by Andrew McNair… Scoring a goal, to me, is simply the most satisfying rush on earth. I could even argue it’s better than sex.
If you have to work as hard for sex as you do to score a goal, then my friend, you are with the wrong woman!
It doesn’t matter which level you play at or even who you’re playing against, but there’s something about scoring a goal that just feels fantastic.
Scoring a goal is arguably the best feeling, even better if you are a striker! We live on goals, with a goal on Saturday boosting us all the way till next weekend. It doesn’t even really matter how it goes in—top corner or deflection—that feeling of relief, mixed with absolute pleasure is simply unequalled in my opinion.
Yes, I have many more feelings to feel in the future—fatherhood for instance—but oh boy, I’ll love it just as much if not more, when my lad hits his first goal.
I’ll leave the daddy talk there, before my girlfriend has heart palpitations or gets too excited.
My latest goal came after two matches sitting on the sideline watching my team draw and lose. I can’t even describe the feelings that came across me as I scored inside 15 minutes on my return.
A rebound off the keeper, but it didn’t bother me and the satisfaction and sheer joy was immense! We went on to win 5-1 that day, and my goal may have been overshadowed, but not for me.
Inside me, I know I made the greatest contribution I could make! Nothing will change that!
I’m not going to claim I live from goal to goal or even from game to game, but when I’m lucky enough to get that feeling—I treasure it!
Here’s to scoring goals, one of life’s true pleasures…
by Stoker Dafire… Despite the fact that the great Marco Antonio Barrera resembled a man who’d been struck in the head with an axe, there were no outward signs of physical agony.
However, for fans like myself, who have followed his legendary career, we assume the two losses to Manny Pacquiao and his famous trilogy with Erik Morales were fights that were painfully on his mind.
Still, the heart of the warrior pounded onward and Barrera remained stead fast.
He was getting thoroughly out-boxed by rising young superstar Amir Khan—who on this particular night resembled a British version of Oscar De la Hoya.
Barrera, however, would not give up the fight.
When the ringside physician leaned over the ropes to check on the cut in the fourth round Barrera begged him for one more round.
The great Barrera is 35 years old now, and although in regular human years that’s certainly not old; in the years of a boxer like Barrera—who has lived through many wars—it’s equivalent to 105.
This was Barrera’s 73 fight in his professional career.
As an amateur, Barrera had a record of 104-4 and was a five-time Mexican national champion. His Winning streak was 56-0 before losing his first amateur contest back when he was a schoolboy.
However, on this night Barrera’s boxing tools were no longer sharp.
Regardless of the glaring liabilities, the old journeyman set out in the final round to put the younger apprentice to sleep.
The legendary warrior was bleeding profusely from a deep gash on the left part of his fore-head caused by a unintentional headbutt in round one.
Barrera’s vision was seriously impaired as he winged powerful left and right hooks at his younger and much faster opponent.
Khan was unaffected by Barrera, the young champion had a perfect game-plan and he held fast to it.
His footwork was amazing, he darted in and out with blinding speed while ripping three and four punch combination’s to the body and head of his older combatant.
Sadly, this fight would be a changing of the guard, the winter sunset of one warrior giving way to the blossoming spring of another.
When the old doctor leaned over the ropes for the second time we knew the end was near, and it was confirmed when Barrera lowered his head in disappointment.
He made no attempt to get the steady flow of blood from his face, the pride that lived in his strong Mexican heart had been mortally wounded.
The time had come to except the truth, the career of the once great Barrera had finally reached the end of the road.
Mother nature had spoken, and hers is the loudest voice of all; a voice that not even the powers of promoter Don King can silence.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,
Till by broad spreading it disperses to naught.
William Shakespeare
Greatest English dramatist & poet (1564 - 1616)
by Jameson Fleming… This is the second of four regions previewed. The Southern region has already been broken down.
Dayton, Ohio
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) East Tennessee State
Why the Panthers will win: The Panthers have an incredible amount of athleticism and talent compared to the Buccaneers. Pittsburgh has three of the smartest, veteran players in seniors Sam Young, Levance Fields and sophomore DeJuan Blair. Pittsburgh is the second most efficient offensive teams in the nation and also one of the best rebounding teams in the land.
Why the Buccaneers will win: Really there isn’t a way to justify an East Tennessee State win. This is essentially the same group of players that allowed 125 points to Syracuse last year. Just imagine what Pitt will do to this team.
Who will win: Surprisingly, Ken Pomeroy only projects a 18 point win 86-68. Me thinks this one actually will be close to 30 points, if not more, depending on how long Pitt’s big three play.
(8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Tennessee
Why the Cowboys will win: Oklahoma State is going to get up and down and the floor and they are going to score. Start out a little bit cold against the Cowpokes and they can and will bury you. Oklahoma State’s attack revolves around two very talented perimeter players.
Senior Bryon Eaton has been around long enough to play with JamesOn Curry and will brings great experience and a high basketball IQ. He’s going to get to the hoop fairly often, especially out in transition—the area of the game Oklahoma State excels the most in. Eaton averages over seven free-throw attempts per game.
His wingman will be the extremely talented and future star James Anderson. The sophomore, if he sticks around by his senior year, will be one of the premier players in the Big XII. Anderson is a deadly three-pointer shooter who’s capable of going off for a handful of threes. If Eaton and Anderson can get going, Oklahoma State will even be able to knock of Pittsburgh in the second round.
Tennessee still haven’t found a reliable point guard to distribute to the Volunteers’ two best players, Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith.
Why the Volunteers will win: Tennessee can also score at will and get up-and-down the court almost as well as Oklahoma State. The Vols have a tremendous wing player in junior Tyler Smith who averages about 17 points per game.
While the Volunteers have been terribly inconsistent throughout the season, they still have shown the star power that made pundits think they were the team to beat in the SEC in the preseason. UT has knocked off Siena, Georgetown when the Hoyas were still relevant, and Marquette in the non-conference.
The Volunteers will do a variety of different things defensively as their depth allows them to flexible with the amount of pressure they want to put on Oklahoma State. Bruce Pearl’s club can try to confuse the Cowpokes with different looks on the defensive end of the floor. Bruce Pearl has ten different Volunteers he can throw out on the floor to create the mis-matches he needs.
Tennessee as a whole is a very long team that will give an undersized Oklahoma State squad fits around the basket. OSU doesn’t have a single player in its normal rotation that stands 6′6” or taller. Tennessee has a bunch. Oklahoma State still rebounds the ball on the defensive end of the floor, but is usually one shot and done on offense.
Bruce Pearl needs to extend ball pressure as far as he can on the court to prevent Oklahoma State from getting good looks at the basket.
Who will win: Tennessee. Picking Oklahoma State seems to be trendy as the Cowpokes have been playing better than the Volunteers. But Tennessee’s depth compared to OSU’s lack there of will be a major advantage for Bruce Pearl. Assuming he pressures the ball for all 94, Oklahoma State should wear down eventually.
The Vols will also have the luxury with all its depth to figure out whether they should attack the Cowboys with a more guard oriented lineup or put an extra big man or wing player on the floor to have more length on the perimeter, the crucial area that Tennessee must defend.
Boise, Idaho
(5) Florida State vs. (12) Wisconsin
Why the Seminoles will win: Florida State is down right nasty on the defensive end of the floor. Wisconsin is used to seeing that kind of defense in the Big Ten, but remember the Badgers were only 10-9 in the league. Florida State is a strong defensive field-goal percentage team, but also turns teams over frequently, something many of the great defensive Big Ten teams don’t do.
Toney Douglas has emerged as one of the best players in an ACC loaded in talent. While he’s a one-man show offensively, FSU will run eight to ten players deep depending on the game. The Seminoles have a tremendous amount of size and athleticism that few Big Ten teams have.
The Seminoles have really only lost one game they weren’t expected to and that was early in the season against Northwestern. They have an impressive win over North Carolina in the ACC Tournament and swept the season series against Clemson.
Plus, FSU gets a team that really doesn’t even deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin isn’t NCAA quality and the Badgers didn’t beat anyone that is as good as Florida State during the season.
Why the Badgers will win: Wisconsin has the offensive fire power and depth to beat Florida State’s strong defense. Despite playing in a defensive minded Big Ten, the Badgers were the 24th most efficient offense in the country. Wisconsin rarely turns the ball over and should handle Florida State’s in your face defense pretty well.
Wisconsin has five solid scorers which won’t allow Florida State pick one or two opposing players to key in on. If the Seminoles do, they could get burned because Wisconsin has the offensive depth to score.
While the Badgers aren’t a strong defensive team, they are still good enough to keep the Seminoles off the board. What Wisconsin does do well is clean the defensive glass. If Florida State struggles from the field, the Seminoles will not get second chances.
Plus, Wisconsin has the extra motivation to prove that this is a bubble team that did deserve to sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
Who will win: Florida State. This 5-12 matchup is probably the second safest after Purdue-Northern Iowa. FSU is more athletic and has played better ball consistently all year. Wisconsin only has two important seniors, so the Badgers will use this tournament as learning experience for next year.
(4) Xavier vs. (13) Portland State
Why the Musketeers will win: Xavier is clearly the better team of the two and has a roster full of players that each have a distinct roll. Those players all bring different talents to the table which makes the Musketeers’ lineup very flexible.
Xavier can really flex its muscles with a big lineup that will pound the glass. XU ranks in the top 35 in both offensive and defensive rebounding. Against an undersized Portland State squad, Xavier will really be able dominate PSU. Portland State will take an absorbent amount of three-pointers, so if they aren’t falling, Xavier won’t give them second opportunities.
Because of Xavier’s size, the Musketeers get to the line frequently and run teams into severe foul trouble. Xavier also is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country. The Musketeers can score inside the arc, but also from outside.
Why the Vikings will win: Portland State took Washington to the wire earlier this year, but did knock off fellow mid-major and four seed Gonzaga. Seeing the four next to Xavier’s name won’t intimidate the Vikings because they know they can beat a team of this quality.
PSU may have a small lineup, but the Vikings have a group of guards that Xavier will have trouble matching up with. Portland State will slow things down and work for a good shot. The Vikings are one of the best and most frequent shooting teams from three-point range. Only 13 squads shoot threes more frequently than Portland State.
Xavier has been faltering of late as the Musketeers have lost five of their last ten games, all against an Atlantic 10 which is having a slightly down year. PSU has been the complete opposite winning its last six games of the season.
Who will win: Xavier. This is an intriguing upset to pick and is a realistic possibility. When Portland State goes off from three like the Vikings did against Gonzaga, they can knock off anyone. But Xavier’s overall size and depth should be too much for Portland State to overcome.
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