It’s NCAA Or Bust ………….. Bull Dogs or U Conn Huskies ?

It’s NCAA Or Bust ………….. Bull Dogs or U Conn Huskies ?

Well tonight Brad Stevens and his Butler Bull Dogs will get a second consecutive bite of the cherry looking to be crowned the national champions in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament . In this matchup they will face off against the U Conn Huskies and perhaps the player of the tournament without a doubt in Kemba Walker ! The Huskies will have that wily veteran as coach , Jim Calhoun who’ll be looking to win his third national title overall and join a select number of coaches who’ve won multiple NCAA titles .

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Slide show for your perusal .

Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas, will be rocking as throngs of fans in support of both teams will have this venue packed to the rafters and with there being primetime national television coverage coming courtesy of CBS the night is bound to be riveting and an exciting spectacle to watch or participate in. Both teams have proved their worth in making it this far as has been witnessed in the routes taken in them getting to the Finals . And as impressive as both teams have been , it goes without saying that there are no doubt a number of us who hadn’t expected U Conn much less Butler making it this far . I for one thought that Butler’s surprise run in last year’s tournament would be just a one off ! And given the fact that they’d lost their best player in Gordon Hayward to the NBA who’d have guessed that they’d make such a quick return to the Final Four much less the championship game , itself ?

Experience says that that the U Conn Huskies ought to prevail and given that they’ve a coaching staff led by Calhoun one could say that they have a distinct advantage . Never mind the depth and talent laden roster of this Huskies’ team . At the same it’d be naive to even dare to underestimate the resolve of this Bull Dogs’ team and the very fact that different players on the roster have repeatedly stepped up to the plate and have done what has been asked of them by Brad Stevens and his coaching staff , and that’s to win by playing stifling defense , be quick in transition as and when needed. This game I believe , the deference given to Walker as a player and whether or not Stevens will have a way of negating the player’s power and leadership qualities . As Walkers goes , then so do the U Conn Huskies as a team , albeit that he’s complemented by the play of Jeremy Lamb , Alex Oriahki and in particular Shabazz Napier .

Brad Stevens’ team are no slouches themselves given their surprise upset (71-70) of Jamie Dixon’s —– Pitt Panthers who if anything were thought to have the better team . But as they say first impressions aren’t necessarily to be taken for what they’re worth as has been witnessed by Butler’s improbable run throughout this tournament . It has been players such as Shelvin Mack , Matt Howard , Andrew Smith , Shawn Vanzant , Khyle Marshall and Ronald Nored who’ve made their presence felt during this tournament and throughout the Bull Dogs’ season .

To my mind this NCAA Tournament has been one of the more exciting ones in recent memory and even if there have been doubters as to the legitimacy of some of the participants , there’s no denying there’s more excitement to be had and witnessed here than watching the idiocy we’re told is the BCS System for determining a national champion in football ! Which to my mind is the biggest fu_king fraud going on within collegiate sports beyond the idiocy of the NCAA’s reluctance to punish certain programs who’ve knowingly transgressed their mandated rules . Who the hell actually now takes the NCAA seriously to begin with ? Only a damn idiot would still have the presence of mind to believe that they stand for what’s best in collegiate athletics !

There’s a great deal to be said about the tournament and the players we’ve had the pleasure of seeing in this NCAA Tournament. And while Kemba Walker has stood out , towering over this tournament with his play, leadership qualities and doubted skills . I wonder if those skills in particular will translate into success at the next level within the NBA ? There’s often talk that certain players are can’t miss opportunities players once they enter the NBA but to my mind that is predicated upon the environment and the team that a player finds themselves in ! I mean one merely has to look at the struggles of John Wall this season with the Washington Wizards to see what can happen . And though we’ve seen the outstanding season now being had by the Clippers’ — Blake Griffin . One simply has to remember that he had a year off from the game having spent his initial rookie season sidelined by injury. Who’s to say we’d have seen that explosiveness now being witnessed had he played for the Clippers last season ? As they say ……”buyer beware ” !

I’m not about to suggest that the same fate that has befallen John Wall awaits Kember Walker should he be taken as to consensus number one pick in the 2011 NBA Draft but given what I’ve seen of teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers , Minnesota Timberwolves , Sacramento Kings , Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets in the NBA Standings I’m liable to believe that Walker’s impact mightn’t be that immediate given those teams’ performances over the course of this season. God knows the gap between the elite teams and those who cling to the bottom rung is like a crevasse that’s a mile deep or wide ! .

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Picture gallery for your perusal .

As a fan of the tournament have you been excited by what you’ve seen or do you feel in some way that the tournament has been something of a disappointment ? And who amongst the two remaining teams would you be happy with seeing winning the national title ? Simply leave comment as to your thoughts on this piece and anything else you feel pertinent to the NCAA Tournament . And thanks as always for the continued support as it’s greatly appreciated !

Alan aka tophatal ……………..

https://tophatal.wordpress.com/

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Picture and slide show details below .

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(1) Hudson Pangan, 6, cheers while seated on the shoulders of his mother Catherine at a pep rally in support of the Butler University mens basketball team on the school’s campus in Indianapolis on Monday, April 4, 2011. Butler faces Connecticut in the NCAA Mens Final tonight in Houston. The Pangans live on the Butler campus in faculty housing and Catherine said she’s particularly excited because she is a professor of Butler Bulldog starting guard Ronald Nored. AP Photo/ Maxwell Barnes …….

(2) HOUSTON – April 3rd 2011 : Jimmer Fredette of BYU receives the 2011 Naismith Trophy Presented by AT&T from David Christopher of AT&T during the NABC Guardians of the Game Awards Program on April 3, 2011 in Houston, Texas. Joining them on stage are Eric Oberman (L) and Barry Goheen (R) of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images ……….

(3) Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun speaks during a news conference before a practice session for the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game Sunday, April 3, 2011, in Houston. Connecticut plays Butler in the championship game Monday night. AP Photo/Mark Humphrey …………….

(4) Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun, left, talks to Butler head coach Brad Stevens prior to taping a television interview for the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game Sunday, April 3, 2011, in Houston. Butler plays UConn in the championship game Monday night. AP Photo/Eric Gay ………….

(5) Virginia Commonwealth’s Juvonte Reddic, left, shoots over Butler’s Matt Howard during the second half of a men’s NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game Saturday, April 2, 2011, in Houston. AP Photo/Chris Steppig/NCAA Photos, Pool ……….

(6) Butler’s Shawn Vanzant and Virginia Commonwealth’s Darius Theus chase a loose ball during the second half of a men’s NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game Saturday, April 2, 2011, in Houston. AP Photo/David J. Phillip ………….

(7) Butler players Shelvin Mack, left, and Chase Stigall react after beating Virginia Commonwealth 70-62 at a men’s NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game Saturday, April 2, 2011, in Houston. AP Photo/David J. Phillip …………..

(8) Connecticut’s Kemba Walker speaks as his coach Jim Calhoun, left, looks on after being introduced as the winner of the Bob Cousy Award during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class announcement, Monday, April 4, 2011, in Houston. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall …………….

(9) Connecticut’s Kemba Walker shoots as Kentucky’s DeAndre Liggins looks on during the first half of a men’s NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game Saturday, April 2, 2011, in Houston. AP Photo/David J. Phillip ………..

(10) Kemba Walker (15) of the Connecticut Huskies dives to save a ball from going out of bounds against the Kentucky Wildcats during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. U Conn would defeat Kentucky 56-55 Photo by Pool/Getty Images ……….

(11) Alex Oriakhi (34) of the Connecticut Huskies dunks the ball against Kentucky Wildcats during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. Photo by Chris Steppig-Pool/Getty Images …………

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The Verve ………………… “Bitter Sweet Symphony ”

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Keri Hilson ………. feat’g ……… Lil’ Wayne ……….”You’re Turning Me On”

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Hey Your Mavs Aren’t All They’re Cracked Up To Be

Hey Your Mavs Aren’t All They’re Cracked Up To Be

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the Dallas Mavericks ‘are never going to win an NBA title’ much less win anything else ! I’d dare say that they’d even have trouble trying to beat Geno Auriemma’s U Conn women’s Huskies. The Mavericks are soft , Charmin’ soft. ! As a matter of fact I’d go as far to say that they’re softer than a new born baby’s a_s !

Al Harrington (7) of the New York Knicks shoots a jumper against Eduardo Najera (14) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on March 13, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Danny Bollinger ............

Having crushed the Knicks in an earlier season meeting by ’50 points’, it was expected that the fans would witness a repeat performance. Hold it, no so fast , as the New York Knicks actually came to play . The Mavericks had strung together 12 successive wins and were looking move closer to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season high 16 successive wins. Instead the Mavericks would fold like a cheaply made suit. Is that a reflection of Mavericks’ coach Rick Carlisle and the roster ? Never mind the fact that Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban has never been known to shy away from a television camera if he wasn’t going to get ‘face time’. Instead he had to witness his team humiliated by a Knicks’ team that may well be amongst the worse in all of the NBA . And people believe the Mavericks are viable contenders for the Western Conference title or an NBA championship ? Not on this display , having been blown out by the Knicks by 34 points 128 -94 . And don’t try to negate this , by saying that this was merely a one off loss by the team and can be seen as a slip up. Because if anything this merely suggests why it is that the Mavericks are nowhere near as good as advertised.

Dirk Nowitzki (41) of the Dallas Mavericks goes in for the lay up against Wilson Chandler (21) of the New York Knicks during a game at the American Airlines Center on March 13, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images/ Glenn James ...........

Courtesy of Associated Press & Yahoo Sports

Knicks end Mavericks’ 13-game win streak, 128-94

Dallas (AP)—The Dallas Mavericks had the most lopsided victory in franchise history when they beat the New York Knicks by 50 points in the teams’ last meeting nearly two months ago.

This time, it was the Knicks’ turn for a rout.

Bill Walker scored a career-high 23 points, Wilson Chandler added 22 and New York snapped the Mavericks’ 13-game winning streak with a 128-94 victory on Saturday night.

“Revenge is sweet sometimes. That’s a really good team over there but we caught them at the right time. They were ripe for the picking,” said New York reserve Al Harrington(notes), who had 20 points. “When you’re rolling along and the Knicks are coming in, you figure you can score 150 points on ‘em in your sleep. But that Knick team didn’t show up today. We caught ‘em by surprise.”

Rookie Toney Douglas had 21 points, and David Lee contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who’d lost 14 of their previous 17 and nine straight in Dallas.

“We felt they’d take us lightly,” said Douglas, making his first start since Nov. 18. “A lot of teams look at the schedule and say, ‘Oh, that’s the Knicks. That’s a win.’ But we’ve got to come out and compete every night.”

The Knicks celebrated a rare highlight in an otherwise forgettable season, shooting 56 percent from the floor (50 for 89) and 16 of 30 from 3-point range. Dallas hadn’t been beaten by the Knicks at home since Dec. 16, 1999.

Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Jason Kidd added 15 points for Dallas, which won 128-78 at New York on Jan. 24 and hadn’t lost since Feb. 16.

Slow starts had become a habit for the Mavericks during their streak, and the Knicks carried a 30-25 edge into the second quarter.

Early on, several Knicks told the Mavericks that Dallas would be in for a tough night.

“They remembered (the blowout in New York),” said Dallas’ Shawn Marion,, who scored 14 points. “They even said something to me about it before the game. They said they were going to give us a spanking.”

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Click on the above link to read the AP article in its entirety.
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Bill Walker (5) of the New York Knicks drives against Rodrigue Beaubois (3) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center. The Knicks would go on to defeat the Mavericks in a totally lopsided victory 128-94 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas , Texas in front of a sellout crowd. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Glenn James ....................

But then again it’s easy to see why someone would get hyped up over a team that has never done anything within the NBA , much less has a body of work that exhibits success. When you simply place ‘style over substance’ it merely shows that whatever you state as an opinion isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. There’s a contributor within the forum who made the asinine notion that the Mavericks are ‘the second best team’ in the Western Conference. Based on that notion , I wonder what he would make of the Warriors or Clippers ? Because as a unit, they are far more cohesive than anything shown by the Mavericks. And need I remind you that other than Dirk Nowitzki , who on this team can actually play consistently at a high level ? Much less can anyone on this damn team actually play on4 lick of defense ? And Brendan Haywood is meant to be a good post up player ? By whose damn notion ? He was made to look like a baby learning to take his first steps ,as he stumbled all over the American Airlines Arena , Dallas, Texas, in front of a sellout home crowd.

Somewhere there are Mavericks’ fans now looking at this team wondering whether or not they’re good enough to win anything beyond their division. But because if anything this team will crumble under the pressure in the playoffs. This team reflects the softness of their coach Rick Carlisle. And if you think that’s poor take on Carlisle ? Then consider this, since his days Indiana, what has Carlisle achieved over the course of his career as a coach ? He may well be great as a regular season tutor but come the postseason , he’s essentially a chicken running around the chicken coop with its head having been removed.

For the Knicks and their coach Mike D’Antoni . He now knows that in David Lee , has at least one player on this roster worth keeping. As to the others assembled on the roster by Donnie Walsh and his predecessor. Well let’s just say that the members of the group TLC had it just right they stated in their song ….’Scrubs’ .. I Don’t Want No Scrub’. But now for the fans of the Knicks they now must be hoping and praying that LeBron James may well view the Gardens as the next port of call in his professional career. In truth, this may well be wishful thinking on the part of Knicks’ fans and in particular their most vocal supporter Spike Lee .

In all honesty the window of opportunity for the Dallas Mavericks is slowly closing and the core of its roster is an aging one and the likes of Jason Terry , Nowitzki, Haywood , Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion aren’t liable to be around for much longer . Never mind playing together , in the hope of winning an NBA title. There are other teams within the conference progressing and improving while the Mavericks have simply reached a plateau and are now beginning to taper off and show signs of regression. Doubt my word ? Then simply watch the highlights of the 34 point loss to the Knicks and you’ll see a clear explanation why.

As of now , if you were a Mavericks’ fans would you be entirely happy with the direction that they’re said to be heading in at present ? If so , then give me the reasons why and whether or not you feel that this team is capable of winning the Western Conference championship , much less the NBA title.

He may well be all about the theatrics but in all honesty Mark Cuban will never live to witness his NBA franchise win a championship ! Not when he’s being laid out by wrestlers from the WWE . Make belief or not . Don’t you think it was a welcomed sight to see him laid out like that ?

NB: Click here to view Rick Carlisle’s postgame interview. And other video highlights of the game.

Alan Parkins aka tophatal ……………….

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Eminem performs ‘Lose Yourself’ from the movie ‘8 Mile’.

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Stacey Dash , actress , designer and entrepreneur .

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Who’s Now Getting More Bang For Their Buck ? Kobe , LeBron Or Nike ?

Well now that the NBA Finals are upon us. It has to be said that the marketing behemoths of Madison Avenue will do their very best to entice us all to divest ourselves of our hard earned cash, as they look to bombard us with their wares. And no one will be more likely to do this throughout the series than Nike Inc.And the one thing that you can’t deny about this particular marketing behemoth is that when it comes to using the tools of their trade. There’s absolutely no one better at it on the planet than they are ! Much like Coke , Pepsi, McDonalds are known globally as a brand that transcends the market place. So to now does Nike and all that it represents. And yes there are those amongst us who view them as exploiters of cheap labor and children.As pertaining to the labor laws . Perhaps even much more asides. But there’s no escaping the fact that as Nike goes . So too does the world of sports apparel and sport’s fashion.

Bill Bowerman co-founder of Nike Inc seen here with former track star Steve Prefontaine. It was Bowerman, who devised the Swoosh motif that’s readily identified with the sport’s apparel company. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Cale Langer …….

From humble beginnings in Beaverton , Oregon . The company founded by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight has become a colossus amongst its noted peers. The company still strives for excellence in all of its endeavors. And its tentacles now stretches across the globe in terms of its very presence. And with revenues in excess of $18.6bn for last year alone. It’s quite easy to see why the company is still strongly revered and on the same hand so widely despised. It has to be said that we can either choose to ignore the actions in the market place or we can admire them from afar.

Phil Knight co founder of Nike Inc along with Bill Bowerman the renowned track coach. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ ……..

As of late they’ve become socially conscious and also making sure that the public is very much aware as to the philanthropic efforts around the globe.

But the genius of Nike has always been their marketing and the quality of the product that they place within the market for the consumer. It also hasn’t hirt them by the fact that they make use of the most visibly high profiled athletes to endorse their wares. And from those halcyon days of the Spike Lee directed Michael Jordan ads . We now come full circle where we now have both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James now endorsing Nike made shoes.

So here’s one or two of the ads just in case you’ve not seen them as of yet. I’m sure that throughout the remainder of the NBA Finals they’ll be bandied about our television screens. And at the same time these particular ads will provide us with a great deal of humor.

And while no doubt that LeBron is sitting at home watching the NBA Finals. No doubt hoping that he were participating in. He can at least be content with the fact that residuals he’ll no doubt earn as the ads are replayed again and again. It’ll go some way in making amends for that exit that he and his teammates had to endure at the hands of the Orlando Magic. As for Kobe, he’s having his day in the sun and he appears to be loving it nonetheless. As if anything else really matters as he pursues a fourth championship ring ?