BIG TEN BASKETBALL IN THE HOME STRETCH

We are down to the last five games of the Men's Big Ten Basketball Regular Season.  And to say this year has been a spectacle is selling the season short.....it has been a fan's delight.

Indiana has been the class of the league, but not by much.  Right behind is Michigan State, Michigan and late charger Wisconsin and then don't forget Ohio State.  The Badgers have to be the surprise team this year.  Early season injuries had many suggesting Wisconsin was not going to be a factor.  But don't ever count the Badgers short with Bo Ryan at the helm.  He truly can flat out coach.

The five mentioned above are the cream of the league.....but there are three others trying to make noise enough to make the NCAA dance.  Illinois has some big wins this season, namely Gonzaga, Ohio State and Indiana.  Currently they are sitting on 19 wins.  You'd have to give them the nod to make it.


Iowa is another team wishing upon dreams they can finally return to conference significance.  The Hawkeyes have a remaining schedule that could enable them to put together a 10-8 conference mark.  That should do the trick.  And then there is Minnesota.  The Gophers were early season surprises, but head coach Tubby Smith has seen his squad drop to 6-8 in the conference.  Should Minnesota fail to make the NCAA's,  look for Tubby to be on the proverbial hot seat.

Indiana and Big Ten Basketball are back

But in addition to the remaining schedule lies the conference tourney.  That's where things are going to get interesting.  My gut tells me should Indiana hang on to win the regular season title, which they should,....they won't do the same in Indianapolis.  As good as they are they can be beaten.  I've got a hunch Michigan or Michigan State just might be the one to do it.  And then again, why not take Illinois?  They've shown they can beat anybody.

What's the reason for the strong, strong showing by the Big Ten?  Well, the disintegration of the Big East helped catapult the Big Ten to the top.  Long the dominant basketball conference-oftentimes merely because of its size-the Big East is slowly evaporating.

"Realignment is upending every major conference in college athletics.  Additional revue streams that will come from more powerful expanded leagues with lucrative television deals will drive the endless shake-up" , says Josh Sanburn a Times Reporter who is an astute writer of college athletics.  The Big Ten is prone to ride this year's basketball success for quite some time.   And for Big Ten fans....that's just what they hoped for.  Dominance.

So get ready for the final three weeks.  It's going to be a humdinger...

Thanks for reading,

John

IOC TO DROP WRESTLING IN 2020

This is about as bone-headed as it gets.  The International Olympic Committee wants to drop Wrestling beginning with the 2020 Olympics.  First baseball, then softball and now this. Might gosh, what the heck gives?

This is going to be one ugly, passionate fight.  The wrestling community will not take this laying down.  That's a given.  Let's see, the sport has been part of the Games since 640 B.C.  You'd kind of think that it would be safe from this notion.  "This is not the end of the process, this is purely a recommendation", IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters after the executive board vote.  "It is the session which is sovereign.  It was a decision to look at the core sports, what works best for the Olympic games.  This was the best program for the 2020 Olympics.  This is not what's wrong with wrestling, but what is good for the Games".  

It might be a headlock now, but just wait

I've been around wrestling for over 25 years (as a researcher for College Wrestling and producer of a Dan Gable documentary) so I think I can give you a pretty good idea of what happens next.  Wrestling, for the most part is an individual sport.  It's man against man.  Best one wins.  You leave it all out on the mat even if you're the inferior one.  Even in losing, you can gain knowledge and strength so the next time the result can be different.  At least that's the premise.  But there is a team element.  And that's what's about to take place.  You're going to see a whole lot of individuals come together.....the stars in the sport like the Dan Gables, Cael Sandersons, John Smiths, Jim Gibbons and Rulon Gardner's, each Olympic Champions from the United States, join hands.  At that's just from the American side.  In all, over 70 countries participate in wrestling in the Olympics.  If you've heard the message, " you ain't seen nothing yet.....get ready......because you ain't seen nothing yet".       .

Here's what I mean.....

"Dan Gable and Cael Sanderson, Olympic wrestling champions and icons of their sport,d awoke Tuesday to the news that wrestling had been dropped from the 2020 Games.  They were shocked , but Gable and Sanderson pledged to fight for a reversal.

"It's obviously one of my worst nightmares", said Gable, the 1972 Olympic freestyle wrestling champion who went on to coach an NCAA wrestling dynasty at Iowa.

Gable said his wife first saw the news early in the morning on an Iowa wrestling message board.  She awoke him and he read a news report on the Internet.  "But I'm what is called a prevention guy", said Gable by phone.  "That's why I'm working on the sport every day.  I haven't been coaching for a long time, but I spend my working hours on the sport.  I'll continue to do that.  Hopefully, it's a major wake-up call that we can work through".

Knowing Gable, he won't be satisfied until he covers every angle.  He is the best there is when it comes to preparation and focus.  This will be a battle for the ages.  I'm taking Gable, despite the all powerful IOC.  That's how much I believe in him.  

PATERNO REPORT A REOPENING OF A CAN OF WORMS

This Sunday we are going to hear the Paterno side of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case.  And for the life of me, I don't understand why.

Oh sure, there's some hope to dispel the notion of Coach Joe Paterno's involvement in the sorted affair.  But short of finding out that he was experiencing some mental or health issue that precluded him not being able to ascertain what was going on in his Penn State football program....then let the issue lie.  What can be gained?

Sue Paterno, Joe's wife, said in a letter to Penn State players received Friday that her commissioned report due to be released this weekend presents "a persuasive critique of the Freeh Report as a total disservice to victims of Sandusky and the cause of preventing child sex offenses."   Her letter also defended her husband as a "moral, disciplined" man who never twisted the truth to avoid bad publicity.

Really?  How about looked the other way......or chose to act like nothing evil was taking place within the walls of a program he led for many, many, many years.  Are you telling me he had know idea what was going on?

Is this family report necessary?

A story written by ESPN Friday offered some additional information about the Commissioned Report.  "The Paterno family directed its attorney, Washington lawyer Wick Sollers, to assemble experts to review Freeh's findings and Joe Paterno's actions, Sue Paterno wrote.

She did not offer details on findings in the letter to players, "except to say that they unreservedly and forcefully confirm my beliefs about Joe's conduct."  Sue Paterno said neither Freeh's report, nor the NCAA actions, should "close the book" on the scandal.

"This cannot happen," she wrote.  "The Freeh report failed and if it is not challenged and corrected, nothing worthwhile will have come from these tragic events".

Again, I say REALLY?  I think a whole lot worthwhile has come out and will continue to come from what took place at Penn State.  First, this case proves no one university should be so all powerful that integrity loses its place.  Secondly, those who were abused finally feel they have a voice to the disgusting things they had to hide each and every day of their lives.  And lastly, perhaps, and I say that with big hope.....perhaps this is the last time we have to hear about abuse of this nature.

Mrs. Paterno, I know you want to clear your husband somehow and someway...but after 430 interviews and 3.5 million emails and documents they went through....I'm going to stand by the Freeh Report.  And not yours. Reopening the can of worms on this case is not only unnecessary......its a travesty.

Thanks for reading,

John