Extended Links, 9/17

Logic 101, with SI's Luke Winn (via Nunes)- Syracuse playing at Madison Square Garden is like a home game for them, but playing Florida in Tampa is a neutral site game. I can't even begin to describe how stupid that is.

There are few things that get me more riled up than people who constantly harp on Syracuse's scheduling each year, especially the ones who say things like "they don't even leave the state until January" when they play at the Garden. Go look at a fucking map sometime; NYC is 300 miles from Syracuse. Syracuse is playing Cal, likely UNC (if Syracuse beats Cal and UNC beats whoever the hell they play in the other semifinal of whatever the hell the tourney is at MSG), Florida, and Memphis this year. This is very similar to their non conference schedule last year, which everyone lauded as being so tough and made Syracuse being so battle tested. Last year, they beat Kansas and Florida in neutral site games (in Kansas City, so against Kansas was basically a road game) and beat an obscenely overrated Memphis team at Memphis-- yes, they were overrated; the only good teams they beat in the regular season were Tennessee and Gonzaga, they lost in the Sweet 16 of the tourney, and they lost to Syracuse at home when Flynn was playing hurt and Devendorf was suspended. That was it for their glorious, battle tested road schedule last year. Oh and by the way, how "battle tested" did they look when they completely shat the fucking bed against Oklahoma in the tournament? And if you remember, one of those years when Syracuse "never left the state until January?" 2002-2003. They won the national title that year. This year, they'll play two good teams at neutral MSG (yes, the Garden is usually pro-Syracuse, but don't you think there will be more than just a few UNC fans there too? UNC fans, like Syracuse fans, travel very well.), they'll play a "neutral" site game against Florida in Tampa, which I'd like to note, is much closer to Gainesville than Syracuse is to NYC, and they play Memphis at home (closing out that home and home series). Their schedule is fine.

This just about made me piss my pants laughing
Kissing Suzy Kolber

Bad Left Hook has been killing it lately in preparation for Mayweather-Marquez; First, he transcribed a great rant by Al Bernstein about how boxing is great right now and it's just that the stupid mainstream sports media isn't covering it--which is absolutely true on both counts.
Bad Left Hook-Bernstein
And then, there's this great piece about how Marquez moving up to 144 will not be a deciding factor in the fight-- I'm not sure I entirely believe it, but it's a good argument
Bad Left Hook-Marquez

Apparently, Ben Gordon had a documentary made about him chronicling the end of the Bulls season through free agency. I cannot wait to see this; and I'll save my thoughts on how ludicrous it is that the Bulls just let him walk away for absolutely nothing for my sure to be incredibly long, pessimistic, and snarky preview of the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls Confidential

An in-depth look back at last week's Notre Dame-Michigan game. Like I said earlier this week, I only really saw the 4th quarter of this game, but I absolutely agree with Diz that the decision to air it out on 2nd and 10 with a little over 2 minutes to go was just absurd. I usually don't mind throwing in those situations-- especially in college, because two minute drill drives are so easy since the clock stops on each first down-- but to throw a bomb downfield there when your running back has been killing it on the ground all day is just inexplicable. The third down pass, yes that was fine, but just launching a bomb on 2nd and 10 was stupid.
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