Jeff Monson
Listen to the interview with UFC Heavyweight Contender Jeff Monson.
http://intocombat.blogspot.com/2006/03/sneak-peak-of-final-countdown-book-and.html
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Listen to the interview with UFC Heavyweight Contender Jeff Monson.
http://intocombat.blogspot.com/2006/03/sneak-peak-of-final-countdown-book-and.html
Here is some bullets on the final four teams
No. 3 Florida vs. No.11 George Mason
* Florida will be returning to the Final Four for the third time in school history and the first since 2000 when the Gators defeated North Carolina in the National Semifinal before losing to Michigan State in the title game.
* These two teams will be meeting for the first time ever.
* In the Patriots' four NCAA Tournament games, they are shooting 48.3 percent from the field while holding the opposition to 39.4 percent shooting.
* Florida is 6-2 all-time against the Colonial Athletic Association.
* George Mason's head coach Jim Larranaga ('71) and Florida head coach Billy Donovan ('87) are both Providence alumni.
* The Gators are holding their opponents to 59.8 points per game during their current 9-game winning streak. Florida has limited opponents to just 26.5% from three-point range during that stretch.
* George Mason is the first No. 11 seed to make the final four since LSU in 1986.
* Joakim Noah has blocked a total of 19 shots in his four tournament games (three games with five, one with four). The 19 rejections are the most by any player in this season’s tourney.
* Will Thomas has recorded a double-double in three of his last four games, after recording three in his previous 30 contests.
* Florida is 9-0 in neutral site games this season.
* George Mason is 7-1 this season against NCAA Tournament teams.
* Florida has made three Final Four appearances since 1994, one of only six schools to do so during that time (Duke, Michigan State, Arizona, North Carolina and Kentucky are the others).
* The Patriots have won 20 of their last 23 games.
* Jai Lewis scored 20 points in Sunday’s win over UConn after recording a total of 26 points in his first three NCAA Tourney games.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 4 LSU
* UCLA is 7-0 all-time against LSU and will be facing the Tigers for the first time since December of 1994.
* This is UCLA’s first trip to the Final Four since 1995 when they won the National Championship.
* During the Bruins current 11-game winning streak they are averaging 70.4 points while holding their opponents to 54.7.
* LSU is making its first Final Four appearance since 1986. They lost, 88-77, to the would-be National Champions Louisville that year.
* Ryan Hollins has scored at least 10 points in 7 of his last 8 games after scoring in double figures just three times in his previous 23 contests.
* LSU’s Lady Tigers will also be making a Final Four appearance this season, their third consecutive.
* UCLA is 12-3 all-time in the National Semifinals.
* Tyrus Thomas has had at least three blocks in each of his last five games and has grabbed 13 rebounds in each of his last two contests.
* In last Saturday’s win over Memphis, UCLA held the Tigers to just 45 points and 31.5% shooting. The Bruins are 15-1 this season when holding their opponents to under 40% shooting from the field.
* LSU’s opponents are averaging just 58.8 points, 33.9% shooting from the field and 27.9% from three point range in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
* The Tigers are 0-3 all-time in National Semifinal games.
* UCLA has won 31 games this season, marking the sixth time in school history that the squad has won at least 30. The Bruins won the NCAA title in each of the other five seasons.
* Glen Davis has scored over 20 points in three of his four Tourney games. LSU is 10-2 this season when Davis scores over 20 points.
GEORGE MASON TEAM NOTES From their last victory and entrance to the Final Four!
• Only one No. 11 seed has ever made the Final Four (LSU, 1986), and no team from the Colonial Athletic
Association has ever reached the Final Four.
•George Mason has limited each of its last two opponents (UNC and WSU) to under 36 percent shooting from the
field.
• During this magical tournament run, the Patriots have received 89.7 percent (182/203) of their scoring from their
starters.
• Over their three games thus far in the tournament, the Patriots have attempted 68 free throws (making 42), while
their opponents have attempted just 26 free throws.
• Folarin Campbell, averaging 17.3 points over his three tournament games, did not reach double figures in scoring
in any of the four games leading up to the NCAA Tournament.
DUKE, UCONN, MEMPHIS, VILLANOVA
Here is a brief history of the #1 Seeds
Key: Bold — Tournament Champions
ALL CAPS — Reached the Final Four
Underlined — AP No. 1-ranked school
2005
Albuquerque: Washington lost in regional semifinals to Louisville, 93-79
Austin: Duke lost in regional semifinals to Michigan State, 78-68
St. Louis: ILLINOIS lost in national final to North Carolina, 75-70
Syracuse: NORTH CAROLINA won national championship over Illinois, 75-70
2004
E. Rutherford: Saint Joseph’s lost in region finals to Oklahoma State, 64-62
Atlanta: DUKE lost in national semifinals to Connecticut, 79-78
St. Louis: Kentucky lost in second round to UAB, 76-75
Phoenix: Stanford lost in second round to Alabama, 70-67
(Note: No. 2 seed Connecticut won national title)
2003
East: Oklahoma lost in regional finals to Syracuse, 63-47
South: TEXAS lost in national semifinals to Syracuse, 95-84
Midwest: Kentucky lost in regional finals to Marquette, 83-69
West: Arizona lost in regional finals to Kansas, 78-75
(Note: No. 3 seed Syracuse won national title)
2002
East: MARYLAND won national championship over Indiana, 64-52
South: Duke lost in regional semifinals to Indiana, 74-73
Midwest: KANSAS lost in national semifinals to Maryland, 97-88
West: Cincinnati lost in second round to UCLA, 105-101 (OT)
2001
East: DUKE won national championship over Arizona, 82-72
South: MICHIGAN STATE lost in national semifinals to Arizona, 80-61
Midwest: Illinois lost in regional finals to Arizona, 87-81
West: Stanford lost in regional finals to Maryland, 87-73
2000
East: Duke lost in regional semifinals to Florida, 87-78
South: Stanford lost in second round to North Carolina, 60-53
Midwest: MICHIGAN STATE won national championship over Florida, 89-76
West: Arizona lost in second round to Wisconsin, 66-59
INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FULL FIGHT CARD FOR WORLD PREMIERE EVENT APRIL 29 AT TRUMP TAJ MAHAL
New Mixed Martial Arts Fight League Reveals Four Teams Made Up Of Five Fighters Each That Will Compete in Action-Packed Battles
The teams have now been set and the fighters are ready – all driven by the leadership, vision, style and skills of some of the biggest names in MMA:
SILVERBACKS VS. ANACONDAS PITBULLS VS. TIGERSHARKS
Pat Miletich – Coach Bas Rutten – Coach Renzo Gracie – Coach Maurice Smith – Coach
Bart Palaszewski – 155 vs. Urijah Faber – 155 Eric Owens – 155 vs. Chanti Johnson – 155
Rory Markham – 170 vs. Mike Pyle – 170 Gustavo Muchado – 170 vs. Eric Dahalberg – 170
Ryan McGivern – 185 vs. Amir Rahnavardi – 185 Fabio Leopoldo – 185 vs. Dennis Hallman – 185
Travis Wiuff –205 vs. Alex Shoenauer – 205 Jamal Patterson – 205 vs. Ivan Salaverry – 205
Ben Rothwell – 255 vs. Krzysztof Soszynski – 255 Carlos Kline – 255 vs. Devin Cole – 255
When: Saturday, April 29, 2006 – 8:00pm
Where: Trump Taj Mahal – Atlantic City
Tickets for IFL’s first event will be priced at $250, $150, $100 and $50
Tickets on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com (1. 800. 736. 1420)
and Taj Mahal Box Office.
Web site : www.IFL.tv
Rumor has it these are the first 4 teams of a possible 8-12. How do you think fans will react to the team concept of MMA?
Kobe Bryant has had trouble getting things going on offense against the Spurs over the past couple of seasons, hitting just 31% of his attempts from the field over his last four games against the defending champs:
Kobe Bryant, Lowest Scoring Avg. vs. Team – 2004-06
PPG FG%
vs. Cleveland 18.3 .378
vs. San Antonio 21.3 .311
vs. Memphis 22.3 .350
vs. Houston 24.2 .400
vs. Milwaukee 27.7 .475
The Florida Panthers led the NHL in goals per game in February. However, they've slipped back to their previous lethargic pace recently.
Panthers Goals per Game by Month (with NHL ranks) – 2005-06
October 2.3 (27)
November 2.4 (25)
December 3.1 (T-14)
January 2.3 (28)
February 5.0 (1)
March 1.0 (T-29, last)
Florian out, Sanchez out---what is WITH these TUF season 1 fighters dropping like flies!
Figures---the UFC I am going to everyone has to get hurt four days before the fights!
The 170lbs division is DEEP in the UFC and these two warriors are truely the top of the heap. Penn has been out of the UFC for the last year, but in that time off he went up in weight and beat a Gracie and lost a close decision to a light heavy weight---a light heavy weight that has KOed both current UFC Middle weight champion Rich Franklin and TUF 205lb fighter, Stephan Bonar. Penn has also beat the unbeatable----in less then a round---as he hold a win of current welter weight champ Matt Hughes.
St.Pierre has ripped through the 170lbs division after his loss to Hughes. He has beaten everyone the UFC has thrown at him---pretty easily. I am not too convinced with all his wins though. His win over Frank Trigg was impressive, but afterwards we found out Frank needed surgery on his ankle. Rush has the skills to get to the top, and he is favored in this fight. There is just something about a hungry BJ Penn that has me thinking that the Rush is about to taste his second MMA defeat.
What do you think?
Wood and Prior---they used to strike fear into batters! Now they seem to be broken down and brittle. Will this duo step up to form this season and get 15-20 wins each? Where will the Cubs finish?
Are the Sox the new Chicago team?