whitesoxfan99

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 01:57 PM) Still, how many of those coaches that you're talking about have been to a final four when they were at their mid major job? Like I said, I have no clue whether this guy is going to be something special or if he'll be a bust down the road but at least for the next couple of years he should be able to ride this momentum into some pretty solid recruiting classes at a bcs school. He would certainly be on my short list for Illinois just not at the top. I'm just more pointing out how ridiculous it is nationally that suddenly Smart is this brilliant coach based on a fluke 5 game run.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 01:46 PM) Arent we all fans of coaches that made their way in mid-majors before they got their shot? Generally those coaches didn't finish 5th and 4th in their conferences, miss the tourney their first year and were one shot away from missing the tourney their 2nd year. Smart has had an incredible run but VCU's performance last year and prior to the tourney this year leaves a ton to be desired. They have played out of their minds and shot way above their capabilities for a 5 game stretch but that doesn't make him a great coach. But I do agree that any time you hire a mid major coach you are getting an unproven commodity so you just have to wait and see how he does at a bigger job.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 12:39 PM) I found it interesting how Boozer was better last night with no Noah. I really think it's a product of those two not getting a ton of practice time together early in the season. I think next year they will really start to gel. Best thing about both is that they are really good passers for big guys, and once they get into a rhythm together, I think there will be some great interior passing between them. Playing the Timberwolves has a lot to do with that as well.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 10:11 AM) I know about the Guenther situation and really hope its not renewed. You said the OU/Weber stuff was terrible timing with Guenther leaving soon. Why is it terrible timing? Do you think Weber is scared to be under another AD? His contract runs for a few more years, so it would be hard to fire him immediately. It is terrible timing because obviously ideally you want an AD to be in place to hire the basketball coach and i don't want Guenther running the search. They should get try to get Jerry Colangelo involved if Weber does take the Oklahoma job and basically let him make the decision on who the next coach is.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 07:49 AM) How so? His contract is up this summer (I forget the exact date) and President Hogan is not a fan so I would be really surprised to see his contract renewed.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 09:31 AM) I agree with you on this. I guess maybe he would go to Marquette cause its where he's from, but that job isn't opening up anytime soon. Why would he wanna go to Oklahoma? Jeff Capel made the Elite 8 two years ago as a #2 seed, and two sub-.500 seasons later, he's gone already. There's some pressure to win in Norman as well and it's not exactly a basketball powerhouse. Capel's recruiting had also completely dried up and he had major scandals with his recruits last year which played a major role in his getting fired. I think Oklahoma is basically looking for a coach who will make the tourney most years (which I think Weber would do there, and I still don't think he is a bad coach but it clearly is broken at Illinois and I'm not sure it can be fixed at this point, a change of scenery might do him so good) and most importantly keep the NCAA from sniffing around the basketball program since their last two coaches were Sampson and Capel. The last thing Oklahoma wants it NCAA attention on the basketball program leading to investigation of their sacred football program.

QUOTE (hitlesswonder @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 09:40 AM) I agree the team has talent, but it's mostly at one position (wing) and I'd be very worried about the C and PF spots. It's certainly possible for them to be good, I just think it unlikely since I thought they would be good this year with fewer question marks than next season will have. I agree with everything you say about Smart. In fact, I think Imrem's column in the Daily Herald suggesting Illinois give up on basketball if they can't hire Smart was the most ridiculous thing I've read in a while....and I read internet message boards. Like I've said I've given up on making predictions on Illinois under the current regime until they actually prove it on the court but Illinois will have depth pretty much everywhere next year (assuming Richmond is back) with the C position being the big question mark. Egwu and Leonard have a ton of talent and potential but haven't proven anything yet. At PF you would have Richmond, Griffey, Shaw and Henry can play there a bit. If Richmond comes back I'm not worried about that position because that is where I think he sees the most minutes. On the wings they are fine obviously. And at PG between Maniscalco and Abrams I see no reason they won't get at least competent play.

QUOTE (hitlesswonder @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 08:44 AM) I didn't think he'd leave initially, but now I'm thinking it's actually pretty likely. With Guenther leaving the writing is probably on the wall and Weber is smart enough to know that next year's Illinois team is likely to be pretty bad. With OU he gets a contract to take him to retirement plus more money per year. OU has better facilities than Illinois and he wouldn't have to deal with Jereme Richmond there. I think he's gone. For Illinois, there's no way they hire an elite candidate (like Smart) under the current circumstances and I imagine they'd lose a recruit or two. They would save money by not having to buyout Weber's contract when firing him. The team won't be bad next year, too much talent for that. It is just a question of whether they are extremely mediocre like the last two years or the players live up to their potential and they compete for a Big 10 championship. Based on the last two years the former is probably more likely but you never know. Also, I love that Shaka Smart has a fluke run through the tourney and suddenly he is an elite candidate nationally. He has a team that shot 36% from 3 for the year shooting close to 45% from 3 for the tourney and they are taking a ton of them. The guy may end up being a phenomenal coach and I do like his personality and demeanor but he finished 5th in the colonial last year and 4th this year with pretty talented teams. He also lost to Georgia State, USF and Northeastern this year.

As down as I am about weber this is freaking terrible timing with Guenther likely out as AD in June or July.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 30, 2011 -> 09:47 PM) Anthony Davis, wow. He is definitely worth the $200,000 Kentucky paid for his services.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 30, 2011 -> 08:57 AM) Agreed. The ACC was terrible, their only competition was Duke, and yes, Kentucky is also overrated. This is like saying Duke wasn't overrated because it was a #1 seed. That's BS. Duke wasn't deserving of a #1 seed (shocker there, Duke getting an inflated seeding). They won nothing but the ACC title and had one top 25 win all season. That's a crappy resume for a #1. That elite 8 game between UNC and Kentucky was fantastic, but that's two decent teams, not two great teams. Kentucky is a no-call travel away from losing in the first round. There were no great teams. If you are saying Kentucky, Duke, UNC, etc. were overrated then who wasn't overrated? The Big East? College basketball sucked this year, so a lot of teams that would usually be top 15-20 type teams became top 5-10 teams.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 29, 2011 -> 03:59 PM) UNC still had the 5th rated rpi and the 5 sos in the country, not too shabby. Two fantastic wins against Duke and Kentucky as well. No, the acc certainly wasn't terrific but who do you think deserved a 2 seed over them? And as Dan said, they played exactly to their seed, so they certainly weren't overrated at all. UNC definitely wasn't overrated. They were one of the best teams in a really lousy year for college basketball. That team wouldn't be a 2 seed in most years but they definitely were deserving a 2 seed and their high ranking this year.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Mar 29, 2011 -> 10:04 AM) Yeah, I don't see him leaving for any jobs but those. I'd even debate Mich. St. and maybe even Ohio St and UCLA. I think Indiana is his dream job. If he had any interest in Illinois I think he'd be just as interested in Purdue. Illinois is a much better job than Purdue if you want to compete for national titles and final fours. Not even comparable. There probably isn't really much of a difference between the Illinois and MSU (assuming money equal) job either. Izzo is an unreal coach, but in terms of facilities, recruiting base, name brand, etc there isn't a whole lot different.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 28, 2011 -> 09:13 AM) So Mike and Mike on ESPN, one of the dumbest radio shows out there, had a debate this morning about whether the tournament is "good" for deciding who the real "champion" of men's basketball is each year. In essence, Greenberg was arguing that any team can make a run and win, but they wouldn't be the "best" team that year. I for one think that's stupid logic. I understand that teams have bad draws/matchups, that teams get cold and lose a game they would otherwise win, but that's the stakes for everyone, and over the course of six games, those "flukes" are going to even out. If VCU ends up winning the whole thing, then guess what, they ARE the best team because they played the best basketball over the last 3 weeks of the season. VCU is not the best team in the country even if they win the championship. I'm not sure how that is even debatable.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Mar 27, 2011 -> 04:10 PM) Relatively great teams? Good teams? You get my point. How about two of the better teams in one of the weakest years in college basketball ever? Because Butler did beat a 1 and a 2 just neither of those teams was particularly good, and that isn't a shot at Butler, I just don't think anyone was very good this year.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Mar 27, 2011 -> 04:03 PM) I think Butler has everything but a high seed. Two stars, great coach, beaten great teams in this tourney, big game experience, etc. I am very excited for the Butler/VCU game. They haven't beaten any great teams in this tourney. There aren't any teams that are even close to being great in college basketball this year.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 27, 2011 -> 04:14 AM) I hear this every year. This is what happens in a one and out basketball tournament. That's why the NBA goes best of 7. The best college team just got eliminated and the second best doesn't have to play anyone til the Final Four. No you don't. The last two years there simply hasn't been any great teams. You sure as hell didn't hear it two years ago, in 08, or 07 when their were obviously great teams.

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 27, 2011 -> 03:30 PM) I knew VCU could D it up, never thought they coould hold down Kansas though. Kansas's guards are incredibly mediocre for a number 1 seed.

So a team that lost 5 games in the Horizon league and the 9th place Big East team are in the final 4 and there is still the possibility that they are joined by a 4 seed and a team that was one of the last 4 in the tournament. College basketball was filled with awful teams this year.

Donovan is a f***ing moron. Why the hell do you put the ball in Walker's hands instead of Boynton's at the end of regulation and OT tonight? Also, Butler is the luckiest team in the history of basketball. Last years team was legitimately good, this team is incredibly mediocre but everybody sucks this year.

Butler is getting a ton of calls in this game for a team that is just chucking 3's.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 25, 2011 -> 11:00 PM) Took their worst game of the season for uk to win. f***ing shame, this team was one of the best. True to some extent but UK just absolutely locked down OSU on the perimeter. I really didn't feel like OSU was getting good looks at the basket tonight.

This tournament has been fun but it has also confirmed what everyone already knew which is that college basketball was really bad this year and there weren't any great teams.

So I was definitely wrong about zona.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Mar 24, 2011 -> 03:19 PM) Haha I almost said if they make it there. Yeah, I think first one to 60 is the way to go. We are looking at probably about a 60 possession game so the offense would have to be really good for a team to hit 70.