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Bottom 5: Championship Edition

By Nick Robertson

 

The hits just keep on coming…

Take it Jim before they change their minds! (Photo from espn.com)

5. Growing Paynes

While a program is rebuilding, one can expect players to leave because of certain transitions and changes being made to the program. Such as the style of play being implemented, or the players and coaches just don’t see eye to eye.

When Cully Payne announced that he would be transferring no one was utterly shocked. Payne was forced to sit out almost all of the Iowa Men’s Hawkeye basketball team’s regular season due to a sports hernia. Enter Bryce Cartwright, the speedy playmaking point guard from Compton, California. Payne had to sit and watch this junior transfer become the focal point in the Hawkeye offense, a transfer request was needless to say, expected.

If Cully had just cited this as his reason for leaving no one would have stopped him, but lets be honest, he is on this list for a reason. When asked why he was leaving he said, “I’d still be a Hawkeye if coach Lickliter was here.”

So let me get this straight. You would rather be coached by the worst coach in Hawkeye basketball history rather than a coach who is clearly turning this program around? I think I can speak for a lot of Hawk fans when I say, “Happy Trails!”

 

4. The Corrupt Monarch

Gloria Marie James, mother of LeBron (King) James, was arrested Thursday night after an altercation with a valet parking attendant in Miami Beach, FL. According to the police report, James was “apparently intoxicated” with blood shot eyes and alcohol on her breath. She was arrested and charged with simple battery and disorderly intoxication.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time mama James has shown up in the headlines. In 2006 she was charged with a DWI, where she allegedly kicked out the window of a police car. When LeBron was asked to comment he said it is a “personal matter” and it is being “handled.” And you thought parental embarrassment stopped after high school.

 

3. Orlando T party.

Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, has been suspended after committing his 18th technical foul on Wednesday against the Bobcats. According to NBA rules a player or coach is automatically suspended for one game after receiving their 16th technical. For every two technical after that they are suspended for one game.

Howard will be in this NBA equivalent to a timeout during the Magic’s game against the division leading Chicago Bulls on March 7th. Maybe he will use that time to think about what he has done, or you know…just keep doing what you are doing.

 

2. The Boston Red Sux.

A lot of Boston fans are begging for restart after the Red Sox’s 0-6 start. I know in hind sight the first half dozen games doesn’t take a team out of the playoffs, especially if they are all away, but it still isn’t exactly a good omen.

Riddled with errors and just old fashion mistakes Boston did not win a single game in their opening week. The Red Sox have a chance to turn it around as they begin their 10 game home stand tonight against the Yankees. So chin up Boston you could have lost to the Cleveland Indians—oh—well that’s awkward.

 

1. Dog Pile

The stage was set. The hottest team from last year gets another shot at the national title that eluded them the year before against the hottest team in college basketball. But the final game of the NCAA tournament was not the “dog fight” that everyone was expecting but rather something that resembles something a dog would leave in your yard.

The Butler-UConn national title was, in a word, painful. Neither team could hit a midrange jumper to save their lives. Butler shot 18% from the field, 27% from behind arch, and only scored 41 points. UConn didn’t do much better shooting 34% from the field and 9% from behind the arch.

The final score of 53-41 (in favor of UConn) was reminiscent of my little league basketball days. I couldn’t help but feel that 40 minutes of my life had been wasted away in the anti-climactic ending to March Madness. To those who believe that a playoff is the answer in college football we have to only look at this game as proof that the best teams don’t always play in the championship.

 


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