Hats Off To Gary Waters and the CSU Vikings

I guess the experts were right last night...I probably should not have referred to them as 'clowns.' Digger Phelps, for one, certainly deserves my respect, he is after all a helluva dancer.

Despite that, and the subsequent loss today to Arizona, I have to take my hat off to the these Cleveland State Vikings, and you should too. I have been in this town for a while, and spent most of my sports fan life wishing college basketball would be relevant around here, and thanks to this club, it finally is. After all these Rollie Massimino, Mike Garland, James Madison, and Damon Stinger seasons of false hope, Gary Waters has finally built something worth believing in, and we should applaud him for that.

I don't think he'll leave to take another job in the years to come, and I hope he sticks around to see this thing through. If he does, CSU will be a team to reckon with come March for years to come. Runs like they had this season (beating Syracuse, Butler, Wake Forest - all away from home) winning their conference tournament, and advancing in the NCAAs, will be flat out great to follow as Cleveland sports fans, and I think its likely to come. Sure, Ced Jackson's gonna move on, J'Nathan Bullock and George Tandy will go too, and that will be tough; but they have a nice nucleus coming back lead by Norris Cole, Jeremy Montgomery, Chris Moore, and then some. If Waters can add an explosive freshmen or two, look out Cleveland.

If Gary Waters is still here in (5) years, I would be surprised if CSU does not go to the NCAA tournament at least (3) more times during that stretch. Cleveland will support that too, and be proud to do so, just like their proud of this club.

Cleveland State Dominates Wake: 84-69

The whole Cinderella thing kinda looses its appeal when that (13) seed completely dominates the 'said national power' they were matched up against in the NCAA Tournament. Blame Cleveland State for the lack of drama last night as the game wound down. Or blame Wake for not being able to hang, but either way, Cleveland State did dominate Wake Forest last night, and it was more than 'one shining moment.'

Gary Waters' club can flat out play basketball people, and don't be surprised if they win another one. From wire to wire the Vikings imposed their will on the Demon Deacons, and there is no debate who the best basketball player on the floor for any team last night was - Cedric Jackson baby, no doubt. The PG went for 19 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds on the night. From now on, when Clevelanders talk about Cleveland State NCAA lore, they need to say Mouse McFadden and Ced Jackson.

From the point guard's position, Jackson played a perfect game. Absolutely perfect. Coming out and hitting monster (3's) to run it out to a 9-0 start, finding people with LeBron James type vision in the open court (the one handed 1/2 court bounce pass to Chris Moore was spectacular), and working his a@# off on the defensive end. The kid was beyond impressive. While there was a lot to like about his performance, what I liked best was the series when he got his (3) point attempt blocked in the second half. The ball goes out of bounds, and then off the inbounds pass, Jackson receives an Alley-Oop Dunk off a lob from half court. Even ACC Honk Dick Vitale was somewhere saying, 'Are you Seerrrioussss.'

Most kids, on that stage, may have taken a step back after that block, but not Ced Jackson. Not the Vikings, not a Gary Waters coached team. CSU moves on, and this fairy tale is just beginning. They can beat the Arizona Wildcats next round. Oh, and somebody tell Norris Cole that the game is over now, so he can go unlock George Teague. Norris, you looked like a young Gary Payton on the defensive end last night, Dayton's proud of you, and so is Cleveland. Your defense was so impressive, I didn't even notice until this morning that you dropped in a game high (22) to boot.

Box Score

*J'Nathan Bullock scored (21) on a little post move that I think he invented, and Wake never saw before. Half turn deluxe, bank it home Bullock. Look for Bullock to match-up against Chase Budinger for Arizona, and give him trouble...he is a tough match-up for Budinger, and he if can slow Chase down....

Gary Waters Pregame Speech

While rocking a button down green shirt that had no need to be tucked in during his pregame speech, shown live on ESPN, Gary Waters had the following to say to his crew as they took the floor:

"...We had them twice, they got away from us. This time they can not get away from us."

He got me fired up with it. Let's get 'em fellas.

Cleveland State - Butler: Tonight at 9pm

If you are the Cleveland State Vikings, this is all you have to do to get into the NCAA tournament: Beat the 17th ranked college basketball program in America, on that team's home-court, to decide their league's championship. That's fair, right?

If you loose to that team - Butler - tonight at (9pm), no chance. No one cares that you lost to Butler twice by a total of (3) points in the regular season. No one cares that you won over (20) games for the second season in a row. And they don't care either that you beat Syracuse at the Carrier Dome this season. One game tonight for all the chalupas, thats what it all got you. Forget about Lunardi's Brackets, I don't think Joe even knows that Cleveland has a D-I college basketball team. The win on Saturday in the semis was great, but forget about that too. All that did was give you tonight. One chance to dance. One chance to dream.

With all that said, if your Butler, its gotta be tough to beat a team (3) times in one season. I think Gary Waters is gonna have his club playing loose, and ready to go. I think the Vikings come out on something magical, and they get their ticket punched tonight. You heard it hear first. Get ready to dance Cleveland.

Vikings Represent Cleveland Well

I appreciate what Gary Waters has done with the CSU Vikings. I was (5) when Mackey led Mouse McFadden and company into the NCAA's Sweet Sixteen, and I have been waiting my whole life to see if CSU could be a competive college team worth following again. Whether they make the NCAA tournament this year or not, THEY ARE a club worth following NOW. No doubt. The Vikes will win more than 20 games this year, included amongst them was the win over Syracuse, and enough Horizon wins to finish (3rd) in an under-rated mid-major conference. The losses include a couple of near misses against Top-25 ranked Butler, who clinched the regular season title yesterday. They (CSU) lost at home by (1) at the buzzer, and lost yesterday by (2) at Butler. A close call on a (3) point attempt goes CSU's way at the end... who knows? But what I do know is that coming into the Horizon tourney with a (3) seed, gives them shot to go the distance, and earn the first NCAA bid in (23) years. Whether CSU won Saturday or not, really doesn't matter if you are talking NCAA's anyways. There is only one at large team in the league (Butler) and it is not CSU. But look for CSU to sneak into the dance by playing their way in come tournament time. It is going to be tough for Butler to beat them (3) times. Once in, anything can happen. Maybe they beat Indiana again. Wait, I don't think the Hooisers will make it this year. Nevertheless, Waters club is a solid one, competitive group that plays hard, represents the city well, and as a Cleveland basketball fan, I appreciate that.