WASHINGTON STATE'S aim to develop a deep-threat receiving option this season is going to be a bit more challenging than anticipated. The fastest member of the wideout corps, senior-to-be Johnny Forzani, ran into academic trouble and is now planning to try and head to the CFL this summer, according to sources close to the program.
DOES IT EVER STOP????? DOES IT EVER FREAKING STOP????!??!?!??!!?
(via Cougfan.com)
AUDIO: Ken Bone press conference, season ender
Ken Bone met with the media for one final teleconference before calling it a season. I haven't listened to it yet, so I can't tell you what he talks about. My guess would be the decision to not pursue postseason basketball is in there somewhere ...
EDIT: It starts with the postseason question, so that's good. Also, it gets into the realm of who might not be on this team next year, but Bone has no answers yet. He anticipates guy(s) leaving, but nobody has told him they're leaving. So, that means no rosterbation from all of you. This is a no speculation thread. Banninations will ensue. You've been warned.
As usual, you can listen to the audio via the player below, or visit our podcast page for myriad ways to subscribe to all of our audio, including our original weekly podcast program. You can also find us in the iTunes directory under keyword "CougCenter," or simply click this link. The advantage of subscribing? Besides having the audio directly delivered to your player of choice, I often upload the audio to the podcast site before posting it here.
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The CougCenter Bracket Challenge
OK, folks: It's all set up for you over at ESPN.com, since a plurality of you (as of the time I wrote this) selected the four-letter network as our provider of choice. And as benevolent dictators, we sometimes like you to feel like you have a say in what goes on around here.
A few things to note:
- This is open to anyone in the CougCenter.com community. The more, the merrier!
- No, we don't have any prizes. I'm a teacher and HAVE YOU SEEN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON? Bragging rights will have to suffice.
- It's a basic scoring system (correct responses in the first round worth 10, each successive round worth double). I can't change the scoring system, but that's what I usually do anyway (without the multiples of 10).
- Only one entry per person.
- You must title your bracket with your SB Nation username. It makes it a lot more fun to talk trash at each other when you know who you're actually talking about. For example, you all will be telling me how awful my bracket is repeatedly, because I always suck at this.
So, here are your steps (probably more detailed than most of you need, but hey -- I'm a teacher; leave nothing to chance):
- Visit ESPN.com's fantasy sports site. Click on "Tournament Challenge."
- Log in with your ESPN.com account, or create one if you don't have one.
- Click "Create Your Entry."
- Where it says "Name Your Entry," put your SB Nation username (mine was Nuss but is now Jeff Nusser)
- You can fill out your bracket now or sometime later, but just don't forget to do it before tipoff of the first game on Thursday. The play-in game is not counted.
- About a third of the way down from the top of the screen is a link that says "My Groups." Put your mouse over that and then click on "Create or Join a Group."
- In the search box, type "CougCenter." Click on the group when it drops down from the box.
- Under password, type "huskiessuck." (I just wanted to get that little jab in at our Husky friends who will be a part of the fun.)
That's all there is to it. Just make sure you settle on your picks before Thursday morning.
For those of you who just can't get enough, I also set up CougCenter groups for ESPN.com's two other games related to the tournament: the Hardcourt Challenge and College Hoops Pick 'Em. You know, for those of us who would like to have something to follow long after our bracket is obliterated.
That's pretty much it. I'll leave you with SB Nation's region previews to get you started, and I'll try to pass along other interesting NCAA Tournament stories along the way this week.
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2010 NCAA Tournament, South Preview & Predictions: Don't Sleep On Baylor Bears - SB Nation
SB Nation previews the South Regional bracket of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. -
2010 NCAA Tournament, East Preview & Predictions: Heard Of This John Wall Fella? - SB Nation
Martin Rickman from Blogger So Dear takes a look at the big stories in the East Region -
2010 NCAA Tournament, West Preview & Predictions: Where We're Covered In Chalk - SB Nation
West Regional Breakdown: Where We're Leaving The Madness For Another Region -
2010 NCAA Tournament, Midwest Preview & Predictions: The Toughest Region - SB Nation
Previewing the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Region, the toughest part of this year's bracket.
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Four Pac-10 teams headed to the postseason
Most of you have probably seen most of this, but I figured I'd throw it out there, you know, for the record.
NIT
- TUESDAY: No. 1 Arizona State vs. No. 8 Jacksonville, 8:00 p.m. PDT
CBI
- WEDNESDAY: Boston University and Oregon State, TBA
NCAA Tournament
- THURSDAY: No. 11 Washington vs. No. 6 Marquette, East Regional (San Jose, Calif.), 4:20 p.m. PDT
- FRIDAY: No. 8 California vs. No. 9 Louisville, South Regional (Jacksonville, Fla.), 6:50 p.m. PDT
Notably absent from this are UCLA and Arizona, both of which presumably could have played in the CBI had they wanted to, but made it clear they did not want to. Who knows if the Cougs were invited to participate or not, but looking at the participants, I have a hard time believing they wouldn't have been welcome.
A normal Pac-10 year involves four or more teams heading to the NCAA Tournament. We can hope this is a one-year downturn for the conference, but if the SEC is any indication -- three bids in a 12-team league for the second consecutive year four bids this year after three last year -- there's an uphill battle ahead.
Here are some quick thoughts on each team's situation:
- It's always so tough to read what an NIT team is going to do. Are they disappointed to be there and going to flame out? Are they pissed off and looking to take it out on someone? I'm not sure where ASU fits on this continuum, but they're a fairly veteran squad that I don't think will roll over and die. Plus, they're playing at home against a vastly inferior opponent -- Pomeroy has set the odds of an upset at 7 percent. I like their chances to at least win the first game, and it wouldn't surprise me if they ran deep. That said, this will be one of the measures of just what the true quality of the conference was this year.
- Oregon State's back to defend their CBI crown. Yawn. I really have no further thoughts on this.
- Pomeroy has identified UW/Marquette as his FanMatch game for Thursday -- out of all the games on Thursday, his system thinks it has the potential to be the most entertaining for fans. It's a proprietary system, so I don't know how he comes up with his percentages, but I do know this: Each team has strengths that can attack each others' weaknesses. Pomeroy has the game listed as a toss up, and I think that's close to the truth. If Washington wins, it will be considered an upset. But it won't really be one.
If the Huskies can get past Marquette, watch out. New Mexico will likely beat Montana, and whichever team survives that 6/11 matchup will be favored by Pomeroy -- the Lobos are rated just No. 47 by him. Now, I don't treat Pomeroy's ratings as gospel truth, but when there's that big of a disconnect between their efficiency margin (the basis for his ratings) and their seed, that's usually a red flag. - Cal might be disappointed by its seeding, but to be honest, it's not a half bad arrangement for the Bears. First of all, I think Louisville was overseeded. Sure, the Cardinals have beaten Syracuse twice, but they also lost to St. John's by 19 and Marquette by 21. Consistency is not their strong suit. The only matchup I was hoping Cal wouldn't get is against a strong defensive team. Louisville is certainly not that. This will be a high-scoring affair, and I like Cal's experience to win out.
After that? Most people dread the 8/9 game because it's awful hard to make it to that second weekend when you have to go through a No. 1 seed. But Duke seems to most to be the most beatable of the 1's. I'm not saying the Bears will be favored. In fact, I don't think Cal matches up well with The Blue Devils. But it could be worse.
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Selection Sunday Open Thread
If you feel like talking about the selection of the NCAA Tournament, here's your spot. Some relevant links for discussion until the bracket is unveiled in about 15 minutes:
Am I the only one who won't be completely shocked if the committee puts ASU in? I know it's far fetched ... but ... what if Cal turns up as a 5 or 6 seed? Were the Sun Devils that much worse?
Also, we're going to have a CougCenter bracket challenge again. I haven't set it up yet. Vote in the poll below to pick the service you like best, and we'll go with that one.
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Just got off the phone with WSU sports information basketball contact Jessica Schmick - I had asked earlier today about postseason - and she said coach Ken Bone had decided it would be best not to pursue a berth in the CBI or any other postseason tourney. That means WSU’s season, Bone’s first in Pullman, will end 16-15.
WSU decides not to extend season - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - March 13, 2010
I have to admit, I'm a little surprised if the CBI truly was an option. That seems to be giving up a lot of potential teaching time.
2 days ago
Jeff Nusser
10 comments
0 recs
At least we get two bids
Washington wins the Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament. The tournament, in case you didn't know, decides the true champion of the Pacific-10 conference.
Except for last year, of course, where USC won the tournament title on a fluke and the regular season champion Washington Huskies were the true champion of the conference. See how that works? It's science.
12 comments | 1 recs
Oregon's Masoli Pleads Guilty To Misdemeanor, Suspended For 2010 Season - SB Nation
This is just the opening we need! Pac-10 title 2010!
3 days ago
Jeff Nusser
12 comments
0 recs












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