The UCLA Dance-A-Thon Continues. But Just Barely

Every time that UCLA advances a round, I will post a set of unpublished photos of the UCLA Dance and/or Cheer teams. Hopefully, this will give undecided fans a reason to root for the Bruins.

This was almost the shortest recurring feature of all time. But fortunately, UCLA managed to pull out a one point victory over VCU and will advance to the 2nd round. So with that, I send this offering to the gods of basketball karma:

Perhaps UCLA's Cheerleaders Can Help The Team Find Their Mojo

This season, the one word that best describes UCLA's performance is "inconsistent." The Bruins started the year ranked in the top 5 in preseason polls. Perhaps this was an unfair expectation given the losses of Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Mote, and Russell Westbrook (however Memphis and Kansas lost their key players and have recovered nicely). After 30+ games, it's still hard to know exactly what to expect from the team. A run into the elite 8 wouldn't be out of the question, but neither would a first round loss at the hands of VCU.

However far UCLA advances, they'll have to do it all on the East coast. Like any successful team, UCLA is one that people love to hate, so they should expect a hostile crowd in Philadelphia. Actually "hostile" is pretty much the norm for a Philly crowd regardless of who's playing. But for those without any allegiances, there is one very good reason to root for the Bruins. This is the final season for most, if not all, of the members of the UCLA Dance Team. So when the Bruins lose, we all lose. Here's an idea of what they bring to the table:




This Thursday, cheer for the Bruins (and a lot of TV timeouts). As an added bonus, each time that UCLA advances a round in the tournament, I'll post a gallery of previously unpublished photos from this season. So go ahead and cheer for UCLA. Your brackets are busted anyway.

UCLA Bruins Evoke Memories of Past Legendary Greatness

Tonight, UCLA plays at Arizona State in a nationally televised game that not only has huge tournament seeding implications, but will also go a long way towards validating their generous standing in the ESPN/USA Today rankings. Despite not having a win over a top 25 team yet this season, the coaches have voted UCLA as the #6 in the country. This lofty status is the result of a very successful four game homestand in which the Bruins absolutely dominated everyone that ventured into Pauley Pavilion, winning by an average of more than 20 points and putting each team away by halftime. With their excellent team defense, quick transition offense, and overall unselfish play over the last two weeks, they've certainly given the appearance of one of the best teams in the country. In fact, with John Wooden looking on from behind the bench, one couldn't help but think of their great teams from the 1970's:



Ok, so maybe UCLA doesn't have anyone that's going to go 21 of 22 from the floor. But still, being in attendance this past weekend, I had to admit that there was something happening on the court which was reminiscent of UCLA's brilliance in the early 70's.

Then:



Now:



Now that is championship caliber. No wonder UCLA's looking so good in the polls.

Excuse Pete Carroll While He Slips Into Something A Little More Comfortable

In a move that had been rumored for many months, Pete Carroll and Rick Neuheisel have come to an agreement which will allow both teams to wear their home jerseys in their rivalry game this Saturday. The change in attire will honor the days when both the Bruins and Trojans shared the Los Angeles Coliseum and also will allow USC to further embrace their rich heritage:



Rick Neuheisel has also suggested that as long as the two teams are honoring their traditions, they should go all the way back to beginning of the rivalry and have both teams lineup in the single wing formation all game. In fact, Neuheisel has promised not to allow Kevin Craft to throw a single pass if Carroll will do the same with Mark Sanchez.

It was originally feared that the teams would not be able to restore the jersey tradition because NCAA rules mandated that the offending team be charged with two timeouts during the course of the game. But in a last minute decision, the NCAA capitulated to one of its cash cows storied institutions and minimized the penalty to only one first half timeout. However in an effort to not appear biased towards USC, the NCAA has enacted another new rule whereby any interception thrown by Kevin Craft that is not returned for a touchdown will instead be ruled as an incompletion.

In other college football news, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti has named Chip Kelly the head coach in-waiting, but has yet to set a date for when that might be. Kelly now joins Jimbo Fisher at Florida State and Will Muschamp at Texas as the coaching equivalent of a mistress who stays with a married man because he tells her that he's going to break it off eventually. He just needs to wait for the right moment. These things take time, baby. Meanwhile, they don't get any younger, their wrinkles start to show, and their desirability to other suitors begins to wane. So they better hope this gig works out, because there might not be time for any others (certainly not for Fisher).

This Thursday, the Raiders-Chargers game will be televised in 3-D in select theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. 3ality Digital feels this game will be a great opportunity to showcase their new technology; and as an added bonus, they are able to reduce costs as this game will not require them to put any cameras in the endzone.

I'm no marketing major, but my feeling is the best way to make sure the 3D experiment is a success would be to make sure there are some cameras on the San Diego sidelines to capture all the dimensions of:



But if viewers in an Imax theater end up seeing Norv Turner's facial craters or Al Davis' animated skeleton in 3D, then 3ality Digital is going to need a GM sized bailout by the end of the game.


NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has suspended Sean Avery indefinitely for referring to this puck bunny:




as "sloppy seconds." Bettman had to invoke the suspension for the good of the game, as Cuthbert is the only fan the league had left. Bettman will meet Avery soon to discuss the duration of the suspension and to make certain that Avery is aware that this particular term will not be tolerated and should instead be replaced by, "a drop pass into the crease," "a rebound through the five-hole," or simply "bacon scraps."

UCLA Just Keeps On Dancing

The liberating thing about running up credit card debt is that once it gets to a certain level, it really become insignificant if you throw a few hundred more onto it. The card won't realistically be getting paid off in the forseeable future anyway, so why not live a little? And so it was a no-brainer that once I was on the road to Phoenix with some friends that I wasn't going to settle for nosebleed seats. I thought I ended up with a pretty good view, but it was nothing compared to that of the photographer pictured here:




UCLA's basketball team came out focused and ready to put on a show. Their dance team displayed a similar energy and enthusiasm. For pictures of the players, check out my Flickr set. For photos of the dance team, just scroll on down:

The Road to San Antonio Needs a Few More Rest Stops

I just got back from Phoenix, and my eyes are blurry from staring at the road for six hours. So I think a real update is going to have to wait until after I get some sleep. (By the way, here's a travelling tip: Never share a hotel room with someone who wakes up at 6 am on their own accord; and if you do, make sure you have a good attorney specializing in homicide cases. Trust me on this one.)

In the meantime, here are a couple of images that quickly remind me that the trip was well worth it:

Angels in Anaheim, UCLA Edition

Getting tickets right behind the UCLA bench for the first two rounds of the tournament was great for watching the players' reactions during the game and Coach Howland's energy and techniques during timeouts. But the seats were awful for anyone trying to compose a photo essay of the Dance Team during their performances. If anyone wants pics of UCLA players huddled together, email me- I have a few dozen. While I was able to snap off some pics of the Dance Team over the course of two games, it admittedly isn't my best work. But don't blame me. Blame Lorenzo Mata and Alfred Aboya, who refused to sit down during timeouts.

Dick Enberg Is Only Human

Fear not, Mr. Enberg- you are neither the first, nor will you be the last, to be captivated by the UCLA Dance Team:





Oh My!

Why Everyone Should Hope UCLA Goes Deep in the Tourney: The Dance Team

Talking briefly to a few members of the UCLA spirit squad last week, it was mentioned half-jokingly that as a member of the team in Los Angeles one has the dream that they'll be discovered during a game and that it will lead to bigger things. I'd like to think that I've done my part in giving them some extra exposure this season- tho perhaps they were exposed a little more than they would have liked. Here are the lovely ladies of the UCLA dance team in action this past weekend:

UCLA Has One Helluva Home Court Advantage

Want to know the real reason that UCLA received some favorable calls at the end of their last few games (although Berkeley fans have since admitted that the Anderson non-foul looked legit)? It has nothing to do with the mystique of Pauley Pavilion or a Pac-10 conspiracy to ensure that the conference had a team with a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. No, the real influence over the minds of the zebras came from another set of UCLA representatives. Captured (albeit blurry) here is the one time the refs didn't miss the action on the court:




Hey, Libbey- Is that a whistle in your pocket or are you just happy to still have a job?

Is There Such a Thing As Too Many Cheerleader Pics?

Let's see. I'm heading out for another long weekend in Vegas. What could I possibly post that will appease my readers until then?

Beginning today, the UCLA Bruins basketball team has a very important and difficult road trip in the state of Arizona. It's important because they likely need to win out in the Pac-10 if they want any chance of a #1 seed; and it's difficult not only because they'll be facing two Arizona teams that are fighting for their tournament lives, but also because the Bruins will have to take the court without the support of these girls:





Enjoy your weekend all.

Bruce Pearl Would Like to Run the Spread Offense With Erin Andrews

March is right around the corner and this is usually the time of year that serious contenders for the NCAA championship start playing their best basketball in preparation for the tournament. However more than anything, this past week has exposed flaws in all of this year's favorites to win the title. Fortunately for these teams, recent history- as illustrated by Florida the last two seasons- has shown that losses in late February can be overcome. Nonetheless, if these hopeful champions want to realize their dreams, they all have something to work on over the next few weeks.

A few observations from the day in hoops:

I've never seen a John Calipari practice, but I can only assume he runs it like one long pickup game. That's the only way I can explain that Memphis' entire offensive scheme seems to be "whoever has the ball- try to take your guy off the dribble." Granted, their guards are quick enough that it's not the worst strategy; but once they encounter a team that plays good interior help defense, they're in trouble. The other problem with playing like it's a pickup game is that there aren't any free throws on the playground, and it looks like the Tigers don't want to shoot any in regular games either. Memphis is still in line to get a #1 seed, but if I were a fan of any of the teams ranked #5-8 right now, I'd really be hoping my team was given the #2 seed in the Tigers bracket.

UCLA managed to rally to win today, but they have some red flags of their own on offense. Namely, their outside shooting has completely abandoned them. Josh Shipp is now in an 0 for 20 slump from beyond the arc and looks very hesitant with the ball in his hands. Combine that with what have been some very stagnant offensive sets (From the first team, at least. Lorenzo Mata-Real has actually provided a lot of energy and motion for the team recently) and you've got a team that struggles to score in the halfcourt game. Fortunately for the Bruins, they force a lot of turnovers to get points in transition and Kevin Love is able to sell contact to get to the free throw line. Still, if they want to return to the Final Four, somebody (ideally Shipp, but otherwise Westbrook) is going to have to become a viable threat from outside.

Speaking of Love, he looked very lethargic throughout the game today. Actually, he looked downright sleepy. I don't know if he was out at a karaoke bar with Maarty Leunen all night or what, but he certainly wasn't in any condition to be on a basketball court. At one point in the first half, he took a hit under the basket and stayed on the floor for an extended period of time. I don't think he was hurt either. I'm pretty sure he was taking a nap.

The Pac-10 has been spending the last month trumpeting themselves as the best conference in the country, but I want to dispel that myth right now. For one, Washington State, Arizona State, and Oregon are all playing a worse brand of basketball now than they were a month ago. But more importantly, you can't be the best conference in basketball if you have the worst officiating in basketball; and this season, the zebras have established a new low. Trying to figure out how a Pac-10 official is going to call any given play is like trying to guess where the Plinko chip is going to land in Price is Right.

With all of the coaches, players, and fans yelling at you for every perceived mistake, I never understood why anyone would want to be a referee- unless maybe you hated basketball players growing up and this was your way to get revenge. It seems like such a thankless job. But then I learned today about one of the fringe benefits of being an official- reach arounds with nubile, young cheerleaders:


Combine that with the fact that you can be utterly incompetent and still never get fired, and maybe it's not that bad of a gig afterall...

Wendy Nix was working the sidelines for ESPN during the Indiana mutiny at Northwestern, which I think is a good assignment for her, as she is "Midwestern hot." I can't really figure her look out. She's either a former big girl who lost a lot of weight or she's a former skinny girl who's now on the precipice of getting big- kind of like a one-time beauty pageant contestant when she becomes a housewife...

As for the Hoosiers, it looks like it is not only his players but also his coaches who are distraught about Kelvin Sampson's dismissal. At this point, it's hard to imagine Indiana being able to put it together and make a deep run into the tournament. I think their only hope might be if Kelvin Sampson puts on a disguise and coaches from the stands, a la Bobby Valentine for the Mets back in the day.

I didn't see the Kansas/Oklahoma State game, but just judging by the box score, it looks like the only reason Kansas lost is because they let a 5'11" guard go to the line 18 times. I'm not sure how that happens, but in a season that features guards such as Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Darren Collison, Jerryd Bayless, Russell Westbrook, and DJ Augustin, there are plenty of reasons for Jayhawks fans to be nervous about another early exit in March.

So now Tennessee is the new number one team in the land. It's a ranking they've certainly earned by winning at Memphis, and their victory today was even more impressive when you consider that Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl was more focused on penetrating Erin Andrews' defense than that of Memphis. I know Tennessee is known for their hound dogs, but let's take it down a notch, ok Bruce? You're coming off greasier than that bronzing cream you rub on your body before each game. Here's a snippet from one of their encounters today. Check out the Berman eyes he gives her:



I do kind of like the role reversal tho. Usually it's the ESPN personalities who are drooling over the coaches. Maybe it's time for coaches to return the favor.

Just don't pull that stunt with Erin Andrews while Brent Musburger is calling the game or he'll whoop your ass.

(photo from The Big Lead)

The Action in Pauley Pavilion is a Joy to Behold

I've been going to UCLA basketball games for many years, and I can't remember a weekend series where the team has looked so dominant. In sweeping the Arizona schools, their play was efficient, unselfish, and unyielding. In short, they looked like a team of championship caliber.

Fittingly, the UCLA dance team was equally spectacular during the Arizona series. While always an exhibit of beauty and athleticism, this crew brought an energy and sex appeal that assured the crowd that there would be no downtime during timeouts. Fortunately, I had my camera to document the action on display:

Random Pics Mysteriously Appear on Memory Card

A female friend of mine was kind enough to invite me to the UCLA-Washington game tonight. While she's already aware that I'm a bit of a perv, I prefer that she thinks I'm the amusing kind of perv and not the creepy variety. As a result, my cheerleader photo ops were limited. Here, however, are a few that somehow made their way onto my camera:




As for the game itself, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute was actually hitting his jumper, and when that happens, the Bruins are without a weak link on offense. Combine that with Russell Westbrook's ongoing Allen Iverson impression and UCLA's suffocating team defense (Ryan Appleby was not only held scoreless, but was only able to get off two shots the entire game) and it translated into an easy 69-55 victory in which UCLA was on cruise control the entire second half. Bruins will get a stronger test of where they're at as a team Saturday when they face the most efficient team in the country, the Washington State Cougars.

UCLA Football is the Land of the Misfits

After an exhaustive search which included such names as "Jim Harbaugh's brother," "that guy from Temple," and "the guy that plays the coach in Friday Night Lights," UCLA has finally found themselves a head coach:



The Neuheisel hiring makes sense. In Westwood, the most important event of the year is March Madness. Might as well have a football coach that feels the same way.

Words Fail Me. Pictures Never Do

The Wooden Classic was played over the weekend, and since it was a few days ago, here's a quick refresher on the action from that day. The Bruins dance team came out wearing their jersey tops (a fan favorite) but elected to wear pants instead of shorts and knee high socks. As a result, UCLA struggled early. At halftime, the girls changed into their blue dresses with the high slits, and it was the Bruins' game from that point on. I think some guys scored some baskets too, but my camera doesn't really have much evidence of that:

Steve Lavin's Deal With the Devil Has Yet to Expire

(Thanks to BruinsNation for first coming across this story...)

What is the penalty handed down by the Fates for wreaking havoc upon the fans of a storied athletic program for seven years and then using that experience to wreak havoc on sports fans everywhere by becoming a cliche factory for ESPN? Apparently, it's a crap load of cash, a luxury home and smoking hot wife. Sometimes life pisses me off.

Former UCLA head coach Steve Lavin is looking to buy a home in Brentwood or Coronoa del Mar, and as such, has put his Newport Beach home up for sale. The 4 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath home is being listed for $3,995,000. According to the listing, the home located at 1906 Port Bristol (note: I've included the address for informational purposes only. I'd hate to see anyone use this for anything untoward.) features real distressed timbers, hand molded clay roof tiles, custom wrought iron work, and Venetian plaster. Although rumor has it that while it has all of the individual components of a landmark home, Lavin was never able to piece it together into even one of the final four best houses in the neighborhood, and most brokers would annually barely put it within the top 16.

While not listed in the brochure, other features are likely to include:

- Unused, like new, custom built trophy room.
- All bathrooms equipped with hair gel dispensers.
- Wine cellar filled with unopened bottles of champagne.
- Walk-in closets big enough to hold 200 pit-stained dress shirts.

One photo from the listing shows that the bonus room was decorated with a card table. How great would it be to sit down at a poker table with Steve Lavin? You could give him every ace in the deck, and still get him to fold before the showdown.

Presumably, Lavin is selling now so he'll have time to get another home for his new wife, actress Mary Ann Jarou (pictured), who according to Neiman Marcus, he will be marrying August 17. Looking at her picture, it's obvious that Lavin still has a knack for courtship, tho it will be interesting to see how successful the marriage itself will be.

Bruin Nation's UCLA Class of 86 has his own prediction:

She's a good recruit for Steve Lavin, but four years from now she will leave him, looking disheveled and disoriented, wondering why she wasted her time with a guy who promised her the moon and only delivered cheese.

Meanwhile, fellow BN contributor Meriones has a good feel for the statement Lavin will release to the press following their divorce:

"You know, marriage is a marathon, not a sprint (1) . There's always a lot of give and take (2), and sometimes people don't always see eye-to-eye (3). In the end, there was nothing wrong with her, it was me (4). We just drifted apart (5). I will always love her (6) and we've decided that we will still remain friends (7). They say that 50% of all marriages end in divorce (8) and we gave it our best shot (9), but we just couldn't overcome the odds (10). Overall, though, I wish her nothing but the best (11) and she deserves someone who can truly make her happy (12)."

Brilliant stuff, guys. That was so funny, it made me cry. Or maybe it was just remembering the Lavin era that brought on the tears. Either way, nice work.

Final Forecast

Before I make my picks for today, has anyone else noticed that the website for the company that covers the Final Four (sportsline.com) has the worst analysis of the games themselves? Dennis Dodd and Michael Freeman have written a series of amateur articles that really add no value leading up to the game itself. On the flip-side, espn.com, while usually mocked by bloggers such as myself, has been extraordinary in their coverage, breaking down the game from every angle, as well as giving the games a historical perspective as well as projecting forward into the nba draft. Heck, even Bill Simmons' blog has been a pretty good read. (It's amazing how much better his writing has become since he stopped resenting being "just" a blogger and began to embrace his role.) I just thought I'd give some credit where it was due.

As for my picks, I have personal interests clouding my view. Whenever that happens, I retreat back to my comfort zone- gambling. (Note: I'm not really that great of a sports' bettor, but at least it's comfortable.) Assuming I had access to a sportsbook (but really Feds, there's no need to investigate that), here's where my money would lie:

Ohio State +1 vs Georgetown.
Neither of these teams have looked dominant on their way to the Final Four, as both have had to rally from 2nd half deficits in their last two games. This game is being billed as Oden vs Hibbert, but I think the backcourt is where this game will be decided; and that's where the Buckeyes have the edge. While Hibbert and Oden neutralize each other, Mike Conley Jr, Ron Lewis and Daequan Cook will be the difference makers in this one.
Ohio State 70, Georgetown 62

Florida -3 vs UCLA
If Ben Howland insists on double-teaming Joakim Noah everytime he touches the ball, this game will be over by halftime. Noah is a pass-first forward who is taller than anyone who will double him. When UCLA runs a second defender at him, the game becomes too easy for the Gators. If UCLA plays him straight up, then the game just comes down to which way the whistle blows, as Lorenzo Mata, Alfred Aboya, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute have all had troubles with fouls against big men. If UCLA plays the perfect game, they can beat Florida, but that's asking a lot for a team that's travelled across country to play what amounts to a Florida home game.
Florida 73, UCLA 64

You knew I couldn't actually pick the Bruins, right? While I'm not the most superstitious person on the planet, I'm not completely devoid of it either.

One thing is certain- win or lose- I'll be drinking heavily tonight. It's just a question of whether it's in celebration or drowning sorrows. Cheers.

Is the Pac-10 Player of the Year Ready for the NBA Afterall?

Heading into this season, it was generally assumed that Arron Afflalo would use this year to work on his jumper and solidify his status as a first round draft pick. For the first 29 games of the season, it looked like the plan was coming to fruition and Afflalo was as good as gone to the NBA. But GMs have a tendency to pay more attention to players during postseason play, and that hasn't gone so well for Afflalo. While he has still been a great leader for the team- playing solid defense and rebounding aggressively- what scouts really wanted to see from him was a reliable outside shot, and that has deserted him lately. Discounting the Weber State game, which never really had the pressure of a tournament game, here are Afflalo's numbers from the field this postseason:

vs Cal: 1-7
vs Ind: 2-11
vs Pit: 3-11

That's just 20.7% over three games. For a player that lacks the explosion and one on one moves of the other two guards he'll be competing with in the draft (ex. Nick Young), this cold streak couldn't have come at a worse time. As things currently stand, Afflalo has likely slipped to the second round of a very deep draft, where only one year of his NBA contract would be guaranteed. Would it really be worth the risk for Afflalo to leave early to be a second round pick? Big Baby Davis has already announced that he'll be taking that chance, but his situation is a little different. Davis realizes that his star is fading fast and he needs to make the leap while he's still worthy of being drafted at all.

Fortunately, Afflalo still has another game left to right the ship. If UCLA has any hopes of beating Kansas, they are going to need Afflalo to return to form. If he can give them a big game on Saturday and get the Bruins into the Final Four, then he should be able to re-emerge as a late first round pick; and he would be well advised to declare for the draft. However if his cold streak continues, then UCLA fans may get their wish of "one more year," afterall.

(As for Darren Collison, however, I think he's on his way to the NBA. He might not be completely ready for the NBA yet, but he'll be one of the top two point guards if he declares, so it's probably in his best interest to declare now while his name is hot.)

Warm Fuzzy Thoughts About Sports and Hotties

I'm writing this from the fireplace lounge of my hotel in Yosemite National Park. Having just spent the morning hiking the trail to Yosemite Falls, I've been overcome by a sense of peace and tranquility. It must be the same kind of feeling that allows Jim Nantz to think of everyone in his viewing audience as his friends. Or maybe it's just the brandy talking.

While the nature walks are nice and all, I was just as pleased to find out that my hotel room had Fox Sports, so I was able to watch UCLA clinch the Pac-10 title outright at Washington State. While Ben Howland is primarily known as a defensive coach, it's been great to watch his offense mature as the year has progressed. As a Bruins fan who had to endure the Lavin years and watch the exact same offensive set time and time again (small forward runs the baseline while ball is swung around perimeter until finally a guard tries to break down his man), it's so refreshing to see a team run multiple sets, each of which have many options. I quite enjoyed that.

Here are some other enjoyable things on the net:

With Leather has posted the first video that has ever made me want to watch soccer.

MJD presents the defendant's case in the ongoing Pacman Jones strip club saga.

After seeing this posting on The Hater Nation, it now makes sense why Carl Pavano would much rather stay home on the DL than actually pitch in the majors again.
(Update: WBRS Sports Blog has more information on the reason for Pavano's disappearance.)

The M Zone thinks that USC's streak of dominant recruiting may be coming to an end. (Tho as long as their competition in Southern California is Karl Dorrell, I think they'll be ok.)

Melissa Stark is my sleeper pick to win the sideline reporters' tournament at The Big Picture. Her first step towards victory begins now.

I haven't actually read this post at The Sports Dad, so I can't tell you if the actual text is any good. The photo of Jennifer Love Hewitt's chest however is mesmerizing.

Pacifist Viking believes that Drew Bennett should be a top priority for the Vikings to target in free agency.

I've been a little too consumed with basketball to start thinking about baseball yet (tho that will change next weekend when I go to Spring Training.) Complete Sports however has a nice primer for anyone participating in a fantasy baseball league this season.

And finally, if you haven't been to Deadspin today, this photo makes me want to buy an Urlacher jersey.

I Feel a Case of the Madness Coming On

These last few weeks of the regular season always receive extra attention, as it's generally perceived that this is the time that teams start coming together and taking their games to the next level in anticipation of the big dance. However last year, Florida lost three games in a row in late February (at Arkansas, vs Tennessee, at Alabama) before catching fire and winning 11 in a row en route the championship. So maybe I shouldn't too much stock in the last few weeks. Still, I'm sure most coaches would prefer that their teams were peaking around this time. With that said, here are three teams on the rise and three teams that picked a bad time to struggle as March Madness approaches:

Gellin'

Kansas
All season long, any discussion of the elite teams has always focused on five schools- Florida, Ohio State, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and UCLA. In that regard, Kansas at #6 has been flying under the radar. Since losing to Texas A&M at the beginning of the month, Kansas is 6-0 and has won their games by a combined score of 516-343 (average margin of victory: 28.8 points). The Jayhawks are in my opinion the best offensive team in the country, having broken the 90 point mark six times this season and boasting five players who average scoring in double figures. Kansas has one road game left at Oklahoma before hosting Texas in the season finale. Wins there combined with a good showing in the tournament, and Kansas might be able to steal a #1 seed.

Georgetown
Much like last year, I can already tell that I'm going to advance the Hoyas too far in my bracket and get burned. Georgetown has won eleven Big East games in a row, most of them in convincing fashion. I love watching John Thompson's team play, with their athletic version of the Princeton offense combined with a very aggressive defense. When they're playing well, they can beat any team in the country; and they're playing exceptional basketball right now. The brackets aren't even out, and I'm talking myself into putting them into the Final Four (beating Ohio State to advance in a great matchup of Oden vs Hibbert).

UCLA
At the beginning of the month, I would have projected UCLA as a sweet 16 team, but not necessarily Final Four. However the last two months, the Bruins have elevated their game on the offensive end and are a legitimate threat to cut down the nets in Atlanta. The biggest difference between this team now and a few weeks ago has been their inclusion of the big men into the offensive gameplan. Lorenzo Mata and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute have both become viable threats to the point that Arron Afflalo now sets interior picks to free up the post players for an entry pass. Add into the mix that Josh Shipp has started attacking the rim again, and you've got a team that is suddenly very difficult to defend. The only downside for the Bruins is that UCLA has been a notoriously slow starter this year and they do still go through stretches when they're stagnant on the offensive end. I'm sure those will be areas of emphasis in the last remaining games and the Pac-10 tournament.

Slippin'

Wisconsin
The Badgers have lost two in a row and have been held to 55 and 48 points in those two games. The good news is that this is a team full of veteran players and they shouldn't let these two games affect them too much. The bad news is that they've likely lost Brian Butch for the rest of the year as the result of a gruesome dislocated elbow (I'll post the clip soon), and Alando Tucker is 11 for his last 30 from the field. As an aside, I'd like to relay something a commenter at Sportsline.com pointed out. Sunday, in what was a brutal piece even by his own low standards, Gregg Doyel wrote about the Badgers,
"The Badgers weren't good enough to win the national title -- period -- and that was before cryin' Brian Butch left Sunday's game with an elbow injury that might end his third consecutive disappointment of a season. The Badgers can make do without Butch's soft play and yucky body."

Yucky? Really? Anyway that directly contradicts what Doyel wrote last December in a column about players that had been surprisingly good:

"Brian Butch, Wisconsin: He's no project anymore. He's a player."

So how exactly is this a third consecutive disappointing season exactly? And mocking a college junior for crying after a brutal injury was absolutely classless.

North Carolina
The Tar Heels are young, so some ups and downs are to be expected. But a lot of the other top teams are young as well. Kansas' five top scorers are three sophomores and two freshmen. Ohio State is led by freshmen Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr. UCLA had no seniors at senior day. At any rate, losing three of seven games is reason for concern. Here are a few postgame quotes after North Carolina lost to Maryland Sunday night:

"This is very frustrating," North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough said. "We can't crumble whenever the game gets tight. We have to be tough."

"We lacked focus. We didn't convert the way we should down the stretch," forward Reyshawn Terry said. "We had another breakdown. We keep hitting the same wall. It's making me a little nervous, honestly."

Obviously, these are not the words of a confident team, and confidence is a key element at this point in the season.

Florida
On the other side of the confidence spectrum is the Florida Gators who appear to be overconfident right now. Either that or they're just bored with the regular season and are waiting for the NCAA tournament to begin. But while that mentality might work in pro basketball (example: any team that's had Shaq on it), it's very dangerous in the college game. Just ask last year's UConn team. Florida has lost two of their last three games, and I anticipate that they won't win the SEC tournament. However, they'll still get a high seed in the NCAA tournament, and at that point, it will be up to them to "flip the switch" if they want to repeat as champions. Florida still has the best starting five in America, so I'm not counting them out by any means; but if I had to make a prediction, I see this them getting upset in the elite 8.

For what it's worth, here are my current power rankings:

1. UCLA - Afflalo playing like a champion before leaving for the NBA
2. Kansas - Looking more and more like this year's version of Florida
3. Ohio State - It feels like they've underachieved, yet they'll be ranked #1 in this week's polls. Not too shabby.
4. Florida - Taking their abilities for granted right now.
5. North Carolina - Nothing will surprise me with this team in the tournament. They could lose in the first round as a #2 seed or they could win it all.
6. Texas A&M - Big statement game at Texas this Wednesday.
7. Georgetown - Hibbert could use the tournament to become a lottery pick.
8. Memphis - Like Nevada, it's hard to evaluate this team given the competition in their conference.
9. Wisconsin - Have shot 35% their last two games. It's a bad time to go cold.
10.Texas - Every #1 seed should be scared to death of facing the Longhorns early.

My Gift to UCLA Haters Everywhere

I honestly don't know what possessed "bruinbrown" to put this video on YouTube. But he did, and he obviously wants people to see it, so I'll share it with you. Here is one UCLA student's tribute to the seniors who spent so many nights camped out in front of Pauley Pavilion. I can't comment too much on the entirety of the clip, because I still haven't been able to make it more than 45 seconds before I have to shut the thing off because I'm worried that my eardrums might explode in self-defense. I just wish that if this guy really wanted to thank the seniors, he'd bought them a Coke instead:



(HT and apologies to Bruins Nation)

Some May Call Me Obnoxious, But I Prefer the Word "Proud"

Thanks to Bruins Nation for doing all of the legwork on this one. UCLA debuted their new commercial at Pauley Pavilion, which is a dramatic improvement over their previous one ("UCLA is big....BIG!!!"). Granted it's entirely sports-oriented; and including Karl Dorrell's program is disingenous, but utilizing UCLA's greatest living sports icon as the voice of the university is a wonderful touch. The commercial was premiered at the Bruins basketball game last night, after which Coach Wooden (seated in his customary spot behind the bench) was given an extended standing ovation.



Dammit, now I'm itching to go to the Stanford game again, where a win would clinch at least a tie for the Pac 10 Conference championship. StubHub is going to get my money afterall!

UCPD Is Keeping the Campus Safe From Capitalism

Last night was the Bruins penultimate home game and I wanted to be there. Unfortunately, I didn't have a ticket. Tickets on Ebay were nosebleeds (and I've become an unabashed ticket snob) and the offerings from brokers were outrageous considering the opponent was 7th place Cal. So I went with plan C, which was to head down to campus and buy tickets from a scalper. Unfortunately, when I arrived at Pauley Pavilion, campus police were actually arresting the ticket scalpers. That was a first. I thought we had a general understanding as a society that even if scalping was technically illegal, it was tolerated as long as there were no altercations. Is brokering a deal for tickets on campus really any different than what StubHub or RazorGator does? Actually, at least the scalpers let you negotiate how much you're willing to be ripped off. With StubHub, they don't even offer you a little bit of vaseline before they violate you. Fun times.

The scalpers in handcuffs put a hitch in my plans. I ended up listening to the beginning of the game on the radio broadcast outside Pauley until finally finding a late arriving Bruin who had an extra ticket. Even better, once inside, I was able to meet up with a few friends who had great seats and an opening near them. So my story does have a happy ending. I love a happy ending.

As for some actual basketball notes:

-I ended up getting in my seats with about 10 minutes left in the 1st half, which is probably when all UCLA fans should arrive to the games, since the Bruins have decided that they're going to use the first 10 minutes of every game to spot the opposition a 10 point lead. By and large, they've been able to get away with it during the regular season. But it's a dangerous way to live, and could be costly in the tournament. (I feel like I've written this before. If so, I apologize, but it's just as much of a problem now as it was a few weeks ago.)

-For most of the conference season, while the Bruins' defense was sensational, their offense frequently seemed to lose their direction. Oftentimes, their offensive set would be to run Arron Afflalo off multiple picks to try to get him a shot; and if that didn't work, then Darren Collison would call for a high pick and launch a three point shot. Since Afflalo and Collison are both good shooters, it was effective enough to win, but it wasn't elite basketball. However in the last two games against Arizona and Cal, all five players on the floor for UCLA have been viable, integral parts of the offense. When Mata (or Aboya), Shipp, and Mbah a Moute are all legitimate threats on offense, then UCLA itself is a legitimate threat to go to the Final Four.

-It's a miracle, but Lorenzo Mata has fixed his free throw problems. His release, rhythm, comfort level, rotation are all different now then they were for the better part of this season. I noticed it on tv in the Arizona game, but it was even more evident in person. Something triggered, and he's now much more relaxed and confident at the line. He's now 10 for his last 11 from the charity stripe. You can forget the Lorenzo Mata that shot 30% from the line. That Mata is gone. This new guy is a 75% shooter.

-Russell Westbrook was the energizer in the first half, but he was benched in garbage time after a few poor decisions. Despite a 10 point win, Westbrook had his head down at the final buzzer. Hopefully Coach Howland will focus on his early pivotal contributions and help him realize he's a key part of the team's success.

-The UCLA dance team should get a 10% commission from 4 Play Gentleman's club on the night of home games. After watching those girls dance around for two hours, a side trip down to the club is a tempting way to "let traffic clear" before heading home.

-In other basketball news, the Washington Huskies are obviously only comfortable playing at home. Fortunately for them, they've just added another home game to their schedule as their loss to Oregon State last night secures them a spot in the N.I.T.

-Oregon shot better from 3 pt land (11-25) than 2 pt distance (11-30) in a mild upset win over Washington State. The loss moves Washington State two games out of first place, removing some of the luster from the March 1 matchup between the Bruins and Cougars. However, UCLA still has to play Stanford, so there's a chance that game at Pullman could still have 1st place implications.

-By the way, can we move the college 3 pt line out to the international distance now? When power forwards are casually launching threes, it's time for a change.

-In his piece on Dennis Johnson, Bill Simmons calls him, "Indisputably...the greatest defensive guard of his era." Now I can appreciate that this was essentially a eulogy, and so some hyperbole is acceptable. But I hope for the sake of his argument, he considers Michael Cooper to be a forward. Otherwise, there is plenty to dispute.

-Honestly, I'm not picking on Simmons or trying to be a jerk after the death of DJ, I just don't like when people use words like "indisputably" in the context of a sports opinion. One of the key elements of being a sports fan is the stupid barroom discussions and debates regarding players and teams. "Dispute" is one of the lifebloods of sports sites like Deadspin, Page 2, and even this one.

-Saturday, the UCLA Bruins have a revenge game against the Stanford Cardinal. It is indisputably the best home game remaining on their schedule. Anyone have an extra ticket?

The Nightcap

Tonight's Nightcap is being brought to you by um..whatever they're having. It looks real good to me. Make mine a double.

The game of the night was USC at Arizona, where the Trojans won at the McHale Center for the first time in over twenty years. It's now 26 games into the season and Southern California still hasn't developed anyone off of their bench, but so far they're proving that their starting five is enough. Tonight Gabe Pruitt, Lodrick Stewart, and Pac-10 Player of the Year candidate Nick Young combined for 69 of the team's 80 points.

Arizona is now 17-8 and has four remaining games (vs UCLA, at Arizona St, at Cal, at Stanford) before the Pac-10 tournament. I wouldn't go so far as to call them a bubble team just yet as reputation goes a long way with the selection committee. But they do need to beat either UCLA or Stanford to firmly secure their invitation to the dance. I think they'll do both.

It may be my imagination, but this season really seems to be wearing on Lute Olsen. He's beginning to look less and less like a venerable old coach, a la Dean Smith in his golden years; and is beginning to take on the appearance of a frustrated old man, like Joe Paterno. I'm not sure how many more years Lute has left in him. It will be interesting to see if the program is able to maintain its position amongst the elite when he leaves.

What happened to Jawann McClellan? When he first arrived at Arizona, he looked like the next superstar to wear the Wildcats uniform. But this season with the emergence of Chase Budinger and Marcus Williams, he's all but disappeared. It seems like the only time he's capable of putting together a good game is when he's playing the Washington Huskies (for some reason, all of the Wildcats transform into Sean Elliot and Steve Kerr when they play U-Dub). McClellan is going to have to step up his game if Arizona is going to be any sort of threat in March.

The exact same could be said of Josh Shipp at UCLA. He is no longer the same dynamic player he once was when he joined the Bruins. UCLA doesn't need him to be a superstar, but he does have to become a viable third option and role player- much like Cedric Bozeman was for last year's team. While he did lead the team in assists in UCLA's lethargic victory over Arizona State, he also led them in turnovers. He needs to become more of a contributor on offense especially against the zone defenses being thrown at UCLA.

About those zone defenses? Expect to see a lot of them, because until either Shipp or Mbah a Moute develops a reliable mid-range jumper, the Bruins primary attack against the zone is to just throw it around the perimeter until either Collison or Afflalo shoots a three to beat the shot clock. That's not the kind of offense that will get them to Atlanta.

Has Cal really fallen on such hard times that their fans will rush the court after any game that the Bears manage to win? Apparently so, as the students came a-stormin' after Cal beat Oregon, 63-61. This is the same Oregon team that has now lost four of their last five and is falling fast. With Cal playing Oregon State on Saturday, they'll need to get some extra security at Haas Pavilion as there could be a full blown riot if the Bears actually get a two game winning streak.
...

I've been having an internal struggle on just how much to write about the Tim Hardaway fallout today. When I first heard the comments, it seemed to me that what he said was pretty much indefensible. But then listening to talk radio and reading the AOL FanHouse, it's apparent that many people are rushing to his defense. I've been trying to stay out of the discussion because I'm of the opinion that anyone that advocates hate against a group of people is by definition closed minded, and so my words won't be that persuasive anyway. I expected the Biblical cherry-picking to justify hate, but my favorite rationalization has been that it's OK to hate gays because unlike race, sexual orientation is a choice and therefore homosexuals can be "trained" to like the opposite sex. I'm not sure how anyone can sincerely believe that it's a choice, because why would a person choose a lifestyle that leads to being oppressed and ostracized? And if that were the case, then wouldn't the converse be true? Wouldn't you be able to get any heterosexual male off the street and via therapy be able to train him to prefer the company of men? I guess the theory is that a dick is like Diet Coke. It's revolting at first, but if you force it down your throat long enough, it becomes quite palatable.

Hypothetical question of the night: Let's say you had an 8 year-old son who wanted to join a youth basketball league. There are two teams in the league with a roster opening. One is coached by John Amaechi and the other is coached by a Catholic priest. Which team do you put your son on?

John Beilein is a "Master Motivator"

UCLA had a lot of built-in excuses at tipoff of Saturday's matchup at West Virginia. They'd just played their cross-city rival, Wednesday. They had to fly across country. There was the 10 am pst start time. It was around 15 degrees when they left their hotels. They were without their starting and only true point guard.

But changing any of those factors wouldn't have mattered anyway. Not after the Mountaineers had heard this inspirational speech from their head coach, John Beilein:



Damn, who's their head coach, Mel Tillis? I love the response from the players at the end- it was like the final battle scene in Braveheart, only the exact opposite.

Of course, West Virginia still beat the Bruins convincingly, so maybe they're onto something out there in Morgantown. Maybe Ben Howland should bring John Melendez in as a motivational speaker before the big game at Arizona this weekend.

Picture Pages

For some reason, Blogger is being really pesky with letting me upload pictures to my server, which is why there are no photos attached to my latest post. To make up for that, I've created a quick photo album from some snaps I took during the game last night. More accurately, they are photos I took during the dead-ball situations and pregame. So there isn't much in the way of in-game shots, but that doesn't mean there aren't action shots. (hint, hint: USC's song girls did make the trip.)

Bruins Deliver in the Clutch

Tonight was an opportunity for the top teams in college basketball to assert their dominance, and for the most part, they did just that. Florida won at Georgia, 71-61. Wisconsin took care of Penn State 71-58. North Carolina withstood an early charge from Duke and prevailed, 79-73. But I didn't see any of those games, because I was at Pauley Pavilion watching the #2 UCLA Bruins take on the crosstown Trojans of Southern Cal. Much like their first meeting, USC was the dominant team for the first 30 minutes of the game. However in those final 10 minutes, UCLA had enough will, enough composure, and enough defense to come away with a 70-65 win. Some notes from the game:

While Arron Afflalo will always be the heart of the team, the MVP for the Bruins Wednesday was Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who had two big blocked shots, 10 rebounds, a nice soft touch on his mid-range jumper, and the steal that gave UCLA its first lead of the game with 5:49 to go in the game.

The Trojans did an excellent job of mixing up their defenses, frequently switching between a 2-3 zone and man to man. Too often, the Bruins settled for outside jumpers, leading to a miserable 2-17 performance from 3 pt land.

Much will be made of the 31 to 5 free throw discrepancy in favor of the Bruins, however as I mentioned elsewhere, one must keep in mind that:
-13 free throws came in the last 1:12 of the game, when USC was trying to stretch out the game to mount a comeback.
-2 free throws were the result of a blatant technical foul.
-3 free throws were the product of Tim Floyd employing the "Swat-a-Mata" tactic with the Bruins in the one and one in the first half.

Take away those 18 free throws, and that makes the ref-related free throw differential only 13 to 5. Still one-sided, sure; but considering that UCLA's defense in the first half was so atrocious that they couldn't have grabbed an SC player if they wanted to, the stat seems reasonable.

That being said: it should come as no surprise that in a game in which a coach was upset with the officiating, the head ref was good ol' Dave Libby. Libby is an absolute disaster of an official. He is the same man of whom ESPN analyst Doug Gottleib once wrote, "Please stop putting him on big West Coast games. He ruins the flow and puts both teams on edge."

There were some notable celebrities and athletes in attendance tonight. Amongst them was Governer Arnold Schwarzenegger. As he hobbled by, it was very disconcerting to see the Terminator on crutches- almost as disconcerting as the bad, bad dye job on his hair. Yikes.

Many former UCLA football players were in the crowd, including Cade McNown. When shown on the jumbotron, McNown had a look on his face that said, "Yeah, I may have been a bust in the NFL, but I had sex with Heather Kozar, and no one can take that away from me. And hey Bears fans, do you think I could have possibly done any worse in the Super Bowl than Rex Grossman?"

The highlight for me however was being fortunate enough to have UCLA volleyballer Nellie Spicer standing next to me while UCLA ushers spent 15 minutes trying to find her a seat. Already charming on tv, Ms. Spicer is an absolute stunner in person. She can dig my balls anytime. (I'm not sure what that means.)

I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about the juggler being out of place at UCLA basketball games. I guess there must have been some circus renaissance in pop culture that I missed, because the fans really seem to like him. And if the fans like it, then it's good for the game. Mr. JugglerMan, I apologize.

During one break in the game, the PA announcer honored a UCLA gymnast for her accomplishments this past year in national competition. In a very surprising move, the USC song girls joined in cheering for the UCLA athlete. I know that SC's girls have been known to cheer for anyone in the past, but this was a very classy move by the squad. It almost made me feel guilty for ogling them as sex objects for two hours. Almost.

While this has never been even a possibility in the recent past, it appears that the UCLA and USC basketball teams have developed a mutual respect for each other. It's a strange, strange feeling. Fortunately, the arrogance of Pete Carroll and the incompetence of Karl Dorrell will ensure that there will still be plenty of hatred to fuel the rivalry for years to come. Or at least until Dorrell gets fired and Carroll flees to the NFL to escape NCAA sanctions.

UCLA Sits Alone at the Top

I was at the UCLA game last night, where I foolishly decided to just make "mental notes" as I went along rather than write things down. Unfortunately, if my brain is like a chalkboard, then beer functions as one giant eraser. Luckily, the box score really tells the whole story.

It was a complete team effort, with four Bruins scoring in double figures, and more importantly, nobody was in foul trouble the entire game. UCLA likes to play a physical brand of defense. They'll bump you as you're coming off screens or moving through the paint. They'll put a body into you as soon as the shots up, and they're always reaching for the ball. If the officials are whistle happy, then the Bruins are susceptible to getting into foul trouble, as they did against Stanford. But when refs let the teams play, then it's really tough to score on UCLA's defense. By the way, Dave Libby wasn't officiating this game, and there were half as many fouls called on UCLA vs Oregon as there were against Stanford- coincidence? (Ok, Oregon is also a lot smaller than Stanford, but I still wish Dave Libby would retire.)

Staying out of foul trouble really benefited Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who was finally able to get into the flow of a game and have an impact defensively and on the offensive glass. His final line:
15 pts on 6-6 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocked shots in what was easily his best game of the year.

Lorenzo Mata looks miserable whenever he gets fouled and has to shoot free throws. He walks to the line with the same hesitancy as your dog does when you call for him after you've discovered that the trash is lying all over the floor. Now Ben Howland has no choice but to bench him during the last five minutes of the game, which is a shame because Mata has really come along nicely on the defensive end and as a rebounder.

On the flip side, his benching gives more playing time to Alfred Aboya who is just beginning to blossom into the player I think he can be. He still makes one or two bad decisions a game, but his energy, attitude, and athleticism are huge assets to the team.

I knew Oregon was never going to have a chance in the game when I took my seats down at the baseline where the visiting team's cheerleaders are usually positioned and there were no Dancing Ducks to be found. C'mon Oregon- it's your biggest road game of the year, and you don't bring your cheerleaders along? I know not many fans are going to travel from Eugene, but there's still karma involved. Didn't you know the basketball gods would be watching? And the basketball gods love a coed in a skirt!

UCLA had their own issues in the spirit department. Four enterprising young students opted to go shirtless and paint their chests to spell out, "U-C-L-A." in blue and gold. But two of the guys opted to first paint their entire chest yellow, and then paint their letter in blue over it. What they failed to realize during their warroom meeting is that yellow and blue, when combined, make green. So these guys ended up looking like they were covered in yellow and green- Oregon's colors! Oops.

Also...A juggler? The Bruins still have a friggin' juggler at some home games?! Really? Here's an imaginary conversation I had with a Ducks fan at the end of the game:

Me: Hey- 69-57, and UCLA's defense shut down Aaron Brooks all night long. What do you think of the Bruins now?
Duck fan: You've got a juggler who balances his hat on his nose.
Me: F*ck. You win.

Stanford Offense Has Howland Seeing Cardinal

For about 18 minutes, it looked like UCLA was going to exorcise their demons at Maples Pavilion. But then Stanford reminded the Bruins faithful that horror films always have sequels. After allowing 46 points in the entire game against Cal on Thursday, UCLA's defense surrendered 50 points to Stanford in the second half alone, and the Bruins once again left Palo Alto with a defeat. For all the progress Ben Howland has made with the UCLA program, winning at Stanford has proven to be a difficult task. Steve Lavin routinely lost at Maples (including the worst loss in UCLA history), and now Ben Howland is 1-3 at Stanford.

I'm not sure what it is about Maples Pavilion that makes it so difficult for UCLA to play their best basketball. Maybe it's the taunting of the 6th man that gets to them (although they have been much tamer of late than in recent years). Maybe the Bruins' players become disconcerted by what are annually the least attractive cheerleaders in the Pac-10. Or maybe UCLA is cursed. In 1996, Jim Harrick allegedly violated NCAA rules by having too many active players at a dinner with two prized recruits who were all set to sign with UCLA. Harrick then falsified expense reports in an effort to cover up the violation. UCLA administrators seized these violations as an opportunity to fire Harrick. With Harrick gone and a NCAA investigation looming, the two recruits- Jason and Jarron Collins- turned down UCLA and elected to attend Stanford instead. From that point forward, road trips to Stanford have brought the Bruins nothing but trouble.

Now sure, there were actual basketball reasons for the Stanford victory Sunday night. The Cardinal played with greater intensity in the second half. The officials were not allowing UCLA to play their physical brand of defense, leading to a 33-15 free throw discrepancy. Lawrence Hill caught fire and seemingly everything he tossed up found a way into the basket. A saner man might point to any of those observations as reasons why Stanford prevailed. But as for me, I choose to blame a beady eyed coach for being careless during a lobster dinner.

If UCLA fans want to find a silver lining, here's all I have to offer. After the Cardinal victory, Stanford students stormed the court in celebration. In UCLA's only other loss this season, Oregon fans also stormed the court when the final horn sounded. Generally speaking, storming the court is only reserved for victories over an elite program. Whether they're really in the same tier as Florida and North Carolina yet is debatable, but the Bruins are once again storm-worthy.

As for Stanford, after victories over UCLA and USC, they should be the next participant in the Pac-10 roulette of teams in the top 25. If they do enter the top 25, they'll become the 7th Pac-10 team to be ranked at some point during the season. Of course, Dick Vitale still considers the Pac-10 to only be the third best conference in the country, behind the ACC and SEC.

Here was another gem from Vitale during the first half of the Michigan State at Ohio State game, in which Vitale was watching Oden for maybe the third time this season:
"I tell you one thing, Dan. This is the first time I've really seen evidence of (Oden) being an effective offensive player. In fact...I think he's ahead of Patrick Ewing at the same stage, offensively." How does that work? First you imply that up to that point you'd never seen any evidence of him being good offensively, and then after he hits a few jump hooks, he's ahead of Patrick Ewing? Wouldn't that mean that during Patrick Ewing's freshman year, he never gave any indication of being an effective offensive player? Even for Vitale, that's insane. Ewing, by the way, averaged 12.7 points and shot 63% from the field his freshman year. I guess Vitale was just turning a blind eye to the facts.

Finally, I've been informed that as a sports blogger, it's my obligation to post some sort of Power Poll. But it's getting late, so I'll just post a top 5:

1. Florida. In coast mode until the tournament begins.
2. North Carolina. Forget Hansbrough- that freshman class can fly.
3. Wisconsin. Great defense and Alando Tucker is one of the best creators in the country.
4. UCLA. If UCLA is going to return to the Final Four, Darren Collison needs to step up his play.
5. Ohio State. Inconsistency on offense is the only thing holding them back, which is ridiculous since all they need to do is consistently put the ball in the hands of Oden.

Knocking on the door: Kansas, Oregon, Texas.

West Coast Bias

If you're going to have a coming-out party, ya might as well make it a block party. Stanford freshman Brook Lopez set a school record by blocking 12 shots en route to his first career triple double (18 points, 11 rebounds). USC kept driving into the paint, and Stanford defenders kept swatting it away. When the final seconds had ticked off the clock in the Stanford 65-52 victory, the Cardinal had amassed a grand total of 19 blocked shots. The Trojans had 67 field goal attempts in all, so that translates into nearly 30% of SC's shots not ever making it to the rim. You'd think at some point, the Trojans would have learned that trying to score from the low block was a bad idea. But this is Southern Cal we're talking about, and learning isn't really that high on the priority list over there.

The depth of young players in the Pac-10 is astounding. One week, it looks like Spencer Hawes is the best freshman in the league. Then it's Chase Budinger who starts to dominate with his play. A few weeks later, Ryan Anderson puts a few good games together, and his name starts to get mentioned as a Freshman of the Year candidate. Now, the Lopez twins have announced their presence in the conference. You could put together a team of just the best freshmen in the Pac-10, and they would be a top 10 team in the country. I just hope they decide to stick around for a couple years.

The headline at Yahoo Sports reads, "Torrid Huskies Upset Ducks." Obviously, the headline writer doesn't also read the Yahoo odds page, or he would have known that by tipoff, Washington was a 4.5 point favorite in the game. (By the way, if you ever do encounter a torrid husky...well, you don't want him around if you're wearing short pants- if you know what I mean. A word of warning though: If he does lay into you, it's best to just let him finish.) Still it was a much-needed win for the Huskies, as any hopes they had for making the Big Dance (save for winning the Pac-10 tournament) would have been pretty much eliminated with a loss Thursday. As it is, Washington is 2-6 in the Pac-10 with 10 conference games remaining. They probably need to go 7-3 in those games to have a shot at an invitation. One of those games will be a visit to Eugene, Oregon for a rematch against the Ducks, where I'm sure the team will remember the "overrated" chant that came from the Huskies faithful tonight. That may have been a miscalculation on the part of HuskyFan.

UCLA now stands alone atop the Pac-10 after overcoming a slow start (boy, does that sound familiar) to beat Cal 62-46. Once Arron Afflalo began to heat up and the UCLA defense tightened up, Cal lost any hope they had for an upset bid. The Bruins now go to Palo Alto, which over the last decade, has been a nightmare game for UCLA. The Bruins will have to play 40 minutes of energetic basketball if they hope to escape Maples Pavilion with a win. I'm not so sure that they'll win, but I do feel pretty confidant that they won't get swatted 19 times. That's just the type of preparation you can expect from Ben Howland. Well that, and the Bruins don't have a single reliable scorer in the low block. Thank heaven for small favors.