Michigan State vs. North Carolina: Will Tyler Hansbrough & crew get that elusive national title?

Here is the write up and box score from the first time Michigan State and North Carolina met back on December 3rd...

Michigan State-North Carolina Boxscore from December 3

Michigan State-Connecticut
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes that Tom Izzo is not going to the NBA... "Mariucci is also Izzo’s most trusted sounding board. When the inevitable NBA suitors pursue Izzo in the coming weeks, he will seek Mariucci’s counsel. Mariucci doesn’t think his best friend is going anywhere regardless of how hard the NBA might push." ....

Drew Sharp

Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press reviews the first time that Michigan State and North Carolina met this year... "Michigan State was only a piece of itself that December night, when North Carolina whipped the Spartans, 98-63. Tom Izzo knew it before tip-off. Everybody did." ...

Michael Rosenberg

Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant writes about the uncertainty surrounding the UConn program... "We will have to wait and wonder if this is the end of an era. On this Saturday night, we can say this much is certain: It is the end of a season." ...

Jeff Jacobs

North Carolina-Villanova
Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer writes how Carolina must win Monday to deem the season a success... "It's always been about the whole shebang for this North Carolina basketball team. That's remained the overriding theme -- a daily swig of motivation -- since the Tar Heels left San Antonio empty-handed, wet-eyed and roundly panned after last season's Final Four." ...

Caulton Tudor

Bob Ford of Philly.com writes how Villanova will look back at the "what-ifs"... "All the what-ifs added up against Villanova last night, finally becoming an 83-69 loss to North Carolina that eliminated the Wildcats from national championship contention one game short of that goal." ...

Bob Ford

Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com writes how Carolina won despite all their statistical errors... "They missed 15 free throws, got beat on the boards by five, lost the game in the paint by 10, second-chance points by three and even got beat on the fast break. And won by 14." ...

Dana O'Neil

Tuffy Rhodes: 15 years ago he made National League history with the Chicago Cubs

Saturday will mark the 15th anniversary of a great moment in baseball history...

Who could ever forget the show that Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes, of the Chicago Cubs, put on for the Wrigley Field faithful on Opening Day of the 1994...Tuffy unloaded for three homeruns to become the first and only National League player to ever hit three homers on Opening Day...all three shots came off Doc Gooden of the Mets...

What a day it was for Tuffy...after that three homer performance, he went on to hit a total of five more home runs the rest of the season and finish with a .234 batting average...by the way, the Cubs did lose that opener to the Mets 12-8 despite Tuffy's heroics...

So whatever happened to Tuffy?....

In 1996 he went to Japan...he is the all-time home run leader for foreign-born players with 442 home runs...in 2001 Tuffy unloaded for 55 home runs which tied the mark set by the great Sadaharu Oh...at the age of 40, Tuffy is still trying hook on to a team in Japan...

John Calipari shakes up the basketball world

John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes how Kentucky fans are thrilled that John Calipari is their new basketball coach... "Calipari gets players. He gets big players. He gets quick players. He gets talented players. He gets monstrously talented players. You can question the methods he uses to get those players. You can't question his results." ...

John Clay

Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes that Kentucky should have hired Calipari two years ago... "John Calipari waited for the phone call. And waited. And waited. Two years ago, after Tubby Smith bolted for the Great White North, Calipari figured he was a logical candidate to become the new head man at Kentucky." ...

Mark Story

Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal writes that Coach Cal was a hit at his first news conference... "He paid respect to the tradition of the program. He recognized coaches and players that had come before him. He talked about not flinching from the pressure of winning championships and hanging more banners." ...

Rick Bozich

David Climer of the Nashville Tennessean writes how Kentucky will be a force again in the SEC... "The arrival of John Calipari at Kentucky after nine outstanding seasons at Memphis will help the Big Blue return to a dominant position." ...

David Climer

Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News writes how the Kentucky job was just to good to pass us... "It is a fine place to try, one of the true and lasting capitals of the sport, one where four different coaches have won national titles. Kentucky is one of those jobs, one that should have gone to Calipari before they were dumb enough to hire Gillispie." ...

Mike Lupica

A look at how Calipari's hiring will impact the recruitment at both Memphis and Kentucky...

Recruiting

Amy Robach - the hottest woman on network news

I don't know how I missed this, but back in November 2008 Maxim magazine named my girl Amy Robach, from NBC News, the hottest news anchor in America...and this is no April Fool's joke...

I could be reading the newspaper when the NBC Nightly News is on, but when I hear her name, my newspaper hits the floor and all my attention is on Amy...boy does she have great legs!!!

This is what Maxim wrote: "All the recent wailing about America's unemployment rate overlooks some of its benefits, namely the additional time it affords you with the hottest host in Today Show history. Her fill-in work at the news desk and on the NBC Nightly News has been par excellence . . ."

The poor economy has led some women to become strippers

The Associate Press recently published a story about how more women are becoming strippers and even entering the porn business because of the poor economy...many lost their jobs and are in need of fast cash... "Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they’re seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured." ...

AP

Bill Raftery - the hardest working man in college basketball

You got Dickie V as probably the most famous college basketball analyst...and Clark Kellogg replaced Billy Packer at CBS...but my favorite college basketball analyst is Raft - Bill Raftery...he is the most under-rated hoops guy on television...this guy does like 5-6 basketball games a week...and he is not ashamed in being the color man for a small college basketball game...where there is college hoops, you will find Raft...he may never do a Duke-North Carolina game nor a Final Four, but he is still my main man behind the mike...Richard Sandomir of The New York Times wrote about Raft in last Thursday's paper... "Bill Raftery sings of onions and nylons, sweet kisses and lingerie, small change and nickel-and-dimers. The CBS and ESPN college basketball analyst’s big fellas take it to the tin and his little guys have big tickers. His puppies get set, get organized and get off the bus. He says that Chiclets must be counted and bounce passes may lead to ecstasy." ...

Richard Sandomir

Lou Saban, former head coach of Buffalo, Denver, and VP of Yankees, dies

The Associated Press reports that longtime and well-traveled former football head coach Lou Saban died on Sunday morning... he was 87-years-old...among his numerous stops as head coach, he will most be remembered for leading the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos...Saban also served as president of the New York Yankees from 1981-82...

Lou Saban Obit

Who will win the title: UConn, Nova, Sparty, or UNC?

Pitt isn't it...The Ville came up empty...and The Cuse's magical run is over...we are down the Final Four - Michigan State vs. Connecticut and Villanova vs. North Carolina...who is going to win the National Championship?...be a real American and VOTE NOW!!!!...

Who will win the National Championship?
	Connecticut Huskies
	Michigan State Spartans
	North Carolina Tar Heels
	Villanova Wildcats
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Johnny Blanchard, former New York Yankee, dies

While going through this week's New York Times, I came across the obit of former New Yankees back-up catcher Johnny Blanchard...Blanchard died on Wednesday, March 25th... "Johnny Blanchard, a power-hitting catcher and outfielder known as Super Sub who played in five consecutive World Series for the Yankees in the 1960s, died Wednesday in Robbinsdale, Minn. He was 76." ...

Johnny Blanchard Obit

UConn's Kemba Walker gets a haircut to help his game

Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant writes how a little trim got Kemba Walker going... "We were nowhere near a barbershop, and I do cut my own hair," said Townsell, a member of the UConn academic support staff. "He's not complaining right now." ...

Jeff Jacobs

Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes how the Pitt players will one day appreciate their special season... "But today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and for many years to come, those players will remember only the hurt they felt at the finish of their 78-76 loss to Villanova last night at TD Banknorth Garden, their time together gone forever." ...

Ron Cook

Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes how Villanova has quietly moved into the Final Four... "It was a game in which Villanova was matched against a team that might have some superior individual players, a game that required them to be fundamentally sound. That was particularly in evidence at the free-throw line, where the Wildcats made 22 of 23 attempts." ...

Bob Ford

Ramiro Pena may soon be the player who replaces Derek Jeter at shortstop

Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes about Derek Jeter's possible replacement at shortstop in 23-year-old Ramiro Pena... "Jeter's decreased range at shortstop, especially to his left, has been an increasingly hot topic around baseball - which the Yankee high command has pointedly chosen to ignore, because there didn't appear to be any bona fide prospects in the system. That, however, all changed this spring with the emergence of 23-year-old Ramiro Pena, whose dazzling glovework has made him the frontrunner to win the utility infielder's job until Alex Rodriguez comes back in May." ...

Bill Madden

Kentucky Derby champ Alysheba dies

For the second time in a week, a former Kentucky Derby champion horse dies...the report below is from ESPN.com...

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Alysheba, winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and chosen 1988 Horse of the Year, has died. The champion stallion was 25.

The charismatic star, dubbed "America's Horse" by racing fans, Alysheba was euthanized Friday night following a fall in his stall at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions, where he was buried Saturday.

The son of racing legend Alydar became a sensation for trainer Jack Van Berg and owners Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer during a brilliant career that included a win in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired as horse racing's all-time money winner with more than $6.6 million in earnings from 11 victories in 26 lifetime starts.


Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Alysheba to victory in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, called him "the most talented horse I ever rode."

The talent became evident during Alysheba's stirring Derby win over Bet Twice. He stumbled in the stretch before catching himself to run down his rival in the final yards.

Only upon replay did McCarron realize how close his trip had come to disaster.

"Falling didn't even go through my mind," McCarron said. "I kept thinking there's only one horse left in front of us that was going to prevent us from getting the roses. He just did an incredible job of righting himself. I was focused on keeping my balance and trying to stay on his back."

Van Berg wasn't surprised. Alysheba had a sense of balance and athleticism rarely found on the track.

"He just had unbelievable ability," Van Berg said. "He got a little gust of wind or whatever and got knocked down and he stepped up before Chris knew what hit him. He was remarkable."

Alysheba backed up the Derby win by taking the Preakness. His bid for a Triple Crown ended with a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Belmont, a rare dull performance from a horse who won fans over with his consistency and durability.

Being a bit of a showoff helped. Van Berg said he would get a kick out of seeing Alysheba hop around the paddock before races, preening for the audience.

"He was hard to handle sometimes, but the adrenaline would get flowing and he knew it was time to go," Van Berg said. "He could do things you wouldn't believe."

Namely, bring it every time.

"He always ran his race," McCarron said. "You could count on him giving his best effort, even if he got in trouble or the track condition wasn't to his liking."

One of his greatest performances may have come in defeat. Alysheba lost to 1986 Derby winner Ferdinand in a photo finish at the 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic, a setback that likely cost him Horse of the Year honors.

McCarron said the loss may have been a blessing. Rather than retire to the breeding shed, Alysheba returned to the track as a 4-year-old in 1988, winning six stakes races and getting a measure of revenge in the '88 Classic, beating Seeking the Gold in the early evening gloaming at Churchill Downs.

McCarron remembers seeing signs in the winner's circle proclaiming: "Alysheba for President." The horse certainly seemed to feel like one, carrying himself with the pride of a winner.

"He looked majestic on the track," McCarron said. "He'd stop and let people take photographs. I believe he loved it."

Alysheba retired to stud in Kentucky in 1989 before being sold and sent to Saudi Arabia. He arrived at the Horse Park last fall, joining Cigar -- who broke Alysheba's career earnings record -- in the Hall of Champions.

"He had an aura about him," park spokeswoman Lisa Jackson said.

McCarron said he saw Alysheba two weeks ago and offered his old friend mints while standing out in his paddock.

"He looked fantastic," McCarron said.

The stallion fell in his stall, injuring his right hind femur, and was euthanized Friday night at a medical center in Lexington.

Kathy Hopkins, director of equine operations at the horse park, said Alysheba fell due to a chronic degenerative spinal condition.

"Complicated by his advanced age, this trauma resulted in severe pain," Hopkins said. "The resulting pain and suffering, and the inability to stand unaided, led to a joint decision for euthanasia."

Alysheba is the second champion horse to be euthanized in the past two weeks. Lil E. Tee, who upset heavily favored Arazi to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby, was put down at Old Frankfort Stud in Lexington on March 18 at age 20.

It's all about The Cuse

After tonight we will have the Elite Eight...and here are the last four teams who will complete that bracket...

South Regional in Memphis
7:25 #3 Syracuse (28-9) vs. #2 Oklahoma (29-5) {Oklahoma -1}
At times this season it looked like The Cuse was headed for another disappointing season...then came the Big East tourney...I love The Cuse and their warrior mentality...point guard Jonny Flynn (photo) is one bad ass...the Sooners have been steady all season...Blake Griffin is a force...but I am just stunned that he is such a horrible free throw shooter...this will be a nip and tuck game all the way but The Cuse will win...

9:55 #4 Gonzaga (28-5) vs. #1 North Carolina (30-4) {Carolina -9}
The Zags have impressed me in this tourney...they could have buckled against Akron when the Zips had the Zags in a close game...then Gonzaga put the foot on the accelerator and smoked Akron...and what a finish the Zags had against Western Kentucky....we all know about Carolina...what is there to write about them...hmmm, it would not surprise me if Gonzaga wins this game...but I think Carolina edges them by 1 point...take Gonzaga with the points!!!...

Midwest Regional in Indianapolis
7:05 #12 Arizona (21-13) vs. #1 Louisville (30-5) {Louisville -9}
The bracket broke just right for Arizona to get into the Sweet 16...Louisville dominates in this game...give the points and enjoy The Ville in an easy win...

9:35 #3 Kansas (27-7) vs. #2 Michigan State (28-6) {MSU -1.5}
The Spartans have a lot of talent, but at times they seem to go into a funk at least twice during the course of a game...I just can't put my finger on what is their problem...Kansas has had an incredible year after losing all starting five from last year's title team...Sparty wins and cover the points...

Villanova to beat Duke in the Sweet 16

One half of the Sweet 16 goes at it tonight...whoever wins this round of games is half way to the six wins needed to be declared CHAMPIONS!!!...here are my predictions:

East Regional in Boston
7:25 #4 Xavier (27-7) vs. #1 Pitt (30-4) {Pitt -7}
The Panthers have not looked like a number one seed so far...Sam Young (photo) had a monster game with 32 points against Okie State...even though the Panthers have struggled at times, their beefy center DeJuan Blair has not been in foul trouble in the first two games of the tourney...look for Pitt to win this game, but take Xavier with the points...

9:55 #3 Villavova (28-7) vs. #2 Duke (30-6) {Duke -2}
Duke caught evern break in the last minute of their win over Texas this past weekend...Duke has not impressed me all year, but somehow they are sitting with 30 wins again...Villanova may have had their scare of the tournament with their comeback against American...the Wildcats whooped UCLA on Saturday...Villanova wins in a slight upset...

West Regional in Glendale
7:05 #5 Purdue (27-9) vs. #1 Connecticut (29-4) {UConn -7)
The Huskies have looked mighty impressive so far...they jumped out to a 10-0 lead against Texas A&M and never looked back...Purdue will provide a battle for most of the game...but in the last 10 minutes the Huskies take over...UConn wins and give the points...

9:35 #3 Missouri (30-6) vs. #2 Memphis (33-3) {Memphis -4.5}
Real quick, name me the head coach of Missouri!!!...if you said Norm Stewart, you are wrong...it is Mike Anderson...and the Tigers are one of the quietest 30 win teams in the last 5 years....I like Memphis a lot...it will be close, but in the end, Memphis wins and barely covers...Mizzou on a teaser will be a good...

Kobe Bryant's wife forces maid to stick hand in a bag of dog crap?

This was just reported by TMZ:

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant are striking back at the maid who accused Vanessa of various abuse on the job -- including an alleged incident where the maid was forced to stick her hand into a bag of dog crap.

The Bryant's lawyers, Loeb & Loeb LLP, just released the following statement on behalf of the couple:

We have learned that a former employee of the Bryants, Maria Jimenez, has filed a complaint against our clients. Ms. Jimenez's outrageous allegations of improper conduct are totally unfounded and patently false. The Bryants intend to vigorously defend against these untruthful allegations and are confident that the baseless nature of the allegations will be proven.

Give me Tyler Hansbrough over Blake Griffin

- Give me Tyler Hansbrough over Blake Griffin anyday...don't get me wrong, Griffin is a darn good player, but he is horrible at the free throw line...with the game on the line I would want the ball in Hansbrough's hands instead of Griffin...that is why Hansbrough is my Player of the Year...
Hansbrough 21.2 ppg; 8.1 rpg; 85% free throw
Griffin 22.5 ppg; 14.4 rpg; 58% free throw

- Kansas head coach Bill Self is my Coach of the Year...think about it, he lost all starting five players from last year's national title team and all he has done is go 25-6 this season...

- Since winning back-to-back titles, Florida's Billy Donovan has missed the Big Dance the last two years...maybe he is not the next great head coach that we all thought he was just two years ago...

- One of the best blogs is The Money Shot...G$ often writes about his upcoming wedding and how the life of being a groom sucks...this is some funny shit...check out his latest rant on March 18th...

Money Shot

- Kelly Clarkson was always been a thick girl, but now she has become fat...however, I do like how she is handling it...she admits she likes to eat and is unapologetic about it...

- Add crumbled feta to spice up any meal...

- People might as well realize that Charles Barkley will never change - and that is a good thing...

- I was disappointed that Detroit Tigers star outfielder Magglio Ordonez supports Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez...Chavez is an idiot...

LeBron James does yoga

Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer writes how yoga is a big part of LeBron James' regime... "When James first came into the NBA at the age of 18 he didn't even tape his ankles, sometimes ate McDonald's an hour before tipoff and his main use for ice was cooling beverages." ...

Brian Windhorst

30 years ago Magic's Spartans beat Bird's Sycamores

Larry Keith wrote this article in the April 2, 1979 edition of Sports Illustrated after Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans beat the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores led by Larry Bird... "Last Monday night, in the championship game, Michigan State confirmed a notion that had been gaining credence as the NCAA tournament progressed and State rolled to one easy win after another. The Spartans, despite a 21-6 regular-season record, are a superb team—perhaps even a great one—largely because of their perfect mix of superstars in the spotlight and supernumeraries in the shadows. Together, they accomplished what Earvin Johnson and Gregory Kelser could never have done by themselves—indeed, what no team had been able to do this season. The Spartans caged Larry Bird and ended the 33-game winning streak of Indiana State 75-64 to win their first national basketball title." ...

Larry Keith

The greatest sports figure to play in the Steel City

Because of work, I took a little break from blogging over the last few weeks but now I am ready to start up again...Stiles Points will be doing a new feature called, "The City's Greatest" in which I will ask your opinions about various athletes, sports moments, and other items focusing on a specific city...to start, the first question involves the City of Pittsburgh:

Who is the greatest sports figure to ever play in the City of Pittsburgh?

Please take a minute to vote and leave a comment about why you voted for that sports figure...I have provided the names of some Pittsburgh sports figures, but you can vote for someone not listed below...the criteria is based on however you, the reader, interpret it to be...there are no wrong responses...the purpose is to share views and have a spirited debate...

Who is the greatest sports figure to ever play in the City of Pittsburgh?
	Jerome Bettis
	Barry Bonds
	Terry Bradshaw
	Roberto Clemente
	Joe Greene
	Mario Lemieux
	Willie Stargell
	Honus Wagner
	Other
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A-Rod involved with hookers and former Manhattan madam Kristin Davis

The New York Daily News reports that a former New York City madam supplied hookers for Alex Rodriguez... "A former Manhattan madam who supplied Eliot Spitzer with hookers also counted Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez as a customer - and found him so charming she dated him herself for free, former employees of the call-girl agency tell the Daily News. A-Rod wooed ex-madam Kristin Davis (photo, above) with flowers, jewelry, persistence and heated e-mails, according to the sources." ...

New York Daily News

Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush sizzle in latest GQ photo shoot

President Obama gets a free pass on comment about his bowling and Special Olympics

First off, I have been a strong supporter of Barack Obama from when he first announced he was running for president...however, I was extremely disappointed in the comment that he made about his bowling being worthy of the Special Olympics when he appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday...

Obama is a savvy, smart person who should know better than to make a comment like that - even if it was meant to be funny...

The funny part is that the liberal media has downplayed this gaffe...where is the stand-up knight-in-shining armour - Keith Olbermann?...if former president George W. Bush made that comment, Olbermann would have been on his high horse drilling Bush as this stupid, inconsiderate moron who is out-of-touch with the plight of the weak and poor...Bush undoubtedly would have made Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World"...

But this came out of the mouth of a Democratic president...so the mainstream media briefly mentioned it during their newscast and now it is forgotten...

Honestly, I think what Obama said is worse than when Don Imus called the Rutgers women's basketball team "a bunch of nappy headed ho's"...

Obama should be held to a higher standard than just some talk show wonk, so therefore, he should have been grilled on this more than he has...imagine if a white person would have made a derogatory remark that was meant to be funny about an African-American, Jew, or Hispanic...the world would have came to an end for that person...

I know Obama did not mean for his comment to be hurtful, but the fact remains, it was...he got his free pass...the next time he makes a stupid comment the liberal media should grill him just as they did the former president for his numerous blunders...

Bob Knight breaks down the tourney

Free throws have not gotten better over time

Mark Price may have been one of the most consistent free throw shooters, but John Branch of The New York Times wrote an interesting article about how free throw shooting percentages as a whole have not increased over the last 50 years... "Basketball in the United States has changed in myriad ways over the decades, from flat-footed set shots to dunks, from crotch-hugging uniforms to baggy knee-length shorts, from the dominance of American players to the recent infusion of international stars. But one thing has remained remarkably constant: the rate at which players make free throws." ...

John Branch

Al McGuire: a street smart guy from the Big Apple

Last week Stiles Points remembered the life of Jimmy Valvano...this week, we look back at former Marquette basketball coach and college basketball analyst Al McGuire...McGuire was a different bird...he was eccentric...but he was "real"...he was streetsmart fella from New York City who got his first break at little Belmont Abbey College...

Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly wrote this wonderful piece about McGuire just before he died...this appeared in the September 18, 2000 edition of Sports Illustrated...."Al McGuire never liked funerals. "Why wait until the guy's dead?" he'd ask. "Buy him a drink while he's alive!" So with McGuire lying in a hospice outside Milwaukee—leukemia whittling him to 115 pounds and dropping—let's raise our glasses: Here's to Alfred Emanuel McGuire of Rockaway Beach, N.Y. There never was, never could be, never will be anybody else like him."...

Rick Reilly

Below is the obit that appeared in Sports Illustrated after McGuire died on January 26, 2001...

WE COULD recite the details of the life of Al McGuire, the former college basketball coach and TV commentator who died of a blood disorder last Friday at age 72, but he wouldn't want us to. McGuire didn't believe in details. He blithely forgot names, of players in games he telecast and of those on his own team. Jerome Whitehead, a star of McGuire's 1977 NCAA champion Marquette team, was forever Whitehorse. So was Whitehead's father, a minister who must have frowned upon realizing that White Horse is a brand of scotch.

But both Whiteheads surely knew the futility of correcting the man whose rules for life and basketball had been formed in the taverns and playgrounds of Rockaway Beach, N.Y. Forever fuzzy on the particulars, McGuire never erred in the broad strokes. When he said, "Just show me the numbers," he didn't mean that literally, only that what interested him was the metaphorical bottom line.

"He had a gift for seeing the wonder and the goodness of God's creation, sometimes in the most unlikely places, and for sharing his delight in that discovery with those around him," Robert Wild, the Jesuit priest who is Marquette's president, said last week. Wild was no doubt referring to the coach's habit of telling lunch companions, "If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili's terrific."

McGuire quit right after he and Whitehorse won that NCAA title 24 years ago, so his basketball legacy requires some brushing up on. He'll be remembered for his sensibility, including that picturesque urban argot of which Dick Vitale's is wincingly derivative. He was without peer as a game coach. "I don't know basketball," he said. "I feel basketball. Drop me in the middle of a game, and I could manage it by the ebb and flow."

He won his title because the button-down guy on the other bench, North Carolina's Dean Smith—who lost a lead after ordering his Tar Heels into a four-corners delay—didn't understand what McGuire did: that basketball resists excessive organization. He had the cojones and self-possession to walk away from the summit of the clipboard racket in midlife.

McGuire didn't let details encumber him. He didn't let basketball do so, either.

Below are some of the great quotes from McGuire...

"When I was losing, they called me nuts. When I was winning they called me eccentric.”

"If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili should be good.”

"When a guy takes off his coat, he's not going to fight. When a guy takes off his wristwatch, watch out!”

"Winning is overrated. The only time it is really important is in surgery and war.”

"I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cabdriver. Then they would really be educated.”

Finally, I can't leave you without the famous dance that Al McGuire did with the Syracuse basketball team after they won the regional finals to head to the Final Four...this is great 1:30 clip!!!

David Barrett and One Shining Moment

It's that time of year - ONE SHINING MOMENT!!!...

Sports fans have heard the anthem of college basketball since its debut in 1987 when Indiana beat Syracuse for the title...here is a little information about the famous song...the lyrics were written by David Barrett of Ann Arbor, Michigan...

"Writing this song changed my life. Strange how that is so. I mean; the writing came so effortlessly. I knew immediately after that I had something special on my hands. In fact I got up from the piano and went immediately to the phone and called a friend and said... "Glen I just wrote a great song." It was almost like... "where did this come from?" In any case, the song opened all sorts of doors for me in a professional sense. But on a personal note, it also showed me to write about what mattered to me. I mean, I just wrote it because I thought it was worth writing. I learned to trust that. For years I had been listening to what others thought was valid. It was this song that made it clear to me that my job was to write about what I know, and tell the truth about that... Simple."

Barrett wrote the song after seeing Larry Bird star for Indiana State in the 1979 NCAA tournament...CBS originally planned to debut the song after Super Bowl XXI...however, the game ran later and cut into the primetime show that was to be on after the big game...so CBS scrapped it... CBS then asked Barrett for use of the song after the 1987 NCAA championship game...Barrett had to change the opening lyrics from "The ball is kicked," to "The ball is tipped."...

CBS Sports have screwed around with various versions of the song...they have had Teddy Pendergrass then Luther Vandross sing it...then they tampered with the melody and added a bunch of graphic bullshit...to me, the best version is the original from 1987 when Barrett provided the vocals...

One of the best parts of the CBS telecast was often overshadowed by One Shining Moment...before the One Shining Moment montage, CBS would show a live shot of the winning team cutting down the nets as the credits rolled across the television and a musical piece played on the piano...that segment was great to watch because the viewer got to see the raw emotion of the event - from the players to the cheerleaders to the parents in the stands....also, no matter who was part of the team, the star, bench warmer, coach, manager, etc. each would take the walk up the ladder and cut a piece of the nets...think about it, every little kid dreams of cutting down the nets...the clip below is from the 1987 title game between Indiana and Syracuse...watch for the Indiana players and fans celebrating as the Syracuse players sit dejected on the bench...that is pure raw emotion...

This 2:00 piece is followed by the original and first One Shining Moment from 1987...I thought these snippets were great, so look for them:
1:58 - the Phantom Friar from Providence
3:01 - Jim Boeheim getting surprised with a Gatorade bath
3:15 - A young Rick Pitino waiting with open arms as one of his Providence players comes running for a hug - that player is Billy Donovan
3:17 - look for the UNLV team manager who high steps it - he has a tie and long pants
3:55 - the Syracuse cheerleader who gives that nervous look - check out her hair

Remembering Jimmy V

During this time of year I think about two greats who are no longer with us - Al McGuire and Jim Valvano...I will be doing a piece on McGuire later...

But in one of the greatest feature articles ever, Sports Illustrated's Gary Smith writes a perfect piece about former N.C. State basketball coach Jim Valvano who was dying of cancer... "He entered the Arena with his wife on his arm and a container of holy water from Lourdes in his black leather bag. His back and hips and knees ached. That was the disease, they told him. His ears rang and his stomach turned and his hands and feet were dead. That, they said, was the cure. Each step he took brought a rattle from his bag. Twenty-four tablets of Advil were usually enough to get him through the day." ...

Gary Smith

Below is a 9:48 clip of Jimmy V when he spoke at old Reynolds Coliseum at the 10 year anniversary of the title team...Jimmy V knew he was dying...at the 9:20 mark you will not have a dry eye as he concludes his speech by doing the Wolfpack fight song...

Mel Kiper - who is this guy?

Here is a classic article by Tom Junod in the April 27, 1992 edition of Sports Illustrated... Junod's feature was on the one-and-only Mel Kiper Jr..."Then into the middle of this scene strides a man who talks to everybody, except the groupies, or whom everybody talks to. As he walks through the lobby, you can hear the drumbeat of voices in his wake: "Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel"..."Hey Mel." Everybody knows him, but who is he, and what does he do? He's not a player, that's for sure; he's average-sized, with thick legs and a slight paunch. He's not a coach, either; he looks indoorsy instead of outdoorsy, with a haircut that rises straight off his forehead and would fit just right on a fellow selling odd-lot carpets on late-night TV. He's not a scout, because he wears a tie, and he's not an agent, because the tie isn't pure silk—and besides, he's too nice a guy—and he's not a reporter, because on occasion he's followed by the autograph hounds. He's a star of some sort, but what role does he play?" ...

Tom Junod

Michigan's Fab Five - A look back

Stiles Points is starting a new feature by highlighting some of the great moments and athletes in sports by linking to the Sports Illustrated vault...today's feature is the Michigan Fab Five...the article appeared in the November 25, 1991 issue written by Alexander Wolff..."That such obsessive behavior isn't a prerequisite for successful recruiting will become evident to Michigan fans on Dec. 2 when Fisher guides the Wolverines' freshmen class of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson into its season opener against Detroit." ...

Alexander Wolff

Here is a 7:35 clip taht ESPN did on the Fab Five...

Thoughts on the Matt Cassel trade

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes about the Patriots trade of Matt Cassel... "Trading Cassel puts it to rest. The Patriots and Brady obviously think he can pick up where he left off when he was the league's Most Valuable Player, throwing 50 touchdown passes, in 2007. Belichick simply would not trade Cassel if he had any doubts about Brady's readiness for September." ...

Dan Shaughnessy

Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes that the Matt Cassel trade looks good on paper for the Chiefs... "We’ve seen this before. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory in 1999, Dick Vermeil used a high draft pick to acquire the QB he loved in St. Louis (Trent Green), spoke confidently about procuring players who “fit the profile,” blasted Larry Johnson for wearing a diaper and wooed the local media with dinner, wine and a spirit of love. You see the similarities?" ...

Jason Whitlock

Eric Prisbell and Steve Yanda of the Washington Post writes how Under Armour may be violating NCAA recruiting policies when dealing with potential Maryland recruits... "The most elite high school basketball players are often recruited by shoe companies, but rarely is a company also a major benefactor of a university pursuing the same player. Under Armour founder and chief executive Kevin Plank is a former Maryland football player and member of the school's Board of Trustees. That means the NCAA considers him a "representative of the institution's athletics interests," commonly known as a booster. Under Armour Inc. is acknowledged by Maryland as a member of its "Legends" benefactor group, meaning it has donated more than $1 million to the school." ...

Eric Prisbell and Steve Yanda

Johnny "Red" Kerr, former Chicago Bull great, dies

This past week the Chicago Bulls family lost Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr...

Kerr, who died on February 26th of prostate cancer, was honored by the Bulls just weeks earlier on February 10th...surprisingly Kerr is not in the NBA Hall of Fame...those who do not remember Kerr's playing days may best know him as part of Michael Jordan's pre-game ritual when Jordan would get talc powder and dust it in Kerr's face before each game...

The following is an excerpt from the USA Today...

The Bulls unveiled a statue of Kerr at the United Center during an emotional ceremony earlier this month that included taped messages from President Barack Obama and commissioner David Stern and speeches from Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan.

Pippen said Kerr "makes Chicago Bulls basketball what it is," while Jordan called him "an inspiration to me as a basketball player and as a person."

A Chicago native who served as the team's first head coach and received NBA Coach of the Year honors for leading the Bulls to the playoffs in the inaugural 1966-67 season, Kerr also received a photo collage from Bulls GM John Paxson and the Basketball Hall of Fame's John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from Jerry Colangelo during the ceremony.

"I want to thank everybody here in the audience who has seen the Bulls play not because of Red Kerr but because of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and all the other people in the organization," said a choked up Kerr.

Kerr played 12 seasons (1954-1966) in the NBA for the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers and the Baltimore Bullets. From 1954 to 1965, the three-time NBA All-Star appeared in a then-NBA record 844 consecutive games.

Below is an 8:00 clip from the February 10th ceremony...

Manny Ramirez can go fuck himself!!

When will the Los Angeles Dodgers learn????...

For the fourth time, Manny Ramirez and his agent Scott Bore-ass declined the Dodgers offer...this time they turned down a $25 million, one-year contract with a $20 million player option for 2010...

The Dodgers are assholes if they continue to pursue Ramirez...they have made more than fair offers...the time has come where L.A. should announce that they have moved on and will no longer offer Ramirez a contract...

As for Manny, I have this to say to him and his agent - "Go fuck yourself you greedy long-haired bastard!!!"....

Think about it, this dude has turned down $25 million...$25 million!!!!...and it's not like this is his first ever baseball contract...he has already made over $100 million over his career...

11-year-old Jordan Brown accused of killing his father's 26-year-old girlfriend

Here is a news story that will be getting a lot of play...last week in Wampum, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh, 11-year-old Jordan Brown is accused of taking a shotgun and murdering his father's 26-year-old girlfriend, Kenzie Marie Houk, (below photo, center) who was nine months pregnant...

Pennsylvania law states that Brown must be tried as an adult...he can face life in prison...the family suggests jealousy was a possible motive...

1904 Olympic marathon champ got a little help

T.D. Thornton, a Boston Globe correspondent, writes how an American won the 1904 Olympic marathon with a little help... "For athletes in the 21st century, the elixir of choice is steroids. More than 100 years ago, Thomas J. Hicks opted for a vile concoction of egg whites and brandy laced with strychnine, the active ingredient in rat poison." ...

T.D. Thornton

The Boston Globe has a 7-part series on Ted Kennedy...this link will lead you to part 7...you have to click on the top of the page for the previous 6 parts...

Ted Kennedy Series

Sam Farmer of The Los Angeles Times writes how Pete Carroll and Urban Meyer will not be going to the NFL... "Carroll and Meyer have not hinted at leaving their current jobs, and why would they? Carroll makes $4.4 million per year at USC and surely could have more if he pushed for it. Meyer's yearly compensation is $3.25 million and he has a chance to win a third national championship in four years. Those guys would be nuts to walk away from what they have, because NFL teams wouldn't come close to matching either of those deals. Simply put, NFL jobs aren't what they used to be." ...

Sam Farmer

Her last day of being 29!!

Former New York Giant and Michigan State great Brad Van Pelt dies

The article below was taken from the New York Daily News...

By Hank Gola and Gary Myers
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS

Giants great Brad Van Pelt is dead of an apparent heart attack at age 57.

He was found in his chair by his fiancée Tuesday at the house they recently purchased together in his hometown of Owosso, Michigan, according to former teammates Harry Carson and Brian Kelley.

Together with Lawrence Taylor, they formed the unit known as the Crunch Bunch, considered one of the top linebacking corps in Giants history, from 1981 to '83. They have remained close ever since, doing everything from golf outings to charity work together.

"I'm saddened," Carson told the Daily News. "I lost a teammate and my very good friend, He went much too soon at 57."

"Un-frigging-believable," Kelley told the Daily News. "He didn't deserve this. He was just a good person, such a great guy who would give you the shirt off his back. He wasn't material, he didn't own a lot of things. My wife nailed it when she said he had the Peter Pan Syndrome. He just never wanted to grow up."

"Deanna (his fiancée) walked into the house. He was sitting up in the chair smiling but he wasn't moving," Kelley said. "She called 911 but he'd been gone for a couple of hours. I called her this morning. She said he was smiling so obviously he went peacefully."

Kelley said he called Taylor with news Tuesday night and all L.T, could say was, "No, no, no."

Van Pelt was the Giants' first draft pick out of Michigan State in 1973 and spent the first 11 years of a 14-year NFL career with them.

Although he enjoyed just one winning season as a Giant, when the team reached the playoffs in 1981, he was voted the team's Player of the Decade for the 1970s and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. After leaving the Giants, he played two years for the Raiders before ending his career with Cleveland in 1986.

Van Pelt, who also starred in baseball and played basketball at Michigan State, was a two-time All American safety and the 1972 winner of the Maxwell Award as the nation's best player. He was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 2001 and nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Van Pelt's son, Bradlee, was a backup quarterback for the Broncos and Texans and just two weeks ago, was given a tryout as a safety by the Giants. His father, Arnold, passed away from a heart attack at age 49 in 1976.

JLH showing off her elbow

Here is the Thursday photo shot of JLH who turns 30 on Saturday...

The countdown to 30

Here is our Wednesday snapshot of JLH...she looks so cute in this photo...

Energy booster??????

Energy booster????...LOL...seriously, I cannot stop laughing!!!!...

JLH looking fine

Here is our daily shot of JLH who turns 30 on Saturday...

Beanie going to the Browns?

Here is the latest mock NFL draft by NFLdraftscout.com...

1. Lions - Matthew Stafford, qb, Georgia
2. Rams - Michael Oher, ot, Ole Miss
3. Chiefs - Everette Brown, de, Florida State
4. Seahawks - Malcolm Jenkins, cb, Ohio State
5. Browns - Chris Wells, rb, Ohio State
6. Bengals - Eugene Monroe, ot, Virginia
7. Raiders - Michael Crabtree, we, Texas Tech
8. Jaguars - Jason Smith, ot, Baylor
9. Packers - Aaron Curry, olb, Wake Forest
10. 49ers - Andre Smith, ot, Alabama

11. Bills - Brian Orakpo, de, Texas
12. Broncos - Rey Maualuga, ilb, USC
13. Redskins - Brian Cushing, olb, USC
14. Saints - Vontae Davis, cb, Illinois
15. Texans - B.J. Raji, dt, Boston College
16. Chargers - Knowshon Moreno, rb, Georgia
17. Jets - Jeremy Maclin, wr, Missouri
18. Bears - Mark Sanchez, qb, USC
19. Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, dt, Ole Miss
20. Lions - James Laurinaitis, ilb, Ohio State

21. Eagles - Brandon Pettigrew, te, Oklahoma State
22. Vikings - Josh Freeman, qb, Kansas State
23. Patriots - Aaron Maybin, olb, Penn State
24. Falcons - Tyson Jackson, de, LSU
25. Dolphins - D.J. Moore, cb, Vanderbilt
26. Ravens - Clay Matthews Jr., olb, USC
27. Colts - Percy Harvin, wr, Florida
28. Eagles - Eben Britton, ot, Arizona
29. Giants - Hakeem Nicks, wr, North Carolins
30. Titans - Robert Ayers, de, Tennessee

31. Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, rb, Pitt
32. Steelers - Alex Mack, c, Cal

JLH - turns 30 this week

This Saturday, February 21st, my girl Jennifer Love Hewitt is turning the BIG THREE OH...to honor her, each day this week Stiles Points will post a photos of JLH...heck, I just turned 40-years-old last month, so 10 years is not a big difference in age - I'm just saying...cuz you know she just broke up with her fiancee...

Asa Buchanan (Phil Carey) and Clint Buchanan (Clint Ritchie) dead

Over the weekend I was catching up on my newspapers when I came across the death notice of Phil Carey...the name will not ring a bell to most, but the name of the character he played sure will - Asa Buchanan (seated in photo)...

Carey played Asa Buchanan, the big Texas billionaire, on the soap opera One Life to Live from 1979 to 2008...Carey was 83-years-old and died of lung cancer on February 6, 2009 in New York...

Interestingly, while researching Carey's death, I came across the death notice of another former One Life to Live star - Clint Ritchie...Ritche played the role of Clint Buchanan (standing, right) , Asa's oldest son on the soap opera...

Ritchie, who died January 31, 2008, was 70-years-old and died in Roseville, California after a brief illness...

The following is a 3:02 honoring Phil Carey with clips from his last appearance on One Life to Live on December 29, 2008...

NBA All-Star Game MVP Facts

The NBA All-Star Game is this weekend in Phoenix...here are some interesting facts about the All-Star Game and its MVPs...

- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson were never named All-Star Game MVP...

- Less notable stars such as Mitch Richmond, Randy Smith, Adrian Smith, and Tom Chambers were all named All-Star Game MVPs...

- Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Larry Bird were only named MVP of the game once...

- Ed Macauley of the Boston Celtics was the first All-Star Game MVP...that game took place in 1951 and was played in Boston...

Happy 40th Birthday Jennifer Aniston

A SHOUT OUT TO JENNIFER ANISTON!!!...
Happy 40th Birthday Jennifer...I too just turned 40, so if you ever want to hang out, send me an email...BTW, I too am Greek, so maybe we can do something Greek-like...

P.S. - You are still looking great as was evident in your recent GQ cover shot!!!...

Aaron Curry - the best linebacker in the draft

Between now and the NFL Draft, Stiles Points will be highlighting various players who will be draft...this feature will be called "The Fast Feature"...today's Fast Feature is Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry...

Aaron Curry - outside linebacker
6'2", 246 lbs
40 time - 4.62
Compares to Keith Bulluck

Most know about linebackers such as James Laurinaitis from Ohio State and Rey Maualuga of USC...but the best of the linebacking class may be the 2008 Butkus Award winner Aaron Curry...

Curry is projected by some analysts to be taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 5th overall pick...he has long arms...is very good in pass coverage...able to close in on ball carrier...finished the 2008 season with 101 tackles - 15 TFL...wants to attend law school...

Musical Rewind - Randy Newman - I Love L.A.

Artist: Randy Newman
Song: I Love L.A.
Year: 1983
Album: Trouble in Paradise
Written by: Randy Newman
If you are from the 1980s, this is the song for you...it oozes of everything 80s - self-image, glitz, glamour, Showtime, etc....Newman wrote the song about how the American Dream was dying...however, in a 2001 interview, he states that he loves his hometown of Los Angeles but explained, ,"There's some kind of ignorance L.A. has that I'm proud of. The open car and the redhead, the Beach Boys... that sounds really good to me."...

Even to this day, you will hear the song jamming at L.A. sporting events...it was the theme song of the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers Showtime era...

Favorite line: When the music cranks up and the scene shifts to L.A., Newman hits the first few line right on the money...I love how he describes the woman with him - not just a readhead, but a "big nasty" redhead at his side...
Rollin’ down the imperial highway
With a big nasty redhead at my side
Santa Ana wind blowin’ hot from the north
And we was born to ride

I Love L.A. Lyrics

Video: I love the video and footage of Los Angeles...pay attention around the 3:35 mark when they show a bunch of old rich people dancing in a hot tub...the old lady in the middle is funny as she tries to dance or something...

Eagles Jim Johnson has cancer

During their last two playoffs games, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson was calling the defense from the press box instead of his usual spot on the field...at the time it was reported that he had a bad back and could not stand for a long period of time...well, for the past two weeks, with all the football news being about the Super Bowl, it was revealed that Johnson is suffering from cancer of the spine...hopefully everything goes well for one of the best defensive coordinators in the game and that he is back on the sidelines next season...

Philadelphia Daily News

Philadelphia Daily News - Sidebar

Kobe vs. LeBron - it doesn't get any better

Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times writes how LeBron may be the best player, but this is Kobe's era... "Between 1997 and 1999, Utah's Karl Malone won two MVPs to Michael Jordan's one. Jordan's Bulls won the '97 and '98 titles, giving them six in the decade, which is why no one talks about a Mailman Era. If James, currently the front-runner, becomes the MVP, it won't matter a bit if Bryant's Lakers win the title." ...

Mark Heisler

Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how not only do the fans, but also other players will be focusing on the Kobe vs. LeBron match-up... "Sunday at The Q, Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers face LeBron James' Cavaliers in one of the season's most anticipated games. It is not only a meeting of two of the NBA's top teams, but also of the two leading Most Valuable Player contenders. A detailed statistical study before the season on America Online predicted James would be the MVP, based on his higher average percentile rank than Bryant last season in a bewildering number of categories." ...

Bill Livingston

Ohio State's Alex Boone - another of Jim Tressel's "men"

Earlier this year Ohio State wideout Ray Small said that he chose Ohio State over Southern Cal because at Ohio State, they "teach you to be men"...so is this how a man acts?....

Associated Press

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. -- Ohio State offensive lineman Alex Boone was arrested after being subdued with a Taser during an alleged drunken tirade, authorities said Monday.

Boone, 21, was taken into custody late Sunday for investigation of resisting arrest after Orange County sheriff's deputies responded to a disturbance call outside of a home in Aliso Viejo.

When they arrived, the 6-foot-8, 312-pound tackle had been jumping on car hoods, yanking on a tow truck cable and trying to break a window, said sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino.

Boone ran away from deputies and was found hiding underneath a patio, authorities said. Boone was combative and uncooperative and had to be taken down with a stun gun, Amormino said.

"He was yelling obscenities at deputies and had a strong smell of alcohol," Amormino said. "His blood-alcohol level was at least three times the legal amount."

Boone was taken to a hospital and then to a jail medical ward, where he remained. He had not been booked yet.

Boone, who was selected All-Big Ten this year, could be selected in the NFL draft in April.

Ohio State spokeswoman Shelly Hoffman said Monday that she was unaware of the arrest and could not comment.

Hot women should never stand in front of boys going through puberty

Come up with a caption to this photo that I found on Sports Illustrated's website...obviously this kid will relive this moment hundreds of times as he passes through puberty...

Michael Phelps - what a disappointment!

Obvious, winning all those gold medals has gotten into the head of Michael Phelps...back in November 2008, he was photographed taking a hit from a bong...what a disappointment!!!...he should get the same treatment as any other athlete who is nailed for pot use...

News of the World

John Mitchell - a pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement

Sean D. Hamill of The New York Times writes a fascinating feature on Steelers assistant coach John Mitchell, who was the first African-American to play football at the University of Alabama... "John Mitchell, the Steelers’ defensive line coach, will say again and again that he is no hero, no great man and certainly not worthy of mention as a figure of the civil rights era." ...

Sean D. Hamill