Mar 22, 2010
Ohhhh My Jayhawks, Thou Will Be The Death of Me, Someday
Well we can all tell how my bracket and life have been going since the great defeat Saturday night. This is just going to be quick but I haven't posted in a couple of days...I'd like to say that I have pulled myself out of depression and in the past 12 hours or so have started to like college basketball again. I figured that was a relatively quick recovery, wouldn't you say? After the game the texts started rolling into my phone....from everyone, including people I hadn't heard from in years (probably since the Bradley/Bucknell disaster). One of the bests was from Ty Storrusten: "Differnce between nc n kansas.... nc wins national championships when they have a powerhouse... kansas chokes... ahhhhhh hahahahahahahah" Well I can't exactly argue with him on that one, but I do have to say he could have picked a better year to pick on somebody using North Carolina as the comparing team. Has North Carolina losing just become so regular that it doesn't hurt it's fans anymore?
Mar 19, 2010
Banged Up but not Busted
The greatest thing about the NCAA Basketball tournament is that one game can ruin a 2 week stretch for somebody. With some fair luck on my side my bracket isn't quite wrecked but I did happen to get 6 games wrong. I had Georgetown going to the Elite Eight and I have Vandy and Marquette going to the Sweet Sixteen. However, it is completely possible to win any bracket pool as long as you still have your final four teams still playing and I do have that.
The best thing about the UNLV and UNI matchup is that if these teams played 10 times I honestly believe each would win 4 times...and they would tie twice. That is how equal the game was and it played out exactly as I imagined, just with the wrong winner.
Across the bracket, the Texas and Wake Forest game was another great 8-9 game and I thought for maybe 15 of the 45 minutes played in this game, I saw flashes of the Texas team that was ranked in all of the polls for multiple week. It just wasn't enough as two half court buzzer beaters at the end of regulation and end of overtime both were close and got my heart racing, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
On to the Big East...honestly....this is why suicide rates spike during tournament time. I understand the occasional upset that a big time team loses to what used to be a no-name team. I'm a Jayhawks fan, I've had to experience it a few times in the past 5 or 6 years. But stillllllllll, Georgetown! Not only did you get beat by Ohio University, you got your butts whooped. Ohio University! 7-9 IN THE MAC CONFERENCE. Ohio only played two tournament teams in their regular season. They lost to Pitt by a large margin, and then lost to Robert (Robbed) Morris by 2.
The worst part about the Georgetown loss and Villanova's near loss to Robert Morris? It fuels the fire to those who think the tournament should be expanded to 68 or 96 or however many teams the expansion is pushing right now. I don't agree with the expansion, but sadly I can see the proof the expansion pushers now have in their arsenal. Since Ohio probably shouldn't have been in the tournament as it is--automatic bids are wonderful :) --certain people can now say that there are more teams that didn't make the tournament that could upset a "power conference" team. The thing is, there are 65 teams in the tourney right now, and I don't think the selection committee left out the team that should win the tournament. Adding another 3 or 31 teams isn't going to do anything but put more money into pockets that are already full. If the tourney is one or two games longer, pay the players if they win, but that brings up a whole new controversial topic.
I need to go get ready for the Gophers game against Xavier, but everyone can breath a sigh of relief after yesterday, Kansas wasn't the first 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed.
M. I. N. N. E. S. O. T. A. minnesota. minnesota....Yeaaaaah Gophers!
The best thing about the UNLV and UNI matchup is that if these teams played 10 times I honestly believe each would win 4 times...and they would tie twice. That is how equal the game was and it played out exactly as I imagined, just with the wrong winner.
Across the bracket, the Texas and Wake Forest game was another great 8-9 game and I thought for maybe 15 of the 45 minutes played in this game, I saw flashes of the Texas team that was ranked in all of the polls for multiple week. It just wasn't enough as two half court buzzer beaters at the end of regulation and end of overtime both were close and got my heart racing, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
On to the Big East...honestly....this is why suicide rates spike during tournament time. I understand the occasional upset that a big time team loses to what used to be a no-name team. I'm a Jayhawks fan, I've had to experience it a few times in the past 5 or 6 years. But stillllllllll, Georgetown! Not only did you get beat by Ohio University, you got your butts whooped. Ohio University! 7-9 IN THE MAC CONFERENCE. Ohio only played two tournament teams in their regular season. They lost to Pitt by a large margin, and then lost to Robert (Robbed) Morris by 2.
The worst part about the Georgetown loss and Villanova's near loss to Robert Morris? It fuels the fire to those who think the tournament should be expanded to 68 or 96 or however many teams the expansion is pushing right now. I don't agree with the expansion, but sadly I can see the proof the expansion pushers now have in their arsenal. Since Ohio probably shouldn't have been in the tournament as it is--automatic bids are wonderful :) --certain people can now say that there are more teams that didn't make the tournament that could upset a "power conference" team. The thing is, there are 65 teams in the tourney right now, and I don't think the selection committee left out the team that should win the tournament. Adding another 3 or 31 teams isn't going to do anything but put more money into pockets that are already full. If the tourney is one or two games longer, pay the players if they win, but that brings up a whole new controversial topic.
I need to go get ready for the Gophers game against Xavier, but everyone can breath a sigh of relief after yesterday, Kansas wasn't the first 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed.
M. I. N. N. E. S. O. T. A. minnesota. minnesota....Yeaaaaah Gophers!
Mar 17, 2010
Tournament Challenge
Hey everyone. We set up an ESPN Tournament Bracket if anyone wants to join. Check it out here. Good luck to anyone who joins.
Derek
Derek
Mar 10, 2010
Childress is a Cool Dude
Hey all,
Quick thought about why Brad Childress is a cool dude. This is old news but if you haven't seen it yet, I know you'll enjoy it. I may not agree with some of his in-game decisions but he could be a solid GM someday and here's why his players like him. Here is the proof.
Quick thought about why Brad Childress is a cool dude. This is old news but if you haven't seen it yet, I know you'll enjoy it. I may not agree with some of his in-game decisions but he could be a solid GM someday and here's why his players like him. Here is the proof.
Why March Madness Shouldn't Expand
Hello everyone and sorry for the long delay. With the NCAA Basketball Tournament right around the corner, I thought that I would let everyone know why the big dance is perfect the way that it is. If anyone else out there is like me, you have been keeping an eye on the little guys winning their conference tournaments to advance to the big show. For the many of the Mid-Major programs (and I say Mid-Major with a great amount of distaste), making it into the tournament is considered the goal for the season. With an expansion to 96 or even 128 teams, what is the great reward of making it anymore? Expansion is not a way to let more of the small programs in, its a way to let the cash cow BCS schools get many more teams in. From a financial stand point, the NCAA should definitely let more teams in, but from a fan's point of view, this would be disastrous.
I love college basketball more than any other amateur, collegiate or professional league out there. The NFL is a close second, but how can you argue against the passion that is displayed game in and game out? The rivalries, the traditions, the fans, college basketball is what sports should be. March Madness culminates a regular season that has the length to find the best teams while also being short enough to have every game count. For a majority of the players out there, this is going to be the last organized basketball that they will play. They leave it on the court every single night. Yes, there are the bright lights, stardom, and Per Diem that some of the players are playing for but many are playing for the love of the game.
The average college fan couldn't tell you who the starting forwards are for North Texas or that Ronald Moore is leading the nation in assists. But if the Mean Green pull off an upset or the Saints continue their previous success, everyone will know about George Odufuwa and Eric Tramiel 25 minutes after the game. Ronald Moore will be called the next Chris Paul. With an expansion to 128 teams, no one is going to care about upsets in the first round. Is it even impressive if Uconn as a 20th seed beats Minnesota as a 13th? America loves a good a good Cinderella team and this could effectively eliminate one of the best things in sport.
This is going to kick off a week of posts on the tournament getting ready for the greatest event in sports. Make sure to check back later.
Derek
I love college basketball more than any other amateur, collegiate or professional league out there. The NFL is a close second, but how can you argue against the passion that is displayed game in and game out? The rivalries, the traditions, the fans, college basketball is what sports should be. March Madness culminates a regular season that has the length to find the best teams while also being short enough to have every game count. For a majority of the players out there, this is going to be the last organized basketball that they will play. They leave it on the court every single night. Yes, there are the bright lights, stardom, and Per Diem that some of the players are playing for but many are playing for the love of the game.
The average college fan couldn't tell you who the starting forwards are for North Texas or that Ronald Moore is leading the nation in assists. But if the Mean Green pull off an upset or the Saints continue their previous success, everyone will know about George Odufuwa and Eric Tramiel 25 minutes after the game. Ronald Moore will be called the next Chris Paul. With an expansion to 128 teams, no one is going to care about upsets in the first round. Is it even impressive if Uconn as a 20th seed beats Minnesota as a 13th? America loves a good a good Cinderella team and this could effectively eliminate one of the best things in sport.
This is going to kick off a week of posts on the tournament getting ready for the greatest event in sports. Make sure to check back later.
Derek
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