Upsets are always a colorful theme early in the NCAA Tournament. The little guys become the biggest and best stories, and superstars such as Ohio State’s Evan Turner get overshadowed.
Matt Youmans
When he was washing dishes at a seafood restaurant five years ago, Anthony Johnson was an unlikely candidate to play a starring role in this NCAA Tournament. But his story is not a fish tale.
If a formal test existed to measure basketball IQ, Gonzaga senior guard Matt Bouldin would have a shot to ace it. He’s a cerebral player who sets the example for a well-coached, well-conceived team.
Not that long ago, Texas coach Rick Barnes was enjoying the view from college basketball’s penthouse. His team was 17-0 and ranked No. 1. But the only poll that means something is the final one, and Texas might feel left out of the NCAA Tournament.
Imagine how dull golf would be without Tiger Woods. The game would be an afterthought now, ranking somewhere below figure skating in terms of interest from sports fans and the media.
A basketball player can be likened to a movie in that the trailer does not always accurately depict the quality of the film. John Wall, Kentucky’s freshman point guard, was billed as a star before he played a college game.
If his big gamble had failed, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton could have been criticized, second-guessed and portrayed as the fool of the Super Bowl.
Instead of seeing more magic from Peyton Manning, we watched as the Super Bowl took a surprising twist. It was a fall from grace for the NFL’s favorite quarterback.
As far as coach-quarterback combinations go, only a couple in the NFL inspire belief in bettors more than Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Who imagined the New Orleans Saints would be considered cutting edge and hip?
Throw out the two games the Indianapolis Colts tanked, a self-sabotage scenario which threatened the integrity of the NFL, and Peyton Manning is 16-0 as a starting quarterback this season. Manning has won every game the Colts didn’t try to lose. In reality, he has a perfect record.
Only in the Super Bowl can a golfer (Phil Mickelson), a hockey star (Sidney Crosby) and a socialite/TV personality (Kim Kardashian) figure into the outcome of a wager. This is a football game unlike any other.
The betting public has already picked a side. The Indianapolis Colts are 51/2-point favorites over the New Orleans Saints on Feb. 7 in Miami, and Las Vegas sports books are getting flooded with cash on the Colts.
The books and contrarians will pull for Drew Brees and the Saints to slay the NFL’s Goliath quarterback, Peyton Manning.
Betting against Peyton Manning is rarely advised. It’s not as dumb as staring into the summer sun, which is a no-win situation, but it does fall in the category of playing with fire.
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