Your Big Ten Tournament Open Thread

Let's get it started folks. Have at it. This is open alllllllll day!

Make Your Picks: Big Ten Tournament round 1

The Big Ten Tournament starts tommorow. Michigan and some other teams that aren't Ohio State will be kicking it off for us, and we want all you to make your picks as a comment below for the GPC. The following games are the games we want you to decide who the winner will be for each one Since you don't know if I cheat or not, I will put my picks below the game.:

Michigan (14-16, 7-11 Big Ten) vs. Iowa (10-21, 4-14 Big Ten) Game is at 2:30 PM est on ESPN2

My Pick: Michigan

Indiana (10-20, 4-14 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern (19-12, 7-11 Big Ten) Game is at 4:55 PM est on ESPN2

My Pick: Northwestern

Penn State (11-19, 3-15 Big Ten) vs. Minnesota (18-12, 9-9 Big Ten) Game is at 7:30 PM est on ESPN2 

My Pick: Minnesota

We encourage you all to join the GPC by commenting below as well as posting your picks. We wish everyone good luck in the tournament. We will have an Open Thread up all day, so feel free to post your thoughts, comments, and opinons on the days action! Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Sign up for a chance to win a prize, if you win you get it. Password is insidetheshoe

Would like to give a shout out to Sebastian, who signed up for the GPC, we now have 3 readers involved..Join for a chance to win a free item out of our shop if you get the most monthly winning records!

Yes, it is time for some fun.

I mean, whenever you read this blog, when is it not fun, right?

Anyway, this is the start of our brand new group on ESPN. It's time to get those bracket's going! I created the group, and here's the information to join:

Group Name: Inside The Shoe

Password: insidetheshoe

• Rules: Must be human
• One bracket per person

Folks, this is going to be some serious compeitton, because if you win, you win a free item from our ITS Shop! The best part is, you do not have to be over 18, and you even get bragging rights. Of course, when you fill out your bracket, keep in mind if you join this group, you also sign up for the Game Picking Center here at Inside The Shoe. So if you end up not wanting to particpate in the GPC for the Big Ten Tournament, then you can come back for the March Madness tournament, and kick some butt. You all should know by now how to sign up for the GPC, but to sign up for our group on ESPN.com, just go to this link.

Also, there is a reason to try for the GPC, because at the end of the year, (long way away right now, but still) you also win a free item from the shop! We want to wish everyone good luck in the challenge, and I expect to see you all there!

Evan Turner wins POY for the Big Ten, Matta gets COY

It has just been announced that Evan Turner and Coach Thad Matta have been selected as Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year. Matta shares the title with another coach, but with Evan Turner winning Big Ten player of the week for seven straight weeks, it comes as no surprise that he got this award. David Lighty and William Buford were named to the 3rd team while Jon Diebler earned an honorable mention the Big Ten while Buford was named to the 3rd team All Big Ten with Lighty and Diebler picking up honorable mentions on that side. Also honored was Dallas Lauderdale, named to the league’s All-Defensive team, and of course Mark Titus couldn't go without having an award, right?

1 award down, 1 to go.

"It's my winning face, I swear."

We want to wish all the Ohio State players, on behalf of the staff of ITS, congrats.

Big Ten Tournament Time.

The time has come for the Big Ten Tournament. This Thursday, get your eyes ready for the very beginning of March Madness.

Sorry it's hard to read.

The Buckeyes get a first round bye, while 6 teams face off to kick off the tourny. They are Minnesota, Penn State, Indiana, Northwestern, Iowa, and Michigan. Regardless of the records, you could see Penn State or Iowa take it all. That's whats great about this, the sheer craziness of it all. We look forward to Thursday. On Thursday, we will feature one post on all of the games played that day, and we want your picks for them for our GPC. If you haven't signed up, just comment below you would like to participate, it's not too late, seeing as your going to be picking on over 64 games this month. For everyone already playing, you know the drill, and good luck to all! Go Bucks!

The Final Destination..

Time for some High Expectations.

Some reasons for that would be next year's football team, known as the MNC team for tOSU, this year's basketball team, and now, the womens basketball team. All of them this year have won the Big Ten, and the las time that happend was in 2006. In 2006, the three teams won regular season championships with the women going on to win the Big Ten tourney, but the men losing to Iowa in the tournament championship game. The football team, obviously lost to Florida in the BCS Championship game, but that's only happend a couple of times. Now that we've done it again, people want results in trophies other than the Big Ten. For the Women's squad, I think they can go the distance, all the way to the final. There, they will most likely meet the Wo-Mans of UConn. They are undefeated, 30-0, and have beated almost all the teams by 20+. The closest someone has come to beating them has been 8 points. That is truly, reDONKulous. I think that would be not only a huge upset, but good for our women's basketball program as well. You don't see us posting nearly anything on the team, and tBBC posts a post done in the FanPosts, and Eleven Warriors posts mildy on them. That match up would do them some good, get exposure, and most likely get on ESPN.

Setting up for a run?

For Men's basketball, They are getting ready to take on their own Big Ten Tourny, as well as getting ready for some Madness in March. They are vying for a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, but they need to win out, and have Duke lose 1 or 2 more. As far as Big Ten goes, I think it will end up being a re-match in the final with Michigan State, if the seeding complies. For the NCAA tournament, I see us as Sweet 16 potiental, and then maybe Elite 8. If we go to the Final Four, that would be great, as Evan Turner would really shine, (if he hasn't already, your blind). I would love to see us face off aganist John Wall and the Kentucky Wildcats, because ESPN would probably have a fit over it. The two top contenders for the POY trophy, Turner and Wall, facing off aganist each other. On the note of Turner going to the NBA or not, I can't say. I think he would like to stay here, but he want's the money, and I think he's ready, but will he? I don't know. We will most likely find out after the tourny sometime.

Teamwork will be key in both Tournys.

Both basketball teams are really good this year, and the men's, and even women's exeeded expectations already. Question will be is, can they continue it or not.

Day of Blahness.

There is really nothing to say today. So I'll leave you guys for today with a funny picture.

Oh yeah.

Your POW.

It's time for this week's POW. This is ITS's 5th overall POW, and it comes from Club Tril night at VCA when they played the final regular season game to win the Big Ten championship. Mark Titus, the lovable bench-warmer, who got, most likely, his last trillion Wedensday, showed some heart felt emotion towards to crowd wearing the Club Tril Shirts. Known as the Trillion Man March, people in hordes came out wearing their shirts, willing Titus for one more Trillion. We wish him good luck in the future. If you would like to suggest some photos, just email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com or tweet @InsideTheShoe, or even fire off a message at Facebook.