IU Fails to Close Out The Upset

Blue Oyster Cult may implore everyone not to fear the reaper, but everyone should fear Killer--Marco Killingsworth.
Killer made the reigning Defensive Player of the Year look like a flag pole. "Abused" does not begin to describe the hurtin' Killer put on Sheldon Williams. It was beautiful to behold. The boy has some mad skillz.

But it was not enough. Duke 75. IU 67.

I have to say, the Hoosiers had me believing they could win once they took the lead midway through the second half.

But there were problems:

1. The Hoosiers just couldn't handle the swarming defense of Duke.
2. The Hoosiers lost their defensive intensity in the end just when Duke found one last gear to put the game away.
3. I know Killer was awesome, but the rest of the team was not. The only other Hoosier to score in double figures was Strickland. Duke had four people in double figures.
4. The Hoosiers often fell into the pattern they did last year, which was to stand around while one person created his own shot. Fortunately, Killer was unstoppable.
5. The Hoosiers lack the killer instinct. This may be their first big game of the season, but they lacked intensity at the beginning when they fell behind 16-2 and in the end when they couldn't close the game.
6. Finally, Killer's free throw shooting makes Shaq look like Reggie Miller.

I saw a lot of good things in this game, one in particular being the speed and athleticism of the Hoosiers. This team can flat out fly across the court. They are quick as thoroghbreds...and as raw as mustangs. Davis is taking advantage of their speed, athleticism, and the depth of the bench. The future looks bright for Indiana once D.J. White returns and can take the pressure off of Killer because you can bet teams will swarm Killer, unlike Duke.

The Hoosiers will be a team to be rekoned with. With this performance against Duke, they put the entire Big Ten on notice.

However, I'm not surprised the Hoosiers lost. I am disappointed. If Killer had some help, IU would have pulled off the upset. But because Duke was the better team they got the win.

So, can Mike Davis coach? I was blinded by the speed of the Hoosiers to know for sure. One thing was for certain: when the going got tough, the Hoosiers folded.

Duke Excels in the Clutch. That was the graphic beneath Jay Bilas during his post-game analysis. And unless the Hoosiers can do something to change that, talent will only take them so far.

The Non-Measuring Stick Statement Game

IU's coach Mike Davis needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut. On tonight's game against Duke:

"This isn't a do-or-die situation for us and it's not a measuring stick for us because we know where we are as a team,'' Davis said. "We just want to come out and have some carryover from game one to now. Every game we play, we try to make a statement that we're getting better.

"But we're way past circling teams on our schedule. We've worked too hard to circle anyone. And everyone on our schedule wants to beat us bad, so that makes every game a statement game."

So while tonight's game isn't a measuring stick to see how IU plays against a quality opponent, it is a statement games since everybody wants to badly beat IU.

I am looking forward to finally seeing an IU game. It's my first opportunity to have my question answered: Can Mike Davis really coach?

What the F@#k is a Hoosier??

As the 2005-06 college basketball season officially tips tonight off for my Indiana Hoosiers against the mighty Colonels of Nichols State, I thought I would link to a story that answers the all-important question: What the f@#k is a Hoosier??

Whatever its origin, historians agree that the nickname for Indiana residents was popularized in the 1800s by novels such as Edward Eggleston's The Hoosier School-Master, by Riley's poetry, and by newspaper articles that used it. As a result, although its historical roots may never be discovered, Hoosier is perhaps the most widely recognized state nickname. But even this modern meaning is ambiguous, and the word's use ranges from complimentary to derisive, depending on who is using it.

Derisive? Speaking of, my good buddy har-dee-har-har Harper tries to be clever with this:

Alternate etymologies of the word include the following:

From the early settlement of Indiana, where rampant promiscuity occurred. Illegitimate offspring, craving purebred lineage, were often heard asking each other, "So, hoosier daddy?" Thus, "who's your" became "hoosier."

From the early settlement of Indiana, where rampant drinking occurred. Intoxicated men who were separated from their women were heard slurring "hoosiers" over and over again. The true meaning of the word was not uncovered until the son of one of these men moved to Florida and opened a restaurant. Thus, "hoosiers" was successfully translated into "hooters."

So good luck to my Hoosier cagers this year--whatever the nickname might mean. But to me and countless others, it means basketball.

Was Karl Rove Involved With This?

From SI.com:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez won the American League Most Valuable Player award for the second time in three seasons, beating David Ortiz on Monday in a vote that rewarded a position player over a designated hitter.

Rodriguez, in his second season as the New York Yankees' third baseman, received 16 first-place votes, 11 seconds and one third for 331 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Ortiz, the DH for the Boston Red Sox, got 11 firsts and 17 seconds for 307 points. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero received the other first-place vote and was third with 196 points.

But what about the people? Did any of the "experts" bother to ask the people? Of course not. And if the past two presidential elections are any indication, the will of the people is either suspect or usurped. But that's a conspiracy theory best left for other bloggers.

And what of Harper, our .4 readers must be thinking? Harper is taking an extended leave of abscence from the blog for now. But as a militant Red Sox homer, Harper had left implicit instructions with me should the evil A-Rod win the MVP.

And so, for Harper, I give you this:

RRRRassin frassin...son of a sassin frassin meat pie mother @#!%$#.... #@!$&*@, it's about most valuable....defense is overrated @#!!$%&^*$#@....son of satan...@#!$%&@!#$...mama's boys don't deserve manly awards...A-Rod is Big Papi's little B!t@h...con sarnit all to mule's buttocks in a handbag to hades...&%$#!@$!&.

I hope that covers it. Come back soon, Harper.

Best. Question. Ever.

The best question asked during Terrell Owens' "apology" press conference was directed to his agent, Drew Rosensatan:

"What have you done for T.O. other than getting him kicked off the team?"

If you watched the press conference, even T.O. cracked up at that one.

Heaven and Hell

Heaven

Fed up Eagles suspend Owens indefinitely.

May he never set foot on a football field for the remainder of the season. He is poison. And it's a damn shame because he probably is the best receiver in the NFL.

Hell

Key Hoosier goes down: White to miss at least two weeks with foot injury

Some reports said White had a stress fracture in the foot, which could keep him out of action for six to eight weeks.

But Davis said that diagnosis was premature. X-rays taken Friday night proved inconclusive, he said. White was scheduled to undergo an MRI test Monday.

"The X-rays last night didn't show anything, for sure," Davis said. "Hopefully, he can come back soon."

Soon. Very soon. Veryveryveryveryvery soon.

Maybe It's a Southside Thing

First off, congratulations to the 2005 World Series champs Chicago White Sox. Of course, now the champs have some serious expectations to live up to: those fans are going to expect a World Series championship every 88 years.

Note to manager Ozzie Guillen: when celebrating, please refrain from kissing members of the same sex on the lips. You're not Sheryl Swoopes, you know.

How Do You Spell Overrated? V-I-C-K

Michael Vick Is the WORST QB EVER!

I can’t stand by any more and listen to football “experts” as they heap praise worthy of the almighty upon a mere mortal of a man: Michael Vick.

Let’s review his stats from last night’s victory over the Jets:

11 of 26 passing for 116 yards and 3 INTs with a career low 16.3 passer rating. He ran for 2 TDs, denying the end zone to the hard working Warrick Dunn who abused the Jets defense for 155 yards on 24 carries.

Vick is a freak of nature athletically. He’s strong, fast, has a cannon for an arm, and did I mention fast? But he is a horrible QB. I’m sure fantasy owners love him, but Matt Schaub, Vick’s backup, is a better passer and smarter player than Vick. Is Vick allergic to his receivers? What is his aversion to passing?

Vick should covert to RB and do what he loves to do—run. He sure can’t pass worth shit.

Disclaimer: I do not have Vick on my fantasy football team nor do I root for the Falcons. I just think he’s a terrible QB.