The Wizard of Westwood Passes

Tragedy.

One of the most admirable, iconic, and influential men in sports passed away yesterday. John Wooden, legendary college basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins, died at the age of 99 from natural causes. Under Wooden, the Bruins still hold the NCAA record for consecutive wins (88) and they took home 10 National Championships throughout the 1960's and 70's.

John Wooden was truly an inspirational leader who had an unmatched positive effect on all who played for, worked with, or crossed paths with him.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

"Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters."

-John Wooden

Better than Before?

Could it be possible that the Orlando Magic are really a better team than their stellar '09 finals run? Absolutely. With the swap of Hedo Turkoglu for a red hot Vince Carter, and a healthy all-star caliber point guard in Jameer Nelson, I'd put money on it that the Magic will be heading back to the finals for a second straight time. If Dwight can keep out of foul trouble, he presents a tough matchup for any team in the East. Even bench play is overpowering for the Magic. Pietrus and Gortat lead a strong charge off the pine. With stifling play against the Hawks so far, I see no reason why the MAgic can't sweep them and begin looking towards Cleveland and LeBron's Cavaliers.

read more!
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/387372-nba-playoff-preview-breaking-down-orlando-magic-vs-atlanta-hawks

Thanks for reading!!!

-Hunter

DRAFT DAY!

It's finally here. The much anticipated 75th NFL Draft! After suffering through all the pre-hype and mock draft boards parading around the media, we can finally sit back and see when Tim Tebow is chosen. I mean, see when everyone gets picked. I must admit though, I am quite curious to see where the golden boy lands. It seems like a unanimous opinion that he won't make it into the first round, but we'll see. And what's this I hear about the Lions trading picks for haynesworth and mgahee? I wouldn't be opposed.

Personally, I think C.J. Spiller will be the most dynamic player entering the draft. The kid can catch, run, and return kicks. I think he is still top 5 talent in the class regardless of where he is taken. He's got ridiculous speed. A 3 time All-American track athlete! Can't wait to see what he can do.

Thanks for reading!

-Hunter

A Dream to a Reality

The Butler Bulldogs lost a heart breaker last night to the storied Duke Blue Devils.

Yes, Butler was the vandal that plagued my bracket with upsets and wrong picks. Yes, I didn't pick them going past the 2nd round. And YES, I still wanted Butler to win.

I give respect to Duke, but Butler may have just revolutionized the tournament. With the looming expansion of the tournament field, the public now sees that a mid-major team is able to compete, up until the final game, with powerhouse schools like Duke. But either way, what a shot by Hayward!! I can't believe he missed it. As a team that was supposed to fade away into the oblivion, Butler has inspired me to keep rootin' for the underdog.

Rich Rod

Rich Rodriguez makes negative headlines. Again.

Apparently, the University of Michigan head football coach been sued along with several business partners by a company that says it has yet to be repaid for a $1 million loan.

The suit filed in federal court last month by the West Columbia Trading Company of South Carolina claims a corporation formed to develop 60 condominiums near Alabama's football stadium owes more than $995,000 plus interest on a $1 million loan for the project made in 2006.

Rich Rod continues to take steps in reverse in terms of creating both a positive personal brand as well as a positive brand for The University of Michigan. Both brands have continually taken negative blows since he arrived, with NCAA violations, controversy over his hiring, and now this plaguing his tenure. Personally, I don't believe he is the best fit for this program.

To read more, go to:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/13108633/rodriguez-named-in-1m-alabama-condoloan-suit?source=rss_teams_Michigan_Wolverines

-Hunter

Bring on the Madness!

In my opinion, March Madness is not just an activity, but rather a way of life. At least for the month of March! If students strategically place themselves in the back row of their classrooms, they shouldn't be surprised to see phones and iPods alike lit up with self-updating scores of these captivating games. I love this time of year, but I've begun to realize that marketers do as well. The amount of sponsorships that can be placed on a bracket like this is endless, and it becomes a regular hotbed of currency exchange.
Now to the field. My personal overall favorite is Kansas as a National Champion, with a final four win over Syracuse, and a win over Kentucky in the championship game. I have yet to decide on the fate of Kentucky and Duke in other brackets however, because I view them as being the weakest #1 seeds. But the real story is the upset picks. Upsets are what makes this bracket and this time of year so much fun. My favorite upsets are #13 Siena over #4 Purdue, and #12 Cornell over #5 Temple....But we'll have to see. It's what creates the Madness!

Don't forget to make your bracket and join a pool!

-Hunter

LT...A Tearful Departure

LaDainian Tomlinson was recently released by his one and only employer, the San Diego Chargers. LT, #3 on the all-time touchdown list (behind #2 Jerry Rice, and Emmitt Smith) has been declining in production, and will turn 31 at the start of next season. In December of 2006, LT surpassed the record for the most points by a player in an NFL season. So what's next for the star running back? Well, he is adamant that retirement is not an option. He insists that his main priority, still, is to win a championship. However, finding a successful team with a shot at the championship and one that he will mesh with could be the toughest part of this release. In my opinion, his brand is still intact. When i hear his name associated with his age, it almost seems surprising. Even though running backs statistically decline exponentially after the age of 27, I think Tomlinson still has a few solid years left.

to read more, see http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4943207&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines