This blog features observations from Line Creek Valley resident Wes Minder. The comments on the blog do not represent the views of the City of Kansas City, MO, Platte County, MO, the Park Hill School District, my wife, my children, Warner Brothers, Blacque Jacqcue Shellacque, my wife's employer, the Platte Brooke North HOA, the TIF Commission of Kansas City, space aliens, the University of Illinois, Rockhurst University, or any other governmental or private group mentioned on this site. Any comments are the opinions of the respective commenter and are not reflective of any governmental or private group. Posts may be scheduled and spaced out to go live during hours of the day so time stamps are not reflective of the actual time of post writing. Any political endorsements are not paid and the cost of this blog is all borne by myself. The opinions on the blog posts are the opinions of one person-Wes Minder aka the Line Creek Loudmouth.
Morris Peterson and Mateen Cleaves led the Spartans to a tough win over Iowa State to get to the Final Four which eventually led to the 2000 NCAA title. Looking at the 2000 bracket, this really was the national title game since they were the two best teams left in the tournament. They were the only two programs higher than a 3 seed that made it to the final 8 and the other 3 number 1 seeds lost in the second round. This game of course is the "Larry Eustachy" meltdown game which after learning of his battle with alcohol made more sense how he could have lost it.
I keep posting a lot of things from the 1990 tournament. It was one of the most exciting tournaments ever with 30 out of the 63 games being decided by 5 points or less. I can't find an article proving it but I recall that it had the most last second shots of all tournaments. It also had some other great stories. Twenty-three years ago, Loyola Marymount's magical, emotion fueld tournament run ended when they lost to UNLV.
Kirk Manns, Steve Smith, and the Michigan State Spartans got hosed in the Superdome when Kenny Anderson drove the length of the court and nailed a clutch shot after the buzzer sounded (IMHO). Of course, it was easy to do versus a Jud Heathcote coached team that forgot to play defense and the All-American Smith bricking the front end of a one and one.
Note the very young looking Tom Izzo in the shot....oooh baby.
Glen Rice really started his amazing NCAA tourney run by dropping 34 points on North Carolina and leading Michigan to the Elite 8. This team of course was a team of destiny created by one of the most amazing and gutsy firings in the history of sports.
Tate George hit the best NCAA tournament buzzer beater ever. I make that statement based upon the direness of the situation, the length of the pass, and the difficulty of the shot.
I have a confession to make. I have a total man crush on Tom Izzo. The man knows how to teach rebounding and playing hard defense. Maybe that's why he's been to 6 Final Fours with teams that were loaded with talent and teams that were not. What is amazing is that he's done it with #1 seeded teams and teams that weren't ranked.
In 2010, Korie Lucious of #5 seed Michigan State nails a three pointer propelling Michigan to the Sweet Sixteen. The Spartans eventually lost to super Cinderella Butler in the Final Four.
Ali Farokhmanesh became the coolest name in college basketball and Northern Iowa showed how a team that played fundamental team basketball can win when rattling a team that can't.
That was a GREAT charge call and a great play by the guy taking it.
Hot off the presses from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Beginning next year, pass interference penalties will dramatically change.
Perhaps the most significant rules change next season will be one that reduces the penalty for pass interference. While the 15-yard penalty will remain for both offensive and defensive pass interference, the loss of down has been removed for offensive pass interference and the automatic first down has been eliminated for defensive pass interference.
"Offensive and defensive pass interference and the penalty structure related to these fouls has been debated many times in recent years," (Brad) Garrett, (chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association) said . "Proposals that either deleted the loss of down or the automatic first down - but not both - failed to gain support among committee members. The proposal to eliminate both components, thus not upsetting the balance between offense and defense, was the key factor in the adoption of the new rule."
I think this is a good change. In my humble opinion, the penalty a loss of down impairs officials willingness to call offensive pass interference because losing 15 yards and a down essentially kills any chance for the offense to recover. The automatic first down on defensive pass interferences will clean up the game by not allowing an offensive team with 30+ yards to gain to heave a hail mary and get bailed out by a yellow flag.
Other changes include:
Another change at high school football games next year will be the expanded use of communication devices. In specific situations, coaches, players and nonplayers will be allowed to use any form of communication technology. This expansion of the rule allows the use of communication devices during authorized conferences outside the nineyard marks, on the sidelines and during the halftime intermission. Use of communication devices by players except conferences outside the nine-yard mark continues to be prohibited.
In Rule 2-4-1, the committee clarified the rule approved last year regarding the definition of a catch, which stated that a receiver is required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession - regardless of the opponent's action. "The committee clarified the definition of a catch such that an airborne player who has forward progress stopped inbounds and is carried out of bounds by an opponent before contacting the ground is awarded a catch at the spot of forward progress," Colgate said. (Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine)
Unfortunately the rules committee refuses to adopt an official rule in the NFHS book for someone "giving him the business."
The folks over at the Village at Burlington Creek have scored a major goal. The Stanley Cup will be on display from 4:30 to 6:30. Full details here. I don't know if the Cup has ever been in Jackson County since the Scouts were probably too clueless to bring it here 35+ years ago but we can say for sure it's been here.
The Cup is THE greatest sports tradition. I still get John Boehner teary eyed every time I watch the video below of Ray Bourque finally winning the Cup with my 2nd favorite team. Bourque was one of the all time class acts who unfortunately played his entire career with the Boston Bruins™ who (at that time) were the Royals™ of hockey. The fans showed up no matter what product was put on the ice and the owner was a tightwad who never spent any money bringing in new or keeping talent. Put those two together and you have a very profitable owner and a continually disappointed fan base. Before his final season he was traded to Colorado and they won it all.
This was one of the all time great feel good moments in the last 50 years of sport in my humble opinion.