Or Not...
Before game 5, Gilbert announced that he will not suit up in the Number Zero jersey for the rest of the season. Watching the games we all knew he was not well and it sucks because he is capable of so much. Rest up Gil and come back with a vengeance! For now the underdog persona falls on Karate Bibby and Karate Iggy, who both are looking to topple the Eastern Conference Powerhouses. Bibby plays Game 5 Tonight following the Cavs and Wizards game on TNT. Tomorrow night (Thursday) A.I. is going to need to force a game 7 in Detroit, by pulling off some ridiculous dunks. Let's go 'Cats!
Karate Gil
Remember when Daniel LaRusso, with a torn ACL and shattered ankle, dropped Johnny Lawrence with a Crane Kick to pull off one of the biggest upsets in sports history? Well Gilbert Arenas is going to have to match that tonight as he tries to dig the Wizards out of a 3-1 hole in the NBA Playoffs in Cleveland (6 PM E.S.T. on TNT). Agent Zero with a bone bruise and pinched nerve in his knee, as well as a sprained wrist, will really need to shock the world and perform a crane kick of his own. Zero people think it can be done, and that is why Gil wears his number, and that is why he will get it done. Impossible is 0, go on Gil!
Best Acquisition?
Today on PTI, they discussed if the huge mid season transactions were failures... They only talked about the Shaq and Kidd deals and their effects in the Playoffs. Really? Who carried the Hawks back into the Playoffs? Who just led the Hawks to a win over the heavily favored Celtics, tying the series at 2's? Who led the Arizona Wildcats to the 1997 National Championship? Michael Bibby, that is who. The Hawks just won't go away and are becoming the talk of the town. Bibby single handedly carried them in the first half with his 18 points, which then opened up the second half for Joe Johnson to close. And Salim has not touched the court yet, the Celtics should be scared... VERY scared.
Arizona > UCLA
The list of Arizona players in the NFL has grown after this weekend as four Wildcats were drafted. Getting four drafted ranked Arizona fourth out of Pac-10 schools, in terms of players drafted. Teams that couldn't produce more players than our 'Cats include Oregon and UCLA. (Matt Slater of UCLA, pictured above, was drafted by the Pats, and it will be good to see him gone since his 100 yard kick return last year was the only offense the Bruins could muster , when Arizona dominated UCLA, again!) So big congratulations to these 'Cats and Matt!
Antoine Cason - CB- Round 1 - San Diego Super Chargers
Spencer Larsen - LB- Round 6 - Denver Broncos
Wilrey Fontenot - CB- Round 7 - Atlanta Falcons
Lionel Dotson - DT- Round 7 - Miami Dolphins
The Stoops' sure can produce some solid defensive players, and Louis Holmes will most likely be a big signing for someone. Can't wait to see Wilrey doing the Dirty Bird!
RauRaur's Big BoardAntoine Cason - CB- Round 1 - San Diego Super Chargers
Spencer Larsen - LB- Round 6 - Denver Broncos
Wilrey Fontenot - CB- Round 7 - Atlanta Falcons
Lionel Dotson - DT- Round 7 - Miami Dolphins
The Stoops' sure can produce some solid defensive players, and Louis Holmes will most likely be a big signing for someone. Can't wait to see Wilrey doing the Dirty Bird!
Scouts Inc. has some Inside Linebacker from Penn St. as their top player left on the board for Day 2 of the NFL draft. These are the same guys who have raved on for months about Cason's hips (Maybe they should focus more on his game play then his midsection, if you know what we mean). So we have decided to give our Day 2 Big Board, be sure to tell all your favorite NFL teams to check it out if they wanna win Super Bowls.
1.) Spencer Larsen -ILB- All Over the Field Tackle Machine/ Family Man
2.) Louis Holmes -DE- Athletic Freak- Will Body Slam Players, for Free!!
3.) Lionel Dotson -DT- Run Stopper, Fierce Player, Leaves it on the field
4.) Wilroy Fontenot -CB- Underrated Speed Demon w/ "Fluid/(Sexy?) Hips" ... (Thanks Scout!)
5.) Garon McHone -LS- Will Snap Through Walls!
6.) Dominic Patrick -S- People worry about him being injured... People should be more worried about who he injures! Lays the Wood!
7.) Chris Jennings -RB- Always tends to surprise with his underrated abilities.
There are probably other guys we overlooked, but these are the ones who stood out (Mario Manningham who?). Be sure to look out for these names on Sunday and give a little Rau Raur in appreciation for the work they put in Tucson these past years.
1.) Spencer Larsen -ILB- All Over the Field Tackle Machine/ Family Man
2.) Louis Holmes -DE- Athletic Freak- Will Body Slam Players, for Free!!
3.) Lionel Dotson -DT- Run Stopper, Fierce Player, Leaves it on the field
4.) Wilroy Fontenot -CB- Underrated Speed Demon w/ "Fluid/(Sexy?) Hips" ... (Thanks Scout!)
5.) Garon McHone -LS- Will Snap Through Walls!
6.) Dominic Patrick -S- People worry about him being injured... People should be more worried about who he injures! Lays the Wood!
7.) Chris Jennings -RB- Always tends to surprise with his underrated abilities.
There are probably other guys we overlooked, but these are the ones who stood out (Mario Manningham who?). Be sure to look out for these names on Sunday and give a little Rau Raur in appreciation for the work they put in Tucson these past years.
#27
Four year starter and Thorpe Award Winner, a second rounder? I think not! Obviously the San Diego Chargers saw right through all of the stupid scout analysis to take Antoine Cason with the 27th pick of the 2008 NFL draft. Some think this was too early for the Wildcat standout (Mel Kiper Jr. gave it a C+). Just tell them to check back in a few years when Antoine shows up the best receivers in the league, game in and game out, like he did in the Pac-10 for 46 straight games.
Round 1 East
The predictions continue here at RauRaur.com, as we now take a stab at the Eastern Conference. The picks here are a little unorthodox to say the least, but that is only 'cause we know our Wildcats. Be sure to stay tuned for our picks in the second round, coming soon! For now, go watch your favorite 'Cats in action. Gil is on right now, 7PM EST Monday, on TNT. Loren Woods is on next. Rau Raur! [Read Article Now]
NBA Predictions
Round 1 West
Has anyone seen how many Wildcats are in the playoffs? It is out of control! After looking at some expert predictions we realized that these analysts have no idea what they are talking about, so we decided we should give our take on what really is going to happen. Here is our summaries of how the First Round Western Conference match ups are going to work out. [Read Article]
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Sorry
So things have been pretty quiet around here to say the least. We want to apologize, and now it is time to get back to business. In basketball, Chase is testing the waters, and has until June 16 to return to McKale (PLEASE!). Lute is out recruiting at AAU Tournaments, getting people for 2009 and maybe/hopefully even next year. And there is no word on the KO situation. In football, the 'Cats capped off spring practices with their annual spring game, and the offense was explosive. RauRaur.com is calling this the year that U of A Football returns to glory. On that same note, Rudy Carpenter is going to wish he did not have to play us. Baseball has won 10 straight, and softball is ranked 10th (but we all know how they will perform in the playoffs).
That's a quick summary for now. But also know the NBA Playoffs are in full swing and Wildcats are all over the place (be sure to check later in the day for RauRaur's take!!). And the NFL draft is this weekend. So keep your eyes out for Cason, Larsen and Holmes...and hopefully some others as well!
That's a quick summary for now. But also know the NBA Playoffs are in full swing and Wildcats are all over the place (be sure to check later in the day for RauRaur's take!!). And the NFL draft is this weekend. So keep your eyes out for Cason, Larsen and Holmes...and hopefully some others as well!
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NOOOOOO!
Grab your Elliott Smith CD's... it happened. Jerry D has entered his name into the NBA draft, and will sign with an agent. His days playing in McKale are over, but no one will forget how amazing he was while here. In our hearts he will always be one of the most outstanding Wildcats we have ever seen, and we will be watching when he gets taken in the top 10 of the draft. Keep the Point Guard U name alive Jerry D, you will be missed!
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He's Back
Gil Zero is back, and so far in his return he has already helped the Wizards clinch the playoffs. The next few games will be him adjusting into the game and getting a feel for the team. But let's face it, when playoffs come around would you wanna meet him in the first round? That's what I thought. Gil was robbed of a ring at the U of A, it won't happen again.
Plot Thickens
A weekend after KO announced his intent to stay on as the assistant at Arizona, Lute came back to say that, "he [KO] won't be on the staff." First we would like to take this time to thank Coach O'Neill for making the most of a team that was short of assistants, short on talent, playing the toughest schedule in the toughest conference in the country. He kept the streak alive with a group of players that do not fit his style of play. Thanks KO. Now Lute must find a suitable assistant that can get this program back on track, fingers crossed!
Champs Again!
Like we said, Arizona is a swimming school. Only a few days after the Women's team grabbed the University's first swimming title in history, the Men's team came right back to win in dominant fashion. Arizona took home the title by 94 points, and let the swimming world know who is the best. While some things may be confusing in McKale, there is no doubt of the status in Hillenbrand Aquatic Center. Go on Wildcats.
The FootHills
The drama continues. Who stays, who goes? Who is the successor? Who is dating L.C.? The reality show is becoming too much. Arizona basketball is in a state of turmoil, and lots of big decisions will be coming in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes open. All we have to say is one more year, one more year! Less talk about drama, more talk about championship.
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CHAMPS!!
Lost in the mourning of Arizona's first round exit, was the NCAA Swimming National Championships. And taking home the trophy was none other than Arizona's Women's Swim and Dive team with a dominant victory, gaining 136 points more than runner up and two time defending champ Auburn. After last years sad runner up finish, the Wildcats came back roaring to take home their first National Championship this year at the pools at Ohio State University. Did we say softball school?? We meant swimming school, Rau Raur!!
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We Will Be Back
Jennings, the Wise, Hill, Jerry D (Puhlease!), Chase (One More Year!), Withey, Negedu, Horne, and Lute. Rau Raur smells championship! Keep your heads up, we are a softball school.
Tourney Time!!S.O.S.
Someone help me? With all the talk about who got in and who got the NIT invite (hahah ASU), Brian Semonian is here to help clear some things up. Earlier he spoke of RPI, now he goes into more detail with Strength of Schedule, which proved to be a huge help for the Arizona Wildcats. It got the 'Cats in, and they will stay in tonight against the Mountaineers. [Read Article]
By the Way
Jerryd Bayless was voted 2nd team All America by ESPN last week. ESPN, often referred to as the Worldwide Leader of Sports, and Sports Illustrated, the largest weekly American sports magazine, obviously do not seem to know much, since Pac-10 coaches say Jerry D is not even first team in his own conference. The coaches saw Bayless's numbers, but they feel that James Harden deserved first team because he led ASU to a solid season and a ... NIT bid. HAHAHA.
Go to Yahoo! and fill out your brackets! See info below.
Rau Raur Challenge
Hello RauRaur fans, it is March, and it is time to make your tourney picks. Come join the RauRaur.com group to predict Arizona to win it all, or if you dare be courageous, choose some other team. It is through Yahoo.com,
Hurry up and make your picks before it is too late!!
Dancing, Dancing, Dancing!Hurry up and make your picks before it is too late!!
Arizona is a dance, dance, dance, dance machine! The streak lives and Arizona has now made 24 consecutive NCAA tournaments. It was nerve wracking, but Arizona got in as the #10 seed in the West Region. First up for the Wildcats, the Mountaineers of West Virginia, in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. First #10 seed to win National Championship, here we come.
Go Arkansas & Wisconsin!
With less than 3 hours until Selection Sunday on CBS, all Arizona fans should be focusing their attention on the Arkansas vs. Georgia SEC Final and Wisconsin vs. Illinois Big 10 Final. Wins by Illinois and Georgia, who have no chance of getting in without this win, would be very bad for the Wildcats, who are now considered one of the last four in. Go Hogs, Go Badgers, save the 'Cats!
Now, We Wait...
Arizona fell short Thursday night at Staples Center, and now their season is in the hands of the selection committee. With an RPI of 39, the 2nd toughest schedule in the nation, and a season full of injuries, Arizona still has a great chance to extend their NCAA tournament streak. Currently ESPN Bracketology has them as a 10 seed in the West Region. But you never know, it definitely could go either way. Stay tuned for Selection Sunday, starting at 6 PM (Eastern) on CBS. Fingers crossed!
Just for fun, taking a peek at the ESPN bracket, Arizona could get a good draw. A first round date with Mississippi State sounds like a win. Texas will be tough, but Jerry D will show why he came to Tucson over Austin. And then we will be in the Sweet 16 in Phoenix. When was the last time a 10 seed won the whole tourney? Answer, never. (The highest was 8th seeded Villanova in 1985) Arizona was the first team to beat three #1 seeds in the Tourney, on way to winning it all in 1997. So why not be the highest seed to ever win it all as well? You heard it here first. Rau Raur!
Moving OnJust for fun, taking a peek at the ESPN bracket, Arizona could get a good draw. A first round date with Mississippi State sounds like a win. Texas will be tough, but Jerry D will show why he came to Tucson over Austin. And then we will be in the Sweet 16 in Phoenix. When was the last time a 10 seed won the whole tourney? Answer, never. (The highest was 8th seeded Villanova in 1985) Arizona was the first team to beat three #1 seeds in the Tourney, on way to winning it all in 1997. So why not be the highest seed to ever win it all as well? You heard it here first. Rau Raur!
Another chance, another slaughter. The 'Cats set a tourney record for most points in a half with 59 (Thanks to Zane!), Wise tied a tourney record for steals (5, all in 1st half), and Arizona moved on to the second round to face Stanford tonight at 8:30. The last two match ups between these teams have gone down to the wire, and the same is expected for tonight. Arizona needs the win, Stanford has lost two straight, and Wise is back better than ever. Rau Raur is nervous... Come on 'Cats!! (Look at Lopez's face, Geez)
Did anyone catch this dunk the other night? Mutumbo, as usual, did the finger wag after all of his blocks against the Nets. Unfortunately for the big man there is no stopping Jefferson, who showed off his ridiculous hops right over Dikembe. RJ's finger wag following his dominance led to a technical foul, supposedly you can only wag the finger at the crowd, not another player. Lame. Either way, don't mess with Wildcats.
The regular season has come to an end, the seeding is out, and Arizona is set to face the Oregon State Beavers Wednesday night at 8:30 PT in the Staples Center. Bracketologists are saying that if Arizona loses to the Beavers, there is no hope of dancing. They also say a win against OSU could very well allow the 'Cats to sneak in, but a win against both them and Stanford would allow Wildcat fans to breathe. Last week, Arizona destroyed Oregon St. so let's hope we can do it again. Bear down and beat the Beavers!
Horrendous!
Well the Pac-10 end of the season awards have come out, and horrendous is the only way to describe it. Before we get to that, congratulations to third team honors for Chase Budinger and honorable mention for Jordan Hill in the toughest conference in the country. But after that is where things went wrong. Second team honors for Jerryd Bayless? Serious? He is a second team All-American and cannot get first team All Conference? I guess the coaches could not realize who was dominating them game in and game out. But whatever, I think Bayless will make them regret their decisions in the upcoming Pac-10 Tournament.
Lute Speaks
589 wins, 23 straight NCAA tournament appearances, 11 Pac-10 Regular Season Championships, 4 Pac-10 Tournament Championships, 4 Final Fours, and 1 National Championship at the University of Arizona. That is what the Arizona Wildcats have returning to the bench next year. Lute Olson stated that he is returning to Tucson next year and will stay on for a few more years. Now if we could just get everyone to "Return with the King", we could add a few more impressive accolades to Lute's profile.
All America
The award show continues for the Wildcats as Jerry D was named Second Team All-American by Sports Illustrated last week. He probably should be first team since he is the best player in the world, but at least he got some recognition. Now the tricky thing is trying to convince him to stay one more year to create the best back court imaginable (I mean you would not even have to create a player on NCAA 2K9.) Is it feasible to have the National Player of the Year (Bayless), National Freshman of the Year (Jennings), and Sixth Man of the Year (Wise) in one season?? One more year, one more year!
#1
Unfortunately, that is not the rank of the Arizona basketball team this year, but it could be sometime in the near future. Wildcat signee Brandon Jennings was named Naismith National Player of the Year. Jennings averaged 35.5 points per game, 6.4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists this season for Oak Hill, playing against some of the toughest competition. His head coach was also quoted saying he could see Brandon staying for a few years here in Tucson. Rau Raur smells championship.
Some people just can't play fair. Arizona State University (well known for their infamous point shaving basketball team in the early '90s) look to be at it again, this time their #1 ranked baseball team seems to be the culprit. Tempe Normal will be performing some internal investigations based on possible academic and recruiting infractions. I guess you can't expect too much more from a Sun Devil. RauRaur wonders when are Sun Devil officials going to look into the "legal" recruiting of Dennis Erickson?
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Final Results
Five Wildcats performed this week in the NFL combine, and for the most part did not disappoint. One of the most impressive prospects in the combine, unsurprisingly, was Antoine Cason (check out his combine blog). Scouts all tabbed Antoine as a 4.55 forty guy, but the combine showed he is actually a 4.49 forty guy. Cason also excelled in the bench press (3rd in DB class), vertical jump (9th), broad jump (4th), and the 20 yard shuttle (3rd). With a performance like this, many believe Cason may have solidified that first round status. Rau Raur!!
Spencer Larsen's combine was highlighted by a third place finish in the bench press, while Louis Holmes was strong in both the vertical jump (6th) and the broad jump (4th), he did not do the bench press. Fontenot ran a solid 4.49 forty,came 6th in the vertical jump, and made a sweet catch for the Nfl.com cameras (see above). Dotson, on the other hand did not help himself out that much by running a 5.36 forty, his only activity of the combine.
Cason obviously made a statement. Let's hope that the other four 'Cats were able to help their draft status. To see the full results check out this site. Keep your eyes open on draft day for these guys, April 26-27.
Spencer Larsen's combine was highlighted by a third place finish in the bench press, while Louis Holmes was strong in both the vertical jump (6th) and the broad jump (4th), he did not do the bench press. Fontenot ran a solid 4.49 forty,came 6th in the vertical jump, and made a sweet catch for the Nfl.com cameras (see above). Dotson, on the other hand did not help himself out that much by running a 5.36 forty, his only activity of the combine.
Cason obviously made a statement. Let's hope that the other four 'Cats were able to help their draft status. To see the full results check out this site. Keep your eyes open on draft day for these guys, April 26-27.
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Cason's Combine
Supposedly being voted the best defensive back in college football does not mean the NFL likes you too much. Some scouts spend too much time looking at 40 times and not enough at four years of pure dominance at the corner position against numerous NFL caliber receivers. 'Cats fans know how good the #5 is and today he is trying to solidify first round status with a strong 40 time. Do Work Cason!!
The Return of Salim
Unfortunately this headline does not apply to the Arizona Wildcats, but it is a good sign for the Atlanta Hawks. Last night in a game against the Warriors, Salim subbed in for newly acquired Bibby, and turned some heads by putting up 18 points. According to Coach Mike Woodson after the game, "(Salim's) going to be right in our rotation." With this 'Cat duo in Atlanta, is there a new favorite team in the NBA for Wildcat fans?? Performances of other Wildcats in the league (RJ-34 points, Iggy-25, Terry-22) make that a hard choice.
NIC to Prevent NIT?
Arizona is going to need to pick up some huge victories in the next coming weeks in order to continue the NCAA Tournament streak. But can it be done without Bret and Nic? According to KO, the "magic dust" to turn this season around is Wise. Should Arizona continue to falter, might Wise be the "magic" the 'Cats need to make a run in the Pac-10 Tourney? Let's hope Nic is the answer, and hope he comes to answer very soon.
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RauRaur'd too Soon?
RauRaur flashback:
No.
Washington is no longer the Pac's "next big thing." Not by a Salim Stoudamire long shot. But, considering the 'Cats need every ounce of karma they can get right now, we still kinda wish we held our tongues.
One last thin
"(In their last few meetings) Arizona has defeated the Huskies by a combined
56 points -- 84-69, 84-54, and 96-87...Washington...has proven itself
to be yet another Johnny Come Lately basketball program."
And now, with the 'Cats less than one hour away from what might be their most important game of the year (which isn't?), we're left wondering, did we RauRaur too soon? No.
Washington is no longer the Pac's "next big thing." Not by a Salim Stoudamire long shot. But, considering the 'Cats need every ounce of karma they can get right now, we still kinda wish we held our tongues.
One last thin