Bear Down Wildcats

Bye OU

Two of the best coaches in the game navigate their way through a weak region to face off in the final four. How does Izzo do it?

So the premier conference in the land didn't have a single team make the Elite Eight? Enfuego must be so proud.

This is the best I've ever done on the ESPN tournament challenge. I'm in the 90.9% and just out of the top 1 million. This is by far the best I've ever done. I picked 7 out of the 8 elite 8 only missing Louisville. All my FF is still in tact having UK, UA, MSU, and the Zags. I have UA winning the championship against the Zags. I don't think there is that much of a surprise in the elite 8. Pitino, like Izzo, can never be counted out in the tourney.

Catintheheat wrote:This is the best I've ever done on the ESPN tournament challenge. I'm in the 90.9% and just out of the top 1 million. This is by far the best I've ever done. I picked 7 out of the 8 elite 8 only missing Louisville. All my FF is still in tact having UK, UA, MSU, and the Zags. I have UA winning the championship against the Zags. I don't think there is that much of a surprise in the elite 8. Pitino, like Izzo, can never be counted out in the tourney.

The best coaches win. Calipari, Miller, K, pitino, izzo, few, and brey and Ryan. Not a slouch in th bunch. Probably 8 of the top dozen coaches in the game without surprise.

ASUHATER! wrote:

Catintheheat wrote:This is the best I've ever done on the ESPN tournament challenge. I'm in the 90.9% and just out of the top 1 million. This is by far the best I've ever done. I picked 7 out of the 8 elite 8 only missing Louisville. All my FF is still in tact having UK, UA, MSU, and the Zags. I have UA winning the championship against the Zags. I don't think there is that much of a surprise in the elite 8. Pitino, like Izzo, can never be counted out in the tourney.

The best coaches win. Calipari, Miller, K, pitino, izzo, few, and brey and Ryan. Not a slouch in th bunch. Probably 8 of the top dozen coaches in the game without surprise.

That's the way I look at it and it makes a difference in how to pick a bracket. Of course it's always a good idea to pick against Bill Self.

Yea im 7-8 in the elite eight too. I have the same seven in as you Catintheheat. I actually thought this was the easiest elite eight to pick in a really long time, if not ever. My lone error was Nova, who I wasnt really high on but went with only because of how bad Louisville looked down the stretch.

ASUHATER! wrote:

gumby wrote:King Kong off Mark Few's back. Gotta feel good. I would think GU would benefit from poor shooting arena, since they have more paint weapons. Shem, Sabonis, Wiltjer vs. Okafor.

Yeah. Isn't this only Gonzaga's first elite 8 since that 1999 run when no one knew who they were? Like 12 first and second round losses since or something.

Yep. Headline was : Party Like It's 1999. Town is bonkers, and it's also hosting a regional for the women. Really lively downtown.

cpt wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

gumby wrote:King Kong off Mark Few's back. Gotta feel good. I would think GU would benefit from poor shooting arena, since they have more paint weapons. Shem, Sabonis, Wiltjer vs. Okafor.

Yeah. Isn't this only Gonzaga's first elite 8 since that 1999 run when no one knew who they were? Like 12 first and second round losses since or something.

All I know is that the media still loves Few and Gonzaga...it's amazing how overtime they are mentioned they have to say what a nice guy he is.

Oh, plenty of digs at GU for tourney failures. And their fans, like all fans, remember them all. Few is an unassuming, humble guy. Doesn't surprise me that he's stayed put.

gumby wrote:Oh, plenty of digs at GU for tourney failures. And their fans, like all fans, remember them all.

Just like us.

Sign me up for the petition that demands basketball be played in its usual environment. Heard that Gonzaga ditched it's usual practice routine and just had guys shoot the entire time to adjust depth perception and try to get used to strange backdrop.

It's like playing outside on a windy day. Forget the perimeter game.

gumby wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

gumby wrote:King Kong off Mark Few's back. Gotta feel good. I would think GU would benefit from poor shooting arena, since they have more paint weapons. Shem, Sabonis, Wiltjer vs. Okafor.

Yeah. Isn't this only Gonzaga's first elite 8 since that 1999 run when no one knew who they were? Like 12 first and second round losses since or something.

Yep. Headline was : Party Like It's 1999. Town is bonkers, and it's also hosting a regional for the women. Really lively downtown.

Could have beat UConn that year Just watched the end - why did the Zags player shoot a two under ten seconds down three?

@Chicat & rgdeuce - just saw this kenpom post about the poor shooting at nrg stadium, as you both mentioned last night:

http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog ... nrg_effect

Staples is huge too.

The poor shooting thing may be a bit overblown!

agree that it might be partly in the players' heads, but on the other hand, staples doesn't have a football dome stadium architecture, black curtain backdrops, or sunken bleachers -- or the kind of dropoff in shooting percentages historically seen at nrg/reliant.

games in open-air stadiums and aircraft carriers are fun in the preseason, but championship caliber basketball shouldn't be played in venues designed for football. i wonder if we'll see similar shooting in the ff at lucas oil stadium. at least they won't have those black curtains.

Actually, players are having shooting difficulties at Staples because of its distorting "spatial envelope" as well.

Are there problems in the Carrier Dome?

Salty wrote:Are there problems in the Carrier Dome?

Other than Jim Boeheim?

if the hardwood-island phenomenon really is an issue at staples, it'll probably be problematic at lucas - though the curtains and platform court at nrg has got to have a multiplicative effect.

on the plus side, it's only a matter of time before a head coach takes a header off the court. not worried about few because he'll probably cartwheel off into a handstand. but coach k had better watch out!

Let's go Irish!!!

Irish27 wrote:Let's go Irish!!!

Now that we've lost the Irish are a lock.

I'm not really watching, but judging by the score Kentucky would be fucked if they played Wisconsin today.

If Notre Dame can keep it close with a few minutes left in the game, it will be interesting to see how Kentucky handles the pressure.

I really really really really really really really want Kentucky to lose.

If ND wins I may contemplate suicide.

cats101 wrote:If ND wins I may contemplate suicide.

I've already said I'm going to drink 20 beers if ND wins. They're sitting in my fridge, taunting me. 'Ten for twelve' they whisper, 'Ten for twelve.'

Gonna be a long night.

p0 Ashley J, nothing to cheer about

Holy crap, the Irish are pumped and Ashley Judd looks concerned.

ND winning would suck asshole

Salty wrote:ND winning would suck asshole

yes it would

Salty wrote:ND winning would suck asshole

I'll root for whoever I want. Calling me an asshole just typical, shows your true character. Go Irish!

We've heard all year how Kentucky is this team of destiny. It'd make me feel a little better if they got beat in the Elite 8 too.

Irish27 wrote:

Salty wrote:ND winning would suck asshole

I'll root for whoever I want. Calling me an asshole just typical, shows your true character. Go Irish!

No, I wasn't calling you an "asshole"...

I was saying that it would suck asshole... As in a rim job.

And it would suck because then Wisconsin would play ND. Which would probably be a better matchup for them than Kentucky. And Arizona could have beaten ND I am sure.

That's why it sucks.

would be nice to see ND win it all for mama brey.

btw, there's a decent docu on showtime, HOOPS U that follows mike brey/ND and mark turgeon/UMD this season through selection sunday. fun to see what goes on behind-the-scenes. lots of under armour product placement, though

Kentucky is going to get the call every time they take it to the basket.

Callipari's look is priceless. Go Irish!

Go IRISH.

I'd rather see UK go down in the EE than think about Wisky pummeling ND.

What a game August is having

Plus, I think ND can take the fighting Kaminski's

August v. Kentucky through 35 minutes: 20 points, 9 rebounds (6 offensive)

Pursuit of perfection will get every call from here on out.

Notre Dame needs to keep attacking.

UK is still going to win this one

UAdevil wrote:UK is still going to win this one

Yep. Zero chance for ND.

Unreal

This is like a great boxing match.

Woah

This has been a really great game no matter who wins.

ND reminds me of UCONN 2011