Posts Tagged ‘UCONN’

George Mason to honor 2006 Final Four team anniversary with bobbleheads

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

With the Maui Invitational a few weeks away, it bears mentioning that this College Basketball season marks the 5th anniversary of 11th seeded George Mason of the Colonial Athletic Assoc. becoming only the second double-digit seed to make the Final Four in Tournament history.

This is the underdog that broke my heart.

GMU’s historic run in 2006 was capped off by an 86-84 upset of my UCONN Huskies in the elite 8. Going into that game, I remember not taking Tony Skinn with two nn’s and his cohorts seriously at all. Then they hit six straight threes in the second half, and went 5-6 from the field in overtime.

The day after the AP wrote:

Buoyed by a partisan crowd and playing some 20 miles from their campus, 11th-seeded George Mason overcame huge disadvantages in size, athleticism and history Sunday to stun the Huskies 86-84 in overtime, ending a stranglehold that big-time programs have enjoyed for 27 years in college basketball’s biggest showcase.

Tony Skinn added that his coach, Jim Larranaga, told his team that CAA stands for ‘Connecticut Assassin Association.’”

To commemorate the occasion, DC Sports Bog reports, that GMU will be giving out one of five bobbleheads of the starting five from the 2006 team at five home games this season. Supplies are limited; only the first 1,000 fans at the Jan. 15 game vs. Georgia State will go home with a Jai “Where is Jai, anyway?” Lewis bobblehead.

Now, because I’m a glutton for punishment…

(Photo via CBSsports.com)

Your Big Man’s NCAA Tournament Victory Sandwich

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

I’ve been playing around a little bit with buildtheperfectsandwich.com, a website that Hellman’s launched recently. Smug enthusiast Bobby Flay is involved too, and there’s an opportunity to win $10 Gs. (Flay can eat Guy Fieri’s lunch by the way).

I checked out the sandwich recommender app they’ve got on there. Thought it was going to be the fat man’s special of personality tests. So far, I’ve been recommended a zucchini and roasted red pepper melt and a portobello mushroom pita. Those results hurt my feeling, but for a shot at 10 large, hell, I’ll let Hellman’s feed me some ruffage.

And this sandwich recommender did give me an idea, in honor of Final Four weekend…

What’s Your Team’s Big Man’s Victory Sandwich?

I hope BTPS is cool with it, I opted to pull my recommendation instead from ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com…

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March Madness Blogger Fantasy League

Thursday, March 19th, 2009


Yesterday, I gave a quick rundown of some of the more unorthodox NCAA Tournament bracket pools that are going on this year. And if you care at all about the maintenance of my pork consumption, you’ll be rooting for this whole every five years UCONN gets the No. 1 seed in the West Region and takes home the trophy scenario to pan out as it has been written.

Something else cool that we’re doing this year is the newly launched March Madness Blogger Fantasy League, which I’m lucky enough to be participating in with some of the most elite sports bloggers on the interwebs.





Basically, each of us gets to pick five players whose stats we’ll tally throughout the whole tourney. After the Final Four, the blogger with the highest sum total of points, rebounds, and assists from their five players is crowned champion.

Today I woke up to learn that this thing is probably over for me before it even starts. One of my guys, North Carolina PG Ty Lawson, is out today against Radford (exact wording actually was, “huge probability” he won’t play; yeah, he’s not going play). They better win today, and Toe Stiffness Lawson better respond in game two in a big way. I’m now hedging my bets that UCONN does make that run, and A.J. Price goes buck.

Here’s A.J., Lawson, and the rest of my horses along with their stats from the regular season…

Dante Cunningham, Villanova (16.0 ppg, 7.2 reb, 1.2 ast)

Ty Lawson, North Carolina (15.9 ppg, 2.8 red, 6.5 ast)

Johnny Flynn, Syracuse (17.5 ppg, 2.8 reb. 6.7 ast)

Tyler Hanbrough, North Carolina (21.4 ppg, 8.2 reb , .9 ast)

A.J. Price, UCONN (14.0 ppg, 3.3 reb, 4.7 ast)




In my infinite wisdom, or possibly against my better judgment, that’s who I got. Wish me luck.

Marcus Williams gets Misty with his Facebook Status

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

I might get defriended for this, but I think more than just his 5,001 Facebook friends should know that former UCONN Husky/ soon-to-be former Golden State Warrior Marcus Williams isn’t afraid to throw one out for you to ponder…


Personally, I think the Ghostface said it best with So after the laughter, I guess comes the tearz. Of course, his NBA contract wasn’t bought out yesterday.


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What is the Worst Sports Memorabilia You Own?

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

As you might have seen on here last week, my inspiration for this blogger poll came from a signed b&w 8×10 of Mo Vaughn.

I’d now like to publicly and humbly apologize to Mo. Not only did he win a MVP way back in ’95, but a autographed photo of his is not even in the same stratosphere as what some members of the sports blog intelligentsia were willing to claim ownership of.

Check out some of the best, and help select the piece de resistance by voting in the comments.

Alana G (AlanaG.com)

I jokingly bid on this [1992 Dream Team Raft] from ebay after I saw a blog post about it during the Olympics on Fourth Place Medal. As it turned out I was the only bidder, so now I own it. As advertised, it has a slow leak, so is not usable as a float. I thought about making my living room a little Nacho Cheesier by hanging it on my wall, but I simply can’t decide which side to display: Scottie Pippin’s head or David Robinson’s armpits…

Michael Rand (Randball)

That’s an easy one: this summer, I went with some friends on our annual baseball road trip. This year included a stop in Kansas City, where we were the “lucky” recipients of Larry Gura bobbleheads on his special night. Career record of 126-97, mostly for the late 70s-early 80s Royals. But hey, it was a bobblehead. So I kept it.

Matty I (Phinsider)

About 13 years ago, there was a Sports Authority opening in my town. They advertised that a “Nets player” would be at the opening. It turned out to be Armen Gilliam. So I got his autograph on a basketball…which is now stuck in my garage somewhere.

Isaac (World of Isaac)

I’m just gonna go ahead and post our gchat conversation for this one…

Isaac: I own a Fennis Dembo autograph
he was one of the most useless NBA players of all-time
but he won a championship with the Pistons

me: who in god’s name is Fennis Dumbo?

Isaac: star college player out of wyoming
played on the bad boys
he’s a janitor now

me: that’s pretty sweet

Isaac: its easily the most useless thing I own

Chris Illuminati (Nine to Fried, Hugging Harold Reynolds)

About ten years ago, my uncle went to a celebrity golf event and John Elway was one of the participants. My uncle ran into him on the course and got him to sign a hat. He gave it to me along with the guest pass that allowed my uncle all-access to the celebs. My uncle gave me the pass as proof he was there and it’s really John Elway’s signature. First off, I’m not an Elway fan. I mean it would have been cool if I met Elway but someone else meeting him does NOTHING for my life story. Second, I can’t prove Elway signed. My uncle’s word of honor does nothing for me in the world of eBay and memorabilia selling. I can’t send it away to get authenticated because it’s not on a ball or jersey or something recognized as an object that sports stars would autograph. It’s a freaking hat. So it sits in my closet next to a small framed picture/sports card of Elway that my mom bought me to go along with the hat. All of these mementos for probably my 143 favorite player of all time. I guess it’s payback for the Super Bowl against the Giants when as a 9-year-old child I kept screaming on every Giants’ defensive stand to ‘break Elway’s legs!’

Steve Melfi (NY Hoosier)

You’re going to be flabbergasted when you find out what this is. That is a signed Nordstrom’s bag with the Hancock of a one Khalid El-Amin, former UCONN point guard. He totally wrote 99 Champs! on it too.

Remembering Starter Jackets

Friday, December 5th, 2008

Let’s cut to the chase, nobody thinks these jackets are cool anymore. These days, you might find a vintage 49ers pullover in a TJ Maxx. But I don’t think you could convince Steve Young’s 11-year nephew to wear it. If you attempt to check out the merchandise on Starter’s website, you get punted over to Walmart.com! (Man, that’s not a good sign).

Alas, not every fashion statement gets to be transcendent. Which leads us to today’s blogger poll…

A bunch of sports bloggers – who probably still have these things hanging in their closets (no matter what the wife might say, right Adam Tracey?) – remember the hey-day of the Starter pullover.

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The Four Day Work Week, Vol. 3

Friday, November 21st, 2008

I’ve long been campaigning (lamenting to people with no authority or pull, whatsoever) in favor of the four day work week. It obviously hasn’t happened…yet.

In the interest of idealists nationwide, each Friday I’m going to draft a list of how I could be better spending my time if I wasn’t confined to the office.

Because I am nothing, if not overly productive, during freedom time.

Lobbying in favor of alcohol sponsorship in sports

Calling in an anonymous tip on Joey Porter, that meth head! (Do pay phones still exist?)

Three words: Stairmaster Segway Hybrid

Whip up some spiced poached iceberg lettuce

Cruise around on a Strida folding bike, avoid getting taken out

Complete a flawless run in the game Mouse Trap

Start a tribute band (Hall & Oates, maybe?). Apparently, they’re big business with late night TV shows

Visit sunny Pittsburgh, which after not interesting me as a city for almost 25 years, finally gives me a reason to go there

Buy a 2009 calendar, and check off all the days that UCONN basketball has Nationally televised games

Go as Natalie Coughlin’s date to the Golden Goggle Awards

A little light on quantity today, and for that, I apologize. And though 20 of these clearly exemplifies that I’ve grown lethargic, beyond the shadow of a doubt, 10 is still pretty despondent. Godspeed.