SB Nation User Blog: rfirpo

Tourney Seed Comparison (Big East v. Pac 10)

rfirpo — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:25:38 -0000

Tourney Seed Comparison (Big East v. Pac 10)

The Big East has had a remarkable year, and has some great teams. But I am a little sick of hearing how the conference has proved to be even better than expected during the Tournament. For gods sakes, when you get # 1 seeds, you don't even begin to prove anything until the second weekend. Anyway, not to take anything away from the Big East and their fine year, but I find it amusing that with all the talk, they are actually underperforming in the Tournament given their seeds (-1, as to seed expectation as of today). I know, it doesn't mean much, but it sort of means that, as of right now, they have not entirely lived up to the hype. The Pac-10, by the way, is at +1, assuming I figured it correctly.

From the Opening Tip

rfirpo — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:00:45 -0000

Bumped. Let's hope the team is as focused as rfirpo, who in last 24 hours has been en fuego. GO BRUINS. - N

Thursday's game against VCU is going to be the most exciting and intense game of the year--and I don't even think it's close. Thinking of the CAL, USC, and Washington road games?--think again, those were cupcakes in comparison.

The crowd in Philly will be buzzing with anticipation, waiting to see VCU have its shot to rip into a UCLA team who made it to three consecutive final fours. People will be there, begging for the little guy to stick it to us. If VCU hits the first basket of the game-the crowd will roar; if VCU goes on a 5-0 run with a key three pointer thrown in, the crowd will go bezerk. They will taunt us, shout overrated, and belittle our program. Make no mistake about it: this game will be possession to possession of pure intensity and desire. It is the game of the year to date.

Our recent opening round NCAA Tournament games have been a little slow. The crowd expected blow-outs, and they got them. The cheers were muted, and it seemed the fans weren't completely focused. And that was understandable, as it seemed the games were second to the arena atmosphere, t-shirt booths, and tournament merchandize lines. No one had to be intense--everyone could be relaxed.

Well Thursday's game will be different. People will be tuning in around the country to watch UCLA lose. I hate to say it, but Seth Davis started a story-line that will put people in front of the TV hoping for carnage. Everyone who picked UCLA will be praying for their "I told you so" moment.

I've heard some people talk about the game suggesting that we need to have an "us against the world mentality." Well, we don't need to try to foster that mentality--because it's a freakin' reality. It is us against the world. We are being portrayed as the team who is overrated, as the team who will be surprised, and as the team who won't be prepared. Seth Davis doesn't like us, Fox Sports didn't like us, and bracket pickers everywhere are taking VCU. And the President--he doesn't like us either. They think we are garbage, last years news with DII talent and underperforming freshman. They don't say it, but based on their picks--they must think Howland forgot how to coach.

And so, yes, all those naysayers will be watching. You can count on it. They will be drooling for a VCU win. When VCU scores their hearts will race, and the VCU fans and every other team's but UCLA's will cheer--desperate to see UCLA go down. And the City of Philadelphia will also be cheering, rooting for the little guy. And the most desperate cheers-they'll be coming from the thousands of Villanova fans in attendance and at bars all over Philly. It will be 10'Oclock PM there, but they'll be watching--and praying. See, for all the talk about UCLA going down early, deep down inside, Nova fans and the Nova team are probably wondering--is UCLA really that bad? Didn't they go to 3 straight final fours? Don't they have an all-american point guard? Don't they have essentially the same record as us?? Don't they have a tradition of excellence which makes ours look like, well, nothing?

That's right. Of all the cheering against the Bruins, it will be the Nova fans who will be the most desperately in favor of VCU. Because they know what we know--UCLA CAN BEAT ANYBODY. They are hoping against all hope that VCU wins, because then they won't have to play us. Because if they do play us, they will be putting everything on the line against the most storied proram in the Nation. At home, a higher seed, with the pressure to prove that the Big East is the best conference--that's a lot of pressure on Nova against little old UCLA. So yea--they'll be crazy in favor of VCU too.

We need to strangle VCU from the opening tip. And we need to continue doing it for 40 minutues. It will be difficult, and it will be exhausting. The most exhausting game of the year, without a doubt. And everyone, from White House staffers to Philly bar hoppers will be rooting against us. But if we play from the opening tip like we have something to prove--then we can reap the hard earned rewards.

Photos - Preparations at Wachovia Center

rfirpo — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:06:43 -0000

Photos - Preparations at Wachovia Center

The link will take you to photos of the NCAA Floor as it is being prepared for the Tournament.

[I'd prefer if I just had the images posted here, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to upload photos directly from my desktop into a post--because it seems to me that it wouldn't have a url. If anyone can help me with that in the future, thanks in advance]

Streets of Philadelphia

rfirpo — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:49:46 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

My first NCAA Tournament Game ever was USC-Kentucky. My second, the Sweet-16 nightcap at the First Union Center--#4 UCLA v. # 1 Duke. An incredible experience, even though we lost. Some things have changed since then, like the name of the arena (now it's the Wachovia Center) and our seed (#6 this year). But let's hope one other thing changes as well--let's hope we can exercise the deamons of our last trip to that arena, and leave this weekend with a couple of wins.

It was my senior year, and I had promised myself that if UCLA made it to the second weekend of the tournament, I would be there--no matter where it was. And sure enough, there I was watching the final minutes of UCLA's second round game, celebrating a victory and frantically booking southwest tickets to the closest airport to Philly--Baltimore, MD (BMI). And then, to seal the deal, I bum rushed the CTO the next morning as soon as they opened to put in my application for Tournament tickets. And then I waited and hoped for the best.

I found out soon thereafter that I got 2 student tickets to the games, and a friend of mine from high school, who didn't go to UCLA but understood the magic of the university, agreed to go. A borrowed Bruincard later, my friend and I were ready.

We flew into Baltimore late on a Wednesday night (right after a final the day before), and drove what seemed like never-ending toll roads to Philly. It was a lesson on East Coast driving which annoyed me, but it awesome nevertheless. In the car there was tournament trivia, and in the rear windows--huge signs in support of UCLA. "Go Bruins!" they read, and of course "Got Scissors?"

We arrived in Philly, exhausted but content. We rallied for some cheesesteaks at a dirty drive in at nearly 2 AM, and then slept them off.

Next morning, we cruised around town trying to see some sights, and then headed over to the arena at the first opportunity. Once there, we learned that only 3 UCLA students had applied for tournament tickets--and we were "2" of them. Of course, I knew that "one" of us wasn't even a student--my friend went to UC Davis--but it felt good to know we had travelled the length of the country to see our team. Then we got the good news. Because there were only 3 student tickets assigned, the athletic department had decided to give us the best tickets UCLA had available. The result: we sat at essentially mid-court in the third row of the lower level. Amazing. Behind us were Bruin parents and stars--and behind them, east coast bruin alums up to the rafters. It was a sight indeed.

So we all know how that weekend went. USC completely shocked Kentucky (and hoards of their fans) in the first game behind solid performances by Sam Clancy and Brandon Granville, and UCLA just couldn't stop Duke--as Shane Battier and Jay Williams were just too solid. It was brutal to watch SC win and UCLA lose, for me as a UCLA fan, and for the rest of the entire arena--as it seemed everyone was praying for an Elite 8 Kentucky v. Duke rematch. But I'll tell you this. I don't remember the UCLA loss as much as I remember the experience. If you are a student at UCLA, and you have not yet traveled to see the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament--you need to do it. It is a rare experience, and you'll never forget it.

Here's to hoping someone reads this and get to Philly this weekend. It will be worth it, I'm sure of it. Plus, since we lost our last game at that arena, it seems we're due.

Go Bruins.

VCU Players Soaking It Up

rfirpo — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:21:03 -0000

VCU Players Soaking It Up

Here is an article from the Richmond Times Dispatch. Apparently they are trying to create bulletin board material because not every UCLA player knew what VCU stood for. It's probably because we skipped that step and were already watching film. Go Bruins.

Next Year

rfirpo — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:48:19 -0000

Next Year

FYI: If you are someone who hates thinking about next year's hoops season or future years during the current season, you probably don't want to read this, because that is where this is going. [I'm trying to avoid a bunch of posts about how we shouldn't be talking about next year. For better or worse, I sometimes think about both the present and the future, and I don't personally mind it].
With that, I'm curious: Given the upcoming losses of Collison, Aboya, and Shipp after this year, where do people see this team next year? On the one hand, we have a great freshman class this year, and another great class coming next year. On the other hand, even assuming a couple breakout seasons next year--it still seems we take a huge step-backwards to me. Even with the disappoinments this year, there is no question that the seniors have been everything to this team. Anyway, I'm just curious what other folks think (if the thought has even jumped into their minds). At best I can say, next year will be almost impossible to forcast--which is both exhilarating and frightening. Go Bruins.

Mental Toughness & Magic

rfirpo — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:52:02 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

Frustrating. That was the word I kept coming back to last night. Frustrating. Another close game, one we had every opportunity to win, but just couldn't pull out. I'm not mad, and the loss wasn't devastating. But it was incredibly frustrating.

Credit to ASU

Nestor pointed this out already, but I think you have got to give a truck-load of credit to ASU. They came out ready to play, and stepped up huge in a big game. Glasser is not even close to Collison in talent, and he took his lumps late in the 1st half. But when all was said and done, Glasser was hitting a back-breaking shot and getting key assists. Pendergraph was also huge, rebounding and finishing. And Harden showed why, unfortunately for guys like Collison, he is the best player in the league. They were just better.

I also think Sendek deserves a lot of credit, and I think he might have got the best out of Howland last night. There is no question that Sendek had offensive and defensive schemes ready for us-and they worked. I'm not sure the open threes were so much poor defense, as they were the result of a concerted effort to definitively counter-attack the double team down low, and then efficiently pass to the open man. It was good offense.

ASU played well under the bright lights last night, and they are deserving of all the accolades. They were the better team. And unfortunately, given that we have now lost all of our big games and against the best teams, I am torn as to whether they might not be the better team outright. If it's us, we'll need to prove it at some point.

Big Games Against Top Teams

If there is one thing this year puts in perspective, it is the undeniably outstanding performances this team has delivered over the past three years in huge games against top teams. No, we haven't won them all (West Virginia x2, Florida x2), but it always seemed like we were going to get it done-there was just a sense of quiet confidence in late game situations, especially after Gonzaga 2006. See, e.g. (at USC, Afflalo dagger!; at ASU, Farmar runner; at Oregon, Love Delivers; California, Shipp Horse Shot; Western Kentucky, Keefe is awesome!, Texas A&M, Collison digs deep). It was easy to take those games (and others) for granted, and easy to assume that our late game magic would just continue indefinitely. Well, for now, it looks like the magic is waning ever so slightly. However, instead of crafting some sort of criticism of this team, I really think it just highlights the magic and incredibleness of the last three years.

It's not that we are wilting this year. No way. This team has played good games against Michigan, Texas, ASU x2, and against Washington. But, there is a difference between playing well, and pulling out a victory against the best teams. It takes a little something else, some kind of something which we haven't picked up this year. Not yet.

We have beaten the teams we are supposed to have beaten this year-and that is a sure sign of discipline and good coaching. But, when the lights have gone up in a Big Game Against a Top Team, we have been unable to win. Looking at the Pomeroy rankings, it is so very frustrating to see that all five losses were against Top Teams in Big Games. According to Pomeroy's rankings, Texas, ASU and Washington are the best teams we've played-and we know each of those was a big game for the Bruins, highly anticipated with a big audience. And I am also counting Michigan as a Big Game, because it was at MSG and was clearly an early season test that the entire country was looking at.

I don't mean to discredit our wins against USC x2, at WSU, and against ND. I think those were all nice wins which we played well to earn. They were good wins for us, and in a sense, each of those was a Big Game for us. But, for better or for worse, those teams just aren't quite as good as the other teams. I know, USC, WSU, and ND are each statistically better than Michigan according to Pomeroy. But, and partly for the purposes of this argument, I still think the Michigan game was relatively bigger at the time it was played, because of the New York scenery and early season expectations.

Our youth at key positions is a likely factor for some of these tough losses. I don't know. I, for one, have no idea where or why a team develops magic and pulls out these tough games. But we do have key seniors, it is undeniable, and I am a little surprised they have not been able to get it done against the best. That is not a criticism (I'm not sure we can expect to win any 50-50 game, which is what each of our big games probably was), but just something I've been thinking about.

We are a good team. However, I am utterly without a good reason for our inability to step up against the best this season. We have coaching, key seniors, and talent. The only thing I can come up with is that our previous good luck is trying to even out, and we have yet to put the correct ingredients into our potion. Maybe we should add a wildcat leg, or some husky fur to the mix-god knows we could use a little magic.

Mentally Tough

I don't think this team misses anything, so I'm sure they understand that they are now 0-5, or at least 0-4 (taking away Michigan), against the best the schedule had to offer up to this point. As I said before, this team is still very good, and beating teams we are supposed to beat is a huge accomplishment that most teams can't claim. Still, it will be easy for this team to hang its head after the ASU game. It is frustrating when you come up just short in these types of games, and given that the Bruins haven't played poorly in their losses, I'm sure they are wondering (at least in part) what else they have to do to get it done. I am. I could be wrong about where the team is mentally this morning, but I feel confident saying that, at the very least, we will need a little bit extra mental toughness today.

Arizona is a talented team, and as Nestor noted, they can easily win on Saturday. Indeed, I'd say this is a 50-50 game for us. Arizona is at home, and we are dealing with another close loss which, if we aren't mentally tough, has the ability to affect our pysche. I do think we are better than Arizona, but we will have to dig deep. Even though we've dominated them recently, I'll never be comfortable against them, particularly when we are playing in Tucson. That is a tough place to play. And while Arizona isn't highly ranked (and therefore can't get us over the big-game-win hump), it is still a huge game for our team right here right now. Not make or break, not season-defining. But just a big confidence game.

We have won all the games against teams we are supposed to beat because we are well coached and have very good players. It's going to take some more grit and mental toughness, but let's hope that trend continues.

Good News

Big games against Top teams sometimes are not just about effort and coaching. Sometimes, you need a little luck, or a little magic to get you started-and this team is due for both. So we got that going for us, which is nice!

Go Bruins!

Does anyone know what kind of shoes Shipp is wearing in this picture? I kind of like the electric...

rfirpo — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:50:41 -0000

Does anyone know what kind of shoes Shipp is wearing in this picture? I kind of like the electric blue. Can you buy them?

For the Bulletin Board; Kindling for a Fire

rfirpo — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:40:29 -0000

For the Bulletin Board; Kindling for a Fire

"Bruins Show Signs of Weakness" - S.F. Chronicle

I love the timing of this article in the S.F. Chronicle. It's not that I disagree with much in it (except the part about 'everyone' expecting us to be unstoppable this year), it's just that I think the article provides the right amount of kindling to set off a blaze in Westwood. And it's timing is perfect. I was waiting to feel fired up, and this article has sparked a little inferno in me.

We aren't the same team as last year, and there are question marks to be sure. But I can't say this more stongly: Never count this freakin' team out. We might not be the same as last year, but that doesn't mean we can't beat anyone on any day this year. The second anyone starts thinking UCLA is finished, is the second this team will bring down the hammer. And I'm not talking about a little household hammer. I'm talking about a Paul Bunyan sized piece, with a killer blue ox stadning by to eat the scraps of of the vanquished. Boom!

Go Bruins Baby!!!

"Obviously Good", and with Something to Prove

rfirpo — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:30:46 -0000

One thing I really appreciate about UCLA's basketball team is the sense of realistic expectations with the simultaneous down-to-earth drive for greatness. This is a killer combination.

On the one hand, UCLA is a growing team trying to live up to three straight Final Fours and a top-ten ranking. The resume shows only one win over a NCAA tournament team (USC), and there is some sense that the team hasn't really survived the kind of tests that will push them deep into the NCAA Tournament. At least not yet. So, putting top-10 rankings aside, it is hard to argue against those bracketologists (Lunardi, for one) who have us as a 4 or 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That is where we should be right now. But in what I find to be a breath of fresh air, you don't hear our team talking about how such predictions are "disrespectful," or some other nonsense. No, I'd bet the team thinks such predictions are fair--and that it's up to them to earn something better. They are realistic in terms of what has been earned so far, but working hard for something better.

On the other hand, is there any question that UCLA is "obviously good"? There is a lot of talent on this team, with players improving all the time and getting better. Drew Gordon, Drago, and Roll have all taken remarkable strides this year, doing all that anybody can ask--making the most of their opportunities. And J.Anderson and Holiday are also playing great, and getting better. Indeed, there is no question that UCLA is "obviously good," even if their current resume doesn't necessarily speak to them being a top-seed in the NCAA tournament. They might not have a bunch of "quality wins" right now, but there will be opportunities. Fast and Furious, those opportunities will come over the next three weeks.

Arizona is always a tough game, and it will always mean something--even if Arizona doesn't look like the power of 5 years ago. And ASU is the opportunity for the kind of quality win the team needs to meet their goals. And then we are on the road for two more games, WSU and Washington, before taking on Stanford and Cal. Tough, Tough, Tough, and Tougher.

Three weeks in the Pac-10 are always crucial. An eternity. But with this team, teetering on greatness, with only quality wins against quality opponents between them and a justifiable top-5 ranking (and top-3 seed), I think these three weeks are even more exciting. I think this team is relishing the opportunity to play great. I think the opportunity excites them. I think under their cloak-of-controlled-emotions is a fire to get back to the Final Four.

We will learn a lot about this team in the next three weeks. Perhaps more than at any other time this year. I expect some quality wins, probably a tough loss, but a solid performance night in and night out. And, particularly after the ASU game, I expect more talk about the Pac-10 player of the year. Sure Harden might be deserving, but it will be tough to ignore Darren Collison after the next three weeks. I'm not giving Harden anything until someone shows me that Harden is better and more important to ASU than Collison is to the Bruins. Same goes to those putative Players of the Year out there: watch out for D.C.

UCLA plays hard, they don't talk, and they get better every day. Most importantly, I have a sense that the team demands more out of itself then do its fans, who see the youth and promise and forgive mistakes more easily. Yes, I like this team: "Obviously Good," and (luckily) with Something to Prove.

Go Bruins