I couldn't resist...so here are my thoughts on the NCAA Tournament
* First things first: here's a link to last year's post about how to pick an NCAA tournament. I'm giving you this for two reasons: 1) It's still a very accurate and good guide to picking a bracket, and 2) it's the only Post that comes up when you drop my name in google. I don't know why; it only got 4 comments.
* HOW IN THE NAME OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY IS ORAL ROBERTS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. How? My world has literally been turned upside down. This Crazy Christian--and oh do I mean CRAZY--school is one of the 64 best basketball teams in D1? I didn't even know they were D1! How? How does this happen? For God's sake, Seth Davis of cnnsi.com says they have the best chance of any 16 seed ever to actually win a game! And you know what's scary? I AGREE WITH HIM. They're not going to win it...but if any 16 seed ever does, they have the best chance.
If that happens, I just might have to throw myself into oncoming traffic.
* On top of that, I'm also having trouble coming to grips with A&M being in the tourney. A&M is one of my most vivid memories in college: I'll never forget my freshman year (97-98), when A&M strolled into town. I watched them play and thought, "Wow...my high school team would beat these guys by 20. Guaranteed." Not "be able to play with them"...not "could beat them"...I mean, we would have run their sorry asses off the court. So A&M in the NCAA tournament blows my mind.
I'm not saying they don't belong. They absolutely do. In fact, they're one of my upsets: I have no doubt in my mind that they will beat Syracuse. The Orangemen used up all their magic in the Big East Tournament, and have a history of falling short since Melo left. So good for A&M...I'm just shocked to see them here.
* When picking your teams, don't let the fact that a team is "young" worry you. With the talent pool so diluted in college basketball, it's so much easier for a young team to go further than they used to. Look at Carolina.
* And if you doubt that the talent pool is incredibly diluted in the NCAA, I point this out to you: 4 of the top ten players in college basketball this year (Morrison, Redick, Pittsnoogle, Mcnamara) are white.
That's not a good thing.
* Is it just me, or are there more random teams (your Murray State's and George Mason's) than ever this year? Further proof of the dilution: any team has a shot.
* Let's calm down about the Big East people. Yes, it was the toughest conference in basketball this year. But if they are all that good, then how in the Hell did a team that lost 9 of it's last 13 regular season games win the conference tournament? How? Yeah. That's what I thought.
* Early upsets: The aforementioned Syracuse; I don't know how Indiana is in the tournament, let alone a six seed: there's no way they make it out of Round 1; UAB will beat Kentucky; I wouldn't guarantee it, but I'm waiting for Georgetown to lose to Northern Iowa; and maybe it's just the good 'ole Poke in me, but I'm not picking OU in the first round, either. That team has just never impressed me.
* My Final Four: Duke comes out of Atlanta; I like UCLA out of Oakland--they're a really good team that has flown under the radar a little bit; I REALLY want to pick Michigan State out of D.C....but I just can't do it. It's going to be UCONN; and I think Boston College's big men bring them out Minneapolis.
* Duke v. UConn, with Duke pulling it off. Man I hate Duke, but I've just got a feeling that this is their year. Doesn't Redick even look a little bit like Bobby Hurley? Hopefully Redick will buckle his seat belt.
There you have it. Good luck everyone, and remember: have fun!
* HOW IN THE NAME OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY IS ORAL ROBERTS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. How? My world has literally been turned upside down. This Crazy Christian--and oh do I mean CRAZY--school is one of the 64 best basketball teams in D1? I didn't even know they were D1! How? How does this happen? For God's sake, Seth Davis of cnnsi.com says they have the best chance of any 16 seed ever to actually win a game! And you know what's scary? I AGREE WITH HIM. They're not going to win it...but if any 16 seed ever does, they have the best chance.
If that happens, I just might have to throw myself into oncoming traffic.
* On top of that, I'm also having trouble coming to grips with A&M being in the tourney. A&M is one of my most vivid memories in college: I'll never forget my freshman year (97-98), when A&M strolled into town. I watched them play and thought, "Wow...my high school team would beat these guys by 20. Guaranteed." Not "be able to play with them"...not "could beat them"...I mean, we would have run their sorry asses off the court. So A&M in the NCAA tournament blows my mind.
I'm not saying they don't belong. They absolutely do. In fact, they're one of my upsets: I have no doubt in my mind that they will beat Syracuse. The Orangemen used up all their magic in the Big East Tournament, and have a history of falling short since Melo left. So good for A&M...I'm just shocked to see them here.
* When picking your teams, don't let the fact that a team is "young" worry you. With the talent pool so diluted in college basketball, it's so much easier for a young team to go further than they used to. Look at Carolina.
* And if you doubt that the talent pool is incredibly diluted in the NCAA, I point this out to you: 4 of the top ten players in college basketball this year (Morrison, Redick, Pittsnoogle, Mcnamara) are white.
That's not a good thing.
* Is it just me, or are there more random teams (your Murray State's and George Mason's) than ever this year? Further proof of the dilution: any team has a shot.
* Let's calm down about the Big East people. Yes, it was the toughest conference in basketball this year. But if they are all that good, then how in the Hell did a team that lost 9 of it's last 13 regular season games win the conference tournament? How? Yeah. That's what I thought.
* Early upsets: The aforementioned Syracuse; I don't know how Indiana is in the tournament, let alone a six seed: there's no way they make it out of Round 1; UAB will beat Kentucky; I wouldn't guarantee it, but I'm waiting for Georgetown to lose to Northern Iowa; and maybe it's just the good 'ole Poke in me, but I'm not picking OU in the first round, either. That team has just never impressed me.
* My Final Four: Duke comes out of Atlanta; I like UCLA out of Oakland--they're a really good team that has flown under the radar a little bit; I REALLY want to pick Michigan State out of D.C....but I just can't do it. It's going to be UCONN; and I think Boston College's big men bring them out Minneapolis.
* Duke v. UConn, with Duke pulling it off. Man I hate Duke, but I've just got a feeling that this is their year. Doesn't Redick even look a little bit like Bobby Hurley? Hopefully Redick will buckle his seat belt.
There you have it. Good luck everyone, and remember: have fun!
posted by Michael Pondrom at 6:38 PM
6 Comments:
I think you and I might have picked the exact same bracket. Everything from Indiana losing, UW-Milwaukee beating OU, SD State beating Indiana.... and our final 4 and National Champion are exactly the same. You seem to be pretty on the ball this year. And I must say.... I've been a DIE-HARD college basketball fan since my days at OSU. But this year.... I've seen maybe 5 full college games, and well over 20 NBA games. What can I say.... I've come into the light. The NBA... it's FAAAAAAAAAAAANtastic!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tone-Loc
This warrants mentioning:
http://biz.yahoo.com/special/madness06_article2.html
Guess what will be running on my laptop while I'm "working" on my desktop today.
Welcome to my world, Tone. And with the new age limit I think things will improve; it's just right now we're at an all time low in the talent available in college basketball.
Michael
All i can say is Texas baby!! TEXAS ALL THE WAY!!!!
Courtney
I got OU right at least.
Michael
God I hate Indiana...they totally lucked out in beating San Diego State. DIE HOOSIERS!!!
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