Week in Review: Ides of March...Madness

Been a busier week than usual here at PHSports.

First off, check out the NEW POLL top right of the page. Vote on!!!!

Picture of the Week: Wesley Johnson flying high against the Zags

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Let's check in on what transpired...

1) Pay posted his final bracket projections.
--> As always, job well done. 64 of 65 teams.
--> Pay's reflections can be found HERE.

2) I reflected upon Fab Five Memories and highlighted some potential for the week ahead.

3) Running commentary resumed. Highlights below...
--> Thursday
--> Friday
--> Saturday (I and II)

4) Kansas BUSTED some brackets with their loss on Saturday.
--> STONES: thy name is Ali Farokhmanesh.

5) Syracuse was impressive early Sunday afternoon.

STONES: Ali Farokhmanesh Edition

Brackets BUSTED: Rock, Chalked Edition

Courtesy: CBS

Courtesy: CBS
[Kudos to the folks at CBS for posting this via YouTube quickly and efficiently.]


So...how much did your bracket suffer after one of the NCAA Tournament's most memorable shots???

NCAA Tournament Running Commentary: Saturday Night Edition

Note: STONES! Want a fresh take on Kansas falling to the MVC's Northern Iowa? Avoid Subway. Check out analysis from ME right here.

If you're looking for analysis on the earlier matchups of the day, c-c-check it out.

East Region
#1 Kentucky vs #9 Wake Forest

UK's most notable fan, Ashley Judd, has to be enjoying this thorough bludgeoning of the Deamon Deacons.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Halftime score = Kentucky leads 44-28

Running commentary following the under-16 timeout...

-Al-Farouq Aminu commits his 3rd foul with 11:19 to go in the 1st half. Jay Bilas was wise to alert people to keep that time in mind. This is the same guy who went for 20 and 15 against Texas.
-DeMarcus Cousins is going to make a mistake. Question is, how big of one? Wake is trying to rattle him with hard fouls, moving screens, and elbows in the gut. Cousins is about to unleash an elbow or commit a rough foul. How will the refs react?
-Ish Smith blows a wide-open dunk. Didn't I mention earlier how he CAN'T miss easy shots tonight?
-I watch John Wall miss free throws and think Derrick Rose in 2008. Am I alone?
-Why is Calipari letting Patrick Patterson take 3-pointers? It's an idiotic option on such a loaded offensive group. If he starts shooting 4+ of those a game in the later rounds, Kentucky will lose at some point.
-Wake, down 29-24 with 5+ to go, needs to keep this under 7 or 8 with Aminu out, if possible.
-Keutucky's role players - two former starters now riding the pine - are the difference in this game thus far.
-Kentucky owns this arena. The fans are ballistic. Wake can't let this deficit stretch into double-digits.
-Put Wake to bed. They are a classic underachiever and Kentucky - unlike Texas - won't hand this one away. Kentucky may not see a true neutral court until Indianapolis.
-No need to say anything more, Wake is making me sleepy.

West Region
#2 Kansas State vs #10 BYU

Clemente's ability to get to the hoop, at lightning-fast speed, needs to be more of a constant in the 2nd half.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Halftime score = Kansas State leads 41-31

Running commentary, from the 2nd option game of the primetime lineup...

-BYU starts of 10-0. Hitting open shots is what the Cougars do.
-BYU doesn't rebound. You want to know a good way to catch up if you're Kansas State? 2nd and 3rd opportunities on offense and limiting good-shooting teams to 1-contested shot. Although KSU has missed some gimmes.
-Pullen took a nasty spill. The Cougar guard nipped his heel while reaching for the ball. That was a missed call that was completely unacceptable.
-Denis Clemente is fast as lightning, but he doesn't take it to the hoop and draw fouls enough.
-Greg Gumbel shouldn't call Jimmer Fredette, Jimmy. Then again, the name Jimmer is stupid. Yeah, I said it.
-Remember that BYU is one-win away from a regional semi-final in Salt Lake City. Gotta love that juicy location (ala Baylor in Houston).
-Still waiting for Domonique Sutton to establish a presence for a spurt or two.
-Kansas State caught up by rebounding the ball, pushing it up court and attacking the hoop, and by pushing Jimmer Fredette, whenever he touches the ball, to pass the ball.
-I love seeing the BYU (male) cheerleaders calling for traveling call. He may have gotten one right actually...
-Fredette has gone 13 minutes without a field goal. They are working him every inch he handles the ball. Frank Martin deserves a lot of credit for that defensive switch in strategy.
-BYU shouldn't try to run and gun with the Wildcats. Pullen is the most NBA-ready player on the court. It shows.
-CBS may be overworking Pullen's "hip-injury"? Then again, I can't blame them.
-19-4 run by Kansas State has them up 1:47. BYU isn't setting screens properly and can't break the press. THIS is why Kansas State was such a popular Final Four selection. Good thing they don't have to play Kansas a fourth time.
-BYU has 3 players with 3 fouls. All inside guys. The size and strength of Kansas State can't be understated right now.
-BYU has gone from up 10-0 to down 41-31. Wow.
-BYU has 3.2 seconds to take back some juju. Awful D from Kansas State leads to a near tip-in. Missed it by 0.1. Great effort though.

NCAA Tournament Running Commentary: Saturday Afternoon Edition

Note: I will be in and out today/tonight with some observations from the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Feel free to comment and be aware that the MOST RECENT updates will be found at the top of the post, although nothing will be deleted from earlier action.

7:20 PM

3 game currently on tap, 2 at the half and one 5 minutes to go in the 1st. Scroll DOWN to get re-caps of today's earlier action.

-Old Dominion has rallied to tie Baylor at 47. An early 11-2 run got the Monarchs right back in the game. ODU is 5-10 from behind the arc including a pair (3 total) from Ben Finney. Baylor has gone cold (as I fortold) and the pace has shored up to ODU. Nevertheless, do you favor the Monarchs in a game that may reach the 70s? ODU takes its first lead at 49-47 with 12:21 left. Baylor seems rattled.

Northern Iowa leads Kansas 52-43 in the second half as we're nearing the under-8 timeout. Because I'm a girlish corward, I've avoided watching the game. When does this become Must See TV? A lead with 5 minutes left? Or is it already now? Northern Iowa has maintained a 8-12 point lead the entire second half. Is a MAJOR story developing? I still have too many doubts...

Washington is controlling New Mexico 44-34 as we're 2 minutes into the second half. While New Mexico made a run against Montana on Thursday, the pace of this game completely favors the Huskies. Nevertheless, if this lead is under 8 with less than 10 to go, the Lobos should have plenty of chances.

6:45 PM

Careful to put up the finger too quickly. Kansas can put a 10-0 run together in less than 60 seconds far too easily. Especially if Aldrich starts blocking shots left and right.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

3 game currently on tap, 2 at the half and one 5 minutes to go in the 1st.

Washington has controlled the pace and is shooting 60% from the field against the Lobos of New Mexico. The Lobos are 3-11 from the behind the arc and are playing uglier than Steve Alford's jacket. Ouch. Isaiah Thomas Jr. and Quincy Pondexter already have combined for 17 in the 1st half. Both also have 2 fouls. Washington leads 34-25 with 4:412 to go.

Northern Iowa leads #1-overall seed Kansas (I know, do I need to add that?) at the half 36-28. The first 5 minutes of the second-half will be HUGE. If Northern Iowa wants to make the loudest statement of the tournament thus far, they must: value possessions, hit over 50% of open 3s, limit fast break opportunities for the Jayhawks, and not allow Collins to have an and-1 festival when attacking the hoop. That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Baylor leads ODU 38-28 at the half. The Bears have this game at the EXACT pace they want. Question is: when Baylor goes cold for 4-6 minutes (and believe me, they will), can ODU turn possessions into points??? The Monarchs don't hit 3s, but they can pass the ball well from the post - specifically through Gerald Lee - and leave themselves with wide open perimeter looks. ODU can't afford this lead to spread to 15+. They did trail Notre Dame by 6 at the half, but in a much lower scoring affair.

6:15 PM

As much as he's tortured Big East opponents, Scottie Reynolds will still be missed.
He's Villanova's finest guard - in my book - since Kerry Kittles.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

So there are 32 teams still alive, with far fewer possessing legit Final Four aspirations. Then again, crazier things have happened.

On the docket today is a lot of the excitement remaining from Thursday's MUST-SEE schedule (Friday was so-so at best, to be honest).

While my bracket is in pieces (2 Final Four teams = GONE), Syracuse took the #1 seeds to 104-0 against the lowly 16s. Gus Johnson seemed totally devastated Vermont didn't bury a barrage of 3s early on the in the second half to make it another "Game for the Ages". Oh well, Gus.

As for Gonzaga/Cuse, I am worried about Onuaku's absence. Rick Jackson will have to play a TON of minutes and not commit fouls. The outside shooting of Rautins, Jardine, Johnson, and (somehow) Triche should end up being a MAJOR factor. We shall see, I suppose.

As for today...let's check in.

The Vols' defense led them to victory today.
A matchup with Naismith-frontrunner Evan Turner next is likely.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

The weather in central Virginia (R-I-C!) has been absolutely stellar today and between softball practice (@11), lunch with some teammates, and a trip to Dick's for some new cleats...I haven't seen a ton of early action. Fear not, I'll be with you until the conclusion of tonight's matchups. Thanks, Five Hour Energy!!!

Currently in progress...
Old Dominion can't be happy with the pace of their game early on against Baylor. Trying to play a game in the 50s, Baylor is attacking the hoop early and holds an early 20-8 lead with 11+minutes left in the half. ODU can't afford to fall too far behind early on, as they aren't an efficient 3-point shooting team; especially considering Baylor's ability today thus far to use their team speed to attack the hoop at will.

Northern Iowa is shooting the ball very well and playing confidently against #1-overall seed Kansas. The Jayhawks started quietly on Thursday night and should have far too much size and athleticism - specifically via Collins and the Morris twins - to allow Northern Iowa to shoot themselves into a big enough lead to worry Rock, Chalk nation. Northern Iowa leads 19-15 mid-way through the 1st half.

New Mexico and Washington may be a more entertaining game than you think, although you may need a satellite to see it from your house (especially on the East Coast). The Lobos started poorly on Thursday, though they are an uber-talented team who shouldn't be dismissed because of their conference affiliation. My eyes will be on Washington's Quincy Pondexter, who single-handedly took over their matchup against Marquette down the stretch, sealing the game with less than 2 seconds with an impressive runner to secure the W for the Pac-10's Huskies. Could the Pac 10 join the WCC with a 3-0 record after 3 days? The game is tie at 19 nearing the 10-minute mark in the first half. This game could have plenty of fireworks.

Later tonight...
-In the East, Kentucky looks to keep it going against Wake Forest. How DeMarcus Cousins handles the duo of Yellow Jacket big men is of the utmost importance for Coach Cal.
-In the West, BYU tries to make the trip to Salt Lake City for the regional semi-final. However, red hot Kansas State - one of the most impressive performers of the opening day's games - has an extremely talented backcourt of their own and must be the early favorite to advance.

South Region
#2 Villanova vs. #10 St. Mary's
Fortunately I caught the last 10 minutes of each of the halves of Villanova and St. Mary's. Many people ignored Nova's recent struggles - and a complete LACK of rebounding an interior presence - and decided their region was weak enough to allow the Wildcats to return to the Final Four. No so much. Scottie Reynolds struggled all day, reverting to far too much 1-on-1 play in the closing possessions, as St. Mary's became the first team to punch a ticket to the Sweet Sixteen, defeating the 2-seeded Wildcats 75-68.

Omar Samhan, who makes Sam Perkins circa-96 look like he had LeBron's vertical, may be the emerging star of the tournament thus far. After completely dominating the Spiders of Richmond in the opening round (29 and 12), Villanova had ABSOLUTELY no answer for Samhan (32 and 7 on 13-16 shooting from the field). Samhan sealed the game with a late block as well. The Gaels leave the WCC 3-0 and should be considered a legit contender out of the South region in Houston next weekend.

Midwest Region
#6 Tennessee vs. #14 Ohio
It may be difficult to think of a team who played a more complete game - on both sides of the ball - than the Bobcats did in the opening round; especially considering their opponent (Georgetown). That momentum couldn't be carried over against the Volunteers, who led by 11 at the half and kept that lead for the majority of the second half - outside of one brief spurt by Ohio that cut the Tennessee lead to 5 - due to the Vols' superior athletes and shooting 55% from the field. 12 missed free throws (14-26) from the Bobcats certainly didn't help.

If you had Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen after Tyler Smith's exit from the team...you are far more adept than I am. The true question is if Bruce Pearl and the Vols can finally advance to the Elite Eight, after being frequent second weekend participants in years past.

West Region
#5 Butler vs. #13 Murray State
This one will sting for the Racers. Leading by 3 with less than 90 seconds to go, the charity stripe was good to Butler; meanwhile Murray State struggled to find quality shots. On the last possession of the game, the Racers failed to get off a 3, thanks in large party to gritty, tenacious defense from the Bulldogs behind the 3-point line. Cinderella took a backseat unfortunately as this game slipped away from the underdog.

NCAA Tournament Running Commentary: Thursday Edition

Note: I will be in and out today with some observations from the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Feel free to comment and be aware that the MOST RECENT updates will be found at the top of the post, although nothing will be deleted from earlier action.

I give Gody a harder time than most (even Pay). Nevertheless...
HIS "defense" is among the worst in the post I've seen in years and Notre Dame is a BETTER team with him not on the court.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

6:00 pm
Scroll down to check out updates for the first 4 finals of the day. ODU/ND, Nova/RM, BYU/Fla, & Murray State's heroics over Vandy. Hope you enjoyed the early session, as primetime doesn't look as enticing.

Brief updates...
-UTEP leads Baylor 29-24 as both teams close in on halftime. This was a POPULAR upset pick for the 12th-seeded Miners. Conversely, plenty of people have Butler going deep in this tournament.

West Regional
#2 Kansas State throttled #15 North Texas 82-62
No real surprise here whatsoever. Impressive opener for the Wildcats, who next draw BYU.

East Regional
#3 Baylor "defeated" Sam Houston State 68-59
First tourney win since 1950 for the Bears. To get another couple, they can't have a performance equal to this one.

#10 St. Mary's BALANCED #7 Richmond 80-71
Despite a competitive opening 20 minutes, the Gaels dominated the second half from start-to-finish. Inside they got 29 and 11 from big-man Omar Samhan and from the outside, 23 from Mickey McConnell (5-9 3's). Balance.

.......

5:05 pm

Brief updates...
-Baylor pulling away late over Sam Houston State. Very unimpressive debut for the Bears. State is 6-30 from the 3-point line. OUCH. Baylor looked quite stagnant and will need a lot more offensive flow to not fall into a game in the 50s against Old Dominion (see more below on the Monarchs).
-Richmond and St. Mary's are trading punches. The backcourt of Richmond is one of the top 10 in the country...seriously. Meanwhile, momentum for the Gaels behind 16 early points from Omar Samhan were quieted by 3 first-half fouls. This one should go down to the wire, especially if Samhan has "thriller arms" on defense. Spiders better double up in the paint until he does or things may start to turn against them. (Richmond has wins as a #12, #13, #14, and #15 seed. Even more surprising is this is the first time they've worn the white jerseys as the higher seed.)
-Kansas State is pummeling North Texas. Not much more needs to be said, right? BYU is likely taking copious notes.

West Region
#13 Murray State buzzerbeated #4 Vanderbilt 66-65
Danero Thomas' jumper, which left his hands with 0.6 ticks left, is the early highlight of the tournament. Murray State, a popular sleeper, should be given full credit for this win. Don't simply blame Vanderbilt (who had an insane backdoor cut to take the lead) or the SEC. A clutch shot and a great moment to remember, less than 5 hours into the tournament.

#7 BYU outlasted #10 Florida 99-92 (2 OT)
BYU led by as much as 11 with 8 minutes to go. Despite a stellar late comeback, Florida failed 't close out the Cougars, blowing multiple chances in regulation and in overtime. The Cougars controlled the second OT period, thanks in large part to the scoring duo of Jimmer Fredette (37 points) and Michael Loyd Jr. (26 points, 9-10 FTs). Kenny Boynton deserves a lot of credit for the Gators, catching fire late in the game. Fouling out may have been the final nail in the Gators' coffins. BYU lacks any interior rebounding presence. This will be a major issue WHEN they face Kansas State (North Texas is getting whipped).

South Region
#10 ODU CAAd #7 Notre Dame 51-50.
Pay said it best to me in a brief, yet poignant e-mail: Tyrone Nash barely played in the second half, and Gody has missed at least 3 bunnies. And (Gody) was poor on defense per usual. Good job by (ODU head coach Blaine) Taylor to switch the defense at halftime. Gody got his first basket with 12.6 remaining ... he sucks worse than ODU's ft shooting on 1-and-1s.
If you ask me, Notre Dame changed their style too late in the season. Once they were matched up with ODU, they played a team who employed that same ball-control strategy, with far more expertise at running it and far less reliance on the 3-ball. As for Gerald Lee (spotlighted by ME earlier today), he didn't erupt scoring-wise, but made some critical buckets down the stretch. Just as I expected. CAA strikes again!!!

#2 Villanova Chris Pauled #15 Robert Morris 73-70
A late 10-3 run, led by Scottie Reynolds, gave Villanova the last shot (or tip) in regulation...to no avail. Opening OT on a 6-0 run, the Wildcats withstood the best efforts of the Colonials to walk away with a narrow victory. Far more narrow than last year's mini-escape against American University. If the South bracket wasn't such a joke, Nova would be in more trouble than they are. That being said, Richmond/St. Mary's may pose an interesting matchup in the 2nd round (much more so than UCLA did last year). As for the context of "Chris Pauled", ask any Wake or VCU fan about 2003 and CP3's free throw barrage.

2010's Fab Five: So to Speak...

Note: Check out Pay's bracket reflections for 2010 HERE.

After last night's rather lengthy introduction, I'll make things short and sweet today, introduction-wise.


Here are 5 names you need to know before the tournament tips off.

Some you may know quite well, whereas others are names you've never even considered (or even heard of) having an impact on this tournament.

Nevertheless, they may end up mattering much more than you think.

In recent years, names like Will Thomas/Josh Pace/Courtney Lee/Rashad Anderson/Lee Humphrey/Danny Green and many many more popped up far more often than you might've expected, much to some people's surprise.



It can't always be the Okafor/Carmelo/Hansbrough/Battier/Dixon star of the favored teams that get all the praise, right?

Is there a better college hoops' pre-game than, "We are Georgetown"???

I doubt it.

Credit: DayLife.com

Midwest Regional: Chris Wright (PG, Georgetown)
It might be an oversimplication, but as Wright goes...the Hoyas' tournament chances go. Greg Monroe may be the MVP and Austin Freeman might be the team's #1 offensive impact player, but if Hoya Paranoia will sweep past the likes of a potential trio of opponents consisting of Tennessee, Ohio State, and Kansas...Wright has to be THE man. He also has to do it for 40 minutes - on both sides of the ball - during all three matchups. After seeing him play in the Big East Tournament, it isn't nearly the stretch it might've seemed earlier this season. Who does Wright remind me of? Ben Gordon and the UCONN Huskies (of both '03 and '04). Don't assume I'm putting Wright on equal footing skill-wise with Gordon. No dice. However, as Gordon went...so went the Huskies' Final Four aspirations. Check his stats during the '04 title run. Sick!

It's impossible to find a picture of Riley in game-action. That should tell you a lot.
This guy sees more court time than Riley...for now.

Credit: RootZoo.com

West Regional: DaShonte Riley (C, Syracuse)
Of course I had to go Syracuse. But stick with me for a minute. While Arinze Onuaku's "quad" injury has been anything but underreported, it still remains to be seen/guessed how Jim Boheim - for a game, two games, or the tournament - will balance his 7-man rotation. Especially if Onuaku struggles physically, with his conditioning, or avoiding fouls with heavy legs. Does Mookie Jones see increased minutes? Or is DaShonte Riley, a freshman who's played sparringly and produced even less, the man asked to fill the paint? Both seem unlikely. Nevertheless, a 6-man rotation (no matter how talented) can only get you so far in late March. If Rick Jackson finds himself in foul trouble, does Riley stand on a front line with Wesley Johnson and Kris Joseph? Or (gasp) do Riley and Jones somehow see playing time together. Scary, even borderline terrifying, questions for even the most adament Cuse supporters.

Kinda fun to look at that top 10, isn't it?

Credit: CNNSI.com

East Regional: Isaiah Thomas, Jr. (PG, Washington)
You want to make a name for yourself young man...here is your chance. The last Washington basketball player to come into the tournament with any legit hype was Nate Robinson (sorry, Spencer Hawes). Robinson's translated that - alongside considerable talent and grit - into NBA notability. The kid can sorta dunk well, too. As for Zeke Jr., he's been under the radar a little more than I expected. Ala Patrick Ewing Jr, perhaps. While Washington isn't advancing very far in many brackets, Jr remains a talented scorer and is playing his best basketball of the year right now (Baby Zeke took home MVP of the Pac-10 Tournament...yeah, they still had one). A glaring weakness does appear to be his assist-to-turnover ratio (92 assists to 76 turnovers); however, you gotta love a sophomore shooting over 93% from the charity stripe. He has the pedigree, but does he have the moxy to keep his team alive after the first weekend?

It's hard to find a player from Finland to root for. Too bad (for me) he's a Monarch.
Credit: ODUSports.com

South Regional: Gerald Lee (PF, Old Dominion)
I had to go mid-major. I had to go CAA. Double duh! With Eric Maynor out of the picture (finally, George Mason fans), star billing in one of America's premiere mid-major conferences fell to - of all people - a Finish import named Gerald Lee. He's also a mid-major European big man who isn't overly obsessed with shooting the 3-ball. A rare, athletic talent at his size (6'10), Lee was the only Monarch to score (14.6) in double digits this season. A sign for concern? Hardly. ODU plays suffocating defense, crashes the glass on both sides extremely effectively, and Lee plays as well with 2 fouls in the first half as any player I've seen in the country. Especially those who aren't Dookies being protected by the shield. Yeah, I said it. Adding to that, Lee also owns two wins over Georgetown. Not too many others can say that in the past four seasons. Notre Dame has a talented frontcourt; however, I want to see Gody and company contain the 6'10 Finn inside the paint. ODU may even be able to force Notre Dame into old bad habits, chucking up countless 3s against a tough 3-2 zone, thanks in large part to Lee's ability to guard off the ball and rebound in the paint against lankier opponents. Silky smooth may be overused, but it describes Lee to a T. Hey, that rhymed!!!

Seriously, watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. PLUG!


Credit: HoustonPress.com

Wild-Card: Green Man (Location: TBA)
He'll show up in a variety of colors and at more locations than you may expect. Nevertheless, the spawn (or at least the best usage ever) of an It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia-cult classic is one of the funniest and most welcome sites in student sections across the country. Do your thing, Green Man. For all of us.

There's plenty of other names out there. (*Cough* Kevin Anderson of U of R)
YOU tell ME who they are...for you.

Man, you gotta experience this live. It's unmatched in my book.
Even as a loyal Cuse fan.



Note: Check out Pay's bracket reflections for 2010 HERE.

Who is this year's Fab Five...so to speak???

Quick! Can YOU name the Fab Five?
You know, the Fab Five of Michigan basketball (circa 1992-1993).

Can you name all 5 of us? Most can't.
Credit: Sneakernews

It's a tougher trivia question than you think...
...but don't worry. I'll talk you through it.

Let's have a little background first though. Google Search...STAT!

In many ways, the Michigan basketball recruiting class known as the Fab Five will be forever young. Black socks pulled high, baggy shorts sagging low and cocksure looks on their baby faces, the most heralded freshman class in college basketball history stormed onto the American stage in 1992 by becoming the first all-freshman starting five to reach the Final Four. (Courtesy: NYTimes.com)

Let's start off easy. Go with the obvious first. The top dog. #1. Chris Webber.

Of course we're talking about THIS guy. Sorry, Michigan fan.
Credit: BleacherReport.com

I know, I know. Cheap shot (picture). Truth be told though, I loved that team. Another truth, they were sophomores that season. They were also better for college basketball than you might think in retrospect. Banners being taken down withstanding. (And yes I hear you, UNC fan. He traveled well before the errant timeout was called, too. BIG TIME. It wasn't even close.) Nevertheless, let's continue.

Remember the #2 on the team? This guy? The guy the Bullets basically bankrupted their franchise for? Juwan Howard.

#3 isn't far behind. In fact, you could easily make the argument that he was their #2. Either way, he's actually not a bad in-studio analyst for ESPN these days. Jalen Rose.

#4 and #5 are a little tougher. In fact, they're ridiculously tough.
One of them got drafted - by Toronto (remember THESE uniforms!?!?) - and then...you somehow remember #4!!! Jimmy King.

I will CROWN you! Oh wait, wrong Jimmy King.
Credit: IMDB.com

You're 1 away from immortality...so to speak.

But who on Earth is #5? This is where you WIN or LOSE the lady's heart (aka trivia contest for sporting uber-nerds). But you invariably forget and curse yourself for another second place finish. If only you remembered...Ray Jackson. He's #5.

While we don't have a Fab 5 this tournament (nor are we likely to EVER see one again...save the machinations of John Calipari), there are 5 players in this tournament you just GOTTA know...no matter how brief their stay may be.

Talk about your lengthy introduction...

I'll be back tomorrow with five players - at least 1 from each region - that you better be up-to-date with. Enjoy the waiting game...

Until then, I'll ease the torturous suspense with a memorable clip.
And NO, it won't be of C Web traveling or timeoutting when he didn't have any left.
Even I'm not that cruel...or am I???

God bless the YouTube gods. And ellipses.
...

5 Bracket Scenarios: Which is Most Intriguing???

Plenty of scenarios have come up lately from major media outlets this week in relation to brackets and the overall madness we have in March, including:

-2 Big East matchups BEFORE the regional finals (CBS)
-Sticking it to sound reasoning and filling our your bracket in 64 seconds (CNNSI)
-A truly wide-open tournament in which even Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, and Kentucky are far from locks to advance deep into the bracket (Yahoo!)
-BYU, who hasn't won a two tournament games in one postseason since 1981, is potentially Elite Eight bound. (ESPN)

Chalk city, right? No? Tell us YOUR sleeper. And please, no 2 or 3-seed sleepers.
Credit: None needed. It's a picture of chalk.

Nevertheless, I have 5 scenarios of my own I'd like to throw out there...

1) Is it completely unrealistic to believe that the Big East can put in two, three, or (gasp!) even four teams into the Final Four. Take that 1985! Syracuse is the 1-seed in the West (Onuaku's health a MAJOR factor), Georgetown is a lethal 3-seed in the Midwest (although Kansas and Evan Turner lay in the weeds), Villanova is the #2 (which they shouldn't be) in a weak South region headlined by the Dookies, and West Virginia (the nation's "should've been a #1-seed") is the top nemesis in the East for the young pups (does that work with a team mascot of a Wildcat) of Kentucky.

2) If this isn't a chalk bracket, could anything possibly top 2000?
-Two 1-seeds out in the first weekend (Arizona & Stanford)
-Three 2-seeds out in the first weekend (St. John's, Cincinnati, & Temple)
-Two 8-seeds in the Final Four (North Carolina & Wisconsin)
-Elite Eight with matchups of a 3 vs. 5, 7 vs. 8 (with Tulsa included), 8 vs. 6, and a solitary 1 vs. 2
Although I can't go without saying that #1-seed Michigan State did end up cutting down the nets when all was said and done. Nevertheless, could such chaos be replicated again?

3) Are the 12-seeds getting a little too much respect? Is Cornell really prepared to take down such a highly underrated (in terms of the brackets) Temple? Is Butler being too easily dismissed against UTEP? Are people bold enough to go against Tom Izzo in March with New Mexico State as their opening round flyer!?!?

4) Statistics have been flying around that you can't win it all without at least 3 NBA players on your team. They don't all need to be All-Stars or even perennial starters, but you better have at least three. Want an exception? It's not so easy, unless you're me (and that's not due to my intellect, believe me). Syracuse in 2003. Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, and ??? Keep wondering, because there wasn't another. Not even sitting on the end of the bench, waiting to play.

5) Might the tie-breaker (typically total points) in the championship game not be enough? A ton of chalk is behind Kansas (for good reason). Syracuse and Kansas State dominate the West's bracket favorites. Duke and Villanova (don't call them a sleeper, please) for the South. West Virginia still hasn't passed Kentucky in the East, either. While there are other selections out there, outside of these eight, - i.e. Baylor, Ohio State, Georgetown, and even Texas A&M - you might be 1 of MANY in your office, work, or social networking pools that has Kansas v. Kentucky in the final. That means you better correctly identify the winners of those pesky 8/9 and 7/10 games (forget the major upsets) and target your 2-seed that falls the earliest. Otherwise, total points it may be...

...unless bracket managers get crafty and come up with a SITUATIONAL set of 5 questions. Let's say it is chalk-city and it's Kansas vs. Kentucky. Here are my 5 (you?):

Pay and I can't be alone when noticing this guy's bullishness, right?
Credit: CommercialAppeal.com

1) How many actual fouls will DeMarcus Cousins commit?
2) How many NBA scouts will be in attendance?
3) How many times will we hear Sherron Collins described as "gutsy"?
4) How long until they void this Final Four for Coach Cal (he's already lost two)?
5) How many hours in the hotel room before tip-off will Jim Nantz practice his not-so-famous final lines (i.e. "Simon Says Championship")?

Note: Check out Pay's final 2010 bracket projections HERE. Impressive work, as always, from the best.

It doesn't take a genius to wonder why so many media experts are targeting Kansas as their pick to not only make the Final Four, but cut down their second pair of nets in three years.

Kansas are loaded. Carl Weathers in Predator-loaded. Then again, things didn't work out perfectly for Action Jackson, did they?

Am I dating myself too much? Probably.

Talk about a movie sorely in need of a reboot.
Credit: Sportige.com

Nevertheless, here are 10 questions I have once viewing the bracket (and having 3-4 hours to digest them).
I hope a few of you (maybe even Pay, hint), will let us have some answers PLEASE.

1) Why are people crying for teams that are snubbed? Jay Bilas summed it up best: none of these teams are contending for a national title. Were any of them truly robbed of a 10, 11, or 12-seed and a (all but too likely) first-weekend exit?
2) Which of these 8/9 NAME-recognition teams should scare the respective 1-seeds the most: UNLV (Kansas), Gonzaga (Syracuse), Texas (Kentucky), or Louisville (Duke)?
3) Okay, so "who's your 5/12 upset" is soooo last year. I want to know who your 4/13 upset is this year? Now that prediction takes stones.
4) BYU and Cornell are popular sleepers. Ditto for Murray State and Siena. Do YOU have either of those four still playing during the second weekend?
5) Which is more ridiculous: Temple degraded to being a 5-seed or Notre Dame skyrocketing to a 6-seed?
6) You have 1 possession and you're down 1. Who has the ball: John Wall, De'Sean Butler, or Evan Turner? You gotta pick just one.
7) Is Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku's health the biggest factor in this tournament, medically-speaking?
8) Which first round matchup would you most be willing to call out sick from work for? Why?
9) Seriously, what's the blueprint (in 3 steps or less) in which Kansas isn't cutting down the nets?
10) Okay okay. If YOU could sub one team in the field OUT (note: they MUST be an at-large bid) and could place one of the "snubbed" teams in...WHO is it and why?

By the way, in case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard about it yet...check out the latest installment of ESPN's 30 for 30. You know, the one with Reggie Miller and Spike Lee in the promos.



As a Knick fan, it left me riveted, yet far too uneasy with the memories. Psst. That means it was effective storytelling. Such a feeling of unbridled uneasiness is pretty typical for a current apathetic Knick fan (come on LeBron!!!!)

Note: Check out Pay's final 2010 bracket projections HERE. Impressive work, as always, from the best.

Listen to Bob Knight...

A few weeks ago, following Kansas State's victory over then-#1 Texas (now #10, by the way with a HUGE home game against #1 Kansas upcoming this week), former coach and current ESPN commentator Bob Knight had a pearl of wisdom following the upset in Manhattan.

"Why chant overrated (if you're the home team's crowd)? That devalues the effort and performance of your own team. Instead, why not chant, 'Good job. Well done.'"

While Knight's alternative wasn't exactly poetic, it was true.

Enter today's impressive 40-minute effort from the Hoyas - despite an avalanche unleashing itself upon the nation's capital - against the 2nd ranked Wildcats of Villanova.

Despite epic winter conditions outside, the Hoyas were all business on the court today.
Wow, that was cliched and corny. Sounds like the AP wrote it, right?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Georgetown won this game, plain and simple. They outplayed, outhustled, and outexecuted one of the very best teams in the nation.

So don't cheapen it, no matter how easy or fun it is, by calling your opponent "overrated". Instead, embrace the victory, your team's stellar performance (100+ points!), and recognize how talented you are; instead of how your opponent just isn't that good.

I know it's a minor detail, but life is about the details.

On a side note, Villanova fouling down the stretch led to Georgetown making a run - with Monroe driving the length of the floor with 15 seconds to go - trying to score 100. A hard foul came in the paint and Monroe took obvious exception. Villanova followed suit.

A few quick memos:
A) To Villanova: If you continue to foul and try and lengthen the game - for whatever reason you want - with less than 70 seconds to go and a 14-point deficit...don't cry if Georgetown tries to score.
B) To Mr. Monroe: If you're going to play in the Big East and try and put 100 on an opponent...expect some physicality and some bruising.

Big East basketball isn't all the way back. If it were the mid-80s, Monroe would have come up bleeding or limping.

Here's a fun moment from Bob Knight, in closing...

Underrated's Last 10 Seasons

Am I short changing the Spartans too easily? Perhaps.
Not like it hurt me with UNC's last outing though.
Nevertheless, let's take a peak at the past ten national championship games and see how similar trains of thought would've fared.

And yes, I am calling some #1-seeds pretty heavy favorites over other #1-seeds (see: 2007). Why? Because I'll back it up.
We're not talking about many, or any, coin flips here.

All odds courtesy of Statsheet.com. (NA=Not available)
The covers, well they don't need a source unless you're brain dead.
God bless the Internet.

2008 - Kansas vs. Memphis (-1.5)

Commentary: The first time four-#1 seeds had ever reached the Final Four, the earliest lines fluctuated from a pick'em to Memphis by as many as 2. This may, in fact, be as close to an actual pick'em as we've seen in the past 10 (or 1, if you wanna be a smartass) championship matchups. It should come as no surprise that the game was competitive, that it went to overtime, and that nobody would've been legitimately surprised with either team winning. Although it must be noted that Memphis seemed to have the game locked up. Key word: seemed. Perhaps this doesn't help or hurt the theory. Which probably makes it more negative than positive. Moving along...

2007 - Florida vs. Ohio State (NA)

Commentary: Despite being a #1-seed, having the future #1-overall pick (Greg Oden), and a fellow top-5 pick in Mike Conley Jr., the Buckeyes were big time underdogs to the defending national champion Gators. While Oden had plenty of dunks down low, Florida controlled nearly from start to finish. The Gators entered the tournament heavy favorites and the overall #1-seed. What resulted was a 84-75 victory that was never truly in question. Score one for the overwhelming favorites.

2006 - Florida (-1.5) vs. UCLA

Commentary: Avoiding a few early scares - namely against Georgetown - Florida breezed past Cinderella-story-of-the-century George Mason into the national championship game. Ditto for UCLA, who spanked LSU to give us one of the most borish Saturday nights in recent memory. While the Bruins had tradition, Ben Howland's defensive genius, and a talented backcourt (led by a guy named Farmar), Florida's starting 5 dominated from start to finish, defeating the Bruins with ease 73-57. A few West Coast-homers wondered if Howland had turned UCLA back into a national champion years earlier than expected. They're still waiting. Another W for the favorites...and the Gators.

Note: By the way, I still contend Vegas pushed this line so close to a pick'em in order to cash in HEAVILY with UCLA-homers. Which they did, by the way.

2005 - North Carolina (-2) vs. Illinois

Commentary: Clearly the best two teams in the country all season long, the Tar Heels were looking to help head coach Roy Williams secure his first national championship. While Illinois had plenty of talent - particularly in its backcourt (Williams & Brown) - the Tar Heels were stacked with lottery talent of their own (3, to be exact), including a guy taken over CP3 and Deron Williams (that's Marvin!). Despite a late surge from the Illini, the Heels cut down the nets for the 4th time in school history. Notice a trend? The upsets just aren't coming. No matter how close they came.

2004 - UConn vs. Georgia Tech (NA)

Commentary: Despite the heroics of Will Bynum throughout the tournament, there is NO realistic bet I would've taken, no odds friendly enough, for me to believe UConn was losing this game. Maybe if Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor tripped over each other on the way out of the tunnel and each tore their ACL...then we might've talked. In a game that had everything to do with a dominating double-digit lead, UConn ended up winning by 9 - by the way, this was as large of a 9-point victory as I can remember - 82-73. The Jackets had zero chance, folks. The overwhelming favorites never sweated for a moment.

2003 - Syracuse vs. Kansas (-5)

Commentary: Admittedly, I'm more than a little biased. Admittedly, I didn't pick Syracuse to advance past their national semi-final of the Final Four (I had them losing to my national champ, Texas). Admittedly, the media shortchanged this roster filled with one senior and a ton of underclassmen. Admittedly, Carmelo Anthony was far-and-away the most talented player on the court (sorry Collison and Heinrich). Admittedly, Jim Boeheim had lost twice before in the Superdome; having his heart broken, by a guy with the last name of Smart, in 1987. Admittedly, Kansas was favored, by 5 points. Admittedly, Syracuse was picked to lose by a similar margin to two other Big XII teams in the Elite Eight (Oklahoma) and National Semi-Final (Texas). Admittedly, this is the most satisfying single victory of my "fandom" career. Admittedly, this result doesn't help my theory much. Admittedly, this result doesn't hurt my theory much either.

2002 - Maryland (-7.5) vs. Indiana

Commentary: Indiana nearly tripped up against a guy named Blizzard and the Seahawks of UNC-Wilimgton in the second round; however, it was the near collapse against Duke that garnered all the headlines. It's also fun to note that they had to beat 10-seeded Kent State - with Antonio Gates on the frontline - to make the Final Four. Mike Davis led the upstart Hooisers as far as he could, losing to a talented, poised, and savvy Terrapins squad that seemed predestined to avenge the mistakes and heartbreaks of 2001. And so they did. Indiana hung around as best they could, but like he always did, Juan Dixon (leading the charge with a 22-8 to run to close out the game) was simply just too good. The Terps took home their first ever national championship, defeating the storied Hoosier program - sans Bobby Knight, of course - 64-52. This Terps team may be the most underrated national champions of the (young) century. Yep, the favorites won again, with relative ease too!

2001 - Duke (-3.5) vs. Arizona

Commentary: I didn't give this Arizona team nearly enough respect as it entered the tournament (shocker!). They only defeated #1-seeded Illinois in their regional final and then the defending national champs, Michigan State, to advance to Monday night's finale. Meanwhile, the Dookies were absolutely STACKED. Names like Battier, Williams, and Dunleavy should ring a few horrific memories. They even overcame a 39-17 deficit to defeat their ACC rivals, Maryland, in their national semi-final. Lauren Woods was in his 11th year with the Wildcats; however, it wasn't enough. Despite making an impressive run mid-way through the second-half, the lottery-stacked Dookies prevailed 82-72. Typically when Dook enters a title game as a favorite, they win. Typically. The trend is all but FACT over the past ten championships, isn't it? Oh yeah, my friend John Brady, cried at the end of this game. I don't blame him one bit, especially as a devoted Terps fan.

2000 - Michigan State (-4) vs. Florida

Commentary: The Flynt-stones weren't as hobbled as the announce team wanted you to believe (even Mr. Cleaves) and the Gators, an upstart 5-seed, weren't an adequate enough match for the nation's finest team. The Spartans had everything working for them. Funny thing is, Zach Randolph still wasn't on this team. Many of these players were a part of three-straight Final Fours andall 12 on the roster have rings after an 89-76. When a Tom Izzo-coached team scores 89, they're going to win. When a team is favored in the National Championship Game, they're likely to win too!

1999 - UCONN vs. Duke (-9)

Commentary: Now here we go. Let's not discount the talent on UConn. This was a team more than a great head coach (insert: Calhoun) and a star-in-the-making (insert: Rip Hamilton, tourney MOP might I add). In fact, they were #1-ranked an extra week (10 to 9) over the Dookies. They had the memorable moment (which often seems necessary to memorable title runs) too; with Hamilton breaking the hearts of UDub fans with his fading-fade away against the Huskies. I'll admit that I didn't give the Huskies much of a chance. Duke had a sensational roster - led by Elton Brand - and a coach with two titles in his back pocket. What resulted - in a Final Four played in Tampa of all places - was one of the few upsets in recent memory, with UConn winning 77-74. Not nearly as shocking as a 15 over a 2, but most people still penciled in the Dookies for their 3rd National Championship. This proves it's a trend/theory and not fact. But could it just be the outlier we need to remove? Could it???

In the end, I'm still picking the Tar Heels by a LOT. But maybe there is proof in this pudding.
JELLO PUDDING!!!

11 National Championship Game Questions

10 would be too cliche and 12 would be too much. So what do we do? 11!!!

If the Spartans want a realistic chance, exit Thabeet and insert Hansbrough in this picture.
Easier said than done, Clement.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) The oddsmakers have UNC as 7 1/2-point favorites. Which side are you on?

2) Which Tar Heel will walk out MOP with a win: Lawson, Hansbrough, Ellington, or Green?

3) Which Spartan will walk out MOP with a win: Lucas, Morgan, Sutton, or Lucious?

4) Which coach is most likely to earn a third, not just second, national championship?

5) Is this UNC team (Hansbrough, Lawson, Ellington, Green) better than 2005's (May, Felton, McCants, M. Williams) national championship team?

6) What is the largest halftime deficit the Spartans could realistically overcome? Is their a deficit too large for the Heels?

Izzo better have a Calhoun-type lock on the refs if his team can avoid Lawson drawing double-digit fouls on the entire depth chart of Michigan State.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

7) I hate to say it, but could an injury to Lawson's toe (which seems as close to 100% as possible) be the best shot for the Spartans?

8) How large of an upset would the Spartans pull if they can go Giants over Patriots in a championship game "rematch"? In the span of ten years, is this potential storied upset most comparable to 1999's UConn over Duke (Dookies favored by 7, in case you forgot)? Do you have a better one?

9) Whose 3-point shooting is more important to their team winning? Is there a method to forcing Ellington into early misses in Izzo's playbook?

10) Will this game need an extra session like last year's title game (Kansas vs. Memphis)?

11) Mario Chalmers moment-time. Down 3, and you have the ball, with less than 10 seconds to go. Is Lawson or Lucas passing or taking the shot themselves? (Better question: is either coach calling for the foul?)

I hope all these answers are, in fact, answered. However, I remain Dr. Skeptismo.
We'll hopefully get more from Pay tomorrow - and perhaps myself - as tipoff approaches.
As for my score prediction...let's just say I have one team by 25+. I see shades of Duke/UNLV in '90, not '91.

That should say plenty. And yes, I'm saying the all-time largest margin of victory may be in danger.

Beware Tark. That record may be in trouble. Seriously.
Admittedly, this cover is MUCH better.
Credit: CNNSI.com

InClement Weather: Final Four Harsh Realities

In case you didn't know, none of us have to suck up to anyone when we post.
Often we post with our hearts over our heads (okay, this is the "royal we" as in me, or I), but we also don't pull punches in order to keep people reading.

Those who still do read us (thank you!) know this by now.

With that in mind, the Final Four tips off in a little over 2 hours and I have 10 things you need to know about EACH game.

#1. UConn @ #2. Michigan State [6:07 p.m.]

I don't expect Walker and the Huskies to be down very often today. Not at all.
Credit: LATimes.com

1) Yes, I declared this a road game for the Huskies. It won't matter though. It'll be the equivalent of them playing in MSG @ St. John's. They won't be fazed one bit.
2) Playing these, or any, tournament games in gigantic football stadiums is lame beyond belief. The court looks ridiculous, I keep waiting for a terrible injury on a hustle play out of bounds on the sideline, and the idea of charging over $100 a ticket to sit a mile away is a joke.
3) Jim Calhoun is not a moral coach. However, he's a winner. Guess which one of those most fans and alumni want? Me included.
4) Tom Izzo is so short it's bordering on evil.
5) I don't know if I see a star pro on Michigan State. I do, however, on UConn with Thabeet, Walker, and (maybe) A.J. Price.
6) If Michigan State wants to win, they have to use up every foul possible in order to foul out Thabeet. It only took the Orange nearly 5 OTs to do it. Good luck, Spartans.
7) A.J. Price is a fantastic player. However, I don't think he can lead this team to two more victories and ultimately a national championship. Not without Jerome Dyson by his side.
8) Stanley Robinson is UConn's "Danny Green". As for the Spartans, they'll need at least 2 or 3 "Danny Green's" of their own to pull off the upset.
9) If Sutton can shoot a ridiculous number, perhaps 5 of 8 from behind the arc, than the Spartans can score - for a while, at least - with the Huskies.
10) UConn will do this evening what they've done EVERY game this tournament. They'll start red hot, clamp down early on the glass, and their opponent will only tease us with a few futile comebacks. I know Missouri had a brief lead, but the key word was brief. UConn is winning this game because of an edge in talent and a (very slim) edge in coaching. This won't be an entertaining game.

UCONN wins, 72-63.

Note: Pay is a long-time loyal Tar Heel fan. I know I sound a little "Jim Rome-esque" saying Tar Heel fan, but I am not calling out Pay. He's too smart of a fan not to realize what's at stake and how amazingly good his team's chances are.

#1. North Carolina vs. #3. Villanova

Yes, I'll be discussing the one known as Psycho T. Let the emotions fly!!!
Credit: MSV.com

1) What do these rankings mean anymore honestly? You tell me.
2) North Carolina is an overwhelming favorite in my mind. I mean by a HUGE margin, too.
3) I picked Villanova to emerge out of the East because of how they matched up against Pitt. I still would've given the Panthers a much better shot to take down the Tar Heels. Much much better.
4) Despite the previous two sentences, I don't hate Villanova. Not even close. They are, in fact, be one of the few non-Orange Big East teams I can stand rooting for. I just don't like this matchup for them at all.
5) If Wayne Ellington makes 2 of his first 3 shots, Jay Wright and his team are in serious trouble.
6) I previously wondered out loud - on more than one occassion - if Scottie Reynolds hurt this team more than he helped it. Clearly, I was wrong. And no, it didn't take a breathtaking 3/4 court drive for the game-winner to prove me wrong. That just helped.
7) Dante Cunnigham is in a bit of a mess today. Why? He loves that 16-18 foot jump shot; however, it doesn't take an analyst like John Thompson (whose said it all tournament long) to tell you that Cunnigham must dominate inside, rather than outside, if the Wildcats have the slightest chance tonight. Even if the jumpers start to fall early.
8) Pay brought up an excellent point via text. North Carolina has had a week to deal with "Villanova and the baseline". I typically give Roy Williams the benefit of the doubt with extra time. Especially if it's 5 days over 1.
9) Ty Lawson has become the face of North Carolina. That makes them much more likeable for people like me, who kinda cringe with Hansbrough. It's not because he hustles, he's white, or because he's a Tar Heel. It's because it just doesn't feel right. Much like the famed-celebration against the Hokies in last year's ACC tournament quarterfinals (after an amazing shot), the guy just irks most of us more than a little bit. True Tar Heel fans don't need to cry for him to be respected. The hate, or distaste, has everything to do with the realization of how hard he works, how talented he is, and how much our teams need a guy just like that. So take a deep breath Tar Heel fans, you - or your star player - don't have to be liked, admired, and respected by every one. Nobody should want that.
10) You come up with a scenario in which Villanova wins. A realistic one. And I don't mean losing by 1 or by 99. That doesn't matter. You come up with a scenario where the Wildcats, in '09 and not '85, advance. I honestly can't. And Tar Heels fans, don't give me a "scared prediction" because you don't want to predict a blowout.

North Carolina wins, 80-65.

In case you missed it...here it is again.