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Who’s The Best, Who’s The Greatest, Who’s The # 1 (Vol. II)

Friday, April 13th, 2012

By LeRoy McConnell III

The phrase “who is the best, the greatest, and the number one” has been a term used throughout my childhood.  The original “KCMAC” used that phrase for years.  He would tickle me as a child until I would give in and tell him he was the best, the greatest, and occasionally saying that MOM was number one.  To find out who was the turkey back then, “KCMAC” would pin me down and if I wanted off my back then I guess I would be the turkey.  Well in sports we have athletes who have demonstrated greatness, and athletes who may not have been so great.  So I think some recognition is in order.

WHO’S THE BEST?

Baylor Lady Bears

“The Best” so far goes to the Baylor Lady Bears basketball program who went an NCAA record 40-0.  Baylor started and finished the season ranked #1 in the country with the help of All-American Brittney Griner, who is the most dominant center women’s basketball has ever witnessed.  Oh, by the way, their starting five will be back to defend their title next year.  Congratulations to Coach Kim Mulkey and the Lady Bears for a magical season.

WHO’S THE GREATEST?

 

“The Greatest” goes to San Antonio Spurs, who for the second time this year has gone on a eleven game winning streak that suddenly ended Monday night against the Utah Jazz.  Their streak ended because coach Greg Popovich arrogantly gives Tim Duncan, Manu Ginoboli, and Tony Parker the day off.  I’m not sure if it was a wise thing to do considering they have the opportunity to get the number one seed in the Western Conference.  The loss placed the Spurs one game out of first behind the Oklahoma City Thunder with 11 games to go.  No one can really question the mind of Greg Popovich, who has been pushing the right buttons since 1999.  We must remember the last time there was a shortened season the Spurs were holding the Larry O’Brien trophy!

WHO IS THE #1

As if you really have to ask.  Who would of thought that a man named Bubba would be wearing the prestigious Masters’ green jacket!  Bubba Watson is his name, a man who last month squandered a 3-shot lead in the final round of the Doral by losing to Justin Rose by a shot.   This is a man that is self taught, never been coached, and was bold enough to go out there with a pink driver (dad died of throat cancer) to shoot a final round 68 to beat the likes of Mickelson, Westwood, and overcame Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden death playoff.  Bubba Watson has overcome ADHD to win his first major tournament.

Gobble, Gobble! 

Who does the Turkey of the Week go too?

I would have said the mouth of the Ozzie Guillen for his ill-advised comments he made about his admiration of Fidel Castro.  Of course he was  misinterpreted when he said “I love Fidel Castro.”  He basically said he admires Castro for staying alive/in power this long with everyone out to get him.  He must have forgotten he was in Miami where there is a strong Latin community.  Ozzie is the most defiant person in sports towards authority I have ever seen.  He makes Charles Barkley sound like a role model.  Ozzie being Ozzie, I guess that’s what Manny Ramirez would say.  I thought he was finished as a coach on that remark.  However he only got a 5-game suspension, which seems kind of light, especially when people were calling for his firing.  Either way this is probably far from being over with and if his comments affect butts in the seats, he’s a dead man walking anyway.

The true “Turkey” this time around has to be former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino!  Unfortunately he and his mistress was involved in a motorcycle accident on April 1, 2012.  That motorcycle was coach Petrino’s skeleton in the closet.  Yikes, Petrino is a married man and his mistress is engaged.  He was fired “with cause” because of misleading University of Arkansas about his accident.  His relationship with this woman, for whom he used athletic department funds to hire, was granted an unfair advantage, bypassing 159 other qualified applicants which was a conflict of interest.  He never informs his athletic director that he gave his mistress $20,000 in cash prior to hiring her.  Petrino’s April Fools joke is on him, as he will lose his multi-million dollar buy-out.  Now that’s a REAL TURKEY!

LeRoy McConnell III of “A Fan’s Point of View”, for War Room Sports

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2012 Final Four Preview

Saturday, March 31st, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

Well, one of the biggest sporting events in the world is now down to the Final Four teams, after beginning with 68.  As I sat at work and thought about it, we will watch four great teams from the top 4 power conferences in college hoops: Louisville (Big East), Kentucky (SEC), Kansas (Big 12), and Ohio State (Big Ten).  While in the past few years, we have seen some small schools make deep runs in the tourney, this year there weren’t as many upsets.  Honestly, I could see any of these four teams winning it all.  In college hoops, you only have to be the best team on that day, contrary to the NBA where it’s a seven-game series and the best team most likely finds a way to win.

I will preview each matchup and give my prediction, including the title game as well.  Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio on Saturdays from 10am-2pm as Chris Marshall and I give you four hours of sports radio in the rawest form.  ueradiolive.com Call in 267-519-1111

Robinson (L) & Sullinger (R)

2 Kansas (31-6) vs 2 Ohio State (31-7)

I’m really looking forward to this match-up.  There’s plenty of talent that will be on display, especially in the paint.  Naismith Player of the Year candidate and future top five NBA draft pick Thomas Robinson will face off against the Buckeyes’ Jared Sullinger, who isn’t a slouch his damn self.

Backcourt:

Kansas: The Jayhawks have a starting guard tandem of Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson and they are both explosive going to the rim, and they have the ability to hit the outside shot.  They are also great one-on-one defenders and expect Taylor to defend OSU’s Aaron Craft and Johnson to check William Buford.  Travis Releford, who is a good role player and a defensive specialist as well, should see some time checking Buford as well.  His 6’6′ frame could give him more problems than the 6’4′ Johnson.  Connor Teahan is a deadly spot up shooter who if left open can get hot.  Tyshawn Taylor played his best game of the NCAA Tourney against UNC in the Elite 8 game and he will need a similar performance in order for Kansas to advance to the title game.

Ohio State: Aaron Craft is the heart and sole of this Buckeye team, even as a sophomore.  He might not be the most talented player on the roster, but he is the leader.  Arguably the best perimeter defender in college hoops, Craft sets the tone for his team with hard-nosed play on both ends of the floor.  William Buford at times can look like a sure lottery pick with his smooth stroke on his outside shot and ability to score from the mid range as well.  He will be the wildcard as always for Ohio St.  The better he plays, the better chance the Buckeyes have of winning.  Lenzelle Smith Jr. was big against Syracuse and is a streaky shooter and plays a solid role for OSU.  Shannon Scott spells Aaron Craft at the point if he needs a break or gets in foul trouble.

Frontcourt:

Kansas: Thomas Robinson is a flat out stud, there’s no denying that.  He’s a legit candidate to win the player of the year award and a sure fire top 5 NBA pick.  He is a freak athlete, monster on the boards, and defends with the best of them.  He could give Sullinger problems on both ends of the court.  Jeff Withey is a defensive game changer with his shot blocking and shot changing ability and he is good on the boards as well.  Kevin Young is a rarely used freshman who will see key minutes if Robinson or Withey happen to get in foul trouble.

Ohio State: Forwards Jared Sullinger and Deshuan Thomas have been doing teams dirty in and outside of the paint.  Against Syracuse, Thomas was key playing at the foul line of the 2-3 zone of the Orange.  He was able to make the mid-range shot or make the right pass out for open threes or to Sullinger in the paint.  Sullinger had his way down low after spending much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble.  Sullinger has had problems with fouls in the past, but Amir Williams and Evan Ravenel have given Thad Matta solid minutes when called upon.

My Prediction: I really thought Kansas played its best game of the tourney and season against UNC last weekend, but the Tarheels were without Kendall Marshall and weren’t the same team.  Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson must have big games in order for the Jayhawks to win.  If Robinson or Withey gets into any sort of foul trouble, Kansas will be in trouble.

Ohio St. is great defensively, takes great care of the ball, and is getting points in the paint and from the outside.  Aaron Craft is that classic college point guard, similar to Mateen Cleaves in 2001, who can lead his team to the title.  As I’ve said in the past, William Buford and Deshaun Thomas will be the key to victory for the Buckeyes.  Jared Sullinger will draw plenty of attention and that will leave plenty of room for Buford and Thomas to operate.

OSU 68 Kansas 66

Siva (L) & Davis (R)

4 Louisville (30-9) vs. 1 Kentucky (36-2)

 Talk about rivalry!!!!  This in-state battle of the titans should be epic!  We have the future Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and his Big East Champion Cardinal team, vs John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats, loaded with at least six future NBA players.  This rivalry is so deep that two men in the hospital hooked to dialysis machines got into a fist-fight over the game.  But seriously, Kentucky is the big favorite, as Vegas has them a 9-point favorite.  This is college basketball though, the Wildcats have more talent overall, but all it takes is some foul trouble, turnovers, and then anything is possible.

Backcourt:

Louisville: Louisville is led by point guard Peyton Siva offensively.  At times he can be reckless and careless with the basketball, and other times he plays lights out.  He has been in foul trouble the last two games of the tourney and he cannot afford to be sitting on the bench against the Wildcats.  Chris and Russ Smith, along with Kyle Kuric are all experienced players and have the ability to make 3-point shots in big spots.  Expect to see Kuric draw the tough assignment of checking Kidd-Gilchrist throughout the game.  The guards are going to have to make outside shots and take care of the ball in order to get the win.  You don’t want to deal with Kentucky in the open court.

Kentucky: The play of point guard Marquis Teague has gotten better since the beginning of the season.  Kentucky really needs him to run the team, get players in the proper places, and not turn the ball over.  He is at his best when he’s getting in the lane and creating for others.  Doron Lamb is one of the most underrated players in college basketball.  He’s shooting a blistering 47% from behind the three point line and is clearly the team’s best outside shooter.  His high basketball IQ allows him to find open spots on the court to get shots off and he is crafty going to the hole, using the floater to score over the bigs in the paint.  Darius Miller, a holdover from the Billy Gillespie regime, brings senior leadership, shooting and defensive versatility to the table.  At 6’7′ he’s able to guard multiple positions on the wing and in the paint.

Frontcourt:

Louisville: The Cardinals are young but talented up in their frontcourt, as Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan have played big in the tourney.  Dieng, who’s just a sophomore, is active on both the offensive and defensive boards, and is a great shot blocker and changer.  Behanan at only 6’6′ carves out space in the post and has a variety of moves he uses to score over taller defenders.  He also has the ability to put it on the floor and go by bigger and slower defenders as well.  Jared Swopshire comes off the bench and gives Dieng and Behanan some rest when needed.

Kentucky: The Wildcats sport three first round draft picks on their frontline: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Terrence Jones.  Davis is the surefire top pick in the draft, Naismith Award winner and Defensive player of the year.  His ability to control the game defensively is the best I’ve seen in the college game since Alonzo Mourning.  He has Kevin Garnett-type potential at the next level and his offensive versatility is pretty damn good as well.

Kidd-Gilchrist is one of the most unselfish top-flight basketball players I’ve seen in my 25 years of watching.  He’s put his ego to the side and put the team first and he is the glue guy for Kentucky.  He’s their best perimeter defender, pounds the offensive glass, and takes it to the hole and finishes with the best of them.  He scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds against Louisville earlier this season.  Terrence Jones is the classic stretch four, nice outside jump shot and has the ability to score inside off of lobs and putbacks. Kyle Wiltjer is a spot up shooter who’s job is to stretch the defense and force teams out of the zone.

My Prediction: Louisville head coach Rick Pitino has been playing mind games all week when speaking to the media, trying to put all the pressure on the favorite Kentucky Wildcats.  Best believe Pitino will have a game plan designed to slow down Kentucky, it’s just going to be up to his players to execute.  Peyton Siva must value the ball, get in the paint and kick it out for open threes and get looks for Behanan and Dieng in order for the Cardinals to have a shot.

If Kentucky plays it’s best basketball, Louisville has no shot of winning this game.  Kentucky is one of the best defensive teams in the country and the fact that Calipari can get the top players in the country to come there and actually buy in, defend and play team ball is amazing.  The only weakness I see in this team is their depth, if they get in foul trouble it could change the tide of the game.  At times Davis has gotten in foul trouble during the season and they are a totally different team without him in the game.  But this is Kentucky’s year to get to the title game.

Kentucky 70 Louisville 59


I will release my Championship Game preview and prediction on Sunday via brandononsports.com, hiphopsince1987.com and warroomsports.com as well.

Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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Legend in the Making…

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

By Brandon McConnell

Who is the best college basketball player?  Some would say Anthony Davis.  Others would say it is Thomas Robinson.  I’m going to take it to a whole different direction.  This person plays on the only undefeated team still playing.  That would be Baylor’s Superstar center Brittney Griner. 

Before you guys start forming an opinion, let me hit you with some facts.  I’m going to compare her stats with the First Team All-American Men’s selections.

Thomas Robinson  17.9 ppg  11.8 rpg   1.9 apg

Anthony Davis      14.3 ppg  10.1 rpg   4.6 bpg

Draymond Green   16.1 ppg   10.4 rpg  3.6 apg

Jared Sullinger      17.6 ppg     9.3 rpg  1.2 apg

Doug McDermott  23.2 ppg   8.2 rpg  1.1 apg

Brittney Griner  23.4 PPG 9.4 RPG 5.2 BPG  
This player is in a league of her own.  When have you seen a player dominate the game like she has this year?  Her team, as of today, is 38-0.  That is what I call LEADING BY EXAMPLE.  She is a Naismith Player of the Year finalist and didn’t take the easy way by going to Tennessee or Connecticut.  She put the Baylor Women’s Team on the map and started her own legacy.  With the numbers she puts up, the NBA needs to start looking at her.  She can’t be any worse than the players picked from overseas that never come over here.  Everyone likes to talk about the men playing, but we really need to start appreciating this great player while she is still playing.  Just think, how often do you get to see a collegiate woman throw down a two hand dunk on another player. 

Enough Said!

 

Brandon McConnell of “Respect Da Game”, for War Room Sports

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What Happened to College Basketball?

Monday, March 26th, 2012

By Brandon McConnell

Growing up, I lived and breathed college basketball.  My earliest basketball memory was watching Keith Smart (above) hit the game-winner against Syracuse.  I remember when everyone was a Running Rebels fan.  Does anybody remember that “Fab 5” member that called the timeout against Carolina in the championship game, or number 32 for the Duke Blue Devils that hit the shot against Kentucky?  What memories do you have of the last 10 years of college basketball?  Absolutely nothing!

In the ’90’s, college basketball had great teams and great players to carry the sport.  Back then you actually watched the whole NBA draft to see your favorite player get picked.  Now we stop watching after the 5th pick.  The ’90’s were full of great college players like Larry Johnson, Christian Laettner, Chris Webber, and Glen “Big Dog” Robinson.  There were actually great teams of which you could remember the whole starting five.  You had the 1991 Duke Blue Devils, 1994 Arkansas Razorbacks, and the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats teams.  I could name you the starting five of all those teams.

So, what happened to the sport?  I actually had to Google who won the national championship last year.  Nobody is going to remember Kemba Walker or the other 4 players that played with him 10 years from now.  This year the media is predicting that Kentucky’s freshman center Anthony Davis will win the Naismith Player of the Year.  I checked his stats and found out he averages 14.3 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks per game.  Are you kidding me.  I’m going to give you the stats of some of the Naismith winners in the 1990’s.

1991 Larry Johnson  22.7 pts 10.9 rbs 3 ast
1992 Christian Laettner 21.5 pts 7.9 rbs 2 ast
1994 Glen Robinson 30.3 pts 10.1 rbs 1.9 ast
1996 Marcus Camby 20.5 pts 8.2 rbs 1.8 ast
1997 Tim Duncan 20.8pts 14.7 rbs 3.2 ast

What has happened to college basketball when a FRESHMAN who averages 14.3 points per game is our possible player of the year.  Nothing against Anthony Davis, but I have a problem with the lack of talent that is being produced in college.  We don’t even draft from college anymore.  The majority of the players drafted come from overseas.  Reminds me of our economy.  MESSAGE!  Let me know what you think and how can we improve the talent we produce in college basketball.

Brandon McConnell of “Respect Da Game”, for War Room Sports

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2012 NCAA Second Rd. Match-up: Syracuse vs. Kansas St. Features 3 Archbishop Carroll HS (DC) Teammates

Saturday, March 17th, 2012

By Aquil Bayyan

I  just wanted to take the time to talk about a story line in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region (Pittsburgh, PA). The second round match-up between (1) Syracuse Orange and (8) Kansas St. Wildcats has an interesting twist to it. Three starters for the teams actually went to the same high school in Washington, DC. That high school is, Archbishop Carroll High School, which plays in the extremely competitive WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference). Through the years Archbishop Carroll has produced the likes of John Thompson, Jr., George Leftwich, Tom Hoover, Edward “Monk” Malloy, Eddie Jordan, David Hawkins, and many other college and professional athletes in various sports. Kansas St. forward Jamar Samuels played with Kansas St. guard Rodney McGruder before he eventually transferred to a prep school. The year after Jamar Samuels transferred from Archbishop Carroll, Kris Joseph, who is a forward for Syracuse, came to Archbishop Carroll via Montreal, Canada and played with Rodney McGruder for two seasons. The three star players also played AAU together with the world renowned DC Assault AAU organization, which has produced numerous college and professional basketball players. All three players are very versatile, with the combination of fundamentals and athletic ability to play basketball at the next level. I have had the pleasure of being able to coach, train, and mentor these players while teaching and coaching at Archbishop Carroll. It has been great watching them develop into the players I knew they could become. Joseph and Samuels are seniors and McGruder is a junior. There is a chance we will see all three players playing in the NBA and if not they all have the ability to make good money playing overseas. Keep Working Hard and Good Luck Fellas!!!!!

Jamar Samuels with the Dunk, Rodney McGruder with the Jumper, and Kris Joseph with the Dunk!

Aquil Bayyan of The War Room, for War Room Sports

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2012 NCAA Tournament Preview and Predictions

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

The NCAA Tournament Bracket has been set and now it’s time for me to go through each region and pick who I believe will make it to the Final Four this year in New Orleans.  Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio every Saturday on ueradiolive.com from 10am-2pm, hosted by Chris Marshall (@215_sports_guy) and myself weekly.

Also join Sports Trap Radio’s first annual Bracket Challenge via Espn.com.  Join Sports Trap Radio’s 1st Annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Challenge!!!!!! http://t.co/2ZYrsvfE.  The Winner will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card!!!

Kentucky's Anthony Davis

South Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Kentucky  2. Duke  3. Baylor  4. Indiana

Preview and Prediction: This region is a very tough draw in my opinion.  Kentucky was obviously the #1 overall seed in the tournament and picked by the committee after having a great regular season beforing losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC championship.  Vandy exposed some of the weaknesses of the young but talented Kentucky team: Point Guard play and shooting.  The Commodores were able to slow down Kentucky by playing a great 2-3 zone, with man principles, which forced the Wildcats to take contested shots from the perimeter and cut down drives to the basket.

Duke is the two seed, but they are only real good when making three-point shots.  Their lack of a true point guard and inability to defend on the perimeter will be the reason why they only make it to the Sweet 16 if they can make it past 10 seed Xavier. 

Baylor is my sleeper team of this region.  They kind of fell off of the map after bad losses to Kansas and Mizzou during conference play.  They have as much talent and athletic ability as any team in the country.  When Perry Jones III comes to play, no one in the country can check this kid. 

I like the young talent on Indiana’s team.  Tom Crean has done a great job recruiting since taking over there.  Cody Zeller is talented but young.  If he comes back for another year, I see a deep tourney run for them.  Don’t sleep on the veteran #5 seed Wichita St either.  They shoot the ball well and have size in the paint. 

Upset predictions for this region: 11 Colorado over 6 UNLV and 10 Xavier over 7 Notre Dame

Regional Semis: 1 Kentucky over 5 Wichita St, 3 Baylor over 2 Duke

Regional Final: 3 Baylor over 1 Kentucky

Marquette's Jae Crowder

West Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Michigan St  2. Missouri  3. Marquette  4. Louisville

Preview and Predictions: Michigan St. is the one seed in the West Region after finishing the season 27-7 and winning the Big 10 conference tournament.  Their conference was arguably one of the top 2 in the country and the Spartans, led by Senior forward Draymond Green were damn good all season long.  A great defensive and rebounding team like most Tom Izzo coached teams, they still do have problems scoring points for stretches during games.  One bad shooting game could have them exiting this tourney early.

Mizzou is a guard-driven team, which fits well during this time of the year.  Pressey, Denmon, and English are all good shooters, with Pressey getting into the lane and dishing to his teammates for open looks.  Forward Ricardo Ratliffe is an undersized 4-man, who shot 69% from the field, mostly off of dunks, layups, and putbacks.  They could run into trouble against a bigger team who pounds the ball inside and doesn’t let the Tigers dictate the tempo of the game.

Marquette has been one of my favorite teams to watch all season.  I love Buzz Williams’ coaching ability and the way he motivates his players.  Led by seniors Darius Odom-Johnson (18.5 ppg, 45% FG, 40% 3pt) and Jae Crowder ( 17.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg), the Golden Eagles are a tough, hard nosed group of players.  I see them getting hot and making a deep run this year.

4 seed Louisville is solid.  I’m not that impressed by them, but my sleeper team for this bracket is the 8 seed Memphis.  This is a young, but talented group of players led by Will Barton, who at 6’6′ 175lbs manages to grab eight boards a game, while shooting 51% from the field, playing the wing.  If this teams gets hot, it can do some major damage.

Upset Predictions for this region: 12 Long Beach St. over 5 New Mexico, 11 Colorado St. over 6 Murray St, and 10 Virginia over 7 Florida

Regional Semis: 8 Memphis over 4 Louisville, 3 Marquette over 2 Mizzou

Regional Finals: 3 Marquette over 8 Memphis

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger

East Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Syracuse  2. Ohio St.  3. Florida St.  4. Wisconsin

Preview and Predictions: The face of this region changed when it was reported Tuesday that Syracuse Center and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Fab Melo was ineligible to play in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.  Yes the Orange are loaded.  They still have 10 other guys who can play, but Melo was what made their 2-3 zone work.  The style of play for this team will clearly change and I can see them playing a more fast paced game with Melo out of the lineup.  Dion Waiters went from off of NBA scouts’ radars to a possible late lottery/mid 1st round pick with the season he has had.  He needs a big tourney if the Cuse’ are going to win it all.

I love the competition in this region.  Ohio St. is very good this year, obviously led by Jared Sullinger, William Buford, and Aaron Craft.  They have one of the nation’s best defenses as well.  Head Coach Thad Matta has been getting the bench more experience since the season wound down and they will see more time than you expect. 

FSU won the ACC championship, beating Duke and UNC in consecutive days.  Leonard Hamilton has a team full of athletes with good size and length, to go along with shooters as well.  Hamilton’s calling card as a coach has always been defense and they are lethal defensively.  They have momentum and are set to make a deep run this year.

Wisconsin was given a 4 seed.  I think it was kind of high for them and was a gift for playing in a tough Big Ten conference.  The 5 seed Vanderbilt won the SEC and has a veteran team who is battle tested.  They can really shoot it, they defend well, and take care of the ball.  They have three guys who will play NBA ball in John Jenkins, Jeff Taylor, and Festus Ezeli…and in the tournament, talent shines.

Upset Predictions for this Region: 11 Texas over 6 Cincinnati and 10 West Virginia over 7 Gonzaga 

Regional Semis: 5 Vanderbilt over 1 Syracuse and 3 Florida St over 2 Ohio St.

Regional Final: 3 Florida St over 2 Ohio St.

UNC's Harrison Barnes

Midwest Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. UNC  2. Kansas  3. Georgetown  4. Michigan

Preview and Prediction: UNC is the one seed and clearly the cream of the crop of this bracket.  Forward John Henson sat out the ACC Championship game with an injured wrist and they ended up losing the game.  Henson is a game-changer defensively, with his ability to defend in the paint and on the perimeter.  But they still have Barnes, Zeller, and Marshall, and that’s more than enough for them to win it all. 

Kansas surprised me with the season they had after losing the Morris twins and Josh Selby from last year’s team.  The development of Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson, along with point guard Tyshawn Taylor has been epic.  They have led this team to a 27-6 record and Bill Self has done the best coaching job of his career.  He is my favorite for coach of the year.

Georgetown had a stellar season, finishing 23-8 and having one of the nation’s top defenses as far as field goal percentage and points per game.  They often go through stretches without being able to get points themselves and that could possibly be a problem.  Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson are who they rely on scoring-wise from the perimeter, while senior Henry Sims mans the mid-post and paint.

Michigan is the 4 seed, and can be deadly if they are making three-point shots.  Freshman Trey Burke brought a different look to the Wolverines with his ability to get in the lane and create for others and himself.  Tim Hardaway Jr. didn’t shoot as well during his sophomore season, but he has the capability to carry a team if he gets hot.

My Sleeper team is N.C. State.  They have gotten better as the season went on in the ACC and could really surprise teams in this bracket.  Sophomore C.J. Leslie has the ability to be a force defensively with his shot blocking and in transition finishing at the rim.  Mark Gottfried has really done a nice job in his first season as the Wolfpack coach.

Upset Prediction for this Region: 9 Alabama over 8 Creighton, 12 Cal or South Florida over 5 Temple, 11 N.C. State over 6 San Diego St. , and 14 Belmont over 3 Georgetown

Regional Semis: 1 UNC over 4 Michigan and 2 Kansas over 11 N.C. State

Regional Final: 1 UNC over 2 Kansas

Final Four: 1 UNC (Midwest) over 3 FSU (East) and 3 Baylor (South) over 3 Marquette (West)

National Championship: 1 UNC over 3 Baylor

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon On Sports & Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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College Hoops Top Ten Prospects

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

The College basketball season is heading towards March, one of my favorite sports times of the year and I’ve watched hundreds of games on TV and via my laptop. Here is my third version of “College Hoops Top Ten Pro Prospects” and there are plenty of changes since my last update: http://brandononsports.com/2012/01/11/my-top-ten-nba-prospects-in-college-basketball-updated-1-11-12/ .  Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio hosted by myself and Chris Marshall (@215_sports_guy) from 10am-2pm every Saturday from 10am-2pm on http://ueradiolive.com/ (@UeradioLive).

1. Anthony Davis PF/SF/C 6-10 220lbs Kentucky Fr. : Has jumped from 4th on my list to the clear cut #1 prospect in my opinion.  Davis is on his way to probably winning the Naismith Award, Defensive player of the year award, and being the number one pick in the 2012 draft.  This freshman is a game changer defensively, not only in the paint, but he’s able to cover ground and guard out on the perimeter as well.  His offensive game has gotten better since the beginning of the season, and look for a big NCAA tournament out of Davis.

2. Thomas Robinson PF/SF 6-8 240lbs Kansas Jr. : Has jumped to the 2nd spot in this month’s rankings.  Robinson is also a legit candidate for player of the year and while Kansas lost the Morris Twins, Selby, and Xavier Henry from last season’s roster, Robinson’s play has this team playing better with less overall talent.  I told people last year if he came out, I would pick him over all of the previous named above, and I was told I was nuts.  Well Robinson’s developing post game, 12-15 foot jump shot, rebounding, and defensive versatility has him locked in as a top 5 pick in 2012.

3. Harrison Barnes 6-8 220lbs SF North Carolina So. : Was previously number two on this list, Barnes drops to three this month.  As I’ve said before, he is probably one of the more safe picks in this draft, even though he’s just a sophomore.  Has the ablilty to score from mid range, 3-point range, the post, off picks and pull ups off of the dribble.  I would like to see him drive to the hoop more and get to the line more though.  Scouts are worried about his low rebounding and assist numbers, but I really haven’t put much value on them.  He has an NBA skill, the ability to put the ball in the basket at a high rate.

4.  Perry Jones III 6-11 235lbs PF/SF Baylor So. : Was the number one prospect previously, but his two disappearing acts over the last month against Kansas and once against Missouri has caused me to move him down on the list.  Jones III has all of the physical tools, along with skills and game to be the clear cut number one pick in this draft.  I don’t know why, but he appears mentally gone in big games during the season.  If I’m a GM, I have to take a look at that.  Mental make-up is just as important as physical talent and basketball skills.

5. Jared Sullinger PF/C 6-8 275lbs Ohio St. So. : Has come back after an All-American freshman year in which he could have been a sure top ten pick in better shape and it’s pretty obvious.  Sullinger has more endurance, quickness, and is getting up and down the court much better than he did as a freshman.  He’s become a better mid range shooter, even though he rarely needs to display the talent because he’s soo dominant in the paint in college.  Is a great rebounder on both ends and the weight loss has made him a better out of space rebounder as well.  He won’t be a superstar, but he will be a solid pro for the next ten years.

6. Andre Drummond C/PF 6-11 275lbs UConn Fr. : Is a legit big man, with freakish athleticism and if he puts in the work as did Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, he could be a star in this league for a long time.  But honestly, I really believe he could use another year in college to hone his skills and just play more basketball.  But if he comes out this year, he will most likely go in the top 3 picks.  He’s one of the biggest risk/reward picks to come through in a long time.  He could be Howard/Bynum good, or be Kwame Brown or Patrick O’Bryant.

7. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist SF/SG 6-6 215lbs Kentucky Fr. : Is one of the fiercest competitors I’ve seen in college basketball in a long time.  And the fact that he’s soo talented and was heavily recruited and puts forth this effort makes me as a scout drool and I know NBA scouts and GM’s love this kid.  He is an elite defender, great rebounder for a player his size, and has a knack for driving to the hole and drawing contact while being able to finish as well.  His outside shot needs work and maybe his ball handling, but he seems to be the type of kid who will live in the gym and get better.

8. Bradley Beal SG/PG 6-5 198lbs Florida Fr: Is a well built player for a 18 year old kid, with classic combo guard skills.  Has range on his jump shot, the ability to put it on the floor and finish at the rim in traffic.  Is a very good and willing defender as well.  His long arms allow him to play bigger than his actual height.  Loads of potential with this kid.

9. Jeremy Lamb 6-5 185lbs SG UConn So. : Lamb has spent a majority of the season in the top 5, but his play has fallen off and I’m starting to get a little worried.  I still believe he’s a lottery pick, but he needs to have a strong finish in the regular season and a good showing in the Big East tourney to lock himself in as a 10 top pick.  His energy’s been low over the last five games, and its obvious on the defensive end of the court.

10. Meyers Leonard C 7-1 245lbs Illinois So. : I’m starting to like this kid and his game more each time I watch him play.  He has so much ability, but I think he defers to the wing players on his team, such as Brandon Paul too often.  He is a great athlete, really gets off of the ground well for a player his size, has a nice touch in the paint and goes up hard, trying to dunk pretty much everything close to the basket.  Another year in college might do him well, but if I were giving him advice right now, I wouldn’t be against it.

Next Five: Terrence Jones PF/SF  6-8 250lbs Kentucky So., Cody Zeller PF/C 6-10 215lbs Indiana Fr, Quincy Miller SF/PF 6-9-210lbs Baylor Fr , Tony Wroten Jr PG/SG 6-5 210lbs Washington Fr, Terrence Ross SG/SF 6-7 190lbs Washington So.

Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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The Jerry Sandusky Interview with Bob Costas

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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The War Room Generals Discuss The Penn State Scandal!

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

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Brandon’s Sports Weekend Aluminum Bat Locks

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

In college football action:

1. I like Baylor (-20) on the road to crush the Kansas Jayhawks.

2. I like Florida St. (-9) over Miami in their annual rivalry game in Tallahassee.

3.  And finally I like Florida (+3) on the road at South Carolina to win the game outright.

 

In NFL action:

1. I like the Steelers (-3) to cover the number on the road against the Bengals.

2. I like the Falcons at home in a Pick em’ situation over the Saints.

3. And finally I like the Patriots (+1 1/2) on the road against the Jets to win the game outright.

 

Fantasy Football

Start Em’

1. QB Aaron Rodgers vs. the Vikings: The Vikings have the 30th ranked pass defense and Rodgers is playing the best I’ve seen in my 25 years of watching NFL football.

2. RB Arian Foster vs. the Buccaneers: The Bucs give up a little over 132 yards a game on the ground, so expect a big day from Foster who has played well since becoming healthy.

3. RB Maurice Jones-Drew vs the Colts: The Colts stink, especially against the run (146 yards allowed per contest), so why would you sit MJD if you have him?

Sit Em’

1. QB Alex Smith vs. the Giants: Smith isn’t much of a fantasy scorer and I wouldn’t expect a big game from him this week. 

2. RB LaGarrette Blount vs. the Texans: Houston allows only 91 yards per game, so if you have a backup plan, I would play him this week.

3. RB Marshawn Lynch vs. the Ravens: The Seahawks aren’t a threat passing the ball, so expect the Ravens to load the box and take away Lynch.

Catch me on Twitter @BrandonOnSports

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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