OT: March Madness

[fightingirish595]

Well, you'd be wrong. North Carolina (66) and Duke (56) are numbers 1 and 2 in McD's AAs followed by Kentucky (44) whereas Kansas (35) usually has one plus role players. And yes, he's done better than Roy who was criticized for doing poorly in the tournament the whole time he was at KU. Thirteen Big 12 Championships and 28 NCAA Tournaments in a row, hard to complain.

There was nothing in my sporting fandom that was better than watching Kansas playing a top ten team at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.

Are those all time numbers? Bottom line is Kansas is a blue blood program, yet uconn who hasn't even been relevant for 30 years has more championships than them. Bill self and Roy williams have not won nearly as much as they should have

 

[SEA_Pat]

Are those all time numbers? Bottom line is Kansas is a blue blood program, yet uconn who hasn't even been relevant for 30 years has more championships than them. Bill self and Roy williams have not won nearly as much as they should have

I think so.

It's sort of like our Patriots though. Imagine if we'd lost against the Falcons. There would still be people who would say "the 49ers were a better team because they went 4-0, not 4-3". The sustained excellence and difficulty of getting to the big game is why that's nonsense. If these guys were not great coaches, they wouldn't have won so many conference championships and maintained such great programs for so long that are always in the running. There's been some games that were heartbreaking losses along the way, but can't really think of any where we were saying "oh that was such a boner move when Self/Roy did..." NCAA basketball is very difficult to win a championship in and as we've learned any team can win on that stage at any time. You get hot at the right time, or cold at the wrong one and anything can happen. Look at Michigan this year.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think so.

It's sort of like our Patriots though. Imagine if we'd lost against the Falcons. There would still be people who would say "the 49ers were a better team because they went 4-0, not 4-3". The sustained excellence and difficulty of getting to the big game is why that's nonsense. If these guys were not great coaches, they wouldn't have won so many conference championships and maintained such great programs for so long that are always in the running. There's been some games that were heartbreaking losses along the way, but can't really think of any where we were saying "oh that was such a boner move when Self/Roy did..." NCAA basketball is very difficult to win a championship in and as we've learned any team can win on that stage at any time. You get hot at the right time, or cold at the wrong one and anything can happen. Look at Michigan this year.

That's why, at least IMO, March Madness is the second best sporting event in the country (right behind the NFL playoffs).

 

[goheels22002]

Why isn't this thread about Butler?
Another great start to the tourney.

It is all about Butler, my friend. Butler's in the "glamour bracket" along with blue bloods UCLA, Kentucky and Carolina. CBS put Carolina - Butler in prime time on Friday night. It should be a great game. The winner gets the Kentucky-UCLA winner to go to the Final Four. Whoever comes out of that bracket will be battle tested and a tough out.

 

[Froob]

That's why, at least IMO, March Madness is the second best sporting event in the country (right behind the NFL playoffs).

Eh, to each their own I try to watch some but, NBA is at just another level of talent. Sadly not a lot of parity but a few excellent series over the years (Mavs vs Heat part II, Celts vs Lakers part II, Spurs vs Heat part I, Cavs vs Dubs last year was insane).

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Picked UCLA to win it all...only one i know..lets do it

 

[Kontradiction]

Eh, to each their own I try to watch some but, NBA is at just another level of talent. Sadly not a lot of parity but a few excellent series over the years (Mavs vs Heat part II, Celts vs Lakers part II, Spurs vs Heat part I, Cavs vs Dubs last year was insane).

The playoffs are better, but I'm a fan of attacking offense and defense in the sport and the college game brings about 10x more of that than the NBA does.

 

[Kontradiction]

Picked UCLA to win it all...only one i know..lets do it

LaVarr Ball said his kids picked UCLA to win it all before you did.

 

[Froob]

The playoffs are better, but I'm a fan of attacking offense and defense in the sport and the college game brings about 10x more of that than the NBA does.

How are you feeling about Waiters and co? Honestly not thrilled about the possibility of facing those guys. Reminds me a lot of the 2015 Celtics but they are red hot and have been for sometime. Not sure how they are doing it because Dragic and Whiteside are really the only big names aside from Waiters having a career year. That's a tough low seed opponent considering how good their record is past few months.

 

[Kontradiction]

How are you feeling about Waiters and co? Honestly not thrilled about the possibility of facing those guys. Reminds me a lot of the 2015 Celtics but they are red hot and have been for sometime. Not sure how they are doing it because Dragic is really the other big name aside from Waiters having a career year. That's a tough low seed opponent considering how good their record is past few months.

They'll be a pain in the ass for someone in the first round, but that's where they'll exit. They're a chippy, little team and Whiteside is a monster at the rim, but they don't have the talent to advance. I don't think they're far off and, with Riley running the show and a move here and there in FA, I think they'll be back to contention sooner rather than later. I'm happy to see the Bulls completely fall apart, though.

 

[Froob]

They'll be a pain in the ass for someone in the first round, but that's where they'll exit. They're a chippy, little team and Whiteside is a monster at the rim, but they don't have the talent to advance. I don't think they're far off and, with Riley running the show and a move here and there in FA, I think they'll be back to contention sooner rather than later. I'm happy to see the Bulls completely fall apart, though.

That Bulls team is one of the dumbest rosters ever assembled. Prime Rondo and Wade didn't make sense let alone like 5 years later...Gar/Pax are an unbelievably bad team. Obvious they don't have championship aspirations, but part of that has to be on ownership for encouraging it or at least allowing it. I'd fire those two morons and hire Hinkie if I owned the Bulls.

 

[fightingirish595]

Magic number for Purdue is 11. I think if they can keep there turnovers at 11 or less they win. If they are under 10 I think they'll win comfortably

 

[Kontradiction]

Magic number for Purdue is 11. I think if they can keep there turnovers at 11 or less they win. If they are under 10 I think they'll win comfortably

How do you feel about Florida vs. Wisconsin? I think that Florida's length defending the perimeter is going to give Wisconsin all sorts of problems.

 

[SEA_Pat]

Magic number for Purdue is 11. I think if they can keep there turnovers at 11 or less they win. If they are under 10 I think they'll win comfortably

Should be a fascinating game. Each team's strength is the other's weakness. Kansas' guards should be able to shred Purdue at will and get to the rim with ease, whereas Kansas is so thin up front where Purdue is monstrous and deep. I'd say foul trouble for Kansas and inability to stop the drive penetration by Purdue will be the two things that decide this one.

 

[Kontradiction]

Should be a fascinating game. Each team's strength is the other's weakness. Kansas' guards should be able to shred Purdue at will and get to the rim with ease, whereas Kansas is so thin up front where Purdue is monstrous and deep. I'd say foul trouble for Kansas and inability to stop the drive penetration by Purdue will be the two things that decide this one.

If I'm Kansas, I'm attacking the rim non-stop in an attempt to get those bigs in foul trouble.

 

[TB12TheGoat]

don't **** me now michigan. you can't lose until the final four

 

[AtomicDawg]

I can't wait for WV/Zags. Press Virginia is about to smother that offense.

 

[fightingirish595]

How do you feel about Florida vs. Wisconsin? I think that Florida's length defending the perimeter is going to give Wisconsin all sorts of problems.

I think Florida wins that game

 

[fightingirish595]

Purdue never wins anything because they turn it over too much!

 

[fightingirish595]

I know swannigan is asked to do a lot but 4 turnovers? Ew