LeBron Doesn’t Lose Game 2s

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 101-86 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series Wednesday night. This isn’t a surprise. Since 2009, LeBron James teams are 8-0 in Game 2s following a Game 1 loss. James averages 27.75 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists in these contests.

Date/Result	Points	Rebounds	Assists
May 22, 2009-Eastern Conference Finals: Cavaliers 96, Magic 95	35	four	five
May 18, 2011-Eastern Conference Finals: Heat 85, Bulls 75	29	10	five
June 14, 2012-NBA Finals: Heat 100, Thunder 96	32	eight	five
May 8, 2013-Eastern Conference Semifinals: Heat 115, Bulls 78	19	five	nine
June 9, 2013-NBA Finals: Heat 103, Spurs 84	17	eight	seven
May 20, 2014-Eastern Conference Finals: Heat 87, Pacers 83	22	seven	six
June 8, 2014-NBA Finals: Heat 98, Spurs 96	35	10	three
May 6, 2015-Eastern Conference Semifinals: Cavaliers 106, Bulls 91	33	eight	five
Average margin of victory: 11.5	Average: 27.75	Average: 7.5	Average: 5.6

Introducing the NBTA (National Basketball Twitter Association)

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            National Basketball Association franchises have connected with many fans by promoting and maintaining an official team Twitter account. But are some teams better at adding Twitter followers than others?

During the 2013-14 NBA season, this blog will NBTA (the National Basketball Twitter Association) games. These “Twitter” games will simulate the daily match-ups of the NBA season. But instead of tracking what teams scores more points in 48 minutes, these games will track what teams adds more Twitter followers over the 24 hours of its game day. In the event of a tie, the game will go into a six-hour overtime period. The league standings will track wins, losses, conference record and average added followers per game.

     Exhibition example:

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers-Saturday, Oct. 26

	12 a.m. 10/26	12 a.m. 10/27	Added followers
	1,906,455 followers (@MiamiHEAT)	1,908,753 followers	2,298 followers (winner)
	3,421,187 followers (@Lakers)	3,422,782 followers	1,595 followers

In this exhibition, Miami wins the Twitter game 2,298-1,595 and receives a win in the standings, while the Lakers receive a loss.

This blog will track NBA “Twitter” match-ups each game day this season. Please follow this unique social media/basketball adventure beginning Oct. 29.

Oct. 29, 2013 games

Orlando Magic (1,132,362 followers) at Indiana Pacers (257,219 followers)

Chicago Bulls (1,126,140 followers) at Miami Heat (1,914,016 followers)

Los Angeles Clippers (410,665 followers) at Los Angeles Lakers (3,426,490 followers)

Bryan Paul’s 2013 Puzzling NFL Predictions: Week 8 (basketball)

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In 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Mass., created a new indoor game. In this game, players dribbled a soccer ball around a court and earned points by shooting the ball into a peach basket. Today, basketball remains one the world’s most popular sports.

Football and basketball are different. Football stadiums are large structures. Basketball arenas are smaller, more intimate facilities. Football players, shielded by helmets, face masks and pads, perform like Roman Empire gladiators. Basketball players wear a simpler uniform consisting of a jersey, shorts and sneakers and display their talents and skills with the same dramatic flair as Broadway actors.

There is less parity in basketball. Since David Stern became commissioner of the National Basketball Association in 1984, eight different franchises have won NBA championships. Fourteen different National Football League teams have won the Super Bowl.

There are similarities. Lucas Oil Stadium, the Georgia Dome and Ford Field have hosted Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four games. NFL players Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Julius Peppers played college basketball. Football and basketball coaches both have a range of interesting characters from the wise Vince Lombardi and Phil Jackson, to the stern Tom Landry and Larry Brown to the zany Jimmy Johnson and Bob Knight.

But can basketball players and teams help predict NFL game winners? In honor of slam dunks, steals, three pointers and technical fouls, the Week 11 predictions theme is basketball.

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Carolina Panthers (3-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6)-Oct. 24-8:25 p.m.-NFL Network

The Charlotte Bobcats began play in the NBA in 2004. Since 2004, the Panthers are 6-5 in games played in Florida with all six wins coming in Tampa Bay.

Pick: Carolina

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Miami Dolphins (3-3) at New England Patriots (5-2)-Oct. 27-1 p.m.-CBS

Michael Jordan bought the Bobcats in 2010, the year LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat. The Dolphins are 23-31 since 2010.

Pick: New England

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Buffalo Bills (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (5-1)-Oct. 27-1 p.m.-CBS

James made his NBA debut 2003, the year the Syracuse University men’s basketball team defeated the University of Texas and the University of Kansas in the Final Four in New Orleans, La. In years Syracuse has competed in the Final Four, the Bills are 9-6 against NFC teams. Syracuse lost to Michigan in this year’s Final Four.

Pick: Buffalo

Everything you need to know about the 2013 NBA Finals

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Many basketball fans expect the 2013 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat to be a close and exciting series. Several questions and storylines headline this matchup: Will Tim Duncan become the 26th player in NBA history to win at least five championships? Will LeBron James led Miami to a second straight title and continue to establish himself as one of the game’s greatest players? How much money will David Stern fine Gregg Popovich if the Spurs coach decides to rest any of his star players for a game during the series?

While it’s unclear which team will win, here’s a 10-fact guide for this year’s NBA Finals:

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This will be the fourth time a  Florida-based team has played a Texas-based team in the NBA Finals.

1995-Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic

2006 and 2011-Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat

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 The players on the Spurs and Heat rosters have won 26 championships combined.

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With a victory in this series, the Spurs will become the third franchise in NBA history to win a championship in each of their first five  NBA Finals appearances.

Minneapolis Lakers: 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954

Chicago Bulls: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997

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Put the A-10 trophy on public display

March 12, 2012, the only time I’ve seen the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship trophy in person.

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It’s been more than a year since the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team won its first Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Championship. The championship trophy currently sits in the men’s basketball office, hidden from the public.

Several athletic trophies glisten from cases in the Reilly Center concourse. The women’s basketball, baseball, swimming and diving and tennis programs showcase trophies they’ve earned throughout their histories. If other athletic teams show off their accomplishments, why doesn’t the men’s basketball team?

Syracuse University’s 2003 National Championship men’s basketball championship trophy greets fans from its case on the Carrier Dome’s first floor. If Syracuse, a major collegiate athletic program, prominently showcases a national championship trophy, why can’t St. Bonaventure do the same for a conference championship trophy?

The achievement is acknowledged with a banner hanging in the Reilly Center. That isn’t enough. The trophy symbolizes the hard work, passion and support it took to win that championship.

What would happen if the men’s basketball department removed the trophy from its office? Would a giant boulder roll down from the top of the Reilly Center like in “Raiders of the Lost Ark?” It’s unlikely that moving the trophy would be a catastrophic event.

The athletic department and security officials could certainly find a way to safely display the trophy. Fear of vandalism shouldn’t deter any effort to showcase the trophy.

People shouldn’t need proof in the form of a trophy to know the Bonnies won the 2012 A-10 Championship, but why do people keep photographs, souvenirs and other mementos? They promote nostalgia. The trophy would help preserve happy memories for the St. Bonaventure community.

It’s true the trophy belongs to the men’s basketball team and that the players and coaches directly earned the championship. Alumni, fans and students weren’t scoring points, playing defense and directly helping the team win at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall during those three games.

But many alumni, fans and students traveled to see the Bonnies win that championship, cheering passionately for and enthusiastically promoting their school in the process.

The fans had a role in the championship quest. After a rally honoring both basketball programs last season, men’s basketball head coach Mark Schmidt has acknowledged the significance of the program’s success to its fans.

“I knew how important basketball is to this community,” Schmidt said, recalling when he arrived at St. Bonaventure in 2007. “The more years I stay here, I see that it’s really important. It brings us together.”

Many wonderful moments in a person’s life take place in college. For many students last season, those happy moments will include the men’s basketball team winning the 2012 A-10 Championship. They will tell and retell their friends, co-workers, spouses and children stories about the program’s glorious run in March 2012.

If they return to campus, they should be able see the A-10 Championship trophy in the Reilly Center and relive the team’s extraordinary accomplishment.

The trophy is a treasure to the men’s basketball program and to St. Bonaventure alumni, fans and students. Share this great achievement with the past, present and future members of the St. Bonaventure community.

Put the 2012 A-10 Championship trophy on public display.

clarkbp09@bonaventure.edu

Why Indiana, Louisville, Ohio State and VCU Will Reach the Final Four

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Many people across America are filling out brackets for the 2013 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. Many analysts claim to know what upsets will happen, what teams will advance to the Sweet 16 and what schools will reach the Final Four.

You don’t need to understand anything about college basketball to know what schools will go to the Final Four. Five 2013 facts indicate the four schools that will reach Atlanta on April 6. Since 1985, the first year the tournament included at least 64 teams, there’s only been one year that matches these five 2013 circumstances.

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1. This year’s Final Four will take place in Atlanta, the state capital of Georgia, a former Confederate state.

1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012

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2. The Final Four will be played in the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons, a National Football League team.

1987, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012

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3. Will Smith will star in two films this year: After Earth and Winter’s Tale.

1993, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007

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4. The Western Conference won this year’s NBA All-Star Game, 143-138.

1993, 2002, 2003, 2007

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5. Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year.

2002

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In 2002, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta hosted the Final Four, Will Smith starred in Men in Black 2, the Western Conference won the NBA All-Star Game, 135-120 and Christmas Day fell on a Wednesday.

That year, Maryland (the No. 1 seed in the East Region), Kansas (the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region), Oklahoma (the No. 2 seed in the West Region) and Indiana (the No. 5 seed in the South Region) reached the Final Four.

This year, Indiana is the No. 1 seed in the East Region, Louisville is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the West Region and Virginia Commonwealth is the No. 5 seed in the South Region.

Therefore, these four schools will reach the Final Four in 2013.

 

 

 

 

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Photo credits:

www.courier-journal.com

www.yourlogoresources.com

www.sportslogos.net

www.picnic-basket.com

www.thesportsbank.net

www.screenjunkies.com

www.cbc.ca

www.adbranch.com

Super Bowl XLVII analysis everyone can understand

Super Bowl XLVII

Baltimore Ravens (13-6) vs. San Francisco 49ers (13-4-1)-Feb. 3-6:30 p.m.-CBS

Perhaps you know the Baltimore Ravens, the AFC champions, will play the San Francisco 49ers, the NFC champions, in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday. Perhaps you’ve heard brothers Jim and John Harbaugh will coach against each other, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will be playing in his final game and that neither team has lost in the Super Bowl. Perhaps during the past two weeks you’ve seen commentators on television giving their “expert” opinions about what team they think will win.

You don’t need to know anything about football to figure out who will win Super Bowl XLVII. Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions presents 47 obscure Super Bowl, historical and pop culture facts with a running score that indicate the team that will win on Sunday. This unconventional method will be tested against Chuck Pollock of The Olean Times Herald, who will use traditional prognostication to determine his Super Bowl prediction.

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I

This is the 47th Super Bowl. Baltimore has won one odd-numbered Super Bowl. San Francisco has won three.

San Francisco, 1-0

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II

New Orleans, La. hosts the Super Bowl for the tenth time this year. The NFC champion is 5-4 in Crescent City Super Bowls.

San Francisco, 2-0

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III

Six of the nine New Orleans Super Bowls have been played inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The NFC Champion is 4-2 in Super Bowls played at the New Orleans Saints’ home stadium.

San Francisco, 3-0

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IV

The Superdome opened in 1975, the year Saturday Night Live premiered on NBC.  Since the show’s debut, the NFC champion is 22-15 in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco, 4-0

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V

Adam Levine, lead singer of the band Maroon 5, hosted Saturday Night Live last weekend. Since the band formed, the NFC champion is 10-9 in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco, 5-0

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VI

Maroon 5 formed in 1994, the year Steven Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler’s List. In years he’s been nominated for the Oscar, the NFC champion is 4-2 in the Super Bowl. This year, Spielberg received his seventh Best Director nomination for Lincoln.

San Francisco, 6-0

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VII

President Abraham Lincoln led the United States during the American Civil War. Louisiana, the state where Super Bowl XLVII will take place, was part of the Confederacy. The AFC champion is 16-13 when the Super Bowl is played in a former Confederate state.

San Francisco, 6-1

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VIII

Richmond, Va., the Confederate capital during the Civil War, is the birthplace of actor Warren Beatty. Since Beatty married actress Annette Bening, the NFC champion is 11-9 in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco, 7-1

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IX

Beatty married Bening in 1992, the year the Washington Redskins, wearing white jerseys, defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI. Since that game, the team that wears white jerseys in the Super Bowl is 13-7. Baltimore will wear white jerseys in Super Bowl XLVII.

San Francisco, 7-2

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X

The New York Giants wore white jerseys in their 21-17 Super Bowl XLVI victory over the New England Patriots last year. The NFC Champion is 2-1 in Super Bowls following a Giants championship season.

San Francisco, 8-2

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XI

The Giants won their first Super Bowl in 1987 as quarterback Phil Simms won the Super Bowl XXI Most Valuable Player Award. After retiring following the 1993 season, he became a football commentator. The AFC champion is 4-2 in years Simms has been part of a Super Bowl broadcast team. Simms will provide color commentary for the CBS Super Bowl XLVII telecast.

San Francisco, 8-3

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XII

Jim Nantz will be the play-by-play announcer for the CBS Super Bowl XLVII broadcast. The AFC champion is 3-1 in Super Bowls that Nantz has had a role with CBS’ game coverage.

San Francisco, 8-4

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XIII

Nantz joined CBS in 1985. Ronald Reagan took the oath of office as President of the United States for a second time on Jan. 21, 1985. With President Barack Obama’s second inauguration taking place on Jan. 21 this year, it’s the second time in the Super Bowl era that Inauguration Day has fallen on Jan. 21.  In 1985, the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers defeated the AFC champion Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX.

San Francisco, 9-4

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XIV

The 49ers made their second Super Bowl appearance in 1985. The Ravens are playing in their second Super Bowl this year. Teams playing in the Super Bowl for a second time are 11-7.

San Francisco, 9-5

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XV

1996 marked the first season of the Baltimore Ravens franchise. In the team’s 17-year history, Baltimore is 3-1 against San Francisco.

San Francisco, 9-6

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XVI

Jonathan Ogden, the first player the Ravens drafted, played college football at UCLA. San Francisco doesn’t have any former UCLA players on its roster. Baltimore has one, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo.

San Francisco, 9-7

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XVII

Ayanbadejo was born in 1976, the same year as basketball player Tim Duncan. The AFC champion is 9-6 in the Super Bowl since Duncan became an NBA player.

San Francisco, 9-8

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XVIII

The Spurs drafted Duncan in 1997. Madeleine Albright became the 64th United States Secretary of State in 1997. In years the United States Senate confirms a nominee to the Cabinet position, the AFC champion is 8-5 in the Super Bowl. On Tuesday, the Senate voted 94-3 that Sen. John Kerry will become the 68th United States Secretary of State on Feb. 1.

Tied, 9-9

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XIX

Since 1985, Kerry has represented Massachusetts in the Senate. While he served on Capitol Hill, the NFC champion was 19-9 in the Super Bowl. Luckily for Baltimore, Kerry will resign from the Senate before Super Bowl XLVII. When he hasn’t been a senator, the AFC champion is 12-6 in the Super Bowl.

Baltimore, 10-9

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XX

The Democratic Party selected Kerry as its nominee in the 2004 presidential election. Louisiana State, coached by Nick Saban, won the BCS National Championship in 2004. The NFC champion is 2-1 in the Super Bowl when a Saban-coached team wins the championship. On Jan. 7, Saban guided Alabama to a 42-14 victory over Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game.

Tied, 10-10

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Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions: Week 17

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As the National Football League regular season and the year 2012 conclude, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions posts this season.

Thank you to Chuck Pollock of The Olean Times Herald for letting me compete against you in NFL prognostication this year. Seeing how our methods compared with each other made this project interesting and fun to follow.

Thank you to St. Bonaventure University journalism and mass communication faculty members Michael Jones-Kelley, Chris Mackowski, Carole McNall, Patrick Vecchio and Denny Wilkins for your insight and promotional efforts.

Thank you to my parents, Larry and Deborah Clark, for supporting me in all my pursuits and endeavors. I’m so fortunate and proud to be your son.

And thank you to everyone who has read these posts the past 17 weeks. I appreciate that many of you have allowed me to email you the links to the predictions or have accessed them through Facebook and Twitter. I’m glad to have received so much positive feedback from my friends and colleagues.

Though my predictions method wasn’t always successful, I hope readers have found these posts entertaining and interesting. Research for each pick took a great deal of time and research, but it never seemed like work. Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions will continue into the NFL postseason, concluding with an especially extensive, random and unique Super Bowl XLVII post.

In honor of the climax of the NFL regular season and the year 2012, the Week 17 predictions theme is endings, finales and last times.       

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Cleveland Browns (5-10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)-Dec. 30-1 p.m.-CBS

The Cleveland Indians last won the World Series in 1948. Since 1948, the Browns have won 30 regular season finales. But they are 3-7 against the Steelers in those games.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Pittsburgh

Pollock’s Pick: Pittsburgh

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Baltimore Ravens (10-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)-Dec. 30-1 p.m.-CBS

The Indians and Browns both played at Cleveland Stadium until the Indians moved to Jacobs Field, now Progressive Field, after the 1993 season. Brian Mulroney resigned as the Prime Minister of Canada in 1993. The Bengals wish he was still in office. During Mulroney’s administration from 1984-93, Cincinnati was 19-16 in December games.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Baltimore

Pollock’s Pick: Cincinnati

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Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) at Tennessee Titans (5-10)-Dec. 30-1 p.m.-CBS

Japan hosted the Group of Seven Summit, a meeting of government leaders of the world’s largest economies, in 1993.  The organization, now the Group of Eight, last held its annual gathering in Japan in 2008. The G8 leaders must have decided to curse the Jaguars at the 2008 meeting. Since 2008, Jacksonville is 28-53.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Tennessee

Pollock’s Pick: Tennessee

Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions: Week 11

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In 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Mass., created a new indoor game. In this game, players dribbled a soccer ball around a court and earned points by shooting the ball into a peach basket. Today, basketball remains one the world’s most popular sports.

Football and basketball are different. Football stadiums are large structures. Basketball arenas are smaller, more intimate facilities. Football players, shielded by helmets, face masks and pads, perform like Roman Empire gladiators. Basketball players wear a simpler uniform consisting of a jersey, shorts and sneakers and display their talents and skills with the same dramatic flair as Broadway actors.

There is less parity in basketball. Since David Stern became commissioner of the National Basketball Association in 1984, eight different franchises have won NBA championships. Fourteen different National Football League teams have won the Super Bowl.

There are similarities. Lucas Oil Stadium, the Georgia Dome and Ford Field have hosted Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four games. NFL players Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Julius Peppers played college basketball. Football and basketball coaches both have a range of interesting characters from the wise Vince Lombardi and Phil Jackson, to the stern Tom Landry and Larry Brown to the zany Jimmy Johnson and Bob Knight.

In honor of slam dunks, steals, three pointers and technical fouls, the Week 11 predictions theme is basketball.

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Miami Dolphins (4-5) at Buffalo Bills (3-6)-Nov. 15-8:20 p.m.-NFL Network

The Los Angeles Clippers, formally the Buffalo Braves, played in Western New York from 1970-78. Since the Braves moved away, the Bills are 271-294. Imagine, Buffalo sports fans: Chris Paul and Blake Griffin playing at First Niagara Center. Oh well.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Miami

Pollock’s Pick: Buffalo

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Green Bay Packers (6-3) at Detroit Lions (4-5)-Nov. 18-1 p.m.-Fox

The University of Kentucky won its fifth national championship in 1978. This year, the program won its eighth title. The school’s triumph will doom Green Bay this week. The Packers are 1-6 in Week 11 games in years Kentucky wins the national championship.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Detroit

Pollock’s Pick: Green Bay

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New York Jets (3-6) at St. Louis Rams (3-5-1)-Nov. 18-1 p.m.-CBS

John Calipari coached this year’s Kentucky national championship team. He has coached four teams that reached the Final Four. The Jets are 6-7 in November games during those seasons. The Rams are 2-11-1. However, the National Collegiate  Athletic Association vacated two of those appearances due to player eligibility and academic issues.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: St. Louis

Pollock’s Pick: St. Louis

Summitt and Clark established unmatchable legacies with their longevity

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Wednesday, two legendary careers ended in different ways. The University of Tennessee announced Pat Summitt would step down as women’s basketball head coach and television personality Dick Clark died following a heart attack.

Summitt began coaching at Tennessee in 1974, the year of the first broadcast of the American Music Awards, produced by Clark’s company, Dick Clark Productions.

For perspective on the longevity of Summitt and Clark’s careers here’s a comparison between life in 1974 and to 2012.