Alright, so the so called Madness is done. It was Madness, Mayhem and an epic run! But since the computer difficulties of the Commish have finally been resolved, it’s better late than never to get this out. Plus, what a better way to follow the worst game in the history of sports at any level with the worst timed closing Insanity Pool address.
First, congratulations to Amy Jonker on winning the 13th edition of the March Madness Insanity Pool. Jonk’s always shows a top effort year in and year out, and it culminated into an Insanity Pool championship this year!!! Big ups Jonks!
Now to the Final! Everyone knows that it was a bust of a game. UConn winning 54-41 was hopefully an end to a trend that hopefully ended with that atrocity of a game. Butler shot 18.8% from the field! T-Smack was correct into not to say 19% as that would be giving Butler too much credit. On top of that, the Butler continued to kill themselves in the Houston Reliant Stadium with the noose with an anemic 3-31 shooting performance from 2 POINT LAND!!!! 9.7%!?!?!?! Pathetic! That goes beyond great defense by UConn. Granted, UConn established an inside presence early on making it difficult for Butler bigs, Howard and Smith, but 9.7% goes beyond good defense, that’s a straight up choke job but the Butler!!!
And UConn shooting 34% total and 9% from 3 point land makes for an NCAA Title by default! The first title awarded by process of elimination! Kemba Walker had a great tourney, but his rising stock in the NBA draft is due to his body of work and not his measly 16 points in the final.
The trend that doesn’t bode well for March Madness fans is that this is the 2nd straight year where the champion was one that won the title despite a poor shooting performance. Last year, we were all blinded by the Rocky-Hoosier-type underdog story of the Butler’s run to the final with the greatest what-if moment outside of ‘what if Wayne Gretzky stayed in Edmonton?’, with Gordon Hayward’s 2-inch half-court buzzer beater miss! This all blinded us from Duke’s championship despite many 5-6 minutes droughts where they failed to score a hoop! They did that many times in the tourney last year, and credit still must be made for grinding out that title. But 2 straight years of poor performances from the champ? This is a trend we hope is done.
Plus add in the great stories of VCU making it to the Final 4. That will always be great looking back at Shaka “Khan” Smart’s run, but it was helped due to the 2 for 21 3-point shooting performance from Kansas in their Elite Eight win. We’re all for the underdog upsets, but not at crappy performances!
For the love of Madness, pick it up hoop teams!!!! I don’t care the reason for this disturbing trend……over-coaching, too much turnover from early draft-entries…….whatever! Fix it!
And to Top it off and end it off, a quick All-Adolph Award winners…..better late than never….
2nd Team All-Adolph
KEMBA WALKER – UCONN
Started off hot in November/December, then ice cold in January and picked it back up for his NCAA Title run.
TYLER ZELLER – UNC
One of the most consistent posts in the nation especially in compete levels. Zeller was the only consistent player for an inconsistent yet incredibly talented UNC Tar Heels.
JAJUAN JOHNSON – PURDUE
Quietly had a Big 10 Player of the Year season.
BRANDON KNIGHT – KENTUCKY
Inconsistent at times but many of his treys were of the “dagger” variety. Has an under-rated offensive and defensive game. Should blow up if he decides to stay at Kentucky next year.
MARCUS/MARKIEFF MORRIS – KANSAS
Just like the Sedin twins, these guys are attached at the hips. They’re incredibly talented and at times were inconsistent especially when pushed around in the paint. But the inconsistency in the KU’s, UNC’s and Kentucky’s just to name a few is another semi-disturbing trend in college hoops. A frustrating trend of when they’re on, they’re unstoppable, and when they’re cold they have KU vs. VCU or Butler/UConn shooting performances.
1st Team All-Adolph
JARED SULLINGER – OHIO STATE
Had a 1:1 ratio of improvement rate to backside growth over his freshmen year. To compliment his junk-in-the-trunk growth is his incredible footwork that will dominate the Big 10 next year, since he has said he’ll return to Ohio State
TAYLOR BATTLE – PENN STATE
This is a body of work award for Taylor. He showed consistent clutch shots his whole 4-year career, especially this year. He was a poor man’s Jimmer with 3’s shot from the half court circle just like Jimmer. Taylor also led a Penn State team with only 5 players with no bench whatsoever and parlayed that into a NCAA bid.
DERRICK WILLIAMS – ARIZONA
He was a lock for the 1st Team before the tourney and solidified that with his NCAA tourney run especially with his dominating game to crush the Dukies.
JIMMER FREDETTE – BYU
Just see the countless Jimmer highlights with his long distance treys. You know you’re good when you can make so many long distance 3’s and it becomes a trend to jack these shots when before it was seen as a ridiculous shot to even attempt. You also know Jimmer has game when his suspect defense is a non-factor because he makes up for it with his crazy offensive game.
NOLAN SMITH – DUKE
To start the season, he was a solid role player within the Duke offense averaging 10 ppg with the probable Player of the Year in freshmen PG Kyrie Irving. When Kyrie got injured, all Nolan did was take one high-ball screen and become an unstoppable scoring force with defense to boot.
2ND ANNUAL OUTHET PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nolan Smith- Duke
He’s Jimmer with defense!
4th ANNUAL INSANITY POOL SMACK OF THE YEAR
After some tough deliberation, the 4 year run of the McCarrell/Schmidt fam continues with a late run by Terri “T-Smack” McCarrell.
Honorable mention to Slider and Terry “T-Almost Smack” McKaig with great Commish Smack!
That’s it everybody. Thanks for being in the Insanity Pool this year. Onto next year!
Now Go Canucks go!!!!
Yours in Madness,
Commissioner Adolph
