Perception

Perception fuels reality.  This is something that most people know but don't realize it.  The point was made in the movie American President where Martin Sheen tells Michael Douglas that in today's world no one would elect a President in a wheelchair.  You see it in your grocery store every week where prices are $3.49 instead of $3.50 just for that perception that it is cheaper.  And we see it all this week at Penn State.  Perception ruled the roost at Penn State and cost people their jobs.

Before I get too far down this road, make no mistake, everyone who lost their jobs deserved to, up to and including Joe Paterno.  They failed in their moral duty to do something about Sandusky when the allegations came to light and chose to sweep it under the rug.  But why did they sweep it under the rug, because they were worried about the perception the allegations would create.

One man allegedly sexually assaulted young boys.  This man was a coach at Penn State.  Penn State as an institution did not commit these acts.  Joe Paterno did not condone or commit these acts.  But everyone was so worried about being painted with that brush, with people seeing them as the college of pedophiles that instead of investigating and turning evidence over to the police, they tried to just make it go away.  Swift and decisive action years ago may have been a blight on the university for a few years but they would still be Penn State and they would get past it.  Now its worse and will leave scars that may never heal.

JoePa did not deserve to go out this way.  His accomplishments as a college football coach make him one of the best to ever walk the sidelines.  He should have been able to leave under his own terms.  Now he is tarnished.  People will fail to see JoePa the old curmudgeon on the sidelines guiding young football players to stardom and will instead see the coach Paterno who just followed the party line and didn't stand up for what was right.  Perception and the concerns over perception brought down a legend and only time will tell what it does to the legendary program in once-Happy Valley.

Chillin at the Frozen Four

Day one out of the way. Two great games. It's nice not having the old anxiety from BC or Miami being in the games (not that I wouldn't have minded the Eagles being there for another run).

Game one turned on special teams. Duluth was great on the power play and Notre Dame was terrible short-handed (despite the shorty goal). Too many penalties and they paid for it.

Game two was all about Shawn Hunwick. If Michigan wins Saturday, his name should be gilded at the University of Michigan for bringing home #10. He looked like Tim Thomas at his Vezina best. Not perfect from a stylistic perspective but positionally getting himself where he needed to be to make the big saves when they mattered. His poke check on Danny Kristo in the third was particularly crafty. Still rooting for Duluth on Saturday but Hunwick stole the whole show tonight.

Seen and heard around the stadium:

- Convinced Mrs. Pike to wear her Miami jersey to the tourney and she ran into another Miami fan who gave her a homemade Miami bracelet and earrings. Needless to say, she is happy she took my advice.

- Had more that one fan throw a jab at me for having my BC jersey on. Seemed to want to get me to rise to the fact that they didn't make it this year. It's OK - 3 titles in 10 years. I'm alright with how they've done and can hold my head high wearing my jersey no matter how they do in a particular year.

- North Dakota had far and away the most quantity and quality of fans. You would have thought we were in Grand Forks with all the green in that building. They were loud and ruined the national anthem as usual (what happens when they aren't the Sioux anymore? Does it become "home of the Warriors" or whatever their new name is? - don't think it will have quite the same ring). Makes we wonder how empty the building will be on Saturday now that they've lost.

- Saw 26 different jerseys worn by fans tonight. Outside of the 4 teams playing (and BC and Miami) we had Minnesota (expected), UNH, Maine, Wisconsin, Cornell, Northern Michigan, St. Cloud State, RPI, Union, BU (ugh), Ohio State, Lake Superior State, Colorado College, Bemidji State, Clarkson, Nebraska-Omaha, Robert Morris, RIT, Denver, and even Alaska-Anchorage (thought of you Pobble).

Off to the Twins home opener tomorrow. I'll try to give some thoughts on the finals later this weekend.

My opinion

Everyone wants to know my opinion on the NCAA pairings. I heard from people I don't normally hear from asking, "So, did BC get screwed?" "Shouldn't UNH have had to travel?" SO its time to get on the horse (or the keyboard as the case may be) and tell you what I think.

The answer to both of those questions is "No". Which is also the answer to other questions like, "Shouldn't the committee have split up Denver and North Dakota because they are so good?" and "Would you change any of the pairings?". No and no.

The pairings actually came out perfect with little or no need to fiddle with the final Pairwise standings to adjust for conference match-ups and the like. UNH gets to be in Manchester. The NCAA needs butts in the seats to keep the revenue going and make these tournaments viable. Having UNH play in Manchester is essential to that. Do I wish BC could be in Manchester? Of course. I would love to watch the boys play another one or two close to home. And I'm certainly not thrilled about them going back to the House of Horrors that is the ScottTrade Center in St. Louis (the name Abdelkader still causes involuntary head shaking and sadness) but that is the way life works. They have a tough road against the best #4 seed and arguably the toughest bracket in general (perhaps it could be called the Group of Death if this were World Cup soccer). And of course, if they make it out a potential date with North Dakota looms.

It's a tough draw but at this stage nothing should be easy. Even Yale's opening tilt against Air Force is not to be taken lightly as the Falcons have a history of playing up to their competition and making waves in the national tournament. At least Miami is on the other side of the bracket so there should be no homefront strife until a potential national title meeting between the two clubs in St. Paul as one analyst at ESPN predicts will happen. I will not be attending any Manchester games, though Mrs. Pike and Nurse K will be chanting a little "Love and Honor" for the boys from Oxford.

I wish them luck, but I must admit I am rooting for the Warriors of Merrimack come out of the bracket. Coach Dennehy and the boys deserve a Frozen Four out of this season as they will probably lose Stephane De Costa to the pro ranks in the off season which will knock them down a peg next year. Saying that won't get me any favors at home but I have to be honest.

As always, I am looking forward to the tourney. No matter what happens. I hope Gibbons, Atkinson and the BC boys bring home their third title in four years but it should be exciting no matter who wins.

One thing

Today I have just one thing to say - Tommy Cross...

Thank you...

Please be sure to tip your waitress...

Merry merry

As we roll into the final days before Christmas, I find myself very happy with the state of Boston athletics. The Celtics have won 13 in a row (including 2 with Rondo on the shelf), the Bruins are 5-2-2 in their last nine and have solved the Savard/Sturm salary issue without disrupting the team chemistry, the Pats look like they can beat anybody right now even when they have a lackluster performance (thank you Dan Connolly) and sit at 12-2 with games against lowly Buffalo and Miami remaining.

BC sports has good news of its own. After a disastrous 2-5 start, the football team is once again bowling (though Colin Kaepernick may make them wish they weren't come Jan 9), the hockey team seems to be pulling it all together after an uneven start and sit in a three way tie for 3rd in the Pairwise (see sidebar). (Just a note - in the first edition of the PWR I put on this blog, BC was lined up with Miami. I know there are only 16 teams and the odds are pretty high but its creepy how that keeps happening). Nothing but good news on the basketball front as well. The women's team is off to their best start in history at 11-0 with four more winnable games before getting into ACC play against North Carolina on Jan 9 (is that an omen?) and the men's team is a surprising 9-2 with a win over a good Texas A&M team and a competitive loss to a decent Wisconsin team - they too have four more winnable game before getting deep into ACC play. Things are looking up. Now on to some Monday musings (with my wish list for some sports figures):

- To Geno Auriemma - May Santa bring you a reality check. Geno, you are getting the attention your team deserves for breaking an impressive record that can never be duplicated in the men's game again. How do you do it? You are able to keep players like Maya Moore and Tina Charles for 4 years. No men's program will ever be able to do that in the modern NBA era. So take your attention and keep your mouth shut. People don't disrespect you because you are women. They disrespect you because you are an ass. People don't like you. If Stanford or Baylor or Tennessee were accomplishing the same thing I would be happy for them. But I don't like you and that's why I root against you. And there are many others who feel the same way.

- To Austin Collie - May Santa bring you a new brain. After getting his third concussion of the season Collie needs to reassess what he is doing on the field. Once or twice is an accident but this many this quickly seems to suggest to me that he is putting himself in a bad position on the football field. May you have a relaxing holiday and I hope 10 years from now you remember what the word football even means.

- To Miami University - May Santa bring you a head football coach who actually wants to be there. Only two years into his tenure and after bringing the program a MAC title one year after going 1-11, Mike Haywood took his talents to Pittsburgh (thank you LeBron for bringing this lovely turn of phrase into the sports lexicon - its so versatile - I guess your hour long ego boost was worth something). Not that I blame him, the call to coach in a crappy conference where a team with 4 losses can make the BCS probably is more alluring than toiling in the MAC but having a coach of any kind for so short a period can really cause great turmoil for a program. Here's hoping the next coach stays long enough to see one of his recruiting classes graduate.

Finally - if anyone has a chance to watch the ESPN 30 for 30 "Pony Excess" about the rise and fall of SMU football in the 80s, do so. It's worth it. Great story and great look into how bad things were back then. Though SMU was the most notorious because of the "death penalty" everyone was doing exactly what they were. Priceless moment - Craig James and Eric Dickerson talking about how Dickerson will never reveal what swayed him to go to SMU over A&M after A&M gave him the gold Trans Am.