Streaking

When TigerBlog can't sleep, there's nothing he likes more than getting up and watching three or four pre-dawn episodes of "Two And A Half Men."

TB only started watching the show this past September, when the new season began. That would be Season 10, for those keeping score.

Today's trivia, to be answered later, is this: Five teams have won the Ivy League championship in their spors for at least 10 straight years. Name the five teams. Four of the teams did it 10 straight years; one did it for 11 straight and therefore holds the record.

Hint - four are men's teams, one is a women's team. Bonus hint - only two schools are represented.

Meanwhile, back at "Two And A Half Men," TB had never seen an episode before the start of this season. Now, as he continually DVRs them, he's pretty sure he's seen all 221 of them.

Hey, he's not a great sleeper. What do you want?

He started watching the Ashton Kutcher version of the show, and he immediately thought it was funny. Then he started watching the Charlie Sheen versions in syndication, and there's no comparison. It was better with Sheen.

It's still really funny with Kutcher. It's just that it's gone from an A to an A-. Or an A to an A, just not as close to an A+.

What's amazing is how the show was able to withstand the loss of its central character and still be good. TB can't think of another show that has accomplished that.

The closest would be "Cheers," which lost Shelley Long and added Kirstie Alley (if you only know her from the last few years, check out an episode from "Cheers" that she was in).

Maybe "NYPD Blue," which lost David Caruso and added Jimmy Smits.

But really, "Cheers" was centered around Sam Malone and "NYPD Blue" was centered around Sipowicz, who really is one of the most underrated characters in TV history.

Remember the time when the guy they arrested told them where to find the money they'd stolen during the murder and bring it to him because he'd need it for a lawyer, and Sipowicz replied "if anyone at your trial tries to say you were the mastermind, call me as a witness."

Anyway, TB is a big "2.5 Men" fan. And, of course, his favorite character is Charlie, followed by Rose.

It's great, mindless stuff, with somewhat predictable jokes. But it works, for whatever reason.

Oh, the trivia answer ...

Cornell's wrestling has won 11 straight Ivy titles, and, by the way, shows no sign of letting up.

Cornell men's gymnastics (which is no longer an Ivy sport) won 10 straight from 1968-77. Cornell men's lacrosse won 10 from 1974-83.

Princeton's men's lacrosse team also won 10 straight, from 1995-2004. The Tigers, interestingly, won the 1994 NCAA championship but not the 1994 Ivy League championship, which they lost to Brown before beating the Bears in the NCAA semifinals.

On the women's side, the Princeton field hockey team won 10 straight, from 1994-2003. Princeton didn't win in 2004, but has won the last eight since.

The third-longest active streak, behind Cornell wrestling and Princeton field hockey, is the six straight won by the Penn women's lacrosse team.

Should Penn wish to make that seven straight, then winning tonight is a big deal, though not necessarily make-or-break. If Princeton wants to end that streak, then tonight is a must.

The Ivy League women's lacrosse race is pretty simple right now.

Penn is 5-0. Princeton is 5-0. Dartmouth, which lost Saturday to Penn, is 4-1. Princeton is at Penn tonight at 7 and then at Dartmouth Saturday.

Simple, no?

If Penn wins tonight, it will clinch at least a tie for that seventh straight title and would clinch the outright title with a win at Brown (9-4 overall, 2-3 Ivy) Saturday.

Should Princeton win tonight, it would clinch at least a tie for the championship. Dartmouth is rooting hard for Princeton, obviously, since a Princeton win tonight would open the door for a three-way tie for the championship, should Dartmouth then beat Princeton Saturday.

The Ivy League tournament is two weeks away, and Princeton, Dartmouth and Penn will be three of the teams. Cornell would clinch the fourth spot with a win over Yale (1-4 in the league) Saturday.

As for the host?

Well, that would be Penn if it wins tonight. It would be Princeton if the Tigers win their next two.

And in a three-way tie? If TB understands it correctly, then it would be decided by goal differential in the head-to-head games between Dartmouth, Princeton and Penn, with a max of six goals awarded in any game.

The Ivy League champion is the team or teams that win the regular season. The automatic bid to the NCAA tournament goes to the team that wins the Ivy tournament.

Longest Ivy League Championship Streaks - complied by Scottie Rodgers at the Ivy League Office:

Ivy League Consecutive Championships Streaks

MEN’S SPORTS

11            Cornell Wrestling (2002-03 to Present)

10            Cornell Men’s Gymnastics (1967-68 to 1976-77)*

10            Cornell Men’s Lacrosse (1973-74 to 1982-83)

10            Princeton Men’s Lacrosse (1994-95 to 2003-04)

9            Princeton Men’s Lacrosse (1956-57 to 1964-65)

9            Columbia Men’s Fencing (1959-60 to 1967-68)

9            Harvard Men’s Indoor Track & Field (1961-62 to 1969-70)

9            Harvard Men’s Ice Hockey (1982-83 to 1989-90)

9            Princeton Men’s Swimming & Diving (1983-84 to 1991-92)

9            Harvard Men’s Squash (1990-91 to 1998-99)

9            Cornell Men’s Lacrosse (2002-03 to 2010-11)

8            Yale Men’s Swimming & Diving (1962-63 to 1969-70)

8            Harvard Men’s Heavyweight Rowing (1963-64 to 1970-71)

8            Penn Men’s Fencing (1975-76 to 1982-83)

8            Columbia Men’s Soccer (1978-79 to 1985-86)

8            Dartmouth Men’s Cross Country (1984-85 to 1991-92)

8            Columbia Men’s Fencing (1985-86 to 1992-93)

8            Cornell Men’s Outdoor Track & Field (2002-03 to 2009-10)

7            Harvard Men’s Squash (1961-62 to 1967-68)

7            Harvard Men’s Cross Country (1964-65 to 1970-71)

7            Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey (1966-67 to 1972-73)

7            Penn Men’s Outdoor Track & Field (1970-71 to 1976-77)

7            Harvard Men’s Swimming & Diving (1977-78 to 1983-84)

7            Harvard Men’s Squash (1982-83 to 1988-89)

7            Cornell Wrestling (1986-87 to 1992-93)

7            Penn Wrestling (1995-96 to 2001-02)

WOMEN’S SPORTS

10            Princeton Field Hockey (1993-94 to 2002-03)

9            Brown Women’s Soccer (1981-82 to 1989-90)

8            Princeton Field Hockey (2004-05 to Present)

8            Harvard Women’s Tennis (1982-83 to 1988-89)

7            Cornell Women’s Outdoor Track & Field (2001-02 to 2007-08)

7            Princeton Softball (1982-83 to 1988-89)

7            Harvard Women’s Lacrosse (1986-87 to 1992-93)

6            Penn Women’s Fencing (1982-83 to 1987-88)

6            Penn Women’s Lacrosse (2006-07 to Present)

*Discontinued as a conference sport following the 1981-82 academic year.