March Madness Thread

[Benjammin]

I have never, EVER been happier to tear up my bracket!


(Oh, and my great-grandfather graduated from Lehigh, so I'll claim them as a legacy!)

Amen, brother! (UVA and Wesley Seminary grad here).

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Hooray! Down goes Duke.

CJ McCollum to Austin Rivers: "I am better than you by a lot."

This exposed Duke. Not all the whistles in the world could stop the dribble penetration. Coach K better find some more Plumlees or coach's/players' sons. I have not been feeling Austin Rivers all season.

Another game where a team with a lot of seniors and good guard play advanced. McCollum is for real.

Plumlee shot 9-9. Duke guards got a lot more shots and he didn't get enough. (Kenny Smith is pointing this out now).

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Big props in defeat to Coach K. I hate Duke but that man knows how to lose. Nothing but class.

No excuses. He said. "it's a beautiful game". "The game has been good to me". He said Lehigh played better and they deserved to win.

I really like him more and more through the years.

[Severn Hoos]

CCJ, there's no way I can be objective about anything Duke-related. And I do have respect for the way Duke's players are true student-athletes, especially that they have actual academic standards to get into the school, and then they (mostly) really do graduate from one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

That said, K is notorious for yelling, berating, and upstaging refs just to try to get an advantage (for the next call). His players really do whine a lot (although it has reduced greatly since the Laettner/Hurley days). He is apparently incredibly profane, even during games - regardless of whether young kids might be there sitting courtside to watch the team. And I also have a personal distaste for the way Dook has perpetuated the run to a spot, plant, and flop defense (DaSean Butler might have an opinion there also).

I do like the things you point out, however. As much as he (and his team) whines during games, they allow no excuses afterward. (Of course, it's rare that they have much to complain about when it comes to officiating ). He does give credit to the other team when they play better, like today.

There is a lot to like about K, but it's not all rosy. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

[fishercob]

The tree:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw7KijRfU-c[/youtube]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Sev, Duke flops, whines, and steals game. I agree.

When Duke loses, I figure the opponent had to overcome at least 5-7 points worth Duke-favorable calls. I'm not even all that mad at Coach K about that. It's the same thing the Celtics are doing in the NBA. KG, Pierce, and most of the stars in the NBA steal calls. Wade is the worst.

What's that saying ... "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't trying." It really is about seeing what the refs let you get away with. Of course Coach K is full of it.

[Severn Hoos]

Oh, and how do you think UPS feels, having based their entire "logistics" campaign for the tourney on Duke (Hill to Laettner)? I'm thinking the UK fans are really smiling now. And shipping via FedEx.

[bulletproof_32]

I did enter a customary $5 office bracket pool but my main pool this year is a fantasy league. A co worker of mine and his buddies have been doing this for 20+ years and as soon as I got wind of it, I told him I wanted in.

For our league, 10 of us got together Monday night and held an 18 player draft. The only stat we're tracking is points per game. Most total points at the end wins 65% of the pot, 25% to 2nd, 10% to 3rd. Like almost everyone else, my bracket was busted today but I'm still in pretty good shape in the fantasy league (even though I regrettably drafted Rivers in the 2nd round (19th pick)).

What's great about it is that the upsets pretty much effect everyone equally at the top of the draft so like any other fantasy league it's about finding value in the later rounds.

Anyway, I highly recommend starting up or getting in on one of these types pools if you ever have a chance. It makes the tourney so much more enjoyable - I've never rooted so hard for whatever garbage buckets and free throws my guys can tack on at the end of games.

[fugop]

I had both Missouri and duke losing in the next round. I would normally be gloating like an ass, but my final four is Kentucky, Ohio St, Georgetown, and Murray St. When murray or gtown lose, I'll be in the same boat as everyone else.

Michigan state has looked surprisingly vulnerable.

[closg00]

Ohio turning to Sullinger in the post down-the-stretch and he is delivering. I worry about him fatting-out in the pros.

[nate33]

Ohio turning to Sullinger in the post down-the-stretch and he is delivering. I worry about him fatting-out in the pros.

I'm not that impressed with Sullinger. He seems to have trouble with any defender who has size.

If he is to be effective in the NBA, he's going to have to alter his game like Boozer did. Boozer made himself into an effective midrange player with that 17-foot fadeaway jumper of his.

[closg00]

Ohio turning to Sullinger in the post down-the-stretch and he is delivering. I worry about him fatting-out in the pros.

I'm not that impressed with Sullinger. He seems to have trouble with any defender who has size.

If he is to be effective in the NBA, he's going to have to alter his game like Boozer did. Boozer made himself into an effective midrange player with that 17-foot fadeaway jumper of his.

True, but he does battle in the post and rebound. I would be him further-down on our board for-sure.

[closg00]

Royce White is making a name for himself tonight, he is getting the best of Davis in the Kentucky-Iowa game. Dude is a beast - 6"8 270.

[tontoz]

10 minutes left in the game and MKG hasn't scored a point yet.

[7-Day Dray]

Kentucky just can't miss.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Ohio turning to Sullinger in the post down-the-stretch and he is delivering. I worry about him fatting-out in the pros.

I'm not that impressed with Sullinger. He seems to have trouble with any defender who has size.

If he is to be effective in the NBA, he's going to have to alter his game like Boozer did. Boozer made himself into an effective midrange player with that 17-foot fadeaway jumper of his.

Was having similiar thoughts watching him struggle to defend and get his shot off.

He may yet have a decent NBA career as a mid range jump shooting stretch 4.

I'd be real dissappointed if he's our pick

[doclinkin]

My boy Royce White acquitted himself pretty well though. Loved him muscling up on Davis then declaiming "_I'm_ the best player in the ncaa". Love his competitiveness, smarts, size, agility -- all except for that one chink in the armor. He absolutely should be in the discussion for top 3 most talented players in the NCAA. Though there are real questions what sort of career he'll have given his anxiety issues. That should be manageable though. Somebody will get a steal with this kid.

[closg00]

My boy Royce White acquitted himself pretty well though. Loved him muscling up on Davis then declaiming "_I'm_ the best player in the ncaa". Love his competitiveness, smarts, size, agility -- all except for that one chink in the armor. He absolutely should be in the discussion for top 3 most talented players in the NCAA. Though there are real questions what sort of career he'll have given his anxiety issues. That should be manageable though. Somebody will get a steal with this kid.

Never saw/heard of him until tonight, I ran to DX to see where he was on their board...he isn't perhaps because of his issues.

This Baylor guard Brady Heslip has been lighting it up, also not on the draft-board. Why draft the Jimmer in the lottery when you have guys like Heslip around?

[doclinkin]

They have him coming out next year. Doubt it though, his stock will be high after this tourney.

[closg00]

Georgetown out, I never learn. I hope I had them going out after one game. Thanks for nothing Zard