It is what it is …………
Well the sports’ environment at present has taken a back seat to the NCAA Tournament , with the event itself , having provided the fans with a number of stunning upsets , while there have been some that were not totally unexpected . With the number one ranked Florida Gators having now made their way to the ‘Sweet Sixteen ‘ , the road in some respects does now seem all but clear , for Billy Donovan and his team to capture the program’s third national title in the past eight seasons . Were the Gators’ head coach able to manage that feat , it would certainly make him the school’s most successful coach in terms of national titles won , beating out the likes of Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier .
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Slideshow .
From my own perspective , I believe Donovan the equal of both of the aforementioned coaches , albeit that, Meyer and Spurrier left Florida to further their careers , elsewhere . In the case of Urban Meyer, his departure and subsequent criticism of his former employers and the program he coached to two BCS titles , may well have more to do with his egotistical character and the level of criticism aimed at him , with the failure of Tim Tebow to become a resounding success in the NFL . A great deal of that criticism is more than justified , when you simply bear in mind that Tebow’s collegiate career while stellar , at the next level of his evolution , his game simply did not materialize into anything more than that of a moderately average quarterback , who could barely read defensive tendencies , much less make a pass attempt in excess of fifteen yards or more , without their being a tendency of an interception or the pass simply falling short of its target , but there were , the vast majority of less than intelligent Gators’ fans, still singing Tim Tebow’s praises as a player. With his career now coming to an abrupt end , he has now been hired by cable sports’ programming network ESPN to provide fans with his insight into the Collegiate Football and the games , where he will be covering . One can only wish Tebow, all the success possible in his new endeavor , in the hope that he is likely to be more successful in his new vocation.
With a number of programs now having fallen by the wayside, in this particular NCAA Tournament, by contrast , at this point last season , things in some respects were somewhat similar. Florida for its part, have more than justified that national number one ranking , and proof of that , come by way of their regular season schedule and their run through the SEC (Southeast Conference) ,where the team went undefeated , a first for conference play, within the Southeastern Conference. Leading the way for Florida, in terms of the team’s play , have been Casey Prather , Patric Young , Michael Frazier and Scottie Wilbekin , but it has truly been a collective team effort , along with that of Billy Donovan and the coaching acumen shown by his coaching staff , which has taken them this far and proven their season-long dominance this year.
Through their first two games of this tournament, Florida has not truly been tested , with their first round contest against Albany NY being nothing more than a cakewalk , with their 67-55 defeat of that team , before facing an even less sterner test in taking down the Pittsburgh (Panthers) with another somewhat lopsided victory 61-45 . The Gators’ path to the ‘Elite Eight’ in the NCAA Tournament, will see them having to overcome the UCLA Bruins , in what is likely to be the best game scheduled during the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ .
Of the games , still to be played in the round of the Sweet Sixteen , beyond the featured contest, which I believe to be the best at this stage of the tournament. There are games between Iowa State versus Connecticut , Tennessee and Michigan , Louisville (Cardinals) and Kentucky , Baylor and Wisconsin , Arizona and San Diego State , finally Dayton versus Stanford . All great match-ups befitting a tournament, that now lures shall we say, degenerate gamblers into wagering billions of dollars, into the most lucrative sports’ event, for the gaming industry in North America .
Rick Pitino , as the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, when he faces off against an old foe and nemesis in John Calipari , in a contest , of well-versed coaches , that will be a match of wits . What might also make this match-up also intriguing, with both coaches, having reached the pinnacle of collegiate coaching in winning a national title. Pitino, will now seek to take down a program , where, he was once a head coach and a well-respected one at that.
There are few coaches as well-respected as Tom Izzo within Collegiate Basketball and while one can be critical of the game at this level . It has to be said, that with the continued controversy of tainted programs , abuses of privileges and the ongoing issues of recruitment violations . Rarely, has Izzo’s tenure at Michigan St (Spartans) raised any suspicion of the program being mired, in any major impropriety. However, that is not to suggest, that Spartans athletics’ program has been pristine and above-board. Collegiate Athletics has become embroiled and awash, with far too much money , that the temptation to do something amiss, has become even more tempting than ever before. At the same time, the continued incompetency of the NCAA does not cover the distrust that the public has not only the entire landscape of college sports but also the hierarchical structure of the that particular body , under its current President , Mark Emmert , who came to the position, carrying a great deal of baggage of his own, concerning a number of improprieties and a lack communicative and administrative skills .
Izzo and the Spartans, while seeking to make their way to the Elite Eight, are not likely to have an easy time when they face the Virginia (Cavaliers) . Cavaliers’ head coach, Tony Bennett will undoubtedly want to pull off the upset , in taking the program this deep into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the very first time ever. The outcome of this contest, between Michigan and Tennessee , will definitely be predicated upon the offensive prowess shown by both teams and the coaching acumen of the respective staffs.
This NCAA Tournament has certainly lived up to expectations so far and the contests have provided the fans with a great deal more than most would have expected .
The big news within the NBA over the past eight days , has been the New York Knicks’ acquisition of Phil Jackson to head up the franchise’s Basketball Operations and being entirely responsible for all player personnel decisions. Jackson , himself, has been quick to point out, that the level of the play by the current roster has bordered on being inadequate and lacking the basic fundamentals , that the team itself , simply looks like a group of individuals at play on a high school playground. Subsequent to that statement by the Knicks’ front office executive , the players have responded in kind rolling off eight victories in their last ten games , perhaps reminding Jackson that they are capable of playing as a cohesive unit. As to what this might suggest as to the coaching strategies of Mike Woodson and his coaching staff , may well spell doom and his departure from the franchise at the end of this season. Woodson, might not be a proponent of the “Triangle Offense” and Phil Jackson has suggested that the scheme need not be adhered to, by the team, but , what he would like to see, is a great deal more resilience and tenacity from the players.
The New York Knicks’ continued malaise over the past seven seasons at least , has been brought on by the negligence of team owner , James Dolan and the litany of general managers heading up the front office during that time-span. Anyone who would try to suggest that under Isiah Thomas’ tenure , or that of Dave Checketts , Ernie Grunfeld , Scott Layden and in some respects Donnie Walsh , have in some way brought about some semblance of competitiveness to the franchise, need only look at the Knicks’ overall record from 1999 to 2013 and the number of playoff appearances made . In large part, the organization has spent more time acquiring nondescript talent and simply overpaying for the players assembled to represent the team during that time. It is certainly something, that will clearly have to be addressed by Phil Jackson and the staff that he will likely assemble to assist him in that stead, as he seeks to build a roster that will be viewed as a perennial contender, rather than being seen as an also-ran.
A playoff berth is now beyond the New York Knicks’ reach for this season, but in large part several players on the roster will be playing for their long-term future and livelihood with the franchise , in light of Jackson’s wish to revamp this roster. The team (29-41) at present , is lying in ninth place , within the Eastern Conference and three games out from that final berth , which is currently held by the Atlanta Hawks(31-37) as of 23rd March , 2014.
As if to further emphasize the numerous reasons why the Knicks have been woefully inept , consider the fact that at home, they are amongst the worst teams in the entire NBA , never mind the fact that they are simply unable to close out games, but yet the asinine analysis provided by on air commentators would have you believe to the contrary. Sunday’s six-point loss (106-100) at home at Madison Square Gardens in New York City, New York, to the Cleveland Cavaliers , is a damning indictment of not only the poor play of the New York Knicks , but also how damn awful , the Eastern Conference just happens to be overall , in terms of the poor play.
Inconsistency has now become the norm for the New York Knicks , while the air-headed print and television media within the New York market tend to be enraptured by Phil Jackson’s arrival , what they seem to be forgetting is actually how bad this team just happens to be and that is even with Carmelo Anthony having to carry his teammates on his shoulders for the majority of the season. One can choose to spin the tale of the New York Knicks for this season and then suggest that next year all of the events of 2013 , will be forgotten, because Phil Jackson , by then, will have begun to work miracles. Let’s get something clear, Phil can only work with the tools given him and what he has been provided with at this juncture , are a bag of nuts , bolts, and rusty tools, in seeking to get the job done . As to what transpires, in the coming months of this off-season, remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see whether or not, Jackson can indeed revamp an impoverished franchise, with them regaining some semblance of respectability.
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Picture gallery .
The events of the NCAA Tournament, as they have unfolded, which result has been of the greatest surprise to you ? Which program do you now believe to be in the driver’s seat, with the easiest task of making it to the Final Four and then going on to win the Men’s NCAA title outright ? With Phil Jackson’s introduction as the new Head of Basketball Operations for the New York Knicks , do you believe his task will be an easy one to turn things around for the franchise and how much time in your estimation, will it take for him to make the Knicks relevant and competitive ? Simply take time to leave a comment, as you see fit and thank you for the ongoing support of this site, as it is greatly appreciated !
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Picture and slideshow gallery details below .
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Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin, bottom, gets past Pittsburgh forward Lamar Patterson for a shot during the second half in a third-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, March 22, 2014. Florida won 61-45 . AP Photo/John Raoux ….
(2) Florida coach Billy Donovan gestures during the second half in a third-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament against Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 22, 2014, in Orlando, Fla. AP Photo/John Raoux…
(3) Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin (5) and center Patric Young (4) talk on the court during the second half in a second-round game against Albany in the NCAA college basketball tournament against Albany, Thursday, March 20, 2014, in Orlando, Fla. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack ….
(4) Louisville coach Rick Pitino , right, yells at guard Russ Smith (2) during the second half in a third-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament against Saint Louis , Saturday, March 22, 2014, in Orlando, Fla. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack ….
(5) Kentucky head coach John Calipari works from the sideline against Wichita State during the first half of a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 23, 2014, in St. Louis. A highly rated Wichita State team that seemingly could not match the intensity shown by the Wildcats during this contest, which ended in disappointment for the Shockers. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel ……..
(6) Kentucky guard Aaron Harrison (2) passes the ball as Wichita State guard Fred VanVleet (23) defends during the first half of a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 23, 2014, in St. Louis. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson …..
(7) Tony Bennett head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers . Bennett’s team face the MSU Spartans on Friday , with the victor guaranteed a berth in the Elite Eight as the prize . AP Photo / Rafael Gomez …..
(8) Michigan State’s Tom Izzo whose long and proud coaching resume’ indicates an impressive track record . Getty Images / Keith Turner …..
(9) NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 23: Jarrett Jack (1) of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against the New York Knicks during a game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images …
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(10) New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony talks with New York Knicks’ head coach Mike Woodson during the second half of the NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, March 23, 2014, in New York. The Cavaliers defeated the Knicks 106-100 . .AP Photo /Adrian Miller …..
(11) New York Knicks’ executive Phil Jackson is seen here, inlaid, team head coach Mike Woodson’s ,whose tenure with the Knicks’ franchise now seems more perilous than ever , with the team not completely responding to his coach style, in spite of a recent impressive run of eight consecutive victories . Yet, the team’s home record remains one of the worst in the entire NBA and one of the numerous reasons why they have fallen out of contention within the Eastern Conference this season. It seems highly unlikely that Woodson will be returning to coach the team next season , with their being no guarantee whatsoever, from the front office , even if there have been some reassuring words coming from unconfirmed sources within the hierarchical structure of the franchise. AP Photo / Lou Mason …..
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College Basketball & NBA related pieces :
It’s that time of the year again , and things are said be right with the world ….
You can talk a good game but can you play one ?
Stick to what you know and not what you’re told is the truth
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tophatal ….
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NCAA Men’s Basketball (bracket)
NCAA Men’s Basketball schedule
NCAA Men’s Basketball champions
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NBA standings (division) and by conference
NBA playoff picture (indicates game remaining)
This month in NBA history
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Tophatal's Blog 
All is fair in love and war . Warren Buffett no longer has to worry about handing out $1 billion ($1,000,000,000) of his estimated $63 billion fortune . Now that’s what I call “real cheddar ” !
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” I think I’ll use the money and buy the New York Knicks instead , as I have always liked Phil Jackson ! James Dolan , not so much ” ! Billionaire investor Warren Buffet
tophatal …………………….
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Tophat,
Here are some of my observations of current happenings. Oh, btw, I bet my opinions. Not like JT “The Brick” who hands out gambling advice and is a self-confessed non-gambler. Fire back on any of the following.
Good move by the Jets to shitcan Sanchez for Vick. Both Geno and MV should elevate their game with the competition. King of the World Pete Carroll told Sanchez he couldn’t be a star at the next level while coaching him @USC. Pete wanted him for his senior year though.
UVA coach Tony Bennett is the best under the radar coach in Division I. His second half adjustments are one of the best in the game. As Casey Stengel would say, “You can look it up.” Coach Fisher @SDST is another unheralded gem.
Duke being upset by Mercer @11-1 moneyline(no spread) cost one Bay Area visito 330k. He wudda won 30k. He should try another route home ’cause the Golden Gate Bridge has installed nets.
Too much instant replay is tarnishing an otherwise good sport in college hoop. Some refs wanna be showcased.
Golf and The Masters is around the corner. I think Tiger’s stock is ina free fall. I am continuing my annual wager that Tiger will not win a major this year. Too many local and mult-national young guns have or shortly will surpass him. Too much illict pussy has taken its toll. Just ask former Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
I usually enjoy your blog and today was no exception. Good read.
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Ronbets
JT The Brick is an @sshole ! I phoned into his syndicated program on a weeknight several years back to be critical of then Raiders’ head coach Art Shell . I stated to the host that I felt that Shell had lost the confidence of the team at the time and at the end of the year (2006) , he would be fired . In Brick’s response , he was abusive and tried to suggest that I didn’t know what the hell I was talking about , Later that year , Shell was relieved of his position by then owner , Al Davis
The Raiders ended the 2006 season with 2-14 record which essentially summed who they were and still are ! :
” Art you know , were this the 1780’s you would make one hell of a house servant , yes sir , no sir ‘ . Good educated ###ger , that’s what I like to see ” ! Al Davis and Art Shell .
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Brick is simply an obnoxious ba$tard , who has far too high an opinion of himself and I couldn’t give a flying crap if he’s an employee per say , of the Oakland Raiders ! I mean it is not as if this franchise has been in contention within the AFC West in years much less the playoffs . Even during this off-season , GM Reggie McKenzie and Mark Davis have been spending and acquiring — players as if , there’s an urgency for them to get their asses kicked repeatedly by the Chargers and Broncos , as has been the case over the past five seasons .
JT The Brick or as I like to call him JT The Prick .
tophatal ………………..
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Ronbets ,
Eliot Spitzer felt it was necessary to throw down $84 ,000 on call girls , rather than on his kids’ education , then has the damn audacity to have his wife stand at his side , while he makes a less than contrite apology . Typical, frigging politician .
“If my wife doesn’t put out then I must gain my “needs” , from , elsewhere !
In other words , his d#ck , got caught where it shouldn’t have been . To think he then wanted to return to public office in New York City as its top financial official as the City Comptroller ? WTF !
tophatal …………..
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Ronbets
Name the last quarterback to come out of USC (Trojans) that in your opinion has had a moderately successful career in the NFL ? And could the same be said a number of other position players as well ?
” How’d you feel about being on a reality show Reggie ” ? I’d rather be up in your “business” like Ray J ” Reggie Bush
“Touchdown ” Reggie Bush , who tapped this @ss , Miami native Carmen Ortega !
My own perception , Reggie Bush has failed to live up to expectations on the field ! Off it however, he’s been nothing but a ” horn-dog” , bagging and tagging Kim Kardashian , only to dump her for a Miami based video-vixen , from where he’s since moved on .
Clay Matthews , Rey Mauluga and Matt Kalil are certainly proving their worth since entering the NFL .
Pete Carroll was right concerning Mark Sanchez , but the coach had an ulterior motive for having the player for another year at the time .
I look at the likes Sanchez , Matt Leinart , Carson Palmer and John David Booty and see them as monumental failures , close enough to be mentioned in the same breath as the over-hyped Tim Tebow .
Matt Barkley is unlikely to amount to much as an NFL player .
Tiger Woods’ issues comes down to the fact , he’s still spending too much time in the weight room and not enough time on his short game , which usually is amongst the very best on the PGA Tour .
Also , he needs to stop . laying the “wood” to his Olympic athlete girlfriend Lindsey Vonn . That being said , I’d be laying “wood” to Vonn, myself , as that is one fine piece of @ss !
Tiger gets to plant his “balls” into Lindsey’s C-cups , as much as he wants , because , she loves to slide up and down his “pole ” .
See my piece entitled Tic-tac-toe to view my analysis concerning Tiger Woods’ game. Merely click unto either of the links shown to view and then leave a comment as you see fit .
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/tic-tac-toe/
Tic-tac-toe
tophatal …………………………..
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I think Tiger’s world was shattered when Elin caught him cheating. She applied a little Scandanavian “high sticking” on Woods. She was a POA that he regrets losing, not only physically but monetarily.
As far as USC football alums, I think you are underestimating their factory. Scouts think otherwise. More kids have been drafted into the NFL from SC than any other college/university in the nation. QB dilemma? Prior to Carroll era, the Trojan offense was geared to “student body” right. IOW the ground game, i.e. OJ, MAllen, White, Sam Bam etc. The last QB that obtained reasonable NFL success was their current AD PHaden.
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Ronbets
The biggest joke concerning Woods’ ex-wife , Elin Nordegren allegedly trying to rescue Tiger from his SUV after he hit a fire hydrant at the entrance to their Isleworth enclave, was about as believable as the rumor going around that Paris Hilton was in line to receive an honorable Doctorate (Ph.D) from Harvard . Nordegren was out to rap that nine iron around Tiger’s “head” , both of them as a matter of fact . .
Elin Nordegren , ex-wife of Tiger Woods .
Pat Haden, left , and his predecessor Mike Garrett . Garrett was either an unwilling conduit for the malfeasance that too place or he was in on the whole scheme . I firmly believe it was the latter and it led to he and Pete Carroll leaving the program like rats leaving a sinking ship !
And as far as USC (Trojans) and the program goes , it is a plague across the collegiate landscape that the NCAA and NCAA President Mark Emmert haven’t the balls to clean up . I mean how damn incompetent is the NCAA Infractions’ Committee where it got to the point , they ended up fabricating evidence that was somehow used in the case against the Miami Hurricanes’ program after they lost the original evidence in their possession ? How is it , that Emmert and the NCAA haven’t been called to task about that ?
If Trojans’ AD Pat Haden had any damn common sense he would be presenting a case in the US Federal Courts having the punishment imposed on the school overturned as he and the Trojans’ program would be quite within their right to do so .
When it comes to the USC program , far too many people are enraptured with those years under Pete Carroll . that they tend to forget the depth of the cheating and other transgressions that were said to be going on . It’s as Mark McGwire said ……..” I’m not here to talk about the past “ . But yet, there are some , who continue to do so, for some damn reason .
s
A career that has yet to materialize showing anything thought to be tangible . Carson Palmer , obviously someone’s idea of a joke !
Oh by the way , what the scouts think and what actually materializes on the field of play are entirely two different things . Look at Carson Palmer’s career in the NFL thus far . Only only two Pro Bowl appearances ( 2005 & 2006) in that time along with vastly overpaid along the way .
If he (Palmer) was said to be the best quarterback option the year he was drafted , then there must have been something wrong with the decision making amongst the league’s general managers and specifically the Bengals .
tophatal ……………..
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Ronbets
I’ve been an avid Blue Devils’ fan for years and I’ve a healthy respect for Mike Krzyzewski . I know that there’s been considerable criticism of the coach and his actions concerning alleged recruiting violations . Yet , I look at this way if you’re going to be critical of Krzyzewski , then why can’t a dumb @ss as such, be just as critical of John Calipari , a coach who everyone knows has been less than truthful when it comes to how he goes about recruiting players at the various programs where he has coached . Does anyone remember the allegations concerning Derrick Rose ? Need I say anymore on the matter ?
“Trust me with your son and I can make him a star , he may not graduate , but I will make him star ” ! John Calipari
There are some real dumb @ss sports’ fans in this country whose intelligence borders on being deeply sub-standard and way below 100, being the average as stated by the US chapter of US MENSA and that of the international organization , itself .
Duke’s loss to Mercer didn’t come as a real shock , what was a disappointment to my mind was the lack real effort by the Blue Devils’ players during the game ! A really bad performance as far as I was concerned !
tophatal
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Guys, given the choice , who would you prefer as your starting quarterback given the choice between Michael Vick and Geno Smith ? That is now the idiotic dilemma that the Jets have now placed themselves in . I was under the impression that John Idzik was an intelligent general manager ! I mean this is the same guy who insisted that Pete Carroll draft Russell Wilson at the time as the Seahawks’ head coach wanted to take a defensive player at the time .
Former Seahawks’ GM and now the current Jets’ general manager John Idzik , foreground , seen here with Rex Ryan .
M-I-C-H-A-E-L V-I-C-K . I can spell my name . Me’s got my education at Virginia Tech , feelin me ? ” Jets’ newest qb Michael Vick .
Good luck with that signing as the Jets are going to nee it . Few alternatives at the position beyond Vick and Geno Smith .
Sad but inevitable , because there is no frigging common sense to be now found inside the front office or amongst the coaching staff led by Rex Ryan . If these morons haven’t learned from the Tebow ‘ fiasco’ , then , when the ##ck , will they ever learn ?
‘ Michael Vick and I are going to be like “Brothers in Arms ” ‘ . Geno Smith & Michael Vick
Really ? This is the best solution that the Jets could come up with ? WTF ! LOL,LOL,LOL !!! The Jets might as well have signed an armless amputee to replace Mark Sanchez .
tophatal ……………….
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Animal rights activists pressured the government to prosecute Vic. The cruel and unsual punishment was delved out to VICK. Imagine 19 months in a federal lockup for Ok’ing an off the wall sport? Crime yes, but to strip the man’s dignity with numerous public apoligies. The essentially took away 4 prime playing years from the man. This fukn government is doing things backwards. Let’s worry about human rights first. WTMF!!
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Ronbets
You’re sadly mistaken if you think the federal case was simply about animal rights . There were also allegations of money-laundering , illegal gambling , wagering across state lines , not only on the dog fights , but also allegedly betting on NFL and college games . The indictment was very specific with regard to that, but everyone fed into the animal cruelty side of the issue , which was simply deviant and most definitely heinous .
As for it being acceptable behavior , because of one’s background and the environment that is allegedly part of their life , it does not make it acceptable in any form . Simple minded as$holes who will try to condone any type of behavior . If dog fighting is so acceptable , then why not revert to hanging nig#ers ? I mean five decades ago , I don’t believe law enforcement went about chasing after the individuals perpetrating those particular crimes .
So explain to me succinctly what you’re alluding to, concerning Vick’s depraved behavior and that of his dumb @ss associates ?
Vick lied repeatedly to Falcons’ owner , Arthur Blank denying irrefutably , that he had anything to do with Bad Newz Kennels , but yet his fuc#ing paw prints and signature were on documents showing his involvement with the enterprise . Another dumb @ss black athlete , ., with #hit for brains , failing to make use of his talents , the opportunity to avail himself of an education at Virginia Tech and you’re somehow seeking to defend him in some form ?
Anyone seeking to point out as being acceptable is an idiot. . Less you forget also Vick lied to federal investigators , , law enforcement and specifically to Falcons’ owner , Arthur Blank . So tell me , how can you suggest that this was all about what an activist group specifically wanted ? Also indicate how this makes Michael Vick any type of individual that anyone should have any type of pity for ? He knew what his actions might lead to and he’s a grown ass man not a child under the age of consent. In this country , idiot fans and specifically some minorities , seek to use race as a proxy for a whole variety of issues , when it is completely unwarranted .
Michael Vick seen here with Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank co-founder of Home Depot .
Vick seen here with his younger sibling Marcus Vick . Here’s proof that a mind really is a terrible thing to waste . It was definitely wasted on these two @ssholes !
Vick remains a frigging douche-bag as far as I am concerned , much like his dumb @ss younger sibling , Marcus Vick !
tophatal ………………….
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Ronbets
Dignity ? Where’s the dignity in lying to your employer ( Arthur Blank of owner the Falcons ) about a major felony ? Are you frigging kidding ? Vick then sought the public’s empathy , while idiots , then sought to also make this farce , a racial issue as well . This country is fu#king screwed up, because it no longer has moral guidelines or principles . !
tophatal …………….
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If Tony Bennett and the Virginia Cavaliers pull off the upset in this contest , then I for one wouldn’t bet against — them !
tophatal …………..
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Tebow did well in college. He won the Heisman Trophy- so he was a bust in the NFL. So how many have failed in the NFL? A ton so BFD. Florida will have a tussle against UCLA. The Bruins could and can win. The marque match up is Louisville KY. This will be a flat out war. Duke, Kansas, Syracuse, North Carolina all have fallen by the wayside. UCONN, Stanford, Dayton, Tennessee, left who would have thunk it.
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bobby
There are several great contests at this stage of the NCAA Tournament and I would not wish to be a player who holds the fate of their team in an instance where it is the waning moments of a game ! Far too much pressure for my liking !
The game between Louisville and Kentucky ought to be a great thriller ! I don’t believe that Billy Donovan will allow his players to be complacent in their match-up against UCLA .
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bobby gee
Tebow did well in college and Urban Meyer rode on the kid’s coat-tails , but the Gators’ coaching staff at the time did little to help Tim Tebow and his game improve significantly .
Once in the NFL he was found wanting and please don’t be fooled by the idiocy of the 2011 season , because he was found wanting on the wrong end of that 45-10 mauling that the Broncos took at the hands of the Patriots .
Idiot Gators’ fans are simply not intelligent enough to face the fact , that his skill-set isn’t even marginally average .
tophatal …………..
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He is a very good college player NFL? not in this lifetime
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They say everyone is deserving of a chance in the NFL ? Some more than others perhaps, but Tebow was being fawned over , when it was damn well apparent that he had no frigging talent whatsoever when it came to the NFL. Only an idiot would still try and suggest otherwise and that included the preponderance of anal retentive Gators’ fans out there continually hyping him up . because of a national championship victory . Stupid is , as stupid does !
He’s so excited but his dumb @ss couldn’t provide any excitement once on the field for either the Jets or Patriots . Enough said !
If one listens to him closely , in terms of his speech , you can see that he is not particularly articulate and he comes across as something of a simpleton . The education at Florida is obviously overestimated !
Tebow has nothing more than a willing participant as part of a media created circus , just as he was in Gainesville, while playing for Florida .
And it was left to a pompous @sshole such as Skip Bayless who tried to sell the public a great deal of this bull#hit ! Bayless is a butt-hole that no one wants to be a part of or listen to, because he’s a self absorbed ass .
tophatal …………………
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My father told me Kid no one owes you a living, You are not entitled to squat. There are three things you can count on Birth death and taxes. that’s it.
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bobby gee
Today’s athletes are ingratiated and fawned over and they simply love the adoration , as it gives them a furtherance and opportunity to make money off the fans , general public and consumers in general . You can’t tell me , that the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James having amassed considerable fortunes , merely did that , solely because of their talent alone .
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James
LeBron James estimated net worth and that of Kobe Bryant .
NBA career earnings
tophatal ……….
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James came out the hard way. Bryant’s dad Joe Jelly Beam Bryant grew up in Philly. He played at LaSalle and then in NBA and Europe. Talent helps a ton but hard work pays off. James is a media creation. great player and that’s it. Kobe the same/ that’s all they are hoops players nothing else
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LeBron James came out the hard way ? That’s so laughable , that it defies logic ., James would never have made it to college as it was widely known, he had already accepted money from several endorsers , while still in high school (St Marys in Akron, Ohio) . His mother was already driving around in a $75,000 specially converted SUV.
His (LBJ’s) background was very much like the idiocy that took place with Reggie Bush and his family, while he was in attendance at USC (Trojans) with his family living in a $750,000 home with no signs of an income , but it was known that an agent was paying the mortgage on the abode . I don’t know how you come up with some of your facts but it pays to do some in-depth research and then verify it .
Joe Jellybean Bryant and Kobe Bryant
‘Jellybean’ Bryant as a Sixer
Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant had moderate success while playing in Italy and to a lesser extent in the NBA , having been taken as the fourteenth overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA Draft Joe Bryant never played for the Warriors as he was acquired by the Sixers that very same year .
As we know Kobe Bryant was a prodigious talent in high school at Lower Merion in Pennsylvania . His career in the NBA off-course is now legendary and has him perhaps amongst the top twenty-five players in history and most certainly amongst the top-ten in Lakers’ history .
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That maybe so. So what’s the beef, They made their money. So what! It is none of my business. These cats are basketball players not paragons of virture or god. They are created by the media as a god. That’s it false gods. I choose not to worship at the feet of fools. Good basketball players that’s it. No more no less. Human beings that make mistakes Other thant hat that’s it.
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I’ve no problem with them making their money , but it is simple idiocy to imply that the likes of James had it tough , when it was clear , from the outset that there was never an intent for him to attend college . He began to take the money knowing full well , were he in college doing the same thing it would violated these asinine NCAA rules . Why the hell do you think that ESPN were televising James’ high school games at St Mary’s in Akron,. Ohio ? And it was also the same thing with Kobe Bryant , while he attended Lower Merion High School, in Pennsylvania . These kids , had already been bought and paid for ……. or had you not noticed that ?
🙂
Bryant in high school
James at St Mary’s in Akron. Ohio .,
tophatal …………………
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This is why the NCAA is a joke. These kids are never about education. It is all about the pros baby. Cut the scam and pay the kids or let them play in the NBA or form a league so the kids can really learn how to play the game.
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Four more games, Al. Four more games.
(fingers crossed – fingers crossed – fingers crossed)
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Chris Humpherys
If Billy Donovan can guide the team through the next game against UCLA , then the tournament will be theirs (Gators) for the taking . No other team seems to be as well-balanced as the group of players that Donovan has for this tournament . They might be as good as the two back to back teams of 2006 and that went on to win the NCAA title ? Your thoughts on that ?
Donovan speaks to the Gators’ players prior to their contest against the Pitt Panthers .
tophatal (Facebook)
tophatal ………………………………
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bobby gee
The emphasis on education is not instilled into these kids by the NCAA . It is meant to be emphasized by the student or students’ parents to begin with, from an early age . The educators are there merely as a conduit and a guide . It is that students’ choice then to seek the best of the availability of what is being given to them . The principals here in this country are screwed up to begin with . How is rewarding a teenager with a car meant to teach them a damn thing , just because they have graduated from high school ?
Simple idiocy and you wonder why this country no longer commands any real respect globally ? This issue has nothing to religious tenets , but more to do with a lack of common decency and intelligence . Simply look at the lack of insight and lame idiocy and behavior that encompasses the political leaders within this country without then the public being to subjected to the bogus airheads and political hacks on ( both — sides) of the aisle . whose alleged intellect could not fit the inside of ##cking thimble !
Can your Congressman/woman or Senators’ IQ fit inside of this thimble ?
Do remember the NCAA is simply a cash cow for the schools to use as a conduit for additional revenues . That institution (NCAA) pays no taxes whatsoever , so please do remember that .
tophatal ………
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bobby gee
You obviously do not comprehend the fact that the NCAA have their lobbyists up there on K Street in DC making sure that any sort of rescinding of their antitrust status , will never take place and furthermore , the schools have no wish to see the students be paid . What we are at present witnessing in many respects , is simply a form of legalized slavery. Love it , or hate , but you simply cannot deny that fact . The House Energy & Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee have made sure that they will continue to take care of their paymasters (NCAA) . It’s as you have often suggested, a form of ” freedom of expression” . In truth a form of legalized extortion , but far too many are too dumb to realize that fact !
🙂
NCAA President Mark Emmert
NCAA President , Mark Emmert , a person with more skeletons in his closet than even he cares to admit says what he believes the public wants to hear in public , but in fact , he’s as closely tied to the depraved university presidents , conference commissioners and athletics directors as anyone else , who remains in favor of the student athlete not being paid .
tophatal ……………………
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This is what the federal grand jury returned in the Vick case.
(Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities
and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture).
You said:
“There were also allegations of money-laundering , illegal gambling , wagering across state lines , not only on the dog fights , but also allegedly betting on NFL and college games . The indictment was very specific with regard to that, but everyone fed into the animal cruelty side of the issue , which was simply deviant and most definitely heinous . ” You mentioned lying to the feds? That alone is a crime and no indictment. Lying to Arthur Blank? BFD, he’s trying to save his ass. The only confessions I see are on “Perry Mason” reruns. I see no mention of most of your statement above.
You don’t like the guy…..fine. However, you previously defended Ray Ray where human NOT animal life was snuffed out.
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Ronbets
Given Michael Vick’s actions , do you believe his act of contrition was genuine or simply staged managed ? The guy has proven to be an absolute ass , believing in having earned in excess $40 million over his career and pi@sing away that $100 million deal with the Eagles and here you are trying to have me believe , I should see some kind of redeeming quality in that as#hole ? Let me pose this question to you , what sort of role model do you think Michael Vick was proving to be as a parent for his kids ?
Here in the US it’s simply amazing the lack of intelligence shown by some people who show no damn concept for life let alone common decency , yet the country tries to set itself as some paragon of virtue and moral beacon of light . A whole load of bull#hit in reality because , it lacks leaders statesmen and actually individuals and a populace who actually have a concept of what is happening in the real world !
Real useful accommodation don’t you think , especially after the animal had been left there to die ? Then its body along with several other canines were buried in a ditch .
You should read about Miss Evers’ Boys , because then you’d learn something . US government intentionally giving US civilians and specifically black military servicemen syphilis (Tuskeegee Airmen) to see how it would react on the human body.
Perhaps Vick’s actions can be placed alongside those of Pol Pot’s and Killing Fields in Cambodia ? Equally heinous be it human or that of an animal , with Vick proving to be no more than a degenerate bastard !
How about that then ?
tophatal …………..
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Ronbets
What are said to be discerning and likable traits of Michael Vick after his actions ? Do you not believe Vick , ought to be held accountable for his actions or is that the damn ignorance coming out in you ? Oh so he was disgraced in public . What the fu#k he did , along with his associates is seen as humane ? There was simply no justification behind it at all . Castrating the canines and having them electrocuted, because they didn’t perform is meant to be OK ? I see Vick’s actions no different than that of an idiot who takes a neighbor’s pet and then seeks to kill it , merely because it excites them ! Michael Vick and his actions are that of a self serving asshole who at the times felt himself above the law and then when caught wasn’t man enough to act like a man and admit to his wrongdoing , instead an agent and lawyer sought to stage manage his situation and then in large part the ill educated sought to make racial issue out of the case .
In this case . the Justice Department , a plea agreement was reached with them actually dropping several of the litany of original charges that was their intent of prosecuting the player with , but in the deal with his defense attorneys , what we had was the final case and charges used in his prosecution.
. And you are implying that I am somehow sought to defend Ray Carruth’s actions in taking the life of Cherica Adams ? Are you damn crazy ? Why the ##ck would I defend a guy, who has his accomplices murder a female , the mother of his child , merely so he can avoid making child support payments ? . Never mind that the child was born brain damaged and now suffers from cerebral palsy . Adams’ mother now cares for her grandson , while Carruth still pleads his innocence and wants to somehow “bond” with his disabled son.
Carruth’s son and maternal grandmother where the child now has regular therapy . Your thoughts on that ?
Where factually, did I ever come out in support of Carruth ? I abhor any man who lays his hands on a woman , never mind taking her life ! Please do me the favor of not assuming or presuming that I would ever have that thought ! My mother was a victim of spousal abuse and it led to me kicking my father’s ass for his actions while a teenager .
I believe the likes of Vick , Carruth , Josh Brent , Donte Stallworth and Leonard Little are to my mind are individuals , m who simply have no respect for life because they think of it so cheaply ! It is not a matter of dislike, but a matter of them believing themselves being above the law and have no wish to be held accountable for their actions . I feel the same way about these moronic Hollywood celebrities and their idiocy when they too ran afoul of the law because of their own damn stupidity ! The idiocy of the legal system , where the victims have no damn rights but idiots will seek to empathize and seek out to defend the indefensible and look out for the defendants’ rights . .
tophatal …………….
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Ronbets
Do yourself a favor and read about Carruth’s actions and what it has done to that whole familial dichotomy, rather than coming up with your claims that have no merit .
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Ray Carruth? Wtf did he enter the conversation? If you follow sport you would realize the handle I mentioned, “Ray Ray” belongs to the retired #52, RAY LEWIS. The same phoney that you dismissed his actions in a MURDER CASE.
Animal rights, huh? Our nation’s horse racing industry is running outta race horses. Why? It’s ‘masked cruelty’ under the guise of sport. Horses running twice a week to fill small racing fields. That’s ok though?
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I have never dismissed Ray Lewis’ actions nor have I ever condoned them ! He was allowed to plead to a lesser charge and you can thank Katherine Fernandez-Rundle who at the time was one of the lead prosecuting attorneys and now the DA for the Miami Dade County . You can blame her for that for that mess as the State Attorney within Miami Dade for that idiocy . She also was the one the behind the plea deal for the Donte Stallworth vehicular manslaughter deal . that saw the wide receiver do less than a month in jail time , albeit that his insurance company settled with the victim’s family for $2.5 million in an out of court settlement . Get your facts straight ., Both cases could have brought about their successful (Lewis’ and Stallworth’s) prosecution, had the attorneys working the case , used due diligence , rather than simply cow-towing to Lewis’ and Stallworth’s and legal counsel .
This country’s legal system leaves a great deal to be desired and claims that it is amongst the best in the world is a frigging joke ! .
Katherine Fernandez-Rundle
tophatal ……………….
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NCAA Tournament schedule for Thursday 27th March and at the same stage last season .
tophatal ……………….
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You address selective points of my posts to fit your agenda and pass over others, while expecting complete replies to yours. I pass.
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What did I ever pass over concerning Lewis ? When he was alleged to have committed the alleged crimes I repeatedly stated that countless times within various articles here and others sites that I felt he was complicit in the act that led to the deaths of the victims . So point out where it was , when I was suppose to have given Ray Lewis a pass ?
tophatal ……………….
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BTW, Morgan Freeman resembles a younger Kyle Rote Sr.
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Ronbets
You say I address selective points? I give you a succinct response as to what happened with the cases of Lewis and Stallworth . What more do you want ? Blame the judicial system and the incompetence of the prosecuting attorneys.
Let me pose this question since you’re so damn enamored with Vick . What type of role model was he being with his deceit and lies especially with regard to his kids ? You choose to to overlook that , to question why alleged dislike of the overrated quarterback ?
Vick will remain a friggin’ ass wipe, along with his di#k of a O younger sibling Marcus Vick . They’re both cut from the same fu#king cloth and you’re trying to put Michael Vick up on a pedestal ? LOL,LOL,LOL !!
NFLA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith
Furthermore . how is it you’ve not sought to deride the the NFL hierarchy and in particular the union (NFLPA) , union’s executive committee and board of player representatives in their having not sought to rein in , their members’ behavior , when it relates to their breaking the law.?
Isn’t it amazing, how someone can simply seek to view a small part of the overall landscape of this entire issue , especially when the NFLPA’s Executive Director DeMaurice Smith is a former corporate and criminal attorney with one of DC’s biggest law firms in Patton Boggs LLC , which itself has a consultancy off-shoot , that just happens to be the lobbying arm for the NFLPA .
“Words attributed to Upshaw when the league and union were first challenged to address the issue of head trauma and concussions ” Myb worries and care , are about today’s players because they’re the ones bringing in the money into the league . I guess for the likes of the late Mike Webster , before his untimely death (found dead laying in his own fecal matter and urine ) , it was a wonderful thing to hear ?
Smith like his predecessor, the late Gene Upshaw is a pompous @ss who simply craves the limelight , rather than seeking to address the real issues that trouble the union and league in general . .
Freeman and Nelson Mandela , who he portrayed in the movie ‘Invictus’ .
Morgan Freeman has always been a great actor ever since his first Oscar nomination in the movie “Street Smart”. In latter years he’s become more known as great supporting actor , especially when working alongside his close friend Clint Eastwood , most notably in “Unforgiven ” and “Million Dollar Baby ” .
tophatal …………
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Ronbets
Off the beaten path as such, but how good is it to know that the financial sector in terms of the banks can have a “stress test ” , which they can be arbitrarily be failed dependent upon the mindset of the FRB , but yet with the likes of ‘Nut-bama ‘ calling the shots on the path that he’d like to see the country take , he has failed to explain why Citicorp having received $45 billion ($45,000,000,000) of taxpayers’ monies is still reeling somewhat financially , four years after the ‘ TARP’ Bailout . That institution (Citciorp) plus three others failed the so-called “stress test ” as mandated by the Federal Reserve Board .
Is there anyone seated on the Senate Banking & Finance Committee much less the House Banking & Finance Committee , who actually comprehends the nuances and vagaries within that sector at all ?
USA Today
“Fu#k with us and we will fu#k with you and completely fu#k you over ” ! Obama and his ‘pigeon dropping’ (Joe Biden).
Well that’s change you can believe in or not ! The dummy-ing down of America one person at a time courtesy of the US Congress , Obama (Nut-bama) and his administration .
tophatal ……………
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Terrific win last night for Florida in taking down the UCLA Bruins !
Baylor simply got simply got knocked out in their contest against Wisconsin .
“Unlike Rick , I tend to have sex with women in a place of their choosing , namely in their homes or homes of the students where I’m introducing the parents to the program with the hopes of recruiting their son . ” John Calipari
” John , all I wanted at the time , was for her to rock the mic, if we happened to be in a restaurant and the restrooms are free then off-course I’m gonna get my di#k sucked ! ” Rick Pitino (right)
Friday’s games and specifically the contest between Kentucky and Louisville ought to be great . The opposing coaches John Calipari and Rick Pitino will be showing off . their outsized egos !
tophatal ……………..
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OOh , the Sixers are playing for a lottery pick ? How observant of followers to actually suggest that . Now my next question, if either Jabari Parker or Andre Wiggins are taken by the organization , , how much better will it make the team and are they capable of winning in excess of 35 games next season ?
Please stop with this damn stupidity, concerning the franchise and what they’re doing . It was never Josh Harris’ wish to win at all this season or any season . I mean what is said to be his track record as a <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Harris_(businessman) businessman , much less as a professional sports’ franchise owner ? No one has actually brought up that question because they no damn insight , nor do they seek to be inquisitive enough to find out .
The fans in Philly are totally deserving of their lot as far as the Phillies and Sixers are concerned as the owners of both franchises are frigging simpletons !
Apollo Global Management , while being a well structured company that assumes risks , that others are unwilling to take , thereby hoping for that big payoff when that risk exceeds expectations by way of ROI .
Yet , Harris and Sam Hinkie have gone about their exercise with the candor of bull in a China shop , simply tearing things apart and then have the temerity to insert a rookie head coach , Brett Brown , whose tenure with the team will undoubtedly be short-lived after this season , which will actually go down in NBA infamy and Sixers’ folklore , as one of worst in the franchise’s history . This is the same sort of bull#hit that the Kansas City Royals and Pirates pulled for years while baseball simply handed over money to the respective owners . And lame ass Royals fans in particular simply talked about their farm system and their draft choices over the years . The Royals have not made the postseason in well over a decade , nor have they won a divisional title . Fans there are simply use to failure because it also has become a fabric of their own persona and daily lives .
tophatal ……………….
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So the MSU Spartans go down in a game where they seem overwhelmed by the U Conn Huskies and their first year coach Kevin Ollie , a former player with the program as well as something of a journeyman in the NBA .
tophatal …………………….
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Well we now know the makeup of the Final Four of this year’s NCAA Tournament and the four left standing , seem to stand head and shoulders , above the rest of the field , who were originally entered .
Wilbekin (5) as the Gators dropped Pitt with ease .
If Wilbekin declares his eligibility for the NBA Draft , he is likely to be a consensus top-ten pick . An NBA general manager would be foolish to overlook the player’s skill-set and leadership abilities .
Florida as led by Scottie Wilbekin have to be seen as the prohibitive favorites at this stage of the tournament , as they have been very impressive throughout the tournament .
tophatal ……………….
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