AI returns to Philly

The most beloved figure in Philadelphia sports' past ten years came back for the first time since he was traded, and as the first Denver player introduced, received a 2 minute standing ovation and seemed to be in tears as he saluted the fans from every angle he could. AI was the hardest working athlete in Philadelphia, even as he avoided practice; he put his body on the line every night as he threw himself at NBA 4s and 5s trying to draw fouls, and Philadelphia fans like sacrifice, even though it was a terrible ending when he didn't attend fan appreciation and was indefinitely suspended. Fans knew AI wanted to win, and it wasn't the Sixers' time.

Now fortunes have traded places. Andre Miller, one of the players the Nuggets gave up to get AI, went 13-21 from the field and finished with 28 points and 12 assists to lead the Sixers on his 36th birthday. Iverson finished with 32, but he couldn't get one to fall on the Nuggets' final possession of the game, and the other AI, Andre Igoudala, dribbled out the clock for the streaking Sixers, winners of 10 of their last 11. The Sixers have energized their fan base and seem to be working up quite the following after a few years of mediocrity. This could be the year that fills up some of the luxury boxes that were abandoned after 5 year deals ran out in 2006 (they were bought in 2001 after the run to the Finals), and this young team is playing pretty damn well. Judging from last year, you would expect the Nuggets to run all over the Sixers, but the Sixers picked their spots to run the break and milked the shot clock as much as they could.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, looked pretty crappy. Carmelo continued to cherry pick and avoid playing defense, and no one else on the Nuggets was too concerned with defense either.

However, Samuel Dalembert goaltended a Carmelo lay-up near the end of the game, and I think that might be reviewed later and lead to the game being replayed before the season ends. The Nuggets need everyone they can get, especially with how tough the West is right now.

NCAA Picks:

East

2nd Round: 

UNC over Indiana, Washington State over George Mason, Louisville over St. Joe's, Tennessee over Butler

Sweet 16:

UNC over Washington State, Louisville over Tennessee

Elite Eight:

Louisville over UNC

Midwest

2nd Round:

Kansas over UNLV, Clemson over Vanderbilt, Wisconsin over Kansas State, Georgetown over Davidson

Sweet 16:

Kansas over Clemson, Georgetown over Wisconsin

Elite Eight:

Georgetown over Kansas

South

2nd Round:

Memphis over Oregon, Pittsburgh over Michigan State, Marquette over Stanford, Texas over St. Mary's

Sweet 16:

Pittsburgh over Memphis, Texas over Marquette

Elite Eight:

Texas over Pittsburgh

West

2nd Round:

UCLA over BYU, UConn over Drake, Xavier over Purdue, Duke over West Virginia

Sweet 16:

UCLA over UConn, Xavier over Duke

Elite Eight:

UCLA over Xavier

I want to clear something up with you as you read these picks: I AM NO RICK NEUHEISEL. I am not good at picking these things, I have good years, but this year is so wide open. I'm really excited for this tournament. I'll end with my favorite tourney "fun" fact:

FUN FACT: Power forward Rob Jones, a 6-5, 230-pound freshman, turned down football offers from such traditional powers as Notre Dame, Miami and Oregon to pursue a basketball career. He is the grandson of Jim Jones, the leader of the Jonestown jungle compound where more than 900 people were killed in 1978 in a mass murder/suicide.

Good dancing to one and all!