Daddy's Sugar Ball
Today in Central PA Sports History - 1954
Welcome to a new feature here at DSB...we can't promise we'll have one of these every day, but we hope when we do post them that you'll find them informative and fun.
March 13, 1954
On this date 56 years ago, the Penn State men's basketball team beat Notre Dame, 71-63, to advance to their first and only Final Four in school history. The Nittany Lions would lose to the eventual champions, the LaSalle Explorers, in the national semifinal less than one week later.
In his last season as coach, Elmer Gross guided All-American Jesse Arnelle (pictured) and the rest of the Nittany Lions to an opening game victory over Toledo, an upset of eighth-ranked LSU, and ended Notre Dame's 18-game winning streak to advance to basketball's final weekend in Kansas City.
For his efforts in the tournament, Arnelle was named the East Regional MVP and was also named to the 1954 NCAA All-Tournament team. The 6'5" center finished his career at Penn State as the Lions' all-time leading scorer and rebounder and is the school's only basketball All-American.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
March 13, 1954
On this date 56 years ago, the Penn State men's basketball team beat Notre Dame, 71-63, to advance to their first and only Final Four in school history. The Nittany Lions would lose to the eventual champions, the LaSalle Explorers, in the national semifinal less than one week later.In his last season as coach, Elmer Gross guided All-American Jesse Arnelle (pictured) and the rest of the Nittany Lions to an opening game victory over Toledo, an upset of eighth-ranked LSU, and ended Notre Dame's 18-game winning streak to advance to basketball's final weekend in Kansas City.
For his efforts in the tournament, Arnelle was named the East Regional MVP and was also named to the 1954 NCAA All-Tournament team. The 6'5" center finished his career at Penn State as the Lions' all-time leading scorer and rebounder and is the school's only basketball All-American.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Random Thoughts from the Southern Outpost - 2010 ACC Tournament, Day 1
Imagine if Larry King's meandering (and now defunct) USA Today column was raped by Andy Rooney's idiosyncratic airtime on 60 Minutes while Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback was being read softly in the background...that pretty much sums up the style of my Random Thoughts posts.
• Hey, Harrisburg Airport, just because you have two flights a day to Toronto does not make you an international airport. Oh, I get how geographically it does...but you're no more international than I am while I am sitting here at 2am drinking Modelo Especial out of a can.
• My flight out of Harrisburg was so freakin' early (even foursquare thought I was up late on a school night, instead of early) that the pilot had to do a series of tests on the aircraft before we took off. This amounted to something that felt like he was just revving the engine (ZJ could explain the specifics and need for this). But what it did do is caused such vibrations (not quite to Michael J.Fox levels) that I could feel the sensation somewhere around my taint and creeping up through my ballsack. Getting a chubby at 5am due to plane maintenance is something I never experienced before.
• Have you ever been watching a movie or TV show and a character's cell phone has the exact same ringtone as yours and you keep checking your phone every time you hear the sound? Down here in Greensboro, I never have to worry about that...I can't tell how everyone else around here does it though because every cellphone ring is a twangy country song and it all sounds the same to me.
• During a break in the action, the Greensboro Coliseum started to pimp their upcoming shows. Here are some of the more unusual ones: The “World Famous” Lipizzaner Stallions, Dixie's Tupperware Party presented as part of the Best of Broadway Series, and the North Carolina Rabbit Breeders Association Convention. The next time you think there's nothing to do in the midstate area, just remember that it could be worse...much worse.
• Here's another ad shown in the arena during the games. Clearly part of Toyota's new truth in advertising campaign.
...because the brakes don't work
• Yesterday's final game of the day pitted N.C. State against the Clemson Tigers. If you reread last year's Random Thoughts from the Southern Outpost, you'll see my utter disdain for N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe and the fact that I believe he's the worst basketball coach in D1. But last night Lowe actually outcoached Clemson's Oliver Purnell in a Death Cage match of Idiots. At times it looked like Lowe was alerted by the patrons at a Buffalo Wild Wings to send the game into overtime (more on this later), but it didn't matter because I'm pretty sure Purnell was asleep until there was 2 1/2 minutes left in the game.
• Speaking of alerts from Buffalo Wild Wings, the refereeing in the State/Clemson game was atrocious to the point that I thought the fix was in. If it wasn't for the zebras, the Wolfpack would have beat Clemson by double digits. Late in the game there was a flagrant foul called on State's Farnold Degand that was possibly one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I really don't believe there was a Donaghy-like situation, but it is just a painful reminder that the officiating seems to be getting worse each and every year.
• Here's a picture from our seats of the Clemson Cheer Team made up of cheerleaders and dance squad. First and foremost, do we really need both?!?!?! Secondly, look more closely at the cheerleaders in front...they're not even allowed pompoms. That's just sad and pathetic.
• If it wasn't for Georgia Tech mounting a comeback against North Carolina, all 4 lower seeds would have won the first-round games. And while the Big East's conference strength is proven by the numerous upsets in their tournament, here it is a product of some bad basketball being played. And there was plenty of that on display here yesterday.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
• Hey, Harrisburg Airport, just because you have two flights a day to Toronto does not make you an international airport. Oh, I get how geographically it does...but you're no more international than I am while I am sitting here at 2am drinking Modelo Especial out of a can.
• My flight out of Harrisburg was so freakin' early (even foursquare thought I was up late on a school night, instead of early) that the pilot had to do a series of tests on the aircraft before we took off. This amounted to something that felt like he was just revving the engine (ZJ could explain the specifics and need for this). But what it did do is caused such vibrations (not quite to Michael J.Fox levels) that I could feel the sensation somewhere around my taint and creeping up through my ballsack. Getting a chubby at 5am due to plane maintenance is something I never experienced before.
• Have you ever been watching a movie or TV show and a character's cell phone has the exact same ringtone as yours and you keep checking your phone every time you hear the sound? Down here in Greensboro, I never have to worry about that...I can't tell how everyone else around here does it though because every cellphone ring is a twangy country song and it all sounds the same to me.
• During a break in the action, the Greensboro Coliseum started to pimp their upcoming shows. Here are some of the more unusual ones: The “World Famous” Lipizzaner Stallions, Dixie's Tupperware Party presented as part of the Best of Broadway Series, and the North Carolina Rabbit Breeders Association Convention. The next time you think there's nothing to do in the midstate area, just remember that it could be worse...much worse.
• Here's another ad shown in the arena during the games. Clearly part of Toyota's new truth in advertising campaign.
...because the brakes don't work
• Yesterday's final game of the day pitted N.C. State against the Clemson Tigers. If you reread last year's Random Thoughts from the Southern Outpost, you'll see my utter disdain for N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe and the fact that I believe he's the worst basketball coach in D1. But last night Lowe actually outcoached Clemson's Oliver Purnell in a Death Cage match of Idiots. At times it looked like Lowe was alerted by the patrons at a Buffalo Wild Wings to send the game into overtime (more on this later), but it didn't matter because I'm pretty sure Purnell was asleep until there was 2 1/2 minutes left in the game.
• Speaking of alerts from Buffalo Wild Wings, the refereeing in the State/Clemson game was atrocious to the point that I thought the fix was in. If it wasn't for the zebras, the Wolfpack would have beat Clemson by double digits. Late in the game there was a flagrant foul called on State's Farnold Degand that was possibly one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I really don't believe there was a Donaghy-like situation, but it is just a painful reminder that the officiating seems to be getting worse each and every year.
• Here's a picture from our seats of the Clemson Cheer Team made up of cheerleaders and dance squad. First and foremost, do we really need both?!?!?! Secondly, look more closely at the cheerleaders in front...they're not even allowed pompoms. That's just sad and pathetic.
• If it wasn't for Georgia Tech mounting a comeback against North Carolina, all 4 lower seeds would have won the first-round games. And while the Big East's conference strength is proven by the numerous upsets in their tournament, here it is a product of some bad basketball being played. And there was plenty of that on display here yesterday.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
The Jerk Store
Welcome back to The Jerk Store. This time we welcome ESPN's Bill Simmons aka The Sports Guy...
Bill Simmons has had this coming for a long time. Deadspin’s comments section and KSK love to poke fun at him. Blogs everywhere love to point out when he is wrong or pounce on his Boston bias. He has become an easy target. It is fun to bring down the top dog. Simmons jumped the shark for me at least a year ago. Replaced by people that were actually fun and did not spend time trying to dream up inane sports and movie comparisons (That Celtics-Lakers game is just like the Boof and Scott Teen Wolf made out in the closet because…) Let me be clear; this is not about bringing down the most widely read sports “blogger” on the Internet or about going after ESPN as I have done in the past.
This is about giving Bill Simmons a label… Jerk. Frankly, there are three incidents over the course of the past month that have forced me to welcome Simmons to The Jerk Store.
Exhibit #1: Bill Simmons’ February 5, 2010 Mailbag
Q: Is there anything more ludicrous than shared e-mail accounts for married couples? What are these morons thinking? What possible good could come from this? The only thing more ludicrous is Brad Childress getting extended midseason.
--Marty, Minneapolis
SG: For the record, I got that e-mail two months ago (well before the 12 Men In the Huddle Game). See, I'm all for the shared e-mail account for married couples. It's an uncomplicated way of announcing to your friends, "We tell each other everything, so if you confide in one of us, just know you're confiding in both of us," and if you want to dig deeper, there's a little "I caught him cheating on me and/or found hundreds of hours of Internet porn on his computer, so the only way I'm allowing him to even use e-mail anymore is if we share an account from now on." Or as it came to be known in 2010, the Elin Nordegren Woods.
How Simmons can justify telling other men to share email accounts is stupefying. God forbid if anyone’s wives were to actually read Simmons’ column. This is the most colossally stupid piece of advice that Simmons has ever provided to a reader. I believe this is grounds for his man card to be revoked. Please, I beg of you our loyal DSB followers, never seek advice from the Sports Guy. It has been brought to my attention that this might all be a joke but I doubt it. He plainly states his position in the second sentence of his response. This is completely unacceptable. I do not have time to explain to you all the ways that this is horrible, horrible advice.
Exhibit #2: Bill Simmons’ ongoing feud with Keith Olbermann
Simmons during a February ESPN.com online chat said some really stupid things about Tiger’s return to golf and the need for a career comeback. Simmons stated that not only would Tiger’s return be more difficult than the Ali exile during Vietnam and return to boxing but that “[During his comeback] Everyone was rooting for Ali.” Also the Sports Guy glosses over that whole racism and religious persecution thing for Ali. It was all very smoothly done and then he went and as Deadspin said “Doubled Down on The Stupid” via a nearly 3,600 word column where he defended his prior retardary of comparing Tiger’s need to bang pornstars to Ali skipping on an unpopular war based on religious fundamentals. The Simmons pile on was underway and none other than ESPN abortion Keith Olbermann (who I freaking hate with every fiber of my being) came out and made a reasonable and accurate retort to Simmons stupid and offensive comparison. I had to actually agree with something Olbermann said. I was nearly beside myself. I felt like my hair was on fire. I showered but I still could not get the dirt from this experience off. My soul is damaged.
Exhibit #3: Bill Simmons’ Twitter Account:
During the Oscars Simmons was providing a running commentary on the awards show and the selections by the academy. Simmons even listed Jeff Bridges top five roles. Guess which one did not make the list; Bridge’s career defining role as The Dude in The Big Lebowski. This had me believing that either Simmons was baiting his twitter followers or he was trying to be funny by leaving off The Dude. No instead moments later to what I am sure what a flood of tweets attacking his obvious omission, SportsGuy33 responded “Never saw Big Lebowski if only b/c it's driven readers crazy since 1998.” Wait what? Simmons who defines his writing style based on the every man perspective and pop culture references has not seen The Big Lebowski? Worse he is actively choosing not to watch it? There are no words.
Verdict: Jerk Store
Thanks for coming and suckling on Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat
Bill Simmons has had this coming for a long time. Deadspin’s comments section and KSK love to poke fun at him. Blogs everywhere love to point out when he is wrong or pounce on his Boston bias. He has become an easy target. It is fun to bring down the top dog. Simmons jumped the shark for me at least a year ago. Replaced by people that were actually fun and did not spend time trying to dream up inane sports and movie comparisons (That Celtics-Lakers game is just like the Boof and Scott Teen Wolf made out in the closet because…) Let me be clear; this is not about bringing down the most widely read sports “blogger” on the Internet or about going after ESPN as I have done in the past.
This is about giving Bill Simmons a label… Jerk. Frankly, there are three incidents over the course of the past month that have forced me to welcome Simmons to The Jerk Store.
Exhibit #1: Bill Simmons’ February 5, 2010 Mailbag
Q: Is there anything more ludicrous than shared e-mail accounts for married couples? What are these morons thinking? What possible good could come from this? The only thing more ludicrous is Brad Childress getting extended midseason.
--Marty, Minneapolis
SG: For the record, I got that e-mail two months ago (well before the 12 Men In the Huddle Game). See, I'm all for the shared e-mail account for married couples. It's an uncomplicated way of announcing to your friends, "We tell each other everything, so if you confide in one of us, just know you're confiding in both of us," and if you want to dig deeper, there's a little "I caught him cheating on me and/or found hundreds of hours of Internet porn on his computer, so the only way I'm allowing him to even use e-mail anymore is if we share an account from now on." Or as it came to be known in 2010, the Elin Nordegren Woods.
How Simmons can justify telling other men to share email accounts is stupefying. God forbid if anyone’s wives were to actually read Simmons’ column. This is the most colossally stupid piece of advice that Simmons has ever provided to a reader. I believe this is grounds for his man card to be revoked. Please, I beg of you our loyal DSB followers, never seek advice from the Sports Guy. It has been brought to my attention that this might all be a joke but I doubt it. He plainly states his position in the second sentence of his response. This is completely unacceptable. I do not have time to explain to you all the ways that this is horrible, horrible advice.
Exhibit #2: Bill Simmons’ ongoing feud with Keith Olbermann
Simmons during a February ESPN.com online chat said some really stupid things about Tiger’s return to golf and the need for a career comeback. Simmons stated that not only would Tiger’s return be more difficult than the Ali exile during Vietnam and return to boxing but that “[During his comeback] Everyone was rooting for Ali.” Also the Sports Guy glosses over that whole racism and religious persecution thing for Ali. It was all very smoothly done and then he went and as Deadspin said “Doubled Down on The Stupid” via a nearly 3,600 word column where he defended his prior retardary of comparing Tiger’s need to bang pornstars to Ali skipping on an unpopular war based on religious fundamentals. The Simmons pile on was underway and none other than ESPN abortion Keith Olbermann (who I freaking hate with every fiber of my being) came out and made a reasonable and accurate retort to Simmons stupid and offensive comparison. I had to actually agree with something Olbermann said. I was nearly beside myself. I felt like my hair was on fire. I showered but I still could not get the dirt from this experience off. My soul is damaged.
Exhibit #3: Bill Simmons’ Twitter Account:
During the Oscars Simmons was providing a running commentary on the awards show and the selections by the academy. Simmons even listed Jeff Bridges top five roles. Guess which one did not make the list; Bridge’s career defining role as The Dude in The Big Lebowski. This had me believing that either Simmons was baiting his twitter followers or he was trying to be funny by leaving off The Dude. No instead moments later to what I am sure what a flood of tweets attacking his obvious omission, SportsGuy33 responded “Never saw Big Lebowski if only b/c it's driven readers crazy since 1998.” Wait what? Simmons who defines his writing style based on the every man perspective and pop culture references has not seen The Big Lebowski? Worse he is actively choosing not to watch it? There are no words.
Verdict: Jerk Store
Thanks for coming and suckling on Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat
The Snooze Button: 3/11
Every morning, DSB will give you a post entitled The Snooze Button. Some sites will give you a Wake-Up Call or The Morning Meat...instead we give you just enough to occupy the first 9 minutes of your day.
Site News
By the time you're reading this, I'll either be 40,000 feet in the air or I'll already have touched down in Greensboro, North Carolina. That's right...welcome to the 2nd Annual DSB Field Trip to the ACC Tournament. While I'm away, I'll do the usual Random Thoughts from the Southern Outpost. Otherwise, Bearcat will be here to guide you through the rest of the week...God help us all.
Link o' the Day
What's the craziest thing you've done while driving? Men...have you broke out the electric shaver on your morning commute? Women...have you applied your makeup in the rearview mirror? Or have you been on the giving or receiving end of road head? Whatever you've done, it can't even compare to this.
Pic o' the Day
via Warming Glow
Song to Wake Up to:
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Site News
By the time you're reading this, I'll either be 40,000 feet in the air or I'll already have touched down in Greensboro, North Carolina. That's right...welcome to the 2nd Annual DSB Field Trip to the ACC Tournament. While I'm away, I'll do the usual Random Thoughts from the Southern Outpost. Otherwise, Bearcat will be here to guide you through the rest of the week...God help us all.
Link o' the Day
What's the craziest thing you've done while driving? Men...have you broke out the electric shaver on your morning commute? Women...have you applied your makeup in the rearview mirror? Or have you been on the giving or receiving end of road head? Whatever you've done, it can't even compare to this.
Pic o' the Day
via Warming Glow
Song to Wake Up to:
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Entertainment News The DSB Way…
You’re So Vain…You Probably Think This Commercial Is About You:
Lindsay Lohan is suing E*Trade because of emotional distress and harm caused by the E*Trade Super Bowl commercial featuring a "milkaholic" baby named Lindsay. Lohan is suing for 100 million dollars (that’s Dr. Evil-type money). Dina Lohan (Momma Lohan) said shortly after the advertisement aired that Lindsay called sobbing and saying "Mommy, help me. This is wrong. How can they do this?" Lindsay is reportedly extremely upset and disturbed by the commercial. DSB after reaching out to legal experts regarding the damages has determined that 100 million dollars was requested since that's the cost of her lifetime coke habit...adjusted for inflation, of course.
Least Surprising News of the Day:
Eighties teen heartthrob Corey Haim was found dead in his Oakwood, California apartment this morning. Haim appears to have died of a drug overdose. DSB reached out to Corey Feldman, who will always be connected to Haim like no other, for a statement. Feldman, who was obviously shocked by the news stated: "Looks like this is the end of Haim and I using the line "Are you bi-Corey-ous?" to pick up women…"
More Least Surprising News of the Day:
\
Sean Hayes, who is best known for playing the flamboyant and obviously out of the closet Jack McFarland on the hit TV series Will & Grace, finally came out of the closet himself in the out-coming issue of The Advocate. DSB reached out to Hayes’ publicist for additional comment on why it took so long for him to tell us what we already knew. Hayes responded that, "As a method actor, being Jack was just too gay. It took years for me to get back to a reasonable level of homosexuality. I have spent the past few years drinking Old Milwaukee, eating rare steak and reading Playboy. Only now am I am able to tolerate myself."
Breast is Best:
Andy Richter sat in for Regis Philbin on yesterday’s Live! With Regis and Kelly and joked about taking the fill-in gig because he "has children and needs the work." Ripa asked Richter if he harbors ill feelings towards Leno and NBC to which Andy responded, "Yes. Yes I do." BREAKING NEWS: Andy too is pissed at NBC!!! Richter and Ripa then quickly moved on to discuss the day’s news and sampled some cheese made from the breast milk of a NYC chef's wife. I am not making this up.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Bearcat
The Snooze Button: 3/10
Every morning, DSB will give you a post entitled The Snooze Button. Some sites will give you a Wake-Up Call or The Morning Meat...instead we give you just enough to occupy the first 9 minutes of your day.
Link o' the Day
Is it me or is JetBlue's customer service getting a little touchy-feely these days? (from The Daily Bunch)
Pic o' the Day
Here's Cookie!!!!
Yesterday's Winner: Michael Vick
On the day the Philadelphia Eagles picked up his option qualifying him for a $1.5M roster bonus, Vick was one of 32 NFL players to receive the Ed Block Courage Award. "I'm very humbled to be here," Vick said before the award ceremony. "I'm blessed to be voted by my peers, to be here, and this is an opportunity that I will take advantage of and cherish forever...The Eagles picking up the roster bonus, it's a blessing for me, a blessing for my family."
Yesterday's Loser: Joe Nathan
Yesterday the Minnesota Twins announced that tests performed on Nathan's right elbow revealed a significant tear in the ulnar collateral ligament. After consulting with Dr. James Andrews on a second opinion, a decision will be made regarding Tommy John surgery which takes 12 to 18 months to recover from. Over the last six seasons, Nathan has the most saves in the major leagues (246).
Song to Wake Up to:
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Link o' the Day
Is it me or is JetBlue's customer service getting a little touchy-feely these days? (from The Daily Bunch)
Pic o' the Day
Yesterday's Winner: Michael Vick
Yesterday's Loser: Joe Nathan
Yesterday the Minnesota Twins announced that tests performed on Nathan's right elbow revealed a significant tear in the ulnar collateral ligament. After consulting with Dr. James Andrews on a second opinion, a decision will be made regarding Tommy John surgery which takes 12 to 18 months to recover from. Over the last six seasons, Nathan has the most saves in the major leagues (246).
Song to Wake Up to:
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
The Big East's Top 10 All-Time Players
So last night, blogger Dan Shanoff caught the SNY show, Beasts of the Big East: Top 10 All-Time Players, celebrating 30 years of the Big East's existence. That got Dan thinking...so in this morning's edition of the Wake-Up Call on The Sporting Blog he threw out his top 10 players in Big East history.
All due respect to Mr. Shanoff who is a respected writer and maybe even a nicer person (a mensch if you will), but he has some glaring omissions, questionable inclusions, and distorted rankings. Shanoff is well-known for being quick to superlatives and to crown the latest to be the greatest, but I really don't mean to make this a rant against him. I understand that the purpose of any list like this is meant to discuss and argue those on it and is inherently debatable. I also understand that this is but a small section of his otherwise large WUC (done daily), so I doubt he put hours and hours of research into his categorization. And in all fairness, I can't find the original list featured on the SNY program to balance and contrast his rankings against.
Below I have laid out a couple of comparisons between two players who played similar positions. In each case, one of the players is on Shanoff's list and the other isn't. Who would you rather name to the all-time top 10 players in Big East history?
Player A: 1 season, 22.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.6 spg, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1 National Championship
Player B: 3 seasons, 21.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 2x Big East POY
In this first comparison, I'll concede that the numbers are pretty similar. The only differences seem to be Player B's career of three solid seasons compared to Player A's stunning run in the NCAA Tournament on the national stage. What if I told you that Player A didn't even win Big East POY in his only season playing? I'm open to discussion whether Troy Murphy (Player B) or Carmelo Anthony (Player A) had a better Big East career, but at the very least Melo should not be anywhere close to #2 on this list.
Player A: 19.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, Big East POY
Player B: 19.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2x Big East POY, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1 National Championship
Player A and Player B both played three season and have virtually identical statistics. Shouldn't one more Big East POY and a National Championship MOP be the tiebreaker? I'm not sure who Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun would choose, but I'm going with Rip Hamilton (Player B) over Ray Allen (Player A) any day.
Player A: 10.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 4.5 apg
Player B: 21.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2,632 career points (1st in Big East history), 2x Big East POY
Here is clearly the most egregious slight and inclusion in the list. How can Player A possibly be considered for this list? What if I told you that he didn't have the benefit of the three-point line (which he would have taken advantage of)? Would it matter that he didn't play that much as an underclassman? How about averaging over 20 ppg while carrying his team to a Final Four appearance in his senior season? Yeah...all of that still doesn't matter to me either. How Billy Donovan (Player A) makes Shanoff's list and Troy Bell (Player B) doesn't is beyond me. I didn't realize that Shanoff's love for Tebow and all things Florida also wrote revisionist history for Donovan's playing career at Providence.
I'll end this post with my list so I can give everyone the same benefit of picking my rankings to shreds. Feel free to rip me in the comments...
1. Patrick Ewing
2. Chris Mullin
3. Derrick Coleman
4. Allen Iverson
5. Alonzo Mourning
6. Rip Hamilton
7. Troy Bell
8. Pearl Washington
9. Troy Murphy
10. Sherman Douglas
11. Carmelo Anthony
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Nostalgia: I was watching a show last night about the Top 10 players in Big East history, and it got me thinking who would make my list: (1) Ewing, (2) Carmelo, (3) Mullin, (4) Pearl, (5) Coleman, (6) Iverson, (7) Mourning, (8) Donovan, (9) Douglas, (10) Allen. Apologies to all snubees.
All due respect to Mr. Shanoff who is a respected writer and maybe even a nicer person (a mensch if you will), but he has some glaring omissions, questionable inclusions, and distorted rankings. Shanoff is well-known for being quick to superlatives and to crown the latest to be the greatest, but I really don't mean to make this a rant against him. I understand that the purpose of any list like this is meant to discuss and argue those on it and is inherently debatable. I also understand that this is but a small section of his otherwise large WUC (done daily), so I doubt he put hours and hours of research into his categorization. And in all fairness, I can't find the original list featured on the SNY program to balance and contrast his rankings against.Below I have laid out a couple of comparisons between two players who played similar positions. In each case, one of the players is on Shanoff's list and the other isn't. Who would you rather name to the all-time top 10 players in Big East history?
Player A: 1 season, 22.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.6 spg, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1 National Championship
Player B: 3 seasons, 21.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 2x Big East POY
In this first comparison, I'll concede that the numbers are pretty similar. The only differences seem to be Player B's career of three solid seasons compared to Player A's stunning run in the NCAA Tournament on the national stage. What if I told you that Player A didn't even win Big East POY in his only season playing? I'm open to discussion whether Troy Murphy (Player B) or Carmelo Anthony (Player A) had a better Big East career, but at the very least Melo should not be anywhere close to #2 on this list.
Player A: 19.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, Big East POY
Player B: 19.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2x Big East POY, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1 National Championship
Player A and Player B both played three season and have virtually identical statistics. Shouldn't one more Big East POY and a National Championship MOP be the tiebreaker? I'm not sure who Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun would choose, but I'm going with Rip Hamilton (Player B) over Ray Allen (Player A) any day.
Player A: 10.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 4.5 apg
Player B: 21.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2,632 career points (1st in Big East history), 2x Big East POY
Here is clearly the most egregious slight and inclusion in the list. How can Player A possibly be considered for this list? What if I told you that he didn't have the benefit of the three-point line (which he would have taken advantage of)? Would it matter that he didn't play that much as an underclassman? How about averaging over 20 ppg while carrying his team to a Final Four appearance in his senior season? Yeah...all of that still doesn't matter to me either. How Billy Donovan (Player A) makes Shanoff's list and Troy Bell (Player B) doesn't is beyond me. I didn't realize that Shanoff's love for Tebow and all things Florida also wrote revisionist history for Donovan's playing career at Providence.
I'll end this post with my list so I can give everyone the same benefit of picking my rankings to shreds. Feel free to rip me in the comments...
1. Patrick Ewing
2. Chris Mullin
3. Derrick Coleman
4. Allen Iverson
5. Alonzo Mourning
6. Rip Hamilton
7. Troy Bell
8. Pearl Washington
9. Troy Murphy
10. Sherman Douglas
11. Carmelo Anthony
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Today in Central PA Sports History - 1991
Welcome to a new feature here at DSB...we can't promise we'll have one of these every day, but we hope when we do post them that you'll find them informative and fun.
March 9, 1991
19 years ago tonight, a standing room only crowd at Hersheypark Arena hosted "Frank Mathers Night" to honor the Bears' great. Mathers led the team as a player-coach, from the bench as head coach, and in the front office for 35 years that saw the Bears capture six Calder Cup trophies.
After a nostalgic and emotional 39-minute ceremony, a banner officially retiring his #3 jersey number was raised to the rafters. Among those in attendance for the momentous night were his ninety-year old mother from Winnipeg, one or more players from each of the six championship teams, and numerous friends and hockey representatives from all over the world.
Mathers' contributions to hockey while remaining generous, respectful, and honest earned him election to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
March 9, 1991
19 years ago tonight, a standing room only crowd at Hersheypark Arena hosted "Frank Mathers Night" to honor the Bears' great. Mathers led the team as a player-coach, from the bench as head coach, and in the front office for 35 years that saw the Bears capture six Calder Cup trophies.
After a nostalgic and emotional 39-minute ceremony, a banner officially retiring his #3 jersey number was raised to the rafters. Among those in attendance for the momentous night were his ninety-year old mother from Winnipeg, one or more players from each of the six championship teams, and numerous friends and hockey representatives from all over the world.
Mathers' contributions to hockey while remaining generous, respectful, and honest earned him election to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
The Snooze Button: 3/9
Every morning, DSB will give you a post entitled The Snooze Button. Some sites will give you a Wake-Up Call or The Morning Meat...instead we give you just enough to occupy the first 9 minutes of your day.
Quote o' the Day: In honor of Women's History Month
"(My girlfriend) is writing a book on contemporary feminist theories and she let me read the manuscript. I gotta tell you...it's pretty good...for a girl." - Zach Galifianakis during his SNL monologue
Yesterday's Winner: Connecticut Huskies
Last night the Connecticut Huskies set the record for women's basketball with their 71st straight win when they beat Notre Dame, 59-44. UConn topped the previous mark set by the 2001-2003 edition of the team. In this amazing 71 game streak, the Huskies have only been behind for 86 minutes. God, I loathe Geno Auriemma...
Yesterday's Loser: Allen Iverson
2010 is not shaping up to be AI's year. Iverson's season with the Sixers is over and he has been away from basketball to deal with his daughter's serious medical issue. Just last week his wife of over 8 years filed for divorce seeking full custody of their five children, child support, and alimony. Now, Stephen A. Smith is reporting that Iverson "will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away." Smith is also reporting that Iverson's gambling problems are so bad that he has been thrown out from casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City. What does it take to get banished? The casinos like it when you consistently lose shitloads of money...so it's either because of bad behavior or not paying off your casino markers.
Song to Wake Up to (Cover Song Tuesday):
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Quote o' the Day: In honor of Women's History Month
"(My girlfriend) is writing a book on contemporary feminist theories and she let me read the manuscript. I gotta tell you...it's pretty good...for a girl." - Zach Galifianakis during his SNL monologue
Yesterday's Winner: Connecticut Huskies
Last night the Connecticut Huskies set the record for women's basketball with their 71st straight win when they beat Notre Dame, 59-44. UConn topped the previous mark set by the 2001-2003 edition of the team. In this amazing 71 game streak, the Huskies have only been behind for 86 minutes. God, I loathe Geno Auriemma...
Yesterday's Loser: Allen Iverson
2010 is not shaping up to be AI's year. Iverson's season with the Sixers is over and he has been away from basketball to deal with his daughter's serious medical issue. Just last week his wife of over 8 years filed for divorce seeking full custody of their five children, child support, and alimony. Now, Stephen A. Smith is reporting that Iverson "will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away." Smith is also reporting that Iverson's gambling problems are so bad that he has been thrown out from casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City. What does it take to get banished? The casinos like it when you consistently lose shitloads of money...so it's either because of bad behavior or not paying off your casino markers.
Song to Wake Up to (Cover Song Tuesday):
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Blonde or Not?
If you've read any of the entertainment rags otherwise known as Us Weekly or People, you'll be familar with segments like "Who Wore it Best?" or "Fashion Police". Considering our wildly successful Entertainment News the DSB Way has made us a force in the showbiz game, we'd be remiss if we also didn't join in on the opinionated, shallow exercise of judging celebrities. So, now we give you our second installment of Blonde or Not? (here's the first) where we'll reveal pictures of stars and then Bearcat, ZJ, PJ, and Max Power will let loose with their judgments and no holds barred snark. Onto the pettiness and small-mindedness...
Scarlett Johansson...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: Blonde…and with as much cleavage as possible.
Max: She's the real-life version of the chick in She's All That...watch The Horse Whisperer or Ghost World and tell me you had any inkling she'd become this. But only as a blonde is she va-va-va-voom.
PJ: Frankly Scarlett you should be a blonde, and I do give a damn!
DSB Consensus: Blonde
Jessica Alba...Blonde or Not?
PJ: Jessica Alba is a brunette! The blonde makes her look like Casper the "Washed Out" Ghost.
Max: If they would have kept her as a brunette, I would have been engorged to my entire Fantastic Four inches
ZJ: I get that she’s hot, but for me...her eyes are too far apart, like a goldfish. As a blonde, she looks like Nemo.
DSB Consensus: Not
Rachel McAdams...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: A brunette…all the way
PJ: She should always remain a brunette. The blonde hair makes her ordinary and ordinary she is not.
ZJ: Infinitely cuter as a brunette. Rachel, DON’T MESS WITH NATURE!!!
DSB Consensus: Not
Lindsey Lohan...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: She is a ginger. Lindsay has got red hair and her skin looks like she was catching shit through a screen door. Own it. Also she needs to put on 10 lbs so that she doesn’t look like she is doing coke 24/7 anymore.
ZJ: Better when she was jailbait and better when she was natural.
Max: This picture is the apex of Lohan...I'm shocked I didn't see her in the In Memoriam section of the Oscars telecast last night..
DSB Consensus: Not
Pink...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: I refuse to vote on Pink…she is gross and putting her on the DSB webpage offends me on multiple levels. She is basically a dude.
ZJ: I’m with Bearcat on this one. Don’t let it happen again.
Max: You know how I know I'm gay? I think Pink is sexy...
PJ: I am scared of her. She literally scares me to death. I don't wish to comment on her hair color as I fear for my life.
DSB Consensus: Who knows...we never got that far
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...
Scarlett Johansson...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: Blonde…and with as much cleavage as possible.
Max: She's the real-life version of the chick in She's All That...watch The Horse Whisperer or Ghost World and tell me you had any inkling she'd become this. But only as a blonde is she va-va-va-voom.
PJ: Frankly Scarlett you should be a blonde, and I do give a damn!
DSB Consensus: Blonde
Jessica Alba...Blonde or Not?
PJ: Jessica Alba is a brunette! The blonde makes her look like Casper the "Washed Out" Ghost.
Max: If they would have kept her as a brunette, I would have been engorged to my entire Fantastic Four inches
ZJ: I get that she’s hot, but for me...her eyes are too far apart, like a goldfish. As a blonde, she looks like Nemo.
DSB Consensus: Not
Rachel McAdams...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: A brunette…all the way
PJ: She should always remain a brunette. The blonde hair makes her ordinary and ordinary she is not.
ZJ: Infinitely cuter as a brunette. Rachel, DON’T MESS WITH NATURE!!!
DSB Consensus: Not
Lindsey Lohan...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: She is a ginger. Lindsay has got red hair and her skin looks like she was catching shit through a screen door. Own it. Also she needs to put on 10 lbs so that she doesn’t look like she is doing coke 24/7 anymore.
ZJ: Better when she was jailbait and better when she was natural.
Max: This picture is the apex of Lohan...I'm shocked I didn't see her in the In Memoriam section of the Oscars telecast last night..
DSB Consensus: Not
Pink...Blonde or Not?
Bearcat: I refuse to vote on Pink…she is gross and putting her on the DSB webpage offends me on multiple levels. She is basically a dude.
ZJ: I’m with Bearcat on this one. Don’t let it happen again.
Max: You know how I know I'm gay? I think Pink is sexy...
PJ: I am scared of her. She literally scares me to death. I don't wish to comment on her hair color as I fear for my life.
DSB Consensus: Who knows...we never got that far
Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy's Sugar Ball...