I discovered this video during my daily, lunch-time YouTube voyage and it's really pretty incredible. Incredible that the guy in the blue has such a lack of ping-pong strategy.
He's smart enough to remember what side of the table he has to hit when they get their sides switched up, but he can't figure out 'maybe I should throw in a drop shot, or maybe just HIT THE BALL TO THE OTHER SIDE!'
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sweet 16 leaving dull taste?
The beauty of the NCAA Tournament every year is the Cinderella story. A team that hardly anyone had heard of during the regular season puts together an incredible run of upsets, catapulting themselves into national headlines.
Evidently, Cinderella's invitation to the big dance got lost in the mail this year.
Each region has essentially been left with chalk - the highest seeded teams. The top four teams in the East and South Regions have all advanced, while No. 5 Purdue advanced in the West and No. 12 Arizona in the Midwest.
People will say that the tourney is having a down year because of the lack of underdogs making the Sweet 16.
I disagree.
While routing for the underdog is always entertaining, the depth and quality of teams left is beyond the usual this year. A case can be made that 14 of the remaining teams have a legitimate shot at winning the title.
Teams being excluding:
Evidently, Cinderella's invitation to the big dance got lost in the mail this year.
Each region has essentially been left with chalk - the highest seeded teams. The top four teams in the East and South Regions have all advanced, while No. 5 Purdue advanced in the West and No. 12 Arizona in the Midwest.
People will say that the tourney is having a down year because of the lack of underdogs making the Sweet 16.
I disagree.
While routing for the underdog is always entertaining, the depth and quality of teams left is beyond the usual this year. A case can be made that 14 of the remaining teams have a legitimate shot at winning the title.
Teams being excluding:
- Arizona - Wildcats have been unable to put together solid winning streaks all season.
- Xavier - Points will become a problem for the Musketeers. Their leading scorer only averages 14 points per game.
I wouldn't look for this year's trend of top seeds advancing to continue. The gap between a No. 1 and No. 3 this year is as minuscule as .. well.. lets just say it's barely even there.
If you put an all No. 1 seed Final Four in your office pool bracket be prepared to be disappointed.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Better late than never
I know St. Patrick's day was last Tuesday, but I just couldn't resist a chance to share this.
Top 10 Tuesday: Reasons the World Baseball Classic is a dud
10. No drama
Watching other sports, there's a certain sense of urgency where your team losing is the end of the world. The WBC just doesn't have that in America. Your team team losses; life goes on.
9. Team USA doesn't win
Anything Americans aren't good at isn't worth watching, right? Explains hockey ratings in the U.S. doesn't it.
8. Not in season
When people think March, they don't think baseball. Put the tournament two weeks after the World Series in a warm-climate city. More people will watch if baseball is still fresh on their minds.
7. U.S. doesn't field best team possible
The U.S. Olympic basketball team faced the same problem. How can you win if you don't have the best players in the dugout?
6. All-star mentality
Like MLB's summer classic, players who make the team expect to play. Stop giving everyone equal time and play to win the game! Right Herm?
5. MLB teams don't want their players hurt
Imagine paying someone $100 million to work for you, then they get hurt working for someone else. Feel good about your investment?
4. Seriousness of other countries
Other teams don't just want to win; they really want to win. People in their countries actually care. You'd think it was the Super Bowl or something?
3. Unfamiliarity with majority of foreign players
Once the U.S. gets knocked out, Americans have no one left to route for. The other countries might have a major leaguer scattered through their roster, but for the most part its the equivalent of watching a minor league game.
2. Competes with NCAA tourney
March belongs to college basketball in this country. From favorites to underdogs.Cinderella to diaper-dandies. There's a sense of drama and urgency that the WBC is severely lacking. Heck, everyone - including the President - fills out a bracket. You don't see Obama talking about the Classic on Sportscenter do you?
1. It was Bud Selig's idea
Paraphrasing Tom Hanks - there's no crying in baseball. Adding to that - there's no ties in baseball, except that one time Bud Selig called the all-star game a draw because teams were out of pitchers. Way to go Commish. At least you cleaned up the whole steroids thing - right A-Rod?
Watching other sports, there's a certain sense of urgency where your team losing is the end of the world. The WBC just doesn't have that in America. Your team team losses; life goes on.
9. Team USA doesn't win
Anything Americans aren't good at isn't worth watching, right? Explains hockey ratings in the U.S. doesn't it.
8. Not in season
When people think March, they don't think baseball. Put the tournament two weeks after the World Series in a warm-climate city. More people will watch if baseball is still fresh on their minds.
7. U.S. doesn't field best team possible
The U.S. Olympic basketball team faced the same problem. How can you win if you don't have the best players in the dugout?
6. All-star mentality
Like MLB's summer classic, players who make the team expect to play. Stop giving everyone equal time and play to win the game! Right Herm?
5. MLB teams don't want their players hurt
Imagine paying someone $100 million to work for you, then they get hurt working for someone else. Feel good about your investment?
4. Seriousness of other countries
Other teams don't just want to win; they really want to win. People in their countries actually care. You'd think it was the Super Bowl or something?
3. Unfamiliarity with majority of foreign players
Once the U.S. gets knocked out, Americans have no one left to route for. The other countries might have a major leaguer scattered through their roster, but for the most part its the equivalent of watching a minor league game.
2. Competes with NCAA tourney
March belongs to college basketball in this country. From favorites to underdogs.Cinderella to diaper-dandies. There's a sense of drama and urgency that the WBC is severely lacking. Heck, everyone - including the President - fills out a bracket. You don't see Obama talking about the Classic on Sportscenter do you?
1. It was Bud Selig's idea
Paraphrasing Tom Hanks - there's no crying in baseball. Adding to that - there's no ties in baseball, except that one time Bud Selig called the all-star game a draw because teams were out of pitchers. Way to go Commish. At least you cleaned up the whole steroids thing - right A-Rod?
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