Sports Bard

…for the sports writer inside.

Eleven freshmen were selected in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft, including six of the first seven. Eight sophomores were also picked in the first round. The defection of these fabulous underclassmen has left their former squads in various states of disrepair. Some have big holes to fill - Arizona, Kansas, Indiana and UCLA; others have retooled (USC, Texas, and LSU). But the Big East has no such worries. Aside from Syracuse, which failed to make the NCAA tournament last year with the departed Donte Green, no Big East squad suffered the premature evacuation of a leading performer.

The Big East’s formula, at least recently, has been to avoid an over-reliance on one star with a view towards fielding balanced squads laden with lettermen. Of the six most highly regarded Big East teams pre-season, a list which does not include two-time champ Georgetown, all return at least four starters, or three players averaging ten points or more.

UConn returns five double figure scorers, Marquette and Syracuse four each. Pitt returns stalwarts LaVance Field, Du Juan Blair, and man-among-boys 24 year old Sam Young, who should be playing small forward in the NBA. Louisville is loaded. Rookie stud Samardo Samuels joins likely All-Americans Earl Clark and Terrence Williams. Notre Dame has the league’s best inside-out combo with sharpshooter McAlarney and the brutish Luke Harangody. UConn, Louisville and Pitt are all ranked in the top five of the Associated Press pre-season poll.

The Big East placed a record eight teams in the NCAA’s last year. Provided that the grinding schedule permits eight or more teams to post .500 or better conference records, the league should achieve at least as much tournament representation this year. Following the big six, Georgetown, Villanova, West Virginia, and Providence will scramble for the remaining slots. Each has its virtues. Georgetown has little returning scoring punch and will need a monster performance from 6′11″, 250 lb rookie Greg Monroe. Villanova seems undermanned. West Virginia returns big-time performers Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff and last year’s point guard surprise Joe Mazzulla. Providence returns five starters plus injured point guard Sharaud Curry.

The Pac-10 was second to the Big East last year with six NCAA entrees; but no conference has suffered more from early departers. UCLA lost Kevin Love and Brian Westbrook, in addition to the efficient Luc Richard Mbah a Moutee, who was taken in the second round by Milwaukee after his junior year. USC suffered the departure of OJ Mayo. Stanford lost the Lopez Twins. Ryan Anderson left California. And Arizona lost its point guard, Jerryd Bayless, its prize recruit (Brandon Jennings, to the European league), and its coach, Lute Olson, to retirement.

Washington State and Oregon were hit hard by graduation, each losing four seniors from the starting five. Washington remained stable, and returns the monster Brockman. But only Arizona State, with two returning stars in James Harden and Jeff Pendegraph, and USC, featuring the nation’s top rookie prospect (6′7″ Demar DeRozan) and the under-appreciated Taj Gibson, appear to be much improved. In fact, the balance of power in the west may be shifting away from the Pac-10, north to the West Coast Conference.

Last year St. Mary’s and San Diego joined perennial conference champ Gonzaga as WCC reps in the tournament. San Diego upset UConn in the first round of the NCAA’s. St Mary’s, with five players on its roster from Australia, including Olympics star Patty Mills, is a pre-season top 25 selection. Gonzaga is stronger than ever and is this writer’s dark horse pick to be best in show at tournament time.

We like the ‘Zags for a variety of reasons. First, their time is now. 2007-2008 WCC player of the year point guard Jeremy Pargo returned for his senior season after a flirtation with the pros, where his brother, Jannero, toiled for several seasons. 6′11″ senior Josh Heyvelt was either injured or suspended for most of last year, and is ready to explode. Good fortune brings both of these stars back. Secondly, they have a great supporting cast. 6′10″ sophomore Austin Daye is a projected All-American, and Matt Bouldin (12.6 ppg) is a productive workhorse. Their bench is deep. Third, they’ll be playing a tougher conference schedule, which should prepare them for the post-season. Finally, Gonzaga is under the radar. First-round NCAA losses for the past two years will do that. At 40-1 to win at all, the ‘Zags are good value.

One Pac-10 team which did not have much to lose is Oregon State which in 2008 became the first team in Pac-10 history to go winless in conference play. The Beavers, now headed by Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama’s brother, made a rare cross-country trip to play at Howard Friday night. Evidently the trip was an enticement to lure one-time prize recruit 6′10″ 250 lb. Calvin Hampton, who hails from Fort Washington, Md. Hampton has not returned the favor. Through parts of four seasons, he‘s averaged two points a game.

At 6′6″ and approaching 260 lbs, Robinson is an imposing presence along the sidelines. He may be the biggest coach in the collegiate ranks, as well as the smartest. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton and an MBA from U. Of Chicago. He left a lucrative career in investment banking to coach in college. But Robinson may need the collective wisdom of Clair Bee, Hank Iba, and Adolph Rupp to carve out a conference win with his current crew. After watching the Beavers lose to Howard, one fan noted, “They’re going to finish 0-18 again if they play like this.”

* * * * * *

On September 11, 1955, late in the second game of a crucial Sunday twin bill at the Stadium, the Hardest Thrower I Ever Saw arched his arms, then drew them tightly against his chest, Yankees leading from first and second. Kicking his right leg high, the lanky lefthander uncorked a missile towards the waiting Mantle. The switch-hitting Mick, batting right, was known to be a good fast ball hitter; and he left no doubt on that point when he returned the 100 mph blur on a line to center, scoring the winning run. Though a stout Yankee fan, this single digit spectator’s lasting memory of the moment was not of Yankee heroics, but of the velocity of Herb Score’s fastball. Score died November 11 at age 75.

My second recollection of Score is shared by many others because we remember where we were when we heard that he’d been felled by a Gil McDougald line drive, and was in danger of losing his sight in his right eye. It was May 7, 1957, and Score had completed two seasons of virtuosity, registering thirty six victories and leading the league in strikeouts in 1955-1956. He was called a left-handed Bob Feller, and that was no idle talk, since Feller was his teammate. Feller said Tuesday on the Indians’ web site, “ He would have been the greatest left-handed pitcher who ever lived. He had as good a curveball as Koufax and a better fastball.”

Score sat out the rest of 1957 and pitched in only twelve games in 1958. In 1959, Score regained his place in the Tribe rotation, but not his form. He became gunshy on balls hit back to the box, and altered his mechanics. He walked 115 batters in 140 innings. After the 1959 season, Score was traded to the White Sox. His career record was 55-46 over eight seasons.

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