Vegas Confirms: Dukes Most Overrated Team!

Thanks to a tip from Chancellor Von Helmut, whose noted gambling problem often leads him to http://www.vegasinsider.com/ , the Dukes have been listed as the most overrated team in college basketball!

While anyone who bets on or against the Dukes on a regular basis would know this, its actually gratifying that the Dukes get some attention on the national level. I am personally happy just to be any type of 'rated,' be it over or under. Then again, its hard to rate a 3-24 team.

Don't look know, the Dukes are only a game and a half from not making the A-10 tourney! This would be a massive setback in the development of the program. It also shows how deep the A-10 really is. We need to win, and we need to win now. Most likely one more win will lock up a trip to Atlantic City.

That being said, I think the A-10 title is completely up for grabs. In my opinion, Umass is the number two pick next to Xavier. When they want to, they can play with any team in college hoops.

Now that LaSalle and Richmond both have winning records and sit 8-5 in A-10 play (t-third with temple), those close losses don't seem quite as bad.

GW pounced Rhode Island last night 85-68. Looks like the Rams bubble burst after tough losses to Temple, SJU, Umass, and Xavier. Their NCAA tourney hopes are pretty much shot. That "tough loss" that the Dukes had at Rhode Island this year isn't looking so good now.

The Dukes are 0-3 since I started this blog.

Check out the Dukes being overrated at:

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/story.cfm/story/681541

Top Ten Worst Pittsburgh Sports People

10) Mark Madden- I very much often agree with what he says, but his antics, which include way too much talk about hockey, soccer, and wrestling, make him a neccessity for this list. He also skipped out on many-a-bill while doing live broadcasts sponsored by Coors Light.

9) Joe Bendel- How does this man keep a job in radio? Well, I guess you would have to consider FOX 970 radio to begin with.

8) Sally Wiggin- She makes the list because every time I watch the Steelers on Monday Night, they cart her dried up hair-poon out onto the field and ask her questions like her opinions really matter. Stop it already!

7) Bill Hillgrove- Jack Flemming wannabee sellout (he went to Duquesne, ya know). His "long enough, high enough, good enough" line makes me want to stick razor blades up my a-hole. Why can't play by play guys do play by play, and color guys do color (No obama fans, thats not a racial remark!)? He might be the worst when it comes to painting a picture of what is actually happening in the game.

6) Tunch Ilkin- I actually sort of like Tunch, but his Turkish decent and this websites avid support of the BBDAA (bulgarian bluffdivers association of america) requires him to make this list.

5) Tim Benz- You petite putz! I have met this man on several occasions and he is a complete and total douche bag!!! During a radio remote I worked with him, he actually referred to himself as "the talent." He should refer to himself as "the dicknose."

4) John Fedko- Remember when you were ten, and John Fedko was really funny? Well it stopped being funny after I got pubes...around 15 years ago. And after I got cable (wow, my parents are the worst) and saw his act being done by a fatter and more abnoxious Chris Berman on a national level, it really ended for me. He also receives an honorable mention for 3rd worst mustache removal of all time, right behind Weird Al Yankovic and Tom Selleck.

3) John Wehner- people from Carrick have no right to be on television...he has proved this much. He's a great guy. Awful, just awful color commentator. Makes unwatchable Pirate baseball television broadcasts actually worse than whats happening on the field. I wish he would "hustle" his way back to giving private batting lessons at the Sandlot batting cages where he belongs.

2) All Pittsburgh Newspaper Writers and Editors (except for Gene Collier)- They are all so bad I grouped them together. A bunch of miserable, homer, yinzer, curmudgeons (spelling?). How 'bout something other than Steelers coverage (gazette) and Pens coverage (trib)? Maybe even say something negative about the Rooney's or the Steeler orgaziation? They deserve it. When the Dukes upset Dayton, the story was on page 5. The local t.v. coverage is bad enough. Can I get more than an NBA score one time? Maybe since the Pirates are so bad, you could write about some of the great baseball being played elsewhere?

1a) Greg Brown- I could write three pages on why he is so bad! He makes my skin crawl everytime I hear his voice. He knows nothing about baseball, gets way too excited over meaningless plays, and should be shot for coming up with things like "Raise the Jolly Roger"....I just threw up in my mouth typing that. They should just let known booze hound Lanny Fratare do the games by himself ala Vince Skully.

1b) Paul Steigerwald- I have had the mis-privelege (take that Clemens) of meeting this pompous asshole on several occasions and one-on-one. The Steigerwald brothers did a piece on Central when I was in school....John is a great guy by the way...and I shadowed the former Pens trainer Skip Thayer for two days as well. On both occasions I learned that this man is a complete and total piece of spooge. Not to mention he forced lange out (don't think he didn't), he knows nothing about any other sports but hockey and he's no great expert on that either, and he has the personality of a roll of wallpaper. He also said that "the Boston Red Sox ruined baseball, so I don't watch the game anymore" in a game against the Bruins. If you don't know the fallicies in that statement and why it is so wrong on so many levels, you know nothing about sports! You should try "Gary Bettman ruined the NHL, but yet somehow I still have a job!" That would be a much more accurate statement.

Dukes Get Verbal Commitment From Connecticut Star!

The Dukes got a verbal commitment from 6'5'' SF Brandon "BJ" Monteiro of Waterbury, CT. He played basketball at the same high school as Dukes freshman Damian Saunders. In his short time here, Teflon Ron has shown that he likes to recruit teammates...Here is what espn.com had to say about him...

Evaluation: December, 2007: B.J. is a pure scorer who doesn't shoot it exceptionally well or blow by anyone with his quickness, but flat out knows how to put the ball in the basket. He has good size for the perimeter and enough handle to bring the ball up the floor and initiate offense. Although he rarely creates separation from his defender he gets into the lane well and is very crafty inside the lane utilizing a wide variety of spin moves, floaters, and step back jumpers to convert. Although he isn't a great shooter, he is capable of making open shots when he elevates as opposed to the set shot that he has become accustomed to launching. Physically his lean frame is in need of some muscle. Athletically, onlookers shouldn't be fooled by his deliberate movements as he is capable of rising up and throwing it down with some deceptive athleticism. Overall, he is a talented offensive player whose biggest adjustment at the college level will be in playing as part of a system, since he is pretty much given free reign at the high school level.

This is an evaluation done before the season. He is shooting at a much better pace this season and is deamed a 'perfect' fit for Duquesne's style of play by his coach. St. Joe's, Penn State, and Fordham were on his short list. He would be the fifth recruit coming in next year's class. The class is lead by point guard and Mr. Michigan Basketaball candidate, Eric Evans. Johnny Higgins, one of the top post-graduate players in the country and supposed "knock down" shooter, has also signed a letter of intent. Teflon Ron has now succefully recruited all positions 1-5 in next years class...well, done. The Dukes still have a remote shot at Schenley stand-out Deandre Kane, who rescinded his verbal commitment to Duquesne as his recruitment status elevated.

I honestly think the Dukes will make the NCAA tourney next year. And for those that think Shawn James is leaving for the NBA, espn insider doesn't even have him listed in the top 150 NBA draft prospects nor is he on the list of top centers or juniors. He is staying....ps he needs to. They lose R. Jackson, G. Tucker, and Keiron Archara-all contributors but all can be easily replaced with better talent. I think Teflon Ron has done that.

I will miss G. Tuck's crazy dunks though!

Let' Go Dukes.

Dukes Lose Again! Everhart Gets a New Nickname!

The Dukes dropped their third in a row yesterday with a 75-72 defeat at the hands of La Salle. At this point I am almost too mad to wax eloquently about the loss, but I will say this much: The Dukes were outcoached in all three games!

With three games remaining, and a post-season birth on the line, Ron Everhart needs to learn how to do 3 things: 1) Call timeout 2) Make halftime adjustments 3) Put his best players on the floor and stop playing head games with James and Mensah. Kudos to Everhart for recruiting better players, restoring hope in the program, and getting his players to actually try, but the jury is still out on his true coaching ability.

For those of you that choose to recall, I said at the beginning of the year that the Dukes' biggest flaw would be the 3-point shot. They now sit dead last in the A-10 in 3 pt % and defenses can easily game plan against the Dukes inability to hit the long one.

Typically when you lose as many close games as the Dukes have this year, especially to teams deemed "lesser" opponents, some people might start questioning the head coach. The Dukes horrible record over the last 25 years has prevented any serious criticism from sticking to Ron Everhart. He has been given a free ride. Bluff Divers hereby will refer to Ron Everhart as "Teflon Ron."

While its been a better year, the thought of "what could have been" lingers with each crushing and close defeat.

Let's hope they can right the ship and sneak into the NIT. They may meet crosstown rival Pitt there!