Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:53:15 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Jonah Keri :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Jonah+Keri istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/twins-versus-white-sox-the-tale-of-the-tape/85625/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Last week, we looked at the NL East race pitting the Mets against the Phillies, a rematch of the 2007 division chase. We're back with another tale of the tape, this time comparing the two combatants in the tight AL Central race: the White Sox and Twins. RELATED: Phillies Versus Mets: The Tale of the Tape STARS White Sox: Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Bobby Jenks, John Danks Twins: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano When Carlos Quentin slammed his hand against his bat after... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/tatis-the-unlikely-catalyst-of-the-resurgent-mets/84324/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Few teams have suffered more setbacks this year than the Mets. Already coming off one of the biggest late-season collapses in recent memory, the Mets have given their fans more heartburn this year, thanks to a cavalcade of high-profile injuries — Pedro Martinez, Billy Wagner, Moises Alou, Ryan Church, John Maine, Luis Castillo, and Orlando Hernandez, not to mention plenty of more minor ailments. The team's woes seemed to peak in early August. The Mets lost Maine and Wagner to the disabled list... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/lee-halladay-top-award-choices/86702/ Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST It's the end of another baseball season again. Time to get psyched for the playoffs, rake some leaves — and argue like mad over awards choices. Before I present my picks for league MVP awards (as well as Cy Young and Rookie of the Year), a note about my methodology. I don't penalize players for playing on nonplayoff teams, at least not significantly. If the choice comes down to two similarly qualified candidates, give me the one going to the playoffs. Otherwise, "Most Valuable" to me simply... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/teams-new-and-improved-looks-lead-to-contention/86128/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Year after year, teams go through dramatic changes. This year's veteran champions become next year's aging also-rans. Last year's callow group of rookies becomes this year's energetic contenders. It's tough enough figuring out which teams are most likely to change from one year to the next. It's next to impossible to figure out how those changes might take place. Three of this season's top playoff contenders have seen a big change in a key aspect of their respective ball clubs. A year ago... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/phillies-versus-mets-the-tale-of-the-tape/85089/ Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST They've battled back and forth throughout the second half, flipping between winning and losing streaks, watching key players heat up and cool down, and switching spots in the standings more than once. Now, with the Phillies just two games behind the Mets for first place in the NL East before last night's games, and the two teams gearing up for a huge three-game series at Shea this weekend, it's time to weigh in. STARS Mets: David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana Phillies: Chase... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/five-players-to-trade-two-to-call-up-one-to-stay/82690/ Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST The early movers had it right. Make a trade early (C.C. Sabathia, Rich Harden), and you get a top player for a longer period of time. But a few contenders have stood pat, waiting for the right deal. With the non-waiver deadline now just three days away, here's a look at the players who should be traded, players who should be called up, teams that should make a move, and one player who shouldn't (and won't) go anywhere. FIVE WHO SHOULD BE TRADED Adam Dunn, Reds If it seems like the Reds are out... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/8-new-york-baseball-story-lines-to-watch/82192/ Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST The Mets were riding high on a nine-game winning streak and had pulled to within half a game of the first-place Phillies going into last night's return from the All-Star break. The Yankees sit in third place, nursing injuries and trailing the defending champion Red Sox and the talk-of-baseball Rays. Which stories will define New York's teams in the second half? Let's have a look. Yankees First Base/DH The Yankees reached a deal with Richie Sexson yesterday, adding a right-handed bat to their... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/success-means-a-good-contingency-plan/80067/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST By the time you read this, Willie Randolph may no longer be the manager of the Mets. There are some good reasons for Randolph's job being in jeopardy. The Mets have been a .500 team over the past calendar year, with a recent slump knocking them below even this season. It's gotten so bad that even some of his players are anonymously saying it's time to part ways. But there are plenty of other factors responsible for the Mets' malaise. None loom larger than their lack of a contingency plan. At... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/yankees-are-getting-soft-up-the-middle/79735/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST From their first World Series title of this era in 1996, to their run at a 14th-straight playoff berth this season, the Yankees have benefited from having the strongest up-the-middle players in the league. Since 2005, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Robinson Cano have comprised one of the best up-the-middle threesomes baseball has seen in a generation. Add some of the best seasons posted by Johnny Damon, Alfonso Soriano, and Chuck Knoblauch during their years at up-the-middle positions, and the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/luck-may-explain-the-angels-success/79654/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST The Los Angeles Angels' best player, Vladimir Guerrero, has struggled all season. John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, both Cy Young-caliber pitchers last year, started the season on the disabled list and have already missed more than three months on the DL combined. The infield has likewise been decimated by injuries throughout the year. Yet somehow, the Angels have the best record in the American League: They're in the driver's seat to win their fourth division title in five seasons. You can... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/can-hot-florida-teams-keep-up-the-pace/76611/ Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 EST With the 2008 MLB season just past the quarter pole, events are starting to return to their natural order. The Angels, , Cubs, and Diamondbacks are leading their divisions, as many expected. C.C. Sabathia has gone from 2007 Cy Young winner to early-season pumpkin and back to Cy Young form. We've even got a Steinbrenner bending the ear of anyone in the press who'll listen to him agitating for change. But head southeast and you'll find the two biggest surprises in baseball: The Rays and Marlins... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/best-crop-of-wasted-talents-so-far/76156/ Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Fifty-five years ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Ralph Kiner, one of the best power hitters in the game and a future Hall of Famer, to the Chicago Cubs as part of a 10-player deal. Kiner had butted heads for years with the general manager of the Pirates, Branch Rickey, a great judge of talent — and also one of the thriftiest baseball executives of all time. When the trade was announced, Rickey famously told Kiner: "We finished last with you; we can finish last without you." It's doubtful any... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/finding-relief-differs-for-local-teams/75420/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST The last few innings during yesterday's wins for the Mets and Yankees were as quick and easy as any that the two teams have played this year, and the shutdown performances by closers Billy Wagner and Mariano Rivera were reliable and expected. But the lack of drama leading up to the ninth inning was a big coup for the Mets, while adding to a big debate for the Yanks. If a few innings of setup relief in a random late-April game seem uneventful, remember how the Mets' bullpen looked last season... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/how-the-al-east-will-be-won/74816/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST It's the single most predictable scenario in all of professional sports. In nine of the past 10 years, the Yankees and Red Sox have battled it out for the AL East division title. The Blue Jays, Orioles, and (Devil) Rays have been left to fight over the scraps. Listen to some pundits and they'll tell you that decade-long streak could end in 2008. The Jays may have the best starting rotation in baseball and could be primed to take the next step. The Rays are a hot sleeper pick, with an army of... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/after-two-blowouts-expect-a-barnburner-in/74275/ Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST The performance by the Kansas Jayhawks in the first 12 1 /2 minutes of Saturday's game may have been the most impressive showing by any team all season. Jayhawk ballhawks repeatedly turned over North Carolina ball handlers. Unleashed on the break, Kansas attacked the rim, nailing nearly every shot. By the time Roy Williams called time out with 7 minutes 32 seconds to go before halftime, the Jayhawks were up an unfathomable 38–12. As the dejected Tar Heels shuffled back to the bench, CBS'... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/which-number-one-is-true-number-one/74187/ Fri, 4 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST With four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time ever, it's tough to find major holes in any of the contenders for the national championship. Still, each team brings different strengths to the table, creating some interesting contrasts and some compelling matchups. Let's take a look at the four combatants, and the factors that could make or break their chances: UCLA STAR PLAYER: Kevin Love. The freshman big man has ripped through everyone in this tournament, averaging 21.8 points and... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/final-4-are-top-4-a-first/73878/ Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST The commercial advertising Michael Jordan's line of shoes and apparel, which has been playing in an endless loop during this NCAA tournament, had it right all along: There are no Cinderellas. After two weeks of madness, no liberal arts colleges offering free bus rides and hotel rooms to their students remain. All teams with the same names as the sons of your yuppie friends are gone. For the first time since the start of the 64-team field, we have an all-chalk tournament, with all four no. 1... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/davidson-has-right-recipe-to-be-a-giant-slayer/73466/ Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST It was a preposterous matchup on paper. Big, bad Georgetown, loaded with McDonald's All-Americans and future N B A players, against tiny Davidson, the liberal arts college of 1,700 students with a roster made up of players deemed too unskilled, too slow, or too small to play for a big-name school. The teams' star players underscored the gulf between them: Georgetown's 7-foot-2-inch behemoth Roy Hibbert vs. Davidson's baby-faced Stephen Curry, listed as 6 feet and 180 pounds. But perhaps most... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/2008-ncaa-tournament/73004/ Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST EAST EARLY EXIT: Washington St. The only significant loss the no. 4-seeded Cougars suffered from last season was Ivory Clark, who averaged just 8.4 points a game. But Clark's departure only exacerbated the team's biggest weakness: a lack of shot blockers. Coach Tony Bennett's offense is highly efficient with Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver, and Taylor Rochestie in the backcourt. But the Cougs are at risk for an early exit without athletic defenders, especially with a primed Winthrop crew looming in... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/beasts-of-the-big-east-convene-at-the-garden/72760/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST High seeds looking to cement their status. Middle seeds jockeying for a post-season position. Bubble teams clawing to secure a bid. Long shots hoping to Hail Mary their way into the big dance. All of these subplots are on tap for the Big East tournament, starting today. Here's what's at stake for each of the 12 teams in this year's Madison Square Garden hoops-fest: No. 1 Georgetown: The Hoyas' narrow win over Louisville clinched the regular-season title and the top seed in the Big East tourney... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/with-conference-tourneys-comes-new-opportunity/72311/ Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST Over the next two weeks, dozens of conference tournaments will unfold. For the nation's elite teams, it's a chance to firm up a top seed in the big dance. For major-conference squads on the bubble, it's a chance to firm up their résumés. For the best small-conference schools, one loss could spell the end of an otherwise dominant season. Let's take a look at two mid-major and two high-major conference tournaments, and how their results could alter the face of the NCAA tourney. MID-MAJORS... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/despite-tennessees-play-sec-a-weak-conference/71780/ Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST A few moments after Tennessee completed its landmark 66–62 win against Memphis and staked its claim as the new no. 1 team in America, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews took coach Bruce Pearl aside and asked him what the victory meant to him. Pearl didn't immediately launch into a tribute to his team, or even grab Andrews to illustrate Memphis' clutching defense, the way he'd done at halftime. Instead, Pearl pointed to his team's conference, noting how important it was to represent the SEC on a... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/those-lacking-depth-face-dog-days-of-february/71512/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST The college basketball schedule has officially reached the dog days of February. Examine many of the top teams and players in the country, and it's clear that they're dog tired. Grueling schedules, thin benches, and security-blanket-seeking coaches have caused some of the nation's elite talents to wear down. Unable to get their legs under jump shots or defend with the same tenacity as they did earlier in the season or even earlier in a game, tired players are costing their teams points — and... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/nations-best-ever-freshman-class/71245/ Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST As teams lined up for Midnight Madness, we heard that this freshman class was special. That they'd be even better than last year's class, which produced two of the best frosh ever in Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. So great was this group of first-year players, they deserved their own title: best freshman class ever. Four months later, all the hype looks like it was justified. We won't know the full impact of this year's freshman class until the NCAA tournament has come and gone. Still, right now... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/acc-supremacy-at-stake-tonight-on-tobacco-road/70804/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Just three days after a Super Bowl for the ages, the college basketball gods look ready to deliver a Super Bowl-caliber game of their own. It's Duke vs. North Carolina, for the 224th time. No. 2 DUKE (19–1, 7–0 ACC) At No. 3 NORTH CAROLINA (21–1, 6–1) Tonight, 9 p.m., ESPN For all the hype that the Tobacco Road rivalry receives, it's usually warranted. In the 53-year history of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Duke and Carolina have combined for 42 regular season titles. The two teams rank among... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/inconsistent-teams-are-often-most-dangerous/70680/ Mon, 4 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST In sports, consistency is supposed to be a virtue: Play the same way every time, and your team stands a good chance of competing for a championship. Of course, this assumes that a consistent team is also a consistently good team. As it turns out, many of the most consistent teams in college basketball this season happen to be terrible. Moreover, many of the most inconsistent teams are talented, and highly dangerous. To measure the variability (or lack thereof) of teams, one can enlist the help... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/several-teams-prove-mettle-with-elusive-road-win/70261/ Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Heading into Saturday's game against Georgetown, West Virginia had beaten its opponents by an average of 30 points in Morgantown. The Hoyas looked ready to be the Mountaineers' latest victim, trailing for most of the second half. But a Jessie Sapp 3-pointer with six seconds left and a controversial blocked shot by Patrick Ewing Jr. gave Georgetown a huge road win — a rarity in the Big East. Truth be told, road wins are rare on every campus. No major American sport has a bigger home court... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/curse-of-the-20-points-per-game-player/69852/ Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Maryland's 82–80 win over North Carolina at Chapel Hill shocked the college basketball world. How could a team that lost at home to Ohio and American in consecutive games earlier this season possibly go on the road and beat the undefeated Tar Heels, the top-rank team in the nation? A look at both the game stats and the game itself offered some clues. The Terrapins came in knowing they had to slow down Tyler Hansbrough, a Player of the Year candidate who is averaging better than 21 points a game... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/atlantic-10-is-returning-to-form-of-its-glory-days/69418/ Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Over the years in college basketball, the Atlantic 10 conference has skirted the line between a mid-major conference's revenue and a high-major conference's success. In the 1990s, John Chaney's Temple teams and John Calipari's UMass squads staged epic battles, with both schools inevitably reaching the NCAA tournament. In 2004, St. Joseph's rolled all the way to an undefeated regular season and an Elite Eight appearance, where an upstart conference-mate, Xavier, joined the Hawks. Yet for all the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/schools-now-face-real-tests-in-conference-play/69039/ Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST The tantalizing glow of TV revenue, the appeal to top recruits, and the desire to place teams against top competition have sparked a growing number of exciting November and December games in college basketball. But for a true test of contenders' mettle, nothing beats the grind of a packed conference schedule. When a team beats rivals who know all its tendencies, it gives one great insight into a team's ability to succeed under conditions similar to those seen in the NCAA tournament. That's... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/several-surprise-teams-storm-into-conference-play/68644/ Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST Next week marks the start of conference play for most of college basketball. Many situations figure to change over the next few months, as teams that got fat playing Sisters of the Poor get their comeuppance in Chapel Hill, Westwood, and Lawrence. To get a better sense for the quality of team performances, let's take a look at some advanced statistics found at my two favorite analytical sites, KenPom.com and Basketball State (bbstate.com). Go beyond the nation's top dogs, and you'll find... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/college-hoops-q-a-pittsburghs-jamie-dixon/68150/ Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST On Saturday, Pitt scored an impressive 85–68 win over Oklahoma State, running the Panthers' record to 10–0 for the year and securing their top-10 ranking. But the schedule heats up in a hurry from here: They next face undefeated Duke at Madison Square Garden, and then they go on the road against a Dayton team that ranks among the best mid-majors in the country. The New Year then brings the start of Big East play, which promises to be brutal as ever. Jamie Dixon embraces the challenge. Now in... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/unbeatens-try-to-walk-high-wire/68064/ Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST With many teams on break for exams and the holiday season approaching, we're nearly done with the non-conference portion of the college basketball schedule. With that in mind, let's take a look at the remaining undefeated Top 25 Division I teams, their paths to perfection, and how long their unblemished records might last. NORTH CAROLINA (8–0) HOW THEY GOT HERE: The Tar Heels have yet to play a ranked team. They've scored their toughest wins over feisty mid-majors Davidson and BYU. Brendan... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/speed-trumps-brawn-at-duke-and-it-pays-off/67783/ Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST When you think of Duke basketball, a wealth of images probably spring to mind: an army of blue paint-covered co-eds yelling in the ears of opposing players, coach Mike Krzyzewski spitting fire as he roams the sidelines, and Dick Vitale ditching his headset to lead the Blue Devils' cheers. But for the past decade, Duke basketball has included another mainstay — a stable of imposing post players. Elton Brand begat Carlos Boozer. Boozer handed the reins to Shelden Williams. And Williams passed the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/december-offers-its-own-share-of-madness/67207/ Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST One of the biggest debates among college basketball coaches revolves around scheduling. From January on, teams are largely locked into their conferences schedules, with only a handful of opportunities to schedule intriguing non-conference games. But in November, and especially in December, we gain a window into many coaches' belief systems. As fans, we frown on coaches like Jim Calhoun of Connecticut, who year after year refuses to make his team's December schedule interesting, often going... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/is-the-pac-10-the-nations-most-dangerous/66507/ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST Back in the day, when John Wooden and UCLA collected championship banners like Los Angeles collected starlets and traffic jams, no one questioned the strength or toughness of West Coast basketball. Over the past couple of decades, that changed. The Pac-10 became known as a conference that was high on finesse basketball and regular season accomplishments, low on grit and postseason success. No one's saying that anymore. The nation's most loaded conference has a great chance to send seven teams... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/big-game-hunters/66187/ Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST For the first time in a long time, there's no obvious favorite for national champion in college basketball, and there's no clear frontrunner for Player of the Year. The storylines don't flow as easily: No Florida juggernaut to defend its title, no Redick vs. Morrison, no Oden vs. Durant. That's a good thing for hoops fans. With no surefire favorites, conference races should be hotly contested throughout the year. The lack of big-name players gives us a chance to appreciate more players' skills... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/arizonas-arms-can-overpower-cub-bats/63796/ Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST Call it a battle of Nouveau Riche vs. Never Riche. The Arizona Diamondbacks already own one World Series title in their short history. Six years later, they've come back strong, going from a sub-.500 season to the best record in the National League. Meanwhile, the Cubs want to shed their image as lovable losers, having failed to win a World Series in 99 years or even get to one in 62 years. With one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball, they'll get their shot. LINEUPS At a glance, the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/four-mighty-contenders-for-ncaa-basketball-crown/51133/ Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST After 60 games, dozens of thrilling moments, and one of the lowest upset tallies in recent tournament history, the Final Four has come down to four mighty contenders. Or to be more precise, two talent factories and two great systems. Get ready for a star-studded cast: Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green, Joakim Noah and Al Horford, Arron Afflalo and Darren Collison. One of the strongest Final Four fields in years will do battle, with two no. 1 and two no. 2 seeds taking the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/what-we-learned-from-first-two-rounds/50718/ Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST Before we break down the action from the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, a word to the wise: Next year, consider investing in the Mega March Madness package. Despite CBS' efforts to provide live look-ins late in games and when other contests were at halftime, sticking to whatever coverage your region has to offer would have caused you to miss some great performances. Stephen Curry was a first-round revelation for Davidson, giving Maryland everything the Terps could handle in what may... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-mad-march/50405/ Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST Raise your hand if you can remember an NCAA tournament field as wide open as this year's. The usual stalwarts of recent vintage, Duke and Connecticut, are nowhere near their usual status as no. 1 seeds — UConn didn't even make the NIT. There are still plenty of familiar names. But how do you separate North Carolina from Kansas? If Ohio State plays Florida, would the Thad Five prevail, or would Gators fans be chanting "Just like football"? You've got questions; we've got answers. If the... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/hoyas-team-to-beat-in-a-big-east-without-a-beast/49977/ Wed, 7 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST No Connecticut team with a starting lineup loaded with future first-round picks. No dominant Syracuse team equally capable of ripping your heart out with devastating defense and monster dunks. While this year's Big East tournament will feature its share of strong squads, no one team has the kind of talent that makes opponents squirm and fans marvel. When the tourney tips off today, Georgetown will be the clear favorite. But the Hoyas earn that distinction not as much for their raw talent as for... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/several-outside-top-16-poised-to-make-big-runs/49275/ Mon, 26 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST For all the buzz surrounding no. 1 Wisconsin at no. 2 Ohio State and no. 3 Florida's surprising loss on the Bayou, you'd think these teams were playing for their tournament lives. In reality, what's at stake for these elite squads is nothing more than a one-spot swing in tournament seeding: Either they will get top seeds in their brackets, or they'll nab no. 2s. Recent tournament history suggests that nail-biting fans of these schools should channel their grief elsewhere. Last season, no no. 1... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/which-teams-can-bust-the-brackets-come-march/49117/ Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST If March represents madness in college basketball, February is all about clarity. Every win, every loss, every great individual performance makes the overall picture a little clearer. As the tournament approaches and fans and press alike start to consider possible brackets, every piece of information helps. With apologies to Vandy over Florida, Michigan State over Wisconsin, and other big recent games, few events have told us more about the state of the game this season than ESPN's recent... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/princeton-offense-nba-talent/48682/ Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST During Georgetown's 71–53 rout of no. 23 West Virginia on Monday, two first-half plays stood out. In the game's opening moments, West Virginia swingman Frank Young had the ball at the top of the key. Young leads the Big East in three-pointers made, and the Hoyas knew this. When a Mountaineer set a screen on Jeff Green, Young sprung free — but only for a split second. Roy Hibbert — the 7-foot-2-inch Georgetown center who's as tough to shoot over as the Statue of Liberty — immediately recognized... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/top-10-candidates-for-player-of-the-year/48428/ Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST By this time last college basketball season, the locks for Player of the Year race were already crystal-clear. On one side you had J.J. Redick, the smooth-shooting leader for highly ranked Duke. On the other you had Adam Morrison, the scoring machine with the funky moves for upstart Gonzaga. No one else came close. This year, so many worthy candidates have emerged that the pick often changes depending on what any one candidate did in his most recent game. With that in mind, let's count down our... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/which-mid-major-will-be-this-years-george-mason/48222/ Thu, 8 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST San Diego State's 62–41 blowout of Air Force perfectly encapsulated the state of mid-major teams in college basketball. On one hand, you had the delirious SDSU fans at Cox Arena storming the court after the win over their Mountain West rivals. That kind of display is usually reserved for elite opponents. But Air Force was 20–3 coming into the game, ranked no. 15 in the country — the Falcons certainly met the criteria for a top-tier opponent. On the other hand, Air Force's performance was a... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/traditional-powerhouses-must-now-scrap-to-make/48021/ Mon, 5 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST When Arizona routed visiting Washington 84–54 Saturday, it was a familiar scene: Talented opponent comes to Tucson, then wilts under a blitzkrieg of Arizona offense and a raucous McKale Center crowd. But U of A's blowout win was anything but a coronation. In fact, the victory snapped a streak of five losses in the Wildcats' past six games, six in their last eight. Arizona may look back at the Washington game as the one that let them sneak into the tournament. That's a shocking thought. After... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/big-12-boasts-dangerous-four/47844/ Thu, 1 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Only three conferences in America can claim four top-25 teams as their own. The first two should come as no surprise: The ACC is college basketball's perennial darling conference, and upstarts like Virginia Tech and Clemson have joined the ACC's Tobacco Road royalty — North Carolina and Duke — among the nation's elite. Meanwhile, the Pac-10 has become the top power conference in the country, with Stanford and USC both on the cusp of making it six top-25 teams out of 10, a remarkable achievement... JONAH KERI http://www.nysun.com/sports/after-florida-sec-filled-with-surprises/47533/ Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST The no. 1-ranked Florida Gators enjoyed an easy 91–66 victory Saturday over Auburn's Tigers. But it was Wednesday's game that in many ways served as a microcosm of the best team in America. Trailing by four, on the road against SEC rival Mississippi State, the Gators were in trouble. Many of Florida's top players were struggling and the Starkville crowd was roaring. With a little over 13 minutes to go in the second half, Gators swingman Cory Brewer drove to the hoop and drew the foul. After...