The Halfcourt Trap

With the news of Volnation’s partenership with The Worldwide Leader still echoing across cyberspace, here are this week’s topics:

1. Rage Against The (Officiating) Machine. In the wake of Tim Floyd’s second eruption in as many years last Sunday night in Tempe, it’s time to whip my favorite dead horse. In his postgame remarks, Floyd did a masterful job of saying what needed to be said without verbalizing anything the PAC 10 office could call him on the carpet about. Officials are the most sheltered people in sports, especially college basketball. The Ted Valentines, Curtis Shaws, and Tim Higginses of the world make tremendous money traveling the country officiating games, but never have to answer publicly for their failings. Everyone else in the game must meet the media to explain what happened during a game. Officials should be no different.

2. Blugrass Brawl. Tennessee and Kentucky have had many classic battles over the history of their rivalry. Rarely has there been such mutual desperation. Each squad comes into Rupp Arena Saturday with bad road losses fresh in their collective minds. Kentucky, and to a lesser degree Tennessee, needs this game to feel comfortable about its place in the NCAA Tournament field. At this point, the SEC East lead is a secondary consideration. This game is about getting the car back on the road in time for March.

3. Cinderella’s Ball. Davidson and Butler have become two of the nation’s favorite underdogs. Saturday they meet in what has become a very significant game for each side. This is the last opportunity for Davidson to add a win that will resonate with the Selection Committee, with their current best nonconference victory being a win over a banged up West Virginia team in December. Butler could use the win to buttress an already decent resume, one that is highlighted by a win at Xavier. The loser of this one, especially if it is Bob McKillop’s squad, might need to win their conference title to gain an NCAA bid.

4. Texas Tumbles. Rick Barnes has done such a materful job of building a consistently successful program in Austin that it is shocking to see them struggle. That is exactly what they are doing now. The play of Damion James and AJ Abrams have not been enough to offset uneven play at point guard. At 17-8, the Longhorns are still in good shape for an NCAA berth. However, it is difficult to envision this team making much noise in March.

5. Lebo As Lazarus. At the start of the season, it was a fair bet that 3 SEC coaches would be subject to termination at the end of the season. Dennis Felton and Mark Gottfried have laready received their walking papers. However, the man many, this column included, thought most likely to get the axe has his team playing its best ball of his tenure. Jeff Lebo has Auburn sitting at 17-9 and positioned for an NIT bid. That is probably enough to earn him another year from an Auburn athletic department that just had to lay out millions to send Tommy Tuberville on his way.

6. Hide Your Eyes. The Big Ten has screamed long and loud about what it sees as an overly negative portayal of its league nationally. Anyone attempting to make that argument should be locked in a room and forced to watch last night’s Penn State-Illinois debacle for 24 consecutive hours. A 38-33 final would be embarrassing for good junior high teams. It is totally inexcusable for players on scholarship in a BCS league.

Unitl next week, stay classy, Volnation.