Archive for April 4th, 2012

WATERCOOLER CHAT: WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP, LUCK’S PRIVATE WORKOUT, NASH FREE AGENT

BASKETBALL

In college basketball, one night following the NCAA Men’s championship, it was time for the women’s championship.  This year featured an incredible match-up between Notre Dame and undefeated Baylor.  Baylor has one of the best women’s basketball players ever in 6’8 Brittney Griner.  This team has been practically unstoppable.  After all, when you have a 6’8 girl towering over other girls snagging rebounds and just tossing them back in, you’re off to a good start.  Could Notre Dame somehow miraculously pull an upset?

Baylor was definitely on a mission this year.  Robert Griffin III, the Heisman Trophy Winner, was in attendance to check out the Lady Bears.  Notre Dame jumped out to a lead early behind a strong night from Skyler Diggins (20 points, 3 assists).  The Irish kept it close the entire first half, but in the second half, Baylor started pulling away.  Once you get down by more than 8 to a team as strong as Baylor, it becomes extremely difficult to catch up.   In the second half, Brittney Griner went 8 for 9 from the field, and the Irish simply couldn’t do anything about it.  It even got to the point when they were triple-teaming Griner, but it didn’t matter.  The Lady Bears won the National Championship and finished a perfect 40-0.  Truly remarkable.  Baylor 80, Notre Dame 61.

In the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts have been hush-hush on whom they plan to draft with the #1 overall pick in April’s draft.  And yesterday, they held a private workout with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck AT Stanford.  The Colts are pretty much sold on Luck, but when you have all the power with the pick (and you just let go of Peyton Manning), you have to look at your two choices very carefully.  That’s why the Colts also extended an invitation to Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, but he declined the invitation.  Why?  Because RG3 knows that he has a mystique around him right now.  He’s an amazing athlete, had a phenomenal combine, and, at some point, there’s no reason to sell beyond sold.  It’ll be interesting what the Colts decide to do.

Finally, in the NBA, Steve Nash is getting ready to become a free agent this summer.  He has publicly spoken to the media saying that he won’t return to the Suns unless they give him some serious help.  At 38, Nash is still in amazing shape, but he has groaned about back problems the past few seasons.  Yesterday, however, Nash said that his back felt the best it had in years, and that he intends to play for 3 more seasons (past his 40th birthday), which given the ultra-competitive NBA landscape, is an astounding feat.  40!!!!  Nash said he wants to sign a 3-year contract, although there is a high possibility that these final few season will be with the Miami Heat.

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