College basketball thread

[Zonkerbl]

So if the lockout drags on, David Falk suggests that we all go watch college basketball. I think that's a great idea, but I haven't watched college ball since me IU days in the nineties. Any interesting stories to look for, besides Coach K going for the all time win record? Anyone feel like holding forth on interesting teams/players to look out for?

[Nivek]

I get bored watching college ball. For me, it's not a suitable replacement for the NBA.

[Rafael122]

I've got football to keep me occupied until February. Then there's hockey. College bball...eh, I don't tune in until conference tournament time, but considering the 2012 class is suppose to be amazing, I may watch more games than usual.

[DCZards]

I'm a basketball fan. It doesn't matter whether it's pro, college or high school. Heck, I'd watch a group of elementary school kids playing a pick-up game. So, yes, I'll be watching plenty of college b'ball this fall...with or without the NBA.

The most interesting story for me right now is what the hell is going to happen to my favorite conference--The Big East. Losing Pitt and Syracuse is a real body blow. I think the Big East should go after some non-football schools that have quality basketball programs---like Butler and Xavier

[Rafael122]

I'm a basketball fan. It doesn't matter whether it's pro, college or high school. Heck, I'd watch a group of elementary school kids playing a pick-up game. So, yes, I'll be watching plenty of college b'ball this fall...with or without the NBA.

The most interesting story for me right now is what the hell is going to happen to my favorite conference--The Big East. Losing Pitt and Syracuse is a real body blow. I think the Big East should go after some non-football schools that have quality basketball programs---like Butler and Xavier

Agreed, or bring in Butler/Xavier and Temple.

[DCZards]

Agreed, or bring in Butler/Xavier and Temple.

Temple might be my first choice given its location on the east coast and in a major media and sports market. It said in the Post yesterday that Temple was in the Big East until it got kicked out in 2005...but I don't remember Temple ever being in the Big East. I'm sure that was a mistake on the Post's part. The graphic with that same article seemed to suggest that Rutgers was NOT currently in the Big East. Another mistake by the Post.

[Wes_Tiny_Abe_]

Heck, I'd watch a group of elementary school kids playing a pick-up game.

You are joking right?

[DCZards]

Heck, I'd watch a group of elementary school kids playing a pick-up game.

You are joking right?

Exagerrating, maybe. Joking, no.

[fugop]

As both a Louisville and Georgetown alum, I'm rather despondent over the Big East situation.

Louisville has really been hung out to dry. We just built the most impressive basketball arena in the country. We've invested tens of millions upgrading the capacity of our still modern football stadium. We've invested in sports programs -- crew, lacrosse, etc. -- as part of our relationship with the Big East. Our men's soccer team started the season as #1 overall, and has beaten UCLA, Ohio State, and others in the still early season. We've been the #1 ranked team in men's college baseball, and played in the college world series, over the last few years. Our women's cheerleading and dance teams are frequent national champions, we had the #1 draft pick in the WNBA a few years back, and on and on. We also happen to have the most profitable college athletics program in the country, a fanatical basketball fan base, and a reliable football fanbase that travels well.

And we're stuck basically stuck without a conference in two years. We've invested too much in our football program to stick it out with a basketball-only Big East, we're being vetoed from joining the SEC by Kentucky, and we've lack the academic credentials to join the Big Ten, our geographical closest fit.

We're left hoping to get invited into the Big 12, but frankly no one in the city has any familiarity -- affection or hostility -- with any of the schools there. Louisville is the top of the South, the bottom of the Midwest, and the West of the East. We don't identify with anything further West than St. Louis or Memphis. There's some abstract appeal in a football game against Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. But there's no feeling there -- I don't care about any of those teams.

Not to mention that we've got a basketball coach that recruits in New York and a football coach that recruits in Florida. Even with decent competition, the logistical nightmare will generate turmoil and nonsense.

Louisville is an urban school with an urban mission. It takes care of the city, and gets taken care of in return. More than half the student body is nontraditional -- working students attending part time, retirees going back to school -- we even have a third shift class schedule for students who work overnight at UPS and elsewhere. It's diverse -- racially, culturally, socioeconomically, academically. I've felt pride watching Louisville in Madison Square Garden, the exposure has been good for the city and the school.

We've got a decent Athletic Director, and will land on our feet somewhere. But this is not the situation I imagined we'd be in at the end of last year.

--------------------

As for Georgetown, I think the pseudo-Jesuit conference is a great idea. Butler, Xavier, Temple, Marquette, Villanova, St. Johns, Seton Hall, DePaul, Notre Dame, St. Joseph's and maybe Miami (OH) form the nexus of a great basketball conference. It's a shame Gonzaga is on the West Coast.

[Zonkerbl]

Don't forget my alma mater University of Dayton!

[DCZards]

I feel your pain, fugop. It does sound like Louisville deserves better given the investment its made in its sports program in recent years and some of the successes. I, for one, would hate to see Louisville leave the Big East. Louisville has one of the best and most recognizable basketball programs in the country and, given that Syracuse and Pitt (and maybe UConn), are already abandonding the Big East, the conference could ill-afford to lose another one of its star programs.

G'Town is my team but I've been a fan of Louisville going back to the days of Rodney and Scooter McCray, who hail from Mount Vernon, NY, the area of NY which I grew up in. I also remember those Milt Wagner-Billy Thompson teams and the nice run they had.

Both Denny Crum and Pitino have always made Louisville a good and welcome landing place for kids from the northeast. I like that about the Louisville program.

[Wes_Tiny_Abe_]

Mount Vernon, NY, the area of NY which I grew up in.

You grew up with Kaya Henderson?

[REDardWIZskin]

happy to see this thread,

I like that there were several players that came back to play this year. I think NC will be the best team in the country this year. It pains me to say it too. The size of their front court with Zeller, Henson, and Harrison barnes at 6'8 240 will dominate. Then they have impact freshman coming in to an already talented core. UK has about 5 or 6 NBA caliber players as well but i don't think Calipari is as good of a coach as he is recruiter. Ohio State and Syracuse will be good too. Then there's Puke, i mean Duke... um yeah theres Duke... interested to see how Rivers does but that's about it. This NCAA season will be a good one. I didn't agree with the NBA Draft age minimum rule when it was implemented but I must say it has benefited the college game a lot. I will be basketball starved by the time those holiday tournaments start.

[REDardWIZskin]

I almost forgot about Andre Drummond at UCONN he's supposed to a beast.

[fugop]

Dayton should definitely be on the list, probably more so than Miami (OH). St Louis University is another reasonable option.

I don't think that Louisville deserves better -- we've had a nice run in the Big East, and it's been nice for me personally to attend games at Verizon and MSG. I'll be living in NYC for the tournament this year, and will go to as many games as I can, while I still can.

Louisville just can't write off its investments in football as a sunk cost. We've had a rocky last few years (the Kragthorpe era), but have come far since I was on campus, during the Ron Cooper/post-Schnellenberger adventure in the mid-90s. We narrowly avoided a few winless seasons.

I don't see how the Big East builds a decent football conference without Syracuse, Pitt, or Connecticut; the consensus appears to be that we'll have to leave.

[fugop]

http://www.nunesmagician.com/2011/9/29/ ... louisville

[DCZards]

Mount Vernon, NY, the area of NY which I grew up in.

You grew up with Kaya Henderson?

I've got a few years on Kaya. I'm more in the Gus Williams generation. I remember seeing Mount Vernon's own Gus play in a summer league game in White Plains, NY, and watching his backcourt mate absolutely light the place up. I didn't know until I saw him in a Knicks uni a few months later that the guy busting eveyone's butt was Gus's younger brother Ray.

[Wes_Tiny_Abe_]

Mount Vernon, NY, the area of NY which I grew up in.

You grew up with Kaya Henderson?

I've got a few years on Kaya. I'm more in the Gus Williams generation. I remember seeing Mount Vernon's own Gus play in a summer league game in White Plains, NY, and watching his backcourt mate absolutely light the place up. I didn't know until I saw him in a Knicks uni a few months later that the guy busting eveyone's butt was Gus's younger brother Ray.

WOW!

What year was that?

I feel sorry for players like Gus because the teams they spent most of their careers with no longer exist. No fault of their own of course just idiot owners who did not know what in the hell they were/are doing. History erased. Gone. Forever.

[Rafael122]

Louisville should try the ACC.