NCAA Down to Four, The Real Baseball Opening Day & Baseball Tickets

Just a quick post to say that I was wrong and the experts that chose the brackets and the seeds for the NCAA tournament were right. All four number one seeds and favorites have advanced to the big dance , the final four. Davidson the Cinderella team led by Stephen Curry the  sharpshooting son of a sharpshooter just couldn’t get by Kansas in a nail biter Sunday night and thus we have a rarity in that all the teams that were thought to be the best really are the best. Actually if Curry had just had a decent game rather than a below average for him game they would have done it..So now it’s on to San Antonio where Memphis takes on UCLA in game 1 of a doubleheader and North Carolina meets Kansas in game two on Saturday night. The finals will be played Monday night. I still say North Carolina baby..tickets for the games are still available. Final Four semi final tickets 4/5/2008.  And tickets for the finals 4/7/2008. 

OK as you see the link does not go to National Ticket Agency that is because Ticket Network the broker network that we subscribe to has offered us a special discount to pass on to the fan – you , by going direct to them..You save money by getting the tickets at the practically wholesale price and I get a small fee for turning you on to it. Win Win.

Why I say that today is the real opening day is because that mid March phony opening day fiasco in Japan should never have happened. Remember it was early last week, I think, in the middle of the night for you West Coaster’s and 6 Am for us in the Eastern US,and  the Red Sox and the A’s played a pair of games that actually counted. Both teams then returned to the states and finished out their exhibition season. The Red Sox and Dodgers playing a game at the LA Coliseum that set an all time attendance record for a baseball game as it was a celebration of 50 yrs of MLB in LA.  Anyways back to my thought. Playing in Japan is cool. Our major league teams routinely raid the Japanese professional league of their best players and in return, the Japanese people follow MLB and buy tons of merchandise of their favorite players who are considered heroes in their baseball crazy country. Lately with the dollar falling lots of Japanese folks have been vacationing in the US and coming to the ballpark and buying our hot dogs and beer. We owe them the courtesy and I have no problem with teams going to Japan even though it is a long, long, did I say long flight. However we should be playing Japanese teams in exhibitions, maybe even do a short world exhibition tournament and invite the Chinese the Koreans and the Venezuelans, um no  scratch that, the Mexicans. The attendance was actually better when we played them rather than we played our-self. In my mind last nights game between Washington and Atlanta was the seasonal kick off and a fine one at that. Today 28 clubs are scheduled to play in what has to be the real baseball opening day. Heck I think it should be a holiday!  

Most tickets for most MLB teams can be had without too much problem and extra expense unless you want to sit on top of the dugout. The following teams however are as we say in the business, “in demand” or “hot tickets” and in order to see the perfectly manicured green grass of these clubs you will need to buy seats on the secondary market. Forget Stub Hub, people are crazy in their own estimation as to how much gouging they can get away with, forget all the local brokers in your town, they have to mark things sky high to cover their overhead, forget Ebay it’s all those same creeps..Your best bet is to buy direct from the source. The leader in ticketing technology, the leader of all the broker networks, Ticket Network. Below I will list your direct link to the tough to get teams tickets.

See the World Champions - Red Sox Tickets

Always there, always will be -  Yankees Tickets

Is this the year? – Cubs Tickets

Santana bolsters strong staff- Mets Tickets

Solid ballclub can hit – Phillies Tickets

Best lineup, ever? – Tigers Tickets

Balanced experienced- Indians Tickets

National League champs – Rockies Tickets

I will put up links to all the clubs in all the sports as the week rolls by. Also all the top concerts will be reviewed and direct links will be given to their schedules. Remember these are your best prices on the Internet or anywhere else! Direct from the Network no middle man, no added costs. Peace.

How to beat March Madness and pick the NCAA champion

Everyone has their favorite techniques for selecting who will advance and then ultimately who will win the NCAA basketball championship. My cousin tapes the brackets to his dart board, drinks 6 or 10 pints of Guiness and throws, (sometimes he even throws up.) My 8 yr old nephew lines the rabbit cage with the bracket page from the paper and whatever spot the doo doo balls fall is a winner. Myself I use the statistical approach. I look at the history of the conferences and rate that factor 1-5. I use the strength of schedule factor also a 1-5. I see who has played common opponents. Who is on a  hot streak etc. I then calculate the potential matchups by running a mock pre tournament , tournament using a Ouija board and dice tossing, thats a little complicated but trust me it works. I also use the date the college was founded to chart the astrological angle. I then add my personal New England bias and finally I ask my mother who knows absolutely nothing about basketball, college or otherwise and has not ever even seen a full game either on TV or in person except when she had to take me to pee wees (and then all she did was read the newspaper in the stands) to select the winner. After analyzing all this expert analysis I then choose. And I think that I do ok. I have been right a few times over the years. How about you. How do you pick the winner?

Of course tickets for all games are available from National Ticket Agency.I can get you into the arena on the cheap or I can get you courtside. So follow your team and enjoy the ride. And don’t just think NCAA mens basketball is all that there is. How about the NCAA women, how about the NCAA wrestling and hockey tournaments, you know the frozen four, and all the D 2 and D 3 championships in all sports. C’mon get off your keester and support these fine young student athletes. They are our future, not future pro ballplayers but future teachers and coaches and business people, government and non profit workers. Yup they are our future leaders, and good neighbors and they deserve their time in the sun too.

OK I know that you want to know who I really think is going to take the NCAA men’s basketball cake…It’s North Carolina, led by Tyler Hansbrough..Texas, Clemson, and UCLA are the other final four contestants. The final four will be held in San Antonio and tickets to the final four a glorious event are hard to get but found here in abundance at NTA.

The Beginning of My Year End

I guess I am a day late and a dollar short to do a year end wrapup but I can still do a year end review for 2007 in the concert and sports ticketing arena or theatre of operations to use some sad overworn cliche’. As usual your going to get a Bostonian view cause I yam what I yam. Of course this is a total pleasure as ballgames, sports, tickets, concerts and music are not just keywords to boost the  SEO of National Ticket Agency but they are in fact my passion. Likewise since I am still drunk haha with joy over the successes of my Boston sports teams (which continue into 2008) I deam it appropriate to begin this discourse by talking baseball. The Red Sox who broke the curse of the Bambino in 2004 and ended 86 years of anguish by their fanatical fandom and of having to take crap  from the New Yorkers day in and day out. Year after year they reveled in rubbing it in our faces, the effin  Yankees. Well by golly the Sox did it again and brought the championship trophy back to Beantown once more. And I don’t blame the Boston fans for bragging, boasting, and  gloating. 86 years is a long time , eh? It was pretty obvious that the Sox had the best team in the American League this past season with deep pitching bolstered by the additional of 2 Japanese studs one called Dice K with 5 good pitches and the other Okijama a brilliant lefty setup man  and another lights out year from the leagues gutsiest closer Jonathan Papalbon. The emergence of a budding phenom, a legitamate leadoff threat and fearless centerfielder in Jacoby Ellsbury coupled with the usual clutch hitting from David Ortiz and a career year from Mike Lowell balanced off a sub par season from Manny Ramirez. Terry “Tito” Francona did a great job of keeping the team ready to play and GM Theo ” Boy Wonder” Epstein showed why he is a top gun in command of the Sox ship. The guy flat out knows how to build a farm system that is now rewarding the big league team and setting up possible  big trades to keep this club on top year after year. Latest word is the Sox are going to get Johan Santana the leagues best lefty starter! Did I hear myself say dynasty..oh maybe I am mumbling something in reagrds to the Patriots..oh lord I am giddy. Speaking of the Patriots , they finished the regular season 16-0 , broke alot of league and individual offensive records and are poised to go after their 4th championship in 7 years. That my friends is as close to a dyansty in sports as you are going to get. Tom Brady is now considered one of the greatest quartebacks ever by everyone, even you,  and just the whole organization from top to bottom is chalk full of confidence and abilty clearly light years ahead of every other club. The trade of last years # 1 to SF which was the 24th pick for this years SF #1 which is the 7th pick is typical. They also got a 4th last year and that allowed them to trade and get Randy Moss who breaks the TD record of Jerry Rice. Hello!! Then they get Wes Welker, all he does is lead the league in catches…Just brilliant. Guys want to play for them, players take pay cuts and rearrainge contracts to stay with them, it’s remarkable. Now I am not saying that they cannot be beat , they actually should have lost a couple games but hey the great teams find a way to win. Everyone knows though that on any given Sunday..so we shall see. My money is on the Patriots though. Spygate , shmygate Coach Belichek is easily the greatest coach in the game and a sure Hall of Famer. And who has more Hall of Famers than the Boston Celtics, notice how I changed the subject to basketball and the league leading Celtics there. Yes it’s been 21 years since the 16th championship banner rose up to the rafters at “the Gaaden” and the drought and talent gap we expereinced was exceptionally painful for we were spoiled rotten hoop miesters feesting on fade away jumpers from stars gone by like Havlichek and Bird and now I dare say it’s all coming back. The Big Three of Allen, Pierce and KG are surrounded with the most talented supporting cast assembled in the NBA. Danny Ainge you may take a bow. Red must be proud. The team concept of moving the ball around unselfishly and playing great D has always been the Celtics trademark and now they have reclaimed it. My crystal ball sees 60 wins maybe 65 in a my goodness how could this be season that will take them through to the Eastern finals where the Pistons and the Celts will duke it out in a dog fight, apologies to PETA, for the right to play probably the Spurs for the title.

Ok tomorrow I talk a little hockey and some music as I see it’s fast approaching my bed time here on the east coast of Florida where it’s always summer time and the girls are so fine! 

Beantown Rundown

WARNING! Do not read if you are anti Boston (or from NY. ) By now most of you know that I grew up in the burbs, South Shore, and have a bias for Beantown and even though this blog is national in scope as the official blog of National Ticket Agency, I’m going to allow myself to bask in the glory of our time for no one knows what tomorrow may bring, right now I feel like a king.

I must admit that I have been so caught up in the Beantown mania that it’s effecting my work , my marriage , my lawn etc. It’s the greatest of times for all who hail from New England. The Sox, Pats, Celts , Bruins and BC Eagles are all riding high at once. I have incredible satsfaction in the Boston College Eagles success, being currently solidly entrenched (well at least till next saturday, lol) in the number 2 slot in all the national rankings for NCAA Division 1A football. They have always been good and do indeed  produce great offensive lineman like Penn State produces linebackers but now they are great. We all remember the magic of Flutie and it looks more and more especially after Thursday’s  come from behind win at VT that Matt Ryan has an inside shot now at the Heisman trophy and that if the Eagles run the ACC table they could be in line for a National Championship. WOW! My next source of elation is the Boston Red Sox, who after drubbing the Colorado Rockies last night in Colorado are but one game away from sweeping their way to a  second World Championship in 4 years. As a longtime sufferer, someone who took the green line to Kenmore on those days of twi-night doubleheaders to be able to sit behind the Sox dugout for 5 or 6 innings, hoping to get a glance from Hawk Harrelson or Yaz or Rico,  I am so proud to be a member of Red Sox Nation. See baseball is special to New England kids who stare out the window at the snow and dreamed of the green grass of early spring and first days we could play catch without a heavy jacket on. Praise and glory to Theo Epstein the boy wonder from Brookline who learned his math well and knows that to work a count deep gives you the chance to see a good fat pitch to hit and also runs up the pitch count getting you into the opponents bullpen earlier in the game. Theo couldn’t hit a lick but he knows his sh_ t and he  took the heat when Pedroia didn’t hit and Lugo didn’t hit and Drew looked like a bust and Manny a clown and Lowell past his prime. He rolled the dice with Matsuzaka effectionatly know as Dice K and stay chill with Schill who pitches now on guts alone , had faith in Lester who battled cancer, and Ellsbury who injected speed. And my thanks to Coco for being cool, Big Papi for raking the yaaad with creaky knees and to Varitek the captain who steers the ship. Lest we forget the Okie from Muskogee , Japan Okijima who was practically perfect and to Papilbon for putting out the lights and putting the opposition to sleep. This isn’t quite the impossible dream but this is truly a great team. Ok so get out the brooms it looks like a sweep and if not then it will be a street paarty when they wrap it up in Kenmore square.

Let’s give some credit here to the Boston Bruins whom I have lambasted with regularity for many years I mean how to you bring a kid ( Joe Thornton) up at 17, wait for him to mature into an AllStar center and then just trade him and about 10 other screwups but heck Tim Thomas has been lights out in the net and Phil Kessel is a snifty as it gets. Keep up the good job boy’s and maybe someday another flag will fly from the rafters. i should live to see the day!

Not to forget the New England Patriots, I mean how could we that’s all anyone anywhere is talking about. Today the try and mow down the Washington Redskins. The Pats have firepower the Redskins have toy bow and arrows Patriots 28- Skins 10, they beat the spread yet again.

Finally we get to the Celtics, the new and improved Boston Celtics that is with the big 3,  of Allen, Pierce and KG. Garnet is showing why he is a perenial all star of the finest magnitude, he’s a monster on the boards and a natural shot blocker and possibly the finest passing big man in the game with 20 foot jumper range. Last week I said they would win 60 and I was scoffed at but I stick to that as I see now that Glen Davis aka Big Baby is a valuable board banging inside scorer and Posey looks goods and Rondo is kicking it around. This team has depth and plays team ball like the Celtics we all remember. The season starts this week and I need to give you the rest of the league briefs but thats on hold till tomorrow as I must run to ABC’s and grab a bottle of champaign glee to pop the top on that baby when Paps sets them down tonight 1, 2, 3.

Don’t forget to support your favorite ticket supplier Joe Ticket the man behind the goalie mask at National Ticket Agency who promises you personal service and vows to get you the best seats at the best price. Let me do all the dirty work of sorting the seats and compairing the prices as I am an All Pro at this. (Or is that Old Pro.) Call me at 877-222-3940 and I’ll hook you up with good seats and hot tickets to every concert and sporting event in the country. And folks if your not from New England, don’t sweat it, your day will come too – I don’t know when but heck we’re all friends and we all love live music and watching sporting events in person because that’s the best! Remember , National Ticket Agency has you covered!

NCAA DIV 1 FOOTBALL REVIEW

                                      

There are over 150 colleges fielding football teams in the NCAA Division 1 arena.  The overwhelming general concensus is the USC is the best team in the nation. USC has backups that would be stars on other teams and almost all of their super stingy defense is returning. Coach Pete Carroll is a master recruiter and strategist and well liked and respected by his team. They should go underfeated but hey thats why they play the games…you just never know! Both the AP and USA Today rank USC and LSU # 1 and # 2. For the sake of not having to duplicate the lists I chose here to just list the AP’s top 25 with other schools recieving votes.

To attend you’ll  need to shop at NTA!

Most  “big time” schools have sold out.

The schools are linked to National Ticket Agency’s list of tickets available for each team so if you want to purchase tickets simply click on the team. If your team is not listed here than go to NTA’s NCAA page and your team will be listed there. Face it, pro football is exciting but college ball is pure passion. These kids most of whom will NOT be professionals lay it on the line every fall saturday and if viewership and attendance are an indication we simply love it. Maybe by watching we are acting out our aggressions passively but heck who cares about the pschology of sports truth is really its just fun and man are those cheerleaders pretty.  In many, many areas of the country college football is king, the biggest thing going. So get off your butt, load up the cooler with your favorite brew, take along your grill and take your buddies,  kids, or even your honey to witness real electricity in the air at a college football game.

THE AP TOP 25

1 USC  2 LSU  3 West Virginia  4 Texas  5 Michigan  6 Florida  7 Wisconsin  8 Oklahoma 

 9 Virginia Tech 10 Louisville  11 Ohio State  12 California  13 Georgia  14 UCLA

15 Tennessee  16 Rutgers  17 Penn State  18 Aurburn  19 Florida State 20 Nebraska

21 Arkansas  22 TCU  23 Hawaii  24 Boise State 25 Texas A & M

Others recieving votes: Missouri  Georgia Tech  Boston College  Oregon  South Carolina Miami

Alabama  Oregon State  Wake Forest  South Florida  Arizona State  Brigham Young 

 Southern Miss  Notre Dame  Virginia  Clemson  Oklahoma State  Texas Tech  Purdue

Houston  Kentucky  North Carolina St 

Other good teams include: Washington State  Duke   Arizona  Iowa  Kansas State

And here’s our service teams:  Army  Navy  Air Force

Traditional powerhouses: West Virginia  Michigan State  Pittsburgh   Stanford

Maryland  Syracuse   Minnesota  North Carolina   Kansas  Colorado  Illinois  Iowa State

Note that seasons tickets to all the home games on the schedules are available in many cases and remember if I missed listing your team just go the main NCAA Football page and you’ll find your seats. Also National Sports Outlet has tons of college logo knicknacks and necessities like beer mugs , shot glasses , clocks, banners etc and wouldn’t you know Christmas is only 124 days away!!