College Basketball

[Brian G]

Okay excuse me for abusing our hosts' generousity here (again), but I'm bustin' to crow a little about my 19 - 1 Mississippi State Bulldogs. Currently #6 in the ESPN Coaches' Poll, and #4 and #5 both lost tonight. My boys are molding themselves into a juggernaut, winning the last 7 or 8 by double digits.

Our only "star" is a guy who transferred in from the Baylor mess, Lawrence Roberts III, nephew of ESPN anchor Robin Roberts, who couldn't care less about the star title. The kid is solid gold, on and off the court. I don't know if he'll ever have a Nike commercial, but barring a tragic injury the Great Prognosticator predicts a long, solid NBA career as a power forward. You read it here first.

If your team draws State in the Big Dance, watch out. They're SEC heat-treated. As long as I'm prognosticating...

The Bulldogs will be among the last 8 standing ("Great 8" round). If they don't draw Duke, I give them a better than even chance of making the Final 4. If they make the Final 4 AND someone knocks Duke off, I see a 50 /50 chance at a national title. I can probably narrow that down when the tournament gets going.

If I'm the only college basketball fan in here, just ignore me. [:-basketball]

Brian G.

The Great Prognosticator [:-jester]

[KY Ted]

Brian,

Do I need to remind you I'm right between Kentucky and University of Louisville? Im glad to see MSU do well at roundball, especially after football season! just kidding........

[Brian G]

Originally posted by KY Ted

Do I need to remind you I'm right between Kentucky and University of Louisville? Im glad to see MSU do well at roundball, especially after football season! just kidding........

Ouch! Sad, But true. Then again, I'm not sure anyone in Kentucky should be throwing stones on that subject []. I think we'll do much better under Coach Crooms. He's a discipline and character guy, just what we needed. [:-king]

So Ted, which one is it...Kentucky or Louisville? [:-basketball] [?] [:-basketball]

And how about a little KY prognostication? Which one will go farther in the Big Dance? [:-?help]

Brian G.

Pretend It's Your Nose, Pick One []

[KY Ted]

Brian,

I was raised in Louisiana and am an LSU grad. from what Ive seen in the year Ive been here I think U of L is definitely the team in Kentucky. They manhandled UK at UK, they did lose two in a row when Pitino made his medical related announcement concerning his health. U of L also is young team whereas UK is "old" player wise. IMHO, Pitino could probably take a cubscout pack and make contenders of them!

You asked me.........[:-dev3]

[Jerry Simon]

You are all missing the highlight of this subject...We, Creighton U, beat Marquette on their home court!!!... a feat not accomplished by any team in over 10 years!!! Oh, wait...sorry, that was back in '74. Is this what they call a "senior moment"? Dang. I also get the ringin in the ears...probably normal..but....does anyone else get the "voices"?

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

Can any of you explain how Stanford has managed to put together the best team in the country while only being allowed to recruit from the top 1% academic achievers?

I fear I must differ with the premise of your question Douglas, Stanford is not the best team in the country. Being ranked 84th in strength of schedule calls that into question. They've done a great job with what they have and beat a couple of good teams early, but #1 they ain't. The Great Prognosticator predicts that if they enter the tournament as a 1 Seed, they will be the first 1 Seed to go. No hard feelings I hope, the Great Prognosticator calls them as he sees them. [:-basketball]

Brian G.

Bring On The Big Dance! [:-headphones] [:-jump2] [:-bonc01] [:-jump] [:-bouncy]

[Brian G]

Originally posted by hausdok

Who's money is on Cloud Singer over Brook Bubbling in the cricket wrestling championships in Hong Kong this week?

Hah! Only a fool would take Cloud Singer over Brook Bubbling! Brook will rip Clouds' antenna off and feed them to him! I bet 1000 Yen!

Brian G.

Uhhh...How Much Is That In U.S. Dollars Anyway? [:-boggled]

[chrisprickett]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

OK Great Prognosticator - check out this link to see why you guys who live in more challenging time zones can so easily dismiss this great team:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 4SV1N1.DTL

The old knock on Stanford was that they couldn't stand up to the press, and they run up gaudy records against the chumps of the week. The last time we were 20-0 Connecticut came to town and blew us off our own court. I had to endure the chants of "over-rated" from rabid UCON fans. UCON went on to win the title, and Stanford was knocked out in the second round. The tournament is always about quick guards, and teams like Stanford were usually too dependent on big guys inside and flashy small forwards.

This year's team is different. They don't have to worry about the press - other teams have to worry about Stanford. Their guards, Hernandez and Lottich, are the mentally toughest players I've ever seen in Palo Alto - better than Brevin Knight or Todd Lichti. Down by 19 in the second half on the road against Oregon, they just refused to lose. I don't think other coaches are looking forward to being in Stanford's bracket.

My original question was how they do it while only being allowed to recruit the upper 1% academically. Duke has almost the same handicap. I think the answer is clearly that they have the two best coaches. There will never be another John Wooden, but on that second line I think you see Coach K and Mike Montgomery.

Pitino is a great coach, but isn't he the guy who decided not to guard Grant Hill on the inbounds pass?

Uhhh...UCONN has two n's not one. I'm sure you meant no underhanded slight to my Huskies. Must be that substandard Stanford education.[:-dunce] Apology accepted!

BTW my old San Diego Ultimate Frisbee team used to beat up on Stanford regularly, in the early 80's. After every whipping, we'd cheer:

Slide Rule, Slide Rule, Pythagorean Theorem-

All for Stanford, Stand up and Cheer em'!

Ahh, the good ol' days![}]

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

My original question was how they do it while only being allowed to recruit the upper 1% academically. Duke has almost the same handicap. I think the answer is clearly that they have the two best coaches. There will never be another John Wooden, but on that second line I think you see Coach K and Mike Montgomery.

I don't know Montgomery that well, so I hesitate to put him with Coach K in terms of career. As far as this year, I agree. I would also add Tubby Smith at Kentucky, who has made a great run this year with less talent than normal and a paper thin bench.

The article was interesting, but not terribly persuasive. She would have done better to leave out the silliness about Duke's one loss giving them 100 or 1000 times more losses than Stanford. I did notice that the actual schedule ranking was 86th, not 84th....my bad.

The Great Prognosticator is always willing to admit he could be wrong, but rarely must do so (see my bona fides under "Bowl Games"). I think Stanford would do better as a #2 or 3 with a chip on their shoulder. So Douglas, what do you prognosticate for your beloved Cardinals in the tournament?

Brian G.

Step Onto the Record With the Prognosticator [:-batman]

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

Well Great Prognosticator, it depends on the matchups. If they are in the same bracket with Mississippi State, this could be worth a wager to be collected at some future inspection conference.

Agreed.

Say, you must be a martial arts student to have such a deft side-step []. I don't see a prediction anywhere in there. If Stanford is the best team, surely they will make the Final Four, yes? Or at least the Great 8? Why would the match-ups matter if they are matched-up with those inferior teams?

I'll stand by 2 Stanford prognostications right now, brackets unknown:

A. If they go in as a 1 Seed, they'll be the first 1 Seed out.

B. No matter how they go in, they won't make the Final Four. It's 50/50 they won't make the Great 8. I'll call that "8" game in advance, when I see the match-up.

So there's mine, on the record. It should be fun!

Brian G.

The Great Prognosticator [:-jester]

[chrisprickett]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

Wrong-time-zone Chris said:

"Uhhh...UCONN has two n's not one. I'm sure you meant no underhanded slight to my Huskies. Must be that substandard Stanford education. Apology accepted! "

Blame the priests for my poor spelling - I went to Santa Clara, and now have the good fortune to live at Stanford. Anyway - no slight to those Huskies - I mean, they are off probation, right?'

Your ultimate frisbee team reminds me of what happens when USC comes up here and kicks Stanford around at football. After the game, Stanford says to USC - "That's OK, after graduation you guys have to come work for us."

Uhh, no probation, you might be thinking of the Washington Huskies.

Those Stanford guys still have jobs? I though they all took to part-time landscaping work, after the dotcom bust.

We played Santa Clara too. We'd do a "gender-blender" (coed) squad, just so they could compete. I must admit, they always had the best pot!

[Brian G]

Originally posted by chrisprickett

We played Santa Clara too. We'd do a "gender-blender" (coed) squad, just so they could compete. I must admit, they always had the best pot!

Mr. Prickett,

I'm shocked at you! Smoking that nasty weed! So how good was it? For shame!

Brian G.

Me & Bill, We Never Inhaled [:-dopey] [:-drool]

[KY Ted]

Stanford is known as the Cardinals? I think in college ball there is only one "Cards" and they are coached by Pitino and reside in Louisville. I'll put them up against those wanna be "Cards" anytime, anyplace. Ok Doug?

[Brian G]

Ted,

My condolences on the loss to Charleston; great game though. South Carolina almost did the same to my beloved Bulldogs the other night, it went to overtime.

Douglas,

Take heart on your under-appreciated team. As you know, the beauty of the Big Dance is that all issues are settled on the hardwood rectangle; no polls, no politics, and no prognosticators.

If we get to make that wager, just remember: No hard-soled shoes, and no pointing the toe in; the top or inside of the foot only. Down here that's a gentlemans bet.

Brian G.

Go Dawgs!

[chrisprickett]

I'm partial to the Rhode Island School of Design: The "Nads"

[Brian G]

I know it's not the official name, but I've always been partial to "The Ramblin' Wreck of Georgia Tech". Must be the poet in me.

Good luck against Cal, Douglas.

Brian G.

The Inspecting Hippie of North Mississippi

[Scottpat]

Go Dawgs!

[Brian G]

Yeah, a big early lead that yo-yoed through most of the game. We were also uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, by far the most turnovers this year. But if you win the rebounding, inside scoring, free throws, and shooting percentage, you can get by like we did. Roberts was a rock, as always.

I saw the #1 Seed pick too...very scary. I will now take the advice I offered to you and pray for a loss somewhere in the few remaining games. #1 seeds are great for teams like Duke, Kentucky, or North Carolina, they thrive on it. For most others, I consider it a millstone around the neck. #2's play a 15 instead of a 16 (big deal) and don't have the same pressure or glaring spotlight on them. I'd rather my team was a 2 that makes the Final Four than a 1 that doesn't make the Great 8. The spotlight will not be good for the Bulldogs in the long-run, I want a loss. I think it would be even harder on Stanford.

If and when, the Great Prognosticator likes T-bones, medium rare....FYI.

Brian G.

Somebody Send Me a Loss!

[Brian G]

Douglas,

Congradulations on Stanford's concensus #1 ranking following Duke's second loss (NC State). I'm sure you aren't holding your breath waiting for the world to jump onto the bandwagon, but what else is new.

My #5 Bulldogs are off till Saturday, a well-deserved rest. I hope it doesn't disrupt the flow. We have Alabama here on Saturday, and I can no more hope for a loss in that game than you could at Cal.

Brian G.

Beat Bama!

[Brian G]

Good Luck. What do you make of all of these Top 25 teams losing in the last week and a half? Worn out, late season slumps, other?

As a side note, the Great Prognosticator claims another bullseye! The day after the World Series ended I predicted (on the other forum) that Steinbrenner would break his newly set MLB record for annual team salary ($190 million) again in the up-coming year. ESPN says the A-Rod deal will have this years team salary at 200 million. Now granted, that one was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. I could probably let that stand for the next 5 years and be right on 4 of 'em.

Brian G.

The Great Prognosticator

[kurt]

Hope springs eternal in Chicago; the Maddux deal is going to give us a real pitching staff. A combo of Wood & Maddux (if Woods arm holds out) could get interesting.

The Cubs are actually acting like they actually want to win.

[chrisprickett]

...watch out for those Phillies[:-baseball]

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Douglas Hansen

I know we're not supposed to discuss politics or religion here, and I don't want to offend our New England friends. Therefore, under the rule that forbids religion, I won't share my feelings about the Yankees acquisition of A-Rod after he slipped through the Sox's hands like a grounder to Bill Buckner.

I'll share mine. I find that Yankee fans are impossible to offend anyway, unless they're losing. MLB is morally bankrupt in my opinion, and the Yankees are the poster child for most of what's wrong with the league. Not the sole offender, just the poster child. God Bless the NFL, by far the most equitable team sports league in America at any level.

I also don't think the Boss is through yet for the season, though that big lefty might not arrive until mid season.

Hey-hey, a prediction from the Left Coast Sooth-sayer! I knew you had it in you. Sounds right too.

Brian G.

The Great Prognosticator

[Brian G]

Originally posted by kurt

Hope springs eternal in Chicago; the Maddux deal is going to give us a real pitching staff. A combo of Wood & Maddux (if Woods arm holds out) could get interesting.

I'm not sure how much Maddux has left in his tank. I hope the move back to Chicago will revitalize him, he's a great, great pitcher.

The Cubs are actually acting like they actually want to win.

That they are. Maybe this is the year, they have a lot of talent and a guy who can manage it. Do something about that damned goat, would ya'.

Brian G.

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Brian G.

I will now take the advice I offered to you and pray for a loss somewhere in the few remaining games.

Brian G.

Somebody Send Me a Loss!

Well, our neighbors over in Bama are always willing to help out. The Bullys lost to them by 4 today, which will hopefully be the only excuse the NCAA committee needs to install a more "marquee" team as the fourth 1 Seed. I'll take a 2, 3, or 4 Seed, but please...no 5 spot. Every year now a 12 beats a 5. We've been a (lucky) 5 the only two times we've been...enough.

Brian G.

Itching for the Post-Season