800 and Counting

Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski won his 800th game on Tuesday night, as his top-ranked Blue Devils beat No. 4 Kansas State, 82-68, in the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic championship game in Kansas City.  Krzyzewski, who ranks first all-time in NCAA Tournament wins and most 30-win seasons, became just the fifth head coach to win 800 or more games at one Division I school.  Krzyzewski now has 873 career wins, just 29 behind his mentor Bob Knight for most all-time in Division I.

Senior captain Nolan Smith and freshman sensation Kyrie Irving led the Blue Devils with 17 points and five rebounds each.  Irving added six assists and two steals and limited Kansas State's preseason All-American, Jacob Pullen, to just four points on 1-of-12 shooting and forced the senior into four turnovers.  Andre Dawkins contributed 11 points on 3-of-3 three-point shooting in 19 minutes off the bench for Duke.

Turnovers and poor free-throw shooting troubled the Wildcats as Kansas State shot just 11-of-23 from the free-throw line and committed a horrendous 21 turnovers in the loss.  Duke on the other hand, was 24-of-31 from the charity stripe.  The loss dropped Kansas State 3-14 all time against No. 1 teams and 3-1 for the season.  Duke improves to 5-0 this season and has now won 27 consecutive games in November.

Duke travels to Oregon to face their first true test before hosting perennial powerhouse Michigan State on Wednesday, Dec. 1, as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. No. 2 Michigan State lost to Connecticut, 70-67, Tuesday. Duke and Michigan State appeared in the Final Four last season.  Then, Duke travels to East Rutherford, N.J. for a national title game rematch against Butler on Saturday, Dec. 4.  The Blue Devils beat Butler, 61-59, in the National Championship in April for their fourth title in school history.  Picked by many to repeat as National Champs this year, the Blue Devils have a ton of firepower, which includes the best bench in the country.    

Is Ohio State For Real???

At the beginning of the season, I questioned the Ohio State Buckeyes and how effective Jared Sullinger would be.  On Tuesday night, I learned a lot as the Buckeyes went into Gainesville and made a statement against the Gators. They came into this game a three-point underdog, but left a sold out Stephen C. O’Connel Center stunned as the Buckeyes walked away with a 93-75 win and showed the nation they have once again been reloaded with firepower.

Freshman of the Year candidate Jared Sullinger is an anchor on both offense and defense and continues to be that presence in the paint that the Buckeyes didn’t have last season and haven‘t had since Greg Oden left for the NBA. Sullinger finished the night with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and came alive in the second half when Ohio State needed him the most. The true freshman has had two consecutive double-doubles to open the season. Sullinger is putting together a case for National Player of the Year and an early trip to the NBA.

One of last year’s All American’s in Evan Turner will be hard to replace, but William Buford said before the season he was up to the task. He backed up his words against Florida finishing with 16 points and eight assists. His progression on offense will directly correlate to how well Ohio State does this season.

The sharp shooting Jon Diebler entered his senior season as the all-time leader in three pointers made at Ohio State. He continues to distance that lead and poured in four more on his way to finishing with 14 points on the night. When a big shot is needed, the ball always seems to find Diebler and he doesn’t disappoint.

David Lighty has been an unsung hero for the Buckeyes for several seasons now. Tuesday night he got another chance to bury some of the skeletons from the 2007 championship game loss to Florida three seasons ago. He finished the night with 26 points on the Gators' home court. If Lighty can continue to lead the Buckeye’s charge, Columbus should have no reason to worry about not going far in March.

Lighty’s leadership, along with Buford and Sullinger’s continue progression, are keys for Ohio State this season. They enter a soft part in the schedule before heading back down to Florida, this time to take on Florida State on November 30^th. Big Ten play will be a tricky road to navigate, as every team can beat any team on any given night-especially at home-but that will only make the stronger and more experienced come tournament time.

P.S. I really really really hate Ohio State with a passion and the only reason I wrote about them is because of how surprised I am with how well Jared Sullinger has done so far this season. I didn’t expect him or Ohio State to roll over Florida so easily.
ON WISCONSIN!!!!

Thursday Night Football

Tomorrow night, the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome in what is being whispered as a possible Super Bowl preview.  With both teams at 6-2 and claiming the best records in their respective conferences, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed take their ninth-ranked defense up against Matt Ryan and Michael Turner’s fifth-ranked offense.
Last week against Tampa Bay, the Falcons' defense did not allow Josh Freeman to engineer one of his late game drives, stopping the Buccaneers on fourth down near the goal line to seal the 27-21 victory.  The Ravens on the other hand, had no problem shutting down the Dolphins en route to a 26-10 win.
The intriguing part about this matchup is how both teams are similar in many ways coming into this week's game.   Besides the 6-2 record, starting quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are both former first-round picks, who are in their third season as starters and continue to make strides in their young careers-both quarterbacks led their team to the playoffs in their rookie year.  Running Backs Michael Turner and Ray Rice are two young running backs who have obtained the starting role for two seasons now and are in no danger of losing it anytime soon. Anquan Boldin and Roddy White-who says he will play-are the go to receivers for each team and are the guys Flacco and Ryan count on to help get out of a jam.  Head coaches Mike Smith and John Harbaugh each enter their third season with their respective teams and have turned heads since their arrivals in 2008.
The game could be in favor of Atlanta, only because the Falcons have been money at home. Quarterback Matt Ryan is 17-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome, winning his last 13. The Falcons as a team have averaged 30.8 points in their four home games in 2010.  However, the Ravens defense will not roll over easily-they have held opponents to under 20 points in six of eight games-and now that future Hall of Famer Ed Reed has returned from injury, Baltimore’s defense is even feistier against the run and pass. 
A key match up to look forward to is the Falcons running game against the Ravens run defense. Miami found success running the ball early in the game last week with Ronnie Brown. The Falcons' Michael Turner has a similar skill set and he has rushed for over 100 yards in back to back games.  If Turner can get going early, Atlanta should have no problem sending the home fans home happy. 
Overall, the NFL did a great job in kicking off Thursday night football with such a good matchup.  The game is going to be fun to watch and most likely will come down to the wire.  I think Matt Ryan will improve to 18-1 lifetime in the Georgia Dome, but he’s definitely going to have to earn this one. 
Final score: Baltimore 23 Atlanta 34.

Wisconsin Badger Football

Coming off huge wins over Ohio State and Iowa, Wisconsin enjoyed a much-needed bye last weekend and is now rested and ready to finish off 2010 on a strong note.Nick Toon and Lance Kendricks are both healthy and expected to play on Saturday, while James White is still recovering from his sprained knee, although coach Bret Bielema believes he may be ready to go as well.
With a record of 7-1 (3-1), Wisconsin is tied for first in the Big Ten with many people expecting them to run the table the rest of the way. If they can do that, they should hold the Big Ten tiebreaker, which is based based the Bowl Champions Series(BCS) Poll in which they are the highest ranked Big Ten team. However, although they should be favored in every game from here on on out, they will still need to play well.
Anyone is capable of beating anyone in the Big Ten. With four games remaining in the conference schedule, I’ll break down those final four games and give you a good understanding of why you’ll be seeing the Badgers in Pasadena, California this January.

Sat. November 6, @ Purdue
At 4-4 (2-2), Purdue is by no means a great team. But they are a dangerous team—especially in West Lafayette. Despite losing both starting quarterback Robert Marve and star wide receiver Keith Smith to season-ending injuries, the Boilermakers are still fighting for a bowl berth and would love nothing less than to spoil Wisconsin's season.Rob Henry has stepped in nicely for Marve under center, while running back Dan Dierking is averaging six yards a carry. Illinois and Ohio State had their way with the Boilermakers in beating them by a combined 83 points the last two games. Look for Wisconsin to run the football right down their throats.

Sat. November 13, vs. Indiana
Although Indiana is dead last in the Big Ten at 4-4 (0-4), they could still be fighting for a bowl berth when they come into Madison in a couple weeks.The Hoosiers are in no way in the Big Ten race. However, they only need two more wins to become bowl eligible, so they may actually have some motivation when they take on the Badgers. Behind quarterback Ben Chappell (2,445 yards, 18 TD, 7 INT, they're averaging over 29 points a game and could certainly pose some problems for a Badger "D" that has struggled somewhat against the pass. Chappell is used to throwing the ball fifty times a game so it should be no surprise when he tries to exploit Wisconsin’s overrated cornerbacks. On the other hand, Indiana's defense doesn't do the offense a whole lot of favors. They're giving up close to 30 points a game and won't come close to stopping the Badgers. Camp Randall Stadium should be rocking early and often, and a blowout could be in store for Indiana.

Sat. November 20, @ Michigan
This will be by far the toughest game remaining for the Badgers. Michigan is struggling as of late (losers of their last three), but if there is one place Badger fans hate seeing Wisconsin play, it's at Michigan Stadium in the Historic “Big House“. No matter how good Wisconsin is, they just struggle to find ways to win in that place.Thus, the Badgers have to be very, very careful about this one. Quarterback Denard Robinson is still one of the most dangerous players in the country and could potentially gash the Badger "D" for huge yards both through the air and on the ground.Wisconsin shouldn't have a lot of trouble moving the ball, but stopping it will be a whole different story. Wisconsin will look to run the clock to keep the ball out of Robinson’s hands and should find themselves coming out on top.

Sat. November 27, vs. Northwestern
Northwestern 6-2 (2-2) haven't really beaten anyone yet (their two conference wins were against Minnesota and Indiana), but they are still a very dangerous team. Just ask Michigan State, who needed two touchdowns in the final minutes to hold off the Wildcats two weeks ago.Behind the arm and legs of one of the most efficient quarterbacks in Dan Persa (2,062 passing yards, 12 TD, 360 rushing yards), Northwestern is averaging almost 27 points a game. Plus, unlike the other teams Wisconsin faces in November, the Wildcats actually play a some defense, allowing only 20.3 points a game. However, they'll be facing a Badger squad playing their final home game of the season—not to mention a Rose Bowl berth may be on the line. Don't expect an upset here. Besides Northwestern is already bowl eligible and out of the Big Ten race so they don’t have much to play for anyway.

Final Post-"Madtown Miracle"

       Carl Sandburg, a three time Pulitzer Prize winner, said it best, “Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.” That was the case for me on a normal Tuesday morning. I had just sat down to watch “The Herd” and enjoy a nice bowl of Cap’n Crunch when I felt a vibration in my pocket. I pulled my cell phone out and noticed that Ryan Capwell was calling me. I talked to Ryan everyday at school, but never really hung out with him outside of school or sports. I haven’t seen him since my high school graduation party back in June. That’s why I just figured that him calling me was an accident. I answered with a simple hello and he responded, “Hi Travis, this is Ryan Capwell. My family has an extra ticket to the Badger game this Saturday and I was wondering if you wanted to come with.” A big smile came to my face, but I was speechless. I was able to muster out, “I will call you back once I talk to my parents about it.” When my mom came home, I told her of the news that I received and she did not have any problems with me going. I sent Capwell a text that read, “My parents don’t have a problem with me going so just give me the details when you know them.”

       We departed from West Salem at 10:00 A.M. After countless hours of passing by trees and fields, we finally arrived in Madison at around 1:00 P.M. for the 2:30 P.M. game time. Just driving down the streets of Madison and seeing all of the red, made me fully realize how special and dedicated the Wisconsin Badger faithful is. I have been a Badger fan my whole life, but this being my first game helped me to put everything in perspective. We parked and headed for Camp Randall Stadium right away. We passed thousands of fans pre gaming and parted multiple red seas on our way. I have never seen anything quite like it. We walked under the Camp Randall arch and found the proper gate to enter. I got my ticket scanned and followed Capwell to where our seats were located. We walked up a set of stairs and when we turned the corner I stopped dead in my tracks. There it was. The playing field. Seeing that was one of the greatest feelings I have ever felt. It was a greater feeling than opening presents on Christmas morning and getting exactly what you wanted.

       I made my way down to my seat: Section U, Row 29, Seat 5. It was on the 40 yard line which is nearly perfect for football. The stadium still had a long way to go to reach its capacity of 80,000 as only a few thousand had made there way in already. Since we hadn’t eaten anything yet, Capwell’s dad took us to the concession stand and bought us a brat and a soda. The soda came in a Barry Alvarez commemorative cup in which I still have to this day. I wandered around a little bit looking at the history and photos that Camp Randall had to offer before going back into the stadium.
Wisconsin Hall of Fame running back Ron Dayne was the honorary guest to do the coin flip, which Wisconsin won the toss and elected to receive. Arizona State lined up to kickoff and 70,000 Wisconsin Badgers fans were on their feet yelling, “OOOOHHHH!” James White took the kick and returned it to the 25 yard line setting up first and ten for Wisconsin. It was a rough start for both teams as each kicker missed a field goal in the first quarter. With 40 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Wisconsin kicker Philip Welch redeemed himself by drilling a 49 yard field goal to put the Badgers up 3-0. The cheers from the made field goal turned into thunderous boos when Arizona State took the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown to go up 7-3. After trading field goals, the score was 10-6 Arizona State until Wisconsin quarterback hit Lance Kendricks for a 14 yard touchdown to put the Badgers up 13-10 with just ten seconds left in the first half. Yet again the cheers turned into boos when Arizona State was on the verge of taking yet another kick back to end the half. That was until Shelton Johnson saved the day and saved the field from being used as a garbage can. Johnson tackled Arizona State kick returner Omar Bolden just one yard short of the end zone. Halftime. Wisconsin 13 Arizona State 10.

       The second half started with a series of sarcastic cheers as Wisconsin was able to tackle Bolden with plenty of yards to spare this time. An Arizona State field goal tied the game at 13 until Badger running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful John Clay burst threw the line and into the end zone from 19 yards out to put Wisconsin up 20-13. The third quarter ended and to any Wisconsin Badger fan, that only meant one thing: JUMP AROUND!!! House of Pain’s “Jump Around” hit the speakers and Camp Randall Stadium did its best impression of an earthquake as the fans and players jumped around. There is no tradition like it in college football.

       The fourth quarter started and when Wisconsin couldn’t run the clock out, Arizona State made them pay. With just over four minutes remaining, Cameron Marshall scampered into the end zone to make it a one point game, with the extra point coming. All American Thomas Weber lined up for the kick. The snap was good, but the kick was blocked! My favorite Badger player Jay Valai had jumped over the line and had gotten a hand on the football. Camp Randall Stadium went into a state of pandemonium as the Badgers were able to preserve the one point lead. John Clay was able to run the clock out as the Badgers hung on for a 20-19 win.

       After the game, we met up with Capwell’s mom and they bought us dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. I order a hamburger smothered in Swiss cheese and mushrooms and it had to be the biggest hamburger I have ever eaten in my life. We departed for home afterwards, and I passed out somewhere along the way. When I made it home I flipped the television on to ESPN, and Iowa, my most hated team, was losing to Arizona. I stayed up until 1:00A.M. to watch the upset. It was indeed a perfect day. Being able to witness your favorite player make the game winning play, to see your favorite team win in person, and to be able to watch your most despised team get upset on national television.

       You never really know what to expect in life, as a something as simple as a phone call could give you one of your best days ever. A day I will never forget and no number of thank you’s could ever repay what Ryan and his family gave me on that day. Treat everyone with the same amount of respect, because you never know who could be there for you when you need help the most.