Well, yesterday's endings got progressively crazier.
SF Austin had Notre Dame dead to rights with 1:39 to go. Up 5, loose ball, just pick it up and either shoot foul shots or take another 30 seconds off the clock.
Instead, the dude with the beard tried to control it with a dribble.
Folks, that's not how they teach it All-Net Camp! Grab it with TWO HANDS! Had he done so, his subsequent misses: one on a long-range 3 with TEN SECONDS left on the shot clock, the other a wild runner with 12 seconds left in the game wouldn't have mattered.
I know this is a basketball blog, but Jimmy Johnson might be luckier than Texas A&M. Kevin Harvick was ahead by about 2 miles with two laps to go in the Auto Club 400. I think he could've stopped, got out, and pushed the car to the checkers. But, Kyle Busch blew a tire, then sneakily chose to skip the pits and cause a caution. Next thing I know, Jimmy Johnson somehow gains 3 spots during the pit stop and wins a race he had - literally - about .000001 chance of winning with 4 miles to go.
But even those odds looked good compared to Texas A&M's one-in-eleventy-billion chance to come back from 12 down with 40 seconds to play. I don't write well enough to comment on how Northern Iowa must feel about those final 30 seconds of regulation. Or even the final 17 seconds. It's hard to imagine a team losing an NCAA Division 1 tournament game as a result (in part) of two failed attempts to throw the ball off an opponent's legs in the final 30 seconds.
And, finally, Paul Pecor already has 338 points. That would've been good enough for third place in last year's Shamrock, and we're only to the Sweet 16.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Friday, March 18, 2016
Coaches, Moms, and Hot Dogs
My mom loves hot dogs and M&Ms.
What's that got to do with The Shamrock? Let me tell you.
One of the my favorite parts of coaching was the friendships I made with other coaches. And, within those friendships, I always appreciated how well opposing coaches treated my mom. Especially when her devotion to the Rebels made Johnny Most & Tommy Heinsohn seem impartial about the Celtics in comparison.
There was the time she showed up at my Super Bowl party. Paul Pecor introduced himself. She frowned and muttered "i know who are you" as she walked away.
During a game at Essex, I noticed my brother hop up and, with a look of panic on his face, sprint towards the Hornets bench. Not much makes Patrick panic. I looked down and there was my mom, on the bench, giving Jeff Goodrich an earful.
Yet, how did things turn out? Whenever we played Rice or Essex over the final few seasons that I coached, Paul and Jeff would have hot dogs and M&Ms delivered to my mom in the stands.
I know we're only halfway thru the first round. But, mom, if THIS keeps up, let's just say it's a good thing your new condo is so close to both McGillicudy's and the Hornets Nest Pub.
Enjoy Day 2, especially all you Shamrock fans who are at the 20th Annual Keg Day celebration!
What's that got to do with The Shamrock? Let me tell you.
One of the my favorite parts of coaching was the friendships I made with other coaches. And, within those friendships, I always appreciated how well opposing coaches treated my mom. Especially when her devotion to the Rebels made Johnny Most & Tommy Heinsohn seem impartial about the Celtics in comparison.
There was the time she showed up at my Super Bowl party. Paul Pecor introduced himself. She frowned and muttered "i know who are you" as she walked away.
During a game at Essex, I noticed my brother hop up and, with a look of panic on his face, sprint towards the Hornets bench. Not much makes Patrick panic. I looked down and there was my mom, on the bench, giving Jeff Goodrich an earful.
Yet, how did things turn out? Whenever we played Rice or Essex over the final few seasons that I coached, Paul and Jeff would have hot dogs and M&Ms delivered to my mom in the stands.
I know we're only halfway thru the first round. But, mom, if THIS keeps up, let's just say it's a good thing your new condo is so close to both McGillicudy's and the Hornets Nest Pub.
Enjoy Day 2, especially all you Shamrock fans who are at the 20th Annual Keg Day celebration!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
The Picks in Pictures
1 seed
2 seed
3 seed
4 seed
5 seed
6 seed
7 seed
8 seed
9 seed
10 seed
11 seed
12 seed
13 seed
14 seed
15 seed
16 seed
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
21:37:27
I bet there was a night when Larry Bird didn't come out for warm-ups. It was pre-social media, so nobody knew what was up. An uneasy anticipation permeating the Garden.....is Larry sick? Injured? I spent this month's rent and he's not even fucking playing!?!?
The time-stamp says 21:37:27. Did you feel a wrinkle in the force? I bet you did. Because that's when Stan submitted his entry.
Stan who?
How about Stan Williams? Winner of the inaugural Shamrock, the Bird in this Garden. Now you know how those hapless Pistons felt.
I bet the opposing players felt it. Curious at first, but not getting their hopes up. Then, 8 minutes left to tip-ff...6 minutes...2. He's not here! He's not playing! We've got a shot!!!!
Then the roar.....as #33 jogged to the court.
He probably casually drained a single warm-up shot, an imperceptible nod to KC signalling "i'm ready." The moment sapping the opposing team's will, with Bird's toughest task choosing whether to emasculate Isaiah or to play left handed, for the hell of it, and drop 47.
He probably casually drained a single warm-up shot, an imperceptible nod to KC signalling "i'm ready." The moment sapping the opposing team's will, with Bird's toughest task choosing whether to emasculate Isaiah or to play left handed, for the hell of it, and drop 47.
Well folks, something similar happened tonight. And it happened here.
Entries were rolling in. Sure, a lot of them. But you felt good. And why wouldn't you? After all, there was no sign of him.
Still, the tournament doesn't start until the day after tomorrow. So you didn't get your hopes up. But...still...you let it creep into your head....."he's not here. I've got a shot!"
Stan who?
How about Stan Williams? Winner of the inaugural Shamrock, the Bird in this Garden. Now you know how those hapless Pistons felt.
He's here folks. And, like Bird's old running mate Bill Walton, our chances just went up in smoke.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Wow!
Entries are rolling in!
Two father/son combos.
Aunts and uncles. (and not mine!)
Coaches, programmers, PA announcers, restaurant owners, jewelers, salesmen, coders, vintners, and whatever people who work with injection molding are called.
Basketball players from (at least) Essex, South Burlington, Burlington, Rice, and Colchester.
Point guards & power forwards. A bunch of shooters, not many makers.
So far, 65 of the 68 teams have been chosen at least once. The exceptions: a 1 seed, a 3 seed, and a 4 seed.
Get in!
Two father/son combos.
Aunts and uncles. (and not mine!)
Coaches, programmers, PA announcers, restaurant owners, jewelers, salesmen, coders, vintners, and whatever people who work with injection molding are called.
Basketball players from (at least) Essex, South Burlington, Burlington, Rice, and Colchester.
Point guards & power forwards. A bunch of shooters, not many makers.
So far, 65 of the 68 teams have been chosen at least once. The exceptions: a 1 seed, a 3 seed, and a 4 seed.
Get in!
Sunday, March 13, 2016
SHAMROCK16
Welcome to Shamrock16
As a Red Sox fan, I'm leery. Stan Williams won Shamrock14. Gino Riffle took Shamrock15.
CVU soccer & basketball.
Rice hockey.
Must be a Yankee fan will win this year.
An entry form is on the "rules" page. It makes things very easy, for you and for me. If you don't understand the rules, or if you've decided to sneak your way to the title by picking Kansas, UNC, and Virginia, well, please take a look at Stan's winning sheet from 2014. It shows how to pick 1 team from each seed line.
Good luck!
As a Red Sox fan, I'm leery. Stan Williams won Shamrock14. Gino Riffle took Shamrock15.
CVU soccer & basketball.
Rice hockey.
Must be a Yankee fan will win this year.
An entry form is on the "rules" page. It makes things very easy, for you and for me. If you don't understand the rules, or if you've decided to sneak your way to the title by picking Kansas, UNC, and Virginia, well, please take a look at Stan's winning sheet from 2014. It shows how to pick 1 team from each seed line.
Good luck!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Riffle Skates to Shamrock15 Title
A hockey guy clobbered us. Three weeks ago, the idea that a hockey guy would capture the most coveted title in basketball seemed as preposterous as the idea that a team called the Omaha Mavericks would make college hockey's Frozen Four. Turns out, it's not so preposterous.
Congrats to Gino Riffle, winner of The Shamrock15!
In case you haven't heard, Duke won the national championship. I assume this pleased Yankee fans, Canadien fans, and people who rooted for England in the Revolutionary War.
Thank you all for playing. I received $470 in entry fees. Those in the money:
1st: Gino Riffle
2nd: Eric Johnson
3rd: Julie Trono
4th: Evan Chadwick
5th: Derek Trono
6th: Jamie Rubin
7th: Tim Perrin
8th: Tom Lewis
Leader after first weekend: Gino Riffle
Lucky 17th place: Pat Camp
St. Paddy's Prize: (best score by seeds 3,1,7) Matt Villemaire. Matt had Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan State. So did Gino. The first St. Paddy's tiebreaker is "not otherwise in the money."
If you're in the money, send me your address or let me know where I can meet you to pay you.
Congrats to Gino Riffle, winner of The Shamrock15!
In case you haven't heard, Duke won the national championship. I assume this pleased Yankee fans, Canadien fans, and people who rooted for England in the Revolutionary War.
Thank you all for playing. I received $470 in entry fees. Those in the money:
1st: Gino Riffle
2nd: Eric Johnson
3rd: Julie Trono
4th: Evan Chadwick
5th: Derek Trono
6th: Jamie Rubin
7th: Tim Perrin
8th: Tom Lewis
Leader after first weekend: Gino Riffle
Lucky 17th place: Pat Camp
St. Paddy's Prize: (best score by seeds 3,1,7) Matt Villemaire. Matt had Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan State. So did Gino. The first St. Paddy's tiebreaker is "not otherwise in the money."
If you're in the money, send me your address or let me know where I can meet you to pay you.
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