Unofficial Official 2012-13 College Basketball Thread

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Lathum

did they just call a lane violation? are you kidding me?

Not a lane violation, just something stupid you don't see very often.

[mauchow]

*mutters to himself about Wisconsin's road to E8 could have been all seeds below them.....*

[mauchow]

Call the fuckin' jump ball and be done with it already. It doesn't take a genius to figure this one out.

[TargetPractice6]

A couple of great finishes we've had here. Wichita State's shooting has been fun to watch.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

I like him a lot more in studio than calling the games.

Agreed 100%

SI

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

So Twitter is abuzz with Ben Howland being fired, which isn't a surprise. The fact that Mark Gottfried is apparently a legitimate candidate to replace him though is a surprise.

To show how sad and pathetic some State fans are, there's already a contingent of them that hopes he gets the job. I've got reservations about the guy, sure, but I'm not ready to run him off just yet. Hell, even with the screwed up nature of this team this year, it's still the best team State has had since 1991 by almost any measure. Sendek may have peaked out one year with a better record, but the program as a whole looks so much better than at any time since Valvano coached. I get that some of these guys are so distraught that they finally thought next year had arrived only to find that it hadn't, but I can't imagine who they'd get to coach this team if it looks like we run Gottfried out in only two years after getting to the NCAAs both years and with a hot recruiting class on the way again. State got a truckload of bad press for Sendek's departure (even if that was Sendek voluntarily leaving for ASU). I can only imagine how the national media will rip State and its fans if it perceives that Gottfried left because of the pressure. At that point, Debbie Yow will probably have to coach the men herself because it's damn sure no other coach with a shred of credentials is going to take the job.

[Scoobz0202]

Really like how Ohio State's bracket is playing out..

[Lathum]

Wichita has been so clutch. They just can't miss

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Wichita has been so clutch. They just can't miss

No kidding. Amazing 3 point shooting down the stretch

SI

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Really like how Ohio State's bracket is playing out..

Arizona at #6 will be the highest seed until the final four.

Zona scares me, though.

[Lathum]

Feel bad for the Zags. Thought they had a fun in them. Three point shot can be a bitch.

[Butter]

So, Wichita State, Ole Miss or LaSalle will be playing for a trip to the Final 4.

[sterlingice]

I was really wanting Gonzaga to go far. I feel like so many people have flipped on them like basketball hipsters now that they've "sold out and become popular".

SI

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Zona scares me, though.

Certainly. But if you told me Arizona and Wichita State would be the toughest teams Ohio State would face on a road to the F4 I would have called you a liar.

Not that it's a walk in the park. They could lose tomorrow.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I was really wanting Gonzaga to go far. I feel like so many people have flipped on them like basketball hipsters now that they've "sold out and become popular".

SI

As a Husky fan, I greatly enjoyed watching the incredibly overrated Zags lose.

[EagleFan]

Worked out in a way for me. I had Gonzaga losing tonight, just not to Wichita State. Messes up some final 4's for people.

[murrayyyyy]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

So, Wichita State, Ole Miss or LaSalle will be playing for a trip to the Final 4.

Elite 8 I think.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

As a Husky fan, I greatly enjoyed watching the incredibly overrated Zags lose.

Lots of Miami fans feeling vindicated tonight.

[mauchow]

Well, one of the three teams will play Ohio St/Az to go to the F4 is what he meant.

[sterlingice]

So, uh, I find this hard to believe but has anyone been watching Syracuse-Cal for most of the game? Is the officiating as lopsided as the FT count appears?

SI

[Lathum]

Maybe it's because they are playing out west but Syracuse is getting no buzz right now despite playing very well.

[MrBug708]

Why would Mark Gottfried get the UCLA job? We would be hiring a worse coach than Howland? And of course he would take the job if offered.

The three names that have been discussed behind the scenes are Donovan, Pitino, and Stevens. How serious? We'll see.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

So Twitter is abuzz with Ben Howland being fired, which isn't a surprise. The fact that Mark Gottfried is apparently a legitimate candidate to replace him though is a surprise.

Not apparently. He'd be the guy hired if no one else wanted the job. Or if Dan Guerrero was even more incompetent than he already is, which would be something.

[britrock88]

Cal game is wild. 3-missed FTs-3-steal. Too bad Crabbe didn't locate himself in the field of play after the steal...

[britrock88]

Ugh. And an inbound pass thrown out of bounds after forcing a nice TO with pressure.

[sterlingice]

This game is laughably ugly. I feel like I'm watching some small conference tournament semifinal game

SI

[MrBug708]

Jaime Dixon doesnt look too upset despite losing in the first round

[B & B]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

So, uh, I find this hard to believe but has anyone been watching Syracuse-Cal for most of the game? Is the officiating as lopsided as the FT count appears?

SI

Well, the last 3 minutes were........entertaining if not interesting, from a mathematical standpoint.

[Ragone]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Why would Mark Gottfried get the UCLA job? We would be hiring a worse coach than Howland? And of course he would take the job if offered.

The three names that have been discussed behind the scenes are Donovan, Pitino, and Stevens. How serious? We'll see.

would be neat to see richard pitino get a good job after 1 year at fiu


As for Rick Sr.. He's not going anywhere.. Neither is Donovan to be honest.

Stevens Might.. Shaka Smart is probably gonna start looking as well.. jim larranaga might get some interesting offers as well, considering the ncaa's snooping around the program

[Lathum]

I think the Stevens one would be interesting if he were offered. UCLA is a top 5 job, but he has it great at Butler and they are about to join a major conference.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I think the Stevens one would be interesting if he were offered. UCLA is a top 5 job, but he has it great at Butler and they are about to join a major conference.

Is it anymore really? I can name 10 schools I would rather be at and you're always being judged against Wooden which is never going to come close to being repeated.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by rowech

Is it anymore really? I can name 10 schools I would rather be at and you're always being judged against Wooden which is never going to come close to being repeated.

You may rather be at other schools, but historically it is a top 5 job IMO. Right up there with Kentucky and IU.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Lathum

You may rather be at other schools, but historically it is a top 5 job IMO. Right up there with Kentucky and IU.

I just don't think kids care about history. They care about the now.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by rowech

I just don't think kids care about history. They care about the now.

Well then I think that depends on your definition of what is a top 5 job.

[corbes]

Shaka Smart has made the right call with sticking at VCU so far, but I think when UCLA comes calling its an entirely different calculus. I don't care what their recent results are. It's UCLA. It's the big leagues. You can win a NC there. You can be immortal. If you don't want to be compared to Wooden then you're saying you don't believe in yourself to succeed.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Why would Mark Gottfried get the UCLA job? We would be hiring a worse coach than Howland? And of course he would take the job if offered.

The three names that have been discussed behind the scenes are Donovan, Pitino, and Stevens. How serious? We'll see.

As a huge Pitino fan, I'd be beyond stunned to see him leave Louisville. I think he learned his lesson once by leaving KY. He's a huge east coast guy, and he's getting up there in retirement. I think he's setting up his son to follow him at UL, and to jump ship now, at his age, AND switching coasts would not make a whole lot of sense.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

As a huge Pitino fan, I'd be beyond stunned to see him leave Louisville. I think he learned his lesson once by leaving KY. He's a huge east coast guy, and he's getting up there in retirement. I think he's setting up his son to follow him at UL, and to jump ship now, at his age, AND switching coasts would not make a whole lot of sense.

Don't underestimate the fact that his passion is horse racing as well

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by corbes

Shaka Smart has made the right call with sticking at VCU so far, but I think when UCLA comes calling its an entirely different calculus. I don't care what their recent results are. It's UCLA. It's the big leagues. You can win a NC there. You can be immortal. If you don't want to be compared to Wooden then you're saying you don't believe in yourself to succeed.

Sorry, but I don't buy this. Wouldn't the better career trajectory be Krysewski at Duke? Why follow in people's footsteps when you can create your own legacy and build a program to immortal status?

They're never going to replace Wooden, why not be the first Brad Stevens?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Jaime Dixon doesnt look too upset despite losing in the first round

He did just sign a deal that keeps him employed for the next decade so I'd be pretty happy, too

SI

[jbergey22]

So is the Dayton crowd going to help or hurt Indiana today?

[rowech]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

So is the Dayton crowd going to help or hurt Indiana today?

Help. There are a lot of Indiana fans in this area.

[tarcone]

10 year extensions = BAD idea.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Sorry, but I don't buy this. Wouldn't the better career trajectory be Krysewski at Duke? Why follow in people's footsteps when you can create your own legacy and build a program to immortal status?

They're never going to replace Wooden, why not be the first Brad Stevens?

Or the first Mark Few?

And therein lies the problem. It's really hard to get to the top of the mountain, even if pretty much everything breaks right for you at one of the smaller schools.

UCLA is absolutely a sleeping giant that just needs the right coach. It's one of the 6 major programs in college hoops. But it comes with extremely high standards. After all, Howland made three straight Final Fours earlier in his tenure and now he's gone after a couple of fairly bad seasons (not sure why they didn't fire him after last season but it's because of the recruiting class, I assume).

SI

[rowech]

In addition, big ten fans are conference loyal.

[spleen1015]

I don't believe for a second that Stevens would leave Butler for a shitty job at UCLA. Stevens will stay at Butler for his entire career.

None of those 3 coaches are dumb enough to leave their current jobs for UCLA. UCLA is not a top tier job any more. None of the hot young names in coaching will go there. Someone lame like Bruce Weber will go there.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by tarcone

10 year extensions = BAD idea.

Just ask NHL fans how that works out. It's just human nature: you want security and when you have it, you start looking around and seeing what else is important in life. I imagine that once you've got your guaranteed $10M or $20M or whatnot, you just don't work quite as hard. You start thinking that maybe it's more important to go see your son's play or daughter's game than spend those extra 2 hours looking over tape for the next game or looking at potential recruits.

SI

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by rowech

Help. There are a lot of Indiana fans in this area.

Well that is what I was kind of thinking but with Ohio st playing the prior game they will probably be in full force cheering on Temple esp if they win. Vegas line seems to be giving Temple the small home court advantage.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I don't believe for a second that Stevens would leave Butler for a shitty job at UCLA. Stevens will stay at Butler for his entire career.

None of those 3 coaches are dumb enough to leave their current jobs for UCLA. UCLA is not a top tier job any more. None of the hot young names in coaching will go there. Someone lame like Bruce Weber will go there.

Haha. It's not a "shitty" job. With the recruits they are able to attract its certainly still a top 10 job to have. It's the perfect time for a young upstart to take that job actually.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I don't believe for a second that Stevens would leave Butler for a shitty job at UCLA. Stevens will stay at Butler for his entire career.

None of those 3 coaches are dumb enough to leave their current jobs for UCLA. UCLA is not a top tier job any more. None of the hot young names in coaching will go there. Someone lame like Bruce Weber will go there.

You might be right on Stevens, although I think he leaves when the Indiana job opens up eventually, but to call UCLA a shitty job is just plain crazy talk. They have 11 national titles to their credit, one less than Duke, UNC, and Kansas combined, and are historically one of the top 5 programs of all time.

Again, it depends on what you criteria is, but lets not act like this is Tennessee or Texas we are talking about. Winning at UCLA is on par with winning at KU, UNC, Kentucky, and IU.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I don't believe for a second that Stevens would leave Butler for a shitty job at UCLA. Stevens will stay at Butler for his entire career.

None of those 3 coaches are dumb enough to leave their current jobs for UCLA. UCLA is not a top tier job any more. None of the hot young names in coaching will go there. Someone lame like Bruce Weber will go there.

I dunno: giant jobs don't open up every day and they're almost always in some state of disrepair. It's really rare to see a Roy Williams leaves Kansas at the top so they can get Bill Self type situation. Usually, it's more of Indiana is left in shambles after the NCAA was done or Roy Williams coming to North Carolina after Matt Doherty missed the tourney two straight years at UNC including that 20 loss season. Then there's Kentucky where Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespie combined for a 4 year stretch of not making it out of the NCAA 2nd round and an average of 21 wins- ok for some schools but certainly not at Kentucky.

If you want to take over an elite program, it's going to be in some sort of disarray, otherwise the job won't be open. The only way, for instance, the Kansas job opens up is if Bill Self is taken out by a sniper or if he starts doing poorly and the program suffers. I guess Coach K will retire at Duke in the next decade or so but even that's not a guarantee- he may coach until the moment they have to put him in a pine box.

So, if you want one of those elite program jobs, you're going to get it when it's down.

SI