College Basketball 2008-2009 Thread

[FoolKiller]

FoolKiller, do you fear that Kentucky might run Billy G. out of town if they don't win the NIT? How much patience do you have in the former Texas A&M coach?

I am currently torn on the Billy G issue. He wasn't my first choice, or second, or third. He has only been there for two years, so I want to say that we should give him more time. But at the same time, the man has the talent to get to the Final Four (NCAA). This season cannot be blamed on injuries or a lack of ability.

I think I will be happy either way.


All that said...Remember that Tubby Smith guy we ran out of town? Good thing, huh? I mean, what did he get us except a championship, a couple of Final Fours, a few SEC championships, a couple number 1 seeds, and some coach of the year awards? Had the fans not been so horrible we could have kept him long enough for Travis Ford or John Pelphrey to be experienced enough to come in.

 

[JohnBM01]

Two news notes:

Kentucky's patience with Billy G. has run out. So just like Tubby Smith, Billy G. was ran out of town. At least people had patience with Tubby Smith (and I love Tubby Smith), but wow. Is this greed or something at UK?



Now on to my bracket, and Duke lost last night, threatening my Final Four. Here's my video:





The Elite Eight will be filled out tonight as four games will determine which four teams will play for the chance to play for a National Championship in Detroit.

 

[FoolKiller]

Two news notes:

Kentucky's patience with Billy G. has run out. So just like Tubby Smith, Billy G. was ran out of town. At least people had patience with Tubby Smith (and I love Tubby Smith), but wow. Is this greed or something at UK?

The official reasons, and I can actually see this, is that he refuses to be an ambassador for the school, which is expected at a top-notch university like this.

UK coaches are expected to be part of charity events, advertising for fundraisers and recruitment, well-behaved, and well mannered toward fans and press. I have personally heard him on his call-in show turn a question around on a fan and ask why they would ask him something like that, and demand their reasoning, he has been condescending to our well-liked game caller, Tom Leach, and the rumors of philandering and drinking are out of control.

Tubby Smith himself was avoiding the recruiting and fundraising duties, but he was doing everything else. He was sat down by our AD and told to step up or pack his bags. He stepped up and even did charity advertising with Pitino.

Now, throw in that Billy G made our first performance-related missed NCAA Tournament in about 20 years and you have some good reasons.


Personally, I want Travis Ford, but I know that won't happen.

 

[JohnBM01]

Well, the Final Four is set:

* Connecticut! vs. Michigan State
* Villanova vs. North Carolina!

! = #1 seed



For now, my bracket is still safe. You can check out all my bracket reports by checking out my Playlist here:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=EA98C5A2D1651793

I correctly predicted two of the Final Four participants. Brian (the guy I'm going against on Facebook) correctly predicted only one. My Final Four assured a Big East vs. ACC match as I had Louisville vs. Conecticut and Duke vs. North Carolina.

Final Four this Saturday!

 

[FoolKiller]

Well, Calipari looks to be the guy at Kentucky. If rumors are to be believed all that has to happen is negotiations.

That said, the official word is UK got permission from Memphis to talk to him today, so these rumors may be a bit premature. The Orlando Sentinel was saying the same thing about Billy Donovan last week, and they all apparently have a "reliable source close to the program."

Oh, and by the way:

In case anyone does a mid-tourney update bracket my final four are:

Michigan St, U-Conn, Villanova and UNC. The final is U-Conn and UNC, with UNC winning.

Just saying.

 

[JohnBM01]

Glad you mentioned Calipari because I forgot to mention that in my post. Oh, and very good making that Final Four selection!

 

[FoolKiller]

Glad you mentioned Calipari because I forgot to mention that in my post. Oh, and very good making that Final Four selection!

I should have done a money bracket. Instead all I get is to select my position in our fantasy football draft with my friends.

 

[JohnBM01]

April Fool's Day should be banned. No jokes here, so let me tell you the truth. John Calipari will go from one pack of cats... to another. Calipari is officially the new Kentucky men's basketball coach. Now, depending upon how bad Kentucky wants and eighth National Championship, let's see if Calipari will coach in a much tougher conference than C-USA. Can his new Wildcats return UK to glory? Or will they run him out of town like they did to Tubby Smith? We shall see starting this November.

 

[JohnBM01]

Pardon the Interrption made a bigtime April Fool's joke, saying that Pitino could return to Kentucky while John Calipari could return to Memphis. It was surely an April Fool's joke, and I fell for it.

 

[FoolKiller]

For now I will resist using the "Coach Cal" that the local media all started using yesterday. I am cautiously optimistic. But if there is one man in Kentucky basketball that could be said to be a Pitino doppleganger it is Calipari. He was called Little Ricky at U-Mass and seems to have almost mirrored Pitino's career.

So, we will see what happens. I do see it as a positive sign that our biggest UK recruits are willing to meet with him and still claim to want to come to Kentucky while the biggest Memphis recruits have said that Kentucky is now at the top of their list, and they won't likely be going to Memphis.

In his press conference yesterday he was blunt and straightforward with the media and fans saying that if they expect a Final Four appearance next year they will be disappointed, and that it will take him a few years to get everything in sync. Basically, he told the fans to not treat him like they have the last two.

So now Kentucky has the highest paid coach in college basketball, and quite possibly the highest paid person in all of college sports. I hope he is worth it.

 

[JohnBM01]

It's on, dawg! Final Four in MoTown. Two teams will require a bailout while two others will play for a title on Monday. Right now, it's Michigan State vs. Connecticut.


18:20 left in the First Half, Michigan State leading 4-2. LOT of Michigan State favoritism.

 

[JohnBM01]

My bracket's officially busted. I picked Connecticut to win the title, but in a virtual home game, Michigan State beat UConn. So dougiemeats still has a safe bracket. I'm now 1-1 against GTP members in Facebook bracket tournament action. I won over Joey D last year, now lost to dougiemeats this year.

 

[TB]

Is it wrong that I chose NC over Villanova but I want Villanova to win so I stay on top of my bracket at work and win more money?

A few people have NC winning the championship, so if they lose either of the next two games I'll win $45. I've already scored $10 for being on top of the heap for the Elite 8...

[SIZE="1"]Rank	Team Name		Score	Correct	Best Score	Best Correct	Champion[/SIZE]
1	Me[COLOR="LemonChiffon"]..........[/COLOR]	91	43	107	44	Louisville (165)
2	Coworker	89	41	137	43	North Carolina (1)
3	Boss' son	85	44	85	44	Pittsburgh (145)
4	Coworker	84	41	84	41	Connecticut (143)
5	Coworker	81	43	129	45	North Carolina (136)
6	Coworker	75	42	91	43	Memphis (162)
6	Boss[COLOR="LemonChiffon"]........[/COLOR]	75	41	123	43	North Carolina (187)
8	Coworker	66	37	82	38	Louisville (151)
9	Boss[COLOR="LemonChiffon"]........[/COLOR]	65	37	81	38	Louisville (153)
10	Wife[COLOR="LemonChiffon"]........[/COLOR]	61	32	61	32	N. Dakota St. (182)
11	Coworker	58	38	58	38	Pittsburgh (142)
12	Coworker	54	34	54	34	Duke (176)
13	My 3 year old	53	30	53	30	Kansas (117)
14	Boss' daughter	52	33	52	33	Duke (145)
15	My 5 year old	11	11	11	11	Minnesota (150)

Edit: With NC winning, I'm still on top of the bracket for the Final 4 games so now I'm up to $25...

Go Michigan!

 

[JohnBM01]

The video captures my shame:





There's my video footage sharing my ideas as well as my thanks to everyone.

 

[JohnBM01]

And your national champion is....

NORTH CAROLINA!!!

They won by an NBA-like score of 89-72. I didn't see any of this game because my bracket was toast. So congrats to the Tar Heels on this wonderful title. But guess what... every other D1 team in alphabetical order from Air Force to Youngstown State want to beat you next year!

 

[JohnBM01]

From the bracket challenge between me and dougiemeats, I still ended up winning even though my bracket was dead at the Final Four mark. I ended up winning the bracket challenge 104-90. So I'm now 2-0 in this bracket challenge on Facebook. And speaking of Facebook, I finished 90,497th in the all-Facebook standings!

Tuesday night, it's Louisville (Final Four first-timers) vs. Connecticut for the women's National Championship. I'm sure I know who FoolKiller is picking to lose...