If as expected, Duke and Michigan win their first two NCAA Basketball tournament games, they will clash in the round of sixteen. The possibility evokes memories of past Duke and Michigan appearances in the national semi finals and finals.
Duke won its first two titles with back to back wins in 1991 and 1992. In 1992, Duke beat the vastly over rated, so called “Fab Five” of Michigan in the finals.
The greatest team in NCAA basketball history is UCLA, which won 10 of the 12 titles contested from (1964-1975.)
UCLA won its first championship beating Michigan in 1964 and its next one was vs Duke in 1965.
In 1988, Danny Manning was voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament and he led Kansas to its upset victory in the NCAA Basketball finals vs Oklahoma.
In the all Big 8 Conference final, Kansas and Manning won as an 8 point underdog.
Manning is back in the NCAA Tournament these 26 years later as the coach of Tulsa University. They won The Conference USA tournament to gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Kansas coach in 1988 was the vagabond, Larry Brown. He has made more stops at other coaching venues than Greyhound Bus.
This year Brown did a good job at Southern Methodist University. They posted a (23-9) record.
However, a loss in the opening round of the American Athletic Conference tournament relegated the Mustangs to the National Invitation Tournament.
The NCAA tournament starts tomorrow. The Florida University Gators are the tournament’s overall top seed and ranked first in the nation.
The Gators are coached by Billy Donovan, who played in a final four/NCAA semi final under coach Rick Pitino at Providence University in 1987.
Donovan coached back to back NCAA title winners with the Gators in 2006 and 2007.
Coach Pitino won it all with Kentucky in 1996. Last year, Pitino matched Donavan, coaching his second title winner with Louisville.
This year’s Providence team made news by winning the Big East Tournament and gaining the automatic NCAA Tournament bid that goes with it.
Florida, Louisville and Providence are in separate regionals in this year’s tournament. Will they make the final four? Later this week I will give my predictions.
Gators
It is nearly 41 years since Phil Jackson, a New York Knicks’ basketball player, made two incredibly clutch free throws in the team’s double overtime win vs the Boston Celtics in game 4 of the 1973 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks won the game to go up three games to one in the series. They won the series in 7 games and went on to beat the L.A. Lakers in 5 games to win their second NBA title in four seasons. They have not won a title since that time.
Now Phil Jackson, who has coached 11 NBA title teams, has been named the President of the Knicks’ team.
It will be interesting to see what happens next, but surely money brought Jackson, and sadly money will be used to try and build the Knicks’ team.
The NBA has so many, (too) many teams, plays an endless regular season, and allows players to switch teams with no regard to competitive balance. I wish it would go away but it will not, will it?
Phil Jackson, circa 1973
I truly wish I could predict a specific team that will beat out the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central but they are an obvious favorite.
With three straight divisional titles, Detroit is a three to one favorite to make it four straight titles.
If another team wins the A.L. Central, likely it will be either the Kansas City Royals or the Cleveland Indians.
Last year, Cleveland made the playoffs but lost in the play in game to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The new look Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins round out the division, but neither figures to contend.
I say there is a good chance either K.C. or Cleveland beats out Detroit but in a close decision for me, it will be another division title for the Tigers.
Below is a mistake on ESPN.com concerning an exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox won the game (3-1).
While I think the National League East will be a two team race between the defending divisional champion, Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, I forecast improvement for the three other NL East teams.
Not so long ago, the Philadelphia Phillies were considered a “mini dynasty” in some circles with back to back pennants in 2008 and 2009 and five straight playoffs appearances from (2007-2011). They will improve this season.
The New York Mets are projected to win 74 games. I predict they will exceed that total and flirt with the .500 mark (81 wins).
The Miami Marlins are considered the second worst team in baseball (only the Houston Astros are considered worse) and I think they will be slightly improved.
I predict the Braves to win the division, Washington to finish second with the Mets and Phils battling for third place.
Baseball’s American League West Division is wide open this season.
The Oakland A’s won their second straight A.L. West crown last season.
The Texas Rangers qualified for the playoffs for a fourth straight season, but lost in the “play in” game at home for the second straight season. They also lost back to back World Series in 2010 to the Giants, and in 2011 to the Cardinals.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a threat as are the new look Seattle Mariners.
Seattle spent a great deal of money on Robinson Cano, a fine hitter, who fielded the last out of the 2009 World Series for the Yankees.
I believe the Mariners will be contenders in the AL West this season, particularly because of 2009 World Series winner Cano.
All four teams are viable contenders so it should be a great race.
It should be a very interesting race in the National League Central Division this year.
Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals won the division title in a close race. Both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds from the NL Central made the playoffs as wild card teams.
The Pirates won four straight games from the Reds including the one game “play in” and advanced to the division round before losing to the Cardinals.
The Cards beat the Pirates and then the Dodgers to win the National League Pennant. Next the Boston Red Sox beat the Cardinals in the World Series.
I feel none of those three NL Central Playoff qualifiers (Cards, Pirates and Reds) from last year will be better. I think both the Milwaukee Brewers and yes, the Chicago Cubs, will improve. As I said an interesting race in the NL Central.
The Detroit Tigers have won three straight American League Central Division titles.
The Tigers lost in the ALCS twice and in the World Series once after those three division titles.
During the regular season, the loss of manager Jim Leyland and player, Prince Fielder, will be felt. Each certainly produced.
However, Fielder especially, and face it Leyland as well, have been big time post season failures.
Please check the many times Fielder has failed to produce in clutch hitting situations in the playoffs. I am not a “stats” person but surely his “numbers” are not good either.
Sadly, I will remember Leyland’s ridiculous decision not to have a left handed pitcher face David Ortiz in the bottom of the eighth inning of game 2 of last year’s ALCS.
Ortiz hit a tying grand slam home run which was the key to the ALCS.
The Red Sox went on to capture their third title in 10 seasons “outside at a ballpark,” in this case venerable Fenway Park, where such a thing had not happened in 95 years.
The Tigers, Leyland and Fielder got a “one way trip to” that sad, unfair position of playoff also ran, another reality in sports.
Andy B Sports 