PantsCast March 15

March Madness fun with names, NFL notes, Joe's brush with death, and Jason's obsession with the term "sting ring." So stupid it's brilliant.

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When It's More Than A Loss

Upsets happen in the college basketball conference tournaments. Highly ranked teams go down early all the time.

So why would it be a big deal if Georgetown upset Syracuse in the Big East tournament?

Well, it wouldn't be under normal circumstances. The Orange are still making the NCAA tournament, they'll still be a top seed, and they'll still be on the short list to make the Final Four....maybe.

It all depends on one MRI.

Arinze Onuaku is only 6'9", but he's the biggest person on the team (260 pounds) and a senior leader. He anchors the middle and does a lot of dirty work. That's fairly important during the Madness of March.

Onuaku's knee will be the most talked about thing in the Salt City over the next day. If he's okay, the Orange dream goes on. If he's out, the Orange bubble gets a nice fat pin stuck into it.

So we'll find out in a day if the Orange just lost a game, or lost a big chance. All for one play. I guess there's something in there about fleeting chance at success or somesuch. Whatever, take what you want out of it.

PantsCast March 8

Oscar talk, NFL free-agency, NBA notes, one member who is sick and another has been displaced.

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So Far So Good

As I sit here writing while my girlfriend gives me running commentary on the Oscars (something about "vapid" and Miley Cyrus, but Kate Winslet apparently looks beautiful), I can't help but think of hockey. I know, obvious connection, right?

The big question following the Olympics was if the exciting gold medal game between Canada and the United States would cause an increase in the NHL ratings. I'm not sure the NHL can ever pull in extra numbers, but the league took a nice step forward this weekend by showing a classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. The game was a back and forth thriller that ended with Detroit winning 5-4 only after withstanding a brutal last minute Chicago assault on the net.

If you didn't find that game interesting, you either aren't a sports fan, or you drank just a bit too much wine at church. This is exactly what the NHL needs.

Half of this country doesn't understand hockey and another faction doesn't care. On the other side, there is a group of fans who want the game to stay the same as it always has complete with fights, grabbing, holding, and pile ups in the middle of the ice.

The rest of us are people that just want to see an entertaining sport which hockey can obviously be. At it's best, the sport is an ultra fast display of grace and power. There is always a chance for a score to happen, yet the goals are few enough that each score means something. There is nothing quite like the fire drill in front of a goalie's net when there is a loose puck around. The change in momentum can be swift and brutal as a scoring chance at one end can instantaneously become a fast break the other direction.

That's why it's nice to see the Red Wings and Blackhawks put on a show. If there are any post Olympic types hanging around to see some more hockey, they have a reason to stick around a bit longer.

Just make it to the playoffs, folks. Then you're in for a real treat.

Bull Market For The Bears

Hey, funky title! Get it? It's a the Chicago Bears and it's a bull and bear market. Plus, there is a Chicago Bulls team as well! Brilliant! It works on so many angles and...aww forget it.

The Chicago Bears are all over the NFL free-agency this year. They signed Chester Taylor away from division rival Minnesota, they got stud blocking TE Brandon Manumaleuna (sounds like a Cajun dish) from the Chargers. And the jewel of their free-agent class is sackmaster Julius Peppers from Carolina.

Yep, the Bears dumped all sorts of money in free-agency. Will it work?

Ask the Washington Redskins. They dump truckloads of money around this time every single year. I don't recall too many playoff appearances for them.

The problem with the approach the Skins have taken and the Bears are taking is that the team signs a bunch of ill-fitting parts. The names are big, but they don't have specific roles.

Peppers should be a good pass-rusher, Taylor a talented back, but what about all the other holes on the Bears? The team traded for big armed quarterback Jay Cutler and hired pass-happy Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. Yet the Bears didn't help the offensive line or top receivers. The best receiver the Bears have on the team is tight end Greg Olsen and Martz is well known for shunning the tight end in his passing game.

So to summarize, the Bears have a gunslinger quarterback and a passing coordinator, but the team signs a blocking tight end and a running back in free-agency. Meanwhile, stud receiver Anquan Boldin goes to Baltimore and pass blocking tackle Chad Clifton doesn't seem to be in the Bears plans.

I have no doubt the players whom the Bears signed are good, but aside from Peppers, none were big needs.

The Redskins can tell you that method doesn't often work.

Physical Nonsense

Jason Pierre Paul is a DE/LB prospect in this year's NFL Draft. He's 6'5" and 265 pounds.

Kion Wilson is a LB in the draft. He's tiny at 6'0" and only 232 pounds.

Guys that size shouldn't be able to do this:

PantsCast March 1

Final Olympic talk, NFL scouting combine and rumors, plus an unfortunate affliction for someone's pet.

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