Some random thoughts from a sports writer trying to ease his pure hatred for Holy Cross basketball:
The women’s basketball game at Burlington, VT Sunday was the worst refereed game (of any sport) I have ever experienced in my life. Any player even thinking about breaking another’s force field was called for a foul, but that wasn’t what set me off, once the game became rather lopsided in favor of the Catamounts, the refs began giving the Minutewomen possession of the ball when it clearly shouldn’t have been.
For example, UMass’ Cleo Foster throws a pass to the blocks for teammate Caroline Nehls, the ball is tipped by a defender and clearly touched by Nehls (by both hands) before it goes out of bounds. The ref blows the whistle, thinks for a second and gives the ball to Massachusetts. This situation happened at least four times in the final three minutes of action and was just plain awful to watch.
Ty Tryon. Remember the name. This 17-year-old kid dropped a bogey-free 66 in his final round at the qualifying tournament to become the youngest player to earn his tour card. Get ready for the “Did his father force him to play golf?” questions. Get ready for golf’s superstar in 2010.
Why any of the coaches tasting sweet success in the NFL would consider taking the Notre Dame job is beyond me. South Bend doesn’t exactly harbor the same super program it once did. You know, back in the days of Rudy.
Did I mention that I hate Holy Cross basketball?
I don’t care if they have two losses, Colorado is (at least) the second best team in the nation and it is a shame that they are destroyed by the BCS system. Tennessee is definitely solid and its potential matchup against Miami in the Rose Bowl for the National Championship has the makings of an ESPN Instant Classic, but the Buffs can beat anyone right now.
In the last two weeks, the Buffalos have beaten the Nos. 2 and 3 teams in the nation. Nebraska seemed to be on the road to another title game before Gary Barnett’s squad dropped 62 (you read that right) on the Huskers. So what do they do as an encore? Exorcise one of the team’s losses by beating a very good Texas team lead by budding star QB Chris Simms. The only other loss for Colorado this year was an opening day 24-22 letdown against Fresno St. that shouldn’t destroy its entire season.
Nebraska is ranked ahead of Colorado in both the BCS and AP Polls because they have just one loss (to Colorado). But the Huskers have just two wins over ranked teams, while the Buffalos have five. This is why both the BCS and AP ranking systems are so hated. If they figured out a way to have a four or eight-team tournament to decide the championship, Colorado would win.
Is anyone else looking more forward to the movie Ali than Lord of the Rings? Is it just me? I will see both movies on their respective opening days, no doubt, but I guess the sports guy in me sways me more than the sci-fi fan boy (see Arts page).
I figure that watching Ali will further drive home the point that boxing is truly awful nowadays. Just thinking about the supreme lack of interesting, quality fighters there are in the heavyweight division is disturbing. Now Lennox Lewis is suing Mike Tyson in an attempt to keep him from fighting in January before their proposed April bout.
Does anyone really care? At least in professional wrestling they admit that the results are staged. Boxing won’t be interesting again unless Roy Jones Jr., the best boxer in the world, decides to start fighting some of the bigger names instead of simply beating the tar out of guys that no one, even in the boxing world, has heard of. Jones is one of just a few guys in boxing that have a legitimate chance to be true superstars, let’s hope he doesn’t waste it.
Who would have thought the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Minutemen would all be worth following in December? It’s a beautiful thing.
I hate, hate, hate Holy Cross.
Little Pete! In the Five-College Area! Does it get any better than that? I mean, who’s next, Screech from “Saved By the Bell”? Buddy from “Hey Dude”? Can we start a neighborhood watch for this kind of stuff?
I guess we will find out exactly how many people have jumped on the men’s basketball bandwagon at the UConn game next week. Too bad the bigger game is happening three days before it on the other side of the commonwealth.
Felipe Alou would be the perfect addition to the Red Sox clubhouse, especially if it helps get his son Moises to Boston. It would also ensure that firing Joe Kerrigan midseason wouldn’t disrupt the team all that much. Please, someone, make this happen.
The term “rioting” is never, ever synonymous with, “a good thing.” I cannot stress this enough to the Red Sox “fans” on campus. This will be the last mention of the embarrassment in my columns.
The debates that come up when watching “WWF RAW” with fellow Collegian staffers are hilarious. I have never heard the name “Vince Russo” said more in my entire life. Never drank so much orange soda in my life either. Good thing? You decide.
A verbal battle between Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe and Bill Simmons of ESPN.com could really liven up both guys’ writing. Funny, however, that it was the established veteran that picked the fight with the new guy who is working hard to establish himself. It usually works the other way around.
Why is it that two big wins for the Minutemen (Oregon, N.C. State) are buried in the Globe, but when they lose to Holy Cross it is front-page news?
Call me naive, call me crazy, but even after a really disturbing 1-5 start, I still think the Minutewomen are going to give the A-10 a run for its money this year.
Well, at least the air has been cleared on some of these issues bogging the old noggin’ down. I had to empty some of that out before preparing for finals.
