One Day More

I don't want to turn this blog into a Geoff Calkins tribute or anything, but he is my favorite sports journalist. Today he writes about judging the Memphis players-- by the way they wear their hats, by the tattoos they have, by their age, by so many things. It's something people do. And not just the national media-- not just people who have no clue about Memphis, the University, or this team. Memphians do it.

As a lifelong Memphian (until recently, anyway-- but I am still a Memphian, in spirit if not in location), I can't begin to enumerate the number of times I've heard people insult my hometown. Visitors, people who've never even been to Memphis, but especially locals. It's crime-ridden, it's ugly, and (my favorite from my time in East Tennessee) it's FLAT. But let's just talk about that for a second.

I'm not going to pretend that Memphis doesn't have crime. It's a city. Cities have crime. And Memphis has more than its fair share. Memphis also has more than its fair share of racial tension. But it's not like I was afraid all the time. Or even very often. And ugly? Memphis may be many things, but Memphis is not ugly. And I feel that I have enough experience to say that. Look, I live in the mountains. The Rocky Mountains. I can see ski slopes from my office window. It is ridiculously and unbelievably beautiful here. But I still won't say Memphis is ugly. Memphis has lots and lots of trees, and big parks. Memphis has azaleas and flowering pear trees and crepe myrtles that flower all summer. No, there's not much snow. And autumn never lasts as long as we want it to. But Memphis is not ugly. And flat? Come on, Chattanoogans, is that the best you've got?

Anyway, the whole point of this post was to say this: this team, these Tigers, may not appear to be basketball royalty. They have tattoos and brands, and cornrows, and wear their hats in a untraditional manner. They get in trouble when they stay out too late in nightclubs, and at least one of them has thrown away his lifelong dream this weekend. They make mistakes. And I don't claim to know them personally. I've never met any of the players. Calipari says they have great hearts. I know better than to believe every word out of Coach Cal's mouth, but I do know what I've seen.

I've seen them LOVE to play basketball. I've seen them have fun on the court. I've seen that most times these players are willing to share the ball, and thus the glory, with their teammates. I've seen that they appear to be more than teammates, they are friends. I've seen that Joey Dorsey lights up and comes alive when he feels the love and support of the crowd. I've seen Chris Douglas-Roberts give all he has over and over. I've seen Derrick Rose arrive without a sign of any prima donna attitude, and be all that we thought he would be and more. I've seen Antonio Anderson named the Most Valuable Player in the Conference tournament even though he's not at the top of the list of "stars" on the team. And that's enough for me.

So call them young and irresponsible. Just don't call them thugs.

UConn and CBU

The season just started and I'm already slacking off.

Let's talk about UConn. The first half of the first half? Was the most beautiful exhibition of Memphis basketball EVER. I was giddy watching it. Of course, then the refs joined in and before long, after shooting 23 free throws to our THREE, UConn was back in it, but the Tigers still put the Huskies in their place by the end. It was nice to see the Tigers hold on and not give up, like they might have in the past. Also? CDR is my pretend basketball boyfriend. Joey Dorsey is too. They're all my pretend basketball boyfriend. I am in love with the Tigers.

I didn't see the CBU game, it wasn't on TV out here. Coach Cal wasn't happy, and he canceled the players' Thanksgiving break. It's one of those issues with getting fired up against a team that you can easily crush. It's hard to do.

The next game is Tuesday against Austin Peay, again not to be televised in my neck of the woods. If you're in Memphis, it's on WLMT.

Oooooooooooo-klahoma

Well then. Like I said last week, a Win is a Win. And I'm sorry, but Joey Dorsey? Not the same Joey Dorsey that got schooled by Greg Oden last year. That? Was Mr. Dorsey.

Derrick Rose... I could see the flashes-- of what is to come-- pure greatness. But last night he seemed a little over-excited, maybe trying to live up to all the hype in his first nationally televised game? But still, the kid is remarkable. He'll have to start knocking down free throws, I imagine he'll find himself on the line quite a bit.

And, I hate to be rude, but... that Oklahoma guy? You know, their "great" freshman? He was unfortunate looking.

Did anyone notice that during the game, ESPN didn't change the graphics, and the UConn husky picture was next to "Memphis" on the score? And the Gardner Webb whatever-that-was was next to "Oklahoma."

Anyway, it's all on for tonight-- Tigers vs. Huskies. Calipari vs. Calhoun. The Tigers are favored by 9. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN2 at approximately 8:30pm ET, after Oklahoma plays Gardner Webb.

UT Martin- Finally!

Today's the day! Today's the day! Today's the day we can finally get down to business. I'm less than pleased the Tigers ended up as #3 in both the AP and the coaches' polls. That's lame. But it gives us something to strive for, I guess. Two spots up. Tarheels shmarheels.

So tongiht the Tigers play UT-Martin. Really? This is how we're going to kick off what should be THE GREATEST SEASON EVER? Okay. Baby steps. But we are favored by 37 points.

On the other hand, as Jim Masilek said yesterday:

History, however, shows that the Tigers' fortunes have varied wildly in the face of high expectations. For every smashing success -- the Final Four runs in '73 and '85 are obvious examples -- there is an equally spectacular failure to serve as a warning. Drexel, anyone?

You don't have to tell me. I was there for that Drexel debacle. I witnessed it, up close and personal. And it sucked. So I should know better than to have my hopes this high. But I can't help it! If you need help getting excited, think about this: 2 seasons, 2 Elite Eights, 66 wins, and? Derrick Rose. Read this article, or for a longer, historical perspective, this article. If you need help coming down from the rafters, you can read this one:

Dorsey may be the most important player on the team. Rose is more gifted, certainly. Chris Douglas-Roberts will score more points. But there's only one position where Memphis doesn't have a proven backup. That position is the one occupied by Dorsey. Does that make you sleep well at night?

Dorsey's big mouth good for the game

Dorsey's big mouth good for the game

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

HAVERFORD, Pa. -- Thank you, Joey Dorsey, for returning to Memphis and, for that matter, being invited to the Pan Am Games trials. You see, without Mr. Dorsey, we might not have our most quotable player for the 2007-08 season. Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Joakim Noah both checked out of college after their junior seasons. So, that left a void for all of us scribes and television reporters thirsting for someone to serve up an honest comment or two. Mr. Dorsey delivers. (The University of Memphis understands his big appeal so well that it made "That's Mister Dorsey To You" the marketing slogan that will adorn a billboard in the city for the upcoming season.) Quite simply, there aren't many players who can make the white tank top look rather small. There aren't too many who sport that white tank, with the broad shoulders and powerful biceps bursting out, under a uniform or even just a golf shirt as 6-foot-9, 260-pound Dorsey did when he was taking his visa photo last week at a suburban Philadelphia Marriott for the games in Brazil. "My physique intimidates a lot of players that I play against," Dorsey said. "I stay in the weight room a lot. That's a big part of my game." Oh, there's more, there's always more with Mr. Dorsey. And, it's usually very, very good.

Who can forget his sporting that white tank on the bench after fouling out of the Sweet 16 game against Texas A&M in San Antonio. Later that night, I received an e-mail from an NCAA official saying that wouldn't happen again. (Translation: Dorsey was told to keep the uniform on.) But for what it's worth, the sight of Dorsey looking as though he was just through a workout at Gold's Gym and ready to bust through a door certainly was imposing. So much so that Dorsey didn't hesitate to call out Greg Oden in advance of the Elite Eight matchup against Ohio State. For those who need a refresher course, Dorsey said at the time, "This is the game I wanted." He added that Oden was "overrated as a big man" and that Oden "might be as good as Joey Dorsey." As our columnist Gene Wojciechowski laid out at the time, Dorsey's final prize was saying it was going to be "David versus Goliath." And remember, Dorsey was saying he was the monster. Of course, Oden dominated with 17 points. Dorsey finished with zilch.

Dorsey had to be asked about his comments when I caught up with him in at the Pan Am trials in Philadelphia. "I underestimated my opposition, and that's something I never did playing basketball the past five years," Dorsey said. "My opponent was a very great player, one of the best I've played against." After watching Oden dominate the national championship game, even in a loss to Florida, Dorsey said he understood how good Oden really was. Later, the Memphis resident rooted against the Memphis Grizzlies the night of the lottery because Dorsey wanted no part of Oden in his town. "It was a lift off my back because if Memphis got the No. 1 pick, then I would have had to hear about David and Goliath the whole year," Dorsey said.

It's all been part of the growing process for this senior. "Joey took longer to mature, to understand to get rid of the bitterness, and there was a bit of anger in there," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "A lot of kids come to school with an edge and a bitterness. "But all of the coaches have said he's a good kid and has a good heart. But I've told him he has to get out of his own way. There's only one of him out there. So I tell him if he misses layups and free throws, remember that the other guys can't do what you do. Be proud of what you are and who you are."

Dorsey will lead Memphis, my pick for No. 1 in the pre-preseason. And the Tigers will stay there -- barring some sort of injury in the fall. That's fine with Dorsey. "We deserve to be No. 1 coming off back-to-back Elite Eights," he said. The Tigers return seven of their top eight players and add one of the top players in the country, guard Derrick Rose. Dorsey said, "He's one of the best point guards I've played with so far behind DWash [Darius Washington]." Dorsey returned as the third-leading returning scorer, at 8.5 points a game and the top rebounder, at 9.4. Well, according to Dorsey, he'll be grabbing about five-plus more boards a game because he plans to lead the country in rebounding "at 15 a game. I can be one of the dominant power forwards or centers in the country."

"I've been working out since the season was over, working out with Carmelo [Anthony, who -- like Dorsey -- is from Baltimore] and Rudy [Gay] in Memphis and trying to improve my overall game," Dorsey said. "I'm working on my free throws, taking 100 a day, so that there are no flaws in my game. "[Scouts] told me that I have to improve my skill level because they said I cannot do left-handed layups and left-handed jump hooks," Dorsey said. That's why he's looked at as being an enforcer on Team USA. No one expects Dorsey to be the finesse player to go to down in the post. No, he's on this team to grab rebounds and to look imposing. And, to be honest, it won't hurt for Dorsey to get the book down on Georgetown's Roy Hibbert since Dorsey will be defending him when the two top-10 teams play in Memphis on Dec. 22.

That game will be a good barometer for Memphis' national title hopes, although according to Dorsey, there's no question which team will be cutting down the nets in April. "We talked about me leaving, and a lot of guys said they would come back if I came back," Dorsey said of the decision by himself and Chris Douglas-Roberts to bypass the NBA draft. "With Derrick Rose coming in, this was our chance to win a championship. And that's what I told Memphis University players and the state of Tennessee -- that we'll win a championship." See? Dorsey is good for the game. He looks menacing. He doesn't back down from an opponent or from saying what's on his mind. Unless Calipari -- who easily is the coach most willing to talk candidly -- reels him in, Dorsey should be the go-to guy to talk Memphis all season long. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

Until Next Year...

It took me awhile before I was ready to come back and post anything. Saturday's game just about killed me. I could talk about Joey Dorsey. I could talk about KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT. But I won't. I'll just say,

See you next year.

C-USA Tournament, Day 3

Last night:

Tigers win, 92-71. In doing so they tied a school record with 20 straight wins. The Charleston (WV) Gazette said the Tigers "dunked" Marshall. ESPN called it a spanking. The CA thinks Dorsey is making progress. I just think he's AWESOME.

Today's schedule:

3:30 p.m.	(1) Memphis vs. (4) Tulane (CSTV) Watch Gametracker	Tigers win, 71-49.
6:00 p.m.	(3) Houston vs. (7) Rice (CSTV) Watch Gametracker

Tomorrow's Championship game will air on CBS at 10:35 am CT.

More Conference Awards

2006-07 CONFERENCE USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

John Fields, East Carolina, F, 6-9, 200, Fayetteville, N.C.
Kevin Sims, Tulane, G, 5-10, 160, Jackson, Miss.
Sai'Quon Stone, Southern Miss, G, 6-6, 205, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ben Uzoh, Tulsa, G, 6-3, 185, San Antonio, Texas
Jeremy Wise, Southern Miss, G, 6-2, 165, Jackson, Miss.

2006-07 FRESHMAN/NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Jeremy Wise, Southern Miss, G, 6-2, 165, Jackson, Miss.

2006-07 CONFERENCE USA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Antonio Anderson, Memphis, G, 6-6, 200, So., Lynn, Mass.
Paul Delaney III, UAB, G, 6-2, 200, Jr., Decatur, Ga.
Joey Dorsey, Memphis, F, 6-9, 260, Jr., Baltimore, Md.
Bamba Fall, SMU, C, 7-1, 210, So., St. Louis, Senegal
Oliver Lafayette, Houston, G, 6-2, 180, Sr., Baton Rouge, La.

2006-07 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Joey Dorsey, Memphis, F, 6-9, 260, Jr., Baltimore, Md.

2006-07 SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR

Jeremy Hunt, Memphis, G, 6-5, 210, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.

Conference Tourney Time!

Here's where you can get the C-USA tournament update. Here's the bracket.

Awards: CDR and Dorsey were both named to the 2007 Conference USA First Team. Jeremy Hunt was named to the Second Team.

Tournament schedule:

2007 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday	March 7	Noon	(7) Rice vs. (10) UTEP Gametracker
Wednesday	March 7	2:30 p.m.	(6) Southern Miss vs. (11) SMU Gametracker
Wednesday	March 7	6:00 p.m.	(8) Marshall vs. (9) UAB Gametracker
Wednesday	March 7	8:30 p.m.	(5) Tulsa vs. (12) East Carolina Gametracker
Thursday	March 8	Noon	(2) UCF vs. No. 7/10 winner (CSTV)
Thursday	March 8	2:30 p.m.	(3) Houston vs. No. 6/11 winner (CSTV)
Thursday	March 8	6:00 p.m.	(1) Memphis vs. No. 8/9 winner (CSTV)
Thursday	March 8	8:30 p.m.	(4) Tulane vs. No. 5/12 winner (CSTV)
Friday	March 9	3:30 p.m.	Semifinal 1 (CSTV)
Friday	March 9	6:00 p.m.	Semifinal 2 (CSTV)
Saturday	March 10	10:35 a.m.	Championship Game (CBS)