To Vote Against Digital Headbutt Is To Vote Against America

I have managed to advance into Round 2 of the Ladies…Hot Blogger Bracket. But this week I am facing a member of the sports blog pantheon, Orson Swindle of Every Day Should Be Saturday. EDSBS is one of the biggest and best blogs out there, so I understand that you may be tempted to vote for him. But to vote, you must be able to make an informed decision, and to make an informed decision there is something you should know.

To vote against Digital Headbutt is to reject the very principles on which this country was founded.

Allow me to explain.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly protects all religious speech from any action “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” What, you ask, does this have anything to do with sports blogging? Because in this space a month and a half ago, I was the person who uncovered a new religion growing in Alabama: Sabanism. You may agree with the principles of Sabanism, or you may disagree with them. But you cannot, under any circumstances, attempt to block the message. Political, Religious and Social Speech gets the highest level of First Amendment protection, according to the established precedents of the U.S. Supreme Court. Tell me, since when does any of that kind of speech protection apply to “Appalachain is HOT HOT HOT“? Never, that’s when.

So don’t let the allure of a Tim Tebow picture fool you. By voting for EDSBS, you are voting to shun religious speech from being heard in the marketplace of ideas, which is essential to the proper function of democracy. By voting for EDSBS, you are telling the U.S. Constitution to go to hell, and by proxy the United States itself. Well, I AM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE QUIETLY AND LET YOU LAY WASTE TO MY BELOVED COUNTRY!!!

So vote for America. Vote for Digital Headbutt. If you don’t, the terrorists win.

BONUS: You also have to consider that this is a Hot Blogger Bracket. Look at this picture and tell me if there’s anything remotely sexy about this “Orson Swindle” fellow:

Didn’t think so.

Who’s the REAL Carolina?

This weekend’s Super Regional is very confusing, because pits Carolina against…Carolina. The NCAA Baseball Tournament is in its final weekend before Omaha and the College World Series, and the Tar Heels are looking to achieve two consecutive CWS appearances for the first time in school history. Standing in their way is the University of South Carolina. This is going to be fun.

Action starts tonight at Boshamer Stadium, where this time I have the cheap seats! (And by cheap seats, I mean “general admission grass hill”.) I’ll provide recaps of the games on Tar Heel Mania. For a preview of the series, go to the ultimate authority, College Baseball Blog.

Best of luck to the Tar Heels. You know we’re to try making fun of the other team’s nickname.

ACC Baseball Championship Live Blog on Tar Heel Mania

UNC will be playing at 1pm today with chance to win their 5th ACC Baseball Tournament Championship. Alex White had an unbelievable game on the mound yesterday, allowing only two hits in seven shutout innings, and led the Tar Heels to a 4-0 win over Virginia and a berth in the Championship, their first appearance since 1990. By virtue of a win over Miami, Wake Forest will be UNC opponent this afternoon. I’ll be live blogging the game on Tar Heel Mania. So…see you there!

Tennessee vs. Rutgers Live Blog: 2007 NCAA Women’s National Championship

Tonight Tennessee plays Rutgers for the National Championship in Women’s basketball. The Vols will look to run a high tempo offense to tire their opponent, while Rutgers looks to stop them with their suffocating team defense in the halfcourt. Their game against LSU was a clinic on how to stop the fast break, and tonight they look to do the same. Whether or not they can pull it off will determine who wins this game.

8:28 pm: It’s official: Gail Goestenkors is leaving Duke to replace retiring legendary coach Jody Conradt at Texas. WHOOOO!!!

8:43 pm: Bobbitt vs. Ajavon and Anosike vs. Vaughn could go a long way to determine this game. All four players are from the New York metro area. Small world. Now would be a I time I should say something awkward like, NYC REPRESENT!!! But I think I’ll resist.

8:46 pm: 3-0, Tenn. The Vols win the tip. Anosike makes a great offensive rebound, and ultimately Shannon Bobbitt hits a three from the right wing.

Both teams are showing their cards early. Tennessee is trying to dictate a pace akin to a track meet, and Rutgers wants to make me watch paint dry.

8:47 pm: 5-0, Tenn. Sidney Spencer hits a turnaround jumper.

8:49 pm: 5-3, Tenn. We’ve already got controversy two minutes in. The refs are trying to determine whether a jumper by Ajavon hit a two or three point jumper. Ultimately it was called a three, which was a good call. But come on, refs, Ed Hochuli could make a call faster than that!

8:51 pm: If Rutgers wants to dictate the pace of this game, they need to get their defensive rebounds and prevent the Lady Vols from getting second chance points. They’ve already given up three or four offensive rebounds.

8:53 pm: 6-4, Tenn. Tennessee is running a full court press, trying to force turnovers. But the Scarlet Knights have thus far done a good job of offensive ball control. If only they can rebound now.

Official timeout, as we’re treated to a little of “The Message” by the Furious Five. A rare move in coolness by ESPN.

8:59 pm: 6-6. Essence Carson hits a nice midrange jumper to tie the game.

9:01 pm: Tennessee continues to dominate the boards, but they’re having a hard time making their shots.

9:02 pm: 8-6, Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights force a turnover, and are rewarded with a quick basket to take the lead.

Rutgers’ offense is decidedly faster tonight than I had expected, at least in their scoring possessions.

9:03 pm: 8-8. As we hit an official timeout, the fouls are already starting to pile up on Rutgers.

9:07 pm: 12-8, Tenn. The Vols take the lead as Candace Parker hits two straight jumpers, the first an easy one off a great inbound pass.

9:08 pm: 12-12. Kia Vaughn gets two straight baskets of her own to tie the game. Both of them came off offensive rebounds.

9:11 pm: 14-12, Tenn. The Vols take the lead off of free throws, but their press is paying off, as Rutgers commits two consecutive turnovers.

9:14 pm: 16-14, Tenn. Official timeout. The Scarlet Knights are going to reap the rewards of consistently attacking the inside, which Tennessee isn’t doing enough of right now.

9:18 pm: 18-14, Tenn. Parker gets a tough basket in the paint, but how does Horn buckle not shoot that open three?

Rutgers has done a good job of slowing the pace of the game, but their turnovers (7 so far) and lack of rebounding prevent them from taking full advantage.

9:21 pm: 22-14, Tenn. Alberta Auguste is playing well off the bench for Tennessee.

Sidney Spencer’s jumper extends the lead to 8.

9:22 pm: 22-16, Tenn. Ajavon hits a tough shot before the official timeout.

9:26 pm: 27-18, Tenn. Vaughn’s return to the lineup is helping Rutgers on offense, but Tennessee continues to win the battle in the offensive glass. The last one by Anosike leads to a three pointer by Spencer. The Vols have 13 second chance points.

9:33 pm: As the first half ends, Tennessee leads, 29-18, at halftime. Candace Parker is doing a good job of passing the ball, even if she isn’t shooting lights out. The Lady Vols are playing great defense, and while Rutgers has dictated tempo, they haven’t used it to their advantage, going cold on offense (they stopped attacking the inside) and letting Tennessee dominate the glass. For the Scarlet Knights to come back they will need to get rebounds and start hitting the three.

10:00 pm: 35-24, Tenn. I missed the first four minutes of the second half. Fortunately for me, not much has changed.

10:01 pm: 35-26, Tenn. Kia Vaughn gets another basket inside. She needs to get the ball more.

10:04 pm: More referee controversy, as Rutgers is wrongly called for a shot clock violation. The call is ultimately corrected, but Rutgers was denied an opportunity at second chance points.

10:05 pm: 35-28, Tenn. Vaughn scores again, this time off a putback. She has 12 tonight.

10:06 pm: 38-28, Tenn. More offensive rebounding by Tennessee leads to an open three by Bobbitt, and the Vols have a double digit lead once again.

10:08 pm: 43-28, Tenn. More great play by Bobbitt (a three, a steal, and an assist) gives Tennessee a 15 point lead with less than 12 points, and C. Vivian Stringer is forced to call a timeout. The wheels are starting to come off of Rutgers.

10:16 pm: 46-30, Tenn. Shannon Bobbitt cannot be stopped. She is on fire from the bonusphere, as Tennessee is finally beginning to dictate their tempo.

10:19 pm: 46-33, Tenn. The biggest reason why Tennessee is winning: 20 offensive rebounds. Even if they slow the game down, they aren’t in control is they can’t win the battle of the boards.

7:34 left.

10:25 pm: 48-35, Tenn. Vaughn gets the basket and the foul but Rutgers isn’t setting up their offense fast enough.

At this point I think that the Final Four’s MOP would be Nicky Anosike of the Lady Vols. She has done everything that’s been asked of her and more.

10:27 pm: 50-35, Tenn, 5:00 left. The Vols steal it, Hornbuckle hits the jumper, and the lead is back to 15. Against Rutgers’ gameplan, Tennessee has this game sealed.

10:29 pm: 50-39, Tenn, 3:44 left. Rutgers hits two straight baskets, the latest by Essence Carson, to bring the Scarlet Knights within 11. However, it’s likely too little, too late.

10:31 pm: 50-42, Tenn, 2:00 left. Matee Ajavon hits a three, but Tennessee’s offensive rebounds continue to kill Rutgers.

10:37 pm: 56-44, Tenn, 1:08 left. Wow. I just heard that the Russian Women’s Professional league is willing to play players like Parker over a million dollars per year. Meanwhile, as of 2004 the maximum salary of a WNBA player is $90,000. This has to change. Players like Lisa Leslie, Ivory Latta, Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker are worth a lot more than $90,000. I don’t care what you think about women’s basketball, these girls are that talented.

10:43 pm: 59-46, Tennessee, Final. The Lady Vols win their 7th Women’s National Championship, and their first since 1998. Even though Rutgers slowed the game down, the Lady Vols dominated this game from start to finish, not allowing the Scarlet Knights to get comfortable at all. In particular, Tennessee dominate the boards, which is why I think Anosikie should be the Final Four MOP. Congratulations to Tennessee for winning the National Championship, but I can’t but wonder what could have been, if UNC had managed to hold on to their lead in the end on Sunday night.

Previewing the Women’s Final Four

Between Billy Packer, the unceremonious exit of the Tar Heels, the potential for boring games , and the fact that I may lose a bracket challenge to a penny, I’m not paying too much attention to the Men’s Final Four this year. Thankfully, in the Women’s Final Four, none of those factors come into play. There’s no Billy Packer (or Dick Vitale for the matter), my Tar Heels are still alive, all of the game have the potential for excitement, and I don’t have a women’s tournament bracket. I might mention the fact that I will get stare at women for two nights, but I would need professional help if my intimate fantasies involved Rashanda McCants and Sylvia Fowles.

On to the previews:

LSU vs. Rutgers. Normally I would be at all surprised to see the Tigers in the Final Four. They are one of the most talented teams in the nation, Senior Sylvia Fowles is perhaps the best pure post player remaining in the tournament, and they beat Tennessee to win the SEC Tournament in March. But LSU has had to deal with the resignation of their coach Pokey Chatman, who left due to allegations of her “les-ing out”, as Cartman would say, with one of her former players. Bob Starkey, the interim coach, has done a great job of keeping the Tigers focused, and they crushed UConn to win their regional and get to Cleveland.

Rutgers is the surprise of the Tournament. They managed to beat the heavily favored Duke Blue Devils, 53-52 in the Sweet 16 (although it didn’t hurt that Lindsey Harding absolutely choked at the end) on their way to the Final four, prompting Tar Heels like me to dance in the streets. The Scarlet Knights pride themselves on defense, having allowed no more than 57 points in postseason play (7-0, Big East and NCAA Tournaments). Still, they will need a great defensive effort out of center Kia Vaughn and good perimeter shooting if they want to beat the talent of the Tigers.

Pick: My heart says Rutgers, but my head says LSU. I’ll take the Scarlet Knights in overtime.

North Carolina vs. Tennessee. A lot more attention will be paid to this game. It features perhaps the nation’s two current most prominent women’s programs, coaches (Sylvia Hatchell and Pat Summitt), and players (Ivory Latta and Candace Parker). Ivory may be the emotional leader of the Tar Heels, but make no mistake. UNC is here because of their frontcourt. The Tar heels perform at their best when Camille Little gets offensive touches, Latoya Pringle plays good defense, and Erlana Larkins is able to get UNC’s offensive rebounds, where she is most effective at scoring. Pringle will most likely be assigned to defend Candace Parker, who is by far the best athlete in women’s basketball right now. If the Heels are able to shut down Parker (and that’s a big if), it will be up to underclassman point guard Alexis Hornbuckle to bail the Vols out. Tennessee’s road to the final four was decidedly unimpressive, with wins over a 16 seed, an 8 seed, 13 seeded Marist, and 7 seeded Ole Miss. They haven’t had to play under pressure yet in the tournament.

Pick: The Tar Heels beat Tennessee by 13 in December at Carmichael Auditorium, but this crowd will be decidedly less favorable for UNC. I will still pick North Carolina in a very close game.

Championship: North Carolina over Rutgers.

I’ll be liveblogging game one of tonight’s action here, and game 2 on Tar Heel Mania. Even though we won’t get to see Maryland or Duke like last year, this will be a very exciting end to the Women’s Tournament.

Previewing and Live Blogging the Sweet 16

I’ve so far done a terrible job of licking the first two rounds. After going 15-1 on the first day, I went 11-5 on day 2, and 9-7 in the 2nd round. Normally I can take solace in that my final four is still intact, but so is everyone else’s. Tonight, the world’s greatest sports tournament resumes, and I’ll be liveblogging SIU-Kansas and UT-Ohio State. Last week, the greatest week in sports, was missing what makes it great: upsets. UNLV is the only true underdog in the Sweet 16, and if they win against Oregon I guarantee that my bracket will deliver itself to Allah. But enough about my bracket’s jihadist tendencies. Looking at the Sweet 16:

West Bracket:

#4 So. Illinois vs. #1 Kansas (Thursday, 7:10 pm): Frankly, I’m scared about the Salukis. Virginia Tech may be inconsistent, but Southern Illinois (and in Particular Jamaal Tatum) did an excellent job of dictating their pace throughout the game and keeping their opponent completely out of sync. That can be deadly for an inexperienced team like Kansas, who love to play at a fast pace and would be very uncomfortable with a halfcourt game, Still, I think they have too much talent.

#3 Pitt vs. #2 UCLA (Thursday, 9:57 pm): I’m taking UCLA in this one. They have more talent that the Panthers and they are also very good at disrupting their opponent’s game plan.

West Champion: Kansas

South Bracket:

#5 Tennessee vs. Ohio State. I’m rooting for the Vols in this game, for two big reasons:

• The sooner a big threat to the Tar Heels goes down, the better.

• I have never been a fan of THE Ohio State University. There’s just something about the Buckeyes that tick me off.

My heart says the Vols. They even have the talent and the offense to pull this off against a Buckeyes team that struggled to get a victory against Xavier. But my bracket says Buckeyes, so I have to stick to my guns.

You know what? Screw my bracket. Rocky Top! WHOOOO!!!

#3 Texas A&M vs. #2 Memphis. From the beginning of this tournament, Memphis has been considered a weak #2 seed because they came from essentially a 1 bid conference. And while those arguments are valid, they did a good job of handling a tough Nevada team last Sunday. And their strength is the Aggies’ weakness: depth. Memphis likes to run a fast paced game, and John Calipari has no issue putting 10 to 11 players in a game. Texas A&M is only 7-8 deep, but their advantage is experience. They have more upperclassmen than the Tiger, including the best point guard in America, Senior Acie Law IV. Which makes me wonder, Who are Acie Law I, II, and III? In this tournament, experienced guardplay can make or break you. I’ll take the Aggies.

South Champion: Texas A&M.

Midwest Bracket:

#5 Butler vs. #1 Florida. This is the big upset that I would love to see. Two of the four #1 seeds must go down before the Final Four, and I think Florida should be one of them. Butler, much like SIU, wants to slow down the game by clamping down on defense. That won;t be an easy task against the tall, athletic Gators. I think that Butler will play well in the first half, but Florida’s depth will be too much for the Bulldogs to handle late.

#7 UNLV vs. #3 Oregon. I seriously underestimated UNLV in this tournament. But they have a good combination of experience and depth, even if a snail is more athletic than their point guard. But I have to pick Oregon because when they can shoot lights out, very few teams can beat them.

Midwest Champion: Oregon

East Bracket:

#5 USC vs. #1 UNC. It shocked me to see the Trojans dominate Texas is most likely Kevin Durant’s last game in a college uniform. They did a very good job of containing the rest of the team. Having said that,they don’t have enough size to contain the Tar Heels in the paint. Hansbrough and Wright will tear them apart.

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown. See #5 Tennessee vs. #1 Ohio State.

East Champion: North Carolina.

Tonight, I can finally rise from what has been a very boring Monday through Wednesday in sports, save the UNC Women’s close game against Notre Dame.