College Basketball

[Ohwell]

I don't get the point of that NCAA commercial with the bunch of kids--student athletes--who act like they've got chips on their shoulders.  Why are they so angry?  Who labled them, and why?  It's a stupid commercial.

[ganesh]

Is that one on tv or streaming? I'm watching streaming. There's the commercial on streaming with the woman who has never folded a slice of pizza before that drives me UP THE WALL. 

[mojoween]

I’ve never folded a slice of pizza before but not because it’s a foreign concept, it’s that I find it super gross.

No repeat champ this year, and in a pretty convincing fashion on the Aggies part.

[ganesh]

The whole point of the ad was that the pizza was "New York style" so that's why you fold it. But the woman was looking at the pizza like she's never seen a slice before. 

[Calvada]

I hadn't watched any of the tournament until today, which I've spent on the sofa, feverish, fighting off a bug, with the TV on.  Seeing both Izzo and Roy Williams get bounced is doing wonders for me; I feel better now but hoping it's not some delusion caused by this virus.  

[ZootSuitWyatt]

2 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

Safe to say 2018 will go down as Annus Horribilis in East Lansing.

I was dreading sports media going on about how basketball wins were Healing Our Troubled Community if MSU went far in the tournament, so I'm kind of glad they lost.

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

Is that one on tv or streaming? I'm watching streaming. There's the commercial on streaming with the woman who has never folded a slice of pizza before that drives me UP THE WALL. 

It's one on tv.  They've been running it quite often.

[Ohwell]

Awwww........UMBC lost to Kansas state but they will be in the NCAA basketball history books.  So GO UMBC!  

[MyAimIsTrue]

I love the kids from UMBC. They all have real majors (apparently it's quite a renowned STEM school) and star player Jarius Lyles is a grad student working toward a Master's degree.  They may not have won their second game but they won our hearts.

Also, kudos to the K-State player (I forgot who it was) who gave Lyles a congratulatory slap on the back when he came out of the game with 9.4 seconds left.

[Ohwell]

Congrats to Loyola-Chicago!  I wish I could give Sister Jean a hug. : )

[mojoween]

You could get her bobblehead!

The announcer guy says “this is Michigan’s first Final Four since 2014!” like that’s some bygone era and Michigan should be ashamed of themselves for that drought.

Meanwhile Loyola hasn’t been in the Final Four since JFK was President.

I have no beef with Michigan one way or the other but I was rooting for the 9-11 matchup.

[Silver Raven]

Sister Jean has personally made Nike shoes.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2018/3/24/17160322/loyola-chicago-elite-eight-sister-jean-what-are-those

[xaxat]

Good Lord NCAA! Get yourself some more sponsors!

I'm tired of being told every break that Charles is dumb or that Apple/Samsung's new phone has a new camera. And what the advertiser thought was a catchy tune when filming turns into a damn annoying earworm after a couple of games.

[Calvada]

9 minutes ago, xaxat said:

Good Lord NCAA! Get yourself some more sponsors!

I'm tired of being told every break that Charles is dumb or that Apple/Samsung's new phone has a new camera. And what the advertiser thought was a catchy tune when filming turns into a damn annoying earworm after a couple of games.

But horrible commercials shown ad nauseam during March Madness are a tradition unlike any other.  And by the way, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you all that the Master's will take place April 5- 8, and you'll never guess ---- it will be televised by CBS!  

During tomorrow's games, how many times will we be told about the Stormy Daniels interview coming up on 60 Minutes?

[mojoween]

^Every ad break and the announcers will tell us about it too.  Especially during the second game.

Dana Jacobsen is already the ultimate pro, and now I give her props for hanging in there for that Leonard Hamilton interview.  I mean, he was a dick, but not directly to HER, but I’m such a nervous coward when he turned away I woulda been like “ok thanks coach” and run away.

Edited March 25, 2018 by mojoween

[Ohwell]

Well, I have to cut Leonard Hamilton (or any coach in any sport) a little slack because after a loss you don't want a microphone stuck in your face immediately after the game.  I know it's the reporter's job to do that, but don't expect the coach to be ok with it.  

[xaxat]

9 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

Well, I have to cut Leonard Hamilton (or any coach in any sport) a little slack because after a loss you don't want a microphone stuck in your face immediately after the game.  I know it's the reporter's job to do that, but don't expect the coach to be ok with it.  

But Hamilton and the other coaches are compensated to provide media access. What I hate is the fact that the NCAA forces the losing players to attend press conferences. 

[Ohwell]

12 minutes ago, xaxat said:

But Hamilton and the other coaches are compensated to provide media access. What I hate is the fact that the NCAA forces the losing players to attend press conferences. 

Oh I know they're compensated and it's their job to do it, but they're human and they get pissed.  I just wish that the reporters would give them, say, a five minute cooling off period before interviewing them, instead of sticking a mic in their face as soon as the game is over.  At least by press conference time they've probably cooled off. 

[ganesh]

I think that's the point though. They want to get the immediate reaction because it's the most real. They don't want the cooled off version. They want the emotional. And that's fine, but you're not going to get nice and polite all the time. 

I don't know if anyone is watching via streaming but the commercial with the woman who doesn't know how to fold the pizza slice infuriates me to no end. 

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

I think that's the point though. They want to get the immediate reaction because it's the most real. They don't want the cooled off version. They want the emotional. And that's fine, but you're not going to get nice and polite all the time. 

Yeah I agree, they want the emotional and that's what I hate about them and why I wish they'd stop it.  

[QueerGirrl]

Loyola!!!!!  They got the city rocking right now.  So happy for them.

[Ohwell]

Thank goodness, now that Dreaded Duke is gone I can really just sit back and enjoy the rest of the tournament.  My heart is with Loyola but I don't mind who wins now.

[mojoween]

I hate gravity but most especially I have hated Kansas for thirty years.  Fuck.

[ebk57]

13 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I hate gravity but most especially I have hated Kansas for thirty years.  Fuck.

I never root for Duke, but today I was hoping they would win.  So it's probably my fault.  Sorry.

[AimingforYoko]

Hell of a game, though. Just what you want from a #1 v #2.

[ganesh]

I feel like a lot of midrange looks were passed up in both games today to keep kicking it out for a 3. I certainly won't complain that Duke lost, but there were a couple times where they could have gone for a quick 2 and waited for a 3 and missed.

[sally-can-wait]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

I hate gravity but most especially I have hated Kansas for thirty years.  Fuck.

Rock Chalk. 

[Souris]

It's always a good day when Duke loses. Bye, Trippy McTripperson!

[MyAimIsTrue]

I used to like Duke because my ex-husband went to UNC but over the past decade or so I've come to realize Coach K is kind of a dick and his one-and-done program cheapens such an esteemed university.  And then there's Grayson Allen.  In other words congrats to Kansas.

[Ohwell]

Welp, it was a great run for Loyola and Sister Jean, congrats to Michigan.

[Silver Raven]

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

Welp, it was a great run for Loyola and Sister Jean, congrats to Michigan.

Well, I would have thumbs upped the first half of that sentence, but not the second one.  :)

[Ohwell]

16 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

Well, I would have thumbs upped the first half of that sentence, but not the second one.  :)

Well, while my heart was with Loyola, I really didn't have a favorite.  As long as Duke was out I was fine with whoever won.

I think Loyola (and Sister Jean) had a great time. 

And even though it seems like it's been ages ago, I also won't forget UMBC, who will go down in the record books. 

[AimingforYoko]

I actually picked Villanova to win the title, so if they win Monday, it will partially rescue my smoking ruin of a bracket.

[sally-can-wait]

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

And even though it seems like it's been ages ago, I also won't forget UMBC, who will go down in the record books. 

It really does seem like ages ago! But that's definitely the game of the tournament. 

Welp, my Jayhawks got their butt handed to them tonight but they overachieved this season by winning the Big 12 and making the Final Four run so I can't be disappointed. Monday should be a good one.

[Ohwell]

Congratulations to Villanova!  Rollie is up there smiling. : ) 

[mojoween]

I fell asleep last night just before “One Shining Moment” so just watched it.  Screw you NCAA for including the ONE moment that I still cannot believe happened.

I mean, they showed the ball roll around the rim, roll out and then the awful, terrible, no good Jayhawks celebrating.  Boooooo, NCAA.  Booooooooooo.

[xaxat]

How on earth did the equipment team manage to misspell the name of Buddy "Boheim"  on his jersey, son of  the coach and eventual HOFer Jim Boeheim?

[mojoween]

Because Michigan State and Louisville weren’t able to wrap things up in a timely fashion, the beginning of the Duke game was only available on the ESPN app.

Now I have basically forgotten all the Spanish I ever knew, but the fact that the only feed was the Spanish language feed did not diminish my enjoyment of the game one bit.  

I like Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas, but I didn’t miss them.

[mojoween]

Dan Shulman keeps calling Virginia the “wahoos”.  Are they not the Cavaliers any more?

[ZootSuitWyatt]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Dan Shulman keeps calling Virginia the “wahoos”.  Are they not the Cavaliers any more?

That's been a secondary nickname of theirs for a long time. 

[mojoween]

Huh.  I am today days old at learning this fact.  Thanks!

[mojoween]

So obvs last night’s Duke game sucked monkey balls.  

But that pales in comparison to what SU is going through today.  I mean, how can Boeheim even get up for coaching on Saturday?  College GameDay is coming and I was considering heading to the Dome for the 11 a.m. show but that seems unseemly now.

GameDay has cancelled for Saturday.  It’s so sad all around.

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

But that pales in comparison to what SU is going through today.  I mean, how can Boeheim even get up for coaching on Saturday?  College GameDay is coming and I was considering heading to the Dome for the 11 a.m. show but that seems unseemly now.

GameDay has cancelled for Saturday.  It’s so sad all around.

I live near Syracuse and he has pretty much been exonerated. 0 on the breathalyzer, wasn't speeding, stayed at the scene, used his cell phone flashlight to direct traffic around the accident scene, victim was walking in the middle of an expressway.

I think he feels coaching is a good distraction and I guarantee he'll get a standing ovation at the game.

[mojoween]

The family of the victim doesn’t want him to coach.  Coaching would be a distraction but people in all walks of life take time after a trauma and it just seems weird for him to go back to work so soon.  I’m just glad the game is at the Dome because road crowds are vicious and cruel.

[bosawks]

At least Marquette will eff up my pool as a five seed this year....

Edited March 18, 2019 by bosawks

[Ohwell]

I guess it's too much to ask for Duke to lose early so that I won't have to listen to the Zion Williamson tongue bath all during the tournament.  

[xaxat]

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

Zion Williamson tongue bath all during the tournament.  

Zion has earned that adulation. It's not hype. He is that good.

[ganesh]

It's officially spring. I cut my dog's hair, and the tournament starts this week. I don't have any particular rooting interest. I just like to watch exciting games. (I was at Georgetown/Princeton in person).  This is why I have two monitors. 

[AimingforYoko]

I'm so torn. Zion Williamson is ridiculously fun, but Dukies are like Patriots fans, and I hate to see them happy. What to do, what to do...

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, xaxat said:

Zion has earned that adulation. It's not hype. He is that good.

He's good, no doubt.  It's not his fault, but I still am not looking forward to the constant tongue bath by the sports analysts. 

That's the way I feel about it, and I really don't care about whether he's "earned" the adulation.