Running 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament thread

Junkie makes a good point.

Basketball fans who watches the sports religiously will watch the Final Four, regardless who makes it. Which includes me. I had KU and UK. Both are gone and I'm going to watch it, if the fair weather bandwagon jumpers don't.

Casual fans are intrigued to watch it because of the bluebloods of Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, Syracuse, Georgetown, etc. These are the fans who wouldn't give a damn who Wright State, Northwestern State, or UC Santa Barbara are. They want to see the big dogs duke it out.

CBS wants the casual fan to watch and, in turn, boost the ratings.

 

You picked Villanova vs. Georgetown for the championship game, didn't you

 

There is definitely some truth to both school's of thought but I don't think you can minimize what Izzo has done - or even a guy like Calipari, who has been to how many Elite Eights in the past six or seven years with essentially a new cast of characters every year? -- and I do think that you need to get to the Final Four a few times to be considered a truly great program because negotiating your way through the ups and downs are a part of it.

But the perspective needs to be kept that, it is a one-and-done and therefore sometimes things will happen that are just unlucky or whatever.

Now that Kentucky is out - the last team loaded with NBA-level talent AND possessing the big name (Duke has the latter......) - I'm rooting for Baylor and Tennessee tomorrrow.

Why not - it has been that kind of year -- and I'm happy for the Butler kids and their fans (I just hope they don't make a habit of it.....) and the West Virginia fans.

 

One of these days, Calipari will learn that it's OK to sacrifice a freakish athlete here and there for a pure shooter who can knock down free throws and hit open shots.

It's the story of his teams, and so basic to the fundamentals to the game, that it's amazing his teams never learn to consistently hit perimeter jump shots and free throws.

 

Outing alert: Waylon is Norm Stewart.

 

Cal tries to cover his team's inability to make FT's and perimeter shooting for speed and running teams out of the gym. WVU grinded the shit out of them, Wall started pressing, and Cousins started bitching.

Most coaches, if they're smart, would learn from past miscues.

Cal is either definant, or stupid.

 

It's already cost him two national championships. Sooner or later, you'd think he'd learn.

Then again, I would agree that he's very defiant and is so convinced he can win his way.

 

--1992 Michigan (6)
--1996 Mississippi State (5)
--2002 Indiana (5)
--2005 Michigan State (5)

 

Underachieving regular seasons can lead to lower seeds. Each of those teams had some very good college basketball talent, and at least one future NBA first-round draft pick.

If you're talking about seeding, the 1988 Kansas Jayhawks and 1985 Villanova belong on that list. But of course, they both stayed hot once they reached the Final Four.

What about that 1986 LSU team that was an 11?

 

I just rattled off the lowest seeds I could think of that weren't listed yet. I don't honestly remember some of what those teams did, and it's still hard to think of that Michigan team as a 6 seed.

What you said above kind of nails it for me -- if you make the Final Four, you can't really be considered a bad team.

 

Do you remember his teams at UMAss? He had two shooters, Puerto Rican kids, who could stroke it.

And I'd say given that he got Memphis with three freshmen playing prominent roles within a Darryl Arthur (sp?) 3-pointer of the national title and this team -- with FOUR freshman - to 36 wins, he's doing something right and he IS winning his way.

 

That is all very wonderful - it still doesn't mean they aren't one of the worst teams in terms of talent historically speaking to reach the Final Four.