College Basketball Underway

The college basketball season has officially started. This is a great time of year. The intensity and stakes are at its peak yet again in sports. College basketball has started, the NBA is starting to get into full swing, college football teams are seperating themselves from one another, Andre Agassi is telling the world about how he hated a sport that made him a multi-millionaire, and the Lions, Chiefs, Raiders, and Rams still suck.

The 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic got the college basketball season rolling last night with some impressive victories by some of the nation's top teams. North Carolina started its title defense rocking some sick retro jerseys by defeating Isiah "Insert Joke Here" Thomas and the Florida International Panthers 88 72. Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim captured his 800th career win via his Orange defeating Albany 75 43. 17th ranked Ohio State bombed on Alcorn State 100 60 behind guard Evan Turner's triple double. And last night's west coast game concluded with 12th ranked Cal squeaking by Murray State 75 70. The next round of games continues Wednesday for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

This week, we're preparing for our road game Saturday at 22nd ranked Dayton. Translation for me: about 50 consecutive possessions of defense at today's practice, follwed by 60 tomorrow and maybe 75 Thursday. Fantastic. Nothing gets me more fired up than fighting through double screens, attempting to box out someone that was more athletic at the age of 12 than I currently am, and slapping the floor pretending I'm determined to get a defensive stop. (I said that last part mostly to be cool, because it genuinely does make me mad when my man scores.)

We're a little thin up front right now, with Chad Millard having a nagging foot injury, and Justin Carter being sidelined 2-4 weeks with a knee injury. Oh yeah, Casey Harriman also has Swine Flu. Yuck. However, this means potential good news for my good buddy and fellow walk-on, Matt Dorwart. Matt played 7 minutes in our exhibition against UNO on Sunday due to foul trouble to our big men and injuries, and actually contributed two threes and received a loud ovation from the Qwest crowd when he got subbed out. He banked in his first three from the top of the key and it was hysterical. He was completely wide open for his next three from the corner, and the very next possession was completely wide open again from the other corner. (The ball was halfway down the hoop before coming out, I swear.) Matt's eyes were beaming brighter than the look on my face when my mother makes pot roast. Everyone was happy for the kid. Matt is actually going to start contributing to the blog some, so you'll get to know him a little better. But before Matt tells you a little bit about himself, I'm going to give you a synopsis on Matt through my eyes.

Matt Dorwart is 6'9'' and your chubby third-grade cousin Joseph probably weighs more than he does. Matt is thinner than Lindsay Lohan's drug dealer's drug dealer, and his feet hit the ground with a loud thump like a clydesdale every time he runs. However, dude can stroke. His jumpshot is more beautiful than the time Rachel McAdams embraced Ryan Gosling in the pouring rain, locking lips with him in The Notebook. (That was beautiful, admit it.) He's also got a nice array of moves around the basket and can "pick and pop" with the best of em. Matt's a redshirt freshman from Sidney, Nebraska and grew up milking Holsteins, driving the tractor with his dad, and dreaming of playing defense for the Blackshirts and Tommy O. (Just kidding.) I honestly don't know much of Matt's background, except for the fact that his parents must be transparent, because there is no other possible way Matt could be as white and pasty as he is. Anyway, he's a good dude and hopefully Jays fans will get a chance to know him a little better this year. Matt's going to tell you a little bit about himself and the squad in the next entry, so enjoy.

Also, if you can find anything funnier than Dick Vitale's Twitter (http://twitter.com/dickiev) and his excessive use of exclamation points, please let me know; because as of right now, not much can top it.