2011 NCAA Tournament Running Diary - Day 1

2010 NCAA Tournament Running Diary - Day 2

An Expose On Coaching Fashion: by Annie

(Go ahead and out-dress me...I DARE YOU!)

For the first time in the history of this blog, we have a guest author! Annie has put in some time-consuming research with regard to NCAA basketball coaching fashion. I was awed and quite pleased with her findings and the amount of effort she put into this. Enjoy!

Desmond has been encouraging me for awhile to lend some of my fashion expertise to this blog, as I admit that sometimes I pay more attention to what coaches are wearing than to what’s happening on the court. Not always, but sometimes. And I am not the only one, as certain coaches have become known for certain suits, hairdos, ties, signature garments that aren’t suits (I’m thinking mock turtleneck here), and general style or lack thereof. In order to best illustrate my thoughts on this topic, I’m going to focus on a few well-known coaches, in no particular order.

It must not be ignored that part of good fashion is good looks. As much as we hate to admit it, the people who set the tone in the fashion world tend to be good-looking. We average-looking people then hope to improve our overall image by buying and wearing what’s in style. However, sometimes we ignore the fact that fashion is often sold not on the looks or quality of the garment, but on the looks of the person wearing it. This may seem obvious to you all, but it’s worth highlighting as I consider several basketball coaches—some good looking and good dressers, some not as good looking and good dressers, and some even bad looking and bad dressers. I won’t go into the fourth quadrant, which would be good looking and bad dressers, since I honestly don’t pay that much attention to coaches’ looks, and tend only to notice a handsome coach primarily when he’s handsomely dressed.

We’ll start with Mike Brey, coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who falls squarely into the third quadrant: bad looking, bad dresser. Need I really say anything more than Mock T? With his slicked-back hair and sleepy eyes, Brey has the look of a villain—a relentlessly positive, encouraging villain, if you’ve ever listened to his post-game interviews. Truth be told, Mike Brey is a nice guy, but he just needs some guidance when it comes to his wardrobe. If you can believe it, Brey’s bio photo on the Notre Dame website features him in a black sports coat with a navy blue shirt underneath. Hello…NAVY with black??? Ann Taylor is turning in her grave. Another staple of Mike Brey’s wardrobe is the drab brown jacket with the black mock turtleneck underneath. Some people, and by some I mean very few, can pull off a light jacket with a dark shirt, but it’s a rare occurrence. And as far as I know, nobody can pull it off when said dark shirt is a mock turtleneck, and said light jacket is perennially unbuttoned.

Next up we have Rick Pitino, esteemed coach of the Louisville Cardinals. Pitino, in my opinion, falls into the “not as good looking and good dressers” quadrant of our fashion diagram. Some of you may disagree, claiming that he is both good looking and a good dresser, but I believe that Pitino has come to be regarded as good looking over the years precisely because of his peerless fashion sense, proving the quote he likes to sign with his autographs: “There is no substitute for hard work.” Well Rick, if you’re lucky enough (which you’re not) good looks can be a substitute for hard work. Pitino is best known for his white suits, which Desmond has featured on this blog before, and for the expertly-folded handkerchiefs that are usually peeking out of his jacket’s breast pocket. This photo tells it all.

Roy Williams, national champion coach extraordinaire, is the subject of our next fashion analysis. Considering our diagram, Willams is one of few coaches who fall into that elusive quadrant: good looking and good dresser. Some of you may disagree again, claiming that Williams is not much of a looker. However, I think that Roy Williams is not always considered among the better-looking coaches simply because he is not a young man. Williams is almost sixty, and he has aged remarkably well. With his classy silver hair, rimless glasses, and year-round tan, Roy Williams has a look of dapper health about him, and his well-chosen suits only accentuate his dignified yet down to earth aura. The owner of the retailer where Williams buys many of his suits explains, “Roy Williams has his own sense of style. He shops with us often but he already knows what he likes and doesn't like. He wears classic and very stylish peek lapel single-breasted suits by Canali and Hickey Freeman, and he loves pocket squares or ties in Carolina light blue. He's a basketball coach that understands clothing.” Well said, Mr. Stockton. The only downside of Williams’ fashion sense is that at one point he became a bit too confident in his fashion savvy, attempting to pull off the light coat dark jacket combo that I already berated Mike Brey for above. As you can see, even Roy Boy can’t pull off the look very well.

Speaking of older coaches, it’s time to move onto a less-beloved basketball mind, one that led his team to a mind-boggling 0-18 start in Big East play this season, only to win the big one against Cincinnati in the first round of the conference tournament. Yes, I’m speaking of the one and only Jerry Wainwright, coach of the DePaul Blue Demons. Wainwright’s fashion sense can be described the same way as his team’s record this season: less than stellar. Way less. From the first time I saw Wainwright on the sidelines in the Joyce Center, I knew this was a man even more securely in the bad looking, bad dresser quadrant than Mike Brey. From his gauche tweed jackets and khaki pants, to his palm studded ties, to his oversized polos when he’s not on the sidelines, to his generally dumpy look, it doesn’t get much worse than Jerry Wainwright. His suits are surely purchased from Burlington Coat Factory, though I couldn’t get any confirmation on this. In his favor, I will say that the lack of class in Jerry’s appearance can lend an air of coziness and comfort to his persona, perhaps conjuring up in players and fans the same sense of being one of the guys that we all get from Charlie Weis’s gametime sweatsuits. However, this is meager praise, and this image sums up my general thoughts on Jerry Wainwright’s looks and style.

(Wright's thank you to Gabe at D'Annunizo & Battistoni Clothiers)

The last coach I will analyze is none other than Jay Wright, who coached his 3 seeded Villanova squad to the Final Four in this year’s tournament, breaking the hearts of Pitt fans along the way. But I can’t hold Wright’s Pitt win against him as I analyze his fashion sense. And even if I could, Jay Wright would easily maintain his spot as perhaps both the best looking and best dressed coach in college basketball. As one of the pundits writes, Wright has “movie star looks and a wardrobe that would rival any in Tinsel Town.” Wright’s I-talian suits are custom-made at D’Annunzio & Battistoni Clothiers, which boasts the following about its hand-crafted fashion for men: “There is nothing that compares to dressing in custom-made. Nothing. The comfort that comes from owning a piece of excellently crafted clothing, the uniquely ‘you’ feel that comes from wearing it, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing that there is no one in the room better dressed... and that, while fashion may come and go, your piece of custom clothing will never go out of style.” Jay is known for his four-button, three piece suits, which tend to stay buttoned during the game, until the sweet smell of victory wafts over to the sidelines, and then onto the court.

Looking uncannily like George Clooney, it’s not surprising that Jay Wright is a multiple winner of GQ’s annual Fashionable Four, a contest to see who’s the best-dressed coach in college basketball. As one blogger writes, “Villanova games don’t have to be in High Definition—Jay Wright makes the TV look better.” And if you have any doubts about Jay Wright’s good looks and fashion sense, just see how good he looks next to yours truly and a certain Lyddie Cate, who’s pretty sure she’s found her Mr. Wright.

Well, that’s all from Fashion Annie, as they call me on the runway. Until next year!

0201

The Eric Devendorf Post

(Perhaps the best and worst tattoo in college basketball)

I promised this post to a few people who are probably no longer following this blog. I'm a man of my word, so here it is...the Eric Devendorf post.

Devendorf is another, in a seemingly ubiquitous succession of rat-like white guards for the Syracuse Orange. Followers of Big East basketball will be familiar with him, as will anyone who watched the Syracuse vs. UConn 6 overtime conference tournament game. If it seems like Eric should be in his 12th year at Syracuse, it's because he just about is. His freshman year was the 2005-06 season when he made the Big East all-freshman team. Devendorf was only a junior this season, after taking a medical redshirt during the 2007-08 season due to a torn ACL. It's amazing to think that us Big East followers have one more season to put with his antics. (Eric has declared for the NBA draft, but has not hired an agent, I'm thinking/assuming that he isn't going going to be selected and will be back with Coach Boeheim and Co. this fall)

Mr. Devendorf is noteworthy because of the following:

• Ironically wearing Michael Jordon & LeBron James' number 23
• His odd cross-with-a-basketball-in-the-middle-of-it tattoo
• Curious facial hair decisions
  
• Being a McDonald's All-American
  
• Constant preening and posing
• Acting "street" even though the Eminem fad is long over
• Striking a female student in the face on November 1st, 2008, at the time Devendorf said this was done in self defense
  

A Syracuse University judicial hearing board recommended that Eric be suspended for the entire 2008-09 season. Devendorf missed two games during his appeal process (including a Syracuse win over Memphis) and was then reinstated for the spring semester on the condition that he completed 40 hours of community service.

(Devendorf doing time)

Justice. Sweet justice.

Pat Forde wrote this column right around the beginning of the NCAA Tournament titled: Devendorf Deals With The Hate. In the article we learn that Eric is the father of a 9 month old daughter and insists that he is a "down-to-earth dude". You can read it (if you so chose), but here are two fun quotes from #23 himself:

• On the public - "They probably think I'm an a-hole, man," the Syracuse shooting guard said with a smile on his face. "I know they do. I know everybody thinks I'm an a-hole."
• On the public's perception of himself - "I don't know if it's because of the tattoos or my competitive spirit. But sometimes people can get the wrong idea about a person."

My question is...how do we get the right idea?

Ladies and gentlemen...that was the Eric Devendorf post.

You're welcome CJS.

0201

The One Shining Moment Phenomenon

(NORTH CAROLINA! Come on and raise up...)

Does anyone else find the "One Shining Moment" phenomenon fascinating? The fact that a cheezy late-80's prom song is synonymous with the NCAA Tournament is quite interesting. The song was originally intended to be used during CBS's coverage of college football. The decision to play the song after the NCAA championship game proved to be a good one. One Shining Moment was first played after the 1978 title game, and has been a fixture of March Madness ever since. Here are some quotes from reputable news sources:

• "One Shining Moment is arguably the most famous song in sports." Wall Street Journal
• "...The playing of the anthem 'One Shining Moment' has become as integral to the NCAA tournament and national championship as snipping the nets." USA Today
• "One Shining Moment' is one of the great power ballads of all-time...one last heartfelt goodbye." Sports Illustrated

Please note that I'm NOT being sarcastic or snippy here. I look forward to hearing the song and watching the montage as much as anyone. I'm just intrigued that the song stands up and is downright important to a generation of people and basketball players that listen to Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy.

0201

Prediction For Monday's Championship Game

(It's about time Danny Green got some picture props on here)

After the UConn Huskies ruined my chances of winning just one NCAA Tournament Pool (damn you R.B.), it's time to focus on North Carolina vs. Michigan State. College basketball's title game is so different than the Super Bowl in that there's only 48 hours to hype up and discuss the game. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I'm leaning towards good...because if I have to hear about the '79 title game between Magic and Bird one more time, I seriously might lose it.

How is a Big East team not in the Championship game? How did North Carolina lose to a team that lost to Harvard this season? How many times will Magic Johnson be shown in the stands during this game (I'm putting the over/under at 5.5)? Who knows. What I DO know is the winner of this year's NCAA title, and my prediction is as follows:

North Carolina over Michigan State

Reasons:

• If you think that there is a "home court" advantage for Michigan State playing in Detroit...you're clinically insane. There's gonna be a bunch of random middle-aged white guys at this game, the press, and some empty seats. Yeah...that bodes really well for Michigan State. (I'm going back to the well on this one!)
• Let's see...Ty Lawson, Danny Green, Lil Wayne Ellington, Deon Thompson, Tyler Hansbrough, Ed Davis, etc., etc., etc.
• Anna Lou NEEDS her first March Madness experience to end in a Tar Heel championship! This will give her the taste of victory early and set the tone for the rest of her Carolina Blue life!
  
• My goodness...it's already been 4 years since the North Carolina Tar Heels won a National Championship. Doesn't it seem like they're a little overdue at this point?
• A bunch of these UNC players came back for another year to win the NCAA title and cut down the nets. When decisions like this are made at the college level, karma is involved and good things happen. Just look at that Florida team a few years ago.
• TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!! TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!! TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!!
• Robert Morris University was tied at 30 with Michigan State more than halfway through the first half in their opening round game. Now I love my alma mater, but MSU won't be able to play their rope-a-dope style against the fun-and-gun style of UNC.
• If things like "destiny" and "the team is playing in their home state" are the best reasons to go with Michigan State...the Spartans are in serious trouble.
  
• North Carolina missed 15 free throws, got beat on the boards by five, lost the game in the paint by 10, second-chance points by three and even got beat on the fast break. And still beat Villanova by 14 points. Yeah...the Tar Heels are good.
• Tyler Hansbrough is finally going to cut down the nets...and Billy Packer is going to be crying himself to sleep tonight, wishing he could have been there.
• Going with UNC to win it all allows me to wish Liz and Emily the best of luck along with giving them props. If a certain someone kept getting props while Villanova kept winning, this is only fair. (P.S. Props to you John L. as well, if you're actually still reading this thing)
  
• Mega Star Ty Lawson deserves this! He's amazing!
• Roy Williams wore a Kansas Jayhawks button/pin during last year's title game. Kansas won the national championship. I figure this was good practice for Coach Williams. As long as he wears something related to UNC during this year's title game, his squad is a shoe-in to win it all.
• I can't defend a Big 10 team, I just can't. It does not make one bit of sense with regard to logic and reason.
• Seriously, North Carolina is really really good.
• Confidence in this pick: 9.5

0201

Phil Becomes A Golden Griffin

(Buy your t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts now)

To let all of my loyal readers know, Phil has accepted a professorship position at Canisius College, a very reputable Jesuit institution in Buffalo New York. Huge props to Phil! We can all be glad that he'll be brainwashing students at a college with a Division 1 NCAA basketball program. Phil will now be immersed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Canisius has made the NCAA Tournament 4 times, most recently in 1996. They were the No. 9 seed in this year's MAAC tournament, where they upset No. 8 seed Loyola before losing to eventual Conference Champion Siena. Frank Turner led the Golden Griffins in scoring this year and will be back next year for his senior season. I've done no research on the subject, but I can only assume that the Canisius basketball squad is a program on the rise. I look forward to engaging in a MAAC Tournament bet next season. Nicely done Phil.

0201

Predictions For Saturday's Final Four Games

(The Mega Star and the Destroyer of Dreams)

It feels like it's been long enough to enjoy college basketball again, hasn't it? I'm not going to jinx things...but if a certain two teams meet in the championship game (regardless of the eventual winner), I win one of my pools. You can say I'm invested in the results of today's games. Here are my predictions for tonight's Final Four games. I'm sorry I didn't post these earlier...so that others could jump in with their own predictions in the comments section. But a lot of people bitched and moaned about wanting a Pitt/Villanova post...then didn't read it, or didn't comment on it. I figure that we're all about square. Enjoy the games.

Connecticut over Michigan State

Reasons:

• As I've said before...if you think a little bump-in-the-road like a "recruiting scandal" is going to slow down Jim Calhoun and the UConn Huskies, you're dead wrong. These accusations are just pissing Coach Calhoun off! As if he and the Huskies needed proper motivation. He's got (way more) than 1.6 million reasons to win this game!
• When in doubt, go with the team that Pitt defeated twice this season when they were ranked #1 in the country. You better believe I'm going to keep cramming Pitt into this blog at every opportunity.
• I decided not to doubt the abilities of Tom Izzo and a Big 10 team last weekend when I chose MSU over Louisville. It paid off. But I can only give that kind of credit once per NCAA Tournament...and the Spartans used up that voucher in the Great Eight.
• If you think that there is a "home court" advantage for Michigan State playing in Detroit...you're clinically insane. There's gonna be a bunch of random middle-aged white guys at this game, the press, and some empty seats. Yeah...that bodes really well for Michigan State.
• Most of you have been reading this blog for awhile. Most of you have been watching the NCAA Tournament. Go ahead...name me TWO players from Michigan State. I dare you! It's ok...I'll wait.
  
• UConn is simply the better team. Everyone knows this. The reason that the press is hyping up Tom Izzo's success and the "home court" advantage for MSU is because they (and everyone else) knows that UConn should kick ass in this game. They are the favorite. They have the talent. They will have the victory.
• Confidence in this pick: 8.7

North Carolina over Villanova

Reasons:

• You don't defeat the Pitt Panthers on a last second shot, denying the best Pitt team in history their first trip to the Final Four, and expect to keep advancing. There are repercussions to your actions Villanova! The road ends here! F*** off!
• If you think the nation is done hearing about Tyler Hansbrough...you have another thing coming! We're not done seeing #50 on the court and being subjected to announcers detail his passion (whiteness) and talk about how he came back for his senior year to win a national championship. It almost makes me wish Billy Packer was doing these games, just to hear him gush with Hansbrough related man-love.
• Ty Lawson plays for North Carolina. Enough said.
• What makes the Final Four games different than the Great Eight games is preparation time. These teams have had 6-7 days to prepare for the Final Four (opposed to about 36 hours of prep time for the Great Eight). When given time to practice, game plan, and prepare...the better team will win 9 out of 10 times. Point UNC.
• If I pick against North Carolina, Liz and Emily might kill me. I value my life right now, so I'm going with the Tar Heels. (I also made a promise to root for UNC unless they were playing Pitt, so I'm going to be a man of my word and keep rooting for Lil Wayne Ellington and company)
  
• I guess this is a huge day for Matt. He was about 3 years old the last time Villanova reached the Final Four. Props to you Matt...your team made the Final Four. Enjoy it for all it's worth, because it's going to end very soon when North Carolina beats you.
• Confidence in this Pick: 9.3

0201

Villanova 78, Pittsburgh 76

(Three of the best players in Pitt history, and the scapegoat)

I've officially had enough time to digest the premature end to Pitt's season. It hurt. It stung. It sucked. But I have to move forward. The comments sections are getting nasty...and demanding my thoughts and opinions on the Panther's heart-breaking loss to Villanova last Saturday. To appease the masses, and to help the healing process, here are a few of my thoughts about the demise of the best Pitt basketball team I've ever witnessed.

• There were two moments when I thought Pitt "had" the game won: 1) When they were up by 4 and had the ball with 3:05 to play, and 2) When Villanova turned the ball over on the home-run inbound pass, Levance Fields got fouled, and with ice in his veins...sunk the two clutch free throws that tied the game. As I told Phil during our halftime phone call, I was never 100% confident in Pitt winning the game. But during those two moments, my mind wandered on the hope that Pitt was about to reach the Final Four for the first time in their history. As we know, it wasn't meant to be. This is the epitome of why Panther fans dream of the best, but constantly prepare (emotionally) for the worst.
• I discovered that...when one is emotionally invested in a particular team...it is nearly impossible to realize THAT team is in the midst of a "classic" game. I have the awareness to realize I'm watching a "great" or "classic" game when my team isn't involved. (Such as the Memphis/Kansas title game last year, or the UNC/Michigan title game in 1993) But I do NOT have the awareness (or composure) to notice this when Pitt is playing. At no point during the Villanova game did I think to myself, "Wow...this is a great game! It's probably the best game of the tournament to date! The deciding bucket will be shown during One Shining Moment and haunt me for years!" To me...it was just a game where Pitt was battling their hearts out to achieve something the program had never achieved before. I believe that emotional investments prohibit one to exist outside themselves and realize the magnitude of what's going on in the present...and it's lasting imprint on the future.
  
• Jermain Dixon had a really good year for the Panthers. He was Pitt's best on-the-ball defender and will be a crucial part of their success next season. With that being said, I need to throw him under the bus for a moment. If Dixon hadn't made 2 mistakes (one mistake actually having four parts), I wonder if we'd be talking about Pitt's first trip to the Final Four this week. First...when Pitt was up 4 with three minutes left, Dixon and Fields were playing catch in the back court to advance on the Villanova press. For reasons that defy logic, Dixon: 1) took the ball across the timeline (center court), 2) picked up his dribble, 3) turned the ball over, and 4) fouled Dwayne Anderson as he was in the midst of making a layup. Ug. A basketball player is taught IN SEVENTH GRADE to NOT take the ball over the timeline and pick up their dribble! The errors after that were the wonderful snowball effect of frustration. His second mistake occurred on the last play of the game. Dixon's responsibility on the play we've all seen 1,000 times by now was to 1) Deny Scottie Reynolds the ball, and if he couldn't do that, 2) Deny Scottie Reynolds from running north/south up the court. Unfortunately, Dixon allowed Reynolds to receive the ball cleanly (and with full momentum) on a classic triangle-based soccer play. Reynolds streaked up the court and the rest was Pitt and Villanova history. I like you Jermain. I just need to get this out. It's therapeutic.
• What makes college basketball great is the same thing that makes it suck. If you're lucky, you get to watch your team's players for 4 years. You get to watch these kids come in as flawed freshmen and develop into players with specific skills and endearing personalities. Sometimes...we have to be happy watching a player for just a season or two. College basketball is permanent and temporary...endearing and disappointing...familiar and brand new all at the same time. This is what makes it so great. This is what makes it suck. I'm going to miss the hell out of Sam Young and Levance Fields. It seems like those two have been starting on Pitt's squad forever. I can't envision watching a Pitt game next season where I don't have Young's ridiculous pump-fake to look forward to. You're telling me I can no longer watching Fields move around the court like a bowling ball dishing out sweet passes and taking ballsey 3-pointers at the end of a close game? Sigh. And let's PLEASE not bring up the fact that Dejuan Blair might jump ship and declare for the NBA draft. I can't deal with that right now. I've started to love his passion, his intensity, his Hines Ward'esque smiling, his rebounding dominance, and Bill Raftery's references to his derriere. This was the best Pitt team I've ever had the privilege of watching. College basketball is a cruel mistress. It giveth...and it taketh away.
  
• I have to give credit to the Villanova Wildcats and I have to give credit to Matt. They won. His team won. That team is both skilled and scrappy. They were physical and demonstrated finesse at the same time. They made a TON of difficult/clutch shots. Pitt tried to punch them in the mouth over and over again and they never wavered. If these teams played a 10-game series, I believe each would win 5 times. This was a classic Great Eight game. Jamie Dixon and Jay Wright's squads provided an outstanding match-up. Someone had to win, someone had to lose. These kinds of cliches could only come from someone on the losing end. Props to you Matt. It's right here in writing...for the world (or at least 10 people you don't really know) to see.
• Hey...at least Gary McGhee didn't enter the game.
• I took no notice of what the coaches were wearing during this game. Perhaps their attire had something to do with the outcome. (Annie...I'm opening a window for you here!)
  
• After a sloppy performance in the Pitt/Xavier game, I thought that Verne Lundquist acquitted himself nicely in this one. Bill Raftery, of course, remains the consummate professional.
• Just to say it before they're gone: Dejuan Blair - 20 points (9-9 from the field!) and 10 rebounds, Sam Young - 28 points and 7 rebounds, Levance Fields - 6 assists and 0 turnovers. Like I said, I'm gonna miss these guys.
• I think that about does it. This is my Pitt/Villanova recap. Please feel free to contribue comments concerning this "classic" Great Eight game. Pitt had an oustanding season. Villanova prevailed on this night and reached the Final Four. It hurt. It stung. It sucked. But this is what being a fan is all about.

0201

Seth Curry Transfers To Duke (Seriously)

(Is Seth not blatantly palming the ball here?)

Adding to the Curry family's already monumental mystique, Seth Curry has decided to transfer to the Duke Blue Devils. After leading the nation in freshman scoring, Curry decided that the competition he faced as a Liberty Flame was not up to par with his abilities. The word on the street was that Seth wanted to transfer to an ACC school in his home state of North Carolina. It looks like he was successful on both counts. Could Seth have chosen a more polarizing program than Duke? Not likely. Apparently Curry's father (former NBA player Dell Curry) was a big part of Seth's transfer process, telling the Associated Press: "Coach K kept telling him the timing couldn't be better, there'll be plenty of opportunities to contribute." Just wait until Curry gets his shot at Seth Greenberg and the Virginia Tech Hokies in ACC play. Seth will be eligible to play for Duke during the 2010-2011 season, following his redshirt year.

Stephen Curry was unavailable for comment.

0201

Predictions for Sunday's Great Eight Games

(POY Candidates: Tyler Hansbrough & Blake Griffin)

Better late than never with these picks. Not that there's anything else to discuss.

Michigan State over Louisville

Reasons:

• I'm tired of picking against the Big 10.
• If a certain Big East team seeded No. 1 can't reach the Final Four, I don't want all the other Big East teams seeded No. 1 to make it there.
• People LOVE talking about how good of a coach Tom Izzo is...this will give those people another opportunity to gush.
  
• The Spartans can slow down anybody with their sleep-inducing Big 10 style of play. Including Louisville. I think.
• I couldn't end up picking all the #1 seeds to reach the Final Four. That would just be boring.
• Confidence in this pick: 5.1

North Carolina over Oklahoma

Reasons:

• If North Carolina wins, this blog will be much more fun over the next week.
• I'll take Roy Williams over Jeff Capel in the coaching match-up please.
• Again...do you really think that sports fans are done hearing about Tyler Hansbrough? This is going to continue for another week folks. Not much you can do about it.
• In college sports...especially basketball...all-round skill ends up winning 9 out of 10 times. I'm sorry...but UNC just has the most talent of any team in this tournament. For instance, have I mentioned my love of Mega Star Ty Lawson lately?
  
• I don't want certain followers of this blog to kill me.
• Confidence in this pick: 8.8

0201

Predictions for Saturday's Great Eight Games

(One more win guarantees me an expensive-ass suit!)

I went a measly 2/4 yesterday...bringing my Sweet Sixteen totals to a very average 5 of 8. Today is all about the Pitt vs. Villanova game. This game is so good for the blog. Who would have guessed that Matt's Villanova team would be squaring off with Pitt for the right to go to the Final Four? I could not have scripted things better myself. Let's enjoy this monumental occasion. Someone will have HUGE bragging rights by the end of the day.

Connecticut over Missouri

Reasons:

• Like I said before...you think that a mere "recruiting scandal" is going to keep Jim Calhoun and the Huskies down? That's only going to piss coach off more! To quote Calhoun when asked about knowing NCAA recruiting rules: "Do you think every NCAA investigator knows what's in every one of those 508 pages?" Jim Calhoun does not have time to worry about rules...he's too busy winning NCAA Tournament games!!!
  
• I'll take UConn's senior leadership in A.J. Price, along with the Huskies' size advantage over Missouri's run-and-gun speed.
• Two weeks ago, after selection Sunday, everyone was sleeping on this UConn team...thinking that they were all but guaranteed to be the first No. 1 seed to go down. This is the classic reverse-bandwagon effect in action. Everyone thought they were vulnerable, the program is under recruiting allegations, Coach Calhoun is a cocky jerk, etc. These are the teams that piss everyone off by continuing to win.
• I think there may be a chance that Missouri is a little physically and emotionally exhausted after their big "upset" win over Memphis. They ran Memphis out of the building, scored over 100 points, and defeated a team that many had going to the Final Four. They might just be a little tired.
• Big East over Big 12. I just have to do it.
• Confidence in this Pick: 7.2

Pittsburgh over Villanova

Reasons:

• Do I really have to give reasons? I'm rooting for Pitt to make their first EVER Final Four appearance. This should be obvious to everyone. There will be no objectivity what-so-ever taking place here. This is blatant homer'ism...and I'm not ashamed. I'm worried that both teams are playing with house money right now. I'm worried that Villanova defeated Pitt during their only meeting during the regular season. I'm worried that Pitt hasn't played their best game in the NCAA Tournament...yet. This should be a great one. I'm nervous as hell. Go Pit!
• Confidence in this pick: N/A

0201

PITT REACHES THE ELITE EIGHT

(Levance "I shoot 90% with under 2 minutes to play" Fields)

Before whatever happens today actually happens...I needed to post something that would stand the test of time. The Pitt Panthers reached the Elite Eight for the first time in my lifetime by defeating Xavier on Thursday. My scream is still echoing from when Levance Fields hit that 3-pointer with under a minute remaining. I needed to post something simple, yet very important, that noted the accomplishment of this outstanding squad. What a season...31 victories, their first ever #1 ranking in the polls, defeating the #1 team in the country twice, and earning their first #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Pitt has finally reached the Elite Eight. Let's see what happens next.

0201

Predictions For Friday's Sweet Sixteen Games

(Who will prove to be "the man" in the UNC/Gonzaga game?)

I went 3 of 4 in my predictions for last night's sweet sixteen games...not to shabby. Let's crank out the rest of these things so people can post their predictions (and rants) by game time.

Louisville over Arizona

Reasons:

• I'll be taking Rick Pitino (and the occasional white suit) over Arizona interim head coach, Russ Pennell, any day of the week. Pitino knows this is one of the best teams he'll ever have. He's not going to screw it up by losing to a No. 12 seed.
• Staying with the Coach Pitino theme...he has an all-time record of 8-0 in Sweet Sixteen games.
• Much has been made about Arizona's "big three" of Nic Wise, Chase Budinger, and Jordan Hill...who could all end up being NBA draft picks this year. But this group of talent couldn't help them roll through Pac 10 conference play? A league where no other teams but Arizona reached the Sweet Sixteen? Please.
• Louisville has Terrence Williams, arguably the player that should have been co-Big East Player of the Year along with Dejuan Blair (and not Hasheem Thabeet). He does everything for the Cardinals (24 points and 15 rebounds in the Siena game).
• The Big East is proving it's dominance...already 3 teams in the Great Eight. If you think I'm picking a Pac 10 team over a Big East team, you haven't been reading this blog.
• Confidence in this pick: 9.5

Syracuse over Oklahoma

Reasons:

• At this point, I'm just choosing every Big East squad to reach the Great Eight. I'm not even settling for 4 Big East schools moving on to the next round. I want all 5!!!
• Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf should be able to manhandle the guards from Oklahoma. It then comes down to Paul Harris, Arinze Onuaku, and Rick Jackson slowing down Blake Griffin enough to throw him off his game.
• Oklahoma head coach Jeff Caple has done a good job this year, and he should be a good to great coach for years to come. But he's still relatively new to the scene, and I'm going with the savvy, experienced Jim Calhoun to out-coach and win in this match-up.
• I have visions of Syracuse's infamous 2-3 zone giving the Oklahoma guards and wing players fits. I don't really have any proof to back this up. But I can just picture it happening.
• Blake Griffin is an outstanding player. But Eric Devendorf and the Syracuse Orange need to stick around a little longer for the sake of this blog.
• Confidence in this pick: 6.4

Kansas over Michigan State

Reasons:

• How ironic is this? Bill Self and I were involved in an epic blood feud for most of last year's tournament (blog). Now I'm back picking the guy I don't trust at ALL to advance to the Great Eight? Peculiar.
• DON'T TRUST THE BIG TEN! DON'T TRUST THE BIG TEN! DON'T TRUST THE BIG TEN! DON'T TRUST THE BIG TEN!
  
• Tyler Hansbrough and Josh Heytvelt will be getting all of the big man attention in the UNC/Gonzaga game. But Cole Aldrich of Kansas might just be the best (white) big man in the country right now. He's coming off consecutive double-doubles in his first two NCAA tournament games, including 20 rebounds against Dayton.
• MSU head coach Tom Izzo has the track record to trust him in these kinds of situations. However, the Spartans SHOULD have lost to USC in the second round and were thoroughly outplayed for a half against a scrappy Robert Morris squad.
• Much like rock, paper scissors...when playing college basketball knockout: Big East > Big 12 > Horizon League > Big Ten.
• Confidence in this pick: 7.6

North Carolina over Gonzaga

Reasons:

• Ummm...I need North Carolina to keep winning (for at least two more rounds) to continue dominating my NCAA pools.
• Does anyone in America honestly (and I mean HONESTLY) think that Tyler Hansbrough's career is going to come to an end before the Final Four? Honestly? He's seemingly been around forever! It's not going to come to an end in a regional semi-final. My apologies to all of the UNC haters out there, but it's not going to happen.
• If Ty Lawson proved what he can do on a bad toe in the second half of that LSU game, Gonzaga should be terrified of what he can do with a few more days rest.
• I wish Gonzaga was in another region because it would be quite fun to root for this team to advance. They have a bunch of characters on this team including point guard Jeremy Pargo (who has also seemingly been around forever) and the man with the dreamy locks, Matt Bouldin.
• Coach Roy Williams against Coach Mark Few...a definite win...but also much closer than you'd originally think. But ACC vs. WCC...that's a blatant mismatch.
• Confidence in this pick: 9.9

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