Tempted

Well, I certainly hope your weekend shaped up nicely. Personally, I beat the golf around way too much in the 98 degree heat (but with the wind chill it felt only 96) and then pulled up carpet and painted.

Playing bad, slow golf and then ripping out dog-pee-stained carpet. Sounds kinda like the second half of the CAA season, which will be fun for nobody except you and me:

Jan. 27: ODU at The Dub–This is a great game for a fan and a book signing. Besides, it will be fun to scoreboard watch VCU at Drexel and Hofstra at Towson. (Remember what I told you about Towson…)

Jan. 29: George Mason at The Dub–Keep in mind the Beach Boys won 69-63 about two weeks before losing in DC 69-62. Both teams finished the season 15-3. Pretty even, no? A three-day book signing, with a–you know–social event smack in the middle of two great basketball games sounds like a plan. Invitations hit the mail in early December. Also, Drexel heads to Boston in what looks like a banana peel game.

Jan. 31: ODU at Drexel–I could be wrong, but methinks the Daskaslasklaskis PAC have a word or two for San Harris. Also, VCU is at Hofstra.

Feb. 3: ODU at Mason–This is the game that turned the tide of two seasons last year. ODU was building momentum after an emotional victory over Drexel, and Mason just plain beat them down. Also, Towson at Drexel.

Feb. 7: The Dub at Delaware–I have no idea why, in late July, I have a feeling about this one. Mason at VCU: Patriots coming off emotional ODU game and VCU resting up after a homer against Georgia State. Also, Drexel at Hofstra.

Feb. 10: Hofstra at Mason–Does this game have a storyline? Welcome to Fairfax, ESPN. And to show the CAA powers have a very good sense of humor, we also get VCU at ODU.

Feb. 14: Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart! I couldn’t think of a better gift than two corner seats at Trask watching VCU at The Dub. Not good? Then how about a pair somewhere at The Ted to see Hofstra at ODU?

Feb. 17: Check back on Feb. 1, but here’s what we’ve got–Home teams are Delaware, Georgia State, Mason, Hofstra, Nor’Easter, VCU. Road games are everybody not listed as a home team.

Feb. 21: Now before we get to these games, let’s stop for a moment and assess the situation. There will be two more conference games after Bracket Busters. We’re going to know who is good and who is not. These last two games will likely be all about seeding. That said, The Dub at Hofstra is a gimme, as is Towson at ODU.

Feb. 24: If you’re out fo the doghouse for taking your girlfriend/wife to a basketball game for Valentine’s Day, check out this game on Seeding Saturday (see, I could work for ESPN. Alliteration isn’t exactly difficult.) Drexel at Towson.

(Today’s Side Note–regarding Valentine’s Day…utilize the long weekend in which a basketball game is merely part of the overall festivities. I suggest UNCW or Nor’Easter. But that’s just me.)

I’m just looking out for you. Generally you have to pay for that kind of advice. Or read Dear Ann.

LATER THIS WEEK: Really, brutally ugly stretches of the season, such as Mason’s first five conference games.

Travelin’ Man

If you’re smart and a CAA hoops fan–and we all know you cannot be one without the other–you’ll spend some time this weekend figuring out your travel plans for the away games of Your Favorite Team. (I take it for granted that you already have home games circled…)

That said, clip and save these dates and games. They will be goodies. You don’t have to be a fan of either team to enjoy them. I suggest getting out and going to a CAA game that you have no real rooting interest. It’s a blast.

Oh, and keep in mind that the dates may change as television rights are constantly being negotiated. Even I don’t wield enough influence over teevee. Yet.

Today, you get the first half of the season. We’ll get into the grind that is called February next week. Have a great weekend!

Dec. TBD–George Mason at Drexel. (Okay, the very first game I list doesn’t have a set date. But it’s the biggie of the December mini-season.)

Jan. 3–Hofstra at The Dub. (Go ring in the new year at the beach. It’s worth it. Trust me.)

Jan. 6–George Mason at ODU. (Catch this one on your way home from the beach. It’s going to be a doozie.)

Jan. 8–ODU at Hofstra. (Jump on the ODU team bus. I’m sure Blaine Taylor won’t mind. BTW–Hofstra hosts Delaware on 1/6–who will be more tired?)

Jan. 8–The Dub at George Mason. (I giggle at the SAT/MON games, their importance, and how closely together they will be played.)

Jan. 10–Hofstra at Drexel. (This was last season’s most interesting game not played in the CAA semis. Remember–HU didn’t score the last three minutes of regulation or the first three minutes of OT, yet came back from six down with less than a minute to win.)

Jan. 10–George Mason at Towson. (This is where eerybody else starts to say “look out for Towson.” It is your job to remember that I told you right now that Towson will win at least 10 conference games.)

Jan. 13–Drexel at ODU.

Jan. 20–Drexel at Delaware. (Well, it’s a rivalry, right?)

Jan. 20–ODU at VCU. (For the first time since the Reagan administration–the first one–this isn’t the CAAs ESPN game. It will still be a battle.)

Jan. 24–Drexel at The Dub. (Just thinking about Bruiser going into Trask gets me pumped.)

Jan. 24–VCU at George Mason. (This is setting up, in July, as a game that may determine pretenders from contenders. I like it to end the first half of teh conference slate.)

A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Two things I hate: gossip, and recruiting. It’s amazing how closely these two aspects of college basketball are linked. But it’s July, so I’ll let you in on some things I know, some things I’ve heard, and some things I think. I’ll let you decide which is which.

Imagine if the Drexel front court (Elegar, Crawford) were to be traded to Hofstra to play with the Pride’s backcourt (Stokes, Agudio, Rivera).

ODUs gentle giant, Sam Harris, is up to 290 pounds (from 260 last season) and working hard in Australia.

Blaine Taylor is looking to Brian Henderson to pick up much of the scoring slack with the departure of Isaiah Hunter, and Arnaud Dahi is “on schedule” in his return from ACL surgery.

Point guard, anyone? In the 2005 CAA tourney, Drew Williamson played 93 minutes with zero turnovers. In the 2006 CAA tournament, Carlos Rivera played 120 minutes with zero turnovers. Use that the next time someone questions CAA guard play.

Eric Davis has hit the weight room, adding to his already-muscular frame. More importantly for VCU, according to head coach Anthony Grant, is that Davis has matured and learned from his wildly inconsistent junior season. Developing consistency is the key for Davis.

How big is the “offseason” in high school basketball? Every coach that wants to keep his job is headed to Las Vegas, where the three big sneaker companies are hosting tournaments. There will be 600 teams playing all over Las Vegas. Let’s do some math: let’s say there’s five kids on each team that a particular school wants to see. That’s 3000 players. Three coaches, in one gym from 9-5 and then another for the evening sessions of games, can see about 20 different teams. That would be 100 kids. Seems to me they should hits the craps table and stay out of the heat.

Mason recruit Louis Birdsong is said to be the second best recruit to come out of the Baltimore area in recent memory. First? Rudy Gay. I love irony.

I still say it’s a crime Loren Stokes wasn’t named CAA POY last season.

When everyone in the free world (well okay, not that wide, but you get the point) is talking up Mason’s Will Thomas as first team All CAA, remember that I told you the same thing last January. And that’s why you read my blog.

Pardon the generalities, but you know my stance on recruiting and talking about recruits: Everyone is talking up that Hassel kid from ODU being redshirted this year. Don’t be surprised if it turns out to be that Neely kid. Look at ODUs current roster: At 6’8”, Hassel can make a difference. As a wing, Neely has about 47 players to fight through for playing time. Now consider that Abdi Lidonde and Brian Henderson, two mainstays in the upcoming year for ODU, were redshirted. I’m not saying, I’m just saying…

Luckily, I don’t have to put in print anywhere my All CAA team. But if I did?

First Team: Loren Stokes, Gary Neal, Antoine Agudio, Drew Williamson, Will Thomas.

Second team: Domonic Mejia, Frank Elegar, Folarin Campbell, TJ Carter, Carlos Rivera.

Third team: Deven Dickerson, Juwann James, Todd Hendley, Bashir Mason, Valdas Vasylius.

Let’s not forget: Jonathan Adams, BA Walker, and Denard Abraham.

Pulling Mussels from a Shell

Finally picking my head up from Tuesday’s Trough-A-Thon, I found one last napkin sitting beside me with these notes scribbled on it. You really don’t need more detail than what I have written below. These are merely conversation starters. If you can comment more deeply than this, I suggest a girlfriend. Or at least a date. And take her someplace nice (e.g., there are no TVs in the place).

Anyway…

1. Camp Crystal Lake: Nick George and JJ Barea with Golden State, Adam Hess with Phoenix, Brett Blizzard with Charlotte, and Alex Loughton with Orlando. Former Hofstra power man Kenny Adeleke (aka Roberto Duran) is playing in Utopia…I mean he’s with the NY Knicks.

2. Georgia State has hired Alex Rodriguez, er Mark Macon, as an assistant coach to replace former VCU Rams gunner Cris Cheeks.

3. Drexel’s Frank Elegar played on the Virgin Islands National team this summer. That kid improved more than anybody else I saw last year. Keep an eye on him. He’s no Tim Duncan (another kid who stupidly left the Caribbean) but he will make Drexel pretty formidable inside.

4. You already knew this, but just in case your head was in Parts Unknown, George Mason got two ESPY nominations: one for best moment and Coach L for best coach. Neither will win, but it’s good for the school, good for the CAA, and good for book sales. Besides, other than Valvano’s speech, is there any reason to watch? (Answer: no.)

5. When is 7-22 deceiving? Last season Georgia State led by five or more points in 20 of its 29 games, led at halftime in 14 of them, and also played 17 of its last 24 games on the road. Sounds like the Panthers need to recruit Dennis Eckersley.

6. Dean Keener is making like Herb Brooks…playing new guys in shifts. At least six new guys to replace three seniors (Belfour, Freeman, Cooper) and three departing players (Barbosa, C. Johnson, and Cathlin). The Dukes will play 2006-07 with no seniors.

(Side Note to the above references: Camp Crystal Lake=from Friday the 13th movies, where everyone dies; Roberto Duran=Hands of Stone; Alex Rodriguez=produces a ton but team never wins; Dennis Eckersley=closer.)

The Star Spangled Banner

Bobby Cremins to CofC after Greggggg Marshall pulls a last minute….uh….Cremins?

You can’t make this stuff up. You really can’t. Irony, meet college basketball coaching.

What’s next, someone finding dirt on Mike Davis or Bob Knight?