Sometime Sunday afternoon I decided to put what I am learning in school to good use.  As an actuarial science student, I have a very strong background in statistics.  This also includes being able to calculate sample variances and confidence intervals.  I figured I could use this to “predict” the outcome of Monday night’s championship game.

I was first introduced to this concept in one of my statistic classes.  The idea is that you take two teams, find their average points scored per game and the variance of their PPG, and then create two normal curves using PPG as the sample mean and the sample variance as the variance.  When you lay the two curves on top of each other, the area where they overlap is the probability that the team that averages less PPG will score more than their opponent.

So I tried to put this to use.  I found the average points scored for both Duke (77.4) and Butler (68.9).  Then I found the sample variances (178.82 and 79 respectively).  What can be seen from this is the amount of points Duke scores varies more than Butler’s points scored.  So then I created the confidence intervals.  With 99% confidence, I could be certain that Butler would score between 65 and 73 points, and Duke would score between 71 and 83 points.

I then decided to calculate a confidence interval for the difference of the two means.  The 99% confidence interval showed that Duke’s margin of victory would fall between 1 and 15 points (specifically 1.76 and 15.12, but you can’t score a fraction of a point).  The range may seem somewhat large, but that is the result of trying to be as accurate as possible with such a small sample size.  I also decided to see what the total points scored would be.  The confidence interval was (139.65, 153.01).

So let’s see how I did.  Butler scored 59 points.  Not quite in the confidence interval.  Duke scored 61.  Not even close.  Duke won, and by 2 points.  Well, I got those right.  Total points scored was 120.  Also, not even close.  So overall I went 2 for 5.  Pretty good for baseball, but terrible if I were trying to make some money off of this.  I’m definitely going to have to tweek some factors if I want this to work.  Moral of the story: there’s a reason why they play the game.

Here’s your YouTube video:

That’s all for now.  I’m going to try to post a little more often now that the show is all but over, so stay tuned.

-BGram

Illinois Fighting Illini

LAST SEASON: In 2008 Illinois went a disappointing 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten. They finished in a three-way tie for sixth in the conference with Wisconsin and Minnesota. Sitting at 5-4 with a shot at a bowl game, the Illini lost their final three games to Western Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern to fall short of bowl eligibility. This of course came one season after their trip to the 2007 Rose Bowl.

STRENGTHS: The main strength on offense will be the receiving corps, led by arguably the best wide out in the Big Ten, Arrelious Benn. Last season as a sophomore, he racked up 1,055 yards on 65 receptions. He will be joined by Jarred Fayson, a junior transfer from Florida, who sat out last season. Jeff Cumberland, who stands 6’5” and 255 pounds will also make plays on the outside for the Illini and actually had more touchdowns than Benn last season. Also factoring into the receiving game will be tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, who caught 25 passes for 312 yards last season. The strength on the defensive side of the ball will be in the secondary. Cornerback Dere Hicks is a good cover man and has plenty of speed. At the other corner will be last seasons starting strong safety, Trayon Bellamy, or Tavon Wilson. Garrett Edwards should provide a physical presence this season at the strong safety position and Donsay Hardeman, who was the strong safety last year will switch to free safety. All-in-all there is good experience, speed and size in the group.

WEAKNESSES: If the offense has a weakness it is along the left-side of the offensive line where two new starters will have to step up.  At tackle, sophomore Corey Lewis will be taking over the duties and at guard it will be junior Randall Hunt. The line is also a concern on the other side of the ball, as pass rushers need to step up. Sophomore tackle, Corey Liuget has a rare cross of power and speed and coaches have loved his off season. DE Jerry Brown has yet to play to expectations and may miss the season due to academic issues. On the depth chart at defensive end, seniors Antonio James and Doug Pilcher are listed as starters. Tackle Sirod Williams is returning from a knee injury and another tackle Josh Brent missed spring drills because of off-the-field issues.

KEY PLAYERS LOST: The biggest loss, talent wise, is cornerback Vontae Davis, who was made the 25^th pick in the NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. But the bigger loss might be DE Will Davis, who went in the sixth round. Offensive tackle, Xavier Fulton was also lost to the NFL as a fifth round pick.

KEY RETURNEES: Senior quarterback Juice Williams will be the key to the Illinois season. Last year he made great strides, throwing 22 touchdowns, but he still had 16 interceptions. Running backs, Jason Ford and Daniel Dufrene will provide as good one-two punch as both return to the Illini backfield. As mentioned before Benn and Cumberland return at wide out and Hoomanawanui at tight end. Also, guard Jon Asamoah has started 25 consecutive games. The defense will be led by junior linebacker Martez Wilson who will need to step his game up a notch. Matt Eller was coming into his own as the Illinois kicker the second half of last year.

NEWCOMERS: Junior wide receiver Jarred Fayson who transferred in from Florida is expected to make a big difference playing next to Benn. Redshirt freshman LB Justin Staples will look to make an impact for the defense with his 4.5 speed. No true freshman on expected to make of an impact. 

SEASON OUTLOOK: The Illini will be tested from the get-go this season as they take on a rebuilding Missouri team in their first game. After a date with Illinois State and an off week, the Illini will have their three biggest Big Ten tests in three straight weeks, beginning September 26 at Ohio State. The next two weeks, Penn State and Michigan State head to Champaign. Then five straight dates with, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern should get Illinois back on track if they struggle early. Their final two games are non-conference bouts against two bowl teams from last year. The first is at Cincinnati and the season finale is at home against Fresno State. This figures to be one of the tougher schedules in the Big Ten. In the preseason USA Today poll, the coaches ranked the Illini number 35, as they received 38 votes. The media is higher on Illinois ranking them number 27 with 105 votes in the AP poll. In the Rivals.com preseason poll the Illini came in at number 35. With their tough schedule expect anywhere between six and 10 wins depending on which way the season goes.

-Mark-

Wisconsin Badgers

LAST SEASON: In 2008 Wisconsin went 7-6 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten, which left them in a three-way-tie for sixth with Illinois and Minnesota. The Badgers ended the season on a sour note with a 42-13 loss to Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl. In 2006, the first year under Brett Bielema, Wisconsin went 12-1, but saw their record drop to 9-4 in 2007 and then to just seven wins in ’08. They played a school-record six games that were decided by three points or less, collecting a 3-3 record in those games. The major problem for Wisconsin was mistakes and penalties, which cost them some of those close games.

STRENGHTS: Like always, Wisconsin will have one of the biggest lines in the Big Ten, led by junior tackle Gabe Carimi and his 6’ 8”, 313 pound frame. The four other projected starters are all more than 300 pounds as well. The receiving core is another strength on the offense this year. Junior, Isaac Anderson is expected to be the number one option; he caught 21 passes for 286 yards in 2008. David Gilreath and Nick Toon are also expected to be viable options at receiver. True freshman Kraig Appleton is talented enough to play from day one and his 6’ 4” frame will make a huge impact. Also equating into the passing attack will be tight ends Garrett Graham and Lance Kendricks. On the defensive side, the backfield will be a strength because seven players have started at some point in their college career. Cornerback Aaron Henry missed last season with a knee injury but is poised to make a big impact this year. The safety position is stacked with playmakers, including Chris Maragos, Shane Cater, Aubrey Pleasant and Jay Valai.

WEAKNESSES: The quarterback position is where the badgers need improvement. Dustin Sherer started the last seven games for Wisconsin last season, but only threw six touchdowns compared to five interceptions. Redshirt QB Curt Phillips, who possesses good athletic ability, is in an open competition with Sherer in camp to see who will quarterback the Badgers week one. On the defensive side the weakness is at the tackle positions. Seniors Jeff Stehle and Dan Moore are expected to start, but a defensive tackles- by-committee is expected to take place, with senior Dan Cascone and sophomore Patrick Butrym joining the rotation.

KEY PLAYERS LOST: Four Wisconsin players were drafted to the NFL, and oddly enough all four went in the third round. DE Matt Shaughnessy was the first picked at number 71 and his four sacks will be missed. OLB DeAndre Levy, who recorded 84 tackles last season, went at pick 76. OT Kraig Urbik went at 79 and TE Travis Beckum went at 100. Running back P.J. Hill jumped town early, but went undrafted. This means John Clay, who was stealing carries from Hill anyways as a freshman, will be leaned upon heavily in 2009.

KEY RETURNEES: Wisconsin only gets back 10 starters, six on offense and four on defense. The player they will rely most heavily is Clay, and he wasn’t a starter last season. He rushed for 884 yards and nine TD’s as a freshman. Offensive tackle Gabe Carimi is considered a stud up front and will anchor the line, which also returns starter John Moffitt at center. Anderson and Gilreath return at the starting receiver positions, and Graham at one of the tight end positions. On the defense, the four returning starters are O’Brien Schofield at DE, Jaevery McFadden at LB, Niles Brinkley at CB, and Valai at safety. The special teams are solid, with the return of Groza award semi-finalist, kicker, Philip Welch. Punter Brad Nortman also returns coming off a season where he averaged 41.8 yards per punt.

NEWCOMERS: WR Kraig Appleton, from East St. Louis, MO is expected to make a big splash in Madison. Redshirt freshman QB Curt Phillips could win the starting job and be a big play maker with the ball touching his hands every play. Also, freshman RB Montee Ball is loved by the coaches, but might not get too many carries sitting behind Clay, Zach Brown and Erik Smith on the depth chart. DT Jordan Kohout could be the only true freshman on the defensive side to not be red shirted in 2009.

SEASON OUTLOOK: 2009 is a season that could swing either way, from a Big Ten dark horse to a middle of the road team. Most experts expect Wisconsin to have another season like in 2008 and slip into a middle to low bowl game. The schedule looks to shape up fairly well for a good record due in part to the fact the Badgers do not have to play Penn State or Illinois in the Big Ten. Four home games start their schedule off, the first three against non-conference opponents in Northern Illinois, Fresno State and Wofford. The fourth home game is Wisconsin’s Big Ten opener against Michigan State, which will be their first tough test. Their other two toughest Big Ten games will be on back-to-back weeks, first at Ohio State October 10 and then home against Iowa October 17. Their other five Big Ten games include dates at Minnesota, Indiana and Northwestern, and home games against Purdue and Michigan. Wisconsin hits the road for their last regular season game at Hawaii on December 5. Rivals.com ranked Wisconsin number 49 in their preseason top 120 rankings and the Badgers received six votes in the USA Today Top 25 Preseason Poll. Considering their schedule expect Wisconsin to finish with anywhere from six to nine wins, depending on how well whoever wins their quarterback job plays.

-Mark-

Here is the preview for the Iowa Hawkeyes 2009 season. Wisconsin’s preview will be coming soon.

Iowa Hawkeyes

LAST SEASON:  In 2008 Iowa went 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten to finish 20^th in the final rankings of the USA Today and AP polls. The 5-3 record left them in a tie for fourth with Northwestern in the end of the year Big Ten standings; however Iowa was the only Big Ten team to pick up a bowl game victory with their 31-10 defeat of SEC foe South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. Going into 2008, Kirk Ferentz was at a crossroads of his coaching career at Iowa, but Ferentz rallied his program from a 3-3 start to go 6-1 to end the season. The big victory of the season came when the Hawkeyes knocked off a previously unbeaten and third ranked Penn State squad 24-23 on a last second field goal to ruin Penn State’s National Title hopes.

STRENGTHS:  A big strength of the Iowa offense in 2009 will be their wide receivers. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, a junior, who led the team with 44 receptions and 639 yards last season will be the main target. Former quarterback Marvin McNutt will play at wide out this season and his 6’4’’ frame will add to the diversity of the Hawkeyes receiving corps. Colin Sandeman, Trey Stross, Paul Chaney and freshman Keenan Davis will be other weapons that fill out Iowa’s depth at the receiver position. Another strength on the team will be at linebacker because Iowa has all three of their starters returning. Pat Angerer, a senior, led all Hawkeyes players with 107 tackles last season and also notched 6.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions. Fellow senior A.J. Edds, who had 59 tackles also returns, along with junior, Jeremiha Hunter, who had 80 tackles.

WEAKNESSES: On offense the big weakness or question mark is at the center position. Iowa’s coaching staff was hoping Julian Vandervelde, who started at guard last year, would win the center job for 2009. However, he underwent surgery over the summer, which may have ended his chances of switching to center due to the fact he simply hasn’t been able to practice the new position. It looks like the battle will be down to senior Rafael Eubanks, junior Josh Koeppel and freshman James Ferentz. Currently Eubanks is sitting atop the center depth chart. On defense the two tackle positions are of question for Iowa heading into 2009 with the departures of Mitch King and Matt Kroul. Junior Karl Klug is expected to start at one of the tackle positions, but only weighs 258 pounds. He did have 17 tackles, five for loss and two sacks as a reserve last season. Sophomore Mike Daniels is expected to start besides Klug and he had one sack and six tackles as a freshman in 2008. Expect redshirt freshman Steve Bigach to play an important role as a reserve. Iowa needs a kickoff returner to step up this year and currently starting running back Jewel Hampton is leading the depth chart.

KEY PLAYERS LOST:  Running back Shonn Greene left one year early after a standout season where he racked up 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns and won the Doak Walker Award. They will miss his 6.0 yards per carry average. Wide receiver Andy Brodell was second on the team in 2008 with 36 receptions and 533 yards and was also tied for first with four touchdowns. He was also the teams punt returner. Defensive tackle Mitch King will be missed along with fellow DT Matt Kroul. They combined to be one of the top tackle duos in Iowa history and were two of the reasons why the Hawkeyes ranked ninth in run defense in 2008. Starting corner back Bradley Fletcher is gone to the NFL as a third round pick, along with offensive guard Seth Olsen, who went in round four and tight end Brandon Myers, who went in round six.

KEY RETURNEES:  Iowa gets back six starters on offense and eight on defense for the 2009 season. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi went 8-3 as the starter as a sophomore last season and threw for just shy of 2,000 yards. Junior offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga is considered one of the best in the nation at his position. Running back Jewel Hampton showed signs of talent as a true freshman when he was spelling Greene last season. He carried the ball 91 times for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. Tight end Tony Moeaki is a fifth year senior and back in 2005 was considered one of Ferentz’s biggest recruits; however injuries have plagued him throughout his career. Wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos led the team in receptions and yards last season. Junior cornerback Amari Spievey is considered one of the Big Ten’s top corners and was third on the team in tackles last year. He also had four interceptions and brought one back for a touchdown. Senior linebacker Pat Angerer led the team in tackles in 2008. Punter Ryan Donahue is considered to be an All-American candidate and had a 41.6 yard average in 2008.

NEWCOMERS:  Wide receiver Keenan Davis is a 6’3’’ 200 pound recruit and has good speed. Cornerback Micah Hyde has a chance to become a key reserve and redshirt freshman Steve Bigach could make an impact at defensive tackle.           

SEASON OUTLOOK:  Ferentz got a big pay day in the form of a seven-year deal worth $21 million and with the big contract comes big expectations for 2009. Some people are calling Iowa the Big Ten’s sleeper team this year, with an outside chance at the Big Ten title. With no off week and a tuff schedule Iowa will have to play really well in their big games in order to have that shot at the Big Ten’s top spot. All five of Iowa’s road matchups will be tough, as they have a date with in-state rival Iowa State week two. The four Big Ten road games, at Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State will all be challenging too, especially at Ohio State and Penn State, who were picked number one and two respectively in the conference. A home date with the PAC 10’s Arizona Wildcats will also be a challenging home game on week three. Iowa’s other six home games should be winnable, against Northern Iowa, Arkansas State, Michigan, Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota. Rivals.com has Iowa ranked number 18 in the preseason. Look for Iowa to register anywhere from seven to 10 wins in the regular season and grab a spot in a mid to upper bowl.    

-Mark-

Today, news broke about Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz being on the list of 103 names. Earlier this year it was Alex Rodriguez.

I have this simple plea, instead of slowly having names leaked, the whole list should be made public. AND IMMEDIATELY. It is not fair to those who have their names coming out when there are just less than 100 more players who are still hiding in the dark.

I’m beyond the point of being amazed at the newest name to be linked to steroids, I just want to know the whole list. Others are currently pleading for the list to be made public, like Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. 

So where is this list? The MLB says they do not have it. The only people who do have it are the Federal Government and the MLB Players Association according to what I heard on Sportscenter.

The MLBPA wants to keep the names from being public and are outraged that the few names that have been leaked were leaked in the first place. The MLBPA should give in now and just release the whole list, it’s finally time to see EVERYONE on this list.

-Mark-

I’ve seen the Yankees number six prospect, according to Baseball America, in RHP Zach McAllister. I’ve seen the Mets own righthanders  Brad Holt, their number four prospect and  Henrry Mejia their number seven prospect a number of times. None were as impressive as the young man I saw pitch on Wednesday, July 22.

Madison Bumgarner, a 19-year old lefty, the number one prospect in the San Francisco Giants organization and the sixth-best prospect in all of the minor leagues coming into the 2009 season according to MLB.com, is who I am talking about.

Now consider that four of the “prospects” ranked ahead of him have been in the majors already, (David Price, Matt Wieters, Rick Porcello and Cameron Maybin). So I would say that Bumgarner is right on the doorstep, especially if what I saw on Wednesday is what this kid has to offer all-the-time.

In that game, at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton, NY Bumgarner single-handily lead the Connecticut Defenders over the B-Mets.

I’ll start with what his normal job is. And of course that is shutting down the opposing teams bats. He went seven strong innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, no walks and four strikeouts. He lowered his ERA in AA to 1.56 with the outing. The one run came on a solo home run by B-Mets short stop Ruben Tejaja, who is the 16th best prospect in the Mets system according to Baseball America.

That home run put Binghamton ahead, but then comes the part that amazed everyone in attendance that night. The following inning Bumgarner came to the plate with the bases loaded and jacked his first professional home run on an opposite field blast. For the game he went 2-3 with four RBI.

The four RBI’s gave him more runs batted in for the month of July than runs he has allowed in four starts during the month!

This is his second season as a pro, and he is 7-1 in AA with a 1.56 ERA this year. Combined between San Jose (High-A) and Connecticut (AA) this season he is 10-2 with a 1.54 ERA in 93.2 innings. He has only allowed 68 hits in those innings and has 75 strikeouts to 24 walks. 

From what I saw, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain will not be the only two Giants pitchers with minuscule ERA’s in the majors once Bumgarner finally gets his call.

Remember his name, he might not get the call this year, or maybe he will, kind of like David Price did last year when he helped the Tampa Bay Rays all the way to the World Series. The Giants are contending out of nowhere remember.

-Mark-

It was a two-handed jam, the kind that would’ve circulated quickly on YouTube. But Nike officials eliminated that possibility shortly after the dunk happened by allegedly confiscating tapes from various cameramen.

Last night, video of the dunk was released.

Yes, that’s Lebron in the dark jersey being dunked on by Crawford (in the other dark jersey).  Full version can be seen here. (Dunk takes place around 0:35 mark)

Let me take this time to blow off some steam.  First, the video is terrible.  You can barely tell who anyone is.  Am I supposed to just believe that the player getting dunked on is Lebron?  And that the dunker is in fact Crawford?

Second, the guy filming should find a different profession.  He starts out focusing on Lebron but when the dunk takes place he decides to focus on everything to the right of the basket, while all the action is to the left.  If you’re going to film sports, you should try to focus on something (usually where there’s action taking place), whether it’s a certain player or the ball/puck, and stay with that one thing.  This guy does neither.

Third, that’s what all the hype was about?  The only thing that made the dunk special was the fact that Lebron James jumped next to Crawford during the dunk.  Watch the replay.  Crawford comes off a screen and drives the lane.  Lebron steps in to help.  It wasn’t Lebron’s man who dunked.  It was someone else’s.  Lebron was trying to get over to help and didn’t get there in time.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the Lebron Dunk Tape.  Probably the least exciting thing I’ve seen all week.

Closing Words

I’d like to give as much props as possible to Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle for throwing the 18th perfect game in Major League Baseball history today.  But what was more impressive was DeWayne Wise catch with nobody out in the ninth to rob a home run and preserve the no-no.  This may be the catch of the year, not only for the catch itself but the situation as well.  Definitely deserving of this week’s video.

-TBG

The game itself last night felt like a playoff game. There was tension with every pitch and heroic plays made, i.e. Carl Crawford, who won the MVP for his leaping catch that brought back a home run off the bat of Brad Hawpe.

Yes, the American League won for the 12th time in 13 games, oh and the one they didn’t win was a tie, but the game was great. I think it is time that the NFL, NBA and NHL take a look and try to make their All-Star game more meaningful.

Lets start with the NFL. In my opinion this is the hardest one to make mean something. The season is so short that you don’t have the Pro Bowl until after the season, or in the case now, before the Superbowl. I don’t think moving the Pro Bowl up before the Superbowl will have any impact on the game being more exciting or meaning anything.

What I think should be done is play the game after the Superbowl and make it mean something. Since the site for the next Superbowl is already determined well in advance and it isn’t a series where there is home field advantage, what baseball does will not work. So what can the incentive be?

As much as I think, I really can’t come up with anything that is good to make the Pro Bowl mean something. So I guess I will just leave this one alone and say that the NFL creates enough dramatics during every regular season and playoff game to make me happy and satisfied.

Now to the NBA. The solution, copy baseball. You already play your All-Star game mid-season, so why not make the winner get home court advantage in the NBA Finals. It’s an easy solution that has worked for baseball.

If the NBA would make this the case I think the NBA All-Star game would be much more watchable. Right now it doesn’t interest me because it is more like a street ball game where no one plays defense. Making the players play for something will change that and IMO create a great game with playoff atmosphere with the best talent in the world on the court. Why deprave the viewer/fan of this.

Now onto the NHL. Yes you guessed it, my answer is the same as the one for the NBA. Right now the best game that the NHL has going for it, besides playoff games,  is the Winter Classic. (Which by the way I LOVE).

But the NHL All-Star game could also be as dramatic and heart throbbing as the MLB All-Star game was last night if they would put home ice on the line.

It is a simple solution for the NBA and NHL to make their All-Star games mean something and create a better show for the viewer. I have to say I do tune in if I can to the NHL, NBA and NFL All-Star events if I can, but most of the time I can’t and I’m not even that upset about it. However, with the MLB All-Star game, I am upset if I have something that conflicts with watching it. I may even try to get out of whatever that is, that’s how much fun watching that game can be.

The most exciting All-Star event besides MLB’s is hands down NASCAR’s. That is an event that even though there are no points and all that is on the line is a crap load of money, is still always exciting. Of course I am a fan of NASCAR but come on the NBA and NHL can produce better All-Star events than they do or at least ones on par with NASCAR and the MLB. The NFL gets a pass in this discussion because I don’t see a way to make theirs exciting and meaningful without screwing up an already good sport.

The NBA and NHL though, please give me an All-Star event WORTH WATCHING.

-Mark-

The day is upon us.  The one day that American sports fans dread.  The day after the MLB All-Star Game.  The only day on the calendar where none of the four major professional sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) have a game.

If you don’t believe me, just look for yourself.  The only “professional” sport in America playing on July 15th is the WNBA (hence the quotes).  And just for good measure, ESPN’s Wednesday Night lineup includes a replay of Monday’s Home Run Derby (Prince wins) and NFL’s Greatest Games: 1998 NFC Wild Card Game between the Packers and the Niners (Niners win in dramatic fashion).

So, I know most of you are thinking “What the heck am I going to do on Wednesday?”  Well here are some ideas:  Do some work around the house (OK, maybe not).  Spend some time with that special someone (who?).  Paint the town red (not literally,that’s illegal) .  See a movie (the new Harry Potter, if you can get tickets).  Watch scripted television (like Wipeout, So You Think You Can Dance or America’s Got Talent).  Or if you feel really adventurous, get a group of people together and make your own sporting event (Kickball is always fun).  But for heavens sake, do something.

Back to Business

It’s been a long time since I last posted, so let me bring you up to date.  The Mets have brought new meaning to the phrase “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory,” Lance is at it again in France, and we said goodbye to some great pop culture icons.  I’d also like to mention that Diana Taurasi has finally put the WNBA on the map with her recent DUI arrest.  This has got to be the most publicity the league has received since its start.

Now to give someone the business.  This would probably be a good time to voice my opinions on All-Star games in general or weigh in on the home field advantage debate, but I’m not.  Instead I’m going after the Florida Panthers.  Why?  Because of this tweet.  Think about it for a second.  Let’s hire a guy to lower ticket prices.  Emphasis on the word hire.  We are going to pay someone to negotiate lower prices.  And not just anyone.  Super agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents such great athletes, like Terrell Owens.  So even when we save money, we lose it.  It’s genius.  Now granted, the Florida Panthers have the 11th most priciest ticket in the NHL, but c’mon.  Next question.

So there it is, the Flordia Panthers have been given the business.

Here’s this week’s YouTube video:

-TBG

P.S.: It turns out the Panthers were using Rosenhaus for a viral PR campaign.  They also have “reached an agreement.“

Everything ended well in the 2008-2009 season though when the Nittany Lions stormed to the NIT Championship. Will the 2009-2010 season end in the big dance this time? That is the question Penn State basketball fans want to know.

The 2009 non-conference schedule has been released and at first glance it looks stronger than last year. Will it be strong enough in the eyes of the selection committee come March 2010 if the Lions have put themselves in the mix for a spot in the 65 team field?

The schedule kicks off with two home games in the Bryce Jordan Center against Penn on November 13 and Robert Morris the 16th. Penn who is usually an Ivy League power had a down year last season and hurt Penn State’s RPI. At 252 they are the lowest on the Nittany Lions schedule this season which bodes well. Robert Morris went 24-11 and made the NCAA Tournament last year.

From Nov. 19-22 Penn State will travel to Charleston, South Carolina for the Charleston Classic where they will play three games. The eight team field looks much stronger than the Philly Hoops Classic field which Penn State participated in last season. The other seven teams in the field are, Miami, South Carloina, South Florida, Davidson (without Stephen Curry), Tulane, LaSalle and UNC Wilmington. Who Penn State plays first has not been announced yet but there is a good chance it will be either Davidson. Tulane, LaSalle or UNC Wilmington. If Penn State can get by that game they would then get to meet one of the teams from a major conference for a chance to play for the championship.

Penn State then returns home on Nov. 25 to play Sacred Hart. Then they travel to Virginia to take on the Cavaliers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Nov. 30. Penn State won at Georgia Tech last year and will have to pick up this road win to turn heads come selection time.

After that contest they get their last road test before Big Ten play when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Temple Owls on December 5. Temple, who made the tournament last year, defeated the Nittany Lions in the BJC so Penn State will look to return the favor this time around in the Liacouras Center.

Penn State will close out their non-conference schedule by playing four straight at home. First America East foe Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) will come to Happy Valley on Dec. 8. Then comes the big test for the Nittany Lions  when Virginia Tech comes to town for the second time in three seasons. The game is set for Dec. 12 and will be a marquee game for fans to come out to in the non-conference schedule, a thing Penn State lacked last year. Penn State finishes off against two respectable teams in Gardner Webb and American on Dec. 19th and 21st respectively.

Penn State’s nine guaranteed non-conference opponents bring an average RPI of 134, based on RPIs at the end of the 2008-2009 season. That is better than 80 RPI points lower than the average of last seasons 13 non-conference opponents entering that season.

Penn State will play at least two power conference teams, both from the ACC in Virginia and Virginia Tech. They most likely will play at least one or maybe even two more if they can meet one or two of the Big East’s South Florida, the SEC’s South Carolina, or the ACC’s Miami in the Charleston Classic. Last year Penn State only played one game against a big conference foe, at Georgia Tech.  

Will it be enough to put Penn State in the tournament? Chances are if Penn State can take care of business and have a good Big Ten record again they have a heck of a lot better chance to make it than last year. Penn State fans should be smiling.

My prediction for an out of conference record is 11-1 with the only loss coming in the Charleston Classic championship game. Now based on injuries or what not I could see Penn State losing more than just one game, possibly as many as five (two in the Charleston Classic, at Virgina, at Temple and home against Virginia Tech). But I can also see them running the table and going 12-0. Only time will tell.

-Mark-