Wolverines Make NIT Finals

On Tuesday night, the Wolverine cagers defeated Old Dominion (who defeated George Mason back in December) and remained the only Big Ten team left in post-season play. Courtney Sims lead the Wolverines with 18 points and 7 rebounds as we all watched on ESPN2...yes 2. ESPN was busy with a splendid HD broadcast of the Women's NCAA tournament.

Straight from the mouth of Graham Brown...

"Courtney Sims was phenomenal tonight. Sometimes he doesn't have the best games or he doesn't play the best out there. But tonight he was the difference-maker for us. He was the one that stretched our lead. He was a power down low and he did everything for us. He was getting rebounds and put-backs, he was strong down low and he even came out and shot the 18-footer for us tonight. He hasn't shown much of that this season, but he's a great player for us."

Hmmm Graham... hasn't shown much of what? That 18-footer or strength down low? I'll take the latter.

On the other side of the bracket South Carolina knocked off Louisville, ending any chance of the interesting matchup between the coach we wanted and the coach we got. Left are the Gamecocks, last year's NIT champion. Which sets up the battle for solid champions of mediocrity, 2004's NIT champ vs. 2005's NIT champ.

Tipoff is 7pm...ESPN. Apparently there's no women's basketball on that night to get in the way.

GO BLUE!

The Uninvited

Yes it sucks. But it was expected. Another dreary finish to the season for the Wolverine cagers, who folded in seven of their last nine games. In a scene that has become all too familiar, the bracket announcement came and went without the inclusion of the Wolverines. A basketball team that not only did not belong there, but with their last two dismal performances, made it clear that they did not want to be there. And so another chapter of Wolverine basketball ends. No more sanctions, no more leftover players from a previous regime, still no meaningful postseason.

I was one of the unlucky people that was able to witness the late season collapse first hand, so I can tell you that the Michigan basketball team not only folded, but they did so in front of supportive fans, and an often full Crisler arena. An already skeptical fan base has now seen the Wolverines falter again when it counted most. Injury issues aside, there is no excuse for not being ready to play, and the onus lies in the hands of the coach. It will take a little more than DeShawn Sims to get me back into the darkest arena in the Big Ten.

Nothing we can do now but wait for the next season...football season that is. Meanwhile, we can test our college basketball knowledge against other supporters of the greatest Michigan Tailgate in the known world. So get in there and sign up. Follow the link (upper right) to enter the tournament challenge. If you haven't received a username/password, contact me at frank@umtailgate.com.

Big Easy...Meet Little Easy

Hurricanes and Hand Grenades

New Orleans is all about survival. Want to pace yourself? You can't. The fervor of thousands of people that are more drunk than you will instinctively cause you to catch up. Want to relax and hang out in your Bourbon Street hotel room? You can't. The crowd noise from outside the window will call you to the street.

The drink of choice is the hurricane, made of equal parts liquor and sugar with a hint of fruit juice, they only come in one size, extra-large. Knock down a couple of these thirty-two ounce demons, and you won't be able to fend off the barrage of two-dollar-shot-girls, which are scantily-clad dressed waitresses armed with the ultimate selling pitch: getting a shot from them is akin to getting a quick and clothed lap-dance.

The four UMTailgaters survived the temptations, the alcohol, and became creatures of the night. Oh ya, I almost forgot, there were games too! Syracuse defeated Kansas 81-78 as the final game came to an end on Monday night, starting an evening of street-wide celebration by the raucous and often rude Orange faithfull. Even Carmelo Anthony hit Bourbon Street, with an entourage that ran behind him as if he were the pied-piper.

All in all the trip was a success, even though it was capped off by a longer than expected all night road trip back to Ann Arbor. We're all back, and we should reach normal equilibrium sometime before football season starts.

The Winners Are...

Congratulations to Randy Wallace, Roger Trim, and Vik Bhatia for taking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place respectively in the 2003 UMTailgate.com Tournament challenge. Prizes are en route. Thanks again to all that participated...especially to those that paid.