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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

Photo Credit for Header: Alex Foucre-Stimes

Twitter Will be the End of the NFLPA

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Is it possible to have a March Madness without Gonzaga? After St. Mary’s disposed of the Zags 73-71 in Spokane last evening, it has become more and more likely that America’s Cinderella will need to win their conference tournament if they hope to have any chance of “dancing” this spring. Long are the days of John Stockton, Dan Dickau, and Casey Calvary.

The other big news out of the Pacific Northwest is the ongoing twitter feud between Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie.  To make a long story short, Cromartie has threatened to “smash” Hasselbeck’s face in over comments the quarterback  posted, then erased, on twitter that questioned Cromartie’s overall “grasp” of the current labor standoff facing the NFL this offseason. One thing’s for sure, players against players is exactly the type of behavior NFL owners were banking on as they prepare to negotiate the next collective bargaining agreement.

Does the NFL truly face the possibility of a lockout? It seems like there is much too much money involved to just simply postpone, or even cancel the 2011 season.  With television ratings at an all time high, the league has way too much momentum to just simply shut itself down.  I’m hoping a deal is struck soon because Sundays just wouldn’t be the same without a health dose of football.

view from Gonzaga/SMS courtesy of @neilstover

College Basketball: Last Year’s Darlings, This Season’s Hunted

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For the past decade, Gonzaga has held a special place in the hearts of most college basketball fans.  They have been the Boise State of college basketball, the Cinderella team from a non BCS conference that usually hangs around, pestering the perennial powers, until late March.  Last season, with their run to the national championship game in Indianapolis, the Butler Bulldogs emerged as America’s other sweetheart alongside the Zags.  Both programs tip off this season ranked in the top 25.  If last night was any indication, opponents have circled their calendars and are ready to take aim at both teams.

The Louisville Cardinals opened their new arena, the “KFC Yum! Center” with an impressive 88-73 win over Butler.  The crowd was clearly exited about the new arena and gave their Cardinals an overwhelming home court advantage.  For their part, the Bulldogs looked detached and a bit scared.  This is not the same team that came within inches of beating Duke in last year’s national championship.  Matt Howard refuses to stay out of foul trouble and Butler clearly misses the presence of a supreme talent like Gordon Hayward.  Not time to write the obituary yet, Butler has the pedigree and coaching to recover and stay in the headlines.

Share your views. Will Butler make a run in the NCAA tourney this year?  Is Louisville a true contender in the Big East?  And finally, “KFC Yum! Center”. Really? Can’t take the place seriously with a name like that.  I prefer the name Freedom Hall.