Basketball Page 896 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Welcome Back, Duke Persecution Complex
At left is the front page of the Charlotte Observer the day after North Carolina won the 2009 national championship. At right, this morning's front page. Dookies, you may now return to your hilariously overblown sense of persecution....
One Shining Turd: A Brief Analysis Of How CBS Ruined Its "Moment"
The consensus is that CBS thoroughly murdered basketball's great cornball anthem, "One Shining Moment." Where did they go wrong? Deadspin research reveals that singer Jennifer Hudson logged a full 12 seconds of screen time, a record....
Last Night's Winner: Butler Haters
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like the Duke Blue Devils, who captured the hearts of basketball fans world-wide by finally stopping the merciless hoops juggernaut known as Butler....
If Duke Loses, Will Jim Nantz Say, "The Butler Did It"? Your National Championship Game Open Thread
At the end of the season, Duke and Butler were ranked #3 and #8, respectively, in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. This is not Hoosiers. It's not David vs. Goliath. Tomorrow: I eat my words after Duke wins by 30....
Ye Olde Shining Moment: A Basketball Montage To Remind Us How Good We Have It Now
Because neither video nor Luther Vandross was around in the 1940s, the NCAA Tournaments of those days concluded without the now-beloved "One Shining Moment" montage, which seems so very wrong. We've remedied the situation. Enjoy. [Footage via A Stern Warning]...
The Gus Johnson Megamix: A Special Deadspin Films Presentation
The last few weeks, Gus Johnson has been a hot topic. His zany witticisms and unbridled enthusiasm have made a memorable NCAA Tournament that much more memorable. The outpouring of support for Gus was enormous. Consider:...
Enough With The John Wooden Crap
OK, Butler's a great story, and I realize that a certain amount of, "Hey, it's like that one movie where Gene Hackman gets to hump Barbara Hershey!" is inevitable here, but can we please leave John Wooden out of this?...
Coach K, Summed Up In One Smarmy Quote
You know what Mike Krzyzewski loves about a Butler-Duke national championship? I mean, besides that it's fetish porn for the Playing Basketball The Right Way crowd? What Mike Krzyzewski really loves about Butler-Duke is the game's delicious elitism....
The School That Gave Dick Nixon A Law Degree Vs. Burnt Couch U: Your Duke-WVU Open Thread
Go read Jason Zengerle's defense of Bob Huggins and Will Blythe's account of meeting Coach K. Discuss in the comments....
A Miracle For Easter Weekend: The Resurrection Of The Gus Johnson Soundboard
Fret not, weary reader. Be lulled to sleep by Jim Nantz no more. Gusgasm until you can Gusgasm no more. Rise and fire, friends. Rise and fire, forever. [Gus Johnson Sound Board]...
Chitwood Vs. Jemele Hill: Your Butler vs. Michigan State Open Thread
Can those streetwise Butler ballers continue their mid-major march to glory? Or is beach-combing Tom Izzo, Greatest Coach In The History Of HIstory, powerful? Settle it in the comments. (Photo:MLive)...
Little Girl Cries Over Tweety Carter's Departure From Baylor. We've All Been There.
Via reader Ben comes this video of a 5-year-old girl who's incredibly, adorably distraught over the Baylor guard's approaching graduation. It is, I believe, the distilled essence of every Rivals.com message board in existence. [YouTube; somewhat related]...
The Gus Johnson Soundboard Is No More
CBS sent a cease and desist letter to the operator of the Gus Johnson soundboard. He's asking for legal advice, so hopefully Deadspin LLC can help Gus rise and fire on this Good Friday. [Gus Johnson Soundboard]...
They May Be Smug Unlikeable Bastards, But Damned If They Don't Have Good Foot Doctors
WVU's Darryl Bryant was treated by an orthopedic surgeon from Duke, in hopes of being ready to face the Blue Devils on Saturday. Would you be shocked if he implanted a time bomb in that foot? [News & Observer]...
Last Night's Winner: Steve Lavin's Wife
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like Steve Lavin, who is not only young, well-groomed and gainfully employed, but also married to an attractive human female that (presumably) has sex with him....
The (Other) Least Desirable Gig In College Basketball
Maybe I was using hyperbole with my headline yesterday — or maybe I just forgot about DePaul. I've read your plaintive emails, and I agree. The search for the Blue Demons' next head coach is proving just as pitiful....
Duke's Bracket Didn't Do So Well, Either
Duke's precognitive Final Four gear was not exactly accurate, but the t-shirt is subject to change. (Hopefully, it still comes with a Duke logo!) I also hope they don't spend all week watching Huskies' game film by mistake. [Thanks, Garth]...
Watch Xavier Miss Two Wide-Open Layups And Make Charles Smith Feel Better About Himself
Dash mentioned this earlier, and now here's the video: Xavier's Dee Dee Jernigan blows two layups, and Stanford's Jeanette Pohlen goes coast-to-coast and hits a circus layup to put Stanford in the Final Four. It's brutal. H/T Gamboa Constrictor....
The Least Desirable Gig In College Basketball
Another day, another report that St. John's has struck out with another candidate for its vacant coaching position. Doesn't anybody want this job? It's actually getting kind of pathetic....
"He's In Shape": The Best Of Gus Johnson This Weekend
There was a lot of exciting basketball action this weekend, and no one was as psyched as Gus Johnson, who was reduced to moaning and yelling "pure!" over and over. Enjoy this compilation of Gus losing his shit....