Villanova-Pitt Snapshot

Wow. That was an amazing Elite-8 game between Villanova and Pittsburgh tonight, with an equally exciting finish. By the time you read this, you may have already read one writer or another comparing this game to the Duke-Kentucky game of 1994. A fair comparison? Maybe, but probably not. There were some outstanding performances in tonight’s game that goes beyond the all-out hustle by everyone on the floor and the infinite number of lead changes: Sam Young’s 28 points in defeat; four ‘Nova players in double-figures; and the Wildcats knocking down 22 out of 23 free throws.

But I’m not here to summarize the game for you. I had the distinct privilege of texting a Pittsburgh native (and thus, a Pitt fan) during the last hour of the game, and what follows is a running text diary of one of the most exciting NCAA Tournament games in recent memory. You may know Bearcat as our Links Editor, but he is also a big fan of all things Pittsburgh … and Jameson Irish Whiskey.

We pick up at the TV timeout with 10:07 remaining in the game and Villanova leading, 54-53. In the interest of integrity, spelling and punctuation has not been changed and I’ve added the score after some of the dialogue for context.

ZJ (8:50pm): Christ, this is a good game! (Nova 54, Pitt 53)

Bearcat (8:51): I’m about to jump off a bridge.

ZJ (8:52): What r u drinking?

Bearcat (8:53): Newcastle

Bearcat (8:53): Yes!!!!! (Pitt 55, Nova 54)

ZJ (8:55): All of a sudden, there’s a lot of ticky-tack fouls being called on nova … they’re tiring.

Bearcat (8:56): Yeah… Pitt is wearing them out. I’m feeling ok. (Nova 56, Pitt 55)

ZJ (8:59): You should be drinking Iron City.

Bearcat (9:01): WTF Pitt needs to get up with some dististance

ZJ (9:02): Will u please teach blair how to shoot free throws? (Nova 56, Pitt 55)

Bearcat (9:03): Pitt player can’t hit from the line… Been that way for 10 years

ZJ (9:04): I thought it’s been since sean miller graduated

Bearcat (9:05): Nice… Beer not working switch to jameson (Nova 59, Pitt 55)

ZJ (9:09): I knew it was only a matter of time.

Bearcat (9:11): Op

Bearcat (9:11): 22 fouls for nova (Nova 58, Pitt 57)

Bearcat (9:12): That is high but they are pressing

ZJ (9:14): Jesus they’re 17-17 from the ft line!

Bearcat (9:15): That is keeping them in it… Might kill Us down the stretch (Nova 61, Pitt 60)

ZJ (9:16): Is the Jameson helping?

Bearcat (9:17): I’m loaded… Had a couple shots might need more

ZJ (9:17): OMG – is that assault!? (Pitt 67, Nova 65)

At this point the game was very physical. Also at this point, it should be noted that Bearcat went underground and all communications went silent for ten solid minutes.

Bearcat (9:27): Hey remember when the steeler won the the superbowl hold on to that… (Pitt 76, Nova 76)

ZJ (9:30): Damn. (Final – Nova 78, Pitt 76)

Bearcat (9:32): So now I have pirates pens and steelers off season

ZJ (9:34): That was a helluva game. Btw, I’m posting our running texts on DSB.

Bearcat (9:36): Nice… Info DSB that mrs. Bearcat was going nuts.

ZJ (9:37): That she likes nuts? Okay.

Bearcat (9:38): LOL… She is not laughing at that…

Bearcat (9:40): Post it… I’m now going to break something

Bearcat (9:41): I want to throw garbage in a nova player’s families yard

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
ZJ

Jerk Store: Billy Packer

Why he is a jerk:
Beyond the recent stories of Billy Packer hiring a psychic to solve the O.J. Simpson murders (another Jerk HOF nominee) Packer has been a point of contention for all March Madness watchers in the past due to his curmudgeon attitude and crack pot analysis of college basketball and especially coaching. I had in the past regrettably defended CBS for keeping him on the air saying it gave us something to bitch about. If you are a frequent reader of DSB you know that the writers here love to bitch. So when CBS dropped him before this year’s college basketball season it was (at least for me) kind of bittersweet. A quick rundown of Packer’s best jerk moments: In 1996 during a Georgetown v. Villanova game Packer called Iverson a “tough monkey” and later was forced to apologize. In 2000, Packer before a men’s basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, stated, “Since when do we let women control who gets into a men’s basketball game? Why don’t you go find a women’s game to let people into?” when the female student working security asked Packer to show his press pass. One word. Classy. Couple these incidents with his comments about St. John’s not being worthy of a number 1 seed prior to them making the Elite Eight, trashing the #1 slot earned by an undefeated Indiana State team headed by Larry Bird and only defeated by Magic Johnson in the championship game and the very public misfire of 2006 where Packer stated that the mid-majors did not deserve inclusion at the expense of “better” teams from larger conferences…needless to say Packer was eating crow when the Wichita State Shockers (a Bearcat favorite), Bradley and George Mason (in the Final Four) became to zenith of a Cinderella story Tourney. But nothing beats his use of the word “fag” in 2007 during an interview with Charlie Rose. “I can assure you I will use that phrase again and I won’t think twice about it,” Packer told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I said he fagged out on me, and it had nothing to do with sexual connotation,” Packer, 67, said Wednesday in a phone interview. “I got to know Charlie a number of years ago and have great admiration for his program and intellect.” Nothing like getting called to the carpet and saying: “Fuck it. Like I care what you think.”

This March will have a little less Madness without him… which is fine. Because it is supposed to be about basketball… with Billy Packer around it was always about Billy Packer.

So to you Billy Packer I say: The Jerk Store called and they are all out of YOU…

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

Jerk Store: The Philadelphia Eagles and Dan Leone

Why they are jerks:
The Philadelphia Eagles fired game-day employee Dan Leone because he criticized the team on Facebook. Seriously.

Dan Leone, a West Gate Chief (WTF is that?) and a six year employee for the Eagles, called him himself “fucking devastated” because safety Brian Dawkins had signed with Denver, adding that the Eagles are “retarded.” I agree with the retarded portion of his Facebook update…The Eagles are retarded but not for having let Dawkins go.
I know this is not a free speech issue, it’s an employer-employee issue. Leone is obviously a die-hard fan after seeing pictures of him wearing those gag-inducing throwback jersey colors on local TV. Should his peripheral employment by the team really preclude him from opining on moves by the Eagles on Facebook? Are NFL teams that petty and controlling?

You bet your ass they are. In every city that has one NFL teams are incredibly powerful. Hell, in Pittsburgh if Dan Rooney told the city to vote an Isaly Chipped Ham Sandwich in as Mayor it would win outright. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the kind of power and popularity NFL teams wield enables them to not only squash Jerks like Leone, but to garner the praises of their faithful.

Was Leone a jerk who said something stupid… I mean letting Dawkins go (for a six year contract) was not all that bad a move. Did he overreact? Of course. By default (he is an Eagles fan), but he was a game day employee. So the question is this: Is Eagles management trolling Facebook looking for negative remarks (would not surprise me) or did some fellow employee forward a link? If the later is the case then that guy is a Jerk too.

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

Jerk Store: All those Hockey “Fans” that think the NHL should ban fighting

Why they are jerks:
With all the problems in hockey this…THIS is what you feel is needed to change hockey? Eliminate the fights? Every time I attend a hockey game (which is not as often as it should be) I hope that I leave there with the ability to describe it the next day as: “I went to the fights last night and a hockey game broke out.” I root for the goons. I like the goons. This is the scenario: We are going to put 5 guys on ice with glove that are over sized and restrict movement, sticks of wood, aluminum and carbon fiber and they are going to try to put a six ounce piece of vulcanized rubber into a small net guarded by a guy wearing enough padding to stop a bullet. By the way this is all going to happen in a rink, which is a nice way of saying cage. Yes, this is incredibly frustrating but if you fight with the other players who are also wearing pads just like you we are going to ban you from the game. You have got to give these guys a release… and a reason for people to show up. Just like NASCAR races are only cool when they have huge wreck some hockey games are only fun to watch when the player drop the gloves.

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

Jerk Store: Cory Lidle’s Widow

Why she is a jerk:
On October 11, 2006 Cory Lidle drove a hard line drive into the center field wall…Wait that’s not right… he drove his plane into a Manhattan apartment building killing his co-pilot/instructor and himself. Now his widow Melanie Lidle is suing the airplane manufacturer for 50 million dollars. This 50 million fucking dollars figure is based on his former agent claiming that Lidle would have made 45 million dollars as a player/coach in baseball. WTF? Lidle was 35 and going to make 3 million dollars the next year playing baseball for the one team that arguably overpays everyone the New York Yankees. How the fuck was this guy going to make 45 million playing ball over the rest of rapidly diminishing playing career? Also remember that the NTSB, who tend to do a pretty good job regarding determining the cause of plane crashes, ruled pilot error (add that stat to the back of his baseball card).

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

The Not Quite Top Ten Top Ten: Game Shows that Sucked

10. Hollywood Squares – I’ll take Jm J. Bullock for the block. It’s fucking Tic-Tac-Toe.
9. Card Sharks – Contestants screamed “Higher”, “Lower” or “Freeze” I screamed change the channel
7. Supermarket Sweep – This POS was on the air from 1990 to 1995 and then for some fuckin’ reason again from 2000-2003
6. Shop ‘til You Drop – A game show where you shop in a fake mall looking for bargains. This show was on the air from 1991 to 2005. I can only assume some people are skipping the 2000’s and just having two 1990’s instead.
3. The Weakest Link – Mostly because I can’t stand Anne Robinson, the smug limey bitch
2. Wheel of Fortune – It’s fucking Hang Man.
1. Nick Arcade/Legends of the Hidden Temple – A tie! Proof that brain dead children in America will watch anything that Nick puts on TV.

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

Mini-Rant: Howard K. Stern

Anna Nicole Smith’s ex-boyfriend Howard K. Stern and a couple of doctors were charged this week with 11 felony counts regarding conspiracy, unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict. No Shit. Really? They were providing her with drugs? Get the fuck out. The California DA who is prosecuting these sycophants described it this way: “These individuals repeatedly and excessively furnished thousands of prescription pills to Anna Nicole Smith, often for no legitimate medical purpose,” You read that right thousands. A short read of any news report about these charges goes into amazing detail about the unbelievable volume of drugs that were not only provided to but ingested by the woman. The four members of Motley Crue used few drugs over the course of entire tours compared to the final five weeks of Smith. Seriously… read the reports.

Stern and company used Smith as a cash cow. She was worth billions after her sham marriage to that prune looking oil tycoon and those around her wanted access to the dollars. The best way keep that cash flowing was to keep Smith in a constant state of drug induced stupor. Howard K. Stern looks like a slime ball. From his slick hair and persona to his self righteous attitude about Anna “wishes” he has been, just like everyone else associated with this woman, repulsive. It was obvious from the beginning that he and her handlers allowed this women to live her life in a prescription drug haze that on more than one occasion hung between life and either coma or death. Stern and the doctors most likely are responsible not only for the death of this strange but at one time stunningly beautiful woman but also for her son Daniel. Following her passing it was pretty obvious that Stern thought he has hit the lottery. He made the claim to what he assumed was his daughter and even after the paternity tests showed he was not the father he attempted to gain custody via the courts. Stern and the others will never stand trial for these deaths, nor do I really think that they should…but you have to wonder if they even care. My guess is… They don’t.

Thanks for coming and suckling on Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

Mini-Rant: Ray-Ray gets his

Ray Lewis thought he would be in high demand. He wasn’t. Lewis thought he’d get he would get a ludicrous amount of money to come dancing out of someone else’s tunnel. He didn’t. So he had to crawl back to Baltimore with his tail between his legs. Ray-Ray is a Raven for life, but only because no one else wanted his antics and look at me attitude. As a Steelers fan I hope those hated Baltimore fans never forget that. I surely will not. Every time he comes dancing out of the locker room I am going to be reminded that Ray-Ray is not only a murderer but an unwanted side show in the former murder capitol of the US. We will be forced to watch ESPN talk about his leadership, his drive, his passion for the game and his antics will be sold as entertainment for the masses. But the reality is that he is a snitch (ratting on his homies to avoid his own sentencing), a clown in shoulder pads, who could not take his pre-game Krumping and whoop it up attitude anywhere but where he already was. A bitter pill for Lewis. Who better to have to swallow it? Ray-Ray is a self-styled outlaw who has cultivated a sleazy persona. The saving grace in this is the ultimate teammate and leader who betrayed his team was then forced to watch as the cruelest of mistresses, the free market, betrayed him. You are unwanted Lewis. Why Baltimore was willing to welcome you back after you were spurned from your big pay day courtship is an enigma. Now we will watch as you spin this reversal of fortune as loyalty to the only team that will have you. Christ… you are pathetic.

Please take me back…You know you were always the only one for me baby.

Sorry for the crappy picture we don’t have enough readers to afford Photoshop so you get my crappy attempt to merge Say Anything and Ray-Ray… you get the point right.

Thanks for coming and suckling on Daddy’s Sugar Ball
Bearcat

Mini-Rant: T.O.

So the Cowboys dropped the terminal clubhouse cancer that is T.O. today. Well surprise, surprise…How did that fail to work out? Even after T.O. got a huge payday at the end of last season with a four year contract, he was still unhappy. Jerry Jones who is currently looking for cash to help pay for his 1 billion (as in 1000 millions) dollar cathedral to the Dallas Cowboys football stadium is going to eat nine million dollars and cut Owens. After three seasons, one attempted suicide, several locker room scuffles/meltdowns, tears, loads of bad press, epic failures to reach the playoffs and/or losses in the first round, Jerry “My hot tub is shaped like Texas Stadium…that’s right” Jones had enough. That is too bad because T.O. and Jones deserved each other; apparently there was just not enough TV time to go around between those two. So now what? My guess is either Dan Snyder is already on a private jet ready to genuflect before pancreatic cancer personified and sign him to a multi-year deal or the NFL pooper-scooper that is Al Davis will pick up this wide receiver/turd off the street and sign him to a deal with huge incentives. Either way T.O. will get paid, complain about the lack of respect, and ESPN commentators will discuss how T.O. only wants to play football and that he is misunderstood. Look out here comes the Keyshawn interview now, it will probably be the Sunday Conversation. Congratulations ESPN! I am now changing the channel… Hundred bucks says T.O. wears a red and gold sweater (hint-hint). I have not heard it but I am sure there is some idiot Philly sports radio guy right now doing the drive time with this stupid line idea: “I’m not saying they should do it (long pause) but maybe the Eagles should talk to T.O. (long pause) I’m just throwing it out there. (long pause) McNabb needs a WR threat. I don’t think they have to do it. (another long pause) But they were winning games when he was here… you know he can catch the ball. (long dramatic pause) I don’t think they have to do it…I’m just saying. Call in to let me know what you think. You’re listening to the Sports-X-Man on 1510! Yeah! Baby!” *Multiple cars drive off the highway and several men attempt to light themselves on fire in the Philly Area tonight at 6.*

Thanks for coming and suckling on Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat

The Not Quite Top Ten Top Ten: Worst Places To Have a Heart Attack

10. On the toilet.
9. Airplane bathroom.
6. In the Champagne Room… there goes your American Express account.
5. While having sex with a prostitute… there goes your whole wallet.
3. Disney World… do you really want to go out with “It’s a Small World” in your head?
2. While dodging traffic.
1. During charades.

Thanks for coming and suckling Daddy’s Sugar Ball…
Bearcat