On the road to Indy

We're cruising south down I-65 in Dad's Impala (no hydraulics), Indianapolis in sight. Dad, Andy, Nick and I are heading to the Big Ten Tournament for the fifth straight year, and I'm very excited. Doesn't matter that the Badgers are a long shot to win more than one game this weekend. For a basketball junkie like me, it doesn't get any better than this.

(As evidence of my basketball geekdom, I present my plot to visit Hinkle Fieldhouse following the BTT games Saturday to hopefully see Indianapolis Lawrence North play Indianapolis Pike in IHSAA regional action. Three years ago we saw Greg Oden and Mike Conley -- mostly Oden -- lead Lawrence North past Pike -- which had current Wake Forest star Jeff Teague on its roster.)

Anyway, was thinking about the All-Big Ten teams that were announced Monday. Not surprisingly, we didn't have anyone on the first team, which breaks a pretty impressive run for Wisconsin. Given the youth of the guys on the first team -- all sophomores -- it's going to be tough to get a Badger back in there in the next few years.

Landry on the second teams seems about right, as do Pop and Krabby earning honorable mention. No Badger made the all-defensive team, which at first blush seems wrong (Krabby?) but on further reflection seems about right. The Badgers' defense just was not that good this year.

Can't argue with Kalin Lucas as player of the year, worthy choice. But Izzo as coach of the year? I realize it's standard to give the award to the conference champ, and Michigan State did run away with it impressively. But for my money -- and that of the media and probably a lot of other observers -- Ed DeChellis deserves more credit for riding what was basically a three-man team to 20-plus wins, and Bruce Weber deserves more credit for turning around what was an atrocious team last year with essentially the same roster.