The Official March Madness 2007 Thread

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I hope so, I do like Illinios and SIU - except when they play us of course.

is there still talk of Braggin Rights going to the Dome? I think that would be a huge mistake...

[Dr. Sak]

Not sure if any of you heard about the Tar Heel's mascot that got hit by a car before yesterday's game.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?s...v=ap&type=lgns

He was in critical condition but has since passed away. Terrible news.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

is there still talk of Braggin Rights going to the Dome? I think that would be a huge mistake...

If there is, I haven't heard much about it on KFNS. I hate the dome.

[sooner333]

Well, Heath was just fired by Arkansas per Andy Katz. We'll see if Gillespie goes there. I can see him going dispite his promising recruiting class. Law is gone and his name probably won't be any hotter than it is now. He's getting to the point where he needs to take the step now or he'll have to wait a few more years to re-prove himself. Look at a guy like Kelvin Sampson. He was hot for a few years at Oklahoma, was looking at a few jobs like NC State and Texas. Then he had to wait a few more years, dispite success, to find the top-notch job.

When you skip a step in the coaching ladder, you have to wait longer to reach a rung up. You don't have the benefit of a grace period either. All coaches aren't trying to progress, but Gillespie sure is...look how fast he bolted from UTEP to take the A&M job.

[MrIllini]

is Arkansas really a better job than A&M at this point?

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

is Arkansas really a better job than A&M at this point?

Absolutely not. Arkansas is an even worse job than Kentucky at this point, for the simple reason that the alumni expectations are at an unreasonable high. The only hope for Our Kansas at this point is to start doing some heavy inbreeding. This way, the kids will mutate and maybe grow a third arm. Could you imagine the type of crossover a three armed dude would have?

[MrIllini]

maybe Mitch Mustain can play basketball?

[sooner333]

I think it can be better...many coaches don't like playing second fiddle to football, and at A&M it will always be like that. Bud Walton is a huge arena and Reed Arena at A&M is big at 12,000 but not too full. I'll remember last year at the NCAA's in Dallas when the Hog fans were out in full force.

I thought it would be the same way in OKC for the Big 12 Tournament with A&M, but their turnout was fairly disappointing for the Friday night session.

I think Gillespie is a guy who wants to be the center of attention and he'll get that in Arkansas and if he does well can really parlay that into a very top-level job.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Absolutely not. Arkansas is an even worse job than Kentucky at this point, for the simple reason that the alumni expectations are at an unreasonable high. The only hope for Our Kansas at this point is to start doing some heavy inbreeding. This way, the kids will mutate and maybe grow a third arm. Could you imagine the type of crossover a three armed dude would have?

I should have done this along time ago, but looks like I have found use of the ignore button.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

It's a tough call IMO. Skill-wise, no question that Durant tops Oden, but man, Oden's presence is hard to formulate. When he's in the game he opens it up for everybody else in a way that Durant, as good as he is, doesn't. Having said that, if I'm a college coach I'd still take Durant, but I think it's much closer than their stats dictate.

I would generally agree with this. I think you're underestimating Oden's skills relative to his position, though. The guy was shooting over 60% from the free throw line with his offhand. Very impressive for a guy that size.

Durant is a wonderful college player, but he's going to have a tougher time than Oden translating that success to the NBA. Until Durant starts getting serious in the weight room there's no way he'll rebound at the rate he is in college and he's going to have to learn to score and defend guys much quicker than the guys he's facing now because the NBA is filled with guys at the wing position with his size and athletic ability.

A lot of people like to compare Oden to Duncan, but I don't think his skills match Duncan's. It's mostly a comparison based on his demeanor. Personally, Oden reminds me a lot of Alonzo Mourning at Georgetown. Incredibly talented on the defensive end while solid on the offensive end with the skills to vastly improve.

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

It's ok, I can live with that. UCLA is lucky that most teams shoot so terrible against them....Imagine if they were a halfway decent team...

In other words the game they played earlier that year that Memphis beat UCLA in was a complete fluke. UCLA did what they had to do to win. They contested layups, and when Memphis went outside to pull out the defense they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. That allowed UCLA to keep packing in the defense and contesting the layups.

Memphis' offense is very simple. Drive, and kick out to the open wing for the three. The inside presence cleans the boards and gets their points on stickbacks. If Memphis is hitting their 3s, even at a 33% clip, they are tough to defend. Last year, the difference between UCLA and Memphis in the NCAAs was roughly 5-7 points throughout the second half. If Memphis hits two 3s, the game is a tie ball game. For the record, 2 of 14 is 18%.

This year, UCLA has been stifling on defense. However, a more atheletic team will give them trouble, just as they did last year. Plus, the teams that have beat the Bruins this year are those that can hit 3s. Pitt isn't exactly a 3 point shooting team, they rely on Gray on the interior, and that plays to the strength of the Bruin defense.

This isn't to denigrate UCLA, they are my third favorite college B-ball team after Illinois and Memphis.

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

is Arkansas really a better job than A&M at this point?

I think it is. There is a bigger focus on the basketball program at Arkansas than there is at A&M, and it is easier to recruit to Arkansas than it is at A&M. Memphis is a huge basketball hotbed, and Arkansas has traditionally been able to recruit Memphis when successful, and Memphis hasn't been recruiting the local talent as they have had in the past.

The problem at Arkansas is an unreasonable fan base. They can't expect to be what they were during Richardson's heydey, and they want a certain style of basketball to be played. Unfortunately for Gillespie, he doesn't really play that style based upon the games I have seen of his teams.

The best fit for Arkansas is that guy up in Missouri right now, and due to Anderson's ties to Richardson, I don't think he'd give UA the time of day.

[MrIllini]

Quin Snyder for Arkansas Head Coach!

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Absolutely not. Arkansas is an even worse job than Kentucky at this point, for the simple reason that the alumni expectations are at an unreasonable high. The only hope for Our Kansas at this point is to start doing some heavy inbreeding. This way, the kids will mutate and maybe grow a third arm. Could you imagine the type of crossover a three armed dude would have?

what the fuck is this

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

I should have done this along time ago, but looks like I have found use of the ignore button.

Oh no! Say it ain't so! At least I can still read your well thought out, eloquent, impartial basketball analysis. I guess that means I am teh winnar!

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

I should have done this along time ago, but looks like I have found use of the ignore button.

You can find use for an ignore button .. but not common sense?

[MrIllini]

what I think DTRDVHS is trying to say is...

MEMPHIS SUCKS ASS

[adubroff]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

I think it is. There is a bigger focus on the basketball program at Arkansas than there is at A&M, and it is easier to recruit to Arkansas than it is at A&M. Memphis is a huge basketball hotbed, and Arkansas has traditionally been able to recruit Memphis when successful, and Memphis hasn't been recruiting the local talent as they have had in the past.

The problem at Arkansas is an unreasonable fan base. They can't expect to be what they were during Richardson's heydey, and they want a certain style of basketball to be played. Unfortunately for Gillespie, he doesn't really play that style based upon the games I have seen of his teams.

The best fit for Arkansas is that guy up in Missouri right now, and due to Anderson's ties to Richardson, I don't think he'd give UA the time of day.

I would agree it's a jump, but I think it's like a 7 to an 8 jump. I think Gillespie (might) get offered 9 and 10 jobs (Kentucky being the best bet for this year). It's sort of a tough call for him as to whether it's worth trying the 8 job and possibly failing or maybe rolling up 2-3 more years of resume padding at the 7 school.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

I think it is. There is a bigger focus on the basketball program at Arkansas than there is at A&M, and it is easier to recruit to Arkansas than it is at A&M. Memphis is a huge basketball hotbed, and Arkansas has traditionally been able to recruit Memphis when successful, and Memphis hasn't been recruiting the local talent as they have had in the past.

The problem at Arkansas is an unreasonable fan base. They can't expect to be what they were during Richardson's heydey, and they want a certain style of basketball to be played. Unfortunately for Gillespie, he doesn't really play that style based upon the games I have seen of his teams.

The best fit for Arkansas is that guy up in Missouri right now, and due to Anderson's ties to Richardson, I don't think he'd give UA the time of day.

I was thinking the same thing about the style when I heard talk of him going to Kentucky. I am not sure that style fits what the Wildcat fan base is looking for either.

[Karlifornia]

I really don't see Arkansas as a jump. I mean. Stan Heath just got fired after making the tournament. Why would you go to a place where the guillotine is always right above your head, rather than be worshipped at a major conference program that you built from the ground up?


What was Florida before Billy Donovan showed up? Just because Texas A&M doesn't have a rich basketball tradition doesn't mean he can't create one.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

PLUS...Oden is already 32, so he's got experience

Had to applaud the quote of the thread so far.

And I couldn't miss out on the GoldenEagle rant(s) about the game officiating. It was well worth the read.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle

You can find use for an ignore button .. but not common sense?

He was looking for the Pingrunk Guy thread and got lost

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle

You can find use for an ignore button .. but not common sense?

Sweet. One more hater for the list.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Sweet. One more hater for the list.

oooooooooooooooooooh burn

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Sweet. One more hater for the list.

Pwnd!

[Karlifornia]

I think getting on GoldenEagle's ignore list can be construed as a sort of badge of honor.

"On the real"....I don't attack people for no reason, but GoldenEagle is the biggest tool ever. I guess I shouldn't attack him, though. It's not right to pick on people who have chemical imbalances that hamper their ability to look at anything rationally.

Just like Calipari looks at recruits with dollar bill colored glasses, you look at the world through memphis tiger blue shades. I just have to ask, though...is being a fucking idiot your nature, or is it a disguise you put on to hide your true genius?

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

I think getting on GoldenEagle's ignore list can be construed as a sort of badge of honor.

"On the real"....I don't attack people for no reason, but GoldenEagle is the biggest tool ever. I guess I shouldn't attack him, though. It's not right to pick on people who have chemical imbalances that hamper their ability to look at anything rationally.

Just like Calipari looks at recruits with dollar bill colored glasses, you look at the world through memphis tiger blue shades. I just have to ask, though...is being a fucking idiot your nature, or is it a disguise you put on to hide your true genius?

I'm not touching this one.

Not with a ten foot pole.

Shit, I just did.

[Logan]

I'm amazed and shocked that GoldenEagle escaped this thread without being boxed. But with Round 2 seemingly coming, maybe it's not too late.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by Logan

I'm amazed and shocked that GoldenEagle escaped this thread without being boxed. But with Round 2 seemingly coming, maybe it's not too late.

Oh shit, no kidding.

Does anyone have pull with the NCAA?

Can we put Memphis BACK into the tournament?

And then they can lose again, and Calipari's hair might get even MORE disheveled. Wow-wow-wee-wa. Sexy time.

[MizzouRah]

Oh man... at least you all could be Mizzou fans! In fact, each of you HAVE to put a Mizzou helmet on your car's antenna.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Oh man... at least you all could be Mizzou fans! In fact, each of you HAVE to put a Mizzou helmet on your car's antenna.

I'd rather be a Memphis fan

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Logan

I'm amazed and shocked that GoldenEagle escaped this thread without being boxed. But with Round 2 seemingly coming, maybe it's not too late.

I'd just like to say that I don't know what I was going for when I said "amazed AND shocked." I mean, that's about as perfect as synonyms can get.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

I'd rather be a Memphis fan

Soon enough... you'll come around.

[JPhillips]

It's one thing to say that the officiating was bad.

It's another to say there is a conspiracy between the officials, the NCAA, the Big Ten and CBS to make sure that OSU gets in the Final Four.

GE, your team lost by 16. You shot 40%. You only made 70% of your FTs. You had fewer rebounds, fewer steals and more turnovers. You couldn't score 40 in a half and OSU scored over forty in both halves. A few bad calls didn't make the difference.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Soon enough... you'll come around.

Misery can eat my ball bag

not interested

I'll respect you as a dedicated fan, but as it goes beyond that...ewwwwwwwwwww

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's one thing to say that the officiating was bad.

It's another to say there is a conspiracy between the officials, the NCAA, the Big Ten and CBS to make sure that OSU gets in the Final Four.

GE, your team lost by 16. You shot 40%. You only made 70% of your FTs. You had fewer rebounds, fewer steals and more turnovers. You couldn't score 40 in a half and OSU scored over forty in both halves. A few bad calls didn't make the difference.

in fact, Memphis might have done even poorly had GE ACTUALLY been responsible, as you indicate

[JPhillips]

I thought he was on the team? If he isn't, why is he bitching so much?

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

GE, your team lost by 16. You shot 40%. You only made 70% of your FTs. You had fewer rebounds, fewer steals and more turnovers. You couldn't score 40 in a half and OSU scored over forty in both halves. A few bad calls didn't make the difference.

Yes, OSU was the better team. As I have said, I was upset and had my emotions on my sleeve. I was pissed off and I believe it showed. I still think the officiating was poor but it is over and done with now. There is nothing changing it.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Yes, OSU was the better team. as I have said, I was up set and had my emotions on my sleeve. I was pissed off and I believe it showed. I still think the officiating was poor but it is over and done with now. There is nothing changing it.

Damn you. I respect that opinion. Shit.

[Young Drachma]

What's with the women's NCAA tournament? Do they think they're kidding anybody by having the games in cities to sparsely attended crowds? I mean, what's the point of doing that to these women when the men are playing to almost packed houses?

How is this really fair to them? I mean, at least with the Women's NIT they play the games at a home arena of whatever teams draw better in previous rounds, so you get a situation like we had here yesterday where the teams get to play in front of a packed crowd. And sure it's a hostile crowd for the other team, but that's gotta be better than playing before a crowd of empty seats.

Hell, that game was the most well-attended women's game in the country yesterday. (and a school record, mind you..)

But I just don't understand this boondoggle or even what to do about it (home games in the Women's NCAA tourney would just tilt the scales towards the power teams more than they already do...), but it just seems like a screwy situation.

But it's the NCAA, so...I don't expect anything logical to happen to remedy it.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

What's with the women's NCAA tournament? Do they think they're kidding anybody by having the games in cities to sparsely attended crowds? I mean, what's the point of doing that to these women when the men are playing to almost packed houses?

How is this really fair to them? I mean, at least with the Women's NIT they play the games at a home arena of whatever teams draw better in previous rounds, so you get a situation like we had here yesterday where the teams get to play in front of a packed crowd. And sure it's a hostile crowd for the other team, but that's gotta be better than playing before a crowd of empty seats.

Hell, that game was the most well-attended women's game in the country yesterday. (and a school record, mind you..)

But I just don't understand this boondoggle or even what to do about it (home games in the Women's NCAA tourney would just tilt the scales towards the power teams more than they already do...), but it just seems like a screwy situation.

But it's the NCAA, so...I don't expect anything logical to happen to remedy it.

Really, I think the answer is to play the games at the home arenas of the top seeds. You'll get packed houses. Some may find it unfair, but if you're a top seed, you deserve it. That's incentive enough for teams to build programs. It would make the regular season mean more.

I know the opening round are already played at the top-seeds arenas, but just keep that going throughout the tourney. Have the final four rotate between Connecticut, LSU, Tennessee, and Duke.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Really, I think the answer is to play the games at the home arenas of the top seeds. You'll get packed houses. Some may find it unfair, but if you're a top seed, you deserve it. That's incentive enough for teams to build programs. It would make the regular season mean more.

I know the opening round are already played at the top-seeds arenas, but just keep that going throughout the tourney. Have the final four rotate between Connecticut, LSU, Tennessee, and Duke.

I think that's the only workable solution.

[Logan]

What the RU women have done is really awesome. Five freshmen and no seniors on the roster. Congrats to CVS.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

Misery can eat my ball bag

not interested

I'll respect you as a dedicated fan, but as it goes beyond that...ewwwwwwwwwww

And I'll do the same.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Logan

What the RU women have done is really awesome. Five freshmen and no seniors on the roster. Congrats to CVS.

I know! How exciting after the football season ends to have something more to cheer about. She was such a great hire, I remember back when she first got there when I still lived in Jersey. She really did build that program well. And they're doing great work.

Even to be in a position to win that Duke game was a huge deal, I thought.

I hope they can outlast LSU, because those girls are playing pretty well, as it would be fantastic to finally see them capture a title.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Have the final four rotate between Connecticut, LSU, Tennessee, and Duke.

Except that those aren't the top four in average attendance.
The 06-07 attendance figures haven't been posted by the NCAA yet, but for 05-06:
Tennessee was again #1 (15,356), with Texas Tech next (11,935), UConn (11,521), and New Mexico (10,354).

The rest of the top 10: Minnesota, Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Purdue, Michigan State.

LSU was 15th with 6,273 and Duke was 16th with 6,073 ... which is about what tonight's Rutgers-Arizona State game in Greensboro announced (6037).

Yesterday's games in Dayton drew just over 9,000 but the Dallas games only drew 3,875. The former might be attributed to the strong following for three of the teams (UT, Oklahoma, and Rutgers were in the top 25 in attendance)

The latter looks like a combination of no local teams + only 1 top attendance team in Purdue. In fact, the attendance in Dallas yesterday was larger than the average attendance at home for UNC & would have been about the same as UGA's home attendance if they didn't sell out against UT every year).

Looks like the same thing, only worse, happened in Fresno. Saturday's session drew 3,658 for UConn, NC State, LSU, and FSU. That's 1/3rd more than the host school's regular season average, not bad when you consider the distances for the four participants. It's also more than the regular season average for all but two schools in the West (New Mexico & Montana).

I'm not sure that, short of rotating through a very small handful of sites, the crowds would improve even if home teams did host every round. Case in point, a good Stanford team only drew 4011 at home in round two. Pittsburgh drew 6601 for their home game, but I can't say that I would expect more than half of that number on a night they weren't playing ... which puts us right back to where Dallas & Fresno were drawing to spark this conversation in the first place.

The truth is, that even if you take the homecourt advantage issues out of the conversation, there's just not many places that can draw much more for these games unless the home team is playing.

And especially not at the ticket prices the NCAA is trying to sell . The 1st two rounds were ranged from $38(Pittsburgh) to $78(UConn) , 3rd & 4th rounds ranged from $20/$35 (Dayton) to $52 (Fresno & G'boro). Compare that to the regular season prices of about $6 a ticket I paid for games at UGA this year. But 3000 people @ $35 is more money than 17000 people at $6, so I don't think that'll improve any time soon.

At least the Final Four in Cleveland is a sell-out (although I can't help but wonder how many people will actually be in the building if it's something like a Rutgers vs Ole Miss final)

edit to add: That's not meant as any sort of a knock on Rutgers or Ole Miss. But neither program has the history that some of the other possibilities do, they don't draw as well at home as some of the others, and they're a lot further from Cleveland than Tennessee or Purdue.

[MrIllini]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

And I'll do the same.

[Young Drachma]

It's 71-71 heading into Double Overtime in Laramie, between K-State and Wyoming in the Semi-finals of the Women's NIT. The two met earlier in the season and K-State got it to overtime on a halfcourt shot and eventually won. K-State are the defending champs of the NIT.

The winner of tonight's game will host Wisconsin in the Final on Saturday. Neither team seems to want to go down tonight and this game is probably better than what the final will be.

[Young Drachma]

89-79 Wyoming(3OT)

The battle of the UWs (With regards to the University of Washington) will take place here on Saturday at 3pm..and will be televised...

[Groundhog]

From the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/content/from..._on_final_four

Greg Oden On Final Four Appearance: 'I'm Happier Than I've Been In 30 Years'