louisville, all of whom had superior Big East records in the regular season.

The Huskies play solid team defense and crash the boards aggressively when they need to. However, the foundation of their offense comes from one man: guard Kemba Walker, a National Player of the Year candidate and a certain Most Outstanding Player of this year’s tournament should the Huskies win tonight.

One man offenses seldom win championships, yet Connecticut ran roughshod through its first three tournament games and had more gas in its tank than Elite Eight opponent Arizona and National Semifinal opponent Kentucky. This is in contrast to a regular season in which it lost against then-underdogs West Virginia, Marquette, St. John’s, and Louisville when wins could have significantly advanced their standing in the Big East.


Who is the REAL Underdog?

The odds on tonight’s game have Connecticut as three point favorites.* That is a single basket. This is virtually a push. In addition, betting odds are simply reactions to how people are betting on games. I think the average, garden variety seasoned gambler, who does not actually watch the games, may be deferring to Connecticut because they are a more traditional power and because they have been on fire.

However, Butler has simply outplayed every opponent during this tournament, especially with their frustrating, physical defense. Connecticut is not that big, compared to Butler. They appear to have no daunting advantage in length to overcome the size and physicality of Butler. If Kemba Walker can be bottled up, the Huskies will be in a lot of trouble. That remains to be a BIG “if” and nobody has succeeded in that task thus far. Still, UConn has yet to face dual (offensive, defensive) threats like Butler’s Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack on both sides of the court. I think that Butler has too much for Connecticut to handle if there are no major Butler injuries and Matt Howard is not in foul trouble.

Advantage: Butler

Please...PLEASE let them bring the Luther Vandross Version of "One Shining Moment" back this year!

Don't forget to vote in the Fan Polls!

To advertise in The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.


*Source: sbnation.com
1) The Final Four logo is a trademark of the NCAA and its licensed affiliates.
2) Image from graneyandthepig.wordpress.com
3) Image from tylerquillin.wordpress.com

Davids and Goliaths – Preview of the Final Four

The Final Four is less than 72 hours away. Sixty-eight teams started, beginning with the First Four. Four teams remain the Virginia Commonwealth Rams, the Butler Bulldogs, the Kentucky Wildcats, and the Connecticut Huskies – the Final Four.

The National Semifinals could not be partitioned better. One semifinal features participants from major conferences, the University of Kentucky from the Southeastern Conference and the University of Connecticut from the Big East, arguably the best conference in college basketball in 2011. The winner will face the survivor in the other semifinal game between Butler University, of the Horizon League, and Virginia Commonwealth University of the Colonial League.


The Goliaths – (4) Kentucky Wildcats vs (3) Connecticut Huskies

Regular readers of the Hat Trick have gotten my two cents on these programs throughout the season. Both schools are among the elite but both schools have underperformed at unexpected times, during the regular season. Whatever speech Wildcats coach John Calipari gave his team…whatever motivational tactics Huskies coach Jim Calhoun used on his players after the regular season finale…the message was received.

Neither team has lost a postseason game (including their respective conference tournaments). Kentucky, winners of 10 straight, was not lost in over a month. UConn has won nine consecutive games, including a vigorous string of five games in five days during the Big East Tournament. In a college basketball season in which no clear favorite ever emerged, these two teams, in my opinion, proved, on the court, that they are genuinely two of the four best college basketball teams in the country, albeit by slim margins.

Analysts, time and again, have expected Connecticut to wither and fall due to exhaustion from their entrance into the Big Dance on the heels of the extra games they had to play to win the Big East tournament (and earn a #3 seed to secure favorable early round matchups in the NCAA Tournament). Time and time again, those analysts have been wrong. Kentucky, while possessing senior leadership on the court from forward Josh Harrelson (8 PPG, 9 RPG), is led on the stat sheet by three freshmen, guards Brandon Knight (who has had ice in his veins throughout the tournament; 17 PPG, 4 APG) and Doron Lamb (12 PPG), and forward Terrence Jones (16 PPG, 9 RPG, 2 BlkPG).

I stated at the start of the tournament that Connecticut was the “x factor” team with the implication that this team could go as far as junior guard Kemba Walker (24 PPG, 5 APG, 5 RPG, 2 StlPG), a National Player of the Year candidate, and Hall of Fame coach Calhoun could take them. So far they have led the Huskies to within two wins of the school’s third National Championship. Walker’s exemplary play during the regular season reached an even higher level during the postseason.

Kentucky's Brandon Knight 1

My concern for Connecticut is that is has too many eggs in one small basket, Kemba Walker. Jeremy Lamb is the only other player on the team averaging double figure scoring. The only two active members of the team who stand 6’10” or taller – Charles Okwandu and Enosch Wolf, spend a combined less than 20 minutes per game on the floor. What the Huskies have is a smallish team with only one consistent potent scoring threat facing a team loaded with offensive weapons and two players in Knight and Jones who are so good, they may have possibly already outgrown the college game as freshman.

If history is any indicator, Calipari’s team may end up vacating all of its efforts en route to the Final Four, but if I had to place a bet (which I do not do) I would bet that such a vacation would come after Kentucky advances to the National Championship game.

Advantage: Kentucky

Coach Calhoun: "From 'The Daily' what? Picking Kentucky? You're not that stupid, are you?" 3



The Davids – (11) Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs (8) Butler Bulldogs

One of the Davids is actually a Cinderella, VCU. The Rams, in the voiced opinions of countless college basketball analysts, passed over more worthy teams in its own state to reach the tournament and did not even deserve to be in the field of 68, over more deserving teams such as Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Colorado. Rams coach Shaka Smart has played the “us against the world” card five times since the First Four and, five times, his team has won, including an inexplicable, shocking upset over the #1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks, an overtime thriller against Florida State, and solid defensive thrashings of #3 seed Purdue, Georgetown, and First Four opponent USC. VCU has gotten its entire lineup involved in the scoring with point guard Joey Rodriguez (11 PPG, 5 APG) running the floor and spreading the ball around.

VCU coach Shaka Smart 2

Butler is a D.I.N.O. – David In Name Only. While it is a school from a mid-major conference, it has proven, for the second consecutive year, that it is one of the best programs in college basketball. The 2010 runner up lost its best player, Gordon Heyward, to the NBA and still returned to the Final Four in an attempt to finish what it started. Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens, in the opinions of many, has risen to the ranks of the elite college basketball coaches at age 34. Senior power forward Matt Howard (17 PPG, 8 RPG) and junior point guard Shelvin Mack (16 PPG, 4 APG) are the leaders on the floor for Butler. They effectively strong-armed the #1 seed (or, at least the bracket and matchup benefits) from Pittsburgh by beating them in the third round and have looked the part ever since. In the New Orleans regionals, they beat #4 seed Wisconsin and then beat #2 seed Florida, in overtime.

Butler is battle-tested. Butler is experiences. Butler got to see and smell a championship a year ago, but could not touch or taste it. They are coming for theirs. I think VCU finally comes out of its glass slipper and leaves Houston in a carriage-turned-pumpkin.

Advantage: Butler

The clock struck midnight for Butler in 2010 on the final shot. The Bulldogs intend to pass the torch to VCU. 4

Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.


1,4) Images from thebleacherreport.com
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Must See Sports - Second Weekend of March, 2011

Have you ever wanted to witness a special milestone? Today is your luck day, then! This is the 100th edition of The Daily Hat Trick. Thank you so much - each and every one of you - for reading and making my one time collection of rants into something that dozens of people around the world, apparently, consider worth their time to read every day. With your continued support, that figure will be "hundreds" in the near future. Thank you. Thank you.

Without delay, here are this week's "Must See" events.

Thursday, March 10


Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat

Folks, I do not think I need to do much explaining about why this game is “Must See” and important. Unless you are just a causal fan of the NBA, you know that the Heat need a win…any win…in the worst way and a win over the blazing hot Lakers could be a regular season defining moment for the Heatles. I just don’t see that happening.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Relax, the crying will continue! 1

Ordinarily, if you have followed “Must See” on The Daily Hat Trick for any extended period of time, you know that I try to give a little background on the teams and some key players and any statistics that stand out. Do I really need to talk about who the key players are for the Lakers (Kobe, Pau, and Lamar) and Heat (LeBron, Wade, and Bosh)? No. Do I need to tell you that the Lakers need every single win they can get to get a grip on the #2 seed in the West and keep their razor thin hopes of catching the Spurs alive? No. Do I need to tell you that the Heat are in the midst of a terrible, and highly publicized, tailspin, threatening to derail everything they have worked for this season, with no losing teams in sight on their schedule to stop the bleeding? No.

Advantage: Lakers


Friday, March 11

Let’s just hope the officials that called the Rutgers-St. John’s game are not involved in any future Big East Tournament games (or hope that the games are not close). The following are my best guesses as to who may advance in the tournament by Friday and Saturday and are not worth the paper you could print them on. Regardless, if you like college basketball, I think you will be very entertained by the final rounds of this conference’s tournament, regardless of the participants.


NCAA Men’s College Basketball
Big East Championship Tournament - Semifinals

Hat Trick Probables:
Pittsburgh Panthers (1) vs St. John’s Red Storm (5)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2) vs Louisville Cardinals (3)

EVENING UPDATE (10:00 pm 3/10/11) - Syracuse Orange (4) vs Connecticut Huskies (9) - So apparently it is a good thing you did not listen to me. Kemba Walker of Connecticut had ice in his veins, draining a clutch, game winning basket in the final seconds and Syracuse was able to out physical and outlast the Red Storm. Connecticut's win would be "shocking" to me were it not for the fact that this is the Big East. Those of you that read regularly have heard me ramp up my observation of the unpredictability of this powerful and talented conference. Today's upset by UConn over Pitt is a continuation of that unpredictability. My gut tells me that UConn coach Jim Calhoun and Walker have the hot hand and Syracuse...I never know which Orange team is going to show up. Don't bet the farm (or even a patch of grass on the farm) on this one.

Advantage: Connecticut

Saturday, March 12

Listening to me could be a bad idea if you associate with tools like this guy. 3

I am not a gambler, nor do I play one on TV. If I did place wagers, though, I would lean in the following directions.

NCAA Men’s College Basketball
Big East Championship Tournament – Championship Game

Hat Trick Probables:
Pittsburgh Panthers (1) vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2)

Advantage: Pittsburgh

UPDATED PROBABLES:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2) vs Connecticut Huskies (9)


Connecticut's carriage turns back into a pumpkin and the Irish stake their claim to a #1 regional seed in the Big Dance.

Advantage: Notre Dame

Sunday, March 13

As I said, my predictions are worth the paper you can print it on, but I don’t think I am making headlines by expecting Duke and UNC to be in the championship. Assuming that this third meeting between these two teams happens, put this in BOLD PRINT: “GAME OF THE YEAR”

“But Eric, didn’t you say that last Saturday’s Duke-Carolina game was the ACC regular season game of the year?” Absolutely…. This is post season; this is this biggest game, regardless of conference; as the season wears on, the stakes rise and there is possibly a #1 regional seed at stake, in addition to a conference tournament championship. How many marbles could be missing from this bag? The answer: none! This game is for all of the pre March Madness marbles.

2

NCAA Men’s College Basketball
ACC Championship Tournament – Championship Game

Hat Trick Probables:
North Carolina Tar Heels (1) vs Duke Blue Devils (2)

Advantage: push


Monday, March 14

San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat

I am one of the people in the minority that, in general, is rooting for the Heat. My NBA fanhood, for the longest, has been 1) Hornets 2) Lakers and then the rest depends on who is facing whom. And I certainly do not want to see a Southwest Division rival of the Hornets win an interconference game. So I do not say it lightly when I say that the Heat appear to be going down in a ball of flames (pun intended) with zero relief coming from the schedule.

I will leave the door open for a possible Miami win on two fronts. The Heat are at home, not in San Antonio, where victories have been impossible for Eastern Conference teams this year. Also, conventional wisdom would dictate that guard Tony Parker returned from his calf injury at less than 100%, indicated by the number of minutes played in his first two games back. However, his performance against the Pistons last night would throw that assertion to the wind.

Advantage: Spurs

♪ Every-body hurts! ♫ 4

Orlando Magic at Los Angeles Lakers

The Magic have closed within striking distance of the Southeast Division leading Heat. Two weeks ago, this seemed all but impossible. However, thanks, in part, to Dwight Howard living up to his “Superman” moniker and, in part, to the Heat choking on their own press clippings, lately, Orlando has a chance to regain first place in its division.

I don’t think those chances will be helped much on Monday night, though. The Lakers, at the moment, appear to have tightened all of their loose ends and are playing like two time defending champions. They are also in the Staples Center for this match.

Advantage: Lakers

Good luck finding the Magic to charm this snake. 5

Wednesday, March 16

Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat

I will not keep beating the dead horse about the Heat’s tailspin. In fact, I think this matchup may be their best opportunity to snap out of it. The Heat are at home. Thunder center Kendrick Perkins has yet to suit up for OKC, missing the last seven games with a knee injury. The Heat are weakest in the middle and, whether Perk plays or not, they will not face the force they would face if Perkins were completely healthy right now. The Thunder are a good team, but can be beaten, even on their best night. The Heat have to snap out of it at some point. Distractions or no distractions, The Heatles are simply too talented to keep losing indefinitely.

Advantage: Heat

Thank you for a great first hundred editions!

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!


To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
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