I Bleed Blue and White

Well, after another loss where the weaknesses stuck out like a sore thumb again, there is definitely a panic inside the Villanova camp.  Jay Wright might not admit it, the players might not admit it, fans might not admit it, but this team is spiraling downward at a rapid rate.  I’m not going to solely focus on yesterday’s debacle against the Mountaineers, because the problems of this team have been glaring for the last month or so.  I’m obviously not an expert, but I feel the need to call out some people, so take a look below.

In no particular order:

1.  Jay Wright-The man who has turned this program around is starting to bother me a little.  Without a doubt, the officiating has been extremely bad this year, but every time I look over, Jay is complaining about something to the referees.  At some point, the attention of the man in charge has to turn to his own players.  Instead of berating the refs for the full 40 minutes, even though they usually deserve it, Wright needs to start actually teaching and making adjustments during the game.  Second, the rotation has to be cut down to a set 8 or 9, unless dire circumstances warrant otherwise.  Playing 11 guys in the postseason is not going to work in my opinion.  Nobody can get into the flow of the game, and furthermore, most of the players never know how much they are going to play each game.  This may seem like good motivation, especially for the young guys, but I think it’s starting to mess with the chemistry of the squad.  One last thing–stop getting technicals Jay.  He must have around 8 T’s this season, which is not ok. 

2.  Maurice Sutton-Plain and simple, he should not be on the floor for meaningful minutes, unless there is extreme foul trouble.

3.  Maalik Wayns-The excuse may be that he’s only a freshman, but his reckless play is an issue now.  Sure, we saw flashes of brilliance early in the season, and there’s no doubt he has the potential to be a star on the Main Line, but other teams are figuring the youngster out.  They know he will force just about any shot and is prone to turnovers.  Thus, opponents are more than happy to let him make one spectactular play, which will usually be coupled with multiple turnovers and errant shots.  We need him to create, but turning the ball over every other possession doesn’t cut it.

4.  Taylor King-There are far more serious concerns with King than on the basketball court.  I heard from a friend that King has been suspended for academic reasons, but this may just be a cover up, as he might have got caught smoking weed.  Again, this is not confirmed, so don’t hold me to it.  On the hardwood, it’s all in King’s head in terms of his offense.  His shot is obviously not falling, and it’s screwing up his psyche.  If he gets the chance to play again this season, I still think he can be a valuable asset with his rebounding and defense, both of which have been surprisingly stellar this season for a team that has not done well in these categories.  

5.  Reggie Redding-The senior was never an offensive star in college, but he hasn’t produced at all when the Cats have the ball.  He can take it to the hole, we have all seen it before, but not so much this year.  I’m not asking Redding to light up the scoreboard, but at least look like you’re a part of the offense and create something for your teammates every once in awhile.

6.  Corey Stokes and Antonio Pena-Lumping these two together stems from their lack of consistency.  Both are extremely talented players with the ability to take over games singlehandedly, but they never seem to put back-to-back solid games together or even a full 40 minutes.  For example, Stokes will hit a couple of trey balls early on in a game, but then he disappears for long stretches.  Pena looks dominant one game and then comes up with a dud the next.  Stokes probably deserves to be called out more than Pena, but if Villanova is going to get back on track, these two will be need to be vital cogs.

7.  Fans in attendance-This includes myself.  Each of the games I’ve been to seemed to have a noticeable lack of energy in the building compared to years past.  Obviously, there’s a pass for yesterday’s game with the students still on Spring Break, but passionate fans really can energize a team.  Now is not the time to desert this team, rather their struggles should motivate us even more to maybe make a difference in propelling the Cats back into form.

Some may think I’m being too harsh or just flat out wrong, but this is just how I see it right now.  One person/one issue is not the sole reason for the lackluster performances recently, but when all of the problems are combined, the Cats do not play like we expect them to play.  At this very moment, my optimism is dwindling, but I still have hope that this team can turn it around and make a run over the next few weeks.  One thing is for sure: we will definitely find out what these group of Wildcats are made of in the very near future. 

I’ll end this post on a positive note by mentioning the Wildcats who earned 2010 Big East Honors.

Scottie Reynolds-First Team

Corey Fisher-Third Team

Maalik Wayns-All Rookie Team

Thanks to blog reader Katie for mentioning the story in the comments of the previous post.  Sure enough, Corey Stokes was cited for public urination last night on the Main Line.  The key here is that Stokes was not arrested, unlike Reggie Redding, who was arrested prior to the season and susbsequently suspended.  The article mentions that Stokes is likely to play against Syracuse on Saturday, but it will be interesting to see how Jay Wright handles this.  A second player in trouble with the law in a very short time frame does not look good for a premiere coach like Wright.   

Funny thing is I was at the same bar Stokes and some of his teammates were at last night.  Hopefully, this does not become a distraction, especially now heading into March.

It’s seriously hard to believe that we are two and a half weeks away from the regular season finale, three and a half weeks until Selection Sunday, and just four weeks away from the start of the NCAA Tournament.  The college basketball season really does fly, so we need to enjoy what’s left of it.  Obviously, the level of enjoyment will depend on how Villanova performs over this next month and a half.  If they continue to play like they did on Monday night against Connecticut, there will be a lot of disgruntled Wildcat fans.  However, I really do not foresee another debacle like that where there was virtually no energy, no passion, no adjustments, and no intelligence.  Practice this week could not have been fun, as Jay Wright must have let some steam out with the goal of getting his team re-focused on the task at hand.  Although a very tough schedule lay ahead, there is no reason to expect this team will not rebound.  One of the hallmarks of Wright’s teams over the years has been to come back with a solid game after a loss.  I expect nothing less this Sunday at the Pedersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.  With a long way until that contest though, here are some interesting articles/video clips to get you through the week.

-All-Access with referee Tim Higgins  (have a feeling this article has sparked some emotion from Big East fans) 

-Andy Katz’s Daily Word: Committee criterion still in eye of beholder

-Forde Minutes: 40 names, games, and minutiae making news in college hoops

-Villanova Video Clips from CSN Philly (this link will take you to the video page for Comcast SportsNet…click on the SPORTSNITE tab and the clips are from 2/15)

After a full 4 days of rest following the big West Virginia win, Villanova looked lackluster and played sloppy at times yesterday in a 92-81 victory over the feisty Providence Friars at the Wachovia Center.  Turnovers, especially against the press, seemed to be a big problem for the Wildcats.  Give credit to Providence though, as they are very active and quick on defense.  Nonetheless, the good guys took care of business late, which is what you are supposed to do as a decided favorite and the #4 team in the nation.  Below are some articles recapping the win and how the Cats can get better. 

-AP Recap

-#4 Villanova Too Much for Providence in 92-81 Win

-The Closer: Reynolds’ 2nd-Half Numbers Turn Heads

-Villanova’s Winning Formula Works Again in Win over Providence

-Reynolds Rescues Villanova Again

-Video Clip from CSN Philly (this link will take you to the video page for Comcast SportsNet…click on the SPORTSNITE tab and the clip is from entitled, “Jay Wright talks about Nova’s sloppy start-2/12″)

Hopefully, Villanova can rectify their mistakes in a hurry, because the desperate and hated UConn Huskies come to town tomorrow night.  Two things I can’t wait for: 1) Bill Raftery announcing, obviously and 2) Jim Calhoun calling his standard timeout 30 seconds into the game and ripping his players. 

Not only did Villanova have to deal with mother nature over the weekend, but they also faced two of the best teams in the country on the road in a matter of 60 hours.  Like I said prior to the Georgetown game, I would have signed up for 1-1 over this stretch.  The Wildcats obliged with the win at West Virginia, and they get a solid 4 days off before a nice pair of home games against Providence and Connecticut.  Before we start focusing on the upcoming contests, let’s wrap up the game from last night.

-Postgame Quotes

-Villanova rallies from Georgetown loss, beats West Virginia

-Villanova beats West Virginia on the road

-Reynolds leads rebound victory for Villanova

-Andy Katz: Quick hitters from around the country

-Jay Wright’s interview with Mike Francesa

WFAN is my favorite sports radio station by far, and Mike Francesa is the best of the best.  One of the things Francesa touches on with Wright is the possibility of expanding the NCAA Tournament to include more teams.  Wright is in favor of a 96 team tourney, but Francesa brings up some good points to not expand the field; he mentions that regular season games will be less exciting, because in theory, it will be easier to make the big dance, so the regular season contests won’t mean as much.  I, for one, agree with Francesa and do not believe the tourney should be expanded.  There are only a few teams at most every year that get snubbed, which is part of the excitement of Selection Sunday.  Even some very mediocre teams get in the field, so there’s no reason to let 32 more average teams get in.  Anyone have any thoughts on this topic?

Yet another major snowstorm approaches the Northeast this weekend, threatening numerous sporting events across the nation.  Regardless of the weather though, the showdown between Georgetown and Villanova at the Verizon Center on Saturday is most likely going to happen.  It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that Washington D.C. will get slammed by almost 2 feet of snow.  Georgetown officials obviously know this, and they are still saying the game is on, so there’s no reason to believe they would posptone the contest at this point.  If you still plan on attending the game, kudos to you, but be prepared to use a mode of transportation other than the Metrorail.  Furthermore, while the entire East Coast will be experiencing a virtual white-out this weekend with the snow, Georgetown fans may try to gray-out the arena.  Not really sure how well that is going to work, considering the Verizon Center will be well under full capacity.  Anyways, please be careful if you are traveling this weekend.

I’ll leave you with some interesting articles surrounding Villanova and the Big East:

-Wildcats living up to lofty expectations

-Big East coaches, including Jay Wright, want a bigger NCAA Tournament

Before we talk about the road ahead, let’s put a bow on the Seton Hall game.  Unfortunately, I did not get to see the game last night, as I had a basketball game of my own, although I did listen to the second half on the radio.  Since I missed the Cats in action, I resorted to a bevy of internet sites to get me caught up on Nova hoops.  Below are some of the things I delved into. 

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall AP Recap

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall Box Score

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall Postgame Quotes

-Reynolds Scores 2,000th Point in Win

-Jay Wright and Adam Zagoria’s Bet

-Villanova Has Championship Feel

-CSN Philly Quick Villanova Basketball Clips  (this link takes you to the CSN Philly video page…click on the SPORTSNITE tab and there is 1 clip from January 31st discussing a possible #1 ranking and 1 clip from February 2nd relaying Scottie reaching 2,000 points)

9 Big East regular season games down, 9 to go.  A perfect start in conference has everyone salivating about what this team could accomplish, but as we all know by now, the second half of the schedule is much tougher than the first.  I never like to look too far ahead, much like the Cats always seem to focus on the “next game,” so I’ll only take a quick glance at a very important game in a few weeks.  The showdown with Syracuse should be a doozy, and the hype is already starting, as the Carrier Dome is sold out and an attendance record will be broken in the process.  But… 

Again, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because over a 2 and a half day span this weekend into next week, Villanova will play road games against #7 Georgetown and #6 West Virginia.  As I ask in the title, is a loss on the horizon?  In my opinion (and I think I may take some heat about this from you Cat fans), I would be very content to come out of these next 2 games at 1-1.  Could the Cats win both?  Sure.  Could they lose both?  Easily.  In the end, coming out of this 2 game stretch with a win and a loss would be solid.  I want to hear what you think, though; would you be ok with 1-1 come Tuesday morning or is 2-0 the only option?

It doesn’t get much better than this-a 3 day weekend, the NFL Divisional Playoffs (huge game Sunday for my NY Jets), and two Big East college basketball showdowns (Syracuse at West Virginia and Georgetown at Villanova).  Both of these hoops games are featured on Rivals’ “Five games to watch this weekend” and ESPN’s “Weeklend Watch.”

Mike Huguenin, a Rivals’ editor, on the Hoyas-Cats contest: 

This is the first game in a four-game stretch in which the Hoyas play three times on the road: against ‘Nova, Pitt and Syracuse. Yikes. Villanova needs to be worried about stifling Georgetown big man Greg Monroe. Georgetown has two top-notch guards; Villanova has about, oh, 23 or 24.

Dana O’Neil, ESPN contributor, is also psyched up for the game at the Wachovia Center:

OK, I’ll be there, so I’m being selfish. But this classic Big East battle always is good entertainment, and with the way both teams are playing — Villanova won the foul fest at Louisville and the Hoyas topped Connecticut – I doubt it will disappoint this time around. Against the Wildcats’ deep backcourt, Austin Freeman is going to have a much more difficult time going for the unconscious 33 he put up against the Huskies, but Villanova will have its hands full contending with Greg Monroe.

Furthermore, Jay Bilas breaks down this matchup in depth in the ESPN “Weekend Watch,” so take a look at that for some additional opinion and analysis.  Lastly, Andy Katz spoke with Jay Wright in the latest edition of “Katz’s Korner,” but I can’t give you a preview of that since my computer at home is not working properly at the moment.  If someone gets to watch the video, please discuss it in the comments, so we all have an idea of what it’s about. 

I will be at the game on Sunday, and I believe Chris and Jamie will too.  Usually, the best ‘Nova tailgating goes down at the end of the Wachovia Center farthest away from Citizens Bank Park.  If you see us down there, come say hello and we can hype up the Cats while having a few beers.

Jay Wright joined ESPN personality (and noted Villanova hater) Mike Missanelli on his radio show today. As per usual, as soon as Jay joined the show, Mikey Miss started to suck up to him. The two talked about a number of topics including how Jay gets his team to play so hard night in and night out, how the loss to Temple affected the team, and Jay’s opinion of dog-killer sidekick Donovan McNabb.

You can listen to the interview here (about 9 minutes long).

Villanova Coach Jay Wright has been voted The Sportsperson of the Year by the Philadelphia Daily News! Humble as ever, Jay quickly dismissed the award saying it could have gone to a host of other people.

“I think I would have voted for Chase Utley, just because he was such a beast in the World Series,” said Wright, the charismatic Villanova basketball coach who took the Wildcats to the Final Four last April. “And the Eagles went to the [NFC] championship game. That still counts for this year, right? When I think of Sportsmen of the Year, I think of Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, Charlie Manuel, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins. To me, that’s what last year was.”

Oh, Jay. Don’t be so modest. I of all people know you’re a much better human than those asses you just ran off. Plus, getting to the Final Four is harder than getting to the World Series, and especially harder than making (and not winning) the NFC Championship. Oh well. Congrats Jay!