Gene's Blog: Genius weighs in on Super weekend

February 10, 2010

If a swimming or water polo team wins a championship, do they dump Gatorade powder on the coach?

For that and other pressing questions, it’s time for a February edition of “Ask the Genius.”

Q: Tommie men’s basketball is on a roll. What’s the secret weapon?

A: In Saturday’s latest victory, 58-55, credit the Toms’ intense free-throw defense (sarcasm)… in holding the opponent to 9-of-22 at the line. That improved on the January breakdown where the Toms had no answer at the foul line for St. Mary’s 18-for-18 night.

Last Saturday, UST scored only five points in the game’s final 6:50, and still won.

As someone once said: “Some days, I’d rather be lucky than good.” I think that person also once said: “It would be nice to be Bill Gates’ only child.”

With a 19-2 record, St. Thomas is doing OK for a team with no home-court advantage. It’s impressive what a good coaching staff can accomplish with a little depth and a lot of defense (60.6 ppg).

Q: Will St. Thomas climb in the national polls?

A: The Tommies are now ranked No. 4 and have stayed in the D-III top 10 for 25 consecutive polls.

They have risen to the top of one unique list: Out of 1,006 NCAA men’s basketball teams, St. Thomas has the best record over the last two seasons at 49-3 (.942). Findlay (Ohio) lost twice last week to fall to No. 3 at 51-5 (912). Washington (Mo.) is now second at 47-4 (.922).

Q: What’s special about the latest MIAC championship?

A: Anytime you clinch a share of an MIAC winter sport title before the Super Bowl is played, it’s unique. Last Saturday’s victory helped the Toms secure a share of the program's fifth consecutive conference title -- a feat accomplished just twice previously in conference history by Hamline (1931-36) and St. Thomas (1969-1974).

The Toms can claim the outright championship with one victory or one Gustavus loss in four games over the last 11 days of the season.

Q: Where does this place Steve Fritz in conference basketball lore?

A: Fritz becomes the first person to be affiliated with 20 regular-season championships in MIAC basketball as a player and coach. Hamline legend Joe Hutton won 19 titles in his 34-season run as head coach from 1929-1965. Fritz now has 15 crowns in 30 seasons as a head coach, three as an assistant coach, and two as a player. Those totals don’t include the nine MIAC playoff titles won by Fritz’ teams.

Q: How do these Tommies rank among recent standout teams?

A: The balanced Toms have a chance to become perhaps the first MIAC champion team shut out of receiving a conference Player of the Week honor (0-for-8 weeks thus far). That can happen when you have no players ranked in the MIAC top 20 in rebounding, and just one ranked in the top 15 in scoring, assists and blocks.

The 2009-2010 Tommies lead the nation in role players. Teddy Archer. Sam Eicher. Josh Peltier. Tommy Hannon. Brady Ervin. Anders Halvorsen. Noah Kaiser. Peter Leslie. John Nance. (Cliche coming) You can’t stop them, you only hope to contain them.

Q: What do the Tommies and NFL champion Saints have in common?

A: The Saints had one turnover and were plus-7 in turnover ratio in three postseason victories. The Tommies average about 11 turnovers a game in basketball to rank among the national leaders.

Q: What’s the significance of the Colts’ Super Bowl loss?

A: Peyton Manning will only appear in six TV commercials this offseason, instead of eight.

Q: What’s the significance of the Saints’ Super Bowl victory?

A: Go-Daddy.com has sold its domain name and will resurface as Who-Datty.com. And still, no one will understand what the company does or why they blow so much money on Super Bowl ads.

Q: How in the world are the New Orleans Saints the NFL champions?

A: Maybe it was Karma or Destiny or Katrina… wait, those were three female Saints’ fans that ESPN interviewed early this morning on Bourbon Street.

There’s this not-so-subtle stat that helps explain New Orleans’ magic -– 107 points scored and no offensive turnovers in three playoff games. The Saints also won every big challenge the officials reviewed. And this: Their three postseason wins came against three probable Hall of Fame quarterbacks –- Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Manning.

Payton tops Peyton

Q: Wasn’t this supposed to be the year of the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys or Vikings?

A: Last July, New Orleans was a 17-to-1 pick to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings -- with either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson at QB -- were considered a safer bet at 13-to-1.

Sean Payton, 25-23 in his first three seasons as head coach from 2006-2008, now has as many Super Bowl rings (and more Super Bowl TDs) than the late great Walter Peyton.

Q: With their December slump, weren’t the Saints the team everyone thought would be a playoff pushover?

A: Consider what the Saints did in 2009. After starting 11-0, they stumbled through the last five games of the regular season. After they escaped with a pair of three-point wins to reach 13-0, they dropped their last two games of December. With home-field advantage secured, New Orleans lost the Jan. 3 finale to Carolina.

After a bye, they were slow starters in the playoffs. They trailed 7-0 against Arizona 19 seconds into the game. They fell behind the Vikings 7-0 five minutes into the game. They trailed the Colts 10-0 after one quarter.

Apparently, New Orleans fans only worry about four quarters – the second, third, fourth and French Quarters.

Q: Drew Brees was nearly flawless. How do you explain his rise?

A: In three playoff games, Brees completed 72-of-102 passes with no interceptions and eight touchdowns.

Call it the Boilermaker effect. Brees became the third Purdue alum to win a Super Bowl, joining KC’s Len Dawson (SB V) and Miami’s Bob Griese (SB VII, VIII). Only one other college has had three different alumni QBs win Super Bowls -– Alabama, with Bart Starr, Ken Stabler and Joe Namath.

Who?

Q: Who were those old guys singing at halftime?

A: I can just imagine the help wanted ad that the NFL posted last fall: “Wanted, classic rock band to sing for 12 minutes on a Sunday night outdoor show in Miami. Must be able to dance, er wait, must be able to move around a little. Must buy own ticket to game. No aquatic rodents who play the violin need apply. Preference given to someone in the band named Roger. Call commissioner Roger Goodell.”

So that’s how Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend and their band, The Who, got the gig. The Who has been on the cover of Rolling Stone and AARP, so why not Pro Football Weekly? Next up, The Who is playing today at a Denny’s restaurant in Orlando for all the people waiting in line for a free Grand Slam breakfast.

Q: If you get turned away at Denny’s, any chance to catch a free Grand Slam at a later date?

A: To borrow a KFAN Radio joke, Twins’ pitcher Scott Baker should be good for a couple of grand slams in April when Target Field opens.

Q: Are Viking fans really paying for outdoor billboards in Mississippi to encourage Brett Favre to return for the 2010 season?

A: Yes, a Facebook group has rallied thousands of fans to convince the fabulous Favre to again miss training camp and join the Vikings in late August.

Another social-media drive is underway to get another Minnesota pro athlete back, but it faces long odds. Just nine people have signed on to the Facebook campaign to “Bring Back Boof.”

Q: Will Prince’s recent Minnesota Vikings’ tribute song help his chances to land the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show?

A: The NFL has announced that Tony Orlando and Dawn will be next year’s halftime show… No, wait, I’m confused… Dawn was one of the Saints fans that ESPN interviewed early today on Bourbon Street.

Q: This Minnesota weather is driving me CRAZY! Snow, ice, slush, wind, cold. Has Hell frozen over?

A: Well, the Minnesota Timberwolves do have a four-game winning streak…