Running 2023-24 NCAA Basketball Thread

Not bad. Are they still trying to chase off their coach?

 

Was talking about the women. And, somehow, I think Wes Moore is safe. Just a guess.

 

I renounce myself. Confused on sports.

 

It's gotta be the first time No. 1 and No. 2 lost in the first week right?

 

Not sure. But either there's more parity in the women's game or the pollsters have no idea ... at least not yet.

 

Understandable. No telling how many people read "Rivers leads N.C. State" and did the same thing.

 

I think I count six schools in the AP Top 25 for both football and men’s rings. None more heartwarming than James Madison.

 

Only five next week.

 

As a former resident of the Valley and a long ago classmate of Mark Byington, I want the cockles of my heart to be warmed by JMU's success.

But every time I think about JMU, I get hung up on how much they charge every student ($1,100+ a semester) in student fees just for the athletic department and it makes me angry. JMU's rise is as emblematic of what is wrong with college sports as the PAC-12's collapse, or any of the myriad cheating scandals because of how they've done it.

 

None of it is going to work out for them in the long run, either. There's never going to be a spot for them at the big boys table in football and Byington's teams always start fast and fade late. There's a pretty good chance they don't make any real postseason tournament in men's hoops.

 

JMU has an FBS football team, 21,000 students and an endowment of approximately $130 million. My alma mater has an FBS program, 4,181 students and a $3.3 billion endowment. FCS or not, I'd rather be us than them.

 

I always remembered tonight as being the “unofficial” opening tip-off for NCAA Basketball with the 24 hours of basketball.
I miss that.