Was This the Best Football Offseason Ever?

I say Yes! Why was it? Was this the best draft class ever? Was it because the Bears got some of the top free agents? How about USC being suspended from post season play? All good reasons to think it was a good offseason, but no. There has not been a lull in sports since the final seconds ticked off the Saints Super Bowl win over the Colts. Think about it, the Super Bowl was played on February 7th, 2010. Let’s take a look at what’s happened since then.

Just five days after the Super Bowl the Winter Olympics began. The Olympics started February 12th and went all the way through the month of February (normally the most boring sports month of the year). Even if you don’t normally get caught up in the Olympics, it was hard not to follow the USA hockey team on it’s way to the Silver Medal. It was even harder to avoid Olympic hockey if you were a Blackhawks fan who send 6 players, all of whom played in the Gold or Bronze medal games. The USA set the record for medals in a Winter games while their neighbors to the north took home the most Gold Medals in a good showing for the host nation.


Once the Olympics were over, the Madness of March was upon us, which means the greatest sporting event in the country, NCAA Tournament. The conference tournaments had some dramatic moments.

Not to be outdone, the NCAA tournament might have had the greatest first day ever . March Madness kept us entertained rolling into April as the nation watched Butler go home to Indy and play in one of the most exciting championship games ever, while missing, only by a matter of inches, what would have been the greatest shot in basketball history.


Right as March Madness was winding down, baseball started. I will be the first to admit that the baseball season is too long. Saying that, there is something special about watching opening day and baseball becoming part of your everyday life once again.

Along with baseball starting up, The NHL and NBA playoffs started. Chicago, Boston and Denver were lucky enough to have teams in both playoffs. The NBA’s oldest rivals met in the NBA finals that went to Seven games. Chicago was all wrapped up in the Blackhawks who nearly choked out of the playoffs in the first round to Nashville, only to dominate it’s way to its first Stanley Cup since 1961. After they won it, Chicagoans had fun trying to figure out which player was drinking with the cup at which bar for the next week or so.

About the time the NBA and NHL playoffs were wrapping up, the world turned it attention to sports for the second time in 6 months. On June 11th The World Cup of Soccer started in South Africa which was the first time the continent of Africa ever hosted a World Cup. Two of the top three favorites had never won the World Cup (Spain and Netherlands) while traditional powers Germany and Brazil looked tough to beat.

USA had high hopes after a great performance at last year’s Confederations Cup only to struggle in their first game against England and the first half of their second game against Slovenia. USA made a dramatic comeback to tie (should have won on a disallowed goal) Slovenia and keep their chances alive. Then, in the most dramatic play in USA soccer history, Landon Donvaon scored the game winning goal in extra time to not only send USA through, but win their group. Spain went on to win the World Cup winning each of their elimination games 1-0, included the World Cup final where the scored during the second extra time period.

The World Cup wrapped up July 11th, which was only a few days away from “The Decision”. The most hyped NBA Offseason in history was as crazy as everyone expected. Rumors were being reported as fact while news outlets were desperately trying to find any indication of where the players were leaning. It came to a dramatic conclusion as Lebron James announced he was “taking his talents to South Beach” to play with Team USA friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.




After most of the dust had settled from the NBA offseason, you can look up and see the month of July is almost over, which means, as amazing as it sounds, teams start reporting to camp. Football is back upon us. If only every off season was so nice.

(Almost) The Greatest Shot Ever

The title game of the NCAA Tournament tonight was, no question, a fitting end to what has been an unbelievably good three weeks of college basketball.
I can't remember a better tournament, overall, and that would have still been the case even if Duke had won in a walk. But how classic would it have been if Gordon Heyward had hit his Evan Turner-esque prayer at the buzzer? He certainly got a good look at it.

This was because The Big 'Stache, Butler's Matt Howard, absolutely laid out a Dookie at halfcourt with a wicked pick on Jon Scheyer to get his teammate clear.

Then Heyward nailed the trajectory, hit glass, and BAM - off front rim, no good. Literally two inches less bounce, and you're looking at one of the biggest upsets in tourney history, for a small school playing in their own backyard, with tens of thousands of fans in attendance.

If that shot had gone in, it wouldn't just have been the best shot of the NCAA tourney. Nor, even, of the year in college basketball (Ohio State's Turner gets to hold on to that honor for his prayer against Michigan, unless you think Ali Farokhmanesh's double order of onions was slightly better) -- No, Heyward's shot would have been the greatest in college basketball history.

Maybe in basketball history, period. Who could top it in the NBA? Michael Jordan, maybe, but none of his buzzer beaters were from forty feet out!

Think about it. Butler, a 5 seed, the classic David despite their sterling play, versus the most hated team in basketball. A nailbiter of a game. Heyward didn't even get to catch the ball off an inbounds pass!

No, he had to drive the length of the court through a capable Duke defense and fire away on two dribbles AFTER snagging the rebound off an intentionally missed free throw (no easy feat in itself).

It's honestly too bad he was even in the position to have to throw up a half court shot. On Butler's next-to-last possession, Brian Zoubek's 7'1" frame forced Heyward into a desperate fadeaway. Honestly, I thought he got a better look at his game ender than he did on that shot.

It's a little early to criticize Butler for that play, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway. They played such a great game, and coach Brad Stevens handled Duke so well, that it was a HUGE disappointment to see their last play -- to win a national title, no less -- turn into a frantic halfway drive and foiled shot with six seconds still to go.

With Zoubek having four fouls, I can't see how you don't drive straight to the hole and try for the old fashioned three point play.

Then again, hindsight is 20/20.

I'll just say this. That was one of the finest college basketball games I've seen in a long time. When you combine it with other epics such as Xavier-Kansas State, or Northern Iowa-Kansas, or Maryland-Michigan State, I think there is a clear case for the 2010 edition of March Madness as the finest ever.

Even if Duke won.

Another Weekend of Upsets Coming?

Think about this. Almost every single matchup in the Sweet Sixteen is primed for an upset today and tomorrow. Here's how I'd rank the probability of it actually happening:

1. (5) Butler over (1) Syracuse *game in progress

So far, Butler is managing to dictate the pace of the game. If they can keep forcing turnovers, which they've been great at all year, and maybe make a few threes, this is really Butler's game to lose against a Syracuse squad that may really start missing Arinze Onoaku in an hour or so.

2. (6) Xavier over (2) Kansas State

Jordan Crawford has been one of the best players in the tourney all year, and his teammates are playing great, too. Xavier was arguably underseeded as a six. However, K-State has looked tough and clutch, with quality guard play and guys willing to do the dirty work. Plus, Frank Martin is a psycho. Should be a great game.

3. (11) Washington over (2) West Virginia *game in progress

Washington is one of the hottest teams in the field, as Quincy Pontdexter is rock solid (18 points in each of first two) and the Huskies simply owned a quality New Mexico team to advance. However, Da'Sean Butler doesn't look like he's quite done yet. Still, the Mountaineers lost their starting point guard to injury and backup Joe Mazzulla has a tough assignment in UDub's Isiah Thomas.

4. (9) Northern Iowa over (5) Michigan State

Tom Izzo compared his Spartans to "a M.A.S.H. unit" this week. Kalin Lucas is gone. Chris Allen has been hurt. Delvon Roe, too. How much did the epic battle against Maryland take out of the surviving State players? On the other hand, the UNI fairy tale has to end sometime. Against a parade of major conference opponents, Faroukhmanesh and Co. have got to stumble somewhere, right?

5. (4) Purdue over (1) Duke

Given how much I dislike these two programs, it's hard to for me to evaluate this game fairly. I'll just say, for the first and last time in my life, Go Boilers!

6. (12) Cornell over (1) Kentucky

Like Butler, Cornell is a lower seed that has a shot if it can dictate the pace. Lots of veterans and good shooters mean the Big Red should be able to keep pace with the torrid Wildcats. If it comes down to a late game close one, Cornell has a good shot. If not, Kentucky could win by thirty. Again.

7. (6) Tennessee over (2) Ohio State

This ought to be a great matchup. I don't know that Tennessee has enough on the outside to guard all of Ohio State's gunners. But if the Bucks go cold, it could be a slugfest.

8. (10) St. Mary's over (3) Baylor

Baylor's wealth of bigs should provide an answer to the Gael's Omar Samhan. The only way St. Mary's wins is if they shoot lights out. Baylor is much better than Villanova was, and I just don't see this happening. Which, of course, means it probably will.