2009 NCAA Tournament Thread

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

ESPN is saying TBA for the times tomorrow. Have the times been been posted anywhere?

MU/UCONN starts at 4:40 EDT.

Pitt/Villanova starts sometime around 7:00 EDT.

[Kodos]

Now that Duke has been eliminated, I am officially proclaiming the 2008-2009 season a success.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Now that Duke has been eliminated, I am officially proclaiming the 2008-2009 season a success.

Even if your team sucked ass?

[hoopsguy]

Further proof that IU fans are delusional

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I, too, will also be rooting for KU and OU tonight

SI

Amen brother.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Amazing words from exactly three years ago..........

"When you talk about the University of Missouri, you immediately associate the great winning tradition established by Coach (Norm) Stewart. Having the opportunity to coach 17 seasons at Arkansas, I am familiar with Norm Stewart-coached teams. I remember their hard-nosed style of play and the passion the fans felt for their teams. Not many programs enjoyed the same type of fan support that we did during our days at Arkansas, but Missouri was one of them. The fan support and passion surrounding this program makes me so excited to call myself a Tiger. There were a lot of reasons to come to Missouri. First was our familiarity with the program and the Big 12 Conference. Mike Alden really sold me on Missouri as a whole. The fan support, the academic opportunities and of course the tremendous facilities. These aspects will allow us to attract the types of student-athletes we need to be successful. Our goal is to win a national championship and that's why we are at Missouri.”

Mike Anderson's introduction as new Mizzou head coach - March 26, 2006

Everybody laughed at Mike's last comment when he first said it. Simply unthinkable.

Nobody is laughing now. We may not fulfill it this year, but no one will second guess Mike Anderson's belief that we can win it all at Mizzou and that he could be the one to do it.

[Noop]

Way to be humble.

[muns]

Seriously come on. Ive stayed out of the shit throwing in this thread, but I wouldnt be chest pumping if I was you. They shouldnt have beat marquette, they let Memphis come back and could have very easily lost that one too and now your talking about a championship at some point............

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

No kidding... has a team ever won the title without ever looking that good?

NC State.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by muns

Seriously come on. Ive stayed out of the shit throwing in this thread, but I wouldnt be chest pumping if I was you. They shouldnt have beat marquette, they let Memphis come back and could have very easily lost that one too and now your talking about a championship at some point............

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Mizzou is three games away from a NCAA title and just knocked off the 'fifth #1 seed' in this tourney. We'll see.

The line on the MU/UCONN game starts with UCONN as a 6 point favorite. I expect that line to go down.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Mizzou is three games away from a NCAA title and just knocked off the 'fifth #1 seed' in this tourney. We'll see.

The line on the MU/UCONN game starts with UCONN as a 6 point favorite. I expect that line to go down.

Did you guys win the Big 12 in football?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Noop

Way to be humble.

fanatic
Main Entry: fa·nat·ic
Pronunciation: \fə-ˈna-tik\
Variant(s): or fa·nat·i·cal \-ti-kəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin fanaticus inspired by a deity, frenzied, from fanum temple — more at feast
Date: 1550

1. marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion

I don't see anything in that definition that requires a fan to be humble. That's the coach and player's job.

[spleen1015]

You guys should leave MBBF alone. He got lots of crap leading into the Memphis game and his team won. Even though I think it is being a poor winner, he's allowed to brag if he wants. Let him be an ass.

BTW, this has nothing to do with Missouri winning the Big 12 in football.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Noop

Did you guys win the Big 12 in football?

Did you get lost in a basketball thread?

[molson]

Missouri and Memphis are old news.

Go Syracuse!

Their biggest flaws this year have been inconsistency on defense and occasional selfish play, but it never really cost them a game they should have won. They never lost a game via upset - except via a 75-footer at the buzzer to Cleveland St.

They also never had the elite conference win until the 6-OT game. They largely won when they were supposed to and lost when they were supposed to. And tonight's game is almost a pick-em.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Noop

Way to be humble.

I've always felt a little for Mizzou. Not enough to really want them to win too much, especially not when playing us. But it really does seem that God hates them- Tyus Edney, fifth down, hell, us getting the Orange Bowl instead of their more deserving team 2 years ago. I swear, Mizzou fans must just walk around in this state of shell shock, thinking "what's going to happen next to ruin my big moment".



Then you see posts by MBBF like he does and I wonder if maybe the karma in the universe makes sense. I just feel for the rest of the guys in that same boat

SI

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Did you get lost in a basketball thread?

Nope.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by molson

Missouri and Memphis are old news.

Go Syracuse!

Their biggest flaws this year have been inconsistency on defense and occasional selfish play, but it never really cost them a game they should have won. They never lost a game via upset - except via a 75-footer at the buzzer to Cleveland St.

They also never had the elite conference win until the 6-OT game. They largely won when they were supposed to and lost when they were supposed to. And tonight's game is almost a pick-em.

Really interested to see how Oklahoma does in that game. It's a great matchup. I do think tempers will flare at times as there are some pretty big attitudes on both sides of that game.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I don't see anything in that definition that requires a fan to be humble. That's the coach and player's job.

Okay.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Then you see posts by MBBF like he does and I wonder if maybe the karma in the universe makes sense. I just feel for the rest of the guys in that same boat

SI

I think he does that shit because he likes to make people react. He likes making bold statements and seeing people go apeshit.

Yes, he cares that his team wins, but if they don't, at least he had fun playing with the folks that eat the bait.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Even if your team sucked ass?

Honestly, this season was more satisfying than anything under the Kelvin Sampson regime. I just can't root for a team run by a known cheater. Even though the team was better on the court back then, I had trouble watching them. Now that Crean is here, the program is something I can root for again. I watched more IU games this season than I have in years because they were a team I could root for without reservation. I knew this would be a hard season, but the team was scrappy and enthusiastic about representing Indiana University. The on-court results will start turning around soon with a Top 10 recruiting class coming in next season. I know we are years away from being what we once were, but we are heading in the right direction, and I know we'll get where we need to.


And pretty much any year where Duke doesn't win it all is a success. Just like any season where the Yankees and the Red Sox don't win the world series is a success. Or where the Cowboys don't win a Super Bowl. You get the idea... Sometimes you have to get your joy from the right teams losing.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I've always felt a little for Mizzou. Not enough to really want them to win too much, especially not when playing us. But it really does seem that God hates them- Tyus Edney, fifth down, hell, us getting the Orange Bowl instead of their more deserving team 2 years ago. I swear, Mizzou fans must just walk around in this state of shell shock, thinking "what's going to happen next to ruin my big moment".



Then you see posts by MBBF like he does and I wonder if maybe the karma in the universe makes sense. I just feel for the rest of the guys in that same boat

SI

Not the first nor the last time that a beaker speaks with a smile and a forked tongue when discussing Mizzou.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I think he does that shit because he likes to make people react. He likes making bold statements and seeing people go apeshit.

Yes, he cares that his team wins, but if they don't, at least he had fun playing with the folks that eat the bait.

Yet another person that gives me far too much credit. I have to be smart enough to think that up before I could actually do that. I'm a happy Mizzou fan and little more.

[spleen1015]

I am frustrated by the hate for Duke, yet I understand.

They haven't been a championship caliber team since they lost to Okafur in 2004, but the media likes to pump them up and Vital is always going nuts.

DAMN IT PEOPLE! I'm sad today!

I don't feel like Coach K didn't a good job last night. 0 adjustments were made.

I'm left with rooting against UNC.

About Indiana, they're going to make it back to the top of the Big Ten. Crean will turn them around. IU fans have a lot to root for going forward.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Yet another person that gives me far too much credit. I have to be smart enough to think that up before I could actually do that. I'm a happy Mizzou fan and little more.

No way, dude. You do the same thing with the PS3.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by muns

I cant wait to see that boards reaction when they realize their top choices arent coming.

I'll be surprised if Arizona lands any of those big names, but there definitely seems to be smoke on the Pitino issue:

PITINO CONSIDERED CANDIDATE FOR 'ZONA - New York Post


Now there's a rumor that Pitino's wife is either looking or has already purchased a house in Tucson.

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

About Indiana, they're going to make it back to the top of the Big Ten. Crean will turn them around. IU fans have a lot to root for going forward.

So long as the AD and the boosters are patient enough with him. It takes time to rebuild a program, and you can't run your coach out of town on rails if he doesn't have quick success, no matter how much tradition your name carries with it (see Billy Gillispie at Kentucky, who I fully expect to be canned within the next day or two).

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by DataKing

So long as the AD and the boosters are patient enough with him. It takes time to rebuild a program, and you can't run your coach out of town on rails if he doesn't have quick success, no matter how much tradition your name carries with it (see Billy Gillispie at Kentucky, who I fully expect to be canned within the next day or two).

I think a big difference here is Gillespie is a prick and Crean isn't. I think the folks at IU and the fans understand what needs to happen. They know it won't be over night success.

We're a lot smarter here in Indiana than those folks down there in Kentucky.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I am frustrated by the hate for Duke, yet I understand.

It doesn't really matter if Duke ends up being a 10 win team in basketball, any time they lose will bring a smile to my face. I think it has to do with once a team completely beats up your team enough times for enough seasons, you just start disliking that team.

For me it is Duke in College Basketball, 49ers in football, Dodgers in baseball and my dislike for UGA in college football is mostly just because they are UGA.

[Radii]

I'm definitely rooting for Oklahoma tonight, sorry Cuse. But take it as a compliment. I would much rather UNC have to deal with Blake Griffin than with Syracuse's guards and their defense. This of course, assumes UNC wins, which is no safe assumption.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Alan T

It doesn't really matter if Duke ends up being a 10 win team in basketball, any time they lose will bring a smile to my face. I think it has to do with once a team completely beats up your team enough times for enough seasons, you just start disliking that team.

For me it is Duke in College Basketball, 49ers in football, Dodgers in baseball and my dislike for UGA in college football is mostly just because they are UGA.

I know what you mean. I am this way with the Yankees. It is a successful MLB season when the Yankees don't win the WS. It has been even better the last few years after they signed Mussina away from my Orioles. They never won a WS with Mussina and it was sweet!

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Honestly, this season was more satisfying than anything under the Kelvin Sampson regime. I just can't root for a team run by a known cheater. Even though the team was better on the court back then, I had trouble watching them. Now that Crean is here, the program is something I can root for again. I watched more IU games this season than I have in years because they were a team I could root for without reservation. I knew this would be a hard season, but the team was scrappy and enthusiastic about representing Indiana University. The on-court results will start turning around soon with a Top 10 recruiting class coming in next season. I know we are years away from being what we once were, but we are heading in the right direction, and I know we'll get where we need to.


And pretty much any year where Duke doesn't win it all is a success. Just like any season where the Yankees and the Red Sox don't win the world series is a success. Or where the Cowboys don't win a Super Bowl. You get the idea... Sometimes you have to get your joy from the right teams losing.

I'm just busting your chops. Yes I like Duke but they ended up being my default team since Penn State sucks at basketball. Now I see (hopefully) that program being somewhat respectful and I root for them more.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

You guys should leave MBBF alone. He got lots of crap leading into the Memphis game and his team won. Even though I think it is being a poor winner, he's allowed to brag if he wants. Let him be an ass.

BTW, this has nothing to do with Missouri winning the Big 12 in football.

It just makes his life look sad and pathetic. That's all.

[Fighter of Foo]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I am frustrated by the hate for Duke, yet I understand.

They haven't been a championship caliber team since they lost to Okafur in 2004, but the media likes to pump them up and Vital is always going nuts.

DAMN IT PEOPLE! I'm sad today!

I don't feel like Coach K didn't a good job last night. 0 adjustments were made.

I'm left with rooting against UNC.

About Indiana, they're going to make it back to the top of the Big Ten. Crean will turn them around. IU fans have a lot to root for going forward.

It's more that Duke has an inordinate amount of players that look like they should be punched in the face. I wish Duke's coach would stop recruiting those guys.

[Fighter of Foo]

Originally Posted by DataKing

So long as the AD and the boosters are patient enough with him. It takes time to rebuild a program, and you can't run your coach out of town on rails if he doesn't have quick success, no matter how much tradition your name carries with it (see Billy Gillispie at Kentucky, who I fully expect to be canned within the next day or two).

Supposedly, some UK players have vowed not to play next season if Gillespie is retained as HC. True or not, it's still entertaining.

[MJ4H]

There are several reports that he's already out (and some strong rumors about Travis Ford being his replacement).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

It just makes his life look sad and pathetic. That's all.

You're better than that. Act like it.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by muns

Seriously come on. Ive stayed out of the shit throwing in this thread, but I wouldnt be chest pumping if I was you. They shouldnt have beat marquette, they let Memphis come back and could have very easily lost that one too and now your talking about a championship at some point............

get a life...

seriously.. he can't be happy about the run this team is on right now?

[panerd]

Originally Posted by muns

Seriously come on. Ive stayed out of the shit throwing in this thread, but I wouldnt be chest pumping if I was you. They shouldnt have beat marquette, they let Memphis come back and could have very easily lost that one too and now your talking about a championship at some point............

I am amused by MBBF all the time but this post amuses me even more. So they shouldn't have beaten Marquette? Okay... why is that? They could have easily lost to Memhpis? Okay, why is that? Because they took the game within 6 points for about 10 seconds? We could have easily given up 8 points? Sure. Great post.

[muns]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

get a life...

seriously.. he can't be happy about the run this team is on right now?

lol Thanks for the suggestion, ill keep that one in mind

Happy is one thing, and there is nothing wrong with being happy, but its not exactly like they are beating teams by 40 and are on a freaking steam roll. Just a tad bit early to even begin to bring up talk of a championship, but hey I guess that is just me.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

It's more that Duke has an inordinate amount of players that look like they should be punched in the face. I wish Duke's coach would stop recruiting those guys.

Other thank Laettner and Redick, I don't know of any other players that were really worthy of needing their asses kicked, but I could be wrong.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Other thank Laettner and Redick, I don't know of any other players that were really worthy of needing their asses kicked, but I could be wrong.

That's easy...Tyler Hansbrough...he always has that wide eyed..mouth open stupid look on his face.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

There are several reports that he's already out (and some strong rumors about Travis Ford being his replacement).

Guess it's official now. Paper this morning described one of his assistants cleaning out his desk, and most people have said the decision was made last week. Donovan, Ford, and Pelphrey are the names being thrown around right now.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

That's easy...Tyler Hansbrough...he always has that wide eyed..mouth open stupid look on his face.

I agree, but he's not a Duke player. We were talking about Duke players.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Guess it's official now. Paper this morning described one of his assistants cleaning out his desk, and most people have said the decision was made last week. Donovan, Ford, and Pelphrey are the names being thrown around right now.

ESPN is reporting it a done deal. Gillespie is buh-bye.

[muns]

Originally Posted by panerd

I am amused by MBBF all the time but this post amuses me even more. So they shouldn't have beaten Marquette? Okay... why is that? They could have easily lost to Memhpis? Okay, why is that? Because they took the game within 6 points for about 10 seconds? We could have easily given up 8 points? Sure. Great post.

Glad I amused ya today.

They shouldnt have beaten marquette cause they got outplayed, and a kid made a mistake at the end that the cost marquette the game, but hey thats part of basketball and Mizzu won the game. Congrats let me beat my chest some more.

When a team goes up by 20, and then decides to shit that lead twice in two games, I wouldnt be all that confident, but like i said before I guess that is just me.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Other thank Laettner and Redick, I don't know of any other players that were really worthy of needing their asses kicked, but I could be wrong.

Paulus, Collins I think would be nearly universal answers. But I'm a UNC fan, my list would be much longer and more biased than your average hater

[Ksyrup]

Here's the local sports guy's take on the UK vacancy:

Mark Story: UK search should begin with Donovan, Ford

Mitch Barnhart better get this one right. Lee Todd, too.

At the University of Kentucky, those in charge of the sports program have no bigger responsibility than hiring the right coach to maintain the tradition of UK men's basketball.

When you've had to change coaches after only two years, it is a clear admission that you have blown that hire.

A Kentucky athletics director cannot survive two such failures.

I'm not sure a University of Kentucky president — even one who has contributed as much to the civic life of the commonwealth as Todd — can either.

So the pressure is on Barnhart and Todd in a way it never has been in prior coaching hires.

Let's stipulate up front there is no perfect candidate for the Kentucky job.

Yet I think this should be no more than a two-call coaching search for UK.

The first call should go to Billy Donovan.

I never thought two years ago Donovan would leave Florida to replace Tubby Smith.

For one, Tubby and Billy D. were buddies, having worked together on Rick Pitino's first Kentucky staff. For another, it just felt wrong to leave Florida for another SEC school coming off back-to-back NCAA titles.

This time, Donovan needs to ask himself one question: Does he ever want to coach basketball at a school whose fan base loves basketball as much as he does?

Jeremy Foley, the highly capable Florida athletics director, clearly values basketball. Thing is, though, Gators fans don't. Not the way they do football.

Hoops is just not a vital part of the culture in the outdoors-oriented Sunshine State.

Furthermore, this is the time to take the Kentucky job.

By UK standards, Kentucky basketball has been mediocre four years in a row.

Much like Pitino's experience when he came to probation-strapped UK in 1989, a coach coming in now will get the credit for any future Wildcats success.

Even with his two NCAA titles, there are those who look at Donovan and do not see a great coach. They see the five NCAA Tournament exits on the first weekend from 2001-05 and the back-to-back NIT trips the past two years.

What I see is a good coach who is an even better recruiter. Donovan would bring to UK many of the positive personal attributes of his mentor, Pitino, without some of the less appealing abrasive qualities.

For Billy D., this would be a second chance to take the keys to one of college basketball's great kingdoms.

This time, I think he ought to accept the crown.

If he doesn't, then I think Kentucky should only make one more call. It should go to Travis Ford.

I'll acknowledge up front that the point guard from UK's 1993 Final Four does not have as deep a coaching résumé as I would like in a prospective Kentucky coach.

There would be risk in picking the 39-year-old Ford.

People will say Kentucky took a chance on an up-and-comer in Gillispie and it did not work, so they can't do that again.

That thinking would be wrong.

Unlike Gillispie, Ford grew up in the commonwealth (Madisonville) and understands what Kentucky basketball means to his core.

He employs the kind of high-octane fast-breaking attack that UK fans crave. His first Oklahoma State team averaged 81 points a game.

There are no Final Fours on Ford's coaching track record.

But at Eastern Kentucky, he built from rock bottom and took (in 2005) the Colonels to their first NCAA tourney appearance in 26 years.

At Massachusetts, Ford brought a team into Freedom Hall and beat Louisville and Pitino. He also took the Minutemen to the finals of the NIT.

In his first season at Oklahoma State this year, his team got better as the season went along and closed with a rush to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Cowboys beat Tennessee in the Dance and put a major scare into No. 1-seeded Pitt.

Going forward, Ford has already lured a highly touted recruiting class to Stillwater for next season.

John Pelphrey has always been more personally popular in Kentucky than Ford. But Pel picked a really bad year to go 2-15 in SEC games at Arkansas.

Lexington product Darrin Horn is also a very promising coach who "gets" Kentucky basketball. But, unlike Ford, Horn did not play at UK.

For that reason, I think he would have a harder time unifying and holding the Kentucky fan base.

There has been scuttlebutt that Ford has not, in the past, been a favorite of Barnhart. If that is true, the UK athletics director should take another look.

Ford is driven and hungry to succeed. In him, I see many of the personality traits — both good and bad — that were apparent in a young Pitino when he came to Lexington.

So in the most important coaching search of the Kentucky tenures of Barnhart and Todd, they should give Billy Donovan one more chance to say yes to UK.

If he doesn't, Travis Ford should get the next call to come home.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

That's easy...Tyler Hansbrough...he always has that wide eyed..mouth open stupid look on his face.

Wasn't one Gerald Henderson beating enough?

(I really couldn't care less about Hansbrough, on this team alone I feel a stronger affinity for Lawson, Ginyard, Green, Ellington, and now Ed Davis, in that order)

[Balldog]

Originally Posted by muns

They shouldnt have beaten marquette cause they got outplayed, and a kid made a mistake at the end that the cost marquette the game, but hey thats part of basketball and Mizzu won the game. Congrats let me beat my chest some more.

Ah I didn't know Marquette was automatically awarded a three pointer for just inbounding the ball. Cool!