Season preview for Tigers (AOL FanHouse)

AOL's FanHouse is one of my favorites, and so I was honored when they asked me to write a season preview for the site. I think you will agree that I am a regular Bill Shakespeare. In fact, I might be the greatest writer of this era and I didn't even know until I penned this masterpiece.

FanHouse NCAA Hoops BlogPoll: No. 10, Memphis Tigers

Show news: Bobby Bowden and Bruce Pearl...

are scheduled for the show on Thursday. I will try to get the audio from earlier in the week up on the site today (Bill Romanowski, Jeff Goodman, Easterwood, etc.). Today, Hasseltine will be in studio because the Grizzlies travel tomorrow, and Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace will be on for the weekly segment at 5.

UMASS coach Derek Kellogg (The Audio)

Coach Kellogg was on the show before the game tonight. Audio is below if you missed it...

Philanthropy (The Misery)

2-3 on the weekend, making the season record 39-23 (63%).
We won on Texas easy and we won on Washington St. The rest of the picks were rough. Georgia gave Auburn about 90 yds of offense in penalties and by the end of the game I was hoping Kodi Montana, I mean, Kodi Burns would just go ahead and beat them. When Oklahoma St. kicks a FG from the 1 on their first drive, you get the feelin it is gonna be a long night, and it was. The last game was South Carolina and that might have been the quickest cover in history, and it least it was a quick death. And the positive of the weekend... we didn't have the Steelers. That was seriously shady.

Philanthropy (The Picks)

Philanthropy season record now stands at 37-20 (65%) after Vinnie Verno killed it last week. Now it's go time. You can't stop this train. Philanthropy this week...

Texas -13 over Kansas (I love Kansas, they have been good to us, but they can't stop the Melrose Wildcats. Kansas is 92nd in the nation in defense, 117th against the pass. Uh-oh. Texas needs style points, Reesing has been throwing picks under pressure. This could get ugly for the Jayhawks.)

Georgia -9.5 over Auburn (Auburn is awful. 99th ranked offense, come on. Georgia has the 14th best rushing D in the country, which leads us to...Kodi Burns. 1 td, 8 picks. Georgia rolls Auburn here, just like they have the last 2 years when Auburn had a better team)

South Carolina +23 over Florida (That is just too many points to cover against an SEC team that is not terrible. South Carolina has the 3rd best defense in the nation and I get over 3td's? I'll take it.)

Oklahoma St. -17 over Colorado (Blow. Out. The Cowboys are awesome against the spread this year at 8-1. Colorado had the whole team fall apart from injury and grades in October. Buddha can't help you in this one Dan Hawkins. This is gonna be a mercy killing)

Washington St. +36.5 over Arizona St. (I know, I know. The Cougars might be the worst team in the world, but they did score 28 last week. Their coming on! Actually, I don't believe that, but I do believe that this is too many points to cover for an Arizona St. team that is 82nd in the nation in total offense. They are 110th in rushing, and Wash St actually is 33rd nationally in pass defense. Give me over 5 tds.)

Mic Check

This week the TV bit was based on the article I posted a few days ago about Mike Conley Jr. I would like to thank ABC for the way the screen is frozen on the video before it starts. Hahaha. Mic Check is on CW 30 at 9:45, and ABC 24 during the 10pm news on Wednesday nights.
Here is the bit if you missed it...

MIC CHECK 11-12-08

Kenny Mayne and Big Jack Eaton (The Audio)

The legendary Big Jack Eaton

Jack Eaton is one of my favorite people ever. When I first got a job in radio I worked with him for the first several years. I didn't grow up in Memphis, so I did not grow up watching Jack on Channel 5 and listening to him call Memphis games on the radio. I just worked with him, everyday for 5 years. He was always there to help me, which can be rare sometimes in a business where many times older guys can be resentful, insecure, and take themselves so seriously. In a business where so many people take themselves so seriously, I always noticed that the guy that was the most beloved in town was also the most self-deprecating. That is not a coincidence. Also, I looked forward to seeing him at work everyday and never remember him being in a bad mood. Anyway, Jack now has a new book coming out. The book is of his famous poems he wrote, and it is available at www.memphissport.net. I would imagine if you are a Memphis sports fan, or know one, this would be perfect. Jack was in studio in the 5 oclock hour yesterday to talk about some of his favorite stories of calling Tiger games, and to talk about the book (I will get the audio up soon). He also brought a poem about the show...

Ode to Chris Vernon

Great Caesar's Ghost what do you know
Here I am on the Chris Vernon Show.
He's come a long way I'm telling you
From his days working at WHBQ.
At 56 he just couldn't find his spot
But 730 said-go for kid- and look what he's got.
Checking those ratings-they go up and down
But he has the # 1 Sports talk show in town.
Chris,you've done very well working alone
So if Weinberger calls-don't answer the phone..

What is Mike Conley Jr.?

I guess I need to say from the jump that I never liked the draft pick. I was convinced that if Xavier fouls when they should have against Ohio St. in the tournament that there was no way Mike Conley Jr. was gonna be a lottery pick (much less a top 5 pick). In fact, he probably goes back to school. His stock went crazy after his team went to the championship game. Beware of the guy who's stock was dependent on the tournament. I was hoping I would be wrong about this, but I wasn't.

With that being said, the same people that wanted to max-out Pau Gasol, build around Pau Gasol, and keep Pau Gasol are the same that love Mike Conley. This is no coincidence. Conley has a lot of the same characteristics. He is smart, he is nice, he is weak.
Everyone else around these type of players will get blamed for what they are. The other players, the coach, the media, whatever.

Guys with supreme talent can overcome not having any "dog" in them (see: Pau Gasol), and guys with the "dog" in them can overcome not being supremely talented (see: Shane Battier).
Conley has no "dog" in him, and he is not supremely talented. This is a problem, and it is already easy to identify. This does not change with time, this is not about coaching, this is not about the other players on the team.

Hopefully the Grizzlies can get something for him before everyone in the world realizes the truth.

You mess with the bull...

you get the horns. You knock Vinnie down, you better kill him. Vinnie Verno comes back blazin, going 4-1 on the day. Philanthropy season record moves to 37-20 (65%) on the year. We also gave you the 3 games to run away from (the traps)- AZ State, Kansas, and Rice (update: AZ St pulled out cover). You can't stop this train now. Merry Christmas.

Philanthropy (The Picks)

The record now stands at 33-19 (63%) after getting beat up last week. But Vinnie Verno ain't no punk and we are comin back swingin. Here are the picks for the weekend...

Alabama -3.5 over LSU (LSU is a fraud, we have been talking about it all season. Bama is 8-2 ats in last 10 road games. Road team is 10-1-1 ats in this matchup in last 12)

Penn St. -7.5 over Iowa (Not buying an upset or close loss for Iowa. Penn St is 7-1-1 ats in last 9 games. Penn St has 6th ranked D and Iowa can only run.)

Ohio St. -10.5 over Northwestern (Mike Kafka, your time has expired. This is revenge for NWestern beating us when we had Minny. The nerds stink. I watched them. Ohio St drills them every single year., they drill em again)

Michigan St. -9 over Purdue (Purdue is trash. 89th against the rush, 85th in overall D. Helllloo Ringer. Purdue has scored 6,3,6, and 26 in Big Ten games against teams not named Michigan)

Air Force -10 over Colorado St (People are on the Rams jock because the played BYU close. So what, they stink. We love Air Force and they are 7-1 ats in last 8 at home, 13-3 ats in last 16 overall. Colorado St. cannot stop the run. Bad news for the Rams.)

NFL Overdog Parlay of the Year!
Miami -8.5 over Seattle
Tenn -3 over Chicago
Carolina -9.5 over Oakland

Clay Travis and Chris Wallace (The Audio)

Clay Travis writes for deadspin.com, and is also writing a book about the Tennessee Vols season. He joined us the day that Fulmer stepped down to talk about the decision, and where UT goes from here.

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace joined us for the weekly segment live from Sacramento.
Both are loaded in the player.

What is it with that town?

The Grizzlies cannot win in Sacramento (that is 20 in a row now). I hope my grandchildren will get to see a Memphis Grizzlies team win in that town. Sac had been getting beaten to death by teams coming into this game (which I should know does not matter) and then...
Kevin Martin goes ballistic
OJ and Rudy get in foul trouble
Sac doubles the ball constantly
Marc Gasol rendered ineffective after monster game
At least the Grizzlies fought and made it interesting in the 4th, after being horrific to start the last frame (they had a chance...Ross missed FT's, OJ losin ball on break, those hurt)

By the way, people always fancy Conley as a "Tony Parker type" which always makes me shutter/ laugh. Parker had 55 tonight. 55! There is only one Parker, he is insanely rare in what he brings to the table. There are virtually zero players you could even compare him to.
If Mike Conley ever scores 55 in a game in his career I will cut off both of my ears. I would be amazed if he ever gets half of that in a game.