Mister Faded Glory | misterfadedglory.com

Well, that didn’t work.

I stand corrected. What’s most disappointing is not showing up, from the beginning.

And if this is the start of a trend for Oklahoma, rather than a white-hot aberration, they’ll win the title.

For the Orange, hopefully – hopefully - everyone’s back next year, because a good new class comes in. Jimmy B will start the year with win No. 800, and we’ll see what happens from there.

You’re always prepared for the disappointing ending to a college season – each team but one finishes with a loss – but you’d like to think your favorite team would go down swinging. Plagued by a horrific start, poor shooting, and bad decisions, Syracuse never gave themselves a chance – irrespective of Oklahoma’s fantastic night.

I have little to say – what more could the ‘Cuse do this season to surpass my expectations?

On the road against Florida, Kansas and Memphis in the non-con, they took care of them all.

After a swift rise into college basketball’s top 10, they hit their swoon during the Big East gauntlet, falling 5 out of 7 times. (By contrast, however, Pitt appears to be hitting its swoon now.) Yet they rebounded to stomp the teams they should have stomped during the close of the schedule, defeating their mirror-image Marquette team to close the year.

And you, of course, remember, the greatest game of all time. In Madison Square Garden, two ferocious rivals, the Deans of the Big East, and – until the Johnnies return to prominence – the kings of New York City basketball: UConn and Syracuse, battled through six overtimes, and somehow, some way, Syracuse triumphed. Jim Boeheim said it was the most proud he’d ever been of any group of players. And for us fans, it’s difficult to argue. (As unfathomable as that might be.)

And still, they play on. Tonight, our heroes take on an Oklahoma squad boasting a ton of talent and the game’s best player, Blake Griffin.

Griffin is going to get his 25 and 15 inside the Zone, indeed, the zone always gives up a few more offensive boards than it should. The game rests, as it always does – brilliantly, perhaps – on Oklahoma’s perimeter. If the Sooners hoist 40 threes (The Arizona State strategy), they’ll lose. If they run everything through the Griffins, taking smart threes, they may win.

For Syracuse, it’s as simple as that. Like Jimmy, we’re proud of the team, and we’re proud of him for being so close to 800. And like anyone, we’re ready to hop aboard the gravy train, as long as the Cuse still plays, as long as they’re still in the house. Go Syracuse.

A busy week is passing before our eyes in Mr. Faded Glory land, but since sports is on the brain, we’re compelled to point out a link; just another Syracuse fan/blogger annoyed at the Ray Allen/Jumpman commercial.

Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician (Our favorite Syracuse blog and a classic title, to boot) reviews the mysterious ad here. Though he doesn’t drop a J.B. Reafsnyder mention into the post, but we still totally agree.

And yes, that’s it. More later, and if you’re expecting a detailed review of Sean Marshall earning the Cubs’ fifth starter spot, here it is: About fucking time.

Pittsburgh. Not exactly inspiring lots of confidence for those of us who swore by this team – though this is how they won in the regular season; hanging with an opponent and running away at the finish.

Xavier. In case you can’t get enough of this storyline – Sean Miller, X coach, is totally from Pittsburgh and interested in the Pitt job when Jamie Dixon bolts. (Though, honestly, doesn’t he have a good thing going at Xavier?)

Villanova. The most impressive team of the second round, absolutely shredding a UCLA team that isn’t all that bad; try and forget the Wildcats played at home.

Duke. If Jon Scheyer’s moronic save-and-chuck toward the end of that game had resulted in a setup for a Texas three, would it still have been a genius, gritty play?

North Carolina. Sweated LSU for a while before dispatching of them; I’m excited for their regional semifinal against Gonzaga.

Gonzaga. Paging Mark Few; this is the marquee win your program yearns for, much better than the Virginia slugfest in 2001. (Remember when they beat Donald Hand?!)

Syracuse. Just a guess here, but don’t you think Jim Boeheim will remember No. 800 much better if it comes against Oklahoma rather than next fall against Colgate?

Oklahoma. Playing in a regional only 7 hours from home – how many Sooner fans make that trip?

UConn. Until further notice, the best-looking no. 1 seed waltzes on, maybe unchallenged until the national semifinal.

Purdue. Matt Painter is a very good coach, but I really thought playing Wash U in Portland would be their undoing.

Missouri. Nice clear-out for Tiller at the end of the game; and it’s tough not to feel bad for ‘Quette’s Lazar Hayward, who slipped across the end line with the penultimate turnover. In other news, how was it NEVER reported by any Big East media, Milwaukee media, or opposition media, that Dominic James might return to play in the second round of the NCAAs? I’m sure Vegas loved that.

Memphis. I’m always down on Memphis, this year I’m down on the ACC, and in case the media really wonders, they would have finished third in the ACC – they are the exact same team as Wake Forest.

Louisville. Do not wake a sleepwalker… do not wake a sleepwalker … do not wake a sleepwalker.

Arizona. In the fractured world of sports logic, we are supposed to believe that Arizona’s Sweet 16 run is proof they “belonged in the tournament after all.” Nice analysis, braintrust, but you’re wrong. They absolutely did not belong in the tournament, and it is to their credit that they’ve seized the opportunity. The two circumstances are not causally related. Please stop shouting. (Jay Bilas just threw something at me.)

Kansas. When was the last time each and every 1, 2, and 3 seed advanced to the round of 16? No wonder that bitch in accounts receivable is winning the pool.

Michigan State. I expected USC to beat them today. So, naturally, the Spartans won.

It’s easy to forget how sweet the Sweet Sixteen actually is, until your team hasn’t been there for five years.

Syracuse played a sharp game today in dispatching of Arizona State; the Sun Devils’ two stars rendered virtually meaningless. Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins both found their long-range shooting strokes and Arizona State strangely launched more than 30 three-pointers, which, as any Syracuse fan will tell you, is the death knell for any team who hopes to defeat the effective 2-3 zone. Add Herb Sendek to the honorary Kelvin Sampson List of Coaches Who Apparently Have Never Seen a 2-3.

The Orange boasted sweet sixteen potential at the beginning of the season, to realize one goal is uplifting. As a fan, I’m happy for this group of kids – who started fast today when they needed to, played smartly, played excellent in the top of the zone, and now move on to a matchup against Oklahoma.

In any NCAA tournament, anything past the Sweet Sixteen is gravy, especially for a 3-seed jelling at the right time of the year. For the Orange’s part, it’s probably a safe bet Oklahoma will seek to exploit the interior of the zone with the Griffin Bros., at least much more than the Sun Devils did. Give Cuse a slight edge on the perimeter, the Sooners a huge edge inside, but the two teams match up suprisingly well. And, as you know, if you’re going to the Sweet Sixteen … you might as well win.

Until Thursday or Friday, however, we get to feel a little security and contentment. Enough so that we’ll break out our 3rd-grade Photoshop skills.

Louisville. Not sure in which round it will occur, but at the 15-minute mark of one unfortunate second half, the sleepwalking Cards will find themselves trailing, attempt to flip a switch – and nothing will be there.

Siena. Good for the Saints – but I just got killed on these 8-9 and 7-10 games.

Arizona. Seriously, you’re not getting a mea culpa from me – how awful were the Utah brothers?

Cleveland State. If you’ve been listening to Mister Faded Glory’s drum; twice - twice - I have warned you about Cleveland State!

Dayton. Featuring Bob Huggins, Mountaineer fans – each year’s walking tournament disclaimer!

Kansas.  NDSU was a chic upset pick for several prognosticators who assumed the entire city of Fargo would descend upon the Metrodome – however, they forgot it wasn’t an actual basketball arena, but the Dome, perfect for quiet, isolated first-round wins.

Michigan State. It’s Tournament Friday night between early and late games, and I’ve seen nothing but game highlights for nearly 25 minutes – why does it always seem like Thursday coverage is staggered efficiently , but Friday’s start times, finishes and dead time nearly always coincide?

USC. The Trojans are my personal kryptonite; each and every year, no matter how I forecast their tourney run, they do exactly the opposite – from Rodrick Rhodes to Sam Clancy to Nick Young to OJ Mayo to Taj Gibson, this is maddening.

Pittsburgh. The one time I set aside my gleefully sadistic contempt for Pitt, pick them for a deep tourney run instead of another baffling upset, and Jamie Dixon unfurls this clunker in the first round?

Oklahoma State. Maybe Billy Gillispie and Travis Ford can just trade jobs.

Wisconsin. Bo Ryan’s game plan, defense and execution prevails again, although Wisconsin was fairly lucky to knock off FSU. In other news.

Xavier. What portion of the country saw this  Friday night 6 p.m. game? More on Arizona – how many times could Ian Eagle dip into the “Arizona’s showing everyone they belong here!” well? Mediocrity, thy name is Arizona vs. Utah.

UCLA. I’m sure it’s nice for the Bruins to count on Josh Shipp again; too bad for his crisis of confidence last year or they might have won it all.

Villanova. Probably a safe bet that ‘Nova, Memphis and Pitt will play a lot better in the second round, after surviving a scare.

Duke. Gosh, I hope the Blue Devils lead Saturday’s coverage with a game slot all to themselves – that never happens!

Texas. Note – this didn’t happen; Duke and UT have the Saturday night primetime slot.

North Carolina. Carolina won’t face a defense until they’re on the road in round 3, or maybe even 4. (People gnash their teeth about Syracuse advancing to an Albany regional, but this repeated Greensboro slot is just insulting.)

LSU. And the Southeastern Conference is down to one.

Western Kentucky. At this rate, the Hilltoppers will surpass rival University of Kentucky in tournament prowess by 2145.

Gonzaga. Maybe the Bulldogs/Zags (Bullzags?) are finally past that whole era of ‘tournament darlings,’ and can actually make some noise.

Syracuse. Not the prettiest win for the Orange, but it’s been five long years since the last one, if you can believe that. (I barely can.)

Arizona State. You can almost hear whiny Pac Ten grads coming in from the sun to remind us how awesome their boring conference actually is.

Oklahoma. Is it possible to be a sleeper as a 2-seed?

Michigan. Hey, Mountaineer fans – not to rub salt, but remember those deep tourney runs on the backs of John Beilein?

UConn. Each and every year, out of each and every deep Big East tourney pot, Connecticut and Syracuse remain the toughest to plan for – UConn because of sheer athleticism; Cuse because of the effective 2-3 Zone.

Texas A&M. You think that Utah team was overseeded? Try BYU – they shouldn’t even have been in the tournament, and they refuse to play on Sundays, which is complete bullshit. (And irrelevant.)

Purdue. The Boilermakers tilt with Washington might actually be one of the best games of the round; I know little about either team except that I recognize lots of names and know nothing, really, about any of them.

Washington. If you watched any of the first round, you noticed Nike’s incessant commercials for UConn recruiting, highlighting torment of Washington and Syracuse fans, furious at Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen, respectively. However, besides reminding us of Cuse’s legendary 1996 center J.B. Reafsnyder, the Syracuse ad reminds us that in 1996 Cuse was national runner-up; while UConn lost in the Sweet Sixteen. Yeah, that’s torture.

Mizzou. Pretty sure the Tyus Edney thing happened in Boise, way back in 1995.

Marquette. The Eagles actually will make me sweat my Mizzou pick; Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews are bound to bounce back in a big way, right?

Maryland. Perhaps it is the ACC we’ve overvalued, with Maryland still standing and BC, Clemson, Florida State and Wake barely tourney blips?

Memphis. Maybe all those pundits on the Tigers’ jocks will jump off now that they’ve seen a befuddled Memphis crew attempt to shoot over a zone.

Doesn’t seem like anything monumental has occurred, does it? Unless you’re one of the few college basketball fans who don’t read this blog, and mistakenly forecast West Virginia into your Elite Eight.

At least not until tonight’s slate, but during the first game between the Utes and the Wildcats, Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel want you to know that ARIZONA IS GOING TO PLAY  HARD EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY DON’T BELONG! Shocker, I know.

But who’s this band of brothers Arizona is playing? All these guys have the last name UTAH!

/Stamps blog with seal, first sports blog to make totally obvious, annoying, and barely funny “Utah is their last name” joke of the tournament.

Though an all-Big East Final Four may either be too picturesque to disturb (or too disastrous); two unlucky teams will head home on Saturday, April 4. They will be Syracuse and UConn, and we’ll consider the Orange the third-place NCAA finisher on the strength of their 6-OT win.

But Pittsburgh and Louisville will square off for the title. And though Louisville probably can put their best effort into the full 40 minutes of the title game, Pitt’s attack will spread them out, slow them down, and finish them off. And lo and behold, and nearly impossible for us to believe, but the Pittsburgh Panthers are your NCAA champion.

According to Mister Faded Glory, anyway. Which, we suppose, is a worthy title in and of itself. Enjoy the games.

• West Region preview
• Midwest Region preview
• East Region preview
• South Region preview

Rest assured, the last time Syracuse went on a decent tourney run (winning it all in 2003), I missed nearly every tournament pick, consciously trying not to jinx myself. In 2005, after a Big East championship, the underperforming Cuse underperformed one final time. (I still believe the 2005 team should have been freaking awesome.) In 2006, they were overseeded after a draining conference title.

This year, however, their talent suggests a top 12 team in the country, and the effort appears to finally coincide. The seed is accurate. Personally, a Sweet Sixteen appearance would be a worthy goal, but I already consider this season a success – the Cuse is playing their best basketball of the year at the right time, and – stop me if you’ve heard – they won the greatest game in Big East history last Thursday. I’m a proud fan.

As another pre-bracket side note, how certain is everyone that Ty Lawson is universally “THE BEST POINT GUARD IN AMERICA.” Hello? Um, can I dispute? He’s not even the best point in the south bracket; taking a backseat to Jonny Flynn, the poor man’s Chris Paul? Flynn might be going pro on the strength of the Big East tourney alone, and I’m not sure I could argue. Lawson, for his part, has been hurt all the freaking time, and doesn’t make me forget Raymond Felton, or recall Raymond Felton. (Not even Derrick Phelps, actually.)

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I consider the East the best bracket in term of quality. Everyone (improbably) sleeps on Duke. Villanova faces a potential 6-11 land mine across from UCLA and Virginia Commonwealth. Supposedly Florida State is a red-hot team. (Although, if you watched FSU and Ga. Tech, you saw perhaps the ugliest basketball game of all time. No defense, no discipline, nothing.) And, of course, Pitt is loaded.

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