FoxPerez
04-03-2009, 08:07 PM
Originally posted here: http://www.cocktailmatch.com/SportsGuy/messageboard/?msg=topicup&dbdId=664
Check out the original post. This article looks better with pictures.
"The Final Four Goes Green
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It took me a few days, but I've finally recovered from my Vegas trip. First, a couple of true stories:
The first couple of days my buddy Jeff and I were there, we were ice cold. Every table, deck of cards, dice, dealer, shooter, you name it... was cold. We couldn't win anything. Then, the tournament games started and we did a little better. Then, we bet against the Clippers as part of three- and four-team teases and it completely turned around our trip.
At least the Clippers are good for something, even when they're double-digit underdogs.
On Saturday night, Jeff and I partied at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Pretty hip place, but I wouldn't want to gamble there on a weekend night. Sugar Ray was at the club. He wasn't scheduled to perform, but got up on stage and started singing his own 90's hits as the DJ played them. After one song, he said, "So that's how Britney does it."
Finally, while I'd never experienced a dramatic gambling moment at the end of the game, I'd heard of it happening. During the UConn-Missouri game, Jeff brought one up. In 2004, UConn was favored to beat Duke in their national semifinal game at the Alamodome. UConn had locked up their win, gaining a four-point advantage with just seconds remaining. It appeared that UConn had also locked up covering the game by the 2.5-point spread. But just before time expired, Chris Duhon banked in a three from halfcourt. The Bluedevils covered the spread.
Darren Rovell wrote a great article about it for ESPN after it happened:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportsbusiness/news/story?id=1775505 (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportsbusiness/news/story?id=1775505)
That has to be in the pantheon of sports gambling moments. $30-$100 million dollars all of a sudden going somewhere else!?
Ironically, I was there, rooting for UConn. But as I mentioned in my tournament preview (http://tinyurl.com/dbxonj (http://tinyurl.com/dbxonj)), I was just rooting for UConn to win it all. My money wasn't on any individual game or spread. If I had known, I would've gone nuts at just the thought of so much money changing hands on one incredible, seemingly meaningless, shot.
And yet, there I was, sitting with Jeff as we agonized over the UConn-Missouri game. We had the Huskies at minus-6, meaning UConn had to beat the Tigers by at least seven points for us to win. As we watched at the Luxor sports book, it was clear that this was a shared experience for most people there. People who were rooting for Missouri were hanging on, hoping for a cover, but somewhat depressed that the game itself was already lost.
The final few minutes were so funny to watch, even from an inside perspective, knowing it would affect whether I won or lost. Every shot and every free throw constantly flipped which team was covering the spread. Up 5, Kemba Walker pushed the UConn lead to 9 with four consecutive made free throws. And then Matt Lawrence takes the air out of the room by knocking down a 3. Craig Austrie makes two free throws for the Huskies. Then DeMarre Carrol counters with a layup. AJ Price hits two free throws to make it an eight-point lead. But then Zaire Taylor makes a three to knock the lead down to five!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
After a long time out, UConn successfully inbounds the ball to Austrie, their best free throw shooter. The place explodes after each made free throw to push the Huskies back to covering... but here's the problem:
Up by seven, with seven seconds left, we need UConn to play defense and prevent another score. But they have no motivation to play defense! They have the game won!
Missouri inbounds the ball... the UConn players stand around waiting for the clock to expire... Taylor streaks to the basket for an easy layup...
AND HE MISSES IT! UCONN COVERS! UCONN COVERS!
I was on the phone with my Dad, essentially "calling" the action. I kept yelling, "He missed the layup! He missed the layup! UConn covers! Missouri missed a wide open layup!" It made me think that it would be pretty cool if there was a play-by-play guy and analyst, talking about the gambling implications of the featured game being played.
Now to this weekend's action:
I tried warning you, and hopefully you ignored my advice when filling out your brackets because I only got one of the Final Four correct. Luckily for me, the one I got right was my pick to win the national championship: Michigan State.
As confident as I was before the tournament about the Spartans winning it all, I'm even more so now.
Even a casual college basketball fan saw it on Sunday against Louisville. The Cardinals came into that game looking as invincible as any team in the tournament. They had won 13 games in a row and had entered the tournament as the #1 team in the country. And they got manhandled by a smaller, tougher Michigan State team.
Having already proved that they can handle big men, and throw in their home court advantage and the fact that Detroit absolutely NEEDS something to go their way because of the economy hitting them hardest. I think you'll see Tom Izzo cutting down the nets when it's all said and done.
Here's the only thing that scares me:
In 2005, Illinois had a similar road to the championship. They played their first two rounds in Indianapolis, then played their regional in Chicago, with the Final Four in St. Louis. Every game wasn't far from home and the home crowds propelled them to the championship game where they lost to...
North Carolina.
This year, Michigan State's path has been similar: Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Michigan.
And who might they face in the national championship game?
North Carolina."
Thanks for reading. Please comment.
Check out the original post. This article looks better with pictures.
"The Final Four Goes Green
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/images/sp.gif (http://www.cocktailmatch.com/SportsGuy/messageboard/?act=editmessage&dbdId=664) http://www.cocktailmatch.com/images/sp.gif (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/?act=delmsg&dbdId=664)
It took me a few days, but I've finally recovered from my Vegas trip. First, a couple of true stories:
The first couple of days my buddy Jeff and I were there, we were ice cold. Every table, deck of cards, dice, dealer, shooter, you name it... was cold. We couldn't win anything. Then, the tournament games started and we did a little better. Then, we bet against the Clippers as part of three- and four-team teases and it completely turned around our trip.
At least the Clippers are good for something, even when they're double-digit underdogs.
On Saturday night, Jeff and I partied at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Pretty hip place, but I wouldn't want to gamble there on a weekend night. Sugar Ray was at the club. He wasn't scheduled to perform, but got up on stage and started singing his own 90's hits as the DJ played them. After one song, he said, "So that's how Britney does it."
Finally, while I'd never experienced a dramatic gambling moment at the end of the game, I'd heard of it happening. During the UConn-Missouri game, Jeff brought one up. In 2004, UConn was favored to beat Duke in their national semifinal game at the Alamodome. UConn had locked up their win, gaining a four-point advantage with just seconds remaining. It appeared that UConn had also locked up covering the game by the 2.5-point spread. But just before time expired, Chris Duhon banked in a three from halfcourt. The Bluedevils covered the spread.
Darren Rovell wrote a great article about it for ESPN after it happened:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportsbusiness/news/story?id=1775505 (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportsbusiness/news/story?id=1775505)
That has to be in the pantheon of sports gambling moments. $30-$100 million dollars all of a sudden going somewhere else!?
Ironically, I was there, rooting for UConn. But as I mentioned in my tournament preview (http://tinyurl.com/dbxonj (http://tinyurl.com/dbxonj)), I was just rooting for UConn to win it all. My money wasn't on any individual game or spread. If I had known, I would've gone nuts at just the thought of so much money changing hands on one incredible, seemingly meaningless, shot.
And yet, there I was, sitting with Jeff as we agonized over the UConn-Missouri game. We had the Huskies at minus-6, meaning UConn had to beat the Tigers by at least seven points for us to win. As we watched at the Luxor sports book, it was clear that this was a shared experience for most people there. People who were rooting for Missouri were hanging on, hoping for a cover, but somewhat depressed that the game itself was already lost.
The final few minutes were so funny to watch, even from an inside perspective, knowing it would affect whether I won or lost. Every shot and every free throw constantly flipped which team was covering the spread. Up 5, Kemba Walker pushed the UConn lead to 9 with four consecutive made free throws. And then Matt Lawrence takes the air out of the room by knocking down a 3. Craig Austrie makes two free throws for the Huskies. Then DeMarre Carrol counters with a layup. AJ Price hits two free throws to make it an eight-point lead. But then Zaire Taylor makes a three to knock the lead down to five!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
After a long time out, UConn successfully inbounds the ball to Austrie, their best free throw shooter. The place explodes after each made free throw to push the Huskies back to covering... but here's the problem:
Up by seven, with seven seconds left, we need UConn to play defense and prevent another score. But they have no motivation to play defense! They have the game won!
Missouri inbounds the ball... the UConn players stand around waiting for the clock to expire... Taylor streaks to the basket for an easy layup...
AND HE MISSES IT! UCONN COVERS! UCONN COVERS!
I was on the phone with my Dad, essentially "calling" the action. I kept yelling, "He missed the layup! He missed the layup! UConn covers! Missouri missed a wide open layup!" It made me think that it would be pretty cool if there was a play-by-play guy and analyst, talking about the gambling implications of the featured game being played.
Now to this weekend's action:
I tried warning you, and hopefully you ignored my advice when filling out your brackets because I only got one of the Final Four correct. Luckily for me, the one I got right was my pick to win the national championship: Michigan State.
As confident as I was before the tournament about the Spartans winning it all, I'm even more so now.
Even a casual college basketball fan saw it on Sunday against Louisville. The Cardinals came into that game looking as invincible as any team in the tournament. They had won 13 games in a row and had entered the tournament as the #1 team in the country. And they got manhandled by a smaller, tougher Michigan State team.
Having already proved that they can handle big men, and throw in their home court advantage and the fact that Detroit absolutely NEEDS something to go their way because of the economy hitting them hardest. I think you'll see Tom Izzo cutting down the nets when it's all said and done.
Here's the only thing that scares me:
In 2005, Illinois had a similar road to the championship. They played their first two rounds in Indianapolis, then played their regional in Chicago, with the Final Four in St. Louis. Every game wasn't far from home and the home crowds propelled them to the championship game where they lost to...
North Carolina.
This year, Michigan State's path has been similar: Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Michigan.
And who might they face in the national championship game?
North Carolina."
Thanks for reading. Please comment.