Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Complete Text Scroll

After a one week hiatus, the text scroll was back on ESPN’s Interactive Tuesday this week. That’s right, all you need is a cell phone and a willingness to pay standard messaging rates and you can see your text on TV. Let’s take a look at this week’s insights:

(Note: We pick this up with 10:45 to go in the first half. I would have been here at the start of the game, but I thought ESPN had dropped the text scroll last week.)

A Pretty Close Game
Let’s Go Aggies. I need my streak to continue.
Jayhawk: Nebraska is tough at home. Just ask Missouri.
If the Aggies don’t stop the ball, it’s going to hurt their team.

Poll? Since Pitt lost to Providence tonight, who should be the new No. 1 team?
Gottlieb likes North Carolina over UConn and Memphis.

The Cookie is about to crumble.
Toney McCray is back.
McCray is going to be a good player.
Best player on the team.
When is Texas A&M going to score?

Come on Cornhuskers, this is your game to win.
Nebraska doesn’t have a chance in this game.

[Note: Nebraska up 4 at this point.]

The Ags are just slow to get started.
Nebraska is playing very good defense right now, but there size down low could hurt them.

[Editorial comment: At this point in the season, small teams are usually pretty good at defending the post. I’m not saying size doesn’t matter, but a casual fan doesn’t understand that Nebraska is doing a great job of fronting the post and denying the ball inside.]

The logical thing would be to make Providence a #1 right? Just kidding.
I want to see Cookie dunk it.
Being the shortest team in the NCAA Nebraska deserves a bid if they get to 20 wins.
Need a 3 ball. Let’s go Ags.
Cookie Miller is an absolute beast.
A&M will step up in the second half in the paint and win.
Cmon Huskers, this is your game to win.
Don’t let the Aggies take it from you.
Texas A&M doesn’t have the offense that Nebraska has.

[Nebraska leads 30-21, 4:05 left]

Go Nebraska!
Huskers hard to beat at home.
The Ags need to guard somebody.
Go Big Red.
The Ags need to step up on defense.
The Aggies are Cookie Monsters. Whoop!
Ade is the man he needs to take it every time he gets it.

Poll answer: America says UConn is the best.

The Aggies will pull through.
Cookie for his size has one of the best all-around games for a point guard!
Dip Cookie in some milk, Aggies
With Dyson out does UConn have a legitimate chance to win a championship?

Poll? Best Bracket Buster win? Butler, Creighton, St. Mary’s, or Siena
I said Siena, but I’m leaning more towards Creighton now.

Any visiting team in the Big 12 is in trouble!
Cmon on B.Davis Whoop!
Nebraska can wiin this game on their swagger alone.
The Aggies are getting frustrated in the paint. Doc’s plan is working.
Let’s go Ags.
I think you have to give Doc some Big 12 coach of the year votes.

[Editorial comment: You might want to wait til the end of the night on that one.]

Aggies are about to go on a roll.
Ade is the man, but he needs to finish.
It’s all about the home court advantage. Go flyers!
Go big red.
Give the ball to Ade! He’s on fire from behind the arc!

[Nebraska leads 37-24 at halftime.]

Poll question: Hey, we didn’t answer the last one yet?
Who wins the national title UConn, Pitt, Oklahoma, or North Carolina?

Poll answer: America likes Butler.

Husker are rolling. Game over.
Keep using your speed Huskers.
Huskers need to keep up the intensity!
Nebraska is a scrappy little team.
You got to love a team with Cookie as its leader.
Ade rules.
A&M is a second half team. Watch for Elonu and Davis to impose their will in the paint.

Poll answer: North Carolina wins the title.

Nebraska usually gets better in the second half.

[Not today]

Being a 20-year old Husker fan from Texas, this is fun to see.
BJ Holmes will get us back in the game!
Nebraska’s defense is too much for the aggies!GBR!

[Wow, Nebraska has 0 turnovers with 15:57 left in the game. They also lead 46-30.]

Poll? Biggest surprise team? Cal, Missouri, Wake, or Washington.
Gottlieb likes Missouri.

The Huskers are a great non-turnover team.
If NU can hold and win a few in the Big 12 tournament, I like their chances.
There is no stopping the Nebraska offense.
The Aggies can’t handle them. Go Big Red. Woohoo!
The Huskers look like they are ready to play in the tournament.

[Man, these comments are depressing with 20/20 hindsight.]

Nebraska just looks like they want it more now.
Doc deserves to go dancing, go Huskers.
Big or no bid, this has been a surprising season for the Skers!
Here comes BJ Holmes. Watch out Nebraska.
Missouri will beat KU in Kansas.

[27 minutes into the game, Nebraska still hasn’t turned it over. They still lead by 15.]

Poll answer: American likes Missouri. Um, we are watching a Big 12 game.

[At this point Doug Gottlieb calls this a “very solid win” for Nebraska. Game over. Airball follows for Nebraska.]

Bo would be proud of this go Huskers.
The Aggies will need to start making some great defensive stops to get back in this game.
Who thinks Marquette will beat UConn tommorrow?
Aggies are on the comeback trail.
They made huge stops against Arizona too. Don’t count the Ags out yet.
The Huskers don’t need a big guy as long as they play D like this every game.
Nebraska would be a fun team to make the dance.
I think Nebraska is a team that nobody will want to play in the conference tourney.

Poll? Which team will win tomorrow, UConn or Marquette?
Gottlieb likes Marquette.

BJ Holmes is about to heat it up and hit some big 3’s.
Typical Doc Sadler, always out-sized, but never out-worked.
If Nebraska makes the NCAA tournament, I promise you Huskers fans would flood the arena.
If Nebraska gets some wins down the stretch, they have a definite argument to be in the tournament.
Go Nebraska, I love the Marine Corps, Texting Straight out of Afghanistan, Hi Mom!
Doc has put the Nebraska basketball program on the national radar.
Huskers look like they are out to prove themselves tonight!
Josh Carter will take the game over late.

[Is he psychic? Also, at about the 11 minute mark, Nebraska turns it over for the first time.]

Go Big Red!
Anyone think that Maryland could beat Duke?
Nebraska may not have height…

[This post was cut-off by a highlight.]

LA Sportscenter Top 10 for that dunk!
Lot of time yet, Whoa baby!
Let’s go Aggies, kept the comeback going.
Ags gotta box out on D.
Were’ about to get beat.

[Doug Gottlieb, “I was wrong, we have a game.”]

This game is actually starting to get interesting.
Josh Carter is about to shoots some 3’s.

Poll answer: America says UConn is going to beat Marquette. But Wisconsin, South Dakota, Kansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee like Marquette to beat UConn.

Come on Ags, let’s keep it going Whoop!
It isn’t over yet. Go Ags!
How bout them Aggies now?
Go Huskers!
Aggies Rock! No way Nebraska is going to hold off this late run.
Come on Huskers, get it together.

[Lead is down to 5.]

Dagundro needs to take over this game for NU to win.
Now it is on, but the Huskers will get it on.

Poll? Which team is more likely to go undefeated in conference play? Gonzaga or Memphis? Um, Gonzaga doesn’t have many games left. Can I choose both?
Turgeon is too good a coach to let this one slip away.

[Nebraska currently leads by 7. Missed shot by Texas A&M.]

Not looking so good for Nebraska if we don’t get a stop.
These two scrappy teams are fun to watch. Great Game!
Nebraska wanted to go into a shell and run the clock down with no quality shots in, it was only a matter of time.

[Nebraska still leads by 7.]

The Cookie is crumbling.
Dash Harris Coast to Coast = Top 10.
Go Aggies!
Gig em Aggies.
Nebraska was hitting everything in the first half and A&M was turning it over. Now Nebraska has cooled off.
The Aggies need to slow down and set up their offense. Gig em.
Go Husekrs! Beat the Aggies!
Nebraska played Missouri and Kansas tough too, I was really expecting a close game.
Gig em Aggies. You still have time. Play Some D.

Poll answer: Memphis. These polls suck. Nothing like Bratwurst vs Cheesesteak.

If the Huskers could close games they would be third in the Big 12 and a serious threat.
Ags need smarter shots, and we have this in the bag!

[Huskers still lead by 5 points with 3:37 left.]

Close game are Docs specialty. Let’s run the clock and play tough D.
Nebraska has one of the best D’s in the game.
Every possession from now on is key.
No way Nebraska loses this now.
Huskers will go on a run late and win it!
Hope they can hang on.
Come on Aggies, get in the gameeeee!
Ags need to take smarter shots.
This is frustrating. Come on Ags.
Nebraska is no height and all heart.
I would like to see them run the fast break when they have the chance.
Let’s go Nebraska!
Cmon Texas A&M!

[Huskers lead by 7 points with 1:55 left.]

Harley looks poised to hit big shots down the stretch.
Go big Red! Finish this game strong.
Come on Cookie D up!
Nebraska just needs to calm down and they will be fine.
Nebrask’s D is so good! It makes the team a contender in virtually every game.

[A&M hits a basket to cut the lead to 3 points with 1:10 left.]

I absolutely love watching basketball games like this.
Come on Aggs.
Hang on Huskers!

[A&M cuts the lead to 1 point with 50 seconds left.]

Come on Ags, we need this win.
Goooo Huskers!!!!
There’s still a chance!!!
We play in a good conference. Big 12 is weak. Skip 2 Lou.
Huskers have really stepped up this season. Texas and A&M, insane.

[Nebraska is fouled. Timeout.]

Hang on Aggies!
Huskers please come through. Go Huskers!
Aggie McCoy: Defense.
Free throws win games. Go Aggs!

[OK, this makes no sense. First the guy saying “Hang On” when A&M hasn’t led in the second half. Then the Go Aggs poster saying free throws win games. Am I missing something here? Nebraska to the line to shoot 1 and 1, leading by 1 with 20 seconds left.]

Please make them!
Don’t break my heart Aggies!

[Wow, what a sequence. Nebraska misses the free throw. A&M misses the lay-up, Nebraska kicks the ball ahead for a seeming fast-break dunk, but it goes out of bounds! A&M ball, down 1, with 5.4 seconds left.]

Go Ags
Aggies Ball
This is one heck of a game.
What an ending. This is a fantastic big 12 basketball game!
Good come back A&M but it might be a little too late.

[Nebraska gives the foul. 2.6 seconds left. Wow, that’s great coaching. Nebraska still has one more foul to give.]

We can do this Aggies!

[Nebraska tries to foul again, but Josh Carter catches and shoots in one motion. Josh Carter for 3! A&M wins!]

Buzzer beater
What a finish
Craziest game by far
Comebacks have been big this year in college basketball along with tons of upsets!
What a shot!

Things I learned.
-This post is very long.
-“Gig Em” has some meaning to Texas A&M fans.
-There’s really only one good Cookie Monster joke and once its been used, you need to move on.