Southern Illinois Falls to Saint Louis, In Danger of Falling Off Map

Last night, Southern Illinois lost to Rick Majerus' struggling Saint Louis Billikens 56-51. Earlier in the season, Southern Illinois was ranked #18 in the AP top 25. Now, with a 3-4 record that includes blowout losses to USC and Indiana, as well as bad losses to Charlotte and the aforementioned Saint Louis Billikens, Southern Illinois is in danger of falling off the college basketball map.

Southern Illinois has made six straight NCAA Tournament appearances. They made it to the Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and 2007. They have been a perennial powerhouse in the underrated Missouri Valley Conference. And after Gonzaga, Southern Illinois has probably been the most consistently visible (in terms of time spent in the AP top 25, national television coverage and overall recognition) mid major program in college basketball (George Mason's trip to the 2006 Final Four was big, but SIU has been visible for a longer period of time).

But if SIU doesn't turn things around soon, they won't be in the Tournament in March.

So what's wrong with Southern Illinois, and what can they do to get their season back on track?

Southern lost guards Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young to graduation. Tatum was their go-to guy for the last three seasons. Without Tatum, the Salukis don't have a proven scorer, or a player who is comfortable in the scorer's role. Right now SIU doesn't have a guy who is capable of creating shots for himself or a guy who's proven to be able to make big shots when the game is on the line.

Tony Young was a lock-down defender who evolved into a big time perimeter scorer (although he was always the second option, after Tatum). Young was also a fifth year senior and the undisputed team leader. With the tandem of Tatum and Young, in additon to tough, lock down defender PG Bryan Mullins and scrappy big men Randal Falker and Matt Shaw, Southern Illinois was as talented as just about anyone in college basketball (remember, last year SIU was one missed layup away from beating Kansas, and earning a trip to the Elite Eight).

This year, however, SIU has some holes to fill.

In Mullins, Southern Illinois has one of the best defensive minded point guards in college basketball. But Mullins isn't a big scorer. He's good at running the offense, he can penetrate and distribute and he'll hit open three pointers. But Mullins isn't the type of player who can carry the Saluki's offensively.

Forward Randal Falker gets a significant amount of media love. He's the current face of Southern Illinois basketball. But he's not a natural scorer. Falker is an energy guy. He's effective as a rebounder, defender and garbage man. But he's not a polished post scorer.

The other forward, Matt Shaw, is a good rebounder and a nice perimeter shooter, but he's not really an inside scorer either.

Southern Illinois was overrated at the start of the season. The current team doesn't have the weapons that previous SIU teams have had. That said, Chris Lowrey's teams are all hard nosed, scrappy, and defense-oriented. Southern Illinois will be competitive in the Missouri Valley Conference. But they won't dominate the Valley this year, as they did the last two or three years. In fact, right now they don't even look like they'll be a legitimate contender to win the conference. But they'll be competitive. You can count on that. And if they can finish in the top three in the Valley, they will still have a good shot at making it to the NCAA Tournament.

But they've got to get it going soon.

Does Bruce Weber Have a New Friend?

Illinois head basketball coach Bruce Weber's recruiting woes are well documented. Although he's widely considered an outstanding game coach and a good guy, Weber has never been able to convince top level high school basketball players to matriculate to Champaign. In fact, it's gotten so bad that in the last two or three years Weber's inability to recruit elite talent has become something of a legend.

That could change.

More here.

For background on the disparity between Bruce Weber's coaching prowess vs. his struggles on the recruiting trail, read Dave Parker in today's Joliet (IL) Herald News.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State Survive Scare at Bradley: Drive and Dish Shows Izzo Some Love Just for Scheduling Game

This past Tuesday, #9 Michigan State traveled to Peoria, IL to play the Bradley Braves, an unranked, but scrappy team from the underrated Missouri Valley conference. A crowd of 11,500 braved a winter storm in order to set a Peoria Civic Center/Carver Arena record for attendance (the arena has a capacity of roughly 11,000). Tuesday's game marked the first time in over twenty years that Bradley played host to a team ranked in the AP top ten. After being behind for most of the game, Michigan State rallied to escape with a hard fought 66-61 win. A major factor in Michigan State's shaky performance was the hostility of the Bradley crowd. Bradley students, alumni and fans packed the normally sterile Carver Arena to create what Michigan State coach Tom Izzo termed an "electric environment."

Tom Izzo should be commended for scheduling a "two and one" series with Bradley. It's difficult for Missouri Valley teams to find non conference opponents from BCS conferences like the Big Ten. The MVC is widely considered to be one of the best conferences in college basketball. And Valley teams have a reputation for playing a tough, scrappy, defensive-minded brand of basketball. But the Missouri Valley is still technically a "mid major" conference. Thus, teams from major conferences stand to gain little by playing Missouri Valley teams: the Valley teams are almost certain to challenge the "major" conference teams (and maybe even beat them) but the "major" conference teams aren't likely to be rewarded for close wins over "mid majors" in the RPI rankings or by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. So they usually won't play the good Valley teams.

Give Izzo credit. He knew that Michigan State didn't stand to gain much by playing that game (in either the RPI rankings or in the eyes of the selection committee) -- and he knew that if they were to lose, or even struggle with Bradley, they could pay for it all season long (and that it could, ultimately, affect their Tournament seeding).

But Izzo took his Spartans to battle an unheralded opponent in a hostile environment. And after surviving Tuesday night's scare, he's relieved to get out with a win and thinks his team will be tougher in the long run for having played the game.

That's why Drive and Dish is showing Tom Izzo some love (actually, Tom Izzo is probably my favorite coach in college basketball -- I've respected and admired him for many years -- so it's hardly a surprise that D&D is showing Izzo love). We believe that you've got to give credit where credit's due.

Chip Reese, World's Greatest Poker Player, Dead at 56

Chip Reese, arguably the world's greatest poker player, died yesterday at age 56.

Drive and Dish is normally focused on basketball, but we think the story of Chip Reese should be better known. With professional poker's recent boom in popularity, it's surprising that more people aren't aware of man who was often described as the best poker player on the planet.

In the summer of 1974, Reese (who had just graduated from Dartmouth) was set to begin law school at Stanford. On his way to Palo Alto, he stopped in Las Vegas to play a few rounds of poker. He parlayed $400 into $66,000 and never made it to Palo Alto.

Although many fantasize about doing so, few people are able to make a living as professional gamblers. Chip Reese not only made a living as a professional gambler, his earnings made him a wealthy man.

More here.

IU's Cellvin Sampson Profiled in Lexington Herald-Leader

This Saturday, Kentucky plays at Indiana. IU vs. UK has always been one of my favorite non conference rivalries in college basketball. Those two flagship state universities carry the torch for the basketball obsessed residents of their respective states. I can't think of two better states for basketball than Indiana and Kentucky. Basketball is so deeply rooted in the cultures of these two border states that the game is practically in the natives' DNA.

So in preparation for Saturday's upcoming IU v. Kentucky game, the Lexington Herald-Leader has what may be the definitive profile of Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson and the ethical maze that the Hoosier basketball program now finds itself in (including, but not limited to, Sampson's apparent disregard of the NCAA's recruiting bylaws regarding phone calls to recruits).

Georgetown: Early Favorite for Final Four

In tonight's Big East v. SEC showdown, Georgetown beat Alabama and West Virginia (in their first year under new coach Bob Huggins) annihilated Auburn.

The West Virginia v. Auburn game was never in doubt. West Virginia blew the Tigers out from the opening tip off.

Alabama gave Georgetown trouble for most of the game, but couldn't hang at the end.

Why are these games relevant? Two reasons:

1.) - Because three players looked like sure fire NBA prospects.

Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, Alabama power forward Richard Hendrix and West Virginia forward Joe Alexander will all be NBA players.

Roy Hibbert returned to Georgetown after toying with the NBA draft over the summer. He made the right decision by going back to school. Hibbert is a giant: he's 7'2," with a very wide body, despite the fact that he's dropped a significant amount of weight in the last two years. The weight loss has allowed Hibbert to show surprising mobility and agility for a guy who is - even with the weight loss - such a mountain of a man. Despite his mass, Hibbert plays a finesse game: in order to maximize his effectiveness at the next level, he'll need to learn how to better utilize his size (not just his height) to his advantage. Hibbert needs to power up to the rim when he has the ball. He needs to be more aggressive on offense. But he has good hands, and has outstanding basketball instincts.

Roy Hibbert looks like an NBA lottery pick. His game isn't pretty, and he's not exactly a force under the basket. But Roy Hibbert will be a nice center at the next level. And he's only 20 years old. This kid has come a long way in a short time (the massive weight loss, the improved athleticism, the improved court sense, etc.). He's still only starting to scratch the surface of what he can be. While I don't expect him to be a perennial NBA all star, I think he'll be a good NBA center (especially if he goes to a team that has a lot of other pieces). Ultimately, I see him being similar to Brendan Haywood at the next level.

Alabama's Richard Hendrix is a big, strong, athletic power forward with a great feel for the game. He has the build and the skills of the prototypical NBA power forward. He's not a new school Kevin Garnett/Dirk Nowitzki type slashing and perimeter shooting power forward. He's an old school, back to the basket, rebounding tough power forward. And he's for real.

Hendrix's game is very polished. He defends and rebounds well. He uses his body and his athleticism well. And he's got all the requisite offensive skills - he scores in the low post, he has a nice 10-15 foot jump shot, he has a good understanding of the game, he passes well and he makes his free throws. This guy is no project. He should be able to contribute the minute he sets foot on an NBA floor.

Finally, West Virginia's Joe Alexander has, seemingly, come from nowhere to establish himself as one of the best college players in the country -- and as a legitimate NBA prospect. This guy was a tall, skinny, frail forward last year. Bob Huggins has made him gain weight and get tougher. He has.

Alexander is an extremely explosive leaper (on one alley oop dunk, his head was parallel with the rim). He has nice lateral quickness and down court speed. This guy is just an effortless athlete (although he doesn't look like he's really playing hard, he goes past you or jumps over you).

Joe Alexander plays power forward, but he's a totally finesse player. He's no back to the basket guy -- he catches the ball and faces up to the basket. Alexander is most comfortable taking his man off the dribble. He either gets to the rim, or (more often) takes a couple dribbles and stops for a mid range jumper or a turnaround. This guy plays like a smaller, more athletic Dirk Nowitzki (I'm not saying that he's in the same stratosphere as Dirk, but he plays with a similar style). He'll probably never be a true power forward, but he'll - no doubt - get his run at the next level. Expect him to be compared to former NBA great Tom Chambers - athletic, high flying white big guys almost always are (probably because they come along so infrequently).

As for the second reason tonight's games were relevant:

2.) - Georgetown.

After watching Georgetown, I'm convinced that they're good enough to make a return trip to the Final Four. They lost forward Jeff Green to the NBA, but they don't look like they've skipped a beat. Their guards are all solid: they make smart plays, handle pressure defense well, they don't turn the ball over, they have the ability penetrate and get into the lane and they nail their perimeter shots. Georgetown's front line, led by Hibbert, is also top notch.

This team has all the pieces. I still don't think they'll win the national championship, but they have the look of a Final Four team for sure. And yeah, it's early ... but Georgetown looks like they're for real.

CBS Sportsline on Mayo, Rose & Recruiting

In preparation for tonight's USC v. Memphis game, CBS Sportsline's Gary Parrish talks about the respective recruitment of USC freshman O.J. Mayo and Memphis freshman Derrick Rose.

Key lines:

"If you don't have a mentor, uncle, friend, cousin or AAU coach of some kind working for you with an elite prospect you are just wasting your time recruiting," one high-major assistant told me recently. "Without somebody working for you, you have no shot at that prospect. Absolutely none."

Three Days After Peeing in His Pants During a Basketball Game, Bill Walker Makes "Pampers" Reference ... With No Hint of Irony

In Monday's Chicago Tribune, Brian Hamilton did a profile of Kansas State's Bill Walker titled, "Next stop, the NBA." With no apparent hint of irony, Hamilton quotes Walker as saying that he and O.J. Mayo have been "friends since pampers." Really.

Given the fact that, just last Thursday, Walker urinated in his pants during a timeout in Kansas State's overtime loss to Oregon, the editorial staff at Drive and Dish can't believe that Bill Walker would have the audacity to make a "pampers" reference ... unless it were something along the lines of, "Hey, do you think they make pampers in my size? You see, I've beeen having bladder control problems and I could probably benefit from wearing some XXXXXL pampers so that I don't continue to piss in my pants (and on the court) when I'm playing basketball."

Drive and Dish would like to thank you, Bill Walker.

You are the gift that keeps on giving.

By the way, we suggest you look into wearing Depends.

Washington Wizards Honor Earl "the Pearl": Can You Dig It?

Last night, the Washington Wizards honored former Knick and Baltimore / Washington Bullet Earl "the Pearl" Monroe, the man whom Washington Post Columnist Mike Wise said "changed the culture of the game (basketball)."

Wise says that although young people think that "improvisation and creativity started with Michael and now resides on an AND1 bus," Earl "the Pearl" was holdin' it down before "Jordan or LeBron's mother were born."

Unfortunately, most people don't know much about old school basketball. If you don't know about "Earl the Pearl," or old school basketball in general, read the article and take notes.

The Evolution of Bill Walker: From Eating Popcorn on KSU's Bench, to Urinating In Front of KSU's Bench

Question: What do you do when you're playing in a basketball game, but you have to piss really badly?

Answer: I guess you do what Kansas State's Bill Walker allegedly did the other night : you stand on the sideline and go in your pants.

Video here: Kansas State's Bill Walker stands on KSU sideline, urinates in pants.

Note: It's hard to see what Walker is doing in the video. You have to look closely at the Kansas State bench (on the lower left side of the image), where Walker can be seen putting towels into his pants and crouching down.

More info here:

Eyewitness account of Bill Walker peeing in pants during game.

According to the eyewitness account, Walker came to the sideline yelling "I gotta piss, I gotta piss!" He then put towels down his shorts and went about his business ... but not without leaving some wet spots on the floor.

The complete weirdness of Walker's having pissed in his pants on the sideline - during a nationally televised game - is what makes the video so funny. It's just bizarre. But as readers of Drive and Dish may recall, this isn't the first time that Bill Walker has done something weird on the Kansas State sideline. Last year, Walker ate from a bag of popcorn while sitting on the bench during Kansas State's first round N.I.T. defeat of DePaul. Drive and Dish talked about that at the time:

Drive and Dish Archive: "There's Nothing Like the NIT Baby! ... Or Maybe Not."

Video here:

Bill Walker sits on bench and eats popcorn during game vs. DePaul.

Bill Walker probably won't be a college basketball player for long. He'll declare for the NBA draft as soon as he can. But in his short stay at KSU, Walker has done his best to make his presence felt - even if it's not for what he's done on the court (bad choice of words: because, apparently, he did something on the court in that video).

CSI Pullman

By Mark Buckets


In a story that has flown under the radar - which is sad in it of itself - former Washington State basketball player Tony Harris's body was found badly mangled in a central Brazilian army base. For those of you who didn't follow Washington State basketball in the early to mid 1990's (and who really did?) Tony Harris was one of those typical early 90's freakish wing players who did a little bit of everything (think the Flyin' Illini a few years before). Those facts are merely footnotes in this bizarre and heartbreaking story. This story is so unusual, so perplexing, that Drive and Dish deems it deserving of further attention . While this is certainly not breaking news, it is a story that has human ramifications beyond time. The Seattle-Post Intelligencer picks up the story in full: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004026635_harris21m.html .

At the time of his disappearance, his wife was seven months pregnant with their first child and he had signed (in another questionable part of this story) with a Brazilian basketball team to earn and save money for the birth of their child. He had lost a temporary job as a child counselor prior to his disappearance.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer also quotes :"Lori Harris said her husband sounded anxious in his phone calls early this month and told her there were rumors being spread about him that could put him at risk." Some might construe this story into the popular pick-up line that reads: Basketball player cheats on wife and rumors start to fly.

One must also understand that Tony Harris was dealing with serious mental health issues at the time of his disappearance. Family members and teammates said that Harris was acting strangely leading up to this tragedy. These inner demons were unleashed, sadly, in the worst way possible: suicide. Although homicide has not been ruled out in this case, one has to wonder whether or not Harris' life could have been saved by way of an intervention and, ultimately, counseling.

The Brazilian basketball team, Universo BRB, which had signed him a few weeks before, had expected Harris to suit up three days before he went missing. It must also be noted that Harris attempted to leave the country, but was eventually denied - by BRB - because they owned custody of his passport. It couldn't have been too much to ask for a person - or persons - of the team hierarchy to sense his problems, release him of his contract, and go on with it? Sure, these lower-level third-world country basketball teams aren't raking in the cash - Harris was 37 and hadn't played basketball in a couple of years- and as a result, give a little less slack to guys who want out. This should have been the exception to the rule, and consequently, a life was lost. I'm shocked and saddened by this story ... a tragedy which could easily have been avoided.

Scottie Pippen to Make Comebcack .... In Sweden

Last year, Scottie Pippen toyed with the idea of making a mid-season NBA comeback. Since Pippen's rumored/attempted comeback never came to fruition, it's probably safe to assume that NBA teams never really had much interest in him (either that, or Pippen worked out for teams and didn't prove that he could still play). And that wouldn't be too surprising, considering the fact that Pippen's post-Chicago career was marred with injury and ended with Pippen electing to sit out the second half of the 2004 season on injured reserve - despite being healthy enough to play.

Well, with or without the NBA, "tha 'Pip" will return to play professional basketball this January ... as a member of the Sundsvall Dragons -- in Sweden.

If you followed the above link, but couldn't read it (because it's in Swedish), then click here: Pippen to Make Comeback in Sweden.

Acc vs. Big Ten Challenge Kicks Off With a Whimper

Tonight, Iowa hosted Wake Forest in the first game of the ACC vs. Big Ten Challenge. This game was so ugly that I won't even bother posting the final score, or any sort of detailed analysis of either team. The only conclusion that anyone who watched this hideous drek disguised as a basketball game could have possibly come away with is: Iowa and Wake Forest really, really suck.

Consider that midway through the first half, the score was Wake Forest 11, Iowa 3. This game looked, for the world, like a bad pick up game at the local YMCA. Missed layups and turnovers were followed by more missed layups and turnovers. And there were just about as many empty seats at Carver Hawkeye Arena as there are at a typical Tampa Devil Rays home game. Oy. That place used to be one of the toughest places to play in the Big Ten, if not in the entire country. And this game was nationally televised. That alone is usually enough to draw crowds - especially in the Hawkeye state, which is usually only in the national consciousness once every four years (when they hold the Iowa Caucuses).

Maybe folks in Iowa City didn't show up because they were in a state of shock - considering all the Kirk Ferentz to Michigan rumors that have been floating around today. But it's more likely that nobody - not even nutty Iowa fans - wants to be subjected to the Godawfulness that is Hawkeye basketball.

Iowa is terrible. And Wake isn't a whole lot better. 'Nuff said.


EDIT:

Not that any sane person would want to, but if you're interested in reading what Iowa sports writers have to say about the Dreadful Hawkeyes, this article from the Cedar Rapids Gazette should be good for a couple laughs. That may have been the worst college basketball game that I've ever seen (and Iowa is one of the worst Big Ten teams I've ever seen), but the Cedar Rapids Gazette's game recap is titled: A Wake-up Call For Hawks.

The Quad City Times has a better perspective on both the game and the 2007/08 Hawkeyes.

Thanksgiving Hangover

By Mark Buckets


It’s great to be back in the fold following Thanksgiving and all that it entails - I’ll take some Alka-Selzter with a side of Pepto - along with the usual gathering of family and friends. And you also know what Thanksgiving means - LOTS and LOTS of college basketball. Ever since the NCAA abolished the hideous “2-in-4” rule - where teams were allowed to compete in only 2 exempted tournaments every 4 years - there has been an explosion of holiday events. Tournaments such as the Maui Invitational, Great Alaska Shootout (which has lost it’s luster of late) and the NIT Season Tip-off are the hallmark events of the Thanksgiving season.

Those three tournaments have blazed the trail for new tournaments to emerge. One of the newest events - and perhaps the most competitive of the young season - has been the Old Spice Classic. Don’t let the location (The Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, FL) or the arena (It’s called the Milk House for heaven’s sake) fool you. And despite low attendance, top-level basketball has been played over the past four days. The nation was introduced to a pair of prolific freshmen Michael Beasley and J.J. Hickson. How can anyone forget about Villanova and star guard Scottie Reynolds? Yes, Jay Wright ditched the Armani suits for a classic polo shirt, disappointing legions of admiring women across the country. Next year’s field is also stacked, so this tournament figures to have some staying power.

The season is progressing nicely - we all know of the bulk of early upsets - and should provide fans with more moments to remember. The kind folks at Kay Jewelers are calling and want their slogan back. I don’t feel like being sued, so I’ll give them the credit. Until we meet again…..

EDIT: (11/25/07)

Trashtalk Superstar adds:

In his most recent posts, Mark Buckets has criticized Marquette coach Tom Crean and Villanova coach Jay Price's fashion choices. Drive and Dish's editorial board has, apparently, decided to branch out beyond just talking about basketball. That's OK -- I probably should have seen the changes coming after this blog attracted national attention when I posted a couple items about college football. And, in fairness, the recent fashion talk has sparked a fair amount activity in the D&D's comments section.

So now that Mark Buckets has been promoted from basketball analyst/pundit to basketball analyst/pundit/fashion critic, I thought I'd join the party and weigh in with my two cents (and hope that maybe the editorial board will see fit to throw a promotion - and pay raise - my way, as well).

Tom Crean's windbreaker at the Maui tournament may have been questionable, but at least he didn't wear a Hawaiian shirt, as coaches always used to do at the Maui tournament. My main criticism of Crean's windbreaker is not that he wore a windbreaker, but that he didn't wear a cool enough windbreaker. A vintage 80's style Members Only windbreaker would have been hellasweet!! For future reference, if Tom Crean -- or anyone else, for that matter -- is having trouble finding a sweet 80's Members Only windbreaker, look no further: Sweet 80's Members Only Windbreaker.

But, even better than a vintage 80's style Members Only windbreaker, Tom Crean could have rocked a vintage David Hasselhoff Knight Rider windbreaker.

Better yet, if Crean had wanted to look extra cool, he'd have done well to have stayed with the Hasselhoff Knight Rider motif, but to have bypassed the windbreaker altogether-- and just gone for the full Hasselhoff Knight Rider ensemble: replete with boots, unbuttoned shirt and bitchin' leather jacket.

However, if Tom Crean had truly wanted to make a STATEMENT, he should have gone for the kick-ass Hasselhoff Knight Rider ensemble - sans the boots, pants and open shirt. Now THAT would've been SWEET!

Kansas vs. Missouri Border War About More Than Just Football

Earlier in the week, the Wall Street Journal ran a must-read article that chronicled the intensity of the annual "border war" rivalry game between Kansas and Missouri. The rivalry transcends football (which isn't surprising, given the historic level of success, or lack thereof, that both programs have enjoyed).

The "border war" continues tonight, and for a change, this year's "border war" has national championship implications. Since Kansas is undefeated and Missouri is 10-1, tonight's game is probably the most important edition of this venerable rivalry. One of these teams will walk off the field knowing that it's no longer in BCS contention. And that's unfortunate, because it would be nice to see both programs play in a BCS game (I figured I'd see a Sasquatch before I'd ever see Kansas or Mizzou in contention for the national championship).

Last week, this blog recognized Ohio State vs. Michigan as the best rivalry in college football. Everybody knows how big that rivalry is. But few people know about the intensity of the Kansas vs. Missouri rivalry. Tonight's game could do a lot to change that (provided that people actually watch the game -- despite the importance of the game, Kansas and Missouri aren't exactly marquee names in college football). But given the nature of this rivalry, and considering the mutual dislike between people from Kansas and denizens of the Show Me State, the rivalry's place in the consciousness of the American public will have little affect on the intensity of the "border war."

Duke Wins the ... Duke Invitational

By Mark Buckets

Chalk another Maui Invitational Title up for the Duke Blue Devils. As most of you already know, this was the fourth title for Duke in the 25 year history of this prestigious event. Kyle Singler - who was lauded for his tenacious offensive rebounding by yours truly - was named the tournament MVP.

The the title game was, frankly, a bore. Both teams combined for 43 personal fouls - of which 27 were assessed to the Golden Eagles. The vultures are circling around Ed Hightower after this one - and, after watching this one, rightly so. I'll be the first to say - and I mean the first - that the anti-Duke sentiment is undeserved. How can you bash a program that hasn't even entered the NCAA infractions committee's area code under a coach that has done it "the right way"? Sure, much of the vile is self-inflicted - perpetual ACC pusher Dick Vitale doesn't assist in improving Duke's public image - but is also unnecessary.

There I go again, going off on a tangent.

Back to the game, Mark.

Some brief observations (hello SI's Stuart Mandel) from tonight's game:

-As I've stated in previous posts, Sean McDonough needs to pipe down when it comes to analysis. But we needn't go down that path now.

-Tom Crean has put on some serious poundage. You know a coach is in denial when he reaches for a diet pepsi during a stoppage in play - as Crean did tonight - conveniently placed on the scorers table.

-On the subject of Mr.Crean, how many basketball coaches do you know use a laminated play-chart? Remember, these kids aren't football players. Remembering to tuck in jerseys is considered a mental chore.

-Yet another Tom Crean observation that ties into the weight loss issue. Do you really need to wear a windbreaker in a gym where temperatures routinely hover around 90 degrees. Besides, losing water weight won't help him shed that belly fat.

-DeMarcus Nelson is an absolute bull. Despite all of his shooting and ball-handling issues, he continues to gather garbage points through sheer athleticism. Hence, Coach K will utilize him more around the basket than ever before. That's saying something, considering his penchant for rebounding throughout his career.

-You have to be impressed with the babysitting job that Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas do with Sean Mickee. When given the chance to speak - and break the game down - they are second to none. Too bad that CBS has them on separate broadcast teams during the NCAA Tournament (Bilas is paired with Dick Enberg and Raftrey with Verne Lundquist.)

-And finally, if I'm a Marquette fan - which I am not - I wouldn't be too concerned with tonight's result. Sure, it would have been an NCAA tournament-booster - when it comes to seeding, of course - but it is not a death knell. In significant foul trouble most of the game, the Eagles keep Duke within striking distance. Not a bad result considering the situation.

Predictably, Ricky Davis Not Working Out Too Well For Miami

By Trashtalk Superstar


When Miami coach and General Manager Pat Riley traded Antoine Walker to Minnesota for Ricky Davis (Miami also acquired Mark Blount from Minnesota, and sent Wayne Simien and Michael Doleac to the "land of 10,000 lakes" to complete the deal), Drive and Dish wondered what Riley was thinking. Walker was shipped out - at least in part - because Riley had grown tired of his bad attitude and overall sloth. So we couldn't fathom what would prompt him to replace one headache (Walker) with a player who would potentially be an even bigger headache (Davis).

Now, as NBA master scribe Sam Smith chronicles in the Chicago Tribune, Pat Riley appears to be at his wit's end with the notorious coach and team chemistry-killing Davis. What a shock.

This week, Riley voiced his disapproval over the on-court production and attitude of one (and possibly more than one) of his team's starters to Miami reporters. But because Riley declined to name the player at whom his comments were directed, it's unclear whether Riley was referring to Davis or to Shaquille O'Neal (although it's also possible that his comments were directed at both players). Riley's vagueness aside, it's clear that he's not pleased:

"People who don't think they should ever be benched might have to come off the bench for a while just to turn this whole thing around ..."

Many folks in the media have assumed that those words were intended to get the attention of the big fella (or Big Aristotle, if you will). And, aside from the occasional appearance of vintage Shaq-style dominance, O'Neal has definitely looked like he just doesn't give a damn anymore. So Riley could, indeed, have been calling him out. After all, his teammates are doing just that: according to Smith, "Dwyane Wade, back from surgery and rounding into form, talked openly of O'Neal needing to be more motivated." Damn!

But, equally likely is the possibility that Riley's ire was directed at Ricky Davis. Just one month into his current stint in Miami, Ricky Davis has wasted no time in going about the business of being Ricky Davis. Smith notes that NBA courtside scouts who follow Miami have been reporting that Davis is doing his best to reinforce his coach-killer and team chemistry-killer reputation:

"they see Davis waving off Riley and telling other players he isn't going to run that stuff."

Now that's the Ricky Davis that we all know and love!

Drive and Dish was dumbfounded when Pat Riley traded for Ricky Davis. Riley had, after all, been stuck with the cancerous Davis before. We absolutely couldn't understand why he'd want another go around with the guy. And we're not alone. Smith cites one Riley confidant who said: "He had him before. How could he not know?"

Regardless of the thought process that led to his pursuit of Davis, it's clear that Pat Riley has had enough of the 2007/08 edition of the Miami Heat:

"'I don't see a team that feels that feels like they have anything at stake here,' Riley said. 'They come in, they play, they get beat, they go home. They go out into the night."

What's not so clear is why it took him so long to notice that his team doesn't care. They were the same way last year too.

And what's even less clear is why Pat Riley thought it would be a good idea to add Ricky Davis to a team that already had a few too many disinterested malcontents.

But questionable judgment aside, at least Riley isn't trying to "pass the buck:"

"I'll take the responsibility for it (Miami's disastrous team chemistry) because I put it together."

Edit:

Pat Riley's acquisition (or re-acquisition, to be more accurate) of Ricky Davis reminds me of the old story about the man who befriended - then took as his pet - a talking rattlesnake. The man was well aware that rattle snakes are aggressive and that their venom is poisionous. So, at first, he was very reluctant to talk to the snake. But the rattlesnake kept assuring the man that he was friendly and, as such, wouldn't bite the man. So in spite of his initial reservations, the guy ultimately came to trust the rattlesnake. So much so that he let the talking snake become his pet, and kept it by his side at all times. After all, he and the talking snake had a special kind of bond.

That is, until the snake finally BIT THE MAN.

Shocked by the trauma of the bite as well as by the rattlesnake's disregard for their friendship and betrayal of his trust, the dying man asked the rattlesnake: "Why did you bite me?"

And the rattlesnake replied: "Because I'm a rattlesnake, stupid. That's what I do."

Maui Wowie! PART DEUX

By Mark Buckets

Phew. What a first day of action from Maui, eh? It was a good day for this “Drive and Dish” scribe, as my four predictions were spot-on on the first day of action. Marquette needed a late surge to stave off host Chaminade (who have a couple of quality players - told ya so about Marko Kolaric). The second game of was a game of ebb-and-flow. Oklahoma State raced out to a huge lead only to see it evaporate into a 6 point win. Keep in mind, LSU was without star Tasmin Mitchell, who was battling a foot injury.

The night session continued the trend of one-sided affairs. It didn’t take 24-point favorite Duke very long to match that mark (even though in the end, they failed to cover), they had 24 points about 3 minutes into the game. A swarming bunch of Devils applied full court pressure for most of the first half and Princeton was helpless to overcome it. On the subject of first half blowouts, Illinois put up 20 before Arizona State even scored a basket. Needless to say, the Illini rolled to an easy win.

Now, we take a look at today’s semifinals (as an aside, I have omitted the consolation bracket as Drive and D wishes not to bore you).

Marquette and Oklahoma State square off in a game that features a slew of freakish athletes. Marcus Dove’s ability is well-documented, but another highly touted McDonald’s All-American, James Anderson - doesn’t everyone seem to be a burger star (but not Arby's) these days? - has the Cowboys thinking upset. While Cowboy fans should be satisfied with an impressive opening win, the Marquette faithful are a little less jubilant. Not only did the big three of James, McNeal and Matthews have atrocious shooting nights, but their man-to-man defense was shredded (it's possible that I'm being being too harsh in that assessment, but the game was close) by a division 2 team. The good news for Marquette is that they couldn’t possibly shoot any worse than they did a day ago. My prediction: Take the GOLDen Eagles - but it's going to be closer than the experts think (thank you Lee Corso).

A game that does not lack for intrigue is the nightcap where Duke will take on Illinois. Duke is a team coming off a commanding win, which was highlighted by the play of frosh superstar Kyle Singler. Anytime a Duke player - a wing player, no less - has nine offensive boards in a game, you know that he is destined for greatness. Duke will look to attack the offensive glass once again against an Illinois team that has superior size and strength on the blocks. In spite of that, my homerism is showing through once again - Duke wins, setting up a tremendous finale (and the game that ESPN wanted) with Marquette.

Maui Wowie!

By Mark Buckets


Monday kicks off something that ESPN has coined as "Feast Week," which is headlined by the 24th annual Maui Invitational. At first glance, the teams that will trot up and down the Lahaina Civic Center this year is weaker than in past years. That will change with next year's field - Carolina and Louisville are the feature teams - which is more loaded than Larry Eustachy at a fraternity party. But in spite of the level of competition in this year's tournament, the games played here are pure class. Since we here at "Drive and Dish" are glad to be of service to you - the fan -we've decided that the way in which we can best help the masses - or the gamblers - is to handicap this year's classic in Maui. So, as they say in Hawaiian "No Ka 'Oi." To those of us that aren't fluent in island tongue, it means "Maui is the Best."

So, herewith is a breakdown of this year's field.

This year's classic tips off today at 1:30 with Marquette and host Chaminade. Picked to finish third in their division 2 conference this year, the Silver Swords appear to be outmatched and outclassed. In this case, perception is reality. As I have documented in a previous post, the Golden Eagles - or, as some might remember, the hideous Gold - lack for size in the post. And Chamindae does rely on their inside duo of Marko Kolaric (who had a tremendous tournament last year) and Rodrick Johnson. In the end, though, Marquette should have enough (sense the sarcasm?) to advance.

In the final game of the first session (leave the opinions to Bilas and Raftery, Sean McDonough, and do your job - play-by-play man) LSU and Oklahoma State square off. Both teams suffered some serious roster turnover from last year. LSU is a relatively unknown team this year as they've lost Big Baby Davis and the underrated Daniel Lazarre. The Tigers rely on Dameon Mason - who, ironically, began his career at Marquette - and a crop of talented tweeners. Tasmin Mitchell has been battling injuries this year, leaving freshman Anthony Randolph to serve as Mason's right-hand man. Similarly, Oklahoma State's roster is decidedly young and inexperienced. The Cowboys will have to rely on point guard Byron Eaton (The former McDonald's All-Americane has been a bit of a disappointnent so far in his career) and swing man Marcus Dove. This very well may be the most competitive first round game, and, after further consideration, I'm a Cowboy believer. OSU wins.

Bereft of any suspense, Duke takes on Princeton in a game that is a massive mismatch on paper. Princeton is a team that runs out only 7 players who play 15 minutes or more a game, while the Devils have been substituting liberally this year. As is common knowledge, the Tigers run an offense that bears their name - the Princeton Offense - to near perfection. Pete Carril will be rolling in his grave after this game - he is dead, right? - as the tournament-favorite (and the favorite of this writer) Blue Devils should win running away.

In a game that begins at 11:30 eastern time and should reel in solid TV numbers (Bartender, can I have another shot of sarcasm?) Illinois takes on Arizona State. Fire up some Maxwell House for this one, as both teams struggle to put the ball in the hoop. I'm interested to see the freshmen play for both teams. Demietry McCamey of Illinois and James Harden of the Sun Devils should go back and fourth, which should make the game worth watching. An ominous sign for Arizona State, however, is their reliance on former Dukie Eric Boateng. That in of itself should give Illinois an advantage. Bruce Weber's squad takes out Herb Sendek's bunch and gets a chance to exact revenge on Duke (we all know the Scheyer story).

Despite its lack of elite programs and star power - no, I didn't forget Duke - the 2007 version of the Maui Invitational should offer up extremely competitive games. I'll have second round breakdowns and predictions early Tuesday morning

After Sparking "Outrage" With Brokeback Remark, Phil Jackson Sticks It To the Man

By Trashtalk Superstar


After going down to the San Antonio Spurs last week, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson made a crack about the game having been like "Brokeback Mountain" ... because of all the "penetration and kick backs."

Jackson's comments aroused outrage in the gay community and, subsequently, received stiff criticism from GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). So having been thrust into the spotlight, and with the NBA front office breathing down his back, Jackson came out and gave an "apology."

What's funny is that the mainstream media took Jackson's apology at face value, and earnestly reported it as a straight news story. Apparently the American mass media's collective radar isn't tuned to detect the subtle hints which indicate sarcasm, because - with his "apology" - Jackson managed to turn things around and mount a back door slam of his critics.

Notice Jackson's subtlety (and bear in mind that Jackson delivered the "apology" with an Eddie Haskell-like irreverent mock sincerity):

"But in retrospect, it wasn't really funny," Jackson said before the Lakers played Houston on Wednesday night. "When you take it out of context, it wasn't funny. It was a poor attempt at humor and I deserved to be reprimanded by the NBA."

In issuing his so called apology, Phil Jackson said of his "Brokeback Mountain" comment, that when taken "out of context, it wasn't funny." Which implies that, taken in context, it was funny.

But none of the Einsteins in the mainstream media picked up on that.

Look, strictly as humor, the line was OK, but it really wasn't that funny. Was it kind of clever? Sure. Even mildly amusing? I guess so ... after all, it did get a laugh from the reporters who were gathered around Jackson, so it served its intended purpose. But that's about as far as it goes.

But to devote any significant effort to debating the comedic merit of Phil Jackson's remark would be to overlook the true significance of the "apology" - and the situation that prompted the "apology." Phil Jackson didn't get reprimanded by the league for telling a corny joke. He got reprimanded for breaking some unwritten PC speech code. And that's troubling because, whether one thinks the line was uproariously funny or just mildly amusing, one thing Phil Jackson's joke wasn't is offensive. Inappropriate, maybe. But offensive, no way.

Phil Jackson didn't make a single derogatory or malicious statement about gays. He merely compared a game that featured a lot of penetration to a blockbuster, Oscar winning movie about gay cowboys ... a movie that was famous - at least in part - because it featured a notorious penetration scene.

Would anyone have been offended if, instead of having compared the game to Brokeback Mountain (because of all the penetration), Phil Jackson had instead referenced the name of some random porno flick? Would there have been similar outrage if he'd called it a "Jenna Jamison" game?

After all, the typical porno shows a lot more penetration than Brokeback Mountain. And Jenna Jamison (the world's most famous porn star) has made a career out of getting rocked every which way imaginable, whereas the light-in-the-cowboy-boots stars of Brokeback Mountain only had one "penetration" scene (well, from what I understand ... I - admittedly - haven't actually seen Brokeback mountain). But, somehow, I seriously doubt that any non-gay reference to "penetration" would have incurred the same kind of angry reaction that the "Brokeback Mountain" comment did.

That's because most of the objection to Jackson's comment came from people and groups that have made a profession out of being outraged and offended. Notice that in their objection to Phil Jackson's comment, GLAAD didn't claim that Jackson had been homophobic or insulting to gays. They didn't even claim that Jackson had said anything negative about gays, gay culture, the gay lifestyle or the gay community in general. Their objection was, simply, that they found what Jackson had said to be "offensive."

In failing to cite any insulting, demeaning or even remotely negative comments about gays in Phil Jackson's statement, GLAAD's objection to the statement's "offensiveness" leads down that old, proverbial "slippery slope -- because whether or not something is considered to be "offensive" is a totally subjective matter. The offensiveness or inoffensiveness of any statement is completely up to the judgement of the individual who takes offense - or doesn't take offense - to the statement. Just about anyone can take offense to anything Which is why, by basing their objection to Jackson's statement on the fact that they find it "offensive," GLAAD doesn't have a leg to stand on.

But it's doubtful that the validity of their position is a primary concern of the folks at GLAAD. Their primary concerns appear to be attracting attention to their organization, acquiring power and wielding what power they do have. And make no mistake, they absolutely love this kind of drama (don't be fooled by their objection to Jackson's comment ... the people at GLAAD aren't happy unless they're offended and outraged). It gets them the attention that they crave and - perhaps more importantly - it's a fund raising cash cow.

As for Phil Jackson, he's an old hippie, a self-described "Zen master," an acolyte of the late Dr. Timothy Leary, was an outspoken supporter of former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley's bid for the 2000 Democratic Presidential nomination (Bradley was a vocal advocate for gay issues and an early proponent of same sex marriage) and part of his mystique stems from the fact that - even though he's a basketball coach - he's been known to question authority and "stick it to the man." Jackson is, after all, a life-long adherent of the "anti-establishment" counter culture of the late 1960's (despite having spent his entire adult life as either a player or coach [authority figure] in the completely "square" and "establishment" world of professional basketball). So it's hard to imagine that Phil Jackson harbors any particular hatred for ill will toward the gay community.

Phil Jackson is just about as far from being a redneck or a bigot as anyone can be. He's a tree-hugging, (and -at the very least- former) pot smoking flower child. Hell, when he was coaching Chicago, Phil Jackson reprimanded Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for owning firearms ... Phil thought that guns brought "bad Karma." And Jackson ran such a loose ship in Chicago that he even encouraged bench players Jud Buecheler and Steve Kerr to go out and get drunk with Dennis Rodman while on road trips, because he thought Buecheler and Kerr were "too uptight" and needed to "relax."

Phil Jackson shouldn't have had to apologize to anyone for his "Brokeback Mountain" quip. And - in quite brilliant fashion, actually - he didn't.

When forced to apologize by the NBA, Phil Jackson could have issued the standard "non apology" apology that's quickly becoming the the "go to" course of action for public figures who find themselves drawing fire over something they said.

Jackson could easily have slid by if he'd said: "I apologize if anyone was offended by my comments." After all, that's how it's done these days. You don't, technically, admit to having said or done anything wrong: you're only sorry that some people may have found your comments "offensive" - but not necessarily sorry for having made the comments. It's the easy way out. It's posturing, placating and obfuscating all at once. It's sophistry as public relations strategy. And it works.

But that's not what Phil Jackson did. Rather, he - underhandedly - made a smart ass mockery of the "non apology" apology (and of the situation that prompted him to "apologize") which also served to rebuke GLAAD, the NBA and other critics of his "Brokeback" comment. And the best part is that it was all cleverly disguised as an actual apology.

Which is pretty damn brilliant! Bill Murray couldn't have pulled it off any better or with any more irreverence - and he's made a career out of doing that kind of stuff.

By saying: "If I've offended any horses, Texans, cowboys or gays, I apologize," and "when you take it out of context, it isn't funny" (which, again, implies that - when you don't take it out of context - it is funny), Phil Jackson delivered a giant middle finger to all the critics of his comment. And, once again, Phil managed to stick it to the man.

But the funniest part is that no one seems to have noticed.