Bracketology Smacketology

The Chieftain Chatter & Redhawk Report has been in hibernation since the Redhawks season has concluded (11-20) 

Today though I decided to stick my head out the the lair with a commentary on this whole March Madness issue.  I just find something inherently wrong with this whole concept.  OK look, yes, I have been participating in the mayhem for over 30 years.  I have played in $5 pools, $100 buy in draft schemes and even have ran the brackets as a manager multiple times.  I remember the days before computers when we tallied everything by hand calculator and yellow highlighter posting results each Monday.  Then came Lotus 1-2-3 and posting with a official looking printout and then Excel and auto sorting, additions and even potential end scores (if you really were a nerd).  Now one just fills out the CBS Bracket and all the work is done and you get up to the minute standings etc...by the end of the first weekend you can even know if you have a mathematical chance of sharing in the prizes.

Now here is my beef.  One gets to spend four days researching, calculating, erasing, adding, listening to so called experts, listening to your friends, be loud about your picks or keeping them close - all this time millions of dollars are being spent and millions of hours of efficient work being wasted as other economies continue to surpass the US - I am sure lots of European currency changes and Foreign policy strategist use the end of March as a focus to get the upper edge knowing the White House staff is in the midst of trying to one up the President.  This is all pretty much common knowledge and I am as guilty as the next millionth American so it is what it is - It is not called March Madness for nothing and CBS is not the number one rated network for lack of brilliance.

My issue is the way the system is set up - it is one and done, then wait and hope.  This is what drives me crazy about the whole set up.  I get three days to fill out a round of 68 teams and choose 1 winner and all the winners along the way.  Statistically speaking, Sally Jo can pick winners advancing on team colors, names, or cute mascots over my RPI, Saragin numbers and conference strength just as easy and I have no course to adjust.  You see real handicappers need to adjust game to game for injuries, turn over to assist ratios, match up, style of play and hours of the day playing etc etc.  I am helpless as a true lover of the sport statistically speaking and educationally touting my IQ for the game - where I can talk true trash.  Why at this point do I care to research the Marquette vs.North Carolina match up - I have no choice.  My pick has been in since March 16th.  I am virtually talking 'nonessential trash' only because I need NC to advance, not because I think Marquette can win head to head.  Why would I read the experts analysis now - so they can tell me Arizona has a legit chance to beat Duke - great, I'll skip that game on TV.

Actually, I won't because that is the truest of March Madness - so many games and so many incredible moments packed into an emotional time capsule - it's not that silly office pool which I have no control over.  One, that silly office pool does not take into account my handicapping nor Basketball IQ, second, that silly office pool is a false sense of knowledge - would I have ever picked VCU?  Hell no!

As the 21st Century advances I suggest the Bracketolgy advance - I suggest points be given for covering the spread in addition to picking the winner, I suggest there be three readjustments where one could re pick the teams based on the previous round results.  I suggest for the non gambling aspect one gets tokens to buy in to teams that were not picked.  Or, I suggest I just book a three week vacation in Las Vegas.  As of today I currently stand 4th after the first weekend of my 21 counterparts.  If for some lucky drop of the orange sphere in the metal hoop I win - I will pull out that four leaf clover from my back pocket that has been there since noon on March 17th, quietly collect my winnings and ride off into the sunset.  If I lose, I expect Sally Jo to pull hers out and jump up and down and yell - "That VCU mascot is sooo cute!  My second cousin's aunt went to VCU - woot woot."

Back into the Lair until the Redhawks return to action in November.  Ugh! I have to endure a whole summer of Mariners.  Well, there is always my own orange ball, Chuck Taylor High Tops and the local park and the dream.

Charlie Sheen & The SU Redhawks take on the Portland Pilots

C'mon, you really didn't think I could pass up folding in somehow the whacked out, insane media hog into one of the seasons last few blogs did you?  Everybody else is on the bandwagon so I'm jumping too. Plus Charlie "everyone is a troll" Sheen also likes basketball, being sited many times on the Lakers courtside so maybe if one day he searches his million post for his pure self indulgence decadence on the internet he will run across this and become a Redhawk fan from afar - and lets hope it is from afar. Although, there is a standing invitation for him to sit with me courtside for the my pure self indulgence of getting on TMZ, E News, etc, etc.  This year I had fun teasing, trashing, joking with the opposing teams mascot, but this guy is like the pinnacle of trash able - physically and intellectually .  He has been trashed so much he even has his own garbage can!

Now there are a few similarities to Mr. Goofball and the SU Redhawks.  First, they both think they are 'winning'.  Now if the Redhawks continue to use that phrase as much as Sheen does in everyday life they will start to see it come naturally.  Yes the Redhawks are winning (eleven games this year, fourteen last year) and those are solidified in the stat column. If Sheen was a basketball team the winning is only in his head and he is 0 for the last two years,  Second, Tiger Blood.  I have never seen real blood dripping from Sheen's fangs, but I have seen it flashed from Cervante Burrell as he drives madly down the court into the lane with acrobatic determination to score amongst the opposing bigs. I doubt Sheen has Tiger Blood running through his veins.  I am sure Cervante does. Third, bringing back the eighties phrase 'gnarly'.  Way to go dude, 'gnarly is back, but I think it was always here on the Redhawks court due to the lovable eighties style floppy mop of our enforcer Gavin Gilmore.  I do believe I heard him say once after a dunk under the basket - "ahhhh dude that was gnarly!"  Fourth, the 'Vatican Assassin'  Sheen is not - he is self assassinating, but if you ever watched Garrett Lever lock up game after game against the opposing lead scorer this definitely holds true to the moniker.

Well, that's it for Charlie and the Redhawks.  I am sure we have not heard the last from Mr. Goofball and we all know it is not the last we will hear from the Redhawks.

SU takes on Final game in the Key against Portland State
How sad the end is close and soon the Chieftain Chatter & Redhawk report may go into hibernation,  There are a few pieces still to rant about, but the big Redhawk will soon laying down his feathers and go night night.

Portland State finishes thier regular season tonight also after finishing 7th in the Big Sky with a record of 13-16 and a 1-11 (in fact PSU has never won in Seattle) road record. In the last meeting PSU beat SU in Stott Arena 83-76, but the rivalry goes back into the 50's with SU holding a 7-6 advantage and Coach Dollar 2-1.  PSU has a one game losing streak and SU a two game on the road losing streak.

Timeout Tidbit
PSU head coach Tyler Geving has some ties to Seattle University and the Seattle area.  Tyler grew up in Burien, attended Highline Community College and studied under present WSU coach Ken Bone and former eight year SU coach Joe Callero.  Tyler spent three years as an assistant with Callero at SU so he is very familiar with the Redhawks.  If you can't catch the game live at KeyArena then listen to it on KIRO 710 AM ESPN or follow it on goseattleu.com

We will recap the season next week.  GO Redhawks

What it is to be a real 'hoopaholic' and SU heads to Potato Land et al

Hoopaholics: Those obsessed with watching, playing, writing, talking and thinking everything surrounding about putting an inflated, bouncing orange sphere into a round metal rim that is positioned ten feet in the air with a nylon net attached to a backboard; meanwhile,  the said rim being protected by an annoying competitor.  A hoopaholic is one that chooses to sit quietly in a room next to the radio listening to The Seattle University Redhawks versus the All Eastern 5'9 and under over 50 team (that's not really a team you goofs, its a metaphor) rather than go on a date with a woman that may be ones future wife. Of course she wouldn't end up being my wife unless she understood the meaning of hoopaholic.  She would be my future ex-wife.  Probably best to marry a female hoopaholic

Now a true hoopaholic does not just follow one team or attach themselves to just the major levels of basketball...local NBA team, College Alma Mater or only jump into the March Madness fray when everyone else does etc...real hoopaholic's are truly engulfed with the artistry and magic of the the sport and have a picture of Dr. Naismith somewhere in the home.  Now here are some examples of signs you may be or are becoming a hoopaholic.

10. You continually attend the WIAA State Basketball Tournament even though your high school is not participating watching four games and sitting for six hours eating really bad pizza.
9. You have a small shrine to the sport somewhere in your home that your friends tell you is really cool, but if you get a girlfriend it probably is not going to fly being positioned right in the hallway.
8. You attend Women's games as well because there are no Men's games available (don't start ladies! it works in reverse as well.)
7. You dress your dogs in basketball paraphernalia.
6. Spring training has started and you really don't give a crap
5. You travel all the way to Puerto Rico to follow your team and attach yourself to friends who plan their vacations and business trips around Conference and Holiday Tournaments regardless of the Alma Mater.
4. You keep your original white Chuck Taylor Converse from 30 years ago even though they are too small and moldy to remind you of your "hoopaholicness"
3. The only thing that can keep you away from the Gonzaga vs St Mary's final WCC conference meeting is that you are throwing up blood (true story)
2. Attending the Basketball Hall of Fame is on your bucket list (yep, already checked off)
1. You write a blog about being a hoopaholic! 

I want to hear from other hoopaholics and what makes you one.

Seattle University Redhawks head east to Idaho and face off against the Potato Heads in the Idaho Vandals this Saturday.
This will be the second meeting against Idaho who are now third in the WACky Conference with a 17-12 overall record and a 9-7 record in conference play.  SU took the first meeting at home in KeyArena 66-52 where actually Mr. Potato Head was at my feet in the front row.  This is a different Vandal team than earlier in the season, they are in the top 3 in every major category in the WAC.  Yet this is a different SU team as well - both teams have improved.  Hear the game 7 pm on KIRO AM ESPN radio with the Groz & Gary Hill

Timeout Tidbits
Based on my rough research SU is now 4-4 against the High Major teams in the last two years with wins against both the PAC 10 and ACC.  I have a blog topic coming up next week on this and what it means to the program.

Out for now, I need to check the TV listings for tonight's games.

Chief-Hawks vs the Indian - Cardinal

First off I am sure some of you are wondering why there was no blog after the CSUB game in which SU won 73.54 behind Chad "I didn't step past the three point line on route to 8 for 10 shooting 3.s and a team high 24 points.  Because I was in a hospital bed and could not even listen to the game which was very frustrating.  Don't worry I'll be OK - that is, if you actually were worrying.  Anyway on to the next task at hand.

The headline to today's blog scouting Stanford University is very appropriate.  Doing some mascot research I found some interesting similarities (which I already knew) but wanted to enlighten you on both SU's woes and Stanford's woes.

This is Stanford's original mascot the Indian, Stanford burst on to the collegiate scene the same time SU did - 1891.  Wow, SU was once the Chieftains.  Then all hell broke loose and we are the Redhawks and Stanford does not have a mascot, rather they are the Stanford Cardinal with no plural because it is in reference to their school colors Cardinal & White.  But then who runs along the court cheering on the fans?  A big block of red with two arms and two legs sticking out like sponge bob yet cardinal in color?  Why no the Stanford Tree!

You know, I have trashing mascots all season long, as well as Rudy and I am really starting to get to like these guys - and this tree, pretty creative - I could get inspired by him - with an AX!  Just kidding Mr. Tree you're cute and since I have been researching mascots I could actually find myself being an expert on them.Maybe I could write a book - the History of the Division I mascots A to Z

What is the history of Stanford's mascot and nickname?
The unique origins of Stanford’s mascot and nickname have a history that dates back to the University’s founding in 1891. While the Cardinal has always been one of the school’s official colors, the nickname has gone through a series of changes, student votes, controversy and confusion.
Since 1981, Stanford has been known as the Cardinal. Stanford was known as the "Indians" from 1930-72. As for the mascot, Stanford does not officially have one. The "Tree," which is a member of the Stanford Band, has been mistaken as the school’s mascot, but it is not ...
...Stanford did not have an "official" nickname until Indians was adopted in 1930. For years prior, the Indian had been part of the Stanford athletic tradition. Perhaps it grew out of the fact that Cal’s symbol was the Bear, or it may have come from the large Indian population of the area, or from Indian paraphernalia in abundance in the late 1800’s. Whatever the origin, it was accepted by sportswriters and gradually gained wide recognition.   The Indian symbol was eventually dropped in 1972 following meetings between Stanford native American students and President Richard Lyman. The 55 students, supported by the other 358 American Indians enrolled in California colleges, felt the mascot was an insult to their culture and heritage. As a result of these talks and the ensuing publicity, the Stanford Student Senate voted 18-4 to drop the Indian symbol, and Lyman agreed - sound familiar

Stanford and SU actually flipped mascot concepts, for the original nickname for SU was the Maroons after their color in 1891 and now Stanford the Cardinal after their color today.

Stanford plays in the PAC 10 for any of you living in a cave, they are 14-14 overall and 7-10 in the conference, 6-0 at home in the Maples Pavilion and have lost 4 out of their last five and sit in 8th place.  I really believe SU, who has played two other PAC 10 schools this year in a win over OSU and a loss to UW can compete.  Why?  Just because I have been sitting in a hospital bed for three days.

After Stanford, SU has two remaining games against Idaho, then the final home game against Portland State.  Listen to the game tonight on KIRO AM 710 ESPN or if you are like me - house ridden - you can find it on your computer at the Stanford athletic site.