The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

[Koolie G]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Don't sleep on Baylor!

I picked Baylor to go to the final 4 in my bracket. They are so athletic that they will give Duke problems I think. That would be a fun elite 8 game to watch.

Also, does anyone think that the West Virginia point guard (not Mazzula, the other one) breaking his foot will hurt the Mountaineers' chances of going further. I've not watched WVU play that much this year, but I think this guy plays some solid minutes in a kinda two headed point guard scheme doesn't he?

[PdiddyPop]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Don't sleep on Baylor!

Baylor better not sleep on St Mary's. At some point reality is gonna hit Baylor either against St Mary's or Duke/Purdue. They will realize just where they are at and lets see if they handle that pressure. Remember Baylor until this year had not won a game in the NCAA's since the 50's.

[Cebby]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

They will realize just where they are at and lets see if they handle that pressure. Remember Baylor until this year had not won a game in the NCAA's since the 50's.

What does that have to do with anything?

Aside from Michigan St, none of the teams in the tournament have any meaningful tournament experience. None of those Final Fours are going to be of any help to Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, or Ohio State. Hell, I don't think any Kentucky player who plays meaningful minutes had ever participated in a win in the NCAA tournament prior to last weekend.

Tournament experience has been shown time and time again to be completely irrelevant, especially now that nobody has any.

[Koolie G]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

I gotta agree on the experience facttor being overrated. I can see where it may help to some extent, like with maybe a Michigan St., but they are the exception and not the rule, in today's college basketball. Hardly any teams have a lot of tournament experience from their players because of the best players leaving early.

Also, senior leadership is a little overrated in my opinion as well. Just because your team has a bunch of seniors doesn't mean you are gonna be a great team, or even necessarily give you an edge in actual game experience. If a team had 5 guys that started together all 4 years, then yes that would be a significant experience advantage I would think. But no college team has that situation.

Here is an excerpt of an article from http://kentuckysportsradio.com/ that basically makes an argument about Cornell not having an experience advantage, even though they have 9 seniors and Kentucky has 3. It is an interesting view of the situation which I might not totally agree with, but there are some valid points in there.

"1) Cornell has experience, look at those 9 seniors.

My response: Gag me. First of all, one of those seniors is Mark Coury, who, God love him, played 3 minutes a game at Kentucky and plays 11 minutes a game at Cornell. I don’t think his “experience” is really helping the Big Red these days. Two of their other seniors, Pete Reynolds and Andre Wilkins, plays LESS THAN 4 MINUTES A GAME! So those guys will also have no impact on the game. Now, let me ask you this: Do you think Ramon Harris(Kentucky senior) is a key factor is this game? I would tend to say no, and I would think most of you agree. Well, Ramon averages 11 minutes a game this year, the same as another one of Cornell’s vaunted seniors, Alex Tyler. So, my point is out of Cornell’s 9 seniors, 2 of them barely play, and 2 others have the equivalent of Ramon Harris’ production in a game.

Now, looking at the Dorky Red’s other 5 guys who actually do make an impact in the game, let me ask you this question: How many NCAA wins did those 5 guys have COMBINED coming into this season: Quick answer: ZERO. How many did UK have: TWO. Why does Cornell getting pimp-slapped twice in the NCAA Tournament before this year give them an advantage? Answer: It doesn’t. How many times had Cornell’s players been to the Sweet 16 before this season: ZERO, same as UK. So, tell me again why their alleged “experience” will be an advantage when in actuality, they have JUST AS MUCH EXPERIENCE in this situation as UK players.

In those Cornell 5 seniors’ 4 years of playing, they have went 4-12 against BCS schools, including 0-9 before this season. JUST THIS SEASON, Kentucky went 23-2 against BCS schools. So, tell me again how Cornell has more “experience” against quality opponents? It’s true that Cornell has more “experience” against crappy opponents, I will give you that. But, who gives a damn about that? Basic point being, if you consider total games played without any consideration for opponent, it is true that Cornell has more “experience”. If you consider opponent, I would argue that Kentucky has more experience."

[PdiddyPop]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

What does that have to do with anything?

Aside from Michigan St, none of the teams in the tournament have any meaningful tournament experience. None of those Final Fours are going to be of any help to Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, or Ohio State. Hell, I don't think any Kentucky player who plays meaningful minutes had ever participated in a win in the NCAA tournament prior to last weekend.

Tournament experience has been shown time and time again to be completely irrelevant, especially now that nobody has any.

How many times has Scott Drew coached in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight? How many times have those players been on the cusp of going to FF? I'm telling you when you get deeper in the tournament experience coaching wise, and talent wise does matter. You can say its overrated all you want, but outside of Nova last year who made up the FF? MSU, UNC, UCONN. Teams that have coaches that have been there before, and in Jay Wright's case he was in the Elite Eight in 06 so he at least knew what type of pressure was on his kids and himself.

Unless you get a miracle run like George Mason in 06 when you get to the FF those coaches at the very least if not the players know what it's like playing that deep in the tournament. We can agree to disagree but experience matters later on in the tournament than it does in the first 2 rounds.

[Cebby]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

I gotta agree on the experience facttor being overrated. I can see where it may help to some extent, like with maybe a Michigan St., but they are the exception and not the rule, in today's college basketball. Hardly any teams have a lot of tournament experience from their players because of the best players leaving early.

I think experience matters in three situations:

1. Early in the season-If the tournament was played in November or December, by all means would I consider it a negative for Kentucky, but after 35+ games, I'm fairly positive Kentucky is capable of dealing.

2. If a team had basically a senior Fab 5 situation where it was 5 good players who played together for four years. This isn't ever going to happen.

3. If the talent was equal. In the NBA, even the Lebrons, Kobes, Durants, and Melos aren't going to be heads and shoulders better than everyone at their peak let alone right when they enter the league. However, Wall and Cousins were 2 of the 3 best players in the country when they showed up. It's not a question of equal talent and differing experience, it's a question of decent experience and an overwhelming talent advantage over everyone.

[Cebby]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

How many times has Scott Drew coached in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight? How many times have those players been on the cusp of going to FF? I'm telling you when you get deeper in the tournament experience coaching wise, and talent wise does matter. You can say its overrated all you want, but outside of Nova last year who made up the FF? MSU, UNC, UCONN. Teams that have coaches that have been there before, and in Jay Wright's case he was in the Elite Eight in 06 so he at least knew what type of pressure was on his kids and himself.

MSU, UNC, and UCONN made the Final Four because they had very talented teams.

If the coaching experience was so important, why were UNC and UCONN in the NIT this year?

Again, none of the players in the tournament aside from MSU's have ever been on the cusp of the Final Four.

If Duke beats Baylor (or whoever), it will be because Duke has the second best trio in the country and the best coach in the country, not because K has coached far superior groups of players over a 4-6 game stretch in the past. Baylor isn't going to lose to St. Marys, Duke, or Kentucky because Drew Scott is an incompetent coach once he wins 2-4 games in a row in March and April.

[PdiddyPop]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

MSU, UNC, and UCONN made the Final Four because they had very talented teams.

If the coaching experience was so important, why were UNC and UCONN in the NIT this year?

Again, none of the players in the tournament aside from MSU's have ever been on the cusp of the Final Four.

If Duke beats Baylor (or whoever), it will be because Duke has the second best trio in the country and the best coach in the country, not because K has coached far superior groups of players over a 4-6 game stretch in the past. Baylor isn't going to lose to St. Marys, Duke, or Kentucky because Drew Scott is an incompetent coach once he wins 2-4 games in a row in March and April.

I never said Scott Drew was incompetent, but he hasn't dealt with the pressure of making deep runs. Roy Williams didn't make the NCAA Tournament do to a lot of injury's on that basketball team. He could not control the revolving door on that was the injury list this year. Calhoun I have no idea why that team didn't jell and come together to make a run in March. As much as the NCAA Tournament comes down to guard play it also comes down to preparation and coaching. I'd take the coach that has been there before and knows what it takes as far as preparing a team for a big time game than at this point Drew who has 2 NCAA wins as a head coach.

K didn't have the most talented teams in 88,89,90, or 94. He had those teams prepared to make a run in March when nobody else thought they could. Reason being he had been there before. He even stated after he won the first of his 3 titles had he known what he did in 86 then he could have found a way to beat Louisville to win the NC that year. He wasn't experienced enough to understand how to rest players during the game, how to adjust when a team switched D and took Johnny Dawkins completely out of the game. Small subtle things like that comes with experience, and I'd take that coaching experience every day when it matters than learning it while going through it.

[lonewolf371]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

I never said Scott Drew was incompetent, but he hasn't dealt with the pressure of making deep runs. Roy Williams didn't make the NCAA Tournament do to a lot of injury's on that basketball team. He could not control the revolving door on that was the injury list this year. Calhoun I have no idea why that team didn't jell and come together to make a run in March. As much as the NCAA Tournament comes down to guard play it also comes down to preparation and coaching. I'd take the coach that has been there before and knows what it takes as far as preparing a team for a big time game than at this point Drew who has 2 NCAA wins as a head coach.

K didn't have the most talented teams in 88,89,90, or 94. He had those teams prepared to make a run in March when nobody else thought they could. Reason being he had been there before. He even stated after he won the first of his 3 titles had he known what he did in 86 then he could have found a way to beat Louisville to win the NC that year. He wasn't experienced enough to understand how to rest players during the game, how to adjust when a team switched D and took Johnny Dawkins completely out of the game. Small subtle things like that comes with experience, and I'd take that coaching experience every day when it matters than learning it while going through it.

Calhoun had health issues this season.

[PdiddyPop]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Calhoun had health issues this season.

True, but even before he went out for health issues they were struggling. ehh or some other UCONN fans help me out why did UCONN never jell and come together?

[PdiddyPop]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Cuse still without the big fella. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tourna...ory?id=5025094

I'm really wondering if he's even gonna play unless they make the FF.

[Cusefan]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Cuse still without the big fella. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tourna...ory?id=5025094

I'm really wondering if he's even gonna play unless they make the FF.

Im thinking probably not, This Knee Problem has been an issue for Onuaku's entire SU Career. The good news is that Jackson plays the Center Position every game for probably 15-20 Minutes. Dashonte Riley has come off the bench and has been doing a very good job filling the lane while Jackson is on the Bench. This is especially amazing due to the fact that Riley only gets on the Court when SU is up by 30.

[rangerrick012]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Why no games during the daytime today? Does this happen every year? I though there's usually day and night games for the Sweet 16? Or am I just really that dumb?

[Sandman42]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Why no games during the daytime today? Does this happen every year? I though there's usually day and night games for the Sweet 16? Or am I just really that dumb?

No, its always night games. There's only 4 games per day do it makes sense to put 2 at 7 and then 2 at 9:30. Otherwise it would be too stretched out and if one games a blowout, there's nothing else to turn to.

[Chaos81]

Re: The Official 2010 "Running Commentary of Every Single Tourney Game" Thread

Why no games during the daytime today? Does this happen every year? I though there's usually day and night games for the Sweet 16? Or am I just really that dumb?

The games are always at night.