daveferguson.org

Bracketology Bragging!

I gotta do a little bracketology bragging.  The NACC tourney is down to it's Final Four of UCLA, Ohio State, Florida and Georgetown.  And before this tourney started I picked UCLA, Ohio State, Florida and Georgetown.  And I'm a one sheet guy - these are the only picks that I made.   For the record, I have UCLA over Florida and Ohio State beating Georgetown; and then UCLA winning it all over Ohio State.

About 25 of us on staff at CCC made our picks on ESPN Tournament Challenge and I'm in second behind Tim Bakker.  However, according to bracketologist David Girdwood if UCLA wins, I will win OR if Ohio State beats UCLA I will win.

That's where the bracketology bragging ends. If I had picked it last year, I would be one of only four out of 3.1 million on ESPN.  This year it was a little easier to pick the final four - there were 161,869 of us out of 3.3 million.  And to make things worse, everyone in the Ferguson family fills out their bracket and so far my daughter Amy is slightly ahead of me!  How did she make her picks?  "I like Florida because it is warm there"..."I'll pick Ohio State because Grandpa likes the Buckeyes".  And for the record she has Ohio State. 

So, if UCLA can win it all I can win my Tourney Challenge at CCC and at home!!

VIP Treatment

Had a great time last night at the Bulls game.  Thanks to a good friend I got to take Josh & Caleb to the game and we got the VIP treatment.  We arrived at the United Center just before the shoot around at 5:30 pm.  They gave us our VIP tags and escorted us out onto the floor to watch the guys warm-up courtside.  Pretty cool.  We were close enough that when a Bull player missed a shot Josh retrieved the ball and threw it right back to Ben Gordon.  Gordon turned and hit a three-pointer.  Assist Ferguson! We got a picture taken at center court and the boys got autographs from about half of the Bulls team.  Then on top of all that we watched the Bulls (in their St. Pat's Day green uniforms) beat the Celtics for the eighth straight time 95-87.

It's More Fun When You Win!

I sometimes tell my boys that I coach, "The most important thing is that we have fun...but it's more fun when we win!"  And winning is what happened this weekend.  So, now for the update on all the sports events that I care about!

• First, my 3rd Grade YMCA team continued their undefeated season by winning 22-20 on a last minute shot by our smallest team member.  It was a really tight game and definitely our toughest.
• Then the White Sox beat the Cubs 13-2 in a cactus league game.  It's always a good time when the Sox beat the cubbies.
• Finally, I just finished watching my Bulls come from 18 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Bucks 126-121 in overtime.

Like I said, "...but it's more fun when you win!"

5-0!

We are just past the half-way point of the season with my 3rd grade boys YMCA team and we are undefeated!  I love basketball and I am really enjoying coaching my son Caleb and the nine other hoopsters who make up our team called the Heat. Today we won 20-12 to continue our undefeated season bringing our record to 5-0. Assistant Coach Steve Brewer (also a CCC staffer) and myself have got the guys running a motion offense (some of the time!?!) and an aggressive man-to-man defense (all of  the time!).  I sometimes think that if I wasn't doing what I'm doing I'd like to be a coach.

Super Bears!

It has been a long, long time since I enjoyed a game as much as I did today watching the Chicago Bears crush the New Orleans Saints 39-14!  The defense was phenomenal as they forced four turnovers.  The running game was stellar rushing for 196 yards.  Rex showed up when we needed him most and played mistake-free football.  The Bears outscored the Saints 21-0 in the fourth quarter.  All that adds up to a Super Bowl bound victory for our beloved Bears!

Ok, Bear fans - let's enjoy this a little.  What was your favorite moment in this NFC Championship victory?  For me?  I think the turning point was when the Bears lead had shrunk to only two points and they were ahead 16-14.  All the momentum seemed to be with the Saints and then the Bears defense puts pressure on Saints QB Brees and come up with a safety.  2 points for the Bears.  To me, that was the turning point and my favorite moment of the game!  So, what about you?  Leave me a comment and let me know the moment you enjoyed the most.

How About Boise State?

It's obviously not Ohio State. And yes, Florida was very impressive.  But they are not undefeated.  So how about Boise State?  They are definitely the best undefeated team in college football!  13-0.  I know the whole BCS thing...but c'mon, isn't there a part of you that would love to see Boise State as the national champion?  Isn't there a part of you that thinks that they deserve it after one of the most amazing victories ever over Oklahoma.  How about Boise State?

Professional Lacrosse - Love It!

Last night I went to the first ever professional indoor Lacrosse in Chicago...and it was awesome!  Thanks to some friends who gave me the tickets I took my whole family and saw the inaugaural National Lacrosse League game in Chicago.  There were about 8,500 of us at the Sears Centre who cheered the Chicago Shamrox to a come from behind to victory over the New York Titans 15-12!  It's always nice to beat any team from NYC!

My daughter introduced me to the sport when she started playing lacrosse a couple years ago.  The version they play in the National Lacrosse League is a combination of soccer, hockey and basketball.  It's like soccer because of the field it is played on - but not boring, because it is high scoring.  It's like hockey because it is very physical and there is checking.  It's like basketball in the strategy and running of plays.  And in the NLL they have a 30 second shot clock that keeps it moving.  Seriously, if you get a chance to go - you should go. 

Turkey Trot!

Started Thanksgiving with what should be a new great tradition - the Naperville 5K Turkey Trot!  Me and more than 5,000 of my closest friends. 

The good news - I finished with a pretty good time (for me!).  The bad news - my 13 year old son, Josh beat me and everyone else!  I think this is the first time he has ever beat me at something athletic when I was really trying.  And it was even more fun because I got to run with Jon and a bunch of counsins who were in town:  Brian, Kt (and husband Paul), Sara.

Too Good?

7-0

These Bears are too good!  Seriously.  Since I don't usually get home from church till after the first quarter they are already so far ahead that it means I basically miss the whole game!  Today, when I finally turned on my car radio while driving home it was in the middle of the second quarter and they were already ahead 31-0.  By the time I got changed into my Urlacher jersey (my two boys and I all wear our Bears jersey while watching every game - very cool!) and got settled into my family room couch they were up 41-0.  The game was over before I got to watch it! It sounds weird, but this team is too good for my enjoyment! So what do you think?  How good are these Bears?

A Cub Fans Nightmare.

Congrats to the World Champ St. Louis Cardinals!  My very first favorite sports team was the St. Louis Cardinals.  I was born in Missouri and my Dad was a Cardinal fan and since they had Lou Brock, Bob Gibson and more it was hard not to love them.  Once we moved to Chicago, my Dad and brother became Cub fans and I stayed loyal to the Cardinals.  The first game I ever went to was at Wrigley Field and it was Cubs vs. the Cardinals that went extra innings...17 innings!  And ever since then baseball has been a point of contention in our extended family.  It was probably my love for the Cardinals and confusion about why anyone would support the Cubs that led me as an adult to become a White Sox fan.  Last year, the White Sox win it all and this year the Cardinals win it all - what a nightmare for all you Cub fans.

Chi-Town A Sox Town?

I've always said that Chicago is the best city in the world.  Well, the best city in the world is getting even better.  According to a Chicago Tribune article in yesterdays sports section Chicago is shifting from being a Cub-town to a Sox-town!  Yes, Chicago has Sox appeal!  But that's what a world series will do for you!

Daily Herald All-Star Team

Jon called me yesterday to inform me that I was a part of the Daily Herald All-Star Team.  He was partially congratulating me and partially giving me grief since the position was "All-Star Team Chaplain".   The article, titled Your 2006 All-Star Team started like this, "...members of our squad can bask in the knowledge they’ve played key roles reflecting the spirit of all that’s right in Naperville, Lisle and Aurora and making our communities better places to live and work." 

It kind of reminds me of when I was in little league as a kid and I got invited to a special award ceremony for players that made the all-star team.  They didn't tell us what award we would receive, they just called us up one at a time.  One kid got "best hitter"; another kid got "best pitcher"; still another got "best defensive player" and on it went.  And then they called my name. Guess what award I got?  I got "best sportsmanship".  My mother was proud.  But as a kid I was actually disappointed.  I really wanted the "best hitter" award; what kid doesn't?  So, it feels like I'm in little league again and I just got "best sportsmanship".  But this time I'm taking it as a compliment.

Yesterdays News...

There were a few things in yesterdays news that I wanted to pass along to you in case you missed it!

• Community Christian Church was on the front page of the Daily Herald on Sunday in an article titled, BIG INFLUENCE.  The article was about three Chicago area churches (WillowCreek Community Church, College Church and CCC) making the list of 50 Most Influential Churches in the U.S.  It has a quote from Dave Richa and tells the story of NewThing helping to launch the Jacobs Well Church.  Good stuff!  On the same topic, Church Relevance asks in a post "Is the Size of a Church Linked to Influence?"
• RememberJason McElwain?  We told you that he was up against Kobe Bryant for an ESPY?  Well, the kid now nick-named J-Mac won the ESPY for BEST MOMENT!  If you want more on J-Mac and his amazing 20 points in 4 minute performance click here: J-MAC.
• Just another reminder of how really, really, really bad the Cubs are:  For the first time in their 130 year history the Cubs give up 2 grand slams in the same inning!  They give away 11 runs in one inning!  They have an inning where it takes them 41 minutes to get 3 outs on the other team!   This is even bad for the Cubs!  Bramlett (a Cub fan) caught this ridiculous quote from Dusty Baker after the game, "I pride myself and my team on defense," Baker said. "You just can't give away runs."

Looks Like the Bulls are Back!

It looks like Ben Wallace is a Bull!  And if that's the case that means the Bulls are back!

Not "back" as in 6 more championships; but "back" as in we have a chance in the playoffs and have the core to build a championship team.

This was such good news, it almost made me forget that I lost my luggage!

Any predictions for the Ben Wallace and the Bulls next season?

Repeat!

The Sox picked up last night where they left off last year - another win!  But this year we got even better pitching. I'm talking about Javier Vazquez! And we have even better hitting.  Can you say "Jim Thome"?   And you got to love that Thome hits a homer on opening day (see pic). 

I'm thinking repeat!! And I'm not the only one.  The Sporting News picked the Sox to repeat.  Sports Illustrated picked the Sox to repeat.  The Chicago Tribune (who owns the Cubbies!) picked the Sox to repeat.  Not to repeat myself, but I'm predicting a REPEAT!

We Interrupt This Program to Bring You This Dunk.

Just in case you missed it - Candace Parker, a Naperville Central graduate who plays hoops for the Tennessee Volunteers dunked not just once...but twice!  No female player had ever dunked in a NCAA tourney basketball game and Candace did it twice in one game.  And if you think "big deal"; did you know they interrupted the NBA game on ABC-TV to show this history making dunk!  Cool.  Congrats Candace.  If you want to check out the dunk they have the video on ESPN.com.

So You Know I Didn't Make It Up.

In a couple weeks when I picked the final four exactly right...I don't want anyone thinking I just made it up.  So here are my final four:  DUKE, MEMPHIS, UCONN and OHIO STATE.  Not too risky, but that is my best hunch.  And the champs will be UCONN in a 83-79 nail biter over DUKE.  Who you picking?

Only 43 Days Till White Sox Opener!

All the White Sox pitchers and catchers reported for spring training today.   Correction: the World Champion White Sox pitchers and catchers reported for spring training today.  I'm totally pumped about this team.  On paper they are definitely better than last year.  With the addition of DH Jim Thome and pitcher Javier Vazquez they have strengthened both their hitting and their pitching.  Love it!  And only 43 days until the White Sox open the season against Cleveland.

Any other Sox fans out there?  Any comments Cub fans?

Try To Top That Kobe!

Wasn't it last week that we were all going crazy over Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points in a game?  Weren't sports writers and sport talk show hosts calling that the greatest single scoring game in history? 

Well, they had not yet heard about Epiphanny Prince.  Epiphanny of Murry Bergtraum High School scored 113 points in a game Wednesday, breaking a national prep record previously held by Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller.  She made 54 out of her 60 shots for 90 percent shooting from the field!  Amazing!!  And just for the record, in 1960 Danny Heater of Burnsville High School in West Virginia still holds the all-time record of 135 points scored in a game.

Did Anyone See Kobe's 81 Point Performance?

Did anyone actually see Kobe score 81 points?  That is absolutely staggering.  Marc Stein in an ESPN article, Sorry Wilt: You're No Kobe says that it is more impressive than Wilt's 100 point performance.  I hate the Lakers , I can't stand Phil Jackson and I'm not a big fan of Kobe either...but 81 points is unbelievable!!  So, if you saw it, tell me about it.  Give me some details.  And if there is a way to still see it, tell me more.   Doesn't ESPN Classic do something called Instant Classics where they show this kind of stuff?