Tag Archives: ACC

WHAT HAPPENS UPSTATE, STAYS UPSTATE.

The Super Bowl is behind us, spring training is on the horizon, and the NHL playoffs don't kick in until the end of April.  What's a sports fan to do?  RIVALRY WEEK! College hoops is heating up as the stretch to March Madness is officially under way!  You can be in the thick of the action by taking part in our weekly "What's Your College Knowledge?" Basketball contest.  It's free, easy, fun, and you can win a $50 Original Retro Brand Gift Card just like Ted Turich of  Denver, Colorado did!

Yes, Ted picked 4 of 5 games correctly last week and found himself in a 3-way tie for 1st place with Bob Jaye of Florida, and Jesse Robinson of Idaho, both of whom also went 4 of 5, setting up the drawing to determine the winner of the Gift Card  (for the record, I came in at 3-2 bringing my season tally to a less than thrilling 9-6).  Ted was the lucky winner.  Don't feel too bad for Bob and Jesse as they have participated and won previous contests of ours before.  I will give Bob a heartfelt WAY TO GO BOB!, as he was the only person out of 30+ entries to pick Wyoming to knock off UNLV.  WAY TO GO BOB!

Before we get into the 5 games for Rivalry Week, here are the rules for those entering the contest for the first time:

1) Every Monday or Tuesday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why.

2) You will enter your picks for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) in the “leave a reply/Comment” section at the end of this post no later than tip-off time for the first scheduled game.  ****ONE ENTRY PER PERSON ONLY!!****

3) Each following Monday or Tuesday I will announce which person picked the most winners, and that person will win a $50 Original Retro Brand Gift Card! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing to determine a winner.  If I beat everybody, nobody wins – this HAS never happened! It’s FREE, FUN, and that simple!

We’ll run this contest right up until the opening round for March Madness.  At that time we’ll step up our game with our 2nd annual “Bracket Ballers Challenge,” in which you’ll get the opportunity to test your picking prowess for the full bracket of 68 – $700 worth of Original Retro Brand gear will be up for grabs!  NOW TO THE GAMES FOR RIVALRY WEEK # 4!

GAME 1:  2/8 - # 12 Georgetown (18-4) @ # 2 Syracuse (23-1): Customer Bobby By requested I feature the upcoming UCONN - SU matchup, but I just couldn't resist this one (heck, the Huskies have lost 8 games this year), as it could be the last time they play if SU goes to the ACC.  The Hoyas come into the Carrier Dome with a shot at pulling within one game of the Cuse in the Big East with an upset victory.  The Beast in the East (and beyond) remains in upstate New York.  ORANGE - 68, HOYAS - 63.

GAME 2:  2/8 - # 10 DUKE (19-4) @ # 5 North Carolina (20-3): Duke will win this mammoth hoops rivalry by 1 point.  I say this based solely on info pulled from ESPN that points out this point about points:  DUKE has outscored UNC 5,858 - 5,857 over their last 75 meetings and that's good enough for me.  Get the point?  BLUE DEVILS - 78, TAR HEELS - 77.

GAME 3:  2/8 - # 7 Kansas (18-5) @ # 6 Baylor (21-2): I really like what the Bears have accomplished this year.  Unfortunately I'm thinking they will have to Bear the brunt of a very pissed off and fired up Kansas team coming off a brutal (as in choke) loss at Mizzou. JAYHAWKS - 80, BEARS - 72.

GAME 4:  2/9 - # 16 St. Mary's (22-2) @ Gonzaga (18-4): The Gaels go for the season sweep of their bitterest WCC Rival on the road.  They'll put their 11-0 conference record on the line behind standout junior Matthew Dellavedova.  Not the same intensity you'll find at a DUKE-UNC matchup, but close.  Zags play spoiler.  BULLDOGS - 77, GAELS - 72.

ZAGS SAY NO TO GAELS 11-0

GAME 5:  2/9 - Ole Miss (14-8) @ # 20 Mississippi State (18-5): It's highly unlikely that the Bulldogs will go down a second time to the Rebs on their homecourt as they look to avenge an early season defeat.  A win here, with 3 sub .500 SEC games in a row they should win before they face # 1 Kentucky, will have the Mighty Maroon in the thick of the SEC title hunt. BULLDOGS - 75, REBELS - 68.

OLE MESS FOR OLE MISS.

Those are my picks for Rivalry Week, and just for fun I'm going to pick Florida to upset the Wildcats tonight @ Rupp Arena.  It's easy to pick an upset when the game isn't officially part of the picks!  NOW LET'S SEE YOURS, AND GOOD LUCK!

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If the past week is any indication of things to come in the Conference Tournaments & the impending March Madness, then the 2010 brackets are going to be sicker than ever!  The Cowboys knocking out Kansas?!  The Vols taking out Kentucky (not as far-fetched, but still pretty incredible)?  25% OFF ORB SHIRTS AGAIN?  - Now that's incredible!  Just enter code GOTW7 @ checkout starting tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/2/10 after 6pm Eastern time) to receive your discount off all teams featured in our Games Of The Week.*

Have to give major props to the winner of this past weeks "What's Your College Knowledge?" contest, Eric Miller from Chicago, Illinois, and here's why: 1) This is the second time he has won in the 6 weeks of the contest.  2) This is only the second week out of those 6, that an entry has won the contest outright without having to go to a tie-breaker. 3) he has purchased an additional Original Retro Brand shirt to match each Free ORB shirt he has won.  You can never have too many!  Enough sucking up to Eric - Let's get to this weeks games!!

Game 1: # 5 Kansas State vs. # 2 Kansas - Oh boy, this one's a Doozy!!!  Jayhawks taken to OT at K-State before hanging on for victory in last meeting.  The Cats have won 7 straight since that heartbreaker, but I'm afraid Kansas won't drop 2 straight, and especially not at home where they've won about a billion straight? Jayhawks - 78, Wildcats - 74.

Game 2: # 10 West Virginia vs. # 9 Villanova - The Mountaineers need to get past Georgetown first (I say they will) and then face Nova in Pa., with a revenge victory in order.  The Wildcats have lost 3 out their last 4 to Big East rivals, but come through to end regular season with statement game sweep of West Virgina.  Villanova - 65, West Virginia 58.

Game 3: Texas vs. # 22 Baylor - The Longhorns just haven't recovered since their home OT loss to the Bears a short month ago.  Having been ranked # 1, to dropping from the polls this week,  the Horns will be a tad ornery.  Too bad Baylor is for real, and they hook them horns.  Bears - 74, Longhorns - 71.

Game 4: # 17 Wisconsin vs. Illinois - Yet another game with revenge at play.  The Badgers were basically stunned at home by the Fightin' Illini, and come in to Champaign with a long shot at a # 1 seed for the conference tourney.  The need for the seed help them topple Illinois, who lost 3 out of their last 4. Badgers - 68, Illini' - 64.

Game 5: # 1 Syracuse vs. Louisville - Did I mention revenge?  Sorry Mr. Pitino, but the newly ranked top team in the nation won't be swept in Freedom Hall.  Orangemen - 78, Cardinals - 68.

Bonus Baby- Game 6: #4 Duke vs. # 22 Maryland - How bout them Terps?  Since losing to Duke, Maryland has quietly snuck into the top 25 with 4 straight wins and have a legit shot at a piece of the ACC title.  In addition to this being the Bonus Baby, it is also going to be the Upset Special!  Maryland - 56, Duke -55.

Like many contest entrants this past week, I had a ho-hum 3-3 record bringing my tally to 12-19 for the season.  I need a sweep bad.

Sooooooo, send me your picks, enjoy the action, and GOOD LUCK!!

*offer expires 3/8/2010 at midnite eastern standard time

Yeah, we want to give away more FREE Original Retro Brand shirts every week, and if you want to win, you're going to have to brush up on your College Basketball.  Of course I'll be here each week to guide you along with my own expertise and college basketball knowledge (or lack thereof!), as this contest will have all to do with picking weekly winners in college basketball games.

The contest will work like this:

1) Every Monday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why (FYI - Original Retro Brand will offer 25% off gear for those teams for a full week!  ENTER CODE GOTW1 @ CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT THIS WEEK STARTING TOMORROW AFTER 5PM EASTERN TIME!!!)

2) You will e-mail your picks to me (andyphyman@gmail.com) for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) no later than the following day by 3pm eastern standard time.

3) Each Monday I will announce which person e-mailed the most winners for the weeks picks, and that person will win a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt of their choice! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing (from an Original Retro Brand hat) to determine a winner.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE!!!  We'll run this contest right up until the opening round of games for March Madness (March 16, 2010) before we bust out a new & improved version of the contest for that whole shabang!!  Let's get on with it, shall we?  Here are your first 5 games:

Game 1: # 14 Georgetown vs. # 11 PITT- The Hoyas come off a valiant comeback that fell short against Big East beast Villanova this past weekend.  Meanwhile, the Panthers keep pace with the Cats, and remain undefeated in the Big East with a huge overtime win over Louisville.  Pitt guard Ashton Gibbs is starting to blossom, and will lead Pitt to victory at home this Wednesday night.  PITT - 75, GEORGETOWN - 72.

Game 2: # 25 Baylor vs. # 3 Kansas - The Jayhawks host an upstart Baylor Bears squad who are in the thick of the Big 12 conversation.  Junior guard LaceDarius  Dunn (3rd leading scorer in Big 12)  has led the Bears to a 14-2 record averaging 19 points a game.  Kansas rebounded strong after their stunning loss to a depleted Tennessee squad, with convincing wins over Nebraska and Texas Tech, and will continue with win at home Wednesday night. KANSAS - 82, BAYLOR - 77.

Game 3: # 7 Duke vs. NC State - The Blue Devils guard tandem of  Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith have been unstoppable of late, leading Duke to victories of 19 points or more in their last 8 victories.  The Wolfpack roared back and showed heart in latest game against Clemson, but the backcourt continues to lack the leadership needed to compete at the top in the ACC. Duke wins by 20 again. DUKE - 92, NCSTATE - 72.

Game 4: # 1 Texas vs. # 21 UCONN - Along with Dexter Pittman, senior Damion James has flat out dominated, leading the formidable frontcourt tandem in scoring and rebounding for the Longhorns.  Texas remained undefeated by fending off  in state rival Texas A& M in OT this past weekend.  What happened to the Huskies?  After dropping their 3rd straight to a mediocre Michigan squad (first 3 loss string since 2006), they fall into the "what the heck is going on?" category with the North Carolina Tarheels.  Knocking off  Texas will be a tall order, but they will have home court advantage and a "do or die" mentality.  Not enough come Saturday.  TEXAS - 84, UCONN - 78.

Game 5: FSU vs. # 18 Georgia Tech - Which Yellow Jacket team will show up this Sunday?  The team that beat DUKE & North Carolina (@ Dean Center) in the past two weeks, or the team that got beat by bitter rival Georgia, and the surprising Virginia Cavaliers?   FSU had been rolling before back-to-back losses to Maryland & NCState, and did bounce back with a win over Virginia Tech. GT likes to spread the ball to all (witness starting 5 all averaging at least 10 points per game), and swarms on defense.  Lest I forget to mention the Seminoles knocked out these Jackets in Georgia in OT, right before Christmas.  The Yellow Jackets will return the favor.  GEORGIA TECH 75 - FLORIDA STATE - 69.

So there you have it folks.  My 5 picks for this week.  Wanna win a FREE ORB shirt? Then again, e-mail your winners to me (andyphyman@gmail.com), enjoy the action, and check back next Monday to see how you did.  Remember, whoever picks the most winners wins a FREE ORB shirt (all ties will go to a drawing).  Be sure to follow the action on our Facebook Fanpage and Twitter.  GOOD LUCK!!!

We've just received our 3rd entry for week # 5 in the "ORB IN ACTION" photo contest from Bobby By in Atlanta, Georgia.  Check out his photo's and what he had to say below:

"Here I am wearing my Original Retro Brand Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets shirt. I’m attempting to juggle some oranges to symbolize Tech being ORANGE BOWL BOUND!!!!!! I took a couple of pics and was trying to decide on one, but I thought it was pretty cool that if you place these three side by side you can sort of see my progression. I love GaTech football and love ORB for many of the same reasons.

-Best at what they do: The Yellow Jackets were the best in the ACC this year (great call picking them over Clemson). Like the Jackets, ORB is the best at what they do. I probably have five GaTech t-shirts, but my ORB shirt is by far my favorite. Its softness is very noticeable, making it much more comfortable than the others. The way it fits is exactly how I want all my shirts to. Its length is just right, reaching my belt buckle and the sleeves fit perfectly, not too loose or too long. Finally, it’s just better looking. The distressed/vintage look makes it so much cooler.

-Dependable: Every game this year, I could always depend on the Jackets to put up a fight and make the game exciting and entertaining. ORB provides me with that dependability as well. Whether I’m working out, hanging out with friends, or rushing the field after an upset against Virginia Tech (which was AWESOME), I know I can always rely on my ORB shirt to give me the comfort and style I want.

I could probably go on and on about why I love this shirt, but I don’t want to make this too long. Keep making great shirts!"

I was at that Virginia Tech game, Bobby!  And yes, it was a perfect night in Atlanta, and it has been a great season to see the Yellow Jackets close-up.  Iowa will be a tough test for sure, but my money is on Paul Johnson, Josh Nesbitt and crew.  Of course your description of the Original Retro Brand is on point and we appreciate the comments.  Thanks again for the unique and creative entry, and good luck in the contest!

Keep those entries coming!!  Just e-mail yours truly (andyphyman@gmail.com) a picture of yourself (or you and your friends) wearing an Original Retro Brand shirt at work or play, with a brief description of what you do for a living and/or what you love to do for fun while sporting your Original Retro Brand gear.  We’ll post your picture and description on this blog when we receive, and on the Original Retro Brand Facebook Fan page. The Original Retro Brand Staff will choose the photo/description each week that they believe best represents the spirit of the Original Retro Brand Fan, and the person who sent in the photo will win a FREE ORIGINAL RETRO BRAND t-shirt!  A new winner will be announced every Monday through Christmas Eve.  We will then take all the winners, and pick the overall best picture for our grand prize winner and announce on New Year’s Day.  The Grand Prize will be your choice of 4 Original Retro Brand t-shirts.  Also remember to stay updated on all that is Original Retro Brand by following us on Twitter and Facebook.   Time is running out for week # 5, and you'll have one more week to compete, so get your entry in ASAP!!

BE SURE TO CHECK THIS POST TOMORROW AFTERNOON FOR YOUR 25% OFF CODE TOWARDS  LSU AND ALABAMA MERCHANDISE THAT WILL BE FEATURED ON ORIGINALRETROBRAND.COM IN THE  PICK OF THE WEEK  SECTION.

Well of course the Tigers can beat Bama.  They have dominated them the past 9 years, taking 7 of those meetings en route to their 2003 & 2007 National Championships..... but they won't beat them this Saturday.  The Tide will continue to roll for several reasons;  1) LSU is ranked dead last in the SEC in total offense going up against an Alabama defense that ranks # 1 against the rush, and # 2 in total defense.   2)  Bama running back Mark Ingram is a monster averaging 6.6 yds per carry, and is currently neck and neck with Florida's Tim Tebow in the Heisman Trophy race.   3)  The Tide will ride the emotional wave of momentum provided by linebacker Terrence Cody, whose 2 blocked field goal attempts last week against the Vols, snatched victory from sure defeat.

If LSU does pull off this upset, they have a very good shot at surpassing Alabama, and winning the SEC West.   LSU finishes up with a somewhat demoralized and overrated Ole Miss team, and then Arkansas at home.   Meanwhile, Alabama has two very tough road games against an underrated Mississippi State, and a very hungry arch rival  Auburn Tiger team.   All of this being said, BAMA  will use the home field advantage to keep their record perfect.   Final Score:  Alabama 28, LSU 20.

AND SPEAKING OF PERFECT....Darn Virginia Tech kept me from a perfect 6-0 on my picks last week by losing to North Carolina.  I nearly landed the Georgia-Florida, and Texas-Oklahoma State game scores ON THE NOSE.  How bout them Oregon Ducks??!!   After a disastrous 7-12 record to date, a 5 win week gets me back in the hunt with a 12-13 record.  What hunt I don't know, but I'm in it!!   Since I am a sucker for underdogs, I may not be in the hunt after this weekend with these insane picks....

After a heart wrenching loss to Temple last week, I say the midshipmen shock the Irish in South Bend:  Navy 30, Notre Dame 28.    The CAL Bears are just so inconsistent this year, while the Beavers have given ranked teams (Cincinnati, Arizona & USC) very tough games.  Oregon State 35, CAL 21.   Illinois is coming off a stunner over Michigan after dropping 5 straight games while the Gophers have had a brutal three game stretch against Ohio State, Penn State and a hard fought victory over Michigan State last week.   Illinois shows new life while Minnesota is just too tired.   Illinois 24, Minnesota 14.

WHO'D A THUNK IT?  With the Indians circling the Bobby Bowden Wagon, the Florida State Seminoles have rallied around the living legend to win two straight, and can still win the ACC Atlantic division with a win over Clemson in Death Valley, then Wake Forest and Maryland.  FSU will do just that.  FSU 38, Clemson 35.

BE SURE TO CHECK THIS POST TOMORROW AFTERNOON FOR YOUR 25% OFF CODE TOWARDS  LSU AND ALABAMA MERCHANDISE  THAT WILL BE FEATURED ON ORIGINALRETROBRAND.COM IN THE  PICK OF THE WEEK  SECTION.

"........But that was then and this is now, and despite the huge win last night, I see Miami finishing  a notch behind FSU.   And even though the Hokies dropped their opener to Alabama  I see Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech coming in the top two spots (Georgia Tech will beat FSU in the ACC Championship game)."     Yes, these words were written by yours truly just a few short weeks ago.  My, my, how I wish I can take them back....

Now that the Miami Hurricanes have knocked off state rival, and # 18 Florida State, and wiped out the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in old school fashion (i.e, a blowout dropping them  from # 14 out of the top 25.), the Canes seem poised to step back into an old familiar role of NATIONAL POWERHOUSE.

Their first big test will come this Saturday on the road in Blacksburg, against ACC Coastal division rivals, the Virginia Tech Hokies.   The Hokies lost a hard fought opening season game to Alabama and are coming off a stunning last second victory over a much improved Nebraska Cornhuskers team last weekend.

In a game that will feature two young QB's coming of age, the nod has to go to Miami's Jacory Harris, who has been named ACC Offensive player of the week twice already in this young season.    Along with a smothering  defense that held the highly touted Georgia Tech running game to a standstill last week,  the "U", should be able to silence the Virginia Tech faithful.

The Canes are certainly not looking ahead, but if they can knock off the Hokies, they will get to host the # 9 (USA TODAY) Oklahoma Sooners and the very likely return of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.   A win at home would put the Canes in the driver's seat to run the table and go unbeaten (....although the Tarheels are looking tough too..).

When was the last time a Miami team (or any team?) started the season by knocking off 4 teams ranked in the top 20?   I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, but I would imagine it could go back to the 34 game winning streak the Hurricanes put together in 2001-2002.   Remember back when the Hurricanes were always near the top?   They're back........and I believe if I need to pull any quotes from this post in 2 weeks, it will be to reiterate that the Canes will run the table!