Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Giant Has Awoken
Attention, college hoops fans...
http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=930507
FWIW, I predict no fewer than 87 NCAA titles in men's basketball in the next 10 years for UK.
http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=930507
FWIW, I predict no fewer than 87 NCAA titles in men's basketball in the next 10 years for UK.
Now This is Reporting!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Don't worry, I still have a job, the sequel...
Although my company may soon cease to exist, I still have a job. And, the happy news is that my business unit is being acquired by one of the world's largest and most respected professional services firms. This is one of the best possible outcomes for me and many of my colleagues, and I believe it holds nothing but a positive future for those of us who have survived thus far. More to come........
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Surreal...
I cannot begin to describe how surreal it is to listen to the stereo echo of hundreds of phones on speaker in my office, all listening to our CEO describe the breakup and selloff of our company. It's a sound I hope never to hear again.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
It was fun while it lasted...
Well, at least our AU Eagles made it interesting. I really hoped they would hold on, but when Villanova was shooting 2 shots at every foul by the 8 minute mark, I knew it didn't look good.
Thanks, boys, for a wonderful season. It was nice to come home to Washington and watch you in person. 24-8, winners of 19 of 21, Patriot League Champs -- well done.
Thanks, boys, for a wonderful season. It was nice to come home to Washington and watch you in person. 24-8, winners of 19 of 21, Patriot League Champs -- well done.
With 5:05 to play in the game...
60-55, Villanova. C'mon, Eagles, pull it out, pull it out!
In answer to Hov...
Why that bracket in the Big East?
This is why... AU may have what it takes to grind out an old fashioned hairpull vs. a tested Big East squad... but they've never had any reason to find out... (ref. 14 pt. lead having evap'd, with Carr on the Bench at the moment)
But damn, AU will still lose to Villanova less times than SU did this year. Maybe 0 times. Go eagles go... hang in there you short, slow, magnificent bastards!
At the half...
AU 41, Villanova 31. Yeah, baby!
New Presidential Blog
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Return of the Almighty ASM (and its lesser cousin, Efficiency Margin)
I've posted below the ASM for all the brackets. If you don't know what it is, search the blog and there's more explanation. As always, this is not necessarily predictive of first round or even second round match-ups but hopefully will keep alive your final four and elite eight teams so you can rack up the points when they really count.
I've barely looked at the numbers since I unexpectedly had to do them by hand, but a couple quick notes:
I've barely looked at the numbers since I unexpectedly had to do them by hand, but a couple quick notes:
- I always do a bracket based just on the ASM and then one on some guesses on close matchups.
- I think Connecticut has the greatest chance to be upset in the second round of all the #1 seeds, though I probably won't pick that way.
- I may pick Memphis once to go the Final Four and Missouri the other time. Which means UConn will probably go.
- I'll probably pick Kansas over Louisville one time too. Little thing only I would know: in all the years I've been doing this, the region ASM leader with the lowest ASM among all the region leaders (did you follow that) has always seemed not to make it to the Final Four. So there's that.
The Efficiency Margin I've spent less time explaining, but I will say this: of the top 10 major conference teams in efficiency margin (which includes Memphis because they're a major conference team playing in a crap league), historically 6-7 will make the final 8. So it's another way to check against your picks.
Good luck.
Efficiency Margin (Major Conference Games Only)
Teams in italics not major conference but here just to give you an idea that they might be good.
Gonzaga - 29.17
Memphis - 27.10
Xavier - 17.3
Pittsburgh - 15.76
Connecticut - 15.44
Kansas - 15.1
Butler - 14.97
North Carolina - 14.44
BYU - 14.3
Louisville - 14.04
UCLA - 13.82
Michigan State - 13.21
Missouri - 11.65
Oklahoma - 10.85
Utah - 10.79
LSU - 10.66
Washington - 9.65
Duke - 9.57
Villanova - 8.73
West Virginia - 8.57
Wisconsin - 8.38
Syracuse - 8.11
Arizona State - 7.95
Marquette - 7.66
Purdue - 7.16
Gonzaga - 29.17
Memphis - 27.10
Xavier - 17.3
Pittsburgh - 15.76
Connecticut - 15.44
Kansas - 15.1
Butler - 14.97
North Carolina - 14.44
BYU - 14.3
Louisville - 14.04
UCLA - 13.82
Michigan State - 13.21
Missouri - 11.65
Oklahoma - 10.85
Utah - 10.79
LSU - 10.66
Washington - 9.65
Duke - 9.57
Villanova - 8.73
West Virginia - 8.57
Wisconsin - 8.38
Syracuse - 8.11
Arizona State - 7.95
Marquette - 7.66
Purdue - 7.16
ASM - West Region
Memphis (2) - 19.9
Missouri (3) - 17.5
Connecticut (1) - 17.3
BYU (8) - 14.2
Purdue (5) - 13.1
Washington (4) - 13.0
Marquette (6) - 11.7
Utah State (11) - 11.1
California (7) - 9.6
Texas A&M (9) - 8.3
Mississippi State (13) - 7.8
Maryland (10) - 7.5
Cornell (14) - 6.9
Northern Iowa (12) - 5.6
Cal St. Northridge (15) - 3.8
Chattanooga - DO NOT PICK
Missouri (3) - 17.5
Connecticut (1) - 17.3
BYU (8) - 14.2
Purdue (5) - 13.1
Washington (4) - 13.0
Marquette (6) - 11.7
Utah State (11) - 11.1
California (7) - 9.6
Texas A&M (9) - 8.3
Mississippi State (13) - 7.8
Maryland (10) - 7.5
Cornell (14) - 6.9
Northern Iowa (12) - 5.6
Cal St. Northridge (15) - 3.8
Chattanooga - DO NOT PICK
ASM - South Region
North Carolina (1) - 21.8
Gonzaga (4) - 18.1
Oklahoma (2) - 14.8
Clemson (7) - 13.4
Syracuse (3) - 12.5
Arizona State (6) - 12.1
Illinois (5) - 11.2
LSU (8) - 10.9
Butler (9) - 10.2
Temple (11) - 8.1
Michigan (10) 7.7
Stephen F. Austin (14) - 7.2
Akron (13) - 6.0
Western Kentucky (12) - 5.5
Morgan State (15) - 2.4
Radford - DO NOT PICK
Gonzaga (4) - 18.1
Oklahoma (2) - 14.8
Clemson (7) - 13.4
Syracuse (3) - 12.5
Arizona State (6) - 12.1
Illinois (5) - 11.2
LSU (8) - 10.9
Butler (9) - 10.2
Temple (11) - 8.1
Michigan (10) 7.7
Stephen F. Austin (14) - 7.2
Akron (13) - 6.0
Western Kentucky (12) - 5.5
Morgan State (15) - 2.4
Radford - DO NOT PICK
ASM - Midwest Region
Louisville (1) - 16.6
Kansas (3) - 15.1
West Virginia (6) - 14.8
Wake Forest (4) - 13.3
Michigan State (2) - 12.3
Utah (5) - 10.7
North Dakota State (14) - 9.3
USC (10) - 9.2
Siena (9) - 8.9
Ohio State (8) - 8.8
Arizona (12) - 7.5
Dayton (11) - 7.4
Cleveland State (13) - 6.6
Boston College (7) - 6.4
Robert Morris (15) - 4.2
Morehead State - DO NOT PICK
Kansas (3) - 15.1
West Virginia (6) - 14.8
Wake Forest (4) - 13.3
Michigan State (2) - 12.3
Utah (5) - 10.7
North Dakota State (14) - 9.3
USC (10) - 9.2
Siena (9) - 8.9
Ohio State (8) - 8.8
Arizona (12) - 7.5
Dayton (11) - 7.4
Cleveland State (13) - 6.6
Boston College (7) - 6.4
Robert Morris (15) - 4.2
Morehead State - DO NOT PICK
ASM - East Region
Pittsburgh(1) - 17.7
Duke (2) - 16.5
UCLA (6) - 14.6
Villanova (3) - 12.3
Xavier (4) - 12.3
Tennessee (9) - 12.1
Oklahoma State (8) - 11.7
Texas (7) - 10.5
VCU (11) - 9.5
Wisconsin (12) - 8.4
Florida State (5) - 8.3
Minnesota (10) - 8.1
American (14) - 4.7
Portland State (13) - 4.6
Binghamton (15) - 1.9
East Tennessee State (16) - DO NOT PICK
Duke (2) - 16.5
UCLA (6) - 14.6
Villanova (3) - 12.3
Xavier (4) - 12.3
Tennessee (9) - 12.1
Oklahoma State (8) - 11.7
Texas (7) - 10.5
VCU (11) - 9.5
Wisconsin (12) - 8.4
Florida State (5) - 8.3
Minnesota (10) - 8.1
American (14) - 4.7
Portland State (13) - 4.6
Binghamton (15) - 1.9
East Tennessee State (16) - DO NOT PICK
Thursday, March 12, 2009
While we await the ASM, a question for Mr. Close...
...did you (or anyone you know in Illinois or who follows Illini basketball) foresee that Deron Williams would become a bona fide NBA star?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Mackerel Economics
Apparently, mackerel have replaced smokes as the currency of choice in prisons around the country.
When Larry Levine helped prepare divorce papers for a client a few years ago, he got paid in mackerel. Once the case ended, he says, "I had a stack of macks."
Mr. Levine and his client were prisoners in California's Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex. Like other federal inmates around the country, they found a can of mackerel -- the "mack" in prison lingo -- was the standard currency.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
The Beard Prevails...
AU wins in dramatic fashion over Army, 61-60. My recap may be found here. Many thanks to Yellow Fever for accompanying Cherie, the kids, and me to the game. Although, he's a bad influence -- I got way more worked up with him sitting next to me -- I didn't yell at all during the Lafayette game! Audrey picked up on Renkey's propensity for loud, forceful booing at the (many) bad calls inflicted by the referees during the game. After we got home, I said something she didn't like -- she got a stormy look on her face, and said, "Boo, papa."
Friday, March 06, 2009
Beware the power of the beard...
