Monday Spread Option 03-17-14

It's March Madness time! Which region of the bracket looks like the toughest?

Ty-
The toughest region has to be the midwest region. It has 1 seed Wichita St. and 2 seed Michigan but it get's a lot tougher with Louisville as a 4 seed and Duke as a 3 seed. Oh and don't forget about Kentucky, the team that almost beat Florida yesterday, as an 8 seed. Oh and 5 seed Saint Louis does tend to keep lesser teams in the game because of their playing style but they also keep themselves in games against better teams too. So you really can't sleep on anybody in this bracket. This is already a hard bracket for me to pick just because I could see so many teams coming out of this bracket.



Spencer-
The Midwest by far is the toughest region.  If Wichita wanted a chance to prove they were an elite team they got it. Obviously the Shockers headline that portion of the bracket but with Kentucky, Louisville, Duke and Michigan also in that section there are a handful of solid teams that could make a run. I think Louisville is the team to watch out for right now. Being in the AAC they have kind of flown under the radar this year and gone unnoticed in some ways but boy are they a good team and the defending champions. We'll see what happens but I'll be surprised to see the number one seeded Shockers come out of the Midwest region into the Final Four and if they do then we didn't give them all the respect they deserve I guess.

What is your first glance, go with your gut, tournament upset pick?

Ty-
My first glance at the 5 vs. 12 match ups just gives me two potential upset picks. I think that if NC State beats Xavier, which I suspect that they will. I think that they will be able to upset Saint Louis. Just because of what I said earlier about Saint Louis allowing teams to stick around. NC State also has one of the best players in the nation with T.J. Warren and he can carry their offense. They seem like one of the stronger 12 seeds and probably should not be playing a play in game.

Spencer- I think my upset pick is going to come in this upcoming weekends second round of games in the Eastern part of the bracket with UConn potentially meeting Villanova. Villanova is a solid team but they slipped up against Seton Hall in the conference tournament and they haven't been as tested in their watered down Big East season as a team like UConn has in the AAC. UConn has beat some solid teams in Florida and Memphis and held tough several times with Louisville and also Cincinnati. When push comes to shove the Huskies also know Villanova well from all those years they played together in the Big East. I definitely see potential for an upset if the two teams meet this weekend.

Who is the biggest winner in the NFL free agency so far?

Ty- 

Let me preface this statement by saying as a Redskins fan I have seen many offseason spending sprees that amount to absolutely nothing. The wise money would have to be on the Broncos because they spent a lot of money on their poorest defense. They signed T.J Ward, Demarcus Ware and Aqib Talib to help their defense. Although their defense was a big reason why they lost the Super Bowl, it doesn't really help Peyton Manning get more arm strength. Now I love Peyton Manning and he is one of the greatest of all time and has found a way to be great with a weaker arm but it is some what of a weakness. But they edge out the Patriots with a better offseason so far.

Spencer-
As Ty eluded to blockbuster free agent signings doesn't necessarily equal Super Bowl Champions. That being said I think you have to look at the Patriots as the winners in the 2014 free agency thus far. You have to trust in the Belichick system and I think so far the Patriots have signed guys who will help add to it. They let Talib walk to sign Revis who is arguably the best corner in the league and Brandon Browner who adds some depth to the corner-back position as well. Then they resigned Julian Edleman who was their leading receiver in 2013 and added some more receiver depth with signing Brandon Lafell. You have to admire the Patriots for their ability to access what they need and continuing to build a championship contending team. I think they have only made themselves better so far and if you think about it they were a few players away from getting to the Super Bowl last year.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin lead LA to their 11th straight win yesterday. Do you believe that the Clippers have a chance to win the west?

Ty- 

Before the year I would have said no. But Actually if you look back at my blog, "11 Things that need to happen this NBA Offseason", you will see that although a lot of what I said didn't happen or was proven wrong. The one thing that I said was that Blake Griffin and Serge Ibaka have to develop their offense. I was right in both cases because they both have, Blake has done this more than Ibaka has. Blake Griffin has developed a jump shot that makes his quick first step even more lethal. He has also stepped up his game defensively and so has DeAndre Jordan. Now the Clippers aren't just about Chris Paul and dunking. They have a team with great offense that can also play great defense for long enough stretches to contend in the NBA. As much as I think that the Thunder is the best team in the west it is hard to argue against the Clippers. Their only flaw is that they are the only contending team that seems to have trouble with the Spurs this season so that might harm their playoff run.

Spencer-
If you don't think they at least have a chance then you haven't watched the Clippers this season. I know the west is tough this year but they have proven to be a top team in the conference and its time to admit this team is more than just Lob City. Blake Griffin has found his NBA form and is in the MVP talks even and they have the pieces to compete with any of the teams out there in the west. They lead the league in scoring averaging 107.6 points per game and they have tightened up their defense this season in comparison to past seasons. If they play the sound basketball they are capable of there is no reason they couldn't get to the Finals representing the Western Conference. Like Ty said though they do have one hump to get over in the Spurs, which may end up being the one team standing in their way.

What We Learned?

Ty- The Spurs? Again?

I'm sorry if you're a San Antonio Spurs fan and your looking for reassurance that the Spurs can make yet another run to the title. Because this is not that blog.

I know that the Spurs usually burn people when we all decide that they are to old and done. But that is not the case this year. Most people knew not to count out the Spurs again an to an extent they were right. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA. But it was aided by slumps from the Pacers, Heat, and Thunder. Honestly if you look at the Spurs last year, you would see that they were aided with an easy road to the finals. Playing against a young Warriors team in the second round that didn't know how to close. Then have the Russell Westbrook Injury basically hand them the Grizzlies to promptly dismiss in 4 games. Then they played the Miami Heat team that they always had a great matchup against.

The NBA is and has always been about match ups more than just teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder can beat every team in the league but usually struggles with the Heat. The Heat tends to struggle with teams with big men that can score like the Pacers and the Spurs. So the Spurs really only have one hope. That they some how get aided in the playoffs in order to get a good match up with the Heat again. But the only team in the Western Conference that they have had some success against has really only been the Clippers. I know that we shouldn't put too much weight on the regular season but teams use other good teams as a measuring stick and having record as bad as the Spurs have against those good teams don't really bode well for the playoffs.

It is the Spurs so I wouldn't be surprised if they burn me again and win the title again just because that is what the Spurs do.

Spencer- I'm ready for baseball.

Now not to rush the madness set to begin this weekend, but boy am I ready for baseball season to start up and for several reasons. For one this winter has been absolutely horrendous so a little baseball in the air will get me in a warm state of mind and means spring is finally here (well maybe not in Rochester). Still something about baseball just brings warmth to me and that I look forward to.

Another reason is the anticipation. Spring ball is great but just like any preseason it doesn't necessarily name a winner of loser of this years World Series. People counted the Red Sox out of it coming out of Spring Training last year and they shocked the world. Nonetheless I'm just ready to get some answers. See if my Red Sox are real contenders again and how they will fair in an even more competitive AL East. See if the Yankees offseason spending spree will lead to immediate results or just more questions. See if the Dodgers are the best team in baseball or if the Nationals will come fresh and ready to compete for a title as everyone expected they would a year ago. So many questions await answers and I can't wait to see how they unfold.

Then there is the fact that nothing compares to MLB Opening Day. The brisk spring air. Taking a day off of work to catch a day game. The start of a new season with new hope. The opening day atmosphere is second to none, and then it leads to the long hall of the regular season. I love turning on the TV on a summer day and just watching a game on TV whether it is my team or not. There is just something relaxing and peaceful about it. And nothing beats catching a game live and in person if you're fortunate enough to live in a city with a team. The smells of the ballpark, the food and beer. The crack of the bat and the sound of the ball pounding into the glove.

Baseball does that to its truest fans though. There is just something romantic about it that draws you in year after year. I for one am ready for that romance to begin.