Quick Hits: Falcons 37, Saints 34

By Andrew Hard

The "other" Matty Ice came through twice from distance to lead the Falcons to a rare win over archrival New Orleans.

Who Dat? We Dat.

The first week of the season might have many national pundits rethinking their New Orleans Saints championship prediction. In a game where both defenses were as listless as Rob Ryan after a 13-hurricane bender on Bourbon Street, Matt Bryant came through with two clutch 50+ yard kicks, one at the gun of regulation and one in overtime, as the Falcons upset their longtime rivals 37-34. Falcons fans are feeling good after watching their offense click on all cylinders, with Matt Ryan throwing for a career-high 448 yards and three touchdowns.

We knew going into this game that the Falcons' defense was going to struggle mightily to contain Drew Brees and the Saints offense, and that Matt Ryan and his offense would need to play a near-perfect game to make up for it. What did we learn from this thrilling win after one week of play?

1. Matt Ryan has enough weapons, even without Tony Gonzalez.

Julio Jones and Roddy White, when healthy, are the second-best wide receiver tandem in football in terms of talent. With Matt Ryan getting enough protection and moving in the pocket like he did today, they are capable of being the best in terms of production, even ahead of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey in Chicago. Going into this season, I was afraid that the Falcons would be a three-man team -- Ryan, Julio, and Roddy, with nothing else in terms of offense now that Tony Gonzalez retired.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but -- enter Devin Hester.

Time and time again, Hester proved that his off-season signing wasn't just Thomas Dimitroff thinking that it's still 2009 (see Steven Jackson, Osi Umenyiora, Asante Samuel...). Sure, his value in the return game has been completely diminished since they moved kickoffs up to the 35-yard line, but Hester had his most productive game as a wide receiver in years. Hester outgained Roddy White, hauling in 5 passes for 99 yards, including a crucial 35-yard catch at the sideline on a third-and-8 with the Falcons down 13-0 and looking like they were going to get blown out of their own Dome. Another deep sideline catch near the end of the half set up a much-needed field goal to bring Atlanta within 10.

Levine Toilolo will never have Tony Gonzalez's hands in the middle of the field (hell, no tight end save Jimmy Graham ever will), but he proved useful on the goalline, hauling in a 1-yard touchdown to open the second half. With the Falcons struggling to pound the ball in jumbo packages, Toilolo will have to continue getting open in the end zone if the Falcons are to keep improving on last year's red zone struggles.

2. Steven Jackson's days in Atlanta are numbered.

Jackson finished the day with 52 yards rushing, better than his average from last year but not prolific enough to justify his astronomical price tag. The "other" Steven Jackson in Atlanta has been nothing short of disappointing since he was signed last offseason. In a league where running backs are nothing if not replaceable, I don't care that he's the active leader in career rushing yards. What can you do for me right now?

Luckily, the Falcons have three young running back options that can collectively shoulder the load. Rookie Devonta Freeman earned his reps early in the first half, catching a check-down on the sideline and then barreling for a first down on third-and-long, setting the Falcons up for their first touchdown. Antone Smith and Jacquizz Rodgers each scored on long plays. With Freeman proving to be a decent option in the power run game and the offense already leaning away from the ground-and-pound approach on the goalline, Jackson's skill set is duplicated by younger, cheaper options. If healthy, he will be a nice asset as one of four options in the running back rotation, but to call him the long-term answer as a starter would be misguided.

3. The Falcons won't win this year unless they outscore their opponents.

Thanks, John Madden.

But seriously, if the Falcons have any shot at posting a winning record this year and getting back to the playoffs, they are going to have to win shootouts like this one. To ask this defense to get a crucial stop under any circumstances against an above-average offense right now looks like a long shot. With Sean Weatherspoon out indefinitely, the Falcons have only one player on defense -- Desmond Trufant -- that has any shot of sniffing the Pro Bowl this year.

In a pass-happy league, in a division where you have to play the Saints and Panthers twice a year, the Falcons focused their off-season on improving ... their rush defense. And even that didn't pay off today, as the Saints ran over Tyson Jackson, Paul Soliaiaiaiaiai and company to the tune of 139 yards on the ground. The Falcons had zero pressure on Drew Brees, recording zero sacks and failing to even record a hit on the quarterback.

If there's any sign of life on defense, it's in the secondary. Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant each had crucial deflections on well-placed deep balls, plays that the Falcons have seen Drew Brees beat them on time and again. Robert McClain recorded an interception on a forced throw by Brees that shouldn't have been made. The way the Falcons' offense is playing, the key in the secondary might be just to avoid the long ball and force field goals, something which Atlanta was able to do enough in the first half to prevent the game from getting out of hand.

Next up: Sunday at Cincinnati

A.J. Green could be doing a lot of this next Sunday against Desmond Trufant and the rest of the Falcons' secondary.

The Falcons make their first trip to Paul Brown Stadium in eight years next Sunday to take on the Bengals. The last time Atlanta went to Cincinnati in 2006, Michael Vick threw (!) for three touchdowns in a 29-27 comeback win, which would be promptly followed by a four-game losing streak to put another disappointing Jim Mora-led squad out of contention. This time, Atlanta gets to try its luck against the Junior Ginger Hammer, as Andy Dalton comes off a 301-yard performance in a 23-16 comeback win in Baltimore in Week 1. UGA product A.J. Green had the winning score in that contest, hauling in a 77-yard bomb with just under 5 minutes remaining. It should be fun watching Green and Julio Jones go at it -- perhaps the #2 and #3 receivers in the league in some order.

Falcons' Record: 1-0!

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan trying his best to keep up with all the new stadiums (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.

Black, Gold and Road Weary: 744 Miles of SEC Basketball

By Andrew Hard

Saturday, January 18: LSU Tigers 81, Vanderbilt Commodores 58
(Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA)

See that small white speck behind Death Valley? That's where LSU plays basketball, a foreign sport unknown to most Tiger faithful.

The 275-mile drive along Interstate 10 from Houston to Baton Rouge could hardly be mistaken for any other part of the country. Massive refineries line the highway from Beaumont to Lake Charles, a constant reminder of south Texas' dominance of the oil and gas industry (or as those who like to be more progressive call it, the "energy" industry; personally, I'm going to hold off on that designation until I can stuff tree branches into my Honda Accord or strap solar panels to the roof). The only "hills" you'll find are courtesy of the road itself sloping upward or downward to make room for other roads to pass above or below it. Because the road is so flat, gas stations just camp out along the side of the highway rather than make you bother using an exit ramp. For miles at a time, you'll find yourself driving sleepily straight, wondering if you're actually making forward progress toward your destination or just stuck in an endless space-time loop masquerading as highway hypnosis.

The last 40 miles of highway before Baton Rouge scream Louisiana, although there's never an indication that you're fast approaching one of the largest and most passionate campuses in the country other than the occasional "BATON ROUGE 28" sign. During one particular 18-mile stretch, there is no land beneath the road -- just swamps. Endless swamps. To the uninformed and possibly paranoid, the idea of being swallowed whole by a 38-foot alligator or grabbed by a gigantic crawdad and dragged into the marshy muck below is a very real possibility. The locals, however, see it as opportunity: these are prime fishing waters! If you didn't know exactly how much further you were going, you would never know how far you had left to go -- until you exit the marshland and approach the bridge, seemingly out of nowhere, that takes you out of Duck Dynasty, across the mighty Mississippi and into Tigerland.

The north, downtown side of Baton Rouge bears little resemblance to the LSU campus that dominates the south end.

On seven or eight Saturday nights every fall, there are few places on Earth that any sports fan would rather be than tailgating around Tiger Stadium, the true Death Valley. On this sleepy Saturday in January, however, the sign on the highway pointing towards New Orleans -- only 80 more miles! -- is sorely tempting for even the most ardent college basketball fan. But today we were on a mission. On a day where the Commodores introduced Derek Mason, it's possible that my wife and I would be the only black-and-gold supporters at the "Deaf Dome" for Vanderbilt's annual good-luck-finding-it-on-your-cable-package tilt with LSU on the hardwood (except for, presumably, the parents of Baton Rouge-bred Commodores Dai-Jon Parker and Damian Jones). And it was entirely likely that said 13,000-seat arena might only be half full, despite LSU's mild success this season, without the legends of Pete Maravich, Shaquille O'Neal, or Big Baby Davis waking the purple-and-gold faithful from their winter football slumber.

Kentucky (and possibly Arkansas) notwithstanding, there is no SEC town in this country that truly comes alive during basketball season. Hell, you'd be hard-pressed to find many in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Athens, Oxford, and every other town in the conference that could even find the team's arena on a map, much less attend an actual game. Go to North Carolina, Indiana, or Kansas, and the opposite is true. It turns out those three states, despite being located in and around the football-crazy SEC, have such strong ties to James Naismith that basketball is truly in their blood. For the rest of the South, those diamond-in-the-rough seasons bring out the die-hards in full force with a slew of bandwagoners, clinging to school pride and yelling their ass off despite not knowing the difference between a block and a charge (just yell BOOOOO!!!! whenever it goes against your colors). Examples of such excellent crowds include LSU in 2006 (Davis' Final Four team almost sold out its finale against last-place Ole Miss), Tennessee in 2007 (Bruce Pearl's glory year), Vandy in 2008 (the Stallings team that should have gone to the Final Four), and Florida in ... oh wait, Florida fans never know that their basketball team exists.

Every other year, though, you'd be hard-pressed to drive into a place like Baton Rouge on a Saturday in winter and have any idea that a major sporting event is imminent. And frankly, it's hard to blame the average student or victory-lapper for not passing up $3 pints of Abita, $6 dozen oysters, and blackened alligator po-boys (the fare at the famous Chimes restaurant adjacent to the LSU campus) for a relatively meaningless game between two teams that (likely) won't go anywhere come March. And that's exactly what an average Saturday in Baton Rouge turned out to be for the listless Commodores, my wife, and me -- relatively meaningless.

Well, except for that blackened alligator. That was damn good.

Saturday, January 25: Vanderbilt Commodores 66, Texas A&M Aggies 55
(Reed Arena, College Station, TX)



It's hard not to attend any game at Texas A&M (some 97 miles from the west side of Houston) and not notice the Yell Leaders. Somehow, our previous venture into Aggieland passed without a discussion of these male "cheerleaders" that have become as much a part of Aggie football tradition as the team itself (personally, I blame my wife for feeding me too much Lonestar beer and breakfast tacos, which were better than any tacos I've ever had north OR south of the border). As tradition goes, every Friday night before a home game, the entire campus has "Yell Practice," which basically consists of the Yell Leaders teaching the Yellers how to properly Yell during the Yell Match (er, game). Yellers would yell between downs when the other team had the ball, between downs when the Aggies had the ball, when the Aggies scored, whenever Johnny Manziel ripped into his teammates, or whenever anyone in the crowd took a swig of Garrison Brothers.

Yelling takes place at Aggie basketball games, too, but with far different effect. Yelling takes place so infrequently, and with far fewer people, that it can be downright eerie. A deafeningly silent Reed Arena during an opponent's free throw (in this case, Vanderbilt) jerks out of its shoes, with the student Yellers causing the shooter (in this case, James Siakam) to have a "Fucking Shit!!!" moment and heave the ball sideways into the tuba. I'm not sure what they said exactly, but it sounded like it was straight of the Exorcism of Emily Rose. Not to be outdone, the other side of the arena featured a band member who would hit her throat while screaming, sounding like a freaking cuckoo bird during free throws. So yeah, the Yellers at basketball games were a little weird.

None of it helped the hapless Aggies on this doubly sleepy Saturday (the announced crowd of 6,520 must have included a few thousand kernels of popcorn), as Vandy avenged its two straight losses with a rousing victory in front of, well, at least four Commodore faithful. It's been a long year for the 'Dores on the hardwood, but the Road to 592 will never pass up the opportunity to Anchor Down within driving distance of home.

All told, that's 744 miles in two roundtrips. These Road 'Dores are road weary.

College basketball count: 23/347; Total count: 61/592.

Next One Up: The Road to 592 is headed to the magical city of Austin, Texas to catch Saturday's top-25 matchup between the Longhorns and the Kansas Jayhawks. It's possible we'll take in a bit of barbecue and live music while we're there... Follow along with the Twitter hashtag #ATX592.

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan trying his best to keep up with all the new stadiums (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.

This is Rice Football On Homecoming Night

By Andrew Hard

Saturday's Game: Rice Owls 52, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 14 (Rice Stadium, Houston, TX)



This wasn't a pregame shot. It wasn't an end-of-game blowout shot. And it wasn't a meaningless cupcake game against Central Directional State. No, this was a live shot during the 2nd quarter of Saturday's Conference USA matchup between the 6-3 Rice Owls and the 4-5 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

And ohbytheway, it was homecoming for the bowl-bound Owls. I think the blue blob-ish around the 40 yard line (behind the small tarp) is the band... I have no idea where the student section is. Maybe they were all so confident Rice would win that they just didn't show up (rightly so -- Rice won by 38)? Or they were just crushing the books in the library on a Saturday night (more likely)?

There were two places they weren't -- at this game, and at the Ginger Man pub down the street, where my wife and found ourselves in the middle of the third quarter by the time Rice had more points than fans in attendance. And if you think that this small crowd still packed a punch, think again -- when the Owls scored their third touchdown on a 30-yard toss sweep, the fans on the alumni side DIDN'T EVEN STAND UP! Apparently, anything more than a golf clap is completely inappropriate for even the most diehard Owl football fans. As far as I could tell, there weren't any.

If you're looking for a good "fan experience" at a Rice game, though, there is a positive note to this sad story: they serve beer at the stadium.

College football count: 15/123; Total count: 58/592.

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan trying his best to keep up with all the new stadiums (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.

Welcome to the SEC, Aggies

By Andrew Hard

Saturday's Game -- Texas A&M Aggies 56, Vanderbilt Commodores 24 (Kyle Field, College Station, TX)

Were these the only 6 Vandy fans at Kyle Field on Saturday? A survey of most A&M fans in the crowd says yes.

It's very rare for a Vanderbilt fan to have a bad time at an SEC road game. Having now seen Vanderbilt play at 9 of the 13 other stadiums in the conference, I can say that there are four good reasons for this:

1. Vandy is not very good. Opposing fans know this, and they are not threatened.

Sure, the Bobby Johnson-era days of the 'Dore mats have long since passed. Under James Franklin, Vandy rolls over much less than they used to. But make no mistake about it, this doesn't mean that the 'Dores are going into enemy territory and coming out with anything more than a moral victory and a couple of tweaked hammies. Vanderbilt's reputation precedes it, and the SEC behemoths always go into Saturday knowing that Vandy will (likely) be an easy win.

I've written before that college football fans are way nicer than NFL fans, and this applies doubly in the SEC. But ask any Alabama or Georgia or Florida fan how it feels to stroll into Knoxville for a game weekend, and they'll tell a different story. Hell, even Knoxville cops get in on the act. Last year, a couple of Missouri fans wrote about their arrest for public intoxication when they were doing nothing more than trying to find a cab home. Fans of the School Out East (like most Vandy fans, I will never use their popular two-letter moniker that rightly belongs to the Longhorns) do NOT take kindly to any perceived threat to their manhood, and this includes the crime of wearing the opposing colors of a team that MIGHT have a chance to knock off the Vols.

Even Out East, though, Vandy doesn't get this treatment (at least, not until the last couple of years). When no one expects your team to roll into town and come out with a win, they treat you well. "Aww, thanks for coming, Vandy! You guys tried so hard. We'll see you in two years to whip your ass again!" And usually, they're right.

2. Vandy does not have very many fans. It's cute to give us the far corner of the stadium, because that's all the people we bring.

Now yes, I know you're going to make jokes about how Vandy can't even out-fan opposing teams in our own stadium. I blame most of that on the student section, who can't be bothered to make their way into Sections P and Q when they'd rather be off at the frat house getting drunk and taking home some beautiful... okay yeah, I guess I get it. But when "GO DAWGS, SIC 'EM" is clearly audible on every kickoff in your own building, you know you've got a problem.

On the road? We're lucky to take up 1% of the 980,000-seat stadiums elsewhere in the SEC. To most people in the South, meeting a Vandy fan is like meeting an Arizona Cardinals fan -- you know they must be out there somewhere, and you think you may have met a friend of a friend one time who went there for business school or something, but you never really see them around. It's easy to not feel threatened by an opposing fan base that can usually fit on one or two charter buses.

3. The vast majority of Vandy fans graduated from Vandy, so they're generally smarter nicer less likely to destroy your frat house and set your car on fire.

Sorry, it's true. Unless we're talking about Vandy's own frat houses. Stay classy, SAE.

4. Vandy fans are generally more concerned with having a good time than having a good game.

At the Grove in Oxford, Ole Miss fans have a classic saying that goes something like this: "We may not win many football games, but we never lose a party."

Vandy fans will tailgate, pregame, postgame, and blackout with opposing fans because we just don't really care that much about the result of the game. Sure, we're ecstatic when the 'Dores win (if you had seen me and my buddy Jordan high-fiving Mr. Commodore on the sideline in Athens in 2006... or me and my buddy Scott drinking, well, everything after Vandy murdered The School Out East last year... or me and my buddy Pete doing likewise in Oxford last year... well, you get the point), but we also like to travel to new places and enjoy true, authentic college towns. Nashville is one of the most fun cities in the entire country. But it is not really a "college town" in the sense that Athens, Oxford, or Baton Rouge are TRUE college towns. Sometimes, it's just fun to get out and have a good time in a new place, regardless of what happens with the game.

So, how does Texas A&M fit into the Vandy-pounding checklist? Judging by last Saturday, I'd say they fit right in. We rolled into College Station for the 11:21 AM kickoff (please tell me why this seems to always happen to Vandy) at around 8 AM and started unloading our tailgate equipment next to a few A&M fans. Now when I say "tailgate equipment," bear in mind that there were only six of us, so this consisted of one small table, a tiny charcoal grill about two feet high, and a few small coolers filled with beer and breakfast tacos.

Seeing how "cute" we were, an Aggie fan in his mid-60s or so saunters over from their tailgate. "Hey, y'all want to join us?", he asks. He might as well have said, "ain't never seen a VANDY fan before!"

Just like that, the nicest people you'll ever meet were feeding us beer, giant sausages, hamburgers, all while watching College Gameday on two large flat-screens with A&M-logoed satellite dishes plugged into their giant generator. And after Johnny Football was finished treating our defense like the Napoleonic army at Waterloo, they kept partying with us well after the final buzzer.

Welcome to the SEC, Aggies. Beating up on Vandy is a decades-old tradition. Just keep inviting us to the party.

College football count: 13/123; Total count: 54/592.

Next one up: The Road to 592 is headed to Indiana next weekend to catch the worst Big Ten game of all time -- Indiana-Illinois. Colts-Rams will follow, and a lot more shenanigans promise to be in between. Follow the hashtag #bloomianapolis592 for live updates.

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan with a sparse history of truly great sports atmospheres (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.

This Houston Texans Fan Just Set $200 On Fire

By Andrew Hard

Sunday's game: Seattle Seahawks 23, Houston Texans 20 OT (Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX)

If you asked someone to name the four largest cities in the country, the list would probably look something like this:

1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. San Francisco, maybe? Or Philly? No, wait wait, it's definitely DALLAS!

Nope. Would it surprise you that #4 is Houston, Texas? Yup, "H-Town" isn't the fourth-largest city in the country for nothing. Sure, it's hot, and ... well, humid. But between the oil/energy industry, NASA, a booming legal market, and a jaw-dropping medical complex, Houston attracts a ton of smart people. Most of are them young professionals who come for the work and stay for the barbecue, the cheap housing prices, the weekend trips to Austin and San Antonio, and the world-class Texas talent (and no, I'm not talking about Dwight Howard, although he may be a fan of the talent too).

Some people in Houston, however, are not so smart. As Exhibit A, I offer you this:



How many idiotic Houston Texans fans can you spot in that clip? I count at least four:

1. The guy who thinks that a simple Bic lighter is going to set a $200 authentic jersey on fire. I'm guessing your average industrial dryer gets hotter than that.
2. The chick who thinks that throwing a receipt on top of the jersey is going to help (1:19). I'm not an Eagle Scout or anything, but maybe go help the guy looking for lighter fluid instead?
3. The two disgusting midriffs at 1:57 (male) and 2:12 (female). Guzzling your 9th Bud Light isn't complete without a shirt-wipe to make sure the rest of that beer doesn't dribble down on that flimsy $5 Walmart jersey.
4. The other chick (around 1:57) in the all-blue Andre Johnson fem-fitting T-shirt, tight jeans/leggings, and those massive sandal-heels. Dwight Howard has seen women at the, um, nightclub with shorter shoes than that. Not the best choice for a football game (unless you have another job to go to afterwards).

Oh, how about #1 again: the guy who took two hundred dollars and (almost) literally set it on fire. Don't get me wrong ... burning a jersey has its purposes. If you're a fan of Aaron Hernandez, Michael Vick, or someone more atrocious like Yadier Molina or Carlos Beltran (did you forget it's almost October and I'm a Braves fan?), burn baby burn. Who buys a jersey on the street and burns it immediately? Apparently, this guy.

Don't think that Houston is alone for its share of dumb NFL fans. If you've ever seen the tailgate scene in Philly, Dallas or Boston, I'm pretty sure you already knew that. As a whole, NFL fans often seem drunker, dumber, and more violent than college football fans. Why is this? At its core, it's the same sport: players getting paid -- sorry, NCAA -- to smash each other in the mouth and get closer and closer to that elusive goalline (if you're the Jaguars, VERY elusive).  Yet you don't hear any stories about Alabama fans booing Santa Claus, as the Eagles fans famously did. There are never brawls at the Clemson-South Carolina or Ole Miss-Mississippi State games (well, except on the field), like there were at this year's PRE-season Jets-Giants matchup. No matter what incidents you point to, it's pretty clear that there is way more fan-related violence on Sunday than on Saturday.

Before speculating as to the cause of this, let's debunk a few popular theories:

1. NFL fans are too drunk because they serve beer at the stadium.

Have you ever BEEN to a college tailgate? My friend Pete and I, along with his girlfriend Molly, went to Oxford last year for the Vandy-Ole Miss game. Before the game, we went to the liquor store and picked up a case of Bud Light and a fifth of Maker's to make it through three hours at The Grove -- Ole Miss' legendary tent-laden holy land of tailgating. Among the three of us, we were able to put away every drop of alcohol we bought, even if some of it had to enter Vaught-Hemingway Stadium tucked behind our belt buckles (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you've never been to an SEC game).

We were there for THREE hours. You do the math on how much we took in and how drunk we got. Now think about the majority of the fans in The Grove for that 7:00 kickoff that had been there anywhere from 8 to 12 total hours. Whether they entered the stadium (unlikely in most cases) or actually survived until kickoff, I don't remember any Vandy-Ole Miss fan fights going down in the stands or under any tents. Yet the alcohol sales in Oxford that day were enough to resurrect Jack Daniels himself from the grave.

NFL fans, on average, tailgate for about 2-3 hours. If your game starts at 12 or 1 (depending on what time zone you're in), it's unlikely that the parking lots are even open more than 3-4 hours beforehand. This is plenty of time for many people to get drunk, but it's no contest compared to the average college tailgate scene.

Once you're inside the stadium, how many beers can you afford (both physically and financially) to drink? Maybe 3? 4? That's a lot, but by itself it's not going to bring the average man to start throwing haymakers. The stadium isn't getting people drunk. If anything, it's the tailgate that's doing the dirty booze work -- but again, not like The Grove.

2. People in the Northeast are meaner than people from the South or West.

Well, that's true. But not all NFL games are played in the Northeast, and not all college football games are played in the South and West. You don't see any fights at a BC or Rutgers game, but boy do those 49ers and Raiders fans know how to throw down. They can't even play in the preseason anymore because of a 2011 incident in which two people were shot (the same article links to another Raiders fan fight as well as Ravens and Redskins fans going at it in separate incidents). Perhaps, you think, this is limited to insane Raiders fans and people from New York, Philly, and Baltimore. Perhaps you'd be wrong. Even Cowboys fans are now getting in on the act -- two beer bottles were cracked over some dude in a Witten jersey's head in the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot yesterday.

Then again, anyone who might have been attacked at the recent Vandy-UMass game in Foxboro could have just relocated to ... anywhere else in the stadium:



3. NFL fans are more passionate than college fans.

To a certain degree, that could be true. For some people, football is all there is. Having nothing in life to look forward to other than the weekly Eagles/Browns/Vikings loss can certainly drive someone to dread that weekly walk up the stairs from Mom's basement to the 20" 1985-style box television. But passion is the wrong word -- college football fans have as much passion and tradition as any NFL team, old or new. The heart of the problem is deeper than passion.


So what is the cause of all this? What factors drive you to go straight to Deadspin every Sunday night (as I do) looking for the latest crazy parking lot fight video? It's hard to find anything resembling HARD DATA for this kind of stuff, so don't ask me for any "proof." But here are a few theories I have based on actually attending games, observing fan behavior, and watching those hilarious videos (in increasing order):

1. Saturday is way more fun than Sunday.

Let's be honest, how many weeks do you dread Sunday Night Football because you know it's the last time you'll get to watch football before having to go back to work/school? Raise your hand if you spent your late Sunday afternoons in law school with your Corporations book on one side of the desk and RedZone mobile on the other.

/raises hand...

Saturdays are awesome. College students go back to frat houses for more tailgating after the games. Wanna-still-be-a-student alumni go across the street to the campus bars and relive their glory days while watching the rest of the Saturday games. No one has to wake up the next day, except to chase the hair of the dog with a bloody mary and to make sure you set your fantasy lineups 5 minutes before the early games kick off.

Sundays suck. So I don't blame your average NFL fan for showing up at the stadium already pissed off that he has to go back to work tomorrow. Unless he doesn't have a job, in which case he's pissed that he made the terrible life decision to spend all of his 500-square-foot-apartment-in-South-Boston rent money on Patriots tickets.

2. NFL fans are less likely to bring their wife/girlfriend/kids to a game than college fans.

College games are happy affairs (see #1). Everyone dresses up. In the South, women get together and plan these tailgates like freaking Kennedy dinner parties. There's pulled pork, brisket, chicken, creamed corn, baked beans, homemade potato salad, sweeeeet tea, and a tablecloth to make sure nothing gets spilled on your fancy $100 card table. Kids get together and learn how to throw a perfect spiral for the first time. Somewhere, Archie Manning watches over everything and sheds a small tear.

NFL games are an excuse for "the boys" to get together. Don't get me wrong -- my wife actually had a great time at the Texans' game yesterday. You'll see a lot of couples go to NFL games together. But many of the men are miserable because (see #1) they have to work the next day and, chances are, your wife isn't going to want to talk to you about your fantasy team for 5 straight hours. So why not get away and drink a few extra beers with your boys in the parking lot instead of spending your last day off with the missus?

Guess which fan is more likely to let a small incident escalate into a bottle-smashing brouhaha... the bowtie-and-khaki-clad lawyer from Buckhead sipping on a glass of Knob Creek with his kids nearby, or the gas station manager from Sewanee wearing a 10-year-old Keith Brooking jersey and working on his 6th Natty Ice?

Longhorns fans aren't getting into fights after the game. They've got better things to do.

3. NFL fans are dumber and less educated than college fans.

You might think this is obvious, since "college" by definition implies that someone actually went to and (maybe) graduated from the school for which they cheer. However, you might not have met the 19-year-old at Mugshots Grill & Bar in Tuscaloosa that waited on my dad and me while we stayed overnight en route to Starkville in 2008. This kid may only be taking "a few classes" at the nearby community college, but he knew more about Alabama recruits than Saban himself. It was a little scary that he felt the need to explain the details of a 16-year-old's "thigh muscles" to a couple of strangers...

Not every Alabama football fan went to Alabama. Not every Kentucky basketball fan went to Kentucky. Not every Stanford fan... whoops, take that one back. The point is, average GED-Joe in Opp or Enterprise or Opelika needs someone to root for, even if he couldn't get into the University of Alabama (or even figure out how to apply). He may not have "book smarts," but doggone he's going to make up for it by memorizing everything about every Tide recruit in every database his Mom's internet connection can find.

But NFL fans are a different breed of dumb. MANY Atlanta Falcons "fans" continue to believe that Michael Vick is still the son of God, continue to wear his jerseys to the games, and continue to blindly insult anyone who speaks otherwise (if you don't believe me on this, spend one game in the Georgia Dome upper deck). Steelers fans continue to wave penalty flag-towels that look like dishrags covered in mustard. Texans fans buy $200 jerseys for the sole purpose of burning them. 31% of the American population has a bachelor's degree, but in the nosebleed section of an NFL stadium, 31 is more like the average IQ.

Goodell's latest "policy" isn't safety-driven at all. All he feels are his league's pockets getting deeper as these clear bags fly off the shelves.

So other than having to walk all the way back to our car before the game to empty the contents of my wife's purse (thanks to Goodell's brilliant revenue-driving "clear bag" policy), having to listen to the husband and wife behind me talk about their jointly-managed fantasy team (and asking why they didn't display "fantasy points" on the jumbotron alongside the stats), and watching Matt Schaub and the Texans run the "pick-six" play to Richard Sherman, we had a great time at Reliant Stadium. I think our next trip will be to College Station. Or Austin. Or anywhere with a "U," for that matter.

Hook 'em Horns, Gig 'em, it doesn't matter. Just get me back on campus.

NFL Count: 4/32; Total Count: 53/592

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan with a sparse history of truly great sports atmospheres (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.

Championship Week Preview, Part II

By Andrew Hard

Last week, The Road to 592 broke down the first 14 conference tournaments, starting with the Big South and culminating Tuesday with champions crowned in the NEC, Horizon, and Summit leagues. The big boys have yet to take the court (unless you count a 37-37 regulation tilt between Seton Hall and South Florida as "big boy" basketball), but the six major conference tourneys will soon provide lots of fluffy bubble drama (SEC) and actual, tournament-impacting drama (Big Ten). Don't sleep either on the deeper A-10 and Mountain West conferences, who may put as many as 5 teams apiece into the tournament.

Here's a look at the remaining 16 conference tournaments, all starting this week:

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)

When: Monday through Saturday

Where: Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, VA
TV: Final round on ESPNU (Saturday, 5:00)

The Field: Norfolk State, North Carolina Central, Hampton, Savannah State, Morgan State, Delaware State, North Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Florida A&M, Howard, South Carolina State, Maryland-Eastern Shore

The Favorite: It's hard to bet against a team that won an NCAA Tournament game a year ago, went an undefeated 16-0 in conference, and comes into the tournament on a 15-game winning streak. Norfolk State is cruising right now, and they'll have the tournament in their own backyard. It's hard to pick against this #1 seed, although it is worth noting that they did not match up against #2 seed NC Central in the regular season (I'm not quite sure how this is possible).

The Darkhorse: Another #15 seed darling from a few years ago also came out of the MEAC -- nearby Hampton, located just 22 miles from Norfolk State's campus, upset #2 Iowa State in 2001 just 11 years before Norfolk turned the trick. The Pirates draw the #3 seed in this year's tourney and lost by only 10 combined points in their two meetings with the Spartans. They might also have the only non-Norfolk State fans in the house should these teams meet in the final.

Why You Should Watch: If you're a diehard fan of Duke, Louisville, Gonzaga, or Indiana, you might want to do some scouting of a potential first-round opponent. Otherwise, this title game should just be filler in between commercial breaks of the big boy tournaments you'll be watching instead.

Roadto592 Pick: Norfolk State

Mid-American Conference (MAC)

When: Monday through Saturday

Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH (first round on campus)
TV: Second, third and semifinal rounds on ESPN3, Final round on ESPN2 (Saturday, 6:30)

The Field: Akron, Ohio, Western Michigan, Kent State, Ball State, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH)

The Favorite: The dream final here would be a repeat of last year's electric championship game between Akron and Ohio. The Bobcats fought off a furious charge from the Zips in the final minutes of that one, winning 64-63 and then advancing all the way to the Sweet 16. Don't be surprised if either team, whichever wins, goes on another deep run -- the Zips have an even more robust profile (24-6, 12-2 MAC, 51 RPI) than Ohio did last year, projecting them around that same #13 line in the NCAAs. I'm giving the slight edge to Akron in this one, after they fended off Ohio in overtime on the road just two weeks ago. 

The Darkhorse: #4 seed Kent State won at Akron to close the regular season and also took Ohio to overtime on the road. If anyone's going to disrupt the 1-2 matchup, it might be the Golden Flashes, led by 6'8" senior Chris Evans (16.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg). It's worth noting that both Akron and Ohio get byes to the semifinals in this tournament, so the battle is an uphill one for any team trying to break those top two.

Why You Should Watch: The last four MAC title games have all been decided by 1-2 points or overtime. You know this is going to be close, and if it's an Akron-Ohio matchup, you'll likely be watching one of the teams you pick to make an improbable Sweet 16 run.

Roadto592 Pick: Akron

Big East Conference

When: Tuesday through Saturday

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: First round on ESPNU (Tuesday, 7:00 and 9:00), Second round on ESPN (Wednesday, 12:00 and 2:00) and ESPN2 (7:00 and 9:00), Quarterfinals (Thursday, 12:00, 2:00, 7:00 and 9:00), Semifinals (Friday, 7:00 and 9:00), and Finals (Saturday, 8:30) on ESPN

The Field: Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Cincinnati, St. John's, Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Florida, DePaul

The Favorite: An up-and-down season throughout college basketball actually produced a pretty clear split at the top of this conference, as Georgetown, Louisville, and Marquette all finished 2 games clear of the rest of the Big East field. But don't look for chalk in this tournament -- a #1 seed hasn't won since 2009, and the legendary "five wins in five days" run by UConn in 2011 often seems more like the norm than the outlier. Still, no one is playing better basketball in the country right now than Louisville, winners of 10 of their last 11 (with the only loss coming in that five-overtime thriller in South Bend). Gorgui Dieng might be the best big man in the conference -- the 6'11" Senegal native has posted a double-double in four of the Cardinals' last seven games and is one of only two Big East-ers to average 10 and 10 this year (Jack Cooley being the other).

The Darkhorse: No one will win five games in five days this year, since the departure of West Virginia and the academic ineligibility of UConn mean that only the bottom 4 teams play in the opening round Tuesday. But from the Wednesday crowd, don't put it past #9 seed Cincinnati to be the team catching fire all the way to a Saturday title. The Bearcats are a lot more talented than their bubble-worthy 21-10, 9-9 record, and Sean Kilpatrick is capable of a Kemba Walker-esque scoring run (just ask Marquette, who got torched for 36 points in a January 19 road overtime loss). Cincy draws beatable Providence on Wednesday before a Thursday date with the plodding, defensive-oriented Hoyas. You know that game will stay close, and if Kilpatrick has the last shot, advantage Bearcats.

Why You Should Watch: If nothing else, it's at least worth watching Bill Raftery scream "MAN TO MAN" for the last time, and weep on the air after this one is over. The Big East has been the best, most historic conference in the country for at least the last 30 years, with rivalries like Georgetown-Syracuse, Louisville-Notre Dame, and Pitt-West Virginia giving us some of the most dramatic basketball theater we've ever seen. This will be the last go-around for this conference as we know it, with Pitt, Syracuse, and Notre Dame jumping to the ACC and the "Catholic 7" taking the conference name with them to join Butler, Xavier, and Creighton next year. Take in every minute of this last version of MSG Madness, and pour one out for Lou Carnesecca, Rollie Massimino, and John Thompson when it's all said and done.

Roadto592 Pick: Louisville

Mountain West Conference

When: Tuesday through Saturday

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
TV: Quarterfinals (Wednesday, 3:00, 5:30, 9:30, and midnight) and semifinals (Friday, 9:00 and 11:30) on CBS Sports Network, Finals on CBS (Saturday, 6:00)

The Field: New Mexico, Colorado State, UNLV, San Diego State, Boise State, Air Force, Fresno State, Wyoming, Nevada

The Favorite: New Mexico has more or less dominated this conference all year, winning 13 of 15 before a 1-point slip-up at Air Force to close the year. The Lobos have to be considered the favorites, but this is as wide open a field as ever, with as many as 5 teams on the verge of NCAA bids. Don't count out any of the top 5 to win this tournament, including the homestanding UNLV Rebels, the out-muscle-you-out-of-the-gym Colorado State Rams, or the why-don't-we-play-on-a-blue-court Boise State Broncos. But New Mexico has earned clear favorite status in this one. 

The Darkhorse: If anyone outside the top 5 is going to make a run, it has to be Air Force. The Falcons are incredibly efficient, ranking in the top 20 in the country in both field goal percentage and assists per game. Senior Michael Lyons (18.3 ppg) put up 30 in that win against New Mexico and 45 in an overtime loss to Colorado State. Air Force draws UNLV on Wednesday and wouldn't have to play top-seeded New Mexico until the final.

Why You Should Watch: There's bubble drama all over this one. The San Diego State-Boise State quarterfinal on Wednesday might be a tournament play-in game, with the loser having to sweat it out on Selection Sunday. It's in the conference's best interests to have the Lobos pull this one out, though, as they might be in line for a 2 seed if they do. New Mexico laid an egg as a 3-seed in 2010 (losing in the 2nd round) and would be looking for redemption if they made it that high in this year's bracket.

Roadto592 Pick: Colorado State

Western Athletic Conference (WAC)

When: Tuesday through Saturday

Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV: Final round on ESPNU (Saturday, 11:00)

The Field: Louisiana Tech, Denver, New Mexico State, Texas-Arlington, Utah State, Idaho, Texas State, San Jose State, Texas-San Antonio, Seattle

The Favorite: It wasn't long ago that the WAC would regularly get at-large teams in the NCAA Tournament. Back in the heyday of Nevada and Nick Fazekas, the Wolf Pack could afford to lose this conference title game because they were assured of a single digit seed, giving the auto-bid to the likes of New Mexico State and Utah State. Those days are long gone -- the Mountain West poached Nevada, Fresno State, and Boise State, and after next year, only New Mexico State and Seattle University will be left out of the current 10. As bad as things have been for the WAC and as worse as they'll be in the near future, they can definitely hang their hat on 26-5 Louisiana Tech, who lost their only two conference games this week after an 18-game winning streak. The Bulldogs may not have the profile of an at-large team, but they will certainly be in contention for a 12-14 seed (and prime upset position) if they win this tourney.

The Darkhorse: It's hard to imagine anyone below the 3-4 seed winning this thing, since so many of these teams are in way over their heads due to quickie conference expansion. New Mexico State, though, does pose a legitimate threat to take down the Bulldogs should they make it to the final. 7'5", 355 pound Sim Bhullar is everything you'd expect from a 7'5" freshman -- raw offensively, uncoordinated, but very dangerous inside. He would be the darling of the NCAAs if the Aggies made it, and with 10.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 2.4 bpg, he might be the difference-maker NMSU needs.

Why You Should Watch: Watching a 7'5" man play basketball is entertaining in itself. Especially when you're drunk at a bar for an 11:00 tip after "I swear it's just St. Patties Day Eve!"

Roadto592 Pick: Louisiana Tech

Pac-12 Conference

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV: First round (Wednesday, 3:00, 5:30, 9:00, and 11:30) on Pac-12 Network, Quarterfinals on Pac-12 Network (Thursday, 3:00, 5:30, and 9:00) and ESPNU (11:30), Semifinals on Pac-12 Network (Friday, 9:00) and ESPN (11:30), Finals on ESPN (Saturday, 9:00)

The Field: UCLA, California, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, USC, Stanford, Arizona State, Utah, Washington State, Oregon State

The Favorite: I don't know. Arizona looked like a man among boys in pre-conference play, with that come-from-behind win over Florida still up there as one of the games of the year. Oregon had an amazing run to start conference play but barely showed up for their final 11 games. Cal took the reins from the Ducks, but pre-conference losses to Wisconsin, Creighton, UNLV and Harvard show that the Golden Bears may not be ready just yet. UCLA is the most talented team in the conference, but Ben Howland's squad often fails to show up (double-digit road losses at Arizona State and Washington State tarnish an otherwise-brilliant resume). When in doubt, take the #1 seed -- that's UCLA.

The Darkhorse: Colorado, Colorado, Colorado. After a Wednesday date with the woeful OSU Beavers, Colorado gets Arizona for the third time this season in the quarterfinals. You think they still aren't bitter about that buzzer-beating-three-pointer-that-wasn't? "Of course, this was a revenge game," said would-be hero Spencer Dinwiddie after the Buffaloes throttled the Wildcats in the rematch. Give Colorado that win, and they're an NCAA lock. Give them another chance at Arizona, and you're looking at a double-revenge game, with an NCAA berth perhaps on lockdown should Dinwiddie & Co. pull it out.

Why You Should Watch: I have AT&T, which doesn't even carry the Pac-12 Network. Most of you Comcast subscribers probably don't go deep enough in your channel packages to get it, either. Is this a backlash to East Coast bias? They might be keeping their network from us on purpose. On the other hand, Washington and Colorado are squarely in this conference's footprint, so you'd forgive them for just forgetting...

Roadto592 Pick: Colorado

Conference USA

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
TV: Quarterfinals (Thursday, 1:00, 3:30, 7:00, and 9:30) and semifinals (Friday, 4:00 and 6:30) on CBS Sports Network, Finals on CBS (Saturday, 11:30)

The Field: Memphis, Southern Mississippi, UTEP, East Carolina, Tulsa, Houston, UAB, Tulane, Marshall, Southern Methodist, Rice

The Favorite: Only three teams this year ran the table in conference play. One of them will be the #1 seed in the country (Gonzaga). Another might face them in the 1-16 game (Norfolk State). The third? You got it -- Memphis. Perhaps bolstered by the hurricane of booze and karaoke that some Nashville walkerbyers brought to Beale Street in late January, the Tigers have won 21 of their last 22 games, including 2 double-digit wins over Southern Miss, the only other team that has a prayer in this tournament. Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Robert Dozier aren't walking through that door, which tells you how bad C-USA is when Memphis can still go a perfect 16-0.

The Darkhorse: Houston sophomore guard Joseph Young led the conference in scoring (18.5 ppg), and the Cougars finished 7th in the nation in scoring at 78.6 ppg. Houston was one of only two C-USA teams to really give Memphis a game at the FedEx Forum (losing 81-74 on Feb. 20), and the #6 seed Cougars won this tournament from the #7 line just three years ago. It'll be tough sailing to knock down Memphis, but the Cougars can at least out-score anyone in this league.

Why You Should Watch: Have I mentioned that conference realignment is murdering everything you know and love about college basketball? Memphis is leaving next year for the "America 12," along with seemingly half this league, and the replacements behind them make Keanu Reeves look like Tom Hanks. So as bad as C-USA is now, get 'em while they're hot ... or at least lukewarm.

Roadto592 Pick: Memphis

Southland Conference

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: Leonard E. Merrell Center, Katy, TX
TV: Semifinals on ESPN3 (Friday, 6:00 and 8:30), Finals on ESPN2 (8:30)

The Field: Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State, Oral Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State, Sam Houston State, Central Arkansas, McNeese State

The Favorite: Five years ago, Stephen F. Austin entered this tournament with a 26-5 record, only to lose in the semis. The Lumberjacks were projected as a 12-13 seed in that year's NCAAs, but with the #7 seeded UT-Arlington Mavericks surviving the conference tourney, the Southland was "saddled" with a #16 seed and a quick first-round exit. Who do you think the conference is pulling for this weekend? Once again, SFA comes in with 26 wins, atop the conference, and in line for a likely #13 seed. A new tournament format means the Lumberjacks will only have to win two games to claim the title this time around.

The Darkhorse: #3 seed Oral Roberts, a perennial tournament winner in the Summit League, will be a tough out in their inaugural Southland tourney. The Golden Eagles played a tough schedule this year, losing to tourney teams Belmont, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Memphis in pre-conference play before posting a 13-5 record in league play. Warren Niles is second in the conference with 19.1 points per game.

Why You Should Watch: See reasons for watching the MAC tourney. If the Lumberjacks get out of this one alive, they're worth consideration as an early upset pick from around the 13 line.

Roadto592 Pick: Stephen F. Austin

Big 12 Conference

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
TV: First round (Wednesday, 7:00 and 9:30) on Big 12 Network, Quarterfinals on ESPN2 (Thursday, 12:30 and 3:00) and Big 12 Network (7:00 and 9:30), Semifinals on ESPNU (Friday, 7:00 and 9:30), Finals on ESPN (Saturday, 6:00)

The Field: Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas, West Virginia, Texas Tech, TCU

The Favorite: What a year in the Big 12. We all thought Kansas had finally taken a mid-season losing streak, put everything on Elliott Johnson's back, and ridden off into another easy conference title and 1-seed, like they always do. Then that Baylor game happened. Does Bill Self's team not give a crap when the stakes are low? Does that mean they won't really care about winning this thing, which no current conference member other than Kansas has done since 2005? For the Jayhawks, it's simply a matter of efficiency from the field -- in their four Big 12 losses, Kansas shot 38.4%, including a middle school-esque 18-61 against TCU; in their other 27 games (including a loss to Michigan State), they shot 48.7%. The Jayhawks could be very tested as soon as the semis, when they likely face either Oklahoma (who won in Norman) or Iowa State (who should have won in Ames).

The Darkhorse: You think Iowa State doesn't want another shot at Kansas? Colorado was robbed of a win at Arizona because of one missed look at the clock and ball-in-hand. Iowa State suffered a series of head-scratchers down the stretch in a game they HAD in the bag. Fortunately for the Cyclones, they're likely to get an NCAA bid anyway barring a blowout loss to Oklahoma in the quarters, but you know they'd love another shot at the Jayhawks in the semis in a game that will mean a whole lot more to ISU than it does to KU.

Why You Should Watch: The top three teams in this conference could all find themselves as 4 seeds or better in the NCAAs. This league doesn't have the overall numbers, but its top teams can do damage against just about anyone in the country. And if you're not a fan of barn-burners like Georgetown 61, Syracuse 39, I suggest you tune into this one to see more games like Kansas 108, Iowa State 96 or Oklahoma State 85, Kansas 80.

Roadto592 Pick: Kansas

Southeastern Conference

When: Wednesday through Sunday

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
TV: First round (Wednesday, 7:30 and 10:00) and second round (Thursday, 1:00, 3:30, 7:30, and 10:00) on SEC Network, Quarterfinals on ESPNU (Friday, 1:00, 3:30, 7:30, and 10:00), Semifinals (Saturday, 1:00 and 3:30) and Finals (Sunday, 1:00) on ABC

The Field: Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Auburn

The Favorite: By default, the Gators have to be considered the most likely candidate to cut down the nets here. Only two teams -- Florida and Missouri -- can be considered virtual locks for the NCAA Tournament (and it would certainly behoove Mizzou not to lose on Thursday to the Texas A&M-Auburn winner). Everyone seeded 2-5 is squarely on the bubble. Florida was perched as high as a #1 seed a month ago, yet in their last 6 games, the Gators have choked (not chomped) down the stretch, losing three times in games where they had a late lead. Florida would possibly perch themselves back up to the #2 line if they won this thing, but if they lose their first game, they could fall as low as #5. Still, I can't see even giving the slightest look at anyone else to be "favored" in this thing.

The Darkhorse: Everyone not named Florida? If we're judging purely by seeding, #6 Missouri probably has the best shot to actually win from the lower lines, since they're by most accounts the 2nd-most talented team in the conference (post-Nerlens Noel). I wouldn't be surprised if anyone in the top 8 ran the table, even (gulp) the semi-red-hot Volunteers, who will probably boast the strongest fan base south of Big Blue Nation.

Why You Should Watch: Bubble. Watch. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Tennessee could all make the tournament, and they could all miss it. It's likely that Friday's Alabama-Tennessee quarterfinal (should the Vols win their first game) is a play-out game, though UT has some cushion after Saturday's win over Mizzou. It's also likely that no one outside of Florida gets a single-digit seed in the NCAAs, which would be the SEC's worst showing since 2009, when only three teams made the tourney and none got out of the round of 32 (and one of those, Mississippi State, was the auto-bid).

Roadto592 Pick: Kentucky

Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX
TV: Final round on ESPN2 (Saturday, 4:30)

The Field: Southern, Jackson State, Alcorn State, Prairie View A&M, Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Grambling State

The Favorite: Texas Southern boasted the best record in league play this year, a robust 16-2. The Tigers recently got a major hammer from the NCAA, though, and won't be making the drive up to suburban Dallas for this year's tourney. That leaves the 15-3 Southern Jaguars as the best team left in the field, as 15-3 Arkansas-Pine Bluff will also be staying home due to APR violations (as well as 5-13 Mississippi Valley State). 

The Darkhorse: Southern is #1 or #2 in the league in almost every statistical category that the conference lists, so it's hard to find a weakness relative to the other teams in the league. No team eligible for the tournament gave Southern a hard time in league play -- in 12 such games, the Jaguars won 8 by double digits and lost only 1, at Alcorn State. I guess that leaves the #3 seed Braves as the most likely candidate to pull the upset, but the numbers aren't favorable for anyone below the #1 line.

Why You Should Watch: With a loss in their opening round game against Alabama A&M, Grambling State would finish the regular season a winless 0-28 (0-19 in league play), the first winless team since NJIT went 0-29 in 2007-08. But that NJIT team was in just its second year as a provisional D-1 squad; Grambling has been playing at the highest level for 36 years. Furthermore, the Tigers have not even come within single digits -- their closest loss was Feb. 9, 63-53 at home to Prairie View A&M. Here's hoping that they at least keep it close against AAMU, even if they can't avoid living forever in winless infamy.

Roadto592 Pick: Southern

Atlantic 10 Conference

When: Thursday through Sunday

Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
TV: First round (Thursday, 1:00, 3:30, 7:30, and 10:00), Quarterfinals (1:00, 3:30, 7:30, and 10:00), and Semifinals (Saturday, 2:30 and 5:00) on CBS Sports Network (in select markets), Finals on CBS (Sunday, 2:00)

The Field: Saint Louis, VCU, Temple, La Salle, Butler, Massachusetts, Xavier, Richmond, Charlotte, St. Joseph's, George Washington, Dayton

The Favorite: This tournament and the Mountain West will be the best two "mid-major" tourneys of the year, and both will probably be better than the Pac-12 and SEC (not to mention both conference might secure more NCAA bids). VCU and Butler are the darlings of the 2011 NCAAs and made a big splash with their joint moves to the A-10 this year, but it's the Saint Louis Billikens who deserve top billing for this Barclays Center Classic. In a league that will likely get 5 teams into the NCAAs, SLU recently rattled off an 11-game winning streak, knocking Butler completely out of the rankings and relegating the VCU Rams to the second seed. SLU keeps it low-scoring, ranking 16th in the nation in opponents' points per game and boasting no scorer over 12.9 ppg themselves. They've beaten all the best this year in the new and improved A-10 and have certainly earned the #16 national ranking for late former coach Rick Majerus.

The Darkhorse: Ever since Sampson Carter hit a buzzer-beating three to knock off Harvard in UMass' opening game, I've had my eye on the Minutemen. Sure, UMass can't stop anyone, but they're second in the conference in points per game (behind VCU) and boast an electric teacup scorer in 5'9" junior Chaz Williams, who poured in 20+ five times in league play this year. The Minutemen aren't an at-large candidate, so they have nothing to lose. They also draw the similarly up-tempo Temple Owls in the quarterfinals, a team that tried to run with UMass and barely succeeded in an 83-82 win February 16; the like-minded VCU Rams would be the projected semifinal matchup. If the Minutemen can make everyone else play their game, why not UMass?

Why You Should Watch: You haven't seen these teams play a whole lot in the regular season, I'm guessing (I haven't). Get to know them, because at least 4-5 will be in your bracket come Selection Sunday. Sure, you may pick Butler because you know the name, but if La Salle is hanging around that 11 line, you better give the Explorers just the same consideration to pull the upset.

Roadto592 Pick: VCU

Big West Conference

When: Thursday through Saturday

Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
TV: Semifinals on ESPNU (Friday, 9:30 and midnight), Finals on ESPN2 (Saturday, 10:30)

The Field: Long Beach State, Pacific, Cal Poly, UC-Irvine, Hawaii, UC-Davis, UC-Santa Barbara, Cal State-Fullerton

The Favorite: Long Beach has consistently lived up to their favorite status in recent years, even scheduling a very tough non-conference schedule in anticipation of potential at-large consideration. Pre-conference tilts against UNC, Arizona, Syracuse, Ohio State, and UCLA should make Big West play look like a breeze, right? Well the 49ers cruised early (winning 12 of their first 13) before fading a bit down the stretch (losing 3 of their last 4, including a BracketBuster tilt with Stephen F. Austin). You could chalk this up to complacency after the #1 seed was in the bag, or you could view it as a sign of trouble. I'm still thinking Long Beach is the heavy favorite, though a 20-point road loss to #2 Pacific on Saturday doesn't help that assertion.

The Darkhorse: #4 seed UC-Irvine finished hot, winning 6 of their final 7 including home victories over the top 2 seeds. They're just as seasoned, going up against UCLA, LSU, UNLV, and USC in pre-conference play. And they pound you on the glass, grabbing a league-high 38.5 rebounds per game. Wouldn't you love to see the Anteaters win in something other than surfing?

Why You Should Watch: Gratuitous shots of the beach will make you wonder why you didn't move to Orange County as soon as you turned 18.

Roadto592 Pick: Long Beach State

Big Sky Conference

When: Thursday through Saturday

Where: Dahlberg Arena, Missoula, MT
TV: Final round on ESPNU (Saturday, 9:00)

The Field: Montana, Weber State, North Dakota, Montana State, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona

The Favorite: Smartly, the Big Sky awards its regular season champion with home-court advantage for the entire tournament. For Montana, it hasn't mattered -- in the 7 years since the conference moved its tournament on campus, the Grizzlies have won 3 times, but only once on their home floor. And Montana even won an NCAA game over fellow mid-major Nevada in 2006. Expect the 23-6 Grizzlies to garner a 13-14 seed with a good showing here, and the prime upset position that comes with it. Don't sleep on #2 seed Weber State though -- the Wildcats crushed Montana by 24 in Ogden for the Grizz' only conference loss.

The Darkhorse: When rivalries are in play, you have to throw it all out the window, right? #4 seed Montana State gave the Grizzlies all they could handle in two matchups this year, losing in OT on the road and then dropping a 3-point contest at home in Bozeman. Junior Flavien Davis (11.4 ppg) dropped 30 points in that contest and has hit double figures in 8 of his last 10 games -- if he gets hot again, the third time could be the charm for the Bobcats.

Why You Should Watch: To see if an actual fight between a bobcat and a grizzly bear breaks out at halftime. In Missoula, Montana, I wouldn't bet against it.

Roadto592 Pick: Montana

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

When: Thursday through Sunday

Where: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
TV: First round on ESPNU (Thursday, 12:00, 2:00, 7:00 and 9:00), Quarterfinals on ESPN2 (Friday, 12:00, 2:00, 7:00 and 9:00), Semifinals (Saturday, 1:00 and 3:00) and Finals (Sunday, 1:00) on ESPN

The Field: Miami (FL), Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, NC State, Florida State, Maryland, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Clemson, Virginia Tech

The Favorite: When you have a consensus Player of the Year candidate, you should be one of the best teams in the country (Plumlee). When you have one of the top 5 shooters in the land, you should be one of the best teams in the country (Curry). And when your best player is actually someone who just came back from injury, carrying you to three signature wins down the stretch, you might just just be the best team in the country (Kelly). Duke-UNC was supposed to be a game, and it wasn't -- Seth Curry flat out taunted the Tar Heels, scoring 18 of his 20 in the first half, and the at-times-seemingly-incompetent-in-the-post Mason Plumlee kept UNC from making any semblance of a comeback. Ryan Kelly only notched 8 points on Saturday, yet the Blue Devils needed every one of his 36 in last Saturday's win over Miami. Yep, the Dukies are peaking at the right time once again, and no one should be surprised if they streak through their next 9 en route to cutting down the nets in Atlanta.

The Darkhorse: NC State could lose to woeful Virginia Tech on Thursday and put themselves in serious bubble trouble. Or the Wolfpack could crush VT and UVA, fend off Miami in the semis, and take down Duke for the second time this year to take the ACC title. Underdog status seems to suit Mark Gottfried's bunch better than being favorites -- NC State advanced to the Sweet 16 as an 11-seed (in the NCAAs) last year and came within three points of the ACC final as an 11-seed (in the ACC) two years before that. After climbing up to #14 in the country after beating Duke, the Wolfpack promptly lost 5 of 6, putting them in fairly comfortable position coming into this tournament -- no one expects them to win. NC State definitely has the talent and depth to hang with the big boys: 5 players average double figures in scoring, and Lorenzo Brown (12.5 ppg, 7.0 apg) is one of the best distributors in the country. The newly discovered underdog status could be just what NC State needs to actually get back on the winning path.

Why You Should Watch: Bubble watching is limited to Virginia here. Miami, Duke, UNC and NC State are in the tournament, but Virginia is firmly on the bubble despite their February 28 upset of Duke (a wacky overall profile includes seven losses to RPI 101+ teams and eight wins over RPI 1-100 teams). It would behoove the Wahoos to knock off NC State in the quarterfinals to really lock down that bid, as a semifinal loss to Miami wouldn't really tarnish the profile all that much. If you needed more reasons to watch this tournament, look no further than Duke-UNC III and Duke-Miami III (if they happen). A dominant performance by the Blue Devils should vault them up to the #1 overall line entering the tournament.

Roadto592 Pick: Duke

Big 10 Conference

When: Thursday through Sunday

Where: United Center, Chicago, IL
TV: First round on Big Ten Network (Thursday, 12:00 and 2:30) and ESPN2 (6:30 and 9:00), Quarterfinals on ESPN (Friday, 12:00 and 2:30) and Big Ten Network (6:30 and 9:00), Semifinals (Saturday, 1:40 and 4:00) and Finals (3:30) on CBS

The Field: Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State

The Favorite: Indiana played a man's game on Sunday in Ann Arbor, showing that they deserved the #1 seed in what was far and away the toughest conference in America. The Hoosiers might match up better with Duke than any other team in the country, sporting a superior post man (Zeller), the most athletic player on the court (Oladipo), and lights out shooters (Hulls and Watford). The Hoosiers' relentless pace (2nd in the country at 80.8 ppg) has been a refreshing change this season in the plodding Big Ten, but Ohio State and Wisconsin have been able to shut down that pace in beating IU this year. If the Hoosiers can keep games in the 70s (IU scored 67+ points in every conference win this year), they'll get out of this bloodbath victorious and secure a #1 seed. If they get slowed down by Minnesota in the quarterfinals, though, that #1 line they've held all year could finally just slip away.

The Darkhorse: How can you really call anyone a dark horse when your #9 seed is a virtual lock for the NCAA Tournament? Sure, I don't see Purdue winning the thing, but any of the other first 9 has a legitimate shot at running the table. I see playing on Thursday being a huge disadvantage for all teams involved, especially Michigan, who was a top-5 national team all year before slipping to a #5 Big Ten team for this tourney (and a matchup with upset-minded Penn State, who just took down the Wolverines). Wisconsin might like their position the most among teams not named Indiana -- the Badgers would first draw a Michigan team that they beat (miraculously) in Ann Arbor, followed by a semifinal date with the Hoosiers (whom they beat in Bloomington) and a potential 45-44 final with either Ohio State or Michigan State. Wisconsin has three tempos -- slow, slower, and snail. It can be the most boring basketball on the planet, but if they can get those games in the 50s and 40s, they'll neutralize the Oladipos, the Zellers, the Crafts, and the Burkes that have defined the best teams in the league this year.

Why You Should Watch: If you don't watch this tournament, you shouldn't be allowed to ever touch a roundball again, much less fill out a bracket or even say the words "March" and "Madness" within 30 seconds of each other.

Roadto592 Pick: Ohio State -- barely -- over Indiana

--The Road to 592 is a pipe dream started by a diehard Atlanta fan with a sparse history of truly great sports atmospheres (being Atlanta and all). Read up on my unending pursuit here and check out the full list of venues here. For those sick of conference realignment, you can also relish in another pipe dream of mine -- the 28-team SEC. Follow me on Twitter @andrewhard592.