SPORTS OTHER THAN PRO BASKETBALL (AN ONGOING THREAD)

[Sam]

This is the thread on which to post about sports (including college basketball) other than pro basketball.

[MustangGator]

OK, I will bite. How about them San Diego ST. Aztecs. I do not know how many on the board follow college basketball. I follow it sometimes just as much if not more than Pro hoops. One reason for this is because the NBA season is such a Marathon and so many teams make the playoffs anyway. You can have a .500 record and still make the playoffs.

However, in college hoops, every game means so much towards winning your respective conference, making the NCAA Tourney, and seedings in the Tournament.

I grew up as a UCLA Fan. Must be that LA comnnection with me. Look at it this way. The Bruins are the College version of the Russel Celtics. The UCLA Bruins have been struggling the last couple years. I still pull for them.

I have a second favorite team that is the San Diego ST. Aztecs. I became an Aztecs fan because I have lived in San Diego since 1985 and started pulling for the local team. They really sucked back in the 80's and most of the 90's. They even had trouble packing an arean called Peterson Gym back then. I think it only seated about 4,000 at the most. The Aztecs have absolutely no history and have never won an NCAA Tournament Game. Never in 89 years of playing hoops. Until this year, they had never been ranked in any of the top 25 polls. Last year in the tourney they almost beat Tennesee in the first round, but lost.

This year they started the season ranked #25 in the country. They have steadily climbed the polls to where they now sit at #7 in the country. Now theu play in an arena that seats more than 10,000. You cannot even get a ticket to their games now. I have tried.

The Aztecs are a senior laiden team, however, there best player is Kawhi Leonard, a sophmore. He is a legitament NBA prospect and may leave after this year. If that happens, this could be the "one and done" chance for the Aztecs to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Anyone else have a college following?

Go UCLA and Aztecs!

MG

[Sam]

Unfortunately, my undergrad and first graduate experience was at Boston University, which later dropped its football program a few years after producing a great quarterback named Harry Agganis, who was drafted by the Browns but played first base instead for the Red Sox and was hitting .306 as a rookie when he died of pneumonia.

But I later had two undergrad experiences at Boston College, so that come as close to any school as qualifying for me. Flutie was for them what Agganis had been for B.U. B.C. seems to get a bowl bid in most years but never cracks the ranks of the elite teams.

Sam

[NYCelt]

With the Chicago Bears currently beating up on the Seahawks and the Patriots yet to play the Jets I'm ready to make my annual Super Bowl Champion prediction.

Green Bay will win it in a tight one over the Steelers this year.

I have now given the curse to The Pack and secondarily to Pittsburgh. I'm usually about that accurate.

The likely majority of Pats fans here can now rejoice.

[Sam]

If the Patriots are fortunate enough to win it all, it will be one of the most remarkable football stories in years. And great testimonial to taking care of the ball.

Sam

[NYCelt]

With the Chicago Bears currently beating up on the Seahawks and the Patriots yet to play the Jets I'm ready to make my annual Super Bowl Champion prediction.

Green Bay will win it in a tight one over the Steelers this year.

I have now given the curse to The Pack and secondarily to Pittsburgh. I'm usually about that accurate.

The likely majority of Pats fans here can now rejoice.

Oops; sorry Pats fans!

[Sam]

Missed it by that much! Hey, the Jets deserved to win. They had a great game plan and executed it well. I hate to see the Rex Ryan bombast succeed, but it did succeed. Give him credit.

If one can get past the disheartening aspects, it was a pretty good game to watch. Especially the two onside kicks in the last few minutes that had a good-to-excellent chance of working.

Now, if the Patriots had just had Perk in there.......

Sam

[beat]

A teacher tells her class she's a Steelers fan. The class agrees with her except for one little girl. When asked who she likes the girl replied "the Packers", the teacher asked why & the girl said "because my mommy & daddy are fans". The teacher replies "that's no reason to like them, what if your dad was an idiot & your mom was a moron, then what would you be?" The little girl replies "a steelers fan"

beat

[NYCelt]

America's greatest sporting event is Sunday; any picks?

I'll go with Green Bay in a fairly low scoring game.

Two tough defenses will tire by the second half. Offensive line play and protecting the QB in what could become a game of short passing could be the key. It comes down to the most efficient offense and a versatile, mobile QB with the hottest hand; Aaron Rodgers.

Edge to the Pack in what should be a good one.

[Outside]

I'll pick Green Bay also, but in a moderately high scoring game (winner in high 20's, low 30's).

NYCelt, I agree about the O-lines. I think Pittsburgh will be affected significantly with their starting center out, not because of bad snaps but because of pass protection. I think the Packers will benefit greatly by being indoors.

As always, I just hope for a good game. After a streak of awful Super Bowls, we've had some good ones in recent years. Sorry to bring up the Pats' loss to the NY, but that was a really good game and fun to watch. Last year with the Saints and Colts was also.

[NYCelt]

Outside,

Based on my record of picks I just hope I haven't cursed them!

Regards

[NYCelt]

And the Packers do it...

showing that a team loaded with injuries to starters and backups alike can still bring home the hardware.

Any other team in green take note of this?

[steve3344]

Proof that people will bet on anything:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Alvwny4rj57U0dv6OYPqwB05nYcB?slug=ys-cnbcchristinaanthembets020711

[bobc33]

My niece plays for the Salve Regina women's basketball team, and they are going to the Div III NCAA Tournament! One proud Uncle here, and you know I taught her everything she knows!

[beat]

Bob

That could be scary

beat

[Sam]

Please wish her all the best from all of us. And congratulations, Unc.

Sam

[steve3344]

What a shocking and tragic story. HS kid hits the game winner and then dies.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Prep-star-hits-game-winning-shot-for-perfect-sea?urn=highschool-329684

[beat]

Here is a kid to keep an eye on. (no not the one on the right, that's Marcus) but the guy on the left is 6-10 inch (and big 270+ probably) Dejuan Coleman, Junior in HS and plays for the 2 time defending Class B New York State Champion Jamesville Dewitt High School. We went to the sectional finals yesterday and Coleman scored 22 in the rout 10 plus boards( and was 2x2 from 3) He is looking at the following schools Syracuse, Ohio State, North Carolina, Louisville or Kentucky.

Here is his ESPN info
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/66911/dajuan-coleman

Although there are rumors that he is the son of Derrick Coleman, there is no relationship.

beat

[steve3344]

Question: I just had to get a new computer and didn't save some of the web addresses I used to visit. Does anyone know the link to boston.com's sports forums/chat boards? I know that's heresy here but I occasionally like to see what they're saying.

Also I used to enjoy reading the daily Red Sox daily game-on threads at sawxheads.com. The website sawxheads directs you to is http://redsox/trufan.com and it looks just like it used to last season but I can't find the game on threads anywhere on it. Just a bunch of blogs and fan submitted news. Strange.

If anyone can help, thanks.

[Sam]

Steve, try:

http://www.boston.com/community/forums.html?plckForumPage=Forum&plckForumId=Cat%3aSportsForum%3a734e2bc9-e1bc-49d6-8355-64f9a8500246

Sam

[steve3344]

Steve, try:

http://www.boston.com/community/forums.html?plckForumPage=Forum&plckForumId=Cat%3aSportsForum%3a734e2bc9-e1bc-49d6-8355-64f9a8500246

Sam

Thanks. I actually had that one saved. What about the Sawxheads Red Sox daily game thread? It's not anywhere on their website anymore.

[bobc33]

Bruins beat the Candians in 2nd OT of game 5, some of the best goaltending by both goalies I've ever seen.

Bruins lead the series 3 - 2 after losing the first 2 games at home. Playoff hockey at its best.

[Sam]

Bob, I hate to admit I fell asleep at the halfway mark of a zero-zero game. It was about 3:30 here. I surely hope they can close it out at home. This comeback could take a lot of the sting of of last year's collapse.

Sam

[bobc33]

Sam, what fun this is. The Bruins one night, Celtics the next, with the Red Sox on almost every night. Tis a great time of year.

[RosalieTCeltics]

especially when they are all winning!

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