Illinois’ basketball season came to an end Friday Night, as the Duke Blue Devils couldn’t miss in the second half on their way to a 72-62 victory over the Illini.
And, in case you didn’t know, Chris Duhon was injured.
CBS announcers Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery could not let us forget the fact Duhon was playing with “severely bruised ribs”. And I was watching with “severely blood-letting ears” because those two simply couldn’t get off their knees in worship of the super-human Duhon. But, enough of that. I get a week of quiet until Chip Caray returns to the airwaves.
In the end, the Illini simply didn’t make shots and couldn’t stop Duke from doing the same. Bruce Weber is 0-2 in the Sweet 16 for his career, but almost everyone returns for the Big Ten champions. And Illinois finally got through their “glass ceiling” and beat a team seeded higher than they were for the first time in school history. The expectation level is going to be even higher this coming season than it was coming into 2003-2004. Weber almost melted under the pressure of the high expectations early this past season. Next year, he should be ready for that, and we may see a much more consistent level of performance through the whole season in 2004-2005.
So, on to football, right? Let’s win two this season boys!
Prior Notice
The Mark Prior story continues to get stranger. Cubs’ pitching coach Larry Rothschild had to answer press questions about a rumor that said Prior would be out until June with his injury problems. Here is what Rothschild said, according to an article on ChicagoSports.com:
“It’s impossible to answer, but we don’t anticipate that,” Rothschild said. “I’m anticipating [Prior missing] maybe one or two starts, hopefully. The thing now is to build the arm back up and make sure we don’t have any problems there.”
So, what we have here is nobody knowing what time the franchise pitcher will return to the North Side. This is, of course, something only the Chicago Cubs organization could accomplish. Maybe the Cubs should get Chris Duhon to teach Prior how to play through pain. Or at least get the magic rib so the injuries will magically disappear.
Final Four Feelings
Duke plays UCONN and Georgia Tech plays Oklahoma State. A brief look at these two games:
Duke versus UCONN. When is Emeka Okafor going to get his second foul? If it takes more than five minutes into the game, consider this writer stunned. In the end, I think UCONN can pressure the outside players of Duke enough on the defensive end to win the game.
Georgia Tech versus Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are the only team left in my tournament picks. Georgia Tech beat a foul-ridden Kansas team (A Bill Self team having foul problems in the Elite Eight? Who knew?!?!?) to advance. Jarrett Jack, somebody I told you about in Part II of my NCAA Tournament Preview, exploded Sunday for the Yellow Jackets. But, as you will also see in my preview, I thought Georgia Tech was overrated. I still think they are going to be the poor sister of this Final Four group, and I expect the Cowboys to move on by double digits.
Dream Crap
I’m watching the season finale of “Dream Job” as I type this right now. If God has any mercy on my soul, Mike Hall will not be on my television for the next year. The rest of the people also aren’t that good, but Hall is possibly the most smug TV personality I have ever seen. If Hall wins, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Seeing the Sunset…
Andy gave his thoughts on MVP Baseball 2004 a little while back, and he mentioned the fact left-handed batters supposedly can’t hit homers very well. Personally, I think the reason why this is correct is because right-handed hitters can hit homers out the other way fairly regularly, while lefties can’t do it often (I’ve only done it twice, once with Walker and once with Patterson). Also, something I’ve noticed in particular to the Cubs is that the pitching staff complains vigorously about playing time. If the starters are going long and the relievers aren’t getting a lot of time, then all the relievers complain. If it’s the other way around, the relievers are fine with their time while the starters aren’t. I don’t know if that is the way it is with other teams, but that bugs me. That’s it for now…
Worst. Column. Ever. Didn’t think Jake could lose the title but it is March Madness so what’s one more stunning upset.
Let’s recap:
Illinois: one funny comment and one interesting tidbit. Only redeeming qualities about this web page, besides this comment.
A complete non-story about Prior. What we knew: Prior out indefinitely, hopefully to be back in early- to mid-April. What we know after this Pulitzer work: Prior out indefinitely, hopefully to be back in early- to mid-April.
Duke-UConn: What’s your point? That Duke gets calls? That Okafor never gets called for a foul? I’m Chandler Bing, could you BE more vague?
GA Tech: You’re such an expert that you got exactly one of the Final Four right, even with Duke and UConn mortal locks. Now we should listen to your opinion about the OK State game?
Mike Hall smug? He couldn’t be more sincere. The smug one got voted off two weeks ago.
Video baseball. Yawn.
Give me something I didn’t know, or give me something funny, or don’t bother.
Hey, didn’t I tell an Alabama reporter that Mark’d be out till June?
It was real hard watching the Illini game, because every time the action came down to the end by the Duke bench, I had to avert my eyes, and tell the kids to do the same, to avoid having to watch the line of announcers and referees waiting to fellate Coach K.
I guess Deng and Shelden Williams can tackle, run over, and leg-whip people legally, but Deron Williams isn’t allowed to sneeze sideways.
Fuck the East Coast, and Fuck Duke!
Ouch.
Man, talk about a pointy elbow to the chest from the top rope…
Still, I have to second Comic Book Guy’s opinion. His other car may be the Millenium Falcon, but he has a point. B.C. is too heavy on the tired regurgitations of other writers and his Illini love has the whiff of a homer serenading his crappy team.
The Illini were lucky to fair as well as they did against Duke. I hate Duke, but no way the Illini matched up with them in any way.
B.C., take your fanboy musings and peddle them to the mopes hungover from the Illini letdown on Green Street.
Let it be known THIS writer’s Final Four picks are intact 3 out of 4.
Wow, simply wow.
Duke and Connecticut were "mortal locks"?
UCONN’s best inside player had huge inside concerns coming into the tournament.
Duke lost the ACC title game before the NCAA Tournament, and had struggled (For Duke anyway) the weeks before the NCAA Tournament.
The point on the Prior story was to point out the lack of consistent information on it from the Cubs’ camp.
Until next time…
"Inside concerns" in that last post should read "injury concerns". My mistake…
Okay, maybe a bit harsh. But you are capable of better, because I’ve read it. I still don’t understand your Prior point. What inconsistent information? What the Cubs are saying as compared to a rumor, that’s your inconsistency?
I think the inconsistency in the Prior information is that we have been told he’ll back anywhere from his second start of the season to the first week of June. Even Dusty Baker and Larry Rothschild basically said "I don’t know" when asked about Prior’s injury this weekend.
Duke was a mortal lock? I think it would be hard to say anybody was a mortal lock in this tournament field. Duke had a tough time putting Illinois away, and damn near got beat by Xavier. And as for Duhon’s bruised ribs, I’m sure the "courage" he displayed in playing this weekend probably came in the form of a cortisone shot. There’s nothing wrong with that, just that maybe the announcers overstated the pain he was in. Also, Dee Brown played the last third of the season with a stress fracture in his right leg, so, uh, there.
Yeah BC has written better columns, but I’ll cut him a break considering the condition I spent most of the weekend in (and I’m not in college) and the fact that we very rarely get a weekend post on Desipio anyway.
Hey, I’m the weekend guy here at Desipio!
Oh, maybe I should write something sometime.
The fourth and (especially) the fifth foul calls on Anthony Myles were exactly why Duke was a mortal lock.
Colourless green ideas sleep furiously. by texas hold’em