The 2013 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament

[bushwick_bill]

Tubby Smith fired. Does Minnesota really think they can recruit with the big boys of the BIG? Let the Shaka Smart rumors begin.

 

[Derek]

Tubby Smith fired. Does Minnesota really think they can recruit with the big boys of the BIG? Let the Shaka Smart rumors begin.

If Shaka didnt leave for NC State, he's not leaving for Minnesota. Plus, he just signed that 8 year contract extension worth $1.2 million/year.

I think he's at VCU for the long haul, much like Stevens at Butler.

 

[bushwick_bill]

If Shaka didnt leave for NC State, he's not leaving for Minnesota. Plus, he just signed that 8 year contract extension worth $1.2 million/year.

I think he's at VCU for the long haul, much like Stevens at Butler.

Athletic director Norwood Teague, who was hired last year from Virginia Commonwealth, is likely positioning himself to make a run at VCU coach Shaka Smart, according to the report. Teague, along with senior associate athletic director Mike Ellis, hired Smart at VCU.

The AD at Minny hired Smart at VCU... They have a connection... This is where the rumors will swirl from...

 

[Derek]

The AD at Minny hired Smart at VCU... They have a connection... This is where the rumors will swirl from...

I know the rumors will swirl, but no decent coach with a half a brain is going to go somewhere just because they have a relationship with the AD. Minnesota just isn't a high quality job.

 

[bigfoot5415]

Tubby Smith is by far one of the classiest and most genuine people I have ever met. Infact he paid for my basketball camp as a child. He did a pretty good job at Minnesotta. Not spectacular, but dug them out of the cellar. The conference became more competitive over the a past few years, and the talent level took a big jump. Unfortunatly, he was unable to establish the program before it go hot. Because of that we are no longer just a football conference to ESPN. It was just hard to compete with the rest of the Big10 when your rebuilding your porgram from scratch. All of the top teams already had either a school legacy, coaching, or a winning team to draw recruits. Minnesotta had none of those things.

Just look how strong this conference has gotten:
OSU in 07 (finals), and solid since then
Michigan St in 09 (fnals), Final 4 in 10.

Wisonconsin has been solid,
Purdue was solid,
Michigan is on the way up
Indiana is back

Hell this year could be 2+ teams from the Big 10 could be in the Final Four.

He needs to go to a small school that focuses on student athletes, not athletic students (Im looking at you UK). That has always been one of his internal issues with schools.

 

[BlueSeats626]

Crazy how the blown out of bounds in the UI/Miami game gets no attention, yet the Craft block/charge (completely a judgement call and the replays weren't even conclusive) becomes a freaking national controversy.

Also, how in the world do the rules allow for the officials to check the time of the clock to put a few tenths back on, yet they aren't allowed to review a critical out of bounds call?

Classic NCAA.

 

[FiveThous]

It is what it is. It's a close call and it had to go one way. The refs were putrid on both sides today.

I know its "Madness" and everyone is watching college basketball, but this is just another way that the nba is superior to the ncaa. Still cant believe that people prefer NCAA to NBA

*Not calling out anyone with this post, just saying a lot of this same stuff on twitter/fb over the weekend.

 

[BlueSeats626]

I know its "Madness" and everyone is watching college basketball, but this is just another way that the nba is superior to the ncaa. Still cant believe that people prefer NCAA to NBA

*Not calling out anyone with this post, just saying a lot of this same stuff on twitter/fb over the weekend.

Disagree 100%.

Simply watch the effort exerted within a March Madness game, then flip over and watch an NBA game. It's night and day. Also, kids in college don't whine about every call that goes against them.

 

[MRMsix6]

Disagree 100%.

Simply watch the effort exerted within a March Madness game, then flip over and watch an NBA game. It's night and day. Also, kids in college don't whine about every call that goes against them.

NBA players give just as much effort in the playoffs. If college players played 82 games + playoffs it'd be the same shit.

No disagreements about the whining. There isn't nearly the sense of entitlement at the college level (understandably).

 

[bushwick_bill]

I know its "Madness" and everyone is watching college basketball, but this is just another way that the nba is superior to the ncaa. Still cant believe that people prefer NCAA to NBA

*Not calling out anyone with this post, just saying a lot of this same stuff on twitter/fb over the weekend.

I don't care what people say, March Madness is way more exciting for me than the NBA playoffs... Not to mention OSU has been pretty damn good since the post Lebron era...

 

[Derek]

I prefer the college game, but that's primarily because of how the game is allowed to be played due to the subtle rule differences.

It's more of a coach's game with X's and O's, sets on offense and different looks on defense. Refs allow for more physicality guarding on the perimeter and the 5 second call adds some incentive for guys to get up and pressure the ball handler. Those are the kind of things I enjoy.

Also, nothing beats a rowdy student section. I got my Bachelor's at Kent State, went to my share of games and even with a minuscule crowd compared to any NBA or big time college program it was just a fun atmosphere.

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

Not to mention pro basketball is now just like pro wrestling. It is not even close as to which I prefer nowadays. I watch NBA games on LP Broadband days after the game is over. I was watching Full Court games for college all season long live.

 

[Marcus]

Quick list of why I prefer NCAA over NBA:

- Kids giving effort EVERY game. How often do you see NBA players diving to the floor for loose balls on as consistent a basis as some of these kids?
- Parity -- there are powerhouses, yes, but then you have a team like FGC that seems to sneak in every year.
- NBA players in general are overpaid, whiny prima donnas. They spend more time whining to the refs and trying to get superstar calls than they do running back to their end of the court.
- NCAA crowds > NBA crowds, and it's not even close. Just a much more fun atmosphere imo. I speak from experience going to a big school, but I am very confident that it is much of the same at a smaller school, as well.

 

[The Oi]

Ranked:

(1) NCAA Tournament
(2) NBA Playoffs
(3) NBA Regular Season
(4) NCAA Regular Season

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Predictions for this weekend?

Midwest:
Louisville over Oregon
Michigan State over Duke

Louisville over Michigan State

South:
Kansas over Michigan
Florida over Florida Gulf Coast

Kansas over Florida

East:
Indiana over Syracuse
Miami over Marquette

Indiana over Miami

West:
Wichita State over LaSalle
Arizona over Ohio State

Arizona over Wichita State