THE 1-3-1 SWEET 16 SPECIAL (4 Thoughts About the Tournament So Far)
South Region
Kentucky is peaking at the right time. This team is scary good. This team is so good, it’s almost unfair. Does that make them unbeatable? Not by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, I think that Marquis Teague’s constantly improving play at the point guard position makes this team a NEAR impossible out in the tournament. Not to mention the constantly improving maintenance of the unibrow on the face of Anthony Davis.
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West Region
Draymond Green is the unequivocal MVP of the tournament so far. By now, everyone has heard the “Draymond does everything for this team…including mopping the floor” joke. I would like to toss aside my loathing of such trite wit to examine what he’s done in two tournament games. In the Spartans’ victories over LIU Brooklyn and Saint Louis in the second and third rounds, Green averaged 20 points, 12.5 boards and 8 dimes per game. Without Draymond, the Spartans would’ve struggled mightily to get past Rick Majerus’ Billikens. Even Anthony Davis and the very hungry caterpillar above his eyes have to be impressed with his play thus far.
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Midwest Region
Bill Self is lucky to have such talented players. If not for the sheer fact that they are significantly more talented than the Purdue team they almost loss to, this Kansas squad would be back in Lawrence watching the rest of the tournament on the tube. Bill Self has proven time and time again that he’s not a reliable tournament coach – see Bucknell in 2005, Bradley in 2006, Northern Iowa in 2010. Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson might’ve gotten him out of the jam in the Round of 32, but he might actually have to…gasp…out-coach Mark Gottfried and Roy Williams in order to secure his Jayhawks a spot in New Orleans. Speaking of Thomas Robinson, I’ve been wondering how he’d match up with the masked unibrower – a fellow Naismith POY candidate – if they square off in the Championship.
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East Region
The Wisconsin/Syracuse matchup will be about as interesting as watching paint dry for fans that don’t appreciate slow-paced, methodical, defensive basketball. The first game to tip-off in the Sweet 16, this has all the makings of a 55-54 barnburner. Phones will be ringing off the hook, with snails and turtles calling in complaining to the committee that the pace of this game is too slow. In all honesty, I don’t give a rat’s ass if you enjoy this game or not, because I know I will. Two great coaches, two well-developed systems of offense and defense, and two teams hungry for their school’s first Elite 8 berth in a long time. Some food for thought to leave you with: I wonder what Bo Ryan would look like if I photoshopped Anthony Davis’ eyebrow (singular) onto his face?
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Author: Joe Cook
1-3-1 Sports 
The decision to cotmlepe the playoffs is based more on what we are able to do this during the first week of the playoffs. In previous years we lacked the facilities to play two rounds during a single night. With the use of the YSC we are able to accomplish this (the hope was that all first and second round games would be at a single location, but the city changed its mind about us playing on those soccer fields with lights). The schedule has been generated this year to have an extra week before Labor Day, the agreed upon end of kickball season (due to the begining of the NFL season I think), which has been reserved in the event of a rainout. In the interests of making sure that we crown a champion before Labor Day weekend, we have decided to keep the flexibility in our schedule in case of rain. I realize this may seem foolish, as it has not rained in weeks, but when scheduling I prefer we error on the site of caution.Finally, I have always been of the opinion that a multi-game tournament is more exciting as teams charge through the final rounds culminating in the championship, not just for players who yes, may need to alternate waters and adult beverages but especially for spectators. Granted this is just a preference, no better or worse than yours, you important message board members Keep hatin’!
The decision to complete the playoffs is based more on what we are able to do this during the first week of the playoffs. In previous years we lacked the facilities to play two rounds during a single night. With the use of the YSC we are able to accomplish this (the hope was that all first and second round games would be at a single location, but the city changed its mind about us playing on those soccer fields with lights). The schedule has been generated this year to have an extra week before Labor Day, the agreed upon end of kickball season (due to the begining of the NFL season I think), which has been reserved in the event of a rainout. In the interests of making sure that we crown a champion before Labor Day weekend, we have decided to keep the flexibility in our schedule in case of rain. I realize this may seem foolish, as it has not rained in weeks, but when scheduling I prefer we error on the site of caution.Finally, I have always been of the opinion that a multi-game tournament is more exciting as teams charge through the final rounds culminating in the championship, not just for players–who yes, may need to alternate waters and adult beverages–but especially for spectators. Granted this is just a preference, no better or worse than yours, you important message board members Keep hatin’!
I have a lot more that I should be doing, but nthniog I enjoy more than reading your work (during commercials breaks from the men’s ACC Rock on, Mechelle!!
Great post, since cause marketing is binomecg more and more popular. I feel this is a topic that should definitely be taught in colleges, as it can be extremely beneficial for both participating parties. Another great example of this is Yoplait and its Save Life to Save Lives . They seem to be very dedicated to this project, and dedication when partaking in cause marketing I feel is an important factor. I would definitely say, on a personal level, I am more inclined to buy a product if it is linked to a cause (for the right reasons).Great post Clare!