Maximum Aardvark: Basketball

That Time of Year

2004-03-17T09:52:04-04:00

Once again, I (and countless others, I am sure) am using all my powers of ignorance to fill out an NCAA bracket. I won some money at this once, so I assure you that it’s possible to win this thing by pure luck.

I created a group in the ESPN Tournament Challenge called Maximum Aardvark so that all my readers might compete against one another in one place. Enjoy.

Nets-Spurs Game 6

2003-06-15T20:45:36-04:00

Never blogged a sports event live before...tonight seems like as good a time as any to start, with my laptop in the living room watching the Nets/Spurs game with Mom and Dad.

Last Minute Pick

2003-04-07T21:03:06-04:00

Everything else I've picked during the tournament has been wrong, so I'm not afraid to go out on a limb and pick 'Cuse tonight.

Later: I rule. I just wish I had stayed awake for the second half.

How's Your Bracket?

2003-03-21T10:43:52-04:00

Mine's good, so far, as I picked 13 of 16 games correctly yesterday, and only lost one sweet sixteen team (damn you, Memphis!) My Final Four picks this year are three 1-seeds and a 6: Kentucky, Arizona, Maryland, and Oklahoma. Kentucky over the Terps in the finals.

March Madness ... It's Coming ...

2003-03-07T21:19:23-04:00

It's never too early to start preparing for March Madness. Set up an entry and join the 'maximumaardvark.com' group.

Shifting Focus

2003-02-03T11:18:44-04:00

With the football season completely behind us and the baseball season a mere twinkle in my eye, I shift my total focus to the second halves of the NBA and NHL. OK, not the entire second halves, but at least until I get my copy of the 2003 Baseball Prospectus.

The New York Times features an article today on the burgeoning relationship between the Nets' Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson. These two are the centerpeice for what should be a good team for years to come, complemented and enhanced by what will (hopefully) be a long, productive relationship with J-Kidd. As of now, there's nobody that will come out of the Western Conference that the Nets can beat (witness their slaughters at the hands of the Kings), but all that could change by May as the team in general (and these two in particular) continue to grow together.

Tipoff

2002-10-30T08:20:22-04:00

Ever played Virtual General Manager? Pick a starting five and a coach every day for the entire NBA season. Then I can gloat when I win.

The name of the group is 'maximumaardvark.com'. It's a public group, so come on down. And no, you don't need to know a lot about the NBA to play.

Midnight Madness

2002-10-12T09:38:20-04:00

Karen, Dan and I arrived at the Convocation Center at 9 PM, for doors at 10:30, in anticipation of a mob scene of people all trying to be within the first 300 to get a T-Shirt. There was one person besides us until 9:20, and only nine people were on line at that point.

We got courtside, center-court, Spike-Lee quality seats, but it was a somewhat hollow victory when the lower half of one side of the Convo wasn't even filled. It pains me to say this, but it was times like last night that I wish I was at a real rah-rah-ray-ray school like Maryland or Duke.

But that's not to say we didn't have a good time last night. I got more free stuff than I could carry with one hand, great views of the three-point contest, slam dunk competition, Dukettes' performance, and the mens' and womens' scrimages. The men, naturally, hot-dogged it up the entire eight minutes, but there were actually some pretty cool plays (and some horrible misses).

The final, anti-climatic event of the evening was the drawing of a name to shoot for a year's worth of tuition. We knew as soon as the girl who won stood up that she had no chance; the game was to hit a layup, foul shot, three point shot, and a halfcourt shot within 24 seconds. She couldn't even reach the basket from the foul line. So sad.

Lady Dukes' home opener is vs. Tulane on November 22, and the first Men's game I can make is December 7 vs. La Salle.

East Coast--Represent!

2002-09-24T15:15:07-04:00

Kidd wants in for good. Boo-ya.

Thank You

2002-06-13T22:01:47-04:00

As I watched the clock wind down on the New Jersey Nets' season last night, I couldn't help but be a little sad. Although there were zero expectations for this team to succeed in October and they were able to take it all the way to the NBA Finals, I could not help but be disappointed with the way the season was going to end. And as the clock counted down the final seconds in the NBA season, I turned off the TV. It wasn't bad sportsmanship, or spite, that wouldn't let me watch the Lakers accept their third title in three years. I really just didn't want to accept that the season was over.

The Nets did something this year that no one believed they could pull off, and I'm not talking about being the number one seeds in the East, beating Reggie and the Pacers in double overtime in the first round, or coming back from a completely demoralizing and humiliating defeat at the hands of the Celtics in game three of the Conference Finals. No, as far as I am concerned, the greatest thing the Nets did this year was to turn me into a true NBA fan.

The Nets will be back. Game Four of the NBA Finals was by far their best showing of the series against the Lakers. Kenyon Martin had the greatest game of his young NBA career, and he and Jason Kidd will be a force to be reckoned with next season. Rod Thorn will do what is necessary in the offseason to improve an already strong Nets squad.

For the first time in my life, I am looking forward to next NBA season. Thank you, Nets. Thank you.