Some thoughts about today's action and bracket selections as we start a new era in March Madness.
---CBS' new graphic package looks like TNT's. Why do that? At least they didn't ditch the classic theme song, but put a new variation on it (like they did in 2004).
---VCU was savaged by the ESPN crew, along with UAB. To their credit, they got VCU coach Shaka Smart on the air a few minutes ago and, as expected, Smart was extremely classy in the interview. I did not expect VCU to make it, but am glad they did.
---The BIGGER story, to me, is how weak the Selection Committee viewed the ACC this year. As soon as I saw Florida State, who finished THIRD in the conference, as a #10 seed, I knew Virginia Tech was toast, and posted as much on Facebook. This year, Tech can blame themselves for two BAD losses in the final week of the season (especially at home to Boston College), but also the whole ACC, which is as bad as I've ever seen it, and I've been watching since 1973-74....
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My picks? I'll post them before Tuesday's new "First Round". That'll take some time talking about the "third round" this coming weekend.....
ESPN's PICKS? (champ in BOLD)----
JAY BILAS: Syracuse, Connecticut, Kansas, Pittsburgh
DIGGER PHELPS: Ohio State, Duke, Kansas, Florida
HUBERT DAVIS: Ohio State, Texas, Kansas, Pittsburgh
DICK VITALE: Ohio State, Duke, Louisville, Pittsburgh
Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Live Blog on Selection Sunday.....after the announcement.....
Okay. First, sorry for the absence and glad to be back on the ol' blog.
It's Selection Sunday, and Baylor just got spot #65.
EAST: It's the UNC Invitational!! I really don't see anyone beating UNC when they don't even have to leave the state to play all four games. Tennessee and Louisville (seeds two and three) are both coming off conference tournament losses.
MIDWEST: What about KU? Rock Chalk Jayhawk?? Clemson has a chance to have something to say; Georgetown and Wisconsin should have switched positions. After all, the Badgers won their regular season AND conference tourney titles! Big Ten dissed.
SOUTH: Memphis has a gripe; their region is toughest. Michigan State, Pitt, Stanford, Texas are seeds 5 thru 2. Heck, Marquette is number 6!
WEST: UCLA owes the committee a thank you note. They're already in the Elite Eight. UConn? Ha. Drake? Nope. Duke? Not this year. There's no one in that bracket that will beat UCLA, so two of my Final Four picks are already mailed in.
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Two teams I think that SHOULD be going to the NIT but they're not:
Arizona (19-14)
Kentucky (18-12, only because they were 12-4 in the SEC playing all the weak sisters. Oh, and they LOST TO GARDNER-WEBB! Yes, with an RPI of #189.)
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Two teams that have EVERY RIGHT to be TICKED about not getting in:
Arizona State (19-12, lower RPI (83) but they SWEPT Arizona (RPI 37). Does head-to-head battle mean nothing??
Virginia Tech (19-13, WINNING record in the ACC, which is the NUMBER ONE ranked RPI conference, who BEAT Miami in the ACC Tournament and came within eight-tenths of a second from knocking off No. #1 North Carolina!)
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I want you to now look at the names of the teams Kentucky defeated to get their 18 wins.....
Central Arkansas, Liberty, Texas Southern, Stony Brook, Tennessee Tech, FIU, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida.
Two over Georgia, who meant nothing before their miracle ride this weekend. The BIG wins over Vanderbilt and Tennessee. That's all. Period. So, FOUR WINS over teams in the tourney.
NOW, the teams Virginia Tech defeated for their 19 wins.....
Elon, Eastern Washington, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Greensboro, George Washington, Liberty, Hofstra, St. Johns, Charleston Southern, Maryland, Virginia, Boston College, Florida State, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Wake Forest, Miami
Yep, just one win against a tourney team (Miami), but it was a convincing win. Two wins against a Maryland team who collapsed at season's end (nothing Tech) can do about that. One point loss to Clemson on the road, then the heartbreak to UNC. The loss to Richmond isn't that bad (it was at Richmond, who played surprisingly well this year in a tougher-than-expected Atlantic 10).
Virginia Tech from the ACC, the TOP ranked RPI Conference.
Kentucky from the SEC, the fourth ranked RPI Conference.
I think we know now that two losses by a combined three points in March on the road must be more damaging than losing to RPI Team 189 in November by 16 at home.
Biased? I'm sure I am. But I just can't believe Kentucky got in.
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And don't EVEN get me started about Arizona.
Now, as for the Commonwealth, it's George Mason. Our only standard bearer. Go GMU!!
More to come; I'm going to actually go digest some bracket matchups now. :)
It's Selection Sunday, and Baylor just got spot #65.
EAST: It's the UNC Invitational!! I really don't see anyone beating UNC when they don't even have to leave the state to play all four games. Tennessee and Louisville (seeds two and three) are both coming off conference tournament losses.
MIDWEST: What about KU? Rock Chalk Jayhawk?? Clemson has a chance to have something to say; Georgetown and Wisconsin should have switched positions. After all, the Badgers won their regular season AND conference tourney titles! Big Ten dissed.
SOUTH: Memphis has a gripe; their region is toughest. Michigan State, Pitt, Stanford, Texas are seeds 5 thru 2. Heck, Marquette is number 6!
WEST: UCLA owes the committee a thank you note. They're already in the Elite Eight. UConn? Ha. Drake? Nope. Duke? Not this year. There's no one in that bracket that will beat UCLA, so two of my Final Four picks are already mailed in.
---------------------------------------------
Two teams I think that SHOULD be going to the NIT but they're not:
Arizona (19-14)
Kentucky (18-12, only because they were 12-4 in the SEC playing all the weak sisters. Oh, and they LOST TO GARDNER-WEBB! Yes, with an RPI of #189.)
---------------------------------------------
Two teams that have EVERY RIGHT to be TICKED about not getting in:
Arizona State (19-12, lower RPI (83) but they SWEPT Arizona (RPI 37). Does head-to-head battle mean nothing??
Virginia Tech (19-13, WINNING record in the ACC, which is the NUMBER ONE ranked RPI conference, who BEAT Miami in the ACC Tournament and came within eight-tenths of a second from knocking off No. #1 North Carolina!)
---------------------------------------------
I want you to now look at the names of the teams Kentucky defeated to get their 18 wins.....
Central Arkansas, Liberty, Texas Southern, Stony Brook, Tennessee Tech, FIU, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida.
Two over Georgia, who meant nothing before their miracle ride this weekend. The BIG wins over Vanderbilt and Tennessee. That's all. Period. So, FOUR WINS over teams in the tourney.
NOW, the teams Virginia Tech defeated for their 19 wins.....
Elon, Eastern Washington, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Greensboro, George Washington, Liberty, Hofstra, St. Johns, Charleston Southern, Maryland, Virginia, Boston College, Florida State, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Wake Forest, Miami
Yep, just one win against a tourney team (Miami), but it was a convincing win. Two wins against a Maryland team who collapsed at season's end (nothing Tech) can do about that. One point loss to Clemson on the road, then the heartbreak to UNC. The loss to Richmond isn't that bad (it was at Richmond, who played surprisingly well this year in a tougher-than-expected Atlantic 10).
Virginia Tech from the ACC, the TOP ranked RPI Conference.
Kentucky from the SEC, the fourth ranked RPI Conference.
I think we know now that two losses by a combined three points in March on the road must be more damaging than losing to RPI Team 189 in November by 16 at home.
Biased? I'm sure I am. But I just can't believe Kentucky got in.
---------------------------------------
And don't EVEN get me started about Arizona.
Now, as for the Commonwealth, it's George Mason. Our only standard bearer. Go GMU!!
More to come; I'm going to actually go digest some bracket matchups now. :)
Friday, April 20, 2007
NBC, the news, Virginia Tech, what to show, what not to show.....
One of the many huge topics of conversation this week over the Virginia Tech tragedy is what NBC should have or should not have done with the package they received from the killer of 32 people.
There have been passionate responses to my posting the NBC Nightly News video Wednesday night. To quote my two faithful posters.....
kenju posted: "I don't think they should have put his video on the news. A copy of the written stuff should be made public, but putting the video on the news, where unsuspecting parents might have had children watching, was not a good idea. I watched part of it; it made me sick, and I don't want to see it again."
A great point concerning the fact that children could be exposed to this; I honestly hadn't thought about that.
Frank posted: "Quite typical of the main stream media is the opportunity to gain a few viewers by having something like what fell into NBC's lap. I think it appalling that they thought it necessary to use the material to start with. Being "edited" for broadcast was a bunch of _____ in my opinion. How do you edit out the horror and disdain that was in this package. The families, friends, and colleagues of the slain heros did not need reminding of this senseless event, and especially the ranting and raving of a crazed lunatic who had no soul."
Now to my two cents.....
1) I had no problem with the first decision by NBC News. Let's face it, had they given it to federal authorities, and washed their hands of it, people would be up in arms about why the public was not allowed to get the thoughts and messages of the perpetrator. Sorry, but the last thing this tragedy needs is breeding ground for conspiracy theories.
2) I do not regret posting the open minutes of Wednesday's NBC Nightly News. It had to be shown. Protect children from it? YES! Come to grips as a people that we live in a society with way too many of these type of people....maybe one living in your neighborhood.....YES. And, you don't have to watch the video for a long time to realize the basics of the horror, both of the evil and the demons, plus the severe psychological problems that were obviously there.
This is not "giving the killer his 15 minutes of fame"; but was necessary to help us better understand at least a few percentage points of the senselessness of the "reasoning" behind this crime.
And the words "freedom of speech" would have been decried in a huge way.
I'm sitting here with the TV on and saw a spot for a movie soon to open with Anthony Hopkins. I realized I see disturbing images on spots like that all the time, but we don't raise a finger to ask networks or ad agencies to stop doing it. To stop the desensitizing of all of us.
Now, YES, the focus in this case is on a real killer, not a Hollywood script. So while there are a much higher set of reality circumstances, it doesn't take too, too many steps to see similar "characters" in the (ha) "creative" media. And people flock to see it day after day, night after night.
3) After trying to watch the 11pm news Wednesday night, I turned the news off. Every channel showed the video at the top of their news, so the killer's face was on 20 different channels, all at once. This was a highly negative "equal and opposite" reaction to the action of releasing it to the public in the first place.
And after the news cycle had finished the morning shows the next day, it was time for the media to say, okay, point taken. Message used.
4) Many news organizations have stopped using it. Good move. If someone really wants to hear this guy, there's always YouTube, et al.
---------------------------------------------------
We had a time of remembrance and reflection at noon today at the office. My first time "speaking" since leaving the pastorate. It was, as it always is, an honor to be used.
The message I was happiest to convey was simply, life is fleeting, so cherish every moment, and tell the people you love that you love them. They can't hear you say that to them when they lie in a casket.
---------------------------------------------------
And the best news I saw today? The VT Band went to the hospital where Tech students are recovering and played outside, while students came to windows, with great smiles and appreciation.
There have been passionate responses to my posting the NBC Nightly News video Wednesday night. To quote my two faithful posters.....
kenju posted: "I don't think they should have put his video on the news. A copy of the written stuff should be made public, but putting the video on the news, where unsuspecting parents might have had children watching, was not a good idea. I watched part of it; it made me sick, and I don't want to see it again."
A great point concerning the fact that children could be exposed to this; I honestly hadn't thought about that.
Frank posted: "Quite typical of the main stream media is the opportunity to gain a few viewers by having something like what fell into NBC's lap. I think it appalling that they thought it necessary to use the material to start with. Being "edited" for broadcast was a bunch of _____ in my opinion. How do you edit out the horror and disdain that was in this package. The families, friends, and colleagues of the slain heros did not need reminding of this senseless event, and especially the ranting and raving of a crazed lunatic who had no soul."
Now to my two cents.....
1) I had no problem with the first decision by NBC News. Let's face it, had they given it to federal authorities, and washed their hands of it, people would be up in arms about why the public was not allowed to get the thoughts and messages of the perpetrator. Sorry, but the last thing this tragedy needs is breeding ground for conspiracy theories.
2) I do not regret posting the open minutes of Wednesday's NBC Nightly News. It had to be shown. Protect children from it? YES! Come to grips as a people that we live in a society with way too many of these type of people....maybe one living in your neighborhood.....YES. And, you don't have to watch the video for a long time to realize the basics of the horror, both of the evil and the demons, plus the severe psychological problems that were obviously there.
This is not "giving the killer his 15 minutes of fame"; but was necessary to help us better understand at least a few percentage points of the senselessness of the "reasoning" behind this crime.
And the words "freedom of speech" would have been decried in a huge way.
I'm sitting here with the TV on and saw a spot for a movie soon to open with Anthony Hopkins. I realized I see disturbing images on spots like that all the time, but we don't raise a finger to ask networks or ad agencies to stop doing it. To stop the desensitizing of all of us.
Now, YES, the focus in this case is on a real killer, not a Hollywood script. So while there are a much higher set of reality circumstances, it doesn't take too, too many steps to see similar "characters" in the (ha) "creative" media. And people flock to see it day after day, night after night.
3) After trying to watch the 11pm news Wednesday night, I turned the news off. Every channel showed the video at the top of their news, so the killer's face was on 20 different channels, all at once. This was a highly negative "equal and opposite" reaction to the action of releasing it to the public in the first place.
And after the news cycle had finished the morning shows the next day, it was time for the media to say, okay, point taken. Message used.
4) Many news organizations have stopped using it. Good move. If someone really wants to hear this guy, there's always YouTube, et al.
---------------------------------------------------
We had a time of remembrance and reflection at noon today at the office. My first time "speaking" since leaving the pastorate. It was, as it always is, an honor to be used.
The message I was happiest to convey was simply, life is fleeting, so cherish every moment, and tell the people you love that you love them. They can't hear you say that to them when they lie in a casket.
---------------------------------------------------
And the best news I saw today? The VT Band went to the hospital where Tech students are recovering and played outside, while students came to windows, with great smiles and appreciation.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Latest news on Virginia Tech to your right...
...I've changed the choice of headline words to the right, listing "Virginia Tech" as first. Click on it to get all the latest headlines on Virginia Tech via Google.
Horror.....
....that was the one-word headline in large, bold print on this morning's Times-Dispatch front page.
These things happen in Colorado, or California, or Texas....
...certainly not in, of all places, Blacksburg, Virginia.
I didn't make it to work Monday; meds and nerves took their toll after all that happened from Wednesday on. I got up at 1pm to go online and help out the ladies a bit when I saw a headline on my home page, "live coverage of shooting at Virginia Tech". I thought, what?
I turn on the TV and suddenly life felt surreal. At that time, 22 dead I believe was the report. At Tech? Why? What? How?
As I work here on the computer, I turn to my left and see the horror continue to unfold.
Some thoughts:
1) There will be much said about the shooter. Seems now they are getting at least a glimpse of his problems and some people at Tech had suspicions about him.
2) What should NOT be inferred is that "well, he took medication for depression, and so does my best friend at work, I guess he might go postal next!". That's bullcrap.
3) Va Tech police, et al, handled the situation AS WELL AS THEY COULD, given all the facts known. When is the last time your town or city announced a lockout everywhere within the town or city limits because there had been a domestic shooting? After three or four of those happenings, you don't believe them anymore. And THAT would be the ONE time all hell would break loose. They did the best they could. My only question is why there was not more of a pursuit for whoever was the perpetrator of that first shooting. Why did they think he'd gone out of state? That, I don't get.
4) Gun control. Here we go already. No funerals yet, and we're already fighting politically. Virginia is the 2nd "easiest state" to buy a gun, one report said. Funny, I don't remember hearing, "...a gun shot and killed 32 people before turning it on itself...". There was a human being involved.
---I was impressed by both Gov. Kaine and President Bush at the commencement today. Words of healing, reminder, and many thoughts of God.
Virginia Tech meant "Hokies", "Gobblers", "Michael Vick", "Frank Beamer", "Seth Greenberg", "Lane Stadium", bowl games, et al...to all of us around here....
....until early yesterday morning. Now, the term "Virginia Tech" never will mean the same.
FINALLY------I was INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED by the way students that were interviewed all over TV yesterday were composed, were mature, were just, I'm not how exactly to describe it but if I were Tech's President, I would be so proud of how the students of Virginia Tech tore down any notions of Tech being just "the home of the worst shooting in U.S. history", but of a University of young men and women who are shocked, who hurt, who will continue to hurt, but one day, by God's grace, this event will help them in some way to lead their families, their communities, and this nation.
And AS that happens, beginning with yesterday...I know for sure that no one who was killed yesterday died in vain.
I'm prouder to say, "I love the Hokies" today more than ever before.
These things happen in Colorado, or California, or Texas....
...certainly not in, of all places, Blacksburg, Virginia.
I didn't make it to work Monday; meds and nerves took their toll after all that happened from Wednesday on. I got up at 1pm to go online and help out the ladies a bit when I saw a headline on my home page, "live coverage of shooting at Virginia Tech". I thought, what?
I turn on the TV and suddenly life felt surreal. At that time, 22 dead I believe was the report. At Tech? Why? What? How?
As I work here on the computer, I turn to my left and see the horror continue to unfold.
Some thoughts:
1) There will be much said about the shooter. Seems now they are getting at least a glimpse of his problems and some people at Tech had suspicions about him.
2) What should NOT be inferred is that "well, he took medication for depression, and so does my best friend at work, I guess he might go postal next!". That's bullcrap.
3) Va Tech police, et al, handled the situation AS WELL AS THEY COULD, given all the facts known. When is the last time your town or city announced a lockout everywhere within the town or city limits because there had been a domestic shooting? After three or four of those happenings, you don't believe them anymore. And THAT would be the ONE time all hell would break loose. They did the best they could. My only question is why there was not more of a pursuit for whoever was the perpetrator of that first shooting. Why did they think he'd gone out of state? That, I don't get.
4) Gun control. Here we go already. No funerals yet, and we're already fighting politically. Virginia is the 2nd "easiest state" to buy a gun, one report said. Funny, I don't remember hearing, "...a gun shot and killed 32 people before turning it on itself...". There was a human being involved.
---I was impressed by both Gov. Kaine and President Bush at the commencement today. Words of healing, reminder, and many thoughts of God.
Virginia Tech meant "Hokies", "Gobblers", "Michael Vick", "Frank Beamer", "Seth Greenberg", "Lane Stadium", bowl games, et al...to all of us around here....
....until early yesterday morning. Now, the term "Virginia Tech" never will mean the same.
FINALLY------I was INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED by the way students that were interviewed all over TV yesterday were composed, were mature, were just, I'm not how exactly to describe it but if I were Tech's President, I would be so proud of how the students of Virginia Tech tore down any notions of Tech being just "the home of the worst shooting in U.S. history", but of a University of young men and women who are shocked, who hurt, who will continue to hurt, but one day, by God's grace, this event will help them in some way to lead their families, their communities, and this nation.
And AS that happens, beginning with yesterday...I know for sure that no one who was killed yesterday died in vain.
I'm prouder to say, "I love the Hokies" today more than ever before.
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