NCAA tournament 2011 — running thread

This new all-day schedule of games is bad for a lot of fans going to games. Used to be you could get a Sunday doubleheader of games at 1 and 3:30 and still get to the airport for a 9 o'clock flight home. Now that's changed.

 

I love Barkley.

 

I have no problem with ESPN's criticism of the committee, even now. Being capable of making a deep run and deserving to be included are two different things. I think Alabama is capable of being a Sweet 16 team in the NCAA tournament, but I also have no problem with Bama failing to earn a bid.

I think Bilas made that point on selection Sunday.

Don't get me wrong, I get annoyed at Bilas' sense of self-importance too. But I have no problem with what he said that day.

 

Bilas was on Mike and Mike the following morning after VCU won the first round game and said he stood by what he said on Sel Sunday and a win doesn't diminish his feelings on them making the cut.

 

The great Len Elmore pretty much summed up this weekend when he wondered, "What are these young men thinking?!?"

 

Here's what drives me crazy about watching college hoops this time of year. seems like there were three TV TO's in the first 10 minutes of Florida State-Notre Dame, including at least one where they'd play for a minute or two, then another TO. Are they that backed up on commercials? Because it feels like the TV folks are dictating the pace of things a bit more than usual.

 

No. But Mike Brey took an early timeout for Notre Dame. That does not mean they won't take a TV timeout the next dead ball per four-minute segment. The timeouts taken by the teams provide for additional advertising blocks for the network.

 

The first change I'd make to college basketball is cutting the number of timeouts teams have in half.

 

Regarding Texas-Arizona, if you watch the ref, his count comes to four. Then he makes the half-count with his right arm as Texas calls timeout. Bad call.

 

They're actually over the course of a game. They get five, and one must either be used in the first half or it is lost.

 

I think NCAA games have media TOs at 16, 12, 8, and 4 minutes left in each half - plus whenever they can jam in a spot.

I really wish they'd do something with the courts. Used to be you could tell which game you were watching just by recognizing the court, now with the blue on black lettering you can't even read where the game is being played. Don't know why they don't do something different with each court, give each region a different color and slap the host schools logo somewhere that might get some screen time.

 

Agree with this 100 percent. It's hard enough to keep the regions separate in your head, having a universal floor pattern just wipes out any sense of place. But that's the fascist, self-promoting NCAA. Try walking on to press row with a soda can without pouring it into an NCAA-issue blue-and-black cup.