Thursday, June 30, 2005
NEIL FINGLETON: GIVE IT UP
Now, part of me wants to be mean here and yell at Neil Fingleton and talk about how he is never going to make the NBA. But the nice, touchy feely liberal part of me feels bad for the guy. I mean, he was a HS All-American, and now he is stuck playing 8 ABA games a year. I mean, that's a step below the NBDL any European league that isn't Luxembourg.
In other news, the PL is apparently doing a "rivalry series" this year, with LU-LC, USNA-USMA, BU-CU, and HC-AU. BU-CU sucks, but the rest of these are very interesting. Here's why AU-HC has the potential to be a very good rivalry:
1) The championship games AU lost to HC 2 years in a row didn't endear the Cross to anyone at AU. AU has run a "Beat Holy Cross" promotion the last couple of years for HC's game at AU, further evidence of that.
2) These teams have played some of the more intense games over the last 4 years in the league. Lots of last second heroics, etc. so it makes sense.
3) If BU becomes HC's "rival", then AU is paired with Colgate, which makes absolutely no sense. At least BU and CU have been playing each other for a long long time.
4) Most importantly, there are no two schools or cities that are more different than AU/DC and HC/Worcester. AU is a university with nationally renowed graduate programs and a law school. HC is nationally renowed for its focus on undergraduate education without the distraction of graduate students. AU is in a big city and the hub of government in the western world, HC is basically in Boston lite (to put it nicely). AU is about 300% more diverse than HC. AU is also probably about 300% more liberal than HC. AU has gays, jews, arabs, international students, and is 65% women. HC has predominately white Catholic students. AU has double the students HC does.
There's a cultural and political divide between the people that attend HC and those that attend AU, probably more so than any other two schools in the league. And that makes for a good rivalry. I'm looking forward to seeing the league do a better job promoting it. @ 10:26 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Now, part of me wants to be mean here and yell at Neil Fingleton and talk about how he is never going to make the NBA. But the nice, touchy feely liberal part of me feels bad for the guy. I mean, he was a HS All-American, and now he is stuck playing 8 ABA games a year. I mean, that's a step below the NBDL any European league that isn't Luxembourg.
In other news, the PL is apparently doing a "rivalry series" this year, with LU-LC, USNA-USMA, BU-CU, and HC-AU. BU-CU sucks, but the rest of these are very interesting. Here's why AU-HC has the potential to be a very good rivalry:
1) The championship games AU lost to HC 2 years in a row didn't endear the Cross to anyone at AU. AU has run a "Beat Holy Cross" promotion the last couple of years for HC's game at AU, further evidence of that.
2) These teams have played some of the more intense games over the last 4 years in the league. Lots of last second heroics, etc. so it makes sense.
3) If BU becomes HC's "rival", then AU is paired with Colgate, which makes absolutely no sense. At least BU and CU have been playing each other for a long long time.
4) Most importantly, there are no two schools or cities that are more different than AU/DC and HC/Worcester. AU is a university with nationally renowed graduate programs and a law school. HC is nationally renowed for its focus on undergraduate education without the distraction of graduate students. AU is in a big city and the hub of government in the western world, HC is basically in Boston lite (to put it nicely). AU is about 300% more diverse than HC. AU is also probably about 300% more liberal than HC. AU has gays, jews, arabs, international students, and is 65% women. HC has predominately white Catholic students. AU has double the students HC does.
There's a cultural and political divide between the people that attend HC and those that attend AU, probably more so than any other two schools in the league. And that makes for a good rivalry. I'm looking forward to seeing the league do a better job promoting it. @ 10:26 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Thursday, June 09, 2005
AU OOC SCHEDULE ANALYSIS
AU plays 10 return games in their out of conference schedule out of 14 total. Here's their RPIs from last year, and some comments on each game.
11/09 Catholic (Exhibition) - I like this, because it's a local school and we hadn't played them for a while until last year. Catholic has not been as good since they won the D3 championship a few years back.
11/19 @ Washington (RPI 3)- A gift to WA natives Brayden Billbe and Garrison Carr. While UW isn't what they were last year, they still ought to be in good enough shape to keep this one from being close.
11/22 @ Wagner (RPI 221)- The first of a number of return games. I swear, AU plays these guys every year. The NEC, Wagner's conference, is mostly made up of schools that are less than academically prominent, and are not very good at basketball. Two teams in the league had a winning record last year. Wagner made a run last year in the NEC tournament, but eventually lost out to the Farleigh Dickinson Dicks. FDU, you'll remember, lost a couple players a few seasons ago after they ROBBED A LIQUOR STORE. Nice.
11/26 @ La Salle (RPI 213) - AU plays on the road again against LaSalle, having taken a 66-53 loss last year in Philly. I don't know anything about LaSalle's incoming class, but this one ought to be within reach for AU.
11/30 @ Loyola (Md) (RPI 315) - God, I hope this means I don't have to watch these bums in the Splaver Center in 2006 for a return game. This is the third best team named Loyola in the NCAA. They have a transfer from UMD, but I'm not sure that will do them any good.
12/03 @ Ohio (RPI 48) - Return game from their trip to Splaver last year. AU won that one, but Ohio went on to the NCAAs and performed well.
12/05 George Mason (BB&T Classic) - This is AU's first invitation to the BB&T. Typically it was headed by Maryland and GW, with two prominent out of town teams invited as well. But my guess is they know that they couldn't beat anyone decent next year since both their teams will suck, so they invited GMU and AU to beat up on. If AU and GW win in the first round, I predict an AU victory in this thing. This may also be the first time AU plays at the MCI center, but I am not sure about that one.
12/07 Mount St. Mary's (RPI 314) - AU's first official home game of the year. They will win. This begins a string of what ought to be three straight wins for the young Eagles.
12/10 Towson (RPI 302) - A bad school, a bad basketball team, in a bad location. What's worse than living in Baltimore? Living in Towson, Md. The only reason to ever go near there is to see the demolition derby in Arcadia (look for me there this weekend). Return game.
12/12 Howard (RPI 322) - This will be the fourth sub-300 2005 RPI team that AU plays. There are a total of 30 of them, and AU will play a full 1/5 of them, thanks to Navy and Army. Howard has a cool little gym, but they haven't been good at hoops in a long time. They reached the MEAC finals in the 2002 season, but were without their star guard for the first half, and ended up losing. The reason? He punched an opposing player in the groin in the semifinals, which was on ESPN a bunch. Ouch. The lesson? Don't punch people in the balls on national TV, or that's all anyone will ever remember about you. Howard has a new coach.
12/23 @ Maryland (RPI 38) - I swear, AU will beat these guys one day. That day may be in 2076, but I am assuming technology will be to the point where I can still be alive to see Zaphod Hernandez hit a game winning 5 pointer.
12/29 @ Vermont (RPI 68) - Yet another return game. This one could be a W for AU, considering both of UVM's offensive weapons have graduated.
01/02 @ St. Francis (PA) (RPI 263) - Not a lot to say here. We love the NEC.
01/09 Yale - You know what's great about playing Yale? They suck. And when your basketball team beats the basketball team of the two rich boys that ran for president last year, it makes you feel good. Especially when lots of the wussy Yale alums show up to the game. I got your skull and bones right here pal! Sidenote: I believe I can beat anyone that went to Yale in an arm wrestling match. Grr. @ 1:50 PM 1 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
AU plays 10 return games in their out of conference schedule out of 14 total. Here's their RPIs from last year, and some comments on each game.
11/09 Catholic (Exhibition) - I like this, because it's a local school and we hadn't played them for a while until last year. Catholic has not been as good since they won the D3 championship a few years back.
11/19 @ Washington (RPI 3)- A gift to WA natives Brayden Billbe and Garrison Carr. While UW isn't what they were last year, they still ought to be in good enough shape to keep this one from being close.
11/22 @ Wagner (RPI 221)- The first of a number of return games. I swear, AU plays these guys every year. The NEC, Wagner's conference, is mostly made up of schools that are less than academically prominent, and are not very good at basketball. Two teams in the league had a winning record last year. Wagner made a run last year in the NEC tournament, but eventually lost out to the Farleigh Dickinson Dicks. FDU, you'll remember, lost a couple players a few seasons ago after they ROBBED A LIQUOR STORE. Nice.
11/26 @ La Salle (RPI 213) - AU plays on the road again against LaSalle, having taken a 66-53 loss last year in Philly. I don't know anything about LaSalle's incoming class, but this one ought to be within reach for AU.
11/30 @ Loyola (Md) (RPI 315) - God, I hope this means I don't have to watch these bums in the Splaver Center in 2006 for a return game. This is the third best team named Loyola in the NCAA. They have a transfer from UMD, but I'm not sure that will do them any good.
12/03 @ Ohio (RPI 48) - Return game from their trip to Splaver last year. AU won that one, but Ohio went on to the NCAAs and performed well.
12/05 George Mason (BB&T Classic) - This is AU's first invitation to the BB&T. Typically it was headed by Maryland and GW, with two prominent out of town teams invited as well. But my guess is they know that they couldn't beat anyone decent next year since both their teams will suck, so they invited GMU and AU to beat up on. If AU and GW win in the first round, I predict an AU victory in this thing. This may also be the first time AU plays at the MCI center, but I am not sure about that one.
12/07 Mount St. Mary's (RPI 314) - AU's first official home game of the year. They will win. This begins a string of what ought to be three straight wins for the young Eagles.
12/10 Towson (RPI 302) - A bad school, a bad basketball team, in a bad location. What's worse than living in Baltimore? Living in Towson, Md. The only reason to ever go near there is to see the demolition derby in Arcadia (look for me there this weekend). Return game.
12/12 Howard (RPI 322) - This will be the fourth sub-300 2005 RPI team that AU plays. There are a total of 30 of them, and AU will play a full 1/5 of them, thanks to Navy and Army. Howard has a cool little gym, but they haven't been good at hoops in a long time. They reached the MEAC finals in the 2002 season, but were without their star guard for the first half, and ended up losing. The reason? He punched an opposing player in the groin in the semifinals, which was on ESPN a bunch. Ouch. The lesson? Don't punch people in the balls on national TV, or that's all anyone will ever remember about you. Howard has a new coach.
12/23 @ Maryland (RPI 38) - I swear, AU will beat these guys one day. That day may be in 2076, but I am assuming technology will be to the point where I can still be alive to see Zaphod Hernandez hit a game winning 5 pointer.
12/29 @ Vermont (RPI 68) - Yet another return game. This one could be a W for AU, considering both of UVM's offensive weapons have graduated.
01/02 @ St. Francis (PA) (RPI 263) - Not a lot to say here. We love the NEC.
01/09 Yale - You know what's great about playing Yale? They suck. And when your basketball team beats the basketball team of the two rich boys that ran for president last year, it makes you feel good. Especially when lots of the wussy Yale alums show up to the game. I got your skull and bones right here pal! Sidenote: I believe I can beat anyone that went to Yale in an arm wrestling match. Grr. @ 1:50 PM 1 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
WE'RE NUMBER 326! WE'RE NUMBER 326!
Two Colgate items today:
1. Colgate was DEAD LAST in NCAA attendance last year, averaging 383 butts in seats per game. This, despite the fact that they draw 2,000+ regularly for hockey. Can we kick them out of the union and send them to Canada? Your PL blogger is looking into it.
2. They posted their recruit(s) for the 2005 season. Basically, none will have any impact, and CU is going to be the same team next year, minus Andrew Zidar. @ 2:48 PM 3 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Two Colgate items today:
1. Colgate was DEAD LAST in NCAA attendance last year, averaging 383 butts in seats per game. This, despite the fact that they draw 2,000+ regularly for hockey. Can we kick them out of the union and send them to Canada? Your PL blogger is looking into it.
2. They posted their recruit(s) for the 2005 season. Basically, none will have any impact, and CU is going to be the same team next year, minus Andrew Zidar. @ 2:48 PM 3 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
