St. Patty's Day, New Years Eve and Thanksgiving Eve are often identified as "amateur nights," mostly because folks who normally don't go out, always seem to find themselves gallivanting to an eventual ditch off the Belt Pkwy after abusing themselves with alcohol and any number of controlled and uncontrolled substances (and uncontrolled tolerances). While today is not one of those days it does reek of that amateur scent. All of a sudden everyone is a college basketball expert, or filling out their brackets by uniform color, or who has the best legs or any other manner of choosing the winner of each game leading to the penultimate on April 5th Championship Game. To be fair, i would say well over half of these people do have some knowledge of the game and the majority of the participants, but even then most of those people probably only watched 20-40% of all the college basketball available to them, leaving a minuscule number of well-informed men and women who have watched over 50% and more. While i wouldn't call myself an expert, per say, i have been unemployed for a year and have had the benefit of watching a lot of college basketball. More than most, in fact, unless you work for ESPN, Fox Sports or any other cable or media sports outlet, chances are i've caught a couple of more games then you. That said, i'm here with some guidelines and helpful hints to help you through the jungle that is your bracket...
If you watch or listen to any of the pundits and talking heads out there, you will hear a ton of talk about parity. In other words, overall throughout division basketball there weren't many good teams, let alone great teams. I have 5 by my count—Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse and West Virginia, so let's start there...
Kansas—What can i tell you about Kansas? Not much, every time i attempted to watch a Jayhawk game i found myself bored to death as they opened up a can of 20 point whoop ass on their opponents. That, in itself tells you more than you need to know. While they are not flashy they are well coached, experienced and can beat their own schools football team in a fight. All that said, in a round robin with the other 4 teams i named above, they have the best chance of going winless. They were never really tested in their conference, which always gets a lot of good publicity, but always leaves me flat—Missouri?!—Really?! Facing the talent of Kentucky, the workmanlike precision of Duke, the one-of-a-kind 2-3 match-up zone of Syracuse or the monumental scrap of West Virginia i think the Jayhawks will be out of their comfort zone, but by all means add them into your final eight, and if you think they can take Georgetown, then put them in your final four...
Kentucky—John Wall and Demarcus Cousins, say it with me—Wall and Cousins. They are the number 1 and 2 pick in the 2010 NBA draft. They are only freshman. Sure, Patrick Patterson is the team's best returning player, and he is lottery pick talent as well, if not for the emergence of Wall and Cousins taking his touches away. And yeah, Coach John Calipari is a great tourney coach, but there's something missing. The Wildcats could very well win the tournament in a walk, they are that good. Depending on which bracket i refer to (i've filled out 5), I have them anywhere from in the final to losing versus West Virginia in the Elite 8. The talent is in place, but is the heart, because Wall and Cousins may already be in love with the idea of their NBA careers...
Duke—Those who know me are well aware that i am a huge fan of the Blue Devils. They won the first college game i ever watched in 1986, which directly led to me rooting for them. Those who know me also are well aware that i haven't pick Duke to get to the Final Four let alone the final game since 2004. This year i have them winning in every one of my brackets. The Blue Devils are a machine. The shoot well, handle well, defend and rebound well. In the past Duke has brought teams to the tournament with 2 or 3 good-to-great back-court and wing players players but no depth to speak of, hence their early exits the last few years. This year, along with two all-americans and a third who will be one next year, the Devils bring size. Four strapping young brick houses to clog the middle, rebound, block shots and cause havoc in the paint for anyone who dares to enter. If you are going to beat Duke you have to shoot well from deep and even then, you'd better shoot over 45% from the three point line. The only thing that can derail Duke, in my opinion is fatigue, as coach Mike Krzyzeski rarely goes past 7 on his bench, but watch for neophyte Andre Dawkins to get some time if he gets hot early in the tourney. A gift seeding in the South instead of the West does wonders for their constitution, as does the Friday Sunday schedule—guaranteeing some heavy rest for an exhausted Senior Jon Scheyer and company. Put them in your Final Four...
Syracuse—No one plays the 2-3 zone like the Orangmen—no one. It can't be duplicated at practice and watching it on film does not do it justice. It is an x-factor. Beyond that, the Orange are a lean mean big east machine with, as Bobby Knight says, seven starters. They might wear down if the game s get tight, but an early exit from the Big East Tournament gave them some extra rest. There is a good combo of experience, talent and desire. They are battle tested and dangerous. Put Syracuse anywhere from the Elite 8 to Champion...
West Virginia—There is nothing special about this team, the Mountaineers just keep winning. They do have length and and a nasty 1-3-1 zone to deal with. They have shooters, and scorers but more than anything they have workers. They force their tempo but can thrive in yours and they have been playing in cliffhangers all year only strengthening their nerves of steel. Coach Bob Huggins came home to his Alma Mater and instead of enforcing his will, took head to his seniors, who had success before his arrival the result is a shot at the Final Four, they should be in your Elite 8 and could take Kentucky out, or walk to Indianapolis if Kentucky falls off earlier...
as for the rest? Looking to fill out the rest of your Elite 8 or some first round surprises? Both...
Siena—You want to make a splash? Put Siena in your Elite 8. Purdue was a very good team before their best player went down to injury, now they are a team in crisis. The Boilermakers received a gift 4 seed and they will pay for it via the Siena Saints, who are no strangers to winning games in the tournament. Siena could also roll over Texas A & M, if Utah State doesn't beat them first in a battle of the Aggies. i don't think much of the Big 12 conference, to which Texas A & M belongs, but while Siena isn't a lock, i do believe they are smart money for a Cinderella...
Baylor—Of the Big 12 teams i do like, (that would include Kansas and uh...Kansas), Baylor is interesting. The program has improved year by year and they have a truckload of height and length and they shoot well, which make them a dangerous squad to have to face. i know Villanova is in there sights, but i haven't been overly impressed with 'Nova in big games, the Baylor Bears might just beat them to the Elite 8...
Butler, UTEP, and Murray St—All three of these Mid-Majors could make it to the Sweet 16 if not the Elite 8, the problem is, they'd all have to play each other to get there. Flip a coin or read some tea leaves. i have them rated Murray St., then UTEP then Butler, but that could change by tomorrow night...
Xavier—A lock for the Sweet 16, and could make a run for the Elite 8 is Pittsburgh falters...
Temple—Another perennial member of the Sweet 16. After a stretch where the program went through a face lift, the Owls are back and will give Kentucky all they want...
Notre Dame, New Mexico and Washington—All interesting teams who should win a game, picking them to win two is up to you. Depending on my which bracket I consult, we're talking sweet sixteen for New Mexico and Notre Dame and the Elite 8 for Mew Mexico...
Louisville—Only because if there is one team that can beat Duke before the Final Four in the South region it will be Rick Pitino's Cardinals. He's been waiting almost 20 years to excise the ghost of Christian Laetner, and wipe that ridiculous expression off the face of Thomas Hill...
Don't believe the hype...
Kansas St.—They had their chance to impress the country in the Big 12 Final Saturday night on a neutral court—epic fail. They could still settle into to the Elite 8 simply because their end of the West region looks like the Suffolk County High School Playoffs...
Villanova—The Wildcats are good, and at one point this year i thought they were the real deal. Those days are gone. An Elite 8 finish isn't out of the question, but be wary...
Cornell—i'll have the Big Red over to build my super-collider, but almost beating Kansas, losing to Seton Hall and barely beating St. John's doesn't really exciting. You know who else almost beat Kansas? Kansas St. and you know how I feel about them. They face Temple in the first round, and i just don't see it...
You want more help, then take a flier on Richmond into the Sweet Sixteen and get enough pigs in the blanket for me at your party—and make sure you get the good mustard...
1 comment:
Wow, Siena ate big dick, huh?
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