Pacers Wrap Up

Pacers beat the Magic in a game I didn't think they would win, and win going away. It was a tale of two halves as the Pacers were down by 3 at halftime, and just looked out of sync. I didn't watch the rest of the game as I was busying watching the Royal Rumble, but I got game updates, and my brother said after the third quarter Pacers are up 80-68, to which I said no they are not. I didn't think that the way the Pacers finished that first half, there was any way they would turn around and claim a 14 point lead.  Maybe a small lead, and maybe steal a win only being down 3.  But it's a hard game to wrap my head around.  

This week was an up and down one for the Pacers as well, and maybe it's said best when you think this season is just going to be odd from time to time.  I talked about it in the podcast over the weekend, but the Pacers beat the Lakers, Bulls, and now the Magic all on the road to get wins. But lost to that same Magic team at home by 19.  And lost to the Celtics on their home floor after beating that same Celtics team by double digits two times already.  Just a weird week.  This team can turn it on it seems when it needs to, so I say turn it into overdrive and make a push for the division title.  I don't think that's too far out of the realm of thinking as I've seen what this Pacers team can do.  Have your expectations changed for the Pacers as they've shown flashes of being better than we expected?

On the Sidelines 32- Hometown Lovin'

On the Sidelines 32

All Indy sport news in this episode featuring Colts new head coach, Pacers with an up and down win, and Butler fighting to stay alive in the Horizon League.

Indianapolis Colts News

Colts Name Chuck Pagano as New Head Coach

Indiana Pacers News

Pacers Finish Their Trip Out West

Can Pacers Find Their Mojo in Chicago?

Pacers Get Job Done in Chicago

NBA Standings

Butler Bulldogs News

Butler Goes Down Last Night

Butler Goes Down Last Night, But Still Can Turn Things Around.

Another tough loss for the Bulldogs, and the days to getting back to the tourney are shorter.  Right now Butler sits in fourth in the Horizon league with only eight games left to play.  It's not out of the realm to believe Butler could get in one of the top two spots and earn a bye in the league tourney. But winning that league tourney is the only way Butler is making the big dance.  Then who knows what could happen?  We all know how the last two years have gone. But Butler needs to get its offense going better as they only put up 42 points last night in a loss. There aren't many big scorers on the team, so ball movement and finding that open shot is key, but for some reason it hasn't happened that much.  There's work to be done, but I am going to put my faith in the Bulldogs to find a way to make it happen just like they have been doing the past decade.  This might not be the same type of team as the past two years, but there could be something special if things started clicking.  Eight games to get it going.  Eight games to get a winning streak moving.  Eight games left to make a statement.

Pacers Get the Job Done in Chicago: Pacers 95 Chicago 90

Danny Granger looks to score against Corey Brewer

I know it's early to call this a statement game, but this is one that the Pacers needed to win, especially after losing to the Magic the way they did.  Remember this is the Bulls team that knocked the Pacers out of the playoffs last year, when I think the Pacers played them tougher than the Bulls would give credit. "They are just thrilled to get the win here," coach Frank Vogel said. "They were crushed that we didn't beat them last year in the playoffs."  Vogel always has some great quotes coming out of games.  Roy Hibbert continues his surge for the team as he hit for 20 points, and a game clinching dunk at the end.  Danny Granger put up 22 points.  The Pacers shot just at 48%, which is great against the tough defense of Chicago.  They were down double digits at halftime, but came together and got this win. Other than that Magic loss, this has been a good week, starting with the Lakers win and the Warriors one right before that.  And now giving the Bulls their first home loss after the Pacers first home loss has to feel good.  Tough rest of the week as the Pacers travel to Boston and then another game with Orlando.  Pacers have already beat Boston twice, so hopefully another win.  Then a rematch with Orlando where I expect a much better effort, and one that will hopefully get a win.  

So you think you can coach a team?

I've been sitting on this post for the past day or so as I wanted to make sure I had all thoughts about it.  This one is just going to be a little bit out of the ordinary as I look at coaching.  We all like to think we could be coaches in sports, as we sit in our comfy chairs and watch a game and shout at the tv to say hey make that play.  But when it comes down to it, could we really last a day or two as a coach?  I know in my own experience of coaching CYO Youth Basketball for two years, I had the fantastic privilege of coaching my two teams to TWO wins...total in those two years.  Yep I was definitely a great coach.  It works very differently when you're out there trying to tell people what to do versus sitting in the stands shouting out what to do. But what league of the major sports would be the toughest?  I look at each one, and then hopefully get a conclusion about which one is the toughest.

NFL
This one to me is definitely tough because it's all about winning right away, and if you don't win right away, you're gone in a year or two. If that.  Anymore, coaches are lucky to be with one team for three years.  It's amazing to think how long Jeff Fisher was with the Titans.  But you have to manage 53 guys in a physically demanding sport.  Then you manage however many assistant coaches and coordinators you have.  Then you have to talk to reporters right after a game about what you did right or wrong, which happens in every sport, but I can imagine can be very difficult in this since one play can determine a whole game.  And I think finally you don't always get the respect for the job you're doing.

NBA
Now this one to me might be even more demanding because I think of the personalities you have to manage.  With the NBA, it's a players league, and players get their way in the end.  Look at the Kings situation, Demarcus Cousins has beef with the coach, and the coach is gone.  Granted there could have been more than meets the eye, but that didn't help the situation.  But then again in the Pacers situation, those players spoke up for Frank Vogel last year, and I think that did help him get the job.  But still the idea that you're in charge of these 15 or so personalities has to be taxing on the mind and body.  Jerry Sloan coached all those years till it eventually broke him down.  I also think the flow of the game can be tough on a coach. One minute you can be up by 10 points, and the next minute you could be down by 10.  Think of the plays you have to call, and hope that the players will run it to perfection.  Yet again another league where the coaches don't always get their full due. I think this will be a recurring theme.

NHL
Now this whole I don't have much if any experience with as I am not a hockey fan. But I can imagine the tough part is managing those lines of players and determining what players need to be where, and the speed of the game is so fast that you have to think of the fly.  You have to put guys out there that you know can make plays. You have to put the right goalie that you know can stop the shots.  My basic thinking on coaching in the NHL. I am sure there's lots more to the job, but I can't speak on that.

MLB
Each pitch can be a coaching decision.  Luckily you do have other coaches managing a game, but ultimately decisions go to the head coach.  And this might be the one where the coach really puts his faith in his players, you call the pitch you think will get the strike, but that pitcher has to pitch it the right way. You can go for a bunt, and hope that player lays down the bunt.  All kinds of scheming goes into a baseball game.

As you can see all these sports present something different, and all are tough to coach in.  Myself, I think the toughest would be MLB.  With all of those decisions going into a game, and then letting the players go out to do their job, that's got to be a lot on the mind.  I would think that could kill you in the long run.  But overall, I don't envy any coach, and I'll stick to my arm chair coaching for now.

Can the Pacers find their mojo in Chicago tonight?

Well that was a lousy game for the Pacers last night. I really thought they would be able to take care of the Magic even if it came down to a late fourth quarter run.  But they couldn't do anything offensively and defensively Ryan Anderson torched them for 24 points hitting 5 three pointers. I don't even know who Ryan Anderson is, but he beat the Pacers.  The Magic played with a better sense of urgency once Dwight Howard went out early with fouls, and the Pacers didn't have the energy to stay up with them.  They looked very out of sync, and not a good sign for tonight's game against Chicago.  There is one good stat to pull from last night's defeat, the Pacers were perfect from the free throw line, so kids make sure you practice free throws.  Tonight's game should be a good one if the Pacers play like they have and not like last night.  If they play another game like that, this Bulls team will run all over the Pacers.  And it won't be a pretty game at all.

Pacers Look for Magic Tonight Against Orlando

Having completed a great West Coast Trek beating the Warriors and Lakers in the process, the Pacers head tonight back to the friendly confines of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.  Tonight is a great opportunity to keep the ball rolling and get momentum for a huge match up with the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night. Talk about a tough back to back night, and one that will make the Pacers travel to Chicago right after tonight's game.  The schedule isn't doing any favors there.  The Magic will be pretty bitter tonight as well after scoring 56 points in a loss to the Celtics last night.  That's right 56 points.  The Pacers will need to come out swinging and put away the Magic right away. I think the best match up to watch tonight is Roy Hibbert versus Dwight Howard.  In past years, I think Hibbert lacked that confidence to go against a tougher opponent, and I expect tonight to be the opposite.  After coming back to play in Los Angeles and sporting a bunch of cotton stuffed up his nose, Hibbert showed so much more toughness than we have seen.  He put up 18 points to really lead the way in more ways than one for the Pacers.  The key tonight will be to give the ball to Hibbert early, and get his confidence going if he can score a few baskets right away on Howard. That seems to be the way Hibbert goes, if he can get going, it will be a good night for him.  This team can show so much in these two games in my mind since we are almost to the quarter point of the season.  Things will really start picking up soon, and it's important to get wins now.

Pacers Finish Their Trip Out West

Stuffing the basket just like his nose

And what a way to finish this short trek out west with a good win over the Lakers.  Roy Hibbert showed how badly he wanted to play and win this game as he came back after getting whacked in the nose by Kobe Bryant.  Doctors said he should stay in the locker room, but he stated he wanted to play.  As a Pacers fan, that's just awesome.  It's been a bit since we've had that mentality.  Danny Granger has been playing through a small injury as well, so it's good to see this team is willing to battling through things, and not sit out unless they are absolutely not able to go.  This game definitely felt like a playoff game as I sat in my bed just listening to the wonderful broadcast of Mark Boyle.  If you haven't sat and listened to a game, do yourself a favor, and do that once in a while.  


This game did not start out pretty as the Lakers jumped out to a 13 point lead in the first quarter, but the Pacers showed their smashmouth style, and chipped away even hitting a three pointer at the end of the second quarter to get back within three points.  The Pacers put up 35 points in that second quarter after just getting 14 in the first.  The third quarter was going back and fourth and the Lakers got a one point lead heading into the final period thanks to a buzz beater by Kobe Bryant.  Once again, the Pacers stepped up and took their shots at the Lakers.  They eventually got up late in the fourth quarter, and held on thanks to some timely free throws and great defense on potential game tying three pointers.  The Pacers held on to win this game 98-96. Stand out game by Hibbert as he put up 18 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.  All the other starters scored in double figures as well with David West getting 15 points, Danny Granger hitting for 16 points, Paul George scores 13 points, and Darren Collison with 12 points. I said before I think this team can win without a huge superstar and the collective team effort, which is what happened last night.


Just another game that this Pacers showed their grit and came out on top.  Friday night, George Hill stepped up and made a great defensive play to score the game winning basket against Golden State.  The Pacers finished this trip on a high note after that tough loss in Sacramento to start the trip.  But coming back to beat Golden State and Los Angeles is a statement to me.  This train needs to keep rolling as the Pacers come home to play the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls back to back.  That will be a test for this team, and one I know they'll step up and ace.

Joe Paterno: Wanted Dead or Alive

If there was ever a time when being first to get the new story isn't the best thing, yesterday showcased that greatly.  Also goes to show just how of a powerful force social media is, which we already knew. I know in my own experience, I saw the new story about Joe Paterno was in serious condition, and told my family about that, and moved on.  Then as the night moved on, my twitter timeline starts piling up with Joe Paterno dead, and like everyone else, I gave out my own facebook status stating what a great career he had even amid the end of it, and thought that was the end of it.  But apparently, it wasn't the end as his family had put out tweets stating that their dad was alive and just in very bad condition. Talk about a three sixty.  Can you imagine being the family members and having to hear that your dad is dead, when you're right there with him?  The college site that first reported it will obviously be put to the fire, but we all need to put ourselves to the fire.  I know we all jump right away on something, and just need to step back at times, let the facts come out, and then go from there.  With sports, it's so easy to make your own opinion and feelings known with twitter and every other social media outlet.  And with my own life, twitter is my news source, I see things there right away, and can give it out back to people.  I've always stated how quickly the death of Michael Jackson came out, and that was through facebook and twitter.  Nowadays that's how you find out everything.  It's a sad thing to find out death, but that's the way our world is.  And I am sure once Joe Paterno passes away, someone will jump right away and post it up to be that first person to post it.  Who knew it was such a race to be that person?  What does it matter if you report something first or last?  Everyone is going to make their OWN feelings known on the situation.  Hopefully in this situation, the family members can break the news themselves and on their own admission.

On the Sidelines 31

On the Sidelines 31

This week's episode features Indianapolis Colts heading coach talk, Pacers trip out West, and Butler picks up two good wins to move right up the standings.  Also I will give out my picks for the NFL Conference Championships, and finish up with NBA Standings.

Indianapolis Colts News
Colts Near Decision on Next Head Coach

Indiana Pacers News
Pacers Hold Off Golden State 94-91
Pacers Bow Down to Kings 92-88

Butler Bulldogs News
Butler Gets it Done Against Youngstown St 71-55
Butler Gets it Done Against UIC 57-49

NFL Playoffs
Ravens Patriots
Giants 49ers

NBA
Standings

Butler Gets it Done Against UIC: 57-49

A win is a win is the old cliche, and that definitely applies to last night's Butler win. It wasn't a pretty affair by any means.  Butler locked down on defense in the second half as they only allowed three field goals.  That's right three field goals.  If that's not a good defensive stand, I don't know what is.  Roosevelt Jones had his best game of his young Butler career getting a career high 16 points, and really setting the tone for Butler's offense.  Khlye Marshall was a rebound machine as he grabbed 10 rebounds, seven of which were of the offensive kind.  He was getting those second chances for the Bulldogs, which is great.  Butler might not always hit their shots, so getting a second chance is a great help.  Both teams shot under forty percent for the game, so points were at a premium as you can see by the final score.  But in the end, Butler did what they needed to do, and pulled into a closer spot to move up in the league standings.  Important game coming up next week, and Butler has a chance to move to the top, which would be a great thing.

Pacers Bow Down to the Kings: 92-88

I went to bed thinking the Pacers had won an easy game in Sacramento, only to wake up and check the score to see they lost.  They had a 16 point lead at one point, and end up losing the game when the Kings went to a zone defense.  Granted not many teams do that, and it caught the Pacers by surprise, but still a double digit lead and the Pacers couldn't close it out, that's a bit scary.  That's something that would have happened last year, and something I thought would be fixed and improved upon this year.  This was a winnable game for the Pacers, and they choked it away.  Next game up is Golden State, another winnable game.  Hopefully the Pacers turn it around, come out strong, and put away the Warriors.  After that game is the Lakers, Magic, and Bulls.  Talk about a tough three games, that's why I know the Pacers need to get a win tomorrow night, and make sure they are ready for those next three contests.  I think if the Pacers play like they should, they can be in and possibly win two out of three in that stretch.  But let's start back tomorrow, get the team back to where it should be, and get going again.

Life after Peyton Manning? Maybe Sooner than We Want.

Now that Jim Caldwell is gone, I feel like there's one more "domino" to take care of, and from reading Caldwell Exit Signals Change by Bob Kravitz and listening to theHill & Schlereth radio segment on ESPN, where Mark Schlereth made a very convincing argument that Peyton Manning could be gone, I am leaning towards that area of thinking.  While it would be such a great loss for the city of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Colts team, you can see the writing on the way.  Words like rebuilding and new era came up yesterday in the press conference where Ryan Grigson, Colts GM, said that Jim Caldwell was out.  If Manning is going to be kept around, wouldn't Caldwell have been kept around for that continuity and another run at a Super Bowl?  Yes the Colts will do all they can this upcoming year to make a run, but if they draft Luck and still have some of the same pieces we have now, are we going to go to the promised land?  I think not.  But Colt fans should be ready for this era of Luck, whether we want it or not. I was debating on going into detail on how Peyton Manning will be remembered, but I won't write that eulogy yet, and let's see if this final domino does fall.

Another Domino Falls- Jim Caldwell is out as coach of the Colts

Add Fired to the List of Looks

Well word is out that Jim Caldwell is gone as Indianapolis Colts fans at ease, but then it's a bit uneasy because I am wondering who do you bring in. I would imagine Jim Irsay and Ryan Grigson have some plan in mind or at least a list of people to talk to about the coaching position. Myself I can't think of anyone off the top of my head, which makes it hard to predict who will be brought in as coach. Speculating I think it will be a name we're no familiar with because the big names, Bill Cowher, John Gruden, and even Tony Dungy aren't going to be the coach. Cowher and Gruden I think aren't good fits here. And yes we loved Dungy and his coaching, but I think he's very settled in his life after coaching and don't believe even a truckload of money would bring him back.  So that leaves the coaching thing wide open.  Whoever they bring in better be ready for a big chore because if this team isn't winning, then you're going to hear it from the fans just like this year, and I imagine the ruckus will be even louder.  

Butler Gets it Done Against Youngstown State: Butler 71 Youngstown St. 55

Now this is the way Butler should have been playing all along.  They used an 11-0 run in the beginning of the game to take control.  Lead at halftime 34-27, and even lead by 20 through the second half. Everything was clicking, and there wasn't a bad spot to be had.  Andrew Smith lead the way for the Bulldogs getting a 20 point game.  Kameron Woods got 10 points and 10 rebounds.  Good to see the two big men of the team doing work down low.  Butler shot well going for just at 45% for the game.  Not many turnovers happened as good passes were made, and the team worked together to get baskets.  Butler still has a shot to get back into winning the league or at least finishing second. It's important to get one of the top two seeds as those teams get automatic byes into the semi-finals of the Horizon League Tourney.  That means winning two games and a team is in the NCAA Tourney instead of winning three games.  Butler needs teams above them to lose, but they can control their own fate this week by winning a couple of games against the lower teams in the league.  Get those wins and see where things shake out as they go. We're almost halfway through league play, time for Butler to get some momentum and get back to the big dance.

Pacers Weekly Wrap Up

Another week down in the NBA Season, and another great week for the Pacers.  Still room for improvement, but a 3-1 record for the week is a great thing, especially with the way the game in Toronto was unfolding.  For the Pacers to turn it around, and win that game after being down double digits and losing Danny Granger due to his technical fouls says something about this team.  Last night, they went up against the Celtics and handled the Celtics for a second time in about two weeks.  That's another good sign for this team. They handled the Hawks earlier leading at one point by 24 points.  Everyone is contributing, and everyone is adjusting to their roles.  There are many positive signs coming out of this team.  David West and George Hill were great additions, and they are paying off.  Both are scoring in double figures as well as four or five other Pacer players.  This team feels like they have about seven starters the way their bench can come in and get the ball rolling after the starters step out.  Rebounding and playing defense are two hallmarks of the Pacers as well.  Frank Vogel deserves a lot of credit for bringing in the fresh air and he may be over the top with this optimism, but this team needs that.  We all saw last season how Roy Hibbert got down on himself, and I haven't seen that at all this year as he keeps up racking double double after double double.  Danny Granger had a good turnaround game last night after his little fiasco in Toronto, and is hopefully realizing he doesn't need to do it all like he has in the past.  Paul George is a great at adapting to whatever he needs to do on any given night.  He could be more aggressive, and hopefully that starts coming out.  Darren Collison looks to be much more comfortable running the offense. Things are really clicking, and now we just need the fans to rally behind the time.  Step up and show the Pacers we believe in them.  

On the Sidelines 30

On the Sidelines 30

Local news to discuss featuring the Colts new GM, the Indiana Pacers have a good week, and the Butler Bulldogs are entering a rough patch.  National stuff going on featuring the NFL Playoffs and a look at the NBA.

Indianapolis Colts News
New GM Gives Colts Keen Eye

Indiana Pacers News
Pacers Rally Beat Raptors Despite Granger's Ejection
Pacers Make Statement Against Hawks
Indiana Pacers Fall to Philadelphia

Butler Bulldogs News
Indy Star Recap of Butler's Game Last Night
Butler Has Letdown at Detroit: 76-65

NFL Playoffs
NFL Playoffs Round 2 Divisional Round

NBA Standings
NBA Standings

NFL Playoffs Round 2- Divisional Round

Time to give out my expert opinions on the Divisional Round of this year's playoffs.

New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers 

This is going to be a great match up, and I think it's almost a coin flip on who you think should win.  The Saints have been rolling and their offense just seems to answer the bell each game out.  But are the Saints the same team away from home?  San Fran has had a bye week to rest and get ready for this game.  I look for the San Fran Defense to step up and stop the potent offense, and help carry the Niners to the win.

Denver Broncos and New England Patriots

This is almost a game of who do I hate less.  Yes we've all grown tired of the Tebow machine, but we've also grown sick of hearing about Brady and the Pats.  With as much hatred that I have for New England, my head wants to pull for the Broncos. But do we really think Tebow and the Broncos could pull off that same magic they had last week?  That's something out of the movies with the way the Broncos scored in overtime.  I think New England will put together a plan to make Tebow more of a passer, especially if they can get up 10 points.  I will have to regretfully go with the Patriots for the win.

Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens

I think this might be a big defensive game.  We saw what the Texans defense did against the Bengals getting some interceptions, and even getting one for a score.  Will Baltimore's defense be able to shut down Arian Foster and his strong running game?  Or can Ray Rice and his running game run over the Texans?  I am going with the Baltimore Ravens as my pick here and my new Super Bowl pick.

New York Giants and Green Bay Packers

I've been going with the Packers since the beginning and no reason for me not to pick them here.  They've been rolling through the season except for a blip or two.  The Giants were a surprise for me last week in the way they handled the Falcons, so they could keep things interesting here.  But ultimately the Packers are the better team, and should take care of this quickly and easily.  Packers for the win.

Pacers make a statement against the Hawks: 96-84

The Pacers came to play last night even with that final score a bit deceiving.  They allowed just nine points in the third quarter, while putting up twenty five to put this game away.  They had a lead of twenty four points in the fourth quarter, and got another home winning taking their record to 4-0 at home.  A well rounded effort as once again everyone seemed to contribute.  Danny Granger lead the way and continued his strong performance at home against the Hawks as he scored 24 points on 9-16 shooting including 3-5 from three point range.  Great night at the office for him, and I hope this shooting trend will continue.  I think Granger needs to make shots to get his confidence going and get his belief in the rest of the team.  He puts a lot of pressure on himself, and needs to let some of that go.  Roy Hibbert got another double double, 12 points and 11 rebounds.  Even Lance Stephenson had in what has been his best game with the Pacers putting up 12 points, but playing a smart game all together.  The Pacers as a team were shooting over 50% at one point, but that dipped down to 45 %, which is still a better night than most nights they've had.  They also hit 6-14 from three point range, which is a great night.  Hopefully things can keep rolling as I see this was a statement game as long as they follow up and win in Toronto.  Toronto is an expected win in my mind, and should be in the team's mind.  Go up there and take care of the Raptors easily and quickly.

Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks Do Battle Tonight.

The Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks will tangle it up tonight in what could be a preview of a playoff match up down the road.  The Pacers are off to a great start at home, and hope the home cooking will do them well tonight.  They could be without Danny Granger for a second game as he ate some bad stuff, and was out Monday with food poisoning.  No word on what caused the ailment as I am sure we would like to know!  Tyler Hansbrough was shown sporting some awesome goggles yesterday at practice that he may have to don tonight as he took a shot to the eye, but should be able to go tonight.  George Hill sat out with back pain on Monday, and no word on his status for tonight.  This is a game I think the Pacers need to win because the Hawks have had their number the past few years.  Granger actually does pretty well against them recently as he's averaged 26 points at home against the Hawks in his last six contests.  It would be great to have him out there, and performing like we think he should.  Interesting match to watch tonight, and hopefully our home boys can pick up the win as they will head to Toronto later this week in a game that they SHOULD win.

Indiana Pacers fall to Philadelphia Sixers: 96-86

The Indiana Pacers couldn't get going in Philadelphia last night, and end up on the losing end. I was surprised to see that the Sixers were actually favored, as I tried to wrap my head around who is on that team, and why are they pretty good this year?  They came in on a four game winning streak and extended it last night.  The Pacers were without Danny Granger, and even though George Hill was there, I didn't think he played any minutes. The bright spot was Roy Hibbert with a game high 19 points and David West helped the cause with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Two big men trying to get their points, and help the team win, it's been a while since this team has seen that.  Point of concern might be Tyler Hansbrough as he took a shot to the eye, and did not return.  Hopefully it was just a bump and he'll be all right for the next game.  That next game could be a tough one as it is with the Atlanta Hawks, who have got the best of the Pacers in the past few years.  It's a home game for the Pacers, so maybe the crowd will fuel them up and the Pacers will show the Hawks who is boss.  Time for the Pacers to really make that turn into a contender, and time for everyone to step up their game. Even with this season in the early stages, I want to see where this team can go.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Day 2

Well I was dead wrong about both of these games yesterday. I thought the Falcons would roll over the Giants, and I thought the Steelers would crush Tebowmania.  Let's take a look at what happened in the games.

NY Giants 24      Atlanta Falcons  2
Well the Falcons made some history, but not the kind of history they wanted to make by scoring 2 points in this game. You would think that getting a safety means your defense is playing great, but their defense ended up getting shredded by the end of the game, and the Giants easily won this game.  Eli Manning throws for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns in this game.  The Giants running game also stepped up going for 172 yards between Brandon Jacobs and Ahmed Bradshaw.  Atlanta also shot themselves in the foot when they couldn't pick up some fourth and short yardage to keep drives alive.  If you can't do that, you're not going to win.  Matt Ryan is now winless in three playoff games, and soon will have to answer questions about that, if he hasn't had to already.  The Giants now have a date with the Green Bay Packers, and I will stick to my guns and say the Packers will win.  Even with the Giants coming in with some momentum, the Packers should take care of business and show why they powered through the NFC.

Denver Broncos  29      Pittsburgh Steelers  23
You can't write this stuff that is happening with the Broncos and Tim Tebow.  It's like a movie, and the guy just keeps finding ways to win.  Is there another polarizing figure as Mr. Tebow?  I thought my twitter was going to crash after he threw the only pass of overtime to win the game. Every other tweet had "tebow" in it at some point.  Perhaps my favorite was that people were pointing out Tebow threw for 316 yards, and we all have seen the signs for John 3:16 at football games.  I like the idea that Tebow 3:16 will be around, since it makes me think of Austin 3:16.  Yes I had to make a wrestling point there!  But man, it's so hard to wrap my head around this whole phenom that is Tim Tebow.  He's a guy who many didn't think would play quarterback in the NFL, but look he's making passes, and getting the ball down the field when he needs to. I watched some of the game, and he made good passes when he needed to.  And he found Demariyus Thomas to get that game winning play in overtime.  And it was the first play of overtime right after the ref explained how overtime would work.  Then all the jokes could come about how short that was.  Someone said the intro to "Sixty Minutes" on CBS, which aired after the game, lasted longer than the overtime session.  It's just a crazy crazy thing this whole Tebowmania.  Now the Broncos have a date with the New England Patriots, who handled the Broncos the last time they played.  I'm leaning towards the Patriots on this one because there's no way the Pats let Tebow beat them right, especially if Josh McDaniels who drafted the guy is out there assisting in the coaches department.  Should be a pretty entertaining game there.  Just hope the Patriots don't make it here to Indy because is there anything that Indy wouldn't want to see less than a bunch of Pats fans taking over our city???

Butler has a letdown at Detroit: 76-65

And even that score is deceiving.  The Bulldogs were down 8-0 after about 10 seconds, and you could tell this was going to be a rough game.  Some bad trends happened in this game as Butler was down at halftime for the 12 time in 17 games, not a good sign.  And they were down double digits most of the game, you won't win many games when you have to come back like that.  At one point, the deficit was 23 points.   Just as soon as I thought Butler was turning the corner with a four game winning streak, they went out and laid an egg in Detroit.  Just to show how tough the Horizon League as well, Butler started the day tied for first place and now are tied for fifth place.  They have two games coming up against league leaders, and essentially need to win both those games to have a shot at the league title. Remember the first and second place teams have a much easier time winning the league tourney as they get byes to the semi-finals.  That means as the first and second place teams you have two win two games, and you're off to the NCAA Tourney.  Hopefully Butler will enjoy the friendly confines of Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday night and pick up the win that they will need.  Cleveland State and Youngstown State come to Hinkle for game, both teams ahead of Butler.  Get a couple of wins there, and you're right back in the league lead.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Day 1

Not much surprise in yesterday games, the Texans and Saints both took care of business.

Houston Texans  31      Cincinnati Bengals  10
I thought the Bengals had a shot, but their offense couldn't get it together.  Andy Dalton got intercepted threw times in this game.  TJ Yates threw a late touchdown to Andre Johnson to really seal the deal.  Arian Foster ran in for two scores.  Rookie JJ Watt got a pick six late in the first half to put the brakes on the Bengals.  The Texans are known for their defense and their running game, and that's what showed.  Texans will get a tough test in facing the Ravens next week, but if they did things like today, they should have a good shot.  The Bengals can feel good about their future as Dalton seems to be coming into his own, and he can throw the ball to AJ Green, who had a fantastic rookie year.

New Orleans Saints  45      Detroit Lions  28
I don't want to toot my own horn as I feel most people were saying the same thing, but the Saints did put up over forty points, which I predicted.  Maybe I should start putting money on these games.  Drew Brees just threw for 466 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Just another day at the office for him as he blew past Dan Marino's passing record for a season, and looks to be right on pace for a blistering post season.  His total was the most in a postseason regulation game.  Matthew Stafford for the Lions didn't have a bad game himself as he threw for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns.  It wasn't enough to keep pace with the Saints, and they will move on to the next round.

Pacers Recap

Two weeks into the season and I have to give the Pacers a B+, could have gone A if they had played more competitively and maybe beat the Heat.  Yes I am going to be nit picky, but with this team and the talent that is showing, there's not a lot of excuses to make that the Pacers can't truly compete with the top teams in the East. I think they are doing a great job of handling teams that they are supposed to be so far.  They did have a small let down against the Pistons.  But with the way they bounced back after the Miami game, and won in Boston after not winning there in years, that shows me something.  I think that each game everyone is stepping up as well, and looks like each game you can pick out a different player who is contributing the most.  Or who you could call the player of that game.  I like the idea that this is more of a team effort because it shows you might not need that mega superstar, but all the parts together can do something.   Look at those Pistons teams that went to the Finals, hard to pick out a big superstar, so this Pacers team could work that way.


The only improvement I would want to see is Danny Granger continue to involve everyone in the game.  You have to give him credit for making that pass on Friday night to Darren Collison for a game sealing three. I know all the Pacers people on twitter made a note of that pass.  But I think Granger has been so used to carrying the team, it's starting to set in that he doesn't always need to do that or get off a bad shot early in the shot clock.  You can work the ball around, make screens, move around, and find that open space.


Roy Hibbert is definitely coming into the player I know he can be.  I've said before, he should average a double double, 10 points and 10 rebounds at least.  That to me seems like a no brainer.  Having David West out there on the block should open up some more scoring for Hibbert as well.


The bench has two guys coming off that could fight each other for sixth man in Tyler Hansbrough and George Hill.  We have all seen what Hansbrough brings to the table, just a bulldozer of a man coming in to rebound and score.  I don't mind that at all.  He brings a little toughness to the team, and they can use that.  George Hill looks to be settling into his role and scoring more often.  His shot was a bit off through the first few games, but now it's coming around, and he's making some good shots.  I like the depth of our bench, and know that can help in those back to back to back games.  


This week the Pacers go to Philadelphia, where they will get a tough Sixers team, so hopefully we can take care of business there.  Then come home on Wednesday for a date with Atlanta.  This Atlanta team does scare me a bit as it seems like they've had the Pacers number for the past few years.  They've got a few more wins over the Pacers than I would like or the team would like.  So we shall see what happens when the Pacers and Hawks tangle here in town.  Friday the Pacers travel to Toronto and I think they will easily handle the Raptors.  Keep the wins coming and let's see how it all shakes out come game sixty six.  It will probably be here before we know it.

On the Sidelines 29

On the Sidelines 29

Today I will talk about the week that was featuring the Indianapolis Colts, who fired their long time Gm and his son, the Indiana Pacers, who got a couple of great wins and one bad loss, and the Butler Bulldogs, who have moved right into the league lead after four straight wins.  I will also talk about my picks for the NFL Playoffs.  And finish up with a look at the NBA standings and if they mean anything now.

Colts News
Colts Season Review
Colts Fire Bill Polian and Chris Polian

Pacers News
ESPN Recap of Indiana Pacers and New Jersey Nets: Indiana Pacers 108 New Jersey Nets 94
Pacers Go Cold in Miami:118-83
ESPN Recap of Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics: Pacers 87 Celtics 74

Butler Bulldogs News
Butler Bulldogs 63 Wright State Raiders 62

NFL News
NFL Playoffs

NBA News
NBA Standings

Basketball to Watch Tonight: Indiana Pacers and Butler Bulldogs

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers get another test tonight when the face the ageless Boston Celtics.  Boston has been on a roll lately, winning 4 in a row after losing their first 3 games.  It seems like the trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett will play into their 40's.  Rajon Rondo is the young pup of the group, but one who could be the best out of them.  There was a brief rumor that Rondo could have been coming to the Pacers, but like I said rumor, and we've no longer heard that.  Pacer fans know what the Pacers went through on Wednesday night against the Heat, and hope to put that loss deep down in the basement.  This will be a good chance to show that this young Pacers team can play with the better East teams.  Plus just showing that the Pacers are a better team than last year is something.  Hopefully Danny Granger gets out of his funk.  David West scores more points.  Roy Hibbert comes to play, and everything clicks again, so the Pacers can run the Celtics out of the building.  That would be ideal, but for this game, I think it will be a grind it out till the last few minutes, and the Pacers will have the chance to pull away then.  

Butler Bulldogs

Talk about some rest time between games, the Bulldogs haven't played since last Saturday and play tonight against one of the league leaders in Wright State.  A win here puts Butler back into the league lead, and should be a great win for this season.  Butler has fallen off the radar of state schools, but I think they will put together a run that gets people talking again.  It's been the up and down season for Butler, but they've rattled off three straight wins, and hope to continue that.  The biggest thing to worry about is the shooting percentage as Butler enters this game towards the bottom.  Still can't seem to find that basket, maybe this is the game where Butler shoots it well.  Just like the Pacers, I am hoping it all clicks tonight as I said a win tonight puts Butler right back into the thick of the Horizon League.  They were the preseason favorite to win, now it's time to show that.

Pacers Go Cold in Miami: 118-83

As a Pacers fan, I was putting a lot of stock into what this game could mean for this young Pacers team.  Maybe too much stock.  Luckily it's one game that it's very early in this short season, and the Pacers can use this as a learning experience.  As a test, the Pacers failed with flying colors.  They couldn't seem to do anything against this Heat team.  Even with Dwayne Wade out, Lebron James stepped up and easily took over the game.  The Pacers also got beat by guys like Mario Chalmers and James Jones.  They missed the memo that James Jones shoots a lot of threes, and hardly closed out on him when he did shoot.  Jones had 14 points with 4 three pointers.  Chalmers also put up 14 points.  To me this Pacers team always gets beat by guys like that. Those you don't expect to have great games.  I think there were two major issues that this team has got to fight through to get to where they should be.

1.  Start shooting the ball better.  This has been said since game one, but the Pacers are still shooting pretty bad. The New Jersey game they did shoot over 50%.  But surprisingly they are shooting three pointers better than two pointers.  That's not a terrible thing, but you need to be more consistent in the two point game if your three pointers aren't going down.  Also scoring just 12 points in a quarter isn't going to win a lot of games.

2.  Danny Granger is something of an issue. I can't figure out if he just doesn't know how to play with the guys he has now or if there's something wrong with him physically that is making him not as explosive as I think he should be. All these past seasons, the Pacers have relied on Granger to carry them.  Now he's got David West that can help out and score.  Roy Hibbert can score if he needs to.  Paul George is coming on.  So there are options around him.  I don't have access to watch these games, but listening to Mark Boyle on the radio call, you can hear in his voice that Granger needs to make much better decisions, and I am sure watching the games you can see that.

Maybe this was just one of those bad nights at the office. Every team will go through it.  The Dallas Mavericks got smoked by this same Miami Heat, and they took care of them last year in the NBA Finals.  The Pacers won't have to rest and think too much about this loss as they head to Boston on Friday and come home Saturday night for a game.  That's two nights to pick up a couple of wins and be back on the right track.  

Going to Miami: Pacers take on the Heat tonight

The Indiana Pacers face their first test of the season going down to play the Miami Heat. I know we're sitting at 4-1 and probably should be 5-0 except for that sleep walk of a game in Detroit.  But the Pacers are here, and its going to be important for this team to shoot the ball well. I think we match up well with the Heat, and were able to steal a game down there last year, so hopefully that happens again.  Key is slowing down Dwayne Wade since he's put up 40 points against us a couple of games. On the Pacers side, Danny Granger needs to make sure he gets good shots, and not force things like I feel he's been doing.  Roy Hibbert should do some battle with Chris Bosh, but having David West should ease some of that up.  I'm excited to see how Paul George does since he's been on fire from the 3 point line.  But overall, this should be a good game to watch, and it is so early in the season, that maybe it won't matter in the long run.  A win over the Heat could do wonders for a young team like the Pacers, though.

The First Domino Goes Down

And the first fall for the Colts goes to Bill and Chris Polian.  I am a bit surprised by this news, but probably shouldn't be shocked.  The Polians have been involved for 12 years now, which is probably a lifetime.  With the way teams have to change out so often, you have to give credit for Bill Polian and his ability to create a winning culture here in town.  Just think how much the Colts have changed over the time he's been here.  It helped that he came right when it was time to draft Peyton Manning.  And now he'll have to be out a job when the time goes for the Colts to make this what could be franichise changing first round first draft pick.  From the rumblings it sounded like Chris was going to be let go, but would you really just let the son go and not his dad?  It was time for a change at the top, and now I'm interested to see who we bring in a GM.  GM names are ones that you never even hear unless you're a fan of your own team.  But there's no way I could predict what GM the Colts will bring in.  Whatever time hopefully brings a bit of a change for the team.  Once that gets squared away, the next question should be answered: what happens to Jim Caldwell?  Personally I think his domino will fall next.  

Colts Season Review

I wasn't going to make this long and drawn out because as a fan, this season has been that.  We've seen the downs of this team, and all had our feelings on what should be done.  I did read there was a short meeting today at the Colts Complex, but nothing was there to report.  I personally think you start with getting rid of Jim Caldwell, but then again, he might be given a pass on this season.  As fans, do we give a pass on this season?

Going in, we knew there wouldn't be any Peyton Manning, and we weren't hopeful he would show up at any point. I did believe that Kerry Collins had something left in the tank, even though I should have seen the writing on the wall that he retired. Then with a shortened off season, Collins was going to absorb the Colts offense and run it effectively?  Probably not, and we saw that.  Then came Curtis Painter, and he was all right through a couple of games, even though they were losses.  But then it all came down right around the Saints game.  His confidence was gone after that, and no one was able to build him back up. We all know Reggie Wayne spoke up for Painter in the very beginning, and maybe giving Painter the ball in the beginning could have changed some things.  But no sense in looking back like that.

The only way I look is forward, and now there's a bunch of questions the Colts will have to answer.  What do we do with Coach Caldwell? I might be tempted to look above him, do the Polians stick around or does Irsay still want them to stick around? Then there's the draft pick, do you get Andrew Luck with the first pick? And is Luck ok with sitting around if Manning is healthy?  Then we get to Manning and his health.  Then we start getting to guys whose contracts are up.  Robert Mathis, I think he's got to be resigned as a bookend with Dwight Freeney.  Mathis had a great year on this bad defense.  But he needs to stick around.  How about Reggie Wayne? I am sure Wayne has some years left in him, but at what price?  And what about Gary Brackett?  He's the captain of the defense, do you just let him go?  Those are the main questions I can think of and I am sure there are guys I am missing.  But these guys stick out the most in my mind.

But looks like it won't be a quiet offseason for the Colts, and maybe it won't be business as usual. I think we'll hear rumblings and developments will be coming.  It might be a time to make some big changes on this team, and as fans we'll need to be there to support them.  Do you still believe in blue?

NFL Playoffs

The regular season is over?  Where in the heck did the time go?  Here we are and this weekend starts the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl here in Indy. I'm very excited to see all the hoopla surrounding hosting the Super Bowl. Look forward to checking out the NFL Experience and see what bands will be playing. But let's get through the first round of the playoffs and go on from there.

AFC
Teams with byes: New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens
I went with the San Diego Chargers back in my NFL Preview, but that looks to be a bad choice, so I'm going with a new pick and that team is the Ravens. I think the Ravens can put it together for this playoff run and make it here to Indy.  How about that a Baltimore team coming to Indy?  Think they will show up in Mayflower trucks?  What about the other match ups?


Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans
This isn't the same Houston team that was on a tear as they have lost their quarterback and are going into this game with TJ Yates. I'm going with a bit of a surprise and picking the Bengals to get out with a win, but by the slimmest of margins.  


Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
This is where we will see what Tim Tebow is made of, can he take Denver to a playoff win?  Not if Pittsburgh has anything to say about it. I look for the Pittsburgh defense to take care of Tebow, and the offense will put up just enough points to win this game.

NFC
Teams with byes:  Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers
I went with the Packers in my preview, and am going to stick with that bold prediction.  Maybe it's not so bold since the Packers won last year, and look even better this year.  But how many times has a team repeated as champ?  And this 49ers team has come on, and the Saints might be able to put up some points against Green Bay, so Green Bay isn't a total lock there. But Green Bay will be my choice to make it out of the NFC.


Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints
Think the Lions are happy just being in the playoffs?  I think so.  They might be able to give a fight to the Saints, but this Saints team has a ridiculous offense going, and it seems like every week they put up 40 points. I don't think Detroit can put up 40 points against the New Orleans defense, and I don't think they could last in a shootout, go with the Saints here.


Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants
I think the Giants got here because of a bad division and the Falcons were rolling yesterday as they had 42 points at halftime.  I look for the Falcons to continue to roll and have a date with the Packers.

Butler Takes Out UW-Milwaukee 54-50

Another win that wasn't easy to come by for Butler, but they got it done.  They were down 10 points at one point, and rallied to make this game interesting.  This is a big win in the standings as now the Bulldogs are one game out of first place.  UW-Milwaukee and Butler are the only teams to win the Horizon League since early 2000, so you can see how important this game was.  Chrishawn Hopkins came off the bench to give a big boost to the Bulldogs with 12 points.  I hope he can continue his play and even improve his game.  Andrew Smith had a good game as well. Another guy that Butler needs to step up his game.  With this team, I think we'll have to go game to game, and I am not sure there will be a true identity to this team.  But if the Bulldogs keep winning, do they need an identity?

Pacers go down in Detroit: 96-88

David West Looks to Score 

Another game, another night of shooting under 40%.  The previous three the Pacers had won those games, but it didn't happen last night. A slow start and getting down by 18 at one point was too much to overcome.  And getting beat by Jonas Jerebko, who got 20 points and 12 rebounds. I had to look at his name a few times to spell it, and I still have no idea who he is.  The Pacers have a tendency to do that, a random player has a career night against them.  But still not a good night at the office for the boys in blue and gold.  Coming off the overtime win, and making it to Detriot late in the morning might have affected some of the guys. I hate to see what happens when the team plays back to back to back, but that's for another date.  Still good things to talk about was Darren Collison had a good game getting 15 points and 5 rebounds.  George Hill got scoring putting up 16 points.  Seems like each game someone has stepped up their game, now everyone has to step up at the same time.  The rebounding numbers were down, which was a calling card in the previous efforts.  Time to get that back up and going.  The biggest improvement has to come in shooting. Make good choices about shots, and hopefully those shots start falling.  The Pacers are off today, and play in New Jersey on Monday night, so a good way to get back on the winning track.  

NFL PICKS FOR WEEK 17

Here we are at the final week of the season, and I'm wondering where did it go. I feel like this season has flown by, and I can't believe we're already here.

Lions
Packers
There's nothing to play for with the Packers, so I imagine their starters won't play too much.  For the Lions, a win secures the fifth seed and a game with Dallas or New York, and not a game with San Francisco or New Orleans.  I'm going with Detroit to pick up the win and get that fifth seed.
Detroit


49ers 
Rams
The 49ers still have a shot to earn that number two seed in the NFC, and have beaten up the Rams in previous meetings. I can't see the Rams putting up a fight in this game, go with San Fran.
49ers


Jets 
Dolphins
The Jets have much more to play for, but would still need a lot of help to make the playoffs. I think the Dolphins would love to play spoiler, and I'm going with the Dolphins.
Dolphins


Bears 
Vikings
Both teams have no chance to be in the playoffs.  A win for the Vikings makes their draft position go up, so do they want a win? The Bears just derailed after losing their quarterback and running back.  Hard to pick here, and might as well flip a coin.  Coin flip says Bears.
Bears


Bills
Patriots
At the beginning of the season, this was looking like a fantastic match up.  But now, I see the Patriots running all over the Bills, and it won't be pretty.
Patriots


Panthers
Saints
The Saints don't have much to play for, and I feel like the Panthers have come on in games, so I like the Panthers here.
Panthers


Redskins
Eagles
This is another coin flip game.  The Eagles did make this late season push, but truly weren't what they were expected to be.  The Redskins started out well, but faltered in the middle, and don't look to be any threat any time soon.
Eagles


Colts
Jaguars
The Colts have been on a roll the past two games, and I believe they make it three in a row.  
Colts


Titans
Texans
Titans would need some help to set up a rematch in the wildcard against slumping Houston, but desperate times lead to desperate measures, and I like the Titans here.
Titans


Buccaneers
Falcons
The Falcons look to be rolling at the right time, and I can't see Tampa Bay putting up a fight.  Falcons get the win here easily.
Falcons


Ravens
Bengals
Ravens want to prove they are a force in the AFC, and it should get some momentum for the playoffs.  Look for the Ravens to claw up the Bengals.
Ravens


Steelers 
Browns
Steelers need the win here and a Ravens loss to lock up the number two seed, if not they are 5th seed, and playing in the wildcard round. Look for the Steelers to help themselves and get a win here.
Steelers


Chiefs
Broncos
Tebow versus Orton. Two guys fighting for quarterback in Denver now face each other. Funny how that worked out.  If the Broncos defense shows up and Tebow manages to win like he was before, then Broncos win here.
Broncos


Chargers 
Raiders
I would like to go with my Super Bowl pick, the Chargers, but they haven't played up to expectations as the season wore on. I can't imagine Norv Turner being brought back as coach, and I think the Raiders take care of this game.
Raiders


Seahawks
Cardinals
Which bird team wants this win more?  Both teams came on towards the end, but it didn't matter.  Coin flip, and the flip says Seahawks.
Seahawks


Cowboys
Giants
Which team wants to win the NFC East?  From the way both teams have been playing, neither one wants to win it.  But I think the Giants pull it together for this game, and get to the playoffs.  What they do there is anyone's guess.
Giants