I say Yes! Why was it? Was this the best draft class ever? Was it because the Bears got some of the top free agents? How about USC being suspended from post season play? All good reasons to think it was a good offseason, but no. There has not been a lull in sports since the final seconds ticked off the Saints Super Bowl win over the Colts. Think about it, the Super Bowl was played on February 7th, 2010. Let’s take a look at what’s happened since then.
Just five days after the Super Bowl the Winter Olympics began. The Olympics started February 12th and went all the way through the month of February (normally the most boring sports month of the year). Even if you don’t normally get caught up in the Olympics, it was hard not to follow the USA hockey team on it’s way to the Silver Medal. It was even harder to avoid Olympic hockey if you were a Blackhawks fan who send 6 players, all of whom played in the Gold or Bronze medal games. The USA set the record for medals in a Winter games while their neighbors to the north took home the most Gold Medals in a good showing for the host nation.
The title game of the NCAA Tournament tonight was, no question, a fitting end to what has been an unbelievably good three weeks of college basketball. I can't remember a better tournament, overall, and that would have still been the case even if Duke had won in a walk. But how classic would it have been if Gordon Heyward had hit his Evan Turner-esque prayer at the buzzer? He certainly got a good look at it.
This was because The Big 'Stache, Butler's Matt Howard, absolutely laid out a Dookie at halfcourt with a wicked pick on Jon Scheyer to get his teammate clear. Then Heyward nailed the trajectory, hit glass, and BAM - off front rim, no good. Literally two inches less bounce, and you're looking at one of the biggest upsets in tourney history, for a small school playing in their own backyard, with tens of thousands of fans in attendance.
If that shot had gone in, it wouldn't just have been the best shot of the NCAA tourney. Nor, even, of the year in college basketball (Ohio State's Turner gets to hold on to that honor for his prayer against Michigan, unless you think Ali Farokhmanesh's double order of onions was slightly better) -- No, Heyward's shot would have been the greatest in college basketball history.
Maybe in basketball history, period. Who could top it in the NBA? Michael Jordan, maybe, but none of his buzzer beaters were from forty feet out!
Think about it. Butler, a 5 seed, the classic David despite their sterling play, versus the most hated team in basketball. A nailbiter of a game. Heyward didn't even get to catch the ball off an inbounds pass!
No, he had to drive the length of the court through a capable Duke defense and fire away on two dribbles AFTER snagging the rebound off an intentionally missed free throw (no easy feat in itself).
It's honestly too bad he was even in the position to have to throw up a half court shot. On Butler's next-to-last possession, Brian Zoubek's 7'1" frame forced Heyward into a desperate fadeaway. Honestly, I thought he got a better look at his game ender than he did on that shot.
It's a little early to criticize Butler for that play, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway. They played such a great game, and coach Brad Stevens handled Duke so well, that it was a HUGE disappointment to see their last play -- to win a national title, no less -- turn into a frantic halfway drive and foiled shot with six seconds still to go.
With Zoubek having four fouls, I can't see how you don't drive straight to the hole and try for the old fashioned three point play.
Then again, hindsight is 20/20.
I'll just say this. That was one of the finest college basketball games I've seen in a long time. When you combine it with other epics such as Xavier-Kansas State, or Northern Iowa-Kansas, or Maryland-Michigan State, I think there is a clear case for the 2010 edition of March Madness as the finest ever.
Think about this. Almost every single matchup in the Sweet Sixteen is primed for an upset today and tomorrow. Here's how I'd rank the probability of it actually happening:
1. (5) Butler over (1) Syracuse*game in progress
So far, Butler is managing to dictate the pace of the game. If they can keep forcing turnovers, which they've been great at all year, and maybe make a few threes, this is really Butler's game to lose against a Syracuse squad that may really start missing Arinze Onoaku in an hour or so.
2. (6) Xavier over (2) Kansas State
Jordan Crawford has been one of the best players in the tourney all year, and his teammates are playing great, too. Xavier was arguably underseeded as a six. However, K-State has looked tough and clutch, with quality guard play and guys willing to do the dirty work. Plus, Frank Martin is a psycho. Should be a great game.
3. (11) Washington over (2) West Virginia*game in progress
Washington is one of the hottest teams in the field, as Quincy Pontdexter is rock solid (18 points in each of first two) and the Huskies simply owned a quality New Mexico team to advance. However, Da'Sean Butler doesn't look like he's quite done yet. Still, the Mountaineers lost their starting point guard to injury and backup Joe Mazzulla has a tough assignment in UDub's Isiah Thomas.
4. (9) Northern Iowa over (5) Michigan State
Tom Izzo compared his Spartans to "a M.A.S.H. unit" this week. Kalin Lucas is gone. Chris Allen has been hurt. Delvon Roe, too. How much did the epic battle against Maryland take out of the surviving State players? On the other hand, the UNI fairy tale has to end sometime. Against a parade of major conference opponents, Faroukhmanesh and Co. have got to stumble somewhere, right?
5. (4) Purdue over (1) Duke
Given how much I dislike these two programs, it's hard to for me to evaluate this game fairly. I'll just say, for the first and last time in my life, Go Boilers! 6. (12) Cornell over (1) Kentucky
Like Butler, Cornell is a lower seed that has a shot if it can dictate the pace. Lots of veterans and good shooters mean the Big Red should be able to keep pace with the torrid Wildcats. If it comes down to a late game close one, Cornell has a good shot. If not, Kentucky could win by thirty. Again.
7. (6) Tennessee over (2) Ohio State
This ought to be a great matchup. I don't know that Tennessee has enough on the outside to guard all of Ohio State's gunners. But if the Bucks go cold, it could be a slugfest.
8. (10) St. Mary's over (3) Baylor
Baylor's wealth of bigs should provide an answer to the Gael's Omar Samhan. The only way St. Mary's wins is if they shoot lights out. Baylor is much better than Villanova was, and I just don't see this happening. Which, of course, means it probably will.
All good reasons to think it was a good offseason, but no. There has not been a lull in sports since the final seconds ticked off the Saints Super Bowl win over the Colts. Think about it, the Super Bowl was played on February 7th, 2010. Let’s take a look at what’s happened since then.
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