Sweet Sixteen, Never Been Paid

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 6:42 pm

You have to overlap all eight games. You couldn't stagger so only two games each night overlap. Even the two best games of the eight are scheduled to tip within twelve minutes. Used to be two great dates on the sporting calendar; now a challenge in clicking back and forth.

Die, NCAA bitches,die. I hate you more for this than I hated you for the same garbage in past years with only one network. And you switched back and forth.

(Of course, I have dual big screens, plus two puters for tweeting/blogging/swamping. so I have no worries. But I care about the little people.)

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:35 pm

Two blowouts, problem solved.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:38 pm

Didnt see this. Says here baylor has a run in them but it wont be enough. They look pretty out of sync

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:50 pm

Rex wrote:Two blowouts, problem solved.

I think it dawned on Johnny Dawkins that Syracuse didn't stop Dayton with the 2-3, so maybe playing zone most of the first half isn't the best idea. Easier to rebound in the man, too. Their settling in, might make a game of it.

(Just as Nastic makes a particularly ignant foul for his 4th) (um, nevermind all that stuff above, toaster is ticking for the trees)

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:59 pm

Rachel, did we learn anything from Erin Andrews?

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:32 pm

Clear your bench, coach Dawkins. Because…
[media]http://wavcentral.com/sounds/movies/fir ... fbover.mp3[/media]

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:01 pm

I can't believe UCLA is still in sniffing distance, down 3 nine on the clock. They have no offense. If there isn't a Wear twin on the floor, their half-court is pure AAU ball. If Florida would just sag on defense and force UCLA to shoot, they could've put the bruns away.

Florida is a much better team, but they could kick this away, especially if they go cold from three (by that I mean if Frazier misses a few.)

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:22 pm

SDSU/Arizona isn't half bad.

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:28 pm

much better game. Arizona just kept working hard on D and the boards, grinding, and finally took the lead with about 4 left, now pulling away. Fischer looked on, dumbfounded, but we're used to that. (Hey, theplayers love Fisch, have from day one of the fab five, no one is more optimistic and cheerful. He's taken SDS another big step toward mattering.)

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:41 pm

howard wrote:much better game. Arizona just kept working hard on D and the boards, grinding, and finally took the lead with about 4 left, now pulling away. Fischer looked on, dumbfounded, but we're used to that. (Hey, theplayers love Fisch, have from day one of the fab five, no one is more optimistic and cheerful. He's taken SDS another big step toward mattering.)

I think that the MWC is underrated. Nice that atleast Kansas and Arizona played MWC teams this year, but often they'd rather play corner state college than a team that might give them a game.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:03 am

Rush2112 wrote:I think that the MWC is underrated.

Your boy Alford brought your Lobos back to the national table. But programs rise and fall with coaches, like Lon Kruger and the ones we've mentioned; Utah seemed the only school that was good over a stretch longer than a couple of years, but Majerus stayed put, and besides the Utes jumped to the Pac 32 or whatever they are up to.

Fisch has given that program some continuity; 'Noodles' Neal can do that at the Pit; Vegas is the only game in a pretty big city, has plenty of resources to be consistently good again. I think several Pac-12 schools are consistently in danger of falling behind the better MWC hoops programs (and I'm talking bout you, USC; Mike Garrett has a tough enough time judging football coaches).

Oh, and Utah State. They love winning hoops and making the NCAA more often than not (and losing in the first round.) The MWC has a lot of the best of the old WAC.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:16 am

I like Noodles, my only hope is that he can recruit. They've got a couple kids coming next year that are rated in the 70s, so hopefully their game will grow along the Rio Grande. They are losing Bairstow and Williams this year, who scored 35+ between them. Kirk should be the focal point next year, I just hope his foot issues don't come back but then again you never tell with 7 footers.

Utah made a football move when they are a basketball school. Kids would rather go to UCLA, the Bay, or the desert if you're going to play in the Pac-32 :)

I do agree with you in regards to Utah State. I also think that Boise State will be further up the table in a couple years. Since joining the MWC they have really improved.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:34 am

Boise has no hoops tradition. And plenty of competition for talent up there, starting with Gonzaga, Cougars, shit and now North Dakota State. I hadn't noticed their recent success.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:40 am

howard wrote:Boise has no hoops tradition. And plenty of competition for talent up there, starting with Gonzaga, Cougars, shit and now North Dakota State. I hadn't noticed their recent success.

North Dakota is awfully far to the east of the other schools you mentioned. I doubt they recruit in the Pacific Northwest.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:49 am

After watching Baylor all year, it was obvious very early they weren't going to win that game. Just hope Austin decides to stay.

Post by **brian** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:55 am

sancarlos wrote:
howard wrote:Boise has no hoops tradition. And plenty of competition for talent up there, starting with Gonzaga, Cougars, shit and now North Dakota State. I hadn't noticed their recent success.
North Dakota is awfully far to the east of the other schools you mentioned. I doubt they recruit in the Pacific Northwest.

Yeah, North Dakota State is like a three-hour drive from Minneapolis. Might as well be compared to the B1G.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:01 am

Giff wrote:After watching Baylor all year, it was obvious very early they weren't going to win that game. Just hope Austin decides to stay.

I hear he's got one eye on the NBA.....

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:06 pm

sancarlos wrote:North Dakota is awfully far to the east of the other schools you mentioned. I doubt they recruit in the Pacific Northwest.

Yeah, I thought of that as I typed. It's all one big white blob to me up there.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:46 pm

howard wrote:It's all one big white blob to me up there.

Oh, so you've been here.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:02 pm

howard wrote:
sancarlos wrote:North Dakota is awfully far to the east of the other schools you mentioned. I doubt they recruit in the Pacific Northwest.
Yeah, I thought of that as I typed. It's all one big white blob to me up there.

It snows a lot too.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:50 pm

You know what they say about Michigan: "Live by the 3, pass the beer nuts"

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:55 pm

I thought of going down to the garden tonight. But decent seats downstairs started about $500, plus the volume of scam ads for tix on craigslist was incredibly high. The safe resell sites, stubhub and some other site sanctioned by the NCAA, prices were astronomical, like >$1000 for upper level seats.

All the years buying (and occasionally selling) on the secondary market, I've only been burned twice. Last time was for NCAA regional finals (over in Newark).

Plus, I didn't want to miss UK-Lville. Again, if they staggered, I could be watching it now from a bar inside MSG instead of this UConn home game.

The JV games are nice, lets get on with the feature bouts.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:19 pm

Oh no...

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:20 pm

rass wrote:Oh no...

[media]http://www.freetone.me/ring/Root/Sports ... ky_Top.mp3[/media]

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:26 pm

Would like to have seen UT get a chance to actually take a shot there.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:28 pm

rass wrote:Would like to have seen UT get a chance to actually take a shot there.

They took too much time trying to steal. They could have fouled with 6 seconds left.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:34 pm

I would've settled for a whistle for the travel on the 3/4 court inbounds pass against the press.

[media]http://fightmusic.com/mp3/big10/Michiga ... ictors.mp3[/media]

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:43 pm

I hear you Kevin Ollie, talking about "planting seeds" with that sideline reporter.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:32 pm

Fitting that this slugfest is at MSG.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:59 pm

Pregame and at halftime, Barkley insisted Kentucky's size and other physical superiority would make it impossible for L'ville to win. I respect Charles' analysis, and I rarely disagree with him.

But, man, we're talking about a bunch of 20yo kids 'coached' by Cal, vs an experienced squad with a real coach. Who should've been up 10 at the half if they hit their free throws.

Man, Virginia is relentless on D. All they need is a few more shots to fall. But Spartans are playing great.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:59 pm

rass wrote:Would like to have seen UT get a chance to actually take a shot there.

That (the offensive foul on UT) was a terrible call.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:16 pm

And one more time.

Fuck you NCAA. Fuck you CBS.

Inexcusable these two games finishing simultaneously.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:22 pm

on the bright side, we can only see 1/2 of the referee incompetence at a time, on live tv.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:28 pm

[media]http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/Kentucky_ ... y_Home.mp3[/media]

Post by **brian** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:50 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote:
rass wrote:Would like to have seen UT get a chance to actually take a shot there.
That (the offensive foul on UT) was a terrible call.

How so?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:52 pm

howard wrote:Pregame and at halftime, Barkley insisted Kentucky's size and other physical superiority would make it impossible for L'ville to win. I respect Charles' analysis, and I rarely disagree with him.

But, man, we're talking about a bunch of 20yo kids 'coached' by Cal, vs an experienced squad with a real coach. Who should've been up 10 at the half if they hit their free throws.

Man, Virginia is relentless on D. All they need is a few more shots to fall. But Spartans are playing great.

Suck it howard!

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:58 pm

brian wrote:
DaveInSeattle wrote:
rass wrote:Would like to have seen UT get a chance to actually take a shot there.
That (the offensive foul on UT) was a terrible call.
How so?

Seemed like a defensive call, if anything. I just hate seeing a 50/50 call decided a game like that.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:59 pm

God...who do I hate more? Kentucky or Calipari?

Post by **brian** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:02 am

DaveInSeattle wrote:
brian wrote:
DaveInSeattle wrote:
Seemed like a defensive call, if anything. I just hate seeing a 50/50 call decided a game like that.

I dunno. When you bowl a guy over like a linebacker it's a foul no matter how much time is left (and literally no one on any TV network with the benefit of replay says it's a bad call then it was probably the right call)

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:10 am

Stokes lowered the shoulder for sure.