SB Nation Arizona: All Posts by Kevin Ray

Wildcats Victory Reverberates Through Tempe, Pressure Mounts On Sun Devil's Sendek

2011-03-25T20:09:36Z

When is one victory worth more than a one victory? When it comes against the defending national champions in the same year that you were supposed to be just starting become relevant again. The Arizona Wildcats improbable win over Duke last night was felt throughout the college basketball world but there's one location that may have felt the aftershock of it more than any other place in the country and that's Tempe.

You see, the Arizona State Sun Devil basketball program has had a front row seat to the decay of Arizona basketball and now they have that same front row seat to its resurrection.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. While Arizona was falling all over themselves in the post Lute Olson years the Devils were supposed to be on solid ground and passing the once storied program. They did pass them, unfortunately they weren't able to sustain that brief success and now ASU fans are getting that same sick feeling in their guts they had when Lute Olson and his Cats would put an annual beat down on the Devils when Bill Frieder or Rob Evans was here.

After winning in Tucson three straight times under Herb Sendek in those first two seasons without Olson, the Devils were swept this season and the the all-time series record is the only proof you need of the absolute domination the Cats have held over ASU. 79-141 is where the series stands at the present time and with Miller and the Cats already having the top rated recruiting class in the conference and ranked 9th nationally, Arizona is back in a big way.

Last night's win will only enhance how recruits view the Arizona basketball program under Miller moving forward. Clearly the man who's been called "Lottery" by his teammates, Derrick Williams has seen his draft stock rise even more with his tournament performances and it will be a big time challenge for Miller to convince him to stay. Even if he departs the Cats have three big time recruits set to arrive in the fall in Josiah Turner , Nick Johnson and Sidiki Johnson.

ASU's recruiting class is rated as 4th best in the conference but is not ranked nationally.

Sendek's marquee recruit is Jahi Carson. Carson is a local product (Mesa high school) who is certainly the kind of player who will help sell tickets and move the meter, but Carson can't do it alone and he can't be expected to come in as a freshman and be the difference maker.

Sendek's roster this season was loaded with underclassmen so from that standpoint he's got a big chunk of his players returning but will that and the addition of Carson be enough to stem the rising tide that's taking place in Tucson?

If the Cats are somehow able to disarm Kemba Walker and the Huskies of UConn and advance to the Final Four, this Arizona team will join a very special group of teams before them and Miller's magical act in the old Pueblo will have taken on a truly mystical feel.

Herb Sendek is a terrific coach and he's always been cool under pressure but you have to believe that the collar on his shirt got a little tighter watching the Cats performance last night. The ASU basketball season doesn't officially begin for another seven months but he better go into a full court offseason press if they have any hope of staying out of the large shadow that Arizona basketball is currently casting.

Arizona Spartan Race, Mission Complete

2011-03-14T18:14:55Z

Just thought I'd enlighten you with a quick recap of the event I participated in on Saturday. The Spartan Race (www.spartanrace.com) rolled into town this weekend and I took part in it and I gotta tell you it was everything I thought it would be and then some. I shared with you on Friday the details of the race (eight mile obstacle course) so I won't repeat myself.

As I stated last week, my main objective was to train for this and complete it and I was able to do just that. But I also wanted to see who else would participate in an event like this. The main objective of my blog last week was to remind all of you that there's a competitor inside of all of us and the most important thing you could do was to embrace that spirit and fire.

I'm happy to say that on Saturday when I arrived at Rawhide for the event I saw an incredibly diverse group of people. There to run in this first time event were accomplished runners, ultra athletes as well as weekend warriors. But I also saw men and women who like they had done very little training leading up to the event and I can only imagine that they were there because something inside them led them to be a part of this event.

Just seeing these kinds of individuals there motivated me even more as we began to line up to start the race. You had to be impressed with these people as they lined up alongside younger faster racers yet they weren't deterred in the least. That's the kind of intestinal fortitude that should inspire us all. For many of these folks I gotta believe this race was a life changing experience could very provide the kind of springboard they need to achieve another big accomplishment maybe in the workforce, at school or at home.

The challenge of training and competing in this event allowed me to find out something about myself but it also provided a chance to show my family what can be done when you set a goal for yourself and accomplish it. Team KRay as I called them were big helpers in my preparation and having them there especially in that final stretch was huge. As a dad I hope they were able to see what I put into it and what I gained from completing it and if they can use that somehow down the line in their lives then it will have all been worth it. My only question now is, when's the next race?!

Spartan Race Arizona: Have You Got A Little Spartan In You?

2011-03-11T18:18:32Z

I've been asked by several different people "so why are you doing this again"? I suppose there's no one answer as to why I've chosen to participate in the Spartan Race (www.spartanrace.com) that takes place tomorrow at Rawhide in Chandler, Arizona.

I guess the main thing is it just seemed to call to me, if that makes sense. I've never been a big fan of just running for the sake of running. Not a big marathon guy. Always admired those who can lace up the shoes and just go for 13 or 26 miles but it just wasn't me.

But the Spartan Race offered something besides just running. There are four different Spartan Races. You have the Spartan Sprint which is a three-mile run that has obstacles, then there's the Super Spartan which is an eight-mile obstacle course, the Spartan Beast which is a 10-12 mile obstacle course and then the mother of all Spartan Races which is called Spartan Death Race! As the site says:

This event is somewhat new but is quickly taking the country by storm because of the setup. It was created by several ultra athletes who were seeking another way to challenge themselves and others. They broke away from all of the long standing events such as marathons, triathlons, etc and came up with an event that really incorporates a little of all of them.

The Spartan Death Race is designed to present you with the totally unexpected, and the totally insane! Traditional physical challenges will make giving birth look like a walk in the park. This endurance race is comprised of mud runs, obstacle racing, trail racing, physical challenges and mental challenges all in a +48 hour adventure race. 90% of you will not complete this endurance event. Please only consider this adventure style race if you have lived a full life to date.

The Super Spartan is the race that's taking place here in Arizona. I've always enjoyed staying in shape but anyone that's worked out for any period of time knows that after you've worked out for so long you have to change things up and make yourself uncomfortable for the sake of growth both physically and mentally. By electing to do the Super Spartan race it gave me a new challenge and more importantly an immediate goal to shoot for. I've always enjoyed competing and this is not only about competing with others who are participating but with yourself as well.

Now after reading a little of this you like some of my other close friends may be saying, "are you crazy"?

My answer is perhaps a little bit, but more than anything I won't allow myself to be limited by my age, experience or any other factor that may be involved. For me this isn't necessarily about going out and trying to win this thing but by just going thru the training and completing the event I've already won certain personal goals. I view this first one as a test run of sorts and yes I said first one because there's no doubt in my mind I'll do another one or something similar.

I've never bought into the belief that you should be defined by your age. I hear and see so many people have their lives defined by how old they are and I've never quite understood that. It's almost as if they have this imaginary chart in their head and when they hit certain ages or periods in their life they close their mind to certain things whether it's working out, going out with friends, travel, you name it. I've always held the belief that the moment you start telling yourself you can't do this or that because of your age then a little piece of you is dying.

Now this isn't to suggest that at 50 you want to try and hang with partyers on Spring Break, you do have to be smart about it. But just because you've turned 50 or 40 or 60 for that matter that you can't still do things you used to do or more importantly still want to do. Don't let age define and certainly don't let others tell you how you‘re supposed to act at a certain age.

I'm hoping to see men and women of all ages tomorrow at the Spartan Race and I'm confident that I will. Some will be there to try and win while others will be there to complete a goal they've set. Whether it was just to enter and run it or maybe improve on a time from a previous race they will be there competing with others but more importantly with themselves.

While my family thought I was a little nuts in the beginning when I told them I was going to do this they've fully embraced it now and have helped me in my efforts to eat smarter and they've supported me in my training and now I think they're as excited as I am about the race. Having that support is an important element and if you can get that it makes everything much smoother.

My hope in writing this isn't to get you to run a Spartan Race so much as it is to open your eyes and mind to challenging yourself. If you've ever thought about trying something but been too afraid to do it because of your age or because you might fail you've already lost a little bit of life. Break out of your comfort zone and jump into something new. While failure is certainly a possibility there's also the chance of success and if that happens who knows what other ideas might come as result. So you've wanted to try your hand at writing, do it. You've always wanted to raft down the Colorado River, then don't wait, make a plan and do it.

Break out of that comfort zone you're in and start living and embracing what life gives you every day! While many basketball fans remember Michael Jordan for his amazing feats on the basketball court and his numerous game winning shots and plays I've always found his outlook on failure to be incredibly impactful. He said: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed."

So tomorrow when I line up at the line and the starters pistol goes off I know I've already accomplished something significant and there will be other victories that will take place during the race as well and of course crossing the finish line is the final achievement. So ask yourself today, tomorrow or the next day, where do I want to go? What do I want to achieve? Open your mind and the possibilities are unlimited.

Check this out:

From Turkey With Love, Vindication For Diana Taurasi

2011-02-18T21:23:09Z

I know this has not been a good couple of days for WNBA haters and those who like to take shots at the women who play in the league. After stories surfaced on Christmas Eve no less than Mercury and WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi had tested positive for a banned substance, the web was full of disgusting comments from uneducated, uninformed and pathetic people who took one shot after another at Taurasi.

I finally stopped reading some of the comments after becoming infuriated by some of the stuff that was being written about a person I know and consider a friend. Forget the fact that she's one of the top athletes in her sport; I'm talking about Diana Taurasi the person.

Fast forward two months and just as Taurasi said from the beginning, the truth was finally revealed.

Her ban by the Turkish basketball federation was lifted and she's been cleared to play again, although it seems highly unlikely that the Mercury star will be heading back to Turkey any time soon. The lab who reported the findings has reportedly not accepted any failures in the testing procedure which really comes as no surprise.

From the moment this story broke it's absolutely stunk to high heaven. The simple fact that this even surfaced before Taurasi was able to even defend herself and the protocol or lack thereof that the lab failed to follow was complete bush league.

Yes, the news yesterday was great to hear but so much damage was already done to Taurasi and the WNBA that can never be undone. You can't unfire a bullet!

Taurasi lost the remainder of her salary that she would've been paid by her Turkish team, the team lost a chance at a Euro League championship once Taurasi departed and the WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury were once again put on the defensive when the news broke. Due to the nature of the story it made it especially difficult for either party to say much because of the process that Taurasi and her lawyers had to take in order to get the Lab and the World Anti-Doping Agency to hear them out.

I think we've all come to realize now that in this 24/7 news cycle world that we live in, the days of innocent until proven guilty are a thing of the past. Some of the comments that I not only read, but heard people say were absolutely ridiculous yet to hear them say it you would think they had a direct pipeline to the lab results themselves.

The web is a wonderful thing but it's also become a platform for just about anyone to say just about anything to get a reaction. There are no restrictions other than a moral compass and sadly it seems far too often that compass is nonexistent.

Her name was slapped across newspaper headlines, internet stories, blogs, on sports highlights for well over a month and in each one of those cases the implication was negative towards Taurasi. How many people had their view of Taurasi determined by reports that turned out to be inaccurate?

As a father I had to talk to my children about the reports and how they were wrong but I had to begin by telling my kids about how stories like this can happen these days. As children they still believe that if somethings on the TV or in the newspaper or on the internet it must be true.

Little do they know that they will likely encounter something similar at some point in their lives. I was able to that because I know Diana Taurasi, but how many moms and dads were immediately turned off by the news and Taurasi and now even after the truth is revealed won't give her or the league a second chance because of it?

Bad news travels faster and has a far bigger impact than good news and that's just the reality of our society today. You won't see a lot of follow up stories on Taurasi's vindication because, well that's just not salacious or sexy or riveting. If you've read any of my prior stories you know I'm a big supporter of the WNBA and yes I'm an even bigger supporter of Diana Taurasi. She's become a friend to me and my family. I'm a father of three who loves to cover sports and still likes to compete when I can and I make no apologies about any of the above.

My simple request is that before you swing the gavel and yell guilty about an athlete, or for that matter an ordinary person make sure you know all the facts. In the last several years the general public and even the media has rushed to judgment on individuals only to be proven wrong about their initial stance. Being first means nothing if you're wrong.

While Taurasi may still get some vindication thru the legal process her real vindication will come on the floor this summer and I for one look forward to watching her take her anger, frustration and I'm guessing a little dose of vengeance out on the rest of the league.

Could NBA Lockout Be A Windfall For The Euro League?

2011-01-28T21:54:23Z

NFL commissioner Roger Goddell announced earlier this week he'd cut his pay to $1 if there is a lockout in the NFL. That got me thinking once again about the state of the NBA labor situation. No, I didn't expect David Stern to quickly announce he'd cut his pay to .75 cents but clearly 2011 stands to be a very interesting year in professional sports.

With the looming labor contracts hanging over the heads of the two biggest professional sports entities in the world, the NFL and NBA. The NFL will have a chance to remedy their issues sooner simply because of the calendar of where their season falls. Once the Super Bowl is over they can truly focus on the labor issue especially with their deadline being March of this year.

The NBA does have 1 window coming up to try and begin making some real headway before the season ends in June with the NBA finals. The upcoming All Star game in LA will be the final opportunity for all the necessary parties to come together for an extended period to put any new ideas and or proposals on the table. Now, I'm not expecting a deal to get hammered out during the All Star break but if the league and the players union are serious about getting something done then these three or four days must be used wisely.

In the last two weeks word was quickly sent out via email and the social networks to all players and NBA personnel to save your money because a lockout was coming. This message has been sent out several times now over the last year. The question is how many players will actually heed the warning and do just that, save their money? And if they aren't saving money and indeed there is a lockout might some of those players be enticed to play elsewhere?

David Stern has often said that the NBA is a global game and come next season that might be more true than he ever imagined or at least sooner than he imagined.

What are the 2 things professional athletes love most (generally speaking of course)? Playing their sport and making dollar bills! If they aren't able to do either do you think they might entertain the possibility of going somewhere they can?

Just this week the Suns newest signee (10-day contract), Zabian Dowdell told Sports Illustrated that he turned down making $70,000 per month for a Euro league team just to play in the NBA. Now that's a man who loves the NBA and I can appreciate his conviction of wanting to make it on the big stage. Now fast forward a year from now. What if the big stage is dark and the doors to the stage are closed. Dowell's decision becomes pretty easy. He's heading to Europe.

So who else might join a Zabian Dowdell? Carlos Arroyo, Michael Redd, Andrei Kirilenko? These are all players who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of this season. They are three of many who will have no official ties to an NBA team when July 1 rolls around.

If you follow the Euro league at all you know that they love their hoops and they love to have marquee names to attract fans. There have been former college stars from the US who have gone to play in Europe and make very nice livings. Yes you're away from your family and there are many comforts that you aren't afforded that are available in the states or the NBA but at the end of the day it's all about the Benjamin's isn't it?

The other little important note about the Euro league is that their owners will pay top dollar for a big marquee name. Would a David West or Zach Randolph consider taking their talents to Europe to make big bucks and ride out the uncertainty of the NBA labor mess? And if they go who else might follow?

It's not a subject that many folks have discussed and while I don't think you'd see a huge number of players head to Europe I do think it's something that has to be considered very seriously. The players who have made top dollar are likely to be okay for a while but it's the mid-level guys and league minimum guys who you have to figure will need those paychecks to keep coming.

The big stars I'm not so worried about, but this league is more than just big stars. You have to have bench players, role players and these are the very players who make up the bigger percentage of the NBA than the stars do. What if the league lost half of its bench and role players to lucrative deals in Europe while they try and get something settled. If the people running these Euro league teams are smart they'd be on the phones with the agents of these players and begin discussing the possibility of acquiring their services. Could they construct a contract that would prevent the NBA player from immediately dumping their team in order to return to the states if an agreement is reached let's say in mid-season?

Does the Euro league even compare to the NBA? We all know the answer to that. But I do believe that the NBA and its players' union can't overlook anything when it comes to getting a new deal hammered out and the possibility of losing players to European team's short term & long term has to be considered.

Here's hoping that in the end cooler heads prevail and come October of this year we're talking about the season tip off and not about how long the lockout will last and who will fall victim to its impact.

Arizona Cardinals Face Critical Draft And Quarterback Decisions, But The Defense Is The Real Problem

2011-01-21T18:30:40Z

As the NFL Conference Championships loom this weekend an even bigger event looms right here in our backyard. It won't be televised or given wall-to-wall coverage like the games this weekend but the impact of this event could be far reaching, at least if you're a fan of the Arizona Cardinals. The event is called the offseason and the Cardinals due to their dubious fall into mediocrity this season have been into the offseason for nearly a month.

Based on their results this season, some Cardinal fans are already suggesting the end is near and that the sweet taste of success was nice while it lasted. That's what a couple of decades of incompetence will do to your fans. They can't bear the thought of sitting in a half empty stadium and watching a team fall all over itself as it did this year. So you can see why this event may not have the attention of the nation but it certainly has the attention of Big Red fans and for a very good reason.

For the first time since he arrived here coach Ken Whisenhunt is being put under the microscope by fans, the media and to some degree the ownership. Yes he's brought more success to this franchise in the last four seasons than it had ever tasted, but the NFL is no different than any other sport or many businesses for that matter. What have you done for me lately is what the game is all about. A trip to the Super Bowl and consecutive division titles earned him a few extra challenge flags from the management and fans but based on this year's results he now carries only one.

What complicates this offseason for the coach is that he must make numerous decisions that will have a great impact on his club. This is not a team that's one or two players away from being a winner again. It was easy to put the spotlight on the QB debacle that unfolded throughout the season but if you really examined this team from top to bottom there were other areas that were equally inept.

The offensive line was never able to consistently control the point of attack that would have allowed the run game to become established (32nd in yards rushing per game @ 88ypg). Yes the QB carousel didn't help matters but if the Cards had been able to effectively run the ball it would've taken more pressure off the QB. When the team did rush the football well there was that little problem of hanging onto the rock. There were countless times when Tim Hightower would break a big run for a first down only to lose the football. While his season total wasn't alarmingly high (5 fumbles with 4 lost) it was the timing of those fumbles that proved to be drive killers.

If you have a defense that can dictate play those fumbles are easier to swallow and overlook. The Cardinals did not have such a defense unfortunately.

This unit was supposed to be the strength of this year's club based on experience and personnel but it was as inept as the offense. Defensively this unit was ranked 29th and that won't win you games much less a division crown. For all the criticism of the offense the defense was just as much to blame for this year's failures.

Yes, the offense did them no favors with numerous three-and-outs and if not for the defense there were at least two wins that wouldn't have occurred due to the unit creating turnovers. Having said that there were also countless times the Cards "D" had teams in third-and-long situations only to surrender a big play by being out of position or poor tackling (or lack thereof).

What fans and those around the league began to recognize was that this defense has had problems even going back to the Super Bowl run. It was easy for those problems to be masked over because of the exploits of Kurt Warner and a once explosive offense. You look at the defensive statistics dating back to 2007 and the Cards defense has ranked as follows in total yardage allowed:

2010-29^th
2009-20^th
2008-19^th
2007-17^th

With all of the problems facing this team offensively this offseason, why am I making defense the focal point here?

I'm hoping Ken Whisenhunt is thinking the same thing I am. You see his former club the Steelers will be playing in their 5th AFC Championship this weekend and while Big Ben is having a remarkable season and engineering come from behind wins he's able to do so because his defense always gives him a chance to go win it.

Compare the Cards defensive numbers above to those of the Steelers and you'll see why terrible towels will once again be out in full force this weekend. For the same years (2007 thru 2010) the Steelers have ranked respectfully: #1, #1, #5 and this year #2.

Still think it's just Steeler luck that has them on the doorstep of another Super Bowl appearance?

As important as the decision will be about a QB, Whisenhunt faces an equally large decision about his Defensive Coordinator and what players to keep defensively. This will be the third DC in the last five seasons the team will have had when they take field for offseason workouts.

Clancy Pendergast was to blame for the Super Bowl defensive meltdown on the final drive. Bill Davis was shown the door after his unit was unable to get critical third down stops all season long. Between those decisions and the signing of Derek Anderson, Whisenhunt must know that 2011 is a must-succeed season for him.

The one time Steeler assistant would be well served to look back at his notes from his days in the Steel City and truly examine the culture that's been developed throughout the history of that storied franchise. Whisenhunt, like the players must take this year's failures personally because let's not forget the Rooney's chose Mike Tomlin and not Ken Whisenhunt as their head coach.

So while the Steelers prepare for another raucous home game on Sunday the Cardinals prepare for what will surely be one of their longest off seasons. July can't come fast enough for this franchise but it's the decisions between now and then that will truly determine their fate come this fall.

BCS Title Game: System Facing Full Court Playoff Press From Mark Cuban

2011-01-07T18:43:23Z

Their smiles appear to be permanent. Picture the Joker in the Batman movie kind of smile. So who's sporting these almost creepy kinds of smiles you ask? Well it's your good ol boys from the BCS of course. As ticket prices for Monday's National Championship continue to go thru the roof (see: absurd prices!) and monster ratings being projected the BCS crew will use these two factors as the biggest examples of why the BCS works under the current system.

As we've seen since its implementation there are years that they've gotten it right and years they've missed the mark for college football fans. As this season wore on, we once again heard the cries for a playoff in college football. It's an annual discussion that fills the chat rooms and blogs of college football sites around the country. When it's all said and done it eventually fades away after the season comes to an end. This year was a little different because it wasn't just the fans who were screaming out for a playoff (see: TCU fans), but there was a prominent voice who joined in the banter as well.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has gone on record saying he wants a playoff system and unlike others is willing to put his money where his mouth is. Well not just his money, but money that he'd help in putting together. Mention Cuban to any of the BCS boys and their smiles will quickly disappear because while they won't admit it publicly they know that Cuban is a man who Is driven and moreover is a very intelligent man at that. Cuban is seen as a viable threat to their current cash cow and they are watching him with great interest.

The proponents of a playoff system have always gone about it the wrong way you see. While their ideology was not off base their core initiative didn't target the ultimate mark. At the end of the day the BCS isn't just about getting the best matchup for the folks running the system. Bottom line is what the BCS is about. How much money can be generated thru the current structure is the one and only driving force since its inception in 1999. While the idea of playoff is not new, Cuban is the first individual who has identified the biggest threat to the BCS and that's money. How do you beat money? By raising more money!

With Cuban behind the drive for a playoff in college football you have a man who's a huge fan of college football, well connected and has deep pockets. Most importantly though you have a man who is not afraid of rocking the boat and that's his trump card. Unlike politicians whose votes can be bought out by bowl lobbyists Cuban has no such ties that prevent him from putting his stamp on this initiative. What's become even more worrisome for BCS officials is that Cuban has already had conversations with a couple of Athletic Directors from BCS conferences who have reportedly embraced his idea enthusiastically. The enthusiasm stems from the money that Cuban has said could be thrown the way of the institutions if they agree to participate.

Cuban threw out a figure of $500 million to be distributed for those teams picked to compete in the playoff system versus the bowl system. Cuban still feels there's a place for the bowl games as part of the playoff which others have suggested before as well. Keeping the bowls involved makes sense because of the history behind them (at least the bigger ones), but you can bet there would be a new battle amongst bowls when it comes to the pecking order if slotted in a playoff system. You can also bet that with Jerry Jones Taj Majal in Dallas playing host to the Cotton Bowl that they'd want to get in on the action. Since Jones built his new digs the current bowls in the BCS have been keenly aware of the threat from the Cotton Bowl and rightly so. When you consider the seating in the Cowboys stadium you'd have to listen to their argument.

There are still many details that would have to be hammered out and thought through. How many teams do you begin the playoff with? 12, 16? Because you're adding a playoff now do you cut back on a couple of regular season games? Remember as it is many of these teams are already playing 12 games with a current bowl game being their 13th. If you have to play a minimum of 2 or 3 playoff games you're now approaching an NFL type season. Injuries would be a concern and ultimately if you're asking these players to give more time to their sport for their institutions the topic of some kind of stipend or payment is going to be brought into the picture and rightfully so.

Remember not everyone is on a full ride scholarship and there's that little thing called academics that must be maintained. The answers aren't easy as they sound while college football fans kick it back and forth over beers in the parking lot. The decade old system has cracks and flaws and finally there's another voice suggesting that there are other ways to make this work. The difference this time around is that Cuban's is a voice that many others will listen to (university presidents, TV Execs) and he's not a man who casually throws out an idea and then walks away. I for one am very intrigued and the only battle better than Monday night's showdown for college football's crown between Auburn and Oregon will be the brewing showdown between Cuban and the good ol boys from the BCS.

Geno Auriemma Has Earned The Right To Rant

2010-12-24T19:57:55Z

You'll have to forgive UConn Huskies women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma for "ranting" or "going off" at his postgame press conference earlier this week. After his team won its 89th straight game and broke John Wooden's UCLA (men's) record, the fiery coach ruffled some feathers.

"I just know that there wouldn't be this many people in the room if we were chasing a women's record. The reason there's everybody in this room, the reason everybody's having a heart attack the last four or five days is a bunch of women are threatening to break a men's record. And everybody is all up in arms about it.," Auriemma said Sunday.

"All the women are happy as hell and they can't wait to come in here and ask questions. All the guys that love women's basketball are all excited. And all the miserable bastards that follow men's basketball and don't want us to break the record are all here because they're pissed."

On second thought, Geno isn't looking for your forgiveness. That's who Geno Auriemma is. Loud, brash in your face but above all passionate. It's been interesting to listen to and read some of the reactions on Geno's short diatribe this week from all different circles of the media spectrum. The reactions have ranged from praise to scathing criticism. Pretty much what you'd expect.

I do think it's funny and somewhat ironic though how this colorful, outspoken & extremely passionate -- and did I mention incredibly successful -- head coach has been painted by those who don't know him or what he's about.

Not far from the UConn campus, in midtown New York there's a brash, outspoken larger than life figure leading the New York Jets. Rex Ryan is portrayed for the most part in a positive light and his comments are funny, wacky and provocative. He's a media darling that is rarely censored and will always speak his mind whether you want to hear it or not.

He knew when he took the job with the Jets that they were the red-headed stepchild to the G-Men and he knew that in order for his little club, the J-E-T-S, Jets to get some attention he had to put himself out there and be a lightning rod for his cause.

What Geno Auriemma does is really no different.

What is different though is that Geno is the only person in the women's basketball community willing to put himself in the line of fire of the critics. There are those who say Geno is egotistical, self-absorbed. Well gee, there's a newsflash. Show me a consistent winner and champion in any sport that isn't to some degree.

Geno understands the numbers game and I'm not talking about the attention getting figure of 89-straight wins and counting. The numbers I'm talking about are those who so easily dismiss women's basketball as subordinate to the men's game because there's no dunking and high flying block shots.

While you and others may see self-absorbed and over the top antics I see a guy who's doing what's he's done since he arrived on that campus and sat in that little office trying to start a program from scratch basically. While his comments rubbed some the wrong way earlier this week they also may have gotten three or four other people to sit up and take notice of the game he loves. Those figures are much more important to Auriemma than his historical run.

He's constantly fighting for attention and respect for this sport and the women that he coaches so that every day and every week maybe just maybe someone new jumps on board and says, "damn, these girls can play ball."

Women's basketball isn't for everyone. But the same can be said for soccer (men's or women's), figure skating, NASCAR...you get the idea. While the NFL is wildly popular, contrary to what fans of it believe not everyone loves the NFL. Heck I know college football fans who can't stand the NFL, yet there's no mockery of those fans or their beliefs. So why is it that if you tell someone you like to watch women's basketball they look at you like your growing a third eye?

I cover both the NBA and the WNBA. Not once in my career have I ever tried to compare the two. It's apples and oranges, but you see I like both of those fruits. I appreciate each for what they deliver to me as a fan. Nothing more , nothing less.

I've been a huge advocate for the women's game and while I've caught my fair share of grief for doing so I'm proud to say I still have my man card! Let's be honest there are lots of closet women's hoops fans out that but because of their fear of what their friends might say they go overboard with their criticism. It's okay, your man card will remain intact but you have to decide if you want to step outside your comfort zone.

Like all pioneers Auriemma has taken not just one but several for the team in order to gain just a little more attention and credibility. Don't feel sorry for Geno. He's made out pretty good, what with all those championship rings, banners and win streaks and he's paid quite well for the job he does. Geno will continue to take the critics best shots and he'll keep firing off his verbal jabs when the opportunity presents itself all in the name of elevating the game he loves for the women who bust their tail to play it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As the UCONN women grabbed the headlines this week another former Huskie made headlines of her own when it was reported that Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi had tested positive for a banned substance while playing overseas for her team in Turkey. As you might suspect this is big news and not the kind any player or league wants.

Like her former coach Taurasi is a lightning rod for her sport and she can be brash and boastful at times which makes her an easy target when she stumbles. In this instance all I will say is make sure you wait for all of information to be processed and come in before you judge one of the games top players. I have a feeling that when the dust settles on this story Taurasi will come out on top like she so often does.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!