Think Your Team is a Choker?

After reading about Missouri's somewhat unlikely victory over Oklahoma last night, it's time to talk NCAA tournament. When it comes to Missouri's NCAA history, I assumed that they had just as many tourney chokes as anyone else. I was wrong. Missouri's like the Chicago Cubs of the NCAA tournament.

Sadly I haven't found a site like the wonderful all-time NCAA football records page for college basketball. I had to go to various sources to learn the following details. Missouri has a 14-19 all-time NCAA record, which is 6th worst all time. In 1987 and 1990 Missouri lost as a 4 and a 3 seed, respectively. Norm Stewart has the worst winning percentage all time (12-16) as a coach in the tourney. This year Missouri will be the all-time leader in tournament visits without a Final Four appearance (19 going on 20).

The Titans proved that they were paying attention in free agency by signing Nate Washington and Jovan Haye. Washington was the third wideout for the Super Bowl champ Steelers and hopefully will have a better tenure than former free agent flameouts Yancey Thigpen, Carl Pickens, and David Givens. Haye will not replace Albert Haynesworth as much as he will round out the DT rotation. He's more of a pass rusher, so I expect Jason Jones to start.

Finally, I acquired the third Green Sox hat in my White Sox cheering career. I first saw the green sox hat during a televised St. Patrick's Day game when I was in college. Scott Ruffcorn was the hot prospect then. Ruffcorn was a first-round draft pick who never won a major league game.

The Sox were one of the first teams to wear the specialized gear. Now every team has a version.