Dear Diary: 2011 Championship Game - Butler vs. UConn

You are loooking liiiiive at the Daily Onions home office. Actually, you aren't really looking live at it, but we are reporting live from the Daily Onions home office. We are going all out for the final game of the college basketball season (not including Skylar Diggins' coming out party tomorrow night), with a running diary of the National Championship between Butler and UConn.

Let's jump right in with the starting lineups. We kind of miss the alternating starting lineups they used to do in the Championship game, as well as seeing the players autographs on the screen when they are announced. Ahh the good ole days. All the Butler players pet Blue II the Bulldog - except Shawn Vanzant (maybe he is allergic?). Jim Calhoun and Brad Stevens with the pregame handshake, looks more like a grandfather excited to see his grandson.

Kudos to CBS for including Steve Kerr for the Final 4. He's great on NBA games, and has been awesome throughout the tournament. Taking some airtime away from Clark Kellogg is always a plus too.

Nantz's first call - "It's time to settle the Madness." Sounds good, Jim.

18:52 - Chase "Steven" Stigall hits his first shot of the tournament (not really, but close) to give Butler a 3-2 lead. He could provide a nice little spark for the Dawgs.

17:55 - Stigall misses his next three. So much for that.

17:06 - Walker, Mack and Lamb are a combined 0-5.

16:35 - Second fundamental box out by Butler leads to second over the back call on UConn.

15:58 - Andrew Smith sideout on a Kemba Walker layup. First media timeout. Big game nerves in full effect. Walker 0-4, Lamb 0-2, Mack 0-3, Howard 0-2. Oh and by the way, Daily Onions prediction is 60-56 Butler. Low scoring affair as we think both of these teams, especially UConn, are gassed.

15:56 - Steve Kerr says he is expecting a low scoring game....beat you to it, Stevie.

15:30 - Kerr talks about Butler's defensive rotations. We should have set an over/under on how many basketball fundamentals are discussed when talking about Butler tonight. I'd take the over.

15:17 - Howard is the first "star" from either team to score with a 3-pointer, his first of the Final 4.

13:19 - Howard, probably the slowest guy on the court, beats everyone down the court and Ronald Nored finds him with a nice hit ahead. Howard is fouled, drains two - 8-8.

13:06 - "WALKER on the board now" - Nantz (pull up jumper from Kemba)

12:34 - Walker driving layup in transition.......and the foul. Makes the FT, UConn goes up 13-8.

12:20 - Kemba gets a break...Calhoun sees the under 12 timeout approaching, to give Kemba some extra rest.

11:58 - First turnover of the game by Butler and we head to another media timeout. UConn leads 13-9. Walker has 5, Oriakhi 4 for UConn, while Howard has 5 for Butler. Mack, Vanzant and Lamb all still scoreless.

11:45 Tyler "White" Olander takes his third shot of the game (a 17 ft jumper), and then Jim Calhoun promptly takes him out. Not surprised.

11:10 "That's Andrew Smith, with the reach around." -Nantz

10:26 Loyal reader Ramy texts me that UConn is too big. Oriaki then picks up his 2nd foul, and the next play Andrew Smith scores on a baby hook in the post. So much for that.

9:35 Mack misses a layup in traffic. Shellllllllvin!!! He's 0-4 and Butler is down 13-11.

9:02 POTENTIAL TURNING POINT: 7th team foul on UConn - shooting from here on out. Mack makes one of two...he's on the board!

8:16 Butler's size causing problems. On an offensive rebound, Andrew Smith draws Lamb's 2nd foul. Smith makes one of two. Tied at 13! Sloppy basketball at its best!!!

7:40 Kerr says both teams struggling to find any rhythm. Seriously, Steve, stop stealing my lines.

7:20 STIGALL again!!! Butler up 16-15. (Nantz tells us Stigall is from SteveAlford, Indiana).

6:44 Media Timeout. Butler leads 16-15. Butler shooting 22% from the field, UConn shooting 29%. I'll take "The Under" for $300, Alex.

6:03 Back to back baskets by UConn and Huskies go up 19-16.

4:46 UConn with a couple of offensive rebounds to keep a possession alive, now lead 23-16 on the glass. Ramy was right - too big.

4:14 Mack with his first field goal, a three, to tie the game at 19.

3:49 Final media timeout of the half comes on a dumb foul by Vanzant. Stevens tells him that he is smarter than that. He's right. All square at 19.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there....with a Hot Tub!

2:46 Howard takes a charge on Kemba. That's number 2 on Walker. Game still tied at 19. Butler has only made 5 field goals this half (5-24).

44.8 Howard takes another charge. And Roscoe Smith picks up his second foul. Kerr tells us Butler considers taking charges their version of blocked shots. White boy blocked shots. I like it. I definitely led the team in White Boy Blocks back in high school.

As time expires, Shelvin Mack drains a three from deeep. Butler takes a 22-19 lead to the half. "Mack is Back" - Nantz (Jim is already in Augusta).

So at the half, Mack and Walker both have 7 points. If you drew Chase Stigall in the second leading scorer at the half pool, you won! He's got 6. Biggest surprise, Lamb is 0-1 with no points and 2 fouls.

All around ugly game. Both teams playing hard, but its ugly. Neither team shooting higher than 24% from the field. Butler has made six baskets, only one of them as two-point bucket. UConn is up 14-0 in points in the paint, and are up 9 in the rebounding column and are trailing by 3 at the half. Makes sense.

Show Us Your Onions finalist Brady gets in on some twitter action with this gem: #bradstevenslookslike ... Matt Howard's younger brother that he gives noogies to.... 
And we are back....

19:45 STIGALL again!!! He's got 9 points. Lamb who? Kemba Who? We got Chase Stigall!! Butler up 25-19.

19:21 Oh, there's Lamb. Draws a foul and makes 2 FTs to FINALLY get on the board.

18:32 Kemba...for 2. 25-23 Butler.

17:46 Welcome to the ballgame Jeremy Lamb, who drains a 3 - UConn up 26-25. Loyal reader, Ramy tweets that he wishes Jeremy Lamb was his younger brother. Not really sure what that means, but we do too!

Loyal reader JaLil texts me a reference about The Wire and Alex Oriakhi, that I didn't get because I haven't watched it yet. I'll get to it...I promise.

15:54 Media timeout 27-25, UConn leads.

15:02 Nored misses a 3 for Butler. That means that the only 3-pointer that Nored has ever made at Butler was a banked in 3 against Syracuse, in the final minutes of last year's Sweet 16 game. #stillhurts #notbitter

13:37 Lamb with a steal and a dunk. He's got 7 in the 2nd half and UConn is now up 31-26. Timeout Brad Stevens. Kerr points out that it might only be a five point lead, but it feels like a lot more. He's right (obviously). Butler is 7-41 from the field, and Mack is 2-12. I've seen fourth grade CYO games with better shooting.

Reader Kenny texts with this "Who told Shelvin to play like Jimmer tonight?" You could add William Buford, Erving Walker, and Nolan Smith to that list.

13:15 Right on cue, Howard misses a shot in the lane.

12:56 Lamb misses a jumper, gets his own rebound, and then hits a jumper. 33-26, Lamb has 9, and a new older brother, Ramy.

Reader JaLil texts with a Clark Kellogg "bang bus" joke. Always good for a laugh.

12:32 Ladies and Gentleman, we'd like to welcome Shawn Vanzant to the ballgame, as he hits a jumper. Cuts the UConn lead to 5.

11:50 Media timeout. "The Dog Fight....continues in Houston." - Nantz (way to get creative, Jim. If you are going to mail it in, at least hand the mic over to Gus).

11:07 Its becoming the Jeremy Lamb show as he catches an alley oop and lays it in. 37-28 UConn. Lamb now has 11 points in 9 minutes.

10:12 Kemba with an acrobatic layup to give UConn a 39-28, leading to a Butler timeout. This is Butler's largest deficit of the Tournament. As we go to break, "UConn on a roll, a finger roll..." -Nantz (Jim, make it stop)

9:50 Howard misses another layup...doing his best 2010 Rick Jackson impression in the paint (credited to JaLil)

I don't remember the last time Butler made a shot. They are 2-21 in the 2nd half. They've missed 19 of their last 20 shots. They are 8-49 in the game. Gross.

7:25 Oriakhi, the UConn center hits a 15 foot jumper...almost rubbing it in. UConn goes up 41-28.

6:11 Andrew Smith ends the drought of six and a half minutes for Butler. But UConn answers with a dunk, lead 43-30 going to the under 8 timeout. "...And they have Walker...Texas Ranger." - Nantz (really?)

5:49 Ramy texts me the "Curtains" call, meaning the game is over and UConn wins.

4:58 Nappier with a driving layup gives UConn a 46-32 lead.

4:35 Vanzant hits a 3, 46-35. If Butler is going to make a run, they need to go now.

3:48 And....Howard throws up a wild running shot in the lane. So much for that comeback.

3:17 The final media timeout. UConn leads 46-35. "UConn has 10 blocks, which ties a NCAA tournament record." -Nantz (hold on, Jim...That wasn't cheesy. Do it over!)

Donyell Marshall is shown in the crowd. We met Donyell at Little Star Basketball Camp at Kutztown University back in 1989 (Daily Onions fun fact of the day).

2:58 Oriakhi grabs another rebound. He's got 11 and 11. Remember when Daily Onions had Oriakhi on our favorite underclassmen list back in January. Yep, we do too!

1:50 We see a graphic that shows the lowest FG% in a championship game was 21% back in 1941. Butler is shooting 19%.

1:40 Mack hits a 3. Lead down to 8. Could have used that one about 5 minutes ago, Shelvin.

:30 Walker at the line, hits 2 free throws. UConn up 53-41.

Clock is winding down....

"The Huskies are the Top Dog in 2011!" -Nantz (Well, you didn't disappoint with that one Jim.)

Oh wait....what's this, another one? "But one thing was very clear tonight in Houston, Connecticut wins best in show." - Nantz (Just go, Jim. Go to Augusta and don't ever come back.)

So, that's that. UConn wins 53-41. After trailing 22-19 at the half, Jeremy Lamb gave the Huskies a huge lift to start the second session. It helped that Butler shot an NCAA Championship worst, 18.8% from the field.UConn was the better team on Monday night,  the best team in the last three weeks, and they are the National Champions. Oh, and they were 9th in the Big East this year, so obviously the Big East isn't a strong conference. It's UConn's 3rd Championship since 1999. As we mentioned on Friday, we think Calhoun will go out on top, sidestepping the pending suspension next year and retiring to Cape Cod, or Southern New Jersey if he is like Bo Ryan.

For Butler, one bad game won't take away from the amazing run that they've had the past two years. They are still one of our favorites and we'll take every opportunity to see them play live next year in Chicago. Anything to get us closer to Brad Stevens.

Just because the college basketball season is over, doesn't mean Daily Onions is done. We still need to crown our Show Us Your Onions Champion (Brady Smith), and we'll switch gears to NBA playoffs, with some NBA Draft, coaching carousel, etc mixed in as well over the next few months. Keep coming back!

This is for all the ONIONS!

And then there were two. They both have diplomas from West Virginia University (yes, they actually give diplomas from WVU - I was just as surprised as you were), and they both have UConn in the National Championship game. Brady Smith has UConn winning, so if the Huskies do indeed win in what could be Jim Calhoun's final game as head coach, the Onions go to him. If Butler is able to win one more game in the tournament than they did last year, it will come down to a tiebreaker with total points, giving Lindsay Spieler a chance, and something to brag to her friends about.

It's Spieler vs. Smith for all the Onions

Just as there is plenty of media hype around the actual championship game tonight, also lots of festivities surrounding the finals in Show Us Your Onions. Yesterday there was media day, when Spieler and Smith posed for the camera in order to create some promotional photos for Monday night's matchup. No word on whether we'll be putting together a One Shining Moment video for the winner.

Luckily we won't be watching these two play tonight.

As far as our thoughts on the actual game being played tonight, our heart is in one place. Even though we tend to support the Big East, we are fine with touting to the haters that of all of the teams remaining in the NCAA tournament, 50% of them are from our conference. Take that Big 10, ACC and SEC! And even though we are developing a bit of a childhood crush on UConn's freshman Jeremy Lamb, who we partly hope stays in school, so he can add some weight to his frame, but also hope leaves so he doesn't terrorize the 'Cuse next season; we are still rooting for the Butler Bulldogs tonight. What Brad Stevens and the Bulldogs have been able to do over the last twelve months is one of the most impressive pure sports stories in the last 10 years (maybe more), as stated by Smith via phone interview yesterday (and we are in total agreement).

If you aren't rooting for Butler to win tonight, then you probably rooted for the team from South Bend in Hoosiers, you rooted for Roy Hobbs to strike out in his last at bat, you rooted for Rudy to not get a jersey, you rooted for the Soviet hockey team in the 1980 Olympics, and you probably couldn't see Shoeless Joe and Company playing baseball in a cornfield in Iowa. Get it? Many are saying that UConn is the more talented team and the Huskies should beat Butler. But many of those "experts" said the same about Old Dominion, Pitt, Wisconsin, Florida and VCU when they matched up against the Bulldogs. Does UConn have a more individually talented players...yes. No disrespect to what the Huskies have done over the last month of the season, but there is no better TEAM in college basketball than the Butler Bulldogs. Let's hope that by the end of the night, Stevens and Co. have the hardware to prove it.

Who Wore it Better: Final Four Edition

Daily Onions takes a shot at the always fun US Weekly game, "Who Wore It Better?" Obviously all of our questions will be Final Four related:

• Who Wore it Better: Young Coach: Brad Stevens or Shaka Smart?
• Who Wore it Better: Dirty Coach: John Calipari or Jim Calhoun?
• Who Wore it Better: Tournament Game-winning shots: Brandon Knight or Matt Howard?
• Who Wore It Better: Freshman Making a Difference: Jeremy Lamb or Kentucky's Young'ns?
• Who Wore It Better: Dogs: Bulldogs or Huskies?
• Who Wore It Better: Lamb: Deron (UK) or Jeremy (UConn)
• Who Wore It Better: Potential Uncreative Headline: Butler Did It Again or Yes UConn or Top Cats/Blue Heaven or Insert Shaka/Cinderella/VC-Whew headline?

Daily Onions Answers/Predictions: Stevens, Calipari, Knight, Jeremy, Bulldogs, Jeremy, Nobody Wins on this one. We'll check back this weekend with a breakdown of the results.

Diced Onions: Final Four and then some

I was going to write a much more in-depth post about the Final Four, the teams, the coaches, the upsets, the Madness, etc. Instead the First Lady and I watched Frontline on PBS, and their story about how much money is made during March Madness, and how the athletes saw zero of that. This turned into an hour conversation in the Daily Onions office about whether or not student-athletes should get paid, how they would get paid, why coaches are overpaid, why does the NCAA have such a big yearly budget, jersey sales, video game sales and so on and so on. If you ever thought about banging your head against the wall for an hour, don't do it. Just have a conversation with your significant other about all the things wrong with the NCAA.

The craziest thing is, I don't totally agree with fact that student-athletes don't get compensated for all the money that is being brought in thanks to college athletics. It's tough to come up with an argument for why they aren't, except the fact that the NCAA is about student-athletes, and they don't play students, but instead they are giving students the opportunity to get a free education (which is what the NCAA President said over and over and over...)  From the bottom of my heart, I really wish that was true, but it isn't. This is a topic that Daily Onions could talk about for 3 months straight, and I don't even know if we'd come up with a solution or a perfect argument at that point. The First Lady may have summed things up the best by saying this: "You don't have to have a vast knowledge of college sports, to know right from wrong." She is probably right. There is exploitation in college sports (mostly football and basketball), and we all know that. Will the NCAA ever change its rules, probably not....allowing many "fun" conversations between couples down the road.

Enough about that, let's get into some Final Four random thoughts:

-During the season, I thought I wanted to name my first born Jimmer, but now I am thinking it might be Butler. How can you not LOVE the Butler Bulldogs basketball program? We are currently reading the book Underdawgs, which is the story of last year's team's run to the National Championship game. Lots of good tidbits on coach Brad Stevens (Daily Onions crush), the recruitment of Shelvin Mack, Gordon Hayward and Ronald Nored, and more info that we'll probably include in a post in the near future entitled, "Everything I ever needed to know in life, I learned from the Butler Basketball Program." Stay tuned.

-If Shaka Smart was in a lineup next to five other current college point guards, would the untrained eye be able to point out which person was the college coach? Probably not. Throw in how he looked and how he worked the crowd at the pep rally on Sunday night when the teamed returned to campus, Smart could have easily been plugged into the role of emcee at a block party coming to a university near you. Looks aside, we obviously commend the job Shaka has done in the past two weeks. As far as where he'll be next year, we doubt it includes the letters VCU. Our guess is N.C. State. Will he be able to gain some ground on Duke and UNC? Probably not right away, but after how far he's brought VCU in the last two weeks, you never know.

-In case you didn't know, it's "Random Early '90s College Basketball Players Get Head Coaching Jobs" week. First, Cuonzo Martin goes to Tennessee (yes, we know he was a head coach at Mizzou State). We remember Cuonzo as the sidekick to the Big Dog at Purdue back in the early 90s. Then today, THE Monmouth University of New Jersey go and hire Vanderbilt assistant and former UNC Tarheel, King Rice. For those of you that don't remember Rice, we don't blame you. Fortunately, Daily Onions was blessed with a ridiculous and random (and sometimes stupid) memory, so we remember Rice playing along side of Rick Fox and Co. back in the day. No word on whether or not NC State is looking to hire Chris Corchiani for the head job (they aren't, because Chris now works in real estate). If things don't work out with Matt Painer for Missouri, they can always give Anthony Peeler a call (he's actually an assistant at D-2 Virginia Union). Ok, that's enough for now, but plenty of seats still open on the coaching carousel, so more jokes to come.

A few questions to ponder looking ahead to this weekend:
-If UConn wins two games this weekend, capping off an unbelievable month of basketball (11 wins in a row between the Big East and NCAA Tournament), does Jim Calhoun walk away? Close to turning 69 years old, Calhoun's got some suspension time looming next year due to some NCAA violations, as well as some scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions over the next three years. Kemba will be gone after this season, and Jeremy Lamb might not be too far behind, draining the Huskies of their top talents. Why not go out on top now?

-When Daily Onions celebrates its 5th birthday in December of 2015, will Kentucky still have its 2011 NCAA Final Four banner still hanging in Rupp Arena? I think its a legit question considering Coach Cal's track record (even though he didn't know anything). Also, is UK's Josh Harrellson the biggest goon in college basketball since......? I'm not even sure who the last goon in the college game was, but we bet Harrellson will give him a run for his money. As a Daily Onions loyal reader pointed out over the weekend after Harrellson chucked the ball at Jared Sullinger's chest, "O'Doyle Rules!"

-We knew we'd have some bad headlines this week with Butler returning to the Final Four. Creative reporters and editors brushed off "The Butler Did It" and figured out ways to incorporate that into the leads of stories throughout the weekend. Now we get to go to Houston for the Final 4. Spare us the, "Houston, we have a problem" headlines. We know there aren't any 1 or 2 seeds left in the tournament. That's not a problem, and even if it was a problem, that's not a creative headline. Give us something better. And can we stop the potential VCU-UConn matchup leading to Shaka-Conn headlines now? Ok good. Oh, and if Connecticut does win, please keep the "Yes, UConn" headlines to yourself. Thanks.

More Final Four thoughts coming later this week.