Weekend Watch (03/06/09)

First off I know I know I know. I keep promising to put up a big new article and I keep not doing it. I have it done, I just need to give it the final look over. The piece requires that it be done more professional then my typical writing style. My apologies. I promise it will be up Saturday around mid day.

On to the weekend watch!

All Weekend (Heck all next week too): Conference Tournaments.

I debated about putting this in separate for each day but I thought about it. I have no idea which conference tournament games I am going to watch. That’s the great thing about March; you can just flip around and find exciting games everywhere even if you have no connection to the teams. I will try and catch most of the Horizon and MVC games this weekend.

Who I want to Win:
Horizon: VALPO
MVC: Southern Illinois University

Who I think will Win:
Horizon: Butler
MVC: Creighton



Friday

Milwaukee at Chicago Bulls: 8:30 ET CSN

Chicago welcomes back former coach (who they are still paying by the way) back to the United Center. The Bulls are currently trailing the Bucks by 1 game in the win column but have 1 fewer loss as these two teams are fighting for the last spot of the playoffs. A win tonight for either team could be the deciding factor of who wins the right to get dominated by the Celtic or the LeBrons

Cleveland Cavs @ Boston Celtics: 8 ET ESPN

Look my Cleveland bet is already paying off! There is no way I would care about this game without placing that bet on Cleveland. (Why, NBA regular season is dumb. 82 games that doesn’t even eliminate half the teams is dumb) If Cleveland wins they will be two games up in the race for the one seed in the East, and they have only lost 1 time in Cleveland this year. So go LeBrons

Who I want to Win: The LeBrons
Who I think will Win: Celtics


World Baseball Classic: 10:30 ET ESPN2

Not too much competing for my interest tonight so yeah I’ll probably tune in to watch the WBC. I do always enjoy events with nations competing against each other (See Moment 7) so I will not watch the WBC religiously, but I will probably watch my fair share of it and most of the semifinals and championship games.



Saturday

College Gameday: 11 ET ESPN

I know I know I sound like a broken record. But I still plan on watching College Gameday. Live from Morgantown West Virginia this week for the #6 Louisville at West Virginia game.

My question is why are they in West Virginia and not Pittsburgh? I mean I understand they have this big show put together where the sit on the arena floor while students fill into the stands and the marching band plays. The Pitt game is at 12 ET so sitting on the floor is probably out of the question, but that shouldn’t be the reason not to do that game. I also understand ESPN wants to hype it’s own product, “ville @ WVU on ESPN while UConn @ Pitt is CBS. But Gameday for football (most the time) goes to what they feel is the biggest game of the week regardless of start time and station. Why couldn’t the basketball guys set up in a lobby or even outside for this game. The shows only an hour they can bring heaters. This is a terrible decision by ESPN trying to hype up there own product

#1 UConn @ #4 Pitt: 12 ET CBS

The revolving door of #1 teams continues (remember earlier in the year when people were predicting UNC to go undefeated) with UConn back on top (and on top of Women’s as well). The Zoo will being going nuts for this show down which could make it tough for UConn to come in and win. It should be a good slug it out game.

Who I want to Win: Pittsburgh
Who I think will Win: With the Zoo going nuts Pittsburgh in a close one.


Sunday

#20 Purdue @ #8 Michigan State 12 ET CBS

Purdue has been so up and down this season it’s hard to tell which team will show up week to week. A lot of people have been saying these two teams won’t do well in the tournament, but I actually think these two teams are Elite Eight material if not better then that. They game will probably be boring to Pac-10 or ACC fans. But both teams play solid Defense even if there scoring comes and goes.

Who I want to Win: Michigan State
Who I think will Win: Michigan State

#7 Duke at #2 North Carolina: 4 ET CBS

The ESPN chip in my brain is telling me I have to watch it or I will die. I think I’m going to risk death.

Who I want to Win: UNC
Who I think will Win: UNC



#19 Clemson @ #10 Wake Forest: 6 ET CBS

This is why I love March. In the start of this column I said I was going to watch a whole bunch of college conference tournament games; and then through the rest of the column I just talk about other CBB I’m going to watch on top of it. I’ll say it again I LOVE MARCH.

Who I want to Win: Clemson
Who I think will Win: Wake Forest


Indiana at Wisconsin: 7 ET BTN

Well in less a miracle happens this will be the last time Indiana will play on a weekend this season. It’s been a rough one for the Hoosier faithful but it’s almost over.
Who I want to Win: IU
Who I think will Win: Wisconsin