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travel689-blog · 5 years ago

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Middle east trip

Home to culture and traditions that go back millenniums, the middle east is a destination underdog growing in popularity among travelers, adventurists, and naturally: history buffs, who love the fusion of religion, art, ancient tradition, and modern way of life. A storied land that can be both sere and fertile, the middle east and north africa exist within a tangle of cultures, religions and empires, both ancient and modern. We also offer a range of tours that explore each of these countries individually as well as an exciting selection of tours that cover the best of all three or in combination, as listed below.

All of our middle eastern journeys are supported by well-maintained private vehicles, which means we can be flexible with our start times and stop off points. To date, defense counsel has declined to respond." epstein's lawyers claimed that he carried the passport in order to avoid detection as an "An affluent member of the jewish faith" during his middle east travels.

The assorted travel across these three countries include ancient unesco world heritage sites, expansive volcanic mountain ranges, fascinating desert cultures, modern bustling cities and market places all with a strong thread of faith and religion. With world expeditions you can enjoy rich bedouin culture while hiking in jordan's striking wadi rum, cruise oman's musandam region or discover iran's extensive history, all with the experienced crew and quality inclusions that travellers are accustomed to.

When traveling in many middle eastern countries you should be conscious about their dress codes. The best and safest countries for backpackers are turkey , jordan , israel , united arab emirates (this is where dubai is), cyprus and parts of iran and lebanon (always check the latest government advice before booking anything).

It was our purpose to come here, to have a clear message to all of the countries that we're interested in peace in the middle east, with israel; to go to damascus and say to president assad the same message that president bush has for him. Ibrahim has over 10 years experience in leading hiking, cultural, bird watching and biblical groups throughout jordan and enjoys sharing his country with visitors.

From cairo to the cape and beyond, gus' travels have taken her to the roof of africa (kilimanjaro), the ‘big 5' in south africa, tanzania's annual migration, botswana's okavango delta, rwanda's mountain gorillas, namibia, zanzibar's beaches, majestic victoria falls, morocco, turkey, iran, uzbekistan, turkmenistan, oman and jordan. Visit to israel's ministry of foreign affairs and a meeting with diplomatic officials, who will address the following issues: relations between israel and the international community; the middle east and the iranian nuclear program; the importance of the media and its impact on the conflict.

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professor-scamander-blog · 6 years ago

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Fletchling

I was enamored with Fletchling as soon as I saw it. Despite the fact that I had hoped it would go in a road runner direction upon evolution, it served as a lovely variation on the starter birds, and I’d happily nab one any time I’m playing through the Kalos region.

Normal/Flying is a pretty standard typing, but not a bad one. If you’re looking to get the moves and abilities of this line without a double weakness to Rock, Fletchling is the way to go. You can pick up 17 bonus stat points to distribute via Underdog Edges, which, when distributed intelligently, turns this little birdie from innocent to terrifying in no time flat.

Because they’re so small, Fletchling were sometimes brought down into mines as warnings for when things got dangerous. Inevitably, some got lost down there and over the years they have adapted. Their bodies are now made of finely sculpted coal, and these fire/rock birds light up the tunnels with their glowing bodies.

Berries are valuable things to trainers and many choose to gather their own instead of paying the high prices of local shops. However, if they aren’t careful the PCs will face the wrath of a swarm of Fletchlings guarding their food supply.

Princess Snow has an uncanny ability to connect with Pokemon, leading to almost any Pokemon she encounters immediately coming to her aid. However, she’s best known for her songbird friends. So when the PCs stumble across a frantic Fletchling, they have no idea that its been trying to get the attention of travellers for hours to show them evidence the princess has been captured.

Image Credit: ssarobyl

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amthoughtsintowords · 4 years ago

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One Shot At Forever

We’re counting down to a crossroads in hoop history; a collision of the present and the past; a Monday night drive in the ol’ time machine. Gonzaga 2021 and Indiana 1976. Unbeaten to this point against unbeaten forever.

Sure, tonight’s game is Gonzaga against Baylor in what should be a great matchup. But it’s the outcome of this contest that has the implications. Nothing against Baylor – it’s their first men’s Final Four since 1948 – but they carry not only the weight of that 73 years of nada, but also of the most cherished jewel in the proud history of Indiana basketball.

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I can still see the April 5, 1976 cover of Sports Illustrated: Great Scott, It’s Indiana! Admittedly, that issue contains one of my favorite articles, John Underwood’s profile of Missouri’s Jim Kennedy. Kennedy and the Tigers had surprised everyone that season and clawed their way to the regional finals, where despite 43 points from guard Willie Smith they fell short against Michigan. Underwood painted a portrait of the juggling act a student-athlete had in that time; a really nice bit of reporting in what S-I called their ”takeout” piece. But those Hoosiers were the cover story for a reason – unbeaten, unrivaled and unfazed by achieving perfection. Coached by the enfant terrible Bobby Knight, they capped a 32-0 season by beating that very same Michigan team in the championship game. Several teams had come close to perfection in later years but didn’t get there. It is a mark that has grown in stature and risen in its unreachability. In today’s age of one-and-done players, the notion of a group of 18-year-olds melding into a championship team and not just catching regular season lightning in a bottle was becoming less and less likely to ever happen again.

Gonzaga has now reached the precipice; and wouldn’t you know it? The Zags are beating the odds in this unprecedented COVID cloud we’re all living under. It is a program that has grown from the quiet 152 acres in Spokane, Washington, from the cute underdog to the perennial tournament participant to annually among the elite.

Mark Few’s team has practically run the table – picked as number one to begin the season, they haven’t had a slip up. 45 years ago, Indiana began the year at the top and marched into the final without a stumble. A year earlier, Knight’s team was in the process of doing the same thing; they were even deeper and more formidable than the team that followed. Leading scorer May broke his arm late in the regular season, tried to come back in the regional final against Kentucky, but wasn’t the same and with the chemistry off just a tick the Wildcats won by two. With May and three other starters returning, Knight set the tone right from the get-go; he told his squad on the first day of practice that the bar certainly wasn’t the Big Ten title, it wasn’t even the championship that had slipped away seven months earlier – it was perfection.

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Few hasn’t disclosed what the message was to his team, but the Bulldogs have been just that going through the season. In fact, they have won virtually all of their games by double digits. As we saw on Saturday night, it took a surface-to-air missile from Jalen Suggs to avoid a second overtime against UCLA. Otherwise, they trampled their other four opponents by an average of 24 points. Conversely, the Hoosiers had to pass through a gauntlet to get to the finals in ’76. The NCAA built their bracket much differently then as opposed to now, where saving the best matchups for the end is the priority. To win their regional, Indiana had to beat 23-5 St. John’s, 23-4 Alabama, 27-1 Marquette, and then defending champion UCLA, 28-3 in the first year after the retirement of John Wooden; St. John’s and UCLA were repeat victims, but the average margin of victory in the tournament for Indiana to that point was 12 points.

Gonzaga has won with a trio of All-Americans: senior Corey Kispert was a first teamer, while Suggs and sophomore Drew Timme made the second team. Indiana featured two All-Americans in May and center Kent Benson but the unsung heroes of that team were senior guards Quinn Buckner and Bobby Wilkerson. Wilkerson was nicknamed “Spiderman” for his long arms and ability to guard anyone on the floor – from the post to the point. Buckner was athletic enough to lead the football Hoosiers in interceptions as a freshman and sophomore. It was Buckner’s leadership abilities that made him an essential component for the basketball Hoosiers; Knight used Buckner’s example to define leadership for every Indiana team after he graduated.

So while the Zags are now set up to face the “other” number one team in the land, Baylor – the Bears weathered their own COVID storm to go 27-2 – Indiana had to beat Michigan in the finals. The Wolverines had lost twice to Indiana in the conference season by a combined eleven points – once in overtime. The adage remains that it is hard to beat a team a third time in a season, and that seemed to be the case at the Spectrum in Philadelphia on Monday, March 29, 1976. One of the reasons is familiarity but another is unknown adversity. Early in the game Wilkerson was toppled over and landed on his head; he was taken to a hospital with a concussion and subsequently Michigan had Indiana in dire straits, leading by six at the half. At that point, Knight told his now-suddenly vulnerable team if they wanted to be considered one of the greatest in basketball history they had twenty minutes to prove it. Otherwise, they had wasted what they had spent six months working toward.

Sixth man Jim Crews, who later coached at Saint Louis U., put it more succinctly: “We had one shot at forever.”

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Gonzaga seemed to be in that spot against UCLA. The Bruins played a sensational game, never letting the Zags get out of sight and responding with a grit and determination of their own. It took Suggs and his 40-footer to pull his team out of the fire. A freshman had shown them the way.

Back in Philadelphia it was a group of seniors – May, Buckner, Crews, Tom Abernethy – and junior center Kent Benson that took their coach’s words back on to the court. Even without Wilkerson it was as dominating a second half as you might ever see. The Hoosiers set a record by scoring 57 points in the second twenty minutes, winning the game by 18. As Knight and his captains, Buckner and May, stood on the podium to accept the championship trophy, the coach was certainly relieved and gratified – but this was Bobby Knight – he reminded everyone listening that “it should have been two (titles).”

Indiana made good on their one shot at forever. Since then, even the great Larry Bird and his ’79 Indiana State team couldn’t finish the job, losing in the finals. UNLV, Kentucky, Wichita State – they all had shots, too, but lost in the semifinals. And now Gonzaga takes their shot.

Unlike the 1972 Miami Dolphins, unmatched in their perfection for a half-century now and very public in drinking a toast when the last undefeated NFL team goes down each season, the ’76 Hoosiers are much more sedate but just as proud of their achievement.

Perfection happened in college basketball six times in a 17-year span, from the San Franciso Dons in 1956 to UCLA in 1973; the Bruins did it three times under Wooden. Now, with a span of nearly fifty years gone by since the last time, can Gonzaga make history?

If so, “One Shining Moment” takes on special meaning tonight in Indianapolis.

#marchmadness #gonzaga #perfection #Indiana NCAATournament #bobby knight #1976 #oneshotatforever

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jbxjones-blog · 5 years ago

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The best basketball arenas

The NCAA basketball tournament implies it is show period for the venues that host the games. Attendance is anticipated to rise to more than 837,000 this season, making March Madness a small stimulus bundle for the host community along with a possibility for venues to shine for a national stage.

On Selection Sunday, April 25th, sixty-five teams are actually selected for that 2019 NCAA Division I Male's Basketball Championship tournament. It starts The drive and marches Madness to find out exactly who makes it to the last 4 tournaments at Ford Field found Detroit.

The Road to the last 4 plays through thirteen cities. Here is a rapid venue tour of the last rounds belonging to the NCAA tournament:

Faculty of Phoenix Stadium found Glendale, Arizona

West Regional - March twenty-six & twenty-eight, 2009 The Faculty of Phoenix Stadium is created to stand for a Barrel Cactus. It is a lovely stadium with big metal panels which get the desert light.

The Faculty of Phoenix Stadium within known for taking proper care of the handicapped guests of theirs. The staff moves out of the way of theirs to accommodate visitors with special needs starting with more than 2000 areas for handicapped guests to park. Speaking of auto parking, you are going to want to ensure you have a parking pass just before you arrive. They are generally provided in the ticket priced, but in case you do not have one you might wind up in a far off lot, driving a bus to the entry.

If you are bored, check out the top. The roofs are transparent and retractable. Friends appreciate natural lighting thanks to the roofs, even if they are closed. The stadium uses composite transparent roofing panels from http://bit.ly/2mj03vH, so you don't have to worry about yellowing roofs. The powerful, dim trusses on the top look good reported by the brilliant fabric coverage.

TD Banknorth Garden found Boston, Massachusetts

East Regional - March twenty-six & twenty-eight, 2009 Boston has a successful and long heritage as a sports city and also the NCAA East Regional Championship video games will, undoubtedly, construct on Boston's track record of being a top-notch host for great occasions. Within the TD Banknorth Gardens will be the Sports Museum of New England. For six dollars for adults, four dollars for kids and fifteen dollars per family guests are able to discover Larry Bird's locker, a Boston Garden penalty package, a lot of Reddish Sox memorabilia and other things.

If you turn up within the Garden you've to have a couple of mins to look up at all of the tournament banners hanging within this particular building. With the Celtics winning seventeen NBA titles and also the Bruins winning five Stanley Cups as well as countless division titles, TD Banknorth Gardens is actually decorated with collections of banners hanging with pride over the masses.

Remember the ID of yours whenever you head to TD Banknorth Gardens. In order to buy alcohol, you should have a Massachusetts ID which shows you're twenty-one years of age. If perhaps you have a from state ID you should be twenty-five years of age and create an additional type of identification along with the license of yours. They are rare with this particular rule so you're forewarned to have your consuming qualifications prepared.

Lucas Oil Stadium found Indianapolis, Indiana

Midwest Regional - March twenty-seven & twenty-nine, 2009 Lucas Oil Stadium also offers a retractable rooftop, but theirs has a distinctive element. Rather than opening end to finish, the top at giving Lucas Oil Stadium opens side area to the side. The overwhelming steel trusses that help support the top are 760 foot long. Stand the trusses upright end to end and they would achieve higher compared to probably the tallest skyscraper in Indy.

Take time to go to the Bud Light Zone at giving Lucas Oil Stadium. It's an additional big window with incredible views of the stadium as well as downtown Indianapolis. This's the greatest seat in the stadium to have a drink.

You are able to park about Lucas Oil Stadium and you will still have cash that is enough left over for that beverage within the Bud Light Zone. This particular place is filled with good, affordable parking. It is going to cost you five dollars to thirty dollars to park close to the stadium and in case you get there early you might also be in a position to nab a no-cost room. There is a total listing of auto parking on Know The Venue of yours.

Ford Field found Detroit, Michigan

Final 4 - April four & six, 2009

The Motor City is actually the conclusion of the Road to the last 4. The Championship teams are going to make it official below and Ford Field expects a huge basketball crowd. Ford Field can cater to 80,000 fans for basketball games; the majority of basketball arenas have a capability of about 20,000.

The fun, as well as exhilaration of the March Madness, begins the Friday when the game. Fans can head more than to Cobo Center and appreciate the NCAA Basketball Experience at giving Hoop City. Fans have an opportunity to gain prizes, play games, master new actions and get autographs. It has eight dollars in case you are more than twelve as well as six dollars for less than twelve, college pupils, army and seniors.

On Friday fans can catch a championship team train. All 4 teams will be training at Ford Field starting at noon on Friday and it is free. And also you will not wish to avoid The Big Dance. On Detroit, Riverfront fans can have a festival filled with entertainment, celebrities, video games and other things. The great component is it is free. Head down close to the Renaissance Center April 3rd - 5th to celebrate' The Big Dance' of March Madness.

Over 800,000 fans are actually anticipated to go to NCAA competition games this March. Over 70,000 individuals have tickets to the last video games at Ford Field. Millions are going to watch the video games on tv and still much more will look at the games streaming on the pcs of theirs. Whatever strategy you tune in, allow March Madness to be the distraction of yours for all of the craziness going on on the planet. Take a look at a game, have a venue, get within on a workplace pool, root with the underdog, root for the best dog, as well as like. The truth will be waiting once the Madness stops.

FedEx Forum found Memphis, Tennessee

South Regional - March twenty-seven & twenty-nine, 2009 Although tickets for the NCAA Male's Basketball had been sold out at giving FedEx Forum weeks ago you might not be entirely from the game. The FedEx Forum is going to host an open process showcasing the skill of all 4 teams. Head to the Forum on Thursday, March twenty-six for an open practice throughout the working day long....and it is free.

One of the greatest items regarding the FedEx Forum is the place of its. Simply steps from popular Beale Street, the spot provides fans abundant chances to eat, drink and then be merry. In case you love music that is live with the basketball of yours simply take a stroll down Beale as well as your Air Jordon's are going to be tapping.

Within the Forum fans are going to find the theme tends to be more music compared to basketball. To reflect the city's Blues historical past, guests are going to enjoy murals of excellent musicians as well as entertainers as B.B. King, Johnny Cash as well as, obviously, Elvis Presley.

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atrainernamedradish · 5 years ago

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Build-A-Dex Challenge [2/3]

Part 1: https://atrainernamedradish.tumblr.com/post/186594319157/build-a-dex-challenge-13

Build-A-Dex Challenge:

3 Starters:

In the video the starters weren’t based off pre-determined region trios but more on choosing one of each of their signature typing making them into their own separate trio.

For grass I chose my 3rd favorite grass starter in Torterra. It’s bulk and attacking prowess makes up for its lack of speed with a nice STAB Earthquake and Wood Hammer! Ground is also such a wonderful secondary typing for the primary grass. I have no problem using such a tanky Pokemon, and it deserves some love and face time compared to the other two that rank higher than it on my starters list.

For fire I went with another 3rd favorite choice in Delphox. I don’t care what anyone says, I simply adore this entire starter line~! Fire/Psychic is such a great unique typing that I can use thru this Pokemon without having to resorting to hindering Darmanitan or hoping Game Freak can lend me a level 50 Victini, which I doubt! This is a special powerhouse that I am always eager to have on the team, and just like Torterra, it needs more love~

When looking at my choices for a water starter I realized something... I am not the biggest fan of water starters. I don’t necessarily hate them, but I honestly don’t care for them. One of the few I simply adore however is Primarina. Fairy typing is always a solid typing to have, and you can teach it coverage moves to take down those pesky weaknesses. It’s slower like Torterra, but like Delphox has a good special attack to scare away any threats!

My three choices honestly just have great dual typings, and aren’t so bad in battle for an in-game play through. I guess you could say that my choices were underappreciated underdogs~

Regional Bug:

One of my favorite regional bugs originates from Hoenn in Wurmple. It is cute with an unique way of evolving. Unlike other bugs native to other regions who simple have a three stage evolution, Wurmple has five! Not to mention its branched as well determined by its personality value, which cannot be altered. So not only do you get a few extra Pokemon to fatten up the Pokedex, but you have it in an unique way too~

Regional Bird:

I personally am not the biggest fan of regional birds as well as the dual typing of normal/flying. With that in mind I went for Fletchling because it drops the normal typing for fire upon evolving. Plus Talonflame is a beast in battle, and helpful outside for hatching eggs and getting you around the region.

Regional Rodent:

While I’m not the biggest fan of Diggersby’s design, it is one of the better options among its niche when Bunnelby evolves. Not only is ground a nice secondary typing, but eventually this Pokemon learns STAB Earthquake via level up among other useful moves via TM. STAB Earthquake and Return make it a viable team member early on and setting it apart from the basic boring options of route 1 normal rodent encounters.

Regional Cat:

Setting my Pokedex choices apart from the aforementioned basic boring normal types is the dark type Purrloin and its evolution in Liepard. Liepard can actually be a nuisance to deal with if you have the right moveset on it. Dark typing is always nifty to obtain early game as well.

Pikachu Clone:

I promise you that I am not trying to squeeze as many fairy types as I can into this Pokedex. Pretty much I wanted to add in a decent clone among the list and it was between my choice of Dedenne and the one that I didn’t choose in Togedemaru. Dedenne is not only adorable, but can be very hard to deal with if you don’t have two of its only weaknesses since the third one is neutral in this type combination.

Pair of Fossils:

Emperor Cubone didn’t specify if you had to choose an actual regional pair, or if you could mix and match them. Since I am unsure of that I will simply go with fossils from Hoenn in Lileep and Anorith. Personally, I really don’t care for the Anorith line. It’s simply there for the Lileep line since that is my favorite fossil line hands down! Lileep and Cradily are one of the few fossil Pokemon that doesn’t have to deal with water, and especially a 4x weakness to grass compared to the other fossils, and that’s always viable. Some of its other weaknesses like bug and flying have to be extremely careful around its rock typing, which with its high defense and HP stat can usually soak up attacks from. Not to mention its other grass side weaknesses in fire and poison are neutral since its rock side resists the two.

Overall the Lileep line is one of the best fossils you could ask to have (though I’m sure the Anorith line has its merits).

Unrelated Connections:

I went with Durant and Heatmor because I wanted typings with lesser numbers to fill the dex likes steel and fire (since starters make up most of the fire typing). I think Durant is a pretty cool Pokemon who usually overshadows its rival, and I wanted Heatmor to get more attention since I can image it being pretty forgettable.

Cave Encounters:

I wanted to spice up this category by eliminating typical encounters such as Zubats/Woobats and mono-type rock types as entries. There will be a bat and rock in the forms of Noibat and Carbink. I chose these two since their typings correspond with each other. Plus they have a lot more to offer than your typical bats and rocks.

I thought I’d throw in a ground type since ground types can be a common typing to be found in caves so I went with Drilbur. Not only is Excadrill such a beast of a powerhouse, but it also gets the steel typing which can be a later threat to Carbink to round off the typings in the caves.

Surf Encounters:

Instead of annoying sea birds and jelly fish I thought Wishiwashi would make a good replacement, At lower levels it’s annoying at best, but in higher leveled waters this thing would not only be terrifying, but is powered up, but there’d be some juicy XP to gain.

Remoraid is another option I wanted to add since it actually learns a fair amount of moves that can not only handle its weaknesses but is powered up by its ability.

Mantyke/Mantine is the last surf encounter option. Since Remoraid is its counterpart I thought it would be a good idea to have it with it. It would be the rarer encounter with Mantyke in lower leveled water and Mantine in higher level water. It also sort of replaces Wingull/Pelippers annoying flying asses,,,

Tough to Find/Evolve:

I’m going to start off with a Pokemon that fits the bill for both these requirements: Feebas.

Feebas is usually hard to find with Alola having it at 10% which I believe is pretty high compared to the low specific areas to usually find in other regions. Depending on in-game mechanics, Feebas can evolve in two different ways which can be easier or harder depending on the way to do so. So that’s why Feebas is on this section of the list.

I have three Pokemon for Tough to Find with female Salandit starting off the list. Unless you are lucky, or can exploit a male Pokemon with the Cute Charm ability, then you’d have a 1 out of 10 (I’m treating 100% as a 10) of finding one that is female. The reason gender is so important is because only the female can evolve. You could use a male Salandit, but it’s so weak that I wouldn’t bother... (Salandit is actually really cute and I feel bad pointing out how weak it is.)

My second pick is Mareanie, and to some extent Corsola. Corsola only as a 5% chance to be found through fishing unless you look for bubbly spots to fish at bringing it up to 20%, which is lower compared to other Pokemon you can fish for as well in those spots. You also have to spend time leaving and coming back to the minuscule routes Corsola’s on for the bubbly spots to appear if you want that extra 15% chance to encounter it. And even when you finally encounter the damned thing you have to hope you get another 20% in the SOS method to lure out the Pokemon you’re actually trying to get! So good luck~

My third pick is Maractus. In the generation its from you have a very small chance of finding it. You can practically overlook it that’s how rare it is! I chose it because it needs more love~

For Tough Pokemon To Evolve I have another set of three Pokemon.

My first choice is Nincada. Leveling it up is a fucking pain, especially in early games (think of Magikarp in that regard)! Then you need to make sure you have an open slot in your party and a spare Pokeball, or you can kiss getting both of its branched evolutions in Shedinja!

My second choice is Clamperl. It isn’t the super rarest Pokemon to find, but finding it is tedious since it has either a lower percentage or you need an HM. You also need to catch two and have two specific items so you can trade them while holding said items to get it to evolve both into Gorebyss and Huntail.

My last choice is Porygon. You usually gave to go out of your way for it, or much later in game to obtain it. Then you need to find two specific items to not only trade and evolve it, but then once more to get it to evolve again!

Doesn’t Evolve (Minimum 2):

I have chosen four Pokemon for this category” Girafarig, Mawile, Cryognal, and Drampa.

Girafarig is an odd Pokemon with a mostly unique typing (at least the one who started it lol). I feel like it’s very underrated, underappreciated, and forgettable to most so I wanted to add it to give it more love and attention~

Mawile is cute and has a good typing.

I don’t know why but I’m very fond of Cryognal. Sorry if that’s not a good enough reason to have it on the list lol~

Drampa is my favorite dragon type. It’s a shallow reason I know but... *shrugs* eh. What do you want from me?

Pseudo-Legendary:

I chose Beldum because it has such a desirable typing and Metagross is an absolute beast as well as can learn some good moves to cover its weaknesses. Plus it is a well designed Pokemon from it’s first-stage to its Mega. An extra bonus is that it’s a non-dragon Pseudo compared to the rest, and the less dragons the better!

Legendaries (Max 5?):

In his video Emperor Cubone stated that just like the starters, they don’t have to be with their respected pairs/trios/etc.. Unfortunately Mythical Legendaries aren’t an option for this list since they require outisde sources to get them usually. I also didn’t include Ultra Beasts since they’re more of a regional gimmick.

For these five I was trying to have as little typings shared between them as well as these choices were made more for aesthetics than anything.

I have no real other explanations for why I chose these other than what was aforementioned or that these were my favorites from their group/pair/version exclusives: Xerneas, Virizion, Lugia, Giratina, and Solgaleo.

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automaticpostinfluencer · 5 years ago

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College basketball’s ‘greatest of all time’ bracket

On March 19, ESPN launched SportsCenter Special: College Basketball’s Greatest of All Time, a 64-player bracket celebrating the best men’s and women’s players ever.

ESPN writers and commentators will provide daily roundtables and predictions as the bracket advances through March 31. Here, writers Jeff Borzello, Andrea Adelson and David Hale break down the Elite Eight in the South and Midwest Regions.

Elite Eight

South Region

(5) Carmelo Anthony vs. (3) Magic Johnson — VOTE HERE

Midwest Region

(12) Stephen Curry vs. (2) Michael Jordan — VOTE HERE

What surprises you most about the Sweet 16 results out of the South and Midwest Regions?

Jeff Borzello: I’m not totally shocked that Magic beat Kevin Durant, but the margin was eye-opening. Magic and Michigan State won a national championship, but Durant’s one season in college was spectacular on an individual level. He won the Wooden Award in 2007, becoming the first freshman to ever win that award, and swept the National Player of the Year awards that season. Magic didn’t win Player of the Year in either of his college seasons. Magic was a better playmaker and had a more well-rounded stat line, but Durant averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds as a freshman. Those are absurd numbers. Could you make the case for Magic? Sure. But by that wide a margin? I was surprised.

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Andrea Adelson: I really thought Zion Williamson would have a shot here considering the way the voting went down in the bracket before he got to his matchup against Anthony. Let’s be real: He should never have gotten past Christian Laettner. The voting did prove to be close, and I am happy the voters remembered how terrific Anthony was in the NCAA tournament at Syracuse far more than what they see in the here and now: Williamson, the transcendent superstar on the rise, while Anthony is on his millionth (or is it billionth?) NBA team. Moving Anthony into the Elite Eight was the right call indeed.

David Hale: Any time you have genuine legends (Wilt, The Admiral) or modern-day superstars (Durant, Williamson), it’s a bit surprising when they take an L from the fans. Still, I’m not too surprised by these results. Who’s going to argue with Magic or Jordan? Anthony won a title. Curry is arguably the most successful underdog in tourney history. Perhaps the most surprising thing about these results is that it wasn’t a little tougher for the voters to decide, with only the 8-12 game proving to be super close in the end.

These two matchups are about two legends from the NBA’s halcyon era (Magic, MJ) against two of this generation’s stalwarts (Melo, Steph). Can you make a persuasive case for either of the younger guys over the all-time legends?

Borzello: Give me Melo over Magic. Both players won national championships, which has helped get them this far in the tournament despite neither winning the Wooden Award. Here’s why I give the edge to Anthony: He did it in one season. Magic went to two NCAA tournaments and wasn’t great in the first one. In the 1978 NCAA tournament, Magic averaged 11.0 points and shot 10-for-36 from the field. Melo had one chance and completely dominated the final three games of the NCAA tournament. His three stat lines in the Elite Eight, Final Four and national title game: 20 and 10, 33 and 14 and then a ridiculous 20-10-7 line to win it all. He was unguardable. Like I said above, I was surprised Magic dominated Durant by such a wide margin. Maybe the voting public will disagree again, but I would pick Melo over Magic.

Adelson: I grew up in the NBA’s halcyon era, and with no NBA team of my own to root for as a child, I became a huge Lakers fan because of Magic. I learned everything there was to know about him, and quite honestly his impact on college basketball goes beyond championships and NCAA tournament appearances because he proved big guys didn’t have to be pigeonholed into big-guy roles. I would make the case for Curry against virtually anybody not named Michael Jordan (or Magic Johnson for that matter). He had one of the most memorable NCAA tournament performances in recent memory, but winning a national title has to count for something in this poll, so it’s hard to justify his case based on that alone.

Hale: Put Curry up against anyone else and you might have a genuinely tough call. Indeed, recency bias might actually play in his favor. But against Jordan? Nah. It has been two decades since he played an NBA game and 40 years since he played a tournament game, but Jordan is every bit as relevant to kids today as he was back then. Indeed, Curry can’t even count on winning his home state of North Carolina, as Jordan has that covered too. In the other bracket, though, Anthony deserves serious consideration. No, he didn’t blossom into the NBA superstar that Johnson did, but his lone season at Syracuse was breathtaking, and his dominance in the tournament belongs on the short list of genuinely legendary performances. And as good as Magic was in winning a championship, the story is really more about the matchup with Larry Bird than simply about one player’s dominance. Of course, I went to Syracuse too, so I’m completely biased here. Melo gets my vote. Magic should probably get yours.

Prediction time: Who advances to the Final Four out of these two matchups, and who are you voting for?

Borzello: Given the previous voting habits, it’s likely going to be Magic vs. Jordan. Two of the greatest players in the history of the sport going head-to-head in the Final Four. But I would pick Melo and Jordan to advance. Curry’s run to the Elite Eight is probably fresher in everyone’s mind than the other three guys on this side of the bracket, but he’s not beating Jordan. And I detailed my case for Carmelo above — his combination of individual dominance and a national championship in his lone season has few peers in college basketball history.

Adelson: Even though recency bias has determined the winner in many of these matchups, I would be shocked if Magic and Michael fail to advance. They are my picks. Recency bias goes out of the window when it comes to them, and as great as Anthony was at Syracuse and Curry was in leading Davidson further than anyone could have imagined, it is hard to beat two players who were legends — in college and the NBA.

Hale: Magic vs. Michael. Leaving Curry and Anthony on the cutting room floor feels utterly impossible, but who’s arguing with advancing two of the greatest basketball players — maybe THE two greatest — to ever play? Nostalgia and a good underdog story make for compelling cases for Curry or Anthony, but neither of them will be on basketball’s Mount Rushmore. Magic and Michael belong.

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junker-town · 7 years ago

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The Apple Cup is one of college football’s greatest culture-clash rivalries

And these days, it’s actually a big game anyway.

There are two kinds of college football rivalries.

Some — like Michigan-Ohio State, Alabama-Auburn, and Clemson-South Carolina — pair fan bases that already have a lot more in common than they tend to admit.

And some — like Mississippi State-Ole Miss, Georgia-Georgia Tech, and Notre Dame-USC — bring together people who often really do have very little in common on the surface.

One extreme example of the latter: Washington-Washington State.

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When one is making a first trip into the Palouse country, it might be easy to ask out loud, ‘Where is everybody?’ Especially if you come from an urban region, and out here in the rolling wheatland, it’s different. The air’s sweet, you can hear the bird’s song, and the natural process includes all four season with gusto.

You find Washington State University on a collection of hills, adjacent to the town of Pullman, and in the eyes of an old alumnus, it is still a happy find, for one who came from afar and who stayed long enough to have a life picked.

And once in a while, the WSU Cougars sit on top of the Pac-10 Conference football standings in November.

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Seattle hosts the Apple Cup, the annual matchup between the Washington Huskies and the Cougars that began in 1900 and has been played continuously for the last 62 years. It’s a series that captivates a state, divides households, and causes spontaneous chants with team names and four-letter words.

For the state of Washington, Apple Cup weekend is a special time, but to an outsider, it’s a lot like Pullman: distant, isolated, and just a tad bit confusing.

To understand the Apple Cup, start in Seattle.

Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Just north of the city proper, nestled between Lake Washington and Lake Union, you’ll find UW. It sits in the middle of the state’s largest city, boasting a premier medical school, a massive research apparatus and budget, and a strong business school.

You’ll find Husky Stadium along the shores of Lake Washington, just down the hill from the main campus. You can tailgate on a boat before docking and heading into the game. The views are some of the best in college football.

As you leave Seattle and head east on Interstate 90, cutting through the Cascade Mountains, you’ll notice the scenery changing. The range, which extends from Canada to California, serves as a natural dividing line in the state: East and west; rainy and arid; urban and rural; Huskies and Cougars. There’s a tension between the two sides of the state in politics, environment, and lifestyle.

And when you compare Pullman and Seattle, it’s clear what makes the rivalry tick.

James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

WSU feels like an accident, set in the middle of farms and wheat fields and protected by the speed trap that is Colfax. Washington State students and alumni take pride in the isolation of Pullman and wear it like a badge of honor.

That isolation creates a bond between the city and its temporary residents, hardening the alumni connection. Ask a Washington State graduate how it feels to return to Pullman, and they’ll describe cresting the hill leading into town after a long time away.

It’s something you don’t quite get at the University of Washington, where the school is just a blip on the map, buried in a sea of skyscrapers. It’s easy to sneak off into the city on weekends or head back to a childhood home. In Pullman, you’re trapped, an hour and a half from civilization and with nothing to do but bond and drink. That bond sticks, and if you need proof, walk through an airport — any airport — with Washington State gear on.

You see the differences show up in the Apple Cup rivalry and the taunts that go back and forth.

Cougs call Huskies sidewalk fans, testing their allegiances by asking, “Where did you actually go to school?” Huskies fire back by calling Cougs little brother, looking down their noses and wondering who would ever go to Pullman.

These aren’t hypothetical experiences, either. Washington State leans on the Seattle area for enrollment, and another common Washington taunt is, “You couldn’t get into our school, so you went to Wazzu.” Graduates then empty back out to the west side of the state to go to work, folding right back into the sea of purple, gold, crimson, and gray.

The rivalry bleeds into home lives and family, work and friendships. If Washington State gets knocked off by an FCS school to open the season, Washington fans will remind them. Lose the Apple Cup, and that sting won’t go away for a year.

And for a week in November every year, the Apple Cup consumes the state.

What’s crazy about it is that it’s not as though it’s a great or competitive series: Washington owns a 71-32-6 all-time record, and last year’s matchup was only the second time both teams came into the game with each playing for the same title. The last time before that was in 1936.*

*1981 was close, but Washington needed help from USC in a game that kicked off around the same time as the Apple Cup. They got that help, and ended up in the Rose Bowl with a win.

Washington fans have an expectation that their team is always inches from a Return To Glory. They brand this, and the marketing works. A summer tradition for the last 15 years has been watching as Washington fans hype the team up, only to watch it fall apart in September. Washington State fans skip the hype and go straight to the face-planting.

Because the Apple Cup has been lopsided, it thrives on moments, upsets, chaos and, for Washington State, the hope that those bring. Stretched out over the course of the series, these don’t look like much on paper. But for the Cougs, they’re everything.

There’s one more thing to understand about Coug fans, and what happens when the team turns a corner and starts to look good, like it has in 2016.

The video at the top is a highlight clip of the 2002 Washington State season. It was the midpoint in the best run in Cougar history, a string of three consecutive 10-win seasons that included trips to the Rose Bowl and Holiday Bowl.

What the video doesn’t tell you is how 2002 ended.

Washington State came into the Apple Cup ranked third in the country, needing a win to clinch the Pac-10 championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Jason Gesser went down with an ankle injury, and the game stretched into three overtimes. Down three and with a chance to tie or win, backup quarterback Matt Kegel threw a bubble screen on first down that was tipped and nearly intercepted before squirting out onto the turf. Officials ruled it a backwards pass that had been recovered by Washington, and the underdog Huskies knocked off the Cougars.

Martin Stadium devolved into chaos as fans threw anything nearby onto the field. This included empty glass alcohol bottles, aimed at players, coaches, and even the Washington athletic director. (Sodas have been served without caps in the stadium since, making them harder to use as projectiles.)

The Cougars recovered from the loss, and Gesser from his ankle injury, to beat UCLA two weeks later in a rare post-Apple Cup game and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. And 10 days after that, head coach Mike Price left Pullman for a brief stint at Alabama.

Washington State came into all three Apple Cups during their run of 10-win seasons ranked in the top-10. They went 0-3 against Washington during that period, and the best coach they’ve ever had left in the middle of it.

After finishing Thanksgiving with family, thousands of fans will filter across Washington for an annual tradition.

The state will stop for three and a half hours as the Huskies and Cougars play an Apple Cup with bragging rights and a division title on the line. At the end of it all, everyone will make the drive home, emptying out into cities across the state. That drive is lonely for the loser, knowing what’s looming on the other side.

Because in the end, the schools sit at opposite ends of Washington with polar opposite surroundings, but the people intermingle everywhere in between. The state bonds over the Apple Cup, and has for over 100 years. It’s a rivalry between friends and neighbors, coworkers and family, people you see and talk to everyday. And those people will remind you of one big difference every year: the score of the Apple Cup.

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pokemonunderdogtournament · 1 year ago

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Best Underdog Regional Bird Pokemon 🗺️🪶

Round 3 - Match 2

Our Contestants:

This poll is part of an event that allows the early eliminees from the main tournament have more time in the spotlight!

#uptunderdogtournament #pokemon #polls #best underdog regional bird #starly #pidove

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mrrolandtfranco · 8 years ago

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Famous Hollywood Small Towns You Can Visit Right Now

Wouldn’t you love to dance on the same stage as Napoleon Dynamite, catch a pass on the same field as the Dillon Panthers, or escape from a headless horseman under the same covered bridge as Ichabod Crane?

Here, we’ve compiled a list of small town movie sets that offer not only the chance to recreate photos from your favourite movies, but top attractions, sightseeing and eateries!

Start planning your next Hollywood-inspired trip, and don’t forget to book a rental on FlipKey for your stay!

The Notebook | Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina

The Plot: Star-crossed teens overcome life’s roadblocks and dementia to find everlasting love.

The Setting: Noah and Allie spend quiet, humid nights falling in love on a country cottage’s front porch as crickets buzz. From the carnival scene to the swan-flanked rowboat rides, Wadmalaw Island comes off as nothing short of picturesque.

Visit The Real Town: You’ll find an overwhelming sense of peace, and a lot of fine Southern hospitality in Wadmalaw Island. For those who love an afternoon tea, take a trolley tour around the Charleston Tea Plantation, which offers free admission. Prefer something stronger? Take a tour at Firefly Distillery and try the sweet tea vodka. Once you’ve drank your fill, stop in to Ambrose Family Farm for lunch or dinner.

See all rentals in Wadmalaw Island

Twilight | Forks, Washington

The Plot: A shy high school girl tries to choose between two supernatural suitors: a werewolf and a vampire.

The Setting: The dramatic seascapes and towering forests found in the coastal Northwest set a larger-than-life scene in Twilight.

Visit The Real Town: For a more natural trip, come visit Forks. A visit to the “Tree of Life”, a suspended roots-visible tree, is more magic than nature. How has it survived for hundreds of years with no soil? It’s a mystery! After your pilgrimage to the tree, keep your hiking boots on and visit Bogachiel State Park. Locals say, “it isn’t the end of the world, but you can see it from there.” Lastly, if you want to spend time inside, learning about outside, see the newly built Rainforest Arts Center.

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The Goonies | Astoria, Oregon

The Plot: A ragtag group of youths embark on a treasure hunt while finding themselves and outsmarting bad guys.

The Setting: A small town neighborhood setting gives way to more natural backdrops as the movie’s grand adventure takes the characters underground and out into the Oregon unknown.

Visit The Real Town: Blue collar people and an interesting frontier history shine in Astoria. Visit the Flavel House Museum to see how one of the wealthiest early settlers in Astoria lived. Discover the stories of the legendary Columbia River Bar, one of the most dangerous passages in the world, at the nationally renowned Columbia River Maritime Museum. And , after a long day of exploring, stop in to Buoy Beer Company for a tall beer brewed by real, hard-working Oregonians.

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Wayne’s World | Aurora, Illinois

The Plot: Two guys need to save their basement TV show and their girlfriends from becoming too corporate when a network executive tries to steal both.

The Setting: From Wayne’s basement to cruising around the streets singing Bohemian Rhapsody in an iconic film moment, Aurora adds the perfect small town touch to these loveable losers.

Visit The Real Town: Aurora is a kid-friendly destination with lots to see and do for all the family. Head to Blackberry Farm, where pioneer life is re-created through educational demonstrations and hands-on fun. Admission to Blackberry Farm includes unlimited rides on the train, hay wagon, pedal tractors, paddle boats, carousel and ponies. Travel through time and see how our everyday heroes used to put out dangerous flames at the Aurora Regional Fire Museum. Observe mammals, reptiles, and birds at the Phillips Park Zoo, one of the top-rated attractions in Aurora on TripAdvisor.

See all rentals in Aurora

Sleepy Hollow | Sleepy Hollow, New York

The Plot: Big city detective is hired by spooky small town folk to find out why people are being decapitated by a ghoul on horseback.

The Setting: This story takes place in 1799 in a cursed town called Sleepy Hollow. The only thing more frightening than the blackened storefronts is the haunted woods and those who dwell within.

Visit The Real Town: Once the sun comes up in Sleepy Hollow, you’ll realize the history here is not all doom and gloom. At Philipsburg Manor, travelers can tour a 300-year-old home, where period artifacts and touchable reproductions give you an understanding of the people who once lived and worked here. For a more active walk through history, walk around the Old Croton Aqueduct, where visitors and locals alike have worn down a path for 165 years.

See all rentals in New York

Manchester by the Sea | Manchester, Massachusetts

The Plot: After his brother’s death, a man returns to his hometown to raise his nephew and tie up emotional loose ends.

The Setting: This Massachusetts coastal town serves as the setting for this moving film. You can feel the salt air and the New England winter sorrow permeate every scene.

Visit The Real Town: Despite the lousy weather half the year, Manchester-by-the-Sea has options for those who prefer an active vacation. At Coolidge Reservation, hikers head past a scenic pond and through a small forest of pine and oak to reach a spectacular seaside lawn offering memorable views of Massachusetts Bay and the North Shore. During the warmer months, throw on your wetsuit and dive into the Atlantic with Surfari Stand Up Paddle and Surf. And once you’ve worked up an appetite, refuel at Superfine Food, one of the top-rated restaurants in Manchester-by-the-Sea on TripAdvisor.

See all rentals in Manchester by the Sea

Fargo | Fargo, North Dakota

The Plot: A cop investigates a series of grisly murders, that turn out to be more complicated than imagined, ordered by a slippery car salesman.

The Setting: The frozen tundra of Fargo, North Dakota takes center stage in this offbeat, dark comedy. Beyond the aching cold, the unceasing midwestern accents create a memorable setting.

Visit The Real Town: Drinking to stay warm is an old pastime in Fargo, and there’s no better place than the Blarney Stone Irish Pub in West Fargo. For those seeking more of midwestern culture, you’ll love what’s on exhibit at the Plains Art Museum. At the Red River Zoo, visitors can see cold-climate animals like the grey wolf or red panda, making winter in Fargo the perfect season to come see them.

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Fight Club | Wilmington, Delaware

The Plot: Through an unorthodox support group, a new best friend, and an anarchist scheme, a soft-spoken man finds himself. Or does he?

The Setting: Although not overt, enough clues are sprinkled throughout the film—business cards, license plates—to know Fight Club is set in Wilmington.

Visit The Real Town: Before you start a fight with strangers in a basement, you’ll need a hearty meal. You can find one at Chelsea Tavern in Wilmington. If you’re here for a normal trip with the kids though, try the Brandywine Zoo or Delaware Children’s Museum for a puppet show – both are highly rated attractions.

See all rentals in Wilmington

The Fighter | Lowell, Massachusetts

The Plot: An underdog boxer fights his way through debilitating family issues to his one big shot at the title.

The Setting: Another Massachusetts town makes our list, this time in working-class Lowell. The citizens are fiercely loyal and just plain fierce.

Visit The Real Town: To start the day off right in Lowell, stop in to Life Alive Urban Oasis & Organic Cafe for your breakfast and a cup of coffee. Use that coffee buzz to make record time biking on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Lowell was the birthplace of famous artist James Whistler and his childhood home has been turned into an art museum.

See all rentals in Lowell

The Big Chill | Beaufort, South Carolina

The Plot: The gathering of old college friends for a funeral brings out their real personalities.

The Setting: In The Big Chill, and in Beaufort, Southern hospitality shines on the screen. Eight college friends reunite, fight, and find themselves in a stately antebellum vacation home.

Visit The Real Town: Visitors can learn about historic Beaufort at the aptly named Beaufort History Museum. After all, the seeds of Civil War were planted here. Beaufort also boasts many untold stories, such as the account of the first European capital established in the New World on nearby Parris Island, which you can learn about at the Santa Elena History Center. Want to enjoy the South Carolina weather? Head to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. This multi-acre park provides a breathtaking view of the Beaufort River and the northern tip of Parris Island.

See all rentals in Beaufort

Napoleon Dynamite | Preston, Idaho

The Plot: An awkward loner learns to dance, perfects upper lip shading, and earns the respect of his peers.

The Setting: The dry, rolling hills and the endless bus rides to school (not to mention the rural farm Napoleon lives on raising Alpacas) set the small town vibe.

Visit The Real Town: The almost 6,000 residents of Preston have a fierce love of their fair city. In July of each year, they flock out to the Preston Night Rodeo (the first of its kind) to see bucking broncos and battered clowns. They fish for rainbow trout at the Glendale Reservoir (almost 5,000 feet above sea level), and they pay their respects to fallen Native Americans at the Bear River Massacre site.

See all rentals in Preston

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dirtylittle87 · 8 years ago

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March Madness

March Madness has officially begun. This post will primarily focus on the lower-tier conference tournaments (those which have already begun, or will begin this weekend).

The American East tournament tipped off last night. Top 3 seeds Vermont, Stony Brook & Albany all won by double-digits, as expected. I liked UMBC to pull off the 5v4 upset over New Hampshire, but they didn’t come through for me. I played all 4 games ATS, Stony Brook, Albany & UMBC on the moneyline (wasn’t laying -16500 on Vermont), a 4-team parlay on the moneyline for my 4 picks, and a 4-team teaser. Thankfully, UMBC got a push on the +9 in my teaser, and I finished +2.90 units for the American East opening round. I’m expecting Vermont to beat NH by about 15 in the 2nd round. I expect Stony Brook to be favored over Albany by about 3 points (based on 2 & 7 point victories over the Great Danes earlier in the year), but I like Albany to pull the upset and advance to the championship (where they will lose by double-digits to Vermont).

The Atlantic Sun tournament actually tipped off in February. I liked both UNF & FGCU to win & cover (both did). I liked Lipscomb to win (they did), but I thought NJIT would cover the +9 (they didn’t). And, I liked Kennesaw State to pull the upset (they did). I went 3-1 ATS, 4-0 on the moneyline, hit my 4-team moneyline parlay, and hit my 4-team teaser (I took Lipscomb -3.5) to finish +13.43 units for the opening round. In the 2nd round tonight, I like FGCU to cover -12.5, and I like North Florida in an upset (9 point dogs). UNF won @ Lipscomb 2 weeks ago by 11, and 3 weeks before that at home by 6. I don’t buy into the myth that you can’t beat a team 3 times in a season. Lipscomb has only lost once in the past month (at home to UNF), but I feel like UNF is the better team. Also, UNF is 20th in the nation in scoring while Lipscomb is 3rd... I like the over 165. I like FGCU to go dancing from the A-Sun.

The Big South tournament also tipped off in February. I liked both favorites in the opening round to cover & win. The Fighting Camels (I love that mascot) of Campbell covered, but the Charleston Southern Bucs only won by 5 (the line was 11, so kudos to the Longwood Lancers). No parlay or teaser for the Big South opening round for me, so I sit +1.90 units heading into the 2nd round tonight. Top seed Winthrop is favored by 15.5 over the Bucs, while 2nd seed UNC Asheville is favored by 12 over the Fighting Camels. Winthrop has victories of 14 & 16 points over the Bucs this season, and that 15.5 feels just about right. If I play it, I’ll lay the points and take Winthrop. Meanwhile, UNC Asheville has 13 & 16 point victories over the Fighting Camels this season. As much as I’d like to see the Fighting Camels move on, I’ll take Asheville -12. 3rd seeded Liberty is a 4 point favorite over the Radford Highlanders. Neither team has a prolific offense, but Radford corrals 10 more rebounds per game than Liberty. In a close game, I’ll take my chances with that rebounding ability to create enough 2nd chance opportunities for Radford to pull off the upset. Gardner Webb lost to High Point by 7 at home in December, and won by 2 at High Point just 5 days ago. High Point went 3-5 in February, with all 5 losses by 3 points or less. The Panthers have the 34th best 3-point % in the nation, and I like them to cover the +3. But I’ll take the Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb to keep their 4 game winning streak alive. In the semifinals, I think Winthrop will knock off GW by about 5 points, while Asheville gets past either Radford or Liberty by double-digits. If we get the 1v2 matchup for the championship, I would expect Winthrop to be favored by 3 (both teams beat the other at home by 3 points). At this point, I would lean towards Asheville getting the NCAA bid.

The MAAC tournament tips off tonight. I’m taking Monmouth to win this NCAA bid, despite kenpom only giving them a 40% chance of doing so, and the fact that they will likely be playing a true road game in the semi finals (Siena hosts the tournament, and they should be able to get past Fairfield in the 4v5 quarterfinals matchup). Tonight, I’ll take #8 Quinnipiac to beat #9 Niagara (Niagara favored by 1). #7 Canisius beat #10 Marist by 33 at home in January, and lost by 2 on the road 2 weeks ago. I’ll take the Canisius Golden Griffins’ 29th ranked offense and the revenge factor to cover the -8.5 over the Red Foxes. #6 Rider tallies 5 more points and 5 more rebounds per game than #11 Manhatten. The Jaspers have lost 5 of their last 6 games by an average of 16 points per game (including an 11 point loss at Rider), while the Broncs are on a 3 game winning streak of 15 points per game. I’ll take Rider -6.5 to advance. I’ve already mentioned I like Monmouth over Siena, on the road, in the semifinals (by double-digits, just to prove a point), so I expect both of them to get past their quarterfinals opponent. If Canisius is hot from beyond the arc tonight against Marist, I’ll take them to upset #2 St. Peter’s tomorrow. #3 Iona has outscored #6 Rider by a total of 1 point in their first two meetings, and neither game was close. I’ll say Iona probably wins, and I like the over on any total under 181. The field in this conference is all capable of beating each other up. IF Canisius & Iona both advance to the semifinals, I’ll take Iona by 5, with a total of at least 170.

The Northeast Conference tournament tipped off last night, and I was doing alright until LIU Brooklyn got upset. I liked Mount St. Mary’s, Wagner & St. Francis PA all to win and cover. They all won, but only St. Francis covered for me, and put me +1.80 with my parlay and teaser both still alive as well. LIU Brooklyn was -3.5, and they lost by 1. Thankfully, they were +1.5 in my teaser, so I salvaged a +0.30 unit night for the opening round. Semifinal action is Saturday, and I like Mount St. Mary’s over Robert Morris and Saint Francis over Wagner, both in single possession games. For the championship, I’ll take Saint Francis to pull the upset. To be completely honest, LIU Brooklyn was my pick to win this conference, but I had about a 1% level of confidence in that pick.

The Ohio Valley Conference tournament started with a bang last night, with #5 SEMO “upsetting” #8 Tennessee State by 3 in OT (SEMO was a 5.5 point dog), and #7 Murray State edging #6 Tennessee Tech by 1 in 2OT! I had both teams as winners and ATS, plus I parlayed them (no teaser with just 2 games). Murray State didn’t cover the -3.5, but I still finished +6.59 units for the opening round. Tonight, SEMO takes on #4 Jacksonville State and Murray State takes on #3 Morehead State. The Redhawks are +3.5 and the Racers are +3. I’m picking both to win outright again tonight, despite SEMO’s 12 point loss at Jacksonville and Murray State’s 1 point loss at Morehead earlier in the year. Hopefully their legs aren’t too tired from playing the extra basketball last night. I’ll be rooting for both SEMO and Murray State to both advance to the conference championship, although I don’t think either will get there, as they are local teams to my hometown region. I’d love to see SEMO get to go dancing this year.

The Patriot league also tipped off in February. I liked American as an underdog vs Army and Lafayette as an underdog vs Loyola. Both lost, but Lafayette at least covered to prevent the total loss. I finished the opening round -2.90 units. Tonight, I like #1 Bucknell -14 over Army, #2 Boston -7.5 over Loyola, #3 Lehigh -14.5 over Colgate and #4 Navy -2 over Holy Cross. I know the chalk is no fun, but I just don’t see much parity in this league. After completing the season sweep of Army, Bucknell moves on to complete the season sweep of Navy in the semifinals. Boston beat Lehigh by 14 and 17 in their previous meetings, but the metrics have Lehigh as the better team. I expect to see Lehigh’s 19th best FG % and 20th best 3-point % favored at Boston in the semifinals, and I will be rooting for Boston to complete the season sweep. With 11 & 20 point losses to Bucknell already on the books, Bucknell should be favored over Boston. I’ll root for Boston, but predict a 10 point Bucknell victory.

Finally, the Missouri Valley Conference starts tonight! Arch Madness, BABY! For the first time in several years (at least it seems), my alma mater is NOT playing in the opening round tonight! Tonight, #8 Evansville takes on #9 Indiana State and #7 Bradley takes on #10 Drake. I’ll take the Sycamores +1.5 ATS and +106 on the moneyline because I’m a Celtics fan and that’s Larry Bird’s alma mater. I’ll take the Bradley Braves -3.5 because they’ve beat Drake by 7 & 8 points earlier in the year. Tomorrow, the 8v9 winner will advance to play top seed Illinois State (Yes, Illinois State beat out Wichita State for the #1 seed!). The Redbirds will win by 6 or 7. Then, MY Southern Illinois Salukis will take on the Loyola Chicago Rambles. With a 6 point victory early in February and a 2 point victory last Saturday in the season finale, my Salukis will complete the season sweep with a 5 point victory over Loyola. Wichita State will then knock off Bradley or Drake by at least 2 points. In the Friday night finale, #3 Northern Iowa takes on #6 Missouri State. Both teams won on the road in their earlier meetings, and this should be another close contest. I’ll take the Bears to upset the Panthers by a bucket. In the semifinals, SIU will take on Illinois State. In January, the Salukis hung with the Redbirds in Carbondale, until a late Redbird run gave them a 7 point victory. One week ago, on the road, the Salukis stayed with them again, losing by 4. This weekend, the 3rd time is the charm, and the Salukis will knock off the top-seeded Redbirds. In the other semifinal, the Shockers will beat Missouri State by 15 or more. Anything can happen on Arch Madness Sundays. The Shockers will be heavily favored against the Salukis, and smart-money would be to lay the points, as Wichita State beat Southern Illinois by 42 points and 19 points in the previous meetings. But I will be hoping against all hope for my Salukis to pull the upset, and they will be my play all weekend.

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