AOL FanHouse did something similar to a “Choose Your Own Adventureâ€, but it was “Choose Your Own Cinderella Teamâ€. Starting here and picking “Pay attention to the front of the jerseys†then “Pick a team with experience†followed by “You like a team that keeps coming back to the tournamentâ€, you’re Cinderella option is Thursday’s opponent, Oral Roberts. Their experience-based preview is here.
Oral Roberts won’t be intimidated by the bright lights. They’ve done this. Sure, they get a very hot Pittsburgh team right now, but how many times have we watched the Big East tournament champion end up losing fairly early in the dance?
ORU has been to the tourney the previous three seasons as a 16 seed, then a 14 seed, and now a 13 seed this year. The “adventure†was fun and I thought was brilliantly done.
According to the Oral Roberts official site, their mascot is the Golden Eagles (changed from Titans in 1993). The name of the costumed mascot is Eli, both for it’s biblical meaning and it’s acronym: Education, Lifeskills, and Integrity. Um, maybe they need to add an ‘f’ for “fighter.†Eli found himself in a bit of a scuffle against the IUPUI Jaguar during the Summit League title game. Of course, like most things these days, it made it’s way onto YouTube.
The best Penguins blog on the web is The Pensblog. They say Pitt won’t win because of a tough first round draw.
What would Gary Roberts do? Probably play a solid 2-3 zone (“with man-to-man principlesâ€)…
…by himself.
[Quick aside: Bill Raftery doesn’t just yell “onions†– he draws them.]
Chances are you probably saw or heard that Bob Knight picked Pitt to win it all. He also has reiterated it more than a few times on various SportsCenter segments that he’s sticking with them. If you missed it, the video is here.
TV coverage map for the afternoon time slot? Yes.
Just a final reminder about our Bracket Challenge. See if you can beat me (you will). Commenters, what’s the name of your bracket? Just so we all know.
Terrelle Pryor mania is over – and he’s attending “The University of Ohio State.â€
I’ll be watching the game at the Pete tomorrow – you should too. If you’re a part of the “general public†then feel free to come.
On a tourney note, man I hope we kick the crazy religious zealot nutball asses of ORU. The “college” was founder by a nutjob who thought he could perform faith healings. Oral pretty much uses the “college” to fund houses for himself and his kids. Also, students there have to take a pledge not to drink, smoke, dance, party, or engage in premarital sex. Sounds like fun. If we lose to that “school,” I might need a faith healer.
Anywho, my bracket is called “Here We Go Panthers”….and I’ll be watching the game at the Pete as well!
As Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, put it when asked who his boss is pulling for: “The correct answer is Pitt,” as in the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, one of four teams in the tournament from Pennsylvania, where voters go to the polls in a crucial primary April 22.
