NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Is the NCAA Blaming ESPN for Banning Bloggers?

Charles Rich — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, March Madness, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Syracuse, College Sports

In the ongoing discussion over live blogging events and exclusive broadcast rights brought on by Brian Bennett of the Louisville Courier-Journal being ejected from the press box for blogging the action of an NCAA Super Regional Baseball game, the one thing that has been made unclear to me is who demanded the enforcement?

The NCAA's own blogger, Josh Centor of Double A Zone definitely didn't agree with the policy or the contract, but implied that ESPN was the one who made it happen.

Due to the NCAA's broadcasting agreement with ESPN, bloggers are not permitted to update their sites with in-game coverage from the baseball press box. In-game updates include providing readers with the score, inning of the game, roster moves, etc. The policy was enacted at a baseball game, but applies to all NCAA championship events.

[Emphasis added.]

That's an interesting bit. Regular season NCAA basketball and football games are under broadcasting agreements by the various conferences. The Bowl Game broadcasts are also outside of the NCAA contracts. So, for example, beat writers from the Syracuse Post-Standard weren't violating the agreement with the NCAA and ESPN when they liveblogged the action from Syracuse basketball games and the Big East Tournament (whether it was a violation of the ESPN-Big East broadcast would be a different issue).

As noted by Michael David Smith, NCAA Basketball Tournament games were liveblogged from the press box. Of course, that was with CBS having broadcast rights. Maybe CBS chose not to enforce it or just didn't realize they could.

Another NCAA "championship" event was the NIT. The NIT broadcast contract was with ESPN and took place only three months ago. Once more the Syracuse beat writers liveblogged 'Cuse NIT games with impunity and without repercussions.

ESPN, however, would not let itself become the fall guy and source of ire (again) from bloggers.

An ESPN spokesman, Mike Humes, said: "To be honest, we didn't ask for it. They didn't consult us." Bearby, the N.C.A.A. lawyer, said the N.C.A.A. initiated the action because "the entertainment event or sporting event has the ability to limit access to who gets that firsthand account."

So, yes, it was all the NCAA that decided to enforce the contract terms for the first time, and without being requested by the potentially injured party -- the broadcast rights holders.

That makes NCAA, not "arcane," as Josh Centor described his employers' actions, but more like bullies. Selectively acting to toss reporters from the press box for violating a clause in the broadcast contract (by construing it in a possibly overbroad manner) that the potentially injured party did not even request enforced.

Previously at FanHouse:
Shocking Confession: Sportswriter Admits Live Blogging College Basketball
NCAA Violating Common Sense, if Not First Amendment
When Dealing With Online Rights, Bloggers Are in a Gray Area
NCAA Clashes With Louisville Paper on Baseball Blog
NCAA Kicks Blogger Out of Baseball Game

Is the NCAA Blaming ESPN for Banning Bloggers? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East Hardline on Transfers

Charles Rich — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:21:00 EST

Filed under: Georgetown Basketball, Pittsburgh Basketball, Connecticut Basketball, Marquette Basketball, Louisville Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, West Virginia Basketball, DePaul Basketball, Seton Hall Basketball, Cincinnati Basketball, Notre Dame Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Recruiting, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia

Conference meetings always produce a lot of talk, but little action. What makes the talk interesting is the curiosity over who started the conversation. Take this little bit of gossip from the Big East basketball coaches.

At the Big East meetings last week, one coach proposed a rule that would allow members to recruit prospects who are released from their letters of intent by a fellow league member in the event of a coaching change. It's becoming more common for players to be released under those circumstances, and the coach argued it would be better if that talent remained in the league. The proposal did not gain strong support.

The Big East has one of the tightest restrictions on transfers and poaching within the conference. Essentially, once a player signs with a Big East school, that player can never go to another Big East school to play that sport. Period. Not even as a walk-on paying his/her own way. It stems from the earliest days of the league when it was a basketball only league and most of the schools were in such close proximity and constantly battling over the same recruits. Hard feelings, bitter relations, and nasty accusations among the schools and coaches over players. There was a good reason why they instituted the rule

That the coaches in the conference would reject such a minor exception -- coach leaving, the school formally releasing the player from his letter of intent and the kid never even setting foot on the campus as a student -- is a little surprising. Still, old habits die hard.

The fun part is speculating on which Big East coach made the proposal. My guess: Seton Hall, Bobby Gonzalez. He's been fighting for a slew of recruits in just his first year, and has just missed on a few blue-chippers. He would have the most to gain from this. When you consider that the coaches likely to be on the hot seat next year -- Norm Roberts, St. John's and Tim Welsh, Providence -- are competing directly against him. Not to mention that Jay Wright at Villanova spent the past year contending with rumors that he was heading to the Sixers or a bigger job.

It would also explain why the proposal met with little interest. Gonzalez's, um, intense nature, tends to grate on a lot of people -- especially fellow coaches.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Big East Hardline on Transfers originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syracuse Succession Set

Charles Rich — Wed, 16 May 2007 10:11:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Syracuse

Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim turns 63 in November. It will be his 32nd season as the Orange coach. There are no signs that Boeheim is planning to retire. This spring, however, there has been some wondering about who will be the person to succeed Boeheim when he calls it a day.

The obvious choice has been Syracuse assistant and former player/team captain, Mike Hopkins. Since joining the coaching staff in 1995, he has been an excellent recruiter. He has been credited with recruiting Gerry McNamara, Hakim Warrick, Demetris Nichols, Paul Harris and Jonny Flynn. Hopkins turned down head coaching opportunities in the last few seasons, as the 37-year-old coach has become one of the hotter assistants in the Northeast.

Syracuse and Boeheim, apparently, have decided that the whispering on the recruiting trail as to how much longer he will be coaching is getting louder. They also don't want to risk Hopkins getting too good of an opportunity that has him leaving. ESPN.com and the Syracuse Post-Standard are reporting that Mike Hopkins, indeed will be named -- and it will be put in writing -- the successor to Boeheim when he does step down.

The source said there was still no formal contract between the university and Hopkins, but that the two parties have "agreed to agree."

"It's just a matter of getting everyone together," the source said.

Such a contract really has little meaning, except to try and stop the negative recruiting and project an image of stability that will continue at Syracuse. Since there is no time frame, other than when Boeheim chooses to retire, the contract is lacking a defined time frame.

Syracuse Succession Set originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 16 May 2007 10:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East APR is Right Around the Average

Charles Rich — Fri, 04 May 2007 10:53:00 EST

According to the NCAA, if it wasn't for the "squad size adjustments" to the APR results this year, 43.6% of the Division 1 basketball programs would be under the Academic Progrees Rate (APR) this year (PDF, page 5). The Big East is a team worse than that average as 8 of the 16 basketball programs are under the 925 minimum score. The rankings are still incomplete as the APR is to be based on a rolling 4-year rankings, and this is only year three. Teams that are right around 900 are not penalized as there are "squad sized adjustments" to the figures. The NCAA expects that teams around 900 will reach the 925 floor by next year.

Villanova 993
Notre Dame 977
Georgetown 970
Syracuse 948
Rutgers 943
Providence 938
UConn 934
Marquette 927
Seton Hall 921*
Louisville 920*
WVU 915*
St. John's 909*
Pitt 907*
USF 898*
DePaul 893*
Cinci 838**

Cincinnati was penalized one scholarship for not even being close to the confidence level of the APR. Cinci apparently anticipated this, as they have not used all 13 of their allotted scholarships. While the blame will fall largely on former coach Bob Huggins, Cinci was really hurt by the firing of Huggins and the subsequent quitting and transfers of players afterwards.

DePaul could be at some risk since both Sammy Mejia and Wilson Chandler withdrew from school to focus on the draft. That will hurt them for retention points. It isn't about graduating, it's about finishing the semesters.

USF doesn't seem too concerned. Despite the firing of their coach this spring, there are no reports of players leaving or in academic problems.

Pitt feels it was thisclose this year. One player, Julius Page, finally graduated, but because he left for a couple semesters while trying to make the NBA, he didn't count in the score.

The Johnnies are a big question mark as they have lost a couple players this season. They appeared to be getting close after digging out from the mess Mike Jarvis made of things. This issue, may actually work in Coach Norm Roberts' favor to keep his job past next year. St. John's looks like it will be very close to the APR minimum. Firing Roberts could create more transfers and players leaving. Giving the school another black eye.

West Virginia will be fine for next year. It's the future with Bob Huggins in charge that will bear the closer scrutiny.

Louisville is in fine shape to be right in line by next year. The same can be said for Seton Hall. Both schools are very close.

Previously on Fanhouse:
APR Reports Generate Anxiety and Relief

Big East APR is Right Around the Average originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 04 May 2007 10:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syracuse Forward Played While Pregnant

Michael David Smith — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:36:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Gossip, NCAA Basketball Rumors, Syracuse, Women's Sports

Lisa Leslie is sitting out the WNBA season because she's pregnant. But that didn't stop Syracuse forward Fantasia Goodwin. Goodwin had a baby last week, just two months after scoring 14 points in a basketball game.

"I had a baby Thursday evening at 7:34," Goodwin said. "She's healthy, I'm healthy. We're both doing great. I plan on returning back to Syracuse in the fall to continue my senior year and play basketball for Syracuse University. I will be taking online classes this summer, and in August she's going to be with family while I attend school."

When Goodwin finally told her coaches that she was pregnant, they made her sit out, but that came with just one game left in the season. There are apparently no rules about such things as whether or not a pregnant woman can compete in NCAA sports. And there are apparently no rules about whether a player can lose her scholarship if she has to miss playing time because she's pregnant.

If you're interested in the intersection of pregnancy and basketball, I highly recommend the documentary The Heart of the Game.

Syracuse Forward Played While Pregnant originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCAA Previews: Recognize the Syracuse Orange

Charles Rich — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, March Madness, Syracuse

[UPDATE: We mistakenly believed that Syracuse was a lock for the NCAA Tournament. We apologize for jumping the gun on proclaiming them in the tournament. ]

Conference: Big East
Record: 22-6, 10-6 in conference
RPI: 51
How They Got In: ~~At-large~~ They didn't
Seed: TBD

Mascot: Orange. Quite an up-and-down history for the Syracuse Mascot. Originally it was the Saltine Warrior, "an Indian figure named Big Chief Bill Orange." It was apparently started as part of a hoax in the school paper, but it stuck. The Saltine Warrior was retired in 1978 after protests by Native Americans. The school tried to go with a gladiator, but was never accepted. Eventually Otto the Orange went from unofficial to official mascot. The school dropped "Orangemen" in favor of "Orange" in the name of gender neutrality.

Big Wins: Knocking off #10 Georgetown was the game that convinced most that they were in the NCAA -- or at least deserving of being on the right side of the bubble.

Notable Loss: It's still baffling to figure out how they could lose to St. John's. but they did.

Player You Should Know: Senior Forward Demetris Nichols was one of the best players in the Big East this year able to knock down threes and drive inside. He averages 19 points and over 5 rebounds per game. If he has a good game, it opens things up for the rest of the team as opposing defenses have to key in on him.

Outlook: The Orange played better in the last few weeks, but they are especially susceptible to teams that can speed up the pace. Going faster means that the Orange don't have as much time to set their inside players, and Eric Devendorf tends to get caught up in accelerating the pace and starts turning the ball over. They might get a game win in the Tournament, but it's hard to envision them making it to the Sweet 16. Not the worst thing considering the new Nike unis they are wearing will be receiving ongoing abuse.

NCAA Previews: Recognize the Syracuse Orange originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 15:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recapping the Early Quarterfinal Big East Tournament Results

Charles Rich — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:37:00 EST

Filed under: Georgetown Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, Notre Dame Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse

Georgetown 62 Villanova 52 57
Okay, so obviously I meant to say that Villanova would come out slowly and sluggishly and finish with a strong effort before falling to Georgetown. Not come out strong and fade down the stretch. Just a simple typo. No coach ever will admit it is good to lose, especially in a conference tournament. Still, I think this is not the worst thing for Villanova to be going home early. They are solidly in the NCAA Tournament, but they need a little rest. Scottie Reynolds has been outstanding in the past couple weeks, but he is only a freshman and has to be a little worn down by the full season. The team is a little banged up, which only put more pressure on Reynolds and Sumpter to play lots of minutes and do everything. Nardi needs a little time to get healthy.

Georgetown came out hot and then coasted the rest of the way. They shouldn't be too bothered that Villanova got this close by the end. The Hoyas didn't surrender their double digit lead until there was 1:27 left in the game. Georgetown is still doing well and positioning itself for a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Notre Dame 89 Syracuse 83
The Orange couldn't hit free throws again. Terrence Roberts was a monster on the boards with 20, but was 0-6 on free throws. Roberts wasn't the only one missing, as they shot 16-29 on FTs, but it is glaring. Syracuse is going to find itself as a #9 seed or so in the NCAA Tournament.

Notre Dame was in a fight for most of the first half, but really forced the tempo to a pace they were more comfortable with. The Irish finally made me look good with a prediction as they attacked the zone and had the balanced offense with Harangody inside, Colin Falls from outside, and Russell Carter driving.

Recapping the Early Quarterfinal Big East Tournament Results originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East Tournament Quarterfinals Early Action Preview

Charles Rich — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Georgetown Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, Notre Dame Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse

The Big East daytime games look like great fun. A rubber match and a revenge factor are involved.

#9 Villanova vs. #1 Georgetown, 12 pm
The teams split two games this season with each winning on the road. Even if Villanova hadn't played yesterday, there is a decided advantage to Georgetown because the status of Villanova senior guard Mike Nardi is questionable with a strained calf and a sprained ankle in his left leg. He only played 5 minutes in the DePaul game yesterday. On top of that, his replacement freshman Reggie Redding rolled his ankle in the game and was limping quite a bit. That's some serious depth deficiency for the Wildcats against one of the most patient teams on offense and defense. Oh, and all five 'Nova starters played 30+ minutes yesterday.

Prediction: Villanova gives a valiant first half effort, and may even hold a slim halftime lead. The second half, though, the fatigue and lack of depth will catch up to the Wildcats. Georgetown will make Villanova work for every basket and keep them moving on the defensive end. Georgetown pulls away in the second half.

#5 Syracuse vs. #4 Notre Dame, 2 pm
All eyes on Syracuse again. Mainly because they'll be wearing the road version of their new Nike unis. The two teams played once this season with the Irish running Syracuse off their own court. The 103-91 score was only that close thanks to a late Orange run to get it respectable for a while. It was a huge win for Notre Dame as they proved they could win a big road conference game with that win. Both teams have played well in the final month and both have won 7 of their last 9 games.

Prediction: Syracuse's Demetris Nichols will be the best player on the court, but Notre Dame has more balance and consistency, with their inside and outside players. The overall consistency and choice of options -- whether its Falls on the perimeter or Luke Harangody and Rob Kurz battling inside -- makes me want to favor the Irish. As long as Russell Carter and the other guards for ND also remember to penetrate and attack the 2-3 zone and the basket they will have the advantage over Syracuse.

Big East Tournament Quarterfinals Early Action Preview originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Early Big East Tournament Action: Opening Round

Charles Rich — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, DePaul Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse

I wasn't surprised by the outcomes, but I had the way they won reversed in my preview.

Villanova 75 DePaul 67. The Wildcats didn't shoot particularly well from the field. But what they did exceptionally well was make their free throws. Boy did they make their free throws. Villanova, the best FT shooting team in the Big East, was 33-38 from the line. It was 61-57, Villanova with a little over 2 minutes left. They never made another field goal, but were 14-18 from the line in that period as DePaul kept fouling and Villanova kept making FTs. Freshman guard Scottie Reynolds scored 29 points with 13 coming at the line. Curtis Sumpter had 25 as well.

For DePaul, they stayed close throughout the game but just couldn't get the game tied. Wilson Chandler and Sammy Mejia had about their normal games and there was matching production from Draelon Burns. The three combined for 56 points. The problem was that the other 6 players provided 11 points on 4-14 shooting.

Syracuse 78 UConn 65. UConn had a 2-point lead at the half. They played a very good first half, but couldn't get separation as Eric Devendorf for Syracuse kept the Orange in the game in the first half. In the second half, Demetris Nichols took over and scored 28 points. Syracuse went on a 19-6 run when the score was tied at 40 to bust the game open. UConn was the UConn team they have been all season. Unable to handle adversity and fading. UConn Coach Jim Calhoun got a technical late in the second half and I'm really not sure whether he was lashing out at the officiating or his own team after the game.

"When bad things happen to you by incompetent people, and they do happen to you at times, and as that built we became a little more frustrated," Calhoun said.

I'm assuming he was blaming the refs, but it really applied to the way his own team has played this season.

Syracuse struggled making free throws -- 13-25 -- or the game would have been a bigger blowout by the end of the game. Luckily for Syracuse, UConn struggled shooting -- period. Under 35% shooting in the game.

Early Big East Tournament Action: Opening Round originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syracuse Deploys Shorts

Charles Rich — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 20:19:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Syracuse

This is not the kind of picture of the new Nike uni in action, that I would think would encourage sales. No wonder all the pictures they have made available, featured the models wearing them standing perfectly still.

Demetris Nichols looks like his shorts have deployed as a parachute while taking a shot. Not sure if that's the look intended, that the billowing shorts will slowly lower him to the ground. That or the plan is to make the players look like the bad comic book characters of Rob Liefeld.

Previous Posts:

Syracuse's New Uniforms Almost Look Normal
Nike to Syracuse, The Color Orange Isn't Ugly Enough
College Basketball Teams

Syracuse Deploys Shorts originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 20:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syracuse's New Uniforms Almost Look Normal

Charles Rich — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Campus, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Syracuse

As Matt Glaude pointed out, yes Andy Rautins does have the torso of a 15-year old girl in the new 'Cuse unis. Still, I'm kind of stunned to report that the overall appearance on the real players isn't nearly so radical as the initial images that were leaked. Maybe it's that Nike used some really beefy man-meat models in their package of photos to better show off the form fitting features.

Of course, when the cameras get closer to the individual players rather than the wider shots of the action, the picture is less flattering.

From what I can see in the actual game with UConn right now (admittedly I don't have HDTV) they aren't nearly as dramatic. Yes, a little tighter at the shoulder and torso, but since none of the players are wearing a base layer underneath the jerseys, they look a little looser. I don't know, but I'd say they are wearing less snug jerseys then the model pictured is wearing. That and they are not as firmly tucked in the waist to make them look a little looser.

The shorts are definitely looser and longer. Possibly more disconcerting then the jerseys, though, it could simply be the stark contrast makes it look worse. It's not that they hang below the knee, it's that they billow more than I thought they would. Players definitely need to wear an underlayer for below the waist to avoid chaffing or flashing anyone if they hit the deck. I mean seeing Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts going against 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet is comical. You can see how much thicker Thabeet is compared to the other two, but the shorts on the Orange players make them look like they have toothpick legs.

Additionally the striping along the shorts remind me of a nautical flag. Guess I never knew the strong "traditional" nautical ties to superfund site Onondaga Lake -- one of the most polluted lakes in the US with Syracuse University. The choice of silver for the numbers and minimizing the Syracuse blue to just a couple blocks will on the side of the shorts will not sit well with Syracuse fans. It is not exactly keeping in the tradition of Syracuse that the Nike "System of Dress" claims to emphasize.

Syracuse's New Uniforms Almost Look Normal originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The De-Valued All-Big East

Charles Rich — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:41:00 EST

Look, I understand the Big East has 16 teams, and it can be hard to pick the best players for an All-Big East team, but to have a 1st team with 11 players is a joke. It may create some hard feelings (maybe) or may take a little more effort but if conferences with 12 members can have a 5-member or even 6-member All-conference squad, surely the Big East could at least limit it to a max of 8.

Instead there's this:

2006-07 All-BIG EAST First Team
*Jeff Green, Georgetown, Jr.
*Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, Jr.
Dominic James, Marquette, So.
Russell Carter, Notre Dame, Sr.
Colin Falls, Notre Dame, Sr.
*Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh, Sr.
*Herbert Hill, Providence, Sr.
Lamont Hamilton, St. John's, Sr.
*Demetris Nichols, Syracuse, Sr.
Curtis Sumpter, Villanova, Sr.
Frank Young, West Virginia, Sr.

The asterisk indicates a unanimous choice.

At least five of the choices were unanimous -- even if it was all forwards and centers. Not a particularly strong year in the Big East for guards.

That's ridiculous. There's a 10-member second team and 7 players listed for the "honorable mention."

The Big East designated 28 players as all-conference. That's 35% of the starters in the Big East being put among the "best" of the group. Clearly the Big East doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I'd say if you start in the Big East, you have to be pissed that you somehow didn't make the cut. They must really think you suck.

But wait, there's more. There's still the 11-member All-Rookie Team.
Witness:

BIG EAST All-Rookie Team
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, Fr.
*Jerome Dyson, Connecticut, Fr.
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, Fr.
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown, Fr.
Edgar Sosa, Louisville, Fr.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, Fr.
Tory Jackson, Notre Dame, Fr.
*Eugene Harvey, Seton Hall, Fr.
Paul Harris, Syracuse, Fr.
*Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, Fr.
Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia, Fr.

If anything shows how devalued this "everybody gets in" approach is, it's seeing Hasheem Thabeet make this list. Yes, he's a major NBA prospect in time. Sure he's 7'3" and gets 6.4 rebounds a game. He also only scores 6.3 points/game and turns the ball over 1.6 times. That's actually being kind. In 16 Big East games his numbers are only 5.9 rebounds and 5.4 points. That's an all-rookie player?

He has tons of "upside," just by virtue of his size and build. He's nowhere close to being one of the best freshmen this year based on performance. It takes away from what players like Reynolds, Harvey, Dyson, Harangody, Sosa and Vaughn have done this season.

Look, the Big East is actually working at this point with 16 teams. Much to my surprise. Stop the amateur hour, though, and actually pick a real all-conference group. Bloggers were able to do it.

The De-Valued All-Big East originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Previewing the Opening Round of the Big East Tournament

Charles Rich — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Connecticut Basketball, Marquette Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, West Virginia Basketball, DePaul Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse, West Virginia

The Big East Tournament kicks off tomorrow on ESPN. All of the Big East Tournament (BET) games will be on ESPN, which is only fair since the conference sold all media platform rights to ESPN. The least they can do is show the BET entirely on the flagship channel.

There are 4 games between teams seeded 5-12. The top 4 teams get first round byes and don't play until Thursday. The bottom 4 teams don't play at all.

Last year, was the first time in the Big East Tournament that no team with a first round bye failed to win the BET. Syracuse and Pitt were both teams that played on Wednesday in 2006. While teams have made it to the BET playing everyday, no team had won it until last year. Syracuse, in Gerry McNamara's swan song led the Orange to the Championship.

After the jump, a look at the four games on Wednesday.
#8 Villanova vs. #9 DePaul, 12pm.
DePaul won their only meeting this year, 73-65 thanks to shooting nearly 50%. Seniors Sammy Mejia and Wilson Chandler are the leading scorers and rebounders, so what kind of game they have is a huge impact on the fortunes of the Blue Demons. They also need Draelon Burns and/or Marcus Heard to have big games to take some of the pressure off the other two. DePaul is still playing to make the NCAA Tournament. They need to win at least two games to get serious consideration. This is also DePaul's first trip to the BET. Last year, they were one of the left-out teams.

VIllanova counters with probably the Big East's hottest player in Freshman guard Scottie Reynolds. He has 87 points in his last 3 games. To go with him is their leading scorer and rebounder, forward Curtis Sumpter. Not to mention guard Mike Nardi and Dante Cunningham to provide consistent help. Villanova is almost a certainty at this point.

Prediction: Both teams are 9-7 but it's a deceptive thing with an unbalanced conference. Villanova played the 5 worst teams in the conference four times (4-0), compared to seven times (6-1) for DePaul. 'Nova is just a better balanced scoring team, and plays much better defense. The Wildcats should take the rematch.

#5 Syracuse vs. #12 UConn, 2pm.
The teams split this year. It's a rivalry game, and both teams need this game. Syracuse is a bubble team, and can't afford to lose a first round team to a team with an RPI in the 90s. UConn is at least hoping to make it to the NIT, but with a 6-10 conference mark and only 32 spots, they are not assured of anything. Especially with at up to 3 other Big East teams looking for NIT bids. It's hard to say who the new Syracuse unis will impact more. Will Terrence Roberts be embarrassed by his lack of definition in his abs prominently displayed by the new unis, and will Andy Rautins drown in the shorts? Or will the UConn players be so distracted by the sight, that they completely tank the game?

Syracuse is the stronger looking team. Demetris Nichols has been playing great and had 20 points in each meeting with the Huskies this season. Andy Rautins has finally started looking like the consistent perimeter threat they need. Eric Devendorf gets under the skin of others, but when he doesn't turn the ball over provides the energy for the team. Paul Harris, Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins are really the x-factors in the games lately.

UConn has Jeff Adrien and Jerome Dyson as reliable players on both ends of the ball. After that, it's anyone's guess as to which players will or wont' show up in a game. Considering the 6-10 conference record, more often then not there's not been a lot of help. Even when the offense has shown up in recent games, the defense has faded.

Prediction: I wouldn't be shocked if UConn pulled the upset, as they had time to prepare and this is really their season right now. I'm really tempted to say UConn. The thing that tips it in favor of Syracuse is that UConn hasn't made fouls shots all season: Thabeet, Johnson, Kelly, Robinson (lately) and even Adrien are unreliable at best FT shooters. For Syracuse, Terrence Roberts is the only 50-50 FT shooter.

#7 WVU vs. #10 Providence, 7pm.
If 'Cuse-UConn isn't the most competitive game of the day, then my money would be on this game. Providence won the only meeting of the year between these two, 64-61. It was a special shooting night for WVU as they shot a staggeringly bad 9-41 on 3s. No other team in the Big East (and probably anywhere else in the country) lives and dies by their 3-point shooting the way the Mountaineers do. The only places the Mountaineers have won more than a game have been in New Jersey (Rutgers and Seton Hall) and in West Virginia. They really can't use the "young team" excuse in March. Especially if they want to get to the NCAA Tournament. They absolutely have to have this (and probably one more).

Providence won't make the NCAA unless it at least gets to the BET Championship game. This game is vital, though, for Coach Tim Welsh. The future may be bright with the talent that will be coming back along with a good recruiting class. The problem as this article detailed, is that the Friars are 1-7 in the BET and not winning a single NCAA Tournament game under Welch.

Prediction: I think West Virginia will want this game more than Providence. They will not be as inept on 3s as they were the first meeting. Providence will be close all game, but between the 3-point shooting and Beilein versus Welch, I'll take Beilein.

#6 Marquette vs. #11 St. John's, 9 pm.
Marquette will likely be with out their best defensive player, Jerel McNeal, but St. John's will be without their leading scorer and rebounder. Given the overall talent disparity, that doesn't even begin to approach a wash. Marquette got their first time in the BET jitters out of the way last year. There is no reason for them not to roll on the Red Storm.

St. John's would have to have Anthony Mason, Jr. play way higher than he has and Avery Patterson would have to have a career game shooting 3s. The defensive effort will be there for St. John's, but they simply lack the offense -- even before Hamilton's knee injury, they struggled to get points.

Prediction: St. John's only hope is to make this a slog. They might be able to do that for a while, but Marquette have enough weapons on offense to put them away in the second half.

Previewing the Opening Round of the Big East Tournament originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nike to Syracuse: "The Color Orange Isn't Ugly Enough"

Matt Glaude — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:35:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, NCAA Basketball Fans, Syracuse

Two seasons ago, the Syracuse football program decided to adopt a retro look and feel. The uniforms sported during the Dick MacPherson and Paul Pasqualoni eras were summarily replaced with apparel hearkening back to the days of legendary Orange coach Ben Schwartzwalder and All-Everything running back Jim Brown.

While generating a modicum of discontent, the new uniforms were fairly accepted amongst the Orange community. Nike may not have created a uniform that appealed a broad cross-section of Orange Nation, but it at least put together a reasonable effort.

Now, a mere 24 months later, Nike has set its all-encompassing marketing eyes on the storied tradition that is Syracuse basketball. Instead of merely making mild alterations to some of the classiest uniforms in all of college basketball, Nike has decided to outfit the Orange in apparel that is better suited for George Orwell's 1984 than Madison Square Garden's hallowed hardwood.

The issue with Nike's effort lies not with its attempt to create a uniform that better promotes athletic performance. Such as goal should actually be pursued by every athletic company. The issue, rather, is the means Nike chose to achieve its desired ends.

The obvious point of emphasis is the dichotomy between Nike's form fitting top and the clamdiggers that are posing as basketball trunks. With respect to the latter, I am unsure how free-flowing shorts are expected to promote athletic performance. With shorts that baggy, it seems as if the extra apparel would actually impede the ability to achieve desired performance rather than promote such goals.

In short, there is probably a reason that Jim Boeheim has not allowed his team to wear pajamas to practice. The same principle should apply to gameday attire.

With respect to the former end of the dichotomy lies the bottomless hilarity that is a form fitting top. Equal part "Space age cyborg muscle shirt" and "Let's go run the 100-meter dash in 10.0 seconds," Nike has not only crafted a tank top that questions its proper place in the sports and human universe, but has also created the impetus for endless conversations starting with the phrase, "Andy Rautins has the torso of a 15 year-old girl."

The biggest problem with the uniforms, however, is the utter lack of Syracuse blue. Embodying black, white, orange, and some weird combination of silver and light blue, the uniforms are devoid of the University's official complimentary color. At best, such an oversight smacks of marketing trumping tradition. At worst, the design team at Nike is colorblind, thus affirming the world's opinion that "Yes, those Oregon Ducks football uniforms must have been in error."

On a bright note, the new uniforms do hearken back to a somewhat forgotten era of Syracuse basketball. Back in the late 1970s when Jim Boeheim was running his charges up and down the floor in front of the Manley Zoo, Syracuse sported a series of checkered stripes along the seam of its jersey and shorts. As the above illustration indicates, Nike has co-opted the "Louie and Bouie" look and applied it to the new Orange outfits. Thus, while the checkered stripes look out of place on the Syracuse uniform, they are actually a callback to the foundation of the Jim Boeheim era.

Overall, Nike's "System of Dress" deserves not only a failing grade, but probably should be admonished by an act of Congress or a misguided jihadist in a grainy video aired on a forgettable Arab cable television network. Syracuse has had a hard enough time winning in its classic uniforms this season; adorning Demetris Nichols and Company in radically different apparel is probably not the remedy that Syracuse needs to cure its ills.

UPDATE: High resolution photographs of the Syracuse uniforms can be accessed here (home white) and here (road orange).

Nike to Syracuse: "The Color Orange Isn't Ugly Enough" originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East PowerPoll: Watching Georgetown

Charles Rich — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:58:00 EST

Fun factoid, that Hoya fans will be letting you know this week. Georgetown has never lost the Big East Tournament (BET) as the #1 seed. This will be the final full Big East PowerPoll. With the last four teams not going to Madison Square Garden, saying anything more about them and how bad they are would simply be piling on.

Here's last week's PowerPoll if you feel like comparing. There wasn't a lot of change. Pitt dropped another spot, and Villanova moved up one.

Georgetown -- After an 11 game winning streak, culminating in beating Pitt on CBS, some let-down was expected. Especially going to a desperate bubble-team on Senior night with only one day off.
Louisville -- Now on a six game winning streak, playing their best basketball, and just looking like a very confident Ric Pitino team.
ND -- Anyone else realize they have won 5 straight and 7 off their last 9? They even won a couple road games (yes it was Rutgers and Cinci, but you have to start somewhere).
Pitt -- On the one hand they are 3-3 in their last 6 games. On the other, the losses are to Louisville, at Georgetown and at Marquette -- not exactly "bad" losses. Still their perimeter shooting has really slipped.
Marquette -- They have won 2 of their last 3, but only 2-4 in the last 6. They've become a bit unpredictable in what kind of performance they will give.
Villanova -- Scottie Reynolds has actually managed to raise his game as the Wildcats have won 3 straight. Reynolds has scored 87 points in those games.
Syracuse -- That Georgetown game put them on the right side of the bubble and capped a 5-game winning streak. The loss to Villanova, though, kept them on the bubble.
DePaul -- They've won 5 of 6, but buried themselves too early in the season with their inconsistency, not to mention 3 of those wins came against USF and Cinci.
WVU -- 4-4 since February. There's a reason they're on the bubble, even with beating UCLA.
Providence -- 8-8 in the Big East. Never lost more than 2 in a row. Never won more than 2 in a row in the conference. That about sums them up this year.
St. John's -- It's always scary in the BET to have to play St. John's in the Garden. If Lamont Hamilton and his hyper-extended knee aren't able to play, not so much.
UConn -- They've lost 4 of 5, and why in the world is Hasheem Thabeet even being considered as an NBA draft choice? Oh, yeah. He's 7'3". He could be great someday for the second NBA team that gets him.
Seton Hall -- The Hall lost 7 of 8 to end the season. Coach Bobby Gonzalez better win quickly, because he's not exactly the most charming guy.
South Florida -- 3 conference wins, is actually a big step forward since they won only 1 last year. Someday they may actually be healthy in conference play. And someday they may win a conference road game.
Rutgers -- Year one of the latest Rutgers rebuilding job went as expected when there isn't much offense. Poorly.
Cincinnati -- At least they get a headstart on most of the other teams in recruiting. They need it.

Here's the full Big East Bloggers PowerPoll. They left Pitt at #3 and flip-flopped DePaul and WVU. Otherwise, things are rather stable.

Big East PowerPoll: Watching Georgetown originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorting Out the Big East Tourney

Charles Rich — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: Georgetown Basketball, Pittsburgh Basketball, Connecticut Basketball, Marquette Basketball, Louisville Basketball, Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, West Virginia Basketball, DePaul Basketball, Notre Dame Basketball, Big East Basketball, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia

Well, the Big East games today provided a mild surprise as St. John's upset Providence. That "cost" Providence the #8 seed in the Big East Tournament. If they had won, they would have faced DePaul in the opening round and then having to face Georgetown. Instead they fall to a #10 seed to face WVU, and if they advance it means facing Louisville. It also moved St. John's to the #11 seed instead of #12.

Louisville was briefly challenged by Seton Hall, but prevailed and ties Pitt for 2nd in the Big East with a 12-4 record. Since Louisville beat Pitt in their only head-to-head meeting, they win the tie-breaker for seeding in the Big East Tournament.

Here's the Big East Tournament Schedule.

Wednesday, March 7 (opening round):

#8 DePaul vs. #9 Villanova, 12pm

#5 Syracuse vs. #12 UConn, 2pm

------------------------------------------------------------

#7 West Virginia vs. #10 Providence, 7pm

#6 Marquette vs. #11 St. John's, 9pm

Thursday, March 8 (quarterfinals):

#8/#9 vs. #1 Georgetown, 12 pm

#5/#12 vs. #4 Notre Dame, 2pm

----------------------------------------------------------

#7/#10 vs. #2 Louisville, 7pm

#6/#11 vs. #3 Pitt, 9pm

Friday, March 9 (semifinals):

#8/#9/#1 vs. #5/#12/#4, 7pm

#7/#10/#2 vs. #6/#11/#3, 9pm

Saturday, March 10, 8 pm, Big East Tournament Championship Game:

#1/#4/#5/#8/#9/#12

vs.

#2/#3/#6/#7/#10/#11

Sorting Out the Big East Tourney originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 04 Mar 2007 17:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syracuse Shouldn't Assume

Charles Rich — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:38:00 EST

Filed under: Villanova Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse

After the Syracuse victory over Georgetown on Monday, everybody fell over themselves to declare that Syracuse was now in the Tournament. I pointed out that they still need to avoid screwing up in the opening round of the Big East Tournament, to be safe. After the loss to Villanova this afternoon, that is even more important than before. Now, I'm not looking to get in a fight with Jim Boeheim, and I definitely am not looking to be compared to Doug Gottlieb (but he was rather accurate in describing Devendorf), but Syracuse is still somewhere around the bubble depending on what they in the Big East Tournament.

It's not that this was a bad loss. They lost 78-75 on the road to a team that has won 7 of 9. A Villanova team with an RPI of #19 and has beaten Georgetown, Oklahoma and Texas. The win for either team today essentially assured that they would not have to worry about making the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in the opening round of the Big East Tournament. That's very good news for Villanova as they will likely face the unpredictable DePaul team.

For Syracuse, things are actually a bit unnerving. Despite being the highest seeded team without a bye in the Big East, they will be facing UConn or St. John's on Wednesday. Those are two teams they have split against this season. They can't afford to lose that opening round game.

They are only 6-4 in their last 10 games -- despite winning 5 of their last 6 -- and the Syracuse RPI is precariously placed at #49. Beating Georgetown was big, and they have a nice looking conference record at 10-6. The thing with the unbalanced conference schedule, the Orange are only 5-4 against teams with .500 or better records in the Big East

Syracuse Shouldn't Assume originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgetown Finally Loses and Syracuse Gets the Big Win

Charles Rich — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:22:00 EST

Filed under: Georgetown Basketball, Syracuse Basketball, Big East Basketball, Syracuse

An 11 game winning streak comes to a crashing end in Syracuse as Georgetown goes down hard to the Orange 72-58. A quick superficial view is that the mix of Syracuse desperation of needing a win, senior night -- Demetris Nichols, Norm Roberts and Darryl Watkins having their final game at the Carrier Dome -- and Georgetown having a letdown after beating Pitt on Saturday. Actually that sounds like a pretty good explanation.

Well, it's safe to say those were contributing factors. Syracuse came out a little too hyped up and missed a bunch of shots, but Georgetown was sloppy with the ball. Then Syracuse settled down and really gave one of their best defensive efforts of the season. As they got stops, they started converting. Georgetown also settled down and the game stayed tight.

Georgetown's Roy Hibbert got in early foul trouble to help free things up for Syracuse in the first half. Hibbert sat for the final 9 minutes of the first half, and Syracuse was able to go from down by 5 to up by 3 at the half.

In the second half, Georgetown went completely cold. They shot 6-30 in the second half, as for the first time in over a month, the Hoyas got flustered and frustrated by the Syracuse 2-3 zone. They rushed shots and continued to be sloppy with the ball. They had 19 turnovers in the game and started launching 3s -- to no avail. Jeff Green and the other guards never found room to penetrate, and their passes were not crisp, making it hard to get the ball to Hibbert. Green did what he could with his shot not falling (3-13, 9 points) by grabbing 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. He did, though, also have 4 turnovers.

The Hoyas, on the whole, shot under 30% for the game. An unbelievable defensive effort by Syracuse against the most efficient offense in the country.

Demetris Nichols of Syracuse came up big in the second half to help remind everyone why he is one of the top candidates for Big East Player of the Year. He came up with 22 points. Andy Rautins continued a transformation from legacy-disappointment to big shot guy. He provided key 3s in the game. Darryl Watkins was highly efficient (4-4), just don't ask him to shoot free throws.

The win for Syracuse is their biggest win of the season and likely moves them to the right side of the bubble. They move to 10-5 in the Big East and will see their RPI go up significantly. As long as they don't absolutely crap the bed in the opening round of the Big East Tournament, they should be in good shape.

Georgetown Finally Loses and Syracuse Gets the Big Win originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East Power Poll: Hello, Georgetown

Charles Rich — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:46:00 EST

[This poll was completed before tonight's action.]

Well, last week I put G-town at the top of the power poll. The majority of Big East bloggers stayed with Pitt. The Hoyas vindicated me (dammit, I wanted to be wrong).

Georgetown -- Now, maybe people will notice Jeff Green.
Louisville -- UConn and Marquette showed they can be susceptible to teams that have guards that penetrate, but then again they still won both games.
Pitt -- It's hard to decide which is more worrisome, Aaron Gray's left ankle or the team's collective shooting slump.
Notre Dame -- I have to admit to being surprised by their resiliency. I thought they would fold after losing two straight on the road to USF and DePaul.
Marquette -- Dominic James has gotten more inconsistent. They are still a scary team, but you just don't know how they are going to play.
Syracuse -- Not bad, not particularly good. One of the ultimate bubble teams.
Villanova -- I really wonder if they have enough depth. Scottie Reynolds has looked gassed by the second half of recent games.
Providence -- Even with the graduation of Herbert Hill, they suddenly have a bright future.
WVU -- Losing to Providence was not good for the post-season hopes. They are the poster-child for why the 3-point line needs to be moved back.
DePaul -- Even with the unbalanced conference schedule giving them a number of easy games, they weren't that impressive.
UConn -- Well, Dyson and Adrien never quit on the season.
St. John's -- Just trying to hang-on to make the Big East Tournament.
Seton Hall -- Still trying to make the BET. If they can get some depth, they will be much better next year.
USF -- They really remind me of Virginia Tech when they first came into the Big East. Still looking for a conference road win.
Rutgers -- They've scored less than 60 in half of their games this year. 50 or less in seven games.
Cinci -- The Big East is not the friendliest conference to have to rebuild.

The full Big East Bloggers poll is here. They don't completely agree with my order.

Big East Power Poll: Hello, Georgetown originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big East Bubble Report: Just a Few Left

Charles Rich — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:59:00 EST

Obviously Cinci, Rutgers, South Florida and Seton Hall have been done for a while. So, there's no pretending they have a chance. They aren't even heading to the Big East Tournament

Playing for Seed:

Georgetown: With 11 straight wins, including beating Louisville, Marquette, Pitt and ND the Hoyas are the best team in the Big East right now. They are positioned at the moment to grab a #3 seed or possibly a #2.

Pitt: Could very well end the season losing 3 of their last 6 and their star player hobbling. On the plus side, they played a difficult non-con and have an RPI in the single digits. They have been in expected to be a 2 or 3 seed all season, but depending on Gray and how they do in the Big East Tournament, they could be a #4 seed.

Louisville: If Georgetown is the hottest team in the Big East, the Cardinals are a close second. In just a couple weeks they have gone from the wrong side of the bubble to a possible #5 seed. And that's before what could happen in the Big East Tournament.

Marquette: Losing 4 of 5 will kill seeding. Plummeting from a possible 2 seed and a popular "darkhorse" for a deep Tourney run, to around a #6 seed and a lot of questions.

Notre Dame: At the beginning of the month, the Fighting Irish had put themselves on the bubble with losses at South Florida and DePaul. Now they are at least a #7 seed. Their lack of quality road wins -- other than Maryland and maybe Syracuse -- and a poor non-con SOS; will hurt their seeding without a good run at the Big East Tournament.

On the Right Side of the Bubble:

Villanova: Played one of the tougher non-cons and have the good wins at Oklahoma, at Iowa, and Texas. In the conference they've beaten Louisville, Georgetown and Notre Dame. They really just need to finish the season at 8-8 and they will be in the tournament.

Solidly on the Bubble:

Syracuse: RPI #53, Non-con SOS 115, 8-7 versus RPI top-100 and 6-4 in last 10 games. Good wins: at Marquette, Villanova. Bad loss: at St. John's. An almost non-descript resume. Nothing particularly good or bad. They've mostly beaten the teams they should and lost to the teams you would expect. They have a chance to really help themselves with the last two games at Georgetown and Villanova. If they don't win at least one of those, they won't be getting to the NCAA without at least 3 wins in the Big East Tournament.

West Virginia: RPI #55, Non-con SOS 281, 4-6 versus RPI top-100 and 6-4 in last 10 games. Good wins: UCLA, Villanova. Bad loss: at Cinci. Even with playing and beating UCLA, their non-con was so weak that it drags them down. They need to beat Pitt on Tuesday or they will need a deep run in the Big East Tournament to show they can win a game outside of the Coliseum against a quality opponent.

Off the Bubble:

Providence: Their loss to Syracuse on Saturday took them off the bubble. They had no room for error and their RPI fell to #70. Their last two games won't help at South Florida and St. John's. Only 5-5 in their last 10 games. Good win: Marquette. Bad losses: Brown and Seton Hall. Just not enough.

DePaul: Like so many other teams this year, great at home and far less on the road. RPI of #59. Good wins: Kansas, at Villanova, Notre Dame and Marquette. Bad losses: at Northwestern, at UAB and at St. John's. The Blue Demons went 6-9 versus the RPI top-100 and are only 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Only by Winning the Big East Tournament:

UConn: Sure it's possible they could beat Villanova and then go to DC and get Georgetown. They are, however, 0-4 against the RPI top-50 and 3-10 versus the RPI top-100. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and their RPI is down in the 90s.

St. John's: Yeah, right

Big East Bubble Report: Just a Few Left originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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