March Madness The 2011 Edition…

My Bracket Breakdown, NCAA Tournament Flashbacks, and Bracket Challenge

The madness has already begun….. just ask Colorado, but don’t worry Buffaloes, you will be playing long after many of these so called "better than you teams" are back in their dorms.

This may be the most balanced tournament in years, but that doesn't mean we aren't due for some surprises, and this is how I see some of the teams....

Seedless Grapes: Pittsburgh

This will be the first #1 seed to lose in the tournament. Battle Tested – Yes. Strong Squad – Yes. Vulnerable – Yes. This squad had gone through a lot this year, but as talented as they are, inconsistency always sets in during tourney time.

Sleeper Teams: Belmont and Utah State

I like both of these squads and with the way the brackets are coming together, it wouldn’t surprise me for one of these teams to make the Sweet 16.

Here they come… There they go….: Wisconsin, St. Johns, Purdue

I feel that one of these teams are going to fold, not because they aren’t good, but simply because they had a rough experience in their conference tourney’s and now face tough match-ups with opponents that come into the tourney hot.

Strong Showing: Michigan State, Florida State, Richmond…. 

I feel Sparty will leave it all on the floor simply because it’s too hard to imagine an Izzo squad leaving after Day 1. Florida State doesn’t seem to get much love on the hardwood, and they will play with that chip on their shoulder, and I personally feel that Richmond will push Vandy to the buzzer and could even eek out the win.

Much Love For…. Virginia Tech.

I am speechless imagining how a 4 year senior could not taste the tourney after being so close each time. I am not going to go into the VCU, UAB debate, but this one hurts…

My Final Four:  Join the “Life Is My High Bracket Challenge” on Yahoo to find out”

Click here to join the bracket challenge or email me at lifeismyhigh@gmail.com

This time of year always makes me think back to some of my favorite NCAA tournament memories, so join me as I hit the Hot Tub Time Machine once again (everyone keep their clothes on please…)

1990 UNLV vs Duke

One of if not my favorite team of all time… Duke simply wasn’t ready for these boys….

1993 California vs. Duke

Jason Kidd showcasing his talent’s on the biggest stage by “Besting” Duke 82-77…. (You like how I threw Besting in there right???)

1994 Arkansas vs. Duke

Nolan Richardson’s 40 minutes of hell combined with the performances of Scotty Thurman, Corey Beck and Corliss Williamson was too much for Duke down the stretch.

1996 Kentucky vs. UMass

The star power and talent in this game was ridiculous.

Kentucky had 3 future First Round draft picks in Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty along with Derek Anderson, Jeff Sheppard, Ron Mercer, Wayne Turner, and others compiling a 32-2 record.

UMass trotted out a 35-1 record with Marcus Camby, Donta Bright, Dana Dingle, Camelo Travieso, Edgar Padilla and others

This game was an instant classic…. That’s all I can pretty much say about this.

1990 Loyola Marymount vs. Alabama

This was a hard pill to swallow… Being 11 years old at the time, I could not put death and sports together. It just didn’t seem fathomable.  So needless to say, the Hank Gathers tragedy was something hard for me to understand. During the LMU tournament run, the emotionally charged squad was averaging well over 100pts per game and was matched up with Alabama (my favorite team) in the Sweet 16.  Alabama held them to 62, but still fell 62-60 in the contest. LMU caught a buzzsaw in UNLV in the Elite Eight and their run abruptly ended there.

If you want to get in on this year's bracket action, click here to join our public group..

So go grab a cold one, sit back and let the games begin......  

- Slim

What To Wear - 3/11/11 Edition

Those who know me really know I am a fool when it comes to fashion. Maybe because my mom used to have me dressed head to toe in straight off –brand knockoffs growing up like Martin in that episode with those “Air Wacks”.


 


But i'm all grown up now and I have been contemplating on what I need to do to get my closet and wardrobe back to the status I once obtained while I was in Atlanta. I used to thrive in the cold months with fitting long sleeved shirts, vests, sports jackets, etc. But after moving to Phoenix, I had to cancel all of that. Its so hot that I took my winter clothes to the Salvation Army, and they was like we don’t want this sh*t. 


Regardless of that, I have had to reconfigure my style…. I have learned that everything out west is laid back. So many days, I feel like I need to get a drop 64 and ride out to Dre. You remember Let Me Ride….





So to adjust to the weather and laid back lifestyle here, I have had to start over with some new shirts, specially since I’ve put on about 15 lbs after my wife had our last baby. The workout that I am on is not making me any smaller, so needless to say the tees and polos that I own no longer hang right. 

 
With that being said, my next purchases will be A few polo shirts by Le Tigre (Kenneth Cole Brand). They fit the arms and chest perfectly and hang relaxed throughout the rest of the body.


I will probably go with 3 different selections (Lime Green, White, and, Royal Blue) and keep it simple and clean for the spring. It’s been in the 80’s for the past couple of weeks here now.






My shoe game is at a crossroads. I have been on a Chucks and Jack Parcell’s shopping binge, but there is a part in me that is hungry to get my Jordan game back on point.  I have been eying these gray Jack Parcell’s (Converse) but my fam back in Atlanta has me thinking on the level of some 88 Jordan’s (The kid in me is hungry for these Jordan’s too)

 What am I tripping for… I may as well get em’ both, and get the wife a watch while I'm at it so she can't get mad.  You only live once right?!?!?

- Slim

Winners = Losers??? Only in Miami

Not only were the Miami Heat proud recipients of a 5 game losing streak (before beating the Lakers Thursday night) but the bright and resourceful management team at a local bar in Hollywood, Florida felt it would be a good idea to use the “Miami Dream Team” as a marketing ploy to bring in more patrons.

His plan:

Pick up the bar tab for patrons if the Heat lost a game. All the fans would need to do is show up 30 minutes before the game and stay until the conclusion to get a $25 bar bill credit. Are you serious? 

   

Ask Lebron and I'm sure he'd say.... "That was just dumb"

Ask Coach Spoelstra and I'm sure he'd say.... "That was just dumb"

You could even ask Kanye and even he would say..... "That was just dumb"

Even CHARLIE SHEEN would say... "That was just dumb"

Unfortunately for the bar owners, it was a dumb idea indeed. The Heat have not lived up to their pre-season hype as of yet, and reports from CNBC state that $5,600 in bar tabs were cleared after a five-point loss to the Knicks on Feb. 27, and $4,000 in bar tabs following the opening night loss to the Celtics.. CNBC reports the losses have amounted to the $85,000 range over the season so far. (full story here)

So imagine the surprise fans received Thursday night when their beloved Heat beat the Lakers, since they haven’t had to pay for a drink in about two weeks… I am sure the bar had some people who wanted the Heat to lose for the sake of a free bar tab.

But hey, whatever it takes as long as you are bringing bodies into the bar right fellas? How about you have Juwan Howard come by and tell old Fab-Five stories? I bet that would be a cheaper way to get some people in there…

-Slim