READY FOR "THE DANCE"?

"Are you ready, "baby", as Dickie would ask?
It's time for "the dance" to begin, and everybody
from the royalty of hoops to the cinderellas of
smaller conferences will be hoping to turn an
upset or two and gain some notoriety in hardcourt
annals. The Indianas and UCLAs of the past will
give way to the Duke and Kentucky and Syracuse
of today, as warriors short and tall try to impose
their dominant skills on their opponents.
Individual conference tourneys have provided
a lot of excitement locally, as little-known squads
such as Robert Morris, UTEP, and St. Marys play
like giant-killers, and attempt to make their
schools and conferences proud by playing with
"the big boys"
WHO WILL SURVIVE the rigors of what has been
termed "March Madness"? Will the so-called
favorites take home all of the marbles? Will the
big names from the big schools show why they
are mentioned more often in the pages of the
sports sections? Will a darkhorse emerge to
stun a heavy favorite in Round One or Two, or
even beyond? It's happened often.
ONE OF MY CONCERNS about it all is the
officiating. While usually the "zebras" in the
striped shirts do a commendable job of calling
the games, some of their omissions have been
painfully obvious, while calling some "not-so-
necessary" violations and "apparent" fouls.
Huh?
Granted, Mssrs. Burns and Hightower and
company usually perform at a high level of
professionalism, but some of their miscues in
recent games have not only left me with my mouth
agape, but have drawn the criticism of even the
announcers, who have an unwritten oath to
not question the abilities or calls of the officials.
Huh?
Allowing a dunk which was not completed when
the time expired. Missing a "football run" of a
play last night when a player tucked the basketball
into his arm as he ran down the court. Assessing a
technical or two on the "innocent" participant in
a quarrel or tussle.
Is the season too long? Are some referees over-
worked? Are there not enough qualified college-
level officials? Do some work too many games in
a row or in a week? Does the 3-man system allow
one or two too much backing-off when a miscue
occurs in another man's area? Huh? These and
many other items need some consideration.
AS TO THE BRACKETS - are you ready? Got your
favorites picked? Have a "system"? How did you
do last year and the year before? Will you be in
a pool or two or more?
Unsolicited, the ESPN website allowed each person
up to 10 (ten) brackets in the quest for the $10,000
prize. My first year was so-so, but last year I was
"in the running" well into the tournament. I will
try again next week, as well as the paper picks we
do here at home.
Need a tip? Watch Butler and Chaminade! Are they
both in? Huh? Anyway, GOOD LUCK, and may the
"luckiest" man or woman win.
Have a "hoopy" March Madness, Bill.

P.S. I wish basketball would go on all summer,
so we wouldn't be besieged by that sport that used
to be called "America's game", where overpaid and
overrated prima donnas exhibit their steroid-
enhanced physiques in a game that's barely more
exciting than dominoes. (Yes, I live in the
Pittsburgh area. Sympathy needed & welcomed.)

MARCH "CRAZINESS" HERE SOON!

Okay, so I missed the Jets/Colts prediction.
Actually, the Jets "missed" the game plan!
What was with the predictable running up the
middle? No flairs? No end arounds? No reverses?
What about screens? Imagination? What's that?
I really feel (and felt) that the Jets did not show
up for that one. Their talent(s) and smarts were
not on display that day. The Colts got a "gimme".
I GOT THE FINALE RIGHT, THOUGH!! Saints!!

Enough about pigskinning. It's hoops season, and
exciting action galore is on the boobtube nightly!
Who do you like? There are a lot of "pretenders"
on the hardcourt scene, as well as some who show
some flashes of possibility for "the big dance".
Dark horses? Gonzaga. Butler. Texas(?). UConn.
Georgetown. Wha? Just wait and see.
Of course most of us like Kansas, Syracuse,
Villanova, Michigan State, and Kentucky, but
as history tells us, no one is a "shoo-in" when it
comes to the attrition of the multi-game, multi-
venue, multi-week tournament.
Who will be a cinderella? Kansas State? Purdue?
Louisville? Duke? Your "team"...........? No matter,
we're in for another hoop-filled series of excitement!
The team that stays healthy and plays it's game
will succeed and take the crown, but it's not easy to
do so with so much talent to be faced every game.
Sounds like the regular season, hey, especially with
conference play and "rivalry week" action!
An uncalculable (is that a word?) dimension, as
always, is the coaching. Here's where those men
of history and note "earn their money", having to
adjust offenses and defenses to fit each opposing
team, and hoping to know which of their players
will best outwit and outplay that night's foe.
The unknown quantity, too is the officiating.
Generally, the referees do an excellent job, though
I make my "previously-professional" comments
as we watch the games. With rare exceptions, last
night being one of them, the announcers usually
support the "men in stripes", but some obvious
missed calls and miscalls brought unusual
criticism from the men behind the microphones.
Hopefully, we'll have none of that for the 65-team
struggle-for-survival and superiority that will
begin soon.
Remember, Ohio State and Wisconsin have been
known to "step up" - but it's unlikely this year.
Oh yes, are any other West Coast teams worthy of
consideration? Who? St. Mary's? What's happened
to the Pac-10? This may be an all-East final four.
Huh.

This week's NFL winners, and the Super Bowl winner

I know, who died and made me the expert on
professional football? Nobody, actually, but I have
a few opinions, as do you, and herewith I offer my
take on the AFC and NFC championships, and who
I believe will "take home all of the marbles".
First of all, let's look at the New York Jets visiting
the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams have had
good seasons, with the Jets seeming to improve
every game. Pundits and other "experts" have
decried the "easing up" of the Colts in their final
two regular-season games, and theses same
analysts feel that it is hurting the Hoosier state
team. I agree.
While the Colts swept through their first 14
games with victory after victory, they are not
as sharp as their owners, coaches, and fans want
them to be. At times Peyton Manning seems to
be bewildered by defenses and consternated by
his receiver's route patterns, or lack thereof.
Rookie quarterback of the Jets, Mark Sanchez,
appears to be "settling in" to his position, and is
playing like a seasoned veteran. The Jets defense
has been rising to the occasion, and appears
primed to carry their squad to the Super Bowl.
Final: Jets 21, Colts 17.
As for the "forever young" Bret Favre (how do you
get "Farve" out of that?), he is "in stride", moving
the Vikings with pinpoint passing precision and
bullet-like passes, reminiscient of the Favre of old.
Overall, the Vikings have a lot of weapons that
have helped them to prevail, but there are chinks
in their armor, and I predict that they will fall just
short of playing in south Florida on Feb. 7th.
What can be said about the New Orleans Saints?
They're "divine"? Their play is "heavenly"? They
are "blessed"? They'll win in a "Brees"?
I think this is the year of the Saints. They need
it, the NFL needs it, and most of all, New Orleans
needs it. Reasons are obvious.
With Reggie Bush showing signs of being
rejuvenated by having found the "fountain of youth",
the Saints will dispatch the Vikings back to the
"hinterland". Sorry, Bret. Score: Saints 35,
Vikes 20.
SO, NOW THE BIG GAME - can you envision the
Jets "handling" or "flying by" the Saints? Me neither.
Methinks that the "Coach Of the Year" award may have
gone to the wrong person, but the really BIG honor
will be won when the Saints send the Jets flying
home, by a 33 to 20 final.
Remember, if I'm proven right, I told you so.
Remember, if I'm proven wrong, as wife Cindy
often says, "....on any given day....". That's my out.

MISSED CALLS/WRONG CALLS AFFECT OUTCOME

Another sports blogger wrote about a couple of
calls in the Cardinal/Packer game on Sunday,
indicating that they could easily have gone the
"other way", or perhaps shouldn't have been made.
My purpose in this writing concerns a "bad" call
and a "missed" call on another play by Arizona,
the one during which they scored their last
offensive TD.
A flag was thrown against a Packer rusher, citing
him for "roughing the passer", when replays showed
clearly that he had no choice, as he was being
blocked into quarterback Warner by one of his
Cardinal teammates. That call should have, out
of fairness, been reviewed by the officials, or at
the least been consulted over in a huddle, and
the flag withdrawn with a "no foul on the play"
explanation. Did you see it?
On that very same play, Larry Fitzgerald, who
I admire for his athletic skills (and who also
JUST happens to be from Pitt!), shoved a Packer
defender to the ground in the end zone, then
proceeded to catch the TD pass. No call!?
I admire Kurt Warner as a player and a person,
both on and off the field. I refereed a basketball
game last March in which Steve Breaston joined
several Steelers in a charity event. (He scored
44 points and led his Steeler team to victory!)
Perhaps the reason that the Packers coach
didn't call for a review is that he didn't have one
left, or he was saving it for another play. Either
way, it should not have gone down the way it did.
Offsetting penalties could have forced Arizona
to replay the down, and perhaps settle for a
field goal instead of the gift of a touchdown.
That may have allowed the Packers on the ensuing
possession to score the go-ahead and winning
touchdown. We'll never know.
WHO WAS I FOR?
I don't mind the Cardinals winning, but they had
a chance last year, losing to the Steelers. I was
rooting for the Packers, though, as I grew up a
Starr/Hornung/Thurston/Magee/Packers fan,
and was wishing Aaron Rogers success in his
first-ever playoff game. Didn't happen. Maybe
it wouldn't have happened, anyway. We'll
never know. Either way, what a game! Both
QB's had tremendous stats, and both teams
"gave it their all"! Talk about emotional!
TO MY POINT. The NFL should consider giving
the coaches an additional one or two "challenge"
opportunities, especially in the waning minutes
of a game with so much at stake. Agree? Thanks.
ANY QUESTION ABOUT THE OFFICIALS?
Is it possible that one or more was biased and
called (or didn't call) based on their favoritism?
We'll never know.
It wouldn't be the first time that professional
referees "slanted" a game in a particular team's
favor. Even players have done so, including
betting for or against teams, even their own
and "shaving points" or "slacking off". Huh?
THE CONCLUSION? THE SOLUTION?
More interaction by the officials on crucial
plays and calls. Special rule allowing coaches
to question the outcome & calls of a play,
particularly in the final minutes when the
game is on the line.
IT COULD BE THE PACKERS PLAYING THIS
SATURDAY AT NEW ORLEANS!
GO CARDINALS.

ODE TO TROY (POLAMALU)

Say what you will about the fabulous on-field
exploits of Ben, Hines, Ryan, and company, the
Pittsburgh Steelers are not the same team as
they were when they won their league-leading
6th Super Bowl. The difference, and I can hear
the pundits now, is Troy Polamalu, period.
Opponents' offenses were more relaxed and more
themselves without Troy on the other side of
the line. And obviously, more successful.
You can say what you want about your "all world"
Ron Woodson, but Troy has another "sense" about
football that elevates him above all other defenders
in the pro game.
Troy's innate ability to predict and read offensive
plays and sets is what sets him apart from his
counterparts. Whether he was "coached" from the
sideline or not, Troy, knowing the down, the yardage
needed to be gained, the talent (or lack of) on the
opposing squad, and the patterned history of the
offense he was against, somehow KNEW where he
was to be almost all the time.
Whether blitzing, staying put to stop a run, or
chasing down would-be receivers, Troy was a
"man amongst men" during game time. It was almost
as if he was from another era or time zone, or planet,
how uncanny his abilities were displayed!
To say that the 2009 version of the Steelers weren't
the same without him is a gross understatement.
His game-changing plays and inspiration to his
teammates was incalculable, unless you consider
the 7 losses and the 5-loss streak that Pittsburgh
suffered while Troy watched helplessly from the
bench.
Steeler fans are praying for Troy's return next
season, which, along with the continued develop-
ment of certain newer players and a smart move
or two in the draft, may once again strike fear
into their foes, and may even make them candi-
dates for a 7th Super Bowl victory!!