Five Minutes to Basketballukah (i.e. The March Madness Thread)

[vtbub]

Wooooooooooooohooooooooooooo

[cthomer5000]

I'm down 2 Sweet 16 teams heading into these last 4 games of the first round. Not terrible I guess.

[GoldenEagle]

Syracuse screwed me over bad. I had them winning it all. My bracket is screwed royally.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

A lot of brackets could be dying in the next couple of minutes...

Syracuse and Louisville were popular "dark horse" teams. I was really hoping both would be going down to foil a bunch of brackets.

SI

[Ragone]

Louisville Survives and advances

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I think you'll be surprised. Vermont can bring it.

I hate to say i told you so, but...

[panerd]

Yet another great buzzer beater cover...

For whatever reason I chose Northern Iowa (+6.5) as my team to go heavy on and they are in route to a 5 point loss with the ball and next thing I know we are returning from Syracuse/Vermont with a 7 point Wisconsin lead. So what happens? Some kid shots a meaningless off balance buzzer beater to cover the spread. Gotta love March Madness!!!

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Syracuse screwed me over bad. I had them winning it all. My bracket is screwed royally.

Really? I didn't have them advancing that far because of their 1-6 record (last I checked) against Top 25 teams this season. Not that VT is a Top 25 team but it probably shows choking in bigger games. Disappointing, though.

[Arles]

I chose them in the Final 4 because I didn't like Duke, Kentucky or Oklahoma. Looks like I shouldn't have liked Syracuse either

[davidlando1]

:::makes mental note to add Syracuse to list of teams that should never be trusted again:::
1. Arizona
2. Louisville
3. South Carolina
4. Syracuse

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by davidlando1

:::makes mental note to add Syracuse to list of teams that should never be trusted again:::
1. Arizona
2. Louisville
3. South Carolina
4. Syracuse

Your list lacks some Big Ten teams.

[Easy Mac]

South Carolina? No wonder you have trust issues. I'll take "teams that don't belong on the list" for $200 alex.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by davidlando1

:::makes mental note to add Syracuse to list of teams that should never be trusted again:::
1. Arizona
2. Louisville
3. South Carolina
4. Syracuse

Where's Pittsburgh?

[davidlando1]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

South Carolina? No wonder you have trust issues. I'll take "teams that don't belong on the list" for $200 alex.

i think it was in 97 or 98 they were a #2 seed, or #3 seed, and lost to Coppin State in the first round...

[Karlifornia]

Shane Power of Miss. State looks like a ken doll. I think it's the hair.

[Swaggs]

Who is the older basketball player in the Coke commercial with the grocery bag?

[digamma]

Let's join hands now, come along.
People, let's get together.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by davidlando1

i think it was in 97 or 98 they were a #2 seed, or #3 seed, and lost to Coppin State in the first round...

don't forget they also lost the Richmond

[bosshogg23]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I think you'll be surprised. Vermont can bring it.

If thats not the quote of the day I dont know what is.

Glad to see Vermont win, more than half the people in my money pool had Syracuse in the Final Four. Not me

[cthomer5000]

come on Bucknelll!!!!!! I want to increase the odds o Wisconsin moving on (i have them in the final 4) , so a win here would be huge for me.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

come on Bucknelll!!!!!! I want to increase the odds o Wisconsin moving on (i have them in the final 4) , so a win here would be huge for me.

come on CBS. I want to see the end of that game. Not Stanford getting their asses handed to them.

[Calis]

Ouch, Bucknell with the intentional foul, this could make it interesting.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Calis

Ouch, Bucknell with the intentional foul, this could make it interesting.

That ref has a brass pair to make that kind of call. Like the techinical call in the Syracuse/Vermont game, that's a shit call to make in the tourney.

[sovereignstar]

GO BUCKNELL! I send the Gods your way!

[SunDancer]

Kansas loses!

[Calis]

Well they did it, great one for Bucknell.

Man I'm going to have fun taunting the KU fans the next oh I don't know, year or so.

[Easy Mac]

You're NOT Christian Laettner Bitch!!!!!!!!

[Airhog]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

That ref has a brass pair to make that kind of call. Like the techinical call in the Syracuse/Vermont game, that's a shit call to make in the tourney.

Why? He clearly grabbed the guy on the play. It was definately intentional.


GJ Bucknell, I had Kansas going to the sweet 16. I always thought Kansas was a bit overrated this year, but being an OU fan I think that every year

[sovereignstar]

What a game. Bucknell is a team full of composure.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

Kansas loses!

Kansas couldn't have asked for more on that last play. they got off a pretty open Christain Laitner-esque shot.

[Ryno]

I wonder how Bill Self likes officing on Naismith Drive now.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

[Ragone]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

I've also never understood the love affair the media has with Kansas. I think they have to be one of the most over-rated teams out there.

Adjusted for the result.. and to be totally honest with you, kansas looked like they figured by showing up they'd have the win.. only person who really played hard was simien.. rest kinda stood around throwing up bricks.. or afraid to shoot at all.

[Craptacular]

Whoa, I want to see a replay of that little in-bound problem in the MSU-ODU game just now. That could have been a big two for ODU.

[panerd]

Every year the KU loss is my favorite moment of the tournament. Didn't expect it so early though. (Even though it looks like they borrowed the refs from the USSR-USA Olympic basketball game)

[Neuqua]

Phog's going to be a fun place to visit tonight!

[LloydLungs]

Actually I wasn't impressed at all by Vermont. They looked horrible. Syracuse just looked worse. Bucknell on the other hand looks like a pretty solid team, when they're not dropping passes thrown right at them with no defensive pressure late in games. They won at Pitt, won at Holy Cross to get in (much more difficult than it sounds) and now have beaten admittedly-overrated Kansas. Good for them.

[Ryno]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

Phog's going to be a fun place to visit tonight!

That was the first place I headed for after the loss, but I couldn't get on for about 20 minutes. Quite a few posters calling for Self's head.

I'm not usually a vindictive person, but I feel pretty good right now.

Hopefully the Illini pick up their shooting and don't choke tomorrow.

[Logan]

I watched the Kansas-Bucknell game, but wasn't sure about this:

Did the KU players/some staff walk off the court without shaking hands with the Bucknell team?

The cameras shot over to a line of Kansas players walking into the tunnel very quickly...seemingly way too quick for it to have been after handshakes. After this shot, the camera did give a close-up of one KU player (Miles?) looking for people to shake hands with.

If this did happen, very very poor job by Kansas. It's not like there was some kind of flagrant/dirty play going on where there would be reason to snub a team who just outplayed you. But I'll reserve further judgement until this is confirmed or denied.

EDIT: Went to the CBS site looking to find info, and apparently they have message boards people can post on about certain articles. There are a series of people saying that this did happen, and Bill Self was one of the people not to shake hands with Bucknell. Disgusting.

[sooner333]

Originally Posted by Airhog

Why? He clearly grabbed the guy on the play. It was definately intentional.

It's the fact that the kind of foul that occured is never called intentional. Usually intentional fouls are basically "flagarant" where the guy doesn't go for the ball on the layup and the guy goes sprawling on the floor. I can't remember seeing a guy called for an intentional foul grabbing a guy's jersey. That being said, I don't mind it...I'm just saying where the reaction might come from.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by sooner333

It's the fact that the kind of foul that occured is never called intentional. Usually intentional fouls are basically "flagarant" where the guy doesn't go for the ball on the layup and the guy goes sprawling on the floor. I can't remember seeing a guy called for an intentional foul grabbing a guy's jersey. That being said, I don't mind it...I'm just saying where the reaction might come from.

I didn't see the foul or even know what effect it had on the game, but I generally like it when referees call the Technical when a player doesn't go for the ball. An NBA playoff game between the Knicks and Pacers comes to mind. I keep seeing Reggie Miller grabbing his head in disbelief.

In any case, since I am a Bill Self fan, this didn't help my bracket. It didn't hurt too much though, 'cause I had them dropping out to Wisconson in the next game.

I really don't get the venom for Bill Self. He built what there is at Illonois, and only left 'cause he had a chance to go to a Basketball Dreamjob.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Seriously CBS, WTF? You switch from the Duke game to Vermont. There are people who want to watch the game. I'd watch it online, but your streaming video says that the game is available in my area, so I can't watch it online... well make up your mind, either it is or it isn't. There were 6 minutes left in the Vermont game when you switched... at least wait until there's 2 or 3 left.

You're complaining because they switched away from a game that Duke was leading comfortably at that point (er, weren't they?)? How about me, where they never switched over -- like, WTF were the mental midgets thinking when the game they had on was a 5 point margin with 3 seconds left AND the players were standing around picking their noses because the refs were straightening something out??? AAAAGGGGH!!!

(At least I got to see the end of the Bucknell game... after the precedent they set with Syracuse-Vermont, I wouldn't have been surprised if they fucked that one up too.)

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

That ref has a brass pair to make that kind of call. Like the techinical call in the Syracuse/Vermont game, that's a shit call to make in the tourney.

It was the right call, the Bucknell player had a fistfull of jersey. Congratulations to the ref for having the stones to call the game the way it's supposed to be called.

Edit: The refs will give a lot of latitude in different situations -- when they know the team is trying to foul to stop the clock (never mind the merits of this, IMO some of the fouls in these situations should be called intentional but I'm sure coaches would have a conniption), when stuff is happening with a guy going up for a layup or dunk... a hold like that on the open floor doesn't happen all that often and when it does it's usually called an intentional foul, as it was in this case. I couldn't believe the call, until I saw the replay, then I agreed with it.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

Actually I wasn't impressed at all by Vermont. They looked horrible. Syracuse just looked worse. Bucknell on the other hand looks like a pretty solid team, when they're not dropping passes thrown right at them with no defensive pressure late in games.

If you're talking about the one in the last minute, it wasn't right at him, and that's partly why it was mishandled (the rest being failure of concentration by the guy receiving it, but it wasn't all that easy to handle).

[Ragone]

I'm particullarly fond of the bailout call the refs tried to give ku (aka the intentional foul) I've NEVER seen one called like that in a tournament game

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

In any case, since I am a Bill Self fan, this didn't help my bracket. It didn't hurt too much though, 'cause I had them dropping out to Wisconson in the next game.

Um.. I had KU losing to UW as well and I was pretty damn happy to see Bucknell win. I mean how many people had Bucknell winning that one? And there are still plenty of people that bow to Kansas and probably had them in the elite eight or final four.

KU losing helps your cause IMO.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Ragone

I'm particullarly fond of the bailout call the refs tried to give ku (aka the intentional foul) I've NEVER seen one called like that in a tournament game

I thought the guy grabbed his jersey? That's supposed to be an automatic intentional, even if it happens in the post on a normal half court play.

I understand that a game can't happen w/o people commenting on how the refs are trying to give one team the game... but this is a pretty hard and fast rule, if it happens on a breakaway, you *have* to call it if you're a good ref.

[Ryno]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I really don't get the venom for Bill Self. He built what there is at Illonois, and only left 'cause he had a chance to go to a Basketball Dreamjob.

First, he didn't build anything. Yes, he recruited many of the players on the roster, but they have really blossomed under coach Weber. Lou Henson built the program. Lon Kruger and Bill Self both improved it, and Self may have made it into an elite program if he stayed, but the foundation was already there.

No one faults Self for leaving. Like you said, it was his dream job. You'll notice no venom toward Kruger for leaving for the NBA. The venom stems from the way that he left, and the fact that his coach-speak during the process didn't match what actually happened.

He said that he was "torn" in making the decision. We later found out that he had been politicking for the job while Illinois was still alive in the tournament. I don't know if that was a distraction, but his head sure wasn't in the game when Notre Dame hit a billion three point shots and he made no adjustments.

During a booster's banquet he said that he hadn't spoken to anyone at Kansas about the job, then 2-3 days later he announces that he is leaving. Technically he was probably telling the truth, since I'm sure his lawyer was the one speaking with Kansas, but that was an awfully dubious and slick way of saying it.

He tampered with recruits by using Illinois' dime to recruit Darnell Jackson then telling him to hold off on signing before Self was even offered the job. He may have done the same thing with Charlie Villanueva, but I think that was more Charlie's decision about leaving his NBA options open. Many of us wonder if his whole interest in the Illinois job was to gain inroads into the fertile Illinois recruiting grounds.

Many of us were leary of his hiring because of his short stay at Tulsa and his heavy ties to the Big 12. He assured us that we were not another stepping stone and that he was here for "the long haul". Two years later he was already inquiring about another job. I don't remember who that was, but it wasn't even on par with Illinois.

If he would have come out and said that Kansas was his dream job and his wife wanted to move closer to Oklahoma, we would have all undertood him leaving, and many of us would be cheering him on today. He chose to be deceptive and slick, and we really don't appreciate it.

Bill Self is an excellent recruiter, but I think it's pretty obvious that coach Weber is the better game coach. If Bruce starts pulling in top recruits, Self will be long forgotten.

I enjoyed the Kansas loss last night, but after this post, my focus will be totally on the Illini.

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by Arles

Man, how overrated has the Big East been. I thought Vermont didn't have a chance at beating Syracuse. I guess that's what I get for listening to Dick and Digger

Not over-rated at all, you stupid, bigoted schmuck:

The results for the major conferences so far:

ACC 5-0
Big East 4-2
Big 10 4-1
Big 12 4-2
SEC 3-2

the PAC 10 is 2-2 with its two undeserved at-large bids, Stanford and UCLA, getting crushed the worst of any at-large entries.

But don't let facts get in the way of your ignorant, overbearing opinions.

[Cuckoo]

Yikes. Someone takes Big East talk very personally.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

Not over-rated at all, you stupid, bigoted schmuck:

The results for the major conferences so far:

ACC 5-0
Big East 4-2
Big 10 4-1
Big 12 4-2
SEC 3-2

the PAC 10 is 2-2 with its two undeserved at-large bids, Stanford and UCLA, getting crushed the worst of any at-large entries.

But don't let facts get in the way of your ignorant, overbearing opinions.

A little defensive there? I don't remember saying anything about the Pac-10, but nice attempt at dodging the point. Stanford was playing without their best player and UCLA was probably the fifth best Pac-10 team (playing with 3 frosh in the starting lineup). Both had a tough road to win anyway.

To the Big East, that 4-2 record looks good until you realize that every team was the higher seed save Pitt (who was the 9 in the 8-9). They "should" be 5-1, at worst. Their top three teams were UCONN, BC and Syracuse. BC looked good and I give them credit. UCONN barely hung on to a 6-point win against the power of Central Florida. Syracuse got beat by a bunch of slow white guys that couldn't even shoot all that well from 3-point land (33%). Let's see how many of these guys make the Sweet 16. Given the pub the Big East was getting, I think this will certainly be a disappointing showing for them. Out of the 6 that made the tourney, I'd be surprised if 2 make the Sweet 16.