One big complaint I have with the WHL web site is that their game recaps are nothing more than that. Scroll down on this link if you want to read a basic overview of the game. Not just that, but the four-overtime thriller wasn't even the top game of Friday's contests, because the Brandon Wheat Kings completed a four-game sweep of the Medicine Hat Tigers that everyone saw coming anyway.
Meanwhile, I didn't sleep well at all last night, partly because I was so excited about the second-longest game in WHL history and partly because my cat never lets me sleep.
The Vancouver Giants and Spokane Chiefs entered Game 5 both desperate to take a 3-2 series lead. Vancouver was coming off two consecutive defeats in Spokane to cough up a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set, while the Chiefs had to have one at some point at Pacific Coliseum and having to win a Game 7 against the Western Conference's top team in their own barn was not the ideal way to do that. Thus, Game 5 was huge.
The Giants came out strong, converting on their first two power plays, which sandwiched a Chiefs power play marker to take an early 2-1 lead. Spokane ended the period with a furious rally, including several scoring chances, but couldn't convert and trailed by one after the first 20 minutes.
Neither team scored in the second stanza, but the Chiefs kept the pressure on, outshooting Vancouver 14-11 in the period.
But 4:25 into the third, that oh-ffensive effort paid off as Drayson Bowman netted his eighth postseason goal from the left circle to tie it at 2. The period ended with Spokane having the momentum, once again outshooting the Giants and holding a 35-31 advantage on the shot clock after regulation.
Little did anyone know that the game wasn't yet half over.
The Chiefs were forced to kill the first penalty of overtime when Ryan Letts served two minutes for a very questionable kneeing call. Letts and Vancouver forward Evander Kane collided near Spokane's blue line and while it looked incidental, the penalty was given to Letts, but nothing came out of it as Vancouver outshot Spokane 14-5 in the first overtime, but couldn't tally.
In the second OT, it was Vancouver's turn to play a man down when Kane hit Bowman along the boards with a high stick. Spokane came close to ending the game multiple times, but couldn't quite hit the tape with passes in front of the net and, despite being outshot 11-7 in the fifth period, seemed to be gaining momentum.
The Chiefs appeared to be the fresher team entering the third overtime, continuing to make Vancouver netminder Tyson Sexsmith come up big, which he did repeatedly. Spokane outshot the Giants 9-6 in OT3 to bring the total shots to 62-56 Vancouver.
The Giants wouldn't get another shot on goal, but the collective hearts of Chiefs fans were racing early in the fourth overtime when Vancouver gained control of the puck in the Spokane zone versus the Chiefs' fourth line. A Vancouver pass from the point found the stick of Kane in the right circle, who lost it thanks to a diving poke check by Kenton Miller. The puck deflected out to Blake Gal who had nothing but ice in front of him. As Gal raced down the boards, Giants defenseman Mike Berube closed in on him before Gal could make a move on Sexsmith. Gal lost the puck in front of the net, but Berube's stick found the puck and he inadvertently slid it into his own net to give the Chiefs a mesmerizing 3-2 road victory.
Both goaltenders were spectacular, with Sexsmith stopping 54 of 57 Spokane shots for second star honors, while Spokane's Dustin Tokarski was huge, making 60 saves on 62 shots in being named the game's first star.
In his last two contests in the series, Tokarski has carried Spokane, allowing just two goals on 103 shots. Overall in the series, Tokarski has given up 10 goals on 208 shots and he hasn't allowed the Giants to score after the first period since Vancouver scored twice in the second in Game 2.
Up 3-2 in the series, Spokane, like the last three contests, virtually faces a must-win situation. Sure, if the Chiefs go back for Game 7, they know they can win on the road against Vancouver, but being at home, where they are 4-1 in the 2009 playoffs, they will have their best opportunity to close out this series.
If they win, it will be the second consecutive year the Chiefs won games 5 and 6 against the Giants to close out the series at the Spokane Arena and move on to the Western Conference Finals. And everyone knows what happened in 2008.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Still some fight left in 'em
The Spokane Chiefs played, unquestionably, their best period of hockey of their second-round series with the Vancouver Giants in the opening stanza of Game 3.
They still went into the locker room down 2-1.
The Giants are a team which thrives on sustained offensive pressure and the mistakes of their opponents. By outshooting the Chiefs 10-9 and drawing an unnecessary elbowing penalty on Ryan Letts, Vancouver was able to escape the Chiefs initial push with a lead.
After Letts ended up in the box again for a slash prior to a face-off, he got an earful from Change and I before apparently receiving another one from Mitch Wahl and coach Hardy Sauter. The message got through because he skated the rest of the game collected and wanting to play hockey. Even when prodded by the Giants (once when a Vancouver player on the bench grabbed and held Letts' stick while he was in a play), Letts remained calm and focused on trying to help his team win.
That play rubbed off on his teammates, as the Chiefs thoroughly dominated the final two periods, outshooting Vancouver 19-8 and outscoring them 4-0 en route to a 5-2 victory.
With each line outhustling and outplaying their counterparts, Spokane got goals from Levko Koper, Jared Spurgeon, Drayson Bowman, Justin McCrae and Mike Reddington in closing the gap in the series to 2-1.
Unfortunately, this series is very reminiscent of the 2007 playoff series Spokane played versus the Everett Silvertips. After a more talented Everett team won twice on the west side of the state, the Chiefs came home and, clearly wanting the wins more, took Games 3 and 4, but ultimately lost in six.
Fortunately, however, many of the players from that series - Bowman, Koper, Spurgeon, Roman, Wahl, Reddington and Tokarski - have that experience, along with a Memorial Cup ring, under their belts and are better prepared this time around.
As they enter Game 4, which is virtually another must-win game, the Chiefs have the confidence that they can skate with and defeat the team widely considered to be the best in the Western Hockey League. If they play as hard and as smart as they did for most of last night, Spokane is going to give the Giants a major problem going forward in this series.
They still went into the locker room down 2-1.
The Giants are a team which thrives on sustained offensive pressure and the mistakes of their opponents. By outshooting the Chiefs 10-9 and drawing an unnecessary elbowing penalty on Ryan Letts, Vancouver was able to escape the Chiefs initial push with a lead.
After Letts ended up in the box again for a slash prior to a face-off, he got an earful from Change and I before apparently receiving another one from Mitch Wahl and coach Hardy Sauter. The message got through because he skated the rest of the game collected and wanting to play hockey. Even when prodded by the Giants (once when a Vancouver player on the bench grabbed and held Letts' stick while he was in a play), Letts remained calm and focused on trying to help his team win.
That play rubbed off on his teammates, as the Chiefs thoroughly dominated the final two periods, outshooting Vancouver 19-8 and outscoring them 4-0 en route to a 5-2 victory.
With each line outhustling and outplaying their counterparts, Spokane got goals from Levko Koper, Jared Spurgeon, Drayson Bowman, Justin McCrae and Mike Reddington in closing the gap in the series to 2-1.
Unfortunately, this series is very reminiscent of the 2007 playoff series Spokane played versus the Everett Silvertips. After a more talented Everett team won twice on the west side of the state, the Chiefs came home and, clearly wanting the wins more, took Games 3 and 4, but ultimately lost in six.
Fortunately, however, many of the players from that series - Bowman, Koper, Spurgeon, Roman, Wahl, Reddington and Tokarski - have that experience, along with a Memorial Cup ring, under their belts and are better prepared this time around.
As they enter Game 4, which is virtually another must-win game, the Chiefs have the confidence that they can skate with and defeat the team widely considered to be the best in the Western Hockey League. If they play as hard and as smart as they did for most of last night, Spokane is going to give the Giants a major problem going forward in this series.
Monday, April 6, 2009
CC Sabathia's Opening Day Line
4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 0 K, 4 CB, 2 BG, 1 SP
IP- Innings Pitched
H- Hits
ER- Earned Runs
BB- Walks
K- Strikeouts
CB- Cheeseburgers
BG- Big Gulps
SP- Supreme Pizzas
IP- Innings Pitched
H- Hits
ER- Earned Runs
BB- Walks
K- Strikeouts
CB- Cheeseburgers
BG- Big Gulps
SP- Supreme Pizzas
Rain, rain, go away
In about 8 minutes, I was supposed to be watching Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox crush James Shields and the Tampa Bay Rays (copyright: WHL) in the season opener for both teams. Instead, Mother Nature had other ideas and I'm stuck here watching the Mets and Reds, waiting for tomorrow.
But I guess this gives me an extra day to preview the Sox (as if I haven't already) as well as the entire American League. After all, ESPN's initial Power Rankings had Boston as MLB's top dog, just a spot ahead of the Rays and two spots ahead of some century-long rivals from New York. But are the Sox really the team to beat in their own division, much less the entire league?
Sox Rotation:
Last season, only the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LAAA, 47) and, surprise, the Toronto Blue Jays (51), had more wins from their top three pitchers than Boston did (46) of American League teams. With Matsuzaka entering his third season in the States, Lester looking to make some noise in the Cy Young race and Beckett being healthy all spring for the first time since he was 7, the rotation should be even better. Whether that number of wins goes up or down in 2009 hinges on the run production of a lineup which has more boom or bust potential than Seth Rogen's next movie.
Rotation to watch out for:
Now I understand why Bill Simmons is drinking the Kansas City Royals Kool-Aid. Four Royals starters combined for45 wins last season and the fifth (Luke Hochevar) is expected by some to have his breakout year. With an improved lineup which includes former Sox centerfielder Covelli Crisp and minor league stud Ryan Shealy, this rotation could lead the Royals to the top of a fairly weak AL Central.
Sox Lineup:
Like I said earlier, who knows with this lineup? Boston could lead the league in runs and I wouldn't be surprised. They could be in the bottom half of the majors and I wouldn't be surprised. In my eyes, it's simple: Jacoby Ellsbury will make or break the batting order. He needs to get on base, utilize his speed and get pitchers thinking while he's on the basepaths. With the reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi and Kevin Youkilis behind him, he will score more often than not when he reaches.
As with other teams, obviously, health is also a big issue. David Ortiz and Mike Lowell are coming back from injuries, Julio Lugo is already shelved, Rocco Baldelli is always a mystery and if anyone else goes down (if I had to bet on the first being either J.D. Drew or everybody else on the roster, I'd probably take J.D.), the Sox might be in trouble.
Lineup to watch out for:
If I asked you to name one of the top four hitters for the A's last season of players who played in 100 games, could you? (Answers: Ryan Sweeney, Kurt Suzuki, Rajai Davis and Emil Brown.) Heck, if I asked you to name three Oakland hitters, could you? It'd be tough, I know.
Their collective .242 batting average from 2008 is gone, however, thanks to a plethora of offseason acquisitions. New faces include Matt Holliday, Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera and NOMAH! And they still have Eric Chavez, who, when healthy, is a 20-homer guy. Like Boston, if the A's get anything from their table setters, they could be a sleeper in the AL.
Sox Bullpen:
I absolutely love the way the pen is setting up in Beantown. In the Crisp trade, Boston acquired setup man Ramon Ramirez, who can bring heat. They took a low-risk flyer on Takashi Saito, who is getting old, but in his three years in the majors, has compiled a 1.95 ERA and nearly a 5:1 K:BB ratio. Manny Delcarmen is due (I keep telling myself this...though he was fairly solid last season), Hideki Okajima is very reliable, Javier Lopez is OK in the right situations (which means Terry Francona will probably use him against lefties, which shelled him in 2008), Mike Timlin is gone and Paps will be Paps. Also lurking are Justin Masterson (ONIONS!) and Junichi Tazawa, who might not make an immediate impact, but will be heard from by season's end. Boston's bullpen, on paper, is the best in the bigs and if they perform like they should, will carry the team in the late innings.
Bullpen to watch out for:
The Detroit Tigers have a rotation which many teams would love to have, with more young arms than a daycare. Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, Rick Porcello, Armando Galarraga and Edwin Jackson all could record 15 wins and a sub-4.00 ERA this season if given the chance. But those who were given a chance, aside from Jackson in Tampa, struggled, while Porcello hasn't proven himself yet. This means that the bullpen must be a strength if the Tigers want to compete in the AL Central.
During the offseason, Detroit nabbed Brandon Lyon from Arizona, who has a successful campaign in 2008, but struggled as a member of the Red Sox the last time he pitched for an AL club. Lyon definitely has the stuff to be one of the league's best closers, but whether he can succeed against better hitting remains to be seen. The Tigers also will benefit from the return of Joel Zumaya, who was injured for the better part of last year, the signing of Juan Rincon and the lively arms of Freddy Dolsi and Fernando Rodney. Finally, they have Zach Miner back there as well, who struggled with control at times, but still compiled a respectable 4.27 ERA last season.
AL Predictions:
AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees (Wild Card)
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
AL Central:
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Detroit Tigers
AL West:
1. Oakland A's
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners
But I guess this gives me an extra day to preview the Sox (as if I haven't already) as well as the entire American League. After all, ESPN's initial Power Rankings had Boston as MLB's top dog, just a spot ahead of the Rays and two spots ahead of some century-long rivals from New York. But are the Sox really the team to beat in their own division, much less the entire league?
Sox Rotation:
Last season, only the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LAAA, 47) and, surprise, the Toronto Blue Jays (51), had more wins from their top three pitchers than Boston did (46) of American League teams. With Matsuzaka entering his third season in the States, Lester looking to make some noise in the Cy Young race and Beckett being healthy all spring for the first time since he was 7, the rotation should be even better. Whether that number of wins goes up or down in 2009 hinges on the run production of a lineup which has more boom or bust potential than Seth Rogen's next movie.
Rotation to watch out for:
Now I understand why Bill Simmons is drinking the Kansas City Royals Kool-Aid. Four Royals starters combined for45 wins last season and the fifth (Luke Hochevar) is expected by some to have his breakout year. With an improved lineup which includes former Sox centerfielder Covelli Crisp and minor league stud Ryan Shealy, this rotation could lead the Royals to the top of a fairly weak AL Central.
Sox Lineup:
Like I said earlier, who knows with this lineup? Boston could lead the league in runs and I wouldn't be surprised. They could be in the bottom half of the majors and I wouldn't be surprised. In my eyes, it's simple: Jacoby Ellsbury will make or break the batting order. He needs to get on base, utilize his speed and get pitchers thinking while he's on the basepaths. With the reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi and Kevin Youkilis behind him, he will score more often than not when he reaches.
As with other teams, obviously, health is also a big issue. David Ortiz and Mike Lowell are coming back from injuries, Julio Lugo is already shelved, Rocco Baldelli is always a mystery and if anyone else goes down (if I had to bet on the first being either J.D. Drew or everybody else on the roster, I'd probably take J.D.), the Sox might be in trouble.
Lineup to watch out for:
If I asked you to name one of the top four hitters for the A's last season of players who played in 100 games, could you? (Answers: Ryan Sweeney, Kurt Suzuki, Rajai Davis and Emil Brown.) Heck, if I asked you to name three Oakland hitters, could you? It'd be tough, I know.
Their collective .242 batting average from 2008 is gone, however, thanks to a plethora of offseason acquisitions. New faces include Matt Holliday, Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera and NOMAH! And they still have Eric Chavez, who, when healthy, is a 20-homer guy. Like Boston, if the A's get anything from their table setters, they could be a sleeper in the AL.
Sox Bullpen:
I absolutely love the way the pen is setting up in Beantown. In the Crisp trade, Boston acquired setup man Ramon Ramirez, who can bring heat. They took a low-risk flyer on Takashi Saito, who is getting old, but in his three years in the majors, has compiled a 1.95 ERA and nearly a 5:1 K:BB ratio. Manny Delcarmen is due (I keep telling myself this...though he was fairly solid last season), Hideki Okajima is very reliable, Javier Lopez is OK in the right situations (which means Terry Francona will probably use him against lefties, which shelled him in 2008), Mike Timlin is gone and Paps will be Paps. Also lurking are Justin Masterson (ONIONS!) and Junichi Tazawa, who might not make an immediate impact, but will be heard from by season's end. Boston's bullpen, on paper, is the best in the bigs and if they perform like they should, will carry the team in the late innings.
Bullpen to watch out for:
The Detroit Tigers have a rotation which many teams would love to have, with more young arms than a daycare. Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, Rick Porcello, Armando Galarraga and Edwin Jackson all could record 15 wins and a sub-4.00 ERA this season if given the chance. But those who were given a chance, aside from Jackson in Tampa, struggled, while Porcello hasn't proven himself yet. This means that the bullpen must be a strength if the Tigers want to compete in the AL Central.
During the offseason, Detroit nabbed Brandon Lyon from Arizona, who has a successful campaign in 2008, but struggled as a member of the Red Sox the last time he pitched for an AL club. Lyon definitely has the stuff to be one of the league's best closers, but whether he can succeed against better hitting remains to be seen. The Tigers also will benefit from the return of Joel Zumaya, who was injured for the better part of last year, the signing of Juan Rincon and the lively arms of Freddy Dolsi and Fernando Rodney. Finally, they have Zach Miner back there as well, who struggled with control at times, but still compiled a respectable 4.27 ERA last season.
AL Predictions:
AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees (Wild Card)
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
AL Central:
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Detroit Tigers
AL West:
1. Oakland A's
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners
Thursday, April 2, 2009
How the Zags are spending the last weekend of college basketball season
Tonight, both Jeremy Pargo and Micah Downs participated in the collegiate slam dunk contest, broadcast on ESPN. For some reason, Downs was in the slam dunk contest instead of the 3-point shootout. Apparently, Mark Few was in charge of what his seniors did at the event and yet again, failed to utilize their strengths.
He was also in charge of the dunks the guys performed, as neither Downs nor Pargo made it into the finals. Downs was looking good early until he failed on all three semifinal throw downs, while Pargo did the same after he made the top four. Had I been in charge of the Gonzaga players in the contest, I would have nabbed that Akron guard whom (is that even correct?) Pargo posterized and just had him stand in the lane. Hey, if Nate Robinson can unjustly win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest twice by jumping over people, Pargo can do it by hopping over some 6' white guy, right?
As for Downs, well, he had no business in the contest to begin with. I love the guy, but come on. Nobody can tell me there aren't eight more exciting players in the nation when it comes to eye-popping slams. However, I would take him in a perimeter shooting contest against eventual 3-point champion Jack McClinton.
Then again, I'd have taken me against McClinton. And I don't care if he scored 22 of a possible 30 in the championship round. I'm the reigning EWU intermural 3-point champion, so...
He was also in charge of the dunks the guys performed, as neither Downs nor Pargo made it into the finals. Downs was looking good early until he failed on all three semifinal throw downs, while Pargo did the same after he made the top four. Had I been in charge of the Gonzaga players in the contest, I would have nabbed that Akron guard whom (is that even correct?) Pargo posterized and just had him stand in the lane. Hey, if Nate Robinson can unjustly win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest twice by jumping over people, Pargo can do it by hopping over some 6' white guy, right?
As for Downs, well, he had no business in the contest to begin with. I love the guy, but come on. Nobody can tell me there aren't eight more exciting players in the nation when it comes to eye-popping slams. However, I would take him in a perimeter shooting contest against eventual 3-point champion Jack McClinton.
Then again, I'd have taken me against McClinton. And I don't care if he scored 22 of a possible 30 in the championship round. I'm the reigning EWU intermural 3-point champion, so...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Link of the Day
Well I know it's April Fools' Day and I thought it was a joke myself when I heard it, but it appears Mark Few could be on his way out of Gonzaga and on his way to the Pac-10 to fill the vacancy at the University of Arizona.
Now, if you're close to Gonzaga University and don't know me, I know you'll be crying yourself to sleep tonight, thinking the best thing to happen to the Zags since John Stockton is leaving. Gonzaga has been to the Dance every year since Few took the reins and his departure raises several questions about the Bulldogs' future.
However, those who do know me know that in my eyes, this news is too good to be true. I'll commend Few for his job here and thank him for the memories, but if he leaves, Gonzaga will be better off for a few reasons.
First, Gonzaga isn't going anywhere under Few's leadership. If you are vehemently pro-Few, you must be satisfied with early-season wins against big-name opponents and winning about 95 percent of games against the rest of the WCC. You must also be satisfied with being knocked out early in the NCAA Tournament year in and year out. I'll admit, this season was different in that North Carolina was just a much better team than Gonzaga, so despite having their best squad, they didn't have their best chance of going deep. That was in 2006, when the Zags squandered a 17-point lead en route to Adam Morrison shedding tears in a loss to UCLA. Other notable Gonzaga losses in March under Few include a first-round loss to #11 seed Wyoming in Dan Dickau's senior season and a second-round rout as the #2 seed Zags fell to #10 seed Nevada in 2004 by 19 in a game which they weren't within eight points in the last 32 and a half minutes.
Second, Gonzaga hasn't been able to play defense with Few at the helm until this season and even that abandoned them in the Tournament. The Bulldogs were second nationally during the regular season in defensive field goal percentage (and because I hate Google more than Few, I can't find the exact number, but it was well below 40 percent) and allowed 61.3 points per game. But in games against Akron, Western Kentucky and North Carolina, Gonzaga allowed an average of 81 ppg and 48 percent shooting. And in regards to 3-point defense, where Few is notoriously awful in his defense, the Bulldogs nearly allowed their opponents to shoot 50 percent in three games (33 for 67), capped by the Tar Heels shooting 11 for 19 in the Sweet 16 shellacking. Ouch.
Third, Few's in-game management of his players contradicts what a coach looking to win games would want to do. I remember my dad mocking Few for removing players who got hot. On the contrary, he remained loyal to struggling stars Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo and Austin Daye while limiting minutes for dynamic freshman Demetri Goodson and the vastly underrated Micah Downs (though to be fair, Heytvelt was either awesome or awful, while Pargo busted out of his slump, at least somewhat, toward the end of the season). And their tallest player in, oh, I dunno, history, 7'5" Will Foster has spent so much time riding the pine, his seat on the bench comes with a nameplate. In one game against Memphis, Foster got zero minutes, even though the Tigers thrive with slashing guards attacking the rim. No way a 7'5" guy could help stop that, right? His press also has failed to work against any team higher than D-III, but he sticks with it for no real reason. Maybe I'm bitter.
Anyway, if Few goes, the future of the program is up in the air. Whoever takes over probably won't have the big-name status that Few had and recruiting may suffer because of that. If the hire is in-house, the system will likely remain the same, but hopefully the change in coaching doesn't just tweak that system, but reinvigorates the program as well. If the hiring comes from elsewhere, it will be a breath of fresh air for a team which could use one after a decade of mediocrity. The talking heads may say that Arizona is getting a steal by prying Few away from the comfort of Spokane and they'll never admit that the change is good for Gonzaga.
But after watching this team for 10 years with high hopes and, come March, being at least a bit disappointed, I wouldn't be opposed to becoming underdogs again and hoping for a run of upsets like in 1999. And I wouldn't be opposed to becoming a better team because a weak link bolted for sunnier skies.
Now, if you're close to Gonzaga University and don't know me, I know you'll be crying yourself to sleep tonight, thinking the best thing to happen to the Zags since John Stockton is leaving. Gonzaga has been to the Dance every year since Few took the reins and his departure raises several questions about the Bulldogs' future.
However, those who do know me know that in my eyes, this news is too good to be true. I'll commend Few for his job here and thank him for the memories, but if he leaves, Gonzaga will be better off for a few reasons.
First, Gonzaga isn't going anywhere under Few's leadership. If you are vehemently pro-Few, you must be satisfied with early-season wins against big-name opponents and winning about 95 percent of games against the rest of the WCC. You must also be satisfied with being knocked out early in the NCAA Tournament year in and year out. I'll admit, this season was different in that North Carolina was just a much better team than Gonzaga, so despite having their best squad, they didn't have their best chance of going deep. That was in 2006, when the Zags squandered a 17-point lead en route to Adam Morrison shedding tears in a loss to UCLA. Other notable Gonzaga losses in March under Few include a first-round loss to #11 seed Wyoming in Dan Dickau's senior season and a second-round rout as the #2 seed Zags fell to #10 seed Nevada in 2004 by 19 in a game which they weren't within eight points in the last 32 and a half minutes.
Second, Gonzaga hasn't been able to play defense with Few at the helm until this season and even that abandoned them in the Tournament. The Bulldogs were second nationally during the regular season in defensive field goal percentage (and because I hate Google more than Few, I can't find the exact number, but it was well below 40 percent) and allowed 61.3 points per game. But in games against Akron, Western Kentucky and North Carolina, Gonzaga allowed an average of 81 ppg and 48 percent shooting. And in regards to 3-point defense, where Few is notoriously awful in his defense, the Bulldogs nearly allowed their opponents to shoot 50 percent in three games (33 for 67), capped by the Tar Heels shooting 11 for 19 in the Sweet 16 shellacking. Ouch.
Third, Few's in-game management of his players contradicts what a coach looking to win games would want to do. I remember my dad mocking Few for removing players who got hot. On the contrary, he remained loyal to struggling stars Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo and Austin Daye while limiting minutes for dynamic freshman Demetri Goodson and the vastly underrated Micah Downs (though to be fair, Heytvelt was either awesome or awful, while Pargo busted out of his slump, at least somewhat, toward the end of the season). And their tallest player in, oh, I dunno, history, 7'5" Will Foster has spent so much time riding the pine, his seat on the bench comes with a nameplate. In one game against Memphis, Foster got zero minutes, even though the Tigers thrive with slashing guards attacking the rim. No way a 7'5" guy could help stop that, right? His press also has failed to work against any team higher than D-III, but he sticks with it for no real reason. Maybe I'm bitter.
Anyway, if Few goes, the future of the program is up in the air. Whoever takes over probably won't have the big-name status that Few had and recruiting may suffer because of that. If the hire is in-house, the system will likely remain the same, but hopefully the change in coaching doesn't just tweak that system, but reinvigorates the program as well. If the hiring comes from elsewhere, it will be a breath of fresh air for a team which could use one after a decade of mediocrity. The talking heads may say that Arizona is getting a steal by prying Few away from the comfort of Spokane and they'll never admit that the change is good for Gonzaga.
But after watching this team for 10 years with high hopes and, come March, being at least a bit disappointed, I wouldn't be opposed to becoming underdogs again and hoping for a run of upsets like in 1999. And I wouldn't be opposed to becoming a better team because a weak link bolted for sunnier skies.
The Streak (4/1)
The Streak is back and better than ever!
I have to be honest. I got way more excited than I probably should have when ESPN announced the new rules for the most recent edition of "Streak for the Cash." The game has changed in multiple ways.
First, instead of needing to reach a set number to win a $1 million, you just want to get the longest streak you can before December 6. The top seven longest streaks by that time will win $10k and a trip to Bristol (ESPN Headquarters) to compete in a pickoff. The winner of the pickoff then wins the $1 million.
The first 10,000 people to reach a streak of 13 or longer win $15 toward prizes at ESPN's Winner's Circle. One of these prizes is a "Streak for the Cash" T-shirt. I would really like this.
Finally, ESPN sponsors will be running more prop bets throughout the contest, which pay $5k.
With the new rules set, let me give you my picks, so you can bet against them and be successful.
I picked Spain in the first game of the morning to win outright. Needless to say, Turkey is leading 1-0 early. Awesome.
Tonight, I like the Atlanta Thrashers to knock off the Buffalo Sabres at home. Atlanta is going for the season sweep and even though Ryan Miller is back for Buffalo, he hasn't been great, allowing three goals in both appearances. The Thrashers aren't a good home team, the Sabres aren't a good road team. C'mon Kovalchuk!
In the nightcap, I'm going with the Houston Rockets to defeat the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets beat the teams they should beat and with Yao Ming down low to neutralize Shaq and Houston's ability to limit teams offensively, I like their chances of coming out with a win.
I have to be honest. I got way more excited than I probably should have when ESPN announced the new rules for the most recent edition of "Streak for the Cash." The game has changed in multiple ways.
First, instead of needing to reach a set number to win a $1 million, you just want to get the longest streak you can before December 6. The top seven longest streaks by that time will win $10k and a trip to Bristol (ESPN Headquarters) to compete in a pickoff. The winner of the pickoff then wins the $1 million.
The first 10,000 people to reach a streak of 13 or longer win $15 toward prizes at ESPN's Winner's Circle. One of these prizes is a "Streak for the Cash" T-shirt. I would really like this.
Finally, ESPN sponsors will be running more prop bets throughout the contest, which pay $5k.
With the new rules set, let me give you my picks, so you can bet against them and be successful.
I picked Spain in the first game of the morning to win outright. Needless to say, Turkey is leading 1-0 early. Awesome.
Tonight, I like the Atlanta Thrashers to knock off the Buffalo Sabres at home. Atlanta is going for the season sweep and even though Ryan Miller is back for Buffalo, he hasn't been great, allowing three goals in both appearances. The Thrashers aren't a good home team, the Sabres aren't a good road team. C'mon Kovalchuk!
In the nightcap, I'm going with the Houston Rockets to defeat the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets beat the teams they should beat and with Yao Ming down low to neutralize Shaq and Houston's ability to limit teams offensively, I like their chances of coming out with a win.
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