OT- March Madness day 2 open thread
Open thread for the day, or at least the early games.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
Rooting guide:
1) Utter chaos
2) MSU loss
3) ...?
4) Profit
I miss anything?
March 20th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
Sounds about right. Rooting for maximum Creanage as well.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:45 PM ^
March 20th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
Or, if you're older, it's anyone dunking on Patrick Ewing.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^
I'm not doing too bad. I've only lost 2 sweet 16 picks so far. There is still hope.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ^
Webber with Marv Albert is a good crew. I don't watch NBA on TNT enough anymore but that's a pretty good tandem.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
Je suis un Georgia Bulldog.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
March 20th, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^
If fate gives me a Georgia win today, I'll forgive it for that Ohio State and Notre Dame nonsense yesterday. Well, no, I won't. But still...
March 20th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
I was 14-2 yesterday. I'm winning a 200+ person pool right now. Which means that I will obviously tank today. If not for the crap that was the 3 seeds yesterday, I would have been a perfect 16-0 for the first time ever...
Aww... someone is a hater. That's cute.
I didn't downvote you but bragging after the first day of the tournament is useless.
Oh, I fully realize the tenuous condition of my lead. But if I can't brag about meaningless and random outcomes that don't really affirm anything about me, then what CAN I brag about?
How was fantasy football team last year?
March 20th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
Little Belmont, located in Nashville, would beat UVA today? That would be a 15 seed beating a 2 seed. I get it that such upset doesn't occur very often, but my nephew attends Belmont, majoring in writing rock & roll or any other music........not classical.......and it would be great.
Even better would be if Sparty also won and Belmont would upset Sparty in the second round.
That makes perfect sense to me.
March 20th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
Travis Trice's mom is the most annoying woman on the planet. If I was sitting near her, especially as an opposing fan, I'd bring that Left Twix packaging tape for her mouth.
I live in Big 12 country and find it amusing that two 3 seeds from the Big 12 are already gone. I've had to listen to local sports radio jocks talk about how deep the Big 12 is, how while there are no elite teams, there are several capable of making it to the final four, and it's likely to see at least 2 or 3 in the elite eight, yada, yada, yada. I realize that there is still a possiblilty for the Big 12 teams left to succeed, but Iowa State and Baylor were two of the 3 or 4 most local prognosticators were falling all over themselves to praise as contenders.
Floor slapping by Sparty or their neon shoes
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Really do want to see that matchup. Are you pulling for the Shockers?
Not enough talent,stewing about loss to Wis. - per Tracy Wolfson sideline babe.....I say Shut up you whining macho midget.
God Georgia is a sloppy, undisciplined, poor shooting team. They'll really regret missing all those bunnies at the rim as they lose this game.
SEC teams with the exception of Kentucky are all real awful to watch on offense. Hell even Kentucky's motto is just chuck it up there and rebound.
We're really spoiled by Beilein actually running an offensive scheme in college basketball whereas everyone else is content with 2 base plays followed by iso ball.
NBA's watered down offense with more emphasis on iso play isn't reflecting well on the kids either.
"NBA offenses focuisng on iso" is the easiest way to tell that somebody doesn't watch the NBA at all.
Lol ummm no. I watch the NBA. Half the time a play breaks down it just turns into iso ball by the PG or star of the team leading to some jacked up 3.
Have you ever seen the Thunder run any semblence of an offense? The Hawks and Spurs are probably the best two examples of schemes.
I didn't say all NBA offenses. Maybe you should learn to read a little bit.
Media highlighting individual shit doesn't help either.
The Thunder are a terribly coached team. Last night I watched Texas run 5 straight minutes of iso ball to end the game as they lost to a less talented Butler team. When a play breaks down pretty much all teams run iso ball, college or NBA and it is usually because there is not enough time to run a play anymore not because of style of play in the league.
And for all the shit a team like the Thunder get Westbrook is averaging over 8 assists a game even with an injury destroyed team. Chris Paul and John Wall, two all stars average 10 assists a game. The NBA is better basketball than college, better offense, better defense, and better individual players. You can still like college basketball more for other reasons but nobody who actually follows/cares about basketball thinks the quality of play is lower in the NBA and that included offense being run and defense being played. Just because you can point out individuals who don't work hard on defense doesn't mean that is what happens in the league.
Your defense of NBA defenses is more reliable than Damian Lillard's defense. Or Carmelo Anthony's. Or Kobe Bryant's. Or Dwayne Wade's. Or...
James Harden likes defense. HAH.
Neither does Trey Burke. Or really Michigan period.
Harden's defense has actually been really good this year. He was pretty embarrassed by all of the Youtube videos last year criticizing his..."defensive play..." if you can even call it that. It's caused him to really step it up.
But, as always, never let reality get in the way of an outdated narrative.
Agreed, this was a reason I didn't list him there. Also, plenty of guys can be good defenders in college simply because they have the most talent, when Harden was at ASU I thought he was pretty good at defense too.
Still think the rest of the people I included stands.
BTW, off topic from this but what do you think of more fast-break oriented coaches like Nelson, D'Antoni? I do love the Spurs style but teams that incorporate running too are really great. Hoping the pendulum will swing back and we can get another surge of fast-break ball.
I think most of the people saying you'll never win with that sort of scheme are absolutely incorrect. If you talk to most of the coaches in the NBA, they'll admit they've copied a ton of D'antoni's concepts and incorporated them into their own offensive systems.
The Suns got jobbed out of at least a Finals appearance in 07 (and likely a championship) with the whole "benchgate" deal. It's extremely difficult to win a championship in the NBA.
D'antoni's gotten too much hate for failed stints in what were toxic Lakers and Knicks franchises.
The idea that you can't or wont play D as effectively if you run simply isn't true. Golden State has been proving that all year. They run like maniacs and are a ton of fun to watch. They also protect the rim well and have a ton of guys who can defend.
As far as running teams, "making a comeback." The average "pace" of an NBA team this year is the highest its been in 20 years. I think they are already making a comeback.
Really good? I'd say more improved, much improved from last year. Should get even better when Dwight comes back.
Well, he's 5th in defensive win shares, 1st overall in win shares, 1st in VORP, 3rd in total BPM, 6th in DBPM amongst all guards, and his Drtg is significantly better this year and he's put up all of those defensive stats without having Dwight Howard for most of the year.
I think it's fairly to say Harden has been really good on the defensive end.
This x1000
ISO ball is generally frowned upon these days. Most teams play some variation of Spurs ball. Lots of PnR, spreading the floor with shooters, good ball movement, just classic team basketball.
The days of Allen Iverson clearing everyone out for an ISO on every play have been gone for like 10 years.
Criticizing the NBA for ISO ball is only slightly less cringeworthy than criticizing the NFL for the forward pass.
You're a dinosaur, you don't know what you're talking about. You haven't been paying attention to the evolution of the sport.
Strangely enough, we've got Kansas / New Mexico State on in one of the meeting rooms right now. I mean, someone has to make it to the weekend at least in the BIg XII, right? As it is, I am sure that Bob Bowlsby pees submissively when he hears the word "postseason" at this point.
Anyone have a gif of the obligatory cutaway to Magic Johnson clapping yet?
Well that was one awful call on that push. Goes from down 5 with a live turnover to down 8 and losing momentum, and quickly down 13. Sucks when refs rewards all that Izzo whining.
Georgia is trash.
What a lousy team.
Ditto
Here comes Georgia.
Just kidding...Georgia is garbage.
Throw up more awful shots in the lane?
Trice just murked UGA. Game over.
Time to start watching W. Virginia and Buffalo.
Bobby Hurley looks just like his dad. The coaching genes are amazing in that family.
More exposure for Duke:Laettner 30 for 30,constant Laettner on hammock commercials,Grant Hill on the mike,Rafftery asking Hill about his college coach *wink-wink,dozens of 'hey did you know Buffalo's Coach Hurley played for Duke' comments during WV-Buf game.Poor Duke needs more exposure.