College Basketball

[ElDosEquis]

Tuned in last night to the Gonzaga game and glanced up to see them put on a shirt that I thought said -

"Cut the Nut"....

Huh?

Just now, AimingforYoko said:

Yup, I had South Carolina going to the Final Four.

-POTUS

I don't trust any politicians making sports predictions, they can barely chew gum and breathe at the same time -

The should stick to the only 'ball game' they know about.

Giving each other a good reach around?

[ebk57]

1 hour ago, ElDosEquis said:

Tuned in last night to the Gonzaga game and glanced up to see them put on a shirt that I thought said -

"Cut the Nut"....

Huh?

 

I believe it said Cut the Net...

[AimingforYoko]

Not as good as the Fla.-Wis. thriller, but that was pretty damn good. 

2 hours ago, ElDosEquis said:

Tuned in last night to the Gonzaga game and glanced up to see them put on a shirt that I thought said -

"Cut the Nut"...

Maybe Gonzaga is really pro-neutering your pet.

[ElDosEquis]

1 hour ago, AimingforYoko said:

Not as good as the Fla.-Wis. thriller, but that was pretty damn good. 

Maybe Gonzaga is really pro-neutering your pet.

They neutered KY, but that is O.K. I am a Louisville fan.

Nope, I got Gonzaga in the championship game - my cat's been dead almost a year?

---

I liked 'cut the nut' better.

sounded more edgy.

[Carey]

2 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

Not as good as the Fla.-Wis. thriller, but that was pretty damn good. 

I personally needed to flip a coin between Florida/Wisconsin & North Carolina/Kentucky.  Based on OT and buzzer beaters, I'd put the former as the best game, and based on prestige, the latter.  I think South Carolina/Florida was rather special to make up for yesterday's garbage.  I can't see a team that can stop SC's second half power.  Maybe Oregon, but Oregon has its own task despite knocking off Kansas which was impressive

[twoods]

I am loving that three out of the four teams aren't the usual powerhouses that are playing at this time every year. It's refreshing, and I'm rooting for anyone but UNC. 

[mojoween]

I'm still waiting to hear the NCAA punishment for Carolina.

The media saying 9,467 times that yesterday was the "Battle of the Blue Bloods"* ensured that I would root against them both.  The only reason I rooted for UK is because they aren't Carolina.

I mean "yesterday just felt more important because of the names on the jersey" and "I really wish yesterday was the final."  Fuck. Off.

Also heard today - "Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker should have won the National Championship."

OH REALLY? I'm sorry, did I miss the fact that they actually scored more points than Wisconsin, but the Badgers moved on anyways?  If they were so good, then they should have won that game, shouldn't they?

*I'm fully aware that if Duke were one of those teams they would have said the same thing and it probably wouldn't have bothered me.  I am nothing if not a giant hypocrite when it comes to my team.  Also, Carolina's final shot should not even breathe the same air as The Shot so they can quit those comparisons right now.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Is there a precedent for South Carolina pulling this thing off?  Coastal Carolina won the College World Series last summer and then Clemson won that pointy ball thing that I don't give two shits about so perhaps this is the year of the Palmetto State, college division.

[xaxat]

I believe that sports can be an important part of becoming an adult (just like debate, band, robotics club etc.). But it annoys the crap out of me when some talking head mentions "Sports builds character!" to justify the voyeuristic shots of (amateur) kids sobbing after a loss. 

How many of them had a camera jammed in front of their face to broadcast the worst moment of their 18/21 year old life to millions of strangers? And then had to go to a press conference (more content for that multi billion dollar contract) to explain how they failed?

[twoods]

That's why college sports are hard for me to watch. These are kids who are playing because they love this game, not for money (ok maybe for eventual NBA money but only a small amount will get large contracts). It irritates me that fans (especially alumni) put so much pressure on these kids, and to see them so sad and distraught is a gut punch. 

Edited March 28, 2017 by twoods

[DrSpaceman73]

Considering De'aaron Fox has only been at Kentucky for about six months and in a few months, win or loose, he is going to be a multimillionaire, I don't feel too bad for him losing this game and don't really care about his reaction to the loss.  Call me cruel if you want, but that's about the worst example of a losing player you could choose to profile after such a loss.  We all know the Kentucky guys are their as a semipro year and not as a true college player.  Its not their fault.  They are just doing what the system allows and what they are forced to do by the NBA.  I'd do the same thing in their position. 

Just don't give me a story about how heartbroken a freshman college player who probably has no intention of staying a minute longer on that campus after this game is over is about the loss. 

Now if its the Wisconsin seniors, who have had about as successful a 4 years as you can without actually winning a title, yes, I can get behind that story. 

But some Kentucky freshmen playing their perennial one and done thing?  Spare me. 

[Minneapple]

On ‎3‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 8:03 AM, MyAimIsTrue said:

Is there a precedent for South Carolina pulling this thing off?  Coastal Carolina won the College World Series last summer and then Clemson won that pointy ball thing that I don't give two shits about so perhaps this is the year of the Palmetto State, college division.

I think South Carolina could win. Why not. Oregon is scummy and UNC is scummy and Gonzaga annoys me, so I'll back South Carolina.

Stay classy, Kentucky fans:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/kentucky-fans-cross-the-line-by-trashing-referee-john-higgins’-business-on-facebook/ar-BByYGCX?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U305DHP

Edited March 29, 2017 by Minneapple

[Calvada]

Now that my team is out, all I want is North Carolina to lose.  Roy Williams is a total jerk, and every fan of Wisconsin basketball agrees with me.  We will NEVER forget, Roy.   

[xaxat]

Wow.

[AimingforYoko]

All good things come to an end, and good for the Bulldogs who got edged by 60 last year.

[Calvada]

It's always fun to see the overwhelming favorite lose when you don't have a team in the fight, and when we get that look of disbelief on Auriemma's face, all the better.   Someone equated it to the Miracle on Ice in terms of sports upsets, but remember that there was still that pesky matter of the game against Finland two days later.  In the immortal words of Herb Brooks, if Miss St loses to South Carolina, they will take it to their fucking graves. 

[mojoween]

I feel like Grant and Bill and Jim are rooting for Gonzaga and it's super irritating.

[AimingforYoko]

South Carolina clawed all the way back, nothing to hang their heads about. So many years as a Cinderella, Gonzaga has finally made it to the title game.

[Ohwell]

South Carolina had a great run.  Plus, I will always love them for beating Duke.

[MyAimIsTrue]

6 hours ago, Calvada said:

It's always fun to see the overwhelming favorite lose when you don't have a team in the fight, and when we get that look of disbelief on Auriemma's face, all the better. 

What look of disbelief?  All I saw was a smile on Auriemma's face when the game ended.

[Ohwell]

I saw him smiling, too, and the sportscasters even commented on it.  It almost seemed as if was relief that the pressure was finally off of him and the team. 

[AimingforYoko]

Talk about redeeming yourself. It would've been a damn shame if Kennedy Meeks had the game of his life only to lose because he bricked two free throws. 

[MyAimIsTrue]

10 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I saw him smiling, too, and the sportscasters even commented on it.  It almost seemed as if was relief that the pressure was finally off of him and the team. 

I thought it could be a look of relief as well.  Auriemma was gracious in defeat in post game interviews, giving full credit to the amazing game played by MSU.

[Carey]

1 hour ago, MyAimIsTrue said:

12 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I saw him smiling, too, and the sportscasters even commented on it.  It almost seemed as if was relief that the pressure was finally off of him and the team. 

I thought it could be a look of relief as well.  Auriemma was gracious in defeat in post game interviews, giving full credit to the amazing game played by MSU.

Agreed. It sucked that it's yet another case where major history is made in sports where a team hits a record or a landmark (16-0, 73-9, 89 straight, 117 wins).  Then in the year in which it happens that team fails to win a championship.  It does help that the 111 wins included several championships.  Still remarkable stuff and total class from Geno.  Still awesome to have seen Connecticut get to triple digits; one of the best feats in all of sports

[roamyn]

Frank Martin is a way classy guy!

By default I'm rooting for UNC now that I live here, tho I am aware that there is controversy regarding some made up classes/eligibility, in past seasons.  However, I didn't live here then, so I can't speak with any knowledge of it.

if Gonzaga wins, however, I will be pleased as punch that they finally overcame all of their March Madness struggles.

[Crs97]

Here's a great article about the North Carolina cheating scandal:  https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/sports/ncaabasketball/north-carolina-final-four-cheating-fake-classes.html

Here seems to be the resolution.  If this shakes out as speculated, then you gotta love the NCAA's deep abiding concern for its athletes:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/college-basketball/2015/6/5/8735807/north-carolina-basketball-academic-scandal-ncaa-2015

[Carey]

I probably go with Gonzaga in every case in which I pick a team other than UNC to win it all.  It's really 50/50, but unlike Green Bay in the past NFL season, there really isn't any reason to pick against my original pick (FTW, pick New England for everything, but GB for the NFC).  Maybe if Meeks and/or Jackson get hurt or something I'd switch, but the fact is I can't see UNC having a less than stellar game twice in the row (barring foul trouble).  No surprise at all if Gonzaga wins, but if they don't, UHC wins because of unfinished business and due to who the are

[xaxat]

On 4/2/2017 at 7:07 PM, Crs97 said:

Here's a great article about the North Carolina cheating scandal:  https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/sports/ncaabasketball/north-carolina-final-four-cheating-fake-classes.html

Here seems to be the resolution.  If this shakes out as speculated, then you gotta love the NCAA's deep abiding concern for its athletes:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/college-basketball/2015/6/5/8735807/north-carolina-basketball-academic-scandal-ncaa-2015

Half of the students who benefited from that fraudulent department and its no show classes were athletes and no one in the athletics department noticed?

OK, sure.

College athletics, too big to fail.

[AimingforYoko]

In non-tournament news:

Georgetown hires Patrick Ewing.

He's spent his entire career in the NBA, so I'm going to wait and see on this.

[Minneapple]

Georgetown's hire really seems like a "let's get the fans going rah-rah again about this program" type of hire. Ewing will undoubtedly be able to recruit. We'll see how it works out.

[Artsda]

Love that NC won! So happy.

[mojoween]

Of all the teams in all the land, it has to be the one that I absolutely abhor above all others.  Fuck off, Roy.  Like I could seriously deal with any other D1 team anywhere.  But not this one.  I can't even watch "One Shining Moment" I hate them so much.

[ElDosEquis]

Well, some time in the near future, some kid is going to get a nice NEW tee shirt.

And to that kid?

Gonzaga is ALWAYS going to be the NCAA Champs.

[ExplainItAgain]

As a UNC alum, I'm incredibly happy! What a great game! 

[Slade347]

2 hours ago, Minneapple said:

Georgetown's hire really seems like a "let's get the fans going rah-rah again about this program" type of hire. Ewing will undoubtedly be able to recruit. We'll see how it works out.

There's a definitely a group of fans that feels that way. There's also a pretty significant group that wanted them to finally break free from the John Thompson influence over the program and in their mind Ewing being hired foes the exact opposite. 

That was an ugly championship game and I place most of the blame on the refs.

[Minneapple]

The poor officiating was the story of the tournament and this game was no different. 

1.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Minneapple

[Minneapple]

And since for some reason I can't edit my last post.

2.

[mojoween]

It is interesting to me that a team with six National Titles and 20 Final Fours isn't universally reviled like a team with, say, five National Titles and not that many Final Fours.

I heard an argument that the cheating scandal is not that big of a deal because the system is broken and these kids don't get paid. Um, WTF.  Those things have no equivalency.  Whether the system is broken or not, it does not give you the right to cheat.  Yes it sucks for you that you have to go to class, but why are you special just because a cello player or a chess champion doesn't bring money to the school?  Go to your damn classes for nine months and then go get your millions.

And you can't really bitch about the system if you're going to stay in school for three or four years.  Those kids should DEFINITELY go to class. 

Also, it's not redemption when the main thing that caused your loss last year was poor defense.  It wasn't a lucky shot by 'Nova.  It was a shot any player could make in any situation, it was just in a compressed timeframe.  Shut up, media, with redemption.

Edited April 4, 2017 by mojoween

[DrSpaceman73]

I am going to disagree about this crapfest of a game. 

The refs didn't help matters any, but both teams played pretty awful on their own, especially in the second half.

Gonzaga made THREE FGs in the first 15 minutes of the second half.  And they were only down by 4. 

UNC shot something like 3/18 to start the game from 3 point land.  And some of those were not even close

Gonzaga missed at least 5 shots within a foot of the basket.

Sloppy play, bad decisions, turnovers.  Poor shooting.  The refs were bad, but its not like the teams were playing great and the refs were holding them back

The only recent worse championship game I recall is UCONN Butler.  That was painful to watch.  This was not that bad, but close. 

This proves that a close game is not always a good game. 

And really it just following up on the end of UNC Oregon for the champions.  You miss 4 straight free throws to end the game and not once but TWICE get offensive rebounds off those misses. 

The refs could have swallowed their whistles and not called a foul the whole second half, this still would not have been a great game to watch

Also to improve they title game experience, they should really consider moving back to real basketball stadiums.  I have heard many times, its harder to shoot in a stadium like this, where the court is basically in the middle of a huge expanse, it messes with the players depth perception and vision they are used to seeing.  That design is just awful for the fans as well.  If you had a seat behind the basket, how could you see the game very well?  Some of those seats had to really suck.  I'd rather be in the second section than the lower section with no view.  And the court design, did a toddler do that?  For one it seems like it would be tough to tell in bounds/out of bounds, but the monochromatic shading design seemed random and pointless. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by DrSpaceman73

[ElDosEquis]

I played 'the under' when Vegas released the odds on how many people would get killed in the post game celebrations.

Anyone got the final stats?

[Flarking Schnit]

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

It is interesting to me that a team with six National Titles and 20 Final Fours isn't universally reviled like a team with, say, five National Titles and not that many Final Fours.

Racks my brain as well.  My (not well thought out) theories:  UNC being MJ's alma mater and sharing a conference with a team even more loathed by most College BB fans.  No dog in the fight this year, but for me, rooting for UNC, Duke or UK in a Final Four is like going to a Star Wars film and rooting for the Empire.

[AndreaK1041]

I think UNC is not universally hated because they don't have any stand-out obnoxious players or coaches (that are currently coming in my mind). Duke pretty much always has an asshole on their team. And I think people can like and respect Coach K while still hating Duke.  

[Ohwell]

I didn't have a dog in the fight but UNC winning was meh for me.  Actually, I tend to lose interest when it gets to the final four.  Before then, I like the madness when the cinderellas get to show their stuff before they get served up like dessert to the big dogs. 

[Carey]

Hats off to Gonzaga, but I'm glad UNC won. Except that I needed at least a pick or two correct pre-championship to have had a perfect bracket.  Anyway, it's a shame about the officiating; those three folks fortunate enough to have done well to get the nod end up ruining the excitement of the most important game in college hoops

[Minneapple]

11 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

The refs didn't help matters any, but both teams played pretty awful on their own, especially in the second half.

I agree. It was a poorly played and poorly officiated game. But then, that was kind of the story of college basketball this year, wasn't it? Not the greatest year for the sport ever. 

[Kip Hackman]

It's a joke that UNC was even eligible for post-season play.

[SophiaD]

Our Kelsey Plum made it a clean sweep.  Wade Trophy, Naismith Trophy, Ann Meyers Drysdale POT, Nancy Lieberman Award Winner, Staley Award Winner, AP Player of the Year, All-American, and now the Wooden Award.

We are so going to miss her next year. :(

Edited April 8, 2017 by SophiaD

[mojoween]

The Big Ten Tourney at MSG sounds like a bad idea for several reasons.

[xaxat]

Wow, and I thought the Ball family had some drama.

Mohamed Bamba's brother says the Texas 5-star freshman accepted cash and gifts

Quote

"He's not going to play this year in the NCAA because I already reported him to the NCAA -- and I'm already going to meet with the NCAA," said Ibrahim Johnson, Bamba's brother. "He's not going to play this year. ... I exposed that kid."

[MyAimIsTrue]

I was in the Indianapolis area for work last week and before flying home on Friday we decided to do some sightseeing and ended up visiting, among other places, Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus.  The building was open because there are offices and a gift shop inside but I did not expect to have actual access to the basketball arena and upon walking in my jaw dropped in complete awe and I was speechless other than uttering some nonsensical vowel sounds or something.  There really are no words to describe how amazing it was just to be there.