T.J.'s Take

It's been a long time since we rock'n'rolled...

2006-10-20T01:17:00.000-04:00

Friends, romans, blog readers extraordinare. It is time for me to get reacquainted with the site that was my blogging home near the end of my tenure at WMFD in Wilmington.

The end, you say? Yes...the end. For those who don't know me, or know what's going on, I've been in Winston-Salem since July of 06...pretty much ever since Aimee and I got back from the wedding.

Winston has been pretty cool so far...although not a lot to do in the way of night life. They do have a neat little downtown area, with a few bars worth visiting. But other than that, we hear Greensboro is the place to go.

Speaking of the 'boro (that's what they call it here), we'll be visiting their downtown area on Saturday night, as my mom pops into town to celebrate my 29th birthday (which is actually today). We're going to go to some fondu restaurant. Aimee and I fell in love with fondu after several trips to the "Little Dipper" in downtown Wilmington. I know we'll have a great time.

So, job wise, I've been busy. I have a full-time job and a part-time job. The full time gig is as an assistant program director at WSJS. There, I'm pretty much a behind the scenes kind of guy, although I do fill in occasionally as the host of the 3-6pm show, and I'm doing play by play for our High School football broadcasts.

My part time job is a heck of a lot more fun and challenging. It's the job I told everybody in Wilmington about before I left, at a company called ISP. I am the network studio host for the California Golden Bears Radio Network. Maybe sometime soon, I'll post a clip of me in action here on the blog...just have to figure out how.

At any rate, I couldn't be happier. Life is good. Marriage is better. The jobs are cool. Things seem to be going along rather nicely. Oh, and I ordered myself an iPod today off of eBay. It's my first venture into the iPod world. I'm looking to get into downloading podcasts and what not. Hey...maybe I'll even start my own some day.

We shall see...

They drafted who?!?

2006-04-30T10:10:00.000-04:00

As I sit in my mother's computer room at her house in Charlotte, I've just finished reading up on this Donte Whitner, a 5'10 safety out of Ohio State that, for some reason, my Buffalo Bills chose with the 8th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft.

Now, I have to admit. When Matt Leinart was sitting there for the taking, there was a part of me that was thinking, "End the Losman experiment. Draft Leinart! Draft him!!"

But then, common sense prevailed. Why draft Leinart? You have nobody to protect him. How can he be any more effective than J.P. when he'd only get a fraction of a second to make a decision before getting knocked on his butt?

Next, the thought of trading out of the pick entered my mind. I thought to myself, "Surely, there's a team out there who wants Leinart. Why not trade out of it and get some more picks?" Afterall, the Bills need help in a lot of areas. The more picks, the more chances to fill those needs, right?

But when the commissioner stepped to the podium and announced that the Bills had taken Whitner, I stood there confused. Mad. Disappointed. "Who the hell is Donte Whitner?", I thought.

I knew who he was, but I was not expecting him to be drafted by my team...especially at the #8 spot. Most mock drafts I saw had him going anywhere from 15th all the way to the end of the first round. So why at 8?

Enter twobillsdrive.com.

I went to the site this morning, just hoping to make sense of all the confusing tactics my Bills employed in Day One of the draft. What I found is that the Bills were concerned that the Lions may take Whitner with the #9 pick. If this is truly the case, more power to Marv for pulling the trigger.

Too many times, a team in the draft will pick the "best available" instead of a player they actually need. The Bills need a safety. They liked Whitner. Sure, they probably could've gotten some extra picks to move down and still take him, but they didn't want to take that chance.

Now, maybe I'm drinking the Marv Levy Kool-Aid here. But I'm really kind of on-board with this way of thinking. Of course, I'll reserve complete judgment until I've had a chance to see Whitner play a few games, maybe even years in the NFL.

But the last two times the Bills drafted an Ohio State DB in the draft, Nate Clements and Antoine Winfield turned out to be pretty good players. As I said...I'm giving Marv & company the benefit of the doubt.

Various Wednesday Thoughts

2006-04-19T08:14:00.000-04:00

Okay...so maybe it was a bad idea for me to drive my Land Rover into the water. But come on! Look at the picture! No WAY I could've known it was that deep...or that the sand in there was basically quick sand.

Okay, I admit it, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to the outdoors, but there was no way I saw this coming. Maybe that makes me seem even more dumb, I don't know. Whatever the case, the situation sucks.

Talked to the insurance folks yesterday about it. They did officially total the car. No shock there. As you can see in this photo, there was water inside in the passenger side, basically drowning the car's electrical system. I might as well have smashed the damn thing. It's a shame, though. If you look at the car from the outside, you could never tell that the damn thing is dead.

Onto other issues, it looks like UNCW has found their man. Reports are that Charlotte 49er's assistant Benny Moss will be offered the job. As I said on the show yesterday, I like this hire. I like the way Charlotte plays, and that style will also sit well with Seahawk Nation.

I have to stick up for my fellow media members here in town. The Star-News has been catching a lot of flock from the message board community for not fully investigating the events leading to Brad Brownell's resignation. I think that the people here couldn't be more off base.

What people fail to realize is that in this business, before you can report something, you have to have a certain amount of sources, all telling you the same thing. You can't just run with a story because your uncle's gardener nephew told your barber's plumber's daughter that something happened a certain way. That sort of irresponsible reporting may exist on the internet, but in real news publications (like the Star-News), it's frowned upon BIG TIME!

So, basically what I'm saying is this. The reason the Star-News hasn't run a story explaining exactly why Brownell left is probably a pretty good one. But that reason does NOT include that they are lazy, that they aren't working hard on it, or my personal favorite, "Rountree is paying them off as well". Gotta love those message board geeks.

You know, there's a certain amount of Hatorade that you have to drink, in order to be accepted into the community of message board geeks. If you go on there, trying to be overly positive about anything, you usually get pummelled. Warning...message boards are not for the weak at heart.

That's all I got for now. I'm going to get back to updating this thing multiple times throughout the week. I just needed a little break after the trip to Greensboro and all of that. Thanks for reading!

Pack Pride has to be hurting

2006-04-12T07:37:00.000-04:00

John Calipari? "No thanks."

Rick Barnes? "Nahh."

0 for 2. That's what NC State is batting so far in this contest of a coaching search. Well...perhaps we should make that 0 for 3, because afterall, they had a good coach that they let get away and move out west.

But my question is this. Why is NC State having such a hard time filling this vacancy? Could what we, who are close to the situation have suspected for some time, actually be true? Could NC State be as irrelevant in college basketball as most Duke and UNC fans would have you believe?

I've always been one who has thought of the NCSU basketball program as somewhat of a sleeping giant just waiting to be awoken by the right person. Was Herb Sendek the right person? Apparently not, according to what State fans will tell you. But compare Herb to who the Pack may have to eventually bring in, and is the grass always greener?

The best chance that NC State has to save face, right now, appears to be John Brady down at LSU. But why would he want to leave that place? Look at his official bio. His roots are down in the deep south. Those are where his contacts are. That is where he knows people. Why would he want to step into the fire that is the ACC, especially when he's not known as much of a nation wide recruiter? Look at his roster. It's made up mostly of kids from Louisiana.

So what's the answer? Who do they bring in? I don't know the answer to these questions. But I do know one thing. Whoever they get, it won't be as big a name as most State fans thought they were going to get.

Brownell chooses Wright State

2006-04-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

So...Wright State it is. Trading one "Dub" for another one. Brad Brownell, tonight, announced that he was resigning from UNCW to take the head coaching job at Wright State University, located in Dayton, OH.

Many questions poor into one's head whenever a coach leaves a position like this. The first, and probably most obvious question is "why?" Why is Brad Brownell leaving a job that probably got even more prestigious now that George Mason is in the Final Four? Why would Brad Brownell give up the amount of money that was reportedly offered to him, in order to take a lesser paying job in a weaker conference? Why, Brad, why?

Simple answer. Because he had to. He had to for him. He had to for his family.

As I've pointed out on the show a number of times, it will be easier for Brownell to get a job in his dream conference, the Big 10, if he's up in the Big 10 footprint. Plus, whether you'd like to admit it or not, the Horizon League, which isn't nearly as good as the CAA, seems to be a better spring board conference for coaches looking to move up.

Look at Bruce Pearl. He went from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Horizon League school, to Tennessee, an SEC school. That's a big jump, but the type of one that Brownell could easily make, should he put Wright State on the map.

I'm sure a lot of you are going to direct your anger and frustration to the UNCW administration for allowing Brownell to get away. Don't. Not yet anyway. Wait until you have all the facts in front of you before jumping to conclusions. I admit, it's easy to assume that it was a problem with the administration that ultimately lead to Brownell leaving. But we simply do not know all the facts, and it's irresponsible to make assumptions as though we do have them.

The bottom line is this. The next few weeks will be extremely important for the future of UNCW Basketball. A replacement must be carefully selected, and I say carefully because the returning talent the Seahawks have in place are at the right spot to potentially earn them another NCAA Tournament spot next season. That's why whoever they put in place must first, and foremost, have an open mind. The kids in there now are used to playing a certain way. You come in and start changing things too much, you just may blow a chance to make it to another Big Dance next year.

These next few weeks will be interesting. Your thoughts? Feel free to leave comments.

Should he stay or should he go?

2006-03-29T09:27:00.000-05:00

There comes a time in every coach's career when he's faced with a tough decision. They say it's just part of the gig. Roy Williams had to face a tough decision when the UNC job was offered to him....twice. Not to mention the tough decision he had to make leaving UNC to coach Kansas to begin with.

Jerry Wainwright had to make a tough decision when he left UNCW for Richmond. Bill Self, when he left Illinois for Kansas. Bruce Pearl, when he left Wisconsin-Milwaukee for Tennessee.

But the common thing with all of those coaching moves were that the coach was moving on to a bigger and better program. I know I'll catch a lot of flack for calling Richmond better than UNCW, but face it folks, it is. They play in the A-10, a traditionally tougher league than the CAA.

Back to the main point, I think the difficult thing to deal with here, with all the rumors of Brad Brownell leaving UNCW for Ball State is that it's looked at as a lateral move, if not a step down.

Personally, I think he's selling himself short if he leaves for this job. But then again, I'm not him. I don't know how he thinks. I don't know how his family feels. I don't know what his situation is. Nobody does, really, except for him.

People should take into account the fact that Brad is from the state of Indiana. That's his home. How many people wouldn't love to go back home to do a job that you love?

The fact of the matter is this. We still don't know whether or not Brad Brownell is leaving UNCW. Hopefully, this story doesn't drag on forever and we get a definitive answer sometime in the next couple of days. A quicker solution is better for the program.

And no matter the reasons he may have for leaving, it is wrong to jump to conclusions and start laying blame on folks. It may not be anyone's fault. Maybe Brad just wants to go home.

George Freakin' Mason?!?!

2006-03-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

Seriously? The CAA has a team in the Final Four? THE Final Four? The tournament on TV that's held in 30,000 plus seat stadiums with the entire country watching is going to include a team from the same conference that UNCW won this year?

I still have not finished pinching myself. I am utterly amazed at how the Patriots were able to get hot at the right time and cruise all the way into the last weekend of the college basketball season.

Let's take ourselves back a few weeks. As UNCW and CAA fans, our greatest hope was that more than one team would get a chance to dance. And as CAA fans, we go into the tournament with realistic hopes of the conference representative maybe winning a game or two.

But now George Mason has gone and ruined that. Now...a win or two in the tournament will be looked at as "cute". People who follow this conference will now say, "Yeah, but they didn't go to the Final Four like George Mason did." Expectations will now get completely out of wack.

Poor Brad Brownell. I feel bad for him. He can't go to the boosters now and point out with a smile the fact that they've been to 4 NCAA Tournaments in 7 years. People are going to wonder why they've never made it to at least the Sweet 16.

The CAA has a team in the Final Four. THE Final Four. I still can't freakin' believe it!

Sniff...sniff. March Madness is almost over...

2006-03-26T09:21:00.000-05:00

This is the worst day of the NCAA Tournament, as far as I'm concerned. This is the day where we have to come to the realization that the Madness is almost over.

There are five games left in this year's NCAA Tournament, including today's two Regional Finals. And while I should be excited that we're getting down to the championship game, I'm not. I wish this tournament could go on forever. I wish we always had games on Thursday and Friday afternoons to watch. I wish we always had brackets to fill out. So sad.

So, myself and the future Mrs. went to the mall yesterday, with tuxedo shopping on the agenda. We walked into one of the places, looked around for a bit and waited. When the woman behind the counter was finally freed up, she told us we couldn't try on any tuxes there. What is that? A tuxedo shop that doesn't let you try on any tuxedo's? What's next, a car dealership that won't allow you to test drive the vehicles? Doesn't make any damn sense.

I haven't talked about this on the air yet at all, but today is day four of this diet I'm doing. It's with a local diet place in town that I can't mention yet, but so far, it's driving me crazy. I've never been one to really.........care what I eat. But with this thing, I have to measure and weigh everything before I eat it. I actually got mad at Aimee yesterday because she wanted to go to the Wing Fling, but I had to tell her we couldn't because Buffalo Wings aren't on the list of things I'm allowed to eat.

Getting back to hoops, I'll be rooting George Mason on like crazy this afternoon. How freakin' cool would it be for a CAA school to go to the Final Four? Unthought of. Unrealistic. Unreal. But it's even stranger to think that it actually could happen. Go Mason!!

Sunday morning thoughts...

2006-03-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday morning, and the sting of UNCW's loss on Thursday night has finally worn off. I think the fact that we had some excellent games to watch yesterday might've helped matters. Today should be no different, with plenty of outstanding ballgames to choose from.

One match-up, in particular, stands out as being interesting because of a side story. The North Carolina Tar Heels take on the George Mason Patriots, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. What makes it interesting is that George Mason has an assistant coach named Scott Cherry, who played for Carolina during the 1993 championship season. Yep...a former Tar Heel is on the coaching staff of a team trying to end their season.

It seems as though the in-state media is already all over this story. I was watching WRAL's news yesterday and Cherry was the guy who had the microphones in his face, not head coach Jim Larranaga. Cherry just gave the stock answer on how he loves Carolina but he's a George Mason Patriot now.

Brackets. Mine is a steaming pile of crap. Let's review. I've lost one of my Final Four teams (Kansas), three of my Elite 8 teams (Kansas, Iowa, Michigan State), so far, I've lost 6 of my Sweet 16 teams. Yep. I'm sucking pretty badly. Of course, if we wind up getting Duke vs. UConn in the finals, I may not be in as bad shape as I thought.

Wilmington's Bracket isn't doing much better. I'm going to post a link to the bracket on am630.net so everyone can log in and check on the status. I'll give you a quick preview. It isn't any better than mine.

Ever hear of a cat who plays fetch? My cat does. His name is Bobcat, named after the basketball team, and he loves to play fetch. He's actually bugging me right now as I type this. He has this purple/red/blue fuzzy ball, that's about the size of a golf ball. He'll chase that damn thing around the house all day long and he couldn't be happier doing it.

Well, I'm starting to get a little hungry. Time to go find something to eat. Everyone have a great rest of your weekend. I'll be back on with Kolby on Monday. Later!

Krunch Time at the NCAA Tournament - Move Out Day

2006-03-17T08:34:00.000-05:00

8:33AM -
I hate it when seasons end the way they did last night. I realize that as a member of the media, I'm supposed to be impartial. But I know these kids. I've covered them for a long time. I was there to see, in person, both NCAA Tournament Games in John Goldsberry, Beckham Wyrick, and Mitch Laue's career. I was rooting for them. And I am just as disappointed as most of you Seahawk fans are.

One thing I'm going to have to get used to in this business is dealing with when a team you cover loses a tough game. Right now, I feel like I would had the Buffalo Bills lost a heartbreaker. (Yeah...like THAT'S never happened!) Eventually, I suppose, I'll get numb to it. That's what everyone else in this business tells me.

Well, I'm going downstairs to check out of the hotel, then head home. I added some pictures of the Duke-Southern game on our website, www.am630.net. I was sitting pretty close to the action and got some really good ones. See you back in Wilmington!

Krunch Time at the NCAA Tournament - Day Two

2006-03-16T22:25:00.000-05:00

12:57AM -
Thus ends another season of UNCW Seahawk Basketball. Looking ahead, who knows how good they will be. Will Brownell be the coach? Will T.J. Carter have what it takes to be the leader of this team? Many questions will need to be answered.

One question many of you probably have is how could they have given up an 18 point lead in 10 minutes? It's an excellent question, and one I'm sure will be asked several times over the next few months. Is there an answer? There's probably a variety of them. And they're all probably correct answers, too.

Gonna hit the sack then head back to Wilmington tomorrow. It'll be nice to get home, but I wish I could've stayed out here a few more days to see UNCW vs. Duke. Ahhh, well...dem's da breaks.
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10:23PM -
Tough way to lose a game for the Seahawks. I asked some of the guys in the locker room if they feel snake bitten. They all said no, that's just how things go. More later on. Duke and Southern are going at it right now with Duke up 19-12.
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9:33PM -
The luck might've run out for UNCW. GW about to try some BIG free throws with 25.8 left, and UNCW down by one. Here goes nothing...
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9:29PM -
Beckham Wyrick with a huge tre. The beautiful thing about this game for UNCW is that different guys have stepped up at different times. It really kind of epitomizes what this team has been about all season.
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9:21PM -
And we are headed to OVERTIME. I hate when announcers say it that way. What a damn game. Good God!!
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9:17PM -
T.J. CARTER!!! Wow, what a shot! Gotta play some tough defense on this possession. That's what this team is made for though. Here we go...
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9:12PM -
Well, Todd just fouled out. Looks like Vlad is going to get a chance to be in there when it really matters.
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9:06PM -
You know, there is a reason why this tournament is so popular. It's because of games like this. This one, along with several other going on right now, are close and will likely come down to one possession late in the game. As a team, you just have to make sure you're the one with the ball making the play when that time comes.UNCW's guys looked a lot better after that TV timeout. While George Washington still leads by two, I think the Seahawks are mentally over the run GW made earlier this half.
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8:54PM -
Thank Goodness for the TV timeout. That was UGLY. I guess the press that George Washington was running was REALLY getting to them. Brownell had better get his kids back to playing hoops. They played that last stretch scared, and it's showing by the three point margin that we're looking at right now.I wonder how big Mitch Laue having four fouls will be? He's been key in UNCW's down low defense thus far. They can't afford to have him out very long.
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8:50PM -
UNCW is getting careless with the ball, and it's allowing GW to get back into the game. They'd better tighten up quickly. This is a bad stretch for them right now.

Krunch Time at the NCAA Tournament - Day Two

2006-03-16T07:22:00.000-05:00

9:33PM -
The luck might've run out for UNCW. GW about to try some BIG free throws with 25.8 left, and UNCW down by one. Here goes nothing...
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9:29PM -
Beckham Wyrick with a huge tre. The beautiful thing about this game for UNCW is that different guys have stepped up at different times. It really kind of epitomizes what this team has been about all season.
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9:21PM -
And we are headed to OVERTIME. I hate when announcers say it that way. What a damn game. Good God!!
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9:17PM -
T.J. CARTER!!! Wow, what a shot! Gotta play some tough defense on this possession. That's what this team is made for though. Here we go...
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9:12PM -
Well, Todd just fouled out. Looks like Vlad is going to get a chance to be in there when it really matters.
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9:06PM -
You know, there is a reason why this tournament is so popular. It's because of games like this. This one, along with several other going on right now, are close and will likely come down to one possession late in the game. As a team, you just have to make sure you're the one with the ball making the play when that time comes.

UNCW's guys looked a lot better after that TV timeout. While George Washington still leads by two, I think the Seahawks are mentally over the run GW made earlier this half.
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8:54PM -
Thank Goodness for the TV timeout. That was UGLY. I guess the press that George Washington was running was REALLY getting to them. Brownell had better get his kids back to playing hoops. They played that last stretch scared, and it's showing by the three point margin that we're looking at right now.

I wonder how big Mitch Laue having four fouls will be? He's been key in UNCW's down low defense thus far. They can't afford to have him out very long.
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8:50PM -
UNCW is getting careless with the ball, and it's allowing GW to get back into the game. They'd better tighten up quickly. This is a bad stretch for them right now.
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8:34PM -
I really don't know what to say. UNCW has just come out on FIRE in the second half. No way they continue this hot shooting all game. They just have to make sure they keep GW from getting back into it with tough defense. I'm sure that's what Brownell is preaching in the huddle right now.
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8:17PM -
Alright....second half about to start here in Greensboro. There's an already good sized crowd here at the Coliseum, but with the Duke game drawing nearer, I expect to see every seat filled within the next twenty minutes or so. This crowd is already pretty much pro-UNCW, which is helping them. The more things that feel like home, the better.
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7:49PM -
It's been established that UNCW and George Washington belong on the same court together. With 3:58 to go, both teams know they are in for a dog fight. John Goldsberry is putting together one of his better displays of ball distribution. Three assists so far, but he'd have more if they counted assists in basketball the way they do in hockey. Both teams are playing really good ball right now.
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7:40PM -
Much better showing later on in this first half. Nerves, I think, have gone away and we're back to just playing basketball. I like how UNCW is handling Mensah-Bonsu down low. Mitch Laue just had a SICK block on him in the paint.
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7:34PM -
VLAD!!! That's all I can say! We all knew going into this game that someone was going to have to step up. Someone different. Enter Vlad. 8 big points early in this one, and he's giving UNCW the presence down low that we were worried they wouldn't have. Nice job so far.
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7:27PM -
Alright....well....that last few minutes weren't so hot. UNCW got caught up in one hell of a screen and were nailed for an open three. Later, Soyebo got a little carried away and tried too hard to get to the bucket, getting called for charging in the process. Brad will tighten'em up though.
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7:19PM -
First TV timeout and UNCW seems to be able to play their game so far. The pacing seems to be pretty much on par from what they are used to. And, I think GW is realizing now how tough they are. If you're watching on TV, you just saw Laue tumble over a table onto the floor. I think that perfectly capsulizes how this team plays hoops. Tied up at 7 right now. More to come later on.
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7:13PM -
And....we're off. The game is underway and GW scored the first two points on free throws from Pops. Here we go!
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6:47PM -
Well, by now, I'm sure you know how the Tennessee - Winthrop game ended. What a tough break for the Eagles who really, I thought, outplayed the Vols. Bruce Pearl said after the game that he felt his team deserved to win. I'm not so sure.

Anyway, we're about 18 minutes away from tipoff of the game I came here for. UNCW vs. George Washington. Both teams are out on the floor now, warming up. The cheerleaders just got here, the dance team is here, hte band, and the fans are trickling in. It's time for some basketball.....in 18 minutes. I can't wait.
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5:23PM -
What a shot! For UNCW fans, watching that was probably painfully familiar. Looks like Winthrop has a LITTLE bit of time left to try to pull off a miracle. That's what it's going to take. 0.4 seconds doesn't give you time to do much.
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5:16PM -
I hope this is the game they're giving you guys on TV. Wow! 21.5 left. Tie game. #15 seed versus a #2 seed. This is why we love the NCAA Tournament. I'm on the edge of my seat.
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4:48PM -
This has the makings of being one of those tournament games you'll remember for a long time. Winthrop and Tennessee keep trading the lead back and forth. There's about ten minutes left in the half right now, and you can tell the Vol fans are nervous. They weren't expecting to get this much of a fight outta the Eagles. Hopefully the fight continues all the way down to the final buzzer. I'd love for this one to go down to the wire.
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4:21PM -
The second half is just a few moments away and I gotta love the fact that Winthrop has hung with them in this game. This is what March Madness is all about. The little guy, trying to hang with the big guy, and right now, the Eagles are giving the Vols everything they want.

It sounds like the non-Vols fans in the arena have taken to Winthrop. I'd say it's 50/50 at best, maybe even slightly more in Winthrop's favor, as far as crowd support is concerned.
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3:33PM -
Now THIS is a basketball game! Tennessee and Winthrop going at it right now, and these guys are running the floor like there's no tomorrow. Then again, for whoever loses, there isn't. I hope you guys are getting to watch this one on TV.
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3:09PM -
Has a person ever been able to successfully rip their own ears off to prevent them from having to hear a fight song for the three hundredth time? The game hasn't even started yet and I'm already sick of Tennessee Rocky Top. To me, that's a Vols Football song. They shouldn't use it as much for basketball. However, in the time I've been sitting here, literally I've heard it 5 times. And I've been sitting here for 10 minutes.

Tipoff just happened. Go Eagles!
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2:35PM -
The Shockers have shocked the Hall! I know, I told you no more "shock" jokes. I had to fit one more in there, though. This is setting up an interesting possible game on Saturday between Wichita State and Tennessee. That is, of course, assuming the Vols can beat Winthrop. 30 minutes til tipoff of that game!
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2:24PM -
Yeah, this one is over. 73-55 with 3:44 left. I sure as hell hope the Winthrop - Tennessee game is closer than this. I could've done this at home.

Glad to see the seats fill up though. Lots of Tennessee folks are continuing to filter in. I don't know. I still have to pull for my Eagles. One of two schools I got into out of HS. UNCW, of course, was the other one.
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2:03PM -
Looks like Wichita State has held off Seton Hall's run for now. They're up 63-46 right now. Kind of a drag that this first game.

Apparently, they have evacuated the arena in San Diego and delayed the start of those games for at least two hours. I guess a bomb sniffing dog caught an odor near a hotdog stand. Scary stuff, considering the FBI warned of hearing word about an attack on a sporting venu. Even scarier because I'm in one right now. I guess that's why the security here is so tight. Thank God for that.
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1:41PM -
Okay, forget the story I told you about the water. I'm completely confused now. Apparently, the official water of the NCAA is Dasani. Why they're making us poor the bottles into cups, I have no idea. I've given up trying to figure out what the NCAA is thinking.

I'm starting to see a lot of orange fill this place. Tennessee's game is next, and that is a school known for having a good following of people for road games. I would imagine it's going to sound an awful lot like a game in Knoxville once the Vols and Eagles tip off.
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1:11PM -
We're at the half, with the Hall taking it on the chin, 40-24 right now to Wichita State. If this game holds up I'm 0 for 1 so far in my pool. I really expected to see more of an effort from this Big East team. They're making the selection committee look silly for picking so many teams from that conference right now. This is just brutal to watch! (Sorry, Pete)
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12:53PM -
Here's a funny note for you. The official water of the NCAA is Auqa Fina. However, there was some Dasani water left around from when the ACC Tournament was her last week. So...some media folks had Dasani water here on press row. A rep from the NCAA just walked around asking anyone with a Dasani water to poor it into a paper cup she was handing out. The funny thing is that someone ultimately had to say, "Hey! That's Dasani water on the table! Someone get the dixie cups!!" Guess the NCAA really DOESN'T have more important stuff to worry about.
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12:48PM -
It's up to a 13 point lead now for the Shockers, and I am SHOCKED! Hah....okay....I'm done with the "shock" jokes. But seriously. I didn't expect the Hall to come out flat like this. The are a Big East team. Wichita State shouldn't be outmuscling them like this. But they are.
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12:31PM -
We're at the under-15 TV timeout, and Seton Hall looks shell shocked. Haha! Get it? Shell Shocked by the Shockers? Okay...I know....lame.

The Seton Hall band, though, is playing during this TO. Maybe there wasn't any music during the last one because it was called earlier than a TO is typically called.
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12:26PM -
With 18:22 left in the first half, we get our first commercial break. No music. No band playing. No nothing. Kinda lame. I hope that isn't the case in the future. You never really realize how important music in an arena is until you don't get any.
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12:16PM -
Game is just about to start. Half full seats adorn the Greensboro Coliseum. Too bad for UNCW fans that they're not playing in this session. It'd been REALLY easy to get tickets.

I got a couple of really good pictures. A few of the Seton Hall Cheerleaders, as well as the "Sponge Bob" mascot of Wichita State. Go take a look!
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11:58AM -
Okay, getting a little nervous here. Some guy has a camera here in the media room and he just randomly came up and started filming me. I hope I didn't pick my nose or anything.
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11:47AM -
Alright, baby. Only a half an hour until game time. The NCAA Tournament is about to get underway and I cannot WAIT!

I think what I'm going to do with the laptop is hold off during the first half. If I see a place to go down and sit at a table during the second half, I'll bring the laptop out there. So...don't expect any blogs from me during the first half of the first game today. But hopefully for the second half, I'll be able to get my laptop out there.
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10:56AM -
Well, well, well. The big guns have finally begun to show up here in Greensboro. Just as I'm sitting here typing this, I'm watching ESPN's Andy Katz just to my left, setting up his laptop. If he doesn't look too busy, I may go bother him for an interview to throw up on the web. He sure does look busy though.
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10:03AM -
I'm all set up here at the Greensboro Coliseum. I went downstairs and had breakfast at that Joseph's place that brought me back to my childhood. That was the restaurant I HATED as a kid, when I stayed in Greensboro with my dad and grandfather here for a bowling tournament. It became a running joke in my family for years. "Watch it, or I'll make you go eat at Joseph's!" I've obviously matured in my taste of restaurants and though the breakfast was wonderful.

I am among the early birds here at the Coliseum. I figured with the way the spots in the media room filled up yesterday, I'd better get here early to make sure I had a spot. I have all my stuff set up and am ready to go.

The big difference between my CAA coverage and the coverage of this day's games will be my ability to blog and upload pictures in-game. Unless I can finagle my way into a seat on press row that's at a table, I'll have to limit my blogging to halftime and in between games.

For us low guys on the totem pole, they sit us in the first row of actual seats and call it the "Media Overflow" area. In most cases though, everyone that has a seat at a table will not show up, so I'll hopefully be able to squeeze in there. Stay tuned on that front.

I did spots on our two local morning shows this morning. First was with Stan and Belinda on B99.9FM. Then, I did a spot with Foz and Nikki on Z107.5. I would imagine that I'll be making an appearance on Rock 104.5 and Surf 98.3 today as well, in addition to ESPN Radio AM630.

Speaking of ESPN Radio AM630, it's time for Krunch Time to start. I think I may go call Kolby and give him the low down on what I saw and experienced yesterday. I hope you can tune in.
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7:21AM -
GameDay has finally arrived. Today is the day that UNCW basketball has waited all season for. The NCAA Tournament. The national stage. A chance to end someone's season while extending your own in the most important tournament a college basketball player can participate in. GameDay is here!

Before I go on, let me say this. If any of you ever come to the Greensboro area for any reason and need a hotel to stay in, do yourself a favor. Stay in the Sheraton - Four Seasons. No, not because of the amenities. Not because of the curtious staff. Not because of the location. No, not for any of those reasons. Stay here because the beds are among the most comfortable I've ever slept in. Wow!! I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. So soft. Down comforter, down filled pillows. Soft mattress that just forms around you. I want to take this bed home with me!

Okay, moving on.

Folks, I have to be honest. I know I'm here to cover UNCW's game against George Washington. But I am finding myself REALLY looking forward to being able to see Duke play tomorrow. It's been a long time since I've been able to watch a Duke team in person. For that reason, tonight after UNCW's game against GW, I am anxiously awaiting the Duke - Southern game. Did I say "game"? My bad. I mean the Duke offensive exhibition. I say the Blue Devils win by 40. Sorry Southern.

Back to UNCW. The kids really seemed to be in the right mindset yesterday. Nobody seemed to be overly impressed with being here. They all looked very business-like. The practice session was treated as an actual practice, which is rare. Most times, like I said yesterday, the public practice session is nothing more than a glorified shootaround. Not for UNCW, though. They were actually working them fairly hard yesterday in the arena.

If you're in Wilmington and are looking for a place to watch tonight's game, try Fox and Hound. Kolby will be there, plus the Cape Fear Chapter of the UNCW Alumni Association is going to meet there, so there will be plenty of teal in that place.

If you're going to be at home watching on your own TV, check the blog every so often for my thoughts. I'll have the laptop out with me courtside, updating as the game goes along.

I'm hungry. Time to go find some breakfast. I'll catch up with you guys later on.

Krunch Time at the NCAA Tournament - Day One

2006-03-15T07:04:00.000-05:00

11:45PM -
I just enjoyed a nice dinner at Darryl's with a couple of guys from WWAY. That came after a few adult beverages here in one of the hotel bars. I say "one of" because they have, I think, like five bars just inside this hotel. Like I said earlier, it's VERY nice.

I am anxiously awaiting tipoff tomorrow. Not just for UNCW's game, but for all the games, period. I just love college basketball, and to be able to sit and watch four NCAA Tournament games in person tomorrow is something I am very lucky to be able to do.

Looks like Pops Mensah-Bonsu will play tomorrow. How effective will he be? We'll find out in about 19 hours. That's all for me tonight folks. Talk to you tomorrow.
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9:09PM -
I'll tell you. If I was a team playing in this NCAA Tournament, I started things off getting down by 18 at the half. The whole battery situation really has me flustered.

Apparently, when my audio recorder has low batteries, the audio it's recording skips. Thus, I have many tiny portions of UNCW's media session today. Bigtime bummer. Hopefully, they win tomorrow night and I'll have an opportunity to redeem myself.

I did, however, manager to get most of Duke's press conference. The two players they let us talk to were J.J. Redick and Lee Melchionni. It might as well have just been J.J. He's really the only person anyone aimed any questions at, including myself.

Following them was Mike Krzyzewski. Nothing exciting, really. We got the same coach speak we're used to. Someone asked him about the possibility of Johnny Dawkins getting the Temple job. He gave a stock answer. He keeps this up and I'm going to start calling him Coach Zzzzzz.

For those who were really curious as to what the folks from UNCW said during the press conference, here's the transcript:

UNC WILMINGTON SENIOR JOHN GOLDSBERRY

On the difference between this trip to the NCAAs and his first trip in 2003

GOLDSBERRY: It’s a little different (with) us being older. The first time we were kind of role players trying to do what we needed to do. This time, being our senior year, we want to make it special and we’re going to go out and play well.

On UNC Wilmington’s reputation

GOLDSBERRY: We’ve established our program well enough (that) we’re known around the nation as a good basketball program. We got a nine seed this time, so the respect for our team is climbing. We have seniors; that’s what we’ve tried to do the last four years to keep our program at that level.

On the impact of injured George Washington forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu

GOLDSBERRY: Obviously he’s a great player. You see the highlights on ESPN every game he plays. We’re preparing for him to play. Whether he plays a little bit or a lot, it’s irrelevant, but he definitely is a difference-maker when he’s in the game.

On playing in the shadow of Atlantic Coast Conference teams

GOLDSBERRY: We quietly go about our business. We do things the right way on the court and off the court. We probably don’t get as much attention as we would like, but that’s alright. We’re here in the NCAA Tournament. We’re satisfied where we’re at and we’ve come to win some games.

UNC WILMINGTON SENIOR BECKHAM WYRICK

On preparations for injured George Washington forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu

WYRICK: We’re preparing as if he will play because I’m sure he’ll play at little bit. I’m not sure how much he’ll be able to play, depending on how his knee feels, but we’re preparing for him to play and we’ll go from there.

On George Washington

WYRICK: We knew just from their record and from seeing them play on TV a couple of times that they are a great team. I think they’re 26 and two; they’re top-10 in the nation. We knew that they’re a great team. They’re an athletic bunch of guys who get after you on defense and now we’ve put in a plan a little bit to try to counteract what they’re going to do on defense.

On two CAA teams receiving NCAA Tournament bids

WYRICK: I think that just speaks to how tough our league was this year. I think this is definitely the best our league has been in the four years we’ve been here and probably in a long while. To get two teams in and have a third right there in consideration just speaks to how tough our league was and how good it was all around.

UNC WILMINGTON HEAD COACH BRAD BROWNELL

On the roster having only one active player from North Carolina

BROWNELL: Because of living a little bit in the shadow of the ACC, most of the kids in North Carolina are going up and playing for an ACC school. This state is also unbelievably recruited. All the teams in Florida, Clemson, the South Carolina schools, all of those teams also come up into the state. There are certainly a lot of good players in North Carolina. We’d like to add a few more to our roster, but at the same time, we’ve had some success going elsewhere and finding very good players. We’ve found in the midwest, the southwest, the northeast a little bit, we can find maybe a even higher caliber of player to come down and appreciate the fact that they’re going to play at UNC Wilmington.

Some of the kids we try to recruit in our state look at us a little bit differently, and to be honest, I’m not the most patient man in waiting on them to decide whether they want to get an ACC offer or not. I think our program stands well enough right now, having gone to the NCAA Tournament four times in seven years. There are a lot of ACC schools that haven’t done that. If you’re not excited about coming to play for UNCW, play in front of 6,000 fans every night, play for championships, and have the opportunity to do this – if you’re not excited about that right away, I may move on as a recruiter.

On mid-major coaches getting higher profile jobs after an NCAA run

BROWNELL: You have to do what’s best for you and your family. I love UNCW. I’ve been here for 12 years now. I was an assistant for eight years under Coach Wainwright and at the time UNCW was a little bit of an afterthought in basketball. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life the last 12 years working to change that reputation, both as an assistant and as a head coach. I’m extremely proud of what Coach Wainwright started and what I’ve helped to continue.

On defending George Washington’s uptempo style of play

BROWNELL: We’re not going to just walk the ball up. I think some people expect us to try and take the air out of the ball. We really don’t play that way. We’ll take advantage of situations that they’re presenting. If they try to trap us in situations at the full-court level and we’ve got advantage numbers, we’re going to try to go and score.
I think it sends the wrong message to your team. Your team needs to understand that they can win the game and we’ve won some games that have been a little bit higher scoring. We’re not going to win every game that way, we certainly aren’t excited about it being an 88-86 game, but if the floor is spaced, if they pressure and they force you to go make plays, I want my guys to go make plays.

On George Washington

BROWNELL: Everybody harps on the differences between our two teams. I think you guys are missing the similarities. You have two experienced teams, two teams that share the ball unbelievably well, that play as a team and don’t play with much of an ego. I think that’s a little bit rare in college basketball.

You don’t win 26 games without having five or six guys that can go for 20 points a night and they certainly have that. They’re unbelievably balanced, unbelievably unselfish, which is something we pride ourselves on. Watching more and more tape on GW, that impresses me the most – the way their kids approach each game and how unselfishly they play.

On getting over their heartbreaking loss in their last NCAA Tournament appearance

BROWNELL: That was disheartening to say the least and I’m not sure I’m quite over it. With
the help of ESPN and Instant Classics, I get reminded of it quite often. At the same time, it served as motivation for me and the senior class. We wanted to put ourselves in a position to get back to this tournament. We had a good season last year, winning 19 games, but it wasn’t quite good enough to make the NCAA’s. I think it served as a springboard for us to really motivate us in our off-season work.
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6:40PM -
I'm in the process of getting a BUNCH of pictures up. My batteries lasted as long as I needed them to. Now, I'll pick some more up at the hotel after I leave the Coliseum here.

UNCW just finished up with their practice session. Kind of a neat side note. They took the floor immediatley after Duke, and the Duke fans who were here cheered them as they came out. I think it's a pretty good indication of what it will be like tomorrow night, as UNCW's game is before the Duke game. It'd be nice to see the Cameron Crazies join forces with Teal Nation.

The rest of the audio will go up a little later on tonight, once I get the new batteries.
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4:05PM -
Yeah...the whole "ride the media shuttle back to the hotel" thing didn't go so well. Apparently, the media shuttle is M.I.A. So...I gave up waiting at 3:45 and came back into the coliseum. Hopefully, my batteries hold up for the rest of the evening. Hopefully.

Just heard from GW's players and coaches. They say UNCW plays tough and likes to foul. They don't really know them that well. Somehow, I feel like they won't truely realize how tough they are until about 2 minutes into the game tomorrow. Here's to hoping that they take'em by surprise.

Be on the lookout for GW coach Karl Hobbs' press conference going up on the website in just a few. At 4:30, it's time for Duke's presser. I'm really looking forward to that.
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2:48PM -
Well, this whole thing couldn't have possibly gone off without a hitch. I forgot to pack the battery charger for my digital camera, so I'm going to have to leave the Greensboro Coliseum for a few to go grab some batteries. Gotta make it quick. I don't want to miss Duke.

There's some new stuff up on the web. Photos of Tennessee's press conference, plus some audio, including an interview I just did with CBSSportsline.com's Tony Mejia. Great writer, even better guy. Go listen!
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12:55PM -
Man, am I going to be busy here today. A good kind of busy though. The NCAA has this stuff running so tightly together that it's pretty much impossible to cover everything.

I got to get to Seton Hall's press conferences and watch their practice, but missed Winthrop's in the process of putting stuff up on the web for you guys to see and hear. I really wish I had another person here helping me. Anyone volunteer? Hah...

The media hotel is the Sheraton Four Seasons. UNCW and Tennessee are also both staying there. The room is NICE. I'll have to snap a few photos of it and throw them up on the web for all to see.

UNCW's media session is tonight at 5:15, with practice beginning at 5:55. I know they already had a "real" practice this morning at UNCG, so tonight should be basically a show for the members of Teal Nation who made the early trip. More later!
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10:56AM -
I just arrived in Greensboro a little bit ago. I'm going to have to hustle over to the Coliseum in order to get there in time for Seton Hall's practice session/media press conference, so I don't have much time right now. Look for more later on.
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7:02AM -
This morning, I leave for Greensboro. You may be asking yourself why I would leave today when the game isn't until tomorrow night. Good question. It's the same question my fiance asked me.

The reason is that the NCAA does their media day the day before the games are played. The media day consists of an open practice, which is really just a glorified shoot around, plus time with members of the media. So today, I'll get the opportunity to speak to Mike Krzyzewski, J.J. Redick, Brad Brownell, John Goldsberry, and others. Sounds nice, lumping all those names in together, doesn't it?

Currently, I'm sitting at my desk at work, eating a McDonald's breakfast burritto. I love those things. I had to swing by here to pick up a few things I forgot, namely Wilmington's Bracket. I had to grab it to enter it in on espn.com, so that we can see how well you guys did this year. I'm pretty hopeful, considering the Final Four on this sheet is exactly as it is on my own.

Back to today's media day, the NCAA is weird about taking still photos and stuff like that during these things. I may have to sneak a few snapshots and upload them to our website for you.

Remember, as with the CAA Tournament, you should check am630.net regularly for updates from Greensboro. Today, especially, there'll be a lot of audio from each team's press conference. Plus, I'll put a bunch of other surprises up there as well. And I expect to be calling in to Krunch Time quite a few times today and tomorrow as well.

Time to hit the road! Greensboro, here I come!

Get ready, Greensboro! Teal Nation is coming!

2006-03-12T20:41:00.000-05:00

I'll tell you what. Did the Selection Committee do us a good deed or what? And no, I'm not referring to UNCW as we, I'm talking we, the people who cover them. We, as in the media. Let me explain.

To cover the Seahawks in their run in the NCAA Tournament, I estimated the total cost to be around $2000.00 as a worst case scenario. Now, as is the case with most companies, I would've had to front the cash for this trip and be reimbursed for it later on down the road. One of the larger portions of the cost would've been plane tickets. Now, with Greensboro as the destination, no plane ticket is necessary. Thank you, NCAA Tournament Selection Committee!

Seriously though, how great is it that the Seahawks will be playing only four hours down I-40? Not only will they not have to travel that far from home, but plenty of folks from home can travel with them.

The school's ticket allotment will be all gulped up within the next 24 hours, which means there will be tons of UNCW folks outside of the Greensboro Coliseum looking to buy off of scalpers. Good luck. With Duke likely playing in the same session as the Seahawks, I can't imagine what those prices are going to look like.

Speaking of Duke, I know I may be getting ahead of myself, but how freaking cool would it be if we got UNCW vs. Duke in the second round? I mean, can you think of a more anticipated game in school history? I certainly cannot.

I haven't even really had time to check out the rest of the bracket. I know that George Mason got in and Hofstra did not. That, to me, is a damn shame. Hofstra beats Mason twice in the last two weeks, yet is snubbed in favor of a team with a slightly better RPI and a slightly tougher strength of schedule. I know what the numbers say, but I mean, come on! The Pride knocked the Patriots out of the CAA Tournament. They beat them to end the season and knock them out of the Top-25, yet it's NIT city for'em. Some things just are not fair.

Make sure you tune into Krunch Time on Monday. We'll be doing "Wilmington's Bracket" yet again. For those who weren't listening last year at this time, we had you, the listener, pick game by game in the tournament, coming up with Wilmington's Bracket. And for the record? You guys sucked it up pretty bad last year, too! I expect better things this year.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

2006-03-10T13:46:00.000-05:00

There are probably three or four times a year that, as a sports fan, are Heaven on Earth. This weekend is one of those, no doubt. The ACC Basketball Tournament is in full swing, and as I type this, Duke and Miami are in a dog fight, in what will be the first of four tournament games today.

But the ACC Tournament isn't the ONLY one going on. Oh, no. You also have the Big Ten, the SEC, the Pac-10, the A-10, the MAC. It's enough to drive women everywhere to the mall to leave their sports fan men alone. Speaking of which, that isn't a bad idea. I think I'll suggest Aimee pay a visit to the mall tomorrow and Sunday.

Sunday, by the way, is a big day for UNCW fans. A big Selection Show Party is planned at Trask Coliseum that evening, as we all wait to see who the Seahawks will play in the first round. After speaking with the powers that be here at work, I'm about 99% sure I'll be able to make the trip, wherever they wind up. Covering an NCAA Tournament is so much fun! You get to see college basketball teams from all over the map, all in one day, all on one court. Seperate times though, but you already knew that.

The folks at Toyota of Wilmington have given Kolby and myself cars to drive for the weekend. The deal is that we drive it, then come back and talk about it on Monday. The car I got was a brand new 2006 4Runner, and it is NICE! I kind of want to test it out on the North End at Carolina Beach, but somehow, I don't think they'd appreciate that too much. I'll let you guys know what I think of the car on the show Monday.

Well folks...that's it from me for now. Enjoy the weekend of games. I suspect I'll probably write a new entry here after getting to watch some of the games myself. It sucks, being stuck here at work until 5 this evening. Cough, cough. I think I may feel a cold coming on. ;-)

Krunch Time at the CAA Tournament - Championship Monday

2006-03-06T07:08:00.000-05:00

10:37PM -
Wow...words can't describe how much fun it is to cover a team that wins a championship. UNCW validated themselves as one of the nation's up and coming mid-major programs. I hope the NCAA folks do them a good deed when it comes to deciding who they play and where they play in the upcoming tournament.

Check am630.net for full coverage. I have photos plus all the postgame audio. I interviewed just about every member of the team, plus coaches and more. Be sure to check it out!
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8:56PM -
Two HUGE shots by T.J. Carter!! He just won MVP honors on my ballot. Wow. A 7 point game now with under a minute to play. Looks like they MAY have this one wrapped up.

This will likely be my last post for a while. I'm going to be busy after this thing is over, getting interviews and what not. Look for more later on tonight.
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8:50PM -
Okay, let's discuss. Hofstra has turned this into an actual contest. It's a five point lead right now. Two things have happened. One. UNCW has gone ICE COLD from the field. Two. Hofstra, I think, even if they lose, is in the NCAA Tournament. UNCW though? I don't know. Giving up a 20+ point lead on national television doesn't do you any favors.

They just announced the attendance for tonight. 4580 is the number. If there was a Virginia school in this thing, it'd be at least double. They drew over 10,000 last season for ODU vs. VCU.
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8:48PM -
Down to a 3 point lead? I repeat. They need a time out!
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8:45PM -
Yeah...this one is FAR from over. They better start working the ball inside and keeping Hofstra from shooting those three's. They need a time out or something.
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8:39PM -
I don't know, folks. It's down to a 13 point lead right now and it looks like Hofstra has answered the Seahawks' inside game. UNCW is going to have to figure out a way to score here, quickly. As the great Wayne Jackson, former UNCW color analyst, would say, "Hold onto your hats, folks!"
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8:29PM -
Awesome moment here during a TV timeout. Sammy C. Hawk, the UNCW mascot, just came out dancing to "Bye-Bye". The mascot hasn't done that routine since Blizzard's senior year....the last time UNCW went dancing. Good times...
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8:21PM -
I am shocked that Hofstra hasn't put up more of a fight tonight. Shocked. UNCW is making this look easier than it should be. For a team that wants an at-large bid, Hofstra isn't doing themselves any favors by missing all these shots. A 22 point lead with 14:40 left is almost a sure win for UNCW, the way they play defense. I honestly cannot see them giving up a lead this big.
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8:15PM -
I'm afraid I just got news that's going to put a damper on what's turning into be an exciting night. Hall of famer Kirby Puckett has passed away. He was one of my all time favorites. The guy hit .300 every year when hardly anyone else was doing it. He was all heart, and his career and life ended too early. A sad day for baseball.
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8:05PM -
Two really cool moments while back in the media work area at halftime. First, was when I was standing in line to use the bathroom. Brad Nessler walked by and said, "T.J.!! UNC-Wilmington is looking good!". Other media members looked at me like, "How do you know him?!?" Pretty neat.

Secondly was a conversation I was having with Pat Forde of espn.com. I mentioned earlier today about the nice article he wrote about the CAA. I complimented him on it and we talked a bit about UNCW's chances in the tournament. He seems to think they're in, regardless. He also said how great it would be if they could be seeded in Greensboro, so a lot of the hometown fans could drive over and see'em.

Can't worry about that now, though. They still have another half of basketball to play. Up twelve. Twenty minutes to a championship. Let's see if the Seahawks can bring it home.
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7:56PM -
I told you. At the half, it's a 12 point game. And Hofstra played much better in that last 3 minute stretch. Expect this one to get even closer in the second half. Time for a bathroom break.
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7:43PM -
Well, Hofstra has trimmed the lead by one point since the last TV timeout. Like I said, I just don't think this is going to be the way the entire game goes. Hofstra WILL make it interesting, at least. There's 3:33 left this half. If Hofstra outscores them from now until the end of the half, this will turn into a better ballgame.
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7:32PM -
I can't help but to think that Hofstra has a good run in them here tonight. They're down 19 right now, but by no means is out of it. This is a good basketball team. Their RPI dictates it. This may wind up being a 19 point victory for UNCW, but not until Hofstra puts up a fight. The run is coming. They're too good to go down this easily.
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7:20PM -
Wow!! 22-5 right now at another TV timeout. Looks like the nerves went away for UNCW, but not for Hofstra.

A friend of mine IM'ed me to tell me that Nessler is referring to them as UNCW. Glad he listened to me! :-)
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7:08PM -
First TV timeout right now, Hawks lead 8-2. I think both teams look a little nervous to start out. T.J. Carter has missed his first couple of shots. He'll have to snap out of it if UNCW wants to win this. Carter has GOT to give them 10-15 points tonight.
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6:54PM -
What a great way to do the National Anthem! They had a Williamsburg Colonial flute playing group play the Star Spangled Banner on flutes. I took a couple of pictures. You can check them out in the photo section.

Three minutes until the starters are introduced. It won't be long now...
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6:47PM -
Just a few minutes until gametime. Both student sections have kind of calmed down into a nervous lull. I think with tipoff so close, it's becoming more and more apparent that someone's NCAA tournament hopes might be crushed tonight.

Quick side bar. Hofstra's dance team? Not bad! I didn't really notice it yesterday, but I walked right past them as they were warming up and I gotta say, I was impressed. Photos to follow...
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6:08PM -
I arrived at the Richmond Coliseum at around 5 this evening. Pasta and salad was on the menu for the media food. I've already eaten and have taken my spot along press row. Both teams are out on the floor right now engaging in a little warmups.

Hofstra's student section is to my right. UNCW to my left. The same place they were last night.

As game time draws nearer, a feeling of doubt continues to creep into my mind, regarding UNCW's possibility as an at-large team if they lose this. I'm thinking more and more that this game is a must win, if they want to go dancing.
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2:56PM -
I just enjoyed a wonderful lunch. I won't say where because the place I went is a direct competitor with one of our sponsors for this whole trip. All I'll say is that the quesadilla really hit the spot.

One of the sports radio stations here in Richmond is running an ad for a website called momsmeetdadscom. That just has infidelity written ALL OVER it! It's designed for single moms and single dads to meet, but come on! Who are you kidding?

I've always thought of myself as someone who wasn't a huge Jim Rome fan. In fact, I've been known to bash him on occasion. However, this trip to Richmond has really kind of changed me. That same sports station I spoke of earlier carries Rome in the midday and I'm kind of changing my tune on him.

On Thursday when I drove into town, he spent about two hours talking about the autistic kid that scored 20 something points in a HS hoops game. He took calls from parents of autistic kids. He interviewed the kid's mother, the kid's coach. It was really a great show.

Today, he's spending a lot of time discussing the Army's newly opened criminal investigation into the death of Pat Tillman. These are, while still sports topics, topics most sports talk show hosts would avoid. But Rome is talking about it. And doing a fantastic job in the process. He's sold me on his show. I, now, am a fan.

Is it gametime yet?
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1:05PM -
The show just got wrapped up and I have to be happy about it. Brad Nessler, Scott Hamilton, Mike Vaccaro to name a few, plus Mark Scalf. That's a packed show, right there.

From here, I'll pack up my stuff, get in the car, and find some place to grab some lunch. Then, probably back to the hotel, play a little XBox, and wait until about 5pm or so to head on back for the game. Talk to you guys later.
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12:03PM -
That...was...awesome!! We just interviewed our interview with ESPN's Brad Nessler, and wow, was that fun! What a great guy, and he didn't pull any "big-time" stuff on me, like others have done before. Kolby couldn't believe I told him to stay away from calling them NC-Wilmington or North Carolina-Wilmington. I say, why not? If I didn't tell him, who would've? At least he'll get it right tonight on TV.

I've posted a picture of Brad Nessler sitting with me. You can see that in the photo section.

UNCW has wrapped up their shoot around. Hofstra is up next. I hope I don't get kicked out of the building.
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11:22AM -
UNCW is having their shoot around right now. To me, they don't look any different than they do in a normal practice. They look focused. They look determined. They look ready to play.

I have just posted a few photos from the shoot around, so feel free to check the photo section for those. I'm going to go over and try to get Brad Nessler on the show coming up later this hour, so be listening for that.
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10:05AM -
Well, we're all situated here at the Richmond Coliseum. Should be one heck of a show. Keep it tuned to ESPN Radio AM630 from 10am to 1pm for all of it!
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7:08AM -Well, today is the day we've been waiting for. Will UNCW win tonight's CAA Tournament Championship to earn the automatic birth into the NCAA Tournament, or will they lose and have Seahawk fans everywhere pulling their hair out until Selection Sunday? We'll find out in roughly 14 hours.

I believe I mentioned that Pat Forde, a college basketball writer for espn.com, was here in Richmond for the tournament. He wrote an excellent article about John Goldsberry, Loren Stokes, and the CAA in general. You can find that article here.

Speaking of Stokes, the controversy that ended yesterday's Hofstra - GMU game was all sorted out by one of our own. WECT's cameras caught exactly what happened between he and George Mason guard Tony Skinn. To see that video, click here, then click where it says "Controversy at the CAA Tournament". Nice job, Ryan!

I'm especially excited about today's edition of Krunch Time. As I mentioned yesterday, I spoke with ESPN & ABC play by play man Brad Nessler, and he agreed to stop by live today to talk about tonight's game. Jimmy Dykes, who is doing the game with Nessler, will be there today too. I may try to get him on as well.

What a close call for bubble teams last night. Did you see San Diego take Gonzaga to overtime? If the Zags lost last night, that would've snapped an at-large bid right away from a conference like the CAA or the Missouri Valley. All of a sudden, Gonzaga has a lot more fans as they play in the WCC Finals tonight.

I think I may go back to the free continental breakfast this morning at the hotel. Then, it's over to the Sheraton to pick up Mike Vacarro, and the equipment, then over to the Coliseum. Be sure to listen to Krunch Time from 10am to 1pm today. Should be a fun show!

Krunch Time at the CAA Tournament - Day Four

2006-03-05T08:42:00.000-05:00

8:31PM -
I just got out of the postgame press conference with Hofstra. I have to tell you, I like their attitude going into tomorrow's championship game. Tom Pecora, Hofstra's head coach, seemed to think they may already be in the tournament, with two wins over GMU late in the season. The question is whether or not Mason is in. Selection Sunday is going to be intense if you're a CAA Fan.

I'm going to post a few pictures and then head on out. A bunch of us media types are going to dinner. I don't want to get left behind.
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8:06PM -
Well...this one is pretty much over. Hofstra vs. UNCW tomorrow in the Championship Game. A thought just crossed my mind. UNCW may need to win tomorrow more than Hofstra does. More later.
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8:01PM -
A little drama late here in the game. Apparently, Stokes went down with a mysterious injury. From the looks of the conversation going on between GMU coach Jim Larranaga and his guard, Tony Skinn, I think he might've done something to him. Either way, Skinn is on the bench and Hofstra is on the verge of winning this game.
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7:46PM -
Hofstra has completely shifted the momentum in this one. They now hold a five point lead with 3 minutes left. GMU just lost to these guys a couple of weeks ago. I wonder if that's creeping into their minds as we come down to the stretch of this one. They just look out of sync.
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7:31PM -
I just had a dreadful thought. If UNCW and George Mason wind up meeting in the CAA Championship game, undoubtedly, ESPN will uncover footage from the 35-33 debacle of a few years ago. Just when I thought I had that game completely erased from my memory, ESPN is going to force it back in my head. Damn them!!

9:21 left and this game is by no means, over. GMU leading by 4, and Hofstra looking like they are poised for a run. Just as I typed that, Loren Stokes with a fast break lay-in, and the foul. A chance to cut it to one, coming up.
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7:12PM -
What the hell is George Mason's mascot suppose dto be? He looks like a green Grover from Sesame Street...but with white hair tied into a ponytail...looking...colonial or something. I have no clue.

I talked to Brad Nessler at halftime. He's going to come on our show live tomorrow, so be sure you tune in for that. Maybe I can get he and Jimmy Dykes on together. That'd be nice.

I'm going to have a whole host of other interviews on for the show tomorrow as well. I'm in the process of recording a lot of them today, so make sure you keep your ears peeled.

I just discovered that I've yet to post UNCW's postgame audio, so I'll do that in a few minutes. Go check the Audio Section on am630.net if you're interested.

Oh...and incase you were wondering, Mason leads Hofstra, 33-31. This is a pretty close one, thus far.

One last note here in this posting. I think I mentioned it in a previous blog, but the CAA had a former player whose into country music now record a CAA Song. It was kind of cool the first time I heard it, but they're playing the hell out of it here at the Richmond Coliseum. Personally, I'm sick of it.
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6:54PM -
At the half, it's 33-27, George Mason. Nice three pointer to end the half for Hofstra.

I was about to make my move over to Brad Nessler, when Mike Vacarro, the voice of the Seahawks, swept in and stole him from me. I felt like I was back in HS, at a party, scoping out a girl to ask to dance with me, only to have some bigger better looking guy come in and take her before I even had a chance to ask.

Okay...too much information.
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6:23PM -
The celeb's are starting to roll into Richmond here, folks. In the postgame press conference for UNCW, I saw Pat Forde of espn.com and....my man....Brad Nessler!! I WILL get an interview with him before the day is done.

Goldsberry wound up having to get stitches in his chin, after a little elbow from Jose Juan Barea. I believe it was four stitches that he wound up getting. You'll see'em on ESPN tomorrow night.

Speaking of tomorrow, I'll be doing the show again from courtside here at the Richmond Coliseum. Hopefully, I'll have interviews with Nessler, Forde, and Tom Yeager, the commish of the CAA. I want to know how many teams these guys think the CAA should get into the Big Dance. Brownell said three in the postgame press conference. I tend to agree with him.

George Mason and Hofstra are going at it right now. A 14-12 lead for Mason after a little Hofstra run.
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5:17PM -
1:15 left and UNCW leads by 15. Looking like they'll be moving on to play in the CAA Title game tomorrow night on ESPN. I cannot WAIT!! Not because of the game, but because I'm going to get to meet Brad Nessler!! hah

The second game should be pretty good also. Hofstra versus George Mason. I think if Hofstra wins, the CAA gets three teams in the NCAA. Seriously. Mason is getting in regardless, UNCW is getting in now with this win, and if Hofstra upends Mason, I think that's enough for THEM to get in. How funny would it be for the CAA to get three teams in this year, when they haven't gotten two teams in, in over 20 years?
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5:OOPM -
How lame am I that I'm chatting with my fiance, Aimee, right now on AOL Instant Messenger, trying to see if she can see me on TV? Yeah...I know. I'm a dork.

Anyway, we have a TV timeout right now. UNCW leads by 16 with 7:58 to go, and Jose Juan Barea has four fouls. Looks like coach Ron Everhart doesn't care though, as he's put him back in the game. If Barea fouls out, this ballgame is over. Shawn James is a nice player, but Barea is their team.
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4:44PM -
This is pretty amusing. The crowd has officially turned on UNCW. Hofstra fans, leftover VCU fans (why are they still here?), nad George Mason fans are all rooting against the Seahawks. They just started up a "Let's Go Huskies!!" chant.

Another note. The sideline reporter for the CAA Webcast of this game just TOTALLY copped an attitude with me. He was asking a guy in front of me to tell him what Northeastern's shooting percentage was for the half. I said, "Crappy", and laughed. He just kinda gave me the Heisman, and then copped an attitude with the kid he asked. My thinking is....dude. You're the sideline reporter for a WEB CAST!! Get over yourself. You're not THAT important!
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4:33PM -
The halftime post never happened because I found the network guy and had him reset the whole thing. I was able to access the wireless network, no problem, after that.

So...the second half is underway. By the way, I forgot to mention that my good friend from the Wilmington Star-News, Andrew Jones, has arrived here in Richmond. He'll be here tomorrow too, assuming UNCW is.

Speaking of UNCW, they lead by 11 right now and really seem to be in control of this game. I think part of it may have to be attributed to the fact that this is Northeastern's third game in three days. Jose Juan Barea has been carrying this team on his shoulders, but still seems pretty fresh. That kid probably doesn't get tired....ever.

Wow! T.J. Carter just got his dunk totally stuffed...for the second time this game. A quick score by Northeastern and now, they've cut the lead to 7. Maybe this game isn't over, afterall.
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4:08PM -
Well, I'm at the Richmond Coliseum. UNCW is beating Northeastern pretty good right now, at 37-25 with 2:49 to go in the first, but that's not what I'm worried about.

I'm worried about the fact that this crappy wireless network connection here in the coliseum is preventing me access with my laptop. Thankfully, the guys at Richmond.com who are sitting right next to me, are allowing me to use their laptop for this quick post.

I don't know how it's looking on TV or sounding on the radio, but to me, the Seahawks seems like a team that knows what they need to do to win this game. Meanwhile, Northeastern kind of looks like an overmatched team.

Kudos to a few of the Northeastern students though. They made the long trek to Richmond from Boston to be here for this game. Yesterday there were about 4 Northeastern fans. Today, there's at least 15. Nice job, guys!

I'll write more at halftime, when I can hardwire my laptop to the network from inside the press room.
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11:20AM -
I wound up hitting the Denny's next door to the hotel for breakfast. Scrambled eggs with cheese, sausage, bacon, and an English muffin later, I was all set. I ran into a few UNCW folks over there. A father and his probably 13 year old son, both decked out in Seahawk gear. You gotta love how sports can bring families together like that. Reminds me of the days of my dad and I sitting down and watching the Bills on a Sunday.

I am so bored in this hotel room. I fired up the XBox 360 and started to play some NBA2K6 but then a friend of mine sent me an IM on the laptop, so I've stopped to chat with him for a while.

Interesting how ESPNU is only carrying the second of the two semifinal games today. No respect for the 'Dub! Hopefully, I'll have a reason to stick around and watch that second game, because if UNCW loses, it'll be I-95 South within the hour for me, my friend.
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8:42 AM -
Day four begins here in Richmond for the 2006 CAA Tournament. Today, UNCW takes on Northeastern in one semifinal. George Mason and Hofstra meet in the other one. Both games will be televised nationally on ESPNU (all 5 people who actually can get that channel will be watching), and I'm glad that these matchups will make for good TV.

Think of this. How bad would the CAA have looked if we had Georgia State (who almost beat Mason) taking on Hofstra in the other semifinal? Even worse...what if it was VCU in the semi's? All this talk has been about how the CAA how so many teams in the top-50 in the RPI, and it would've been extremely embarrassing to see those teams not even reach the semi's. It is, for that reason, that I'm glad to see Hofstra-GMU in the other semi.

As for the game UNCW has today...I don't know how I feel about it. I'm telling you guys, watch this game on TV. (It's going to be on WWAY). Jose Juan Barea is special. In my opinion, he's even better than Brett Blizzard, simply because of his quickness. He also has a little attitude and swagger about him that I like.

How about that Duke-UNC game last night, huh? I gotta say, I didn't think there was any chance in the world for the Heels to knock off the Devils in Cameron on Senior Night. I have to think it makes a lot of Tar Heel fans happy that they sent J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams off of their home floor with a loss.

First game of the tournament isn't until 3pm today, so I've got a lot of time to kill. I'll probably wind up playing a few games on my XBox. Right now though...it's breakfast time. I think Waffle House down the street is calling!

Krunch Time at the CAA Tournament - Day Three

2006-03-04T07:51:00.000-05:00

9:44PM -
Well, I went over to the Embassy Suites, the Richmond Headquarters of Teal Nation. It was fun. I hung out and had a few drinks with one our regular callers, Rob.

The Seahawk Club was putting on "Casino Night" in their tent in the ES parking lot. The way it works is that you pay $20, and they give you $3000 of chips. You play various casino games and the person with the most chips at the end of the night wins a prize. Of course, no real money is wagered on. It's all for fun and all for the Seahawk Club.

I saw Cape Fear basketball coach Jamie Stowe out in the tent tonight. He decided to make the trek up here to watch UNCW after his Sea Devils were eliminated from their conference tournament. He seemed to be enjoying himself while trying to get his mind off of a tough loss.

So now I'm nessled back into my comfy hotel room, watching Duke-UNC on ESPN. Nice close game. Gotta be happy with the way it's going so far. These games never disappoint.

This is going to be my last entry for the day. Tomorrow, the UNCW Seahawks play in the CAA Semifinals. It's either going to be a long trip back to Wilmington or a long day here Monday, waiting for the championship game. Tomorrow, we'll find out which one it'll be. Good night.
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5:06PM -
So, Northeastern moves on to play UNCW tomorrow and apparently, the Huskies' coach is quite superstitious. He actually had his two players, Jose Juan Barea and Shawn James, switch places at the podium to where they were yesterday. I love that! Probably because I'm that superstitious too.

I had one of those hilarious moments that is probably only funny to me and one other person. I was walking towards one of the multiple doorways to get to the media room. I saw someone about to walk through the doorway I was heading for, so I switched and moved one doorway to the right. So did the other guy. We both laughed. We're probably still the only ones who did.

I'm in the process of putting the Northeastern postgame press conference audio up on the web. Then, it's dinner time. I'm thinking about heading out after I eat, too. I haven't gotten to get over to the Embassy Suites yet, and I'm sure the Seahawk fans will be in rare form over there. I think I may head there after dinner.
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4:28PM -
Wow...Alex Loughton missed the first of two free throws. He hit the second, but his Monarchs trail 66-63 now with :30 left. How unfortunate would it be for a senior like Loughton to have potentially missed a free throw that could've extended his season?

Northeastern is on the line. Jose-Juan Barea, nailed the first. Up by 4. Missed the second, but NU got the board! A foul. This one is pretty much over, folks. NU will move on to face UNCW in the CAA Semifinals tomorrow.

Another interesting note. Remember how I mentioned the four NU fans here yesterday? That number has multiplied significantly, if you count the fans of all the other schools rooting AGAINST ODU. In the NU student section on the floor, there are VCU fans, UNCW fans, and GMU fans. It's really a site to see.

And now the VCU fans break out in a "64-EAST! 64-EAST!" chant. Creative. I like it.
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4:26PM -
I wish they were ALL like this. Fast break, attempted layup for NU, a miss, and a BIG follow up dunk. Huskies up by 4 with :50 left. I'm on the edge of MY seat...
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4:23PM -
BIG three-pointer for Northeastern, and they have a 2 point lead with just under 2 to go. What an upset this would be!
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4:14PM -
Looks like ODU has taken control, somewhat. They lead by 6 with 4:32 left. Barea has really taken on the role of the bad guy here in the Richmond Coliseum. Everytime he touches the ball now, he's showered with a chorus of boo's. Somehow, I think he enjoys it.

There's a group of fans sitting directly behind me on press row that have been here for every game of the tournament so far. Their purpose? Heckling the refs. Yep. That's all they've been doing...well...when VCU isn't playing. They are wearing VCU gear, but for every other game that's gone on, they've simply been giving the refs a terribly hard time.

I'm keeping up with some scores around the country on the laptop. Looks like my Charlotte 49'ers have taken George Washington to OT. It'd be nice to see Bobby Lutz pick up a good win for what's been an uncharacteristically tough season for the 'Niners.

Take control of the game? Did I really say that. Just while I was typing that, the Huskies went on a little mini-run to close to within one. I'm going to stop declaring games over until they actually are. I'm clearly no good at it.
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3:57PM -
I am so impressed with Northeastern's team. ODU went on a little run. The crowd was pumped. But the Huskies held ODU to bad shots in two consecutive possessions, and now, it's back to a 2 point game. ODU keeps on looking like they're going to run away with it, but NU simply comes right back. This is a great college basketball game!
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3:42PM -
Second half is about to start, ODU and NU tied at 29. This has been one of the better games in the entire tournament. I'll tell you...I anxiously await the next fast break being led by Jose Juan Barea. That kid is one of the rare ones who'll leave you wanting to see what he's going to do next. A true treat to watch.

I got yelled at by a security guy for walking right through when ODU was about to retake the court. He put his hands up to stop all from walking, but I ignored him and kept on walking. I made it through without getting run over, so in my mind, me stopping was unnecessary. Darn Event Staff. You give'em a yellow jacket and they think they run the world!
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3:08PM -
Whoever said Old Dominion was a shoe-in to advance to the CAA Semifinals? Right now, they have a tight game on their hands with Northeastern. With 8 minutes left in the first half, Northeastern leads 16-14. CAA player of the year Jose Juan Barea is having a nice game so far, shooting wise.

And while I'm typing this, might I add that this has been the best looking game, uniform wise, thus far? I really am enjoying the red Northeastern uni's as well as ODU's white with light blue and navy blue trim. Really sharp looking jerseys on both teams.

Time out on the floor. 7:32 left in the first half. NU 18, ODU 14. UNCW may not have to play their arch nemesis afterall. We shall see.
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2:45PM -
Just got out of the postgame press conference. Brad Brownell, T.J. Carter, and John Goldsberry were the representatives from UNCW. Brad said he was extremely happy with how hard his team played. I'd have to agree. A truly gritty performance for the Seahawks. Scott Hamilton of the Star-News asked a good question. Was the game too hard for the first of what could be three games in as many days? Brownell said no.

Speaking of Brownell, he and assistant coach Bill Donlon are sitting next to me on press row now, scouting this game (Old Dominion - Northeastern). The Hawks play the winner tomorrow.

Watch the website. I've got photos up there now and the postgame audio coming.
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2:09PM -
The "Nah-nah-nah-nah, hey-hey-hey, goodbye" chants have started. This one is over. UNCW wins 69-56 and moves on to face the winner of ODU - Northeastern.

I wonder why the starters played as long as they did. I kind of thought they should've come out to rest them, but that's me. Anyway, onto the media room. More in a bit.
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1:56PM -
UNCW again went on a run, increasing their lead to 63-46, with 4:00 left. I don't see another run left in Delaware, I really don't. I'll hold off on calling this one for sure, but it's looking like the Seahawks will advance to tomorrow's semifinals. It just has that feeling like it's over.
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1:35PM -
I'll tell you. This wireless internet connection here in the Richmond Coliseum is fickle at best. It just shut down for about a half an hour and I had no access to the net.

Either way, I'm back on now. We've got a decent ballgame going on. With 11:39 left, UNCW leads 46-36.

They're doing this neat little thing where they're giving away prizes for people who text message in a vote for various things. During this game, we have a vote for your favorite celebrity alumni for the two schools playing now. The UNCW alum is Brett Blizzard. The Delaware alum is George Thorogood. I didn't know he went to UD. Anyway, Blizzard is killing him in the voting right now.

I'm sitting next to the Old Dominion assistant coaches. They're scouting this game because if they beat Northeastern in the next round, they'll face the winner of this game tomorrow.

it's always neat to hear what others have to say about the team you follow. These guys don't seem too impressed with the Hawks. Then again, why should they be? UNCW hasn't beaten ODU in their last 7 meetings.
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12:58PM -
And at the half, it's UNCW 33, Delaware 23. I'm really liking the way the Seahawks have come out here in the first half. On one hand, you'd expect them to be a little rusty. They don't really look it. I'm impressed.

Nice performance here by the UNCW dance team. If you've been reading my blog thus far, you know how I enjoy a good dance team.
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12:50PM -
UNCW is letting them get back into it with a few bad possessions in a row and a few turnovers. Delaware has closed it to within 7 with 2:51 left.

Another thing I've noticed is that all non-UNCW fans in the building are rooting for Delaware. So...match UNCW up with the other half of the building filled with George Mason, VCU, and Old Dominion fans, and you've got a pretty equal rooting interest.

I wonder if John Goldsberry enjoys being sort of the J.J. Redick of this league, popularity wise. He really IS hated!
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12:36PM -
Upon the advice of a few folks, Bill included, I'm going to be posting the newest entries here on the top from here on out.

We've got 7:33 left in the first half and UNCW is out to a 21-11 lead. Bodies are starting to hit the floor. Guys are starting to get chippy. This is UNCW basketball at it's best. So far, it's been a team effort for the Hawks. Mitch Laue has 5 points and had an excellent fall away jumper earlier.

I can't get over how many UNCW fans are in the building here. As I look across the floor near UNCW's bench, the seats above them are filled with people wearing teal. Very nice job, UNCW fans. Way to make this feel like a home game for the Hawks.
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12:15PM -
So far so good. UNCW leads 12-6 with 14:14 left in the first half. The Hawks are running the floor rather well, and Delaware looks like a team who played a tough game yesterday.

My pick for UNCW's X-Factor, Todd Hendley, already has 4 points. Ohh....just as I typed that, he got a shot blocked. Maybe I'll stop mentioning him here.
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12:05PM -
Teal Nation is alive and well! The Richmond Coliseum looks a lot like Trask Coliseum right now, with all the UNCW fans in the building. We're just a few minutes from getting UNCW-Delaware underway.

I've posted some pictures of the UNCW faithful up on the photos section. Be sure to check those out.

For those concerned, the media lunch was great. Italian Sausage....mmmm. Well, UNCW's first game of this year's CAA Tournament is finally upon us. Let's see how they do.
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7:50AM -
First of all, I've decided I'm done with the fancy font on this thing. I'm sticking with the default, as it's a huge pain in the rear to constantly change it everytime I write a new one of these.

Sorry about not writing again last night. When I got back to the hotel, I basically collapsed on the bed and fell asleep. Four basketball games may sound like a lot of fun, but when you're actually working and covering them, it can be pretty tiresome as well.

I think I'll head down to the lobby and check out the continental breakfast. UNCW doesn't play until noon, so again, I have some time to kill. Be listening to the Weekend Sports Fix for my call-ins, as well. I'll be doing around two an hour.

Krunch Time at the CAA Tournament - Day Two

2006-03-03T10:08:00.000-05:00

10:08AM - Krunch Time is beginning as I type this. Kind of a hassle to start the morning. Apparently, the young lady that works the front desk at the Sheraton West Broad Street doesn't know the difference between UNCW and Towson. I called yesterday to make sure it was the correct hotel, and was assured that the Seahawks were staying there. I get there this morning to pick Mike Vaccaro up and it's the wrong hotel.

So...I hit the road, trying to find the Sheraton - Park South. I found it...and gas at $2.08 a gallon. Next Media will be happy about that! More to come!
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1:17PM - I thought the show went pretty well. Thanks to Mike Vaccaro, Rob Washburn, Joe Browning, Rob Brickles, and Robert Metzger for joining me at various parts of the show.

I was talking about it on-air, man the Drexel Cheerleaders and Dance Team are nice to look at. Go look at the photos on am630.net when you get a chance.

I have to say that I'm extremely impressed with the renovations to the Richmond Coliseum. It's been a few years since I've been here, but the work they've done on the building is awesome. Skyboxes, new seats, a way to keep it from smelling like elephant urine, they've really outdone themselves here with the Coliseum.

As I type this, Drexel leads Delaware, 28-27. UNCW plays the winner tomorrow at noon. If whoever wins this game plays this poorly tomorrow, the Hawks won't have anything to worry about. More to come later.
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2:02PM - This has turned out to be a pretty good game. Less than a minute, big three pointer by Delaware, and they're up 51-49 with 34 seconds left. The good part is that both teams are beating the crap out of each other, so whoever wins will be good and tired for their game against UNCW tomorrow.

Another timeout. That's the only thing I hate about close, late games. The time outs. It really kinda kills the momentum and excitement for me. At least we have good tunes to listen to here in the coliseum, however. If you check out the audio section, I have an interview with George and Neil, who are kind of in charge of the off-time music here in the building. Interesting stuff.

Okay, so they've come out of the time out. Drexel needs a quick one and they miss. Delaware with the rebound and a two point lead, this will likely be the ballgame. Bruiser looks mad. Free throw time.

Oh, but there's a miss. Drexel still has a chance. One more FT and Delaware goes up by 3 with 14.5 left. Like I said, good game. Another time out. Damn time outs.

Not quite sure what's going on over near the scorers table, but it looks like Bruiser Flint is close to getting T'ed up. Way to go, Bruiser. Kill your team's chance in this game.

The referees are conversing over near the baseline. Doesn't look like a T will be called, but Bruiser better keep his mouth shut.

Well, here's what Bruiser was mad at. Delaware should've had one and one, but the refs administered it as a two-shot foul. I think Delaware is going to get possession, based on the arrow. Way to go, refs. He made his fouls shot. 52-49.

Oh, wow. Mason with a shot to tie but misses. No call. Game over. Delaware wins and will face the Seahawks tomorrow. More later.
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3:12PM - Finally got the website updated. I put pictures of the postgame press conference, as well as audio. Man, Bruiser was mad! Apparently, the scorers table did not tell the referee's that the scoreboard had the wrong number of team fouls for Drexel. Delaware was on the line, shooting two when it should have been one and one. Bruiser seemed to take it in stride though. He said he was used to outcomes like this.

Right now, we have James Madison and Northeastern going at it. There's approximately 3 people here rooting on Northeastern, from what I can tell. I suppose you could say they have about 20 people, if you count the guys on the team and the coaches. Jose-Juan Barea is fun to watch though.

Renowned sportswriter John Feinstein just arrived. I'll try to get an interview with him at some point this weekend. I mean...he's been on our station once...he should remember me. (Yeah, right!)
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3:36PM - It's halftime. James Madison leading Northeastern, 28-26. I walked back to the media working area and John Feinstein is interviewing Tom Yeager, the commissioner of the CAA. I'll attempt my interview with him a little later.

It's kind of amusing, however. A writer like Feinstein walks in and everyone in the media room just stops and stares at him. He is truly a legend in the craft of writing.
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4:05PM - So much for the close game. With 10:42 left, Northeastern is leading 56-36. Yeah...JMU realized they were JMU and Northeastern started playing the way they are capable of. All 4 Northeastern fans in the building are going nuts. It's really quite the site.
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5:38PM - Well, the 4 Northeastern fans will be tearing up the town tonight. They move on to the next round to face Old Dominion. Jose-Juan Barea went off in the 2nd half. Great game for him.

The food in the media room was not bad. Meat loaf, with potatoes and carrots. The meatloaf had an interesting mushroom flavored sauce for it.

I have to say this. Towson's pep band is among the best I've ever heard. Ever. They are DAMN good.

Getting ready for Towson - Georgia State as I type this. Pat Kennedy will have a hobbling Gary Neal in there, trying to stop the Panthers. Should be a doozie.
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6:35PM - Pretty tight game again so far. All three games have been close in the first half at least. I think this one may stay close though, as both teams seem like they are evenly matched. With 4:11 to go, Georgia State has a 29-22 lead.

I was talking to a guy that works at the ESPN affiliate in Richmond. They're carrying the entire CAA Tournament on their station. I told him they should syndicate so that WMFD could pick up the broadcast. Devious, aren't we?
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7:05PM - Second half is underway here at the Coliseum. Georgia State went on a bit of a run and now leads 44-30.

I just had the opportunity to interview one of my all-time favorite Tar Heels, Scott Cherry. Scott is an assistant coach for George Mason now. I'm in the process of posting that interview up on our website, so check back in a few minutes and it should be there. Of course, I had to sneak in a few UNC questions. The minidisc ran out during the interview, so it kind of ends abrubtly. Sorry.
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7:53PM - Well, Towson made it close but this one's basically over. GSU leads 71-64, 28 seconds left, and we're in free throw mode. I threw a couple more pictures up in the photos section, so be sure to check that out.

Towson's team is decent, and I think Pat Kennedy will eventually get it turned around there. GSU, in the meantime, is going to pick up a very nice win here. They didn't have the greatest of seasons, but this win, I'm sure, will help validate their season a bit. Postgame pictures and audio from this one to come.
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8:44PM - I was extremely impressed with Georgia State's players in the postgame presser. I asked the kids if they were going to enjoy the possible role of the spoiler tomorrow against George Mason. Both kids seemed very excited about that possibility. You'll have to check out the audio from it. The link to it is on the main CAA Tournament page on am630.net.

VCU and William and Mary are playing right now. I'll tell you what...supposedly the campus of W&M is about 40 miles away from here. My question is this. Are there any roads between Richmond and Williamsburg? If so, why haven't the W&M fans used it? There is almost NOBODY here rooting for the Tribe. This is very much a VCU building right now. 12 minutes left. Game tied at 12.
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9:10PM - With the first half almost over, VCU leads Bill & Mary, 30-24. VCU is playing down to the level of the competition, for sure, and the fans are getting restless about it.

Here's another thing I noticed. VCU's dance team is STILL incredibly hot. I'll try to get a picture up in the photo section sometime soon. That's one thing I remember about them the last time I was at a CAA Tournament.

The interview with John Feinstein never happened today. Hopefully, he'll be around tomorrow and I'll get a chance to talk to him.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to head to the Embassy Suites after this. That's where all the Seahawk Club folks are at, partying the night away, no doubt. I'm kind of tired now and sort of would like to just got back to the hotel room after this game, but then again, how often am I at the CAA Tournament?

At the half, it's VCU 32, W&M 27. Closer than I thought it would be. Stay tuned...
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9:34PM - I just saw the VCU Dance Team perform at halftime. Wow!! Check out the photos to see what I'm talking about.

16:40 left in the game, VCU leads 34-31.
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10:03PM - Ladies and gentlemen, we may have an upset on our hands. William & Mary is matching VCU an eye for an eye, and right now, they lead 55-52 with 4:12 left in the ballgame.

Credit W&M and coach Shaver for having an excellent gameplan in this one. They are doing what they want and VCU has no answers. You can tell the Rams are starting to get frustrated. This would be a huge shocker, considering the fact that VCU is playing about 5 minutes down the road from campus.
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10:16PM - Wow. For the first time all day, I really feel like I'm a college hoops game. This crowd is REALLY into it. VCU is up 3 with less than a minute left. Almost 7-thousand strong here right now, mostly cheering for the Rams.

Tribe just got a quick 2-pointer to cut the lead to one and VCU calls a T.O. Now there's 24.8 seconds left. Expect the quick foul. Knowing VCU though, it wouldn't surprise me if they threw the ball away here, late. They've been rather sloppy tonight.

Good move by W&M, putting a man on the inbounder. VCU got the ball in anyway, and the Tribe commit the foul with 19.4 left. Big free throws for VCU.

First one? Good. Second one? Good as well. W&M needs a three here, I think. Not enough time to get another 2. They shoot a 3 and miss, ball goes out of bounds, W&M ball. They try another and miss...that's the ballgame. VCU wins...err...I mean survives. More later.
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10:41PM - I'm in the process of putting up the postgame audio from VCU, but apparently, there was some sort of altercation between VCU coach Jeff Capel and another party after the game. Just a bit of jawing back and forth, nothing serious, but Capel makes mention of it in his postgame. I'm going to put this stuff up on the web and get on out of here. More from the hotel room, if I can keep my eyes open.

Krunch Time at the CAA Tournament - Day One

2006-03-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

9:17 AM - I finally finished packing. I set the alarm for 8:00am, hit the snooze a couple of times, and wound up rolling out of bed at around 8:30. I love sleeping in!

I decided that it wouldn't be such a bad thing if I packed my XBox 360 along for the trip. Afterall, if UNCW makes it to the CAA Finals on Monday, that game doesn't tip until 7pm making it a very long day of sitting around a hotel room. At least now, I'll have something to keep me entertained.

Well, just about time to hit the road. I'm going to stop off over at the Original Saltworks to see Bob and to get some breakfast in my belly. Then, it's off to Richmond!
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4:04 PM - I arrived in Richmond at around 2:30 this afternoon. Before I go any further, I did not realize that Rocky Mount, NC was the Log Cabin Capital of the World. Driving through that town on I-95 today, I couldn't help but to notice the dozen or so Log Cabin Manufacturers in the Rocky Point area. Interesting.

Another interesting thing about the trip up were a few of the smells I encountered on the way. Wow! There are some SMELLY towns in this state! If you live there, do the nerve endings in your nose just eventually die?

You know how Kolby and I are always talking about how our radio station is the "Small Market Team" of our 6 station NextMedia cluster? That includes this crap heap of a laptop the company has supplied me with. It took me about an hour to get this thing to connect to the Days Inn Wireless Network, so that I could get online and write another entry here. Thankfully, they also have the option of a WIRED network here, so I could get online that way and download the software necessary to get my wireless network adapter to work.

As I've mentioned before, Mike Vacarro and the Seahawk Radio Network are going to allow me to use their broadcast equipment while I'm up here. Part of the deal is that I have to swing by Mike's hotel and pick him up every morning before heading to the Coliseum. Well, as luck would have it, according to Lafonda at the front desk, the Sheraton he's staying in is across the street.

Did I say luck? I meant dumb luck. I had no idea where he was staying when I booked my hotel. Hell, I didn't even know I was going to have to use his stuff when I booked my hotel. Dumb luck indeed.

I think I'll go play a quick round of golf on Tiger Woods 06 on my XBox 360. The awards banquet starts at 6, so I've got some time to kill.
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4:34PM - Well, so much for the XBox. Apparently, they have some kind of lock on the TV that prevents it from playing an XBox, DVD player, or anything of the sort. It's their way to force you to get PPV if you want to watch a movie. Those greedy bunch of @*&#$%@'s!!
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5:13PM - It's a damn good thing I have internet access. I logged into my e-mail to double check the time of the awards banquet, to find out it starts at 7pm, not 6pm. So...as it turns out, I have MORE time to kill than I thought.

I hopped out of the shower and decided to give the Playstation 2 a try on the TV. Eureka!! It works!! So...I'll have to live without the Xbox and just be happy with my good old PS2 and the two games I brought for it. (WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 & MVP NCAA Baseball 06).

Oh, and I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I'm quite the video game geek, since I brought not one, but two systems. You're right, I am a geek, and proud of it!
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5:19PM - For posterity sake, I decided to try the XBox 360 again. Maybe I did something wrong earlier, I thought. Turns out I did. There's a little switch on the plug that goes into the TV to go from HDTV to standard definition. I accidentally switched it to HD. I'm an idiot, but now both my PS2 AND XBox 360 are working, so I'll have PLENTY to do during my downtime!
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10:59PM - Downtime? What downtime? I am beat and can't wait to craw into bed!

The CAA Awards Dinner was nice...when we actually got to go inside. Upon my arrival at the Marriott Richmond, I noticed a bright, strobe-like light coming from inside the hotel, accompanied by a loud, piercing noise. Turns out that somehow, the fire alarm was going off. Everyone inside the hotel had to leave and go outside and across the street. So there I stood, waiting and snapping photos of the fire trucks.

When we actually got to go inside, it was very nice. I sat with the guys from WECT and WWAY at one of the media tables. (Yes, we all do get along in real life)

The food they had was....oh you don't care about that. Let's get to UNCW's award winners!!

Taking home All-Academic Team honors were John Goldsberry, Beckham Wyrick, and Dejan Grkovic. T.J. Carter was All-CAA 3rd team, Goldsberry was All-CAA 2nd team, as well as All-Defensive Team. Brad Brownell won the CAA Coach of the Year Award, and John Goldsberry also took home the prestigious Dean Ehlers Leadership Award. Nice lot for the Hawks, huh?

Tomorrow, I'll head out of here at around 8:45. I'll go pick up Mikey V from his hotel and head on over to the coliseum to set up the equipment for Krunch Time.

Be sure to check out our CAA Tournament photo gallery and audio section, as I've posted pictures and sound from tonight's Awards Dinner. Just go to www.am630.net, click on the CAA Tournament logo, and go from there.

Day One is in the books. Day Two is going to be another busy one with a three hour radio show and four basketball games to watch. I love this time of year!

The Ultimate Father-Son Activity, plus the CAA Tourny is almost here

2006-03-01T06:39:00.000-05:00

So what did you and your dad do when you were a kid? Did you go fishing together? Camping? Go to a few ballgames together? I did all of that with my dad, but the one thing I never did was take him deep at Astros Spring Training.

By now, I'm sure you've read the story about Roger Clemens giving up a home run to his son Koby at Spring Training. From reports, it was a fastball that he took over the left field fence. Rocket said it was one of the hardest fastball he cut loose with all day. Koby didn't have a problem seeing it though.

The best part about this story? The next time up, Dad almost put one in his kid's earhole....on purpose. Okay, so it wasn't THAT bad, but still, he buzzed him high and tight, just to make sure he remembered who was boss.

Imagine if you will, though, how special this entire experience must be for both Roger and Koby. Koby is getting to live his dream, by playing professional baseball, and Roger is getting to live his dream, by playing pro ball with his son. It is, as the title says, the Ultimate Father-Son Activity.

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So, I leave for Richmond tomorrow to cover the CAA Basketball Tournament, and I am stoked. We spoke to UNCW coach Brad Brownell on our show yesterday, and he seemed to have this aire of confidence in his voice. Maybe it's because everybody and their mothers are talking about the Hawks being an at-large team at worse. Maybe it's because he's confident he won't even have to worry about an at-large bid.

Whatever the case may be, the one thing I'd be worried about if I were a UNCW fan would be that possible second game of the tournament, a meeting with the Old Dominion Monarchs.

For those who don't follow UNCW hoops, let me give you a quick history lesson. Nobody on this UNCW team has ever beaten Old Domion. Ever. Even going back to Goldsberry, Wyrick, and Laue's freshman year when Brett Blizzard was a senior, ODU swept the Hawks in the regular season but were bounced out of the CAA Tournament before having a chance to pick up a third win against the bunch.

And because of the timing of all of this, what this translates to is that as long as Brad Brownell has been a head coach, he has never beaten ODU coach Blaine Taylor. 0-7.

So what this all amounts to is that while some think it might be an easy road for the Seahawks to win the CAA Title, it's going to have to involve Brad Brownell beating ODU and Blaine Taylor for the first time in 8 tries. Things aren't always as easy as they appear.

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Watch this space from Thursday all the way through the weekend, as I'll be constantly updating my blog from Richmond at the CAA Tournament. From the Awards Banquet on Thursday night, to the games that start on Friday, all the way through a possible Monday Night CAA Championship Game, I'll be writing here, calling it like I see it. It should be a lot of fun. Take care!

2006 : The Year of the Mid-Major

2006-02-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

It's becoming more and more apparent that this year, more than ever, we'll have an influx of teams from mid-major conferences in the NCAA Tournament. If you look at conferences like the Missouri Valley and the CAA, they're each deserving of more than one bid into the "Big Dance". But is this a good thing? I think so.

People seem to have an endless debate over whether or not it's a good thing to see these smaller schools getting into the tournament. The argument always goes to this question. Would you rather see a 2nd place Missouri Valley team or 6th or 7th place ACC team get in? The question, I think, is an easy one to answer. Bring on the little guy!

Every year, the best moments of the NCAA Tournament come from the first few rounds, the one with all the upsets. Valpo, Gonzaga, Butler, Bucknell. These schools are known to everyone now because of dramatic wins over high powered programs on national television. They are truly what is beautiful about the NCAA Tournament. It tugs at the heart strings when you see a program make a name for themselves by beating a national power. It is the quintessential David vs. Goliath story.

The math is simple. Give us more mid-majors and we'll see more of these upsets. And it appears that this season, we're going to get a boat load of them. This is why I'm looking forward to the first couple of days of this year's tournament, more than the first few days of any other tournament in recent memory. I want to see Wichita State beat someone good. I want to see a Winthrop give some big school a run for their money. I want to see another Bucknell-like story. With more mid-majors in the mix, the chances of that happening are very very good.

Kind of a non-eventful weekend for me, personally. I went to see UNCW-Georgia State yesterday. Kind of a boring game. Lots of fouls called, too many in my opinion. Neither team could really ever get into a flow. But with the win and the help of Hofstra, UNCW clinched the #1 seed in this week's CAA Tournament.

Speaking of the tournament, big time thanks goes out to Seahawk Sports Marketing and Mike Vaccaro, for allowing me to use their broadcast equipment while I'm up in Richmond later this week. Don't worry. We don't break anything!

My fiance is on the couch right now, watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That movie never gets old. And who hasn't quoted Ben Stein's character in the movie, saying, "Buueller? Buuuuueeelller?" Great flic that's withstood the test of time.

As always, your comments are welcome. Feel free to leave'em as you see fit. Take care!

Civil War ends in disappointment for NC State fans

2006-02-23T09:40:00.000-05:00

I can't imagine what it must feel like to be an NC State fan today. Here we have a team, a team that has had a tremendous season, and yet they still could not muster up enough patience, poise, and determination to defend their home floor against their bitter rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Some State fans were calling this the biggest game in Herb Sendek's tenure at the school. I can't agree with that logic, but I can understand how someone could feel that way. I mean, afterall, this was Herb's chance to show that when he has a better team, he can kick his rival when they're down.

Did I say the Tar Heels are down?

Well, they're supposed to be, aren't they? They lost seven players from last year's National Championship team. They lost 90-something percent of their scoring from a year ago. This was supposed to be a team in transition. This was supposed to be a young team that would wallow in the middle to lower tier of the ACC. But it hasn't.

Roy Williams has done a better coaching job this year than, perhaps, he's ever done. He's taken a group consisting of a walk-on, several freshman, and a guy who averaged less than four points last season and turned them into, perhaps, the second best team in the ACC behind Duke.

Think of this, folks. Wes Miller, the team's starting shooting guard, just a few years ago, was playing for James Madison and getting trounced by UNCW. Tyler Hansbrough was worrying about what he was going to wear to his Senior Prom when the Tar Heels were beating Illinois for the title. David Noel? He had a good view of things at last year's Final Four...from the bench.

This team should not be this good right now. And NC State should not have lost to them.

Games like last night make it awfully hard for me to continue to defend Herb Sendek on-air. I mean, yes, he's having an outstanding season. His team is going to go to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament, which would tie a school record. But he's 8-38 against UNC and Duke. 8-38. To their biggest in-state rivals. 8-38!

Herb will have to answer to boosters, he'll have to answer to fans, and he'll have to answer to recruits who ask why he can't beat UNC and Duke.

And NC State fans? You'll have to answer to all your Carolina fan buddies for a while...at least until the ACC Tournament.

This job can be hectic as heck

2006-02-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

The CAA Basketball Tournament is coming up next week. A week from tomorrow, I leave for Richmond to follow the UNCW Seahawks as they attempt to become the first non-Brett Blizzard team in school history to make it to the NCAA's.

It'll be the first CAA Tournament I've gone to cover since 2003, when they crushed Drexel in the championship game, only to go on to have their heart's broken by Drew Nicholas' three pointer at the buzzer for Maryland. That year was easy. We were a young radio station. We didn't have much going on. The one set of remote broadcast equipment we had was more than enough.

Enter 2006.

Taking a look at our station now, we certainly have more going on now. UNCW Baseball. Remotes and appearances at businesses all over town. Now, though, we have a problem.

Our only set of remote broadcast equipment is going to be used over the weekend to broadcast UNCW Baseball on our station. How, may I ask, am I supposed to do a show from Richmond without remote equipment?

Unfortunately, there is an answer to this question. It's my cellphone. Yep. I may wind up having to do an entire three hour show on Friday, a two hour show on Saturday, and possibly another three hour show on Monday with a cellphone!

Can you say pathetic?

Ahh, the trials and tribulations of working in a small market.

NBA All-Star Weekend : The Black Super Bowl?

2006-02-20T15:55:00.000-05:00

Hey guys and gals. I don't really have a ton of time to write today, so instead, I offer a link to one of the funniest sports columns I've read in a long time. It's written by espn.com's Bill Simmons aka The Sports Guy, and it's about the NBA All-Star Weekend which J.A. Adonde refers to as the Black Super Bowl. GREAT read. Funny stuff here.

And for the record, I was much more impressed with the All-Star Weekend than I thought I would be. That dunk by Iguodala was just plain sick! If you haven't seen it, run, don't walk, to a TV with SportsCenter on it and sit and wait until they show it. And don't worry, they WILL show it. It's just that good.

Enjoy...

Bill Simmons
Welcome to the Black Super Bowl

Remember when it was fun?

2006-02-18T17:11:00.000-05:00

Remember when? Can you remember back when the NBA Slam Dunk Contest was actually fun to watch?

Guys like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Shawn Kemp (pre-beer belly), and Spud Webb were showing off for us and wowing the crowd. Marquee players in the league at the time, still they entered their names into the contest, hoping to impress their peers, their fans, and anyone else looking on.

You don't even have to go back into the 80's and 90's to find a time when the dunk contest was worth watching. Remember the year Vince Carter won it? How about Kobe Bryant?

Enter 2006. Welcome to the Slam Dunk Contest, Mr. Josh Smith, Mr. Hakim Warrick, Mr. Andre Iguodala, and Mr. Nate Robinson.

Who?!?!

Yes, these four men (kids) will be center stage tonight during the NBA's "Rising Stars" Slam Dunk Contest. They had to rename it "Rising Stars" because the vets stopped coming. It's going to be a showcase of skill, of athleticism, and of a bunch of guys who the average fan could care less about.

There is one sure fire way to bring interest back to this All-Star Weekend competition (if you can even call it that anymore). Up the ante. Pay out big bucks for the winner. You give the winner of the Dunk Contest a million bucks and I guarantee you we'll actually know who is in it every year. Put a million dollar payout in the mix and guys like Carter, Bryant, LeBron James, and Richard Jefferson will make their return to this mockery of a contest.

So...the Daytona 500 is tomorrow, huh?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Sorry. I just can't get into cars turning left for four hours. NASCAR bores the ever living you know what out of me. Wake me up when someone picks a fight in the garage after the race, ok?

It's beginning to look a lot like March

2006-02-16T07:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, so as I type this, the date is February 16. Still 13 days until March, but I'm telling you, if the level of play in college hoops is any indication, March Madness is already here.

Sitting courtside at Trask Coliseum last night, I watched a fierce game between two of the CAA's best teams as UNCW successfully defended their home floor and beat Hofstra. The game looked and felt like a CAA Tournament game. I thought so. Hofstra coach Tom Pecora said after the game that he thought so, as did UNCW coach Brad Brownell.

You see, both teams, entering the game, were being talked about as possible "bubble" teams. The CAA is enjoying it's best season in a long time, with a conference RPI of 10. There is an extremely realistic chance that the league will send more than one team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986. A loss for either team last night would likely end any hope of earning an at-large bid into the Big Dance. So in a way, it was an elimination game.

And it sure did feel like it. John Goldsberry hit the deck so many times I can't count. One guy on Hofstra had to come off the floor and get five stitches above his eye. Temi Soyebo knocked knees with a guy and was hobbling around afterwards. There was just a lot of intensity and a lot of bodies falling on the floor.

But UNCW isn't the only place that had some exciting hoops going on. The Tar Heels came back from a 20-point deficit to beat Georgia Tech. Tyler Hansbrough broke a freshman record in the process with 40 points. I am having so much fun watching this young Carolina team play. One of Roy Williams' best coaching jobs? I think so.

It was good to see a few old faces in the media room last night. Brian Hendrickson, who used to be the beat writer for UNCW, among other things at the Wilmington Star-News, was there. He's now covering the Portland Trail (Jail) Blazers for a newspaper in Vancouver, Washington. I'm so happy for Brian, although I don't envy the fact that he has to watch the Blazers night in and night out. That team is brutal! (Although they did beat the Bobcats the other night)

I also saw former WWAY sports gal Dawn Davenport. She's working up in Richmond, VA now a days and doing well for herself. It's always good to see media members from this town move on and do well in larger markets.

I guess Sammy Sosa is done now. I hate to say it, but who really cares? Ever since the corked bat, I haven't thought the same of Swingin' Sammy. I mean, come on! The guy said it was the first time he'd ever used a corked bat in a game, but in the same breath, said it was an accident, and that he didn't know he picked it up. If it was an accident, how do you know it was the first time? If it's that easy to accidentally pick up a corked bat and take it to the plate, chances are you've done it plenty of times before. Don't insult our intelligence, Sammy.

Well...time to go do some show prep. Talk to you guys later on.

Valentine's Day Scam

2006-02-14T18:52:00.000-05:00

When does "no" really mean "yes"? Apparently, when it comes to Valentine's Day, "no" always means "yes". Allow me to explain...

Ever since my fiance and I got engaged, we made a pact to avoid buying each other anything on holidays until after the wedding. What I didn't know when I got engaged is that from that day until the big day, any and every bit of spare cash you acquire must go into this new thing called the "Wedding Fund". I didn't realize this venture was going to require an entire fund. But that's another story.

Anyway, I was under the assumption that Valentine's Day was included in this whole "non-gift buying" deal my woman and I made with each other. Good thing I don't usually rely on my assumptions.

After careful deliberation, I decided to be the nice guy anyway, and send her some roses at work. I placed the order on ftdflowers.com yesterday. I ordered a wonderful arrangement of roses and some other kind of red flower, along with some scented candles. Women dig that sort of stuff.

I was pretty damn proud of myself. I thought to myself, "Wow, I really went above and beyond. I really did something that I wasn't expected to do."

WRONG!!

I talked to Aimee as she was on her way home from work. She thanked me for the flowers, but proceeded to say, "Good thing you got them for me. You would've been in trouble!"

I thought to myself, "Wait a sec. This is something I should be rewarded for, not something that, if wasn't done, I would've been in trouble for!" I was confused. So I asked her about it.

She explained to me that no matter what, flowers are the bare minimum on Valentine's Day. She said that no matter how poor we might be, I should always give her roses on Valentine's Day.

So today, I learned what I think is a valuable lesson. Valentine's Day = Flowers.

But the moral of the story is this. Why in the hell do the women have a day like today, yet we don't? Why don't us guys have a similar type of day where we're the ones being spoiled?

It's probably a question I'll be asking myself for the rest of my life. At least we still have Super Bowl Sunday. Only 355 days to go!

Shawn Alexander as a Panther?

2006-02-13T13:16:00.000-05:00

Shawn Alexander as a Carolina Panther? Could this REALLY be a possibility?

After watching the Pro Bowl yesterday (yeah, that was me), and seeing the interview with Suzy Kolber and Shawn Alexander, I started thinking. Could he really be coming to the Panthers?

For those who didn't see it, Kolber asked him if anyone had been doing a lot of lobbying while in Hawaii. He said that Steve Smith, by far, was doing the most selling of his team.

I got to thinking about it, though. He's the league's MVP, but he's going to command a huge salary. From all indications, he's a good locker room guy, but still. The money he's going to make is going to require the team to make some tough personnel decisions. Guys are going to have to be cut.

Will the rest of the team resent that? Will his future teammates hate the fact that maybe their best friend was cut so that the team could sign #37? How would Nick Goings feel, having to possibly give up his jersey number?

On the surface, it's easy to say, "HELL YEAH, SIGN HIM!!". But I think after further review, the sacrifices they'd have to make far outweigh the positives. If I'm Panthers GM Marty Hurney, and Alexander's agent gives me a call, I'd say, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Three wins in a row will have to be enough for now...

2006-02-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the streak has finally ended. After winning all three of their previous three outings, my Charlotte Bobcats have had their win streak ended, thanks to the Toronto Raptors. This is significant for a number of reasons.

For one, the mere fact that they even HAD a three game winning streak is amazing, considering the injury problems they've had. Emeka Okafor, Sean May, Gerald Wallace. All hurt. All missing a significant amount of time. Lose three players of that calibur on an expansion team and you're looking for trouble.

Secondly, they are STILL an expansion team. Injuries or no injuries, this is still a team that everyone and their brother predicted to finish at the bottom of the NBA. And they still may.

But the biggest, most significant part of the three game winning streak is this - It got me excited about Bobcats basketball, and the NBA in general. Allow me to explain.

Back in 1988, the Charlotte Hornets first took the floor. I was 11 years old at the time, and enthralled with all things Hornets. I had the Kelly Tripuka poster, I had the Hornets' Rooting Rag (a terrible towel ripoff), I had the complete team set of basketball cards (Robert Reid and Kurt Rambis included), I had the posters, I had everything! I was a true Hornets fan.

Then the unthinkable happened. George Shinn and company moved the team down to 'Nawlins. Now, mind you, I was living in Wilmington at the time and hadn't been to a game in a few seasons, but still. It was the first major pro sports team my hometown had...moving away from my hometown. It just flat out sucked.

After that happened, my interest in the NBA kind of evaporated. The only time I'd really watch with any sort of passion was when the New Orleans Hornets were on TV, allowing me to root vehemently against them.

Then it happened. The Bobcats became the rebirth of the NBA in the Carolinas. I went to a game last year (a win versus Hawks, win #3 in franchise history). I went to a game this year (a win versus the Celtics to open the brand new arena). But I still wasn't completely goo-goo over the 'Cats.

But then the streak happened. And before you call me a front runner, allow me to explain that it wasn't the fact that they won three in a row that made the Bobcats finally "get me". It was the fact that the city was finally showing interest. The newspaper was writing about'em. The sports talk radio in Charlotte was talking about'em. Bobcats Basketball came alive, for a few short days.

Hopefully, that won't be the last three game winning streak we see this year. But they've got to get healthy, and they've got to keep playing hard. Bernie Bickerstaff has his work cut out for him with this group. But win or lose, I'm in it for the long haul now.

GO BOBCATS!!

Tuesday after Super Bowl Hangover

2006-02-07T07:58:00.000-05:00

So...it's the Tuesday after the Super Bowl. Where do we go from here? In sports radio, this is the time of year where we struggle to find interesting things to talk about.

I know, we're in the middle of ACC country. We should be able to ride on ACC hoops until March, right? Wrong.

While we could easily fill up an entire three hour show with talk of the Duke-UNC rivalry, or how the NC State fans feel inferior because of Herb losing the recruiting battles, sometimes, it just gets old.

The rivalries in ACC hoops go much deeper than jumpshots and bounce passes. People legitimately HATE fans of their rivals. HATE them. That hate shines through when people call into the show to talk smack to the fans of the other teams.

With that said, today's show will more than likely be filled with these types of calls. If it's what the people want to talk about, who are we to keep them from doing so?