Why Monday, April 6th will be a really, really long day.

It was common sense that Connecticut would lose in ’99. Nobody thought Arizona had a chance in ’97. Duke was going to get crushed in ’91. Everybody thought that Villanova was dead in the water in ’85. NC State had no chance in ’83 or ‘74. People would have considered you stupid if you would have suggested that Texas Western was going to win in ’66. But in every case, the underdog produced a huge upset.

At the same time nobody gave Duke in ’90, Michigan in ’76, or Memphis State in ’73 a chance either, and for good cause, they all were soundly defeated. Duke by 30, Michigan by double digits, and Memphis State allowed Bill Walton to shoot 21 out of 22.

It is for these two separate paragraphs that I am anxious, nervous, excited, incredibly moody, and increasingly unable to focus.

Oh yeah…I've got State: 75-64.

Go Green, Go White, Go State!!






(my prediction is in honor of the 1979 National Championship, where MSU won 75-64)

Five Blogs I read (and you should too)

Tim Founds, a M.Div Student at Fuller, is one of the deepest, most thoughtful people I know. I totally recommend following his blog. Reading his thoughts will make you a better person.

My friend Matt Leroy writes a blog, The Other Side of the Lake that plays out like a journal of his life. (at least one with all the big events and thoughts of his life). Matt's a funny guy, he raps and can break dance. Also, rumor is that he plays a mean Kazoo. But seriously, he and Justin Simmons have moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to start a movement there. They're calling it the City on a Hill Project, and their aim is to Love Chapel Hill. It's such a great concept and a great movement!

Spartansweblog has become my favorite sports blog out there. KJ, puts in tons of time and thought into breaking down the play of the Michigan State Spartans Men's Basketball Team. even if you're not a Spartans fan the way he breaks down the game will make you a better student of basketball.

The Forgotten Ways is a blog by Alan Hirsch. He wrote the book, Search for Things to come (oh yeah, Matt Leroy "borrowed" my copy...then moved to North Carolina.). He is a very good thinker, and his post are always thought provoking. Check it out!

NCAA preview

This week the NCAA tournament begins. Honestly, March Madness is my favorite sporting event of the year; no other event contains the drama, pageantry, intense competition, and year-in year-out relevance as college basketball does. Every year the NCAA tourney performs. Every year its worth watching; you can’t say that about the Super Bowl; you can’t say that about the World Series; you can’t say that about college football; you can’t say that about (pick a championship). For this reason alone, many people turn on TV, print off a bracket, or talk about Cinderella. It doesn’t matter who you are, its an amazing event!

Last year there were four teams that were just better than everybody else: Kansas (the champs), Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA. This year that’s not the case; there are a number of dominant teams, but its not as definite and clear cut as last year. All the top teams have issues and liabilities, and I think it’s a much more wide-open event as the result. The top 16, or so, teams all have a legit shot at taking home the price.

Final Four picks:
Michigan State (homer pick), UNC, Pitt, Memphis.

Champion: Pittsburg
Final score (65-57)

Why Pittsburg?
They're the toughest team in the country. They play some great defense. They rebound the ball well on the offensive side. They have a couple of freaks. Fields is a great point guard who controls games. Sam Young is a good player.

I reserve the right to change my picks before Thursday. I will note the change with an asterisk indicating that there has been an edit. THANK YOU

All things Michigan!

The University of Michigan is officially in the NCAA's for the first time since 1995! They play Clemson in the 7-10 game as part of the South Bracket. Here is a video for all Clemson fans:


Also, Michigan State got into the dance as a #2 seed in the Midwest Bracket! Since 1995 every player who has used all 4 years of eligablility at Michigan State has made it to the Final Four. This year Travis Walton, in his final year at State, is the player who could be the first 4-year Izzo player to not get to the final weekend of the tourney! Here is a video celebrating the 2000 National Champions:


So what I'm trying to say is, you'd better watch out 'cause all things Michigan are coming to getcha!!!

Some links:

Why I think Tom Izzo is such a great coach: here

Free NT Wright audiobook here (hat tip to Jeremiah)

Some Brilliant thoughts by Coach Drury (here) about the whole "Octomom" situation.

Creative way to spin the Madoff Ponzi scheme (here) by Mark Cuban. His coverage of Madoff has been really good. I think Cuban is a brilliant person, and it makes sense he has made as much money as he has. This guy knows what's going on!

What! Rob Bell has another book coming out this year? The answer is yes, Drops Like Stars comes out this summer. (I guess this is what happens when you have a sabbatical...two books in one year)

Here is a creative look at Xerox. Their sales pitch is to not try and sell their product. Huh!?! Check out Scott Anthony's Harvard Business column on this (here).

Saturday Sports post: A game winning dunk

This dunk is near the end of the game with Indiana coming on hard, Michigan State is only up 2 points and the shot clock is beginning to run out. I'm sitting next to Stephanie, who was cheering for Indiana, and when it happened I jumped up and ran in front of the TV jumping up and down flexing like I was actually the one who dunked the ball... what I'm trying to say is take a minute and watch the video.



See, aren't you glad you watched that?

champs...enough said

DARRON CUMMINGS/Associated Press

photo found here

Wardrobe Malfunction:

I'm not supersticious, but I am quircky. For instance every year when I played High School basketball, I'd wear the same outfit for every game. Same T-shirt under neath, same wrist bands, and same style of socks. Its a routine, that helps create a sense of luck...

I now have a routine when it comes to basketball. I received from my parents for Christmas a package of Michigan State T-shirts; a green, a white, and a grey one. Not only do I love these shirts, but they're part of my new routine. I wear the green one on game day - which tomorrow is a gameday (3.45pm CBS) - the white one if we win and the grey if we lose. Its my way of helping the team, that green shirt is good luck.

Sadly, I constantly forget to wear my green shirt! I'm horrible at this. Take last Saturday: MSU was playing Illinois and they were down (why? because i wasn't wearing my shirt.) I realized this and changed and boom! They pulled the game out. This past week I realized that I wasn't wearing the greenie (as I like to call it) and they lost the game - at home to Northwestern - that was horrible!

So tomorrow, if you see me, I'll be the one wearing the green MSU Spartans! Sparty On!!

Thank you Morris Peterson!!!

Mo Pete was one of my favorite basketball players growing up. If you'll remember Mo Pete was left-handed (as am I) so I had a special connection with him. Today at 3.40pm he is getting his jersey retired by Michigan State, and the bloggers in the MSU blogosphere have been talking about this for a week or two, detailing their favorite "Mo Pete moments."

My favorite moment was in 2000 in his senior year, in the regional finals (the Elite 8), Michigan State played Iowa State. The game decided who went to the Final Four, and was a competition between the best team and the hottest team in the tourney. With two minutes to go and down a bucket, State runs a backdoor play for Mo to get the alley-oop.

Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State journal captures the conversation between Coach Izzo, Mateen Cleaves, and Mo Pete, before the play, as going like this:

Peterson: “Coach, they’re overplaying me, I can go backdoor.”
Izzo: “I’m not doing that with two minutes left.”
Cleaves: “Come on!”
Izzo: “OK, fine. But if you hit the tuba player with that pass, I’m going to kill you.”

Brilliant!!!

It goes off without a hitch, and they take the momentum and the game. Oh how I miss the Flintstones!