The Big Ten season culminates now
The Big Ten Tournament runs from Thursday through Sunday at Conseco Field House in downtown Indianapolis. If you've never gone, I recommend it. The area is nice and safe, and has interesting hotels and restaurants. You can park without paying a million dollars.
That the Big Ten Conference (headquartered in Park Ridge, Ill.) favors Indy over Chicago demonstrates the racket of doing business in the Windy City.
The best way to get tickets is to hang around outside Conseco Fieldhouse at the end of each game. Half the fans from each contest will be looking to dump their useless tickets. It's a buyers' market.
The Thursday teams won't draw many people, apart from Indiana fans who'll likely have single-session tickets. But the Friday and Saturday games will feature unexpected losers, or fans with unrealistic expectations. Offer them a pittance for their all-session passes.
If you go, you can watch Seth Fein pretend to know how to take pictures from the baseline.
THE VICTORS
Michigan State starter Chris Allen is suspended indefinitely. Maybe that means he'll be playing Friday. Only Tom Izzo knows. Allen is the one that looks like Lisa Bonet.
The rebounding, the tenacity and the bench will be the difference if MSU prevails. I don't like to predict sports outcomes. I don't gamble, and I'd rather analyze what actually happens than try to figure out what might happen.
I think MSU has the best shot of winning the tournament because they don't rely on any particular person or any particular statistical advantage. They rebound well. They have some defensive punishers. Tom Izzo is not as brilliant as a lot of people say he is, and that's what makes him effective. He reacts to very obvious imbalances in real time. This is not about theory, but observation.
OHIO STATE
Thad Matta plays a short rotation. Maybe that means tired legs. Maybe it means well-oiled machine. I'm not sure anyone could convincingly demonstrate that an OSU tourney championship/fizzle were due to either.
If Jon Diebler can't miss and Evan Turner hits all his spots as well as half of his shots, OSU wins the BTT.
PURDUE
With four full-time coaches in West Lafayette and two in Champaign, Purdue has the broadest intra-conference reach when it comes to controlling that which can be controlled.
But no amount of guidance could persuade Robbie Hummel's tendons from staying intact.
Purdue could win the BTT, and it would be the greatest Indianan overachievement since AJ Moye.
ILLINOIS
A few weeks back, I said Illinois needed three more wins to get an NCAA bid. They've won one game since then.
If Illinois beats Wisconsin and Ohio State this weekend, I think they'll probably get in.
Small-conference tournaments haven't produced any unexpected, bubble busting automatic bids. Beating the Buckeyes is as easy as installing a missile defense shield to lase Jon Diebler's bombs from the sky before they do any damage. Or guard him.
The rest is a piece of cake. Shoot flawlessly and hope Mark Titus gets all the Bucks massively stoned Friday night.
But playing the Ohio State presumes beating Wisconsin first. Unfortunately,
WISCONSIN
Bo Ryan continues to get the best out of his players while Illinois has devolved into public infighting.
It's still possible that Illinois beats the Badgers. But they'll have to hit a high percentage of their shots. DJ Richardson did a great job defending Jason Bohannon last week. Someone else will have to make a remarkable contribution.
THE THURSDAY TEAMS
Four of the Big Ten's bottom 6 could launch improbable tourney runs.
Iowa and Indiana have no chance.
Indiana has some horses, but the team's in turmoil. Tom Crean fired an assistant coach this week. Southern Indiana continues to praise Bob Knight, Nathan Bedford Forrest, etc. Steve Alford's success at New Mexico has them all a-titter. (They don't have the internet.)
Penn State could do damage if Jeff Brooks and Bill Edwards play the way they did in Champaign. If Chris Babb shoots light out. If Talor Battle retains any will to fight.
Michigan can beat anybody, they just haven't. It's inexplicable. I blame the Zacks.
Minnesota is the most dangerous of the six. They had a lot of off-court problems this year. Lately they seem to have overcome the distraction. Their roster includes a lot of Big Ten bodies and various skill sets. Tubby Smith wins everywhere he goes.
Northwestern was pegged to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history. For a while it seemed like they'd do it even without Kevin Coble. The BTT is their last chance. Drew Crawford received much "Freshman of the Year" consideration. Juice Thompson remains dangerous to any team. John Shurna is the best nerd in the Big Ten.
Iowa just sucks.
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Oh, by the way, the “Champaign County YMCA” no longer exists. The official name is now the “Stephens Family YMCA” (the website has not been updated, but check out the latest program guide). And no, it’s not just the name of the building. It’s the name of the organization.
Very inspired Photochops as well….
Props on the new YMCA dig. I think it’s a terrible spot for it, but then again, I’m not well-to-do and I’m not willing to drive 15 minutes at $4/gallon to exercise for an hour.
http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/do-loud-pipes-save-lives/1119/ Are you a smoker, too? I feel like I’m just getting recycled arguments.
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/dangerous_motorcycle_safety_myths/index.html “Myth 2: Loud Pipes Save Lives”
Yes, I also love the idea of the downtown! However, the “turds” that ride Harley’s or any other motorcycle have the right to ride their motorcycles regardless of the “loudness” anywhere they want. They are buying gas, hence they are contributing to the motor fuel tax that…
Yup, this was the year I realized there’s no way this is my last CU marathon, even though I’m gradumacating next week.Where else am I gonna get cheered on by 70+ year old heart-of-gold volunteers who smile at me so genuinely I could believe I’m their granddaughter?…
I always have a good, but disappointed, laugh when marathon time creeps up and I start seeing posts on the WCIA Facebook page lamenting race day and how difficult it is to get around town that day. One this year said, “can’t they just go run in…
Reminds me of Total Football (soccer) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Football
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Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
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@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.