NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL EAST
1- New York Mets (y)
2- Atlanta Braves (x)
3- Philadelphia Phillies
4- Washington Nationals
5- Florida Marlins
NL CENTRAL
1- Milwaukee Brewers (y)
2- Chicago Cubs
3- Houston Astros
4- Cincinnati Reds
5- Saint Louis Cardinals
6- Pittsburgh Pirates
NL WEST
1- Colorado Rockies (y)
2- San Diego Padres
3- Los Angeles Dodgers
4- Arizona Diamondbacks
5- San Francisco Giants
y= division champ
x= wild card
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Award Projections
MVP: Mark Teixeira, Atlanta
Cy Young: Johan Santana, New York
Rookie: Geovany Soto, Chicago
Manager: Bobby Cox, Atlanta
Playoffs: New York over Colorado, 3-1; Milwaukee over Atl., 3-2
NLCS: New York Mets over Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3
World Series: Detroit Tigers over New York Mets
-JAB
Monday, March 31, 2008
Josh's 2008 MLB Predictions, Part 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL EAST
1- New York Yankees (y)
2- Boston Red Sox (x)
3- Tampa Bay Devil Rays
4- Toronto Blue Jays
5- Baltimore Orioles
AL CENTRAL
1- Detroit Tigers (y)
2- Cleveland Indians
3- Minnesota Twins
4- Chicago White Sox
5- Kansas City Royals
AL WEST
1- Los Angeles Angels (y)
2- Seattle Mariners
3- Oakland Athletics
4- Texas Rangers
y= division champ
x= wild card
-----------------------
Award Projections
MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland
Rookie: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay
Manager: Joe Girardi, New York
Playoffs: Detroit over Boston, 3-1; New York over Los Angeles, 3-2
ALCS: Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees, 4-1
-JAB
AL EAST
1- New York Yankees (y)
2- Boston Red Sox (x)
3- Tampa Bay Devil Rays
4- Toronto Blue Jays
5- Baltimore Orioles
AL CENTRAL
1- Detroit Tigers (y)
2- Cleveland Indians
3- Minnesota Twins
4- Chicago White Sox
5- Kansas City Royals
AL WEST
1- Los Angeles Angels (y)
2- Seattle Mariners
3- Oakland Athletics
4- Texas Rangers
y= division champ
x= wild card
-----------------------
Award Projections
MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland
Rookie: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay
Manager: Joe Girardi, New York
Playoffs: Detroit over Boston, 3-1; New York over Los Angeles, 3-2
ALCS: Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees, 4-1
-JAB
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Counting Crows Return Strong With New Disc Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings
Don't listen to the critics. Most musicians will tell you it's the biggest rule they live by, and Counting Crows' frontman Adam Duritz is no exception to it. Ever since the Crows hit the public consciousness in 1993 with breakout single "Mr. Jones" and the highest-selling rock debut album ever in August and Everything After, the dreadlocked singer/songwriter has gone about things his own way, from dating a steady stream of celebs (Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Mary-Louise Parker, Nicole Kidman, to name a few) to his physical appearance (honestly, how many 38-year-old white boys do you know with nappy dreads? . . . Exactly.) Now, after an almost six year hiatus, Duritz and his Crows are back on the map with their fifth studio album proper, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.
It's always been easy comparing Counting Crows to their influences: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, the Beatles . . . All good places to go for inspiration, and yet the synthesized blend of those sounds is what makes the Crows entirely unique. Which is to say, they sound like themsleves. Here, over the course of fourteen songs, Duritz runs the gamut from love, lust and self-indulgence to remorse, regret and heartache. The new Crows' release is an interesting concept in that it's really two albums squished into one: the six songs on Saturday Nights are produced by Gil Norton (the same producer behind the band's hardest rocking album to date, 1996's sophomore effort Recovering the Satellites) while the tracks on Sunday Mornings are produced by long-time Modest Mouse man Brian Deck.
Most reviewers of the album will call Saturdays the "rock 'n roll half" and Sundays the "country side." It's not entirely that simple, especially given rocker "Come Around" at the end of side two, but the general description does give a pretty good idea of the tempo of the songs on each half-album. What's clear as well is that the Counting Crows have grown in size and sound: the band now has seven full-fledged members, all who are versatile enough musically that you can hear any of dozens of instruments being played on every track.
It starts off with "1492", an up-tempo jammer about reveling in the excess of celebrity, with apropos Christopher Columbus references to boot. "I'm Russian-Jew American/ Impersonating African-Jamaican" Duritz shouts autobiographically in the album's opening couplet. The song was originally intended for 2002's Hard Candy, but the band couldn't agree on a definitive version. Here it sounds complete. What the tune is about, as a whole, I'm not entirely sure, but it's nonetheless sonically powerful with a loud rollicking guitar solo front and center stage two minutes in.
The urgency continues with "Hanging Tree." Another pretty melody riding high on guitars, it has Duritz singing "This dizzy life of mine/Keeps hanging me up all the time/This dizzy life of mine is just a hanging tree." Seriously dark subject matter for a nice piece of pop. "Los Angeles" continues the pop life with Duritz getting a little too comfortable writing about his celebrity dating lifestyle. Co-written by Ryan Adams, it's the slowest of the six songs on the first half of the album. Along with "Insignificant", it's nice enough to listen to, but looms as one of the album's overall lightweights.
But all is far from lost. "Sundays" is another quality rocker that has been sitting in the Crows' unreleased vault for a long time. Ten years to be exact; it was first recorded for 1999's This Desert Life, but didn't make a disc till now. It's Duritz at his most nihilistic, singing "I don't believe in Sundays/I don't believe in anything at all." Fuzzy guitar dominates sex-driven lyrics.
Then there's "Cowboys." As the closer for Saturday Mornings, it goes for the heart, sounding downright uncomfortable at times. Duritz paints the picture of a world where no one is safe from anything, including themselves. Cowboys, thieves, presidents and nobodies make their way in and out of focus, some more damaged than others. It does an impressive job of wrapping the half-album's themes in a closing statement and makes for a single transfixing five minute plus cut. Talented lead guitarist Dan Vickrey is splashed all over again, not allowed to hit a crescendo until the burner's closing moments.
"Washington Square" opens Sunday Mornings in a contemplative mood. The lyrics make for a beautiful poem about life and Lower Manhattan, while Duritz's piano arrives soft and refreshing, rendering its absence from the first half of the album all the more apparent. (If there's a basic criticism one can make of the two albums-in-one idea the Crows are going for here, it's that by dividing the disc's pacing into two direct halves, it eliminates some of the cut-by-cut tempo anticipation after the first listen . . . Maybe I'm just nitpicking though.) Other second side highlights include the beautifully piano-laden "On Almost Any Sunday Morning", catchy lead single "You Can't Count On Me" and biting closer "Come Around."
With six years between this Counting Crows' release and the last, it's hard to know when---or if---singer/songwriter Adam Duritz will be able to come up with enough stuff for a sixth album, but that's all right. If this is their final statement, it's an altogether appropriate last chapter for a group that did things its own way, becoming one of the most popular American rock bands of the past twenty years. High quality rock music with lyrical gut punches written all over it, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings is undoubtedly more hits than misses.
-JAB
Josh's Album Rating: * * * * (4 stars out of 5)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Razorbacks Routed By Heels: Seniors' Rollercoaster Ride Ends
In a lot of ways, the end of the Razorbacks' 07-08 season came just the way we thought it would: outclassed, outscored and outplayed by a team (North Carolina) with way more talent. The Hogs were ripped by the Heels 108-77 in Raleigh, NC, on Sunday, sending Arkansas home in the round of 32. But I'll make the argument that getting to the second round was---in and of itself---a step forward for the Razorback basketball program.
Amazingly enough, it had been nine years since Arkansas won so much as a single NCAA Tournament game. For a storied program like UA, that's just way too long. Of course, the demise of the Nolan Richardson era precipitated the postseason drought, but Stan Heath was unable to turn things around as coach either. In walked John Pelphrey, and with him, a whole lot of optimism about the immediate future.
Let's remember that all nine of Arkansas' main rotation players this year were recruited by Stan Heath. They had emotional ties to the man who was dismissed after last season's first round NCAA loss. And there's no doubt that Pelphrey's emphasis on discipline and conditioning---a stark contrast to Heath's easier-going approach---was a major sticking point for this crew of Hogs at the get-go this year.
But little by little, they bought in. Forward Sonny Weems elevated his game to All-SEC first team status. Center Darian Townes legitimized his NBA stock with tremendous post play. Gary Ervin, Charles Thomas, Steven Hill, Vincent Hunter---a class six deep with seniors warmed up to Pelphrey's message and ultimately played some of its best basketball together late in the year.
I refuse to let one game---even if it was a season-ending blowout loss---define what Arkansas did as a team on the hardwood this year. An 86-72 victory over Indiana in Friday night's 8/9 matchup was a significant achievement for this bunch in its own right, and something they'd never done before in the NCAA Tournament: win a game.
Were they the prettiest team to watch? Of course not. Did they maximize their abilities together? Who knows. But the bottom line is they absolutely re-established some of the dormant hoops tradition in Fayetteville. Beautiful Bud Walton Arena had become all too comfortable a place for opponents to play in recent years, and this year's Hogs turned that around by going 15-1 at home. They also finished with 23 wins, giving John Pelphrey the most ever by a first-year Arkansas coach. And they qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, winning a game for the first time in almost a decade.
Nobody likes seeing their team get blown out, especially in the last game of a particular season, but North Carolina really is that good. Offensively, defensively, in transition---the Tar Heels are simply a significantly better club than Arkansas this year, and it showed, playing in front of (essentially) a home crowd in Raleigh. Even if the Razorbacks had played a better game throughout, there's little doubt they still would have lost the contest by double figures. If you want to offer up some criticism of the loss, a good starting place would be last Sunday's SEC Title Tilt defeat at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs. If the Hogs had won that game, they likely would have been a #7 or #6 seed and avoided a #1 until much later on. But woulda, coulda, shoulda only gets you nowhere, and there's no question consistency was the biggest problem this Arkansas group dealt with in its time together.
So 23-12 is the final mark for this group of six seniors, with some nice bright spots at the end of the year, including a thrilling 92-91 SEC Semifinal win over Tennessee and the first-round NCAA victory over Indiana. I feel the six departing players should be remembered as a group that persevered in a time of transition, helping bridge the Razorback basketball program to the John Pelphrey era. With so many players leaving, Coach 'P' has it both good and bad. Good in the sense that he can now stamp the program with his own player personnel mark, but bad in terms of how little returning experience he has for next year. Is all-time Oklahoma leading scorer Rotnei Clark the real deal? How about point guard prospect Courtney Fortson? Can Patrick Beverley put an up-and-down season aside and make significant progress as a floor leader? What about the lack of returning size?
All of those questions need to be answered, but we'll stow them away for another day. For now, we close the book on a group of seniors that didn't have the most success in winning meaningful games in March, but hung tough through a difficult coaching succession. (Need I do any more than bring up the name Dana Altman? Yuck.)
Sonny Weems, Darian Townes and Steven Hill all likely have NBA careers ahead of them. Charles Thomas, Gary Ervin and Vincent Hunter should all be able to make a nice living playing professionally overseas. But collectively, this rag-tag bunch of unorthodox players showed a lot of heart. By sticking together through heaps of drama and earning an NCAA Tourney victory for the University of Arkansas for the first time in almost a decade, it's an easy answer for me . . . Despite the roller coaster ride, this Razorback basketball season was a success.
-JAB
Amazingly enough, it had been nine years since Arkansas won so much as a single NCAA Tournament game. For a storied program like UA, that's just way too long. Of course, the demise of the Nolan Richardson era precipitated the postseason drought, but Stan Heath was unable to turn things around as coach either. In walked John Pelphrey, and with him, a whole lot of optimism about the immediate future.
Let's remember that all nine of Arkansas' main rotation players this year were recruited by Stan Heath. They had emotional ties to the man who was dismissed after last season's first round NCAA loss. And there's no doubt that Pelphrey's emphasis on discipline and conditioning---a stark contrast to Heath's easier-going approach---was a major sticking point for this crew of Hogs at the get-go this year.
But little by little, they bought in. Forward Sonny Weems elevated his game to All-SEC first team status. Center Darian Townes legitimized his NBA stock with tremendous post play. Gary Ervin, Charles Thomas, Steven Hill, Vincent Hunter---a class six deep with seniors warmed up to Pelphrey's message and ultimately played some of its best basketball together late in the year.
I refuse to let one game---even if it was a season-ending blowout loss---define what Arkansas did as a team on the hardwood this year. An 86-72 victory over Indiana in Friday night's 8/9 matchup was a significant achievement for this bunch in its own right, and something they'd never done before in the NCAA Tournament: win a game.
Were they the prettiest team to watch? Of course not. Did they maximize their abilities together? Who knows. But the bottom line is they absolutely re-established some of the dormant hoops tradition in Fayetteville. Beautiful Bud Walton Arena had become all too comfortable a place for opponents to play in recent years, and this year's Hogs turned that around by going 15-1 at home. They also finished with 23 wins, giving John Pelphrey the most ever by a first-year Arkansas coach. And they qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, winning a game for the first time in almost a decade.
Nobody likes seeing their team get blown out, especially in the last game of a particular season, but North Carolina really is that good. Offensively, defensively, in transition---the Tar Heels are simply a significantly better club than Arkansas this year, and it showed, playing in front of (essentially) a home crowd in Raleigh. Even if the Razorbacks had played a better game throughout, there's little doubt they still would have lost the contest by double figures. If you want to offer up some criticism of the loss, a good starting place would be last Sunday's SEC Title Tilt defeat at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs. If the Hogs had won that game, they likely would have been a #7 or #6 seed and avoided a #1 until much later on. But woulda, coulda, shoulda only gets you nowhere, and there's no question consistency was the biggest problem this Arkansas group dealt with in its time together.
So 23-12 is the final mark for this group of six seniors, with some nice bright spots at the end of the year, including a thrilling 92-91 SEC Semifinal win over Tennessee and the first-round NCAA victory over Indiana. I feel the six departing players should be remembered as a group that persevered in a time of transition, helping bridge the Razorback basketball program to the John Pelphrey era. With so many players leaving, Coach 'P' has it both good and bad. Good in the sense that he can now stamp the program with his own player personnel mark, but bad in terms of how little returning experience he has for next year. Is all-time Oklahoma leading scorer Rotnei Clark the real deal? How about point guard prospect Courtney Fortson? Can Patrick Beverley put an up-and-down season aside and make significant progress as a floor leader? What about the lack of returning size?
All of those questions need to be answered, but we'll stow them away for another day. For now, we close the book on a group of seniors that didn't have the most success in winning meaningful games in March, but hung tough through a difficult coaching succession. (Need I do any more than bring up the name Dana Altman? Yuck.)
Sonny Weems, Darian Townes and Steven Hill all likely have NBA careers ahead of them. Charles Thomas, Gary Ervin and Vincent Hunter should all be able to make a nice living playing professionally overseas. But collectively, this rag-tag bunch of unorthodox players showed a lot of heart. By sticking together through heaps of drama and earning an NCAA Tourney victory for the University of Arkansas for the first time in almost a decade, it's an easy answer for me . . . Despite the roller coaster ride, this Razorback basketball season was a success.
-JAB
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
'08 NCAA Bracket Picks and Thoughts
EAST
Tar Heels fans sure got it good, huh? North Carolina not only got the #1 overall seed in the Tournament, they also got a path laid out straight through their home state. With two games in Raleigh and two more likely in Charlotte, Tyler Hansbrough's crew doesn't need to go far to reach San Antonio. Ty Lawson makes the offense hum at the point, while wingman Wayne Ellington has as sweet a stroke as anyone in the country. Can coach Roy Williams make it all gel? I've got doubts. What if Eric Gordon of Indiana or Derrick Low of Washington State controls the backcourt game against the Heels? What if Williams' crew pulls the old familiar and comes out tight? The #4 Cougars could be the team that does the deed. So could second-seeded Tennessee or third-ranked Louisville. The Volunteers were deserving of a one seed and have a great trio in Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Tyler Smith. This region's loaded.
Josh's Region Winner: Tennessee over Wash. State
Likely Best Game to Watch: #2 Tennessee and #3 Louisville
Best Chance for Big Upset: #13 Winthrop and #4 Washington State
WEST
Top seed UCLA has a golden path to the Elite Eight round. The Bruins got themselves a cozy draw atop their region and possess a balance that few teams do. With freshman center Kevin Love dominating inside, point guard Darren Collison smoothly running the show and coach Ben Howland getting a host of athletic contributors to chip in, UCLA may just have the right recipe for the perfect storm this year. Two straight trips to the Final Four should become three, that is unless Jim Calhoun's topsy turvy Huskies can pull a shocker in the Sweet Sixteen. On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Duke could have its hands full against Bog Huggins and West Virginia in round two. Xavier PG Drew Lavender is a fun player to watch, with tremendous ball-handling ability. His third-seeded Musketeers have the depth to make a run here, if they can avoid a first round upset against red-hot Georgia, that is.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 UCLA over #3 Xavier
Likely Best Game to Watch: #4 UConn and #5 Drake
Best Chance for Big Upset: #14 Georgia and #3 Xavier
MIDWEST
Kansas earned itself a #1 seed by winning the Big 12 Tourney Championship. The Jayhawks are loaded in explosive guards with Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins all on the roster. But coach Bill Self needs to get consistent play from his frontcourt to finally break through to the Final Four. Second-seeded Georgetown has a nice draw for itself on the bottom half of the bracket, but the Hoyas will need a huge performance from big man Roy Hibbert to compensate for the absence of last year's stud Jeff Green. #3 Wisconsin is stout defensively, but watch out for six seed USC, a team with tremendous breakout potential. If OJ Mayo can limit his shot attempts and set up his teammates, the Trojans are a legitimate sleeper. So is the winner of an expected tight one between Clemson and Vanderbilt in round two.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 Kansas over #6 USC
Likely Best Game to Watch: # Wisconsin and #6 USC
Best Chance for Big Upset: #13 Siena and #4 Vanderbilt
SOUTH
Memphis gets top billing after suffering just one loss in the regular season. The Tigers have the best point guard in the country in freshman standout Derrick Rose and loads of talent elsewhere, including two guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and big man Joey Dorsey. Is this the year when coach John Calipari finally breaks through? I think so. Just don't make his team shoot free throws with the game on the line. Four seed Pittsburgh has the first best shot of knocking off Memphis in the Sweet Sixteen, but the Panthers aren't quick enough to keep up with them for forty minutes. #2 Texas is a chic pick, but the Horns aren't all that tough down low. Two seed Stanford is ripe for a fall, while point guard Dominic James looks ready to take Marquette into the second weekend.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 Memphis over #2 Texas
Likely Best Game to Watch: #1 Memphis and #4 Pittsburgh
Best Chance for Big Upset: #14 Cornell and #3 Xavier
-----------------------------------------------------------
Josh's Final Four: Tennessee, Kansas, Memphis, UCLA
NCAA Championship: UCLA over Tennessee
-----------------------------------------------------------
-JAB
Tar Heels fans sure got it good, huh? North Carolina not only got the #1 overall seed in the Tournament, they also got a path laid out straight through their home state. With two games in Raleigh and two more likely in Charlotte, Tyler Hansbrough's crew doesn't need to go far to reach San Antonio. Ty Lawson makes the offense hum at the point, while wingman Wayne Ellington has as sweet a stroke as anyone in the country. Can coach Roy Williams make it all gel? I've got doubts. What if Eric Gordon of Indiana or Derrick Low of Washington State controls the backcourt game against the Heels? What if Williams' crew pulls the old familiar and comes out tight? The #4 Cougars could be the team that does the deed. So could second-seeded Tennessee or third-ranked Louisville. The Volunteers were deserving of a one seed and have a great trio in Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Tyler Smith. This region's loaded.
Josh's Region Winner: Tennessee over Wash. State
Likely Best Game to Watch: #2 Tennessee and #3 Louisville
Best Chance for Big Upset: #13 Winthrop and #4 Washington State
WEST
Top seed UCLA has a golden path to the Elite Eight round. The Bruins got themselves a cozy draw atop their region and possess a balance that few teams do. With freshman center Kevin Love dominating inside, point guard Darren Collison smoothly running the show and coach Ben Howland getting a host of athletic contributors to chip in, UCLA may just have the right recipe for the perfect storm this year. Two straight trips to the Final Four should become three, that is unless Jim Calhoun's topsy turvy Huskies can pull a shocker in the Sweet Sixteen. On the bottom half of the bracket, #2 Duke could have its hands full against Bog Huggins and West Virginia in round two. Xavier PG Drew Lavender is a fun player to watch, with tremendous ball-handling ability. His third-seeded Musketeers have the depth to make a run here, if they can avoid a first round upset against red-hot Georgia, that is.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 UCLA over #3 Xavier
Likely Best Game to Watch: #4 UConn and #5 Drake
Best Chance for Big Upset: #14 Georgia and #3 Xavier
MIDWEST
Kansas earned itself a #1 seed by winning the Big 12 Tourney Championship. The Jayhawks are loaded in explosive guards with Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins all on the roster. But coach Bill Self needs to get consistent play from his frontcourt to finally break through to the Final Four. Second-seeded Georgetown has a nice draw for itself on the bottom half of the bracket, but the Hoyas will need a huge performance from big man Roy Hibbert to compensate for the absence of last year's stud Jeff Green. #3 Wisconsin is stout defensively, but watch out for six seed USC, a team with tremendous breakout potential. If OJ Mayo can limit his shot attempts and set up his teammates, the Trojans are a legitimate sleeper. So is the winner of an expected tight one between Clemson and Vanderbilt in round two.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 Kansas over #6 USC
Likely Best Game to Watch: # Wisconsin and #6 USC
Best Chance for Big Upset: #13 Siena and #4 Vanderbilt
SOUTH
Memphis gets top billing after suffering just one loss in the regular season. The Tigers have the best point guard in the country in freshman standout Derrick Rose and loads of talent elsewhere, including two guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and big man Joey Dorsey. Is this the year when coach John Calipari finally breaks through? I think so. Just don't make his team shoot free throws with the game on the line. Four seed Pittsburgh has the first best shot of knocking off Memphis in the Sweet Sixteen, but the Panthers aren't quick enough to keep up with them for forty minutes. #2 Texas is a chic pick, but the Horns aren't all that tough down low. Two seed Stanford is ripe for a fall, while point guard Dominic James looks ready to take Marquette into the second weekend.
Josh's Region Winner: #1 Memphis over #2 Texas
Likely Best Game to Watch: #1 Memphis and #4 Pittsburgh
Best Chance for Big Upset: #14 Cornell and #3 Xavier
-----------------------------------------------------------
Josh's Final Four: Tennessee, Kansas, Memphis, UCLA
NCAA Championship: UCLA over Tennessee
-----------------------------------------------------------
-JAB
Monday, March 10, 2008
Hogs Rout Tigers, Grab First Round SEC Bye
Was this what we expected out of the Razorbacks all year long?
It’s hard a question to answer, even after the team’s 77-64 rout of hapless Auburn on Saturday’s Senior Night at Bud Walton Arena. 20-10 overall, with a 9-7 mark in the league . . . worthy of an NCAA bid? Probably, but not without a little more work in the SEC Tournament this weekend. At least according to Arkansas coach John Pelphrey, who set the single-season school record for wins by a first-year coach against the Tigers.
“I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know right now,” Pelphrey offered up in Saturday’s post-game press conference. “Just let our play do the talking and have someone else make the decision.”
Their play did more of the talking at home against Auburn on Saturday. Senior Night got contributions from the full complement of seniors (six in all) on the roster: Vincent Hunter with a rim-rattling slam; Darian Townes a career-high 14 rebounds; Charles Thomas resurgent with ten points and feisty defense; Steven Hill active and aggressive in the lane; Gary Ervin quick on the break, dishing in transition; slumping leading scorer Sonny Weems sparking the club with a couple early jumpers.
For this much-maligned senior group, it was all hands on deck, and everyone chipped in.
“The fans have never let us down,” proclaimed Townes, just minutes after more than 18,000 Razorback fans offered up some final curtain calls for a group that has been frustratingly inconsistent for them. “I feel like now we’ve got to take this thing on the road and keep it alive for them.”
Call Atlanta the road if you like. What it really amounts to is a neutral court setting that holds the Razorback season in the balance.
“These guys have been through a lot,” said Pelphrey. “I just want them to take it a couple steps further.”
The first of those steps will be the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday against the winner of Vanderbilt and Auburn. Arkansas gets a first-round bye in Atlanta as the second seed out of the Western Division. In all likelihood, a win against Vanderbilt in Friday’s quarters would lock up an at-large NCAA bid for the Hogs. A loss and---well, let’s just say Sunday evening will be highly suspenseful for the Razorbacks and their fans.
“I don’t know if we’re in (the Dance) yet or not, but the bottom line is we still feel like we have work to do,” said sophomore guard Patrick Beverley. “This team hasn’t achieved its full potential yet.”
Beverley’s red-hot shooting has sparked the Hogs again down the stretch. Over his last three games, the sophomore is average over 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 three-pointers and 3 steals per contest. When he’s on top of his offensive game, Arkansas has multiple scoring threats and can keep pace with pretty much anyone in the country. When he’s off, the Hogs have major production problems and keep be beaten by anybody.
Now if only John Pelphrey can find a way to bottle up some of that Bud Walton home-cooking and take it with his troops to Georgia this weekend.
-JAB
It’s hard a question to answer, even after the team’s 77-64 rout of hapless Auburn on Saturday’s Senior Night at Bud Walton Arena. 20-10 overall, with a 9-7 mark in the league . . . worthy of an NCAA bid? Probably, but not without a little more work in the SEC Tournament this weekend. At least according to Arkansas coach John Pelphrey, who set the single-season school record for wins by a first-year coach against the Tigers.
“I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know right now,” Pelphrey offered up in Saturday’s post-game press conference. “Just let our play do the talking and have someone else make the decision.”
Their play did more of the talking at home against Auburn on Saturday. Senior Night got contributions from the full complement of seniors (six in all) on the roster: Vincent Hunter with a rim-rattling slam; Darian Townes a career-high 14 rebounds; Charles Thomas resurgent with ten points and feisty defense; Steven Hill active and aggressive in the lane; Gary Ervin quick on the break, dishing in transition; slumping leading scorer Sonny Weems sparking the club with a couple early jumpers.
For this much-maligned senior group, it was all hands on deck, and everyone chipped in.
“The fans have never let us down,” proclaimed Townes, just minutes after more than 18,000 Razorback fans offered up some final curtain calls for a group that has been frustratingly inconsistent for them. “I feel like now we’ve got to take this thing on the road and keep it alive for them.”
Call Atlanta the road if you like. What it really amounts to is a neutral court setting that holds the Razorback season in the balance.
“These guys have been through a lot,” said Pelphrey. “I just want them to take it a couple steps further.”
The first of those steps will be the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday against the winner of Vanderbilt and Auburn. Arkansas gets a first-round bye in Atlanta as the second seed out of the Western Division. In all likelihood, a win against Vanderbilt in Friday’s quarters would lock up an at-large NCAA bid for the Hogs. A loss and---well, let’s just say Sunday evening will be highly suspenseful for the Razorbacks and their fans.
“I don’t know if we’re in (the Dance) yet or not, but the bottom line is we still feel like we have work to do,” said sophomore guard Patrick Beverley. “This team hasn’t achieved its full potential yet.”
Beverley’s red-hot shooting has sparked the Hogs again down the stretch. Over his last three games, the sophomore is average over 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 three-pointers and 3 steals per contest. When he’s on top of his offensive game, Arkansas has multiple scoring threats and can keep pace with pretty much anyone in the country. When he’s off, the Hogs have major production problems and keep be beaten by anybody.
Now if only John Pelphrey can find a way to bottle up some of that Bud Walton home-cooking and take it with his troops to Georgia this weekend.
-JAB
Friday, March 07, 2008
First "Money Player of the Week" Award
Yesterday we debuted a new weekly feature on the Morning Rush. Every week we will be selecting an Arkansas athlete---not necessarily a Razorback---who is most deserving of kudos for his or her performance(s) during the past seven days.
Our first winner is 1B/OF Aaron Murphree of the Arkansas Razorbacks' baseball team. Murphree has been hotter than fire through Arkansas' first nine games of the year, hitting .457 with 7 home runs and 20 runs batted in . . . Literally ridiculous. What's even crazier is Murphree's slugging percentage so far: it sits at 1.171! That's entering the Barry Balco stratosphere when Bonds was at his most juiced, right?
Kidding aside, Murphree's breakout beginning has contributed mightily to the young Diamond Hogs' impressive 8-1 mark out the gates this year. The 6'5, 235 pound senior from Weatherford, TX, has given skipper Dave Van Horn a major bat to build his lineup card around. If his torrid start is any kind of an indicator, the Hogs are going to suprise a lot of teams.
Congratulations to Aaron Murphree, our first "Money Player of the Week."
(We'd appreciate listener interaction on this thing as well, so if you have any candidates you'd like to pass along, please email them to me (josh@espn963.com) and they'll be taken into consideration each week as well.)
-JAB
Coming Soon to Josh's Blog:
-Razorbacks in the SEC Tourney
-The Official 2007 MLB Preview
Our first winner is 1B/OF Aaron Murphree of the Arkansas Razorbacks' baseball team. Murphree has been hotter than fire through Arkansas' first nine games of the year, hitting .457 with 7 home runs and 20 runs batted in . . . Literally ridiculous. What's even crazier is Murphree's slugging percentage so far: it sits at 1.171! That's entering the Barry Balco stratosphere when Bonds was at his most juiced, right?
Kidding aside, Murphree's breakout beginning has contributed mightily to the young Diamond Hogs' impressive 8-1 mark out the gates this year. The 6'5, 235 pound senior from Weatherford, TX, has given skipper Dave Van Horn a major bat to build his lineup card around. If his torrid start is any kind of an indicator, the Hogs are going to suprise a lot of teams.
Congratulations to Aaron Murphree, our first "Money Player of the Week."
(We'd appreciate listener interaction on this thing as well, so if you have any candidates you'd like to pass along, please email them to me (josh@espn963.com) and they'll be taken into consideration each week as well.)
-JAB
Coming Soon to Josh's Blog:
-Razorbacks in the SEC Tourney
-The Official 2007 MLB Preview
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Gimme Some Green! NFL Free Agency Underway
The NFL opened up its free agency doors on Friday and---as expected---plenty of players have been cashing in.
The two biggest ones to sign contracts so far have been QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Randy Moss. Big Ben got an 8 year/$102 million deal to stay in Pittsburgh for the long haul, with a $36 million signing bonus up front (the largest for a quarterback in NFL history). Not all that ridiculous when you consider that Roethlisberger is only 26, already has a Super Bowl ring to his credit and has made the playoffs in three of his four NFL seasons.
Meanwhile, Randy "the Freak" Moss dabbled in free agency for a weekend before re-signing with New England for 3 years and $27 million, a good deal both ways considering Moss's age (31).
Other teams getting heavy into the free agency game might surprise you. How about the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets? Surely, the Browns have made a major splash in this year's free agency period. After re-signing QB Derek Anderson to a 3 year/$20 million contract, Cleveland signed WR Dante Stallworth (Patriots), then traded second and third-round picks for defensive tackles Cory Williams (Packers) and Shaun Rogers (Lions). There's no denying that Cleveland is significantly stronger up the middle now defensively.
And we've seen the Jets go out and spend more than $60 million in guaranteed contracts for a bunch of new talent. Marquee touchdown makers they are not, but the likes of Pro Bowl guards Al Faneca and Damien Woody, along with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and linebacker Calvin Pace, have New York feeling optimistic after a 4-12 season. Still, for all the adding, the Jets did trade 26 year-old LB Jonathan Vilma to the Saints for a conditional draft pick, a deal made necessary because of Vilma's discomfort in playing Eric Mangini's 3-4 defensive scheme. (One wonders how that deal will look in a year if Mangini struggles again and gets fired, but we'll save that conversation for another day.)
Elsewhere, San Francisco did well for itself, picking up DE Justin Smith (Bengals), WR Isaac Bruce (Rams) and RB DeShaun Foster (Panthers). Bill Parcells is making his presence felt in Miami already, acquiring G Justin Smiley (49ers), WR Ernest Wilford (Jaguars) and DT Jason Ferguson (Cowboys). Minnesota made a great move in signing WR Bernard Berrian (Bears), though the Vikings still need a quarterback to get him the ball. The Purple and Gold also signed S Madieu Williams (Bengals) to a big deal.
Jacksonville acquired WR Jerry Porter from Oakland in the hopes that he can be their number one target. The Jags also picked up wideout Troy Williamson in a deal with the Vikes, and signed QB Cleo Lemon (Dolphins) as a back-up.
As expected, the Patriots have lost some pieces. None bigger than CB Asante Samuel, who's been among the best cover men in the game the past few years. Philadelphia signed Samuel to a massive free agent contract. Other moves of note: Tennessee signed TE Alge Crumpler (Falcons), giving Vince Young at least one reliable target. The Super Bowl champion New York Giants have lost some pieces. Oakland inked S Gibril Wilson (Giants) to a big contract. The Giants also lost LB Kawika Mitchell to the Bills, but signed S Sammy Knight (Jaguars).
Atlanta gave out big money to RB Michael Turner (Chargers), then promptly released career rushing leader Warrick Dunn. After trading for LB Vilma from the Jets, New Orleans bolstered its secondary by signing CB Randall Gay (Patriots). Carolina re-obtained WR Muhsin Muhammad (Bears), hoping he can alleviate some pressure off stud playmaker Steve Smith.
As for Dallas fans, the Cowboys jumped out with the surprising acquisition of former Miami LB Zach Thomas. The 34-year-old has a history of concussion problems, but that didn't scare Dallas away. Since then, Big D has gone utterly quiet on the free agent trail. Armed with two first-round draft picks, it's hard to ignore the thought that Jerry Jones is going to be ultra-agressive when it comes to trades at the draft in April.
-JAB
The two biggest ones to sign contracts so far have been QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Randy Moss. Big Ben got an 8 year/$102 million deal to stay in Pittsburgh for the long haul, with a $36 million signing bonus up front (the largest for a quarterback in NFL history). Not all that ridiculous when you consider that Roethlisberger is only 26, already has a Super Bowl ring to his credit and has made the playoffs in three of his four NFL seasons.
Meanwhile, Randy "the Freak" Moss dabbled in free agency for a weekend before re-signing with New England for 3 years and $27 million, a good deal both ways considering Moss's age (31).
Other teams getting heavy into the free agency game might surprise you. How about the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets? Surely, the Browns have made a major splash in this year's free agency period. After re-signing QB Derek Anderson to a 3 year/$20 million contract, Cleveland signed WR Dante Stallworth (Patriots), then traded second and third-round picks for defensive tackles Cory Williams (Packers) and Shaun Rogers (Lions). There's no denying that Cleveland is significantly stronger up the middle now defensively.
And we've seen the Jets go out and spend more than $60 million in guaranteed contracts for a bunch of new talent. Marquee touchdown makers they are not, but the likes of Pro Bowl guards Al Faneca and Damien Woody, along with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and linebacker Calvin Pace, have New York feeling optimistic after a 4-12 season. Still, for all the adding, the Jets did trade 26 year-old LB Jonathan Vilma to the Saints for a conditional draft pick, a deal made necessary because of Vilma's discomfort in playing Eric Mangini's 3-4 defensive scheme. (One wonders how that deal will look in a year if Mangini struggles again and gets fired, but we'll save that conversation for another day.)
Elsewhere, San Francisco did well for itself, picking up DE Justin Smith (Bengals), WR Isaac Bruce (Rams) and RB DeShaun Foster (Panthers). Bill Parcells is making his presence felt in Miami already, acquiring G Justin Smiley (49ers), WR Ernest Wilford (Jaguars) and DT Jason Ferguson (Cowboys). Minnesota made a great move in signing WR Bernard Berrian (Bears), though the Vikings still need a quarterback to get him the ball. The Purple and Gold also signed S Madieu Williams (Bengals) to a big deal.
Jacksonville acquired WR Jerry Porter from Oakland in the hopes that he can be their number one target. The Jags also picked up wideout Troy Williamson in a deal with the Vikes, and signed QB Cleo Lemon (Dolphins) as a back-up.
As expected, the Patriots have lost some pieces. None bigger than CB Asante Samuel, who's been among the best cover men in the game the past few years. Philadelphia signed Samuel to a massive free agent contract. Other moves of note: Tennessee signed TE Alge Crumpler (Falcons), giving Vince Young at least one reliable target. The Super Bowl champion New York Giants have lost some pieces. Oakland inked S Gibril Wilson (Giants) to a big contract. The Giants also lost LB Kawika Mitchell to the Bills, but signed S Sammy Knight (Jaguars).
Atlanta gave out big money to RB Michael Turner (Chargers), then promptly released career rushing leader Warrick Dunn. After trading for LB Vilma from the Jets, New Orleans bolstered its secondary by signing CB Randall Gay (Patriots). Carolina re-obtained WR Muhsin Muhammad (Bears), hoping he can alleviate some pressure off stud playmaker Steve Smith.
As for Dallas fans, the Cowboys jumped out with the surprising acquisition of former Miami LB Zach Thomas. The 34-year-old has a history of concussion problems, but that didn't scare Dallas away. Since then, Big D has gone utterly quiet on the free agent trail. Armed with two first-round draft picks, it's hard to ignore the thought that Jerry Jones is going to be ultra-agressive when it comes to trades at the draft in April.
-JAB
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