MARCH MADNESS 2014 - NCAA Tourney Thread

• Laley23

  

  KB0938;1598003 wrote:After watching the replay and in slo-mo, that push off by appling was a good no call.

  Like I said clearly he pushed a bit, but it was a HUGE flop. Probably more of a chance its called without the flop.
• gut

  Laley23;1598004 wrote:I actually think we get 3 good games this weekend. MSU-UCONN will be awesome, especially in the Garden. Wisconsin-Zona should be good and UK-UofM should be good.
  
  I think Florida will roll over Dayton.

  
  I need UConn to upset MSU so bad...bunch of people in my pool have MSU either #1 or #2 (and I probably would have, too, except I figured a bunch of other people would also). And by "bunch" I mean enough to knock me out of the money.
  
  But I think UConn could (emphasis on could) give them a good game.
  
  Mich/KY and ARI/WI should be great games. If Dayton wants to sell its soul to the devil, then I won't be complain.
• lhslep134

  

  wghfan;1597997 wrote:Fuck Wisconsin! Zona runs them out of the arena.

  I hope so. I'll see you guys on here tomorrow. I gotta take the ethics exam in a couple hours and then it's pregame time.
  
  BEAR THE F*CK DOWN
  
  (also go Florida, MSU, and Kentucky)
• GOONx19

  

  Rooting for Arizona today. Good luck!
• GOONx19

  

  Russ Smith is a class act.
  
  “Those are a great group of guys. They show great love. You respect someone when you see a competitor out there on the court. From each class, from my sophomore year on, Kentucky’s guys have shown me the same love. And these are new waves of classes, not the same people. So I’ve gotten great respect from them, potential NBA guys, and that’s great. The twins are fantastic and they’re going to keep getting better. All those guys. (James) Young, (Julius) Randle. Dakari (Johnson), I’ve known him since he was little and I’m excited for what he’s becoming, and you have to love that. And for us, we have guys returning, a great freshman in Terry Rozier, and I can’t wait to see him explode next year. . . . If my career had to end, I’m okay with it ending to Kentucky. Those boys play hard. They deserve everything that’s coming to them. I respect everything about their program and their coaching staff. For me, I just want people to remember me as a great competitor, a great sportsman, someone who respects the game a lot, and whatever it is, I just want it to be a positive legacy.”
  
  Also visited the locker room to congratulate them.
• Heretic

  

  My bracket just died a pitiful death last night with the loss of Louisville. So much for winning cash this year...
  
  At least I can watch the B1G with three teams in the Elite 8, as opposed to other, supposedly superior conferences, which are eliminated from contention. Lol.
• vball10set

  Go SPARTY, 'CATS, WISKY & FLYERS!!!
• vball10set

  Heretic;1598090 wrote:At least I can watch the B1G with three teams in the Elite 8, as opposed to other, supposedly superior conferences, which are eliminated from contention. Lol.

  Damn straight.
• Azubuike24

  

  Update on Willie Cauley-Stein. Ankle injury, wrapped and in a boot. Highly doubtful for Sunday, but possible for the Final Four if they reach it.
  
  Rumors on Twitter last night. Were fearful of a torn Achilles. Aside from this year, that's a great piece of news for him. Given his athleticism and basically being what put his stock where it was, that would be a devastating injury. One many basketball players are never the same from.
• reclegend22

  

  While Izzo is really good, even great, if he gets to a seventh Final Four this year and doesn't cut the nets down, that's 1 for 7 at the Final Four. His only title was 15 seasons ago. If he wins one more, I'll be on board.
• gut

  reclegend22;1598138 wrote:While Izzo is really good, even great, if he gets to a seventh Final Four this year and doesn't cut the nets down, that's 1 for 7 at the Final Four. His only title was 15 seasons ago. If he wins one more, I'll be on board.

  I view him more as overachieving. I don't think a lot of those MSU teams have really had as much talent (or at least as much athleticism) as some of the coaches that have won multiple titles.
  
  This year, certainly, they've been pegged as one of several that could take it all in a pretty wide-open field. But I feel like a number of his other Final 4 teams were kind of darkhorses to get that far. Maybe my recollection is a bit foggy, but that's my perception anyway.
  
  I guess the flipside is he's also had a number of high seeded teams that were disappointments.
• vball10set

  Izzo can coach. Period. He's one of my all time favorites.
• reclegend22

  

  gut;1598140 wrote:I view him more as overachieving. I don't think a lot of those MSU teams have really had as much talent (or at least as much athleticism) as some of the coaches that have won multiple titles.
  
  This year, certainly, they've been pegged as one of several that could take it all in a pretty wide-open field. But I feel like a number of his other Final 4 teams were kind of darkhorses to get that far. Maybe my recollection is a bit foggy, but that's my perception anyway.
  
  I guess the flipside is he's also had a number of high seeded teams that were disappointments.

  There's no doubt that schools like Duke and North Carolina draw more McDonald's All-Americans than Michigan State (since 2000 Duke has 29, UNC 27 and Michigan State 9).
  
  But Michigan State has had some really good teams, good enough to get to six Final Fours in 12 years. I just think that Izzo might get a little too much credit for that one title in 2000. He's top five good, but not the best in the country.
• reclegend22

  

  vball10set;1598142 wrote:Izzo can coach. Period.

  No argument here.
• KB0938

  reclegend22;1598143 wrote:There's no doubt that schools like Duke and North Carolina draw more McDonald's All-Americans than Michigan State (since 2000 Duke has 29, UNC 27 and Michigan State 9).
  
  But Michigan State has had some really good teams, good enough to get to six Final Fours in 12 years. I just think that Izzo might get a little too much credit for that one title in 2000. He's top five good, but not the best in the country.

  You basically just made the case FOR him being a great coach. He gets it done without nearly the amount of highly touted MCdonalds AA's as schools like Duke and NC. He gets good players and develops them and does it very very well.
  
  How is that getting too much credit for what he gets out of his teams come tournament time?
• dlazz

  KB0938;1598152 wrote:You basically just made the case FOR him being a great coach.

  I see that you're new here. reclegend has never been known for rational thought.
• SportsAndLady

  

  I'm with rec. 1 title in 6 trips to the final four is god awful.
• wildcats20

  

  SportsAndLady;1598156 wrote:I'm with rec. 1 title in 6 trips to the final four is god awful.

  God awful? No.
  
  But it's definitely not good.
• SportsAndLady

  

  wildcats20;1598157 wrote:God awful? No.
  
  But it's definitely not good.

  Lol. Okay. Thank you for the small correction.
• Ironman92

  

  SMH
  
  My wife's ONLY bracket.
  
  
• Ironman92

  

  It's definitely fun watching Dayton hang with Florida.....but just can't fathom them staying within 12-15 points.....but I'm firmly placed on their rooting bandwagon.
• vball10set

  Any bad feelings I may still have had regarding OSU's loss to Dayton have disappeared...they're pretty damn good!
• wildcats20

  

  Welp, that should do it.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Damn that was so fast. It was a 3 point lead now it's 14
• reclegend22

  

  KB0938;1598152 wrote:You basically just made the case FOR him being a great coach. He gets it done without nearly the amount of highly touted MCdonalds AA's as schools like Duke and NC. He gets good players and develops them and does it very very well.
  
  How is that getting too much credit for what he gets out of his teams come tournament time?

  Jim Calhoun had six McDonald's All-Americans to Tom Izzo's nine from 2000 on and won national titles in 2004 and 2011, in addition to the title he won in 1999. Louisville has also had just six McDonald's All-Americans since Rick Pitino took over.
  
  Tom Izzo has had plenty of talent to work with compared to most schools. Duke and Carolina are who they are and of course attract insane amounts of Mickey Ds, but that's far from the norm. For example, Florida has just 11 of them since 2000. Two titles for Billy D.
  
  Tom Izzo is a great coach. Not the best in the country. A 1-5 record of winning it all at the Final Four is just not that great.