March 16, 2011

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

I find it truly bothersome that the NCAA has decided to name the expanded play-in games the "first four" (can't bring myself to capitalize the dumb words) and then call it the "first round" of the tournament.

Such bush league bullshit.

Normally, the opening Thursday through Sunday of the tournament are my favorite part of the whole event, where I get my one chance or my first chance of the year to see some of the more obscure teams.

Competing against more prominent programs, not other lesser teams. To me, the First Round is where you have the heady buzz of a million games going on at once, and in the pre-internet days, you had to scramble to keep up with all the scores and outcomes.

And you wait and you hope that you're going to get to see a Weber State knock off a North Carolina.

But this new bit of frontier hucksterism has screwed up all of that.

To force an added layer of mediocrity and undeservedness down our throats and brand it with prestigious sounding monikers is ridiculous.

On top of that, the network had their A team announcing the opening games last night, which is certainly not warranted. Even if it's a good warm up for them and produces some good moments, it's not appropriate. Just adds to the forced shill effort that I resent.

On the bright side, I greatly enjoyed Steve Kerr's presence - the connection he and Kellogg have established will provide a good enhancement to the broadcasts when the real tournament begins. They are probably going to leave Nantz in the dust a bit as things go along.

posted by beaverboard at 08:12 AM on March 16, 2011

Somebody farted in the general vicinity of Tiger Woods and a mike during the Tavistock Cup.

posted by rcade at 10:56 AM on March 16, 2011

Leafs and Raptors (and etc...) for sale but Rogers isn't interested?

posted by billsaysthis at 12:07 PM on March 16, 2011

"Back in the mid-1950s, [Kurt Vonnegut] was employed by Sports Illustrated, briefly. He reported to work, was asked to write a short piece on a racehorse that had jumped over a fence and tried to run away. Kurt stared at the blank piece of paper all morning and then typed, 'The horse jumped over the fucking fence,' and walked out, self-employed again.Link

posted by rcade at 12:58 PM on March 16, 2011

'The horse jumped over the fucking fence,' and walked out, self-employed again.

It's still better than the last couple of years of garbage that Rick Reilly put out for S.I. (before he left).

posted by grum@work at 02:04 PM on March 16, 2011

March Madness Moments Lego-ized

posted by tommybiden at 02:09 PM on March 16, 2011

Thanks Tommy, I was looking for that.

posted by cjets at 04:06 PM on March 16, 2011

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