March Madness Round 3

A Cinderella story is in the works here after this 3rd round of Tournament action. As some teams are looking stronger and stronger, others are looking weaker and weaker. One number 1 seed has already been upended and 2 more almost suffered the same fate. Here are the results from this weekends action.

• Michigan cruised by Virgina Commonwealth by a score of 78-53
• Michigan will next play Kansas, who struggled for a bit, but outplayed UNC by a score of 70-58.
• Memphis got clobbered by Michigan State by a score of 70-48. 
• Next up for Michigan St., Duke. Who beat Creighton 66-50.
• Arizona beat Cinderella Harvard by a score of 74-51.
• Arizona will next play Ohio State, who with a late basket beat Iowa State 78-75.
• Underdog Oregon beat Saint Louis 74-57.
• Up next for Oregon is Louisville.  Who beat Colorado State 82-56.
• Butler fumbled a last shot play losing to Marquette 74-72.
• Marquette will next play Miami. Who beat Illinios 63-59.
• Wichita State stormed past #1 Gonzaga. Winning 76-70. 
• They will play La Salle. Who beat Mississippi 76-74.
• Syracuse knocked out California by a score of 66-60 to advance. 
• They will play Indiana who played terribly, but beat Temple 58-52.
• Florida knocked out Minnesota 78-64.
• Next up, surprise of the tournament #15 seed Florida Gulf Coast. Who once again surprised everybody beating San Diego State 81-71. 

A lot of surprises, and 2 of my brackets busted with Wichita beating Gonzaga. But Louisville is looking like the favorite. They are playing non-stop basketball. And is on of the teams looking stronger and stronger. IU stunk it up badly against Temple. But some late baskets from Oladipo saved them. We are now in the sweet 16 of the Tournament. And my favorites from each region are Louisville, Ohio State, Michigan, and Miami. Games resume Thursday and Friday. So let's see who makes the Elite 8!

March Madness Round 2

Okay so you in case you missed it, here are the results from the 2nd round of the Tournament. 

• Michigan State beat Valparaiso 65-54, will play Memphis who beat Saint Mary's 54-52.
• Butler beat Bucknell 68-56, will play Marquette who barely beat Davidson 59-58.
• Wichita State beat Pittsburgh 73-55, will play Gonzaga who held on against Southern 64-58.
• Saint Louis beat New Mexico State 64-44, will play Oregon who beat Oklahoma State 68-55.
• Louisville beat N.C. A&T 79-48, will play Colorado State who beat Missouri 84-72.
• Michigan beat South Dakota State 71-56, will play VCU who beat Akron 88-42.
• Arizona beat Belmont 81-64, will play Harvard who stunned New Mexico 68-62.
• California stunned UNLV 64-61, will play Syracuse who routed Montana 81-34.
• Duke beat Albany 73-61, will play Creighton who beat Cincinnati 67-63.
• Ole Miss stunned Wisconsin 57-46, will play La Salle who stunned Kansas State 63-61.
• Temple beat NC State 76-72, will play Indiana who beat James Madison 83-62.
• Miami(FL) beat Pacific 78-49, will play Illinois who beat Colorado 57-49.
• Florida Gulf Coast broke a lot of brackets, stunning Georgetown 78-68. Will play San Diego State who beat Oklahoma 70-55.
• Ohio State beat Iona 95-70, will play Iowa State who beat Notre Dame 76-58.
• North Carolina beat Villanova 78-71, will play Kansas who held on to beat Western Kentucky 64-57.
• Florida beat Northwestern State 79-47, will play Minnesota who beat UCLA 83-63. 

Plenty of upsets in the first round, mainly Georgetown and Wisconsin for me. But my picks to win it were Louisville or Gonzaga. Not confident in Gonzaga anymore after they had to hold on to win against Southern. But Louisville looked fierce. If I could rearrange the #1 seeds after this last round I'd have them be Louisville, Indiana, Miami, and Ohio State. 

In other news, Baseball season is just a few days away, looking forward to that. My early front-runners would be the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles. 

The Miami Heat have now won 25 straight after beating Detroit last night. 8 more consecutive and they will tie the mark for most consecutive wins. But look out for Denver who has won 14 straight. Could be a darkhorse in the playoffs. 

Over the Weekend

Lot of sports news over the weekend. First of all March Madness is now upon us all. Games will start this Thursday. Let's start with just some of the big news stories over the last couple days. 

• Greg Jennings signs with Minnesota Vikings.
• Elvis Dumervil released by Broncos after agent screws up his fax. NFLPA looking into the mess, Dumervil may wind back up with the Broncos, however other teams have shown interest. 
• Kasey Kahne wins his first race in Bristol and of the season.
• Miami Heat extend win streak to 23 after beating the Boston Celtics last night 105-103. 
• Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga, and Kansas receive #1 seed in NCAA Tourney.
• Andrew Bynum to receive season-ending arthoscopic surgery on both knees. ( I never believed Bynum wanted to play in Philly in the first place)
• Puerto Rico will play the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic finale.
• It was announced today the Cowboys and Dolphins will play in the annual Hall of Fame game on August 4th. 

Those are most of the major news stories from this weekend. Now let's talk March Madness. You can quite literally find these brackets everywhere. 

Now, I'm not going to go through matchup by matchup, but I'm going to start with my Elite Eight. 

• In the Midwest region I have it coming down to #1 Louisville and #3 Michigan St. Louisville has been on a tear recently, and looks incredibly tough to beat. Michigan St. has been a tough opponent for teams all season and could easily make it to the Final Four. But I have this matchup going to Louisville. 
• In the West region I have it coming down to #1 Gonzaga and #2 Ohio St. Ohio St. always a team to watch in the Tourney. Time and time again they have proven themselves on the court. Gonzaga receiving the #1 seed for the first time has only 2 losses on the season. Kelly Olynk will be the one to watch in this game. And that's why I give this game to Gonzaga. 
• In the South region I have it down to #4 Michigan and #3 Florida. Now I really don't know much about either of these teams, except that Florida has been really great this season. I don't know much about Michigan, but I have Florida winning this matchup. 
• And in the East region, I have it down to #4 Syracuse and #2 Miami. Syracuse hasn't been great from the start but they really heated up in their tourney, and it they could be a tough one to handle. But Miami has been on a run all season, and could've made a case for the one seed in my opinion. Which is why I have Miami winning this matchup.

Now that leaves my Final Four with #1 Louisville vs #1 Gonzaga. And #3 Florida vs #2 Miami. Louisville vs Gonzaga will be an incredible matchup to watch. Should almost be the Final game. But in a close one I have Gonzaga coming out on top. Florida vs Miami, two teams not far apart from each other. Playing in Atlanta. This will be an emotionally ridden game. One in which I have Miami coming out on top. 

And in the Finals, that leaves #1 Gonzaga vs #2 Miami. I have Gonzaga coming out on top 73-68. Will be a helluva game like most of them are. Could even be a game where it comes down to the wire, and Miami is forced to foul Gonzaga. That's how I think it'll end. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the tournament. Who do you think will win this year? Who do you think will get the biggest upset of the tourney? I'm hoping for another Valparaiso miracle! But I'm not counting on it. 

Coincidently, if you are looking for a March Madness Bracket tournament to join, I have a group on Yahoo called Ides of March. Feel free to join if you want, and if it asks the password is March. Also, for the baseball fans. I have a group on ESPN.com called Peanuts and Crackerjacks. No password required. Feel free to join. It's a live draft on March 30th. Thanks all, til next time!

Free Agency Day 2

Lot more exciting action today than yesterday. Some big names off the board, but some big ones still on the board. Greg Jennings, James Harrison, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Nmandi Asomugha, and Dwight Freeney all still remain. So let's look at some of the big news that happened today. Won't do team by team like yesterday, took too much work. 

• The Packers have offered Greg Jennings $10mil/per year. No agreement yet. But Vikings out of the running.
• Reggie Bush has reached an agreement with the Detroit Lions. Detroit also signs Glover Quin and Chris Houston.
• Cardinals sign Drew Stanton, Rashard Mendenhall, Josh Cribbs, and Jerraud Powers. 
• Patriots sign Danny Amendola.
• Seahawks sign Cliff Avril.
• Broncos sign Stewart Bradley and Wes Welker. 
• DaShon Goldson has reached an agreement with Tampa Bay.
• Bernard Pollard released by the Baltimore Ravens.

That's pretty much all the big action that happened today. If you're like me you're waiting and hoping the Colts come out with something big. Nothing yet, but it seems they aren't done. And are still having meetings with players. Earliest news was they had a meeting with LaRon Landry. But nothing from it yet. Again, hopefully tomorrow is a new day. 

Biggest news today was Wes Welker leaving the dark side and teaming up with Peyton Manning over Tom Brady. Wes heading West. Agreement was for 2years at $12mil. Reported offer from the Patriots was $10mil + incentives. 

In other news, The Miami Heat have become only the 4th team in the NBA to win 20 straight. Lakers fall to Atlanta. Indiana cruises over Minnesota. And the Thunder down Utah. 

Free Agency Day 1

Okay just going to run down some of the major story headlines made today during free agency.

Ryan Fitzpatrick released by the Bills. Good for maybe the Jaguars or Cardinals.
Nmandi Asomugha released by the Eagles. 

Going to try here and get something for each team. 
Arizona Cardinals resign Rashad Johnson
Atlanta Falcons resign Tony Gonzalez and Sam Baker
Baltimore Ravens sign Chris Canty
Buffalo Bills: no new additions
Carolina Panthers: no new additions
Chicago Bears add Martellus Bennett and Jerome Bushrod
Cincinnati Bengals resigns Robert Geathers 
Cleveland Browns add Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant
Dallas Cowboys resign Brandon Carr
Denver Broncos add Louis Vasquez, resign Kevin Vickerson
Detroit Lions meeting with Reggie Bush
Green Bay Packers: no new additions
Houston Texans release Kevin Walter
Indianapolis Colts resign Darius Butler, add Gosder Cherilus, Greg Toler and 3 others
Jacksonville Jaguars: no new additions
Kansas City Chiefs add Anthony Fasano and Mike DeVito
Miami Dolphins add Mike Wallace, Phillip Wheeler, and Dannell Ellerbe, release Karlos Dansby
Minnesota Vikings resign Jerome Simpson, Phil Loadholt, Erin Henderson, and Jerome Felton
New England Patriots: no new additions
New Orleans Saints: no new additions
New York Giants sign Ryan Torain
New York Jets release Dustin Keller, add David Garrard
Oakland Raiders release Darrius Heyward-Bey, Huff, and Tollefson. Resign Phillip Adams
Philadelphia Eagles add James Casey, Isaac Sopoaga, Bradley Fletcher, and Patrick Chung
Pittsburgh Steelers: no new additions
San Diego Chargers release Randy McMichael and Antonio Garay, resign Nick Novak
San Francisco 49ers trade for Anquan Boldin
Seattle Seahawks trade for Percy Harvin, release Leon Washington
St. Louis Rams add Jared Cook
Tampa Bay Buccaneers meeting with DaShon Goldson
Tennessee Titans add Andy Levitre and Delanie Walker
Washington Redskins: no new additions

Biggest surprises come out of Miami and Philly. Sadly, the Colts disappointed me with their moves. Hope they are for the best, but with $43 million to spend, I would've hoped they go for someone big. Greg Jennings, Cliff Avril, Wes Welker, and just about every running back still available. 

Lastly, want to say Congratulations to the Valparaiso Crusaders, my hometown, for making the NCAA Tournament. Though it was a poor performance, they earned their spot, beating Wright State 62-54. Good Luck in the Tourney! As well as good luck to all the Indiana basketball teams going in!

NFL Free Agents

So as many of us know, Free agency for the NFL begins at midnight on Tuesday, March 12th. Lot of big names this year hitting the market, but still the Qb, position isn't large. With probably the biggest name Qb in the mix having already been traded to Kansas City, teams in need of a Qb, will have to look elsewhere. So, let's talk some big name players and where I believe they'll land. 

First off Mike Wallace. Lot of buzz about him being sought after by numerous teams. I don't know what all the hubbub's about. Wallace isn't a player I trust. He's speedy, absolutely! He's got some good hands on him, but he's tough to get open. So far the rumors are the Patriots and Dolphins are aiming for him. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jets try for him too. Vikings have also been rumored to be in the mix as well. 
I think Wallace will end up the Patriots. Hard to turn down that kind of offer. Wallace seems more like he's playing for money, and not a championship, but with the Pats, he can't make it look like both.

So that brings us to Greg Jennings. One of my favorite players in this free agency market. With Wallace to the Pats, Jennings will draw major interest from the Dolphins. Reuniting him with Philbin, and giving Tannenhill something to work with. But also the Texans could be an interest to Jennings. Teaming him along side Andre Johnson and giving Kevin Walter the boot. Recently, the Cardinals have drawn interest from Jennings. Teaming him with Larry Fitzgerald, would be something good. But that all comes down to, who the hell is going to be Arizona's Qb. 
I think Jennings will end up with the Dolphins. A working team for the future, and not to forget, the warmer weather. 

Last of the Wide receivers, is Wes Welker. Going to be a big name player, especially if Jennings and Wallace go first. Welker's wisest move would be to wait on those two to get signed. Now I'd like to see Welker with the Colts, who drew interest on him a few years ago. But I don't see that happening. The Vikings, Bears, Cowboys, and Patriots will be in the slim hunt for Welker. Patriots would like to get him back since they'll be slim at Wr, but the Pats go after every free agent. Money could be an issue.
Where I see Welker landing; The Vikings. Yep, the Vikings. Even if they do lose Harvin, Welker would be a compliment to their team.

Reggie Bush is next on the list. Probably the biggest running back name out there, but there are plenty of good running backs out there this year. The Lions, Packers, and Cardinals have shared interest in Bush. And again, I'd love to see him with the Colts. But back to the point. Bush has a lot of talent, and has exploded in Miami. He'll have a lot to give to his new team.
And that team will be the Lions. They want him, they'll get him. Teaming him with Stafford and Megatron is the missing piece to the puzzle.

Now, I've always liked Turner. But his production has dropped significantly the last few years. And I was surprised Atlanta released him.  Now I haven't heard many rumors going on about Turner, yet. But with the biggest running back prize in Reggie Bush now gone. There will be teams in need of his services. 
The team I think will end up landing Turner; The Packers. With Bush gone, and not much of an option at running back on the depth chart, the Packers will go after Turner and bring him into the mix. His block shape will be nice to sneak out of the backfield and create short passes for Rodgers.

Last of the running back, is Steven Jackson. Atlanta has rumored to be interested in him, but why get rid of a younger Michael Turner for an aged Steven Jackson? Now I know Jackson still expects to be a starter, but many teams won't be after him if that's the case. Patriots could be a likely landing spot for Jackson. But if he really wants a starting job, Jackson would likely look elsewhere.
I think Jackson will be one of the last to sign with a team, putting him in the spot to take a reserve role, but he'll end up signing with the Arizona. It's pretty much the only spot he can go for that starting job. 

Next up, Paul Kruger. The Cleveland Browns will be major suitors for Kruger, but he won't end up there. This world champion linebacker will have a new home. With the Ravens focused more on Ellerbe, Kruger will end up testing the market. And while he may get a great offer from the Browns, I think a better one awaits him elsewhere.
And that place is; The Colts. With Freeney now gone, the Colts will want a talent like Kruger on the defense. Reuniting him with coach Pagano. Teaming him up with Mathis will be a smart move. Welcome to Indy Kruger!

That segues nicely into my next free agent, Dwight Freeney. Freeney, you'll be greatly missed in Indy, but you'll find a new home elsewhere. Now it appears the Broncos could be in need of Freeney's services should Dumervil not pan out. The Giants could be another team for his services. As much as I'd love to see Freeney and Manning back together, I think Freeney will team up with another old teammate. 
And I think that teammate is Dallas Clark, down in Tampa Bay. I think Freeney is a good fit for their scheme and will be a great pickup for Tampa. 

This longtime Packer and future HOFer will find plenty of suitors knocking on his door. Though there are some other good name safeties out there, Woodson tops them all. Even through injuries, he's a proven leader on the field. Now the Jets, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Giants have all been linked to Woodson, and I'm sure there's plenty more. Who wouldn't be in the market for this talent? 
Where Woodson will end up; The Seahawks. The Seahawks are a team on the cusp of winning a title. Woodson could take them there, should he avoid major injury. Another good receiver, and the Seahawks will be my team to win the Super Bowl next year. 

Last player I am going to put an image up for is Ed Reed. Reed is going to be a hot ticket just like Woodson. He's another proven leader and future HOFer. It would seem Reed has an interest in the Patriots, as the Patriots have an interest in him. But I just don't want to believe that will happen. And though there may be a few more calls for Reed than Woodson, there's only 1 team I believe will make Reed perform his best. 
And that team is; The Ravens. Though I see Reed getting plenty of calls, and even some meetings. Ed Reed won't disappoint his fans. He's loved in Baltimore and that's where he belongs. 


Now for here, I'll just rattle off a few names, and where they'll land. 
James Harrison-Cleveland Browns
Osi Umenyiora- Philadelphia Eagles
Danny Amendola- San Diego Chargers
Ahmad Bradshaw- Pittsburgh Steelers
Dashon Goldson- San Francisco 49ers
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie- New England Patriots
Jared Cook-Chicago Bears
Sean Smith-Arizona Cardinals
Gonna throw in Darrelle Revis- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
John Abraham- Seattle Seahawks

I'm going to stop there. If there's anyone you feel should be added, please comment who and where you think they'll end up. Or if you think any of my guesses are wrong, hey feel free to correct me. Remember we're not here to start arguments, just share opinions. 

Introduction

Welcome to Sports Fiasco! My new blog site for everything sports related. I am going to talk a little bit about myself here in this first post, and then sometime this weekend, I'm gonna give the best teams for the top free agents in the NFL before free agency kicks off on Tuesday. 

So first of all, I am a huge football fan. After playing fantasy football the last 5 years, I finally won a championship. But not only that, I won a championship in 2 of my 3 leagues. So I'm a big football fan, my favorite team being the Colts. However, I found that playing fantasy football and really getting into, I'm not just a fan of one team, I'm a fan of just about every team. 

Now let's talk other sports. You'll probably find here I won't talk Hockey, Basketball, Golf, or Nascar much. Not a major fan of those, but I do follow basketball and hockey more towards the playoffs. I am a fan of the Heat and Penguins. And before you get started, yes I am a bandwagon fan of the Heat. But in that sense, I was always a LeBron James fan. I'll talk more Golf and Nascar when bigger events come up. 

I'm also a big Baseball fan. I'm sure I'll get some slack, but yes I am a Cubs fan. And yes I DO believe they will be better than the White Sox this year. Go Cubs Go!

This will be a place for unbiased sports talk. Feel free to speak your mind about anything sports related here.  Please let's try and keep the negativity down. This is just a place for people to voice their opinions and big sports conversations. So feel free to leave comments. And once again, welcome to Sports Fiasco!