Running 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament thread

To be honest, I haven't noticed that at all. It seems logical, but it's not what I'm seeing. People like Izzo. And Michigan State doesn't have the haughty arrogant image those other schools have. It's sort of seen as a working class team (that, after all, was fighting to lift the hearts of an economically devastated people) with a non-threatening image. Maybe it's just my neck of the woods, but I don't see the MSU haters.

 

Oh, I respect Tom Izzo immensely. Great coach. Doesn't mean I have to like him or his team.

 

The preseason polls have to feel a little vindicated, right? I mean, of the Elite Eight teams, only two (Baylor and Kansas State) were unranked in the preseason, and Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke, Tennessee, Butler and West Virginia all appeared in the top 15 of at least one poll.

 

No one noticed. The polls are irrelevant in college basketball thanks to the tournament. And that is how it should be.

 

K is in the argument with Knight, Smith, etc. I put him above Smith.

(While I respect many of his philosophies, I put Wooden on the top of the second tier because of a gentleman named Sam Gilbert, whose arrival coincided with Wooden's teams finally breaking through to their decade of dominance).

Izzo is an excellent coach, and only Michigan fans are tired of his team.

 

With all the maize and blue juice running from his chin, it's impossible to take anything he says about Michigan State seriously. Already on this thread, he said Michigan State was dead in the water without Lucas, called them frauds and criticized Izzo for only winning three Final Four games and suggested Michigan State's recruiting success over a 12-year period was due to car crash. #completefail

 

And neither of his last two teams were even supposed to make it there.

 

No, I disagree, I think that we should have just let Kentucky and Kansas play each other for the national title and then let everyone else go to some out of the way location to play a sponsored nuetral site game that is meaningless, but the winner gets some sort of trophy......

 

Hey Eli,

Thanks for checking in. Maybe you do a once over with my posts before typing.

I stand by what I said. Thought State was dead in the water after they lost Lucas. Did you see them blow a 16-point lead to an overated Maryland team? Did you see them squeek by Northern Iowa? They played well yesterday. I will give them that. Except, I noticed Lucious losing the ball alot. Trying to be fancy, getting out of control. Classic Lucious. Anyway, I didn't anticipate OSU losing to Tennessee. March is crazy. I guess you can't predict these things. It now looks like MSU is destined to win this one. Although I wouldn't be saying that if Kansas State, Kentucky and Baylor were still around.

Moving on to the next part. When did I ever criticize Izzo for losing Final Four games? I merely pointed it out. If I wanted to criticize Izzo, I would have pointed out that he got his ass kicked twice by North Carolina in the Final Four. However, I don't blame that on him. Can't win 'em all.

Now, regarding the car crash involving Mateen Cleaves/Robert Traylor... If you know anything about the dynamic of Michigan and Michigan State basketball you know there was much more too it than that. Instead of trying to explain it to someone who clearly is not smart enough to comprehend basic message board posts I will ask you this:

If Michigan basketball were not involved with illegal payments from boosters to players do you think the Michigan State basketball program would be as dominant as it is today?

Now before asking that remember, this takes place before any Final Four runs in East Lansing. Before Mateen signed at MSU and honestly can you blame him?

If you are a basketball recruit in 1995-2000 where are you going to go? The local University that is clouded in controversy, has a lame duck coach (because of aformentioned booster problems) and will likely be on probation, or the upstart land grant University with an energetic coach.

I'd like for you to honestly tell me where you would go.

Also, pretend you went on a recruiting trip to both schools and while at one of the schools you were in a serious car accident in a car given to a players' mother by a booster. The driver was also being paid by a booster.

 

I'll agree here too. I think he is a very good coach and more importantly a nice person. I met him once in college, he went out of his way to say hello to me while I was walking around the basketball complex, aimlessly trying to find an assistant coaches office to turn in a scouting report for my Coaching Basketball class (can you believe they gave me credit for that?)

Regardless, I still think this has been a somewhat fluky run to the Final Four.

In an unrelated note, I wish I had known more about Butler before the tournament started. I feel like my bracket wouldn't be so red right now.

 

When did I ever criticize Izzo for losing Final Four games?

When you out of the blue mentioned he has a losing record in recent Final Four games.

The Fab Five was, what, 15 years ago? That cannot be an excuse anymore. Mateen Cleeves was about a decade ago? Ditto.

Izzo might be the best coach in the country. If not, he is in the conversation.

 

-I didn't really put any opinion in the sentence. It was simply a declarative statement.
-Yeah it was like 17 years ago.
-Mateen was like 10, his recruitment was 14. Domino effect.
-He's in the conversation. Coach K, Roy Williams, Izzo on the top-tier. A couple others have a shot to get up there if they win another title.