12 seed

So the Cornell hoop team ended up with a 12 seed, and plays its first round game in Florida. I'm glad they're on the East Coast, but not so close I'm compelled to try and get there. Am OK, or at least not surprised with the seed, but a little disappointed to be playing a tough team like Temple, who could have been higher than a 5 seed. Seems like the 11 seed in Providence playing Tennessee would have been a good spot for them though it would have caused me to rethink my priorities and my week's schedule.

Cornell and Temple played a number of common opponents with similar results. Temple gets the edge in those games with a 7-2 mark vs. Cornell at 5-3. They both played Seton Hall and St. Johns, with Cornell losing to Seton Hall and beating St. John's and Temple doing just the reverse. They both lost to Kansas, with Cornell almost beating them on the road, while Temple got drubbed at home. Cornell split with Penn, while Temple beat the Quakers and Cornell beat three of Temple's A-10 foes, UMass, St. Joes and LaSalle, teams Temple was 5-0 against as it only played UMass once.


As usual the NCAA committee played it's little mind games pitting Cornell coach Steve Donahue vs. Temple coach Fran Dunphy, who was his mentor when they both coached at Penn. I rate this game a toss up, but I think the Big Red will do it. I'm getting a little nervous with all the love the Red are getting on ESPN -- Jay Bilas has them beating Kentucky to go to the Elite 8 and as I write this, the Experts on ESPNU have them in the Sweet 16 as they collectively fill out their bracket. So much for flying under the radar -- probably too many proud alums like me out there talking them up.

The timing of the game @ 12:30 pm works out pretty well. I was figuring out how to rearrange a meeting so I could watch the game when the customer called to say they would have to reschedule -- problem solved. The current plan is to get to Albany for the Cornell hoop tip off, which puts me in position to watch the Cornell hockey team in the semis of the ECAC tourney at 4. The hockey game will be a lot more fun to watch if Cornell can beat Temple.


Cornell's road to the ECAC hockey title got easier with Brown's upset of Yale, who Cornell has struggled to beat the last two years. It should be noted Yale just lost one of its best players to injury, but it was still a surprising result as Brown was the 11 seed (of 12) in the tourney. So the good news is, no Yale, but the bad news is that Cornell gets to play the team that just beat them in New Haven. Beware the hot goalie, and Brown's netminder chalked up 44 saves in Brown's 1-0 series clinching win.

St. Lawrence plays Union in the other semi and I was glad to see the Saints make it as my brother Peter, who's our host Friday is an SLU alum, as in my cousin Jim. Also glad to see Union there as I believe it's the first time since the ECAC final four has been in Albany that a Capital District team has made the semifinals. It will probably double the size of the crowd and though they won't come close to filling the 15,000 seat Times Union center, I predict it will be half filled. That will be 7,000 more than next year when they move the tournament to Atlantic City.

While this is my favorite week of the year, it's going to be a long one so time to sign off and get some rest. Can't wait for the games to begin!