Rex Hudler

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 12, 2013 -> 01:10 PM) Yet another thing on the list of items this team is going to learn before the big 10 season is over. They played way too conservatively in the 2nd half and it almost came back to bite them in the ass. Minny's pressure has been tough, but if you attack that pressure and score off of it, the pressure subsides. We've not attacked the basket. The first half was a thing of beauty, however.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 09:35 AM) Looks like Leron Black is back in play. Feeling stupid... should I know who that is?

I don't like how IU is trying to milk the shot clock every possession. That's not how you got this big lead. Playing to protect a lead often equals giving up said lead.

For those of you who may have forgotten or need some pointers, there is a free basketball clinic going on right now in Assembly Hall. Coverage on BTN.

Minnesota 73 Illinois 67

So is the Missouri Valley just the Big Two and Little Eight this year? Have there been any big out of conference wins by someone not named Creighton?

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jan 8, 2013 -> 07:54 PM) Im not saying that it will happen instantly. But as you said, it effectively becomes an 8 game tournament and because the CCG is the key to getting in, the conference schedule becomes even more important. As for the 8-5 part, it really is very unlikely that a team is a conference champion with that many losses. That being said, if they can win 3 games in a row (CCG and 2 playoff games) against the "best" teams, why arent they deserving? Something would have had to change (ie injury etc) for a team to make that dramatic of a turnaround. I just think you'll have a problem if a 7-5 team wins, while there is a 10-2 team sitting in the wings that didn't make it to the CCG, especially if they played and the 10-2 team waxed the 7-5 team. It goes to not only unbalanced schedules, but the difficulties of balanced divisions within conferences as we are seeing in the BiG. The quality of teams will change over time and there will always be issues with inequities like that with larger conferences. Though one way would be to go to four 20-team conferences and have teams play 9 division games only and none from the opposing division (essentially 8, 10-team conferences tied together in pairs. Not sure that's going to happen though.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jan 8, 2013 -> 01:33 PM) This year was an aberration as an undefeated OSU team should have been in the CCG over Wisconsin. And it makes perfect sense. AM and Georgia lost to Alabama (Not sure why you mentioned Scar, they barely beat Michigan and were trashed by Florida). The best team in the SEC was Alabama. Why should Bama have to risk going 1-1 against AM and AM being Champ? I dont like the idea of rematch games. Its just more fun for me to see the 4 conferences best teams play it out and see what happens. I tend to agree, but there are issues with it. Under this format, the conference championship games become de facto quarterfinal games, giving the feel of an 8 game playoff. But this can't happen without getting to four conferences which will include Notre Dame which isn't going to happen overnight and not without completely blowing up all of the traditions of college basketball (though I think that is inevitable anyway). This model works for me when you have 4 conference champs that are 13-0, 12-1 or maybe even 11-2. But when a 7-5 team wins a CC in an upset, I have no interest in seeing that team in a "Final Four". There is no perfect scenario, I know.

God, I hope not! Michigan? Northwestern? UCLA? I could go on and on.... I want NO part of anything like that. Why don't we just give everyone a participation trophy and call it a day? QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 8, 2013 -> 12:51 PM) Do you think that they'd go for this?

IU gets a tough test Saturday morning against Minnesota. Will be good to be back in Assembly Hall. Minny hits a tough patch in their schedule this week. @ Illinois Wed, @ Indiana Sat, and home vs. Michigan next Thurs to be followed by two more road games, including one @ Wisky.

I would be an Alabama fan if it weren't for their fans. I've tried before and even almost got there, but then a few open their mouths and I can't do it. It's never gonna happen....

Bama opens next season in Atlanta against Va Tech. That matchup kind of fizzled with the Hokies struggles this year. Week 2 Bama @ Texas A & M. We'll know real quick where those teams stand!

A lot of people have said McCarron isn't that good. He's proven to be pretty damned good in big games.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 08:44 PM) Nd offensive line good in pass pro. Not a ton of pressure. Bama not trying to put pressure when they aren't blitzing. Just trying to keep Golson in the pocket because they know he can't beat them with his arm. That said, Bama doesn't have a true pass rushing DL man.

I'd bash on ND's defense like everyone else, but Alabama has done this to everyone they have played except Utah, when they have had time to prepare. 2008 vs. #9 Clemson to open the season, 34-10 2009 vs. #7 Va Tech to open the season, 34-24 (VA Tech gave them the best of these games) 2009 vs. Texas in NC game (though it was 2nd Q before they took off), 37-21 2010 vs. Michigan State in Capital One Bowl, 49-3 2011 vs. LSU in NC Game, 21-0 2012 vs. Michigan to open the season, 41-14 2012 vs. ND

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 07:56 PM) He clearly was bobbling the catch, the punt was questionable. Either way your vaunted D needs to step up and right now they are getting run over. I guess it depends on the color of your glasses, because you're completely wrong on both accounts. The ball on the out of bounds play never left his hand so you can't say he was clearly bobbling it. It changed hands while he was falling out of bounds, but nothing on that play was clear. And the punt play was BS. He didn't touch the returner and he got pushed by a Bama player in the back toward him. It's not my D brother. I'd like to see ND win, but I'm not going to lose an ounce of sleep either way. There is nothing clouding my judgement here!

Those that say ND gets all the calls can't crow tonight. Terrible call on the punt return and questionable call on the preceding incompletion. All that said, the Irish better man up right now or they're going to get blown out of the building.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 07:00 PM) Yeah, I hate Alabama and think Nick Saban is a douche but ND fans are so obnoxious and unbearable. And for some reason this year it seems the number of people I know who are "huge Notre Dame fans!" has exploded. Weird. They're no worse than Bama fans... and I would submit they probably aren't nearly as bad. Before you argue with me, come live in AL for awhile!

IU basketball team must be football fans too. It's nice they're so thoughtful to blow PSU early so fans can turn to the start of the football game!

QUOTE (Brian @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 06:02 PM) I hope it's decided by the end of the 1st quarter. Plus, if ND wins, the Irish "fans" at work will be the most ungracious winners ever. That can quickly be fixed with a win in Ann Arbor next September.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 03:25 PM) Wait, arent you a Michigan fan? I dont know any UM fans that are remotely pulling for the domers. I'm from Indiana. I don't hate ND. Most of my friends are ND fans. I just choose not to follow the pack sometimes, whether that means becoming a ND fan when I was young or rooting for ND now.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 7, 2013 -> 02:32 PM) Bama wins 20 to 17. I hate both these programs but I'd be pretty surprised if this isn't a very close game. I think it will be until late.

My Official prediction: Bama 27 Irish 13 The way ND wins: Get an early lead of two scores or more (at least 10 pts). Don't give up the deep ball on play action. Play Alabama at least even on both lines of scrimmage Make at least 4 plays of 20 or more yards (those made when behind by 14 pts or more don't count) Get pressure on McCarron and force him to make a mistake (2 or 3 would be better) Hold Alabama to less than 150 yards rushing The way Bama wins: Keep the game close in the first half or better yet, score early and follow it with a ND 3 and out Have success throwing early Pound ND on the ground in the 2nd half Confuse Golson and dominate ND's offense. Create turnovers Score TD's from outside the redzone I'd love to see a different result and hope Notre Dame does better than I expect, but I just can't see it.

These two announcers in the MSU - Purdue game are idiots.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 4, 2013 -> 03:46 PM) Craft's shot has gotten worse so he's a drive and pass guy, however Scott is the better PG. Lenzelle is the guy that can shoot with Thomas but both are streaky. We struggle in the paint defensively. Good but not as good as the last 3 years. Lenzelle Smith Jr. went off on IU last year in Columbus. He couldn't miss. I hate that guy!