Monday, March 31, 2014

UM's Jordan Morgan: The road to redemption

Imagine being Jordan Morgan. It's 2012 and you're the starting center for the Michigan Wolverines. This season you have talented sophomores in Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr returning, and three talented incoming  freshmen in Nick Stauskus, Glen Robinson III, and Mitch McGary. This is by far the most talent you've ever had around you at Michigan...and things get off to a great start.

Then it happens.

At the start of the 2012-13 NCAA tournament, Morgan was replaced by the highly touted freshman Mitch McGary. To his credit, McGary did not disappoint. In fact, he was down right spectacular in his six tournament games. So much so, most believe that he, and not Trey Burke, would have been the MVP of that tournament had the Wolverines pulled it out. Michigan lost in the title game.

Back to Morgan.

As happy as he may have been for the team, it had to have bothered Morgan to not have been a contributor during that magical tournament run. After all, he was there through coach Beilein's lean years...before the big name recruits started rolling in. So when Morgan said that he would return for his final year of eligibility, folks in Ann Arbor were surprised. Myself included. After all, Morgan had just earned his degree, and seemed to have no shot of reclaiming his old job. Not only was McGary now a pre season All American heading into the 2013-14 campaign, Jon Horford would also steal what little minutes remained at that position. There were absolutely no guarantees for Morgan.

Then it happened.

In a twist of fate, McGary was lost for the season...early in the season. Morgan was thrust back into the lineup, and once again must have felt slighted when the Wolverines' stocked dropped in the eyes of most national pundits as a result.

Morgan went on to have an outstanding season, upping his game in points, rebounds, and assists. He also helped lead Michigan to it's first outright Big Ten Title since...well...since he's been alive.

28 years to be exact.

Morgan also delivered in this year's Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, often making the crucial play late in the game to either earn the win...or save the win. He played with confidence, and a physicality that I've never witnessed from him...and I've literally watched every game that he's played in.

I guess sometimes you have to roll the dice...and bet on yourself. Morgan did, and as a result, he got to walk off the court for the last time from mid court...and not the bench.

Good job by you Mr. Morgan.

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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Don't let Madness "upsets" upset you

The NCAA's Championship Week has been must see TV, delivering several nail biters...and even more upsets. In the last two days alone, 8 of the top 25 (#3 Villanova, #10 Kansas, #11 Syracuse, #13 Cincinnati, #15 North Carolina, #18 Memphis, #19 St. Louis, and #25 SMU) were all bounced out of their conference tournaments by lower seeds. #7 Duke, #8 Michigan, and #24 Ohio State should have all lost yesterday as well, but managed to survive by the skin of their collective teeth.

For the casual fan...with rankings in hand, channel surfing the various games and observing all these upsets...I know it must be maddening.

No pun intended.

After all, your office pool tournament bracket is due by Wednesday...and you had every intention on playing it safe (advancing the higher seeds throughout your tournament bracket...selecting very few upsets along the way). Now you're all confused, and wondering if you should blow up that strategy.....

Don't.

If you are tempted to bounce one of the above mentioned teams out of the first round of this year's national tournament, based on what you saw the last few days, hold your horses. There are factors involved in what you just witnessed.

For one, desperation, and a lack thereof. All of the teams in the top 25 came into their conference tournament knowing they were in the field of 68. Most already knew that a conference tourney championship could not catapult them to a number 1 seed. On the other end, they are facing a team that is either on the bubble...needing a quality win to increase their chances, or a completely desperate team that needs to win the whole thing to make it in.

That in itself can lead to a disparity in effort, leading to some of the upsets you've been witnessing. Most of those ranked teams, right or wrong, are looking forward to Selection Sunday, their destination, and their opening round opponent.

Now...Villanova and Michigan still have everything to play for, so they have no excuse for their performance.

What does all of this mean to your bracket casual fan? It means that, of course, there will be upsets every year, but you should be fine using your "play it safe" strategy. The next time the above mentioned schools suit up, it will be for a shot at a national title...so match ups should trump any thought of that team's conference tournament results.

But don't be so quick to jump to Sunday young grasshopper. Championship week has been outstanding so far, and the dust is starting to settle...leaving us with Big Boy match ups leading into the Selection Show. Do yourself a favor, and check out a game or two.

Oh, and good luck with your bracket!    follow @plcolter



Saturday, March 8, 2014

The NBA has it's own Final Four brewing

March is here ladies and gentlemen! That can only mean one thing for sports fans...the annual bonanza known as March Madness is rapidly approaching. As the NCAA college basketball regular season comes to a close this weekend, casual fans will start to check out the conference tournaments...in hopes of getting a head start on this year's tourney bracket. Which...by the way...I can't wait for.

But in between tournament games, keep an eye on the NBA's Western Conference playoff race...specifically the final four teams looking to grab the last three spots in this year's playoffs.

Golden State (6th), Phoenix (7th), Dallas (8th), and Memphis (9th) are all within three games of each other with approximately 20 games to go. The race for the final two spots in even tighter, with one game separating the Suns, Mavs, and Grizzlies. A quick look at the current standings.

Golden State  39-24
Phoenix          36-25
Dallas              37-26
Memphis        35-26

What's so great about this playoff race, is that all four teams are playing lights out...and show no signs of conceding a thing. In the last week or so...Golden State went into Indiana and won, Phoenix beat OKC, Dallas beat Portland, and Memphis beat the Clippers...all of those teams have all but secured playoff births.

Since Marc Gasol's return in mid January, the Memphis Grizzlies have the second best record in the entire league...and have still been unable to leapfrog the Warriors, Suns, or Mavs. That's how strong the West is...again. Case in point, a good friend of mine sent me a text during the Grizz Bulls game last night...telling me that Memphis (currently 9th at 35-26) would be the 3rd seed in the East. I shook my head...and as a Grizz fan I should move on in a hurry.

So I digress.

With no one giving an inch...head to head match ups coming down the stretch could determine this year's playoff participants. Some notable upcoming games....

March 9th:   Phoenix at Golden State
March 11th: Dallas at Golden State
March 28th  Memphis at Golden State

Two things we should know by the time this playoff race is over.

1.One of the best 16 teams in the league will not be in this year's playoffs.
2. Whoever takes those last three slots would have played their way in...translation..the top 3 seeds in the West are officially on upset alert.

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