sportsjabber.net

INDIANAPOLIS- It was easily the most exciting Big Ten Tournament in history. The first day brought us rumors about coaching changes. The second day we had (for the first time in history) all four games come down to the wire; including one in overtime. And on the third day, we saw the first OT game in tournament semi-finals history and the first multi-overtime game in Big Ten tournament history. And on the final day, the greatest individual performance in BTT history saved his best effort for last, solidifying his MVP status.

In addition to all the great basketball we watched, there were some fun ancillary experiences. Here are some of the best.

-Best line of the tournament, came from a fat Michigan St. reporter dude who said about MSU, “they missed more free throws than I have excess pounds.” I always feel skinny in a room full of sports reporters.

-Former UCLA coach/ESPN analyst Steve Lavin is a friend of mine, and he called four of the tournament games for the World Wide Leader. I caught up with him during halftime of Illinois vs. Wisconsin. After chatting for awhile about DePaul, and the open coaching job there he said, “I saw what you wrote about me. Someone forwarded it to me.”

-This ALWAYS makes me feel nervous when someone tells me that. Even though I was fair and even-handed; like usual, in describing his strengths and weaknesses as a coaching candidate, you just never know how someone will react to your research and opinions. But he said he enjoyed the piece and added “You do a lot of good work there. I enjoy it” in reference to the site I own. And then we exchanged business cards again.

-STOP PLAYING “I GOTTA FEELING” by the Black Eyed Peas at sporting events. PLEASE! This cliché is so tired that even my complaining about has become a very shopworn cliché in itself.

-If you’re a person who uses the word “party” as a verb then Indianapolis…is not the town for you. They call it “nap town” for a reason. There is no “party zone” to speak of downtown, other than the corporate chain bar/restaurants that are within walking distance of Conseco Fieldhouse.

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