Quick Hitter: Easiest Road to the Final Four Ever? (and notes)

Right now, I'm watching as Creighton is up on Duke...and the two teams are setting a scorching pace...they'll score around 40 points each, if they keep going this way.

Coming into the tournament, pundits and fans alike could agree that this was a weird tournament as there was really no clear favorite...and college basketball's parity would be more on display than ever this year.

It has been...but some of it is self-inflicted.

Gonzaga never deserved a one seed...but their seeding was an obvious representation of a thesis I've had for years: the committee gets brainwashed like everyone else does...and no one, even committee members live in a bubble.  Stupid crap spewed by guys like Vitale simply muddied the water and forced the hand of the committee.

The Zags nearly became the first 1 to lose to a 16...then followed it up by getting knocked out by Witchita State. This was one thing I got right in my bracket; I had no faith in Gonzaga.  Unlike B1G teams, they simply weren't tested...the pressure is ratcheted up on the biggest stages versus the best teams...hell, it's even a lot of pressure versus an OK team, on national TV in a large, packed house; when you're supposed to win. Mark Few's guys failed the test, but it shocked no one.

Foolishly, I believed that Jamie Dixon would forget who he was this year and take his Pitt Panthers on a lil' run in the tourney.  Of course, he did not. And in doing so, he taught me a valuable lesson: Never pick Pitt in March...and Pitt made sure that advice would stick the day after their loss by signing him to a 10 year extension...craziness. I guess they felt his door was getting beaten down; by whom, I don't know.  Their conference mate, G'Town also crapped the bed by becoming only the seventh 2 seed to go down to a 15.  The good news is Florida Gulf Coast was the assassin's hand, in this case...and we got to meet their coach's wife in the process: Amanda Marcum.

Go FGCU!

Purdue had a player transfer to that school a few years ago...before his transfer, I had never heard of the place.  I found out today why that was: the school has been around 16 years...and has been D-1 for two.  But their coach had a ton of confidence coming into the tournament anyway...and his team reflected that confidence.  Let's be honest- if your wife looked like his, you'd be confident too...or perhaps, if you had his confidence you'd be married to a Maxim model? Doubtful.  There's a difference between confidence and out-of-your-mind-cockiness.  Good for Coach Enfield for whichever got the deal don with the mrs.

Earlier today, we saw Temple wilt under the pressure of the big stage and Oladipo rise to the occasion (yet again) as IU survived and advanced to the round of 16.  Still no word from Bloomington on whether nets were cut down, a new trophy case was built or rings were handed out...I assume the answer to all questions is yes.  Hope so, because I think Boeheim's Orange will be a tougher win than the owls were this afternoon. IU struggled versus the zone this season...and no one plays that defense as well as Syracuse.

Another guy that stepped up today was Aaron Craft. I've never been a fan of that guy...but if he wore gold and black, I'm sure I would be. He plays hard, doesn't believe any loose ball is out of his reach and seems to be afraid of no one. He made a few mistakes down the stretch versus The Mayor's Cyclones...but he made up for it with a few huge plays in the closing seconds.

And with aOSU's win, it became pretty obvious to me that the Bucknuts most-assuredly have the easiest road the final four EVER.

They've beaten a 15 and a 10 seed so far...their next two steps will be versus a 6 seed and a 9 or 13. WOW!! Ohio State is good...but the old saying is it's better to be lucky than good...but how about, it's best to be lucky and good. Matta's team has been given a gift in their bracket...a road to Atlanta in which they'll have to only play one ranked opponent...one who was barely ranked at the end of the season.

UCLA officially fired Ben Howland in the wake of their dismantling at the hands of a mediocre Minnesota team. UCLA had one of the nation's best recruiting classes in '12...and they probably acquired it by whatever means necessary...Howland's program had been slipping; and the only reason they had everyone eligible during this season was because an NCAA investigator dropped the ball during the investigation.  My question after I heard that this was going to happen last night was how long it will be before Shaka Smart and/or Brad Stevens are contacted? Sure, both bowed out pretty early from the tourney this season...but both are still white hot commodities in the coaching world.

Getting back to the bracket really quickly- I've never had one of mine deemed completely worthless as early as I did this year.  For some dumbass reason, I picked New Mexico to go to the Final Four. Steve Alford promptly kicked me in the teeth.  The good news is that when your bracket turns to crap, you can watch the tournament and just root for underdogs and programs you like (read as: the cutest mascots).  But on Twitter, J and I were asked if we root for B1G programs this time of year.

If you read the site, which I'm quickly learning many of our Twitter followers don't*, you know that we have very little conference loyalty.  I wasn't rooting for Wisconsin because I wanted to see Bo Ryan whine. I don't root for MSU because they seem to have a ton of unlikable characters within the program...and I absolutely never root for IU (since Crean was hired). I actually did root for IU to win when Davis was coach; that was the exception.

Here's to IU's run ending soon and Florida Gulf Coast's coach earning another trophy.

*Actually, I don't think many of our Twitter followers think we're anything more than one amazingly-funny and/or brash dude in his parents' basement...they're only half right.

Smoldering Election Coverage

I just got back from writing Matty Painter in as my choice for president of these United States...so I wanted post something election-based.

You might not know this, but J used to post photos of good looking women on this site every now and then...and I used to post my favorite ladies from TV as well...so I wanted to do so again, in honor of the election...and our six-year anniversary.

These ladies will be covering the exit polls as they roll in today.  Sure, most are biased in one direction or another, and the art of being a truly fair news man or woman has gone the way of Purdue's Basketball on Grass offense. But at the very least, we can enjoy watching these ladies as they over-report anything that looks like it's election news related in the next 12-24 hours.  Enjoy this diversion:

Jenna Lee

Erica Hill

Megyn Kelly

Robin Meade

Martha Maccallum

Savannah Guthrie

Erin Burnett

S.E. Cupp

And, if ladies aren't your speed,

Don Lemon

My Olympic Podium

The olympics are over.

Gone are the overdrawn opening and closing ceremonies with washed-up musicians and artsy concepts that really don't work...Gone are the five stations of coverage on my cable service...Gone are moronic complaints by a few of my friends who didn't want to see any media during the day because they wanted the winner of the men's trampoline to be a surprise (DRAMA!!!).

I liked watching the US basketball team play...because it's real basketball and there was more emotion and effort in many of those games than most NBA playoff games. I enjoyed watching some of the gymnastic events because they're typically doing something that seems to be impossible without some sort of gravity-defying device.  I loved seeing David Boudia win the gold on the 10m platform because it's always good to see the Chinese lose when they're favored...and even better when it's at the hands of one of the best Purdue athletes of all time.  I also liked watching women's beach volleyball...because of the strategy.

But the talent wasn't only on the psuedo sandy beaches of downtown London.  Here are the athletes that grabbed my attention and didn't let go:

Lauren Perdue (no relation) won the gold in the 4x200 Freestyle relay...and rejected Bron Bron's advances early in the olympics.  From what the rumors tell me, she might be the only olympian that had the will to say "no" while in the olympic village. She gets the BS bronze.

Not much wrong with Leryn Franco...other than she really didn't compete in the women's javelin; but she was there...and that alone earned her a BS silver medal.

Female olympic sprinters were generally a pretty brawny bunch...not my type.  But, the US' Allyson Felix brought up the average.  I always appreciate really good teeth...and she's got plenty of those.  But her training not only brought her gold on the track, but here at BS as well.

Those who finished just off the podium:

McKayla Maroney.  She would have medaled had I not had to watch her pout after winning the silver.

British heptathalete gold medalist was hyped as one of the host country's best chances of winning gold...she not only won, but she was super-clutch in doing so.

Granted, I didn't get to see a ton of events...but I actually saw these ladies competing, and they stood out.  Feel free to add your favorites in the comments below...

The best news about the olympics being over is that their ending signals that football is nearly here. T-minus a little over 18 days until our Boilers host Danny Hope's last employer.

BS Correction Regarding Shannon Spake Photo

It turns out that I'm not very bright. But you knew that if you've been reading here a while. Last week I put up a wrap-up post on our informal reader poll cute-off between Shannon Spake and Sam Steele. In that post, I included a photo that I erroneously thought was Spake kissing the bricks. Well, Ms. Spake contacted us to let us know that photo is actually of Jamie Little.

BS regrets the error. But we don't regret that this gives another reason to talk about these lovely ladies.

Keep up the good work.

Jamie Little

Shannon Spake

Both awesome

Sam Steele Dominates Shannon Spake...Oh Yeah

Turns out that a whopping 83% of poll respondents agree with our general, informal unscientific assessment that between Ms. Spake and Ms. Steele, the dimpled blonde from Arizona wins out. I don't really have much else to add but that I found this pic of Shannon kissing the bricks and, well, there's something wonderful about this photo:

Want something else adorable about Sam Steele? She got on stage and participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee the other day:

I think we can agree, we're all winners here.

Happy Friday.

Monday Gumbo; Pre-Indy 500 Edition

Big Jay Gets Screwed...Again
Jay Simpson had surgery on his foot recently following breaking his foot a few weeks ago.  In spite of needing surgery to repair the break, his docs still say he'll be available for the trip to Italy with his Boiler teammates. I'd venture a guess though, with two months out of commission, Jay will exhibit some rust come early August.  He says he's currently about 10 pounds heavier than he'd like to be...so getting in shape for the '12/'13 season, while not impossible, will be difficult for Purdue's 6'9" Freshman PF.

This isn't the first time Simpson has had to have surgery on a foot; a few years ago, he had similar surgery on the other foot.

In November, Simpson joins a youthful, but talented frontcourt with fellow Freshman, Hammons and Hale, along with Sophomore, Jacob Lawson and Juniors, Carroll and Marcius.

Still Champs...But...
The Baseball Boilers dropped their first series of the B1G season in Iowa over last weekend.  The sub-.500 Hawkeyes managed to score at least 6 runs in all three games of Purdue's final series of the regular season.  Now, Purdue heads into the B1G tourney as the #1 seed in the conference...but needs to play well in an effort to host a round in the NCAA tourney.

Back on the Team
OJ Ross practiced all Spring without a schollie for the Hope's team after academic problems and enigmatic behavior put the starting behavior in the doghouse.  Dwayne Beckford had another run-in with the law during the winter that forced him out of Spring practice and off of the team.

Both players have had their scholarships re-instated...but make no mistake, both cases aren't the same.

Ross, while exhibiting some laziness, both on and off the field probably should be given another chance to play in the fall.  Purdue's receiving corps desperately needs stability and experience...especially with Antavian Edison's status still a question mark following his arrest in Florida earlier this month.

But, Beckford, in my opinion, has had more than enough opportunities to stay out of trouble, and simply hasn't been able to do so. I think Hope really wants to see the kid graduate...and I appreciate that idea. But, as we saw at the end of Tiller's time at Purdue, letting guys who repeatedly break the law does no good for the program in the longrun...and really doesn't do much good for that individual either.

While Purdue needs help at LB even more than WR, I'd rather not see #3 playing for my alma mater in the fall...but I'm not the guy who makes the call (obviously).

Edison's weapons charge in Florida still has a ton of ways it can go.  Who knows if Antavian was unaware of the weapon in the car, if it was his or if he tried to deflect some of the attention off of his uncle (who is already a convicted felon)...regardless, this seems like a really dumb situation to be caught in...and if he gets off with misdemeanor charges and a plea (which I think he will), hopefully, he never puts himself in this position again.  Unlike Beckford, Edison has never been in trouble with the law before this incident...but if he's charged/convicted with a felony weapons charge, he'll surely be off the team and kicked out of school.

Spake or Steele? Everyone's a Winner here
I'm a big fan of blonde-haired sports reporters with dimples. Weird, I know.

I think Samantha Steele is one of the best in the business...she's knowledgeable and very good to look at as well.  But racing fans, specifically NASCAR fans know Shannon Spake...and probably like her quite a bit.  IndyCar fans have Jamie Little (I'm not a huge fan).

But in a cage match for on-field (or on track) supremacy, who wins- Spake or Steele? Weigh in on the upper right of the page on this week's poll.

No losers in this competition

No-Bump Bump Day
I spent two afternoons at IMS in the last three days...and gathered some more opinions of my favorite form of racing...here are some nuggets.

Bourdais' new paintjob is badass.

-The extra boost used to help make quals and practice faster and more entertaining did exactly what it was supposed to do.  BUT, I don't think it's a coincidence that there were four crashes in that period.

The new chassis, as it's configured now has a ton of downforce and makes it easier to drive.  The combo of additional horsepower and taking out as much wing as possible led to some pretty dramatic wrecks.

-Before a few teams left Lotus to seek some engines that would actually compete at Indy and everyplace else on the circuit, it was tough to find an extra engine in the IndyCar garages.

After a few of those Chevys went backend-first into the outside walls, the engine shortage became an even bigger deal.  The end result was a Bump Day at IMS that had exactly 33 driver/car combos...and four or five drivers left with their hats in their hands as they sought rides to get into the show.  Next year, with another year of development, and hopefully the loss of Lotus and another manufacturer (i.e. Ford or Mazda?) coming into the league, Bump Day should return to where it was in 2011 and before.

-I'm all for safety of the drivers...but let's look at what racing really is at its core: Go as fast as possible and beat your competition.  That principle is no longer in play in any of the major racing leagues in the world.

NASCAR machines were going 205+ in the 90s...CART had cars that would do close to 250 on a straight-away in the 70s and 80s (sure, they couldn't turn at anywhere near that speed) and F1 continues to take away aero advantages to make driving the car more of a challenge (I'm actually a fan of this as it seems much of F1 racing is out of the drivers' hands)...

The point is IndyCar needs to get back to the days in which teams were encouraged to innovate and press for speed. Sure, that idea led to a Buick that went 236 mph...but couldn't hold up for more than 40 laps of race conditions; but isn't that the point? Everything in racing is about risk/reward.

Allowing the teams to change aero packages next year is a good step forward...and hopefully, with another year of development, the Honda and Chevy engines will be able to get closer to 230 again. But the fact that multiple drivers were over 235 mpg 20 years ago, and can barely crack 225 now makes fans like me long for "the good ole' days".

That said, I still love IndyCar and the month of May at IMS.

Maybe Indy Car Racing Isn't So Bad

Boilerdowd and I have been having a long, back-and-forth debate/discussion/immature display of stupidity recently, and it's centered around his wish to make sweet love to the sport of auto racing. Specifically, open-wheel racing.

And so I decided to give it a look. I may even watch part of the race in Texas this weekend from the comfort of my palatial estate. But as part of my research on the sport, I thought I'd get to know some of the drivers and I did some photo work to make sure I could recognize them. I've decided to start with this "Dan Patrick," or whatever her name is.

Great googly moogly.

The legs are more astounding than I expected....

Sweet mercy. Do they all look like this? I guess I understand why it's a great sport. Now if only we could get her to make out with Ashley Force, we'd be in business.

We'd be in business as a completely different kind of Web site if that happened, but we'd be in business nonetheless.

Ugly Girls on TV

I don't know much about her, but I just watched a clip over at Scout.com with Kinga Phillips. Kinga might be in my top-3 sports girls now, and I've only seen literally one minute of her work. If you don't know her, you probably will soon.

Take notice Ms. Andrews and Mrs. Stark...Kinga's nipping at your heels.

Is Kinga the New Sports Queen?

TV Ladies

I haven't done this in a while...so since not-too-much is going on, I thought I'd put a little time into the ladies on the small screen who make my heart go pitter-patter. These aren't your run-of-the mill TV bimbos...they're news ladies, commercial girls...and they are all special to me. The list isn't long this time as I haven't been watching a ton of TV...In no particular order, here we go:

First off, the girl on this pledge commercial:



I don't think her name is really Kimberly, but I think she's fetching. She's not really a knockout, she's got a weird nose, but I think she's cute...and she looks like a hot mom, which isn't bad either.

Next up, CNN's Robin Meade.
Not much wrong with her...outside of the fact that she works for CNN.

Megyn Kelly is a long-time favorite of mine...Plus, I think we'd see eye-to-eye on a lot of things...That said, she's probably a foot taller than me, so we'd never see eye-to-eye.

On the local scene, Indy's WTHR has Julia Moffitt...She used to have an odd hairdo, but now there is nothing holding her back.

Thoughts, comments and the like are accepted and welcome...

Boilermaker Heading to Land of Social Harmony

One of Purdue's own will be heading to land of clean air, social harmony and the 2008 olympics in the very near future. Kara Patterson, a Purdue track team javelin thrower has qualified for the games in the same event. Good for her, good for Purdue.

Now onto something more important- she's hot and she's in my brother-in-law's class in West Lafayette...Someone needs to introduce them. I'm always looking out for family.

Cute track girls wrestle to decide who will go to the land of Hu

Represent! Patterson (right) is not ugly and can throw the javelin a long way

Everybody Likes Fast Girls

I meant to comment about this back when it happened so bad on me for not doing it. But a few weeks ago, Ashley Force made history -- and defeated her pops -- in a NHRA funny car race. And goodness, she's smoking.

Danica Patrick also won a race finally and thus sheds some of the baloney criticism she had been taking.

What's the point? I don't know. But I will say that female race car drivers seem to be the hottest athletes out there. Sure, there are hot golfers and hot tennis players, but nearly every female driver making news appears to be attractive.

What held them back to this point? Sexist men? Or one of the following?

-Inability to merge?

-Frequent stops for directions?

-Having to pull over to pee?

-Swerving to avoid killing a squirrel?

Hot Chick Alert

One of the public services we provide here at Boiled Sports is to point out hot chicks. Yeah, we're like that guy you go to ball games with who nudges you and says, "Two sections over, seventh row, behind the fat guy with the bright red hat."

Wait, what am I saying? We're not like that guy, we are those guys.

Anyway, during the pregame ceremony at last night's New York Rangers game, Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan were both honored for reaching the 600-goal mark (the 15th and 16th players to do so in NHL history) and as a surprise, some of their loved ones were brought in.

For Shanahan, this meant his mom from Ireland and his wife and three kids. For Jagr, this meant his parents and this really hot blonde chick (pictured), all from the Czech Republic. They didn't identify who she is (wife, girlfriend, sister?) but it really doesn't matter.