Chisoxfn

QUOTE(Fotop @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:51 PM) Arizona could be lethal in the NCAA, Jason...don't sell them so short. Salim can carry them in a one and done situation and Channing Frye is actually turning into a decent player. I wouldn't say ASU and Stanford are "god awful" especially when Stanford's a lock for the NCAA. I also disagree about UCLA...the talent is def there, Affalo and Farmar are good freshman and Thompson can score. But hey, this is coming from a guy who sees teams on paper and expects them to perform (cough*ND*cough) so I cut some slack for teams with some pure talent. May be my fault, but potentially, it's there. UCLA has had talent for a few years....thats why its just gotten old with them. My fault on Stanford I guess. The few games I saw they were atrocious. I was thinking UCLA was the 3rd best team in the pac 10 but I haven't looked at records in a while. The big thing with Arizona is they tend to play down to there competition and I don't like that, because if thats the case all it takes is the other team getting hot and they are gone. I'm a Lute Olsen fan though.

QUOTE(Fotop @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:47 PM) Don't forget ASU, pretty much a bubble team until they s*** the bed. Ike Diogu is a friggin' monster. And once you start talking about the Minnesotas and Iowas of the world I think they'd be 50/50 with the 2nd tier in the Pac-10. But like I said, I don't watch lower tier Pac-10 ball so I can't be so sure...I'm just trying to say that the Big 10 is nothing the write home about. And I hate to bring this up, but their track record in the NCAA speaks volumes of their "quality." (the big 10 that is) Illinois is the best team in the country. MSU is as good as any other 3 seed in the country and could probably give it to most 2 seeds on a good night. Wisconsin couldn't. Iowa, Minnesota, and probably IU would all be light years ahead of UCLA. Pac 10...may get 3 teams in and thats soley because historically they are a good basketball conference (UCLA, UW, and UA). Big 10 has 4 in for sure and then Iowa should go. Plus OSU would go if it weren't for probation and until the latest choke job you'd consider IU as well. Thats a lot more depth, imo. However when it comes to pure bottom feeders, Purdue and Penn State were pretty god awful. So was USC in the pac 10.

On a sidenote, I'm not saying that the Big 10 is as good as the Big East. I was also really dissapointed in the way the Irish played. They had some big wins but man did they have some major losses as well. All they need was one loss and they would of been in. Heck, Iowa would probably still need a win if it weren't for the other bubble teams taking a major dive, I won't deny that. However, Maryland, UCLA, IU, Notre Dame, and maybe even ISU all opened up the door for Iowa. And then Iowa made sure the door was left open by defeating Purdue with ease and then pulling out the game against MSU. There will be absolutely zero doubt about it if they beat Wisconsin.

QUOTE(Fotop @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:43 PM) I might buy that the Pac-10 is worse, but they're pretty similar. Two really good teams (U of I/MSU, Arizona/Washington), a few teams that can be erratic (Iowa, UCLA for example), and the rest pretty bad. Wisconsin may give the Big 10 the edge, but I haven't watched enough Pac-10 ball to make a defense for it. Please, UCLA is crap. And Washington is solid...but they aren't a MSU, Washington is closer to Wisconsin. There is a reason Big 10 will get 5 teams in. And as someone that is a Pac 10 guy, along with a Big 10 guy, I'd tell you straight up that the Pac 10 is awful. Hell, I tend to think Arizona is overrated as well and I know UCLA doesn't deserve any bid. USC, ASU, Washington State, Stanford, Cal are all god awful this year. UCLA is probably in that Michigan mold if I were to say. Actually they are better than that, I'd say IU range just a notch below Iowa.

QUOTE(Fotop @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:38 PM) First off, knocking off Northern Iowa isn't a "big" win. Secondly, you have to look at a team's body of work...and a majority of that body of work is a mediocre big 10 record, plain and simple. The big 10 is quite possibly the worst major conference this year and not being able to go .500 in it shows me something. I still think Pierce's absence is going to play a major role in them getting a bid. There are plenty of teams that have just as good of, if not a little better resumes than Iowa. I really think they need a win tommorow, but with their AD (Iowa that is) being part of the selection committee (maybe the head guy, i'm not sure) I'm betting they'll get slipped in which is horses***. I understand you're pulling for Iowa, but I can't look past that big 10 record. It's friggin' atrocious. So, in a logical world they would probably have to win tommorow to be a lock, but in reality they're probably in because they big 10 always has some sort of pull. Middle of the pack in the big 10...yes, but they have more big wins then any bubble team. Show me one team on the bubble when all is set and done with the resume the Hawkeyes have in terms of quality wins. You also knock the Big 10 and well frankly the B-10 has the best team in the conference. Iowa played them better then any team in the country twice (minus OSU who got the win) and thats 2 losses. Then you have 2 losses to MSU and Wisconsin, both good clubs. Thats 6 losses right there, besides that you have Michigan, NU, and Purdue (all bad losses, but the Purdue loss was right after they lost Pierce) and then a loss to OSU (a tourney bound team if they weren't barred this year). And on a sidenote, no way your gonna tell me that the Big 10 is worse then the Pac 10 this year. Pac 10 is 2 deep with Arizona and Washington. I'm a homer sure, but I'm as unbiased as a fan of my team can get. And ya, the tourney is insane. I went a few years and lucked out and got to see the Hawkeyes play as well as the Zags and Uconn (the year they won with RIP and Khalim) and it was a total insane blast.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:37 PM) Yeah those ratings aren't my religion or anything I was just kinda passing them along. You also got to remember i'm not much of a stat guy. Its something that I think ever since Billy Beane tends to get overlooked at. Especially since for every stat for something there is a stat against it and vice versa. And any stat that has good defenders like Hassell way down as well as a guy like KG way down is just ridiculous, IMO. Everyone knows KG is one of the most valuable players in the NBA to his team, although this year Minny is just a joke.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:27 PM) Done. I watch every game and there is no excuse for a 7 footer to pull down so few rebounds and be such a non factor on defense, period, end of story. I know you watch the game. All I'm saying is these stats are horses***. I just want people to tell me what the Bulls would do without his precense down low. He's the one consistent low post scorer the Bulls would have. Without him teams wouldn't even have to worry about the bigs and could shut down the perimeter game. Harrington is solid off the bench, but he isn't near the force offensively that Eddy is. And yes his rebounding is awful, no other way of putting it. But don't ignore the things he does well at the same time. He's young and needs to grow, but he's just had back to back pretty good games with 8 boards and minimal TO's. No, its not as good as he needs to be rebounding wise, but its an improvement. Rebounding is about attitude of wanting to get the ball and he's going to have to get it.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 09:57 PM) that's unpossible. ----- Crede's hasn't even hit aribtration yet... Hell I think he's got options left... He'll be in a sox uniform in 2006 in either of those scenarios Thank you Gene...someone with some sense here. I don't get it, the Sox control his rights for whatever price they want at this point and he's still got a few arbitration years left as well. Just cause Boras is his agent isn't reason to ride his ass out of town. The guy has the ability to make the Sox a top of the line offense and if you ask me he's gonna come out and put up vey good numbers in the back of the lineup and be a big reason the Sox do well this year.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 08:21 PM) Crede wasnt as good as Fields was going into the draft though was he.... With Fields we know the talent is there... Crede was a two time minor league MVP. The guy did nothing but rake in the minors and garnished comparisons by some (me being one of them) to Scott Rolen for the sake that he's a hell of a defensive infielder with some pop. The guy had one bad year, get over it people. It happens, he's working hard on adjustments, has tons of power potential, and is one of the best defensive 3rd baseman in the majors. Jesus, he's gonna prove everyone wrong thats so blind in there Crede hatred. Talk about what he can't do, but don't tell me Fields can come in and put up Crede like numbers, he couldn't. He was playing in A ball last year and still has some work to do with his swing and a lot of work to do in the field with his footwork. He has the potential to be good and definately has some power potential but the guy is still at best a year away. Even then they could just as easily move him if Crede plays like he's capable of. Trust me, if Crede was on the block almost every GM in baseball would be giving Kenny a call. There is talent to be tapped there and he has had success at the major league level. If he fails this year, thats another story, but he deserves this year.

QUOTE(The Bones @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:25 PM) Came across some tickets to the BTT Semifinals tomorrow, so I'll be at the UC cheering on the Illini and Iowa. Sweet...I can't even imagine what its like at the big 10 tourney. It was insane tonight at the big west tourney and we don't have near the student sections that the big conferences have or the size arena's.

I'd rather trade for Shaun Alexander if it is true and the Seahawks are willing to take less than a 1st rounder.

QUOTE(danman31 @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 09:25 PM) Play by play. I was talking the most as a result of that. Did you listen? WHarris- NC was a 10 seed in their sectional and there are about 16 teams in each sectional. Thus they aren't supposed to be very good, but they must be hot now. Can't count anyone out at this point, that's why it's March Madness. Ya I had no idea which one you were at the end of the game. And then there was a strecth where the feed cut in and out. But I thought you guys did a good job. Actually a really good job. Do you usually announce Dan? I know you've done it in the past but are you doing it for every game?

QUOTE(orangekrush88 @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 11:16 PM) So let's see Iowa is in and Minnesota is in looks like the"worst" of the big 6 conferences is going to get 5 teams in, just like the "best" conference in the ACC. Also I am a little worried about the rest of the tournament as Minnesota could be faily easy win, it will be hard to best Iowa or Wisconsin for the third time this year especially after what happened today with Webber. I hope to hell Iowa is in. Of course I read the writeup by the AP and they indicate that Iowa would have ot win it all to get in. That would be such horses*** and I think they are just talking guarantee or something. Plus I ain't listening to the AP. All I know is it would be a travesty if the Hawks weren't let in after all the big wins they have had. Sure they struggled in the big 10, but they still have an oustanding record with a lot of big wins.

These ratings are laughable. I don't get it, watch the game. You want to knock Curry knock him all you want, but the guy helps the team. Without Eddy the Bulls would have ZERO low post presence and they would falter. He needs to improve his rebounding and of course defense. But he did have stretches this year where he played better defense. His quotes today were great talking about him and Chandler and fact is he's in tremendous shape. Lay off the guy. Also, its horses*** if anyone thinks Nocioni is that bad. The guy is instremental in a lot of Bulls games. He draws the offensive foul like nobodies business and has done a pretty good job replacing Luol Deng. Case is, Curry rarely plays when the bench is in and the Bulls bench tends to outscore opponents benches. There are a lot of factors to these ratings and no one is gonna tell me Hassel is one of the worse players in that regard. Hassel may not score but he is one of the best defenders in the NBA.

Sounds like a great freaking win

QUOTE(Spod=Ratings @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 08:29 PM) Do you think Wake still deserves a number 1 seed? Yes...they lost the game without one of there best players, if not there best player. Bottom line is Kansas doesn't deserve a 1 seed so Wake definately does. I guess Duke could grab Wake's 1 seed but I don't see it happening. UNC and Illini are locks and I kind of think Wake is as well.

QUOTE(Fotop @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 09:39 PM) Even with the win today I still don't buy Iowa making the dance unless they make the Big 10 final. You don't go 7-9 in the Big 10 and expect a tournament bid when you win 2 games in the Big 10 tourney. Also, don't overrate their OOC games that they won...those were with Pierce, and he's not going to be playing again anytime soon. Fact is they won the games. Regardless of whether he's on the team or not anymore isn't the case. The Hawks have more big wins then any other bubble team and they proved today that they could win without Pierce by taking out the #10 team in the country Michigan State. 21 wins, quite a few quality wins including the big wins over MSU, Texas, Louisville...then of course ISU, Texas Tech, Northern Iowa (should be tourney bound).

The Titans went down to Utah State in a close game. Absolutely the worse officiated game I've ever seen. 24 fouls to 9 and no game is called like that. The Titans got absolutely clobbered on the boards and it was the only reason they lost. They were down by 2 with under 2 to go and then Utah State pulled away. Absolute blast though regardless..just wish they could of went further cause they have a good squad. God I love this time of year. There were a bunch of brawls at the game and I can singlehandedly say Utah State is the team I hate more then any other team in the country. GO PACIFIC tomorrow.

NC State is gonna be dancing as well with that win, imo. So it looks like NC State, Minnesota, Texas Tech and I'd like to think Iowa have all gotten themselves into the tourney today. Then you have Iowa State who has to be teetering at this point. I'd think they'd go but you just don't know. And I don't know why but people think UCLA should still go and is a near lock but that would be horrific because the Pac 10 is awful this year minus Washington and Arizona.

Personally if I am a favorite, the teams I don't want to play are the ones with everything on the line cause those are the teams that will be going all out. You could even count the teams with nothing on the line either ,like the NU's. But in the case of Iowa they got everything in terms of tourney future on the line so they better damn well leave it all on the court. I think you could say the same about OSU except they are soley playing for pride and for next year and then you have Wisconsin who is gonna want to improve their seeding and of course Minny. Its gonna be a fun game tomorrow whether its OSU or Wisconsin. Iowa has split with OSU and blown a game against Wisconsin but I look forward to playing either of them. I'm just glad Iowa has another game.

OMG, what a game by the Hawkeyes. They had that one stretch with like 6 stretch turnovers in the 2nd half but besides that they played very well and won that game. Heck, they did all they could the final two minutes to hand the game to MSU because that game was Iowa's. If this doesn't get Iowa into the dance I'll be pissed, but regardless I want them to just keep on winning. On a horrible sidenote I just got home and turned on ESPN and they are saying Bruce Weber's mom passed away. Horrible news and prayers go out to him.

Nice, just called the bar and the game is gonna be on the big screen. GO Hawks and hopefully later today I'll be posting about a great Hawkeye victory

56-54 Stinson with a jumper 1:26 left

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Mar 11, 2005 -> 02:10 PM) Yeah, what a game, i'm on the edge of my seat I'm having to use gametracker to follow this...LAAAAAAAME

56-52 now with 1:37 left.