whitesoxfan101

I said it last year and turned out to be wrong, but I think it's very possible that the Big 10 won't have a single team in the Sweet 16.

Lunardi will have Illinois out of the tournament by the end of this set of games unless Vanderbilt or Purdue can come back. And there is still danger later if Utah State loses, as well as if Washington wins. We better hope Illinois is a team he's wrong about like they were in 2007.

QUOTE (Felix @ Mar 13, 2010 -> 04:06 PM) Wow. Purdue looks terrible right now. I mean, the Gophers are playing well, but a lot of this is Purdue's own fault. They just aren't the same without Hummel.

Illinois has nobody to blame but themselves if they don't get in. If they had tried as hard as they did today all year, their record would be a whole heck of a lot better. When you lose 14 games, don't win 20, and lose 6 of your last 8, you can't complain if you aren't in. I'd say it's basically a coin flip if they get in, but odds become more and more grim as things are continuing to go badly among other bubble teams. Minnesota absolutely has to be in over them if they win today, and the amount of spots there are simply running out.

I really thought Illinois and Minnesota would be a lot better this year. Minnesota has more excuses for their struggles though, although not finishing games is sitll a bad quality. Then there is Michigan, of course. No idea what the heck happened to them, although they gave a great effort today until their idiotic defense the last 2.2 seconds.

One thing is for sure is that neither team can blame anybody but themselves if they don't get in. I haven't seen Minnesota as much as Illinois this year, and they've certainly had worse luck with losing players, but from what I have seen, they seem comparable in that they just have some easily avoidable losses which are the only reason they are even on the bubble in the first place.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 11:30 PM) Minny has less quality wins and more bad losses than Illinois. They also finished lower in the conference. They really don't have a strong argument at all to be in over Illinois. Illinois definitely has more quality wins (quality wins are the only reason they are close), but I still look and see two teams with similar conference and overall records, a few really bad losses (although Minnesota has more, I think?) and a head to head game in which the road team from Minnesota won. It's possible they'll both get in though, even if they both lose tomorrow that could be feasible actually.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 12, 2010 -> 11:24 PM) Not a lock but they will be in with a loss if Duke or Ga Tech win the ACC tourney, UTEP wins Conf USA, Purdue beats Minny, and Utah St. wins their conference. I think we're ok in the ACC, but i'm worried about those other 3 things. I think Minnesota should be in right now over Illinois since they beat them in Champaign, but fortunately that's not how it works.

Had a good time at the Big Ten Tournament, the Ohio State ending was sick. I thought a win today would get Illinois in, but now I'm not so sure. I can't believe i'm going to be rooting for Purdue and Duke tomorrow, but that's what it has come to.

The guitar intro of "Cochise" by Audioslave. Awesome stuff.

Cubs need to just stop responding to Milton Bradley when he comments on them. It just makes them look bad since everybody thinks Bradley is a nut job, so just ignore him.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Mar 10, 2010 -> 08:14 PM) Wow Keith with 2 bungles on the same shift, luckily nothing came of it.... He was having some turnover issues before the Olympic Break, and they've continue to a degree since coming back from it. I'm not too concerned yet though.

Hawks have played a very good first 15 minutes overall, but you'd swear they don't practice 5 on 3 situations with how they look in them. They've had a number of extended 5 on 3's this year, particularly in recent games, that have gone empty. That's unacceptable in general, but especially with the skill the Hawks have.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Mar 10, 2010 -> 01:48 PM) http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=796 If true. Could get interesting. The Slaughter Solution is a perfect name for it since that is what will happens to the Democrats in November if they go through with it. QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 10, 2010 -> 07:46 AM) Brady will fall back with Illinoisans see what he's stood for previously. I actually researched the GOP candidates because I voted in the GOP primary, and Brady scares me a bit. He's extreme by national standards, and more so for Illinois. Quinn would have to really, really, really step in the s*** between now and November to lose to Brady. Brady scares me quite a bit, but so does Quinn. An awesome position to be in as a voter.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 10, 2010 -> 12:38 AM) Yea I'm mixed on it.. Personally you could also ask if JA never makes that deal (to lose the 2nd rounder), does he get Julius anyway. With as many holes as this team has, I think he still does. Having that 2nd there as well would just make you feel better that 1 more hole could be filled.

Tough schedule + 2nd best player and best rebounder/defender out=what we're seeing. Bulls aren't making the playoffs unless Noah comes back, and that seems like a long shot right now. Not that I think it's a big deal if they don't make it, I don't think anybody will not come here in the summer because the Bulls ended up 9th in the east instead of 5th-8th.

I wouldn't outright say the Cubs suck and have no shot at the playoffs, but they need some things to go right. They need a lot of older players to performs at levels they put up in their younger days, and that will be difficult. Even their older players who still perform at a pretty high level are due to regress at their age. There just isn't enough young talent being infused into their major league club. Addtionally, Randy Wells is going to be in for a rude awakening this year IMO, which along with Harden being gone will damage their rotation even if all else goes well. I'd say the Cubs have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs, but it's definitely a noteably underdog shot. I don't see the wild card coming out of the central, and that's probably their best shot since St. Louis seems to be noticably better than them.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_con...linois_governor I know this is basically irrelevant, but the fact that any poll anywhere at any time has Brady 10 up on Quinn shocks me. Even with the Illinois government in the mess it's in.

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 04:11 PM) Very inconsiderate question by me, If Gaines Adams doesn't die, do the Bears still get Peppers? I don't find that question to be inconsiderate at all. I think the answer is no though, they'd have probably spent the money somewhere else.

I'll say the championship game is the same matchup and result as the ACC Tournament had last year with Duke beating Florida State.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 01:19 PM) Great Article on Jim Tressel in a Gay publication. Haven't read the actual article, but read a column on yahoo talking about what Tressel said in it. I was shocked to see the senator step out like that, but good for him taking a stand.

It's hard to quantify how much not having Nathan this year would hurt the Twins IMO simply due to the chain reaction it causes. You have the setup guy that would replace Nathan in his spot, and the guy that would replace the setup guy in the setup spot, etc etc. It's a chain reaction effect in the bullpen, so how much it hurts depends on several guys. It certainly can't help them though.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 03:14 PM) You know, forgetting the fact that I hate all things Cubs, they really, really look like a horses*** team on paper. There's not one aspect of their team that looks good to me. Even with us, you know the SP will be pretty damn good. Their only saving grace is they're in the central. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if a team like the Reds finished with a better record. One day they'll realize they have talent. If they get can Volquez healthy and Chapman up to the majors later this season (I think I read somewhere there is something in his contract which means you probably won't see him until Mid May at the earliest), they'll have a shot at making a 2nd half run IMO. The Cardinals still have to be a very strong favorite though obviously.

This is a better question for opening day since most of these guys are going to have new AB songs then (other than PK and Gordon of course.)

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 01:37 AM) I haven't been as excited for a prospect like I am for Mitchell in a while. I'm just in love with the fact that he's a premier athlete and already has a good batting eye. Obviously he has holes in his game right now that are going to need to be corrected but plate discipline isn't one of them, and that's usually one of the main adjustments "speed guys" need to make if they're going to make it. Indeed, I am most excited about Mitchell for the exact same reasons. You can't teach fast, and IMO you can't teach really good batters eye, they are just things you have or don't, and he has both of them. Not to be hyperbolic here, but I keep thinking Carl Crawford with a better batting eye when I think of Jared Mitchell. There is so much potential for him to get better too with his age and the fact he wasn't concentrating entirely on baseball before.