Thursday, 1/26
#17 Indiana at #25 Wisconsin (College Basketball)- 9:00 PM on ESPN 2
There was a time when the Hoosiers looked to be a team that belonged in the top 10. Then they started playing road games. There was also a time when Wisconsin was thought to be the toughest road game in all of college basketball. Then the Badgers dropped back to back home games to Iowa and Michigan State. Wisconsin are winners of four straight, including over tough teams such as Illinois and Northwestern, while Indiana is still trying to figure out how to win at a place that is not Bloomington or Happy Valley as they are 1-3 on the road. I’m not seeing another road victory here for the Hoosiers as they continue to dip further down the top 25.
Celtics at Magic (NBA Basketball)- 8:00 PM on TNT
This is a rematch from Monday night in which Boston absolutely spanked Orlando 87-56 in Bean Town. The Celtics put the beat down on the Magic despite starting point guard Rajon Rondo being out with a wrist injury. Paul Pierece put Rondo’s load on his shoulders and scored 19 points. It didn’t help Orlando that Dwight Howard was the only Magic starter to score in double digits. Will Rondo return? Will the Magic be able to turn it around on Boston? How much longer can Superman stand being the only player worth a damn in the Magic Kingdom?
Friday, 1/27
Wizards at Rockets (NBA Basketball)- 8:00 PM
To your average NBA fan this game isn’t very sexy. But to Kentucky fans, this game is as sexy as Lady Gaga dressed up in a Kermit the Frog ensemble. Lady Gaga doesn’t do it for you? How about the newly single Katy Perry dressed as a Smurf? There, that’s better. What were we talking about? Oh yeah, John Wall vs. Patrick Patterson. That’s why this game is sexy to us. Wall and Patterson are both playing extremely well for their teams at the moment. The difference is that 2 Pat has some help around him while Wall does not and his team’s records reflect that fact. The Wizards just fired head coach Flip Saunders and are now being lead by an interim head coach. I don’t think Wall and his guys will be winning anytime soon. It will still be fun to watch these former team mates go head to head even though it should be a blow out.
The Grey (Kick Ass Survivalist Movie with Liam Neeson vs. A Pack of Wolves)- Your Local Multiplex
It’s cool that Liam Neeson has been remade into an action hero in movies like Taken and Unknown; two good films if I might add. Neeson continues to flex his muscles, this time it’s man versus nature. I have to admit, I dig movies and books with this theme. I’m a big fan of Gary Paulson’s book Hatchet and the movie The Edge. The Grey looks to be an adrenaline pumping good time.
Saturday, 1/28
#1 Kentuck at LSU (College Basketball)- 4:00 PM on ESPN 3 (Also, check your local listings)
Kentucky is off to a 6-0 start in the SEC (3-0 on the road) and is looking to dominate the conference. I am of the mindset of John Calipari as I think a solid loss before the tournament will do wonders for this team as they seem to sleepwalk through portions of their contests. LSU is not a solid road loss and I don’t expect one at the hands of the Tigers. They have only two impressive wins on their schedule and both are to Big East teams. They defeated upstart Rutgers on the road and #10 (at the time) Marquette at home. But that’s really it. They have a loss to Coastal Carolina in Baton Rouge early in the season that shows us that these Bayou Bengals aren’t toothless, but there are gaps.
Darius Miller was the star for the Wildcats in their win at Georgia on Tuesday night. The senior went 4-4 from the three and only missed one shot all night. He was aggressive and had a Kobe Bryant “Give me the ball and get out of my way” attitude for the first half. This trend needs to continue as teams continue to zone the Cats and clog the middle, limiting Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Miller, Doron Lamb, Kyle Wiltjer need to continue to create their own shots and hit from the outside and Marquis Teague needs to continue to run the offense with efficiency (7 assists, 0 turnovers last outing). This game will be tough but the Cats will pull away at the end.
It is also worth mentioning that Anthony Davis is sitting at 98 blocks for the season and is poised to break LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal’s record of 115 blocks. I say by the end of the game, Davis will be sitting at 104.
Shaq and Pistol Pete ain’t walking through that door. We owe them one for what they did to us in football.
#25 (Allegedly) Louisville at Seton Hall (College Basketball)- 8:00 PM on ESPN 3
According to which poll you look at, Louisville is either in or out of the top 25. In the AP Poll, they are out. In the coaches poll, they are in. I prefer, like Jimmy Dykes, to say that they are not in. But lame site Card Chronicle ripped off a lame Kentucky site and has stated that “The AP Poll Doesn’t Exist”. I prefer to think that talent doesn’t exist on Louisville’s team, but that’s just me. Anyway, the Cards stink and will visit the Seton Hall Pirates. Seton Hall is better than Louisville, but they aren’t great. The Cards could pull an “upset” in the weaker than normal Big East as they try to get consistent.
Sunday, 1/29
#22 Michigan at #3 Ohio State (College Basketball)- 1:00 PM on CBS
Michigan is another Big 10 team, much like IU, that works magic at home but flubs on the road. Ohio State is no different. All three of their losses have come on the road to Indiana, Kansas and Illinois. The Buckeyes are beasts in their own gym, so I expect Michigan to take the L.
The NFL Pro Bowl- 7:00 PM on NBC
The worst of the worst when it comes to professional All Star games, the Pro Bowl is un-watchable. The games doesn’t mean anything, the athletes don’t really want to be there and the focus of the media and the fans alike are on next Sunday’s game in Indianapolis. So, if you want to watch a bunch of overpaid athletes half-ass it in Hawaii, be my guest. I won’t be among your ranks. I’ll probably be re-watching this season of the Walking Dead in preparation of the continuation of Season 2 on February 12.