HockeyNotSoccer

Finally, CBS:

If I'm watching NCAA men's basketball, just what in the hell makes you think I care how Gwen Stefani's tranny doppelganger finds her "creativity" with HP?  (Is techno music, sampling, and nasal warbling "creative"?  No, really, I want to know.)

OK, I give up: I'm watching the glitch-and-glamour online broadcast of my beloved Tar Heels.  They look good.  But Washington State, I have advice:

Cougars: don't shoot any more 3's, please.  First, because it makes baby Jesus cry.  Second, because you are bad at it, apparently (I don't know anything about you except what I have seen in the last 30 minutes or so), and you need to get back into this game by scoring points, not missing threes.  Missed threes = long rebounds, which = fast breaks for UNC, which = you lose.

Please make a game of this.  Please.  I can't take two more days hearing how overrated UNC is because they keep blowing people away (how bizarro is this world we live in when a team like UNC thumps quality opponents and gets called "overrated," but UCLA looks like hammered-down dog-doo and sportswriters drool over the Bruins "amazing talent"??).  Please make this a close game.

Big Head Gumbel busts in to say, "the second half is about to begin in Charlotte...let's get you out there for UNC vs. WSU!"...and then the feed goes to that game for the announcers' blather about, "welcome back, we're about to start..." and then Big Head Gumbel busts in AGAIN! and says "let's go back to WVU and Xavier, as it's a 1-point game!"...and we go right back to the game WE WERE JUST WATCHING BEFORE YOU MADE THE FIRST POINTLESS INTERRUPTION, Xavier scores, there's a timeout and now, INSTEAD OF WATCHING NORTH CAROLINA we're...back to commercials!!  YAY!!!!

1. Eat it, CBS.  Eat it raw!!

2. CBS: YOU ARE TERRIBLE AT THIS.  SERIOUSLY.  ASK ANYBODY.  YOU SUCK AT COORDINATING BASKETBALL BROADCASTS.  THIS IS THE MOST AMATEUR, CRAPTACULAR, INSULTING THING I HAVE EVER SEEN.

3. I hope you someday have to watch tapes of this whole tournament, in Hell, and it makes you cry.  You all stink.

I am in full-on CBS hate now.  Who was the genius who thought it would be awesome, and that America would thank him for it, if the network only showed one game at a time?  I live in the midwest, but I love the Tar Heels.  And yet, here is Xavier and WVU on my teevee.  I could not care less.  Note to CBS: I live in Illinois because I have to, not because I want to.  Why don't you show the other games on other channels and let me decide what I want to watch?  Just a thought.

PS-before you suggest it, I tried your internet crap.  It sucks.

I'm watching this game and it's the 2nd half (just started) and Joe Alexander has 5 points for the Mountaineers.  He's averaging 18 ppg for the tournament (well, OK: in 2 games).

He just made a layup off an offensive rebound and got fouled, to boot.  The ball came right to him--in the replay, he barely moved, it practically landed in his hands, and he put it in the hoop.  What choice did he have?

Now, here's the thing.  Alexander was flat-footed when he caught the ball.  He moved very slowly before that to get into position.  He showed no emotion whatsoever after the "and one!" call--you would expect a young man whose team is making a big comeback to be a bit more...what shall we say...enthused.  But no.  Plus, he's looking down at his feet as he lopes to the freethrow line.

I had a terrible thought: is Joe Alexander trying to shave points?

And, he missed the free throw.  He is an 82% FT shooter this season, and he basically just heaved it up there, way too strong, and bricked it.  Now, in his two previous seasons at WVU, he shot in the 60's from the stripe.  But 82% FT shooters, even in only one season, don't just chuck the ball at the cylinder.

I hope I'm just making this up.  But something looks off about Alexander.

**Update/Edit: Alexander ties the game with a beauty of a turnaround jumper...and he's fouled!  And then he misses the free throw.  WTF??  Either he's choking, or he really isn't a good FT shooter.  Whatever.