Okay, so the Penguins aren't technically a wild card team, but they'll be a playoff team that didn't win their division. What else would you call them? They'll be seeded no higher than 4th once the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start despite having a better record than the leaders of the Northeast and Southeast divisions.
The NHL's playoff format is similar to that of the NFL's. The division winners get the top seeds regardless of record, and the non-division winning playoff teams get seeded 4th-8th in each conference.
The Penguins have 102 points, the second most in the Eastern Conference, but due to the fact that they play in a tough division--four of the eight playoff teams will come out of the Pens' Atlantic division--their playoff seeding won't necessarily reflect the type of team that they have.
The Florida Panthers are in first place in the Southeast division with only 90 points, but if they win their division, they'll get the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference.
Is that fair? Well, ask the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. They had a 12-4 record heading into last year's playoffs, but because they lost two games to their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh could do no better than the 5th seed in the AFC and had to open up at the Denver Broncos, who were AFC West Champions with an 8-8 record.
Despite their low seed, and despite the many injuries that the Steelers were dealing with once the postseason began, the team was still considered among the favorites to make it to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. Unfortunately, being a wild card team proved to be too much for Pittsburgh, and they lost in overtime, 29-23.
Had the Steelers been able to win just one more regular season game, they would have been the top seed once the playoffs started, and would have only needed to win two games at Heinz Field to get to the Super Bowl. I mentioned the injury situation, and that could have been too much to overcome even at home, but one has to wonder how things may have gone had they won just one game against the Baltimore Ravens last year.
The Penguins are in a similar situation. Yes, they're considered a Stanley Cup favorite, and for a while there, it looked like they might be able to catch the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but they've struggled of late, losing three out of four--including a 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon at the Consol Energy Center. The Flyers win puts them only a point behind Pittsburgh with just three games remaining, and now the Penguins are in danger of falling into 5th place and not even having home ice for the first round.
If you know about playoff seeding, you know that the Penguins are going to play the Flyers in the first round regardless of whether they're the 4th seed or the 5th seed.
If the Penguins survive that blood-bath, and if the first round holds true to form, their second round opponents would be the New York Rangers.
That's a brutal first two rounds of the playoffs. The Penguins are good, and they may have the most talented roster in the NHL, but as the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers found out, sometimes, you're a victim of circumstance.
The Penguins might have too many obstacles to overcome.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Pitt: Your CBI Champions for 2012
Well, it's official, the University of Pittsburgh Men's basketball team is CBI Champions for 2012. I don't know if that's something to celebrate or not. I don't know if the Pitt players actually did celebrate, but it's the first postseason title for Pitt since they won the 2008 Big East tournament. I guess that's something.
Pitt defeated Washington St., 71-65, in the third and decisive game at the Peterson Events Center to claim the title. The championship round for the CBI is two out of three, and Pitt won the last two games after dropping the first game in Washington St.
Pitt defeated Washington St., 71-65, in the third and decisive game at the Peterson Events Center to claim the title. The championship round for the CBI is two out of three, and Pitt won the last two games after dropping the first game in Washington St.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Pitt in the CBI Finals
Man, I haven't updated this blog in over a week. That cold I was telling you about in my last post was/is an absolute bear. I don't even think it's a cold. A cold would be like a walk in the park compared to whatever this is. I had a fever, brutal cough, sore chest, the works. I'm still only about 80%.
But you don't want to read about my problems. You want to read about Pitt's basketball problems.
The Panthers advanced to the finals of the CBI tournament with a 68-62 overtime win at Butler last Wednesday. I found myself listening to it on the radio, and I actually got into it. I even surprised myself. It kind of reminded me of a Steelers game at the end of the year when they have everything wrapped up. I always tell myself that I'm not going to get into the game, but I always do.
That's how I felt on Wednesday when I listened to the closing moments of the game between Pitt and Butler. There was no reason for me to want the Panthers to advance to the finals of the CBI other than pride. And what pride could one get out of that? No matter what Pitt does the rest of the way, it's going to be hard for even the most loyal fan to really celebrate, and yet, there I was.
The main reason why I had to turn on the radio is because I couldn't find the score anywhere online other than an old score that hadn't been updated since halftime. That is how far off of the radar the CBI tournament is. The Yahoos of the world didn't even bother posting it on their "full" scoreboard.
If Pitt defeats the Washington St. Cougars in the finals, what sort of celebration will there be? I know Pitt's radio team headed by Billy Hillgrove and Dick Groat will go nuts. You should have heard those two on Wednesday as they reacted to what they thought was some real home-cooking in favor of Butler. They have CBI fever.
As for the rest of the Panthers, I wonder how they'll react. I wonder how the fans will react.
I guess it would be more rewarding if it was a grueling 16-team field, but Pitt was/is clearly the best team in the field.
Pitt begins their "quest" for the CBI title tonight in Washington St. It's actually a best of three format for the finals (that's right), with the last two to be played at the Peterson Events Center if necessary.
I guess that means Pitt is the higher seed.
Bring it home, boys!
But you don't want to read about my problems. You want to read about Pitt's basketball problems.
The Panthers advanced to the finals of the CBI tournament with a 68-62 overtime win at Butler last Wednesday. I found myself listening to it on the radio, and I actually got into it. I even surprised myself. It kind of reminded me of a Steelers game at the end of the year when they have everything wrapped up. I always tell myself that I'm not going to get into the game, but I always do.
That's how I felt on Wednesday when I listened to the closing moments of the game between Pitt and Butler. There was no reason for me to want the Panthers to advance to the finals of the CBI other than pride. And what pride could one get out of that? No matter what Pitt does the rest of the way, it's going to be hard for even the most loyal fan to really celebrate, and yet, there I was.
The main reason why I had to turn on the radio is because I couldn't find the score anywhere online other than an old score that hadn't been updated since halftime. That is how far off of the radar the CBI tournament is. The Yahoos of the world didn't even bother posting it on their "full" scoreboard.
If Pitt defeats the Washington St. Cougars in the finals, what sort of celebration will there be? I know Pitt's radio team headed by Billy Hillgrove and Dick Groat will go nuts. You should have heard those two on Wednesday as they reacted to what they thought was some real home-cooking in favor of Butler. They have CBI fever.
As for the rest of the Panthers, I wonder how they'll react. I wonder how the fans will react.
I guess it would be more rewarding if it was a grueling 16-team field, but Pitt was/is clearly the best team in the field.
Pitt begins their "quest" for the CBI title tonight in Washington St. It's actually a best of three format for the finals (that's right), with the last two to be played at the Peterson Events Center if necessary.
I guess that means Pitt is the higher seed.
Bring it home, boys!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
My 2012 Winter Vacation Review
Yes, this is the part of my vacation where I tell random people about how I spent it.
*In terms of blogging, I haven't had much time to write beings that I've been spending some quality time with my girlfriend. And that's not a bad thing. It's nice to see her because we always have a great time together. It worked out that my vacation coincided with her Spring break (none of your business how old she is), and we basically got to spend the entire week together. I certainly needed a vacation, we both did, because last month was one of the most stressful months that either one of us can remember.
*You might be wondering why I mentioned not being able to blog. I say that because I really love to write. Sometimes, it can be a chore, but for the most part, I love it, and when I can't do it, I feel like I'm missing out. Fellow blogger and pal, Keith Thomas from Steel Curtain Rising, once told me that for every one or two blogs that he posts, he has an idea for a few others that he never gets a chance to write due to time constraints. That is so true. I always have a few ideas floating around in my cranium, but as much as I want to sit down and devote time to writing as much as possible, I know I can't do that because of my other responsibilities in life.
*Fortunately, when it comes to most of my Steelers blog ideas, I have a pretty awesome outlet at Behind the Steel Curtain. In case I haven't mentioned it before, Michael Bean, the founder and editor of that awesome blog, asked me to be a contributor for the front page about a year ago, and that has given me a forum to write for a larger audience as well as hone my skills a little. I think I've gotten a lot better over the past year, but I hate to go back and read my own work because I either think it sucks, or I kick myself for leaving something out. I always have fun writing and reading the stuff on that blog. I said it before, and I'll say it again: It's the best Steelers blog on the net. And I'm not just saying that because I get to contribute on the main page, either. I was saying that back in 2010 when I was just posting stuff in the fanpost section. Anyway, there are many awesome contributors to the site, and the other writers set the bar so high, I feel as if I must post quality stuff just to keep up. One of these days, I'll start doing that.
*Not to shill too much for btsc, but on March 7th, the site won the annual "Pittsburgh's Best Sports Blog" tournament hosted on the blog "Sean's Ramblings." I don't know much about the blog, but he updates it pretty frequently, and that in and of itself is pretty impressive. He seems to have a lot of interesting content, plus, he's a fellow blogspotter. It's worth checking out.
*One last thing on Behind the Steel Curtain. I thought it was interesting that I wrote an article about Mike Wallace's contract status with the Steelers on Friday because I had much difficulty trying to post it thanks to Internet Explorer "upgrading" to IE9 on Thursday night. I started having trouble with javascript error pop up messages and other nuisances right before Christmas, but I just ignored them because I'm far from a computer expert; I just hoped that they would go away like magic. About a month ago, when I started getting pop ups that read "Internet Explorer has stopped working," I asked a kid at work what it could be. He said he wasn't sure, but he suggested that I download Google chrome and use that as my browser. I never considered that because I've never thought much about my browser; it was just something that I used to surf the net. I never considered the fact that some might be better than others. Besides, I'm usually pretty resistant to change, so I ignored the suggestion until yesterday and the IE download from hell. For an upgrade, it sure seemed like a downgrade to me. I was desperate and feared that I might have to get a new computer, so I faced my fears and downloaded Google chrome. I thought I was just grasping at straws, but believe it or not, browsers really do matter. Chrome is way faster than Internet Explorer, and I have yet to see a pop up error message. Anyway, the reason why I mentioned the Mike Wallace article on btsc is because I found it very frustrating to write due to the problems I was having with my browser, and I don't think it came out as well as it probably would have if I had been posting under normal circumstances. Two years ago, my very first fanpost on btsc was on a Friday during my summer vacation, and it, too, was kind of crappy. During the post, I mentioned Mike Wallace several times, and for some reason, I kept referring to him as "Williams." I don't know why I did that, and people were like, "who the hell is Mike Williams?" Fortunately, I was able to pick up my game after that. Hopefully, my Google chrome will make my Internet experience a much better one.
*Speaking of writing. I try to brush up on my punctuation from time to time, but it's one of those things where you're never quite sure if you're doing it right. For example, when do you put a comma before "because"? Should that question mark be outside of the quotations or inside? Should I always put a comma after a conjunction? What's a conjunction? Do too many commas turn a perfectly good thought into a run on sentence, and can I substitute a semi-colon for a comma just to break up the sentence? It's a never-ending battle, and it seems that every "grammar expert" on the net has a different answer.
*I mentioned before about how stressful February was for me. Well, one of the good things that came out of last month was me bowling my first ever 200 game in league play. I bowled a 213 last year during practice, but nobody was around to see it. If you bowl a 200 game when none of your friends are around, does it make a sound? Anyway, I just missed a 200 during the last game of my fall league last October. I entered the 10th frame with a 190, and on my first roll, I knocked down eight pins. Unfortunately, I left the 4 and 7, and for a recreational left-handed bowler such as myself, that's a pretty tricky spare to try and pick up. Needless to say, I whiffed on both pins and finished with a 198. I was still proud of my effort, but man, I wanted that 200. Would I ever get it? Fortunately, I've improved by game a lot over the past year or so, and I had a pretty decent run in the middle of the winter season where I bowled above my average for nine straight games and improved my score by 12 pins. It was during this run of success that I finally had my 200 game. Just like the 198 game, I didn't have an open frame until the 9th, but instead of having a 190 going into the 10th frame, I had a 181. I didn't like my chances of getting a 200, but on my first roll of the frame, I got a strike. Now, I only needed nine pins to pick up a 200. On my next throw, I knocked down eight pins and left two standing. What were the two pins? You guessed it, the good old 4 and 7. I couldn't believe it. It was like Deja Vu all over again. Fortunately, I only needed one pin, and I managed to get the 7 to finish with an even score of 200. It was a pretty big thrill.
*Another awesome moment occurred when my volleyball team managed an upset victory in the first round of the playoffs. We were one of the lower seeds like we always are, and I didn't have much confidence going in. A volleyball playoff match is a best of three, and we managed to split the first two games. For whatever reason, in the postseason, the third game of a volleyball match caps at 15 instead of the usual 25, and we found ourselves dead-locked at 10. This was the time for heroes to rise. Unfortunately, I was almost the goat as I was responsible for three pretty blatant errors and, suddenly, we were down, 14-10, and one point from elimination. Thankfully, my teammates saved my butt, and we managed to string together six-straight points to score the awesome victory. It was thrilling and taught me a pretty valuable lesson about teamwork. Sometimes, you save your teammates' butts and sometime they save yours.
*I've been focusing on rest and relaxation this week, but I've also been trying to get my exercise in. Unfortunately, on Tuesday, when I was out sprinting, I pulled my hip, and that put a quick end to my sprinting for the rest of the week. Since I'm quickly approaching 40, I'm sure it's easy to make "old" jokes, but I'll have you know that it's an old football injury that happened when I was 16. I thought it was a thing of the past, but I guess I'll never fully get over that. Speaking of old injuries, I don't know how professional football players get along years after they retire. If my hip is still bothering me after one hit during a pick up game 24 years ago, how much pain are those guys in after years of playing tackle football at the highest and fiercest level? Does it still take Jerome Bettis half a day to get out of bed?
*Maybe I am getting old because this marks like the third or fourth vacation in recent memory where I've come down with a cold. Yesterday, I woke up with a sore throat and a cough, and today, I don't feel much better. Yay me!
*Oh well, I've rambled on long enough. I still have the better part of two vacation days to enjoy, and maybe another blog or two to write.
Adios!
*In terms of blogging, I haven't had much time to write beings that I've been spending some quality time with my girlfriend. And that's not a bad thing. It's nice to see her because we always have a great time together. It worked out that my vacation coincided with her Spring break (none of your business how old she is), and we basically got to spend the entire week together. I certainly needed a vacation, we both did, because last month was one of the most stressful months that either one of us can remember.
*You might be wondering why I mentioned not being able to blog. I say that because I really love to write. Sometimes, it can be a chore, but for the most part, I love it, and when I can't do it, I feel like I'm missing out. Fellow blogger and pal, Keith Thomas from Steel Curtain Rising, once told me that for every one or two blogs that he posts, he has an idea for a few others that he never gets a chance to write due to time constraints. That is so true. I always have a few ideas floating around in my cranium, but as much as I want to sit down and devote time to writing as much as possible, I know I can't do that because of my other responsibilities in life.
*Fortunately, when it comes to most of my Steelers blog ideas, I have a pretty awesome outlet at Behind the Steel Curtain. In case I haven't mentioned it before, Michael Bean, the founder and editor of that awesome blog, asked me to be a contributor for the front page about a year ago, and that has given me a forum to write for a larger audience as well as hone my skills a little. I think I've gotten a lot better over the past year, but I hate to go back and read my own work because I either think it sucks, or I kick myself for leaving something out. I always have fun writing and reading the stuff on that blog. I said it before, and I'll say it again: It's the best Steelers blog on the net. And I'm not just saying that because I get to contribute on the main page, either. I was saying that back in 2010 when I was just posting stuff in the fanpost section. Anyway, there are many awesome contributors to the site, and the other writers set the bar so high, I feel as if I must post quality stuff just to keep up. One of these days, I'll start doing that.
*Not to shill too much for btsc, but on March 7th, the site won the annual "Pittsburgh's Best Sports Blog" tournament hosted on the blog "Sean's Ramblings." I don't know much about the blog, but he updates it pretty frequently, and that in and of itself is pretty impressive. He seems to have a lot of interesting content, plus, he's a fellow blogspotter. It's worth checking out.
*One last thing on Behind the Steel Curtain. I thought it was interesting that I wrote an article about Mike Wallace's contract status with the Steelers on Friday because I had much difficulty trying to post it thanks to Internet Explorer "upgrading" to IE9 on Thursday night. I started having trouble with javascript error pop up messages and other nuisances right before Christmas, but I just ignored them because I'm far from a computer expert; I just hoped that they would go away like magic. About a month ago, when I started getting pop ups that read "Internet Explorer has stopped working," I asked a kid at work what it could be. He said he wasn't sure, but he suggested that I download Google chrome and use that as my browser. I never considered that because I've never thought much about my browser; it was just something that I used to surf the net. I never considered the fact that some might be better than others. Besides, I'm usually pretty resistant to change, so I ignored the suggestion until yesterday and the IE download from hell. For an upgrade, it sure seemed like a downgrade to me. I was desperate and feared that I might have to get a new computer, so I faced my fears and downloaded Google chrome. I thought I was just grasping at straws, but believe it or not, browsers really do matter. Chrome is way faster than Internet Explorer, and I have yet to see a pop up error message. Anyway, the reason why I mentioned the Mike Wallace article on btsc is because I found it very frustrating to write due to the problems I was having with my browser, and I don't think it came out as well as it probably would have if I had been posting under normal circumstances. Two years ago, my very first fanpost on btsc was on a Friday during my summer vacation, and it, too, was kind of crappy. During the post, I mentioned Mike Wallace several times, and for some reason, I kept referring to him as "Williams." I don't know why I did that, and people were like, "who the hell is Mike Williams?" Fortunately, I was able to pick up my game after that. Hopefully, my Google chrome will make my Internet experience a much better one.
*Speaking of writing. I try to brush up on my punctuation from time to time, but it's one of those things where you're never quite sure if you're doing it right. For example, when do you put a comma before "because"? Should that question mark be outside of the quotations or inside? Should I always put a comma after a conjunction? What's a conjunction? Do too many commas turn a perfectly good thought into a run on sentence, and can I substitute a semi-colon for a comma just to break up the sentence? It's a never-ending battle, and it seems that every "grammar expert" on the net has a different answer.
*I mentioned before about how stressful February was for me. Well, one of the good things that came out of last month was me bowling my first ever 200 game in league play. I bowled a 213 last year during practice, but nobody was around to see it. If you bowl a 200 game when none of your friends are around, does it make a sound? Anyway, I just missed a 200 during the last game of my fall league last October. I entered the 10th frame with a 190, and on my first roll, I knocked down eight pins. Unfortunately, I left the 4 and 7, and for a recreational left-handed bowler such as myself, that's a pretty tricky spare to try and pick up. Needless to say, I whiffed on both pins and finished with a 198. I was still proud of my effort, but man, I wanted that 200. Would I ever get it? Fortunately, I've improved by game a lot over the past year or so, and I had a pretty decent run in the middle of the winter season where I bowled above my average for nine straight games and improved my score by 12 pins. It was during this run of success that I finally had my 200 game. Just like the 198 game, I didn't have an open frame until the 9th, but instead of having a 190 going into the 10th frame, I had a 181. I didn't like my chances of getting a 200, but on my first roll of the frame, I got a strike. Now, I only needed nine pins to pick up a 200. On my next throw, I knocked down eight pins and left two standing. What were the two pins? You guessed it, the good old 4 and 7. I couldn't believe it. It was like Deja Vu all over again. Fortunately, I only needed one pin, and I managed to get the 7 to finish with an even score of 200. It was a pretty big thrill.
*Another awesome moment occurred when my volleyball team managed an upset victory in the first round of the playoffs. We were one of the lower seeds like we always are, and I didn't have much confidence going in. A volleyball playoff match is a best of three, and we managed to split the first two games. For whatever reason, in the postseason, the third game of a volleyball match caps at 15 instead of the usual 25, and we found ourselves dead-locked at 10. This was the time for heroes to rise. Unfortunately, I was almost the goat as I was responsible for three pretty blatant errors and, suddenly, we were down, 14-10, and one point from elimination. Thankfully, my teammates saved my butt, and we managed to string together six-straight points to score the awesome victory. It was thrilling and taught me a pretty valuable lesson about teamwork. Sometimes, you save your teammates' butts and sometime they save yours.
*I've been focusing on rest and relaxation this week, but I've also been trying to get my exercise in. Unfortunately, on Tuesday, when I was out sprinting, I pulled my hip, and that put a quick end to my sprinting for the rest of the week. Since I'm quickly approaching 40, I'm sure it's easy to make "old" jokes, but I'll have you know that it's an old football injury that happened when I was 16. I thought it was a thing of the past, but I guess I'll never fully get over that. Speaking of old injuries, I don't know how professional football players get along years after they retire. If my hip is still bothering me after one hit during a pick up game 24 years ago, how much pain are those guys in after years of playing tackle football at the highest and fiercest level? Does it still take Jerome Bettis half a day to get out of bed?
*Maybe I am getting old because this marks like the third or fourth vacation in recent memory where I've come down with a cold. Yesterday, I woke up with a sore throat and a cough, and today, I don't feel much better. Yay me!
*Oh well, I've rambled on long enough. I still have the better part of two vacation days to enjoy, and maybe another blog or two to write.
Adios!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Now I really wish I paid more attention to the NCAA tournament this year. Two 15's knock off two 2's
Normally, this is the time of year when I go crazy over the NCAA tournament, but as I said the other day, my Pitt Panthers didn't make it in this year for the first time in a decade, and that has dampened by enthusiasm to the point of not watching at all.
Someone needs to slap me because I missed out on two incredible upsets on the second day of the first round of games.
For starters, number 15 seed Norfolk st. knocked off number 2 seed Missouri, 86-84.
A 15 seed defeating a 2 seed is historic. It happens once in a generation. When you see it unfold, you better remember where you are, because that memory will be frozen in time to be replayed time and time agai...........
Hold on. How about two 15's defeating two number 2 seeds in the same day?
Well, if you've always wanted to see that, today was your lucky day. And the number 2 seed that joined Missouri in the heartbreak hotel wasn't just another number 2 seed. No sir, it was everyone's basketball darlings, the Duke Blue Devils, who fell to Lehigh, 75-70.
That is pretty incredible.
I need to start paying attention the rest of the way.
Someone needs to slap me because I missed out on two incredible upsets on the second day of the first round of games.
For starters, number 15 seed Norfolk st. knocked off number 2 seed Missouri, 86-84.
A 15 seed defeating a 2 seed is historic. It happens once in a generation. When you see it unfold, you better remember where you are, because that memory will be frozen in time to be replayed time and time agai...........
Hold on. How about two 15's defeating two number 2 seeds in the same day?
Well, if you've always wanted to see that, today was your lucky day. And the number 2 seed that joined Missouri in the heartbreak hotel wasn't just another number 2 seed. No sir, it was everyone's basketball darlings, the Duke Blue Devils, who fell to Lehigh, 75-70.
That is pretty incredible.
I need to start paying attention the rest of the way.
Aaron Smith class-act until the end
I've been on vacation this week and sort of out of the loop with regards to a lot of things in the sports world. I would be remiss, however, in not mentioning the incredibly gracious ad that Steelers legendary defensive end Aaron Smith took out in this past Sunday's Post Gazette to thank the fans for their support during his 13-year career.
There isn't much to add to Smith's letter. It's classic number 91.
Thanks, Aaron!
There isn't much to add to Smith's letter. It's classic number 91.
Thanks, Aaron!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
You know how I know that I love football the most? Pitt's subpar season has left me ignorant to the rest of college basketball
Football was always my first love when it came to sports, but my passion for it becomes more apparent each and every year.
This season was a perfect example. The Steelers lost a heartbreaker in the first round of the NFL playoffs, but that didn't keep me from having a vested interest in the rest of the postseason action. And I was so determined to watch the Super Bowl, I skipped my bowling match that evening, and instead, rolled off a few hours before the game under the most horrific conditions imaginable.
Even during down years for my Steelers, I still pay close attention to the rest of the NFL action. I'm just a football aficionado, and I always will be.
It's not like that with other sports. Take baseball, for example. Outside of the Pirates, I haven't sat down to watch a baseball game for years, save the occasional postseason game, and I probably won't anytime soon. I WANT to love the sport of baseball like I did when I was a kid, but when your team is on the losing end of the inherent economic disadvantages of Major League Baseball, and it hasn't won in nearly two-decades mainly because of it, it kind of takes the spark out of the sport for you.
I consider myself a huge college basketball fan, but since Pitt had such a poor season, I couldn't get into the action this year. March Madness is normally the time of year when I get that warm and fuzzy feeling in my stomach. As a Pitt fan, I would eagerly anticipate where the team would be seeded in the field of 68 and then spend the rest of the week trying to justify picking them to win it all.
I normally love to watch college basketball, in general, and I usually pay attention to which teams are marching towards the Final Four, even once Pitt is knocked out.
However, this year, when it became quite apparent that the Panthers wouldn't be in the tournament for the first time in a decade, I quickly stopped paying attention to the rest of college basketball.
I have no desire to fill out a bracket. I know that seems almost unAmerican for a sports enthusiast such as myself, but even if I did fill out a bracket, it would be done in ignorance, as I really don't know which teams are the favorites. I know that Syracuse spent the majority of the season near the top of the rankings, but other than that, I'm just assuming that the Kentuckys and Dukes of the world are among the usual favorites to take it all.
It's a shame, too, because I'm off this week, and watching the first weekend of the tournament is usually the most awesome part thanks to the plethora of games.
Speaking of that, I've been so out of the loop with following college basketball this season, I was completely unaware that the Consol Energy Center would be hosting first and second round games this weekend.
If Pitt was in its normal top 10 form this season, I'm sure I would have been wondering if the selection committee would reward the team with a couple of games near campus. Sadly, however, the Panthers didn't play well enough to get anywhere near the field of 68, let alone get to play a game a few miles from the Pete.
Oh well, maybe I'll fill out a bracket, afterall. I normally do pretty poorly when I know what I'm doing.
Who would be able to tell the difference?
Oh, and when is the NFL Draft?
This season was a perfect example. The Steelers lost a heartbreaker in the first round of the NFL playoffs, but that didn't keep me from having a vested interest in the rest of the postseason action. And I was so determined to watch the Super Bowl, I skipped my bowling match that evening, and instead, rolled off a few hours before the game under the most horrific conditions imaginable.
Even during down years for my Steelers, I still pay close attention to the rest of the NFL action. I'm just a football aficionado, and I always will be.
It's not like that with other sports. Take baseball, for example. Outside of the Pirates, I haven't sat down to watch a baseball game for years, save the occasional postseason game, and I probably won't anytime soon. I WANT to love the sport of baseball like I did when I was a kid, but when your team is on the losing end of the inherent economic disadvantages of Major League Baseball, and it hasn't won in nearly two-decades mainly because of it, it kind of takes the spark out of the sport for you.
I consider myself a huge college basketball fan, but since Pitt had such a poor season, I couldn't get into the action this year. March Madness is normally the time of year when I get that warm and fuzzy feeling in my stomach. As a Pitt fan, I would eagerly anticipate where the team would be seeded in the field of 68 and then spend the rest of the week trying to justify picking them to win it all.
I normally love to watch college basketball, in general, and I usually pay attention to which teams are marching towards the Final Four, even once Pitt is knocked out.
However, this year, when it became quite apparent that the Panthers wouldn't be in the tournament for the first time in a decade, I quickly stopped paying attention to the rest of college basketball.
I have no desire to fill out a bracket. I know that seems almost unAmerican for a sports enthusiast such as myself, but even if I did fill out a bracket, it would be done in ignorance, as I really don't know which teams are the favorites. I know that Syracuse spent the majority of the season near the top of the rankings, but other than that, I'm just assuming that the Kentuckys and Dukes of the world are among the usual favorites to take it all.
It's a shame, too, because I'm off this week, and watching the first weekend of the tournament is usually the most awesome part thanks to the plethora of games.
Speaking of that, I've been so out of the loop with following college basketball this season, I was completely unaware that the Consol Energy Center would be hosting first and second round games this weekend.
If Pitt was in its normal top 10 form this season, I'm sure I would have been wondering if the selection committee would reward the team with a couple of games near campus. Sadly, however, the Panthers didn't play well enough to get anywhere near the field of 68, let alone get to play a game a few miles from the Pete.
Oh well, maybe I'll fill out a bracket, afterall. I normally do pretty poorly when I know what I'm doing.
Who would be able to tell the difference?
Oh, and when is the NFL Draft?
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