The Wisconsin Cavilers and TreBron Hughes

Took in the UWGB over #14 Wisconsin (now unranked) game last night. This is an odd rivalry game to me because I live in Green Bay, occasionally get to go to some of the Pheonix games, and generally want them to do well. But, Badger basketball is appointment viewing. While I foudnd the upset fascinating, if someone put a gun to my head, I would have been rooting for the bad guys (Badgers).

I'm pretty dismayed by Bucky's performance last night. I have never seen them play a game like that. I shared about an hour worth of texts with my brother about this last night, but I want to reiterate those points for the other two people that care.

First, the defense was asleep. While the Pheonix are pretty athletic, there is no excuse for a Big Ten team to surrender 88 points. Especially when you held Duke to 61. And it wasn't like this was crowd driven. While the crowd was the largest in UWGB history (9,700+) and it was probably pretty loud. I can tell you three things for certain: 1) 75% of the crowd was either completely Badger fans or was on the fence; 2) UWGB crowds have not been at all intimidating since the days of Dick Bennett at the old arena; 3) The student section is abysmal. So it was not being on the road that caused UW to not play any defense whatsoever.

It was also not the crowd that caused UW to employ the Cleveland Cavilers offense, or for Bo Ryan to turn into Mike Brown. That is, Trevon Hughes going one on five, and everyone else standing around while he drives to the hoop and either scores or hopes to get fouled or he dribbles around and takes an ill-advised three. Trevon is their best player, but he is much better when he gets others invovled, and certainly not good enough to take every shot. I've never seen less passing in a Wisconsin basketball game. UW had the best three to four players on the court at all times. They also had a size advantage at nearly all positions. And they did nothing about it. The game was just mind boggling.

Was it the snow? Maybe, but its not as if UWGB was sitting on a beach until right before the game. UW was in town well before the storm hit. They just didn't show up and were completely unprepared. As I told my brother, UW has a game like this every year (see: SDSU loss, Long Beach three pointer at the buzzer at home, Missouri St. loss). They are probably closer to the Duke game than the UWGB game. And maybe UWGB is really good. I guess we'll find out when they play Butler twice.

Short Week = Very Little Work

It is November 23rd. I live in Northeast Wisconsin. It is like 50 degrees out. The weather this weekend, and especially yesterday when I was outside most of the day was unfair. I'm positive I've been to Packer games in late November when it was 10 degrees out. Yesterday I had on a sweatshirt and jeans and could not have been more comfortable. It was awesome. The first half performance of the Pack was equally awesome. The 49ers had NEGATIVE 6 yards passing in the first half. Take away that random 50+ yard run by Gore and we are talking somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 total yards allowed. The Pack did whatever they wanted on offense, including RUNNING THE BALL. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that when your running back, even one as mediocre (at best) as Grant is getting six yards a carry, you should probably give him more than 21 carries. If you can run at six yards a clip, you are impossible to beat. Just another 344yd 2TD, 0INT performance by Rodgers, which is quickly becoming an average game. Sports Bottle is correct about the second half. McCarthy either made no adjustments, or adjusted conservatively and got overmatched by Singletary in the second half. The Niners made it interesting. I hope Harris isn't out for any length of time, but initial reports aren't good. At one point in the second half, the right side of our defensive backfield contained the names: "Bush", "Underwood" and "Bigby". That has 40 points written all over it. Tramon Williams is serviceable, but we are going to struggle in passing downs. Right now, things are looking up at 6-4. I think every game we have left is at least winnable (and losable I suppose).

One awkward thing about yesterday was the pre-game. I posted up at Buffalo Wild Wings at 9:30 a.m. Typically, this is just early enough to get one of the last remaining tables. But for some reason, it never got ridiculously packed in there. I thought, well, maybe the weather is just that good that everyone is outside. But even outside there weren't that many people. It wasn't until we actually got to the line to get into the stadium that it didn't feel strangely quiet. The crowd was normal, so that part wasn't affected. Was it deer hunting? Perhaps. Just was a little odd.

I couldn't convince my old man to come get me before the game, so I ended up getting mildly intoxicated, but having to turn down that last beer. Also, my old man somehow managed to eat a breakfast of pancakes before leaving for the game, then ordered 8 boneless wings (which was all I was able to eat) AND 3 pulled pork sliders with fries. He also had three 23 oz Sam Adams Winter Lagers, which are also filling. It is incredible how much he is able to eat. I felt like I was going to puke when we left BWW and I didn't have the pork sliders.

-The Badgers shit the bed, and as you'll see later, now must win to have any chance at the Get Together.

-I went to the UWGB-Long Beach St. game on Saturday. It was another excuse to drink before noon. The arena was about 1/3 full. Not a terrible game. UWGB lost by 12. The tickets were free. It continues to amaze me that UWGB can get only about 3 to 5k for a game, while Creighton can get 17,000.

-UW plays Arizona at 11 p.m. tonight in Maui. Chances I stay awake to see any of it? 0%

-My OJSFA team, The White Broncos, have fallen to 5-6 after my third straight ass beating. I pretty much need to win out to make the playoffs. I am beyond annoyed by my team.

-I plan to do as little work as possible for the next three days. I used my last vacation day on Friday, even though I shouldn't have to. That day should be an automatic holiday. It is fucking retarded that I have to waste a vacation day.

-It is my birthday tomorrow. Pour out some liquor for planet earth.

Male Bonding

I've got plans to do some male bonding this weekend with my dad and brother. Now, I know what you are probably thinking. But you are dead wrong. We're not going to go out into the woods piss drunk with a rifle and try to shoot something while freezing our asses off. See, even though I grew up in a city that most people that live in cities would consider "the country", I am not a hunter. My dad is not a hunter. My brother is not a hunter. We are city folk, through and through. The closest I've ever come to deer hunting was at the arcade. Or watching a Bucks game. This weekend is the opening of deer season, and we will be going in the opposite direction of all of the dudes in blaze orange.

On Saturday, I got two free tickets to UWGB v. Long Beach St. I'm taking the old man because my wife for some reason "hates" UWGB. We will probably have a beverage or two, maybe some food, probably talk some shit. Should be 3 or 4 hours of bonding tops. It should be a good time. I get to drink, talk out of my ass, hang out with the old man, and not clean/watch my wife clean. I will be missing UW v. Northwestern for this game. I'm going 31-20 UW. 73-62 Dirtbags over UWGB.

Sunday is for Packer games. And Packer games are for drinking (at least a bit). For this one I'm going to try to con my dad into driving so that I can get slightly intoxicated. My dad has to work at 11 p.m., but he's never met a beer that he wouldn't drink, regardless of work/driving. I'm sure he won't get totally pissed up, but he is willing to push the envelope way further than I am. Probably will inhale some Buffalo Wild Wings and drink as much as I can until the game starts. Then I will get forced to drink a few more in the stadium I'm sure. It will work out much better if he drives, because then I won't have to turn down drinks or make a sketchy drive home. My brother is meeting us there, and there is a 98% chance he will be hungover. For the record, Green Bay has done extremely well against NFC opponents in games I've been to. I'm feeling GB 27, SF 14.

OTHER STUFF

I should be more pissed about MJD kneeling down at the one and costing me the game against Ricky (lost by 5).

This post was rambling and incoherent. For that I apologize.

Have fun in the woods assholes.

Storming the Floor Etiquette

This is a few days late, but since nobody besides me watched, or gave a shit, that UWGB rolled up then 6th ranked Butler the other night, I thought I could write this now and be OK. See, after the win, the UWGB fans stormed the court like they had just won a championship of some sort. To be fair, according to my cursory review of UWGB basketball history, this is only the third ever home win over a ranked opponent, so it was a very big win for the program and everyone should be excited. But I have a number of problems with the storming of the court:

1) Last week the student section appeared to have about 30 people in it. So the majority of the people storming the court are bandwagon jumpers, and shouldn't have the right to act that excited.

2) UWGB is still in second place after the win.

3) It was a regular season game, that was really for nothing other than bragging rights, and seedings, seeing as UWGB has ZERO chance at an at-large bid, and Butler is probably getting one anyway.

4) It wasn't THAT big of an upset.

In my mind there is a series of rules that need to be followed before court storming is appropriate. As Walter says, "This isn't 'Nam. There are rules!!!". If any one of these things happens, a storming is appropriate. I am happy to provide such a list:

1) The win clinches an NCAA birth. Even if you are Duke and you go every year, it is hard to do, and a celebration is warranted. There is nothing cooler than a really small mid-major doing this after their first appearance in 45 years.

2) You are unranked, and the win is against the number one ranked team. Not 6, not 20, but NUMBER ONE.

3) The win is a monumental upset. If you are the last place team and beat a ranked opponent for the first time ever, it is acceptable ONCE. If you are historically terrible and you snap a losing streak to that team that is more than 20 games long, it is acceptable, ONCE.

4) It is a hotly contested conference game, between good rivals, and the game ends on a miraculous buzzer beater. If the sheer emotion of the ending ends in the players in a pile up, the fans are allowed to join in.

5) You win a national title.

That's it. That's the list. The storming of the court in Green Bay earlier in the week was amateur hour.

Bracket Busters Overview

So the pairings for this year's Bracket Busters have just been released. CU will host George Mason who has a fairly similar record, and is also third place in their conference. I am slightly disappointed that we didn't get to see a UW-Green Bay-CU matchup. UWGB is 15-6 overall, and 9-2 in the Horizon League. I would think it would be a pretty even matchup. Instead, they are shipping to Green Bay to Long Beach to take on the 11-9 "Dirtbags".

I guess it doesn't really matter all that much, since neither team is probably getting an at-large bid anyway, but it would have been kind of fun to see. I guess I should probably be glad CU doesn't have to play UWGB since the Phoenix is handling #6 Butler 55-45 with 8 minutes left as I write this.

By the way, the Horizon League has it right when it comes to broadcasting their sports. Instead of having a fascist and archaic pay per view system like CU has (which is something like $79.99 a year). The Horizon League broadcasts almost all of their games online for FREE. It would be pretty tits if I watched alot of GB games. I sort of don't have room to root strongly for three NCAA teams, and right now UW and CU hold those spots. Plus, I don't really want to be bandwagon and start rooting hard for UWGB just because they are sort of good this year. That would be lame.

GREEN Bay, the Yanks and OJSFA

I checked out UW v. UWGB on the Big10 network last night. Pretty entertaining game, and a much more impressive win for UW that you probably think. Anyway, there were two important things that stuck out about the game for me. First, it still bothers me that UWGB insists on being referred to as "Green Bay" instead of "Wisconsin-Green Bay". Who do they think they are? Fucking Memphis State? But what was more bothersome was that the announcer was obviously not from the Midwest, and kept saying GREEN Bay by putting the emphasis on GREEN, when the emphasis should be on BAY. GREEEEEEN Bay instead of Green BAYY It drove me fucking crazy.

I hate the New York Yankees. I always have and always will. They exist on the same list as the Cubs in baseball, the Cowboys, Bears, Vikings and Lions in football, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan St., and Kentucky in college basketball and Michigan and Ohio St. in college football. Teams that when they lose, it brings me great joy. The shit is just getting ridiculous. They have already spent so much on payroll this year (and there are rumors they are after Texiera and Man-Ram too...) that they are dwarfing a number of other teams entire payrolls. And that is JUST on CC and Burnett. That doesn't even take the contracts of Jeter and A-Rod into consideration. Both of them make well over $20mil a year too. While this is the biggest splurge they have had in awhile, keep in mind how well it has gone for them in the past (Carl Pavano). The baseball world will likely be righted again with the Yankees in the playoffs for me to root against, and the Brewers out. But how great would it be to see the Yanks struggle and fail? Pretty fucking great. We are two bad years away from the Yankees requesting their own bailout package.

OJSFA playoffs on tap today. I am taking on Richard. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on the game because $100 are on the line. Winner is guaranteed that much, loser has to win next week to get $50. Richard beat me like red-headed step child last week. But I think I generally like my player's matchups a little better this week. I still have the lingering Marion Barber problem. I have no clue if he is going to start, and he plays Sunday night meaning if I take the chance to start him and find out he's not, I am stuck with Tashard Choice. It could be worse, but I would rather not be put in that position. The Giants D is pretty tough too, so neither is a great matchup. In that alternative, I could start Steve Breaston (who only scores when I don't play him) or Leon Washington (reach play). Santonio Holmes and Jerricho Cotchery are also on my roster, but are dead to me. I don't know what the fuck to do. Finally, I have made the decision to start Phil Rivers (v. KC) over Tony Romo (v. NYG) this week. Rivers has been tremendously inconsistent this year, but has had really, really big games this year. Romo has struggled a bit lately, and I don't really like what is happening in Dallas this year. This is probably a really dumb move on my part, since it has been Romo that has gotten me here. But fuck it. Go me.

Packers 31, Jags 30. (really I have no confidence that the Pack has any chance in this one). Greg Jennings has 0 catches, Ryan Grant runs for -8 yds and has no catches, Mojo Drew has 128 yds rushing, 11 catches for 67 yds and 4 TDs.

UWGB and Britney Spears

This will be the last post of the day. Unless something super-crazy happens.

I just found out that UW-Green Bay got blowed out by D-II Rollins College last night. Jesus. I'm glad I didn't get those season tickets I wanted. Embarrassing.

I also just found out that Britney Spears is hot again. Remember back in 1998 where you, I and the Sports Bottle would have "crawled across charred glass to sniff her ass through a screen door"? Then remember in like 2006 when she was a fat pig (relatively speaking), and was fucking insane, and we wouldn't have fucked her with eachother's dick? Well, I just happened across her new music video for "Womanizer" (look it up yourself)(terrible, terrible song, even for her). And she has part of the video where she is completely naked (not full frontal of course), and she certainly appears to have her A (alright A-) game again. That doesn't mean she isn't bat shit crazy. And alot of luster has been taken off given the fact that she isn't 18 anymore, and all of the shit that's gone on. But she may revive her career as a glimmer in many a young man pants.