The Butler Did It…Again
Early this afternoon, I sent a text message to a few buddies from the church to see if they wanted to meet at the local Buffalo Wild Wings for some wings and basketball. I’m glad I went about 30 minutes before tip-off, because the place quickly filled up to standing room only. As the game wore down to its dramatic conclusion, it was absolute pandemonium in that place. It reminded me of those videos you see on YouTube where a bunch of folks are gathered somewhere watching a sporting event on TV and go ballistic when their team wins. At one point I was so stricken with the madness of the moment I exclaimed, “It’s Buffalo Bulldog Saturday!” The guys got a good laugh out of that one.
The Butler Bulldogs have certainly given the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana something to be proud of, a glorious addition to Indiana basketball lore. Last year’s Butler squad evoked comparisons to Hoosiers – a rag-tag band of journeymen and role players together with one soft spoken and extremely talented star defying all that is likely and sane, falling one basket short of the most magical of all endings. If that was last year’s Butler, what of this year’s? As they struggled through the Horizon League season, I am guessing that no one believed that they were anything more than a shadow of their former selves without Gordon Hayward. Yet here they are, back in the Final Four, bruised and backward, sometimes bumbling and befuddled, and yet not beaten.
An analysis of this game has to leave one wondering how Florida possibly could have lost. Their full court press was brilliant and effective. Their half-court defensive strategy was also the best I’ve seen so far against Butler in the tournament. They clogged up the middle with that zone, eliminating the effectiveness of Butler’s three man weave. They let Butler pass the ball around the perimeter and flew at the three point shooter with one of their long forwards, often tipping and almost always altering the shot. Butler was ice cold from the field, and equally lousy from the free throw line, while Florida didn’t miss a single free throw in regulation. Florida had double-digit leads in both halves. So how did they lose? One turning point, I believe, was when Macklin got his fourth foul with about 9 minutes left to play. This opened up the middle on some occasions for Butler and allowed them to get back in the game. It also seemed to take Florida away from the inside game on offense, where they were clearly dominant. Down one with the last shot opportunity in overtime, why does Florida’s Kenny Boynton take a 30-footer instead of working the ball inside for a go-ahead basket? I don’t know. All I can say is that it appears to me that this Butler team gets in your head. They bait you somehow into silly fouls, boneheaded decisions, and crucial errors at the worst possible time. They frustrate, they scrap, they hustle, and they never quit.
With the possible exception of VCU, no matter who the remaining two Final Four participants turn out to be, the Butler Bulldogs will be the least likely to win the championship. You look at them at say to yourself, “There’s just no way – against Kansas, or Kentucky, or North Carolina, or Kemba-Conn – there’s just no way.” But Butler finds a way, and as Seth Davis put it, “Every time you pick against Butler, you feel like you’re going to be wrong.” Last year’s Cinderella is nothing of the kind this year. They have entered the courts of basketball royalty and taken their seat at the table, and I can pretty much guarantee that among Calhoun, Calipari, Williams, Self, and Shaka, there’s not a one of them looking at these Bulldogs with disdain and asking, “Who invited you?” They belong, and I for one hope that they can finish what they left undone last year. What a storybook ending that would be.
And Then There Was That Other Game
And it was a pretty good, too. Arizona failed to deliver on what would have been a real fruit basket turnover in the contest standings, a 26-point victory for a handful of contestants eagerly awaiting a coveted Scategories bonus. Alas, it was not to be. Arizona superstar Derrick Williams got in early foul trouble, and at one point it seemed UConn would run away with this game. But these cats clawed their way back (sorry…I’m a sucker for a good pun. Ok, I’m a sucker for a bad pun.) I still don’t understand why they, as did Florida, insisted on taking two three point shots for the win at the end of regulation rather than sending Williams to the basket for a possible foul. Is that even the teams in the tournament have watched so much of it, with the dramatic game-winning three point baskets, that they think that’s the only option? We are all legends in our own mind, for sure, but are the coaches really calling these plays? Are they all having dreams like Morehead State coach Donnie Tyndall about certain players taking the big three and nailing it for the win at the buzzer? WAKE UP PEOPLE! There’s time on the clock. You’re down one or two. Extend the game. Get a good shot. But what do I know? I’m 214th in my own contest.
Random Musings
And now for a few things that have been bugging me all tournament:
- Anybody besides me had e-na-na-na-nough of Na-na-na-napa know how? The lip-synching mechanics are downright creepy, and the echoing customers are equally over the top, especially the mustachioed dude who looks like a fat Cheech Marin. The people who write these jingles have an uncanny knack for producing material that will never leave your brain, no matter how irritating. You’re walking down the cereal isle at Kroger muttering “Na-na-na-napa know how, Napa know how” under your breath, and the young mother in pajama pants, a t-shirt, and flip flops walking past you would think you were crazy if she weren’t singing it, too. We’re all being brainwashed, I tell you. Now give me six spark plugs and a quart of 5W-30 to go with my Frosted Flakes.
- How does the Florida Gator’s mascot move his gator mouth? I mean, really? How does that work? He has arms in the suit, so he doesn’t appear to be pulling strings or levers. Does the dude have jaws of steel or what? Oversized lips? Forked tongue? Are there two people in the suit? Remote controlled from the sidelines? You think I’m kidding, but I am not. This is really bothering me. If you know how this works, please email me.
- I know I’m treading dangerous ground, here, but some of these names of these players are terrifically unforgettable. UConn is a veritable who’s who of uniquely named individuals. Shabazz Napier, Kemba Walker, Alex Oriakhi, Charles Okwandu – is this a basketball team or the cast of the next Star Wars movie? “A long time ago, in a bracket far, far, away, Kemba Skywalker traveled to the distant world of Okwandu to rescue princess Napier. The princess had sent a distress message, pleading, ‘Help me Obi Wan Oriakhi. You’re my only hope!’ Now brave Skywalker must learn the power of the ancient Shabazz in order to rescue the princess and save the galaxy.” You know what I always say. “Let the Wookie win!”
- Don’t you wish you could solve all of life’s hassles by singing, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”? Buffalo! Can I get a hot tub??!!!
- What exactly is a Jayhawk, anyway? Is there such a bird? For that matter, what’s a Tarheel? It sounds like something that would sideline you for 4-6 weeks. “Hey, what’s wrong with Tyler Zoeller? Oh, he’s out 4-6 six weeks with Tarheel.” Seriously, though, judging by the mascot, it appears to be some kind of pathetic goat. VCU’s Ram looks much more menacing…and realistic.
- Do highly paid professional athletes really eat Subway as part of their training regimen?
Awards
I’m only distributing a couple of quick awards this time. More awards will be forthcoming after Sunday’s games.
- The Wonder Woman award, sponsored by Amazon.com, goes to Christy “Warrior Mom” Bowen, who has risen from 317th all the way to 5th. Fear the golden lasso.
- The Better Luck Next Time award goes to Shawn Durnell, currently in last place. In fact, Shawn never made it higher than 436th, but looking over his picks, it is simply because he picked the normal, sane, fully-expected-to-win teams most of the time. There has been nothing sane, normal, or expected about this year’s tournament.
- The Rising Star award goes to Kim Harper, who has climbed from 483rd all the way up to 49th with four winnable games left.
- The Promises, Promises award goes to Matthew “Kansas is a LOCK to make the Final Four!” Hand. Matthew’s alias leaves one wondering why we should believe him, since his other three Final Four picks are Ohio State, Duke, and Florida. Matthew will receive a VCU team photo signed, “With many thanks, Shaka Smart”.
Check back Sunday night for the Round Four Wrap-Up.
The Wizard