STF Big East Report 2/28/2008

Cool story of the past week: I get my STF t-shirt in the mail from the leadership of this here site, and immediately, I wear it to the gym. I'm on the treadmill, doing a hearty 5.3 (it's basically like walking a little fast, but it hurts), and the girl next to me, a blond I'd evaluate superficially at the 6.7 - 7.4 range, looks over at me and smiles, just a smidge. This has never really happened to me, so I halfway trip on the edge of the treadmill and almost bite it straight backwards to the vulcanized floor. I regain my balance, with "Flashing Lights" blasting in my ears, as she says, "I've seen that site."

And that was basically the extent of the conversation. Still, I love hope. Sweet, sweet hope.

Now onto the Big East.

TEAM WITH THE BEST WEEK: LOUISVILLE
The last time Louisville lost was January 28th; Johan Santana was still contemplating throwing to Joe Mauer for another season, and a different Castro was running Cuba. In that time, they've waxed Marquette, Georgetown, 'Cuse, and Pittsburgh, and every mid-level CBB analyst in America seems to anoint them as a sleeper team for a Final Four run. My take, as if it matters: I love Pitino, and think he's about 18 times the coach Roy Williams is, but gets about 3/4 of the credit. I think they're athletic, and they're going to enter the NCAAs hot (they may win the BE Tournament). Still, I'm not about to ride Padgett's baloney pony like the rest of the CSTV/ESPN 2pm Saturday/RayCom Sports gang. He's good, but he's not super. He'll get eaten alive in a competitive Sweet 16 game.

PLAYER WITH THE BEST WEEK: JEFF ADRIEN
Adrien got runner up status in this category towards the beginning of the season. Right now, he's blowing up. Now, granted, his biggest game of the season numbers-wise took place against Rutgers, which is like saying you scored the Prom Queen when she was on rufies (too soon?). However, you just know Adrien is gonna have a monster performance in New York, and him and A.J. Price are clicking like Brian and Peter, Lindsay and one of the eight Italians she slept with on New Year's Eve, or T-Boz and Takeo. Is it me, or does he kinda look like Rudy Gay? (Not Takeo - Adrien. Man, I'm terrible with modifiers)

TEAM WITH THE WORST WEEK: PITTSBURGH
Remember when these guys were Top 10 material? They've dropped 3 of their last 4, mostly to ranked teams within the league - Louisville, Marquette, and ND. They're 8-7 in the league right now. While most likely they make the Dance, let's say they enter as a six/seven. I say Six West, and they bite it to the 11. If they get a 5, they're definitely going down. A 12 always beats a 5 somewhere, right? (Note: I got killed two years ago picking three 12 over 5 games. I'm a moron)
THE SKED
TONIGHT - Notre Dame vs. Louisville. I absolutely hate Notre Dame, and cringe when people say "they might make a run." Harangody is slow and gets too much credit. Mike Brey looks like a snake oil salesman. I dunno. Is that anti-Catholic?

SATURDAY - Georgetown vs. Marquette. This is exactly the type of game GU should win, because Marquette's presence at the 5 is kinda suspect. That means it's exactly the type of game they'll likely lose.

SATURDAY - Seton Hall vs. St. John's. "Hey Norm, don't you wish NYC had more talent to choose from? It totally screws us." "Yep, Bobby, you're soooo right."

MONDAY - Pittsburgh vs. WVU. If this was football, I'd care more.

GENERALLY IRRELEVANT FAMILY GUY QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Stewie: We're playing house...
Lois: But that kid is all tied up!
Stewie: Roman Polanski's house.

Intensity. That's going to be the theme on March 8th, when Georgetown and Louisville lock horns presumably for the 1 seed in the Big East Tournament. Louisville's already taken down Georgetown once this season, in the famed Pitino-Changes-Suits-But-Doesn't-Grope-Erin-When-She-Asks-Him-About-It game, but this time'll be in DC. Not that the No. 1 vs the No. 2 in the BE Tournament really matters (ya both get a bye), but it'll be a humdinger nonetheless. Just like we imagine Roman's house is at any given time.