Sportz' NCAA Tournament Recap - First Round, Day 2

Just a quick recap of what I saw in my Sportz Room -- filled with TVs that I can watch all games going on at the same time.

GAME OF THE DAY: TCU vs Iowa State. There were so many good games today, but I'm going to take the one that had the game winning shot at the end. Iowa State was dominating TCU most of the day but the Horned Frogs kept chipping away at the lead and eventually made a runner to take the lead with two seconds left. It barely clips the FAU-Memphis game. And this other one.

UPSET OF THE DAY: Farleigh Dickinson vs Purdue.  For the second time ever, a No. 16 seed beats a No. 1 seed. Wow! There is so much about this game that is amazing. FDU was the biggest underdog to win a tournament game (-23.5). They were a team that had to win a First Four game. They are only in the tournament due to Merrimack's ineligibility in the NEC. But what I like the most is that they went punch for punch with Purdue. When UMBC beat Virginia in 2018, they got hot and just rolled. This was more of a thing were FDU had to make plays to win and they did it.

CONFERENCE OF THE DAY: Big East. Reminds us of the old days. Marquette won easily, Xaver pulled out their fight with Kennesaw State, UConn blew out Rick Pitino's Iona Gaels and Creighton blew by NC State. Providence fell, but the Big East really performed well.

CONFERENCE WITH A BAD DAY: Pac-12. The Pac-12 are down to just one team in the second round. USC got rolled by Michigan State and Arizona State blew a big lead against TCU. Add in Arizona's upset loss yesterday and the Pac-12 had yet again let us down. UCLA is the lone solider.

DUD OF THE DAY: UConn v Iona. There was a feeling that Rick Pitino's squad would have a little something for UConn in Albany. They did for a half, but then the Huskies ran away with it in the second half.

DOMINANT PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: Pitt vs Iowa State. Man, the Panthers put the clamps down on Iowa State -- they didn't reach 40 points until garbage time in the final minute. Pitt has become the latest First Four winner to advance to the second round. Oh, and FDU. 

UNDERLYING STORYLINE OF THE DAY: Can't trust Purdue. Yesterday I mentioned how Arizona and Virginia failed us yet again come tournament time. But Purdue is a much bigger offender. This year they lose the No. 16 Farleigh Dickinson. Last year they lost to No. 15 seed St. Peter's. The year before that they lose to No. 13 seed North Texas. What is going on with Purdue? This isn't normal. 

We've Reached the End Of The NCAA Tournament's Pushover Games

For most of my life (certainly my life after I turned 10 years old) there was pretty much an inevitability that the No. 1 team would bulldoze the No. 16 team in the first round. Sure, there were some scares ... and those scares were treated like upsets ... but for the most part it was just a formality.

That's gone.

In 2018, UMBC became the first No. 16 team to topple a No. 1 seed when they spanked Virginia in Charlotte. The Retrievers didn't just upset the Cavs -- they stomped them. Virginia would go on to win the national championship in 2019 and UMBC went on to become the posterboy of "look, it really can happen".

Today, Farleigh Dickenson beat No. 1 seed Purdue, 63-58, in what to me is an even bigger shocker. FDU went blow for blow with Purdue. Punch for punch. UMBC got hot in that Virginia game and ran away -- FDU were in a fight and made huge shots, huge defensive plays and huge coaching decisions that won this game. Purdue wasn't just off -- FDU put them there. FDU is the smallest team in the tournament and just took out the team with the 7'4 player of the year, Zach Edey. It wasn't as if Edey was having a bad game. FDU limited him to just one shot attempt in the final 12 minutes of that game. They won.

So what hadn't happened in the first 33 years of this tournament has now happened twice in the last five tournaments. 

It isn't just UMBC and FDU. Yesterday No. 16 Northern Kentucky took No. 1 Houston to the brink before losing. Last night, No. 15 Princeton beat No. 2 Arizona ... marking the third straight season a No. 15 has beaten a No. 2. Two years ago, Oral Roberts was a 15th seed that went to the Sweet 16. Last year, St. Peter's became the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite 8. That St. Peter's team also beat Purdue during their run.

It is over. The days of just showing up to the tournament -- no matter who you are -- and thinking you have one win in the bag is over. 

It really is amazing. It used to be upsets were because these smaller teams would bomb threes to possibly beat bigger programs with bigger players. But now the bigger programs also bomb threes and are used to playing against teams that bomb threes. Yet these upsets are bigger and happening more frequently.

That isn't to say we won't still have blowouts. It is basketball and a tournament and teams have great games and off days. But we can't just assume anything anymore. The Big Ten and Pac-12 champions went 0-2 in the NCAA tournament. The NEC champions are 2-0.

A Tournament of North Carolina's Tournament Wins (McGuire Region)

With North Carolina not invited to participate in the 2023 NCAA tournament, I read someone on Twitter roast Tar Heel fans (like me) that we are just going to sit and watch old tournament games to fill the void.

Hmm.  What a great idea.

Watching old tournament games sure is fun and it can make you remember the good times while the bad times forced you to have nothing to do.  So instead of just watching old North Carolina hoops games, how about we create out own tournament of Heels' NCAA tournament wins to see which one is the best.

So below are the 32 best games, and I divided them up into four regions -- Jordan, McGuire, Williams and Smith regions. We will battle over the next three weeks to see who comes out as the best game in Carolina tournament history. The seedings have the six tournament champions getting the No. 1 seeds and the top No. 2 seeds. From there, just the best games no matter where they happened in the tournament. 

Here is the entire tournament revealed. In a few days, we will have our first round winners and our Sweet 16. Here ya go: 

JORDAN REGION
1 - UNC/Georgetown (1982) vs 8 - UNC/Notre Dame (1985)
4 - UNC/Oklahoma (1990) vs 5 - UNC/Cincinnati (1993)
3 - UNC/Ohio State (1946) vs 6 - UNC/Villanova (1982)
2 - UNC/Michigan State (1957) vs 7 - UNC/Ohio (2012)

1-UNC/Georgetown (1982) vs 4-UNC/Oklahoma (1990)
2-UNC/Michigan State (1957) vs 3-UNC/Ohio State (1946)

MCGUIRE REGION
1 - UNC/Kansas (1957) vs 8 - UNC/Baylor (2022)
4 - UNC/Kentucky (1995) vs 5 - UNC/Oregon (2017)
3 - UNC/Kentucky (2017) vs 6 - UNC/Temple (1991)
2 - UNC/Duke (2022) vs 7 - UNC/Oklahoma (2009)

WILLIAMS REGION
1 - UNC/Illinois (2005) vs 8 - UNC/Purdue (1977)
4 - UNC/UNLV (1977) vs 5 - UNC/Stanford (2000)
3 - UNC/Davidson (1969) vs 6 - UNC/Notre Dame (1977)
2 - UNC/Gonzaga (2017) vs 7 - UNC/Loyola Marymount (1988)

SMITH REGION
1 - UNC/Michigan (1993) vs 8 - UNC/James Madison (1982)
4 - UNC/Virginia (1981) vs 5 - UNC/Tulsa (2000)
3 - UNC/Houston (1982) vs 6 - UNC/Villanova (2005)
2 - UNC/Michigan State (2009) vs 7 - UNC/Charlotte (1998)

On to the McGuire region. 

UNC's win over Kansas in 1957 sealed a perfect season, it was against one of the true greats of basketball (Wilt Chamberlain and Phog Allen), happened in triple overtime a day after the Heels went triple overtime to beat Michigan State. No matter who it was matched up against is going to lose this one, and UNC's come from ahead win over Baylor in 2022 is no match for what Frank McGuire's New York boys did. 

Here is a good one. UNC's win over Oregon was sandwiched between the Luke Maye shot to beat Kentucky and the national championship win over Gonzaga. But UNC was trailing big to Oregon and fought hard to come back to finally win it (thanks to timely offensive rebounds). Speaking of hard fought games, North Carolina's win over Kentucky in the 1995 regional final was heated. Rasheed Wallace got into a scuffle and the threw down a thunderous dunk late to seal one of Dean Smith's best non-title wins. 1995 wins this one.

Another UNC-Kentucky title takes the win as the 2017 is best known for Luke Maye's shot. Still, that UNC-Temple battle in 1991 was epic as Mark Macon's 31 points weren't enough (Macon's three point attempt to send the game into overtime missed the mark) to end the Heels' Final Four run. Current UNC head coach scored 19 points in that game, tying Rick Fox for the team high.

Finally is UNC-Duke in 2022 against ... well, it doesn't matter. UNC-Oklahoma in 2009 was fun (Blake Griffin hit his head on the backboard at one point) but wasn't really all that memorable. UNC's win over Duke in the Final Four easily takes this one. 

Up next is the Roy Williams region. 

Sportz' NCAA Tournament Recap - First Round, Day 1

Just a quick recap of what I saw in my Sportz Room -- filled with TVs that I can watch all games going on at the same time.

GAME OF THE DAY: Furman vs Virginia. I cannot believe the ending for this one. Virginia just had to not turn the ball over, make their free throws and advance to the next round. Yet super senior Kihei Clark ... who played on UVa's national championship team ... threw the most improbably bad pass that was picked off by Furman, passed ahead for the game winning three. Unreal.

UPSET OF THE DAY: Princeton vs Arizona.  For the third straight season, a No. 15 seed ousts a No. 2 in the first round. So Arizona joins Kentucky last year and Ohio State the year before on this list. They also became the first school to be a No. 2 to lose to a No. 15 twice. Remember Steve Nash and Santa Clara back in 1993?

CONFERENCE OF THE DAY: SEC. Yeah, Texas A&M got run out of the gym, but Alabama looked the part of the top overall seed, Arkansas and Auburn won 8-9 games, Missouri got a big win over Utah State, and Tennessee held off Louisiana.

CONFERENCE WITH A BAD DAY: Big Ten. Iowa lost to Auburn and Illinois lost to Arkansas in 8-9 games. Northwestern, Penn State and Maryland won. Not the absolute worst day, but they fit for the moment.

DUD OF THE DAY: Duke vs Oral Roberts. Duke has been scalding hot of late, but Oral Roberts had the look of a real Cinderella this year. It wasn't ever really in doubt.

DOMINANT PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: Kansas vs Howard Top seeds are supposed to drop 16 seeds like this. With some injury issues and no Bill Self, this was a much needed blowout for the defending champs. 

UNDERLYING STORYLINE OF THE DAY: Can't trust Arizona or Virginia. Arizona has failed us yet again. They last won a national championship in 1997 and haven't been to a Final Four in 20 years but we always tend to make them the sleeper national championship pick when they enter the tournament on a bit of a run. You can also say that about Virginia, who loses yet again in the first round. . 

A Tournament of North Carolina's Tournament Wins (Jordan Region)

With North Carolina not invited to participate in the 2023 NCAA tournament, I read someone on Twitter roast Tar Heel fans (like me) that we are just going to sit and watch old tournament games to fill the void.

Hmm.  What a great idea.

Watching old tournament games sure is fun and it can make you remember the good times while the bad times forced you to have nothing to do.  So instead of just watching old North Carolina hoops games, how about we create out own tournament of Heels' NCAA tournament wins to see which one is the best.

So below are the 32 best games, and I divided them up into four regions -- Jordan, McGuire, Williams and Smith regions. We will battle over the next three weeks to see who comes out as the best game in Carolina tournament history. The seedings have the six tournament champions getting the No. 1 seeds and the top No. 2 seeds. From there, just the best games no matter where they happened in the tournament. 

Here is the entire tournament revealed. In a few days, we will have our first round winners and our Sweet 16. Here ya go: 

JORDAN REGION
1 - UNC/Georgetown (1982) vs 8 - UNC/Notre Dame (1985)
4 - UNC/Oklahoma (1990) vs 5 - UNC/Cincinnati (1993)
3 - UNC/Ohio State (1946) vs 6 - UNC/Villanova (1982)
2 - UNC/Michigan State (1957) vs 7 - UNC/Ohio (2012)

MCGUIRE REGION
1 - UNC/Kansas (1957) vs 8 - UNC/Baylor (2022)
4 - UNC/Kentucky (1995) vs 5 - UNC/Oregon (2017)
3 - UNC/Kentucky (2017) vs 6 - UNC/Temple (1991)
2 - UNC/Duke (2022) vs 7 - UNC/Oklahoma (2009)

WILLIAMS REGION
1 - UNC/Illinois (2005) vs 8 - UNC/Purdue (1977)
4 - UNC/UNLV (1977) vs 5 - UNC/Stanford (2000)
3 - UNC/Davidson (1969) vs 6 - UNC/Notre Dame (1977)
2 - UNC/Gonzaga (2017) vs 7 - UNC/Loyola Marymount (1988)

SMITH REGION
1 - UNC/Michigan (1993) vs 8 - UNC/James Madison (1982)
4 - UNC/Virginia (1981) vs 5 - UNC/Tulsa (2000)
3 - UNC/Houston (1982) vs 6 - UNC/Villanova (2005)
2 - UNC/Michigan State (2009) vs 7 - UNC/Charlotte (1998)

So let's do the Jordan Region. Of course the top overall seed is North Carolina's win over Georgetown in the 1982 national championship game. The game is simply iconic and probably cruises to the Final Four. The 1985 game against Notre Dame was a barn burner with Kenny Smith going at it with the Irish's David Rivers (Brad Daugherty was huge with 18 points).

The 1990 team that upset Oklahoma is one of the great moments in Carolina history. Rick Fox's shot to beat the top seeded Sooners is iconic. Their opponent is an underappreciated UNC-Cincinnati game in the regional final (Brian Reese's missed dunk just lives in my memory together ... but it worked out). 

Most people won't know about UNC's 1946 win over Ohio State in the East regional final, but the game went into overtime before John Dillon and Jim Jordan led the Heels to their first Final Four. In another East region final, UNC had such a great team effort to eliminate Ed Pinkney and the Villanova Wildcats. Michael Jordan led the way with 15 points. 

Finally is likely a mismatch. There is UNC/Ohio in 2012 which is best known as the Stillman White game. White, a freshman walk-on, had to start in Carolina's Sweet 16 game due to Kendall Marshall's wrist injury suffered against Creighton in the previous round. They take on Carolina's Final Four win over Michigan State in 1957. That triple overtime game would be placed among the most revered wins but gets overshadowed by their win over Kansas the very next day ... and the fact we don't have vivid YouTube videos of it.  1957 wins.

The first round Jordan Region winners:
1 - UNC/Georgetown (1982)
4 - UNC/Oklahoma (1990)

2 - UNC/Michigan State (1957)
3 - UNC/Ohio State (1946)

Stay tuned and we will run down the McGuire Region next. 

Sportz Assassin's West Region Preview

TEAM TO BEAT: Kansas. The Jayhawks are the defending champs and many feel they are truly the best team in the nation. If not for their loss (and a big loss at that) in the Big 12 title game, they'd be the overall No. 1 seed. 

TEAM THAT WILL WIN THE REGION: Gonzaga. I want to say Kansas and I believe they will get to the Final Four. However, there are so many trends that say Kansas won't do that, so I'm going elsewhere. UCLA has injury isssues so I'm going with a very, very talented Gonzaga that is laying in the weeds. 

TEAM TO WATCH FOR (LESS THAN A NO. 3 SEED): TCU. The Horned Frogs can score the ball and they have a 23-point win at Kansas on their resume.  I'm well aware that they could face my "team that will win the region" in the second round, but TCU is that kind of team that can connect on a big swing. 

YOUR CINDERELLA: VCU. There are a lot of tantalizing options in the West, but VCU is my choice. They love the press and pressure the ballhandlers and will go against a Saint Mary's team that wants to play slow. That's an interesting game. The can use the same formula to get by UConn the next round.   

WORST SEEDING ERROR: VCU. I wouldn't call this an error as much as an unfortunate issue that comes with how the tournament is structured. Since VCU is an automatic qualifier, they cannot be placed in the First Four ... which took one of the 11 seeds from them. Because of that, the Rams were knocked down to a 12 seed.     

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: UCLA. The Bruins start in Sacramento and then on to Las Vegas. No doubt they've got a great home court advantage. 

MUST WATCH GAME: Saint Mary's vs VCU. Like I mentioned earlier, this VCU-Saint Mary's game should be so interesting to break down.  

MUST WATCH (POTENTIAL) SECOND ROUND GAME: Kansas vs Arkansas.  Arkansas has two lottery picks on its team and while the Razorbacks are wildly inconsistent, they also have the talent to take down a No. 1 seed. This should be a great one if it happens. 

Sportz Assassin's Midwest Region Preview

TEAM TO BEAT: Houston. Houston has looked like the best team in the nation at times. They're a tough defensive unit and if Marcus Sasser is healthy then this team certainly can win the entire thing. 

TEAM THAT WILL WIN THE REGION: Houston. Sure, they've spent the bulk of the last two months playing AAC competition, but they have a fairly open path to the Final Four where ... well, I will get to that later. 

TEAM TO WATCH FOR (LESS THAN A NO. 3 SEED): Texas A&M. This team can shoot the basketball, which is typically a recipe for creating an upset. If they can dispose of Penn State, they'll get that old rivalry game against Texas. From there, is there anyone in the bottom of the Midwest bracket that scares them? No. 

YOUR CINDERELLA: Drake. This team is filled with seniors, with the lone non-senior at the top of their rotation is the coach's son. Tucker DeVries is that guy that sparks Cinderella runs and the Missouri Valley Conference has had a history of doing well in the NCAA tournament.   

WORST SEEDING ERROR: Texas A&M. How does a team that finished second in the SEC regular season and runner-up in the SEC tournament (both to top overall seed Alabama) get a No. 7 seed? Sure, their non-conference schedule was bleh, but look what you've done in one of the top conferences in the nation.     

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Auburn. In the region, it will be Auburn, and it is a mistake by the Selection Committee. Auburn spends the first weekend in Birmingham, which is a two hour drive from campus. The fact that they are a No. 9 seed and playing essentially a home game against No. 8 seed Iowa is wrong. If the Tigers win, they'll play at home against Houston, the top seed.  That's pretty egregious. If Houston advances to the Final Four, they'll get to play at home in Houston, so getting out of this region would be a huge advantage for the Cougars. 

MUST WATCH GAME: Iowa vs Auburn. Iowa's offense vs Auburn's defense in front of what should be a partisan crowd in Birmingham. And in typical 8-9 fashion, both teams are so up and down that you have no idea what to expect before or during the game.  

MUST WATCH (POTENTIAL) SECOND ROUND GAME: Texas vs Texas A&M.  Two longtime rivals who had an acrimonious split when Texas A&M left Texas behind for the SEC. In two years, Texas will also join the SEC and will steal the Aggies thunder. These two met just twice since 2012 and both were at neutral sites, just like Des Moines will be. 

Sportz Assassin's East Region Preview

TEAM TO BEAT: Purdue. Zach Edey. That 7'4 form of length in the paint that is so difficult to defend and nearly impossible to get around. A guy like that uplifts his teammates and allows them to take opportunities others aren't afforded. Edey was asked to take on more this season, and here is the time to shine. 

TEAM THAT WILL WIN THE REGION: Purdue. They've been right there over the last few years and I think Matt Painter finally gets it done. 

TEAM TO WATCH FOR (LESS THAN A NO. 3 SEED): Duke. The Blue Devils aren't their typical dominating selves heading in the NCAA tournament but they are certainly playing at their best. They have such a young team that has finally found itself ... as has their first year head coach, Jon Scheyer. 

YOUR CINDERELLA: Oral Roberts. Having said that, the last two times Duke wasn't a top four seed, they lost in the first round. And their first round opponent, Oral Roberts, is as dangerous a 12th seed as you will see. Max Abmas and Connor Vanover are dangerous players.  If ORU has made a Sweet 16 run two years ago and could do it once again.   

WORST SEEDING ERROR: Duke. They've really come on of late and dominated the ACC tournament. I think they're better than a No. 5 seed.     

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Michigan State. Really no one has that great of advantage, but Columbus will a relatively easy trip for Purdue, Marquette and Michigan State. Ah, but Michigan State should have quite the crowd in Ohio's capital if they face Marquette in the second round. 

MUST WATCH GAME: Duke vs Oral Roberts. There are a lot of great first round matchups in the East, but this Duke-Oral Roberts game is just so intriguing. We all know how dangerous ORU can be and Duke is equally playing its best basketball right now but also isn't the powerful entry it usually is. Both teams could actually go far in this tournament.  

MUST WATCH (POTENTIAL) SECOND ROUND GAME: Purdue vs Memphis.  Look, Memphis just beat another No. 1 team this past Sunday, Houston. This is Penny Hardaway and he's not going to have his team scared of anyone. Purdue doesn't have that flex like the other No. 1 seeds but they do have the best player in college basketball in Edey. We all look for a top seed to miss the second weekend and this could be the game that makes that happen. 

Sportz Assassin's South Region Preview

TEAM TO BEAT: Alabama. Alabama is the top overall seed and has had a fantastic season. Brandon Miller is a star and should have a nice NBA career. The Tide are so athletic and when they get going they are so difficult to stop. 

TEAM THAT WILL WIN THE REGION: Alabama. Bama, as the perks of being the top overall seed, have a pretty good path to their first Final Four in program history. 

TEAM TO WATCH FOR (LESS THAN A NO. 3 SEED): Creighton. The Bluejays were one of the buzzworthy picks in the preseason but it just hasn't worked out. Creighton has turned that around and are beginning to fulfill that promise. They have a variety of guys who can score, including Ryan Kalkbrenner.

YOUR CINDERELLA: Charleston. This is such an efficient and experienced team. Remember that they started 21-1. A team that can rain threes is also one to watch out for.   

WORST SEEDING ERROR: Maryland. I really have no gripe in this region. Maybe Maryland should be a 9 seed? Again, I'm reaching.
     
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Alabama. Really no one will have an advantage once the region gets to Louisville. So Alabama spending the first weekend in Birmingham is nice. 

MUST WATCH GAME: Maryland vs West Virginia. If you love physical basketball, then you'll love Huggins vs Willard.. Two teams who were tough to beat at home but a bit loose anywhere else gets to battle it out in Birmingham. 

MUST WATCH (POTENTIAL) SECOND ROUND GAME: Arizona vs Utah State.  This may not happen as Utah State would need to upset Missouri, but I really like Utah State's ability to defend the paint and Steven Ashworth hitting threes against Arizona's fast pace offense. 

I Love the New Baseball Pitch Clock

First off, I loved baseball as a kid. Loved it. Lived it. As a 7 year old in 1982, I knew every batting order in the National League (who cares about the American League until you have to see them in the World Series). I gradually grew less and less enamored by baseball as I got into my teens and now as a middle-aged man. I mean, I still like baseball but I do not love it like I once did.

I couldn't even tell you the starting lineups for last year's All Star Game.

The reason I say this is that is my context of baseball's rule changes for 2023. The two more prominent changes are the elimination of the shift and the pitch clock.

Let me quickly start with the shift. I'm all for going against the norms and finding loopholes in the rules and exploiting them if you can. That's what the shift was, and I was good with that. But it was a bit of a drag to see it used so often that it was choking offenses. Spare me the "well then hit 'em where they ain't" lines because baseball is hard to just to get a hit let alone be able to cue it to where you want. We have witnessed some off-putting baseball. So the easy fix was the new rule of two infielders ... actually in the infield ... must stay of opposite sides of second base. So you can still like the shortstop or second baseman close to the bag accordingly but we don't have three guys on one side of the field stuffing every ground ball.  This is great.

Now for the pitch clock. I love it.

Is baseball's biggest problem the length of time it takes to complete a game? Probably not. The shift actually is worse. But the pitch clock has made baseball more fun to watch for me. I like cutting all that fat from the game. All the unneccesary time wasted walking around the mound, stepping off the rubber, or hitters adjusting batting gloves, helmets, guards, pants, junk, whatever. We don't get less baseball -- we get the same amount of baseball in a much more viewer friendly format.

I know there are traditionalists crying over this because baseball isn't supposed to have a clock. While that's cool and all, baseball has had issues with games going too long and that hurts developing a fan base. I'm the generation that began to see all night games in the World Series where I had to wake up the next morning to find out who won. I'm the generation that had to leave stadiums early because my dad ... and then me ... had to be at work early the next morning. I'm the one who has baseball games on as background noise instead of intently watching each moment like I'd do with the NBA or NFL. Especially in 2023 where if anything cool happens that I missed watching that second, I'd just rewind and view it. But other than the World Series, I never really sit and watch each pitch of a game. But I've been doing so with this pitch clock. The game doesn't lose me like it did because the next pitch is less than 15 seconds away.

And this must be great for baseball as a whole just as far as scheduling. If games begin around 7-ish, and they are lasting around 2.5 hours, you're on the road back home before 10pm. You can stay up and watch an entire game before going to bed. And TV-wise, baseball will be able to schedule somewhat similar to what all the other sports enjoy.

The NFL knows it can schedule a Sunday for a 9am game, 1pm game, 4:30pm game and an 8:30pm game and that rarely overlap. The NBA does so with games at 1pm, 3:30pm, 6pm, 8:30pm and 11pm. Baseball can try, but there was so much fat in there that it was impossible to plan. Imagine a playoff round with games at noon, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm that would wouldn't have to miss a pitch in any game? Plus there should be adequate time for a studio show round up.

Whatever.

For the people who don't like it ... I get that. But I'm not on your side. Baseball is better for this.

Super Bowl LVII Should Be A Blast

 Last year I stopped doing my "Stops to Super Bowl" series because ... well ... I just didn't have the time. With my work commitments and a father to six children I just didn't have the time to do all the research I loved to do on the game. That doesn't mean I don't miss it ... I just don't think I can make it what I want it to be anymore.

But this Super Bowl makes me want to bring it back. This Super Bowl really is fascinating. You have both No. 1 seeds in this game, two relatively recent Super Bowl champion organizations and a load of tidbits to fill up a book of narratives. 

*KELCE BROTHERS.  I think it is so cool that two brothers will face off in the Super Bowl. Two very outgoing brothers at that. Should make for some greats soundbites and pre-game pieces for every NFL show leading up to the game.

*MAHOMES AND HURTS. For the first time we will have Black quarterbacks facing off in the Super Bowl. You'd think this wouldn't be that big of a deal since we are 35 years removed from Doug Williams (1987) becoming the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, but it took 26 more years for the next one to win it -- Seattle's Russell Wilson (2013). Since then, only Patrick Mahomes (2020) has won it which makes for just three of the previous 56 Super Bowls to have a Black winning QB. Steve McNair (1999), Donovan McNabb (2004), Colin Kaepernick (2012) and Cam Newton also started Super Bowls but lost (both Wilson and Mahomes have also started and lost Super Bowls). 

*FLY, EAGLES. I remember when the Cowboys, Redskins/Commanders and Giants were ripping up Super Bowl titles and the Eagles were just not keeping up. Prior to 2017, the Cowboys (5), Giants (4) and Commanders (3) winning 12 Super Bowls while reaching the game 18 times. The Eagles were 0-2 in the big game, but now has the two most recent appearances and the most recent championship. While the Cowboys are always drenched in drama, the Commanders have been a mess for nearly three decades and the Giants perpetually are rebuilding, the Eagles have been making the right moves. 

*GLENDALE: Glendale, Arizona has been the site for some great Super Bowl moments. The last time the game was there (Super Bowl XLIX) was the Patriots-Seahawks game where Seattle didn't hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch and were picked off on the goal line. The previous game there was XLII when the Giants upset the unbeaten Patriots. Tempe (which is also a suburb of Phoenix) hosted Super Bowl XXX when the Cowboys beat the Steelers. 

*MOST NFL TITLES
13-Packers
9-Bears
8-Giants
6-Patriots, Steelers
5-49ers, Cowboys, Commanders
4-Browns, Colts, Eagles, Lions, Rams

*MOST NFL TITLE APPEARANCES
22-Giants
19-Bears
18-Packers
11-Patriots, Commanders, Rams
9-Browns
8-Broncos, Cowboys, Steelers

*MOST NFL TITLE GAME LOSSES
14-Giants
10-Bears
6-Rams, Redskins
5-Broncos, Browns, Packers, Patriots
4-Bills, Vikings
3-Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles

*MOST NFL TITLE LOSSES WITHOUT A WIN
4-Vikings, Bills
3-Bengals
2-Falcons, Panthers
1-Chargers, Titans, Buffalo All-Americans, Pottsville Maroons

The Jaguars and Texans are the only current NFL franchises to have never played in an NFL championship game.

Sportz' NFL Championship Picks

We're down to the conference championship games. After going 4-2 in the Wildcard round and 3-1 in the Divisional Round, I'm here to tackle who will be going to the Super Bowl. 

49ERS at EAGLES

Philly was sensational against the Giants last week, but the 49ers are a different kind of animal. Offensively they have an outstanding line and great playmakers. Defensively, the Niners are so physical and tackle so well. Of course, that also describes the Eagles. The difference is at quarterback. I just trust Jalen Hurts against the Niners more than a really game Brock Purdy against those Eagles. Eagles by 6

BENGALS at CHIEFS

This game is so hard to pick. Will the Chiefs really lose four straight games in 13 months to these Bengals? Both quarterbacks are elite, defenses playing well and everything is clicking. My main concern is Patrick Mahomes' ankle. Will he be able to make those off script plays against a defensive front that has played well in the playoffs. Bengals by 3.

Sportz' NFL Divisional Picks

Last week I went 4-2 with the Vikings and Chargers letting me down. 

JAGUARS at CHIEFS

The Chiefs have a week of rest while the Jags are coming off one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history. That won't happen this week. Chiefs by 13.

GIANTS at EAGLES

Man, this is tough. I have felt the Eagles have been the best team over the first 14 or so weeks of the season. Once Jalen Hurts went out, things have changed. The Giants have become more comfortable in who they are at the moment, but I still like Philly in this one. I think the week off has allowed Hurts to get a bit more healed up.  Eagles by 4.

BENGALS at BILLS

This is the first meeting between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, making this the best QB showdown of the weekend. The key will be if Allen can stop turning the ball over. He got away with it against Miami last week but won't against Cincinnati. I'm trusting Allen protects the football and gets the win. Bills by 4.

COWBOYS at 49ERS

To me, the Niners are better than the Cowboys everywhere ... except at quarterback. While I'm not the biggest fan of Dak Prescott, this is easily the toughest opponent and defense that the rookie Purdy has faced over his short career. The key is if Dallas can make him feel uncomfortable and puts real pressure on him to make plays. They will, but not to the point where it really damages San Francisco's offense.  49ers by 7.

Looking At Who Has Quarterback Questions Heading Into the Offseason

So, let's get at it.

NO PROBLEM AT ALL

CHIEFS: Patrick Mahomes is likely the NFL MVP for 2022.

EAGLES: Jalen Hurts had an MVP-like season.

BILLS: Josh Allen.

BENGALS: Joe Burrow.

CHARGERS: Justin Herbert.

JAGUARS: Trevor Lawrence.

COWBOYS: Dak Prescott. Despite all of the noise surrounding him, Dak will be back. He's their guy. 

VIKINGS: Kirk Cousins isn't the most popular Viking right now, but he's their guy. 

SEAHAWKS: It would seem that Geno Smith is the guy for now in Seattle. 

BROWNS: Deshaun Watson. They spent a lot of money and draft picks on him and hope a full offseason can knock off the ton of rust he showed in 2022. 

STEELERS: Kenny Pickett was their first round pick last year and nearly led Pittsburgh to the playoffs. 

BRONCOS: Russell Wilson may have had a horrendous season, but he's got to be the guy with all the money and resources used to obtain him last offseason. 

BEARS: Chicago may be the worst team in the league and own the No. 1 overall pick, but they won't be using that pick to draft a quarterback. They are all in with Justin Fields. 



A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION

DOLPHINS: You would think that Tua Tagovailoa would be the starter, but his concussion issues bring some real world questions about his health going forward. And don't forget that the Dolphins are losing their first round pick in the upcoming draft because they were tampering with Tom Brady.

GIANTS: It seems as if Daniel Jones has proven himself to be the guy for New York, but it is far from a done deal, contract wise. I expect it to get done, but it isn't 100%.

PATRIOTS: Mac Jones regressed last year, but that could be due to New England's messy offensive coaching and play-calling setup. It's doubtful New England looks to make a move right now. 

LIONS: If I wrote this over a month ago, the Lions certainly wouldn't be in this slot. But Jared Goff had a fantastic second half to the season and darn near put Detroit in the playoffs after a 1-6 start. Goff was once the top overall pick and started a Super Bowl so it isn't like he is a bum. 

FALCONS: I'm guessing Desmond Ridder will be given the opportunity to blossom next season. I doubt they draft anyone early in the upcoming draft, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't consider a later round pick. They also could look to bring in a veteran to mentor Ridder. It should be Ridder's job no matter what they do. 

RAMS: This is Matt Stafford's team, but is he in the phase of his career where he'll be missing more time during the season? Baker Mayfield looked pretty good in Stafford's absence, but who could parlay that into a starting opportunity elsewhere. 

CARDINALS: With Kyler Murray down with a knee injury, he could miss a sizeable chunk of the 2023 season. So Arizona will need to figure out who their guy will be in Murray's absence. A Jacoby Brissett type job. 

DECISIONS TO MAKE

RAVENS: The Lamar Jackson saga has reached an ugly turn due to Jackson missing the end of the season and unavailable for Baltimore's playoff game against Cincinnati. With his contract status up in the air and the possibility of the franchise tag being used, this will be one of the main storylines of the offseason. 

BUCCANEERS: Is the Tom Brady era over in Tampa? That will be the question for the second straight season. Will he retire? Will he look to go somewhere else (Miami? Tennessee? Las Vegas?) for a better shot at a championship? Is there any possibility he returns? After that absolute dud of a playoff performance against Dallas, that doesn't seem to be the case. 

PACKERS: Does Aaron Rodgers retire? He sure looked like he was retiring the way he left Green Bay's final game of the season. Of course, he could decide to come back for another season with the Packers ... or he wants to play but the Packers may decide that it is time to go with Jordan Love and move on from A-Rodg. Another major offseason storyline.

49ERS: This is one of the weirdest situations in the league. Trey Lance was the No. 3 overall pick that the Niners traded up for, but who missed most of 2022 with an injury and was already a bit of a project. Jimmy Garopollo was the starter most of the year before he became injured. And, well, everyone just loves what Brock Purdy is doing right now in San Francisco. Jimmy G likely moves on and then a decision will need to be made about Purdy and Lance. I mean, it has to be Purdy, right?

TITANS: Look, Ryan Tannehill is expensive and the Titans can get out from under that this offseason. But Tennessee could stick with Tannehill, especially with Malik Willis clearly not ready. 

COMMANDERS: Word is that the Commanders' brass is telling potential candidates for offensive coordinator that Sam Howell is the plan for next season. Howell showed a lot in college and came off well in his lone playing time (Week 18) during the 2022 season. Expect them to lock in an experienced backup or retain Taylor Heinecke. 

SAINTS: The salary cap limits what New Orleans could do in free agency. Right now, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill don't seem to be long term solutions but they may have to run it back with one or more of those guys. If not, they may be on the market to look at a Baker Mayfield or Carson Wentz to be a stop gap. Yeah. So maybe running it back is not a horrible option. 

LOOKING FOR A BRAND NEW GUY

JETS: Sure, there may be an attempt to save Zach Wilson's career, but he's shine is all but gone from the fans and his teammates. With some bigger names out on the market and the Jets with a roster that can contend for a deep playoff run, New York will likely look for a better option. 

RAIDERS: All we do know is that Vegas is done with Derek Carr. Carr will be one of the top free agent quarterbacks for several of the teams in this category, but Las Vegas doesn't want him back. Is his replacement Jarret Stidham the answer? Eh. Rumors of everyone from Tom Brady to Aaron Rodgers will stick in Sin City until we get that answer. 

TEXANS: Houston is at rock bottom right now. They need a new coach, new quarterback and lots of talent. They also have the No. 2 pick in the draft and look to draft their next franchise quarterback. 

COLTS: Well, the Matt Ryan experiment ... among other experiments that went on in Naptown ... didn't work and now they need a new plan. And a new coach. With the fourth pick in the draft, expect the Colts to look for their future QB there. 

PANTHERS: Carolina has one of the most interesting quarterback cases in the NFL. Who will be their guy? Sam Darnold looked okay towards the end of the season as Carolina had a real shot at reaching the playoffs. PJ Walker likely isn't the guy. Could Matt Corrall, the rookie who missed all of 2022 with an injury, be looked at as the future hope for the Panthers? There is also the possibility that Carolina could be willing to trade up to draft someone. 

Sportz' NFL Wildcard Picks

The NFL Playoffs start this weekend, so here we go:

SEAHAWKS at 49ERS

Alright, is Brock Purdy ready for this? Is Geno Smith? Seattle combined for just 20 points in the two meetings this season. I think the Niners defense gets it done again. Niners by 9

CHARGERS at JAGUARS

Two young quarterbacks making their first playoff appearances of what both franchise hope to be a regular occurrence. I just like what's around Justin Herbert than what's around Trevor Lawrence. Chargers by 4.

DOLPHINS at BILLS

I picked the Bills to win the Super Bowl with my preseason predictions so I'm riding with them. Miami is starting Skylar Thompson so I think Buffalo flexes its muscle.  Bills by 11

GIANTS at VIKINGS

Basically the question is, "do you trust Minnesota"? I do for this game, and this game only.  Vikings by 3.

RAVENS at BENGALS

Like the Dolphins, the Ravens will be without their top quarterback as Lamar Jackson. This is a rubber match for these AFC North foes, and I think the Bengals beat Baltimore for the second straight week. Bengals by 7.

COWBOYS at BUCCANEERS

What's funny about this game is that we are seeing two of the biggest brands in the NFL facing each other (Brady vs Cowboys) but both are coming into this game not on the best of terms. Tampa Bay is an 8-9 division champ while the Cowboys looked awful in a loss to the Commanders last week. Dallas is more talented, but they can say that most weeks (like against Washington) and it doesn't always work out. Cowboys by 8.